Khorne

Nice vignette. The black tiled border gives it a clean and finished look. Cool soldiers.

Nice ending of the story. I like how you've built up the mine from nothing to this and seeing the activity.

Thanks guys! There's not much new in there. It's mostly an extended centralization of everything that's been out there for now. I just thought it'd be easier to put it into one topic, kind of like how other players group their MOCs and stories (like @Ross Fisher did for the Padre). I will try and update/complete the graphics and information from time to time and add some pictures to make everything more visually interesting. I'll add in my MOCs as well. Thanks! It's always fun to know some people read and enjoy this stuff . I don't know how fast there'll be updates. Essen is only a city in an NPC minor nation, after all . I have no idea have it will evolve. Like I said, I'll definitely try to add some scene-setting pictures to give the topic a bit more visual flair.

Just like Ayrlego has a very recognizable build and presentation style, so do you. This is clearly a Kai MOC: the popping colors and the clever chibi-esque building techniques. The presentation fits in perfectly as well, with the cyan backdrop. The build itself is perfect, with plenty of great posing and lots of minifig liveliness. The amount of uses you've found for the armless torsos is stunning. I'm always amazed by what the Iron Builders can come up with.

Thanks, that is very kind! I already have the font though, I think. It's called Pieces of Eight, no? I won't say no to the .ai-file however. Hoarding assets is always useful. Perhaps we can work it out via PM, so to not clutter this thread?

Nice work! I like the splashes of Lavender throughout the build. It helps tie all the Wulham builds together. I also like the earth orange path mixed in with the green grass. It's not a color that's often used for that purpose, but it works really well here. The color combo with the green is very pleasing. While I don't dislike the brown border, it does feel kind of heavy for me. It kind of draws the eye away from the rest of the build, because it's a darker color than the colors used for the "important" part of the MOC: the pastures and house. A green border would've made everything come together more as "one" in terms of color blocking, I think. But maybe that's just me .

Okay great, thanks! I'll give that a try. Weird that most other HTML works by changing the < > into [ ], but not tables.

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK at the FREE CITY OF ESSEN'S ARMED FORCES Infantry Jäger Role: Light infantry Description: The Jäger, or 'hunters' have only recently been officially added to the army of Essen. Originally hailing from the Iron Hills, drawn from brigands, adventurers and mountain men, the Jäger have served Essen mostly as ad hoc Freikorps in times of need, the relation dating back even to the time of the civil war. They are hardy, free-spirited soldiers known for their excellent marksmanship and tracking skills. In battle they use a loose formation to screen the main lines, using the terrain to their advantage. Click the picture to read more. Totenköpfe line infantry Role: Line infantry Description: The line infantry is the face of the Essian army: a black-clad, skull-and-crossbones-adorned disciplined mass. Drilled to a tee, they are the pride of the Eternal City. As is Essen's way in war, the line infantry is employed in an aggressive manner and aim to quickly close the gap with the enemy, marching until they the whites in their opponents' eyes before opening their deadly volleys. Hilfstruppen line infantry Role: Auxiliary line infantry / ancillary units Description: All members of Essian society are mandated to perform regular drills now and then and can be called upon in times of war and are organized into Hilfstruppen This is a measure not taken lightly as it puts severe strain on the City's industrious economy if all the workers are off to war. In war, these units are usually deployed in calmer areas or perform ancillary tasks for the army. On the battlefield they mostly serve to protect the more important professional regiments. Click the picture to read more. Ravenclaw Schützen (Essener Ostterra Handelsbund) Role: Commercial company line infantry Description: Soldiers of the Handelsbund's army are mostly drawn from outside of Essen and are recruited all over Carno and even as far as Altonia. While not an integrated part of Essen's army, it is a public secret that close ties exist between both organizations. On paper however, the Schützen of the Ravenclaw Company are merely there to protect to Company's assets abroad. While members of the first company wear an Essian black uniform, other personnel wears dark blue uniforms to differentiate from the City and its armed forces. Click the picture to read more. Cavalry Kärnitzer Ulanen Role: Lance-armed light shock cavalry Description: The Kärnitzer Ulanen or 'Uhlans of Kärnitz' are Essen's fast shock cavalry. Hailing from the rural village of Kärnitz, situated on the plains outside the Free City, they are characterized by their signature caps and simple double-breasted short jackets which are adorned with black epaulettes - a rare item in Carnite armies and which is probably derived of the uniforms of the Great Powers of Madrice. Click the picture to read more. Todeshusaren Role: Light cavalry/hussar Description: They say Death rides a pale horse, but nothing is less true when it comes to the feared hussars of Essen. While skulls and grim iconography in general are ubiquitous throughout Essen's imagery, the hussars have wholly taken up the image of Death and have made it their own. Click the picture to read more. Hakkapeliitta or 'Hackpistolen' Role: Medium cavalry Description: The Hackpistolen are medium cavalrymen armed with a cleaving sword and multiple braces of pistols. Based on the Garveyan hakkapeliitta sent to aid Essen during the civil war in what is now referred to as the short-lived 'Garveyan Intervention', these hardy cavaliers come with a breastplate and often a steel helmet and are thus able to withstand a prolonged encounter with the enemy troops. They crash unto the lines to wreak havoc, then retreat and repeat. Their aggressive tactics were influential in the redevelopment of Essian cavalry into a more mobile force, less dependent solely on heavy cavalry charges. Click the picture to read more. Leibgarde Kürassiere Role: Heavy cavalry Description: The pinnacle of true Essian values, the Kürassiere are unflinching in combat and loyal to the end. Despite not fully fitting in with Essen's military doctrines of fast moving light units, these heavy cavalrymen are nevertheless the cream of the army. The Leibgarde is mostly deployed to carry the day in dire situations and their coming is mostly seen as a great morale boost as they thunder into enemy lines like true angels of death, regardless of their own wellbeing. Click the picture to read more. AN OVERVIEW OF MOCS portraying the FREE CITY OF ESSEN

Sooo, I've compiled most of the info about Essen into one topic. I will continue to update it and add more pictures and stuff. I just wanted to get the basics up already. I do have some minor questions, though, lay-outing wise: How do you make a table in BBcode? I know how to do it in HTML, but that doesn't seem to work here. How do you make a line, like in the Oleon introduction topic? Can't seem to find a button for it and HTML doesn't work either... Solved this, just had to use the square brackets. Also, I want to reserve the second post for the future, but it keeps on merging my posts . Anyway, here's the topic, if you're interested. Like I've said: it's pretty barebones right now.

Cattle die Walls crumble Crops wither same as with Men but I know of something that is eternal and that is the glory of the Raven City Table of content I. Overview II. A Look at the Armed Forces III. The People and Politics Raise the Raven Banner - A Guide to the Free City of Essen Description The Free City of Essen - the Raven City, the Black City and home of the Ever-Oak - is nested in the upper bend of the mighty river Karn, near the Iron Hills. Once a powerful and high-standing duchy, it lost most of its might and territory during the Dance of Dukes: a dynastic dispute with its rival Aden that saw the death of all of Essen’s von Helborg rulers and thus their claim to the Carnite throne. Despite its historical misfortunes and loss of the ducal titles and territories, Essen still remains one of the strongest city-states of Carno, backed by a powerful economy that thrives on metalworking, forging and arms manufacturing, which have earned the city the title of Carno’s Armory. Nickname Essen has several monikers, but the most common ones are the Raven City or Carno’s Armory. Colors Predominantly black, accompanied by shades of dark grey and odd traces of white. Flag The historic flag of Essen was yellow and black (figure I). However this flag is rarely used nowadays and is known as die Fahne der Grossmachtzeit, or the Flag of Great Power (Times). It was the flag flown during the heyday of the city, when its was part, and capital, of the duchy ruled by the von Helborg dynasty - before it was defeated during the Dance of Dukes. As a sign of the great wealth they lost and the ushering into a new era, the Essians since decided to discard the yellow-gold from their flag and now fly a stark solemn black and white banner instead (figure II). Iconography Der Rabe, or the Raven (figure III) - the Raven is the symbol of Wotan, chief god of the Essian pantheon. Legend says Hraban the Founder settled his people after following a raven to the location of what was to be Essen. Essen's riches are said to have been a gift from the gods themselves. Der Totenkopf, or the Skull (figure IV) - the Skull was added to Essian uniforms and general iconography after the Dance of Dukes. It is the symbol of the nation's perpetual mourning for the loss of their dukes and the city's prestige and stands as a reminder of what once was and should be re-won. It was also chosen as a means to strike fear in the hearts of opponents. It has since become ubiquitous throughout Essian society, so much that it is now as much synonymous with the city as the iconic Raven. The Skull reminds the Essians of "memento mori", or "keep Death in mind" and thus make most of every day and make your name and city proud. Die Eiche, or the Oak Tree (figure V) - while not as often used as the Raven and Skull, Oak iconography still forms a major part of Essian symbolism. The oak is the tree to which Wotan speared himself in search of greater understanding of the world. As such a great oak tree was planted at the city's founding in his honor. The tree was later burned down with the rest of the city in the aftermath of the civil war, but has since slowly started to regrow. Many Essians see this as the symbol for things to come and believe one day, they will be the ruling city-state of Carno once more. Oaks and oak leaves also form an integral part of Essian religion and places for contemplation are often centered around ancient oaks. Laurels made of oak leaves are bestowed upon those who have performed great features or deeds for the city. A DETAILED LOOK at the FREE CITY OF ESSEN Leadership Stadtrat or Senate The Free City is governed by the Stadtrat, literally 'city council' but in essence a Senate populated by a number of representatives elected from the burghers of the city. These comprise of mostly wealthy merchants and bankers, those chosen to voice the woes of Essen’s dependencies and ranking figures of the military. While anyone holding citizenship in Essen can be elected to the Stadtrat, a number of seats are always reserved for members of the First Families: Grand Burghers of immeasurable wealth and influence who can trace their lineage back to the early days of the city's founding. Burgomaster and Stadtholder The Senate is presided by the Burgomaster, who is also the ruler of the city. In the aftermath of the civil war, royal forces in Aden also demanded a symbolic seat for the King in the Senate in order to show royal power and keep an eye on things. The Carnite King is thus represented by the Stadtholder or Steward, from outside of Essen. In the wake of the war the office of Steward held much power and often vetoed decisions of the Senate in spite, but over time it has faded to irrelevancy and is now simply a glorified title, bribed to turn a blind eye in favor of Essen's interests. Location The Free City of Essen and its surrounding territories are located in the upper bend of the river Karn. Upstream to the west of its rival - and the nation’s capital - of Aden. In the past, the great power and western location of its ruling ducal dynasty gave rise to the nickname 'Grand Duchy of the West', with the von Helborg dukes referred to as 'Grand Dukes of the West'. Open spoiler to see map: Fiefs and dependencies The dominion of Essen not only controls the Free City itself, but also holds sway over vast farmlands and smaller villages and hamlets outside of the city’s walls. Collectively this area is called the Black Country, literally referring to its coal-rich dark soil, many iron ore deposits and smoking chimneys of manufactories and in a symbolic sense referencing the land's ties to the city of Essen. The original territory owned by the von Helborg Duchy was once much larger, stretching even further west, and consisted of a patchwork of lands and cities gained by conquering or marriage politics. Despite the loss of the duchy and the greatly diminished size of Essen’s territory since its heyday, it is still large enough to make Essen one of Carno’s powerhouse city-states. Points of interest: In the Old World: Drakenberg - A small mining village in the Iron Hills, mostly known as the place of origin of the Karsten family. Karlsbad - A spa town founded on natural springs in the Iron Hills. A luxurious place where many of Essen's elite come to relax and spend their weekends. Kärnitz - A rural village located on the fertile plains around Essen. A farming and husbandry community, Kärnitz supplies Essen army with a unit of Kärnitzer Ulanen. Wiesenborg Karnemünde - An exclave of the Free City situated at the mouth of the river Karn, on the Carnite coast. It was acquired by Essen via marriage politics and was once the capital of a larger strip of land along the coast. After the war Aden gifted most of Karnemünde's territory to its own allies, leaving only the city in Essen's control. In the New World: Treesborg - The Carnite name for 'Fort Arltrees'. It is not truly a proper colony, but rather a joint settlement with Oléon on El Oleonda. It has grown out of a regiment of soldiers stationed there in the aftermath of the Lotti conflict. History To be updated, currently a copy-paste from Flickr. Updated 03.05.'25 Essen was founded a long time ago by Hraban the Founder. Legend has it he followed a couple of ravens who led him to a bend of the great river Karn. There they nested upon black rock, which Hraban took as a sign of Wotan, the All-Father. Thus he settled his people - descendants of Garveyan stock, migrating northwards - there. In honor of the gods, Hraban planted a mighty oak, a holy tree that would become a symbol for Essen. Over time the city grew, thanks to its ideal trading position. Originally a commercial center for textile trade and manufacturing, Essen was granted city and market rights, further stimulating the growth of its economic base. It was during this time the city started to exploit the natural resources of its region and lay the foundation for Essen's future and started to shift from mostly a trade hub into a manufacturing center. Hraban's black rock turned out to be only the tip of large stretches of seams of coal and coupled with an abundance of metal ore in the surroundings hills Essen's economy was propelled forward in unprecedented ways, transforming it into the metalworking and arms forging capital of Carno. How or when the Free City was acquired by the von Helborg dukes is vague, but its inclusion into their territories and subsequently becoming the very capital of the Duchy proved a further catalyst for the power of Essen and the Duchy as a whole, which came to dominate the southern banks of the Karn - rivaling and perhaps even outshining Aden. Under the guidance of the von Helborg dukes, first Wilhelm and then his son Karl, Essen clashed with Aden over control of the Kingdom of Carno after a supposed dispute during the new King's election. The clashed turned into a bitter-fought civil war that ravaged the country and saw both von Helborg dukes killed, with Essen and its allies on the losing side. The end of the war saw the Raven City razed and its mighty oak put to the torch. In revenge, royalist forces put many of Essen's ancient and noble families to the sword, with only a few making it out alive. Thus, Aden remained the prime city state of Carno. In order to further secure its power, a royal decree was drafted up abolishing the Helborg Duchy, recanting its ducal titles and partitioning most of its territories to either the King or his allies. However, Essen and its people are resilient and just like the oak started to regrow over time, so did the city and its people spring back up with an iron resolve. Some of the Grand Burghers that had been able to escape the war - some abroad - with most of their fortune returned to the city, investing heavily and rekindling the fire of Essen's economical might which once again started to flourish. Not looking for another war, the King compromised and restored some of Essen's privileges making it a Free City in the Kingdom, ruled by a Stadtholder appointed by the King. Essen begrudgingly accepted the terms. In an act of defiance, however, they decided to change their uniforms to black in honor of their late rebellious dukes and added the skull and crossbones to their caps, so their deaths and the once great power of the Duchy would never be forgotten. Society and Culture A Mercantile Nature The Essians are very mercantile in nature and belief that hard work pays off eventually. Unlike most other great city-states, duchies or fiefs in Carno, Essen does not have a noble landed class of Junkers in the strict sense of the notion. Founded and expanded as a Free City, Essians have always been proud of their independence and have held their republican system in high regard. It is true that its untraditional non-feudal nature with relatively free mobility and entrepreneurial spirit has most likely been a key factor in the resurgence of the city in the aftermath of the civil war. Despite its meritocratic nature, it does however have an upper patrician class of wealthy ancient merchant and banking families called the Grand Burghers. These are burghers of exceptional wealth or contributions to the city, who dominate economical and political life. The pinnacle of these Grand Burghers are a select few families called the First Families of Essen, who have been part of its social and mercantile fabric for ages. Representatives of these families form the nucleas of the Stadtrat. Many of true noble families, or Junkers, of the Helborg duchy were outsiders and not true burghers of the City. Most lost their lives either during the civil war or were put to death afterwards as a reprisal measure to ensure no other claimant could rise up to defy Aden - a fate that also befell several families of the Grand Burghers. As such, the divide between commoners and upper class is less rigid in Essen and a strong mercantile middle class has sprung up. Indeed, the city’s wealth has come from its merchants and artisans for ages. Thus, it is no surprise they hold much of the city’s power. Many powerful merchant families have worked their way up into highest echelons of Essian power over time and large conglomerates control much of Essen’s economic and political life. The merchant families of Essen form the catalyst for its economical power and many outsiders flock to the city looking for work in one of their many workshops, factories or forges or the mines outside the city walls, spread all over the Black Country. One of the most well-known and mightiest of families is that of Karsten. Originally from Drakenberg, they moved to Essen some generations ago and first made their money in the mining business, which later expanded to forging and metalworking, eventually leading to them even opening a banking system and operating a wagonway in the countryside, amassing great wealth and land in the process. Religion As is common amongst the Madrice Peninsula, Essen too knows the Faith. However, only a minority of its subjects follow the Faith in its traditional sense. Carno in general, just as Garvey, mostly has its own unique versions of the Faith, its gods and its customs and Essen is no exception. Slightly deviating from standard Carnite practice, most people of Essen practice a very naturalistic and spiritual approach to the Faith called Wotanism. Wotanism focuses on the purity of the mind, body and the surrounding world through contemplation and finding solace in work and understand one’s surroundings. Wotanism has no real rigid structure and is more of a collection of customs and beliefs than an actual religion as such. Like the Faith, it knows many deities and spirits, but as its name implies Wotan is the chief god: the One-Eyed Allfather who speared himself to the World Tree in search of understanding of the world. It is known some radical Rune priests follow his example and take their eye, hoping to unlock the secrets of the world, just like the All-Father. A key belief of Wotanism is that everything has its own Spirit that can lead to bad things when not properly appeased, which also partly explains the tradition and folklore of maintaining the Great Oak - if it were to die or fall, ill omens will come to the City. Ironically, the Wotanist faith has also led to a slight dichotomy in Essian society, with some wanting to strongly preserve nature in all its aspects and others steadfastly pursuing all means of understanding the world around them and thus furthering the path of scientific and mechanical progress. Fondness of Science Perhaps a combination of the Essian mercantile instincts and an influence of its naturalistic Wotanist ways of finding enlightenment have led to a great scientific interest. Essians are thoroughly intrigued by all things technological and mechanical and have amassed vast knowledge in the field of metallurgy and ballistics over time. Many rich families send their children to famed Corrish universities so they can learn from the best there. Values and Traditions After their defeat at the hands of Aden and its allies, Essen lost most of its power base and prestige and was stripped of virtually all privileges it had obtained over time. Its people were at a loss, the city had lost its leadership and income. However, diligent as any Carnite, the Essians doubled down on their values and traditions and somewhat secluded themselves from the outside world, working on rebuilding their city and recovering its former glory. While most Carnites are know to be disciplined and industrious, the Essians are double so, making them seem detached, overtly serious and distant to many outsiders. The society of Essen became geared towards one purpose: showing their adversaries that despite their defeat during the Dance of Dukes, Essen was and still is the beacon of Carno. Essians are proud of their independence and are known for their austerity, determination, discipline and extreme industriousness and punctuality. A strong sense of loyalty, obedience and respect is instilled from an early age on and one is heavily frowned upon when neglecting these values. The Military The army is the pride of Essen and the reflection of its might. Like all Carnite city-states, Essen controls several of its own units, next to the tithe of men they are obliged to send the crown for the nation’s unified royal army. Essen’s soldiers are famous for they black uniforms and aggressive tactics, whereas many other Carnites prefer to be cautious and tactically defensive. While the infantry forms the largest part of Essen’s army, there are also small yet effective cavalry units, drawn from the surrounding rural villages. Characteristics of the Free City of Essen Overall when part of the Carnite nation proper, Essen will follow Carno's general values. However, in terms of Essen's specific background or for actions concerning Essen specifically, some values differ from those of Carno. Naval Power • • • • • • • • • • As a largely landlocked state, Essen holds little naval power. It upholds a minor fleet of military ocean-going vessels to protect its trade posts, which are mostly stationed in the Essian exclave of Karnemünde. However, as a commercial hub connected to other cities there is always a steady stream of privately-owned commercial ships and barges entering and leaving the city. In extremely dire times, these could be commandeered to build up a fleet. Military Power • • • • • • • • • • Essen is renowned for its disciplined infantry and agile combat doctrines. In the military field, Essians tend to be less conservative than other Carnite states and more easily adopt new strategies and armaments. Essen's combat stratagems emphasize speed, surprise and psychological warfare. Science • • • • • • • • • • Like most Carnites, Essians are quick to accept tried-and-tested advances. However, unlike most other Carnites, Essians themselves also search for scientific insights, especially in the fields of metallurgy and engineering. Diplomacy • • • • • • • • • • Essen lost most of its diplomatic autonomy after the civil war and as such holds little official diplomatic influence outside of Carno. Over the years and with the memories of the war waning, its influence has been on the rise again. Behind the scenes, it still has considerable sway over lesser city-states it once dominated. Inner Stability • • • • • • • • • • The society of Essen runs like a clockwork and is geared towards one purpose: the greater good of the city and restoring the honor and power it lost. Treasury / Coffers • • • • • • • • • • Essen's role as prime metallurgical and arms manufacturing center of Carno have given it considerable wealth, despite having been ravaged in the past. This, coupled with its strategic location perfect for trade with Carnite interior and other Madrician nations, has made the city one of the most wealthy and powerful in Carno, rivaling Aden itself. Exploration • • • • • • • • • • While Essians have always been intrigued by the world surrounding them and try to learn and understand as much about it as possible, state-sponsored exploration and colonization has never been a prime objective. Most explorative enterprises are undertaken by private individuals. Culture • • • • • • • • • • Essians are considered dour by most and their cultural exploits are often put away as "archaic", "gothic" and "passé". It is true that the pragmatic Essians are rather conservative in terms of art, but they still love artistic fields such as architecture, painting, theatre and poetry. They are romanticists at heart somewhat stuck in an idealized past. Known Essians Maximilian Coehoorn, Chief of Essen's military on El Oleonda Helmut Von Braun, Knights Treasurer Chapter Master in Terraversa [OL - @Ross Fisher] Rupprecht Ravenclauwe, head of the Ravenclauwe First Family and key founder of Ravenclaw Company Sources A collection of links and posts containing RP'ed information pertaining to Essen and its background: The results of the Battle for El Oleonda - Here you can find out about Carno and Essen's involvement in the conflict, plus the aftermath. Advent calendar MOC - Here you can find an in-game MOC pertaining to Essen's religious customs. Fort Arltrees Carnite house, by @CapOnBOBS - Following the Essians' footsteps, other Carnites too have come to Fort Arltrees to make a profit off close Carnite-Oléonder relations in the area. You can also check out the post below to find more MOCs with their own topics. Inspiration The Free City of Essen draws inspiration from many sources, both fantasy and real-world. Key elements of its lore can be found in following real-world influences: Brick gothic architecture and art of Northern Germany and the Low Countries Economic and societal aspects found in Hanseatic city-states such as Hamburg, Lübeck, Duisberg, etc. The militaristic traditions of the Kingdom of Prussia An economy of manufacturing and a hotbed for ironworking innovations as in Birmingham (UK), Manchester (UK), Essen (GER) and similar You can view an architectural mood board I put together here. Essians are down-to-earth, pragmatic, militaristic and conservative which is reflected in their sparsely decorated (neo) Gothic brick buildings, the likes of which you would see along the Baltic Sea among various Hanseatic cities. The real-world influences translate into the names of its citizens, which are mostly Low German or Old Dutch (comparable to Afrikaans).

Wonderful builds and beautiful maps. I love how you add a new piece to the map every time and the final product looks great. It looks like a proper Lego map. Is the shape based on the Pirate maps? Nice work! I love the compass on the map as well. Did you draw everything in Illustrator?

Oooo, something like that for BoBS would be soooo cool! It would really help picture the world and tie it all together.

Nice build! I think it's kind of large for a microbuild, but that scale is always difficult. The bushes are kind of tall for me, but I do like the house! It's very recognizable with the wooden top structure and the typical balcony, coupled with the white plastered walls. A nice an unique addition to BoBS houses, I feel .

I actually really love the contrast of the roughly-hewn wall and the neat grass. To me it really comes across as one of those typical English countryside walls, which are usually a bit rough and crooked. I think a profile brick and minor greebling would look "too neat" and you kind of lose the naturally stacked feeling there. I figured those kind of sand walls were what you were going for, but I kind of understand @blackdeathgr's feedback. The steepness feels somewhat unnatural, because it's so clean and straight. Maybe you can use the technique you've used for the sides of the base? That way the sand wall would be textured and not as steep, since you can decide the gradient via plates. Just my 2 cents on the matter.

I like the snake ornaments as well. They are great pieces which are easy to implement and that add a nice touch.

I think you nailed all of your objectives! The base is well-built and the stone wall immediately made me think of England (I've never been to Ireland, so I can't say if the walls look different there ). The shiplap house looks great, too. I once stumbled upon another shiplap technique on Flickr. One that doesn't use cheese wedges and also looks quite nice. That might work great here too. The thing with the cheese wedges is that you can always easily see they're wedges and not overlapping boards. However, that's just my 2 cents. Overall this is a great MOC with a really good atmosphere to it.

That is so cool! The white and blue buildings give off a very Greek vibe, which gives the entire build a warm feeling. Like Thaum said: the pixelated Minecrat-like islands are really well done. Very neat to look at!

Despite its "simplicity" compared to the other segments, I think this is one of the better parts of the overall build. The barn looks excellent! I really love the smooth roof you've made. The budding wine ranks are also a great addition and are really cleverly made! They should definitely release Kylo Ren's lightsaber piece in more colors than only red. It's a really versatile piece.

Thanks! I can only partially claim credit for the design, since it's mostly based upon a "real" miniature/model from Warhammer. Thanks! Thanks! I like working with the soldiers from Essen, too. That's a really smart kid you've got there! I'm pretty sure I wasn't on that level when I was 3 years old . The Krupp dynasty is definitely an influence for the background of the Karsten family of Essen I keep in the back of my mind. Thank you, Bodi! Let's hope we can do some damage with it .

The military clash with Lotii forces on El Oleonda brought with it the encounter with alien strategies and mystic weapons, one of them being primitive rockets based on fireworks but repurposed for deadly usage. The Essians, always industrious and keen for novelties on the battlefield, decided to ship some of the plundered rockets to their home city and offer them to the workshops of Karsten Metalwerke, one of the largest and most infamous mining, smelting, forging and arms manufacturing conglomerates of Essen. There, they passionately studied the Lotii technology and made their own variant of the weapon. Bigger, louder and more aggressive, they dryly named their novelty Raketenwerfer 20. 'Rocket Launcher, year 620'; matter-of-factly as the Carnites tend to be. It perfectly suited the Essian's preferred combat doctrine: an aggressive and offensive weapon which hellish screams unleashed by the ignited rockets struck fear and terror in the hearts and minds of the enemy. The flight of the rockets was hard to control, in fact all you could do was make them fly forward and hope they'd land on the right spot. But that didn't matter: IF they hit, it was brutal and if they didn't hit, then there was at least the demoralizing aspect. Plus, the weapon once again put Essen on the (inter)national map as a prime center of metallurgy skills, arms production and scientific interest in things ordnance-related. Mercantile as most Carnites are, the Essians shipped some examples of the Raketenwerfer to Fort Arltrees the newly reopened port of Jiangkai to put up a show for the Oleonders there; hoping to sell some and get further return on the small contingent of soldiers stationed there. After all: what better place to demonstrate this technological marvel than the closest thing to "home" the rockets have in the New World? The Oleonders were intrigued by the machine and decided to buy some off their Carnite compatriots. The name would have to go, though, as it was neigh incomprehensible to most Oleonders. Taking in account the loud noise of the machine and the serpent-shaped decorations typical of Karsten products, the Raketenwerfer quickly earned the nickname 'Roaring Hydra' amongst Oleonese ranks. Perhaps some might serve their purpose in the Liberation of Terraversa... Some shots without scenery: ----- Obviously, this is based on Warhammer's Helstorm Battery model. My version is somewhat bigger compared to a person than the original, but it was about as compact as I could make it. IRL, Congreve Rockets mixed with the Hwacha are probably the things that come closest. I know it's not super historically accurate, but that's why I linked the weapon mostly to Essen (which in my mind has a real knack and interest for these kinds of things), which is like a minor city of a minor nation; so the weapons won't be made on a large scale. Also, rockets before the 20th century are really hit-and-miss anyway. Not really a reliable weapon and most likely super expensive to make, so I hope it's okay for BoBS.

Not bad for a first MOC in a long time! I like that you kept the color scheme consistent throughout the build and I also like your crew. The gunwale is nicely done with the SNOT'ed "roof", as is the added detail of the small rowboat towing along. A minor nitpick would be the open backside of your ship. A closed back with a window (or multiple windows) would finish off the build more and make it a bit more real. Nice work, though!

It fits really well with the other building you've made for Nouveau Oleandia. The style is perfect. I really like the black railings and the spear-fence. I would've made both stories one brick taller, I think. It feels kind of vertically squished to me now, somehow. Can't really put my finger on it. Or maybe it's because the roof is flat...?

Another excellent build in the now iconic Port Woodhouse style! Those white masonry bricks really help to bring a bit of extra texture to the wall. The cart with the carrots looks really good too. Simple and effective.

Even if the hull is completely brickbuilt, this looks super sleek! Beautiful sloop/build!

Awesome collection of Roman figures! I'm amazed at the diversity you've been able to create, even though there are only several "official" Roman LEGO minifigs. I like that you've added a bit information on some design. Always interesting to read. The hair pieces of the commoners are also well-chosen. The frizzy/curly hair reminds me of those Roman mortuary portraits they found in Egyptian sarcophagi of rich Romans citizens.