LOTR & The Hobbit 2013 Set Discussion

[The_Chosen_1]

^ No, nothing significant really - just a tongue-in-cheek remark from the "narrator" of the featurette about being excited for sets that are to come.

[Darth Malgus]

I like the box art pics, it will be interesting to see if we get Beorn now or at the release for the 3rd film considering his role in the battle of the 5 armies.

[Str0ngbad]

There is so much more that is begging for attention in that battle that I have a hard time seeing him being made then if he isn't this winter. However, that thought had not even occurred to me. I honestly had forgotten about his part in the battle.

I get on here every day hoping to see a post from GRogall...

[Duke of wellington]

HEY

finally

http://www.lordofthebrick.com/2013/03/10237-orthanc/

[Kez]

Ah yes I've already seen that picture on Flickr but am now just eagerly awaiting for a better image of Orthanc, there's also a member on brickset who says that Orthanc will include no minifigures (I hope that that info is wrong or it could be just pure speculation)

[Cammo]

But where can you guys see the tower in the picture? Am I blind or something?

[Kez]

But where can you guys see the tower in the picture? Am I blind or something?

No your not blind, there is no picture of the tower but the designer marco Bessa has posted a picture about a month ago of him doing an intro to a designer video and he's hinted that its a new set to be released later in the year and he's said it's a theme that he's not built before so presumably it's the tower of Orthanc.

[The_Chosen_1]

Did he give any indication of when the announcement would be made?

[Cammo]

He's hinted that its a new set to be released later in the year and he's said it's a theme that he's not built before so presumably it's the tower of Orthanc.

Yeah, I guess it's logical after building the Gothic style Arkham Asylum. He can use some similar building techniques.

[just2good]

Did he give any indication of when the announcement would be made?

Like I've said, I'm guessing an October release, so we'll probably get an announcement in June.

[KristofBD]

Well than they taped the designer video very early. But may be that's just wishful thinking of me ;)

[Good Cragger Fan]

Ah yes I've already seen that picture on Flickr but am now just eagerly awaiting for a better image of Orthanc, there's also a member on brickset who says that Orthanc will include no minifigures (I hope that that info is wrong or it could be just pure speculation)

There better damn well be at least a couple of minifgures, or I will not buy this set at any price that retailers and LEGO could possibly be selling it for there (this includes sales of 50% off, as it is extremely unlikely that it would ever go for less than half price, it given the fact that it is a Direct-to-Consumer release by LEGO Direct). (That is the case there, unless there are a lot of minifigure weapons and/or minifigure headwear and/or bodywear in hard to find or never-before-seen-by-us colours or even common colours, instead of full minifigures.)

"KristofBD" said, "Well then they taped the designer video very early. But may be that's just wishful thinking of me :)".

About this quote, if that really is the case, then why doesn't LEGO have us in being able to watch it right now online somewhere?!

Edited March 31, 2013 by Good Cragger Fan

[The_Chosen_1]

I agree, it would be a pretty boneheaded move not to include minifigures with Orthanc. I think it's too early on in the LotR line for them to risk not including minifigures to boost the appeal of a set.

[Darth Malgus]

We'll just have to wait and see, I hope it comes with minifigs as long as they are relevant, otherwise a straight impression of the tower is perfectly fine with me.

[BlueberryWaffles]

"KristofBD" said, "Well then they taped the designer video very early. But may be that's just wishful thinking of me :)".

About this quote, if that really is the case, then why doesn't LEGO have us in being able to watch it right now online somewhere?!

Um, it kinda wouldn't be online now because have you ever considered that LEGO likes to keep things secret?

[Calanon]

Hmm, only just looked at the LoTR sets for later. A bit disappointed that the Mordor orcs will be using Uruk helmets, but oh well. No Gondorian soldiers? Damn.

[Elrond]

Hmm, only just looked at the LoTR sets for later. A bit disappointed that the Mordor orcs will be using Uruk helmets, but oh well. No Gondorian soldiers? Damn.

I was hoping we'd get Gondorian soldiers too. I also still keep my fingers crossed for rangers (including Faramir) and elves from the Last Alliance.

As for the Mordor orcs, I'll probably end up using some helmets and headgears from the Castle/Kingdoms lines.

[Calanon]

I was hoping we'd get Gondorian soldiers too. I also still keep my fingers crossed for rangers (including Faramir) and elves from the Last Alliance.

As for the Mordor orcs, I'll probably end up using some helmets and headgears from the Castle/Kingdoms lines.

Aye, it would be a shame if they stopped doing LoTR sets without doing doing any set from the Siege of Minas Tirith or when the rangers shoot the Haradrim!

And that's a good idea. I'll probably do that. But not many of them really seem that suitable to me...

[Blakstone]

Aye, it would be a shame if they stopped doing LoTR sets without doing doing any set from the Siege of Minas Tirith or when the rangers shoot the Haradrim!

People frequently lament the lack of Gondorian soldiers but it is rare to see mention of the rangers of Gondor. I would love both but my heart belongs to Rohan so I still want more of those sets.

[Calanon]

People frequently lament the lack of Gondorian soldiers but it is rare to see mention of the rangers of Gondor. I would love both but my heart belongs to Rohan so I still want more of those sets.

Well I'd love some rangers as well, but they are more specialised and do not form the backbone of the Gondorian army. And I must agree. Only 1 Rohan soldier available is a shame.

[Blakstone]

Gondor does need a unique LEGO helmet. The rangers don't need any new molds but we need some new prints to get their tabards correct.

[Kez]

I could see lego making the ambush of the Haradrim where the rangers are attacking them, this could also include an oliphaunt

Hopefully next year we'll see some sets with the Gondor and easterling factions in them presumably when the desolation of smaug film is coming out

[Flieger]

People frequently lament the lack of Gondorian soldiers but it is rare to see mention of the rangers of Gondor.

That may be because one can rather easily recreate the Rangers without new molds, thus one can do something fairly close to the movie. Hood, cape, bow, quiver... it is all there already.

For the regular Gondorians you'd need a new helmet mold and maybe a new shield (although they may end up reprinting the legionary shield).

The Rohirrim are done I fear. Hopefully we will see Eowyn with a new helmet, but even if we are lucky.

[Deathleech]

At this point I would settle for an Osgiliath set instead of Minas Tirith, as long as it means we get SOMETHING Gondor related. So far we haven't really had anything though, other than Boromir and the upcoming Aragorn in Gondor attire. I just want to get at least one Gondor set that includes a few Gondor soldiers in it. I would LOVE a huge D2C Minas Tirith (and a separate wall add on/army builder set with Gondor Soldiers and Mordor Orcs similar to the Uruk-hai Army set), but who knows if that will happen. I am still hopeful for a third wave centered around this.

As for the Rohan soldiers, I too fear we won't be seeing many/any(?) more, which is a shame. It would be nice if Lego gave us at least 2-3 prints for each of the soldiers in a faction, but I dunno if that's going to happen with so much content and so many figures still yet to be made. I mean we have the exact same Mordor Orc now and it will have been in 3 different LotR sets. It's a shame to because Lego could easily create some variation with existing pieces for a lot of the factions. Just look at the Mordor Orcs for example. Take some of the pieces from the Goblin King Battle set and mix and match them with the existing Mordor Orcs and you have at least a dozen different options for orcs.

[The Legonater]

As much as I would love more Rohan soldiers, I think Gondorian soldiers is a necessity for right now. If the next LotR wave doesn't have them, I will be quite put out.