[CaTC] Frontier Adventure

[Sir E Fullner]

Good afternoon. Here is my entry for the Create a Theme Contest, for both the set and minifig lineup categories. Following the example of past historic LEGO themes like Pirates and Wild West, I have decided to create...

Frontier Adventure

Category I: Theme Concept

Based off the westward expansion seen in the Ohio River Valley and Upper Canada, the theme sees various settlers exploring the open frontiers around the Clay River Valley: trapping, trading, hunting, and scratching out a homestead. The settlers trade with the local tribe and their leader Chief Redjacket. Redjacket's tribe in turn keeps peace with the settlers and their leader Governor McCaine. However, the fierce River Rats led by Captain LaCrosse cause mischief along the river valley: robbing flatboats, destroying homesteads, and stealing whatever isn't nailed down. It is up to Governor McCaine and the militia commanded by Colonel Blaire to round up the River Rats and lock them away.

Birch Hollow Campout (78 pieces, $9.99)

While trekking through the woods, every hunter needs to stop awhile to enjoy a decent meal and a warm fire. And it's also nice to have a friendly tribesman to share it with. This is an excellent starter set for anyone wanting to build up their frontier community. Includes a campfire with turkey, a birch tree, flowers, owl and snake, and two minifigures: a native tribesman and long-hunter.

Flatboat Landing (940 pieces, $99.99)

One of the River Rats is lying in wait of a flatboat loaded with silver, while the local long-hunter has alerted the Governor at the Flatboat Landing cabin. While the boatmen work to unload the cargo to store in the cabin's cellar, the River Rat knows another way inside. This set features an open-backed cabin and flatboat with cargo hoist, flowers and full birch tree, and six minifigures: Governor McCaine, a long-hunter, a settler woman, two boatmen, and a river rat.

The flatboat's cargo hoist can rotate 360º (although Stud.io has its limitations when it comes to string attachment). The flatboat also features a front grasshopper gun and long oar at back for steering.

The interior of the log cabin has a table, bookshelf, and fireplace, along with a cooking-pot and secret hatchway to the cellar.

The cellar is filled with all kinds of goods: bottles of sarsaparilla, a box of hardtack, a barrel of gunpowder, a musket, and a chest for other oddities, plus a ladder to the main cabin.

On the cliffside of the bluff, there is a tiny entry-way for the River Rats to sneak through and take away whatever goods they want.

Naturally, this theme would include further sets, like a militia outpost, Chief Redjacket's village, and a River Rat hideout.

Category II: Minifigure Lineup

Much like Pirates, Wild West, or Castle, this theme has a few factions making up its lineup of characters. 

The River Rats: Fierce robbers and river-pirates who are the scourge of the Clay River Valley. On the left is their leader, Captain LaCrosse, a lifelong criminal making a dishonest living in the forests of the new frontier, and not above evicting widows from their homes or kidnapping children for ransom.

The Territorial Militia: Formed by the local settlers, the militia's duty is to keep the frontier safe for everybody, namely by smoking out the River Rats. From left to right, we have a private, a sergeant, and Colonel Blaire. The uniforms are based somewhat off of Canadian militiamen from the War of 1812, using Star Wars torsos. I think they look pretty good.

Chief Redjacket's Tribe: This native tribe has lived peacefully in the Clay River Valley for hundreds of years, and offer to help out and trade with the new settlers in the frontier. They dress in a mixture of European and Indigenous clothing, much like the historical tribes living in the Ohio and St. Lawrence valleys during the early 19th Century. From left to right, we have an alert hunter, a young brave-to-be with his trusty hatchet, a tribal woman, and Chief Redjacket himself.

Governor and Mrs. McCaine: The McCaines are the leaders of the settlers in the Clay River Valley. While both appreciate the finer things in life, they both care about the people depending on them for guidance, along with keeping peace with Chief Redjacket and trying to find a way to take down the River Rats.

The Settlers: The settlers are a brave group of farmers, hunters, craftsmen and their families trying to make a living out on the frontier. They try to keep friendly with Chief Redjacket's tribe, and try to band together against the vile River Rats. From left to right, we have a farmer, young fisher-boy, long hunter with his trusty rifle, a pioneer girl collecting wildflowers, and housewife out drawing water from the well.

 

Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck to everybody else in the Create a Theme Contest!

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Sir E Fullner
Fixed large set price

[Clone OPatra]

Ah, just what fans of historical themes wish for! I would absolutely love some official LEGO treatment of early 19th century life, and I greatly enjoy the specific setting you have chosen.

The minifigures are also nicely done and I agree, some of those Star Wars Rebel/Resistance parts work very well outside of the Star Wars context!

[NOD]

This is a great photo story with good builds. I like the choice of minifigures.

[Sir E Fullner]

On 9/12/2022 at 11:48 PM, Clone OPatra said:

Ah, just what fans of historical themes wish for! I would absolutely love some official LEGO treatment of early 19th century life, and I greatly enjoy the specific setting you have chosen.

The minifigures are also nicely done and I agree, some of those Star Wars Rebel/Resistance parts work very well outside of the Star Wars context!

Thank you. I decided to photograph the minifigs in a more suitable surrounding, namely a nature trail south of the town where I live. Just had to make way for cyclists.

 

[Mandalorianknight]

I like it! A nice way to bring that era into lego. (And a sweet deal on the 940 pc set... )

[Sir E Fullner]

2 hours ago, Mandalorianknight said:

I like it! A nice way to bring that era into lego. (And a sweet deal on the 940 pc set... )

Whoops...thanks for the heads up! Guess it's a good idea to get a good night's sleep before posting....

[Mandalorianknight]

52 minutes ago, Sir E Fullner said:

Whoops...thanks for the heads up! Guess it's a good idea to get a good night's sleep before posting....

Hey, the sheer amount of effort that went into this thing means you can certainly be excused a missing 9. I'm working on mine right now, and even the $10 set is tough because of how few pieces there are to work with.

(here it is, by the way. In a spoiler so as not to hijack your thread)

Spoiler

 

[Sir E Fullner]

16 hours ago, Mandalorianknight said:

Hey, the sheer amount of effort that went into this thing means you can certainly be excused a missing 9. I'm working on mine right now, and even the $10 set is tough because of how few pieces there are to work with.

(here it is, by the way. In a spoiler so as not to hijack your thread)

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Well, best of luck to you on your entry! The fun part is just seeing what everybody has come up with, and who knows? I might create a few more [non-contest entry] sets for my theme just for kicks.

[Mandalorianknight]

1 hour ago, Sir E Fullner said:

Well, best of luck to you on your entry! The fun part is just seeing what everybody has come up with, and who knows? I might create a few more [non-contest entry] sets for my theme just for kicks.

Thanks!
Everyone's themes have had a cool spin so far. The cryptid one is a unique blend of real-world and fantasy, yours is a time period we haven't really seen, the galen's row one is a facade sort of thing, etc. That said, of the full set builds, i would say yours are probably the best I've seen yet

[Professor Thaum]

Very nice idea, I love it !

I start imagine about how many landscape, and how many season it could cover.

my favourite among all the proposal CaTC for sure

[Sir E Fullner]

1 hour ago, Professor Thaum said:

Very nice idea, I love it !

I start imagine about how many landscape, and how many season it could cover.

my favourite among all the proposal CaTC for sure

Thank you. I could also imagine these sets taking a winter-style look, or autumnal. Perhaps a warm winter cabin or a deer hunt amongst colorful autumn trees.

[Vliebricker]

Nice line-up, Sir E Fullner 😉👍, may we expect more adventurous stories from this frontier 🧐?