Revealing my troops

[Dreamweb]

I wasn't sure where to post this, I chose MOC section, but if you feel it doesn't fit here, please move it.

It's time I showed you my armies. Please note that I chose to collect more smaller armies rather than one or two huge ones. So they may not be that impressive in size when looking at just one of them.

Right now I have 6 separate armies: British, French, Spanish, Dutch and 2 pirate factions. In addition to this, there are some extra minifigs, like the merchant vessel's crew for example.

Actually, I've already shown you the French army (which is the latest one I made) here.

Now it's time for the British, and in the future I'll try to show you the rest of the factions.

I consider both the bluecoats and the redcoats British, the latter being ground troops, which are still waiting for me to build a base for them. *sweet* The Bluecoats are the navy.

Now, here's the key to the picture above: in the back rows are the lowest ranking soldiers, the closer to the first row, the higher the ranks. The bluecoats standing in the same row as the corresponding redcoats are of equal rank. For example, the bluecoats with no eppaulettes are of equal rank to the redcoats with shakos and backpacks. The ranks are not the same, they're just equal (remember that, in real life, the ranks in the navy have different names from the ranks in the infantry and so on).

This rule doesn't apply to the front row, where you can see the highest ranking officers. In the first row of the bluecoats, the rank increases from left to right. The same goes for the redcoats. In case of the bluecoats, they are: Commander, two Captains (equal), Vice Admiral and Admiral. The redcoats: Lieutenant-Colonel, two Colonels, Lieutenant-General and General.

I used today's ranking system, not sure how it looked like in the past. However, the actual rank names aren't that relevant to me, the important thing is who's above who.

This Wikipedia page was very helpful to me.

Here is the folder with more pictures.

If you think there's something wrong with the ranks, for example the rows should be swapped somewhere, please let me know, this is just a prototype :)

Edited July 23, 2007 by Dreamweb

[El Bucanero]

That's already quite an army Mr Dreamweb!

At least, it's more than I have.

A question: Why does the vice admiral has a beard?

I'd expected a higher ranked person to have a beard.. but maybe that's just me :-P

Looking forward to your other factions Mr Dreamweb..

Army building on!

Mr Tiber

[Dreamweb]

I'd expected a higher ranked person to have a beard.. but maybe that's just me :-P

That was what I expected too, and that's exactly why I did the opposite... :-D Maybe the admiral didn't age as quickly as the vice-admiral? Or maybe the vice-admiral is older, just never got promoted? Who knows... :P

Unpredictability on! :)

Edited July 23, 2007 by Dreamweb

[Fordo]

Very nice British army you have their can't wait to see them on board your fine vessal's.

[Mister Phes]

These look fine to me! But I've only had a quick glance. I like the dude with the long white beard!

[Timento]

Those look good *y*

I only have two Imperial Guards ( 8-( ), but you have quite an army there.

I'm pretty sure the other factions are cool too, I can't wait to see what kind of Spanish Armada you have amassed and how the Dutch look like...

[Grand Moff Viceroy]

Impressive, but use fleshtones! :S HEHE

[Bonaparte]

You have a fine army Mr. Dreamweb.

I actually discovered it on BS a few hours before you made this thread.

The idea of having several smaller armies is an interesting one.

I'm looking forward to see your other armies.

[Lt. Col. Thok]

Trying the old Cartman approach, eh, Mr. Dreamweb? This has the potential of being a wacking great army. Good job.

[Norrington]

Impressive, but use fleshtones! :S HEHE

We told you in another thread we hang people who use fleshies!

... unless, of course, they're used tastefully, like Tano's dioramas.

Great Army! *y* *sweet*

[Sir Norman Ray]

Impressive, but use fleshtones! :S HEHE

I thought I sentenced you to life in front of a firing squad.

Anyway, I like this army ;-) Keep up the good work sir, and I hope to see you against the vile hordes of French/Spanish/Americans/Prussians/Russians etc

[SirNadroj]

*y* Nice army! I've got an army building up, too. 'Bout the same number as soldiers, but I don't have any guards. Love those custom shakos, too.

Edited July 23, 2007 by SirNadroj

[ZeekyBoogeyDoog]

Very nice *y* ! I like how the tire treads create texture evocative of fur.

[zouave]

Nice army. But what's with the Knights torso?

[Dreamweb]

I hope to see you against the vile hordes of French/Spanish/Americans/Prussians/Russians etc

But it means that I'll have to attack some of my other own minifigs as well :)

I like how the tire treads create texture evocative of fur.

These are not my design, I saw them a long time ago on Lugnet, and in some MOCs since then, not sure who came up with this idea first.

[Tordenskjold]

Nice army. Do you have plans for how big you want it or is it more to get they look as good as possible you want?

i set up my soldiers and guards this weekend. that not all of the men. some are at duty :-D

but my "problem is that i dont have that many different faces to use. they look more or less as a clone army to me. so i really like your army.

Edited August 5, 2007 by Tordenskjold

[Dreamweb]

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the Dutch...

On the left are the soldiers, once again - the lowest ranks are in the back rows, the front row features highest-ranking officers, with rank increasing from left to right. On the right you can see some additional crew - civilian sailors, the chef and the medic.

More pictures HERE.

[Bonaparte]

I haven't seen many Dutch armies yet.

You're made a good selection for the torso's.

I'm a big fan of the torso you used for your soldiers.

It can be used for many things (sailors, soldiers,...). I'm using it in my French army for my Hussars.

Very nice !!

[Opproperaar]

Well that's a cool army you have there *wub* *wub* *wub*

Wish I had that many troops, too bad I don't have that many torsos or hats. 8-o

Anyways, if you want to we have a book here displaying the ranks of a British ship of the line (HMS Victory) at around 1800, exactly in the same way you did with your figs. You mentioned you weren't sure how it was in the old days, didn't you?

[Dreamweb]

Yes. What kind of book is that - an ebook or a normal book? :)

Edited August 14, 2007 by Dreamweb

[Opproperaar]

Yes. What kind of book is that - an ebook or a normal book? :)

I'd say a normal book :) By means of cross sections it shows the life aboard a ship of the line around 1800, near the end it has an overview of the 800 men aboard such a ship catagorized according to rank and profession, like you did with your figs, it displays the admiral first and the sailors last. And of course, their costumes. There are however way more different costumes than your minifigs have ;-)

Edited August 15, 2007 by Hairy Ruben

[Errorist]

Yes. What kind of book is that - an ebook or a normal book? :)

Maybe you know the book ;-) it's this one

It is the book i used as the guideline for the construction of my cross section and to an entire ship if i would follow hairy ruben's advice :-P

Anyway i really like your armys especially the dutch

keep up the good work *sweet*

Edited August 14, 2007 by Errorist

[Sir Norman Ray]

*Looks at that book cover*

I'm sure I saw something like that on a school computer once.

Keep up the great armies mate :-D

[Dreamweb]

Hello. I just want to say that I haven't forgotten about this thread, I was just busy with some non-Lego activities, and right now I'm having my flat completely repainted etc., so I don't even have access to my Lego at the moment... :P I'll post pictures of my Spanish army as soon as everything is settled.

Maybe you know the book wink.gif it's this one

I've seen this book in a shop somewhere! It was translated to my language, but it was the same book nonetheless.

I didn't want to start a new thread just yet, so I'll ask here. I'm currently working on a Lego Pirate comic book - a thing I'd mentioned here once before, but since then I actually BEGUN my work :-) I'm having some problems with onomatopoeia though.

So here's a request for those who speak English as their native language: what are the best words to use for:

- firing a cannon

- firing a pistol or a musket (from the age of pirates, not a modern one, I'm pretty sure the sound was different)

- one sabre hitting another in a duel

- a mast or other wooden construction being broken

I mean words such as BAM, BLAM etc. I've been searching the web but with no satisfying results :-/

[john cleese]

Victory is at hand men. We now know the whereabouts of all dreamwebs troops. This will prove to be a fatal error on his part.

On a more serious note. Although I have nowhere near this many men and wouldnt be able to orginize a batallion like this myself, i really dont like the black blazers.