Since the Minecraft bêta is very much about resource hoarding as well as about defense (can’t wait for the adventure update !), I thought of real-world structures built for these two exact purposes. The European bases of the Order of the Temple came to mind. I chose to get inspiration from the Commanderie de Jalès in France.

I flattened enough land (40x40) to build the inner circle of buildings, snapping them to grid as best I could. I have built the gate, the chapel, the lodge, the cellar and the stables. After outlining the buildings and the outermost walls in Cobblestone, I switched to sandstone to make it resemble the model. Sandstone, although very aesthetically pleasing, doesn’t offer much blast resistance. Defence and maintenance proved to be challenging in Survival Mode.