Bregir

I have built both, and believe I will continue to do so going forward. They each have their strengths and challenges, and I don't personally rank one over the other.

It is always a challenge to build up from the bow pieces, regardless of whether you use both, or just the bottom one. I don't think I have a fixed approach, and always end up with some combinations of slopes, hinges, and rounded pieces. Never really found the golden bullet, but I guess that is part of the fun. That said, I think you have found a pretty neat solution in your ship here! She is looking nice! For future vessels, particularly large ships like this, you could consider sheer, which is the curve from bow to stern, that you will see on most shops, most pronounced on older types like galleons. That may also make it easier to integrate the cabin more into the hull. (You have a bit of the box-on-hull look that official Lego ships also have) Looking forward to following her progress and see the final result! @Justsomebrix she is looking damned sexy, man! Excellent sheer, tumblehome and overall shape, and some nice details on deck too. I generally find myself, in physical bricks, witha a similar building process, ending up with a bow and stern that needs figuring out and building after so much else is ready! Best I can say is, fail it till you nail it! Experiment, learn, pick apart, and try again, until you are happy. Never be afraid to redesign, particularly not when you can save several iterations and always restore former versions!

For reference, I will just post my very late entry: A Monomonto Atakebune.

Spudkirk, May 622 AE Naval intelligence report 6Ab3 Unconventional adversary: The Monomonto Atakebune From our sources in the old world, it is clear that the Monomonto empire has never been strong in ocean-going vessels, mainly focusing on heavy coastal vessels for inshore patrols and support for land combat. This is underlined by the almost complete absence of Monomonto merchant vessels throughout the known world. Hence, the campaign on El Oleonda has posed a significant challenge as Halosian nations take the battle to the seas. Having travelled to the new world on allied Lotus junks, the Monomonto forces have had no independent naval support for their campaigning, their indigenous vessels not suitable for the crossing to Terra Nova. As this challenge has become evident, Monomonto forces have brought shipwrights to Terra Nova, to set up local shipbuilding efforts. This has resulted in locally produced versions of the Monomonto Atakebune as first encountered by Lord Damaximus' expedition a few years back. These are heavily built, cumbersome vessels propelled by oarsmen and armoured with hardwood scantlings, and will pose a challenge to our traditional tactics. They will resist both small arms fire and lower calibre guns in anything but point-blank range, and are next to impossible to immobiliser, having no rigging to cut down. The oar propulsion will add an advantage in the fickle winds of inshore combat or other low wind conditions, akin to the challenges the Royal Navy faced in skirmishes with southern nations and their galleys in the past. Armaments are generally inferior to Halosian artillery, although the main weapon, a large ballista, can hurl massive spear-like missiles hundreds of yards at accuracy matching or surpassing some cannon. Sources claim that these missiles can carry explosives or firebombs, detonating on impact, posing a considerable challenge to Halosion vessels. With no rigging to operate, all deck crew can focus on fighting, and armed with muskets, the barrage can be relentless, fired from behind the armoured shields. They are believed to carry large crews of soldiers, who may prove very troublesome in the event of a boarding. Overall, the Atakebune is not generally considered a threat to the Royal Navy ships operating in the theatre, but in some situations, particularly inshore or in a calm, they may be able to leverage their specific characteristics to great advantage against our fleets. Monomonto commanders and troops are generally known for great bravery and skill, and we have no reason to believe their navy would act differently. We advise all commanders and captains to engage the Atakebune only in favourable weather conditions, opening fire at medium range and targeting first the massive ballista on deck, followed by shots between wind and water, aiming to sink the enemy. The ships are deemed impractical for the Royal Navy and of little value for civilian shipping, and the risks of boarding action should be avoided, at least until more is known about the enemy. In her Majesty's Service -= REDACTED =- Naval intelligence

A shame we didn't see any more ships submitted (I think Bodi's was the only submission?), but I have an attempt at a Japanese Atakebune for the Monomonto that I am hoping to post today. I'll post it here despite the deadline. In my research, I was again surprised how little we know about Chinese and Japanese historical ships, and how hard the ones you can find are to build! The highlight of mine is definitely the "working" ballista on deck. The rest isn't, from a Lego or shipbuilding perspective, particularly interesting, even of reasonably accurate to sources. (TL;DR: The atakebune is a boring ship )

I think I managed to get an entry in 1a: Heavy troops of the Lotus 1b: A new foe arrives

On El Oleonda, the Halosian empires are facing enemies fielding arms and tactics much different from what doctrines have evolved to counter over the last decade. The closely choreographed battles between infantry of the line, heavy cavalry, and carefully placed artillery of Halosian armies must now measure up to different foes: The nations of the deep south. As the Lotus Empire have been regrouping after setbacks on the island of El Oleonda, halosian scouts report the presence of a new foe: The Monomonto Shogunate. Where the Lotus Empire emphasises strength in numbers, collective efforts, and cohesion, the Monomonto Shogunate celebrates the individual fighter. Left to right: Light infantry marksmen: In many ways similar to Halosian light infantry, the Monomonto marksmen however engages in even more dispersed fights, often working alone or in smaller groups, picking off enemies with great skill at range. Little information has yet to be procured about their armaments, but they seem to achieve great accuracy, often striking from distances outside the reach of Halosian musketeers. Samurai Commander: The core of the Monomonto armies are the individual noble fighter, the Samurai. In many ways similar to Halosian knights of old, Samurai are said to equip themselves and their retinue out of their own pockets, and command these in battle. Their noble birth is believed to lend authority to their command, as being envoys of the Heavens. The most skilled Samurai commanders will be elevated to commanding groups of Samurai and auxiliaries, and while many of these still carry the weapons and armour of their station, they are rarely put at the front line, often being of considerable age. Nonetheless, it is unwise to cross them, as reaching this station will have required many years of dedication to the craft of war and politics. Ninja Assassin: Another example of the emphasis on individual skill is the Ninja Assassin. Often made up by those of ignoble birth, ninja assassins are trained from a very young age to become skilled fighters, excelling both on the open battlefield and on more covert missions, where stealth is of great importance. It is said that the Ninja would rather die than fail to accomplish their tasks, and many a tale talks of their great dedication and bravery. Light Charger: The Monomonto Shogunate does not have access to the large destriers of Halosian heavy cavalry, but their light chargers sit astride swift and nimble horses, and excel at harassing any enemy. Should you get caught on the run, or simply out of formation, their spears and flails are likely to cause a quick lesson for your ineptitude. It takes great skill to wield a flail from a horse, but these men do so to perfection, adding the speed of the flail to that of the horse. Mountain Infantry: Much of the Monomonto Shogunate is mountainous, and for the difficult terrain of El Oleonda, forces of the mountain-men has been brought in. Taciturn and proud, these men will endure the harshest of conditions, and still fight with a confidence matched by few. Operating independently, marching for for hours without rest, these men, acclimatized to the thin air of the mountain ranges are hard to match in endurance. _____ PS. My (new...) phone always struggles in less than perfect light conditions, so sorry for the grainy pics...

On El Oleonda, the Halosian empires are facing enemies fielding arms and tactics much different from what doctrines have evolved to counter over the last decade. The closely choreographed battles between infantry of the line, heavy cavalry, and carefully placed artillery of Halosian armies must now measure up to different foes: The nations of the deep south. By now, a somewhat known enemy, the Lotus Empire is known to field numerous, well-equipped armies with high morale and a focus on the collective as a fighting force. While some troops are equipped with somewhat archaic weapons, they are of high quality and wielded with great skill. Left to right: Pikemen of the Long Lance: Equipped with a long blade on a pole, and heavily armoured, these troops make up the defensive core of many regiments. Used to screen weaker troops, and to protect against cavalry, they are resilient to shock, although their long weapons make them less effective in close quarters fighting. Often fielded én-masse like hoplites of old, they are however a frightening foe. Commander and banner carrier: Lower level commanders of Lotus troops are expected to join in at the melee, and hence come equipped with swords and lances. Always followed by their banner carrier and bodyguard, they direct troops from the front lines. Dragonhead Rocket Cart: While muskets are still relatively new in the Lotus arsenal, gunpowder has been used for rocket artillery in centuries, and few can match the skill and terror of a Lotus rocket barrage. The Dragonhead rocket is a short range, relatively high precision weapon often employed just behind Lotus lines, firing screaming, smoke-fuming dragonhead rockets at enemy positions and formations, often causing great terror, and apart from the potentially deadly explosion strong fumes of sulfurous smoke is spread over the impact area to great discomfort for advancing troops. Hand-cannoneer: As with rockets, the Lotus Empire has found other uses of gun powder. One such is the hand-cannon. Deployed and operated by skilled artillerymen, these hand-cannons can lop grenades accurately much farther than the bombs of a Halosian grenadier, and much more accurately than from a howitzer or mortar. While slow to reload, the explosive charges and shrapnel can wreak havoc amongst enemy troops. _____ PS. My (new...) phone always struggles in less than perfect light conditions, so sorry for the grainy pics...

I love seeing these exotic vessel types and this is a fine example! I really like the hull(s), but my favourite detail is the rudder! Excellently made! It's an interesting rigging concept and overall very well made!

It is sad and upsetting, and I too hope none here, nor their families, are affected on either side. War *is* horrible, in particular when it is for no good reason other than to fit the power fancies of a few powerful men. I am an army veteran myself, and have seen a very little bit of war - it brings suffering to everyone near, yet rarely to the true culprits. Sometimes, though, it is ok to take a side. And right now, the Sea Rat colours are looking damn fine!

Indeed! These really should be added to Jameis Farstrider's guide!

What a beautiful scene! Those yellow hues really translate well into an autumn scene, and the round studs really give the impression of a thick cover of fallen leaves!

As always, I am happy to see another vessel from the Quinnsville shipyards, and a brick-built one at that! My favourite parts of the brig are the bow and headrails and your raised quarterdeck. It does look a bit funky that the sides converged towards the stern right from the bow backwards. On your next ship, I'd suggest you look into having more or less parallel sides for approximately the space between the fore and main mast. I feel like I am spotting some hinges, but can't really see a tumblehome, which may be a nice challenge for your next brick-built vessel. Your rigging looks good too - you could experiment with custom rigging. It takes a bit of string, but it's good relaxing work. I'd also like to see you try out more realistic masts. Right now, you have the topmast sitting right on top of the mainmast. In reality, they should be staggered, similar to what I have in this picture: The fall of the Resilience by Christian West, on Flickr Overall, excellent brig, sir! May she bring Brickford safely to the east to bring war to our enemies!

The 1x1 transparant bricks work well for the water - perhaps a dark green or something along those lines underneath instead of light blue would make it look more swampy? I really enjoy the vegetation throughout, and it is really cool that you have placed the building at an angle. Last, but not least, it is tied really well into the world, both the type of settlement, the outcome of the tMRCA, the GoC, and the ETTC. Well done and a big for GoC!

Generally, I'd say the cut-off is the tMRCA deadline. So basically, you can still recruit troops until the deadline, if I understand you correctly. Doesn't seem like there is an issue for you?

Just the Eastern Seas ;)

Corrington has long planned to take the fight to the Lotus, so we have been in the process of shipping troops east already. Exactly how far they have gotten, I am not sure until we see the results, which should be under way

Can you order this sort of piece from bricks and pieces? I'll need to try that out! How does it work? :)

Woah, that's an excellent torso for uniforms! I am thinking hussars, but they could be good for almost anything. Might be hard to come by in any quantity, though.

The rules for hideouts have been simplified, and once a hideout is established, you no longer need to post builds to keep it active. This is also an opportunity to remind the good people of BoBS of this nice little feature, so very effective for black flaggers not wanting to risk going into an unfriendly port! Some aspects have been clarified too:

Looks excellent!

Oh, I hear ya. Writing stories is tough work. What I would suggest is to start with where the ship is built, who is the captain and owner, who will it sail with, what will it do, etc. That can typically kick-start a small story, that helps the build come alive

Looks good - a very nicely built scene, and I like the limber and carriage for the gun - it looks like a heavy piece. It doesn't look like you've bungled anything. I think some of your pictures may be overexposed, though - the white limber is very lit up to the extend it is hard to make out the details.

A very impressive ship. A few notes on posting. It is perfectly fine to post the ship elsewhere too, but we need a post here if the ship is to be used in bobs. That is to make sure it is part of bobs, that people know it exists, and to give it a story. Remember, ships are not just a mechanical thing to optimise the mrca. It is a living breathing part of our world. BoBS is a collective story building effort, and the builds are part of building the world of bobs. So I encourage you to give the ship a small story in BoBS. It is interesting to hear your comments on how it was built, what details you like, etc. I would ask that you consider whether the following comment and the big link to another forum is really the optimal way to add to BoBS. The link is perfectly fine, but I would suggest you add it last. Generally, I start with the story of this ship, then the practical stuff (such as class), and lastly OOC comments on the ship. I would suggest you consider something similar, and thus focus first on the things that are most relevant for BOBS.

May Christmas bring you all many prizes and glorious hauls of goods!