ZCerberus

I always love that color scheme. Great clean pictures (even if you didn't quite push all the bricks down)! I always have loved your style with the great, detailed, compact designs. I secretly cry at night that you are not in Nocty with me!

No Megabloks, Kreo etc. accessories from brick arms, brickforge and the like are okay, though achieving the same result in LEGO is preferred. I know some think this is a distinction without a difference, but it's the rules man.

If you read the general Book II announcement you'll have your answer- if the side you are assigned is contrary to your character's beliefs, you may create a new one for the challenge!

Its own topic. Multiple is okay so long as it depicts your side achieving a great victory over the other side.

Yes. You still do a more or less solid color background. The rule mostly means no mountains or effects. I borrowed the rules from a generic rules post so we can have a standard set as much as possible. Your typical style is within the rules.

Not only do we have the new images of the Hobbit 2013 sets, but the ever so popular Guilds of Historica Book II has launched its first challenge! Head over to the Guilds of Historica sub-forum for details on getting in on Book II: Challenge 1, the Battle for Nocturnus! If you aren't into contests but still want to build in Historica, you can always freebuild for the glory of your guild. Check out this sweet freebuild of Petraea University's Grand Lecture Hall submitted by Eurobricks Fellow Gabe!

Team Nocturnus: Dr. Cogg Lord Vladivus Hammerstein NWC Captain BeerBeard Emma Dr. Rod Jareth Siercon and Coral Derfel Cadarn robuko Soccerkid6 MikeyB Kayne PenKid11 Jeroenaa narbilu Niku RoyalBrickCustoms DaMaximus NiceMarmot Duke Blastus LegoDrake jantale Nightstalker DustyBricks Kai NRG Infernum Waylander Masa of Kaliphlin Dagashy Jason Cicchini Gunman Kerntechniker Thomas of Tortuga Louie le Brickvalier lisq Rolli ch_ris127 Tomsche Team Black Spire: Legonardo Torgar Eleinad Legorski Captain Nemo captain donkey Captain Settle Nil_FisK_Urd spzero Gabe Cara Erynlasgalen de Gothia Simon_S Gideon Baltthazar gedren_y HammerBro33 RonaldMaxus mpoh98 DragonFire MKJoshA Wedge09 Mr Breden Garmadon CarsonHaupt K.Kreations kabel Vangar graybeard Bkrosell Sschmidt Robinson Christoph Hyler Talliwell MrErikku Legopard mrcp6d LegoPanda Challenge I Category A: Nocturnus: Emma: A Dragon's Blood Robuko: Hercules slays the Ravening Squid MikeyB: Heroes are Made Penkid11: The Fire Inside Kai NRG: Defeating the Lake Monster Kerntechniker: Bringing Justice Zeussoid: Yewllow Man in a Yellow House Lord Vladivus: Shadowmere Stands Soccerkid: A Clever Trap Tomsche: Ambush from the Waves narbilu: Grimm on Hemresa jeroenaa: Random murdering lisqr: Inferno magic Gunman: Conflict at Rakath Mountains Black Spire: The Architect: Duke Agelbor Cara: Where she walked Gideon: To Ambush an Ambush Garmandon: A More Ample Midday Meal mrcp6d: Moruth Pass Encounter Robinson: Tharadum the Sword Rainer Erylasgalen: Beware of the Swamp Dragonfire: Trickery HammerBro33: Ambush in the Cerean Pass Torgar: The Spire's Toll Carson Haupt: A Good Day to Die! kabel: Get Grimmson! bkrosell: Ancient Burial Grounds Simon_S: A bad Nocty! Captain Settle: Tactical Error MKJosha: Not All Victories Are Won With A Blade Category B: Nocturnus: Jason Cicchini: Minotaur Castle Dr.Cogg: The Puppet master's wall Penkid11: Reclaiming the Fort Kerntechniker: Walls and Bones Robuko: Serpentine Hall of Nocturnus Lord Vladivus: The Ancient Toll Towers Soccerkid: Denrith Fortress narbilu: Mountain Pass Infernum: The Watcher's Tower jeroenaa: A small defense fortress C.J.Cutrone9: Into the Flames Black Spire: HammerBro33: The Cerean Outpost mpoh98: Armathian Stronghold mrcp6d: Moruth Watchtower Gideon: Swamplands Tower DeGothia: The tower at Blood Lake Erynlasgalen: Tower of Abaddon Dragonfire: Bad News Captain Settle: Black Spire Fortress kabel: Shraliek Camp Hyler Talliwell: Rakath Watchtower Torgar: The Raven's Aerie Legonardo: Moruth Outpost Gabe: Stranglehold Tower Bkrosell: Tower Category C: Nocturnus: Dr. Cogg: An Unlikely Alliance Penkid11: Village of Sorrow Gunman: The Cellar Kerntechniker: Words and Wisdom Jareth: Aldea de piedras blancas Niku: Stand against the waves Kayne: Draconians-Book 2 narbilu: Mount Crow of the Snow elves lisqr: Golem's Dungeon Black Spire: MKJosha: Sometimes All You Need Is a Warm Body Torgar: Recruiting an Old Friend Gideon: Recruiting a Cyclops Tribe Simon_S: The Genius Malignus Wedge09: If you don't want to align... Balthazar: On the border with Nocturnus

I agree that the set list from Tiger13 is fishy at BEST. The prices he report weren't even kept consistent. That is why I moved it here and closed the 2014 topics based on this rumor.

Excellent. Great work as always Gabe.

Really going to ingratiate yourself with me starting the comment off like that! I'll do my best to not go overboard with moderating- but that was needed. Back to the sets- I feel the failing in this line is the number of playsets. These sets are for older collectors and older to teenaged kids- they want well built iconic locations, not a bunch of playsets. It's clear that the focus is on the minifigures and the other items are largely afterthoughts

Not here. For now, let's keep all this in the Future LotR thread. It makes sense to be in there and I am quite sure this information from Black Tiger is not to be assumed as correct.

I just moved a heap of speculative 2014 stuff out of this thread. Do NOT discuss that stuff here. This thread is for 2013 set discussion only. Nope. No more of this discussion here. Next person to mention 2014 is on my list.

This does seem premature. Let's move this discussion to future LotR thread.

Obsidian Spike done... now onto the throne room! Challenge I draws near!

First post updated with the pictures. I think these sets are okay, Good selection of figures again, but mostly play sets and not really iconic buildings (unlike Bagend or Helm's Deep). I'll probably get them all anyway, even if I am only lukewarm on them.

Yes, lots of updates to get to for sure. I have not forgotten you Beery, you've got one of the most BA sigfigs up in this business!! I don't know what I am going to do to get the sizes all fixed on these, but I might need to do something!

Forget them, come to Nocty!! Pie, bogs, tribes, sweet victory.

You see us Core Leaders were trying to build some MOCs to get you all jazzed for challenge 1. The story and challenge criteria is already written but the Black Spire's fortress... the Obsidian Spike is not yet complete (though it is very close). Then some photos need to happen and get edited. There is a pretty good chance an announcement will come this weekend if all the MOCs are finished. On the city front- yes, I think that does need to happen and I have a person who is loosely working on some ideas for that now. We're still in early stages, but it is coming along. Also watch for a little build project from our friend Legonardo soon. I haven't forgotten about the Tribes mini-challenge either. I know who won round 1, but now I am thinking heavily about round 2. Some really good entries in both rounds. I also need to update the first post when I finally get a minute and add some more sweet tribes to the posts up there. So much stuff in Nocturnus!

Very nice. Looking awesome m'man!

I know we are celebrating 5 years of reviewer's academy so I'll let bringing up these old review threads pass for now, but in general, threads that are over a year old should be left alone unless there is something REALLY worthwhile that has happened.

A lot of talk for something still mostly unconfirmed. Not saying Durins is wrong, but let's slow our roll until we ALL see these things.

Please make a new topic for this MOC so we can comment on it and I can link it to the first page in this thread!

A day left for tribes!! Challenge 1 should be ready soon.

Indeed. I would not have taken this role on with Ecc already being here to whip you guys into shape when I am not looking.

Yeah it would be. Who's in charge of that mess anyway? Oh... it might technically be me...