Weekly Set Review: Outpost Attack

[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 7948 Outpost Attack.

Outpost Attack was released in 2010 for Kingdoms. A dragon soldier uses his catapult to attack the outpost while two Lion soldiers, a spearman and a crossbowman, defend it.

This tower features a collapsing wall, wall mounted axes, and flags. Various accessories such as shields, a torch and spears are included.

[Silver.Smith]

I always envisioned this set at the edge of a forest slightly overgrown and in ill repair. The guards would have been surprised when a catapult came rolling out of the woods to attack them.

As far as the set goes I really like the build of the outpost and the minifigs are exactly what you would find about an outpost. Though I would like to know how one dragon soldier could handle moving, loading and firing such a large catapult by himself. Which brings me to the catapult's size, it's almost as big as the outpost itself.

[Blueandwhite]

This is another solid parts pack although the set itself is pretty lackluster IMO. Personally I miss the days when these towers and wall sections were actually compatible with the larger castles of a theme. Still, the tower gives you a good assortment of useful bley elements and a bunch of ever useful cheese slopes (all sets should include some of these nuggets). On top of that we have a few decent figures including the one Dragon soldier who has that nice kettle helm in dark pearl grey. As a set, it's certainly worth a look.

[Athos]

I think this is the weakest set of the line. Though some lucky timing with coupons and a sale, I got mine for $12 rather than $20, and that was about what I thought this one was worth. Doors or printed walls would have really helped this set. Or they could have made it a wall segmet that fit with the Kings Castle. As a tower, it's pretty dull. As an army builder, its too expensive. Two of the prison carts would get you twice as many figures plus two horse for the same price.

It seems to me that the $20 set has been pretty poor of late...

Steve

[albero78]

This is the only Kingdoms set I have. I'll get the king's castle tomorrow.
I received the outpost attack as a gift and I must say that I like the tower, it is well done even if it is too similar to the same set we had with the fantasy line which was more interesting in my opinion.
The catapult is interesting only for parts - it's too unrealistic according to me.
Minifigs are ok, nothing more.

[Heir of Black Falcon]

I'm with B and W. I miss the days when these smaller and medium sets could be combined to make a larger structure. I also think this set would have been better with a single door on it, maybe some more full walls on the sides.

That said I like it and my kids love the shooting catapult that can knock out the wall section. This by far was one of their favorite sets.

Heir

[DerBum]

As a birthday gift size gift this set is good, not great. The tower would be a neat stand alone if there were more Dragon Knights attacking it and no catapult. As the set sits, a single Dragon Knight has elected to push a large catapult out into an opening and assault a rather small outpost, manned by only two Lion Knights. I agree with what many have stated, if the tower was designed to be linked into the Kings Castle, it would have made more sense and been more playable over all. As a seperate set it would have made more sense to include more figures and no siege engine. 4/10 is the best vote it will get from me.

[Tower of Iron Will]

I envision this tower being part of a small walled city. This set reminds me of set 6062 Battering Ram in that you have a smaller fort being attacked. This set could use more figs, add one Lion knight and two Dragon knights to make three total on each side. The catapult looks a bit big to attack this outpost. Still, I think if I was a kid I would like having this set. I can see my younger self playing with this on a coffee table in my room. My only beef with this set is it could use more figures and shields. 8/10
-Tower

[Elephant Knight]

A neat little tower, but much more of a parts pack then anything else. The figs are good, all three of them being generic soldiers, though weapon selection is limited. Another Dragon soldier would have been nice. The catapult, as far as catapults go, isn't bad, but nothing to write home about.

7/10, I gives it

EKnight

[Throndor]

For whatever reason I think I would pay more for the set without the catapult. I guess it'd be the fact that without the catapult, I would think of it as more of a wall segment than a standalone outpost. As has been said before, more figs (and an even number at that) and more weapon variety would be nice. It would be cool to have an outpost captain, which would be somewhat like a regular solider, with a (red) cape and a longsword.

6/10

[quaraga]

I got this for christmas and thought it was decent. It needs several things to make it something I'd buy with my own money.
1) filled in walls on the ground floor
2) ladders or stairs (what, do you expect the soldiers to fly to the battlements?)
3) the break away wall is too loose it needs to be secured with a jumper piece
4) change out the axes for torches and add a door(I think the reasoning for placing axes outside the tower was just in case the enemy forgot to bring weapons.)
5) this isn't the largest of problems and is easily remedied but I hate the opposing slopes. regular 2x1s would do better.
6) the lower battlements need more room
On the plus side I like the wheels of the catapult because I'm easily amused. I also found its bits useful.
Playability 8/10
design 7/10
parts 9/10
overall 8/10

-T.R.

[giellsworoth]

Realalisticly the tower just feels weak as a stand alone, i echo everyone elses statements about how it would be great to be part of the walls for the castle. More minifigs would have been great, not a decent army builder when compared to the prison carriage. Overall its not worth the buy for me. But i still bought it cause i'm a sucker for lego

[RadStar]

I only bought this set because it was on sale, approx 20% off.
Should have gotten 2 green knights & 1 red knight instead.. too many red knights from other boxes
I agree with a lot other sentiments above.. not the greatest design, and why are the catapult wheels sooo big?!! hah
Overall I would say 6.5/10

Really could have been a great box set for an castle-expansion & army builder if they had done it a bit differently.. oh well

[J_MAN]

I also got this set for Christmas. It's not bad but it's not great either. It would be nice if it came with more minifigs. Also the tower is kinda pointless. What good is a lonely tower? Last but not least is that the lion knight has no shield! this seems to be a reoccurring problem in the Kingdoms line. However, overall it's not a bad deal for $20. You get a nice selection of parts and a few extra minifigs, but that is all it's good for... parts. I'd give this set a 7/10.

[friskywhiskers]

I think that the outpost was very well done. The detail of the upper level is really good for such a small set.
The catapult should have been smaller or better yet, there should have been no catapult and more dragon knight solders. I like the designs of the minifigures and The colors of the Dragon Knights are really cool, but I don't like the colors of the Lion Knights. The light gray and red would have been better as dark gray and maroon (I've experimented with this, changing the arms and pants of my lion knights and It looks very good).