Castle Deep Forest Ambush Expansion

[WhiteFang]

Hello fellow Eurobricks members,

I, WhiteFang will present you my first MOC, named Castle Deep Forest Ambush Expansion. Why this name? Because i was inspired by my impulse set entry in the History and Adventure category. Therefore, i try to build something big on a 32 x 32 studs green baseplate. There are still some flaws in my MOC. It's not really massive or impressive either compared to other outstanding MOCs in this forum. I will like to dedicate my MOC in celebration with the Castle month. It's a wonderful and exciting month indeed

I am trying to use some simple techniques to build a deep forest to illustrate the green enrichment in a typical medival forest. The theme will be featuring on Crown army and Forestmen. Crown army is escorting treasure chest back to their Castle. Along their journey, they are actually secretly watched by others. Are they ambushing them? Or are they protecting them?

This is an overall picture of the Deep Forest.

The soliders are escorting the weapon carriage and the treasure chest back to their treasure.

Aerial view of the forest. How many Forestmen can you spot?

Another Forestmen hiding!

Can you see it clearly??

One of the guard pulling the weapon cart.

Trying to make a rocky front by the side of the forest.

Featured Mini-figures

Hope everyone enjoying viewing my MOC. Any feedback or comments are strongly welcomed. I will need some feedback to improve on it. Hope to share my other new creations in the near future!

More images can be found in My Brickshelf (After moderation)

Edited April 20, 2008 by Hinckley

[Asuka]

That´s some really good landscaping with a fine use of these palm leaf pieces and an overall neat scenery indeed, well done!

[Bonaparte]

Very nice scene!

Reminds me of the forest ambush scene in the (fantastic) movie "Robin Hood, Prince of thieves".

[WesternOutlaw]

What a great little scene. From someone who is still expanding his jungle, I love the forest. It's a nice blend of green trees and brick-built trunks. Nice job. I also like the band of crownies as they make their way through the forest (esp. the small cart which is a nice custom addition). And lastly, Forestmen! Outstanding! This MOC has some great elements and overall looks great.

[WhiteFang]

That´s some really good landscaping with a fine use of these palm leaf pieces and an overall neat scenery indeed, well done!

Asuka, your comments really motivate me to improve on it better. I was thinking that those palm leaf pieces can act as a good shade in the forest. Glad it worked

Very nice scene!

Reminds me of the forest ambush scene in the (fantastic) movie "Robin Hood, Prince of thieves".

Bonaparte, hehe. Yes, it did remind of me too. I was trying to create a scene or a forest that can match in any Castle theme by plug and play. A nice forest for any Castle battle scene or add-on.

What a great little scene. From someone who is still expanding his jungle, I love the forest. It's a nice blend of green trees and brick-built trunks. Nice job. I also like the band of crownies as they make their way through the forest (esp. the small cart which is a nice custom addition). And lastly, Forestmen! Outstanding! This MOC has some great elements and overall looks great.

Brickster, thanks for your kind comments. My MOC can't be compared as yours. Your jungle building technique is way better than me. I am trying to explore some possibilites to expand on it. Looking at your MOC for inspiration too, hope to borrow some from you. Hope you won't mind The small cart was created for the Elves contest entry as i do not have time or i should said, i don't have enough parts to build a decent one yet. I feel that the forest belongs to the Forestmen. They are indeed the best archers in any Castle themes. Following the upcoming Elves theme, i feel that it will be a great addition to look forward to new ranks in the Castle themes.

[Wout]

Looks very nice! , simple, but effective.

[HankVenture]

TWO thumbs up! The forest is perfect. Not too busy, nice variation and placement for the path! Whenever I get a forest going, there are way too many trees.

[legotrainfan]

Nicely done with all those plants. Looks like a real wood. Though I'd never use palm tree leaves for castle creations, I don't find they should be removed. They look good in combination with the other plants and the way you integrated them into your little MOC. Summarising: Great job!

Edited April 16, 2008 by legotrainfan

[Tanotrooper]

I have always wondered how forestmen are able to shoot arrows with a shield in their left hand... even lego did that...

But a VERY nice scene indeed! I love the forest and the story is told well!

TT

[Nikola Bathory]

Hey, White Fang, that's great! A really dense forest, perfect for an ambush! Very very good indeed!

It sucks that I am so busy and have no time for such things. But yours is a very creative one!

[Batbrick]

Thats a great scene there Whitefang, it isn't often someone is inspired by their own work

I love all the different trees and more thick areas you have included, loks great. It definitely gives off that forestman/castle feel too. I think you can make it even better if you added a little landscaping as well. Not a heap, but just a little hill under a tree maybe and a slope over there. Otherwise, I love it, thanks for sharing!

Batbrick Away!

[WhiteFang]

Looks very nice! , simple, but effective.

TWO thumbs up! The forest is perfect. Not too busy, nice variation and placement for the path! Whenever I get a forest going, there are way too many trees.

Hey, White Fang, that's great! A really dense forest, perfect for an ambush! Very very good indeed!

It sucks that I am so busy and have no time for such things. But yours is a very creative one!

Wout, HankVenture and Nikola Bathory your comments are very very encouraging especially for a first-timer like me. Thanks you very much I will do my best to improve on it!

Nicely done with all those plants. Looks like a real wood. Though I'd never use palm tree leaves for castle creations, I don't find they should be removed. They look good in combination with the other plants and the way you integrated them into your little MOC. Summarising: Great job!

Legotrainfan, glad you like the new but odd combination. It's not common to see palm tree leaves in Castle series. Mostly, they will appear in Pirate and City themes. I was trying to play around the effects to enhance the "feel" I always love forest very much. Hope it will expand soon!

I have always wondered how forestmen are able to shoot arrows with a shield in their left hand... even lego did that...

But a VERY nice scene indeed! I love the forest and the story is told well!

Tantotrooper, glad you like the narration of the story. Well, i don't know how LEGO managed to let its archers shoot out its bow with a shield equipped. I am trying to prove it can worked. After all, i feel that with a shield on the archers make the whole mini-fig much much complete! And i love it this way! Hehe.

Thats a great scene there Whitefang, it isn't often someone is inspired by their own work

I love all the different trees and more thick areas you have included, loks great. It definitely gives off that forestman/castle feel too. I think you can make it even better if you added a little landscaping as well. Not a heap, but just a little hill under a tree maybe and a slope over there. Otherwise, I love it, thanks for sharing!

Batbrick, expansion plans is on its way. I am trying to get hold of some more green tiles, bricks, trees and etc to increase its landscape. I like your suggestion. A little hill and a slope will be very great. The rocky front was trying to illustrate the hill pont, but unforuntately the lack of bricks make it unsuccessful. Haha, it's not always true that your own work can't give much inspiration. I was just trying to link it all up with a nice approach!

[BlueBard]

Great MOC! And a nice way of mixing new and old castle MFs too...

[WesternOutlaw]

I am trying to explore some possibilites to expand on it. Looking at your MOC for inspiration too, hope to borrow some from you. Hope you won't mind.

Certainly not WhiteFang. We get ideas from each other. I got some great ideas from other EB members in this thread: Jungle Building Tips. It may be jungle, but there's a fine line between lego jungles and forests.

Good luck, and if you add/expand to your great scene, share an image with us.

[WhiteFang]

Great MOC! And a nice way of mixing new and old castle MFs too...

Bluebard, thanks for your comment. I do not want to see my old castle mini-figures to be cast aside. They are important to me too. In addition, i feel it is able to complement well with the current castle series even though the colors of the new weapons are rather mismatch.

Certainly not WhiteFang. We get ideas from each other. I got some great ideas from other EB members in this thread: Jungle Building Tips. It may be jungle, but there's a fine line between lego jungles and forests.

Good luck, and if you add/expand to your great scene, share an image with us.

Brickster, the Jungle Building Tips is a great source for some inspiration indeed. I will be able to borrow some, in a way I hope i will have some free time to do up the expansion. I just bought some of the parts i needed for the expansion too.

I will be using this topic to do my updates, pertaining to this project. And i certainly hope i can share with you all guys soon with a better improved creation.

[WhiteFang]

Hello fellow Eurobricks members again,

Finally, after weeks of building and gathering key building elements. Castle Deep Forest Ambush MOC is almost complete. This is the final outcome of its first version earlier. This is the last day of Castle Month, guess I have made it in time. This time, the Deep Forest is completed base on 2 x green baseplate (32 x 32 studs).

Another thing, do pardon me for using my Harry Potter castle as the backdrop. I did not have time to create a proper background.

The earlier version was the entrance to the hidden forest of the Elven Kingdom. The Crown army is escorting treasure chest which contains a mystical powerful gem that protect the Elven forest. However, things are not as simple for our friends and his allies. There is something dark and sinister trailing them. Watch out everyone! Will the Dark Forces discover their hideout first? Or our brave Crown army is able to ambush them successfully?

This is an overall picture of the Scenario.

Undead army is marching in.

The Skeleton Commander leading its patrol out of the forest.

Crown army, Elves (Forestmen) and Dwarves is getting ready to ambush at their foes from all directions.

Look, who is behind them?

Before and After (The dwarf is able to activate the defence barrier hiding behind the trees)

Waiting for the signal to activate the catapult defence.

This is the treasure that the allies are protecting?

Opps, this is the correct treasure.

This is the center aerial view of the Deep Forest.

Left aerial view.

Right aerial view.

Featured Main Mini-figures.

Hope everyone enjoying viewing my latest update. Any feedback or comments are strongly welcomed. I will need all your suggestions to make this forest a better and improved one. I tried to place some defence mechanism into it to create more playability too. If there is any problem with it, please let me know so I am able to modify and make it much better. I do not have Elves archers with me. That's why I am using Forestmen to replace it for the time being.

More images can be found in My Brickshelf (After moderation)

Edited May 6, 2008 by WhiteFang

[Scyzoryk]

Nice MOC. One question though, is that red mage looking guy a necromancer for the army of undead?

[Batbrick]

Great work Whitefang, it looks a lot bigger and more exciting now!

Batbrick Away!

[Vaders_son]

Well done Whitefang!

Your MOC has clearly improved, the forest looks a lot more dense than before

I also like your defense mechanisms - they shouldn't just be in the forest in general, but it's a good idea to have the good guys bring them with them for their ambush

Good job

Best regards, Benny

[Wout]

Nice MOC. One question though, is that red mage looking guy a necromancer for the army of undead?

Oh noes, Lockhart let the evil wizard believe he was really a great sorcerer. Well, that will be some arrows in his butt

[WhiteFang]

Guys, thanks for your nice comments. I will promise to work hard and improve on it better by giving the best. All suggestions will be considered.

Nice MOC. One question though, is that red mage looking guy a necromancer for the army of undead?

The red-looking guy is not a necromancer class. He acts like an Imperial Guards like those in Star Wars whom is in red cloak protecting the Emperor. I made use of the torso and cap to create the following. He is like a much higher level soldier.

[WesternOutlaw]

WhiteFang. This looks fantastic! Would you believe I actually thought the HP Castle backdrop was actually part of your MOC, until re-reading your description. It actually looks pretty good. Your forest scene has some nice customization like the round brown pieces as steps up to the tree (very clever use for them); as well as the placement of the red gem. I also like your skeleton knights a lot. The use of the black helmets and breast plates look really good (and frightening which I always enjoy).

My only suggestion would be to mix your trees a little bit more (trees and bushes that is) - unless placing all the bushes on the right side was intentionally done to create some sort of swamp/area for the undead legions. If this is the case, then I understand what you were trying to depict.

Overall, this has come out very nicely and your photos tell a lot of action.

In response to your comment about my Jungle Adventure, I'd say you've really created a great scene here that's equally nice. It makes me want to dig out my Crownies and Undead and set something up myself. I started to last year after buying the Skeleton Ship but did not complete it. Here's a shot:

I suppose I'll wait until the new 2008 sets are out. Great job though!

[WhiteFang]

WhiteFang. This looks fantastic! Would you believe I actually thought the HP Castle backdrop was actually part of your MOC, until re-reading your description. It actually looks pretty good. Your forest scene has some nice customization like the round brown pieces as steps up to the tree (very clever use for them); as well as the placement of the red gem. I also like your skeleton knights a lot. The use of the black helmets and breast plates look really good (and frightening which I always enjoy).

Brickster, I cannot believe you took my backdrop as part of my MOC. That set is still MISB, I did not have time to start building it. Hmm, more precisly, I have limited space at the moment. So, I will need to postfone my building schedule.

Thanks for your wonderful feedback. Glad you love it too.

My skeleton knights is orignally mounted on black horses. They are dismounted for the pursit mission. I wanted to have an elite armoured calvary knights. Maybe, you can advice me whether to use the orignal black horses or the new Skeleton black horses.

My only suggestion would be to mix your trees a little bit more (trees and bushes that is) - unless placing all the bushes on the right side was intentionally done to create some sort of swamp/area for the undead legions. If this is the case, then I understand what you were trying to depict.

Ohh, I am trying to create a low lying area for the undead legions to comb the low area first. This was planned because I do not have enough greens and brown pieces to filled the whole plates. Therefore, I took this approach. Hope to improve on it better in the future. Do give me your feedbacks to improve on it. Will try to depicit many scenes based on this forest scene

Overall, this has come out very nicely and your photos tell a lot of action.

In response to your comment about my Jungle Adventure, I'd say you've really created a great scene here that's equally nice. It makes me want to dig out my Crownies and Undead and set something up myself. I started to last year after buying the Skeleton Ship but did not complete it. Here's a shot:

I suppose I'll wait until the new 2008 sets are out. Great job though!

I will be looking forward to your Castle scene too. I love Castle very much and I will love to see how your future Castle scene will be in its finished stage. Your adventures is one of my greatest lookout.