A Castle Builders’ Classic Challenge: The Watchtower
More than ten years ago, the Guilds of Historica RPG started on Eurobricks.com. It’s the longest-running LEGO fantasy RPG where castle builders can connect and be inspired by a supportive community. An important part of that group is competing in contests and challenges. The very first one was called “Build a Watchtower.”
To celebrate their tenth anniversary, the task was revisited once again to build a watchtower anew. It’s always surprising to see people’s unique approach to completing such a challenge. Let’s have a look at the towers that the members of the fantasy realm came up with.
Mitgardian Watchtower of Treacleheim by MKJoshA
This is a complete diorama with a sturdy tower embedded in the mountain wall. The beacon on the side of the tower is a nice addition, and the snow layered at the bottom looks very natural. The purple foliage adds an attractive splash of color.
Autumn Watchtower by Ayrlego
We know Ayrlego for his bright buildings, and clearly he has put those colors to work in this scene. The bright trees contrast the watchtower perfectly. The tower itself has some nice rock and woodwork. This turns out to be the winning entry. It’s a well-deserved win depicting a cold, sunny autumn day where the ground is covered with leaves.
Oil Road Waystation by Gideon
This is a clever twist on the watchtower. It's a perfect place to stop and rest, get some shade, and enjoy a nice cup of fresh water. This scene is also stuffed with fun details such as the cactus made of wolverine claws and the gears as ornaments above the door.
A Very Light-House by Kahir88
What's a better place for a watchtower than on a floating rock? It resides up in the sky, out of reach for most enemies. This tower serves as a lighthouse, which normally warns ships to stay away from shallow water. But in this case, they should fear the rocks differently. A broken mast or a torn sail is best to be avoided.
Torre Orientale by talusmoonbreaker
A watchtower doesn't necessarily need to be a massive structure. This one, located in a rural area, is just high enough to serve as a lookout at the moment. Workers are still building, so it will get taller eventually. It also shows that you don't need a massive collection to participate in this competition!
Nocturnus Watchtower by Grover
This example is a more simple approach to tower building, but the focus here lies more on the environment and storytelling. It’s about regular Bob from Philadelphia who somehow ended up all the way up in Historica. How far can ones imagination go?
Burj Thl'ath by BrickNerd’s Andreas Lenander
This one is all about contrast. There are multiple towers, but the bold coral color choice makes it clear that it’s all about the one in the middle. In addition, there are a multitude of fun details that shouldn’t be overlooked, like the neat market stall, the lush palm trees, and the monkeys sneaking on the battlements.
Harburg’s Southern Watchtower by soccerkid6
This one is surely all about the wonderful stonework. It shows that experimenting a bit can really pay off. For example, the use of the plate with barhandles gives a unique texture to the wall. The elevated surroundings and nifty little trees complete this scene.
Stronghold of Eras Duhl by Rogue Angel
Some competitors like to focus on a certain style. In this case, the clean curves suit the elves very well. To prevent the tower from becoming a white blob, Rogue used sand and dark green highlights which make it a nice example of Elven architecture.
The Last Eye by Louis of Nutwood.
A suiting name for a tower that feels lonely and remote. The snow fits quite convincingly, and the tower has a definite Nordic feeling, stacked in layers like a stave church.
Mitgardian Watchtower by mrcdp6
This is a more classic approach: a sturdy tower in the forest. What works surprisingly well here is the use of just plain green. It shows it’s not always necessary to blend different colors of green, or spicing it up with too many flowers. Sometimes less is more!
Ssilyrrlith's Retreat by Exetrius
This exotic entry excels with a wonderful blend of less common colors. The mix of sand green, olive green, and bright light blue works really well here. And the base is expanded into a well fortified guard tower. The brick-built flying creature and the various minifigs places it perfectly within a fantasy realm.
Rook by BrickNerd’s Simon Liu
Last but not least, Rook. This one is special to this anniversary recap because Si-mocs helped shape the RPG that is Guilds of Historica ten years ago. And being absent from the group for 8 years, focusing on mostly sci-fi related stuff, he’s back with a unique tower. Those 1x1 tiles give it a pleasant texture, and the broad base and battlements will certainly give besiegers a hard time. The surroundings are also nicely detailed, like the wet spot in the sand next to the well, and the subtle contours in the desert floor.
Best of BrickNerd - Article originally published July 13, 2021.
How would you approach building a watchtower? Would you turn it into a beacon, guard tower, or safe haven for weary travelers? Let us know in the comments section below!
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