Ardelon

About time we saw the whole series (a few months before we officially should, that is) ! So, 8 out the 16 are figs I guessed/hoped we’d see (though with some 70-80 tips, I was bound to get some right) ! Though I had hoped for a butcher, I was surprised TLG actually made one, I thought a cleaver-swinging guy with bits of meat would be too gory and "unconstructive" to create. Up to now, he and the highlander were my favorites, but now he’s facing stiff competition by the bandit and the legionary. The flamenco dancer should have been given a pair of castanets, something like the belville clam piece. Strange this series doesn’t have any sports figs. I’m not complaining, as I’m not a fan of those, but I wonder whether Series 7 won’t want to make up for this to the detriment of historical or sci fi figs, which wouldn’t be so great.

I wouldn’t mix them together, as the grenadier seems to me to be from the 19th century, as opposed to the 18th century IG. But that’s just me being too pedantic, I guess. They don’t look that out of place together.

Neat! It does look like it could be one of TLG’s own sets, elegant and simple. I’m not really a fan of those oversize MOCs you could fit a ship into, I prefer the slightly unrealistic "official" LEGO scale. Good job! Captain Roger, I respectfully disagree on the new Imperial Guards; though I admit the back printing and printed shako is an improvement, i didn’t see it as necessary. Furthermore, this is meant to be in the classic style, as Skipper writes.

Epic! The (corinthian?) capitals ... the lightning bolt ... the use of hinged bricks for the curve effect ... and everything else! And is that Diogenes in a barrel?

The tram is superb! Very Central&Eastern European looking setting. Great MOC!

Epic MOC! I wouldn’t say there’s too much black, but too little other colors for relief, as Lightningtiger mentioned.

The van looks like an armored car ! Maybe to prevent it from being overrun by a horde of ravenous customers screaming for ice cream? (I know, the pun’s old) Seriously though, Nice MOC, the tiles and round bricks give the parlor a classy 1930s-50s streamline moderne vibe.

I wasn’t too thrilled when i saw the first pics, for the often-cited reasons that it isn’t really a space theme and the bit too lively color scheme. I’m still not thrilled (I wonder how well a helicopter could hold up against a flying saucer!), but i’m glad TLG explored this avenue. It may not be strictly space, but it’s a legitimate sci-fi subtheme. I do like the alien minifigs. Having said that, I feel the space theme standards themselves aren’t too stellar since 2000. I wasn’t too comfortable with the moral universe of SP III (Human High Culture anyone?), and the previous two Mars themes weren’t all that either, though if i was a kid i would probably have found them cool. So yes, IMO AC does live up to current LEGO space standards, which isn’t saying much .

S1 - diver (nothing new or special about this fig, TLG could have put him in a normal town/city set), clown (the S5 clown was much better) S2 - traffic cop (nice accessories though), ringmaster (especially the face! ), karate guy (though the trophy sells it) S3 - racer, mummy (probably the least well done mummy between the studios one, the PQ ones and even the Adventurers one) S4 - werewolf (it’s just not the way I picture a werewolf; actually, I think the studios one was better), skater (he does add variety, there just isnt anything new or especially interesting about him) S5 - tough. Maybe the snowboarder for his blandness, but only if I had to make a choice. S6 - so far, statue of liberty (not sure what I would do with her. Nice hairpiece though, I agree with others who would like this piece in gold) Contrary to popular opinion, I kinda like the S1 crash test dummy for its uniqueness, and its versatility. You can use it a variety of town settings apart from its intended role - as a clothes mannequin, a practice dummy for martial artists, policemen, firemen (for fire drills), astronaut/pilot training and medical personel (as a CPR dummy), even as a scarecrow! I also like the S3 pilot for his vintage look the figure skater for the new parts, and the dwarf for the variety he brings. Generally I’m not too keen on the sports figs, but I do welcome their new accessories. Historical figs on the other hand - the more, the better!

Are we sure there will be 16 minifigs? Is there a precedent of not revealing or leaking all the figs in one go?

Hmm, if the police/rangers will have green/brown/tan/khaki uniforms, it seems like another insidious way for TLG to get around the no military, no violence thing

Hi all, I would also like to see a Mideastern-style subtheme. A simple way to avoid controversy could be to make it independent of the current „European“ factions and set it in its own universe with 2 or more Mideastern kingdoms, ali baba style bandits, etc. In the same vein, I’d like to see a far eastern subtheme similar to the ninjas of ’98, but based more on China. Of course it wouldn’t actually be set in China, just like the past and current themes aren’t set in any European country. The same would go for a classical antiquity theme (though probably not under the Castle/Kingdoms banner), which could be set in a fictional land (Atlantis? – yeah, i know it‘s just been used) that would simply have a Greek/Roman feel to it (figs, armor, architecture, etc.). Ditto any Amerindian or other subthemes. A well executed dark age / barbarian subtheme would also be appreciated by me, though I was sorely disappointed with the Viking line. I’m not too keen on forestmen (I find them too cartoonish) or elves, and i wouldn‘t count on them appearing any time soon, as the „green niche“ is already fille by the dragon knights. But a bandit/outlaw faction similar to Wolfpack would be welcome; I remember someone suggesting a „villagers vs raiders“ subtheme a while back. I would prefer them to be rather more rag-tag than the Wolfpack with their smart uniforms. There could be sets like: - a large set featuring a bandit attack on a village with 2-3 tudor cottages (bring back the tudor wall!), lots of farm animals, and villagers fighting the bandits off with pitchforks / axes / scythes / clubs and maybe the occasional spear or bow so they could put up a fair fight – similar to 7189 Mill Village Raid and 10193 MMV - a smaller version of the above set, with 1 cottage and fewer minifigs – similar to 6918 Blacksmith Attack - a set featuring a bandit attack on a villager cart carrying barrels or other goods, can be set in a forest or on a bridge – similar to 7188 King’s Carriage Ambush or 6089 Stone Tower Bridge - the outlaw camp, with cauldron or roasting spit above a fire, booze barrel with tap, and a captured village maiden for... /ahem/ intelligent conversation - an outlaw boat or small ship (there were pirates back then too!) – like 6057 Sea Serpent, preferably larger - an impulse set with a villager, farming tools and animals; another impulse set with an outlaw As you‘ve noticed, most of my "villager vs bandit" ideas are knock-off of the current Kingdoms line, so they aren‘t viable in the near future. But hopefully, if and when TLG will one day want to take a break from the traditional Castle scheme (king, castle, towers, good and evil knights), a subtheme like this could do nicely, for a year or two. Sorry for the overly long post, this is my first one and I put a lot of what I wanted to say for a long time into it. To sum up: - a Mideastern and/or a Far Eastern subtheme would be great! - a good dark age subtheme would do just as well - forestmen and elves, not so much - later on, a villagers vs. bandits subtheme