Work in progress: Fort Brighton

[ZCerberus]

Phes said we were due for a new WIP thread, and the forum has been a little dead lately, the calm before the storm maybe?

Anyhow...

I had mentioned that I wanted to expand the fortress capabilities of Fort Brighton because the Arbiter II and the Venganza could blow it to smithereens without much problem, especially since the fortress section was so weak looking.

Anyhow, I started with CAD as per my usual method, but soon realized the angles were all wrong on the walls, so I brick built the begging of the fortress expansion.

The size on the pics is a bit deceiving I think, because this is thing is rather large.

It is definitely a WIP so suggestions are appreciated.

I wish, for example, that I could make the 'statues' in all white instead of black... and I am not entirely sure how I feel about the little corner decorations above said statues.

Anyhow, let me know what you think!

I just noticed I am over 500 posts! Knight baby! Yeah! Now if only I posted else where so as to become a fellow... oh well, I think I will stick with pirates for now!

This project has been completed. To view the completed Fort, please follow the link below!

To the Completed Fortress Thread

Edited June 13, 2007 by ZCerberus

[Mister Phes]

I be wonderin... Does this need to be a "rebuild" of Fort Brighton? I thought Fort Brighton was excellent the way it was so rather than rebuilding it would it not be better to extend it or perhaps start another fort entirely?

[ZCerberus]

I be wonderin... Does this need to be a "rebuild" of Fort Brighton? I thought Fort Brighton was excellent the way it was so rather than rebuilding it would it not be better to extend it or perhaps start another fort entirely?

Well maybe... All I am really going to do is lop off the old Fortress in favor of the new one when it is done... then with the left overs, perhaps another small outpost could be had! Like I said, the old fortress is too weak to repel an assault so I thought I would strengthen it a bit.

I will post links to the old fort and do so comparisons tomorrow, as it is now past my bedtime!

[Mister Phes]

So perhaps "redesign" isn't the most appropriate word - so lets try "upgrade"

You're going to UPGRADE Fort Brighton?

Hows that sound?

[Capn Frank]

Hey Z,

How many cannons guard the current Ft. Brighton Compared to how many you'd like to add?

P

[Bonaparte]

My first impression: Wow, this looks extremely promising!

I would make those status in grey iso black or white.

But, this is a very refreshing design!

Once the links to the old fortress are online, you can expect more feedback for me Mr. Z.

Because right now, I don't have a good idea where these new buildings will be located in the current Fort Brighton.

[Mister Phes]

Lets have a refresher image to save me scrolling to the top of the thread :-D

I agree with Bonaparte, this is indeed a magnificent addition to Port Brighton, however there is one thing I don't like about it. One minor aesthetic detail that just doesn't quite work for me.

[El Bucanero]

When I first saw the pic, I thought you were going to build your own Torre de Belem.

Looks good, I agree with bonaparte, maybe grey is better for the statues.

A lot of details I see, I like that.

The flag looks a bit small don't you think? You should try a bigger one, I think.

Mr Tiber

[Mister Phes]

Personally I alway rotate the flags so they're facing the camera when I take pictures, irrespective of which angle the photo is be taken.

But yes, I'd agree with Mr Tiber that this rampart could benefit from a bigger flag. Let the might of the Imperial Guards be known!

[simonwillems]

This looks good, I like how you made the angle in the building.

As opposed to all other users I would choose yellow as colour for the statues (the little towers above them are yellow as well, aren't they?).

I have few of those basic/fabuland flowers but they always make a nice addition to buildings, something that is really working on your building.

:'-)

[Mister Phes]

Yes, that was the minor detail I didn't like - the statues! Or Knights or whatever they really are.

Black is just too dark compared to the rest of the MOC and I think grey, white or yellow would be a better choice. But what colours do they come in?

[ZCerberus]

Hey Z,

How many cannons guard the current Ft. Brighton Compared to how many you'd like to add?

P

Now there is maybe 2 cannons on the fortress section, I think there will be a minimum of 16 on the new section.

When I first saw the pic, I thought you were going to build your own Torre de Belem.

Yes, well Torre de Belem is somewhat of an inspiration. I guess the shape of the bottom is going to seem that way because it is the best way to be able to fire from all angles. I am also adding a tower to the back where the old section meets the new section, so shap wise it will seem Torre be Belem like, but looks wise it will be quite different.

The flag looks a bit small don't you think? You should try a bigger one, I think.

Mr Tiber

Well larger flags will be further back, but presently I do not have one to add anywhere!

Yes, that was the minor detail I didn't like - the statues! Or Knights or whatever they really are.

Black is just too dark compared to the rest of the MOC and I think grey, white or yellow would be a better choice. But what colours do they come in?

YES. I completely agree as per my first post. I would prefer them in yellow of white, but the pieces just aren't right. I actually did make a few in dark gray too, but the only weapons in dark gray are the fancy halberds which might be too big for them to be so close together... hmm... I will stick on the dark gray ones I have and we will see.

So the part I am replacing is the stuff OFF of the raise baseplate. There will still be a connector wall section running between the armory and the fortress as there is now, but after that the little square thing is being zapped for larger fort.

This would be the front view of the current section

[Mister Phes]

What kind of raised base plate? Like Eldorado Fortress or you got something more modern in mind?

[tedbeard]

Nice use of those large yellow "flower" pieces. I never know what to do with them but I like them for some reason. *sweet*

[ZCerberus]

What kind of raised base plate? Like Eldorado Fortress or you got something more modern in mind?

Oops... haha there was supposed to be a picture there!! I will add it and reply when I get home. I am at school now. 3 hours or so and I will get that all fixed up!

[Mister Phes]

So you leave me in suspense! Which reminds me - I must get ready for skool now...

[ZCerberus]

So you leave me in suspense! Which reminds me - I must get ready for skool now...

Okay I put the photo up. it was this one...

this is the front view of the section being replaced.

Edited March 14, 2007 by ZCerberus

[ZCerberus]

So here it is with the gray. This is much better. I still wish I could do it in yellow... oh well...

anyhow...

[Bonaparte]

Having them in yellow might be better or it might not be.

Maybe then you would not have enough color variation.

For me, it looks good the way it is now.

[ZCerberus]

I think it is okay in dark gray, but realistically the choices are light gray, black and dark gray if one is not going to modify the pieces and use the castle pieces for the armament.

I think the size of this thing gets lost in the pictures though... it looks kinda smallish but it is quite large now, and will get bigger once i get the parts needed! (aka baseplates)

[Dukesc]

ZCerberus

Excellent fort! *y* *y* This new fort will be a great improvement over the old one. I like how you used the white slope pieces on the walls to make an indent and the overall color scheme of the fort. I also like the detail of the rocky area around the fort.

I think the color of the gray figures looks good.

Are there going to be cannons coming out of the lower holes?

I had mentioned that I wanted to expand the fortress capabilities of Fort Brighton because the Arbiter II and the Venganza could blow it to smithereens without much problem, especially since the fortress section was so weak looking.

This is very true for most every Lego fort out there. The real forts of those days were quite powerful carrying many and very large cannons. In most cases a good fort should be able to easily fight off several large ships. *sweet*

Duke

[Capn Frank]

So here it is with the gray. This is much better. I still wish I could do it in yellow... oh well...

...

I concure with B, I think it looks real good with the dark gray statues instead of black.

I'd keep it gray. *y*

The fort expansion is looking great so far *sweet*

I'd try to make this fort able to have some larger MOC cannons.

I know you have those 3 black barrels. Maybe you could try to make larger MOC cannons out of them like this:

Or with your buckets (if you have more than one for a bell) could make an even larger cannon like these:

*

You probably won't be able to put any of these cannons on your ships cause they're too big,

but i think it's realistic to put them on a fort.

If you still had 16 cannons on this fort and maybe half are the larger MOCs, this fort would probably be able to take on frigates of a broadside of 20 cannons.

P

[ZCerberus]

Are there going to be cannons coming out of the lower holes?

Ah, so Duke likes the forts!! Or so I heard.

Yes, there will be some guns out of the lower holes. In fact I made some more progress which might show jst that... pics please!

Obviously the green plate is just a space filler for now... but there it be! Progress, progress, progress!!

[Capn Frank]

Wow 8-o

Now that looks good Z.

I'm really looking forward to the fininshed product. *sweet*

It looks really kool so far.

Are you just going to use non-MOC cannons in this beast?

P

[ZCerberus]

Wow 8-o

Now that looks good Z.

I'm really looking forward to the fininshed product. *sweet*

It looks really kool so far.

Are you just going to use non-MOC cannons in this beast?

Given the costs of non-MOC cannons, I might have no choice!

I'll keep after this fella, hopefully I can get a bricklink order with a bunch of the pieces I need soon!