GoblinHorde
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All that you know is about to change.
Posts: 31
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Post by GoblinHorde on Nov 5, 2007 16:36:10 GMT
Well, I may as well post what is starting. I had intended it to be the competition entry for the next competition, but I want to build it anyway even if the old site goes down and we no longer have competitions.
I was going to build the ports of Umbar, as referenced by the title. It is going to be a 3 ft x 3 ft board, with four (possibly removable) ships docked, stairs leading to the level of the city from the docks, an open-air market, and several buildings. I have sketched a layout, but as it is not final I do not intend to upload it here.
For the shape, I am basing my plans largely off of a very short image of the corsair ships in the , Byzantine-style ships seen all over the place, several wooden, sail-powered ships I have actually boarded including the U.S.S. constitution, Japanese - inspired architecture, and byzantine - inspired stonework. My mental image of Umbar, essentially.
If anyone happens to be more knowledgeable about Tolkein than I, it would be greatly appreciated if you could clue me in about book references to the architecture of Umbar, or of the design of the ships themselves.
More updates once I purchase materials and begin building.
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Post by Dînadan on Nov 5, 2007 18:38:49 GMT
I haven't got the books to hand, but from what I remember (and glancing at Encyclopedia of Arda) Umbar was originally a Numenorian, and later on Gondorian, port that was oficially founded after the kinstrife. You may want to think about having a slightly Gondorian feel to it to represent its heritage, but altered slightly to show it being altered over the centuries by the Harad inhabitants via repairs to the original structures and some new buildings errected to replace older ones that were torn down.
I'd suggest having a few buildings near the docks and a dockside citadel/guard barracks being of more Gondorian design with a few Byzantine style buildings representing the newer Haradrim additions dotted around and then having the bulk of the remaining buildings being a blend of the two. Somewhere (perhaps as a fountain in the marketplace), you may want to have a staue of Castamir the Usurper whose sons founded the city in 1448 before it fell to Gondorian hands in 1810 and back to Haradrim hands in 1856.
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avvy
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I switched to Avvy, because I couldn't spell my own name right
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Post by avvy on Nov 10, 2007 20:06:34 GMT
I can't wait to see this! Will the ships be able to be easily accessed during a gamwe?
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Post by High Elven Lord on Nov 11, 2007 19:42:09 GMT
Can't wait to see some of this. Good luck!
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GoblinHorde
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Posts: 31
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Post by GoblinHorde on Nov 12, 2007 13:31:57 GMT
The ships will be connected by two planks each to two main docks...so they should be accessible, don't know about "easilly". In some , I may have the ships be the deploy area for one force.
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Post by TonyB on Nov 12, 2007 14:17:32 GMT
I too am looking forward to seeing this project develop, good luck with it.
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Post by High Elven Lord on Nov 12, 2007 15:45:16 GMT
This could certainly make for some very exciting scenarios - i.e. a sea-side invasion, commandeering docked ships, and so on. I have a quick question though - as for the water - what do you plan to use? If you could, as you go, just post the materials you use as I am very interested.
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GoblinHorde
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Posts: 31
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Post by GoblinHorde on Nov 12, 2007 20:53:52 GMT
I've never done water before, so a whole 1' x 3' section of it will be challenging. I thought that I would use the ORB method, as it means a lot less money that I would have to spend on resin water...
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GoblinHorde
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Post by GoblinHorde on Nov 29, 2007 21:27:43 GMT
Sketch of one of the buildings. The other one will be similar in style, but not identical. I still need to work up a sketch of the boats. The method I'm going to use to build the boats is unorthodox. I'm going to shave planks to get thin pieces of wood, then use those to build up the wall of the boat from a wireframe. I've never attempted this before with a whole ship, although I've used ultrathin wood before to make doors and stuff. It's not as thick as balsa wood - it bends. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper. I shave the wood with a table saw, so I really don't recommend this method for anyone else...
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Post by Captain of Rohan on Dec 29, 2007 16:18:50 GMT
Would love to see this project in progress and when finished. I will follow the making of this and I wish you good luck. What style are the ships going to be? All Umbar themed or maybe have a visiting ship or have more than more so they are interchangable for different scenarios?
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GoblinHorde
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All that you know is about to change.
Posts: 31
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Post by GoblinHorde on Jan 1, 2008 2:31:30 GMT
I was hoping to make some interchangeable ships, perhaps some Gondorian for a Sacking of Umbar scenario and some Umbar ones for its recapture. For the corsair ships I'll probably follow Revolutionary's guide...After I make those and if I can, I'll create my own Gondorian ships in the same manner...
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Post by Dînadan on Jan 1, 2008 14:31:07 GMT
I'm fairly sure that I've seen a guide for Gondorian ships somewhere. It was either in White Dwarf or BGiME, so you may want to check them out to inspire you.
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