The Great Lego Battle Party

On Monday, we hosted a school playdate party at which a group of 7 boys built a lego diorama called "the Great Lego Battle". They were presented with a large lego base which they populated with minifigures and castles and encampments of great complexity. Here is the base before construction began:



Unfortunately, the logistics of the event meant I failed to capture the final product adequately. There was too much icecream and chips and testosterone and Wren to remember but I found it interesting how much action was involved. Unlike grownups playing with Lego the boys did not build and then reflect on what they had made as an object. It was all a world in motion. A dwarf, in place, would suddenly rush forward and knock over a horseman with a sword and binoculars. A boat would capsize and knock over a tree. The black dragon would be captured by the "good guys" and then the "bad guys" would capture a blue flag (defining good territory). Toward the end the Battle became more codified with each boy taking a turn to move a guy and narrate what was happening like a role-playing game:

"This ninja is doing an air move and attacking this fort and BAM BAM he breaks it down and it falls ARRGGHGH"

No, you can't hit him, he's a GOOD GUY!"

My ninja is a BAD GUY

But he's got a blue flag.

He captured the blue flag. Its a decoy!

Well my dwarf captures it back. UGH.

Its not your turn.

It is.

But you moved the dragon!

Etc

It was very noisy. Wren tried to play but was rejected.

Here they are in action. It is still the building and mild skirmish phase:


Here is a detail of the armaments of a castle:

And finally, a rather splendid troop transport built by Zephyr.