SET REVIEW 6291/6280 Armada Flagship

[Mister Phes]

6291/6280 Armada Flagship

Here be the review

Upon first glance this is a very nifty looking vessel with a blue and white colour scheme. The colours make the ship look very regal like its intended to transport for royalty and other important business. It certainly doesn't look like a military or exploration vessel so I'm not sure if I'd assign it the lead position of my fleet.

Upon closer inspection I'm not sure I like the red, green and yellow bricks as it makes it look too colourful. It definitely needs other colours for variation but three of them is too many for my liking, however the red and yellow look fine in the design of the sail. The blue striped sails look nice, I like the slim stripes much better than the thicker stripes of the Caribbean. To put it in school terms "they look less dorky".

I think the design of the ship is lacking, as the design lacks with many of the latter pirate sets - it suffers from the typical "lets converse piece count" mentality. The stern of the ship could use some beefing up and the use of the hatch seems a bit out of place as it looks too futuristic, perhaps not appropriate for a historic ship. There are a few manditory peripherials like ship's wheel (although it does not move the rudder), a compass, a lantern (which falls off too easily) and some of those red wavy flags found in castle sets which is a nice touch.

The collapsing sail is an interesting feature but not very well executed as it too easily collapses and the only way to prevent it from tilting or collapsing is to modify the design slightly - or not move the ship! The anchor seems strangely placed as it hangs off the port side and there's no winch to retract it. Another feature that would benefit from a winch is the net which can be moved and positioned to lift things. Unfortunately the rope isn't quite long enough for it to reach a dock or deck of another ship.

This set does contain 3 lovely Imperial Armada mini-figures which is more than any other set. However a couple more wouldn't hurt; afterall, the other two ships of this size come with 4 mini-figures so why is this one lacking a fourth figure? Also this ship only has one cannon, whereas the others have two, so once again we see economising to cut costs.

Overall the concept is nice but its a pity the design wasn't a bit more substantial. Not a bad ship and I like it more than the Caribbean Clipper because at least the Armada Flagship has an aft sail. 3 stars from me.

[Norro]

3 stars from me as well... I agree about the futuristic hatch, and the loose lantern. I have often been inclined to like the colour scheme of this ship although I miss the wider stripes of the old ships. I also think the ship is far too small to serve its purpose (and/or carry two spanish officers) the green cannon holder was a nice varient, though too rare to be useful.

God Bless,

Nathan

[Sting]

Does anyone have a picture of this futuristic hatch? So I can see.

(This review is only from pictures I have seen, and reading the instructions (thank god for Lugnet)

I like this set from the distance, and I like what this set could have been. A very royal looking ship, as Mr.Phes said, to transport royalty, or do other important business.

I think there are too many colors on the ship, and I think at least one more minifigure should be added. The design is pretty weak as well, and without two cannons, this thing is barely a force to be reckoned with!

The sails and the hull pieces are great. I am considering buying 2 of these one day and putting them together as a better royal Galleon.

And I like that NET! I don't know, but I think the nets on the RBR and this ship are pretty nifty.

Pros: The sails, the minifigures, the hull pieces, and yes, the color scheme(it is a BIT too colorful but it does add alot of variety).

Cons: Design, one cannon, too few figures, and (in my opinion) unneeded collapsing mast.

I Gave it a THREE!

w0000t!!! I would(and will :D ) still buy it!

[Dreamweb]

Modify it a bit and it becomes great. When built according to instructions it has some faults like the silly way the rear sail is attached (there's no way it can actually drag the ship forward, when it's attached only in two points!), anchor with no winch, bridge with no ladder to get to it... But the Spaniards look great, so do the sails, and I like the white hull very much. Check out my just a little improved version here.

[Mister Phes]

Does anyone have a picture of this futuristic hatch? So I can see.

This is what I be referring to. They appeared a lot in space and town sets. Maybe it would work if it was brown, but then the rest of the ship would also need to be brown. Then again maybe if it were white. I dunno. I think its a very quick and cheap way of doing things.

[Sting]

Yeah.

I don't think that hatch piece works well with the Pirate timeline.

[Mister Phes]

The Spaniards look great, so do the sails, and I like the white hull very much. Check out my just a little improved version here.

Exactly how have you improved it?

[snefroe]

could this be a vip transport ship? a ship you use to bring officers, diplomates,... from and to your fleet?

[Mister Phes]

Yes, that's what I thought. So in my review I wrote...

The colours make the ship look very regal like its intended to transport for royalty and other important business. It certainly doesn't look like a military or exploration vessel so I'm not sure if I'd assign it the lead position of my fleet.

[Dreamweb]

Exactly how have you improved it?

Longer hull, one more sail, better way of connecting the rear sail, more crew :)

[Mister Phes]

Lets see if I can find a picture which captures that...

[Akkhraziel]

Its an interesting looking ship. I'm considering picking one up while they are still sorta cheap. ITs a shame they thought that the collapsing mast was needed to enhance playability.

Akkh

[Mister Phes]

That collapsing mast really annoys me. I'm not far off permanently securing it so it can't move at all.

[Starwars4J]

Ah, I did love this ship, and I agree that they made it a bit TOO colorful, but I can see why they did. The red and yellow were for the sail, and the green to compliment the standard colors of the spanish lego pirate series (look at the uniforms!).

Very nifty little set, but as you said, the cost-cutting was the beginning of the end for the old TLC.

[Mister Phes]

Did DID love this ship Mr Starwars4J? What happened to cause you to stop loving it?

[Norro]

That collapsing mast really annoys me. I'm not far off permanently securing it so it can't move at all.

I sealed mine after about 5 minutes of 'sailing'...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Mister Phes]

It serves no other purpose but to get really really really annoying...

[Djole]

Hey...this is my first and only pirate-theme-ship :-D :-( ...

It was released when I was started to collect LEGO-pirates (so I didn't miss the old ones)...

I really love it...it is BEAUTIFULL...really beautifull... I love the design as I love the color-scheme...

And the main sale is,I think,the best one ever made...

My only complaint to this set is the lack of minfigs...I really like the admiral,and i think there should be

just one...but other spanish soldiers...C'mon,you could give us more...

And I'm really sorry the Imperial Armada has just 2 sets...It's a really nice subtheme....

Greetings from Serbia

[Mister Phes]

Those are my sentiments exactly - not enough mini-figures! The LEGO Company was getting really stingy at that point in time (the mid 90s) and it appeared they were always looking to cut corners in the sets - so a reduction in mini-figure numbers seems to have been one such method.

[Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn]

This is the one and only Pirate ship I own and have ever owned, so I may be a bit biased when I give it a 4 :P

The only reason it doesnt get a 5 from me is because, out of all the pirate ships with a middle section, it is definetly the worst.

That doesnt make it suck, however. I think its colorful design fits with its spanish theme, and while it is somewhat lame having 1 cannon, its interesting how they had it swivel and shift back and forth.

Sadly, I took mine apart years ago to rebuild it into other ships. I finially got it assembled again a few months ago, and then my cat knocked it off a shelf and I have not re-assembled it since, assuming that I can still find all the parts.

Ah well,

Overall, its a neat set, and, as a toy, damn good ^_^

- Helden Ravensburg

[Brick Miner]

well, i would have given this set a 1... as i think the colors, sails (decoration and configuration), and cannon set-up are just awful !!! i do like the net though !!!

however, i always felt LEGO did an excellent job in creating 3 very different ships for the "imperial" sub-theme... and this one looks very different from the other two. i feel like this is a very notable quality, especially when you consider their enemies, the pirates... the differences between the BSB and SES seem considerably less prominent.

i don't care for the minifigs... i would much rather have a red coat squad. i never felt like the "spanish" imperials had an infantry soldier. to me all three of them seem like a unique fig. as if i could never have more than one in a battle field. i guess i am looking for the more generic look of the other two soldiers (red and blue) to build an army.

i have always felt, since we never saw an "armada base", lego never saw the need to make the generic looking soldier for them. this is a huge hinderance for the "spanish" sub-theme.

consiquntly, i gave the armada flagship a 2.

- BrickMiner

[Mister Phes]

I agree with you dear Brick Miner that all the Imperial Armada mini-figures appear to be unique, but I conclude this is because 3 was the most there ever was in a set. There are the same number of Imperial Armada torso and face designs as there in the Imperial Guard and Soldier sub-themes. I.e. Admiral, Commander and Soldier. Perhaps if there had been more Imperial Armada sets then it would be clearer which mini-figure was intended to be "generic looking soldier".

[Brick Miner]

well, i took a look at the three again on BrickLink... it looks to me like the red (non-captain) armada fig would have to be the "soldier" if there is one. the other two figs have ruffles and jewelry... not really the sign of a soldier :-D !!!

yet, even the red (non-captain) armada fig looks to "prim and proper" to be a soldier... just something about him ???

- BM

[Mister Phes]

What do you expect Brick Miner? After plundering the Incas and Aztecs there was plenty of bling bling to go round - even to the ordinary troops!

[Brick Miner]

:-D :-D :-D well, i guess !!!