Swamp Police Collection (with very slight modifications...for now)

[Japanbuilder]

I realize I am a year late to the party that was Swamp Police, however,I have only recently got back into Lego this past December. Prior to that I had not really gotten anything lego related for myself since the early 90s. My last memory was of me losing interest in them after Blacktron changed to the green and white color scheme. Now that I have kids that interest was rekindled getting sets for them. I happened to have stumbled upon a good deal on the Police Station for Swamp Police and fell in love with the vehicles and color scheme, despite the oddness of the theme.

Over the next month I put together my collection. 3 of the sets in this series were very ANNOYING to get. They were never released in Japan and I had no idea they existed until I started looking into acquiring every set released for this line. Aside from sets 30311, 60070 and 60071 I was able to get some form of deal on the others. Having to import those 3 though meant I ended up paying the original cost anyway. Oh well.

I have modified many of the faces on the cops and added crooks from the city proper to the line. This was mostly to accommodate a bit of a back story for my swamp.

P1270278 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270281 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270290 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270296 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270302 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270305 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270309 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270313 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270319 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P1270324 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

I will probably modify this as the year goes on. Mostly to give every figure a unique face or hair piece. I may add environmental elements but as I only own 18 sets of Lego at the moment that is going to take quite a bit. My biggest issue so far is space. Even though I have a large house by Japanese standards accommodating Lego is not first and foremost in the space design here.

The back story is simple, but since the theme is so nutty I had to try to draft one up.

:Background:

The City (proper) Police has managed to drive the most dangerous elements of villainy into the city outskirts. This not withstanding, the crooks' ringleader has managed to scrape together enough muscle and is now biding in his time in the swamps just outside the city. Moles in the crime ring inform the police that the crooks have a substantial presence of both all-terrain hardware and members to cause serious problems back in town. They further report that the swamp's rugged terrain is hindering the efforts of even regular City Police Patrols to keep tabs on the crooks.

In a bid to stem a resurgence of illicit activities the city has, at great expense, converted its Swamp Ranger and Park Service into a deputized force and obtained heavy all-terrain equipment to deploy in the swamp. Police informants have also bolstered their ranks in an effort to find the crooks and eliminate their dark syndicate once and for all!

:End Background:

Has anyone else enjoyed this series as much as I have? Which is your favorite set in the line?

::Edit:: I am so bad with code and embbeding pictures. My apologies for my previous post titled the same way which went through before I finalized what I was doing in this thread >< Very embarrassed!

Edited January 27, 2016 by Japanbuilder

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Wow the fifth picture looks like real life!

[Japanbuilder]

Wow the fifth picture looks like real life!

Thanks! I am not a good photographer but I tried to shove the camera as close as I could to get those views from the minifig's perspective. I'll keep working on it.

[Japanbuilder]

I modified my vignette slightly and took some photos. On the polybag build that came for this sub-theme I added proper indicator lights rather than the all blue set up it came with originally.

I took, hopefully, better snaps of the police force since I went through the trouble of making them each as unique as possible. I pillaged some of my other city sets for the life preservers and in general just made it look a bit more active. I also tried to make sure the station technician got a bit more of a spotlight since I actually like him.

Hope you guys like it!

P2010326 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P2010353 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P2010348 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P2010343 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

P2010342 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

[Japanbuilder]

Ok finally got around to highlighting the staff for both "factions" in my vignette. Took a while to figure the best way to display these on camera. Though I've concluded I need a better light and a better background stand.

Anyway let's get started:

The Command and Tactical Detail. All transfers from the city proper. Highly motivated and disciplined. Though still adapting to the challenges of the terrain in the swamp:

P2080376 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

The Guard Detail. Deputized Park Rangers of the Swamp. The flood of miscreants in the swamp forced the city to adapt her swamp park rangers into deputies. One passed the tactical tests with flying colors and now leads the Guard Detail at the station.

P2080378 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

The Air Crew and Technician. Also transfers from the city. They operate the heavy aircraft. The technician is an actual engineer who loves tinkering with heavy machinery. Though he has had trouble adapting the converted recreational helicopter and the Comm tower to the rigors of swamp operations.

P2080380 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

The Water Rescue and Pursuit Detail. Most of them are deputized rangers used to operating equipment in the swamp. They operate mainly on the stations hovercraft and rigid hull inflatable. They tend to be the crazier of the lot as they love the outdoors more than the city transfers do.

P2080375 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

That is it for the police force. Next up the crooks!

The swamp is now overrun with criminals. As the city police has driven them into the outskirts of town and made their activities more difficult one cell has managed to set up operations in the swamp knowing that the terrain will hinder the police's efforts to shut them down for good.

The boss and his lieutenants. Made up of seasoned criminal thugs this crime cell operates with a plethora of tools. Their ill gotten goods have gained them access to some heavy equipment and some water vehicles which they use to stow their remaining riches from the city out of the reach of the swamp police precinct. They have gathered the disorganized criminal scum of the outskirts and are molding them into a stronger criminal cell than ever before!

P2080382 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

This band of women are referred to as The Deans. They keep order in the cell and answer only to the boss and his lieutenants. They are survivors and have proven to be more consistent and motivated than their male colleagues. They form a strong backbone to this cell and pose a challenge for the police.

P2080383 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

The cook and handyman. Even criminals eat and one in their number loves sausage! The other is a high school drop out with a knack for tinkering. Alas, he also loves the smell of stolen money.

P2080384 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

The Muscle. This band does all the heavy lifting. They are kept under constant drill by The Deans. They are slowly being forged into a formidable challenge for police operations in the swamp. Can you spot the police informant?

P2090386 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

And that is it for now. I am still trying to individualize quite a few of the figures specially among the crooks. I project it will take me some time until that is finished though.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Japanbuilder