Bregir

Prior builds: In the Captains Cabin (Bregir) Pieces Of A Puzzle (Ayrlego) Balls of Steel (Elostirion) Traitor at the Livery (Silentwolf) Arriving at Mooreton Bay (Bregir) Undercover for the Final Piece (Bregir) Plundering the Treasure Fleet (Ayrlego) The glass was falling, and fast, and large specks of grey cloud were forming an impenetrable heavenly roof, while the waves were growing taller by the minute. The Ironsides were on a chase, running under reefed courses alone through the swell. Only hours ago, the look-out had reported the flash of guns reflected in the heavy clouds, and short thereafter the thunder of the great guns had reached the deck, and since then. A hushed silence and tension had fallen over the crew. This would not be an easy battle, not in this storm, and not against this enemy. Only a few days since, Cooke had looked on in horror as the Black Oak had departed with Allcock and his consorts on board. Their plan had been simple: Allcock should have left the Oak under the cover of night after acquiring the "smoking gun" - the evidence to legitimise pre-emptive action against the privateer. Returning to the Ironsides, they would then have taken up station to intercept the Oak before she were to catch her prey. But as ever, the plan had only worked until the first encounter with the enemy, and he had had to improvise. Rushing back to the Ironsides in Mooreton Bay, he had taken on as many volunteers from Major Allcock's Light Company as could be accommodated aboard, and set sail to intercept the Oak. And they had been rushing on just this side of recklessness ever since, the timbers moaning and the rigging singing from the stress. "Deck ahoy" the look-out shouted through the cacophony of sounds, "Sails spotted, just off the starboard bow. Two ships, apparently damaged." Cooke, with a firm hold on a stay, trained his spyglass towards the enemy, and as they reached the top of a swell, his mark, clear and true. "An extra ration of grog to that man - AFTER the battle." he replied, before barking out a number of orders, putting the Ironsides about, setting her on a course towards firmly gaining the weather gauge of the enemy. "…and shake out another reef in the fore and main course. They shall not escape us now!" he added with a confidence he did not feel. In fact, he had little doubt of catching up, as the Ironsides had proven a very stiff ship, well-suited for harsh weather, and the crew would have their fight. However, he knew as well as the crew that the odds were now very different. It was clear that the privateer had taken its prize, and this meant he now had two enemies to deal with. But would this prove to be two undermanned, heavily damaged cripples, or two battle-readied warships? Cooke had seen the Oak close by, no doubt more than a match for the Ironsides, and he knew enough of the Eslandian Treasure Ships not to disregard the formidable power of the prize galleon. A plan was forming in Cooke's mind, which always seemed to take on a life on its own in these situations. He expected the Eslandians to have put up a ferocious fight, and therefore assumed at least some damage on both ships and crew, but more importantly, he expected the pirate crew to be in a state of disorganisation. With a prize just taken, some would be drunk, and all would be exhausted from repairs, as well as spread out across the two vessels. He reckoned he had three things at his advantage: The element of surprise, the sharpshooters of Allcock's light brigade, and the heavy, short range carronades. Armed with 24 pounder carronades and with a crew trained to near perfection by their former commander, the Ironsides could release a hellfire of heavy steel, if only she could get close enough. Cooke's mind lingered for a second thankfully on Ferguson, who, during the voyage to New Terra, had drilled the crew to near perfection at the great guns. He would rush down between them, fighting both broadsides, forcing them to a swift surrender. Two things worried him, though. First, if the privateers were ready for him, his command on the Ironsides might be ended prematurely, as would many lives under his command. Second, there was the risk of maiming or killing prisoners on board the two vessels, or Allcock and his men. But this was a risk he had to take. If only the privateers would give some sign as to the level of damage and fighting ability. If only…. "They flee, Captain!" hailed the lookout. Cooke smiled. "Beat to quarters! And let's show those ruffians a measure of Corrish justice!" Considering their current positions, battle would be inevitable… __________________________________ A few words on the Ironsides: She is a small razee galleon of considerable age, cut down in '04 to improve her characteristics. She is armed with four long 12 pounder chasers, two fore and two aft, and a broadside of eight 24 pounder carronades on the gundeck. Further, she carries a number of 18 pounder carronades on the upper deck, currently two per broadside. Alongside the scantlings of a much heavier vessel, she is a very effective brawler, able to take on heavier opponents if she can get to close quarters. However, her rather outdated rig makes her somewhat sluggish in light airs. While Cooke had the pleasure of a spacious cabin in the Athena, he must now content himself with a bulkhead aft, enclosing the aft part of the gundeck, allowing him to sling his hammock between the chasers and broadside carronades. Before being cut down, the Ironsides would have had a spacious cabin above deck, but in the name of true Corlander utilitarianism, this had to be sacrificed. ______________ Thanks for looking! We hope you have enjoyed our little story (even if you are Eslandian). For now, this is the final entry, but perhaps time will show the outcome of the battle? ;) C&C welcome as always.

Well, you may chose to interpret it as fear... But remember that pride comes before the fall And thanks - I think the arches work well too. I see what you mean about the foundations, and right now, I can't really figure out why I wanted to include that sewage tunnel. But I suppose it was just an experiment! Thanks, Titus! Arches and pillars FTW!

Recent developments have led to some concerns in the ministries in Belson.

In one of the numerous ministry buildings in Belson, heavy issue were on the agenda. Representatives of the Royal Navy, her Majesty's Armed Forces, the Foreign Ministry, and the Crown convened to discuss current events and the proper Corlander response. The building was a rather grandiose palazzo in the modern style, with an imposing, elaborate façade, facing one of the larger streets of Belson. Few knew exactly what was going on inside this building, or what ministry it was related to, but at all times, two soldiers were stationed outside, guarding the entrance and only letting in those with an explicit invitation, suggesting that confidential matters might be involved. Right at this moment, such a guest was arriving, donning the official uniform of the Eslandian armed forces. Oddly enough, inside a representative of Oleon had also just arrived, and was being welcome by an assistant at the door. What matters might require the presence of both Eslandian and Olean representatives? Upstairs, an answer was to be found. A rear-admiral was expressing concerns about developments in the naval balance of power. "…but with the newly despatched Man-of-war the Triton adding to the existing forces including the HRS Tigre, the Royal Navy can no longer be expected to counter a possible aggression from Oleon. Not without further commitment of forces." All around, the officials were nodding, and the rear-admiral continued: "And Eslandian fleets leave us in a similar predicament. Especially Maestro is in possession of considerable forces, amongst those the Margot. To that, we can add the multitude of privateers and minor powers, attacking our trade…" Her Majesty's representative interjected: "But did not the pirate purge sweep up a great many pirates?" "Indeed, my lord, but despite continuous joint efforts, privateers seem to reappear as swiftly as we can catch them." The general took the word. "I too have ill-tidings. Word has just reached us that Eslandola seems to have invaded Isla de Victoria..." An elderly gentleman in black from the Foreign Ministry cried out in shock: "Oh dear. Although they are nominally at war with Mardier, we were not expecting them to commit to actual fighting! I doubt Mardier will allow such an incursion. And what of the shift in the balance of power in New Terra? What colonies will be next?" "Perhaps King Fernando-Augusto is so confident that his treasure fleets will fill his coffers for war?" the Royal representative suggested. "Bah! Their negligence in keeping its movements confidential means that any tub that floats will be out there hunting the prize of the century," said the admiral, shaking his head. "So be it. Considering their positions in our current diplomatic negotiations, we cannot intervene to their advantage. And should they persist in their efforts to unlawfully claim land in New Terra, we must consider diplomatic action," declared the man in black, followed by nods all around. "The Crown has come to the understanding that we may see improvements in our relations to Oleon? Are the negotiations proceeding as planned?" the Royal Representative asked. "Nothing is certain, but the tides might be changing..." was the ominous answer. And so the discussion went on, only interrupted by short interviews with the Olean and Eslandian representatives, and one can only speculate as to the outcome. It was indeed a turbulent time... ________________________________________________________________________________ Felt like building a palace style building, and with the recent developments in New Terra, I was handed a perfect use for it, as I feel that these needed comment. Know that Corrington watches closely the balance of power in New Terra, and expects anyone to answer to their actions! And note that the things discussed by these officials are not necessarily the official stance of Corrington, but definitely represents our valid concerns... C&C is, as always welcome.

Great galleon, @Kolonialbeamter! (I just loooove tagging! ) I think you have captured a lot of great characteristics of a Galleon, including the curvature of the hull, the aft galleries and cabins, and the long beakhead, as well as the 4 mast rig. I think the two gun decks work very well, and topping it up with further guns on the fore- and aft-castles is great. I think your use of the prefabs work very well, and the way you have constructed the mid-sections is very nice. The rigging is well-done too. My only criticism is that the yards for the courses would rarely be lowered towards the deck. Typically, you will see the course and topsail yards hanging very close around the crosstrees when the sails are furled. (The topsail sheets are fixed on the course yards, making lowering the latter rather complicated.). Overall, the rig is very nice, though, and I particularly like the little mast on the bowsprit! Corrington watches with great suspicion the build-up of Olean naval assets in New Terra, and will be prepared to meet any aggression!

Great wooden stable with great textures. The layers of plate works well like bands holding together the log bricks, and the base of brick bricks is really nice. Building-wise, the highlight is the roof, which is very well executed. I agree with Ayrlego that that small tower is just brilliant and I will probably steal that at some point. Details like the hay bales and the stacked crates round the back finish of the build perfectly. Storywise, you have done a great job, and the posing is nice too. My only suggestion is to think a little bit more about how the pictures relates to the text directly below and above, as a few places, I read something I can't find on the pics, which can be a little confusing. Generally, however, it works out perfectly. Also, I did not expect Micah to be such a harsh man and resort to torture! I really like how you have tied your story into the existing entries, including Ayrlego's, Captain Braunsfeld's and mine. Very well done!

Action-packed and dynamic as always, Franco Clarke! I love those action shots, the ramming, the exploding ship, the wreckage... etc!! The pirate brig is, to me, by far your best vessel yet! I really like the curve of her hull, and that rear gallery is very elegant. A few comments: Historically, it is unlikely that a brig would have a closed gundeck - instead, the guns would be standing on the open deck. That way, you could get a lower profile. The headrails are very nice too, and I particularly like the use of those small antennas. The overall hull shape with its curves is really nice, and if you lengthened it with one more hullpiece, the curve would be more harmonic. Lastly, adding rigging to the ship improves her tremendously, and I think the sails are looking good. A little more work on getting the sail plan more realistic would be nice, but I am sure that will come over time. You are showing a very nice development in your builds and stories, which really leaves me wanting more!

Great! Now adjusted, this is one of the best introes we have seen in quite some time! Will be looking forward to hearing more of your adventures.

Those rumours are pleasing to any man of a truly red heart and mind! One wonders what position that uniform signifies, and what will come of great looking palace. Further, one hopes that building materials will soon arrive to allow the construction of fort Arlin to be completed!

Lovely build, Mengish. I love all the different things going on, and the way you captured it by different angles and close-ups, and your rockwork is good too, as is the general landscaping. I like the story too - obviously, you have put a lot of work into it - but as others have said, you have got some names wrong. Judging from the blue coat, you are obviously enlisting in the forces of Oleon, which means the capital you are referring to surely must be Granoleon. The strange place called Ireland might be an old name for Carno, Garvey or perhaps Pontilla? Welcome to BoBS! I hope those links were helpful

Lovely little house in great colours outside and in! The interior is well done, with a nice balance between space and furniture, and I like palm and the plants growing up the wall. And of course, the story is nice too - can't wait to see where it leads! :)

I hope you will find the time and motivation to finish her! And there is no way an orderly empire like ours have rogue fleets - I am still convinced it is a "false flag" operation, designed to discredit Corrington! (Don't stop telling these stories - I just feel obliged to register an official protest each time! )

*A notice has been posted accross New Terra, calling for risk-willing Captains* The Pirate Hunter King Archibald (3A) under the reputable Captain John Maynard is seeking consorts with which to venture forth and bring justice to the pirate plague pestering these lands. The "King Archibald" is a privately owned (Joint venture between the Brickinson and Montoya Estates) brig of war rated 3A, flying Eslandian colours. Please contact Ibn al'Sayeed for further details.

First of all, I am happy to note that no allusions are being made about Corlanders being behind this attack! ;) Second, this is another great addition to the story of Erwin's career, and as always, there is so much action going on in your stories and builds. Both the story-pics are so full of action, and I like the firing cannon and the splosh of water. The pirate ship has a nice classic feel, and I hope to see more of the Galleon, which looks formidable. I would like to see a rig on it, though. Will be looking forward to your challenge entry!

Fantastic map, Mike - only comment is that it needs more red!

Another lovely "production" build from you, Capt. Wolf. This is one of the best waterwheels I have ever seen in Lego, and I like the stone lower floor and the open wooden upper floor. Keep these things coming! (Btw, if you are interested, King's Harbour has an outstanding contract for a lumbermill... ;) ) It actually reminds me of the watermill at Guedelon castle, probably because of the waterworks and the open upper floor. (If you have any interest in castles and historic crafts, it is a must see. Believe me!)

Corrington has initiated its democratic and enlightened process of picking new islands, and you may expect to hear from us before the turn of the next century. /B

Welcome on the Brick Seas, captain Rimbaud. 'tis good to see another interesting character, and I like the introbuild. Nice interior and sig fig. I only hope that we may not meet on the field of battle, but that of we do, such a,meeting would prove us both honourable gentlemen! /Bregir

Might one ask if Eslandola is going to forfeit on its right to pick two (or is it three?) of these islands? We imperialist Corlanders are DYING to start our island picking process and expand the true enlightened empire of the Brick Seas.

Nice blogpost, Tomsche - it looks like a great event! Particularly the ship-building workshop caught my interest

Argh! You tease! I want more NAOH!

The Corlander convoys are all trading convoys. Details should be found in the convoy forms submitted. It has generally been the squadrons' own responsibility to fill in the proper forms for a predator run, typically done by the appointed commodore. I suggest you confer with your squadron - Very sorry if there has been a misunderstanding.

I have tried to create an overview over all ships missing from Corlander convoys: Here you go: Convoy: Thunderrun Lady Jacqueline (5F), Ayrlego Colour of the Wind (5F), Maestro Green Winds (5F), Maestro Pinto Filly (5F), Silentwolf Convoy: Merry Lyric HMS Green Dragon (2F), Tomsche Pride of Elysabethtown (5T), Maestro Valkyrie II (2F), Celesaurivern Jezebel (2F), Brickon Prince of Stedor (5T), Maestro Convoy: Quick Wing Chubby Duckling (2T), Fuzzy MacFuzz Saucy Gibbon (1F), Ayrlego Convoy: Junkyard Fleet I will leave this to Tomsche, as I have little overview over the status of this mighty fleet! :) From all convoys, at least one ship appears in the results. The convoy setup can be found here. (And for MRCA 2.0, perhaps it would be easier with a single form per convoy, including all the ships in the convoy, rather than an endless number of individual forms?) @Silentwolf: Who filled in the paperwork for your Purge Flotilla?

I have full confidence in leadership finding a solution. If the given solution leads anyone in shortage of cash, reach out to some of your more affluent colleagues for some arrangement. If that is not possible, the Montoya estate is always looking for investments. (And looking on the accounts, there are plenty of people with cash to burn.) On a different note: I'd like to extend a thank you to those who take their time to comment on the builds here, especially those going the extra mile to give constructive feedback. In the beginning, most builds got loads of comments and constructive criticism, but it seems to me that that has been somewhat lacking lately. I find that is a shame, as comments and criticism is what helps us improve, and motivates us to continue our storylines in BoBS. Therefore, I hope some of you will join me in trying to give more (and more elaborate) comments. Of course, I am aware of the time and effort it takes, but seeing how much activity a few lost dubloons spark, I start to fear the quest for profits have taken over this community... :P Want to join me in trying to get back that community feel? :)

Perhaps the missing vessels were simply held back in port for one reason or another (IC wise). Shipping was meant to be the risky choice. (And, for the record, several vessels partly owned by the Montoya estate are amongst those missing.) :) @Kwatchi: I like the attitude. As i do joke-whining! :P Re: WAR Well, so you say, but for naval warfare, it is all there. The Corlander Royal Navy could ( entirely hypothetically ;) ) cleanse the of competitors... :P I am not saying we are planning to do that, but just that naval battles, which would be a large part of colonial warfare, are more or less ready to roll out! ;)