[COR WTC] West Shield - Large Fortress, Mesabi Landing

[Darnok]

The Brick Seas are a rough place, that much is for certain. The Wayfarer Trading Company did its best to make them a safer space. But despite their succes in hunting down pirates, potential dangers were still everywhere. A war between Prio and the Sea Rats had just been averted, but oerall tensions were still high.

Mesabi Landing had to stay safe. So it was decided to invest in a series of large fortifications, with the first one guarding the harbour. Three others would follow, being set up around the settlement, protecting it in all directions, shielding it from any attack.

 

This first fortress was named West Shield:

• Observation Point
• Main Battery
• Minor Battery Delta
• Storage Level
• Mobile Defense

 

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A large fortress for Mesabi Landing, licensed by the WTC.

 

Build sizes are as follows:

• Observation Point: 32x32
• Main Battery: 32x32
• Minor Battery Delta: 16x32
• Storage Level: 32x32
• Mobile Defense: 16x32

It all adds up to 64x64, i.e. the footprint of a large fort.

 

Each build is supposed to be one section of the fort, but not in the way that they would be combined into one single structure. Imagine that each of these is exemplary for similr structures in West Shield, and that there are parts of the fort you do not get to see.

 

As always, C&C are appreciated!

Edited August 13, 2018 by Drunknok

[Darnok]

West Shield - Observation Point

 

Watching the sea for approaching ships, some WTC Infantry stood guard on a watchtower of West Shield.

 

Most of the time this was boring work. Some of the WTC Marines were more than a little grumpy about their duty, while others preferred to cheer up the situation with... undiclosed liquids:

.

 

Manning the massive 48-pounders were the WTC Artillery, who also appreciated a good drink should the opportunity arise:

 

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A wide shot:

 

Birds view:

 

A part of the front tower can be taken off for easy access to the cannons...

 

... which can be moved to any of the four gunports, and pivoted to cover multiple angles:

.

 

Two WIP shots under the spoiler:

Spoiler

Sleeping battlebeast not included with the deal!

 

As always, C&C are appreciated!

Edited August 3, 2018 by Drunknok

[Capt Wolf]

Posting from my phone, so keeping this short. 

Nice fort. I like the tiled battlements and the removable part play feature. I also like how the walls are worked into the rocks.

Regarding the size, check the land rules in the master index. 32x32 gets you a medium fort. Large for a fort is 64x64.

[Maxim I]

4 minutes ago, Capt Wolf said:

Posting from my phone, so keeping this short. 

Nice fort. I like the tiled battlements and the removable part play feature. I also like how the walls are worked into the rocks.

Regarding the size, check the land rules in the master index. 32x32 gets you a medium fort. Large for a fort is 64x64.

I guess they are going to make multpile forts and licence them together as one bigger large fort :)

I like where this is heading to!

[Capt Wolf]

13 minutes ago, Maxim I said:

I guess they are going to make multpile forts and licence them together as one bigger large fort :)

I like where this is heading to!

If that's the case, very cool. 

[Kai NRG]

I don't know why, but I love your recreation of those nasty pre-fab LEGO rock pieces!   Great fort!

[Darnok]

3 hours ago, Capt Wolf said:

Regarding the size, check the land rules in the master index. 32x32 gets you a medium fort. Large for a fort is 64x64.

It is only the first of at least four builds, check the OP again.

[Darnok]

West Shield - Main Battery

 

Aligned to hit any enemy closing in on the harbour of Mesabi Landing, the main battery of West Shield consisted of over twenty 24-pounders.

 

"Don't you think somebody might complain about the WTC flag flying over the Crowns colours?"

"And if so... what are they gonna do about it? Throw some pebbles at us?"

 

"Inspection time!"

 

"Ah crap, I was just about to take a nap!"

 

"Every level but the second got stairs. Guess where I am stationed? Second ###king level!"

 

"We need new gunpowder up here!" ... "Don't ya worry, one of the guys is bringing it up already..."

 

"Pff-pff. Join the WTC, they said. Pff-pff. You will see the Brick Seas they said. Pff-pff. Easy work and easy profits, they said. Pff-pff. I hate my life..."

 

"What do you mean, you are hungry? You are a cat, go catch some rats!"

 

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The second build is done! Here are some more shots of the whole thing:

 

And some WIP shots under the spoiler (including the guardian beast):

Spoiler

 

[LM71Blackbird]

Makes me glad to be a Corrie! Wouldn't want to sail past that gun wall!

Great looking builds so far Drunknok! Looking forward to how you finish it off.

[Darnok]

West Shield - Minor Battery Delta

 

While the most cannons of West Shield were set up in its main battery, there was a series of smaller batteries, each coonsisting of two towers with three 24-pounders each. These minor batteries - Alpha to Echo - covered more angles than the main battery and made it impossible for any approaching ship to remain unseen. Or, in case of an attack, not to be fired on.

 

 

Not linked to the main fort directly, the minor batteries were manned by WTC Marines:

.

 

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A view from above:

[Fraunces]

The last build I like a lot. The gun wall is very.. intimidating 

[Keymonus]

Great fort @Drunknok! I like the idea of depicting a large fort using smaller builds… in this case each section has both his own character and an idea of unity with the others.
The main battery is impressive, pirates should remove Mesabi Landing from their "to raid list"!
The curved walls of the second battery are great too!

                                    

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Keymonus

[Spud The Viking]

Nice builds @Drunknok!

I just feel the last one is a little too cramped, realistically, it would be very difficult to load and fire all three. Anyway, the shape is very nice.

I wouldn't like to see the ammunition bill for the WTC 

[Darnok]

On 8/6/2018 at 1:21 PM, Keymonus said:

Great fort @Drunknok! I like the idea of depicting a large fort using smaller builds… in this case each section has both his own character and an idea of unity with the others.

Thank you. Feel free to "borrow" the idea!

Quote

The main battery is impressive, pirates should remove Mesabi Landing from their "to raid list"

That is the general idea!

 

On 8/6/2018 at 2:45 PM, Spud The Viking said:

Nice builds @Drunknok!

Thanks.

Quote

I just feel the last one is a little too cramped, realistically, it would be very difficult to load and fire all three.

Agreed. In hindsight, the build would work better (and be more realistic) with only two cannons per tower. I liked the look of three though, so went with that. Depending on where an attack comes from, the three cannons from each tower would never be fired at the same time anyway.

 

==================

 

Also, some WIP shots of the catacombs:

Edited August 7, 2018 by Drunknok

[Ayrlego]

An impressive array of firepower here - nice work. I think my favourite is the last set of towers - the front curve is perfect! The catacombs look promising as well.

[Darnok]

West Shield - Storage Level

 

There were many levels below the fortress, one of which was used to store all the goods necessary for the upkeep.

 

"Inspection!" ...

... "They will not find me here, now onto that nap!"

 

A young WTC Marine had a look at one of the weapon stockrooms:

"Excellent selection, top-notch stuff! Nice!"

 

Finally, the storage level also had a prison cell. Currently some survivors of the recently concluded pirate hunt were "stored" away, waiting for their trial:

.

 

Stairs led to other levels, some up, some even further down...

 

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Some interior at last! Again, this is only one of the (many) levels of West Shield, this build being an example of how the interior looks in one of them.

 

More views under the spoiler:

Spoiler

 

 

[LM71Blackbird]

Another nice addition to the Shield Drunknok!

[Bodi]

Nice builds, I like the interiors filled with goods and weapons, the main battery is really impressive.

[Darnok]

West Shield - Mobile Defense

 

Most of West Shield was build on (and in) the rough cliffs at the coast of Argentia. Some of the caves in these cliffs were open to the sea - and one of them was incorporated into the fortress.

 

A WTC Marine watched the sea near the entrance to the cave:

 

Inside the cave, a small dock had been built:

 

"Man, I thought we xould no longer use those rowboats, eh?" ...

.

... "Ha! Who said we'll license them as ships? These are part of the forts defenses, mobile and stuff!"

 

"Harr, exactly! We can patrol the region, handle small enemy ships on our own, or just make loud noises with the carronades. If somebody attacks the fort, we act as mobile support wherever it is needed!"

 

The WTC Infantry guarding the stairs leading up to the fortress smiled at the conversation:

 

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Some additional views:

Spoiler

 

This one concludes the series of builds for the first large fortress of Mesabi Landing.