There seems to be a LEGO set or license for everything under the sun – but one thing which is popular but doesn’t seem to be spoken about enough is the concept of Military LEGO – or Military LEGOs, as some people would refer to them! It is well documented that LEGO do not tend to make military sets. Whilst there have been exceptions or slight changes to this rule over the years, we have never seen a comprehensive line of military sets created by The LEGO Group.
When asked about why LEGO do not make military sets, the answer was that they avoid promoting violence. Amanda Santorum, who was a brand manager at LEGO, said “We do not make products that promote or encourage violence. Weapon-like elements in a Lego set are part of a fantasy/imaginary setting, and not a realistic daily-life scenario”. Now, whilst we could fairly challenge that last statement since some of the sets LEGO have produced arguably go against their own stance, we won’t get into that here. Instead, let’s take a closer look at some of the things which you can add to your collection to make your own Military LEGOs.
Weapons
The most obvious thing people are likely to think of when they think of ‘LEGO Military’ are small guns and weaponry accessories for LEGO Minifigures. There are an absolute ton of really cool accessory providers out there who create unique weapons for your Minifigures. Many of my favourite companies have products which are available by searching the keyword ‘Military’ on the Firestar Toys website, but I’ll talk a little bit more about the individual providers and what I think they do well.
One of the most recognisable weapon providers, in my opinion, is BrickArms. Helmed by the amazing Will Chapman, BA have been producing weapons and accessories for minifigures since I first started collecting LEGO! The thing I love with BrickArms is how sharp and distinctive the moulds on their weapons feel. They offer some of the most high-quality accessories out there, and also offer a ton of futuristic items which are a lot of fun. Another of my favourite providers are SI-DAN, purely because of the variety of weapons they have on offer. It’s no secret that in films, television and other popular fiction, characters often have weapons which are recognisable as theirs. SI-DAN offer so many different types of weapons that they have helped me to make some incredibly unique minifigures over the years.
These two companies are my favourites, but people like LeYiLeBrick, and Combat Brick also produce equally awesome products. Basically, there is a lot to choose from!
Equipment
Good Military LEGOs don’t just have weapons – they have equipment to! From plate carriers to helmets, and storage crates to ammunition boxes, equipment really summarises the bits and pieces which allow you to create characters and set up locations. As a photographer I am especially interested in the equipment side of this conversation, as things like transport crates or oil drums can often be used to create environments for photographs.
SI-DAN are absolutely the gold standard when it comes to equipment in my opinion – and it is a picture of their products which you’ll have seen above. They offer everything from small minifigure-scaled drones, to Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) suits, and even barrels with uniquely printed details on them. When I was younger and spent more money on LEGO, a lot of my money was going onto items offered by SI-DAN.
Of course, BrickArms, LeYiLeBrick, BrickWarriors and others all offer equipment which is cool in its own right, but being a fan of modern military, SI-DAN has always been the one for me!
Building Sets
Weapons and Equipment are great, but you also need vehicles and locations to go with them! I have stumbled across some absolutely incredible builders over the years who make intricately detailed models which feel like shrunk-down pieces of warfighting hardware. I could gush about lots of different creators and builders here, but in the spirit of keeping this relatively to the point – let’s focus on Brickmania.
Brickmania are probably the go-to when it comes to military building sets. I’ll get the obvious thing out the way – yes, they are expensive, and are not something a casual collector is likely to invest in. But if you’re somebody who is very into your military vehicles and structures and are keen to collect something unique, then they have some great products which you’ll enjoy. From variants of common vehicles like Humvees and Black Hawk helicopters, to more unique vehicles and variants based on specific moments in history, Brickmania cover it all.
They also work with retailers in many countries across the globe – meaning you’re likely to be able to get a hold of their products, no matter where you live!
Custom Minifigures
Of course, the thing that ties minifigures, equipment and building sets together is minifigures. There are several fantastic providers of LEGO Military minifigures, offering characters from different eras during military history, and in different styles and uniform types. I’ve bought a fair few different military minifigures over the years, but for this blog post, I thought I’d shine the spotlight on The Minifig Co.
The Minifig Co are one of my favourite custom minifigure providers when it comes to military characters because they offer so much variety. Just in ‘Modern’ US Army variations, you can get UCP Camouflage (the pattern used by Rangers and some basic operatives), Tri-Colour and Multi-cam, and can then get other variations like the German Flecktarn uniform. The number of different camouflages on offer from the team change all the time, so if you see something you want, you’re well advised to buy it there and then!
So, there we have it – you can create Military LEGOs! LEGO are unlikely to change their perspective on creating military themed sets any time soon, but luckily there are lots of different companies out there who are filling the void and helping to ensure that we can still create the figures and scenes we crave for our collections.
In this Blog Post we’ve really only scratched the surface of just how much is out there. I’ve reflected on some of the products I’ve purchased which are available, but there are new LEGO-compatible products being created every day. If you have a particular provider of LEGO Military toys that you like who I haven’t mentioned, please share their details below. You never know – I might be making a new purchase very soon!
