9476 The Orc Forge
Posted by Huw,
My second LotR pictorial review, courtesy of Gizmocom and ToyAddict, is of 9476 The Orc Forge. I believe it is a Target exclusive in the USA.
The main part of the set is some sort of primitive machinery for hoisting metal chunks (silver 1x1 round tiles) and tipping them into the black crucible. At the front there's a fire for heating the chunks, which is illuminated with a light brick. The base it stands on looks great and the slopes that go to make it, which includes 18 1x1 cheese slopes in olive green, account for a large percentage of the parts in the set.
The black thing at the front of the picture, which has trans-orange plates inside, is probably supposed to be for annealing the swords.
The set comes with four minifigs: Lurtz, two Mordor Orcs and a Uruk-hai. Unlike the Urak-hai armour in the army set reviewed below, the armour in this set has hand prints printed on it, which look great. As you can see, the ears on the Orc are a slightly different shape to those on the collectable minifig Elf. They are all highly detailed with printed backs and either double sided heads (Lurtz and Uruk-Hai) or back-of-head printing (Orcs).
This is a fun playset that probably won't appeal to everyone due to there being no 'conflict' in it. In the US it costs $40 and it will be £40 when available in the UK later in the summer.
Here are a couple more photos on flickr:
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26 comments on this article
Great to see another system set that uses brick-built landscaping. What's the purpose of the small tile-fitted cave in the base? Is it a tunnel with a secret entrance?
^ It seems to be somewhere that Lurtz can hide. There's a removable section of rock at the front for him to crawl out from. I can't remember if something like that happens in the movie, though.
Excellent! That tunnel is used to illustrate the Orcs/ Urak Hai being born through the mud like the movies.
^ Ah yes, of course...
Urak-hai? I think it's Uruk-hai. Just look at the front of your box.
So far, it seems these sets are missing something. The structures seem half-made. If I had neither the 2007/8 Dwarf Mine or this, I'd get the former.
^ This set is half the size of the Dwarf mine, after all. Besides, the whole aesthetic of Orc-built things is that they're supposed to look half-finished. They're not exactly known for their intellectual prowess.
I think this set looks neat. Love the Minifigs.
What does the second knob in the back do, the one by the bottom right? Is it just to make the annealing/fire part pop off or something?
This looks to be quite a good build, with fun play features. Not to mention that it probably appeals to MOCers too. I mean, where else do you get olive cheese slopes?
The figs look great but the cost of licensed sets is doing my head in! I do want this and the Uruk-hai army builder but by the time Lego applies it's '£1 = $1' exchange rates i'll be looking at £75 for sets that include none of the main fellowship characters. I think i'll be saving cash for monsters instead.
^^^ Operate the light in the fire.
So it looks like a set of armor is included for Lurtz to wear as well, right? Any chance his bow is included? I can't figure why LEGO would leave his iconic bow out, unless it intends to release a separate Amon Hen set. Either way, looking forward to amassing Uruks and sieging Helm's Deep!
No bow in the set that I can see...
yet another heavily overpriced set :( I wanted this but when I found out the price, I realised there was no way I'd be buying it. It's a shame because I think TLC would make more money by making the sets more affordable and selling more
This might be one of my favorite sets of this wave :)
i will get this so i have more orcs to put in armys
I like the fact that there are two sets of armor with the white hand of Saruman... These sets and reviews are awesome! I can't wait... Thanks Huw
Though shouldn't the White Hand be a minifig hand? :P
Looks like a great set, I love the hand prints!
pffff... What to do???
I still collect the UCS Star Wars sets en started with the modular houses. But LOTR rocks!!! There goes my paycheck... :-)
So these are Isengard orcs, just like the ones that attacked Helm's deep. Pity there is no white hand printed on those as well.
This would go beautifully together with the 7199 Temple of Doom mine cart, etc... You could create a bigger Mordor set-up, or else a bigger Indy set-up!
And, yes, it looks like you get a full set of hand-print armor, shields and helmets for both of the Uruk-hai, right?!
I wasn't going to do LOTR, but now that I SEE it...!! =D
This looks great. Mine (and the Mines of Moria) should be arriving Friday...has me feeling like a kid approaching Xmas. Good stuff. Thanks for the detailed review. Interesting that the figs feature strong black outlines in the print jobs. I noticed that on the Man-bat from Monster Fighters as well. It gives the figs even more of an illustrated look than other figs. I like the drama and fun of it, but I prefer that cartoony feel to be pulled back a little, like on the Pirates of the Caribbean figs.
This is going to be a great theme.
LOTR is also available at Fred Meyer stores in the Pacific Northwest (9469,9470,9471,9473)
9469 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiredforsound23/7200880616/
9470 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiredforsound23/7200649954/
Having just received several copies of this set I can say that eve be it slightly over priced it's a great set! I love the printing on the shields and helmets, and the exclusive orcs are very nice. The Olive green cheese slopes will make some great detail pieces for landscaping, and not only are there 18 in the build, but at least 2 extra (I got 3 somehow..!).
All the LOTR figs have been superb, and I don't regret any of the purchases so far!!!
I am confused about the availability of this set. Will it be sold in New Zealand at all?