Bregir

Hull rating is, AFAIK only relevant for battles. Look at it like so: Range determines how well the vessel sails on the high seas, while hull rating determines its ability to withstand gunfire. If this changes, you will see it in the MRCA rules, but I don't expect it to do so. :) As to pirates, I think we will try to implement some sort of direct monetary loot from capture, but the main value is likely to be the prize itself. So selling it may certainly be necessary in some cases, and I don't think we would want to change that? Also, the new MRCA will most likely result in more lone traders, so I think it may become more profitable (if also a bit more risky) to be a pirate. (And escorts will probably be more limited) @Legostone: Well, as long as you follow the rules (letter AND intent ;)) you are free to do as you please. Just note that smaller ships may be cheaper, but they are also likely to be easier prey. ;)

I do indeed believe that running the numbers will show that it really isn't that unfair ;) And we would probably stop you if you tried doing that. ;) Generally, it would be really nice if people would look for all the great opportunities the rules open up for, rather than searching for possible exploits :P The point is to make having a few small vessels sensible, rather than letting them be crowded out by larger ones. :)

In this particular case, MKJosha will be refunded his ownership of the Morning Fog. In the relicensing process, whether he relicensing that moc as the morning fog or the original jade piranha shouldn't matter. It is a special case because we are refunding and relicensing from scratch. And for continuity's sake, it makes the most sense to relicensing the Morning Fog, as the other is sunk. If the moc is large enough for a class 7, then I see no issue. Same for everyone. Also, I am not sure we agree on that rule you mention, as I think we had a ruling to the opposite at some point(?), but in any case, it does not apply in this particular case. Sounds reasonable? As to upkeep... 1) I personally very much enjoy the futile complaints by the rich about taxes, and I tend to feel the same about these upkeep complaints :P On the other hand, some of the class 5's last MRCA brought in neigh on 1,000 shiny golden coins. 2) Upkeep rule may seem harsh for pirates, but keep in mind that it will also keep in port many of the escorts, unless the Royal coffers are to empty prematurely. 3) Upkeep is designed to give you very new players a chance. If everyone else sails with massive fleets, how would you feel in your class 2? 4) Sending your ships out is supposed to be a choice, not a given. Choices make a game interesting. It isn't just a simulation for you to watch ;)

Viqia is a new face this side of the galaxy, and her person is shrouded in mystery. (Something she takes care to maintain) It appears that she has taken employ with the Black Sun only recently, after eyeing the opportunity to turn a healthy profit. At least, that is what she has told anyone who dared to ask. Rumour has it that she is almost unnaturally skilled with both pistol and rifle, and it is said that she took down a notorious smuggler and his gang on Tatooine after a short gunfight. Conveniently, this rumour surfaced just before she negotiated her fees with the Black Sun, and it is said that she is the most well-paid newcomer to Xizor's court in a long time. Only time will show how much of this is true...

I expect to sign up later today :) (And have found out that spaceships is a very different kettle of fish! :P )

Yes, that is exactly how it is to be understood, and what I believe the text of the law states :)

It's looking great sofar, LS. Are we supposed to know of the Shtandart, or is it some obscure dutch ship? ;) Comparing her to the drawing, I think your mizzen is almost one gunport to far forward, but otherwise, it's looking very nice. I think I would forego the yellow line, or at least make it at least two plates thick. I have been contemplating investing in more prefabs myself too. Does speed up the process of shipbuilding considerable! :)

I will echo what others have said about imitation, feedback, and photography. And then add that you should push yourself outside you comfort zone, but not by too much. The first build I remember being really proud of was a gatehouse I built for Guilds of Historica. It was, technically, a very plain and simple build. All studs up, and no particularly advanced techniques. Rather than experimenting with super advanced techniques, I pushed myself to new heights within standard Lego building. I spent more time on landscaping, tore down parts multiple times, experimented with different doors, gates, crenelations, etc. I spent a lot of time fine-tuning the build. So, where am I going with this? Well, by building something "simple" (could be an interior, a small garden scene, a house, etc.) I didn't have to reinvent the wheel. Instead, I could try to improve my own wheel, and I got a success put of it, as I found that by sticking to the same build for longer, I could build something that I could be really happy with. I think getting past that point where you finish your build and look at it and think "why can't I do better" is the key here. Realize that you never "need" to finish a build. (even if it means foregoing a challenge deadline! :O ) You can always try improving what you have. It is really very rewarding :) I guess you have the same impression as I when you "finish" a build . There are some parts you are not happy with. Then take them apart and try again! :D And lastly, don't build for praise, likes, recognition, or pride. Build for fun and the rest may come as a pleasant surprise. While praise is nice, I improve much more from constructive criticism and thus much prefer that. :)

Nice to see that fortress again and excellent forced perspective! Also, nice looking surgeon. Will we see more of Aaron and less of Guilder going forward? In any case, all the best wishes for Guilder's recovery.

Congratulations to the winners - some very nice entries in this category (especially for a shipo-phile! ;) ) And very interesting to see the emergence of a new newspaper! :P Corlander warships never attack shipping crafts. Instead, we use them for provisions and information. Further, the squabbles of minor nations are of little consequence for us! ;)

To all citizens of Corrington, The Royal New Terran Fleet has tallied up it's current resources which can be found in the relevant document. Should any shipyard have excess capacity, or should anyone be interested in purchasing one of the prizes, please contact the Royal New Terran Fleet HQ. Your humble servant Read Admiral Fletcher Commander-in-chief, Royal New Terran Fleet

Ok, it appears the problem with the dark pictures had something to do with a badly lighted smartphone screen. Sorry :) I am still a little confused as to the aft castle, though. That large sloped piece with the number looks a bit malplaced to me currently, but that might just be me not seeing where you are going with it! :P It also appears that the forecastle is tilted a bit more than I first thought. However, for this old vessel, overdoing the angles a bit might not be a bad thing. Notice how obvious the angles are on the drawings and models LS shared. Anyway, just wanted to add that. Looking forward to seeing her progress anyhow! :)

A robber on Cocovia?! The Winged Cuirassiers will at once be dispatched to deal with the issue, although I fear he has already left, after finding what he was looking for! ;) Lovely landscaping as always, captain - I like the trees and rockwork and the two-sided trail is great. The robber makes me think of the red pimpernel in that outfit. As always, you really have a knack for carriages - I think they are all a bit large for a single horse though - two or four seems to be more right to me. :) And the story is intriguing. I am reminded of Tintin and the secret of the unicorn! Looking forward for more!

I find the dark pictures a bit hard to distinguish from the dark background, but nonetheless lets give it a try. :) I would suggest you start planning for the location of the masts, and then building the fore and aft-castles up around that. As to the curve of your forecastle, I think I would venture to angle it a bit more. And if possible work in an upwards sloping curve going forward. (And the same for the aftcastle) I can't really distinguish what is going on aft, so I will wait until I see more :) Looking forward to seeing her progress!

Great looking wave, nice fishing crafts and a very large fish! What more could one want? Well done, Captain - I wouldn't think entirely non-trans water could look this cool. Keep it up!

Haha, very amusing entry, KB! I am not too sure I would venture to sail a vessel with what will essentially work as a large fore and aft sail that can't be trimmed anyway, though! I'd love to see more of those two vessels, as the details are somewhat lost (in the fog? ) in the current presentation. The privateer appears rather wide, and its seems to be using some interesting techniques, and I'd like to see more. Those curved catheads are great, btw. Keep up the good work!

Cool entry, Bodi - you are promising to become one of the master ship builders of BoBS! I like how your story is depicted by the different detail shots of the build, although it took me a while to figure out which vessel was which. That is honestly a bit embarassing, as I should immediate have spotted which was the schooner and which was the sloop (), but anyways, it goes to illustrate how setting the scene can be important to ease people into the story. Perhaps first taking a shot of the privateer with some wreckage could have helped a bit? Your pictures are generally fairly good, but appears a bit overexposed. Perhaps adjusting the white balance in photoshop or gimp could help? I am not expert, but can see the white sort of burning through the pictures. Alternatively, shorter exposure could perhaps help? As to a background, the starry night is turning out as your signature by now! However, Gideon once suggested to use a roller curtain as background, and while I haven't yet gotten around to trying it myself, I have seen it used to great effect. As to your vessels, they are both really good, with great looking hulls. Those curves are really hard to achieve, especially on this scale! I really like this size of vessel, and I will be looking at these for inspiration. A few comments to each: The topsail schooner I really like how you used those brown curved pieces for the lower hull, and you've managed a fine curve on the upper hull. In a few of the transitions, it could perhaps use a bit more work, but at this scale, what you have achieved is really, really good! (At the bow, it is a bit square, though) As to the rigging, I think the foremast could have been placed further forward which would again have allowed for bigger spanker sails - currently, they look a bit too small (and I think the spanker booms should be lowered to just above minifigure height, which would firther increase their size). At the same time, that would raise the angle of your forestays, making the foresails look a bit more natural. Nonetheless, what you have is really nice, and I especially like the effect of the fallen mast in the end! The sloop My favourite of the two, probably because the rigging looks more in the right proportions, making her look more elegant. Again, the hull is very pretty, and for this one, the rigging is very good. My only suggestion would be to looking more into how "real" rigging is done, with shrouds, back- and forestays, upper and lower masts, etc. That way, you could get an even more realistic rig, that would really finish off your already excellent work beautifully. And as KB, I really like how you've attached the boom - very realistic and elegant solution! All in all, great work - and I am always looking forward to seeing your next vessel!

I think this moc goes to show that it doesn't take a quantillion bricks to tell a good story. I really enjoyed the read, and found it quite humourous! Also, it reminds me of one of the classic piratey movies from my childhood (think Errol Flynn-era), where I believe they did this trick. In general, your pictures are good (well-lit and clear) but a few of the larger ones appear to suffer (a bit) in terms of focus on some parts of the build. Without being an expert, I think you may be using too low an f-number on the overview pics, which can lead to some objects going out of focus. It isn't a lot, but I think it may help giving the overviews the last bit of clarity. The privateer's hull is constructed rather cleverly, although the shape looks a bit too mechanic with those straight sides. I am loving those swivel guns and the steering oar, but I think that single set of oars might be a tad too little for any significant propulsion! I am stille debating with myself what I think about the waves, but if you coupled the use of colour with a bit more elevation, I think it could work really well. All in all, solid entry with a good presentation and an amusing story! Keep it up!

Simple yet effective. I think this is a very suitable business and building for a new settlement. The open sided workshop is fitting for someone who works with fire in a hot climate, and your kiln is great - I particularly like those heavy doors. The roof is nice too. My only suggestion is that the top of the pottery wheel would have been better flat. If it is available in the right colour, one of the 2x2 round tiles with a stud in the middle could have worked. :) All in all, very well done!

The source (wikipedia article) looks perfectly legitimate. But I think the number of guns and the general looks of it might deceive us. I believe it is much smaller than it appears - notice how tall the decks look. I think the stern galleries are only marginally taller than i) a single deck, and ii) a person. It is a "river frigate" from 1768 made to operate on the Donau (Danube) river, which explains both the oars, the flat bottom, and the large rudder. It may also well be the reason behind the curious rig, as it would probably only use sails under suitable conditions. My guess? Lengthwise, it is no longer than a typical large brig, but with a wider and flatter bottom they have added another deck allowing it to carry considerable more guns. Being made for river travel, the demands on stability are very different, which means the flat bottom and a bit of top weight probably isn't a big problem. @Mesabi: I think I can see where you are going with the hull, and I am impressed you are, as a relatively new shipbuilder, trying out what appears to me to be a new, or at least not one of the established, techniques. Very ambitious, sir! However, a few things might need a bit of rework - her horisontal lines are very straight, which makes her look rather modern, as if built in steel. I think the overall shape of the hull is rather good, but you have a lot of large straight sections and some pretty jagged transitions, that could use a bit more work. It will probably take some more hinges of different kinds (I have myself scourged bricklink for some in the most relevant colours - can be done even at a small budget, really.), but I don't think you will regret such a purchase in the long run. Helps shipbuilding tremendously!

We have decided that you get the prize for participation, but unless you build for the black sun, you will not compete for the first and second prize. (As you are competing for other prizes as part of SoNE. :)

The crown keeps a steady eye on the ambitious and effective Colonial Governor, and is, so far, impressed with his progress. Also, Camp Isaac also falls within his wings:

Name: Camp Isaac Ownership: The Crown of Corrington Location: Cascadia, East Prio Sea Map: Mayor: None. The settlement is managed by the Royal Society of Natural Philosophy Trade Value: See account summary Town Bank: See account summary Who can own property at Camp Isaac: Any scientific endeavour will be welcomed in Camp Isaac, however non-scientific, foreign endeavours should obtain permission from the military governor first. (A mere formality, simply state your intentions in this thread) Who can freebuild in Camp Isaac: Anyone Description: Camp Isaac is the first Halosian settlement on Cascadia and is located in the only navigable deep water channel in the estuary of the largest river on Cascadia. This river connects a large inland lake with the ocean, and, as the estuary consists mainly of wet lands criss-crossed with small streams, river travel makes up the main mode of transport for the camp, both downstream to the ocean by the deep water channel, and upstream, inland towards the lake. To make navigation easier, a series of lighthouses are planned for the deep water channel, as is a bridge to ensure communication with the mainland. Build on wetlands and mainly serving as a base camp for expeditions into the interior of Cascadia, Camp Isaac consists mainly of tents, wooden huts, and other somewhat temporary constructions. It is renowned for being the starting point for the expedition which famously discovered the golden city of Myzectlan, and named after its founder and member of the expedition, Don Isaac Montoya. Managed by the Royal Society of Natural Philosophy, the camp welcomes all scientific expeditions and offers a perfect place to prepare for adventures! Original Information: Builds in Camp Isaac Please help us out by posting your a link to your Camp Isaac builds in this thread. Licensee is Listed after the type of licence. Properties: 16/31 Size for EGS purposes - Level 2 'Town' Required for Level 4 'Large Town': 18 settlement points including at least: x4 factories, x4 artisans, x1 art and culture. Residences: 4 Scientific Lodgings, large residence, Royal Society of Natural Philosophy (via Ayrlego) (+3 settlement size) Small House, small residence, Camp Isaac (via Ayrlego) (+1 settlement size) Factories: Artisans: Commerce: 5 Post Office, medium commerce, Camp Isaac (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Waymart Camp Isaac, large commerce, Mesabi (+3 settlement size) Art and Culture: Educational: 5 Explorer's cabin, medium education, Elostirion (+2 settlement size) Big cat observation post, small education, Mesabi (+1 settlement size) Invasive species, medium education, Mesabi (+2 settlement size) Plantations: Mines: Forts: 2 Camp Isaac Palisades, medium fort, Camp Isaac (via Bregir) (+2 settlement size) Troops: Other Buildings: Vessels stationed here: Other related builds: On a ropewalk near Camp Isaac, Bregir The Cats of Cascadia: A paper for the Royal Society of Natural Philosophy, Ayrlego

In that case, I will be happy! ;) (One could suggest trying new techniques, of course) I am not asking anyone to "invent" areas to improve, but if you see something that isn't up to par, or have a suggestion, don't be afraid to share, :)

I'd definitely like you to continue not being offensive! ;) But some suggestions for improvement is always appreciated! :) We call it praise - criticism - praise, which in Danish goes "Ros - Ris - Ros"