Elander

I missing the classic pirate flag from 1989...

LotR is a battle theme with big armies and big armies needing soldiers! My alliance still have just commanders (movie characters) and one regular soldier (one regular Rohirrim) and they’re faces to superior numbers of orcs. Where is their army? I have only troops of Gandalfs and Aragorns. But they have no support and those lines will be immediately broken by Saruman’s Uruk-hai. LEGO: Stay with them! Help them! Otherwise the good will lose! They need immediately an army! -PLEASE

We need definitely more warrior variations. More different orc faces, colors, helmets, armors…. Noldor warriors from the Last Alliance/ (old) Gondor warriors from the Last Alliance…. Lothlorien warriors “with helmets / and blue hoods” More different Rohan soldiers (more different torsos, helmets, faces….) We need more armies! Ithilien Rangers vs. Haradrim Easterlings, Gondor Soldiers (incl. cavalry), brickbuilt Ent battle packs and Nazguls with big flying beasts (original size // no mini size as like the mini eagle…), Isengard warg rider and the different original orc races!! We want and we need armies armies armies… We don’t want and don’t need armies of Aragorns, Fordos, Gimlis, Gandalfs… Why I have more Gandalfs as Moria orcs or Rohan soldiers? That makes no sense! Why I have only Haldir? Where is his army? Oh no, come on. LEGO LotR makes no fun without REAL armies….

I could imagination a huge brick built Smaug like the UCS R2-D2 from Star Wars and additional a kind Playmobil Smaug attached in a LEGO play set.

The "79011 Dol Guldur Ambush" and "79014 Dol Guldur Battle" are sounding interesting. Maybe we will seeing the Necromancer and the Witchking of Angmar? The "79012 Mirkwood Elf Army" would suits to the battle. Hopefully we will seeing hereto only soldiers and no characters...

I like the Orthanc tower and the new Lake town set is also really nice. :) But my only complaining is that LEGO isn't able to provide pure LotR battle packs like the Star Wars BPs. So why?

The new Endor village reminds me to Lothlorien. :) I could imagination that LEGO will try to create a Lothlorien set in the same scale. I like those special modular city houses and another exclusive sets for the older ones. I could also imagination that LEGO will sell a beautiful Rivendell in that style. :)

Finally LEGO begins with modular Creator for license themes and the people become willing to buy LEGO sets twice. If we count the Black Gate as a Creator set then has LEGO to follow the most important requirement: No main characters in Creator sets! -Because the people don't need an army of Gandalfs. They think it repulsive and they're beginning to seek for the required bricks at BrickLink. LEGO if you want to sell LEGO sets twice or more. Then you have to include only warriors or civilians into the Creator sets. I am referring to minifigures with exchangeable different faces, legs and torsos. Different accessories would be also important. LEGO you could make it happen that the people would buying one modular Creator set (including some required instructions) several times in order to construct a complete building. LEGO you could also release one instruction book for a huge building: For example: The tower of Barad Dur -Including: Sauron. And release hereto one or two modular Creator sets. And many people would collecting those Creator sets in order to create the big tower. And additional they would receive a reasonable army. LEGO you have to include "must have" warriors in those Creator sets alike Star Wars. -Warriors with impressive prints and accessories. LEGO you have the opportunity to create instruction books for complete landscapes. Give us the possibility to collect your instructions and we can rebuild with several modular Creator sets complete Middle earth.

Will the Orthanc tower become also a Toy's R Us exclusive set? If yes, then I want to buy it by the next 20% discount action.

I like the Orthanc tower! The design is appropriat and there are some rare accessories included. The colors are almost to the original and it contains some options for playability Do you know LEGO's charges (costs) regarding new minifigure printing or molding for new accessories (like helmets) respectively for a new armor? Because I would like to see further orcs.

Why doesn’t LEGO provide any battle packs? We finally see the first pictures of the third LotR/Hobbit wave and in that line are once again no battle packs included!? That is strange since that theme (especially that theme) a battle theme with big armies is. When I remember the first wave, my thoughts going to Moria and to the both Helm’s Deep sets: Why doesn’t LEGO replace Eomer with a Lothlorien warrior elf and include Eomer into the big Helm’s Deep set? As a consequence could we buy that one LEGO "Uruk-hai army" set multiple times and could collect a small Lothlorien elf army without to receive multiple main characters like Eomer. My mind was spinning when I saw the Moria set without a possibility to collect multiple Moria orcs. We could create so great MOCs with many Moria orcs when LEGO gives us a chance for that. And we get the same issue with the Misty Mountain goblins….. I can’t understand LEGO’s marketing strategy? How LEGO wants to sell many LOTR/Hobbit sets when LEGO doesn’t provide to us the opportunity to buy those sets multiple times? Seriously! Who need 10x times the same main characters? Or how LEGO wants make money when some few people purchases those warriors at Bricklink? That all makes no sense! ?? And to be serious: Who of the adults is so crazy and buys for example the Moria set 5 times in order to receive 10 Moria orcs? In comparison to the whole audience they are very very few people! I can only repeat: LEGO can’t sell many warriors when LEGO doesn’t provide many warriors. And the LotR/Hobbit is a theme which based of many warriors.

When will LEGO release army building stuff? Come on. I am referring to concrete battle packs. -The proceeding is very simple: Take some sets alike those there and replace the knights from Classic Castle with warriors from Middle earth. There are so many fantastic armies! Several Elves, Men, Orcs, Dwarves... and so much more! I don't need to count those several cultures. The different weapons and armors were fantastic! Where are the banners of Rohan, Isengard and Lothlorien? Ok, seriously: Those things aren't really complicated. I am seeing at the third wave only four LotR sets. Why is there no more space for army building? I would really like to know what the definitive issue is?

Hello Together, At first: I was unsure if I shall put this theme into the Historic Forum. But since I've noticed that this theme could become relevant for all LEGO themes I've decided to put this theme in the General Discussion Forum. However will this theme accompanied by examples of The Lord of the Rings. Bricking Dynamics In advance, it is for TLC realistic to merchandise complete landscapes in LEGO style. And certainly are those landscapes able to become bigger than the Death Star. As you know are Creator sets (also known as the 3 in 1 creator sets) the key in order to create those huge landscapes. They will provide to LEGO no financial risk and will provide to us the additional option for army building. But hereto later more. As mentioned, I would like to introduce to you Bricking Dynamics with an example: My example is creating of Mordor with only 4x LEGO sets. In advance, it is essential to take a look of the structures and colors of the buildings. And we can discover that the structures of the buildings of Mordor including nearly the same design and the colors of the buildings are mainly black. Additional we're discovering gray colors for the rocks and yellow/orange/red colors for the lava. The scope of the sets: The two Center Pieces were: 1x medium sized black tower of Barad dur ($60 - $80) and 1x medium sized gate of the Black Gate ($60 – $80) with only one tower. The two Extension Pieces: 1x Creator Set A with mainly black bricks and 1x Creator Set B with mainly gray bricks. Center Pieces and Extension Pieces: -What are the Center Pieces? Each Center Piece would constitute the central core of each building. They’re including the demanded main characters like Bilbo or Gandalf. -What are the Extension Pieces? The Extension Pieces (creator sets) were required in order to extend the Center Pieces to the demanded big buildings. They’re also be used for army building because they does including only usual secondary characters like worriers or civilians. 1. Modular Building & Connecting That’s a very simple processing: Imagination the creator set A (which included mainly the black bricks) would be assembled to the second required black tower of the Black Gate. As a consequence you could connect the Center Piece (Black Gate) with this extension set and you would receive a small Black Gate with two towers (one tower at the left side and one tower at the right side). 2. Creator Building & Connecting The Black Gate doesn’t consist only of two small black towers and one gate. The complete building consists of several pieces which must be connected. Each piece will be named (A, X, Y, Z) but hereto later more: big black tower (piece X) – big black wall (piece Y) – big rocks with wall (piece Z) – small wall (piece A) – small tower (piece A) – gate (center piece) – small tower (center piece) – small wall (piece A) – big rocks with wall (piece Z) – big black wall (piece Y) – big black tower (piece X) The creator set A (will be also named piece A) must now providing two further options: The possibility of wall assembly (for the required black walls) and the possibility of super-size bricking. 3. Super-Size Bricking How to create the two required big black tower pieces (pieces X) and the two required big black wall pieces (pieces Y). The solution is super-size bricking: 5x creator set A (creator set A; small black tower) will be assembled into 1x big black tower (piece X). 5x creator set A (also creator set A; small black wall) will be assembled into 1x big black wall (Piece Y). 4. Dynamic Bricking (hidden Easter eggs) The piece Z (big rocks with wall) is a hidden Easter egg and can only be assembled with 2x creator set A (mainly black bricks for the wall) and 3x creator set B (mainly grey bricks for the rock). The complete Black Gate will be assembled with: 2x piece X (the big black tower; hereto are 10x creator sets A required) 2x piece Y (the big black wall; hereto are additional 10x creator sets A required) 2x piece Z (big rocks with black wall; hereto are 4x creator sets A and 6x creator sets B required) 2x piece A (also creator set A; small black wall) 1X piece A (also creator set A; small black tower) 1x Center piece (black gate + small black tower) Result: You have in order to receive the complete Black Gate to buy 27x creator set A, 6x creator set B and the main set (the center piece). There’re summed up: 34 LEGO sets. And LEGO has released/produced only 3x LEGO sets: -1x Main set (the center piece) including main characters like Aragorn and Gandalf. (ca. $60-$80) -2x Battle Packs (the creator sets A + B; named: extension pieces) for landscape building and army building ($30-$40) And if the worst comes to the worst you would have to pay $1400 for the complete building. That’s for TLC not bad. 5. Global Bricking The two creator sets A + B were already used for the Black Gate. Now will they global used and will be insert for the entry area of Mount Doom. Here in this case will the Mount Doom be made to a hidden Easter egg and consists only of the two creator sets A (mainly black bricks) and creator set B (mainly grey bricks). That’s possible because the structure of entry design and the internal design of Mount Doom including nearly the same structure design like the other buildings of Mordor. Suitable bricks for the lava were included in both creator sets (A + B). The entry, the bridge and the crater would be assembled with 7x creator set A (mainly black bricks) and 13x creator set B (mainly black bricks). TLC has the effort (working hours) for the instruction but can therefore sell the two creator sets (together counted) additional 20x times. Frodo, Gollum and Sam were already included in other sets. And if the worst comes to the worst you would have to pay $400 for the complete building. Sauron’s Barad-dur is an extraordinary building. A compelling case: The center piece is the tower itself. Therefore must the tower be extended with multiple creator sets (the already used creator sets A + B). It would be required a combination of dynamic bricking and super-size bricking. The count of the required creator sets would be immense… Summary: Ok, it was my intention to exaggerate this theme ($1400 for the Black Gate) because the creator sets contains a lot of possibilities. My intention was more to show to you the unlimited possibilities of Bricking Dynamics in compliance with Creator. The creator sets could become playable when TLG would include into the sets a small playable option for the minifigures. Like a small catapult which would be assembled with max. 10x pieces. TLC’s effort would only contain an extra instruction for larger buildings (here the Black Gate, Mount Doom and Barad-dur). TLG’s effort are the extra work hours and those hours can be limited and doesn’t contain a high financial risk. This instruction must only be in line with the two creator sets A + B (which would be also used for army building) and the center pieces (central core of each building). It would be advisable that the instruction includes a special minifigure like (for example) Sauron. This minifigure could upgrade the instruction and the people were being more interest to extend their buildings (center pieces or also named main sets) and would, in order to assembly the complete landscape, buying the both creator sets (A +B) multiple times. Yep, the collecting (multiple acquisition) of the both creator sets could start and the landscapes and armies could growing. I think you've already noticed that this proceeding is also adaptable for all other themes. Therefore I’ve decided to put this theme in this forum. I hope Bricking Dynamics will become for you a matter of reflection! Greetings, Elander

I would like to see some army building sets without main characters: Like 6021: LEGO could exchange the knights with elves, men and orcs. --> Or see for example some another sets: 6040, 6061, 6073, 6080 And the best thing would be if LEGO would combines the above mentioned army sets with 3 in 1 creator sets. LEGO has only to release some of those creator sets inclusive modular functions and we could buy each set several times, connect those buildings together and could build complete cities. And when you would just seeing those complete artworks. I swear to you, you would collect those modular creator sets in order to build those complete artworks. Therefore has LEGO finally to become innovative: Just imagination: LEGO would release an instruction for Rivendell and you could build according to the instruction with only 3x medium-sized (3 in 1) modular creator sets the complete landscape!! ---> LEGO could include in that instruction additional instructions for further creator houses: Those creator houses were named variable creator houses (hidden easter eggs). Dynamic Bricking: (hidden easter eggs) (3 in 1) modular creator house A + (3 in 1) modular creator house B = variable modular creator house X. (3 in 1) modular creator house A + (3 in 1) modular creator house C = variable modular creator house Y. (3 in 1) modular creator house B + (3 in 1) modular creator house C = variable modular creator house Z. (hidden easter egg = variable modular creator house) In this case would LEGO releases 3x (3 in 1) creator sets (A/B/C) and we must buy 15x sets in order to build the complete Rivendell landscape. And as centerpiece of Rivendell could LEGO releases 1x main set with the demanded main characters! For example the secret council? At the other sets (the creator sets) were included soldiers (please with helmets) and civilians (with exchangeable faces, hairs, legs and torsos). That procedure would the people bring back to LEGO's core values. Give your customers some more time and let those creator sets (like the sets in the eighties) 3x years available. The people would collecting those creator sets (buying those 3 in 1 creator sets) several times in order to build your complete artwork and not only for the minifigures. --> It would become more to a combination of army building and landscape building.

LEGO will never provide battle packs which would include only minifigures... I talk about complete LEGO sets without those main characters like Bilbo and Gandalf. I talk about complete LEGO sets which we could buy several times. @ Vindice: Right

I would buy the ship 3x times when it doesn't include main characters. -Sorry LEGO! Therefore I will buy that ship only 1x time. I don't need so many Aragorns... (LOL, that is crazy! I would really buy that ship 3x times. But the main characters stops me. ) LotR is an army building theme! How can LEGO assumes that LotR will become successful when they doesn't provide any army building sets?? Customers, which are willing to buy LEGO LotR sets are be compelled to buy those sets for only one time. Because in each set is at least one main character included. LEGO offers no opportunities for army building. That isn't profitable. If LEGO is willing to survive then they have to become innovative! They must create real (3 in 1) creator sets. LEGO must give us a reason to buy those sets several times! LotR is really an amazing theme. IF that theme don't become profitable then only because of LEGO self. Because LEGO isn't able to become innovative! Just imagination: LEGO provides with the bricks an innovative toy with endless possibilities for several combinations of structures and buildings. AND LEGO's managers aren't clever enough to receive clever license contracts for clever innovative creator sets and army building sets...

The Black Gate with only one? tower!?? Why does LEGO provide us...sorry but ...huh? Ok, ...LEGO could save the situation if they would make a second Black Gate set. Maybe finally really a battle pack set with enough good black bricks for the second tower. AND maybe with a second instruction for a black wall! Damn, LEGO that would become innovative! Are you able to become innovative? Innovative for a license theme? That would be an extension set what we could buy several times. -->LEGO, with only that one battle pack set we could buy and build the second required tower and could buy and build additional two walls. We could one wall attach to the left tower and one wall attach to the right tower. -> We would buy that one set three times in order to receive a worthy black gate in a worthy LEGO style! ...damn, if you could just become innovative for license themes... What for possibilities! You could for example create Minas Tirith with only 4-6 creator sets and when the people would just seeing your complete artwork (assembled with circa 40-50 LEGO sets). Damn, they would save their money for years.... and the kiddies? They would crying and laughing at the same time. The kiddies would get wishes which will get caught for always in their memories. They would become branded forever. LEGO, I think you could really push your managers for better license contracts with better opportunities.

LEGO LotR would become successfull if they would make more sets which we could buy several times. Why no LotR Creator sets? Why no Battle Packs or usually army building sets like in the eighties? Just imagination: LEGO would release a superb exclusive Orthanc tower and would thereto release a modular black wall set (army building set without main characters) in order to build the great circle wall arround the Orthanc tower. And at the modular wall set is attached an additional instruction for a gate. -> And twice of those modular walls would include sufficient bricks in order to build one gate. Damn, we would buy that "one" modular set several times in order to receive the complete wall circle with gates. And everybody would decide oneself the lenght of the wall circle diameter at one's own Isengard! And as well our Isengard armies would grow with each LEGO army building "modular wall set"!

LEGO will certanly extend the range of LotR and Hobbit sets. I hope we will see the first pictures of Treebeard and the Balrog at least on the upcoming Toy Fair in NY. Because I can not believe that the third wave will include just 4 sets. I just wondering when LEGO will release the first special exclusive set a la HP's Diagon Alley? I thougt Revendell would be a suitable opportunity, but since I have seen that little council set (including Elrond and Arwen) is that opportunity already missed.

Okay, Peter Jackson’s Smaug the dragon from dwarf mountain “Erebor” will come up next December and LEGO creates a new fantasy line (?) with a set named “Dragon Mountian”?? That’s much stranger than LotR without battle packs. Ok, to be serious: Why fantasy when we already have the Hobbit and LotR? I mean now LEGO has the opportunity to release a historic theme without fantasy. Could you please explain to me that kind of marketing strategy? That beats me.

Which kids from which age did you mean? I believe that LEGO is too expensive for younger kids. If someone is able to buy those LEGO sets then it will be the older ones (I mean kids which are 12+.) And I assume that a lot of those kids are willing to buy LotR LEGO sets. In my opinion should LEGO release one very big LotR LEGO set. LotR has a very huge elder fan community. And if they would see for example a wonderful Rivendell or Lothlorien LEGO set. Then could those people come to get an appetite to LEGO.

I hope for ghost soldiers which will be similar shiny printed like that guy: A new molded/printed shining horse would be also cool. Maybe LEGO will eventually releases the urgent required battle pack? And possibly even with shiny ghost soldiers! Really awesome would be a Peter Jackson LEGO figure at the Corsair ship! I am also excited about the Black Gate. LEGO could for example include some Easterlings. -->Should be a Nazgul with fell beast and an eagle in the scope of the Black Gate set. Then it would be more beneficial if LEGO would exclude those from that set and would those put into a separate LEGO set. As consequence we could buy the Nazgul with fell beast and the eagle multiple times and we could thereby create a small army.

WOW! I like the helmets from the elves and from the gondorian soldiers at the last alliance battle at the beginning of this game. I could not watch further because there are to much spoilers. Yes. The possibilities are amazing. I assume we will see the Elrond LEGO figure from this video game in one of the LEGO sets by the next LotR wave (summer 2013).

I am a big fan of LEGO historic themes. I like the Castle/Kingdoms... themes. There were allways super themes. But why not now by the way of change a new theme? (Very simple question) What would you think if LEGO would release instead of Castle an epic ancient line? Imagine which culthures were be possible: Romans, Hellenes, Spartans, Trojans, Persians, Hittites, Arabians, Barbarians, Briton, Goths, Celts, Germans, Carthaginians, Byzantines... aaaand the Egyptians! With amazing minifigures like: Ramesses II and Tutankhamun. Vercingetorix or Hannibal Would you like to have Spartacus or Achilles? I would like to have Julius Caesar and Augustus ...aaaaand of course Ben Hur! LEGO could make much more cool buildings as for instance: -ancient theatres for gladiator fights, Ancient Olympic Games , chariot races -civil facilitis like bathhouses or drama theatres are also welcome! -or would you like to see the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in LEGO style? What do you think? Would the little ones like to build the Trojan Horse, to be in a battle with 300 Spartans , with Odysseus to sail around the World, with Alexander the Great continue to march to the east, with Mose to go across the sea and at Christmas with the Three Kings together visit a little boy in a stable? I can also imagine the Mount Vesuvius at Pompeii with some special features. What do you think? Are the follow buildings realistic? The Colosseum, the Karnak Temple Complex, the Pyramid of Cheops, the Forum Romanum and the Acropolis of Athens? I would like to see the Lighthouse and the Library of Alexandria, a Triumphal arch, a ancient luxury mansion and also a oasis with a luxury tent. I think the Great Sphinx of Giza, Solomon's Temple by Arabian Nights and the Statue of Zeus at Olympia were just epic. What do you think about Hannibal's elephants when they marching across the Alps? That would be a good possibility for battle packs if they meets the cultures from the northerner. I would like to see a Celtic sanctuary with a druid and a small gallic village with some strong warriors . Stonehenge, the Limes and the Hadrian's wall were also good possibilities. I imagine army building sets referring to the Germans and Romans from the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest and the Battle at the Harzhorn. Would you like to have Roman military engineering: -Castras, Hellenistic-era warships, siege engines (Roman ballista, The Onager, Scorpios, battering rams and siege towers) -and hereto the ultimate Roman Rank summary (collectable minifigures ): Consul, Praetor, Legatus legionis, Tribune, Prefect, Primus pilus, Centurion, Decurio, Decanus, Aquilifer, Signifier, Optio, Cornicen, Imaginifer, Munifex and the Tirones (new recruit to the legions, a novice)... And these legionares are just a small part as compared to the armies of the other culthures! Ok, ... I stop counting now. That becomes far to much. Damn LEGO! You could do so much more.... Sorry, this was out of topic but this was just was I needed.

WOW. These orcs are really quite different as the armored orcs. I assume these orcs are from Mount Gundabad (capital city of the orcs at the Misky Mountains). In that city lives Bolg, who would later go on to fight the Battle of Five Armies. I like the new "bone style". Why did LEGO not print new suitable torsos for these orcs? Are new prints really so expensive?