Marine Garage

We've went through the gear available to the marines to take into training and into battle.  Now we explore HOW those items will be taken into battle.

 

The Marine Garage and various carts used by the Marines

 

Enter the Marine Garage.  Housing plenty of horse-drawn and hand carts to transport supplies like weapons, tools, consumable supplies, and even marines to wherever they need to go.  To the base or watch tower, to the training grounds or waterside fortification, to a parade or battleground, these vehicles will get the job done.

 

Three carts parked n the Marine Garage

 

Sure, the marines are quite capable of carrying their gear around, but horses are faster and stronger than humans.  Yeah, diesel engines and airplanes are way much faster, but my military isn't all that modern.  Lego doesn't roll like that, and neither do I.

 

The big carts for transporting marines and their gear into battle

 

Where are the horses?  They're on deck.





Armory

With such a large military force, you need a place to store all the arms and equipment they need to train and carry out their duties.  So, why not build an Armory to store everything.

The Marine Armory 

Designing an Armory was pretty easy.  First, make sure there is a desk where everyone has to check out the equipment they wish to use.  Put a guard at the front door to prevent someone from looting the place or causing a firefight.  Then place some containers in the Armory to hold all the weapons and shields and whatnot, so the marines could look at the merchandise available for use.

 The current guard on duty at the Armory (left) and a marine checking out some equipment with the the depot officer (right)

Swords are the most common item available in the armory.  With all Castle and Pirate sets I had from the late '80s and early '90s, there are a lot of broadswords and cutlasses for use.  I've also got some newer swords from more recent sets, like longswords and katanas.  I do need a few more, just to even out the counts.  I'd like to have 6 of each type in the barrels here, regardless of their color.

 Deciding on what sword to use in training today

Of course, you can't just expect everyone to wield a sword when they go into combat.  They'll need things like spears, or maybe even a firearm or two.  Sure, they're all flintlock pistols and rifles, but they'll get the job done.  And you can't cause too much havoc with such a limited amount of firepower.

 Spears and equipment bags (with some pistols in the background)

Hey, my marines are not the kind to go into battle and just spray and pray.  They are supposed to help people and keep the peace.  They aren't going to war.  No one wants that.

Looking at the different kinds of shields available in the Armory

We also have shields and tools, for use out in the field.  Plenty of shields to choose from, but I need to find a way to store the third kid of shield these troops use.  You know what I mean.  The triangular ones, like this.  Definitely have to find a way to display those...

 Tools can be checked out, in addition to weapons

As for tools, everything is modern.  Walkie-talkies, binoculars, even drills, sextants, and an oil can.  Lots of fun there, using it to lubricate the various transport carts and wagons (no, there are no tanks or trucks here).

There's so much inventory, we just can't store at all!!

There's way too much equipment to store in the Armory as it sits now.  I was kicking around some ideas for a new building design, just before Thanksgiving.  I'm thinking of combining the Armory with the Marine Garage on an extra large 48x48 baseplate.  I think it's feasible, but I need to construct a physical model to ensure all the wagons and carts fit in there.  We'll see how well that'll work after the holidays.

Marine Base

Everything up to this point has been relatively modern looking in my Lego city.  Some maybe a bit futuristic, like the Research Lab working on air drones.  But how does one integrate sets from the days of yore into a present-day setting?

Easy.  They become your military forces.

The Marine Base

I had many Castle and Pirate themed Lego sets from my childhood, all obtained during the late '80s and early '90s.  Then they always throw a few in with each series of minifigures, classic sets to appeal to your feelings of nostalgia (if you meet the minimum price requirements of your purchase)...  It just keeps going on and on.  Sure, Medieval Europeans and Caribbean swashbucklers wouldn't stand much of a chance against a modern army/navy/air force, but Lego is a land of fantasy.  How cool would it be if those sworn to protect us still had to fight like that.

Yeah, you're right, I shouldn't be glorifying that kind of thing.  But one must already be ready to serve.

Since I had both land-based and water-based troops, I didn't think I needed two separate forces.  I figure combine them all into a single Marine base of operations.

Early design of the Marine Base

The first challenge was coming up with the shape of the building.  I thought about maybe having room for a moat, like the castles in the movies and TV shows showed, but I'd give up quite a bit of real estate for that.  I then thought about the shape where corners just out and the inner parts are recessed in a bit, and I felt pretty happy with it.  I then added some elements, like a gate at the front and couple sets of stairs.

The guards at the gate

The base will always have about a half dozen troops on patrol, at a minimum.  2 groups of two on the elevated platform to see what's out on the horizon, plus a couple at the gate to choke off any possible invasion (no idea who'd be invading in the first place).  

 Patrol groups surveying the environment around the base

Today, we see a group of Marines getting ready to learn how to move around with heavy armor.  Helmets, shields, plated body armor, and a weapon.  There are some items in one corner of the base with those items these men and women will practice using to get used to carrying the extra weight and build up some strength.

Equipment to be used in Heavy Armor training 

All the marines are commanded by a king minifigure, who acts as the general.  Below, he provides guidance to one of his majors about the group she'll be taking out for sword training.  He may be wearing a crown, but he's not all that special.  Sure, he can bark out orders and such, but he worked his way up the ladder, like everyone else did.  He's not afraid to be hands on, and he knows it takes a good team to succeed.

The General (left) talking to one of his majors about training exercises

There may be a wide range of uniforms, backgrounds, abilities, and body types, but they are all marines.  They fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.  They're willing to take the risk, putting their lives on the line to ensure the rest of the residents of my Lego city stay safe and free to pursue whatever they want.  And that's awesome.

Today's training groups, clockwise from top left: survival, firearms, archery, and handling swords in combat

The following months will cover other facilities the Marine forces use to carry out their mission, so stay tunes for more.

Marina Fortification

It's time to start switching gears now, close the book on what's happening at the Marina, and look at the Marines' operations, patrolling the waters to protect the people of the Lego city from a naval or amphibious attack.

 Front and rear views of the Marina Fortification

Who am I kidding?  No one is going to try to invade the city.  I just needed a place to park some pirate boats and a Viking boat, put some cannons along the wall, and some military men to work.

 Patrol boats currently docked at the Marina Fortification

Of course, a couple of rowboats aren't hold up against anything with a motor and engine.  But they would be low key enough to go invade someone else.  Like a Navy SEAL-style operation.  Who'd expect such a low-tech fleet to come around.

 Cannons loaded and ready to go!!

Having these guys trying to go into combat with stuff like this is just as ridiculous.  Oh well, it's still a sight to see the military working all colonial-style, instead of modern warfare.  And with everything going on in the world, do we really need more war?  I know I don't.

Extra sea vessels that are not patrol-worthy

Lego Haul - 10/20/17

Mid-October brought along a perfect storm of Lego.  The release of 10259 Winter Village Station, double VIP points on all purchases, free sets for VIP members and meeting a minimum dollar amount, no class for three weeks.  I ABSOLUTELY had to take advantage it.  So I did.

The Lego haul from 10/20/17

I'm going to go from largest to smallest here, so let's start with 10259 Winter Village Station.

I really wanted this set because it fits in with all the other Winter Village sets I have, plus it gives whatever train set I purchase in the future a destination.  Sure, there's the one in the in the city, but there's no point in having just ONE train station.  And it's much safer (and economically feasible) to take a train into the mountains than fly in.  Seriously, I don't want to design and build a SECOND airport.

 Contents of 10259 Winter Village Station

Contents of bags 1 fully assembled

The Winter Village Station gave me a few ideas for additional city development.  Now that I have a Lego designed railroad crossing, I have a format to follow to put my own in.  The train WILL have to cross a road at same point.  It's no longer a concern now, and that's awesome.

10259 Winter Village Station fully assembled

So now I've got the Winter Cottage, the Winter Carnival, the Winter Village Store, and Santa's Workshop, plus whatever else winter related in my collection...  I may be done with getting things for the Winter Village region...  Nah, I'm sure Lego will come out with something else I'll have to get.

Grandmother and grandson heading into the terminal to check go onto the train

Next up, we have the 21024 Louvre.  This is pretty much for decoration around the house, as my wife loves Paris and the rest of France.  I'll have to order a 21036 Arc de Triomphe to finish off the trinity of Parisian landmarks from the Lego Architecture product line.  Then I'll have to find a place to put them all, since space is limited.  I can't have ALL my Lego sets and things out for display.

21024 Louvre contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

As a Lego VIP member, I was able to get the 40178 LEGO Iconic VIP set with my $125 purchase.  Totally worth it, since I got $10 of store credit for future use.  Not sure what I'll go with this.  I'd put in my Lego mall if I had one, but that'd be too much work to design and build.  I could rob some of the items from here and put them into the Toy Store that will go in the town plaza.

40178 LEGO Iconic VIP set contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

Lastly, I got a 30609 LEGO Ninjago Lloyd minifigure free with my purchase as well.  Lego's got all sorts of sets out now to coincide with the Ninjago movie.  I don't plan on getting any of those, except for the minifigures.  Lloyd here will probably remain a civilian, since he's not in combat gear, but he could be a Marine with that sword and his skillset.  I'm sure he'd be a great patrolman, and a few of his Ninjago friends are already serving in the military.  I'm fine with whatever he decides to go with his life.

30609 LEGO Ninjago Lloyd minifigure fully assembled

Lego Haul - 1/19/15

On Martin Luther King Day, I went to the Lego store once again to try to get the rest of the Series 13 minifigures and a Double Decker Couch.

The haul for Monday, January 19th, 2015

Once again, I didn't have the best of luck.  I found 5 of the 6 minifigures I needed (Unicorn Girl, Evil Wizard, Classic King, Disco Diva, and Samurai), but there were no Double Decker Couch sets.  I did peruse the Pick A Brick wall and got a small cup of bricks.

Unicorn Girl, Evil Wizard, Classic King, Samurai, and Disco Diva

All of these minifigures will go to the costume party at the Grandstand, except Samurai.  She will be at the Marine Base.  I though about also making the Evil Wizard and Classic King marines, but their outfits are a bit too elaborate for service.  Additionally, I made my Series 12 Wizard a partygoer, so why not his nemesis?

The contents of my small cup of bricks

I don't bother much with the Pick A Brick wall at the Mall of America Lego Store.  There just isn't enough variety.  The bottom two rows are dedicated to 2x4 bricks, and I don't need any more of those.  There aren't enough gray and brown pieces to make it worth my time.

However, there is a new blue color, so I can buy them for my Plumber's shop.  I grabbed tan bricks for my Pony Farm.  They really helped me with putting together a physical model to start tinkering with.  I also got a small handful of angular black 1x1 bricks, which will be great for building traffic lights.  Finally, I added some light green 2x4 plates and red 1x3 sloped bricks.  Can't complain about that.

I still need a Hot Dog Man minifigure.  And a Double Decker Couch.  Maybe a large cup of those blue bricks pictured above.  I'll probably make my new run on the 31st.  I've still got about $120 in Lego gift certificates to burn, so this isn't over yet.  The way I see it, we've only just begun.

Lego Haul - 1/3/15

The new year brings many great things to us.  One of the greatest things it brings me is new Lego sets.  After Christmas and my birthday, I've got $240 in Lego gift cards burning a hole in my pocket.  My wife and I went to the Mall of America Lego store yesterday, where I was hoping to get all of the new 71008 Series 13 Lego Minifigures, a 70818 Double Decker Couch from the Lego Movie, and a free 40140 Flower Wagon set for spending $75 at the Lego store.

It was slim pickings at the Lego store.  It turns out they were open on New Years Day (I wasn't sure if they would with it being a national holiday, and I had more important things to do that day, as my beloved Golden Gophers had a bowl date with Missouri).  There weren't many Lego Minifigures to choose from, as there were about 40 or so in the small bin.  The store was out of Double Decker Couch sets, if they even had any to begin with.  I didn't see a place on the shelf that marked where they would have been.  Several other sets I would have wanted were also nowhere to be found.  It did not look good for Homestar Runner.

Fortunately, I was able to adapt.  I only grabbed 11 Lego Minifigures, but I got to $75 with a 31035 Beach Hut and a 40120 Valentine's Day Dinner set, which my wife noticed before I had a chance to.

The haul for Saturday, January 3rd, 2015.

I may not have found what I originally wanted, but I was happy with what I got.  I've still got $150 in store credit left, and I'm sure they'll restock the shelves in the coming weeks.  I'm ready to get my ticket punched, after I get through the next several days.

The January 3rd, 2015 haul fully assembled.

What do I plan to do with my new Lego sets?  I'm glad you asked...

• The Beach Hut will be placed out at the Lake Shore.
• The Valentine's Day Dinner may go to the Restaurant, but I haven't decided yet.  It'll just be decoration until I figure it out.
• The Flower Wagon will go in the Plaza area.
• The Alien Trooper, Goblin, Lady Cyclops, Sheriff, and Snake Charmer minifigs will go to the costume party at the Grandstand.
• The Carpenter minifig will work at the Construction Site.
• The Egyptian Warrior minifig will be a Marine.
• The Fencer minifig is to be determined.
• The Galaxy Trooper minifig will work as a referee in the Laser Tag Arena.
• The Paleontologist minifig will go to the Research Lab.

10 of the 16 Series 13 Lego Minifigures

40140 Flower Wagon

40120 Valentine's Day Dinner contents and fully assembled

31035 Beach Hut contents

31035 Beach Hut open/front and closed/side views