The hunters become the hunted...

[Basiliscus]

Sorry I haven't contributed much since I have last posted. I have been busy job-hunting! Anyway, enough of that...

This creation is best viewed at MOCpages, due to the accompanying story. But for those that feel happier, there is also a Brickshelf folder.

To entice you to view the MOC, the highlights include: 5 unique and never seen before Native American warriors; the first (to my knowledge) brick-built tapir; and a battle scene with heaps of historical research. What are you waiting for? Get viewing! Here is a teaser (and an excerpt from the story below it)...

An aztec youth wearing cotton padded armour and armed with a while shield and a maquahuitl wants to be a hero and charges the chief, who backs himself into a defensive position in front of a tree. A similarly dressed youth armed with a spear goes for the bowman who has taken position just behind the tapir carcass. The Aztec commander, a novice warrior priest wearing the copilli conical helmet the Aztecs adapted from the Huaxtecs, makes the sensible decision to help despatch the dangerous bowmen first.

PS - I posted this here instead of the History and Adventure forum because the Pirate forums description specifically mentions Aztecs. Mods, please let me know if I did the right thing!

Edited May 17, 2008 by Basiliscus

[iamded]

Great MOC and backstory to go with! The scenery is great, and the comic-like story you've got on MOCpages really is neat, you certainly have done your research! Is there any reason the Macuahuitl links to the Macana instead though? Did you do this purposefully?

Anyway, a great scene you've got here, packed with History and Adventure... but no Pirates. Perhaps a forum move s in order?

~Peace

[Basiliscus]

Is there any reason the Macuahuitl links to the Macana instead though? Did you do this purposefully?

Well spotted mate. That was sharp! It was a mistake and it's now been fixed. Thank you.

Anyway, a great scene you've got here, packed with History and Adventure... but no Pirates. Perhaps a forum move s in order?

~Peace

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad you liked it. The Aztecs have rarely been rendered in Lego so I think there is plenty of novel ideas.

I was confused about what forum to put it in but hopefully the mods can advise (hopefully they will understand the reason it is in this forum).

[Minifig Lecturer]

Great scenes and story Basiliscus! Love the history lesson LOL. Gotta love the Aztecs. Typical youth though ...

[Vaders_son]

Sweet story Basiliscus

You really know a lot about this time and the cultures that were around at that time

I like your landscape the best, it really looks like some south/middle American jungle.

Keep on building!

Best regards, Benny

[Asuka]

A fine and exotic scenery, very interesting and with a lot of fighting action.... the tapir and your characters´re very nice and well done.

[Mister Phes]

That brick built tapir is awesome - never have I see anybody attempt one before.

Was the inspiration for this MOC derived from the opening scene of Apocalypto ?

[Captain Zuloo]

Well Done! A fantastic MOC with very accurate details. I always appreciate MOC's that have historical accuracy. I like the story too. Keep up the great work!

Regards, Captain Zuloo

[Basiliscus]

Thanks to all who have commented! I like seeing new things made in Lego, be in new topics, new timeframes or new building techniques. Hopefully I've contributed! LoL

...Love the history lesson LOL...

...I always appreciate MOC's that have historical accuracy...

You really know a lot about this time and the cultures that were around at that time

Well, I am history geek in my spare time! I love reading about history and the Aztecs are one of my favourites. It's a pity there isn't more torsos that really do them justice (most would need to be overlapping feathers, like chain mail, but with feathers). When I came out of my dark ages, I had a dilemma: what historical period to focus on? I loved the Aztecs but due to the lack of suitable torsos I felt there was other time periods which I could render more accurately and importantly use a lot of my existing collection (e.g. more modern torsos, WW guns etc).

So I chose to do South Africa circa 1880. I have 180 Africoid minifigs just needing legs and these will be ordered in the next few days. You will see Zulus, Redocats, Boers, Askaris, Dhows, steamers, Indian merchants and middle-Eastern slave traders. This is a two year project so it will be drip-fed to you all over the next 2 years! Keep your eyes peeled! This is another project that to my knowledge no-one has attempted.

Here is a teaser of a Zulu warrior (this is delibrately poor quality, I don't want to give too much away )...

A fine and exotic scenery, very interesting and with a lot of fighting action.... the tapir and your characters´re very nice and well done.

Thanks mate. I appreciate your own feedback because you go out your way to comment on every creation (so clearly you can judge the quality of a MOC).

Was the inspiration for this MOC derived from the opening scene of Apocalypto ?

Haha! I was waiting for someone to ask that! Yes, I have seen Apocalypto, but it's not really directly based from that (maybe subconsciously)? Funnily enough, I was thinking of the film when I was about half-way between shooting the scenes. So to answer your question, yes and no. LoL

Phes, was it ok to post this MOC in the Pirate forum? If not, can you see why I posted it here? I don't mind where it stays as long as you can see why I was confused! LoL

[Mister Phes]

You've described this MOC to be Aztec themed and this forum does cater Mesoamerican civilisations - after all, the might Aztec empire was not that far from the Caribbean and as one could imagine that Aztec gold did end up on board pirate ships.

[Vaders_son]

Wow Basilicus, that Zulu Warrior is awesome! You got me really excited about your Africa-project, I'm so looking forward to it now

Go building mate! Benny

[Mister Phes]

So I chose to do South Africa circa 1880. I have 180 Africoid minifigs just needing legs and these will be ordered in the next few days. You will see Zulus, Redocats, Boers, Askaris, Dhows, steamers, Indian merchants and middle-Eastern slave traders. This is a two year project so it will be drip-fed to you all over the next 2 years! Keep your eyes peeled! This is another project that to my knowledge no-one has attempted.

Put red coats in there too and then it can be posted in the Pirate Forum.

[BlueBard]

Nice scene, indeed!

It's not very usual to watch native against natives, and the tapir is quite well done

[Mister Phes]

Tribal warfare was a common thing, particularly in the Americas. The Incas for example, none of their neighbouring tribes liked them and they were only too happy to assist the Imperial Armada to conquer them.

More about that in A Guide to the Mini-Figures Part V.

(shameless plug)

[Basiliscus]

Thanks for the comments guys. Glad you like the Zulu project, Vaders_son, I'm hoping to have planned all the MOCs by the end of September and then have the parts ordered by the end of 2008 (can't spend £1000's at once, unfortunately - I've already spent over £500 on Zulu warriors since March). In the meantime I've just been working on small Town MOCs to flex my building muscles and hopefully pick up a few handy techniques.

Tribal warfare was a common thing, particularly in the Americas. The Incas for example, none of their neighbouring tribes liked them and they were only too happy to assist the Imperial Armada to conquer them.

That's correct. The same happened to the Aztecs, the Texcala were only too happy to help Cortez exterminate their hated neighbours. Fat lot of good that did them. Most died of smallpox and other European diseases, and the rest ended up either working in silver mines or under the rule of the Spanish.