Review: Lazer Blocks US101-0021 Wild Tiger

It's been over a year and a half since I've done a review of the Block Tech sub-line, Lazer Blocks.  This week will be dedicated to reviewing Lazer Blocks sets. I feel like all of the sets I have planned for review have Ijad vibes.

Box.  MSRP is $5.00, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Translucent Quarter Circle Plates, Translucent Triple Slope Wedge,

Ball Joint Bricks, Translucent Wedge Plates, Translucent Plate, Plates, Clip Plate,

Brackets, Wedge Plate, Round Light Brick, and Inverted Slopes w/Cutout.

Parts 2.  Translucent Wedge Plates, Wedge Plate, Translucent Studless

 Slopes, Tiles w/Studs on Edge, Translucent Round Plate, Translucent

 Curved Slope w/Wing, Plates, Tooth Plates, Translucent Plates,

Ball Joint Plates, Translucent Wedge Studless Slopes, Bar Plate

(open ends), Bar Plates (closed ends), Brick, and Bracket.

Parts 3.  Inverted Tiles, Transparent Round Tiles, Plates, Transparent Plates,

Transparent Tiles, Lampholders, Round Plates, Quarter Circle Tiles,

Transparent Quarter Circle Tiles, Cheese Slope, Transparent Wedge Studless

Slopes, Large Cheese Slope, Clip tiles, Brackets, Clip Plates, and Barbs.

Build.  Two Frames (2Rh) and a Station.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  For a Lazer Blocks set, it's only 29% Transparent parts.  I do like all the Orange though.

Review: Lazer Blocks US24-2430 Wild Wasp

It's been over a year and a half since I've done a review of the Block Tech sub-line, Lazer Blocks.  So this week will be dedicated to reviewing Lazer Blocks sets.  I feel like all of the sets I have planned for review have Ijad vibes.

Box.  MSRP is $5.00, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Wedge Plates, Plates, Slope w/ Cutout,

Tiles, Curved Bricks w/Cutout, Inverted Slopes, Angled

Bar Plates, Round Light Brick, Bracket, and Tail.

Parts 2.  Studless Slopes, Inverted Tile, Round Plate, Ball Joint Plates,

Door Rail Plates, Slopes, Studless Slopes w/Cutout, Inverted Studless

Slopes, Bracket, Bricks w/Stud on Side, and Curved Bricks 

Parts 3.  Double Clip Plates, Padlocks, Plates, Tiles, Opaque

Round Tiles, Lampholders, Inverted Tiles, Cheese Slopes, Quarter

Circle Tiles, Double Sided Plates, and Large Barbs/Claws.

Build.  Two Frames (2Rh/2Rd) and a Station.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  I think this is a fun set.  Plenty of useful parts and multiple directions to build in.

Review: Block Tech US101-1166 Block Bouquet Black Rose

Just in time for Halloween we have this special "Block Bouquet" release.  My receipt lists them as "Goth Flowers".  These are a limited edition release and will probably have disappeared off shelves by the time this is published.  Sorry.  There doesn't seem to be an page for them on the Five Below website either.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Round Plates, Octagonal Bar Plates, Plates, Triple Curved Wedges,

Axles, Studless Slopes, Double Curved Wedges (right), Double Curved

Wedges (left), Wing End Curved Slopes, Axle/Pin Connector, Ball Joint

Plates, Tiles, Clip Claws, Bent Axle Connector w/Pinhole, and Travis Brick.

Parts 2.  Inverted Tiles, Round Large Jumper, Clip Plates, Wedge Studless

Slopes, Tiles, Tooth Plates, Studless Slopes, Axle, Large Cheese

Slopes w/Studs, Inverted Studless Slopes, Pin Ball Joints, Half Pin,

Bushings, Axle Connectors, Horn/Large Barb, Brackets, and Gear.

Build.  Two Frames (2Rd) and two Stations.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  Two Frames and two Stations is another good start to a squad.  I really hope these sets are released again next year so I can get more.

Review: Block Tech US101-1167 Block Bouquet Black Dahlia

Just in time for Halloween we have this special "Block Bouquet" release.  My receipt lists them as "Goth Flowers".  These are a limited edition release and will probably have disappeared off shelves by the time this is published.  Sorry.  It took 'til the second week of October for there to be a page for them on the Five Below website.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.06 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Wing, Swordleaves, Large Barb/Claw/Horn/Tooth,

Octagonal Bar Plates, Gears, Axles, Round Plates, Clip Plates, Bent

Axle Connector w/Pinhole, Axle Connector w/Pinhole, Axle Connector,

Bar, Bar Clip, Half Pin, Clip Bar Holders, and Tiles w/Pinhole.

Build 1.  Frame (2W) and station.

Build 2.  Three Frames (2W), and a Station.

Cannot be built at the same time as Build 1.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  Build 2 is a good start to a squad.  Hopefully people can find this in stock somewhere.

Review: Block Tech US101-1168 Block Bouquet Black Lily

Just in time for Halloween we have this special "Block Bouquet" release.  My receipt lists them as "Goth Flowers".  These are a limited edition release and will probably have disappeared off shelves by the time this is published.  Sorry.  It took 'til the second week of October for there to be a page for them on the Five Below website.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  4x4x11 Curved Tapered Panels w/Clip at Each End, 1x8

Hinge Plates w/Angled Side Extensions, Angled Axle Connector

w/Pinhole, Axles, Helicopter Blades, Round Plate, Steering

Wheel, Double Sided Round Plate, and Octagonal Bar Plate.

Parts 2.  Lamp Post Base (?), Round Plate w/Axle Hole, Round Plate

 w/Pinhole, Hinge Plates, Ball Joint Plates, Axle/Pin Connectors, Axle

 Connectors, Axles, Clip Tiles, Bushings, Ball Joint Pins, Apollo Stud,

 Double-Sided Round Plates, Grass Stems, Bar, and Bar Connector. 

Build.  Frame (2W).

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  I've always been a fan of Balloon Panels.  Also, this set is interesting because some of the parts are Charcoal/Flat Black colored rather than the Glossy Black that we're used to seeing in most building block sets.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 26

When you have trees on a battlefield in MFZ: Rapid Attack one of the things that is hard to simulate is the overhang and canopy coverage of tree branches.  One of the reasons behind this is it's hard to move your Frames around on the table if you have to reach under things a lot.  Also the general size of RA playing pieces would mean that trees would have to be built pretty tall to achieve this effect.  But recently, after purchasing the Friends Adventure Camp Treehouse set, I had a bit of a brainstorm.

Starting with two Arched Door Frame 1x6x7 w/Notches and Rounded Pillars

placed back to back to represent the trunks and intertwined branches of the

trees, we add four 1x2 Round Plant Plate w/Layered Leaves to represent,

well, leaves.  This is 22' tall, 30' long, and 15' wide -- from leaftip to leaftip --

 in 6P scale.  As it's only six pieces it would be 1 Hit in MFZ: RA.

You can place two of these together on the same 6x6 Plate as long as the leaf pieces are aligned in the same direction.  This also creates a makeshift tunnel between the trees.

It's a somewhat tight fit but a

Classic can fit in the tunnel.

Size comparison with the usual suspects.

I hope this gives people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds. 

Flickr Page.

Review: Block Tech US24-2333 Succulents Stonecrop

5 Below had a new release of Botanical sets but, instead of flowers it's succulents.  The box coloring and packaging is similar to the first release of Block Botanical.  This was the first release, there are way more sets in the second.  You may still be able to find the first release in a few stores.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.04 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Flowers, Octagonal Bar Plate, Round Tile, Slopes, Double-Sided

Round Plate, Door Rail Plates, Wedge Plates, Round Large Jumper,

Eggshell Crowns, Plant Stem w/Stud and 3 Large Leaves, and Round Plate.

Parts 2.  Round Plate w/3 Leaves, Round Bricks, Apollo Studs, Round

Flower Plates, Inkwells, Double Cheese Slopes, Clip Bar Holders, Bar Bar

Holders, Clip Bars, Bars, and 0L Bar Connectors (These things are tiny!).

Build.  Frame (2W).

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  While I think my Frame design is fun, this might work better as a terrain pack.