Review: Block Tech US101-3195 Museum Stegosaurus

I was out the other night shopping at Five Below for more of the recent Halloween sets.  Then I discovered these.  I wasn't sure if they were Lego compatible or not -- given the parts count -- but luckily the bottom of the case is clear so I could see the pieces.  Tan is not usually one of my go to colors but there are some interesting parts in here as you can see from the label.

Box.  MSRP is $6.00, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Display Case.

Here's the box without the sleeve.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Dish, Plates, Clip Flags, Studless Slope, Travis Bricks, Bar Plates

(open ends), Double Bar Plates (closed ends), Padlock, Clip Plates, Ball

Joint Plates, Axle Ball Joints, Inverted Studless Slope, Barrel Hinges,

Tooth Tiles, Exo-Force Arm, Slopes w/Cutout, and Bars w/Stop.

Parts 2.Cheese Slopes, One Rings, Plates, Clip Plates, Round Plates, Bar Ball Joints,

Barrel Hinges, Clip Bar Holders, Bar Clips, Bars, Wedge Studless Slopes, Transparent Bar,

Transparent Cone, Transparent Double-Sided Hollow Round Plates, Horns, and Barbs.

Build.  Razorback Frame (2W) and 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+).  It has some good parts but, like the other sets in this line, needs a few more basic parts to be awesome.  I do like these sets for expanding the Ball Joint options though.

Review: Block Tech US101-3196 Museum Triceratops

I was out the other night shopping at Five Below for more of the recent Halloween sets.  Then I discovered these.  I wasn't sure if they were Lego compatible or not -- given the parts count -- but luckily the bottom of the case is clear so I could see the pieces.  Tan is not usually one of my go to colors but there are some interesting parts in here as you can see from the label.

Box.  MSRP is $6.00, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Display Case.

Here's the box without the sleeve.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Dish, Plates, Plate w/Cutout, Bar Plates (open ends), Inverted Studless

Slopes, Jumper, Tile, Bar Plates (closed ends), Hinge Plates, Ball Joint Plates, Axle

Ball Joints, Barrel Hinges, Tooth Tiles, Bricks w/Studs on Sides, Rounded Plate, Long

Cheese Slopes, Brackets, Transparent Cone, Bars, Transparent Bar, Exo-Force Arm.

Parts 2.  Clip Tiles, Bracket, Cheese Slopes, Stadium tiles, Tile, Wedge Studless

Slopes, Round Plates, Clip Bar Holders, Bar Clips, Bar Ball Joints, Bar Connectors,

One Rings, Transparent Double-Sided Hollow Round Plates, and Horns.

Build.  Facehugger frame (2W) and 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+).  One Rings in Tan and a multiple quantity.  Nice.  It took a minute to coalesce but, I had fun with this build.

Review: Block Tech Museum US101-3197 Tyrannosaurus Rex

I was out the other night shopping at Five Below for more of the recent Halloween sets.  Then I discovered these.  I wasn't sure if they were Lego compatible or not -- given the parts count -- but luckily the bottom of the case is clear so I could see the pieces.  Tan is not usually one of my go to colors but there are some interesting parts in here as you can see from the label.

Box.  MSRP is $6.00, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Display Case.

Here's the box without the sleeve.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Dish, Plates, Technic Plate, Round Large Jumpers, Inverted Studless

Slopes, Transparent Bar, Studless Slope, Curved Slopes w/Wing, Tooth Plates,

Ball Joint Plates, "T" Plate, Padlock, Large Cheese Slopes, Bar Plates, Barrel

Hinges, Barrel Ball Joint, Axle Ball Joints, Battle Droid Torsos, Tooth Tiles,

1x1x2/3 Bricks w/Stud on Side, Travis Brick, Exo-Force Arm, and Bars.

Parts 2.  Inkwells, Tiles, Round Plates, Clip Plates, Bar Studs, Ball Joint Plates, Bar Ball

Joint, Cheese Slopes, Brackets, Clip Bar Holders, Bar Clips, Transparent Clip Bar 

Holder, Transparent Bar Bar Holder, Barbs, Bar Connectors, Skeleton Arms, and Horn.

Build.  Frame (2W) and 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+).  This is the first time I've seen Battle Droid Torsos from a third party.  And it's been a while since I've seen one of those clone brick "T" Plates too.

Battle Report: Crossroads

This is our fifth game of Rapid Attack, as a group, this year.  This is the first time this table-setting has seen use.  We returned to Paper Asylum last weekend after a two year gap.

Narbey (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (7 assets) = 49 points.
   Red Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Yellow Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Orange Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.
   Black Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Green Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

Me (6 Frames & 23 Systems) = (4 Points per Asset) * (8 assets) = 32 points.  (Seraph)
   Yellow Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/2B/1Gd8/2W.
   Tan Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Green Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Brown Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Red Static Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1Y/2W.

   Orange Recon by Fire -- 2Ra+d8/2Y/2W.

Pete (6 Frames & 24 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (8 assets) = 24 points. (Fuzzy Pink Bunny Slippers)
   Orange Anvil -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1Y/2W.
   Blue Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Black Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

   Yellow Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Lime Recon by Fire -- 2Ra+d8/2Y/2W.
   Red Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/2B/1Gd8/2W + SSR.

This is what the table looked like at the start of the game.

Events of Round 1 (DDC @ 11): Narbey's Black frame hits the tree in front of my Brown frame for 1, destroying it, then rolls Northwest towards my Lime station.  Narbey's Orange frame hits the tree in front of my Green frame for 1, destroying it, then rolls West towards my Lime station.  My Green frame flows South to my Lime Station and hits Narbey's Yellow frame for 2.  Narbey's Green frame hits the tree in front of my Brown frame for 1, destroying it, then rolls South towards the gazebo.  Pete's Lime frame hits my Tan frame for 3.  My Tan frame flows North towards the gazebo and hits Narbey's Yellow frame for 1.  Pete's Orange frame hits Narbey's Red frame for 2 and the tree it was using for Cover for 1, destroying the tree, then slides South across the marble road.  Pete's Yellow frame hits Narbey's Red frame for 2, then slides South towards the marble road.  My Yellow frame flows Southwest and captures the Neutral station.

Narbey: 49 points.

Me: 36 points.

Pete: 24 points.

Events of Round 2 (DDC @ 9): My Green frame hits Narbey's Yellow frame for 2, Station Dance.  Then my Green frame flows South across the marble road and captures Narbey's First Station.  Narbey's Orange captures my Lime station.  Narbey's Green frame hits my Tan frame for 1 then rolls North.  My Tan hits Narbey's Yellow frame for 2, destroying it, then flows North to Narbey's First station.  Narbey's Black frame rolls South and hits my Brown frame for 1.  Pete's Lime frame hits my Yellow frame for 1.  Pete's Yellow frame slides East-Southeast and captures Narbey's Second station, then hits Narbey's Green frame for 1.  Pete's Blue frame slides East and hits Narbey's Green frame for 1.  Pete's Orange frame slides East and hits Narbey's Green frame for 2.

Narbey: 49 points.

Me: 36 points.

Pete: 24 points.

Events of Round 3 (DDC @ 6): My Yellow frame zaps Narbey's Orange frame for 2.  My Tan frame hits Narbey's Red frame for 1, destroying it.  My Red frame hits the tree in front of Pete's Red frame for 1, destroying it.  Pete's Lime frame hits my Red frame for 3, Station Dance.  Pete's Blue frame slides North, captures the Neutral station, and hits my Red frame for 1.  Pete's Orange frame slides North across the marble road and hits my Red frame for 1.  Pete's Black frame slides East and captures my Red station.

Me: 36 points.

Narbey: 35 points.

Pete: 27 points.

Events of Round 4 (DDC @ 2): Narbey's Green frame hits my Yellow frame for 1 then moves North.  Pete's Red frame slides East and flame blasts my Red frame for 7, destroying it.  Pete's Orange frame hits Narbey's Green frame for 1, destroying it, then continues sliding North.  Pete's Yellow frame slides East-Southeast and hits my Tan frame for 4, destroying it.  My Orange frame flows East and hits Narbey's Orange frame for 3.  Narbey's Orange frame hits my Yellow frame for 1.  Narbey's Black frame hits my Yellow frame for 1.  My Green frame flows West to the Neutral station to get a clear sightline and hits Narbey's Orange frame for 1, destroying it.  The Doomsday Clock is ticked to zero.

Pete: 33 points.

Me: 20 points.

Narbey: 14 points.

Here's several during and aftermath pictures.

Round 1.

Round 2.

Round 2.

Round 2.

Round 3.

Round 3.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Thoughts & Observations:

• This was a Battle.
• This was Narbey's first game in over two years.
• The same for Pete.
• Narbey debuted a new squad.
• We used the Neutral Station rule.
• This was the Neutral station.
• We used the "New 1.3" player count formula from my "Player Count 6" blog post.
• I made some bad choices about camera angles for taking pictures at the start of the game.
• I tried to set up a pincer movement by splitting my squad to either side of Narbey's defensive perimeter.
• I also attempted the Rook Maneuver with my Lime Station.
• Pete, on the other hand, put both of his Stations in the corners of the battlefield.
• Then his forces slid over the battlefield hitting just about everything in their path.
• Flickr page.

Review: Block Tech US101-2785 Block Bouquet Black Rose

We've got another reissue of an old Block Tech Halloween Botanical set.  This time though, I purchased it at Target.  Which shouldn't be a surprise since I've found them at Marshalls in the past.

Box.  MSRP is $5.00, for a $0.04 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Notched Round Plate, Steering Wheels, Axles, Double Curved

Wedges, Inverted Tiles, Plates, Double Studless Slopes, 3L Axle

Connectors, Bent Axle Connector w/Pinhole, and Clip Claws.

Parts 2.  Quarter Circle Studless Slopes, Double Curved Wedges, Corner

Tiles, Curved Slopes w/Wing, Round Plates, Studless Slopes, Plates, 

Travis Brick, Brackets, Wedge Studless Slopes, and Axle/Pin Connectors.

Parts 3.  Clip Plates, Ball Joint Plates, Inverted Tiles, Ball

Joint Pins, Horn, Tiles, Large Cheese Slopes w/Studs, Tooth

Plates, Wedge Studless Slopes, Studless Slopes, Bushings,

Brackets, Half Pin, Gear, and Round Large Jumper.

Build.  Two Frames (2W) 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+).  There's a fair amount of useful parts here.  I'm just annoyed that some of them are Charcoal Grey instead of Black.  I understand needing contrast for the build but I would have preferred all Black pieces.