Random Guy

While I had plenty of Pirate sets in my younger days, I missed out on the big ships back then. Thankfully, after I restored everything to its proper glory in 2001-2002, Lego rereleased a number of older sets and I got this one (as 10040) for Christmas in 2002. It's the largest set I've ever built, and after seeing the various picture reviews of Lego's other ships I still believe this one is the best. No details were left undone here.

I only wish they'd done more with the Armada. All they ever had was a ship and a tiny little dock. There should have at least been a good-sized harbor/fort for them in the 1996/1997 run.

Started in 1992 (I was 5) with the following: 6261 Raft Raiders 6258 Smuggler's Shanty 6277 Imperial Trading Post 6251 Pirate Mini Figures Expanded around 1996 with: 6266 Cannon Cove 6256 Islander Catamaran 6244 Armada Sentry 6232 Skeleton Crew Went through sort of a dark age afterward, but only for pirates; got rather interested in Space then actually. Revived my pirate collection in 2001 at the age of 13; got these in 2002: 6292 Enchanted Island (2002 rerelease) 6291 Armada Flagship (2002 rerelease) 6271 Imperial Flagship (my parents got lucky on Ebay with this one) 10040 Black Seas Barracuda (Lego Legends version) Finally, from the 2009 lineup: 6242 Soldiers Fort 8397 Pirate Survival 8396 Soldiers Arsenal 6239 Cannon Battle x2 6240 Kraken Attackin' 6241 Loot Island I also got a couple of the 4+ sets, which I don't really count as part of the theme. They were useful for parts though.

So far, so good. Here's what we've got so far. Merchants 1: Card Challenge, Fisherman's Catch 3: The Calamari Cutter 4: The Lighthouse, Treasure Heist 7: The Post Ship 8: The Fastlane Fluyt, unnamed town set Smugglers 1: Smuggler's Camouflage, Smuggler's Ox Cart 2: Dead Drop 3: The Smugglers' Cave 4: Stealth Runner 6: Smugglers' Ship, Smugglers' Top Haven Guard: 1: Soldier's Watch 4: Haven Gunboat 8: Fort Nassau, HMS Swordfish Multiple: 3: Harbour Patrol 5: Nassau Haven 7: Smugglers' Hideout Attack! 8: Reef Showdown Totals: 1: 5 2: 1 3: 3 4: 4 5: 1 6: 2 7: 2 8: 7 I think what we still need is some kind of small fort for the Haven Guard, something like Saber Island, Imperial Outpost, Broadside's Brig, Lagoon Lock-up, and Cannon Cove. A main base for the Smugglers would help too.

They're not the same; note the pirate vessel has two masts, a longer quarterdeck, and only carries swivel guns instead of the larger cannon.

Set Name: Haven Gunboat Category: 4 Faction: Haven Guard Description: A small ship carrying a large cannon. Main Elements / Play Features: Single-masted ship with brick-built hull. Carries at least one large square-rigged sail, probably some fore-and-aft sails as well. Armed with a turntable-mounted cannon amidships and likely with smaller swivel guns as well. Minifigures: Three Haven Guards, two soldiers with muskets and one officer with a pistol and cutlass. Accessories: A cannon, two muskets, a pistol, and a cutlass.

Set Name: Treasure Heist Category: 4 Faction: Merchants Description: A house with a dock and sailboat. Main Elements / Play Features: The house contains a secret compartment with a treasure chest inside it. Ideally, the house would be built on a platform over part of the dock with a ladder leading to it. The boat is identical to the one from Enchanted Island with two fore and aft sails. Minifigures: One merchant, one smuggler Accessories: One pistol, one cutlass, one musket, two barrels, treasure chest. The basic idea here is that the smuggler is trying to steal the merchant's treasure chest. He has to climb the ladder, break into the house, find the secret compartment, and get back to his boat without the merchant (armed with a musket) noticing.

Colonial Guards is a good neutral term, and the time period is often called the Colonial Era. I don't think orange would work too well, as it's too close to red and would be confused with the Imperial Guards.

Hello, I'm new here and was not sure about registering earlier since most of the MOCs on here were enormous and dwarfed anything I have ever built, but since you appear to be in need of more small/medium sets for this project, I thought I might be able to offer a suggestion or two. Notably, I think the Pirates theme in general could use some more small ships, bigger than the rowboats but not as large as their ships which use the big hull pieces. The only one like these in the Pirates theme was the ship included in the Imperial Trading Post, and I do wonder why no more were designed. I am putting my best one out here as a possible midsized set in the new subtheme. Set Name: Stealth Runner Category: 4 Faction: The Smugglers Description: A small, fast ship with fore-and-aft sails and light weapons. Main Elements / Play Features: Two sailboat-type masts rigged with fore-and-aft sails, six swivel guns made of cylindrical pieces, lantern on stern, small steering wheel for helm. Hull made out of basic bricks and sloped pieces. Minifigures: 3 -3 Smugglers (Pirates), one with a captain's hat or tricorn. Accessories: 2 cutlasses, 2 pistols, 1 musket, treasure chest and barrels for cargo. This would be a small, fast, and maneuverable ship used by the Smugglers to run illicit goods in and out of Port Brickhaven quickly and quietly without alerting the Haven Guards. I built the ship as a pirate raider, hence the skull motif which will have to be replaced when the new design aesthetics for the Smugglers are decided on.