The Siege Of Gondor

[Masked Builder]

When I set out to build in this category, I knew I had to build something good, so I though, "Gondor hasn't been done yet." So I built a set to fill that place, it the equivalent of the Uruk-hai Army set but for Gondor.

The minifigures included would be a Troll, Faramir, Gothmog, Gondor Soldier, Orcs x2.

The catapult had the most time put into it as I had to make it sturdy and strong as well as use a few pieces as possible.

While the wheel solution is simple, it feels like something LEGO would do.

The wall is the same height as the wall in Uruk-hai Army set.

The soldiers need to have a way to get up on the wall to defend the city.

Since a catapult is included, the wall has to be able to fall down when it's hit.

Flickr videos don't work here, so here's a link to the video of the Catapult firing.

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This "set" has been sitting around since last Sunday as I built my other entries. I let my seven year old brother play with it as a sort of "test group", and it survived his beating. (Okay it didn't survive being chucked across the room but what set would?) The siege of Gondor has to be my favorite part in Return of the King so it seemed very fitting to build a set from it. Do keep in mind that I designed this like a LEGO set so it had to be simple and strong. Have I mentioned I don't like white-on-white editing?

I was asked to build from this:

5. Lord of the Rings

LEGO is coming out with their own line of LOTR, here is your chance to show how YOU would design the sets. Build a MOC that depicts a scene from LOTR, and build it like you work for Lego. Therefore, playability is a major factor here as is great parts usage.

Flickr Set

Built March 2012

[K-Nut]

Very nice Masked! I'm not familiar with my LotR cities besides Mordor, so which city is this again?

[Masked Builder]

Very nice Masked! I'm not familiar with my LotR cities besides Mordor, so which city is this again?

What!?! You don't know what it is? This here. You sure are missing out.

[K-Nut]

What!?! You don't know what it is? This here. You sure are missing out.

Oh that one! I thought that city was Helm's Deep.

[Stiel]

Excellent! The catapult is great, most reminiscent to the one in the movie. The flaming rock is a good idea. I also like that the wall is white, and the shape of it is also nice, but I think it's a bit bland (at least compared to Helm's Deep and the add-on set, where they included some discoloration and variation of basic bricks).

The number of attackers and defenders is spot on, I also like the troll a lot, but I would include one more generic troll instead of the general (who should go to the 'main' set instead). On weapons: maybe you could have included an archer on either side, there were a good number of them in the movie.

[The_Cook]

A nice little set. You've obviously been thinking in terms of "What would Lego do?" rather than the usual MOC technique of packing lots of detail in.

One question that I'd have to pose is: "Are you designing a army building set or a siege machine set?" There are too many minfigs for a siege engine set and too much scenery for an army builder set. Many fans tend to be army builders, so it's natural to want to put lots of minifigs into a set but that's not necessarily going to help sell the set. That said the Urak-Hai army set has 6 minifigs, so my question could equally be applied to that set. I assume that Lego have done their research and realised that people are buying just for the minifigs so will pay a premium for a set with lots of figures.

Another qeustion is regards the engineering. Engineering is one of the quality control aspects that all Lego designed models go through to ensure that they're structurally sound and aren't stressing the bricks by using improper construction techniques. Whislt I love the design of the catapult I feel that the lack of a structural linkage between the two uprights could be an issue. I also think that the frame between the wheels looks a little flimsy. One third point is that on the wall section the piece of wall at the top of the steps is floating in space, it really needs some degree of support.

As slready mentioned by Stiel some texture or colouration on the wall would be nice and make it a little more interesting.

[Masked Builder]

Oh that one! I thought that city was Helm's Deep.

Wow.

Excellent! The catapult is great, most reminiscent to the one in the movie. The flaming rock is a good idea. I also like that the wall is white, and the shape of it is also nice, but I think it's a bit bland (at least compared to Helm's Deep and the add-on set, where they included some discoloration and variation of basic bricks).

The number of attackers and defenders is spot on, I also like the troll a lot, but I would include one more generic troll instead of the general (who should go to the 'main' set instead). On weapons: maybe you could have included an archer on either side, there were a good number of them in the movie.

Yes the judges mentioned that when they scored it, I wasn't sure what else to add to it though.

Yeah, that makes more sense, but Gothmog is still cool! Hm, yeah that would be something to think about adding.

One question that I'd have to pose is: "Are you designing a army building set or a siege machine set?" There are too many minfigs for a siege engine set and too much scenery for an army builder set. Many fans tend to be army builders, so it's natural to want to put lots of minifigs into a set but that's not necessarily going to help sell the set. That said the Urak-Hai army set has 6 minifigs, so my question could equally be applied to that set. I assume that Lego have done their research and realised that people are buying just for the minifigs so will pay a premium for a set with lots of figures.

Another qeustion is regards the engineering. Engineering is one of the quality control aspects that all Lego designed models go through to ensure that they're structurally sound and aren't stressing the bricks by using improper construction techniques. Whislt I love the design of the catapult I feel that the lack of a structural linkage between the two uprights could be an issue. I also think that the frame between the wheels looks a little flimsy. One third point is that on the wall section the piece of wall at the top of the steps is floating in space, it really needs some degree of support.

Yes I see where you're going, but I had to make it more of a siege engine set or the judges wouldn't have like it.

I did try putting a good bit of weight on all of the joints and it seemed pretty sturdy overall. Yeah I'd agree that it needs some work, but it did seem pretty sturdy when I built it.

[The_Cook]

Yes I see where you're going, but I had to make it more of a siege engine set or the judges wouldn't have like it.

I think where I'm going is more along the lines of questioning the original Urak-hai set rather than yours... so feel free to ignore me.

I did try putting a good bit of weight on all of the joints and it seemed pretty sturdy overall. Yeah I'd agree that it needs some work, but it did seem pretty sturdy when I built it.

It's all somewhat reliant on the friction in those hinge pieces. If you could squeeze another hinge in where the inverted 2x1 slopes are now, or maybe some form of clip to actually secure that apex of the triangle then I think you're on to a winner. That said, I appreciate that you may (as we all so oftern are) be limited by the parts you have to hand and in the right colours.

[Masked Builder]

It's all somewhat reliant on the friction in those hinge pieces. If you could squeeze another hinge in where the inverted 2x1 slopes are now, or maybe some form of clip to actually secure that apex of the triangle then I think you're on to a winner. That said, I appreciate that you may (as we all so oftern are) be limited by the parts you have to hand and in the right colours.

Hm...Yes that could work, when I built it this way I made sure that it was nice and sturdy.

[Nightshroud99]

Very nice Masked! I'm not familiar with my LotR cities besides Mordor, so which city is this again?

Mordor isn't even a city.

[Masked Builder]

Mordor isn't even a city.

Yeah, I'm working on drilling it out of him.

[JackJonespaw]

Very nice! I'm not really liking the plain wall, though. The catapult is fantastic, and great figures!

[Masked Builder]

Very nice! I'm not really liking the plain wall, though. The catapult is fantastic, and great figures!

Thanks! I wasn't to sure about what to do to the wall to make it better.

[JackJonespaw]

Thanks! I wasn't to sure about what to do to the wall to make it better.

You could try doing some SNOT-ing on it, or using some round bricks.

[Nightstalker]

I really like the catapault design. I think the wall would look better if you mixed in at least one other color.

[Masked Builder]

You could try doing some SNOT-ing on it, or using some round bricks.

Hm...Round bricks would be something to think about.

I really like the catapault design. I think the wall would look better if you mixed in at least one other color.

Yeah, maybe some light grey would look nice.

[MattTheLegoman]

I will give these four suggestions (for realism and making it better to my eyes)

The outer wall of Minas Tirith was much taller than Helms Deep, it was also indestructible (but an earthquake under the wall could destroy it). The Mordor catapults were for destroying the buildings inside, burning stuff, and throwing severed heads.

Here is the 'texture' of the wall from the game BfME. Your arches are great, but perhaps one of the pillars? Or you could try getting the Merlons (?) (The things sticking up from the wall) a little bit more accurate. Or just like the Helms Deep wall piece with the jutting out tower.

Any way that you could make it angled? Minas Tirith is round, but hinge pieces would work.

With colour, it's the White City! Stick with Light Grey or White.

P.S. (But in the books the outer wall was black like Orthanc).

Edited April 13, 2012 by MattTheLegoman

[Venunder]

Oh no. You have given me the idea of building Minas Tirith at Modular scale.

No no no. If I ever try this it must be at mini modular scale.

[Masked Builder]

I will give these four suggestions (for realism and making it better to my eyes)

The outer wall of Minas Tirith was much taller than Helms Deep, it was also indestructible (but an earthquake under the wall could destroy it). The Mordor catapults were for destroying the buildings inside, burning stuff, and throwing severed heads.

Here is the 'texture' of the wall from the game BfME. Your arches are great, but perhaps one of the pillars? Or you could try getting the Merlons (?) (The things sticking up from the wall) a little bit more accurate. Or just like the Helms Deep wall piece with the jutting out tower.

*snip*

Any way that you could make it angled? Minas Tirith is round, but hinge pieces would work.

With colour, it's the White City! Stick with Light Grey or White.

P.S. (But in the books the outer wall was black like Orthanc).

Yeah those are all things I would love to have done, but it just wasn't possible in the time frame. Maybe I'll go make an Architecture style MOC that would be more accurate.

Yeah I've been rereading the books but I haven't gotten to Gondor yet.

Oh no. You have given me the idea of building Minas Tirith at Modular scale.

No no no. If I ever try this it must be at mini modular scale.

Wow, yeah that I would love to see!

[Duke of wellington]

Great design ! [

Oh no. You have given me the idea of building Minas Tirith at Modular scale.

No no no. If I ever try this it must be at mini modular scale.

Well i've been wanting to do it back about 6 months ago you may remember my topics but I have started it in minifig scale I do have 40 Mordors!!