oo7 Posted May 26, 2013 Set Number: 70400 Name: Forest Ambush Theme: Castle Year of Release: 2013 Pieces: 90 Minifigures: 4 Price: $11.99 USD Links: Flickr image gallery Bricklink Brickset This review comes to you courtesy of my brother, who received all five sets in this new castle line following recognition by Lego employees for his contribution to the castle theme display at the recent Brickfair New England. After confirming his liberties of disclosure with his evaluators, he has photographed all models in a review manner which I will be posting with accompanying analysis. I will be starting today with the smallest of the collection. The Red Dragon faction figures include an axeman and a maceman both with a lamellar-style torso print. The Crown/Lion faction figures include a swordsman with a cuirass torso print and a pikeman with a mail and gorget print. All four figures have appropriate back prints, with fastenings and buckles for the Red Dragons and the rear halves of cuirass and gorget for the Crownies. Additionally, both Red Dragons have alternate expressions on the back of the head while the Crownies do not. The swordsman hides funny eyebrows under his helm and holds a new blade seemingly based on the classic chrome silver greatsword. The camouflaged crossbow emplacement has two clip bricks for each "Panzerfaust" flick-fire missile, and some nice foliage including the toppling apple tree available to block the road, crush the enemy, or use for Apfelschuss. The cart has two clips behind each wheel (one with flag, one free for holding a weapon) and two in front (one with a shield and one free for a weapon). The chest holds six 1x1 round "coin" tiles, one goblet, and three jewels that could be useful for creating a medieval stoplight (not that improved civil infrastructure would save our travellers from highwaymen such as these thugs). Finally, the extra parts include another always useful carrot top in a newer style with a slightly more defined indentation at the apical meristem, that is, between the two "leaves" at the top. Thanks for reading, remember to vote in the poll above, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-obelix- Posted May 27, 2013 Great review of this small set, a definite buy on my list. I did, however, notice one small thing I think this review is missing - your rating. Other then that, excellent job! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Redblade Posted May 27, 2013 Nice review, and I now have some new additions to my vocabulary! I only ordered this set a couple minutes ago but I now eagerly await its arrival. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynx Posted May 27, 2013 Great review! I won't buy this set (solely collect Lord of the Rings) but voted "Fantastic!". If I were a Castle collector or 25 years younger, I would love this set to no end. Fair price, two minifigures for each faction that offer multiple ways to create variety in your armies, lots of gold and jewels, and even a dog - cannot ask for more than that! Nice review, and I now have some new additions to my vocabulary! Educational toys indeed. oo7, you should review set 79006, The Council of Elrond, and talk about anthocyanins, carotenoids and xanthophylls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carousel Posted May 27, 2013 Good job on the review + photography, it was nice to get a good close up on the Dragon faces/torsos, which has lead me to want them to an even greater extent. Your terms (gorget, cuirass) have been duly noted, and integrated into my vocabulary. The set itself is a great army builder, although it's a little bit of a disappointment that Lego couldn't get around to including actual coin pieces! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Cook Posted May 27, 2013 (edited) Well done. It was good to finally get a proper written review with properly taken photos rather than those awful video reviews that everyone seems to do these days. I can actually study the prints and develop my own opinions thanks to your photography skills, rather than watching a minifig waved infront of a camera. Hopefully you'll be able to post more reviews of the other sets. Edited May 27, 2013 by The_Cook Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hive Posted May 27, 2013 Not a fan of the minifigs from this new line, the brick built items in this set does not impress me and the fact that they have replace actual LEGO coins with this atrocities does not help my overall impression of the set... but I'll still rate it 'average' due to the number of figures for the price, some nice new faces and a dog. I don't yet own a dog. A sword and an axe clip among the extras is pretty nice as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain BeerBeard Posted May 28, 2013 Great pictures! I wonder if the torsos could be usable with different arm colors? Maybe fleshie heads would work better? Maybe it's the yellow heads that are making these figures look bad? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pup Posted May 30, 2013 I wonder if the torsos could be usable with different arm colors? The blue guys have armpits that show the color of their tunic underneath -- so for the mail/gorget guy, it would be difficult to switch out the arms. The other blue guy might work with bley arms. Or I suppose you could do one white and one blue arm, since the jerkin is half blue and half white. But the dragons -- they look wonderful with different color arms! Black arms, or dark bley/grey arms look fantastic on the torsos with the shoulder armor. The torsos with the larger dragon and no shoulder armor look great with either black, dark bley/grey, or light bley/grey. (I tried the lighter bley/grey on the shoulder armor guys, and it didn't look right.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
