Henry Bricklider

That's fair. I can guess it can just be "The Black Falcon House" Reddish brown is a strange LEGO color because I don't think it looks great as wood (brown trees look kind off, too).

Thanks! I agree. As much as I like the Ideas Medieval Blacksmith, the reddish brown doesn't look the best. I hope we'll see more "ranks" in the Black Falcon army.

Thank ya, kindly.

Update: I completed the main outpost build.

Ooh, I like that. It's simple but really nice. I like the use of the imperial epaulettes.

Sorry, I was trying to catch up with the thread and saw the quoted comment first.

I dunno, I quite like the Snape minifigure included in the potions book. I also think the interior designs for the potions class can be easily used for a decent potions class MOC. I am a little late to the party in sharing my thoughts about on the new anniversary wave. I made a YT video a few days ago, but my opinion has slightly changed on them since. I think this is a pretty good wave, mostly because of how well I think the designers replicated and modernized the look and feel of the 2001 sets. This new wave has a real charm to it, which is why I think it might be my favorite line of Hogwarts buildings so far. Granted, these sets look significantly better from the inside. The exterior I'll admit is really weak. If I end up getting these sets (I probably will), I'll end up displaying the interiors. The strongest set of the Hogwarts builds is the Chamber of Secrets. I really like the interiors (the Chamber of Secrets' look doesn't bother me too much), and I'm really excited to play around with the new modular system. The next best Hogwarts set for me is the bathroom. I dig the look. The minifigure selection in terms of parts for Slytherin students is really nice, and I like the overall look of the build. The flying lesson set is good from the outside. I really don't have much to say on it. The Fluffy Encounter is pretty weak. The build for Fluffy is pretty blocky and gross, and the exposed Mixel joint pieces are bad. The designers probably could have hidden them. I'll still probably get it to fill out the castle and again, experiment with the modular system. Hogsmeade didn't really impress me at first, but it has grown on me. This might be my go-to Christmas LEGO set to display. I like the minifigures, and I already am thinking about what other figures that already exist can go there (the CMF Ron and Hermione immediately came to mind). I don't care for the buildable Harry and Hermione. I am curious to how the cloak piece Harry has can be used for CCBS/Bionicle MOCs, though. The chess set is whatever. Fawkes looks pretty good, but I'll more than likely pass on that set, too.

I don't really buy old sets. Old parts and minifigure pieces (especially from the 90s/00s), absolutely (old brickfilms make me nostalgic for that stuff). But, the build quality of many old sets, and the content is never worth the massive price tag. If there was an old set I absolutely wanted, I'd probably just make an upscaled MOC of it at some point.

Better than expected: The LEGO Ninjago Movie Destiny's Bounty. This set was one I was really impressed with based on promotional images, and after four years, it has become probably my favorite set of all time. Didn't live up to expectations: 75244 Tantive IV. The Tantive IV is one of my favorite Star Wars ships and I was eagerly following the news leading up to the sets release, and... it's alright. The Captain Antilles is easily one of my favorite Star Wars minifigures (that and the Rebel Fleet Troopers). The overall build looks pretty good, but there's something off about it, and after two years I still can't put my finger on it.

I thought the goats were rather fitting, too. Hopefully there will be a new and even better goat piece released later down the line. Texturing the ground floor was tough. I had a go at a previous castle build where I stacked 1x1 studs in light bluish grey, dark bluish grey, and brown on top of each other in a rather random order. While I sort of liked the texture there, it was way too parts intensive and didn't look great used in excess. With the ground floor here I had no real plan for the texture and simply stacked bricks and would check to see if it looked good the chimney (which isn't visible in this image) is the weakest element of the ground floor as I think it is too smooth and grey. I'm glad you like the black panels! I initially wanted to make the walls yellow with black panels (like the wall piece in 6074) but it did not gel well at all. I think the white and black looks a bit better than reddish brown and white.

I don't know, maybe. I might build some sort of square for them at some point, that idea has come to mind before.

I have no idea what I'm going to do for the roof yet... I'm quite fond of the way the Medieval Blacksmith does the roof. The Lady Knight joined my "Dragon Knights" village military. Thanks! Maybe I shouldn't have posted the goats, my intention wasn't really to flex them.

My intention was just exterior and landscaping. The inside of both the ground and second floors are kind of messy, as there are a lot of headlight bricks that don't gel in terms of color. I may do an interior for the second floor as that isn't as bad in terms of out of place colored bricks.

Thanks! Haha, yeah I'm very fortunate to own those goats.

After building 21325 I had a newfound surge of inspiration to begin a new Castle MOC. I started this a few weeks ago and I'm glad to say I have made significant progress on it. Here we have the Black Falcon outpost. It's a simple building for soldiers to lodge in. Ideally, there will be a larger landscape surrounding the building.

I dunno, I kind of like the sound of getting more of the Black Falcon soldiers from the Ideas set in other places. Personally, their my favorite faction and I'd like to slowly build a small army of them, but I can understand the want for updates to other factions. I'd like to see the original Wolfpack get some sort of update in the same vein as the Black Falcons.

I appreciate the Nexo Knights love. I think you might be on to something with modifying castle sets to be more in line with the general aesthetic of Nexo Knights.

This looks like a pretty good build. My favorite aspect of it is the roof. The shields in various colors of blue make a really cool texture and makes the building pop. It's a tad disappointing how scaled down the building is, but I hope that means it will be a relatively affordable set.

Here are the figures I'd like to see. I assume I can get really outlandish and unrealistic with this list. Luke Skywalker (Yavin Celebration) Anakin Skywalker (CW 2003 Vol. 2 with the tattoos) Rebel Friend Blue Arc Trooper (CW 2003) Captain Fordo (CW 2003) General Kenobi (CW 2003) Mara Jade Luke Skywalker (Shadows of the Empire) Leia (Boushh)

Ooh, I hadn't really thought of that. That'd be cool if that's the case.

The old style uniforms are a little strange. I'm not too bothered, they're kind of like TLG's interpretation of the uniform, and I kind of like them. Snape's new printing is nice, too.

They've changed the student uniforms again. They look very similar to the ones we've gotten in 2001 and 2010. I like them and at the moment it makes the students that have those torsos exclusive to those sets, though I imagine they'll be in the other sets from next year, as well.

The 2021 Classroom/book sets have been revealed (I saw them on LEGO's Instagram). They look really good.

Oh my goodness this is absolutely amazing. I am in love with this build. All the colors are great and blend well, and you definitely captured the feel of the Elves theme. This makes me wish I had gotten some of the sets when it came out. Absolutely great work!

Hello everyone, This semester in college I am taking Expository Writing. This course's focus is on discourse communities, and I chose Eurobricks as my community of study for this semester. For our second project, I chose to write specifically on the Historic Themes forums. I thought it would be cool to share this work with the community. Eurobricks’ Historic Themes Community A core element of Eurobricks’ discourse as a whole is the discussion on new and upcoming products from The LEGO Group (TLG). Topics such as the 2020 and 2021 set discussions for the Star Wars forum have almost constant activity revolving around either sets that have just been released, or rumors and unofficial reveals of upcoming products. This type of discussion can be found on many subforums on the website such as in the City forums and the Action and Adventure Themes forums. However, there are some forums and subgroups that do not have this kind of discourse actively going on, namely the Historic Themes forums, which comprise of AFOLs whose interests lie with The LEGO Group’s previous Castle themes and related lines (namely Lord of the Rings). Because the Historic Themes forums and subgroup do not have any current products and sets related to them coming out, the discourse in these forums utilizes several genres to continue the discussion of LEGO related to historic themes. The broad definition of genre that will be used takes into consideration the form in which information is presented, the more specific elements and rules that make up any given genre, and how the genre can be used to achieve a specific goal. The underlying and driving force of much of the discourse in the Historic Themes is nostalgia, which is present both in the desire for a new castle theme, and in many of the MOCs posted to the forums. The History of The LEGO Group’s “Castle” Lines In order to understand much of the discourse surrounding Eurobricks’ Historic Themes subgroup, it’s important to understand the history of TLG’s “Castle” lines. “Castle” was one of the original themes to come out of the System line in the late 1970s and since its inception has been a staple of TLG. The line has had over 100 sets produced and has gone through several different styles and forms in the last 40 years. This long lifespan has created a multigenerational interest in the theme. AFOLs and TFOLs alike have an interest in Castle and the community has been around for quite some time. The last major line under the broader “Castle” banner was “Kingdoms” that lasted until 2012 and was replaced by “Lord of the Rings,” a theme that was especially well revered by AFOLs. “Lord of the Rings” had a short run and the last “Castle” line to come from LEGO was in 2013. This line did not last long and since its end, there has not been a proper Castle theme released. Because of this, there has been an extended drought of new content related to Castle and to Eurobricks’ Historic Themes subgroup. Despite this drought, the community surrounding TLG’s Castle lines has thrived and continues strong, despite the lack of official support from TLG. What is Eurobricks’ “Historic Themes” Subgroup? Eurobricks’ “Historic Themes” subgroup, while primarily a place for MOCs and discussion on TLG’s “Castle” themes is also encompasses some of TLG’s smaller, similar themes as well. As the name implies, “Historic Themes” is host to lines and themes The LEGO Group has made that are focused on certain periods in history. For example, TLG produced a line based on the American West with several sets focusing on both cowboys and Indians in the 90s. Another line that was a subtheme of “Castle” was “Ninja,” which provided sets and builds for both ninja and samurai. Both of these themes, while very small, still have a presence on the Historic Themes forums. Another theme, as previously mentioned, while not technically a “historic” theme is “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” subtheme. These lines provided new pieces, sets, and minifigures that could easily be used in “Castle” MOCs and other similar projects. As such, these lines fall under “Historic Themes” while not actually based on the knights and castles of history. Historic Themes and “MOC-Posting” One of the biggest genres of Eurobricks, and by extension the Historic Themes forums, is “MOC-posting,” a self-coined term that will be used to refer to users posts about their MOCs. MOC-posting is a key element of the Historic Themes forums, as users’ creations are what drive much of the discourse in this subgroup. When it comes to MOC-posting, there are some standards and commonalities between all photos of MOCs uploaded. For starters, any MOC that is uploaded to the Historic Themes forums must be related to historic themes, whether it be based on Castle, Lord of the Rings, or Ninja. Any MOC that is not related to any of the themes under the Historic Themes umbrella will not be found on this subforum. The other major standard of MOC-posting is that all the photos strive to be of professional quality. Proper lighting, clear image resolution, and images that present the entirety of the MOC and its content are all standards users strive to meet when sharing images of their creations. The discussion around these MOC-posts mostly consists of constructive criticism and questions regarding certain build techniques and parts used in the project. Eurobricks’ Guilds of Historica MOC-Posting is found across the entirety of the Historic Themes subforum. But there is a particular section of the forums that is dedicated to MOC-posting and more specifically, creating a world with users’ MOCs. Guilds of Historica (GoH) is, “The castle MOCers paradise” (Eurobricks). GoH presents a medieval fantasy world for users on the forums to build MOCs based on this world and expand the ever growing and adapting lore. Users will post their MOC and provide some sort of script or short story detailing the story/event that the MOC represents. For example, in a recent post to GoH “Allanar Market,” user soccerkid6 provides an image of a small market build and this small story for it, “Folwin heads to the Allanar market with a cart load of fresh carrots. While Allanar is a dwelf town, customers from the Adventurers Guild do often frequent it for the high quality goods. Dorsey is one such customer, whose prime adventuring years are well behind him. Though he doesn’t think so, and still picks brawls that more often than not result in him wandering around dazed for sometime” (Eurobricks). GoH serves as an even smaller subsection of Eurobricks as users can join one of four guilds: Varlyrio, Avalonia, Mitgardia and Kaliphlin. Users will typically base their MOCs on elements of the guild they have joined. For example, the guild of Mitgardia is based on Nordic architecture and Vikings, and the region of Mitgardia is that of frozen wastelands and snowy mountains. As such, many of the MOCs based in Mitgardia will based on the lore established about Mitgardia and the overall aesthetic of the guild. Guilds of Historica is a staple of the Historic Themes forum and is a key element of what keeps the discourse surrounding castle and similar themes alive. Discussion on Future Castle Themes and the Impact of Other Lines on Historic Themes The Historic Themes subgroup is an interesting part of Eurobricks as they represent the greater Castle community. Unlike subgroups such as the Star Wars community, which have a constant supply of new products each year, the Historic Themes community has been without a proper line for roughly four years. The Castle theme has been a staple of The LEGO Group since the late 1970s and only until recently – the last decade or so – has there been a real drought of content in that theme. However, many other themes currently released utilize elements that can be useful to MOCers in the Historic Themes subgroup. A topic titled “Latest impact of other themes on historic themes” provides members of the community a place to document and share new elements – whether they be minifigure pieces or new parts – that can be used in MOCs related to Castle and broader historic themes. The actual rhetoric of this topic is very conversational, as members bounce off ideas regarding the usage of new parts, and everyone who contributes to the forum is eager to see what new elements are introduced and can be utilized. Members also post their minfigures that use these new pieces. Even though the discourse is very conversational, the structure of members’ posts conforms to standard English conventions of grammar; and emoticons are also used in replies. “You know, I could see the new ponytail/tricorn hat combo mold introduced with Series 20's upcoming "Pirate Lass" CMF being recolored for a Minuteman/Paul Revere-inspired CMF in a future Series... ” (Eurobricks). “Latest impact of other themes on historic themes” is a topic that is frequently visited and updated on the Historic Themes forums. Despite there not being a new Castle or similar theme, the Historic Themes community on Eurobricks is able to thrive due to topics like this on the site. Historic Themes and Nostalgia A common thread amongst the topics in the Historic Themes forums is nostalgia. Because castle as a theme has existed for over 40 years, there are many AFOLs who grew up with Castle in one form or another. The dearth of new and official content for Castle is the primary cause for the nostalgia. Many of the MOCs posted to the general forum are either inspired by older Castle content or are direct re-imaginings of old Castle sets. For example, in the last month, one use – pantelis – has posted two MOCs that are updates of older sets from the 80s and 90s using contemporary LEGO pieces. Pantelis’ works are not the only MOCs in recent months that are directly inspired by Castle sets of the past. MOCs like charlesp1138’s King Lennox’s Castle (inspired by Knights Kingdom I) and Niku’s Eastfold Rohan Stables (inspired by Lord of the Rings) were just two examples of recent MOCs that garnered a lot of traction and views. Guilds of Historica’s activity in the last several years can also be seen as a direct response to the lack of castle content, and nostalgia for what once was. All four of the regions in Historica are based on previous subthemes of Castle, like Vikings and Elves. Despite the heavy influence of nostalgia on the Historic Themes forums and community, it does not inhibit and relegate to the discussion on the forums to the past, as previously explored. Nostalgia for previous Castle themes helps to drive much of the discussion in topics such as “Future Castle Sets?” Recently, LEGO unveiled an expansion to one of their LEGOLAND theme parks that would be inspired by creatures from medieval fantasy. Since this reveal, discussion on the aforementioned topic has exploded as users discuss ideas for the theme that build off ideas previously explored in past Castle themes. In response to another user’s idea for an army-builder set, user MAB responded: Back in the day, they did sell (unlicensed) dwarf battle packs ... 852702-1.png Similarly for different knights, skeletons, trolls etc. If adding to a theme, they are a good idea. While a box of single colour DBG pieces might sound attractive to adults, I doubt it would sell that well to kids and families, especially if there are no instructions with what to build with it. Even multi-coloured Classic boxes have instructions. Concerning Uruk-hai, they did a type of battle pack: 9471-1.png Four Uruk-Hai, Eomer and a generic Rohan Warrior and a horse. Plus a selection of mainly grey parts. Yet people complained about it being "just a bit of wall". (Eurobricks) Despite the heavy reference to previous endeavors of The LEGO Group in terms of historic themes, users such as MAB use the nostalgia they have to formulate new ideas – and MOCs – that are innovative and creative. Conclusion Despite the dearth of castle themes from The LEGO Group, Eurobricks’ Historic Themes subgroup continues to thrive today due to MOC-posting on the general forums and within Guilds of Historica, and the discussion of current products being put out by TLG in regards to its impact of historic themes. Works Cited charlesp1138. “King Lennox’s Castle.” Eurobricks, 21 Oct. 2020, https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/180937-moc-king-lennoxs-castle/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2020 Digger of Bricks. “Latest impact of other themes on historic themes.” Eurobricks, 28 Feb. 2020, https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/118572-latest-impact-of- other-themes-on-historic-themes/&page=21. Accessed 15 Oct. 2020. MAB. “Future Castle Set?” Eurobricks, 3 Nov. 2020, https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/115655-future-castle-sets/&page=59. Accessed 9 Nov. 2020. Niku. “Eastfold Rohan Stables.” Eurobricks. 23 Sep. 2020, https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/180423-eastfold-rohan-stables/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2020. soccerkid6. “Allanar Market.” Eurobricks. 30 Sep. 2020, https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/180582-allanar-market/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2020.