Northern Outpost by Astuanax

Post by **Bruce N H** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:34 pm

Hey all,

Another great MOC on Brickshelf - Northern Outpost by builder Astuanax:

Bruce

Post by **JoshWedin** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:48 pm

That's very cool. I like the rock base built without BURPs, the white walls are very dictinctive as well. The light blue makes for a good variation in the water and the details on the tower really make is stand out. Its a very good MOC!

Josh

PS. I see that they used stickers for the Black Falcons soldiers. Makes me wonder if the builder is a lurker here.

eNiGMa · Post by **eNiGMa** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:00 pm

For some reason, this outpost gives me a very wintery feeling. Perhaps it's all the blue on the soldiers and in the water?

Anyway, there's some interesting building techniques here that are simple enough for me to try. Those grey wood 1x2s look good as parapets, and the windows are very effective.

Thanks for posting this, Bruce!

smcginnis · Post by **smcginnis** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:10 pm

Very nice tower. It looks very comfortable, but also strong. The brick-built cliff is great, and I also like the mottling in the water.

~smcginnis

JoshWedin wrote:PS. I see that they used stickers for the Black Falcons soldiers. Makes me wonder if the builder is a lurker here.

Well, here's their profile, they're sort of a registered lurker. They might post in this topic though.

wunztwice · Post by **wunztwice** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:38 pm

I like all of the decorative, but functional elements like the grey arched windows and the grey "log" crenelations.

The whole fortress has a very nice overal appearance, and I am becoming more and more a fan of white castles.

Thanks for another good find Bruce.

JPinoy · Post by **JPinoy** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:34 am

Thats a cozzy looking place to be in. I like the design of the tower and rocky island.

Something inside tells me it can use a very large bon-fire type of structure at the top instead of just a guard tower. Afterall... how are the ships gonna find that place in the fog?

porschecm2 · Post by **porschecm2** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:21 pm

Hm, this is pretty good. The thing that sticks out most to me is the mottled water. I think that works really well, especially from a distance. It really helps give the water a cold feel. I'm not a big fan of the crossed axes on the exterior wall, though. I think the overall castle is pulled off pretty well, considering how many colours he uses: white, light grey, dark grey, black, tan, and red.

Cm2

ragnarok · Post by **ragnarok** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 9:19 pm

It looks more like a residence than a defensive structure, although its location in the water is a fair solution for that problem. In my oppinion the lady with the crossbow resides in this outpost and commands the local garrison.

Post by **Athos** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:41 pm

I like the recessed windows on the lower floor.

Steve

Sir Terrance · Post by **Sir Terrance** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:07 pm

Very nice! I like the use of the large narrow doors and I like the combination of medium and regular blue for the water.

~Chris Perron

Astuanaks · Post by **Astuanaks** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:26 pm

Hey all!

Thanks for your nice comments. This is my first big MOC after emerging out of my big Dark Age. Just joined the CC forums too.

Josh, you nailed me: I have indeed used the stickers from this site. Great stuff!

Since the initial posting, I have added a lot of detail:
-a smithy, working on a new suit of armor for the captain
-trading with the local Vikings
-interiors: soldiers' barracks, kitchen, cellars with a prison, small great hall and the captain's quarters
-a fire beacon on top of the tower (thanks for the idea, JPinoy!)

I also took new pictures with much better lighting. I really think it's worth checking out again.

regards,
Astuanax

smcginnis · Post by **smcginnis** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:32 pm

Nice update. I like the interior, and the beacon is great. That spiral staircase is cool, because it can be built with commoner pieces than most I've seen. Could you take a pic from the side (of the staircase), so I can see how it's built?

~smcginnis

brody · Post by **brody** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:44 am

I like it! It has a very nice feel. The overall profile/composition is superb. I wonder if incorporating some plant-life is a good idea?

Astuanaks · Post by **Astuanaks** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:49 pm

smcginnis,

I added a picture of the spiral stair, with the tower removed.
It is indeed built out of common pieces: 4x2 plates and 1x1 round plates. The footprint is 7x7 studs.

The biggest drawback as I built it, is the lack of stability. You could build an inverted slope into the wall to support every second step. That shoud strengthen it nicely.

see:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=1831460

regards,
Stefan