Multiverse

I have the Fire Brigade and no other modulars, so I know the kind of scenario you'd get into. This decision is likely also to be the one that determines whether you'll get any of other modulars; if you get the FB, it's unlikely that you won't want more buildings to connect with it, and if not, you'll have missed out on it and perhaps not buy any other modulars because you'd feel that you'd missed out on the Fire Brigade. Anyway, I can verify that the FB is indeed a glorious piece in anyone's collection. I don't have the Van, so I can't speak for that (although I certainly think it looks nice). =)

I'm guessing for one exclusive of each subtheme. The Fire line would have the boat (60005), since it's not the largest set, yet the last one to be presented, and what it portrays is rather more specific and slightly less common than the rest of the line. As for the Police line, I can imagine that the car chase (60007) might be an exclusive, since it advertises for coming with the exclusive figure that appears in that City video game.

I can't say whether it's worth it to you, but I know I would. At that price, I would buy two if I could.

I give one vote to each of: #5: Gid617 #7: Krystel and #22: Etzel. Though it's a tough choice, really. I want more votes! =P EDIT: It seems Kjw010's screenname has changed to Krystel, so I'm just editing my post here. =)

So at this point, you've spent $450 on Uruk-Hai, which is the lower limit of what you'd have spent on battle packs. If, in a while, Lego decides to release a battle pack, those of us who didn't want to spend money on the Army sets will be getting a few battle packs, meaning that Lego will end up with roughly the same amount of your money as in the other scenario (them not releasing a battle pack) plus a lot of my money, which they otherwise wouldn't have had at all (well, of course they would, but not because of the Uruk-Hai). Besides, it's a small minority of FOLs who have access to, knowledge of and interest in Bricklink. Most kids don't, and they're the target audience.

You said it yourself - people are already buying dozens of Uruk-Hai army sets just for the figures. If Lego can sell more ordinary sets to the die-hard armybuilders by not releasing battle packs, why not do it? And then in a few years' time, when all those people have huge armies and doesn't want to spend more money on those, they might release a battle pack so that those of us who aren't prepared to spend as much can also go out and use all our money on them anyway.

I'll jump on the bandwagon and give my consent to the Stone Warriors > Snake People idea. These seems so much more versatile, and while I'm glad we did get snake people, I'd rather have had a small wave of those and a large wave of stone samurais. As for the sets themselves, I do like them, and my getting all other than the Golden Dragon and the Drill is unquestionable. But there's still a bit much Technic in it for my taste, and the Dragon set honestly seems a little redundant. The way I see it, each set includes one exclusive character, with the largest set including three (that's counting Lloyd, who would be exclusive if not for the Dragon set). However, as this year's only Dragon set, and what with it being the last, and (in that it is golden) sort of ultimate Dragon set, while also containing a cheaper way to get Lloyd without buying the biggest set of the line (which was a popular thing this year, huh?), I can see why the marketing section would want it in there. Oh, who am I kidding? I'll probably also get that and the drill, and I'll just have to buy two of the smaller sets to compensate. =J

But that one fits nicely on the Space Marine armour. So all's well, I guess. =)

Oh. Don't the ADU troopers wear the same helmet mould as the S1 Spaceman?

City Undercover, I presume.

I personally think the ADU helmet and the Space Marine helmet are pretty similar, and that the ADU helmet fits the Space Marine armour just as snugly, if not more, as its counterpart.

I'm sorry to hear this. I've heard so many good things of grab bags, yet I never came across one that seemed worth the money. I was hoping I might one day get one of those that contained parts of a previously showcased set.

I would be disappointed to see orange and lime being the main colourscheme of this. After Power Miners, that would seem redundant. The whole idea about one colour for each set sounds seriously compelling, and I guess it would make sense as a marketing strategy, reinforcing the collectability of the theme.

If any current licensed line is going to outlive Star Wars, my metaphorical money are on LoTR. Something quite so similar to Star Wars (based on a double trilogy of movies, directly competing with one of Lego's own Evergreen themes, endless amounts of appendix stuff to add on), but aimed at a slightly different audience. I think Lego's long-term efforts are going to go towards LotR sooner than Superheroes (which is also a combination of two competing licenses, making it twice as difficult to maintain). To be fair - and I'm saying this on nothing but guesswork, since I haven't heard of the latter four of those characters, so please correct me if I'm wrong - but many of these sounds like gender-inverted versions of other characters rather than characters in their own right, a lá Mrs. Pacman. Stick a bow in someone's hair and it's virtually a new character. And if this is the case, wouldn't it make sense to cut them out and give place for something more original? I know Batgirl is an independent character, and I think she definitely deserves a figure, but I'm equally sure that a Supergirl figure would please few people outside of the Lego/comic book enthusiasts (who are, at any rate, already interested)... and possibly a few children who'd like to play that Lex Luthor's evil plan was to turn Superman into a girl and thereby rendering him helpless (and there we have it again, sexism).

We know exactly where this particular bit of info comes from, though - not from somebody's friend, but from Lego's own Facebook page. Which may be of questionable accuracy, but still is a little more specific than 'pure speculation'. =)

Oh, I'm a bit disappointed to hear this. Though that's possibly because my first association to '4+' is Jack Stone. With any luck, it's going to be available in a set with other useful parts than just that (well, it must be. I can't imagine a set consisting of a rare piece in a neat colour and no other useful pieces).

I'm quite happy with how it looks. It works, and they haven't had to make any new moulds. =)

I don't think it's kind spamming the thread at all. In fact I'd say it's a bit annoying. =P (No, I'm sorry.) I wouldn't think Hulk_Smash's info is irrelevant, though. I'm personally pleased to follow the conversation and pick up on what he has to say. At any rate, he's a more reliable source than people simply speculating at what sets we might see.

Is this a US only thing, or is it available in European countries as well? Namely Denmark? =)

Oh! I saw that a couple of weeks ago when I was there! You build that? =D It's a genuine masterpiece. It seems madly unfair that you're my age and able to build this - but what a good thing you are! =)

I think I'll rather wait and save the money. ;) Then I'll take it to the extreme and wait until January 2014 (or late December 2013), when I presume it's going to be on sale through S@H. I can't defend buying the WV sets otherwise.

I don't know about the rest of the community, but I'm still saying it. ;)

Availability has definitely improved since you were here. Any toy store which isn't speciality (such as toy stores selling old-fashioned wooden toys and suchlike), as well as all the larger supermarkets, will have several shelves of Lego. Even my local grocery store (which is small enough to lack such luxuries as plastic bags and ham that are discernible from each other) has a shelf of small Lego sets. That said, I've been having problems finding Lego in France, Italy, Germany and Britain anywhere outside of Lego's own stores and Hamley's toy store. Perhaps it's just difficult to find things in an unfamiliar environment, so we all think it's difficult to find Lego in other countries.

I love that window (and to those who haven't seen it in person, you should; you'll be astounded. It's one of those things whose beauty you can't capture properly in a photograph, like mountains or sunsets or fireworks)! To be frank, I love that town, but the window is obviously one of the more noteworthy parts of it (as is anything within the cathedral, obviously). I'm thrilled to see that you're considering it for your cover! I say you should definitely use that one! =D

I don't believe the show airs in Denmark (though I haven't checked), so my local toy store still had a Lloyd ZX left. I intend to resell it in one or two years' time, unless the price hasn't inflated at all. If it hasn't, I'll just open it and keep it, and it'll still have been worth the money. ;)