Mexican Fort

[WesternOutlaw]

Inspired by images of Spanish Missions, the Alamo, and Old Mexican Villages, I wanted to try something different in building a Mexican Fort from the 1800s.

I'll add some additional images later, but here's a few to start out with:

A view from the front:

Right front:

Left Front:

Inside:

The figs:

This MOC was something completely different for me, and in researching what has been built by others, I was surprised to find very little along this line. Hope you enjoy, and feedback is welcome.

PS. Also, in case the pirate fans on the board might be thinking that these figs look a little like Imperial Soldiers, take a look at this image of Mexican uniforms from the movie, the Alamo:

[simonwillems]

Fantastic! You mentioned you rarely see Mexican creations and indeed I don't recall seeing something like this. The facade seems to have escaped the Spaghetti-western films like "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" and "A Fistful of Dynamite".

Those beams sticking out certainly do the trick, you have observed the buildings of that time well!

*wub*

[Mister Phes]

Of course I must mention this with a biiiig X-D

Replace the Imperial Guard mini-figures with their Armada counterparts and you'd have quite a nice concept for an Imperial Armada set happening there Mr Brickster.

[oo7]

Awesome! I've always wanted to see a Lego Alamo. Great work! 8-

[Asuka]

Very beautiful in shape and proportion and very elegant with all these tiles

on the stairs and props. Great work! *y*

Maybe a bell for the bell tower? Or.... I don

[WesternOutlaw]

Thank you all for the comments.

Maybe a bell for the bell tower? Or.... I don

[Athos]

Looks outstanding. I'd snap a set like this up in an instant, if I found it on the shelves! I really like how you can capture that elusive element (sparse, but not barren; simple but not thrown together) that makes your MOCs look like an official set from the golden era.

I'm especially keen on those support beams sticking out on the front. All that's really needed are some Mexican civilians with sombrero's and poncho torsos...

I think this may be my favorite of your MOCs.

Steve

[Sir Dillon]

This is probably one your best creations, Brickster. 8-

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks. I think it came out pretty well myself. I may do a few more MOCS as part of the Old Mexico sub-theme, as this variety of WW sets are completely new to me.

In regard to the left tower, I drifted away from the use of 1x2 bricks giving the tower a less-castle like look. But I know what you mean, SD. I may change it slightly. Also, this is my critisism; I'm not real frond of the red roof design. This may be just me.

In any case, I may be adding a few more MOCs to this collection before I go to something else. I just don't have a lot of white, so I'm rather limited.

[Sir Dillon]

In regard to the left tower, I drifted away from the use of 1x2 bricks giving the tower a less-castle like look. But I know what you mean, SD. I may change it slightly. Also, this is my critisism; I'm not real frond of the red roof design. This may be just me.

Personally, I think the roof looks ok. How do you think it'd look if you were to remove the the brown supports completely, and move the roof down?

[WesternOutlaw]

How do you think it'd look if you were to remove the the brown supports completely, and move the roof down?

Too low. It would be like the tower on the right side.

[Hinckley]

great job, Brickster!

[Bonaparte]

Excellent work! I really like how this set looks.

It could be improved with some custom decals for the Mexicans.

Btw, Mr. Mosana has a thread in the pirate forum where he is accepting requests for custom decals.

[WesternOutlaw]

Excellent work! I really like how this set looks.

It could be improved with some custom decals for the Mexicans.

Btw, Mr. Mosana has a thread in the pirate forum where he is accepting requests for custom decals.

Thanks. I was just looking at the custome decals. They are excellent. Thanks for the suggestion. I still need the high helmets though.

[Norro]

A nice new direction for the WW. I ended up with a quazi mexican storefront when building a medieval marketplace years ago, but you rarely see deliberate efforts in this area ;-) .

Nice work!

God Bless,

Nathan

[WesternOutlaw]

I ended up with a quazi mexican storefront when building a medieval marketplace years ago, but you rarely see deliberate efforts in this area ;-) .

Did you happen to have taken a picture Norro?

[Bonaparte]

Is there a reason why you've put 1824 in that Mexican flag?

According to what I understand from the wikipedia article on the battle of the Alamo, this flag was used by the defenders of the Alamo to protest the abrogation of the Constitution of 1824 (which stated that Mexico should have a loose central government which supported states rights). So I wouldn't expect a Mexican flag with 1824 on a fortress that's under control of the Mexican army. I might be wrong, because all I know comes from the mentioned wiki-article and this part of the article didn't have a reliable source. That's why I ask.

[WesternOutlaw]

Is there a reason why you've put 1824 in that Mexican flag?

According to what I understand from the wikipedia article on the battle of the Alamo, this flag was used by the defenders of the Alamo to protest the abrogation of the Constitution of 1824 (which stated that Mexico should have a loose central government which supported states rights). So I wouldn't expect a Mexican flag with 1824 on a fortress that's under control of the Mexican army. I might be wrong, because all I know comes from the mentioned wiki-article and this part of the article didn't have a reliable source. That's why I ask.

Excellent question Bonaparte. Let me provide the following which helps explain:

For well over 150 years, popular culture has placed the 1824 Flag flying from the walls of the Alamo during those fateful thirteen days when a handful of determined men stood before the might of the Mexican army and shouted "Liberty or Death." The idea that the defenders of the Alamo flew the 1824 Flag is rooted solely in the belief that the defenders were fighting for the restoration of the Mexican Constitution of 1824. That belief and all conjecture that flows from it, are unfounded. Indeed, the idea that the defenders would have considered flying the 1824 Flag from the walls of their fortress is, at the very least, farfetched and, at the most, demeaning to their cause and their memory.

There is no empirical evidence to prove that the green, white and red tricolor with the black numerals 1824 supplanting the central Mexican eagle was ever used at the Alamo. The flag was not captured and preserved by the victors nor recorded in the military accounts of the day. The few people who survived the battle were never asked about the flags the Texians flew. Those citizens of B

[WesternOutlaw]

Excellent question Bonaparte. Let me provide the following which helps explain:

For well over 150 years, popular culture has placed the 1824 Flag flying from the walls of the Alamo during those fateful thirteen days when a handful of determined men stood before the might of the Mexican army and shouted "Liberty or Death." The idea that the defenders of the Alamo flew the 1824 Flag is rooted solely in the belief that the defenders were fighting for the restoration of the Mexican Constitution of 1824. That belief and all conjecture that flows from it, are unfounded. Indeed, the idea that the defenders would have considered flying the 1824 Flag from the walls of their fortress is, at the very least, farfetched and, at the most, demeaning to their cause and their memory.

There is no empirical evidence to prove that the green, white and red tricolor with the black numerals 1824 supplanting the central Mexican eagle was ever used at the Alamo. The flag was not captured and preserved by the victors nor recorded in the military accounts of the day. The few people who survived the battle were never asked about the flags the Texians flew. Those citizens of B

[Bonaparte]

That's very interesting!

Thanks to your MOC I've learned something about Mexican history.

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks to your MOC I've learned something about Mexican history.

That's great! Just think how these historic MOCs would help children learn about history.

[Mister Phes]

Now I shall comment more seriously upon this wonderful MOC.

I do indeed really like it because its simple but not too simple, and does indeed look something my imagination would expect to stumble upon in Mexico. The only way I (with my limited MOCing experience) could suggest to improve it would be to use custom mini-figures rather than using Imperial Guards.

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've done some modifications to create version two. Significant changes include reconstruction of the left tower (thanks SD ;-) ), and the addition of the outer wall with a few additional accessories.

[Mister Phes]

And that is indeed better! The original tower looked like something gawky that The LEGO Group would incorporate into one of their modern sets. Your rebuild is more attractive and robust, but how does the little fella get to the top of the tower? :-D

[oo7]

Beautiful. Definitely my favorite MOC of yours. Does the back tower possibly have a lader to get to the top floor?