Set Review: 7038 Troll Assault Wagon

[cagri]

7038 Troll Assault Wagon
Theme: Castle
Released: 2008
Price: 20 USD
Pieces: 137 (4 minifigures)

Introduction:
With the orcs using the neverending source of energy, what will our hero crownies do? Yield to fate or fight to death ?

We have one booklet for instructions:
No alternate models.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/00.jpg

Standart parts for a castle model:
The wheels are the ugliest things I have ever seen.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/01.jpg

Extra parts:
We don't get a sticker sheet with this set.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/02.jpg

4 figures for 20 USD:
We have two different crownies, a nice orc and a great troll.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/03.jpg

The big troll is a beautiful beautiful creature!
He can hold other figures in his hands, mostly crownies unfortunately.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/04.jpg

He has spikes on his back, I wonder if they hurt when he's sleeping?
I love the sand green color, it looks better than the dark tan troll which comes in 7036 Dwarves' Mine.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/05.jpg

We get a good variety of weapons with this set:
It would be perfect if the big troll had a club.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/06.jpg

The cart is cute but the handle could have been a little shorter:
I'll modify this and use it in MOCs.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/07.jpg

Building in progress:
Too many Technic elements for a castle model.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/08.jpg

There are three missiles hidden behind the flag:
They are fired by pulling the spring stand. Flag slows down the missiles though.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/09.jpg

Still building:
I don't want any more of that useless spine!
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/10.jpg

I wish we had cloth flags instead of plastics:
Metallic silver 1x1 round plates will come in handy.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/11.jpg

It's very empty on the inside:
7092 Skeletons' Prison Carriage was much better when it came to building.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/12.jpg

Complete model:
It's very hard to drive the wagon, chains will break immediately.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/13.jpg

Won't stop until he gets the chicken leg:
Actually the whip is a little short.
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/14.jpg

Oldest trick in the book, but it works with our dumb troll:
He is mostly fed with crownies so food is cheap. Why not use his power to pull battle wagons?
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/lego- ... 038/15.jpg

Folder when public:
Brickshelf - http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=340724

Rating:
-Figures: 8/10 All of the figures are nice and detailed, big troll is the ultimate figure. But we could have one more at this price.
-Parts: 6/10 Nothing new and interesting, too many Technic elements. Figure weapons are nice though, I love the orc sword.
-Price: 7/10 If we had some other figure instead of the big troll it would be extremely pricy. We get very few parts too!
-Design: 6/10 I don't find it appealing and it's doesn't have much playability.
-Building: 6/10 All that Technic building is boring when you want to play with something castlish.
-Total: 33/50 If it didn't have the orc and the big troll, I'd probably pass this one.

Conclusion:
Figures are interesting for castle builders, other than I don't find anything appealing with this set. It's poor to play with, part count and selection is awful. Considering the price tag, it's not a shining model. None castle player will definetly avoid this one, most castle builders may skip too.

Links:
Brickset Reviews - http://www.brickset.com/detail.aspx?Set=7038-1
Bricklink Entry - http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?SetID=7038-1
Peeron Inventory - http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/7038-1?withpics=yes

[Tower of Iron Will]

I think I'll get this to have a green troll and some extra parts. The hand cart that the Crown soldiers have is ok, but have a bigger cargo area or smaller wheels. The handles do make it look like a rickshaw.
-Tower

[knight howdy]

it's very nice too bad i don't own it!

[CVfan13]

I gave it below average. To me, it's only useful for accessories and accents to a MOC and really none of it can be used to build the bulk of a model. So, I don't think I want it.. well, Christmas is around the corner, it sill might be worth it...

[Heir of Black Falcon]

It was an OK set. It works fairly well. My son thinks its great. Apart from that I dislike the massive wheels they now use. Ugly. Wish they'd go back to the old ones as they had a number to select from which looked good. Apart from that it is a nice set. This is the cheapest way to get a Troll I know of really with some extra men, orcs and men etc. to boot!

R

[turambar]

concept of a wagon is quite boring it is the same as in viking models 7020-1, 7017-1 i think that it is time for a new concept of a batle wheel, the big troll is only valuable piece in this set.

[architect]

concept of a wagon is quite boring it is the same as in viking models 7020-1, 7017-1 i think that it is time for a new concept of a batle wheel, the big troll is only valuable piece in this set.

I completely agree with you. While the set design is not bad, I feel that copying a very recent set design is a poor choice. Other siege weapons could have been made.

Ben

[timber_wolf899]

I'd like to see a better 'seat' for the orc warrior.

Otherwise its nifty, and great fig pack. It is also nice if you like those big wheels.

[Prettybasic]

I bought it, assembled the figures and the big wheel for grins and took it apart. Im very glad to have another troll (that makes two, Hooray!) but other than that it was kind of disappointing.

Maybe i'll build a mobile castle, or a huge wheel barrow, Who knows?

[nanuck95]

My only gripe was that the whip wasn't really long enough. The piece of chicken is basically right in the big trolls face and when you extend the chains out, he kind of runs right into it. The wheels are a little goofy looking, but they do match the siege tower from the Tower Raid set and they look better when the two sets are together.

[CVfan13]

concept of a wagon is quite boring it is the same as in viking models 7020-1, 7017-1 i think that it is time for a new concept of a batle wheel, the big troll is only valuable piece in this set.

I completely agree with you. While the set design is not bad, I feel that copying a very recent set design is a poor choice. Other siege weapons could have been made.

Ben

I swear I've seen that wagon design in at least 3 other places. It's a cliche, cheap way to make more sales.

[domboy]

I've never been much of a fan of siege weapons, I've got a few, and don't need any more really. This one is basically the same weapon that is on the front of the Troll Warship, and I already have that. I've got a couple big Trolls, so I didn't need to buy it for that. But then I noticed the chicken leg... now that is funny. That pretty much changed my whole opinion of the set... so I ended up getting it after all. All because of a chicken leg! I guess the big Troll isn't the only one that got duped by a cheap trick!

-Figures: 8/10 All of the figures are nice and detailed, big troll is the ultimate figure.

I'm not sure I consider a Giant Troll to be a figure, at least not in the mini-figure sense. Sure maybe they're humanoid to a degree, but does that automatically make them a figure? Maybe they're slightly smarter than a horse or a cow but shucks, the new Dragons look a lot more intelligent than the Giant Trolls. This set proves it! But I guess to each his own.

One thing I don't understand is what the green animal tail pieces are supposed to be:
http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/40379

[gormadoc1]

I think this is a pretty average set but I would preer it if it had a crownie outpost something like tower raid but not to big and on a ground level with one or two floors. Other than that the set isnt to bad but I dont realy like the wheel but thats just me.

[Albatross_Viking]

concept of a wagon is quite boring it is the same as in viking models 7020-1, 7017-1 i think that it is time for a new concept of a batle wheel, the big troll is only valuable piece in this set.

I completely agree with you. While the set design is not bad, I feel that copying a very recent set design is a poor choice. Other siege weapons could have been made.

Ben

Ive thought of those coppied sets too... its aminly the orc sets apparently:
The ship got almost the same effects and look as the viking one, and this wagon is almost an exact copy of the one in the set with the Nidhug...

A_V

[JoshWedin]

But then I noticed the chicken leg... now that is funny. That pretty much changed my whole opinion of the set... so I ended up getting it after all. All because of a chicken leg! I guess the big Troll isn't the only one that got duped by a cheap trick!

I thought that chicken made the whole set too. I laughed so hard when I first saw it.

Josh