The frigate L'Orient

[Paladin]

As I said on the IndyLUG forum this model is superb Bonaparte. One of the best I've ever seen on the standard width boat hulls. *sweet*

I also like these ideas for Carronades. I've actually been on Constitution and seen them as depicted in the pictures posted by phred.

I did a quick and dirty version for my Constitution MOC, which were just 2x2 rounds mounted horizontally with a couple of technic bits... Back in my younger days we used to mount barrels horizontally for them...using an L bracket or a hinged 2x2 brick (you may have noticed these on Potempkin). I like the built versions you guys have shown though.

Adding Carronades is a good idea from a firepower standpoint. I think the Carronades on Constitution are 32 pounders. Even though the carronade doesn't have the range that a long gun has, with that size shot coming from the main deck along with a broadside of 24 pound guns on the gun deck...that's a lot of iron. One reason why the Humphrey's "Heavy Frigate" was so successful. (well and these hull lines :-P )

Edited June 5, 2007 by Paladin

[Capn Frank]

...

I started on some carronades, but I'm working on a new ship in parallel so I'm a bit slow.

This is my favorite carronade (with a black version of the brick you see in the middle), so I'm planning to use this design.

Hey nice choice on cannons.

That's my favorite design for MOC cannons that i've built.

(although i usually consider it a small caliber cannon, than a carronade, but whatever)

...

I also like these ideas for Carronades. I've actually been on Constitution and seen them as depicted in the pictures posted by phred.

Do you live in the U.S. Paladin?

I did a quick and dirty version for my Constitution MOC, which were just 2x2 rounds mounted horizontally with a couple of technic bits... Back in my younger days we used to mount barrels horizontally for them...using an L bracket or a hinged 2x2 brick (you may have noticed these on Potempkin). I like the built versions you guys have shown though.

...

I've noticed those cannons on your older ships ;-)

If you like these MOC cannons, have you checked out our Index of MOC Cannons?

P

[Paladin]

Do you live in the U.S. Paladin?

Yup... Though the closest I come to the shoreline is Lake Michigan :-D...I'm a Hoosier (from the state of Indiana). Unfortunately it's about 14 hours to Boston from Indianapolis (by car) so I can't just see Constitution whenever I want...but I guess that's alot closer than some of you guys in Europe! ;-)

I've noticed those cannons on your older ships ;-)

If you like these MOC cannons, have you checked out our Index of MOC Cannons?

No I hadn't seen that! Wow there are a lot of really great ideas for built-up cannons!

I should explain that the barrel thing was sort of an "equalizing" factor. Back in the day I had some friends that would get together and have "Lego Naval Wars" and to keep things on a more equal footing we required that you use specific pieces for guns. A Lego cannon was a 24lb long gun, a brown barrel was a 32lb carronade, and a brown palm tree segment was a 12lb cannon. Bomb vessels were built with mortars. Mortars were made with black space wheels, little ones were 20lb mortars, the medium size ones were 40lb mortars, and then the huge brown barrels that came out of the wild west sets were 60lb mortars. Rail guns of various sizes were permitted but they were anti-personnel weapons, and generally the goal was to sink your opponent's ship or dismast them and capture the ship. Although it's meaningless now, I still had some models adhering to those rules.

The point was that if you ran out of those parts you couldn't bulk up your arsenal without actually buying a set with the required parts, which when you're 12 can mean waiting until Christmas or your birthday. It also required that if someone had more cannon than you, you had to be more cunning or tactical in your battle.

Edited June 6, 2007 by Paladin

[Capn Frank]

...

No I hadn't seen that! Wow there are a lot of really great ideas for built-up cannons!

I should explain that the barrel thing was sort of an "equalizing" factor. Back in the day I had some friends that would get together and have "Lego Naval Wars" and to keep things on a more equal footing we required that you use specific pieces for guns. A Lego cannon was a 24lb long gun, a brown barrel was a 32lb carronade, and a brown palm tree segment was a 12lb cannon. Bomb vessels were built with mortars. Mortars were made with black space wheels, little ones were 20lb mortars, the medium size ones were 40lb mortars, and then the huge brown barrels that came out of the wild west sets were 60lb mortars. Rail guns of various sizes were permitted but they were anti-personnel weapons, and generally the goal was to sink your opponent's ship or dismast them and capture the ship. Although it's meaningless now, I still had some models adhering to those rules.

The point was that if you ran out of those parts you couldn't bulk up your arsenal without actually buying a set with the required parts, which when you're 12 can mean waiting until Christmas or your birthday. It also required that if someone had more cannon than you, you had to be more cunning or tactical in your battle.

Hey, that's pretty close to what we came up with in the Caliber of Lego Cannons thread.

Well what Skaforhire said and what I said.

Although i don't know exactly what bricks you're talking about with the space wheels.

P

Edited June 7, 2007 by phred

[ZCerberus]

Yup... Though the closest I come to the shoreline is Lake Michigan :-D...I'm a Hoosier (from the state of Indiana). Unfortunately it's about 14 hours to Boston from Indianapolis (by car) so I can't just see Constitution whenever I want...but I guess that's alot closer than some of you guys in Europe! ;-)

Some of us are not from Europe, but still a long ways from Boston. Phred is from Wisconsin, and I am from Minnesota. There are other midwesterners and west coast people too, but there is an American presence even on Eurobricks! I do recall someone even telling me they were from Ohio or Indiana a few months ago!

I would some day like to see the Constitution, but I have never been north of New York on the East Coast!

[Paladin]

Although i don't know exactly what bricks you're talking about with the space wheels.

This small space wheel was considered a 20lb mortar, and in our naval war game could even be mounted on a regular ship:

This large space wheel was considered a 40lb mortar, and was supposed to only be mounted on a bomb vessel or an Ironclad (this rule was often ignored...remember we were 10-14 in ages):

Basically we got the idea to use mortars after watching "Last of the Mohicans" (Michael Mann version) which had just come out back then (man...the late 80's and early 90's was a great time for movies!). The scene of the French assault on the British fort William Henry when they fire off the mortars was particularly exciting (and still is), so of course we decided "Let's use mortars!". Again we needed a Lego part that not everyone had a lot of, and the space wheels seemed to work. Mostly because they were relatively new parts in the early 90's...having come out on M-Tron and Blacktron II sets. We also decided that they should be black or grey in color. Another use for the small wheel was as floating mines. For those we used the white variety that came in the Ice Planet 2000 sets, they actually could blend with carpet if you weren't careful :-D

I have a picture of a very early version of my Potempkin moc bristling with these types of "mortars"...rather unrealistic and insane...but it was "for the game"...lol. I'll see if I can find it and scan it sometime.

Edited June 7, 2007 by Paladin

[Logbo]

OMG that ship is so well done!

GG

[AL FREDDO]

awesome ship,bonaparte!

[SirScottLego]

Bonapart... I have failed to say it until now, but dang that is a sweet ship!

[Eothein]

Wow just wow. That is incredible. I love the colour scheme and the flag poking out of the end of the ship.

Although one burning question, does it float in the pool?

[Bonaparte]

OMG that ship is so well done!

GG

awesome ship,bonaparte!

Bonapart... I have failed to say it until now, but dang that is a sweet ship!

Thanks for those nice words guys!

Wow just wow. That is incredible. I love the colour scheme and the flag poking out of the end of the ship.

Although one burning question, does it float in the pool?

Never tried. It would be a pity to ruin all those paper sails

[Lt. Col. Thok]

Quite a nice ship. Mind you, a couple of alterations are in mind, such as a Union Jack instead of a tricolour.... :-P Other than that, I really like it.

[Jabbabob]

Dang! I would seriously buy that from you. I really need ships for a project I'm planning. and I only own 2. This old police boat and the Durmstrang ship and they are both pieces of crap!

[Captain Green Hair]

Beter late then never.....

Like your ship Bonaparte, it has nice lines and realy looks like a late 17th century ship! *y*

The functionality is also great other then mine.

But the red decks...i don't know..

[Bonaparte]

Beter late then never.....

Like your ship Bonaparte, it has nice lines and realy looks like a late 17th century ship! *y*

The functionality is also great other then mine.

But the red decks...i don't know..

Thanks Captain!

The red decks were a bit of an experiment because at the time I only had enough black and red plates.

I went for the red ones because you easily notice dust on black plates.

You just have to think of them as being brown which looks a bit like red... ;-)

I have a few improvements planned for this ship.

Now the anchors are hung in the rigging and I want to change that.

I also want to make a better figurehead for L'Orient.

[Norrington]

So Bonaparte, after this stunning naval victory (hmm... Something the real Bonaparte never obtained) do you have anymore Naval endeavors to speak of?

[Dragonator]

That's an amazing ship, really great. Did you end up fixing the anchor, and adding more rigging? What do you think you will do next? I like the colour scheme, although I agree that red decks aren't the best, but they still look great, and don't detract from the overall MOC at all!

[Captain Green Hair]

Coul always be worst, like yellow, blue or multiple colored decks ey? :-D

[Col. Whipstick]

I do quite like the red decking...

I remember making a ship out of basic bricks when all I had was a few pirate minifigs but no ships etc and back then I chose to use red because it's as close to brown as can be. Also consider that the rowboats of the Imperials were red in the official lego sets anyway.

The name of the ship and it being red also give it an eastern feel for me, hard to explain but it certainly stands out and looks quite bold and impressive, if it wasn't for the red decking this ship wouldn't look half as impressive and powerful. Nice work Bonaparte!