PlaymoFriends
General => Report & Review => Topic started by: Wolf Knight on January 06, 2011, 09:04:57
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Hi all,
I run the word Drachenfels on a translator and it came out as ''Dragon Rock''.
I was really anxious to get this set, not only because there is a black dragon of the latest design in it but because it also has two unique coat of arms... so to speak...
So here is the box and its contents sealed in bags... All look fine, or are they?....
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I'll start with the rock itself, taking you to more important items (literary the knights and dragon ;D)
I am not sure if this land scape was used before for a superset. To tell the truth I am not very thrilled by it... It has two holes, presumably one being the dragon's nest, in which the dragon does not fit at all ??? no place to settle down... unless you land him on the lid of the secret treasure chamber/ tomb in the rock... Playmobil could at least include a skeleton for that tomb...
But the most strange part of this specific set was that it was missing various little items: 1) the small flames (I added them from my spare parts), 2) the chain for the dragon, 3) the clip that goes into the rock and holds the chain, which is totaly different from the one I attempted to use from my spares... 4) a crow... Talking about a minor failure in quality control here... Whats wrong Playmobil? Its fine by me that only these items were missing, no great loss, but what if it was a knight's accessory or something more important? I know I could order them from DS but as I bought this set form a german ebay seller, germany DS might be out of the question... And I doubt Playmobil Hellas DS, not having this set yet, would be able to help...
I have noticed that in most of the newer sets I bought recently, there are no spare little parts, like an extra cuff or dagger etc...but missing main components? thats strange... Please don't let my verdict imply that this will be the case with all the 4006 sets. Maybe this was an exception... Then again, we won't know if we don't get another one of this set...
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Ok, now off to more important items ;D
I really really really love these two new knights!!!
The red one looks like a barbarian of some kind, or a dragonslaye judging on his armour, with all the dark grey armour parts its I believe unique! Especially his helmet, as there is no such dark grey helmet in any dragonland set!!!
The blue knight is awesome!!! :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: He is, without a second thought, the best knight playmobil has designed in these last years, if not ever... I love his blue combination with the rune signs and this great helm!!! And the orange torso gives a nice background for is body armour!!! :(o): Even this type of belt, which most of us dislike so much, looks great on him!
We have two new coat of arms here, if we can call them that... the dragon head on the yellow background of the dragonslayer and the red/blue/grey rune for the knight!!! Very nice designs indeed!!!
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Finally, the dragon, or more accurately the wyvern, itself!
Nothing new here, apart from the fact that he is coloured black, as opposed to his red,green and blue simblings!!!
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To sum up, I'd give this set a 7 out of 10... and thats because the land scape could be better designed... 1) loose the flames or designed a better fiery pool 2) add an appropriate nest for the dragon, 3) add a skeleton for the tomb
If an adult collector wants to get this set, the knights and dragon will make your worth while... but If you can get them from DS, then all the better... Still, if your kid wants this set, don't hesitate to get it for him. I know if I was a kid I'd spend a lot of hours playing with it!
Thanks for reading!!! :wave:
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Great review Sir Wolf. It is really a great set of which I am sure I will get several of once I will get my hands on it.
However my gripe with it is that eventhough I love the new design of the klickies, this would have been a great place to put more of the new Lion/Falcon knights to expand on that theme.
I really like the landscape as I know it will work very well for Zoo exhibits :-)
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Thanks Sir Wolf for the review.
It's definitly a set that I want. I agree with Gis, it would have been better if it had been a addition to the Lion/ Falcon knights or any other already existing heraldry.
Still - the new knights look awesome.
Bogro
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Great review Sir Wolf. It is really a great set of which I am sure I will get several of once I will get my hands on it.
However my gripe with it is that eventhough I love the new design of the klickies, this would have been a great place to put more of the new Lion/Falcon knights to expand on that theme.
I really like the landscape as I know it will work very well for Zoo exhibits :-)
Zoo exhibits!! Yes indeed it would work very well for that Gis!!!
As for expanding the new knights theme,don't forget there is aready this superset 7495 - Rittergefecht (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showinv.pl?setnum=7495) to cover that need, althought the landscape has been used in earlier supersets too!
Maybe they could issue these knights as specials...
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Great review Panos. Thanks. I'm not a fan of those chicken dragons anyway but the sets seems to contain some really interesting parts, e.g. the dark grey dragon helmet.
Cheers,
Arnaud
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Thanks for this review!!!....this dragon grows on me....although it looks so chicken.....
Its look is very agile. I like the green one the best, but this black one is cool to add into the dragon team.
But the colour of these knights are very tacky. :-\
Afterall....this is indeed a very nice purchase for collectors or beginners!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep this up, PLAYMOBIL
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Great review Panos. Im not into dragon yet but this could be a good start!
Just one question... what is the yellow ground suppossed to be? :-[
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I...
But the most strange part of this specific set was that it was missing various little items: 1) the small flames (I added them from my spare parts), 2) the chain for the dragon, 3) the clip that goes into the rock and holds the chain, which is totaly different from the one I attempted to use from my spares... 4) a crow... Talking about a minor failure in quality control here... Whats wrong Playmobil? Its fine by me that only these items were missing, no great loss, but what if it was a knight's accessory or something more important? I know I could order them from DS but as I bought this set form a german ebay seller, germany DS might be out of the question... And I doubt Playmobil Hellas DS, not having this set yet, would be able to help...
I have noticed that in most of the newer sets I bought recently, there are no spare little parts, like an extra cuff or dagger etc...but missing main components? thats strange... Please don't let my verdict imply that this will be the case with all the 4006 sets. Maybe this was an exception... Then again, we won't know if we don't get another one of this set...
Was it bought by you MISB? If so, it's worth contacting German DS for the parts and, in any case, to let them know of the failure of quality control.
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Great review, Panos, as your reviews always are. Thank you. :wave:
The landscape seems to suggest a hot climate, a palm tree, sand and rock, so I would have thought that the dark-skinned figure is a dragon defender or protector of some sort rather than a dragon slayer.
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Just the missing link ;). The landscape was used before in 3127 Pirate starter set -> http://playmodb.org//backs/3127_back.jpg
Greetings
Vauban
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... Just the missing link ;). The landscape was used before in 3127 Pirate starter set ...
missed that; thanks for pointing that out.
Really thought it was a new piece. But then again; what do I know about Pirate-sets.
Bogro
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HI
Great review of a neat little set. I for one am glad Playmoibl is making so many colored dragons . All we need to wait for is if it will make it to the US
Even though you got it out of your area I would still contact DS and complain about the missing parts.
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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Great review of a neat little set. I for one am glad Playmoibl is making so many colored dragons . All we need to wait for is if it will make it to the US Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
I'm so happy about the dragon variety as well! Even though they're chicken dragons, who can turn away a cute dragon? :love:
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I hate to say this; but these aren't Chicken-dragons. That's reserved for him:
(http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-9044722dt.jpg)
There are many differences between this dragon and the dragon of this superset.
For starters - the chicken dragon has a bad name due to some early problems with the wings (which were solved later, I think) which are movable.
The wings of the dragon of this set are fixed.
Just a note...
Bogro
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I hate to say this; but these aren't Chicken-dragons. That's reserved for him:
There are many differences between this dragon and the dragon of this superset.
For starters - the chicken dragon has a bad name due to some early problems with the wings (which were solved later, I think) which are movable.
The wings of the dragon of this set are fixed.
Just a note...
Bogro
Hi
And the Chinese-Chicken-Dragon was made in China :doh:
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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Thanks for the great review, Panos! That's so weird about all the missing pieces. ??? Hope that doesn't get to be a habit.
I'm with you, Gis, great for zoo exhibits! :lol: I've bought whole sets before just because I wanted the baseplate.
Gaston, I didn't seee if someone already answered or not, but the yellow is supposed to represent sand, I believe. ::) I know, it's hideously bright. I hate the primary colors.
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I used the baseplate as a lions rock in my Daktari diorama in Wolfsburg.
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Ooh, that's a really good use of that rock! :)9
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Thanks for the review, but I think I'll pass.
One question Id like to ask is whether the yellow sash on the barbarian fits perfectly with the furry collar, or whether it is slightly too thick for it?
Also, I wish they couldve given the same barbarian a couple of cuffs. I hate it when the whole arm is supposed to be bare, as in this case, and you get the wrist showing like that. Bare arms should be like the Roman ones, if you see what I mean, seamlessly going from arm to hand.
The other figure, I don't like him much. I think his nappy-belt is silly, as is his bob haircut, but that's just me.
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It's a nifty little set. I'm sure I will get it when it becomes available here.
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i just wanted to give you some more information about the word "drachenfels" it´s actually 20 km from my house :) the drachenfels was a big stoney hill near cologne that was used by the romans as a stone quarry. a tale sais there lived a dragon...today it´s a tourist spot. very famous in the cologne area. here is a website. i was there 4 months ago for a dinner party - it´s a lovely spot !
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http://www.brueckenhof.de/virt_museum/historie/uebersicht.php?schub=Drachenfels
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Great review Panos. Im not into dragon yet but this could be a good start!
Just one question... what is the yellow ground suppossed to be? :-[
Thank you Gaston!
Probably sand of same kind, plain ground... or any kind of dust found in fiery surfaces... mix of phosporus and sulphur maybe?
Let your imagination run wild ;)
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Was it bought by you MISB? If so, it's worth contacting German DS for the parts and, in any case, to let them know of the failure of quality control.
Yes it was Gordon! Good advice I'll look into it when I'll manage!
Great review, Panos, as your reviews always are. Thank you. :wave:
The landscape seems to suggest a hot climate, a palm tree, sand and rock, so I would have thought that the dark-skinned figure is a dragon defender or protector of some sort rather than a dragon slayer.
Thank you my friend! I'm glad you liked it!
Good point on the dark skinned chap... certainly a good point... and maybe he could be in league with the bluish knight who can be the defender of the tomb...so many scenarios :)
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Just the missing link ;). The landscape was used before in 3127 Pirate starter set -> http://playmodb.org//backs/3127_back.jpg
Greetings
Vauban
Thanks for pointing that out! ;)
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HI
Great review of a neat little set. I for one am glad Playmoibl is making so many colored dragons . All we need to wait for is if it will make it to the US
Even though you got it out of your area I would still contact DS and complain about the missing parts.
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Thanks Ras! I do hope you get it too! As I replied to Gordon's post regarding the missing parts, I'll give it a go!
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I hate to say this; but these aren't Chicken-dragons. That's reserved for him:
(http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-9044722dt.jpg)
There are many differences between this dragon and the dragon of this superset.
For starters - the chicken dragon has a bad name due to some early problems with the wings (which were solved later, I think) which are movable.
The wings of the dragon of this set are fixed.
Just a note...
Bogro
Well said!
I was not sure which one the chicken dragon was at first but after cross reference of older post I finally realised this is the only one to be called by that name!
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I used the baseplate as a lions rock in my Daktari diorama in Wolfsburg.
Thats lovely Martina!! :love:
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One question Id like to ask is whether the yellow sash on the barbarian fits perfectly with the furry collar, or whether it is slightly too thick for it?
Also, I wish they couldve given the same barbarian a couple of cuffs. I hate it when the whole arm is supposed to be bare, as in this case, and you get the wrist showing like that. Bare arms should be like the Roman ones, if you see what I mean, seamlessly going from arm to hand.
The other figure, I don't like him much. I think his nappy-belt is silly, as is his bob haircut, but that's just me.
The yellow sash is indeed a bit thick for the furry collar... and I'll agree with you on the cuffs issue... maybe dark grey bracers should be produced and used on this klicky! As for the nappy belt, at least its the same colour as the legs and thus does not look too silly like the basic dragonland series: red nappy-belt on black torso and legs...!
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i just wanted to give you some more information about the word "drachenfels" it´s actually 20 km from my house :) the drachenfels was a big stoney hill near cologne that was used by the romans as a stone quarry. a tale sais there lived a dragon...today it´s a tourist spot. very famous in the cologne area. here is a website. i was there 4 months ago for a dinner party - it´s a lovely spot !
Thank you for this info Skywalker!!
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Wonderful review and a lot of good info :D
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Thanks for the review, Panos! :)
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Thanks for a great detailed review Panos, with excellent photography!
I have to agree with Heronimus' and Bolingbroke's comments, this set is not as good as it could have been, though of course I'll have to get it for the black Wyvern unless he appears elsewhere first.
I don't like either figure, they're too much like pirate figures with their over-bright colors. The lack of bracers on the left-hand guy and the silly colors and y-fronts on the blue knight are both off-putting. The yellow sash looks too big to go under the (fur?) collar, so the figure looks like a bad customisation. I like the use of dark grey armor, but as he has a different skin color to every other knight yet produced they've limited customisation possibilities.
I'm not a fan of the big chunky plastic bases either, I'd rather have the figures without that and halve the price, or have a lot more parts to replace it.
I think the Bronze and Iron knights from 2010 were far better designs giving lots of customisation options, and the Dragon Knights and their foes the Green knights were better too. Sorry, these two figures are about the worst Knights I've yet seen. However I may feel different holding them in my hands.
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Great review...this one is on my list of must haves for this year.
Mad Nick
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Sir Wolf are these sets available in Greece ??? :)
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Wonderful review! So sorry you were missing parts though :'(
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Sir Wolf are these sets available in Greece ??? :)
I think they will be this year, 2011. Then, i may be wrong...
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Thanks for the review. :) I bought the set two weeks ago for the black dragon, which is great. Of the two knights especially the dragonslayer has the right feel (vis. the dragonslayers in Willow) and the other knight is OK. I am a big fan of large base plates and playscapes, but this one is a repaint of an older design, so they could have done a bit more work there.
Edit: the base plate is originally from pirate super set 3127, btw.