Most wanted CMF for army builder

[AAA Brick Master]

I like your Egyptian Army ranking system. Please take better pictures and share with us. Cheers.

Edited August 8, 2012 by AAA Brick Master

[KyleJohnson11]

For me personally, I have been all about multiples of Hockey Players and Baseball Players. In my opinion, they are ideal army/team builders.

[natelite]

i think what we agree on is that army building means different things to different people.

for some people, 5 is enough. for some, only more than 40 is reasonably army building.

so if the objective is to discover which figure is so high in demand with lego fans worldwide that the demand causes price to spike to the stratosphere, then we should agree on the definition of army building as the average worldwide ownership of more than 10 per fans.

in other words, if by some oddity, someone likes to collect graduates by buying 100s of them, but the average fan would not have more than 1-2 of them, then that's not army building.

if we agree on this definition, then it's quite clear which ones are army building CMFs. contrary to popular beliefs, cheerleaders are not army building. there are a few folks who collect 10s of these but most folks just collect 1s.

and the above definition is also very consistent with how BL prices them. army builders are always priced higher than the average or median price for the serie. there are exceptions. like nurse, cheerleader, clown of series 1. they aren't specifically army builders per se, but they are higher priced than ninjas, forestmen, cowboys of series 1.

[AAA Brick Master]

I understand the nature of supply and demand, but it is sad to see that certain army building CMFs with such high/unjustified price tag now. I started collecting CMF when series 4 came out. By that time, the zombie already costed about $15(that's 400% increased in valve) and Spartan $8 even on Bricklink. I was lucky enough to find a box of series 2 for only $120 at a local toy store and traded many of my Series 2 CMF for Series 1 CMF. Now I am sorry for any kids who must pay high price for certain CMF(for example, Zombie, Spartan, Elf, and Roman Solider). No secret here, the price-jump only causes by the demand of army builder. Anyways, LEGO really hit gold here with their Collectible Minifigures Series.

Edited August 9, 2012 by AAA Brick Master

[Dunjohn]

How many kids buy minifigures on the secondary market? I'm not being sarcastic, I'm wondering. Do many?

[TrumpetKing]

I think one of the figures despite not being military is, believe it or not, the S5 Graduate. He actually has a lot of potential within him as he fits right into a Town/school MOCS. And say somebody doesn't want exactly the same graduates, what's wrong with a little customization once in a while?

I personally am not an army builder (Just one of each for this guy) But really I don't see the need to. While I can definitely tell which ones are great to army build, I don't get several due to budgeting. However, I will admit which ones are fantastic as well. Figures such as the upcoming Conquistador, The Royal Guardm The Roman Soldier and several more exist in the CMF world.

[dgherko]

I am an AFOL with 20 years of collecting in castle. I have used Pirates, old west, Star Wars, Ninjas, Vikings, Ninjago to augment. The CMF have been a boon to my collection, as have Lego opening a store and a discovery center in Kansas City USA. There only 11 unique set I don't have from all years. This is a non-profitable hobby for me (I have thrown out all of the boxes), unless I count bagging up spare parts in ziplocks and selling at yard sales. I am a trained Army Force Designer, so that is my passion for Army design. I do enjoy the creations for Minifigs many have produced.

I have never taken a CMF from a youngster, I will help anyone find the one they are looking for to include the store employees. Just crossed 5140 minfigs with several hundred CMF as listed above. Lego seems to walk a line between kids and us AFOLers and I am ok with it. I don't generally buy on the secondary market for CMF, way too over priced picked up several Forestmen and Muskateers in the build a figure bins in the stores . No kids are buying on secondary market. Just AFOLers. It is the profitters that are scooping up intial boxes of CMF at time of release and trying to sell on line to places and people that can't get them or can't wait.

I did get several CMF in smaller quantities to augment my collection. Any female CMF in a dress has potential in Castle Lego theme that has very few female characters. The Graduate looks like a 15th century priest (kind of). Fishermen make good peseants, the ice skater can even be a hospitality specialist for those lonesome crusading minifig soldiers

Will try and do more photos soon

[jasbury]

Yes, got to love spacemen. I would love an army or Galaxy patrol figures storming my space city!

[Rogue Angel]

Btw, LOVE your Tower of Eras Duhl.

Thanks!

I think that army building does not only apply to military figures. It all depends on what you want to build. If you want to build a squad of cheerleaders, a graduating class, a squadron of air force pilots, these can all be considered army building. The big factor is how common it is to army build a particular figure. Obviously the military figures are generally going to be the most common, but I would say anything with a uniform would fall into that category. I would say that cheerleaders and graduates are much less in demand than Elves and Spartans, but they could still fall in to that category.

I also think that the aftermarket is a blessing and a curse. While it is expensive to pick up a lot of those prime figures, I have definitely picked up figures through bricklink for an extra couple of dollars each instead of spending the time and money to drive to a whole bunch of stores to see if they have them and then feel for the right figures. It has been less of an issue with the later series, which have been more heavily produced and have had multiple figures I've wanted multiples of, that were easy to find (Galaxy Patrol, Aztec, Evil Knight, Highlander, Minotaur)

[Piranha]

A picture speaks a thousand words and these are the minifigures which I think is worthy for army building,

Link to Flickr image

I was just thinking of this picture too while I was reading this.

That is an excellent group shot of my favorites as well.

With S8 coming soon I would add the Conquistador, and maybe Shakespeare for those new useful parts.

[Brickmamba]

For me the elf is still the best, an army of elves lined up on top of helms deeps is priceless

[AAA Brick Master]

Hey Brickmamba,

I think the Elf is the greatest too. Its detailed torso plus that "Deer-head" shield... so AWESOME!! It would complements so well with a LOTR army as well. I hope LEGO will also have a female Elf like the female Viking warrior in the future series. Cheers.

AAA Brick Master