Post Your Castle Army Here!

[Slegengr]

Instead of building like I had planned to do this morning, I thought I would set up and photograph my armies. This took way longer than I had intended.

I would consider myself a LEGO salvager, to some extent, which is why I have such large armies. I buy bulk lots on eBay and salvage the sets from them, especially 90's castle.

I do collect armies, but I value army building much less than MOCing, as it is essentially only money that determines how large one's armies are. MOCing requires input from the individual rather than just using TLG's creativity in minifigures.

On to the armies:

First, an overall shot. This shows most of my non-LotR medieval minifigures. There are a few stragglers from each group that have not yet been sorted. This group is also missing about 20 Vikings and the Falki Ridders, as I am using them for GoH.

I believe the total count is 900 minifigures with roughly 1/4 of them mounted.

Black Knights:

34 Knights - 16 red-barding, 16 blue-barding, 2 saddle

18 Squires - 10 Black Knight type, 8 Black Monarch type

90 Footmen - 29 spearmen, 9 swordsmen, 15 axemen, 8 crossbowmen, 29 longbowmen

Lion Knights:

24 Knights - 17 barding, 7 saddle

8 Squires

56 Footmen - 18 spearmen, 7 swordsmen, 13 axemen, 10 crossbowmen, 8 longbowmen

Black Falcons:

25 Footmen - 8 spearmen, 4 swordsmen, 6 axemen, 7 longbowmen

Wolfpack:

19 Footmen - 5 spearmen, 3 swordsmen, 4 axemen, 1 halberdman, 6 crossbowmen

Forestmen:

8 Horsemen - 4 black-sleeves, 2 blue-sleeves, 2 red-sleeves

88 Footmen - 7 black-sleeves, 26 green-sleeves, 23 blue-sleeves, 32 red-sleeves

6 Maidens

9 Dark Forest Men

Classic Castle:

6 Footmen - 4 swordsmen, 2 axemen

Peasants: 22 Men, 11 Women

3 Kings, 3 Queens, 5 Princesses, 3 Nobles

Dragon Masters:

2 Merlins

14 Footmen

7 Knights

1 Charioteer

Royal Knights:

2 Kings

3 Knights

19 Footmen: 5 spearmen, 8 swordsmen, 5 archers, 1 king

KKI: 1 Knight, 4 swordsmen, 4 crossbowman

Bulls: Cedric, 5 footmen

Bats: Basil, 8 footmen

Crownies:

4 Knights

27 Footmen - 1 squire, 6 spearmen, 4 swordsmen, 6 axemen, 8 crossbowmen, 2 bannermen

Kingdoms Lions:

4 Knights

19 Footmen - 10 spearmen, 7 swordsmen, 1 axeman, 1 crossbowman

Kingdoms Dragons:

4 Knights

10 Footmen - 1 spearman, 5 swordsmen, 1 axeman, 1 halberdman, 2 crossbowmen

Samurai, Ninjas, Chinese Knights:

3 Shoguns

10 Daimyos

46 Samurai

18 Ninjas

10 Chinese Knights: 2 Daomen, 2 spearmen, 2 guan-dao-men, 2 musketmen, 2 chu-ko-nu-men

Elves:

12 Footmen - 6 elven swordselves, 2 corseque-elves, 4 longbowelves

Scorpion Orcs:

4 Knights

1 Druid

25 Footmen

Skellies:

6 Knights - 1 Thestral knight, 2 heavy knights, 3 light cavalry

24 Skeletons

Drow:

15 Knights - 5 visored-helm, 4 gladiator-helm, 2 squires, 2 hooded advisors, 2 Greek-helm

48 Footmen - 2 pikedrow, 6 halberddrow,18 sworddrow, 10 axedrow, 12 longbowdrow

Edited November 1, 2014 by Slegengr

[nine09nueve]

I do collect armies, but I value army building much less than MOCing, as it is essentially only money that determines how large one's armies are. MOCing requires input from the individual rather than just using TLG's creativity in minifigures.

Dear Slengr

I'm sorry but I disagree... (Perhaps not wholeheartedly but I do still disagree!)

Whilst I think there is a financial element involved in army building the incredibly detailed and beautiful MOC's that are regularly showcased on this site aren't free to build either. I have no doubt that the really big ones must run in to the hundreds of (insert local currency here) and maybe some must cost four figures... Particularly if you include lots of rare elements... All those shipping fees from Bricklink add up after a while.

I do agree that once a MOC is "finished" then no more need be spent on it and you can always add another squad of 10 troops to an army but here's the thing... I think there is a BIG difference between an army and a collection - a distinction that I don't know if people share.

Plus... If you think that an army has no input from the individual and is just TLG's creativity... Then dude... With the greatest respect... You're doing it wrong!

Much love

D

Edited November 1, 2014 by nine09nueve

[Slegengr]

I'm sorry but I disagree... (Perhaps not wholeheartedly but I do still disagree!)

I am glad you responded, nine09nueve! What you have said are my sentiments as well. I obviously did not make myself clear enough in my comment. The main reason I made such a comment was to state that the number of figures in my whole picture is not what is important. By "army building" as I stated it, I meant collecting, and MOCing includes the customized army building aspect (personally designed minifigures are still "My Own Creation").

What I meant about the money aspect was: the person with the most money put towards a certain group of minifigures who collects them and keeps them basically exactly as TLG produced them will have the largest army. I would rather make an army of 10 customized (but still purist) minifigures than an army of 900 troops that are almost exactly the same as TLG produced them. I do enjoy seeing huge armies, but I prefer the personal aspect of seeing an individual's interpretation and customization of an army, large or small. Anyone can buy TLG's products, either new or from the secondary market, but only you can make your own characters. Of course, each person is entitled to their own enjoyment. If someone enjoys collecting without MOCing, that is up to them. I also enjoy collecting, but I like MOCing better. There is surely a distinction between an army and a collection. Over half my post is a collection, while the other half is made of custom armies. For example, my Crownies army is purely collection, while my Drow army is purely purist customization.

I also absolutely agree with your last comment. Army building can have input from the individual if the troops are customized. Most of the troops in the 900 here are still kept almost entirely as stock TLG troops with little customization (though I have definitely customized some troops), which is the kind of army building that can just turn into a contest of who has the most. This is not my intent. If you want an example that shows I prefer to army build with purist customization, see my Falki Ridders in the Guilds of Historica forum.

The same applies to building. Money is definitely required for MOCs (trust me, I know), but you cannot make a MOC that a lot of people enjoy simply by spending money. Spending money at its base will get either a display of TLG's sets built from the instructions or a row of bins of parts, as in this picture I took after a sorting session. This is why I value a MOC more than collected sets. It is not the focus on the financial side and which costs more, but rather the input and creativity of the builder. I have had a similar thought when I hear the comment "it is not the pieces you have but how you use them that matters." This is true that people are still coming up with new ways to use small collections of parts, but, if you look at the front page of Eurobricks, you will see that having a lot of pieces usually matters in achieving the wow-factor. Of course, the builder still had to know how to use the pieces in amazing ways.

I hope this explains my thought process in more or less... well, actually, more words .

Thanks again for the response and have a great day,

Slegengr

Edited November 1, 2014 by Slegengr

[nine09nueve]

Dear Stephen

Now, I couldn't agree with you more! I have seen too many 10000 minifig "armies" on youtube with the same clone trooper or droid over and over - no weapons mind you - and all on the biggest baseplates possible...

Not.

An.

Army.

And whilst the display is (relatively) impressive as it still needs to be purchase and assumed etc ultimately anyone can pump enough money into the challenge of making a larger collection of minifigs.

(I hope you noticed that I didn't mention any of your pictures in any of my examples - I am aware of your Historical work, you have significant numbers of differing troop types AND particularly liked some of the gold Drow weapon customs... Although I think there are better options for the skin tone)

For me it isn't just the numbers (as an army will have different types of troops) and it isn't just the troop specialisation (as an army isn't just 5 squads of 5-7 specialised troop types... It needs SOME size after all) but also is it well thought out? Does it have enough troop/racial distinctions from another faction (rather than just a different colour scheme) does it have internal consistency? Does it look good? And also can you imagine it fighting a battle? All these things need to be chucked in the mix...

Jackdaw's Napoleon's big army ( http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=98232 ) is a beautiful case in point of a wonderful army that ticks all my boxes - yes there are a lot of the same types of soldier but it is a realistic army of that period and so won't have the potential range of weapon variation that you could show in a fantasy/medieval army - and the whole lot is quite frankly the standard army builders should aspire to in my opinion!

Much love

D

P.s: and don't even get me started on the feasibility of actually being able to use said 10000 strong armies in an actual "battle"!

Edited November 1, 2014 by nine09nueve

[Slegengr]

We certainly see eye to eye! I had considered making a comment in my last post about the armies that produce essentially a white photo with black specks due to the repeating pattern of clones.

The one thing I like least about my army is that the troops are all on baseplates. Plain... flat... baseplates... With absolutely no artistic flair or visual appeal .

I have dreams of making dioramas for each faction, but I do not have the space or the time or the organization for that right now (or probably ever, for that matter), so I instead devote my time towards other builds.

This is my first will probably be my only post of an army in a topic like this one. I feel like I spent way too much time to ever consider doing this again, even though I have large armies of TLG's LotR troops, SW troops, Pirates factions, etc.(currently largely un-modified). There is no reason for me to show what TLG has produced, as it can be seen in images of their box art .

[Onslaught]

My Dragon army. I havent much time to show my minifigs. Maybe in the future when I have time I would show the rest.

[sahidko]

Update:

Elven armies during Battle of Dagorlad

Gil Galad and Elrond leading Elves from Lindon

Oropher's son Thranduil leading part of the army from Greenwood the Great

Edited November 8, 2014 by sahidko

[Hive]

My Dragon army. I havent much time to show my minifigs. Maybe in the future when I have time I would show the rest.

Are all those dragons real LEGO? I don't recognize the black, grey/blue and yellow ones.

[Onslaught]

Are all those dragons real LEGO? I don't recognize the black, grey/blue and yellow ones.

Yes, they are mega bloks dragons. Lego has not got much different dragons to make an interesting dragon army you know.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

I can present my small Gondorian army:

[richchie]

nice gondor army, if you want gondor shields , my friend has on his store on BL custom gondor shields, i have one at home and right now i am thinkink abou building my own gondor army. the shiels are in perfect condition, there are enamel so the picture of gondor tree can not be damaged. here is link to the store :

http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=Friend.bricks

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Thanks. I 'll take a look.

[Hepitos]

nice gondor army, if you want gondor shields , my friend has on his store on BL custom gondor shields, i have one at home and right now i am thinkink abou building my own gondor army. the shiels are in perfect condition, there are enamel so the picture of gondor tree can not be damaged. here is link to the store :

http://www.bricklink...p=Friend.bricks

nice shields, but sadly too expensive to buy more for army building :(

[richchie]

agree that price is high... but i am thinking about make only few soldiers, maybe 10-20 with shields an 6-8 with bow so they do not need shields... total number of gonor soldiers wll be around 30. ifI buy 20 shieds, it will coast 60EUR but in my opinion it will be goodnvestent, becaue i will hav uniqe gono army tha t looks like real...

[Hepitos]

maybe :)

but for this price i would like to see one in detail :)

because i will not pay 60 EUR for missprints or poor quality.

[richchie]

so you should write him message on BL. I also take only one for consider if it is good quality.now, when I know that its ok, i would take more :-)

[Hepitos]

yes, i will write him, thanks :)

you could take only one. he's a friend of you :)

[richchie]

you are right, but I also pay for it.. but probably if i say that the quality is not good he will give me back Money.... write him and you will see what he tell you. i really think about selling my crown knights and build gondor army (because right now i am building huge orcs army .. when i finish it i will post here pictures)

[BrickSev]

Yes, they are mega bloks dragons. Lego has not got much different dragons to make an interesting dragon army you know.

Now we have a nice dragon Smaug is still the best dragon ever made but the new creator 31032 Red Creatures set gives us a nice dragon at a very affordable price. A dragon army can be a reality. The question is how many dragons are needed for the group to become an army?

[SerenityInFire]

Now we have a nice dragon Smaug is still the best dragon ever made but the new creator 31032 Red Creatures set gives us a nice dragon at a very affordable price. A dragon army can be a reality. The question is how many dragons are needed for the group to become an army?

You could always use the RedCreatures instructions and buy the pieces in different colors for a variety of dragons too.

[BrickSev]

You could always use the RedCreatures instructions and buy the pieces in different colors for a variety of dragons too.

Indeed. That was my plan All the pieces should be easily to obtain and it appears most of them (a part the two bricks holding the flames) are even available through Lego shop. So we can get those dragons in other colors

Green, blue etc

[AmperZand]

I don't know if these guys count as an "army". I actually think of them as a raiding party.

And no, they're not purist. I used some third party parts.

Edited January 16, 2015 by AmperZand

[BrickSev]

I don't know if these guys count as an "army". I actually think of them as a raiding party.

I think raiding parties do count as armies for our purposes

I have two Goblins from recent Series 13 and I think I'll put them with the few Orcs I have to make an "Orcs and Goblins" raiding party. I think they will stay away from my dragons, though

EDIT:

I forgot to press the quote button. I'm a little too tired, I guess

Edited January 16, 2015 by BrickSev

[SirBlake]

Those goblins look great! I recognize 3 of the heads, but the head & torso on the front/left is not familiar.

Also, did you "polish of Nail" the patch off of the goblin hat in the back?

[SirValiant]

A Little while ago I posted part of my Dragon Knight army as they marched to war:

Off to Isil-Oro by Sir Valiant ~, on Flickr

I still need to do an official count but in the picture there are 28 soldiers.

Small, compared to some here but suitable for me!

Sir Valiant~

Edited January 17, 2015 by SirValiant