Build Journal: Small PaB Cup Challenge (Sort Of)

Back in May of 2014 on the G+ group, Kevin S. tried to respark a challenge that darksyntax created.  I've been meaning to give it a try and I finally got around to it.  Except mine has a bit of a twist.

Darksyntax recently posted these brilliant builds made from a SPaBCC.  I saw them and figured they'd be perfect for a friend of mine that recently got into the game and was looking to build their first squad.  I also had a thought that if you add the parts from 41549 Mixel Gurggle  that you could add some articulation to the original build.  Looking at the inventory for Mixel Gurggle, and the picture of the pile of parts darksyntax posted on the Hangar, I put together a proof of concept build from the parts I had available -- not caring about the colors.

This is my initial design.  It's a little short and the arms impact a little too much

on the hips for my liking.  I like and it though and it proves my initial idea is solid.

So I went out to my local Lego store and bought the parts for this challenge.

Here are the parts I chose from the Pick-A-Brick wall.

So that's what I had to work with.

My next version involved lengthening the legs and moving the shoulders up

so they didn't impact the hips so much.  I also made the torso a little thicker.

Adding attachments to it, I came up with a Direct Fire
Attachment (2Rd), a Defensive Att. (1B), and Spotting Att. (1Y).
 There's a Movement Attachment (1G) you can't see on the back.

I then tweaked the design for a 2Rh+d8/2B/1Gd8/2W loadout.

Then once more for a 2Ra+d8/2Y/2W loadout.  I made a point of using

the same pieces for the same Attachments across multiple builds.

After I put together five Frames, I moved on to Stations.  I built an Eternal
Flame, an Abstract DNA Sculpture, and some sort of Comm Station.

After I built Stations I used the leftover pieces to make

a couple of Terrain pieces.  Each one can take 4 hits.

So all of this cost me $8.99 for the Small Pick-A-Brick cup and $4.99 (x5) for the Mixel Gurggle sets, for a total of $33.94 -- plus tax because I live in a state that has Sales Tax.  I figure that's a reasonable price for a working squad of Frames, Stations, plus a few pieces of Terrain.

Thoughts & Observations:

• This is a good way to assemble a starter squad.
• darksyntax came up with a great Frame design and that gave me the starting point I needed.
• I may try this again.
• If I had another chance at the PaB wall, I'd pick more 1x1 Round Bricks as I had just enough to finish the builds I wanted to make.
• I might have even grabbed some of the leafy 1x1 Rounds to make some annoyance Terrain.
• I have plenty of parts left over to do with as I wish.