[Cor - FB1] "Flying Colt"

[SilentWolf]

Intro: Silent Wolf

After visiting several ship builders down at the docks, the companions realized they did not have enough funds to buy the large ship they wanted. In compromise, Micah and his companions agreed to buy a Sloop in which they could make a voyage west. They also laid a deposit down upon a large ship that their adventure and businesses would pay for upon their return.

Caleb found a first mate and hired some sailors for the journey. William enlisted the aid of his friend, another soldier, and they made sure the vessel had sufficient weapons and ammunition. Arthur purchased the food and supplies, and he supervised the loading onto the ship. George installed two swivel guns on the forecastle in order to protect them from any enemy who might pursue them. Micah checked and double-checked everything. Finally, they were ready to set sail.

Micah watching from the bow of his first ship.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskrA9r1e

Edited January 21, 2016 by SilentWolf

[Mike S]

Nice ship!

[CelesAurivern]

I like the boxiness and those huge cannon ports.

Gives it a good angular range. Revolutionary!

[TitusV]

Cool ship, Nice colorscheme

[Maxim I]

BoBS - Ship indexed!!!

I indexed it as Class 2 WR (because your definition of sloop and because of the stats you gave it). Can you confirm you licenced it (and as a Class 2 WR)?

The ship has some excellent play features (for example the cannon ports).

I am not so fond of the captain's cabin however. It is way too high comparing to the ship. A better solution had been if you incorporated the captain's cabin into the hull. (for example my Amazon)

[Immo]

Nice ship. I agree that cabin is too high and a bit too bulky. The vessel needs more sails with a structure like that - and a class like that, too. To be a sloop, she needs a gaff mainsail, if I remember correctly?

Wasn't the clear red jack a message "we kill everyone without mercy"?

[blackdeathgr]

Nice ship SW! But you got it all in wrong colors! Paint it blue and i will like it more! Ahahaha!

[Captain Dee]

Ah... that colorscheme is a veritable feast for my eyes...

Good start, but I'm also not really seeing a true sloop (perhaps that is really just used as an example here?) It reminds me of the 15th or 16th century with that rigging and towering aftcastle, which is fitting for an exploration story. The stern is a bit boxy though, and those massive gunports look a little crude with so many exposed studs. But it's still a pretty decent vessel with a good crew and serious firepower. I assume they just moved the swivels from the forecastle to the stern for a nice farewell pic, eh?

Godspeed Cap'n Wolf!

[SilentWolf]

I indexed it as Class 2 WR (because your definition of sloop and because of the stats you gave it). Can you confirm you licenced it (and as a Class 2 WR)?

...

I am not so fond of the captain's cabin however. It is way too high comparing to the ship. A better solution had been if you incorporated the captain's cabin into the hull. (for example my Amazon)

Yes, I did license it as a Class 2 WR. I really struggled with that cabin. I felt it was way to high but I couldn't figure out how to lower it without making a crawl hole to get in and out. Your ship gives me some ideas how to fix that for future builds so thank you!

Good start, but I'm also not really seeing a true sloop (perhaps that is really just used as an example here?) It reminds me of the 15th or 16th century with that rigging and towering aftcastle, which is fitting for an exploration story. The stern is a bit boxy though, and those massive gunports look a little crude with so many exposed studs. But it's still a pretty decent vessel with a good crew and serious firepower. I assume they just moved the swivels from the forecastle to the stern for a nice farewell pic, eh?

Godspeed Cap'n Wolf!

I designated it a sloop as I couldn't figure out anywhere else it would properly fall. It was too big to be a class 1. It didn't have enough firepower to be a 2A and was too bulky to be a 2F. Which is why I settled on what I did. It has two small swiveling guns in the bow ports, the two big guns on swivels on the broadside and two more small swivel guns on the stern that could be moved if needed.

The sails also needed more, but my Bricklink order is still in the mail so I worked with what I had. I am also working on designing my own sails for my future vessels.

[CelesAurivern]

really struggled with that cabin. I felt it was way to high but I couldn't figure out how to lower it without making a crawl hole to get in and out.

High is good. I love tall cabins.

TLC likes to build high. Just look at all the ships they designed.

[Tezclatipoca]

That is a nice ship.

I like your color scheme !

Your rigging is correct but sure you could have put more sails. I wich you the best by designing your own sails !

Sure the cabin is a bit bulky, but it gives some personality to your vessel. So I find your cabin quite good !

[Bregir]

What a lovely ship - I really like her colours! (COR-RING-TON, COR-RING-TON, OH-YEAH! ) Matching the red and white of the sails in the details on the sterncastle is a neat touch, and I like her armament - although it took me a while to spot those bowchasers! They are not exactly on the forecastle, but instead in the bow of the hull, I would say. The forecastle (and aftcastle) is the raised platform in the front (/back) typical for ships from the beginning of the age of sail such as carracks, caravels and galleons. Originally, this platform was a fighting platform used to fire muskets or bow and arrow, small swivel guns or regular cannons down into the enemy decks. (Like your aftcastle)

The large gunports are an interesting solution to the problem of securing a reasonable arc of fire for the main guns! (Although it does leave the gun crews rather exposed to small arms fire)

I really like your minifig selection too!

A few comments on the rigging, mostly general in nature.

I like what you have done with the sails available, but (and this is the general part) I would suggest everybody to think about the balance of the rigging. This particular vessel would have most of its sail-pressure very far forward (Due to the lack of a spanker sail), making it very stable going before the wind, but most likely very hard to steer on any other course. (As the force is mainly applied in the front, it will have a tendency to sail in a straight line, rather hard to turn.) On the other hand, if the sail-pressure is too far towards the back, it will be a very unstable vessel, prone to overturning. Consider that the rudder on a sailing ship is a very small area, that has to turn a very large vessel. In reality, in the age of sail, ships were steered as much by their sails as by their rudder. It is really a delicate balance!

With just one square sail, and especially since you have a jib too, I would suggest moving the mast very close to the middle of the ship, to get a more balanced feel to it. Alternatively, you could add a large spanker sail, and you would basically have a sloop rig. (I am pretty sure many sloops in the age of sail wore square sails too.) I am aware that you might be limited in the sails available, so please take this as suggestions for future builds.

I think it is a great idea to experiment with custom sails - it really does not have to be too advanced to look good. I am working on a snow, where I have simply cut out pieces of white paper, and it looks pretty good (if you ask me, that is... )

For a ship type, this looks mostly like a cog to me, with one mast, square sail and high aftcastle. However, the mast should be centered more, and I don't actually know if cogs ever had jibs. Maybe the later ones had?

For classification though, I think you pretty much hit the mark with a class 2 WR, as it seems to be a nicely balanced vessel with reasonable armament, speed and cargo hold, without specific focus on any of them. And the size is perfect for a class 2, I think.

I hope some of this is useful! I will definitely be following Micah's adventures!

PS. I keep getting impressed by the amount of different hull pieces from Lego.

Am I correct in the following:

2 sizes:

Small ( 14 wide?) and large (16 wide)

High and low stern/bow pieces, plus the one used here at the stern.

And to top that, there are the viking bow and stern piece, for the wide hull pieces, right?

Edited January 20, 2016 by Bregir

[Captain Dee]

Bregir - the "narrow" prefab hull parts are 12 studs wide; the "wide" ones are 16. This is an old-style hull; they're easy to spot by the opening for the anchor chain in the bow (where he's mounted the small guns). The old sterns are unique parts while the newer ships use the same parts for bow and stern, with an upper and lower piece. I like the new parts better for the bow and usually prefer the lines of the old stern.

Good job on that technical explanation. That type of thing will surely improve the shipbuilding here in BoBS. Oh, and I agree that it looks like a cog if you remove that jib.

[Bregir]

Bregir - the "narrow" prefab hull parts are 12 studs wide; the "wide" ones are 16. This is an old-style hull; they're easy to spot by the opening for the anchor chain in the bow (where he's mounted the small guns). The old sterns are unique parts while the newer ships use the same parts for bow and stern, with an upper and lower piece. I like the new parts better for the bow and usually prefer the lines of the old stern.

Good job on that technical explanation. That type of thing will surely improve the shipbuilding here in BoBS. Oh, and I agree that it looks like a cog if you remove that jib.

Gracias, Capt'n!

[Gideon]

Nice ship, I like the decoration with the rifles!

Good idea to use both blue and white cloth as the background, it would help you a lot to get good edges if you want to cut away the background in Photoshop/GIMP/etc if the surrounding is similar to what you are going to replace it with