Athos

I like them. They were a nice addition to the line. My only complaint is the lack of variation among the torsos (only two, three if you count the princess) and the excessive Kahuka masks. I also think they could be used (at least the king torsos) for barbarians in a Castle theme. Plus they gave us alligators... Steve

Well to be fair, I didn't actually own the set, and had to peer at the little pictures in the catalog, so I couldn't see the torso... just the face. Not so. Don't forget the Islander Princess. Steve

I'm pretty sure Pirates was the first theme to have faces with more than the original smiley. And since the BSB was part of the original line and included the pirate wench, I think its safe to conclude she was the first printed female face. Castle did have female figures, specifically the aforementioned inn keeper in the Guarded Inn and also the princess from the highly sought after Maiden's Cart. Personally, when I first saw the wench, I thought she was just a male pirate who had chapped lips... Steve

My fiancee bought me one of the T-shirts for my birthday (I also got a Lego ice-tray). Turns out it was a bit too small for me (I think it shrunk in the wash), but she'll be able to wear it and then I'll buy one for me, so we can have matching outfits when we go to the Lego store. My only complaint is the material is very very thin. Makes it feel like its poor quality and probably won't last very long. Steve

Well, since everyone was commenting on their lack of enthusiasm for the tan base plates, I thought I'd landscape it up a bit and see if it changed any minds. So here you go: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos/In...ss/village3.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos/In...ss/village4.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos/In...ss/village5.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos/In...ss/village6.jpg Steve

Someone else did one similar as well, but I have shown that one before. I've just added some of the other buildings around it. I'm torn between tan and green. I'm thinking about sticking with the tan plates and then putting a bunch of green landscaping all around and then add some snow drifts. That way the tan will look like paths and dead grass. No chimneys? Well I don't think I'm going to change it now. A round house would be challenging, which is probably why I haven't done it yet. Steve

Here is the beginnings of a Viking village I've been working on, that I thought I'd share with you. I still need a few more houses, to make the roofs more appealing and landscape. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos/In...ss/village1.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos/In...ss/village2.jpg Steve

Tough call, Endor would be great because we could get a bunch of tree/foilage pieces and brown bricks. And maybe some stuff we could integrate into Castle and other themes. Greens and browns are always needed. Hoth would be great to get some Taun-tans and a wampa (and maybe some snow-troopers). But I really don't need anymore white in my collection. So I'm going with Endor... but I'd love to see both. Especially if they were done in a Cloud City size set. Steve

I think that would satisfy my Africa cravings. I'd like to get some new animals (lions, camels, hippos, zebra). But some native figures would also be nice. Even if we only got a couple in a set, as opposed to a native village, we could always buy multiple copies of the set or bricklink the figures. I can't imagine Lego ever producing a set like the movie Zulu. But an African safari, and even an African village, minus the colonial powers would make a great theme. Steve

Its gonna take a lot to drag me away from you Theres nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in africa, I bless the rains down in africa I bless the rains down in africa, I bless the rains down in africa I bless the rains down in africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had... Actually, I think this would be my most desired theme, more so than Castle or Pirates. They could even avoid the colonial aspect and have it be an Adventurers theme with JT looking for King Soloman's Mines or the headwaters of the Nile (maybe we could get a Richard Burton figure?). Steve

Yep. I've been to each of the places detailed in the blog. Steve

A snowy trip to the Jewel of the Sierras is documented on the newest blog entry... Steve

Of the two, I'd go with the Viking Fortress. I really liked it. As to waiting for the new stuff, this will probably be one of your last chances to snag the Viking Fortress and you'll likely have more time to get the new castle... unless you expect this purchase to drain your funds for a significant time. Steve

If only they would become larger... ;-) Actually I'm not much of a fan of brick built animals, they look too blocky. Though I would love to see some of those creatures done up in the style of horses, et al. Steve

Too hard (impossible) to say at this point, as I have yet to obtain any 2007 sets. Steve

Do you think we could close this thread and start new individual ones for each of the sets being discussed? This one is getting a little unwieldy and its hard to keep up with. I'd like to know about a particular set or two, but don't feel like digging through a 57 page thread to find it. Steve

Its a little too big to fit perfectly on a minifigure. It doesn't fit flush against the shoulders, back and chest. If you look closely at the picture you can see what I mean. Steve

I didn't believe such things existed. ;-) Anyhow about the MOC: very nice! I'll post more later tonight after I've had time to look more at it. Steve

OK. I figured that part out, but I got a message about how we still don't know if there was gold in the mine and thought I'd missed part of the mystery. Anyhow, very cool little game. I'd like to see one done out of Lego. Everything is about murder mysteries with you, isn't it? Steve

Are we supposed to discover gold in the mine? And if so, how? Steve

I would be a bit concerned about a raffle. There are all kinds of issues involved, like what will you do if you don't get 50 entries and therefore are out the money? Steve

Well I built in the desert a MOC with no name, It felt good to build out of the rain In the desert you can remember your name' 'cause there ain't no one to give you no pain La la la la la la la La la la la La la la la la la la La la la la Steve

Fun review! This is a great set. I'd love to snag a few more of the tents. Steve

I personally prefer studs, but when they are absent or tiled, the creation looks a lot cleaner and neater. Personally, as a loose rule, at least for my vignettes, I will tile the floors if it is depicting an interior scene and leave the floors studded, if the scene is an outside scene. Steve

Yes I did, and I enjoyed all of them. Even that crazy ballista thing with the red dragon, which I thought would be a horrible set. Steve