Weekly Set Review: King's Siege Tower

[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 8875 King's Siege Tower.

King's Siege Tower was released in 2005 for Knight's Kingdom II. The tower has a drawbridge to enter enemy castles and a battering ram to knock down doors and walls. Two shadow knights attempt to stop King Mathias and Jayko from using this siege weapon. Various accessories such as large lion shields, weapons, and flags are included.

[wunztwice]

Not my favorite set ever...

Although there were some alright parts in this I was not impressed by the design or piece selection. The only reason I bought it, was that it was on clearance for $7. I figured that was a decent price for two shadow knights (helmets esp.) and some random other parts. I kinda like the sparkly rock (not sure why) and the brown rounded parts for the ram are kinda cool.

As far as playbility It wan't that great either. I never understood the concept of attatching a ram to a siege tower...

So, while not horrible I can't really say I like it at all.

[Patron of the lego]

It has average playability unfortunately, but on the other hand it is a good source of soilders.( compared to the 2004 sets)

[ottoatm]

These seige towers are somewhat maddening to put together because they are made up of those huge, 2 stud gray pieces. It makes for a flimsy structure until you secure them all with one piece (like a large plate for the platform) that connects them all at once.

There were times when I was putting this together and pressing down on a brick, and something went wrong and the whole construction fell to pieces. That's usually a joy a save for my clone-set building. Also, the big shield is just a cover for what is a gaping whole in the side of the tower... I would prefer bricks.

On the other hand, the figs offered are, as stated, very good. Two shadow knights and king Mathis (good torso for soldier) especially. Also, the battering ram is kind of a crank mechanism, and it's pretty well designed and fun to use.

Not a horrible set, I just don't like the use of those 2 stud pillar pieces, both in this set and Vladek's siege engine.

[zac_schmitt]

i don't like this design as much as i did vladek's siege tower, which i liked quite a bit aesthetically (though that's neither here nor there), and i also didn't lke the battering ram attached to it. the idea is okayish but the execution is kinda poor. it's a fun set, assuming you have a castle to attack (which is a limitation of any machine of war type set) but it comes with four figs including the king, which is great.

lego siege engines have never feature great designs, as far as i recall. older siege towers may have feature simler designs (resembling the small siege tower included in battle at the pass) and that may or may no be better, but these are just fine if you ask me.

it seems like every time a generally disliked set that i happened to like is reviewed someone metions that they only picked it up because they found it on (instert redicuous discount). where do you guys shop? i woulda bought two of these for $7 without thinking.

[kelderic]

In my mind, this is the opposite to Vladek's Siege machine. It looks alright, and the plastic shields are a definate improvment over the papers one from Vladek's. However, the battering mechinism is far inferior to Vladek's, because it slides, instead of swings. Back to the good points, the number of minifigs is pretty good for the price, and two of them are somewhat useful.

The final score:

Aesthetics - 8

Playability - 3

Minifigs - 7

Nolstalga - N/A

Pieces - 3

Price - 5

Overall - 5.2

Now I must go to bed, so that Santa will know that I am sleeping and come. Merry Christmas!!!

Kelderic

[Sir Kohran]

The construction of the tower itself is mediocre - the brown wheels look good but the grey structure they go on doesn't (how can you explain a stone or metal siege tower?). The battering ram is well designed, but when would you actually use it if you were attacking a flat wall? The big shields add a dash of colour to what could have been a rather dull set, though I don't like the studs slap bang in the middle of the smooth-looking lion. The top 'bumps' are nice because of the blue, though I don't know what anyone would use them for.

One thing I don't think the picture shows is that there's a pedestal that holds the Heart Of Ages (the orange radar disc) - a neat story touch.

King Mathias is a good fig for the torso and the head, and it's neat to get Mathias in a relatively cheap set. Jayko is a lot better than his last incarnation - the baby blue is more balanced by the navy blue, and the grey sword is more 'gritty'. Plus there's the return of the triangle shield. More Shadow Knights are always great.

I guess this isn't really meant to be a set by itself - just like Vladek's Siege Engine before it, it's meant to go with a castle to attack. I have Vladek's Dark Fortress and I think this set would go great with it.

So overall, quite good. 6/10

Merry Christmas!

- Matt

[Webrain]

Bulk - Bah
Junk - Bah
Waste of pure money

LEGO outdone itself with crap

Kill KKII

[Spongey]

Not the greatest set, especially when thoughts go back to the old sets of the eighties and nineties, but it definitely has some benefits. It looks intimidating from far away, and is a good source of soldiers and siege pieces, but overall, an average set.

Merry Christmas and all the best to the Classic-Castle community in this season of peace and joy,

[Athos]

Horrible set. Easily the worst set of a terrible line. Terrible design, stupid big shields, hardly any real bricks (I don't count 1x2x5s as real bricks) and two useless figures (King and Jayko) The only upside, is the Shadow Knights, if you're into that sort of thing (I'm not).

2/10

Steve

[Sir Brithead]

I am amazed no one else mentioned how much they love those huge Lion shields, oh yeah because no one does.

I bought it and I probably paid full price. Maybe I am a sucker.

I can use most of the pieces somewhere else so I guess it is no biggie. It is definitely not the worst but not great either.

I do likes the shadow knights and it gave me two more. This set also got me my first King Fig and my fifth or so Jayko. I defintely do not need two of this set.

Bricks are OK, not great
Minifigs- I liked 'em
Big ugly wheels--horrible idea.

Strangely I also like the Shiney Rock piece.

[Blueandwhite]

Its hard to find a set that is more juniorized than this one.

Personally, I have a hard time figuring out what the folks over at LEGO are thinking. This "seige tower" is absolutely horrible. The thing that confuses me is that this was released along with Vladek's Fortress, a set which was decidedly more complex than the previous year's castle. Conversely, this seige tower manages to be even simpler than the already simple Vladek Seige Engine.

The Shadow Knights are nice, but Wacko Jayko is overused. I just can't bring myself to like this decidedly average set.

3/10

[Athos]

On sale, $10 on S@H.

http://shop.lego.com/SalesAndDeals/Default.aspx?pg=2

Afraid I'll still have to pass...

Steve

[Patron of the lego]

Pity the fact that battle wagon is not on sale...

[DS9]

not a great set, but it's usefull to work from there on. using the idea to get a new tower that does look good might be the best way

2/5