Legostone

@Phred When can we expect the March summary?

He wasn't always that successful with his assassinations this far You are forgetting I have a 28 34 DB monthly income from my land based builds:P My intention with the walls was a rough look, especially on the white one. And I don't think I've ever actually built houses in this style before, so I'm sure I can improve. Picture quality - I need to buy another desk lamp then:P Hmmm, not sure if that is a good idea My preference in building is certainly with the ships and boats, and land based stuff is just not as exciting. But I guess once upkeep gets added I'll have to get some land based stuff built up... Thanks to everyone who commented as well

Warning: I'm tired and wrote too much: As you may have noticed, I'm trying to get a fleet together (actually this picture is missing my Xebec and several WIPs) In the time I have. My favourite part of building ships is designing the hull itself which is, I think, noticeable in both the progress I've made since my early ships and also in the number of techniques I've tried out (and there are still more left to test out, I really want to try out the new technique with the 2x4 plates (or similar) you've shown recently), the rigging and sails are more like something I feel like I have to do, as no rigging or even the prefab rigging would, in my opinion, downgrade my ships, so I do enough so it doesn't do that in my opinion. I'm also not the biggest fan of spending hours and hours on the ratlines (at least not for anything smaller than a 2 decker), so I don't usually do those. I'm not in the situation of selling my ships (well, I haven't received any offers so far at least), so the most important part is that I like them at the time of presenting them (this might change a few minutes later and cause me to tear down a ship I finished just 3 hours ago - I've done it, and I sure expect to do it again, maybe even with big ships). And if you ask why then bother with stable rigging - it isn't much more complicated than unstable rigging, so I would rather hit the top of a door with the topgallant of a ship and notice there instead of finding the topgallant knocked off, as I had with previous ships. I also had rigging basically get destroyed by transport (the main reason I tore down my old Frigate - it had gone through too much, bowsprit knocked off multiple times (I think about 5 times during the trip to and from Brickmania Antwerpen), mizzen knocked off during several occasion and so on - the rigging just didn't hold up to the needs.), so I prefer it tight now. For why in Lego, not a "more exiting medium to model ships in": - Experience. I have zero Experience working with wooden models, CAD tools or other. I have experience with Lego. - Materials. I have a big collection from my childhood, and have easy access to the bricks I need (I have 2 local BL shops where I can buy parts as I want, and one of them has giant boxes of unsorted used parts where a significant number of bricks comes from) - time spent designing a model is controllable, and it doesn't hurt to leave it sitting around - reusability. If I decide I don't like a ship anymore I can tear it down in a couple of minutes and do something else with the parts. Seems difficult with wood or similar. - people. I know nobody in the model building scene, but I know many people here. - the possibility of changes. Yes, I know it is possible with wooden (or other) models as well, but as far as I can see the effort to change a tiny thing are far greater than with Lego. - I guess I could add more, but I think you get it ;)

BTW, a quick reminder for everyone (I think at least): You still have to fill in the usual webform for submitting your build (at least to get the 10 DBs).

@bed007 It obviously depends on how far you intend on going with your rigging, but if you tie your rigging tight enough the string only has to protect the mast from breaking apart from horizontal pressure - so the string inside doesn't have to be the thickest or even tightest. For mounting - you'll have to experiment with that, as I've only used string with 2x2 round bricks so far. @kurigan I have one WIP where I'm using block and tackle and I've had my hull blow up because I added too much tension by accident:D But I think for most of my ship it works well in the way I do it now, my rigging is tight enough anyways:D Well, might as well post an inspiration for someone here. A ship that should be doable in minifig scale for many - it was 54 feet 4 inch long and 14 feet 9 inch wide. Small Barque:D

@bed007 While my favourite techique uses technic connectors, round 1x1s certainly work. Best (and easiest) solution is using flex tubes (hose 3mm rigid), but those are sadly quite expensive. Another option would be reinforcing them by using a piece of String (internally), which works quite well, but is sometimes difficult to get to work well. A third option that would be much sturdy but not that popular with those not wanting to use third party parts would be using any other kind of 3mm tube (metal or other stuff).

Thanks! Well... I cut out this shape from a piece of cloth, place a piece of string in the overlapping part (I add some cutouts for extra strings on the triangular sails, so I can tie them onto the strings) and then glue the overlapping part onto the other part. I hope I explained that good enough. If you build a ship just try it out. Let's see how long that takes:P Thanks! Considering accuracy - some details are still missing, but I think most of the stuff that is there should be there, and the stuff that is missing isn't too noticeable for most people:P Adding a crew to a ship is one of the most important parts, it can make any vessel more interesting:D I thought it was appropriate to have a large crew on board while going on the first journey:D Thanks! I must admit that my techniques aren't the most legal connections (the hull is quite sturdy, but it is built using bent bricks, otherwise there would have been no way in getting those curves right). The rigging and sails take a while to make, so another Thanks! for that! Let's see how long until someone mentions my favourite detail on the bow:P

@Kolonialbeamter I've since found out the upper holes aren't gunports - they are supposedly gunners windows (and I guess one could also shoot a musket through them), something I haven't heard of before, but it certainly makes sense. Makes the ship a bit less interesting though - I might try it with the initial interpretation/similar, although I now feel like it is a bit too wide. Here is a model someone has built following the plans shown earlier. @kurigan If I had the amount of reddish brown tiles needed I would really like to try out MayDayArtists technique for a decently sized ship... Don't remind me, I'm already out of space:D

Yeah... But I would bet that I'll start another ship before getting close to finishing more than 2 of these... True, messup on my part there. Somehow though the second last mast would be the Main for a 4 masted ship, but you are right.

@Bregir - I'm wondering myself too. I'm not saying anything yet, but I might try it once I reduced the amount of current WIPs from the current 5 to 3, either by scrapping some of them or finally finishing them... @gedren_y That layout works, it is basically ship rigged. If you decide on adding a fourth mast, I would advise either having the first 3 being identical in height or getting (slightly! 1 to 3 studs is enough) taller towards the 3rd mast with the 4th mast remaining the smallest.

I must agree, the floor is the highlight of this build. It even has practical holes so the blood can flow away so it doesn't stain it

Looking good! How did you angle the Main mast btw? I guess those yellow inverted slopes around the lower stern are temporary? I currently don't have anything to criticise, but I would really like to know how stable it is - it doesn't look that stable to me at least... Anyone looking for a challenge?

An Unspecteded Surprising Surprise | Legostone | Eslandola | For Eslandola

A Marderian Businessman, who had just secretly started to discuss taking over several ships from a pirate lord, was walking through the dark back streets in King's Port, wanting to tell the authorities about his current progress in the discussion. Unluckily for him, the conversation was overheard by a Garvian Spy who sent out an Assassin right then and there. If he would succeed, it may be possible to take over the discussion with the pirate lord and get the ships for the Garvian fleet. So, here we are. A dark backstreet in King's Port. Waiting on the roof of one of the buildings, the assassin notices movement. As the man fits his description, he silently moves off the roof. ...he jumps... ...and staps the Marderian right into his back. Nobody will be surprised if he will be found in this state - after all, he was talking to a dangerous pirate lord, who would be surprised about his end?

While I'm not one of the members of Oleon, I might be able to help you out here - first, as far as I can tell, Oleon is a very active in the naval aspect of the game, so if you decide to build another vessel it should be easy for you to find someone to sponsor the ship for you. If you need help for your next ship, the Shipwrights Guild Hall is welcoming everyone to participate. You also get a free license for a small property at the start, so feel free to build one, although a residence isn't recommended as the free one as it would only bring in 3 instead of 5 or 6 DB a month. As well as that: Welcome!

I'm offering a class 5T/6+ Merchant ship to you, the Esprit Fortune: If you take it, tell me how many DBs I have to transfer to get another share. @Captain Genaro

Being a shareholder in the Oleander RNTC, it is only up in my interest to supply them with ship, and with an order appearing - especially with those fairly interesting terms they are offering - I had decided to order my shipyards to build a decently sized New Terraman that, while having plenty of cargo space, is still able to defend itself against potential attackers as well as sail as quick as a frigate. Their efforts have been successful while still maintaining their usual speed. This new Terraman has been built following the plans of a small fifth rate, slightly widened, but the gunports haven't been cut out - what this means is obvious. It has a lot of cargo space, and could, if the need arises, be transformed into a frigate with the use of a saw. We decided it would be best if we kept the guns on the quarterdeck and forecastle, or better say deck - to protect the cargo we have decided to completely cover up the lower deck and only allow access to it through the hatches; light can also get through into the great cabin through a skylight above it. In short - speed and manoeuvrability of a frigate, a full extra deck for cargo as well as 16 guns of 9 pounds each to defend itself. So, here we go: Off course, a new ship needs to be celebrated. While the Captain discusses the plan of the next target destination with one of the Officers on board, a bunch of regular Sea Men, a couple Officers and some others have started doing just that. Not everyone is that lucky though. I dare calling her a curvy lady! The Stern, not much to say about it. One might know my personal Frigate - that one is just a little bit shorter and thinner than this one, but I think it is well visible that they are both from the hands and hammers of my shipyards. For the time being, Esprit Fortune will likely be licensed as a 5T by the RNTC, but I certainly expect it to be at least a class 6, and, depending on the definition, maybe even a class 7.

I would request at least 1 week after publishing the results so we have some time to think about our fleet setup.

Btw, considering the MRCA results are still unpublished, when can we expect the next MRCA?

Nope, the new one has a different head:

One of those old style Indiaman is certainly on my list - maybe I'll use the Batavia as an inspiration (which I'll be visiting soon), but this style certainly existed (the example by Kurigan, Friendship of Salem, is actually similar to this one as I just noticed - similar size to a frigate, no gunports on the lower deck and the option to carry 14 guns (well, I have 14 + 2 chasers) if needed). Well, currently I have 6 finished and 7 WIPs, but in total I've finished 23 ships so far, so 17 have been torn down already. Most of these are licensed by others though, although I get some percentage of profit from all of them :D

So, a quick progress update on my Indiaman: Rigging is mostly finished, and I started on what's my plan for the sails. Well, better say, I added the two sails I planned to re-use for this ship - I still had a pair of courses from my old frigate which weren't tall enough, but they suffice as rolled up sails. I know not everyone here will be a fan of that, but it saves me at least an hour in construction time (the courses are some of the most annoying sails to make due to their size) as well as cloth (I'm sadly getting low on my tan cloth - I think after this ship I'll have to hope the store where I get it still has the same colour left). I'll be doing something similar for the topgallants (although I'll actually make them fit, as I don't have any sails in the right dimensions left, so why not?), but all other sails will be presented as usual. The rigging isn't quite perfect anymore, as this string isn't quite as good as I had hoped (I need to find a seller still selling the string I was using before - soo much better) and it has loosened up a bit (I can still pick it up by the tops, but it is scarier than with other ships of this size). Hull is done, the only thing I might still add are some small details on the deck. I hope to finish this one over the course of next weekend. In the left corner you see a small hint at what is coming up next (although there might be a couple other ships in between - I haven't built a cutter or sloop in a while), a small 12 gun brig based on the HMS Interceptor (and yes, La Raya Venonosa, my good old Frigate is gone now, I felt like it had to go). Also, here is my desk filled up to the brim with all ships that currently fit on it: Oscuridad (my Xebec) is missing from the picture as you might notice, that one still exists, but it just didn't fit on the desk anymore. I also have a couple more WIPs sitting around, but I'm not ready to show most of those. One of them is the Ship of the Line I started in November (it still stands, no progress has been made as I had other ships to build), and another one is this Frigate hull prototype I had built at BMA with the parts I picked up there and in a Lego Store. It'll either get used as the follow up for my old experiment "organic ship" or get scrapped if I really can't find the inspiration (but I hope it'll be the first of the two options myself)

It isn't just you, same happens to me. I haven't noticed any difference in performance, but it already felt good before.

Hm, as we are running out of reasonable colours, maybe also bluecoats, but with yellow stripes (and maybe arms) instead? Btw, when can we expect the MRCA result? ;)