The newly released photos of the LEGO Castle Shop at Home exclusive, 10193 Medieval Market Village, have provided us with some high quality shots of some of the new molds to be released in the upcoming pirate theme including the hat plume/flame pieces, the decorative support/telescope pieces, and a new fish mold (!). Check out the pictures below provided by BrickCon 2009 attendee Mark "Hinckley" Larson.

In addition, further pictures from the Washington state BrickCon convention uploaded to flickr.com by Lego ambassador Andrew Becraft give us a peek at a mermaid figure for an upcoming set - one likely to be mass produced as the figurehead on the pirate ship of the 2009 product line.

Lastly, another attendee and ambassador, Nannan Zhang, has put up a shot of the "Governor's Daughter" minifigure to be released with the same pirate ship.

Comments? Join in the discussion on the forums!

4 ships, 95 men, fully armed, and a whole load more, need a good home! Long-standing Eurobricks member SuvieD offers up this haul, containing 14 rare pirate minifigures, barrels (quite literally!) of parts, hard-to-find sails and ship-parts and more epaulettes than you could shake a yard-stick at!

The men are ready, Sir.

 One of the largest Soldier Minifigs armies EVER!

Visit the forum for more information,
or visit the eBay auction page

I am a big boy now, mommy!

Ever thought Pirate LEGO Mini-Figures were too small?
How would you like to own a JUMBO Pirate Mini-Figure 45cm/17.7 inches tall!

Mister Phes wants to know...

"Is it OK to mix dark skinned minfigures with yellow skinned minifigures?"

Click here to submit your vote and opinions

Unsurprisingly, TalonCard and Mister Phes concentrate on the Islanders in the latest installment of the Guide to the Pirate Mini-figures.

Part IV delves back in time, to the original owners of the Pirates' gold, the Islanders, who, quite reasonably, want it back!

Click here to download Part IV!
Click here to discuss and leave feedback

The Stripey Bandana Boys - Pirates

This troublesome lot were possibly the most common of all the LEGO® Pirate minifigures, yet they are some of the most respected. They always seemed to be around, whether it was working as an imperial sailor on 6271 Imperial Flagship, or a pirate on 6285 Black Seas Barracuda, 6286 Skull's Eye Schooner, 66290 Redbeard Runner, 257 Castatway's Raft, 6267 Lagoon Lock-up, 6276 Eldorado Fortress, 6279 Skull Island, 6277 Imperial Trading Post, 6273 Rock Island Refuge, 1729 Barnacle Bay, 6259 Broadside's Brig, 6261 Raft Raiders, 6268 Renegade Runner, 6235 Buried Treasure, 6260 Shipwreck Island, 1871 Pirate Cannon, 1733 Shipwrecked Pirate, 6252 Sea Mates, 6247 Bounty Boat, 6258 Smuggler's Shanty, 1788 Pirate's Chest, 6262 King Kahuka's Throne, 6264 Forbidden Cove, 6266 Cannon Cove, 6261 Raft Raiders, 6254 Rocky Reef, 1970 Pirate's Gun Cart, 1481 Desert Island and 6251 Pirate Minifigures.

They weren't really rebellious pirates - they always did what they were told and never tried mutiny. Which is strange, because they worked for two captains, Captain Redbeard and Captain Ironhook both of whom were bloodthirsty, crew-hating minifigs. But no, they went along with their commanders' practices of fighting off the Imperial Soldiers and their leader Governor Broadside and the Imperial Guards and their leader Admiral Woodhouse as well as attempting to steal the treasure of King Kahuka and his Islanders. But that last one was often a failure. These minifigs ran right from the start of the pirate line up to the very end, and they will be remembered by all who they served and all who didn't serve them.

Imperial Soldier

The Imperial Soldier was the backbone of the imperial forces before the Imperial Guards led by Governor Broadside came into the picture. Like their red counterparts, the Imperial Soldiers wore shakos, some of the most rare LEGO&reg pieces currently on the Bricklink market.

They appeared in the sets 6271 Eldorado Fortress, 6267 Lagoon Lock-up, 6265 Sabre Island, 6273 Rock Island Refuge, 6259 Broadside's Brig, 6270 Forbidden Island and 6251 Pirate Minifigures.

They constantly fought battles with Captain Redbeard, but by the time Ironhook came into the picture, the Imperial Guards had already taken control of the seas. Or so they thought. Captain Redbeard had come back in the last few years of the Classic Pirate line and the Imperial Armada was left to repel him and his pirates. Perhaps the Imperial Soldiers should have returned to tame the pirates...