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Weekly Set Review: Knight's Stronghold

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 2:37 am
by architect
Join the weekly Classic Castle set review discussion. Please post your opinions on the set play ability, piece selection, design, etc. Which sets stand up to our catapult of critique and which ones crumble in shame!

This week’s set is 6059 Knight's Stronghold.

Knight’s Stronghold, a gate and wall section for the Black Monarch’s, was released in 1990. This is one of several wall sections that attach to the Black Monarch’s Castle. The wall includes three Monarch guards, a jail, two large doors, torches, shields and other accessories. Black Falcon soldiers, including a fully armored knight and a siege worker, are attacking the wall with a trebuchet.

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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 2:44 am
by adm_matthew
I want one, never seen this set before, but its sweet!

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 4:12 am
by LEGOFREAK
I loved this set it was awesome! - It added so much to my existing castles at the time. Expanded the walls - better doors, great assortment of figs. This one rocked!


the freak

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 4:58 am
by wlister
This set was a gem, it had all the elements needed for immediate play. I wish I had not been in my dark ages when this one came out. The armored Black Falcon has got to be my favorite figs in the entire castle line. The large doors and the great assortment of soldiers, really made this set a winner. I would give this set a 9.5/10 losing that half point for the use of 2x2 black rounds for the wheels on the catapult. Everything else about this set is gravy. Wish I had more...

Interesting story about how this set came to be in my collection...


... I found this set tucked away and dusty and a little damaged at an old toba__o shop about five years ago. The owner didn't even have a price on it. I was a regular customer, having a taste for ci__rs and its cousin. When I asked him about the set, he told me I could have it. That was a great day. The box was pretty mangled, but the bags were intact and didn't even smell of smoke. I have since quit that nasty habit and I in no way endorse or encourage anyone going in to toba__o shops, my health has suffered from my stupidity and I am so glad I managed to quit. I just thought it was a story worth mentioning. I still have fond thoughts when I think about that shop owner though.

WL

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 5:39 am
by Dragon Master
Thats the only BF knight to wear a visored helmet and the plate armor. It won't help the knight. The BK clearly have the advantage, and will soon kill/capture the BFs.

Ahh, Draconians

DM

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 6:13 am
by rogue27
Excellent deal for $20. Compare that to what you get for $20 now. Snapes Classroom? Aragog in the Dark Forest? This was a great value. Two factions, a good assortment of figs and parts, etc. I wish I could have bought more than one of these when they were still available.

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 10:29 am
by dannyscastle
i was born in 1990 but i missed this set because i started likeing lego at 3 but i want it because of the black falcon's

great set 10/10 because i have wanted it all my life and i have never disliked it,it is great if you are a first time buyer because you can have a mini scaled war

thanks

danny

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 4:13 pm
by Jojo
Hello!


Hm.....
It seems I'm the only one here who doesn't like this set too much. When I saw it in the catalogue I was intrigued by the big doors. But the overall set didn't suit me. The Black Knight figs looked too red to me, and the Black Falcons don't look like Black Falcons. Also those tiny wheels on this trebuchet-siegeweapon-thing look too small to cary Grant. No, to carry the weight of the hole thing. The verve of the lever would make it overturn, if it was real...

The wall and gate are somewhat rattly. The allure (right word, Kevin?) is too small to stand on, particularly on the side with this jail. Why needs every castle set a jail at all?

In any case, I didn't want this set back then, and I still think it is none of the better sets.


Bye
Jojo

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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 4:53 pm
by Troy T. Moore
I like the gate, though not real "heavy duty" I liked the style for so long that for several years any of my large castles had at leat one of thes in the perimeter walls. For the price it was good. And though some of you are not fond of the wall panels, this set at least looked like a small fortress when built, and was ready to play with. I only bought one of them way back then. As Jojo says the trebuchet is not done well, but keep in mind back then the only brown Lego was doors, wheels, pikes(axes) and spears. Something similar in the future with more realistic siege equipment would be fine by me :D

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 6:57 am
by Teh Stud
This was a great set. Unfortunately, it came out right as my dark ages were starting. Luckily, I gave one to my younger brother for Christmas, and he never showed much interst. Once my dark ages were over, I snagged it from him. :twisted:

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 9:58 pm
by Lord_Of_The_LEGO
Finally a set I own!

I really like this set with all the figs and stuff. The catapult is cool, though it totters a bit. Just a really great set!

PS - I lost most of the figs and the cool doors :? :x

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 1:25 pm
by David Girard
So I'm a bit late for the review, but I had to think a bit to put it. Here it is.

This set doesn't appeal me very much, for some reason. From the first time I saw it I wasn't sure to like it.

First. I think that the catapult, is not very nice. The wheels are too small and don't have a good look. The catapult look very loud on this small wheel. It look desequilibrated.

Second. When You turn the side walls. There is a hole where the hinge is. In older sets Lego didn't do this. They filled it. Why didn't they make it this time. That's badly done. It give the impression that Lego start to save piece.

Third. I don't like the fact that this set cant be connect to no other sets, except the 6085 Black Monarch Castle (It can connect, but it's not the same plate and It disturb me), and 6034(which can be connect on only one side !!!).

Fourth. The presence of hole over the doors, has no use and utility. It's another saving.

Fifth. The Black Falcons are very blue and the Black knights are very red. It's a bit caricature. They should have had blue flag on Black Knights, and the traditional torso to the Falcons military and also another color for the feather of the Falcon Knight.

The rest is well done. It has a not bad looking.

As many sets they putted this years, I think they could have work a bit more on this one to make more attention on detail. From 1990 and after, Lego forgot to make attention to the details. That's cause a decrease of quality.

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 3:21 pm
by timber_wolf899
very good post dave. i agree totally.

though i did keep my set together for a good while it has been mined for its doors. : ) i think i shale use them on a wolfpack stronghold set. <shooting for a 300-500 part set possibly on dark forest baseplate. that thing is a bear to work with though

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 12:10 am
by Devari
I don't actually own this set. I came into castle way to late even for most of Knight's Kingdom! But, as I am still a KFOL, I have a bit of an excuse.

Based on the picture, here is what I like and dislike about this set:

Pros
+High Minifig count for size
+Nicely designed doors
+Fairly good extra weapon supply
+Fairly good design
+A fairly good amount of black basic bricks
+Fully armoured Knight on horse

Neutral
+-Bulk of structure is castle wall pieces
+-Catapult design

I don't find any true negatives here, but then again I don't have the set. I would snap this up in a heartbeat if it was available again.

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 12:44 am
by TheMightyTwoAxe
I loved this set. It was the first castle set I got and started me down the castle road. The best thing about it was if you had two (which I did) you could put them back to back (with the arms folded in) and make a small castle.