Weekly Set Review: King's Catapult

[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 1480 King's Catapult.

King's Catapult came in the multi-theme Variety Pack 1476. It was the only new castle set of 1991. This catapult for the Crusaders comes with one siege worker and various accessories.

[Green Fox]

Well, what can I say? This is a small set, and it is nice, with a good amount of accessories. The only thing of note is the alternate-coloured shield, which, to my knowledge, Is quite rare in small sets. But it is a nice LITTLE set, and is extremely useful. Overall: 9/10.

[lil Jon]

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen this set before.

I think its a very good set. Since it was probably really cheap, one could have bought a lot. I'm not really seeing how a stationary catapult would be any good, but LEGO seems to like to make them.

The solider looks like a black knight, not a crusader.

[architect]

I think its a very good set. Since it was probably really cheap, one could have bought a lot.

It was part of a 5 set Variety Pack 1476 which probably sold for $10 to $12. So you got small sets in many themes. But it is still an excellent deal.

The solider looks like a black knight, not a crusader.

I disaggree. From 1988 to 1991, Black Monarch's, Crusader's, and Black Falcons had these mail torsos. All before 1992 when the Black Knight's came out. So a red mail torso can work for crusaders, monarchs, or black knights.

My Review:

This is a very nice small set and the third Lion Catapult. I would like to own it

Ben E.

[Dragon Master]

This really is useless. What is the purpose of it?

Is it for defense? it looks too little for that.

Is it for offense? Nope, its not mobile.

Whats the point?

Anyway, nice little parts pack.

Would have been better if sold alone.

[rogue27]

I have this. That variety pack was about $10, maybe less.

It's a nice small set. I'm sure I would buy several of them if they were sold individually today. Nothing remarkable about this though, so I don't have much else to say.

That blue crusader shield is much less common than the other one.

[Silent Arrow]

Nice set, but I didn't know its existence until now because it wasn't in the catalogues.
I agree with lil Jon, the soldier looks like a black knight/black monarch's soldier. The crusaders had red mail torsos, but always with blue arms, not red, if I remember well........

[Webrain]

Same as all the none 60xx sets, never knew about it 2000 when I saw it on the net. The only castle set that was produced in 1991 exctaly in the point where LEGO stopped being LEGOLAND in 1990 and start being SYSTEM in 1992, this set is neither. OK functionally it's another useless catapult. It's got a nice collection of gray arches which can be usefull so as parts it can be a nice accessory set. The minifig is the highlight of this set like all those size sets. I do tend to agree that he minifig is more of a Black Monarch (or Dragon Knight) more then a Lion one (I know the fact that 6081 had those minifigs but they had blue arms) and shield really means nothing.

OK for a small cost if this set was available today I'll probably would have bought 10 at least. But since it cost too much now it misses the purpose.

For a small set 8/10.

[Luís]

It is a nice little set but a spin piece would make it better.
Overal score 8.5/10.

[wlister]

The set is ok for a small set of that era. Had it been available individually I might have purchased it, but alas, it was in a pack with some less than castley sets. Overall the catapult is a bit too small, it isn't mobile and it is made out of stone. For practical war purposes, it isn't all that useful. Back then i would give it a 5.5/10 but compared to the catapult in 8777, I would give it a 7.5/10.

Will

[Emperor James]

A nice little set, as has been said, nice pieces for detailed building. The fig does look more Black Kmightsish, as though there are several nearly identical figs in the bk theme, the only scale mail figs in Crusaders are two archers in 6081.

[mikal]

i remeber i got that set before. it was kooo

[kajo163]

Looks like the predecessor of Vladek encounter.

The knight is using a catapult that just happens to be there, just like Danju does!

For army building, maybe.

Otherwise useless.

-.joel.-

[Jojo]

Hello!


I like this set. I do not even find it useless from the historically accurate point of view. Is it unlikely that there are small stationary catapults like that are positioned somewhere at strategically important places like bridges, fords or mountain passes?

It's also very useful for parts. You can't have too many light grey arches and 75° slopes. Green plates are also always welcome.

I too think the fig does look more dragonnightish than lionish. It's lacking anything blue to it but the mixture of red and blue has always been the characteristic colour scheme for Lion knights. On the other hand red arms on chain mail torsos have been used in the classic Black Dragon sets from 1988 and 1990.
Well, they (TLC) wanted to bring variety into the range of Lion minifigs so they tried it with red arms this time.

Overall 1480 is a good set.


Bye
Jojo