A team of elite historical LEGO builders have come together to create a sprawling diorama! Natelego_, Carson, Hunter E., Noah, Max, Matt, Hunter C., and Gary have taken on the Battle of Isted fought in 1850 between the Danish forces and rebels from the local provinces at the village of Isted. This build was displayed at BrickFair VA 2024 where it won Best Battle Scene! Take a look at the partially demolished church on the right side. While there’s one window still standing, the wall has collapsed leaving only the windowsill and part of the frame of the second window. And be sure to gander at the wider landscape too! Building hills and dips in the terrain one plate at a time must take a lot of patience. All of the lush vegetation really brings this scene to life, too.

Behind the two huts, the Danish forces are being harassed by rebel cavalry. We can get a great look at the brick-built horses used throughout the diorama. The use of the 1×1 round tile with pin for their hooves is perfect! The advantage of brick-built horses is obvious in all those dynamic poses.

Here’s another angle of that fight that shows off the rebel defensive works. They’ve built a berm and a wooden stake wall to try to keep the Danish soldiers at bay. Now’s a good time to mention those houses too. They’ve got the perfect amount of texture to mesh with the rest of the scene and I really want to know how they got them at those neat angles!

Finally, we take a look at the fearsome Danish cannon. That flared barrel is made from a fez, while the round nub at the other end is a smooth use of the technic ball joint. Those wheels for the cannon are an interesting contradiction. They were used in a great many sets, but ceased production in 2002 (though the larger version lives on)! It’s always a pleasure to see what happens when great builders come together. If you want to see more collaborations, checkout our archives here! And, be sure to check out more photos of the diorama on Instagram here.