Africa

[Minifig Lecturer]

Do you ever think TLC will make Zulu-type armies and African scenes, e.g the Serengeti grasslands with giraffes, elephants (good ones), lions, rhinos, wildebeest....... etc?

Armies like the Zulus, Ashanti, Masai and perhaps colonial armies like France, Britain, Belgium.

Personally I think it would be brilliant. Personally I would buy loads (if they looked good obviously) :-$

How about playing around with these dudes...

[Bonaparte]

I would be very happy if TLC did that, but I don't think they will.

If we want to see zulu-armies, colonial armies, ... then we'll have to make them ourselves.

[simonwillems]

I don't think the Lego Group is going to provide us with African tribes in combination with colonial armies because of the history of slavery. A lot of people (and nations) still feel the guilt and the pain of this past.

Lego is not going to rip these wounds open again.

So yes, if we want to have African scenes we will have to make them ourselves. Some other good minifig torso's are perhaps those from the adventurers series, although more suitable for world war one soldiers, but also for some colonial armies.

[Athos]

Its gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

Theres nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in africa, I bless the rains down in africa

I bless the rains down in africa, I bless the rains down in africa

I bless the rains down in africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had...

Actually, I think this would be my most desired theme, more so than Castle or Pirates. They could even avoid the colonial aspect and have it be an Adventurers theme with JT looking for King Soloman's Mines or the headwaters of the Nile (maybe we could get a Richard Burton figure?).

Steve

[Bonaparte]

The wild dogs cry out in the night

As they grow restless longing for some solitary company

I know that I must do whats right

Sure as kilimanjaro rises like olympus above the serengeti ...

Africa would be a great theme indeed. TLC could use it to show the rich culture of Africa.

They could show us the other Africa, not the one we usually see on TV these days...

[exo attack]

Wow, that would be great. If you use a custom torso, some NBA player parts, and Islander parts, You could probably make them.

[Optimax X]

I don't know- what with this world and the people who think the simplist things are rascist (black tribes as lego sets) probably not. Too big a gamle for TLC to take without being accused of being rascist.

[exo attack]

Yes, that is a point Optimax. I am sure I have seena an african tribe custom fig somewhere though..

[Optimax X]

I know- you can't even sing baa baa black sheep without being called a rascist- how is the words black sheep being a flipping rascist?!

Would be a good theme, but if everyone would just cool it with thinking everyone and everything is a rascist, (not saying anyone here is) then this could become reality.

[exo attack]

Yes, now In nurserys they can't teach "baa baa black sheep", without using the words white sheep as well.

I feel strongly about racism, as my dad haas ben beat because he is black.

[Optimax X]

Yes, there is a limit though, rascist would be on purpose making fun of black people, but you are not rascist if you say black board or baa baa black sheep. |-/

I bet in a couple of years time, the govement will ban you from saying black, and the colour black will no longer be around either :-D

[Asuka]

(maybe we could get a Richard Burton figure?).

Steve

I would prefer a Stewart Granger one.... and a Deborah Kerr, please. :-$

[blueandwhite]

I doubt there is a large market for something like this. Personally, I think one of LEGO's biggest shortcomings has been the production of too many lines, rather than the constant support of a few strong ones. I wouldn't support something like this, simply because I like to dedicate myself to one or two themes.

[ChrisF2006]

I like the idea, however Lego is to PC to ever make something like this.

Heres what you can do with minifigs:

- Red IG with the shako can stand in for early 1800s to 1870s British Army in various locales

- Red IG with the white police hat and or the white hat painted black can stand in for British Army in the 1830s to 1850s in India, Crimea, Africa, etc

- Red IG with the White pith helmet can be used for 1860s - 1880s British Army, the red uniform was replaced by a khaki service uniform in the early 1880s though the red uniform is still worn today on ceremonial occasions.

- Johnny Thunder and the German guy minifigs with either cowboy hats or pith helmets can be used for almost every European army from the 1880s until the 1950s and then just have the cowboy hat only and im sure you could cover some post WW2 conflicts. The Johnny Thunder figure with his hat makes an EXCELLENT WW1/WW2 Australian or New Zealand soldier.

- You can also use the red IG figure for Canadian Army and Mounties in their battles with the Indians in the 1880s.

- The blue IG figure can be used for frogs, same with the US Cavalry figures. Theres your French Foreign Legion!

- US Cavalry figures with pith helmets and or cowboy hats also make great British colonial troops.

[WesternOutlaw]

Do you ever think TLC will make Zulu-type armies and African scenes, e.g the Serengeti grasslands with giraffes, elephants (good ones), lions, rhinos, wildebeest....... etc?

Armies like the Zulus, Ashanti, Masai and perhaps colonial armies like France, Britain, Belgium.

Personally I think it would be brilliant. Personally I would buy loads (if they looked good obviously) :-$

Neat idea, but you have to think of how popular this idea would be with Lego's average market.

Perhaps something like safari would be a little more popular (a few natives to go with the theme).

[Minifig Lecturer]

Personally I don't buy the "racism" argument with regard to the African tribes. TLC have made a few races now which have experienced racism, e.g. the Native American "indians". I understand that it would be going a step too far if they had the slave trade included in the sets (i.e. black minifigs in chains and neck locks) but I do think that they could have "invading/exploring" armies just as the Blue US troops in the Western theme and leave out the less desirable stuff. Just as they did with the Western theme.

Anyway I do hope they do something like this theme someday (like many other toys - check out the kids shops!). I know it is possible to make MOC-minifigs that would look not bad but they can't be as good as what TLC could do. In any case, the possibility to have some wild animals always interested me. They can be used in many themes, for example Elephants in the Castle theme and animals such as lions would be great in MOCs of eg Rome's colosseum and so on..

In the Western theme it would have been great to see herds of bison :'-( :'-( not just boring horses and the odd snake.

I know other cheap toys sell wild animals in bags, I used to have some myself, so I think there is a market there if TLC could keep them at a reasonable price. That I admit however is probably too much to ask.

[Athos]

Neat idea, but you have to think of how popular this idea would be with Lego's average market.

Perhaps something like safari would be a little more popular (a few natives to go with the theme).

I think that would satisfy my Africa cravings. I'd like to get some new animals (lions, camels, hippos, zebra). But some native figures would also be nice. Even if we only got a couple in a set, as opposed to a native village, we could always buy multiple copies of the set or bricklink the figures.

I can't imagine Lego ever producing a set like the movie Zulu. But an African safari, and even an African village, minus the colonial powers would make a great theme.

Steve

[ChrisF2006]

I think that would satisfy my Africa cravings. I'd like to get some new animals (lions, camels, hippos, zebra). But some native figures would also be nice. Even if we only got a couple in a set, as opposed to a native village, we could always buy multiple copies of the set or bricklink the figures.

I can't imagine Lego ever producing a set like the movie Zulu. But an African safari, and even an African village, minus the colonial powers would make a great theme.

Steve

Ah yes, one of the best war movies EVER made :-)