[ENTRY] The Hearty Cutlass

[Thats No Moon]

This is my first contribution to the forum, thanks for having me. I'm excited to enter the competition. A couple of people have done pirate pubs already, but here is my offering; The Hearty Cutlass. Not the most anarchic of pirate haunts, but looks pretty fun to me. It is partly inspired by the original Star Wars Cantina set - I always liked the way it hinged open. There are a couple of playable features with the treasure hidden in the piano and the map in the table.

I hope you like it  

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Thats No Moon

[Jack Sassy]

I be not a critic but I hope me comments here are not verboten. 

 

Ye have created a cute little MOC. Looks like a geniune LEGO set, if LEGO released full Pirates waves.  Good job! 

15 minutes ago, Thats No Moon said:

pirate pubs

Aye, one can never have too many of them. 

[Horation]

An unusual choice

Theme 2/5

There's a lot of alcohol-enough for a pub, a lot of gold, a parrot, a hidden treasure map and... that's it. There's a single sword for 4 pirates, no guns, no canons and no imperials to fight with, these aren't hippies but fearsome warriors, and kids would be left wanting for more than a meeting of the Caribbean Pacifists' Association (CPA). This is further compounded by the needlessly modern minifigs (the two middle ones have a jacket and what appear to be jeans and modern-style coloured hair). 

Luckily, this is easily fixed, simply purchase 2-3 pirates, a bluecoat/redcoat, a canon and a few muskets/pistols, or use similar such parts in your collection! This could be much more piratey but leaves me wanting for more...

Build 4/5

This is a great build...for the 1990s (which is a good thing, BTW). The simple colours (the contrast between brown and grey is particularly solid) and well placed foliage, as well as the nicely made barrel racks would make a fine addition to any vintage collection, and since I know little of that era, I have few recommendations for it.

Good luck, and have fun!

Edited August 5, 2023 by Horation
inaccuracy

[Rogue Redcoat]

A beautiful small set (I can see TLG totally releasing a set like this if they bring back pirates). I have some suggestions though, first, the minifigures need a new look to look more like menacing pirates, also add some more imperials for the pirates to fight when there not drinking. Also, I would update the tree (if you have the pieces) and add a bit more dark grey to the rocks off to the right (because I see some on the left). Overall there are great possibilities and play features with this set, so happy building :)

[Thats No Moon]

17 hours ago, Jack Sassy said:

Ye have created a cute little MOC. Looks like a geniune LEGO set, if LEGO released full Pirates waves.  Good job! 

Thank you Jack 

16 hours ago, Horation said:

An unusual choice

Theme 2/5

There's a lot of alcohol-enough for a pub, a lot of gold, a parrot, a hidden treasure map and... that's it. There's a single sword for 4 pirates, no guns, no canons and no imperials to fight with, these aren't hippies but fearsome warriors, and kids would be left wanting for more than a meeting of the Caribbean Pacifists' Association (CPA). This is further compounded by the needlessly modern minifigs (the two middle ones have a jacket and what appear to be jeans and modern-style coloured hair). The use of a dark-skinned minifig also doesn't work, as Lego uses only yellow skin for unlicensed themes like pirates.

Fighting words indeed! The Caribbean Pacifists Association salutes you.

[Mister Phes]

18 hours ago, Thats No Moon said:

Are these pirates or hippies?

[Thats No Moon]

58 minutes ago, Mister Phes said:

Are these pirates or hippies?

Pirate-hippies? The only limit is your imagination :) 

[iragm]

Wonderful play features!  The map is very clever, I've never seen anything like that before, and the gold in the piano is a nice touch.  I also like the different shaped bottles, they contrast each other very well despite being all trans-green.

The minifigures do need an update, or perhaps a down-date since the rest of the set would fit very nicely in a late 90's/early 2000's line-up.  They look a bit modern, and are lacking in scallywagary, eye-patchary, and beardary.

One thing that Lego sets are designed around, which might be missing here, is storytelling.  Even in the smallest sets, you've got monkeys that can steal treasure, shovels to bury the treasure, weapons to fight off the monkey, and perhaps imperials to reclaim the treasure.  All of this leads to a lot of storytelling, which, unfortunately, is missing here.  You've got the map, treasure, and a parrot, but there just isn't much beyond that.  I'd love to see an imperial soldier added, a surly bouncer to keep him out of the pub, a ladder going up to the window so the imperial can sneak in anyway, and perhaps the ability to tip the barrels up and out the window towards him as he tries to sneak in.  And of course, weapons for everyone.

As it is, this is a fun little build, and I'm looking forward to seeing more stuff from you!

[Thats No Moon]

47 minutes ago, iragm said:

Wonderful play features!  The map is very clever, I've never seen anything like that before, and the gold in the piano is a nice touch.  I also like the different shaped bottles, they contrast each other very well despite being all trans-green.

The minifigures do need an update, or perhaps a down-date since the rest of the set would fit very nicely in a late 90's/early 2000's line-up.  They look a bit modern, and are lacking in scallywagary, eye-patchary, and beardary.

One thing that Lego sets are designed around, which might be missing here, is storytelling.  Even in the smallest sets, you've got monkeys that can steal treasure, shovels to bury the treasure, weapons to fight off the monkey, and perhaps imperials to reclaim the treasure.  All of this leads to a lot of storytelling, which, unfortunately, is missing here.  You've got the map, treasure, and a parrot, but there just isn't much beyond that.  I'd love to see an imperial soldier added, a surly bouncer to keep him out of the pub, a ladder going up to the window so the imperial can sneak in anyway, and perhaps the ability to tip the barrels up and out the window towards him as he tries to sneak in.  And of course, weapons for everyone.

As it is, this is a fun little build, and I'm looking forward to seeing more stuff from you!

Thanks for the kind words, some nice tips there especially regarding storytelling. I love the bouncer idea. 

[Horation]

@Thats No Moon,I hope you didn't take my previous comments too hard, as I was merely speaking my mind...

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Horation
removed useless banter

[Mazin]

Damn it dude, i don't know what spell did You put on this presentation, but i totaly love it! Even tho those figs aren't most classic ones, the whole thing is so charming and playable i don't dislike them ;) Tho obviously those are some teenage bucaneers, surely they haven't smelled gunpowder, nor did they taste blood on their tongues. They must be Brethren's Court spoiled kids then i presume? Tho, since they are in posession of all that gold and a map their happy days might be soon over. Or am i wrong and will it not change? Cause obviously no respectef pirate will think about looking for hidden gold inside a piano. Unless, he will hate that piano and will destroy it, uncovering it's content in the effect ;)

BTW, is that map element removable from under the table? Or is it stuck somewhere in it, so you can't pull it out completely? 

[Thats No Moon]

19 hours ago, Mazin said:

Damn it dude, i don't know what spell did You put on this presentation, but i totaly love it! Even tho those figs aren't most classic ones, the whole thing is so charming and playable i don't dislike them ;) Tho obviously those are some teenage bucaneers, surely they haven't smelled gunpowder, nor did they taste blood on their tongues. They must be Brethren's Court spoiled kids then i presume? Tho, since they are in posession of all that gold and a map their happy days might be soon over. Or am i wrong and will it not change? Cause obviously no respectef pirate will think about looking for hidden gold inside a piano. Unless, he will hate that piano and will destroy it, uncovering it's content in the effect ;)

BTW, is that map element removable from under the table? Or is it stuck somewhere in it, so you can't pull it out completely? 

Thank you, I really enjoyed building it. The map just slides into the table and is completely removable. 

[Yperio_Bricks]

I love this little moc. It has so much charm and looks fun Also some nice play features with the piano and map.

[JeffBuilds]

This is charming! I love the characters, the hidden loot in the piano! I would say work on the entry way into the Hearty Cutlass; add a door, or detail the outside of it; add a small 2x6 plate on a slant to make a small roof, or add a square flag for the tavern's sign!

[Powder Monkey]

Putting aside the minifigure aspect - which has already been covered here sufficiently - I really like your creation! Like some people said it really feels like a 90s set

[MstrOfPppts]

There's something so adoring about this silly set, it took quite some time to figure out that it doesn't make much sense. It's a nice touch of the tavern theme, which is a very common thing for pirates, yet unvisited by LEGO. The play features are brilliant and the hinged shape reminds me of a similar themed Hobbit cellar set. The designs of the piano, the barrel holders and the table with bottles are so simple yet very attractive. Now the problem I have with the set, besides the obvious figures, is the way the structures are connected. Are the barrels and the piano outside or is the palm tree with the bush inside. Is the window wrong way in the wall with the shutters opening inside? All the plates are tan suggesting sand but then the walls make no sense?

I'd say it's a very nice and clever concept, but needs some reorganization positioning wise.

[durazno33]

Not withstanding the comments about hippies, I like the colors and minifigure choices. I think you could make them look a bit more "piratey" if you swapped out one of the heads with a head with an eye patch, gave one of the pirates a hook for a hand, and gave another one a pegged leg, then those injuries would provide more clues that these were pirates and not hippies. Plus more weapons... hippies like peace, pirates like war.

[The Reader]

I love your built, especially the hidden treasure and map. It has real „Lego set“ vibes. It would be an instant buy for me. Awesome!