Which is Your Favorite Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug Set?

[Deathleech]

So now that the sets from the second Hobbit wave have been out for awhile, which is everyone's favorite and why?

Personally I am torn. I think Mirkwood Elf Army has some nice figures but the build's not that impressive. Lake-town Chase has a much better build that is more accurate to the film but the figures aren't as good (but they still are very nice). I like that Dol Guldur Ambush has hair and ears for the orcs and Beorn is a nice minifigure, and of course Dol Guldur Battle has some nice minifigs as well with Azog and Radagast, but neither DG set has a great build imo.

I think overall I would have to go with Lake-town Chase as my favorite with MEA in a close second. If MEA would of included an armored elf or two I think that would of hands down been my favorite set. Usually I am a huge army builder fan but as it stands MEA just has too many issues; Thranduil is great if you buy the set once but beyond that is redundant and hard to use, the walls are pathetically short, and 3 elven scouts are too many when they are all the same imo.

So, what is your guys' favorite wave 2 Hobbit set?

Edited January 3, 2014 by Deathleech

[Mr. Cube]

Well, I think that the best looking set is Lake-town Chase, it has the atmosphere like in the film, nice new minifigures, molds and new prints (Thorin). But I bought Dol Guldur Ambush, just for the orcs with the headpiece. I would like to buy another (or a couple of DGA sets), but what will I do with multiple Beorns? Same story is the MEA and Thranduil, DGB has great minifigures, but the design of the set is not "must buy" at all. So I vote for Lake-town Chase, even when I didn´t buy that set yet.

[Alfadas]

As I only have MEA and LTC, I can't really decide. But I think I have to go with the biggest set, DGB. The figs are awesome in that set, especially Azog and Radagast, and ofcourse the orcs!

[J bij de W]

I go for Lake Town Chase, A good build with nice mini figures.

[Mutant Orc]

Hard to choose, the all have a few flaws.

By the way the title says- desolation of Smaug sets- so shouldn't the Barrel Escape and Mirkwood Spiders be here as well? They belong with this film.

If so I'd go with Mirkwood spiders possibly...

[Blakstone]

I like sets that build something recognizable. The random ruins of either Dol Guldo, Goblin King, and even the Mirkwood Spiders just seem like a mash of bricks. Although I don't have it yet, the Laketown Chase set looks the best to me. It might not the best figures but it is the type of build that I would MOC.

I do have DGA and Mirkwood Elf Army already. The tree in the MEA looks bad to me. The wall was too short and the color changes seemed random as well. I have not seen DoS so maybe the set would make more sense if I did. However, from this board I get the impression that it wouldn't.

[greenalfonzo]

I was really disappointed by the lack of armored elves in MEA. I don't know why they put those rangers in the sets, because no elves in the movie wear hoods!

Laketown has a great building, and some cool figures. I have 2 of those. The guard is awesome, and if they would have made some helmeted elves like that, I would have 8 MEAs right now instead of none.

[jodawill]

I think the best minifigures are the elves. Although, as greenalfonzo pointed out, they don't wear hoods in the movie, I think they look awesome like that.

As far as the actual set goes, I think the Laketown Chase is the only one worth writing home about. The buildings look pretty nice and I love that long boat part. I'm not a big fan of the lakemen armor, so I don't like the minifigures, but Peter Jackson chose that, not TLG.

[Floundie]

While I haven't picked up my set yet (waiting for a sale), from the looks of it Lake Town appears to be the superior of this wave build-wise.

[Tuinman]

I own both Lake Town Chase and Dol Guldur Battle. Though DGB is a really nice set, better than I expected before I.built it, I think LTC is much better. Great minifigs and a very recognisable structure.

[Deathleech]

By the way the title says- desolation of Smaug sets- so shouldn't the Barrel Escape and Mirkwood Spiders be here as well? They belong with this film.

I meant second wave Hobbit sets. Yes, technically Barrel Escape and Mirkwood Spiders are from the second movie but it's from the first Lego wave and has the AUJ packaging so I didn't include them.

[Infernum]

Definitely DGB, great figs, and I was impressed by the build. Good value too. I felt let down by the construction of MEA, and the size of LTC is a little small.

[vestige81]

I like the figs in Dol Guldur Battle but Laketown Chase is a better set overall in my opinion.

[Dragonfire]

I'd have to go with MEA for the figs, even though I like LTC's build.

[TheLegoDr]

Lake-town Chase for sure. The build alone is neat. I like that type of architecture anyway, so that helped. But the colors were nice. The figures were really nice. I don't particularly care for the town Master, but his printing was impressive. Bard and the guard were the two best figures of the wave I think.

I can easily picture myself expanding the town in that style compared to expanding the other sets.

But ultimately I am buying these for the figures, so it doesn't normally matter about the build since I don't build the sets. But I actually built Lake-town.

[Ardelon]

LTC, both for the aesthetic and the figs.

[Risgrynsgrot]

The only set that I think is okay is really Laketown Chase, not to mention it's the only set that actually portrays the movie, it's also very neat with some great minifigs. DGA has mediocre figs and is just a gray pile of bricks, DGB has better figs but is just a bigger, gray pile of bricks and the Mirkwood Elf Army has too many clone figs and the build is meh.

So yeah, Laketown it is.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Risgrynsgrot

[Brick Fiend]

Lake-Town Chase. It's very well designed. A good representation of the location as it appears in the film.

[Samiens]

I loved the laketown chase set from the moment I saw it but actually, having just built the Dol Goldur Battle I have to say its one of those sets you really need to see in real life- great minifigs, the build is highly reminiscent of the film

[Only Sinner]

I think the minifigs are good in all of these sets. I also think the parts selection is pretty good in most of them, too. The best build with regards to the reference to the scource material is probably Lake Town Chase. I understand the designers probably only had limited information to go off of, like studio set photos and some storyboard sketches. That is probably why the other sets are not quite so movie accurate. Did anybody notice Bejorn at Dol Guldur? With swinging booby-traps and flick missiles? I think not.

[Samiens]

Given the way Dol Goldur was left in the movie I am guessing there's more to come there but you're right about flick missiles- hate them in historic type sets.

[SirBlake]

I have MEA and like it, but have a feeling that Laketown Chase or Dol Guldur Battle will end up being my favorites. That said, do we have a Laketown Chase review? I've searched and looked several pages back and haven't found one.

[Deathleech]

That said, do we have a Laketown Chase review? I've searched and looked several pages back and haven't found one.

I don't think so. I was considering doing one after I did my MEA review, but the only problem is I already opened and assembled the entire set and don't have anymore I plan on opening I suppose I could take it all apart and do one if we don't get a review soon...

[SirBlake]

I don't think so. I was considering doing one after I did my MEA review, but the only problem is I already opened and assembled the entire set and don't have anymore I plan on opening I suppose I could take it all apart and do one if we don't get a review soon...

Heck, I would settle for good photos of the assembled set from the angles that the official pics don't show.

[Mikuri]

Mirkwood Elf Army is an awesome set for minifigs but I went with Mirkwood Elf Army for the design :)