[COR - FB1 Feb] HMS Otter

[Bregir]

The HMS Otter is a Letter of Marque for the Crown of Corrington, currently being used mainly to carry despatches throughout the New World, where speed of information is one of the strongest weapons in furthering Corlander interests.

The painting below shows her carrying word of discovery of a new Island by the Montoya-Cooke Expedition.

Owned by Don Isaac Montoya, the Otter has sailed in consort with the HMS Athena as part of the Montoya-Cooke Expedition, exploring the New World. Now she carries a despatch from Cooke, with the position of a newly discovered island and charts of a naturally protected harbour. Along with this comes the suggestion that a single platoon of Royal Navy Engineers could easily fortify the entrance to the port, and with a single battery command a perfect staging point for local development and further New World exploits.

The HMS Otter is a large topsail cutter, built in one of the finest Oleander shipyards before the last war betweem Corrington and Oleon. She is swift and seaworthy, and can outsail most vessels when going closed-hauled to the wind, her best point of sailing.

In the last days of the Juniper War, where Cooke commanded the HMS Athena (at that time still in the Royal Navy lists) he captured the Otter (then "La Loutre") and sunk a larger brig-of-war in a, at the time, rather celebrated naval action.

Currently, she is manned by a group of volunteers, mainly former smugglers and men-of-wars men, under command of Lieutenant Roger McLeod. McLeod was first-lieutenant for Cooke on the Athena, and took charge of the prize crew, and later the current crew, as she was bought by Montoya from the prize agent. Armed with four 8 pounders per broadside, and two bow chasers, she has a bite to match her bark. Abtly armed and manned, she is more than capable of escort duty, privateering missions, or minor fleet action.

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This was a fun build - it is built by the same hull-technique as the Sphinx, and I hadn't intended it to become so large. However, to get the shape I wanted, I had to keep upscaling it! On the upside, I actually got the shape I wanted!

Plus, the rigging is easier to do on larger scale. As to the rigging, it is actually done by only a single piece of string (apart from the Lego string holding the gaff), and is strong enough for the vessel to be lifted and/or tilted by the masthead!

As to rating, I would like to hear your thoughts. As she ended up rather large, I had to reconsider her rating. I am thinking class 3, maybe even 4, but I should like for it to fit within the spirit of the rating system.

Below is a few more pictures (and there are more on Flickr).

Thanks for viewing. C&C is, as always, more than welcome.

[Tomsche]

She has a nice line and a great colour scheme, top ship

[TitusV]

Bregir, from where do you keep getting these lovely builds?

[Mike S]

Another lovely ship from you! Nice water too!

[Garmadon]

Lovely ship Bregir, the color-scheme - especially next to that wonderful water! - is superb, and I'm really liking the rigging, sails, shape, and the use of that net on the front as well! The only problem I can see with it is that it could use some polishing off by way of tiling the inside, which especially looks wrong because of the very smooth exterior - but other than that minor thing this ship is really excellent!

[Puvel]

That’s a nice one!

Very nice shape and colour scheme, the net at the front (which probably has an official name but wouldn’t know) really adds to it.

Nice waves too!

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Looks good!

[Tezclatipoca]

Great vessel !

You are very good at ship building !

The hull design you used is great ! I didn't think it could work for such a big vessel but you prove the contrary !

I am seeing this ship more than a class 3 fast.

Great job !

[Ayrlego]

Nice ship and great colour scheme - also I'm quite jealous of the dolphin (I have yet to aquire one!) Looks like our fleet is getting quite strong!

[Captain Dee]

Another fine vessel Bregir. The shape is nice once more, and I prefer the size, colors, and rigging over the Sphinx (though she was pretty good in her own right). The guns are nice too and match their rated size pretty good I think. I also like the waves of the base for their effective simplicity and the old dolphin is cool.

The square mast is unusual - I assume you lacked rounds, and I'm fine with that. Otherwise the rigging is great.

What's the beam at the widest point?

Good work again. She'll serve Corrington well.

[Kai NRG]

Even better than your previous, you really maximized this technique at this size! The sails look really nice and so do the waves!

[SkaForHire]

Wow! Great work! These brick built hauls are really coming out! Very formidable, indeed! I would say Class 3 A, that is the first class that is a W (effectively doubling gun strength). But 4A does get 2 PO, meaning you have two chances to catch prey (flotilla or singular) when you are a predator, and can take more people on in battle.

This would be really on the small side of 4A though

[Graham Gidman]

That water is quite eye-catching!

[kurigan]

Bravo!

[Bregir]

She has a nice line and a great colour scheme, top ship

Thanks, Tomsche - I am pretty happy with it too!

Bregir, from where do you keep getting these lovely builds?

Shh, don't tell people about the Lego-building slaves I have in my basement!

Another lovely ship from you! Nice water too!

Thanks, Mike. I wasn't planning on building the water base, but I must say, it really improves the presentation.

Lovely ship Bregir, the color-scheme - especially next to that wonderful water! - is superb, and I'm really liking the rigging, sails, shape, and the use of that net on the front as well! The only problem I can see with it is that it could use some polishing off by way of tiling the inside, which especially looks wrong because of the very smooth exterior - but other than that minor thing this ship is really excellent!

Thanks, Garm - I am happy you like the water, and even more so that you like the vessel!

I would really suggest everyone to experiment with rigging - it is quite fun! Glad you like the result - I think paper sails can work rather well!

I agree the decks are a bit rough, but I simply didn't have the tiles, (They are commited elsewhere) nor the time!

That’s a nice one!

Very nice shape and colour scheme, the net at the front (which probably has an official name but wouldn’t know) really adds to it.

Nice waves too!

Thank you, Puvel - I don't know the name either Glad you like the waves!

Looks good!

Danke!

Great vessel !

You are very good at ship building !

The hull design you used is great ! I didn't think it could work for such a big vessel but you prove the contrary !

I am seeing this ship more than a class 3 fast.

Great job !

Thank you, Faladrin. You do me too much honour

I was also surprised this technique worked out this well. As to rating, I am thinking class 3 too, although I would like to have a combination of the 3 F and 3 A... (Speed and firepower) which is very close to the 4 WR, but I don't really need to cargo capacity. In short, I am leaning towards 3A.

Nice ship and great colour scheme - also I'm quite jealous of the dolphin (I have yet to aquire one!) Looks like our fleet is getting quite strong!

Corrington will rule the waves! Thanks!

And yes, the dolphin is lovely!

Another fine vessel Bregir. The shape is nice once more, and I prefer the size, colors, and rigging over the Sphinx (though she was pretty good in her own right). The guns are nice too and match their rated size pretty good I think. I also like the waves of the base for their effective simplicity and the old dolphin is cool.

The square mast is unusual - I assume you lacked rounds, and I'm fine with that. Otherwise the rigging is great.

What's the beam at the widest point?

Good work again. She'll serve Corrington well.

Thank you, Captain. Especially the rigging is much improved over the Sphinx, I agree, and the shape comes accross better in this scale. Glad you like (and noticed) the guns. I find it pretty hard to design these smallish guns, but I think these work rather well.

And yes, I was out of rounds - I have very few in black, and as I wanted to use the bowsprit piece, and my brown rounds are tied up in the HMS Athena, I had to make do with the squares. Glad you think it works ok. And yes, rigging is fun!

Her beam measures 16 studs (imperial Corlander studs, that is... ) and she is 44 studs long at the water.

Even better than your previous, you really maximized this technique at this size! The sails look really nice and so do the waves!

Thanks Kai, glad you like it!

Wow! Great work! These brick built hauls are really coming out! Very formidable, indeed! I would say Class 3 A, that is the first class that is a W (effectively doubling gun strength). But 4A does get 2 PO, meaning you have two chances to catch prey (flotilla or singular) when you are a predator, and can take more people on in battle.

This would be really on the small side of 4A though

Thanks, Ska - at this size, I prefer brickbuilt hulls to the prefabs, but they do give some structural issues, especially when putting tension to the rigging!

Yeah, I was thinking class 3 too, but I should like to have the extra point in speed without sacrificing the firepower of the 3A... So I am still not sure. 4A would give me the speed and additional firepower, but I agree, she feels abit small for that class.

That water is quite eye-catching!

Thanks, Graham, glad you like it! A shame that she is a bit misplaced in the first picture, giving a line down her side that was not part of the wave design...

Bravo!

Thanks!

[Bart]

Nice build Bregir, I like it.

I didn't notice the square mast till the last picture :D, so I'll forgive you that.

Did you model it after an existing ship? Because I'm confused about the location of the cargo hatch, I would have put it before the mast, but maybe I'm wrong and this is a valid option too!

As far as the rating goes, 2F or 3F, but size is not a deciding factor I think

If I build a ship-of-the-line in micro scale I shouldn't rate it as a BoBS class 0.

F because you said it is fast and its purpose to run dispatches.

Great water too,

Bart

[blackdeathgr]

Breg, i am always happy to study your ship MOCs and learn from them. The ship is just perfectly right in every aspect. Size-wise, rigging-wise and sail-wise. Also canons are at the perfect size too. I especially love the net in front as i have seen it in many real life ships but never portraited in LEGO ships.

[Bregir]

Nice build Bregir, I like it.

I didn't notice the square mast till the last picture :D, so I'll forgive you that.

Did you model it after an existing ship? Because I'm confused about the location of the cargo hatch, I would have put it before the mast, but maybe I'm wrong and this is a valid option too!

As far as the rating goes, 2F or 3F, but size is not a deciding factor I think

If I build a ship-of-the-line in micro scale I shouldn't rate it as a BoBS class 0.

F because you said it is fast and its purpose to run dispatches.

Great water too,

Bart

Thank you, Bart - I am going to blame Captain Dee that everyone now notices the square mast!

And no, I didn't model it after anything in particular, The hatch is there because it was the only place there was room for it, without restricting the recoil of the guns. On the upside, that placement of hatch means the gaff can be used as a crane to load and unload!

Glad you like the water - I am quite happy about that myself.

Breg, i am always happy to study your ship MOCs and learn from them. The ship is just perfectly right in every aspect. Size-wise, rigging-wise and sail-wise. Also canons are at the perfect size too. I especially love the net in front as i have seen it in many real life ships but never portraited in LEGO ships.

Thanks, bd! But really, you should stop praising me so - I turn into an arrogant idiot if I get too full of myself!

That netting was a stroke of last-minute inspiration, and I am happy you like the guns!

[Captain Dee]

...I am going to blame Captain Dee that everyone now notices the square mast!

...[snip]...

...But really, you should stop praising me so - I turn into an arrogant idiot if I get too full of myself!

Actually... I was just trying to be nice, Mr. Arrogant, and now I'm going to give you my honest opinion...

No, really, I kinda like the square mast. Maybe it's not as realistic as round bricks, but I don't think it looks bad, and besides, it's Lego. It works.

By the way...

Would you permit me to build your final outcome of last month's MCRA? You know, the part after you (and your friends...) had recieved the good news?

I assure you I can do it properly...

Edited February 8, 2016 by Captain Dee

[Bregir]

Actually... I was just trying to be nice, Mr. Arrogant, and now I'm going to give you my honest opinion...

No, really, I kinda like the square mast. Maybe it's not as realistic as round bricks, but I don't think it looks bad, and besides, it's Lego. It works.

By the way...

Would you permit me to build your final outcome of last month's MCRA? You know, the part after you (and your friends...) had recieved the good news?

I assure you I can do it properly...

Do you mean Ibn al'Sayeed swimming in cash and/or celebrating being the richest man in the new world? Go ahead