TheFrisian

1. Most of my collection consists of sets that I got in my younger years. Sadly, most sets are incomplete so I've sorted the parts by color now. 2. Bricklink is great for getting those few hard to find parts that you need, but you do need some patience because it can take a while before your packages arrive. Pick a Brick or ordering directly from LEGO is probably a lot cheaper when you need large quantities of certain parts. 3. Since my collection of bricks is not that large, I really enjoy designing stuff with MLCad. If only I had the money to actually build my creations for real...

I understand the immense popularity of war based themes, and I can certainly appreciate a well designed war MOC as much as anyone. But for TLC to release an official war theme would in my opinion be crossing a line. Every LEGO theme so far has been about having adventures and stimulating the imagination, even those with a certain amount of violence. The themes that actually have weapons are placed either in a romanticized historic setting, or a completely fictional setting. A war theme would be all about reality based machines to inflict violence and/or realistic violence itself, and in my opinion that would be a violation of the underlying principles of LEGO. So I hope you don't mind that I do not support this petition.

That's a really nice MOC! Especially the gas/air tank is very nicely done, I take it that is what's powering the propellor?

Just when I thought things couldn't get much better :'-)

My thoughts exactly. Graphic designers frequently edit and mirror pictures, this is probably just another example.

That's not a MOC, that's a work of ART! Extremely well constructed, and with lots of lovely detailing. I love it! *wub*

LOL! That's actually a good point Goggleson, the name Catapult Defence seems indeed a bit oddly chosen since its foremost an offensive weapon :-D

The witch is definitely in the Super Chess set, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if she were to appear in other sets also (I kinda like your idea of a small hut for the witch). As for the wench and the jester, I don't dare speculate, but I'm really hoping for some more civilian oriented sets *sweet*

HOLY CRAP!!! 8-

People have been wishing for more minifigs for ages, I'm glad to see that TLC has finally caught on! Let the army building begin! *wub* I do hope these battle packs are reasonably priced though...

It looks to me like a really big brother of 6057 Sea Serpent, which would also explain the blue color. I think it's a great MOC which fits the Black Knights theme very nicely! *sweet*

Is it just me or do all three look different? Not only the way the falcon is facing is different, but also the silver/black varies. Weird... *wacko*

First of all, I mentioned colors. The new Castle line brings us a very nice varied and colorful palette, among which various shades of blue and brown. Yet these colors are not as overly bright as the primary colors used in the 80s and 90s, which adds a touch of realism for me. And lets not forget the metallic armour, helmets and weaponry, which in my opinion also look much more realistic than the old grey and black ones. The prints have also come a long way since then, the designs are very detailed and of great quality. Though, I do have to admit that some of the torsos would be better off if they were less faction specific, since they would make great torsos for other factions (the archers scale mail comes to mind). I think set design has also greatly improved over time. In part because new parts became available, but also because designers seem to experiment with different building techniques more nowadays. I doubt they would've come up with sets like the Troll Battle Wheel back then, even if the parts had been available. And it is exactly this originality and innovation that I find so refreshing in the current designs. Hence my conclusion that the current Castle line surpasses previous ones at least in terms of aesthetics. Though this is ofcourse just my personal opinion, and I'm the first to admit that the Castle themes from the 80's and early 90s definitely had their own charm and appeal ;-)

I like those ideas, I would probably buy all three *sweet*

Nice MOC, or is it a MOD? I like it much better than the original Knights Catapult! *y*

Great topic! I think Snefroe describes very well how I feel about the matter. With new colors, new parts, new prints and innovative designs, the new Castle line surpasses previous Castle lines in almost every way. Yet, I don't know if i'm just being nostalgic here, but I can't help still feeling a soft spot for the great Castle themes of the late 80s and early 90s. Compared to present day standards those themes seem rather primitive and simplistic, but they more than make up for it in spirit and charm :'-)

Very nice vignette! You have a great eye for detail, like the ball of string Theseus is holding. The Minotaur is also very recognizable, which is kinda impressive since building a convincing bulls head on that scale was probably not easy.

I couldn't agree more! I haven't got much money to spend either, but I'd love to get a varied selection of Dwarves. By the way, I really like the looks of the gold & green dragon! I'd love to get me one of these as well! *wub*

Actually, judging from the set numbers I think 5372 and 5373 are Impulse sets. But from the pictures it appears they have a higher piece count, so I would expect them to be a bit more expensive.

My thoughts exactly! Fantasy fiction is usually placed into a medieval like setting, so the crossover from pure Castle to Fantasy is easily made. Also very well said Cardinal Brick, I couldn't agree more! *y*

Great find! I really like both MOCs! *sweet* The first one I like because it is such a well executed concept. Even though it appears to be very shaky and unstable, the MOC has a very original and quality feel to it. The second one is less well built, but has a more underground atmosphere to it, which very much appeals to me.

I think the white & blue awning makes for a nice bit of contrast. Without some fresh colors, all the grey and green would've probably made the house look a bit dull, wouldn't you agree?

I like the sound of that. Throw in some villagers and everybody would be happy :-D Blueandwhite, I understand that you really like a Human vs Human Castle line, and I also understand your concern that Human factions will disappear altogether. However, I don't share your pessimistic view on the matter. There have always been Human factions in the various Castle themes and even in fantasy books and movies the focus is nearly always on Humans. So I really don't see TLC producing a Castle line without any Human faction. Besides, I wouldn't be at all surprised when TLC decides to do a Human vs Human Castle line a few years from now, since a fantasy theme has already been done then.

Our cat had the annoying tendency to jump onto the shelves on which my most prized LEGO models are on display, with some less than fortunate results. But spraying the cat with water every time she even looked at the shelves proved to be a very effective deterrent. It has been a while since her last attempt >:-)

Smoking sigarettes is nearly as unhealthy as smoking "mary jane", if soft drugs are deemed illegal for health reasons, tobacco should be banned as well. Personally I use neither, I find life just as enjoyable without stuff like that. So from a personal point of view I'm with Nathan on this one: Save your body and mind, do more LEGO instead!