Oof, 313 pieces for $50 back in 2000? And this set isn't even licensed!

What about this set is making it so expensive? Is it some of the special parts like the missile and launcher, the catapult bucket, and the window panels? Or is it because of the financial struggles of the time?

This really is a random set. Not much interest for me to be honest.

@MCLegoboy The price per piece ratios of that era tended to be pretty bad.

At the time, Lego was either nearing bankruptcy, close to it or just coming out of it. They tended to over-charge for quite a lot of things, at that point.

Yeah, it's definetly around 2K. The build is overly uninspired.

2000 was such a bad year for LEGO that the best (designed) themes/products were Bulk Bricks, Duplo and Scala... Early Star Wars had a few passable UCS-s but otherwise whereever you looked (Arctic, Technic, Star Wars etc) there were some interesting parts but awful design, especially in City.

Of all the Knights' Kingdom sets I saw on release in 2000, this was the only one that MAYBE appealed to me. But the more I looked at it, the less I liked. By the end of the year, upcoming sets for 2001 were looking far more enticing, so I scratched ever needing to get it from my list. The year 2000 was a very draggulch year for my Lego collecting. Most of my best buys came from second-hand sales. The only new sets I got were one of the medium-sized Arctic sets, three of the Roboriders, the Blaster Slizer, and the UCS TIE Interceptor. I think in 2001, I found the small Bull Knight's catapult on wheels on sale. It was inoffensively small, so I didn't mind it. But overall, sets like this did Castle in. Apart from some re-releases and that fan-designed Blacksmith Shop, there wasn't anything Castle until Knight's Kingdom was reborn as a story-driven, colorful, BIONICLE-esque theme in 2004.

This is number 4 on my list of white whales, in the following order:

1. 4990 The Rock Raiders HQ
2. 4980 The Tunnel Transport
3. 6098 King Leo's Castle
4. 6096 Bull's Attack

'nuff said.

@MCLegoboy said:
"Oof, 313 pieces for $50 back in 2000? And this set isn't even licensed!

What about this set is making it so expensive? Is it some of the special parts like the missile and launcher, the catapult bucket, and the window panels? Or is it because of the financial struggles of the time?"

Besides the projectile launchers, the piece count is also deceptively low for the size and number of builds and the play value of this set. Lots of moving parts. I don't remember how much it cost where I live, I thought it was a little high, but not absurd.

That said, this looks more like one of the causes of their financial crisis than an attempt at a solution, even given the timeframe, but I could be wrong.

@Lego_lord said:
"Yeah, it's definetly around 2K. The build is overly uninspired."

Eh, the mobile catapult definitely didn't try hard to distinguish itself from other similar vehicles in this line, but the battering ram is still unique all on its own and was one of the big reasons I wanted this set. Even 8800 looks worse IMO.

Looks nice, though I don't get the weird building in the front. Is that a stationary catapult? Or for target practice?

@Darth_TNT said:
"Looks nice, though I don't get the weird building in the front. Is that a stationary catapult? Or for target practice?"

I'd say it's both. It's intended to be the latter.

@LegoDavid said:
"Fun Fact, Knight's Kingdom 1 was one of the first LEGO themes that tried to integrate a story into the theme... Which would become an essential part of LEGO later on. "

I think the Pirates was one of the first themes that tried it. Lego did comic strips for Pirates, when you look into catalogs of '89 and '90 they have those beautiful scenes with stories.

A pack of siege weapons made from large and specialized pieces, not the best part per penny price, but then in those days it was easy to wait for the inevitable half price sales. Interesting note about the Bulls minifigures, they have dark grey eyes, rather than black, making them look ghostly or corrupted.

A sad moment in Castle line... Only box art is nice.

@thor96 said:
" @LegoDavid said:
"Fun Fact, Knight's Kingdom 1 was one of the first LEGO themes that tried to integrate a story into the theme... Which would become an essential part of LEGO later on. "

I think the Pirates was one of the first themes that tried it. Lego did comic strips for Pirates, when you look into catalogs of '89 and '90 they have those beautiful scenes with stories."

Hello everybody
Yes, definitely. It was the pirate topic in which stories came out first. The comic book and certainly in German, 6 stories as radio plays. The first story was called "The Golden Medallion" and it exactly matched the first radio play of the same name. Greets from the home office .... uuuppps ... break,,,, home office break.... !!! :-)

Never ever heard of this set before. This is so random. Looks like a box full of siege equipment. Useful, I suppose, for the next overlord in the kingdom.

Knights Kingdom 1 was generally a bad theme. But this set is esepcially unapealing since it looks so cluttered and random.

This is one of the few (if not the only) flagship Castle sets that was not actually a castle or some other "headquarters building" (like the trees for Forestmen or the abandoned bridge tower for Wolfpack). We never saw where Cedric the Bull actually lived, maybe he was just a homeless marauder? It's a very nice package of siege engines which would cause real problems for the castle-bound knights...

Year 2000 Castle wasn't amazing, but this wasn't the worst set.

Simplification of builds started late 90s around 1997, even shows on themes like Fright Knights or Ninja, using those thick brick-bases instead of baseplates, and generally large pieces where possible.

Still for me, I didn't get/buy any LEGO from 2001-2016.

I really miss those chromed silver and golden swords.
Though I don't like the round tip much on those old swords, the fact that TLG went through the trouble to actually make them all shiny with this chrome finish was awesome!
I wish TLG would start doing that again on swords and certain minifig helmets, such as the King's crowned helmets.

Beyond that, this set doesn't have much appeal to me. Actually the entire castle theme from that era is just so bland. Some torso prints and printed leg pieces are interesting. I don't like the Bull coat of arms much either. As others have already stated $50 for that set was way too expensive, especially back then considering the amount of inflation over the years.

@MCLegoboy said:
"Oof, 313 pieces for $50 back in 2000? And this set isn't even licensed!

What about this set is making it so expensive? Is it some of the special parts like the missile and launcher, the catapult bucket, and the window panels? Or is it because of the financial struggles of the time?"

Yes