LEGO Imperial Soldier & Guard minifigs WIP 1: you really think changing to red shirts is a good idea...?

You should know that the classic Pirates is one of my favorite LEGO themes! Right from the start in 1989, the Pirates were opposed by the Imperial Soldiers, led by Governor Broadside, well-disciplined and dressed in stylish blue and white uniforms that I always felyt like they were modelled after Napoleon's  soldiers (although there were many variations and lots of nations with similar colors and uniforms etc. in that era).

Later on in 1992, the Imperial Soldiers in their blue colors were slowly phased out by the Imperial Guards, which had changed their uniforms to red shirts instead (or the British "Redcoats" from the American Revolutionary War). Something tells me the Imperial Guards didn’t consult with any Star Trek fans before making this change... 😋

Coincidence...?

As for making the papercraft versions of the minifigs, I actually already made most of the pieces for other minifigs already, I just have to recolor them:

• Flintlock rifle and shako hat: I already made both these parts for the Toy Soldier minifig (link) I made for Christmas 2020. I just have to the color the hat all black. 😊
• Head: the heads are just the clean-shaven "Standard Grin" version like for the M:Tron astronaut: link (and basically all LEGO minifigs before the Pirates appeared in 1989 🙂)
• Backpack: I already made it for the 'fake' Indy minifig I created myself before LEGO came up with a real Indiana Jones theme: link 😉
• Epaulette: the Imperial Soldiers wear blue epaulettes and the Imperial Guards red ones,, and I already have brown ones (and yellow ones: link) before so it'd be another color change.
• Torso, arms and legs: I can use the white torso and legs from the Ghost minifig: link (adding the blue/red shirt patterns of course) and the red and blue arms from the Forestmen: link

Really only the new part will be the 2 x 2 flags for their rifles:

And if you look closely, you'll start recognizing a French "Fleur de lis" on the Imperial Soldiers' flag, and a British Crown on the Imperial Guards' one.

Coincidence...? 😉

Stay tuned!