[MOC] Modular: Arsenal Block

[koalayummies]

They look like rather normal buildings but to the few residents who know; namely a few city officials, police and journalists; this section of the city is colloquially referred to as 'the arsenal block'.

The original owner of the grey and sand building put it up for sale and was approached just a few hours later by a man in a black suit with a briefcase full of his asking price in cash. Tax filings with the city indicate its owned by a ‘Bricktropolis United’ which some have suspected is just a shell company for a defense contractor or security or intelligence agency. There are a number of people always coming and going, numerous deliveries and shipments in both regular carriers and unmarked cargo vans. Yet there's nothing the residents have to complain about, yet.

The brown and tan building is owned by a historian. Although he’s trying to retire he still teaches a course or two every semester at the local community college.  He's a bit of a recluse and a major collector of historic weaponry, so much so that his place is a veritable crash course on ye olde melee and ranged armaments. Its quite a coincidence that a man who teaches about the rise and fall of nations, violations of sovereignty and the subverting of the political process throughout the ages lives right next door to a group who may well be doing those very same things right now.

Minifigures:

Commander, Field Agent, Armorer/Gunsmith, Pilot/Mechanic/Driver, Explosives Ordinance Expert:

Flower Cart Guy (Jacob the horticulturalist), Matthew the historian:

Since it is the most visible to the street and there is always a large volume of resources coming and going the first floor is used mostly as shipping and receiving. It also houses the building's bathroom behind the stairwell. Measures have also been taken to secure the building with hardened steel gates behind the front and rear doors.

The second floor is the heart of the clandestine operation's information warfare campaign, psychological operations and propaganda machine. Using commercial sized copy/printers, shredders and high-end computers they can whitewash incidents, conduct and spread disinformation and sway 'hearts and minds'. It's also where they funnel cash through various other dummy, shell and front corporations for various operations elsewhere.

The third floor is the planning room and houses the more basic staple espionage equipment. Since the building also serves as a safe house there are bunk beds and some food so agents can stay for extended periods without leaving.

The top floor was chosen for the armory so that should anything go sideways they don't all go down with the building. Here the gunsmith assembles untraceable 'ghost guns' and manufactures suppressors for various 'kinetic operations'. The explosives expert works alongside the gunsmith to make an assortment of remote detonation devices and other contraptions to eliminate targets from a relatively safe distance.

The first floor of the historian's building is about the only thing normal about his living environment. A small bathroom behind the stairs, kitchenette and dining table with seating for one

The second floor is where his collection begins. He even has a full suit of armor dressed on a mannequin that occasionally provides a good scare for late night trips downstairs for water or the bathroom.

Third floor is yet more historic armaments. As he has no kids though he has stipulated in his will that his collection be distributed to the regional museums when the time comes that he takes his place in what is his lifelong passion.

He prefers to sleep in the attic often enjoying a glass of milk and a cookie before bed.

This was much better written before I accidentally closed the window and had to rewrite and link everything. Hope it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Build notes: a bit of a change in method as it was 'free build' without digital building and also opting to use parts on hand which meant the destruction of Pet Shop's brownstone and Brick Bank's laundromat mod. Also decided to take some pictures along the way. You can be both organized and messy at the same time.

Barely laying a foundation. T-rex standing by to demolish Pet Shop.

Fire Marshall came by in his hilarious new golf cart and said: "this is unacceptable, I was told I would be inspecting A building, not THE building"

Before deciding on 4-stories:

Almost there!

Edited May 16, 2018 by koalayummies

[deraven]

Very nice.  Great details throughout but, while it may seem a little odd, I think my favorite part is that flower cart!  Nice small builds on the copy machines, too, and NPU in several places on the facades.  

[Marinho]

It is very nice indeed! I love the interiors, that copy machine is awesome.

[Bricked1980]

This looks really, really nice. The front facade is is beautiful, I love the detailing around the ground floor windows on the left side of the model. The interior is also packed full of brilliant details and awesome minibuilds, especially the photoscopier/printer. I really like the quirky back story you've created for the minifigs as well.

The whole thing is top notch and the photography is so good I actually found myself scrutinising the images to see if they were digital renders - they look so polished and professional.

Great job! 

[Zork]

WOW!

I like the style of the houses in general. Smooth facades with an accurate amount of details. Good matching colours you used.

Awesome story linked to the grey and sand building and how you transfered that into LEGO  

[paupadros]

Very pretty pair of buildings! My favourite detail would have to be the fine detailing between the the dark tan and the rooftop on the left building; so subtile, yet so pretty. Have always loved the little arched sewers next to doorsteps, which you pulled out brilliantly and the lining on the right building is also very aesthetically pleasing. Of course, without a good, interesting layout, I wouldn't be appreciating the details, so the overall structure is particularly brilliant. Very good MOC!

[koalayummies]

20 hours ago, deraven said:

Very nice.  Great details throughout but, while it may seem a little odd, I think my favorite part is that flower cart!  Nice small builds on the copy machines, too, and NPU in several places on the facades.  

Thanks Deraven! I built the little cart a couple of weeks ago and thought it'd be better to just include it here than make its own thread. Though I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that only after posting did I notice I gave both the flower vendor and historian the same torso !! I realize the buildings are rather simple in construction being nearly entirely studs on top but its fun and challenging to come up with a nice design using the most basic of Lego techniques so I'm happy its enjoyed despite the simplicity of the construction. Thanks.

19 hours ago, Marinho said:

It is very nice indeed! I love the interiors, that copy machine is awesome.

Thanks Marinho, I'm relieved you think it looks true to the real thing as minibuilds like that are always more daunting and stressful for me to keep them looking realistic in minifigure-scale.

18 hours ago, Bricked1980 said:

This looks really, really nice. The front facade is is beautiful, I love the detailing around the ground floor windows on the left side of the model. The interior is also packed full of brilliant details and awesome minibuilds, especially the photoscopier/printer. I really like the quirky back story you've created for the minifigs as well.

The whole thing is top notch and the photography is so good I actually found myself scrutinising the images to see if they were digital renders - they look so polished and professional.

Great job! 

Thanks Bricked1980! I'm really honored you like it along with the story as the clandestine espionage subject matter is a bit outside the normal family friendly Lego area I prefer to stick nowadays. And thanks for the kind words on the photography, its nice to know someone as great at imaging like yourself enjoys the results!

16 hours ago, paupadros said:

Very pretty pair of buildings! My favourite detail would have to be the fine detailing between the the dark tan and the rooftop on the left building; so subtile, yet so pretty. Have always loved the little arched sewers next to doorsteps, which you pulled out brilliantly and the lining on the right building is also very aesthetically pleasing. Of course, without a good, interesting layout, I wouldn't be appreciating the details, so the overall structure is particularly brilliant. Very good MOC!

Thanks Paupadros! I'm glad you like the roof edge detailing and elevated first floor grating as I've wanted to include those elements for some time and am glad they came out in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Also relieved about the layout as I've gotten stuck in the 16/32 wide formats and haven't worked outside those dimensions. Thanks.

Edited May 17, 2018 by koalayummies

[LegoModularFan]

Nice MOC! I like the fact that you almost put every brick on top of another but the buildings don't look plain at all. I really like the simplistic look of the brown and tan building, brilliant color choices! Some interesting parts usage on the façade of the gray and sand building, especially on the roofline and on the ground floor (it seems like you wanted to try a couple of techniques there)...  But the way you used the palisade/log bricks is really genius! The mini-builds are simply amazing, especially the flower cart (which I almost love more than the buildings and the copy machine. Briefly, I agree with @deraven... Two things:

What are the small weird black pieces used above the door of the gray and sand building? Thanks in advance!

I personally prefer the three storey version.

Edited May 17, 2018 by LegoModularFan

[deraven]

3 hours ago, LegoModularFan said:

What are the small weird black pieces used above the door of the gray and sand building?

Those are blasters/guns from the GotG sets:

https://brickset.com/parts/design-17010

 

[carebear]

Love this!!!

- to bad you had to destroy the Pet Shop's brownstone and Brick Bank's laundromat mod

the buildings out en in look amazing, but i realy like the last pictures of your work in progress.

Greetings!!!

 

[Romanos]

great MOC ;) love the use of colors and brick, and love your desk and boxes ;)

 

[peedeejay]

I really like this build as well your photos (I think I am repeating myself here, but the quality is just perfect). Interesting and refreshing mix of colors. The first floor windows on the left building are expectionally well done.