mccoyed

My thing with the figs is that you've got an unchanged Galaxy Squad fig (the robot) and an unchanged Red Hood fig. Like... it's just distracting. Consider it a nitpick though. Not everybody likes to take apart figs because it can risk breaking them.

Comic presentation is awesome here. I don't even mind the characters and names when it's obviously a parody feel like you have here.

This is super well done. Every detail is the perfect balance of authenticity and minimalism. Great job.

It's just unnatural eye positioning. No book and few websites (articles) are constructed that way so it's like I have to adjust every time I look. If it was less rare, it'd probably be an easier adjustment. It's like when people can't figure out to read manga backwards, haha. It's just not the normal way text is presented. It's always left margin. You can consider it just a personal gripe of mine. You gotta do what you prefer and I don't think anyone else minds!

I did the same thing when I started. It's a great way to start!

A lot of sports started as ways to keep fit between wars. Mayan ball games, rugby, and actual Calcio were all things I had in mind for this, but I had to go with Calcio for the Mediterranean origin. Just fits Varlyrio best! Thanks for the compliments about the buildings. Originally wanted them to be much bigger, more like the drawing connected to the Wikipedia page. But I had to keep it small for brick reasons. :P Thanks. Can't take credit, though. I think I picked that up from the Snyder brothers and their tutorials. Thanks adde. Did you see your sigfig on the Kali side? I confess there aren't really any good pics of him but he's in there. So glad you appreciated it! I think you're right about maybe breaking up the tiles with some cracks, dips, damage, etc. I probably could have made that work. Placing all the figs had to be done before the tile was completely put in. Next time I might plan in advance. And of course any Mitgardian sport would have a dwarf for a goalie! Thanks Bas. Tried to go for a kind of Greco-Roman pattern. Like this. Good catch on the goals. I did not notice until now that I didn't center them correctly. The Mitgardian goal is actually wider! Naturally the Mitgardian Mittens will say this was done on purpose to fix the results of the game... I think the High Queen simply wants to bring unity. I'm sure she'd show up in Kaliphlin for the right reasons. Also, for all we know she came to surreptitiously keep an eye on Elon and Supano. Two of the most powerful men in Historica. I wouldn't go telling the Queen's business to some old sandy naysayer. :P You're right about the windows. I thought about including them when the original idea for this was to have much taller buildings. I opted out thinking that the buildings would be too squat for it to matter but in retrospect, they should have them. That said, just imagine this plaza is behind the main facades of these buildings. All according to plan. Yeeeessss. That quote was definitely something I kept in mind when I decided to do this build. It fits Varlyrio perfectly as you say and I hope takes on a more Greco-Roman flavor for the original "bread and circuses" prompt. I was thinking of doing a gladiatorial arena as well and I'm glad someone else used that idea since I think it fits Varlyrio (and Historica in general) quite well. Anyone scrambling to get something done in the next two days should consider finding some obscure sport from their Guild's countries/regions of influence.

Great story here. I like the criticisms that Muakhah makes of Ylspeth since they are pretty fair and so is the rebuttal. It seems like a very organic and believable away to convey some light controversy in these early days of a united Historica. Really liked the build as well. Great use of the dragon costumes and some fun, unexpected gore. I also love the janitor shot.

Great start. I really dig some of the techniques here, especially stuff I've seen before on GoH that shows you've either been doing your homework OR you're on the same wavelength. Or both! All are good.

Very nice. Love to see the dwarves doing what they do best and this build has a good Hobbit/LOTR Lego set vibe. The irregular ceiling is a nice touch.

My Category B entry, Calcio in Illaryian: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/169898-calcio-in-illyrian-challenge-2b/

There's my Challenge 2B build. Big one, mostly in terms of needing A LOT of minifigs.

Illaryian, Varlyrio Even in times of peace, it is sometimes necessary to maintain the practices of war. Supano Amancio and his advisors considered ways to fulfill the Queen's decree and eventually had the idea of reviving the old sport of Calcio as a way to not only promote cohesion between the Guilds, especially newly welcomed Varlyrio, but also as a way to keep the warriors of the Guilds doing something where their skills are useful off the battlefield. An exhibition game between teams made up of Kaliphlini and Mitgardian warriors was hastily planned. The warriors, of course, very much enjoyed a chance to meet on any field of honor. It's important to remember that Calcio is a rough game, however, The ball is heavy and must be maneuvered with the full strength of the body. Between the ball and the martial prowess of the players, Calcio often leads to injuries. The Mitgardian and Kaliphlin onlookers react with horror or elation as a Mitgardian player goes down in a spray of blood across the sand. The Varlyrians in the crowd are mostly bemused at the peoples of other Guilds playing their ancient sport. Queen Ylspeth herself has turned up for the exhibition. Though a part of her would rather be walking among the people, taking in their reactions and the general pulse of her subjects, she can't argue with the superior view of the game from the rooftop. She is flanked by Cedrican guards and N'ri, her friend from Mwamba, as well as a young woman from Mitgardia. Alva Tyrnsdottir has walked a long road from Arnarvhall, but she is proud to be in the Queen's service. As trade and travel open between the Guilds, plenty of people from Kaliphlin are able to show up for their team's big game. On the other side of the sand, the Mitgardians have also turned up in numbers. Unused to the heat of Varlyrio, many have shed their furs and leathers in favor of the lighter clothing of their southern territories. Varlyrians move about the plaza where the game has been set. A Knight of Sana Argenta offers water to a thirsty minotaur sailor. Warriors, sailors, and people from all around Varlyrio move about on their business or stop to watch. Crown Knights of Cedrica mix with Varlyrian orders, prominently patrolling in parade armor to show that they are there to keep the peace and promote the mix of cultures. The game also provides a good cover for meetings of import between important Guild Leaders... Supano Amancio and Elon Chorian make no effort to hide who they are, nor what they discuss. For now, this is a chance meeting (or meant to seem like one) which, for anyone who doesn't know Chorian, might explain why he has no guards. Amancio is flanked by two members of other Varlyrian Houses, periodically drafted as ceremonial guards to promote cooperation among the Houses and giving a Rego a chance to get to know rising stars. It seems obvious that these two may meet again. Perhaps with the High Queen. Perhaps not. What might come out of that meeting, however, is anyone's guess... -- Thanks for looking! Builder's Notes:

Nice building. Not as crazy about masonry tiles as a floor but I think you use it well here, though a fully squared base might look a bit better.

Really like the way the early stage of this quarry is devised. Feels realistic. I also really like the tools you made.

That carriage owns. Otherwise this is a great build and presentation as always, but I still have a hard time reading your stories with everything centered. Probably because I have a widescreen monitor!

Really dig the all-Lego pics here. Those plants are awesome and there are lots of nice other details here.

Great build with awesome details and figs. One thing is, your dialogue would be easier to follow if you employed quotation marks, the universal standards of punctuation for dialogue.

Fig posing is one of the strongest elements here. The way you have the wagon turning around the horsemen is nicely done and adds interest.

Great sense of scale and activity here. The details are also really good at this size, with your palette and texture shining through.

The cockpit is great. However, I think your figs are a little to recognizably not Star Wars (except the Mon Cal, obv). You should think about kit-bashing your figs.

Good interior and interesting fig choice (Red Hood in Space!). I liked the behind the scenes stuff for how you did the background too.

Yeah, this rules. Such a clever approach to the challenge and MOCing in general. Great work.

This is awesome. Love the all-Lego photography. Your choices in fig heads and posing are top notch. Lots of intriguing characters and everything is really clear and vibrant.

Awesome to see this up and in full presentation mode. That SHIP is seriously impressive and definitely gives the ragtag spacefaring town vibe. EDIT: Checked out your store thinking it had an online store, but it's physical and all the way down in Texas! Great site though.

Excellent details and palette. I love a good ostrich caravan too.