6078 - Royal Drawbridge

Rating:
Pros: Excellent castle addition, a couple of parts that were new to me, and a skeleton!
Cons: Ramps look kind of goofy if you look closely (this is forgivable).
Contents: 251 pieces, including 1 horse and 5 figures
Price: $27.99 - Discontinued
Reviewed: 20-Jun-1996
Reviewed by: Joseph Gonzalez

What first seemed like a sturdily built raft now sags under the soldiers weight, and after hours of working its way up the canal, none could blame the poor waterlogged structure. But now the tower is within sight. Just a few more meters and he'll be within range of the bridge and the aborted cell beneath it. As foreseen, the guards are inside the castle for an ever-so-brief repose and he'll be in and out of the cell with the Akam Ruby before any can tell. Now nearing the cell, the tired mercenary is taken aback, for there between the prison bars lies the ruby in skeletal clutching fingers...and the hand is moving!

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This set has marvelous pieces and potential. The original reason I picked it up was because I desperately needed to have one of the new skeletons and the set closely resembled the wolfpack tower which I promised myself I would buy but never got around to it. The soldiers are standard minifigs and the horse includes one of those red dragon-type head pieces/hood that some collectors don't like but I think it makes the horse look near-formidable! Also, one of the large gold swords is included with weapons.
The basic castle which adjoins the drawbridge and entrance ramp is basically just an entrance turret, but if you have a larger castle set, this addition just screams to be added on as a new front door (or dangerous rear-way exit).
A couple of pieces that were new to me were the grey "mini turrets" (2x2 octagon shape, three bricks high), the single round flat stud in black which extends the torch supports (I've never seen these in black), and this new larger rocky wall section (10 studs wide instead of the old 8 studs wide sections). These oddly shaped, darker grey sections are kind of goofy to work with when you're doing your own constructions anyway, but I'm sure the avid builder has learned how to work with them and this new differently-shaped section will pose a new challenge. The trap bridge which drops on one side to dump invaders into the icy waters below is kind of interesting but almost predictable.
My only complaint with this set is the way they hinge the up and down ramps to the bridge. Both ramps are six studs across, yet they hinge them with the standard 1x2 2-piece hinge set so that you have this six-wide ramp being supported by one stud on each side (the interior ramp skips the first two studs and hinges on studs three and six!). Couldn't they have used 4x4 hinges instead? My entrance ramp has this big gap between hinges that just looks shoddy! Anyway, it isn't a big deal, but I personally would have preferred something else.
Last of all, the whole reason I bought this set was for the skeleton. They're now pretty much common place, but when I first saw them I knew I had to have one. They're cute, add spookiness, and so what if their arms are wobbly, skeletons don't exactly have tendons and Schwarzeneggar pecs to keep things steady.
Overall, the set is incredible. And again, if you have a larger castle set, I strongly suggest picking this set up to remodel your entrance.