[MOC] The Abandoned Fortress

[Alexraptor]

Recently got back into Lego a little over a year ago, after suffering a family tragedy. I've been collecting the Pirates theme that I never got to have as a kid. And today I decided to build my first MOC in nearly 20 years!!!

It came about because I thought 6235: Buried Treasure, was a rather dinky and pathetic set to just be standing on a shelf by itself, so i decided to 'expand it' and built up a small fortress ruin around it. Took me maybe 2-2.5 hours to build, just freestyling it.

I styled it after the 80's/90's pirates, so yellow sand instead of tan pieces. I imagine the fort having been ravaged by storms, or a tsunami, or maybe it was even destroyed in the quake of 1692! ;) So I tried to imagine what a fort could look like if the foundation had simply collapsed in on itself! :) 

Hope you guys like!

[zinnn]

That's cool if you're into old Pirates style (not my cup of tea personally). But seeing this design it made me think it's some old church/chapel rather than a fortress, left behind by colonizers and run down by time and weather. I like the single door piece remaining.

[thewatchman]

Weird you posted this. 
 I’m currently working on a destroyed fort / pirate camp. 
 That said in terms of classic styling it’s pretty cool!

good work!

[Feuer Zug]

Good ruined building in the classic style.

[Jeff of Clubs]

Great first MOC in 20years! I love ruins myself and only just got back into Lego about 3 or 4 years ago. I never could get my hands on many when I was a kid. 

Scatter some white bricks around the ground too, if you plan on keeping it. Good classic vibes there.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

You got a monkey in your MOC and therefore everything is alright.

Keep going from there and have fun with your rediscovered hobby!

[Alexraptor]

Thanks for the positive feedback! :) 

I've actually gone and made a few more tweaks to the build. I added a single Half-arch to give the ruins a little bit more internal volume, to evoke the feeling of a proper structure.

 

Since part of the MOC's purpose is to showcase set 6235, I rebuilt the area a little, with tiles and some edges, so that the set just slots into the recess, and is easy to remove and show off. :)

 

I also wasn't entirely happy with the corner panel, so I built it up a little, the one somewhat 'intact' section of the entire fort/outpost. Also added a support for the balcony, so it's not just hanging over the cliff. And yes I know the torch isn't quite "period accurate", but I thought it looked good. :)

 

And lastly, I smoothed out the vertical edge of one of the wall sections, to evoke a feeling of erosion/crumbling. :) 

[The Reader]

Nice MOC. I like the classic vibes it has. And the idea to create a showcase for little sets is just great!

[Third Navigator]

I always tried to build fort island like this.. but most of them failed becuase of 'simplifing' like lego official set. so they end up being burdensome to actually make. lol

I dont think creating is as easy as looking around. well made. its color too.

[Alexraptor]

10 hours ago, Third Navigator said:

I always tried to build fort island like this.. but most of them failed becuase of 'simplifing' like lego official set. so they end up being burdensome to actually make. lol

I dont think creating is as easy as looking around. well made. its color too.

Thanks!

I sort of treated it like a sculpture, and just built it up from a picture in my head and just fished suitable pieces out of a pile of assorted yellow bricks. I grant you the support structure inside could probably be improved a lot, as I just built it haphazardly to support the surface topography I wanted! Part usage could definitely be "optimized".