[MOD] WIP The Battle of Helm's Deep

[cyclops]

Hello everyone,

After being a long time reader of the forum, I'll try to introduce myself with my first MOD.

This is my extensive mod of the Lego set 9474 "The Battle of Helm's Deep". I liked the set, but it was too small for my liking :) So, i started upgrading it.

First, i almost doubled in size most of the modules. I was satisfied with the tower and the front gate, but the wall and the keep were still far too small and inaccurate.

Then, i Tried to raise the main gate and the keep, and also made the curved section of the wall bigger. I tried to recreate most of the details from the movie design - the raising path between the front gate and the keep, the entrance to the halls, some of the rock walls. Here is the result:

http://www.flickr.co...s/93170514@N04/

I have the parts now, i'll start building soon. I would be glad to get some feedback and ideas :)

[Javert]

Hello everyone,

After being a long time reader of the forum, I'll try to introduce myself with my first MOD.

This is my extensive mod of the Lego set 9474 "The Battle of Helm's Deep". I liked the set, but it was too small for my liking :) So, i started upgrading it.

First, i almost doubled in size most of the modules. I was satisfied with the tower and the front gate, but the wall and the keep were still far too small and inaccurate.

Then, i Tried to raise the main gate and the keep, and also made the curved section of the wall bigger. I tried to recreate most of the details from the movie design - the raising path between the front gate and the keep, the entrance to the halls, some of the rock walls. Here is the result:

http://www.flickr.co...s/93170514@N04/

I have the parts now, i'll start building soon. I would be glad to get some feedback and ideas :)

This is incredible! Any chance you could post an LDD file? I'm still struggling to get the ramp leading to the inner keep right!

[Hepitos]

like as Eurolocks Helms Deep ???

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=74926

[cyclops]

... Any chance you could post an LDD file...

I would post LDD file, but i'm not sure i can do that here?

...like as Eurolocks Helms Deep ...

Yes, i know that MOD very well and i like it a lot, but Eurolock left most of the modules in their original size - the main gate, walls, the keep - and i tried to make them a lot bigger. His design was of great inspiration to me, but instead of trying to do the same as him, i'm trying to make it my way. :)

[Phazon]

Well done! The higher walls sure make Helms Deep look more impressive. I like it a lot and I am looking forward to the brick-built version.

[Mr_Malfoy]

Very well done! It looks a lot more like the actual fortress than the official one.

[natesroom]

Yes you can post LDD files here (now you have me thinking twice)

I would love to bricklink the pieces and build this.

[Brickington]

Sweeeet! I love this mod, probably one of my favorite of this set. How many helms deep sets did it take you to build this?

[Deathleech]

This is definitely on par with Eurolocks MOD. That's saying a lot considering it's one of my favorite MODs.

I really like that you increased the size of the walls and started adding the rocks/mountain to the left side of the keep. If you have the pieces, I would make the long wall even a few more bricks tall though considering the "official" walls are so pathetically short. Also, I really like the way Eurolock did the stairs curving around the main keep on the side, the inside great hall, the caves below, and the top level of the keep from the outside.

[Eurolock]

like as Eurolocks Helms Deep ???

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=74926

Thanks for remembering this!

[For those that are interested in 'modding' the official set it is well worth looking at =DoNe= 's version too. This has inspired me to raised the height of the wall on my version and tone down the sand green. The 1x1 lbg plates improve the look of the battlements too...and there is some slick rockwork.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/-done-/8438787778/in/photostream/]

Back on topic - Your version looks great Cyclops ;-) Really interesting to see the effect of expanding the width of the outer walls. The added height to the walls also makes the 'drop down' to the deeping wall look much much better. This is something that I have decided to fix now (especially after looking at your version)

In terms of other ideas/comments...

If your aiming for 'accuracy' there are a few simple things that you could consider changing.

1) the culvert in the deeping wall should be about equidistant between the deeping wall turret and the rock wall on the left hand side.

2) the 'edge' of the tower (the part made of ridge tiles) that points forward should be in line with the outer wall of the keep. (I do like the way you have added a distinct lower third tier to the outside tower edge though..that looks great!).

3) there are too few 'windows' above the arches in the cloister wall. This can easily be altered by using the same panels that are used to make the openings in the outer wall.

4) There shouldn't really be a external stairway leading up from the deeping wall all the way to the top the top of the outer wall. i can understand why you have this though and it looks very neat in your MOC.

5) The door leading from the deeping wall into the outer wall should have a rounded top rather than the square top.

I will try to post a picture of my solution to the inner ramp problem...just in case you are interested in exploring alternatives.

[Missing Brick]

Very nice, but when it comes to increasing the size to a more realistic minifig scale, I always felt the gate should be increased from 6 to 8 studs wide, and the causeway to 10 studs. Afterall, at 6 studs it's not even wide enough for a horse and cart, nor for a battering ram carried by uruks on either side. In fact, if the gate had been only 6 studs equivalent in the film, they would have had no trouble defending it since it can only be approached by a maximum of 2 uruks abreast. Trouble is, if you go to an 8 or 10-wide gate, suddenly everything needs to get much bigger...

[Captain Settle]

Fantastic MOC. Really looks like a strong fortress.

[Jack Bricker]

I love it. It looks awesome and even though there might be some inaccuracies to the film I wouldn't let that bother you. After all, the films are based off of the books and the books are open to interpretation of how these locations looked exactly. Great MOD and I cannot wait to see it actually built.

[cyclops]

Thank you all for the good words :)

...How many helms deep sets did it take you to build this?

The first version was built with bricks from two "helm's deep" sets and two "uruk-hai army" sets. A lot of the bricks from the sets were left unused. For the second version I ordered some parts, mostly big plates and a lot of slope bricks for the rocks under the gate and the keep.

… If you have the pieces, I would make the long wall even a few more bricks tall though considering the "official" walls are so pathetically short. Also, I really like the way Eurolock did the stairs curving around the main keep on the side, the inside great hall, the caves below, and the top level of the keep from the outside.

After I build this version, I’m thinking about a lot of changes for the future :) First, I want to add a rocky mountain wall between the keep and the ending of the curved wall. Under the keep I will build the caves, with a secret entrance. The long wall will be a bit longer, and I will make it 4 studs thick, so it will look more like a real fortress wall.

…

Thank you for taking the time to give me all these good ideas! I love your version very much, it was a huge inspiration for me :) I’m still going through your pictures from time to time and admire your build.

I will move the culvert in the deeping wall before I start building .

You are right about the external stairway leading up from the deeping wall, I’ll probably remove that ASAP. And I will definitely edit the door leading from the deeping wall into the outer wall, I even started doing that at one point before, but god lazy and left it as is.

As for the 'edge' of the tower, I’m not sure I understand?

The 'windows' above the arches in the cloister wall I will probably leave for now, because in the next version I think to follow the advice of Missing Brick and increase the main gate and the causeway in size, and with that I will make the keep and the cloister bigger by at least 4 studs in width. With that, there will be a lot of changes to the cloister and the gate to the throne room, and i will put more windows then.

If you could to post a picture of your solution to the inner ramp problem, that would be great :) I was trying to see how you've done that. My solution is very part-consuming and not very elegant.

Very nice, but when it comes to increasing the size to a more realistic minifig scale, I always felt the gate should be increased from 6 to 8 studs wide, and the causeway to 10 studs. … Trouble is, if you go to an 8 or 10-wide gate, suddenly everything needs to get much bigger...

I think I could get away with making only the keep bigger after making the front gate 8 studs wide. And the keep could use being a bit bigger. I will try that. :)

Yes you can post LDD files here (now you have me thinking twice)

How can I post the LDD file? I’ll probably have to upload it at some other host and post the link here? Or is it an option in the forum, I don’t know where to find it.

This weekend I’ll start building, first module will be the tower :) I hope I’ll be able to post pictures soon.

…and finally, I’m sorry for my clumsy expressing, I mostly read and rarely write in English. :)

Edited February 13, 2013 by cyclops

[coolguy2323]

I've been wanting to do something like this :D It's awesome, are you going to make instructions available online? :)

[Yanthedestroyer]

Vast improvement over the official release! The rock formation on the end of the deeping wall as well as near the tower look awesome, great detail. I have also been working on my own version for the past month and the greatest challenge has been amassing the sheer amount of bricks for the endeavor. You just can't have a small Helm's Deep :)

[jmagaletta]

Simply amazing. Great job. I too would also love the LDD of this. Very Impressive!!

[ali1994]

Is there any way that we can get the LDD file? I really really want it :)

[Str0ngbad]

The LDD file would be awesome but I'd also like to see where you are at in your project. :)

I began to MOD my own Helmsdeep last year but tried for something that required far more pieces than I had; the towers being 30 studs high and the gate being 14 wide. Being very inexperienced at making my own stuff, seeing posts like yours and Eurolock's really helps me learn a lot.

[ali1994]

Yes, can you please please upload it?

[Mamma Mia Bricks]

Hey there guys! Does anyone on here have a LDD File for a similar Helms Deep to this one?

I just bought one Helm's Deep set and I really feel I have to expand it but without any instructions and parts list I don't know where to start!!!

[ali1994]

I would post LDD file, but i'm not sure i can do that here?

Yes, i know that MOD very well and i like it a lot, but Eurolock left most of the modules in their original size - the main gate, walls, the keep - and i tried to make them a lot bigger. His design was of great inspiration to me, but instead of trying to do the same as him, i'm trying to make it my way. :)

Hello my friend. Can you please upload the LDD file? I can give my email too if you want.

[Mamma Mia Bricks]

Hello my friend. Can you please upload the LDD file? I can give my email too if you want.

He hasn't posted in 3 years I am afraid we will never get that file :(

[ali1994]

He hasn't posted in 3 years I am afraid we will never get that file :(

Maybe we should contact via flickr?

[Mamma Mia Bricks]

Is there a contact button, because I cant seem to find it.

It would be great if he answered or someone else on here helped us out.