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.

Purity: 81506 Kre-O Transformers Optimus Prime vs. Megatron

For the last review of the Kre-O "transforming" Transformers week, let's look at the Optimus Prime versus Megatron kit.

Box.  Base price was $7.99 at Marshall's, for a $0.04 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Stickers.

Parts 1.  Some interesting 2x2x2 Bricks w/4 Studs on 1 Side there, otherwise it's just a bunch of Plates, Tires, Rims, and a Brick.

Parts 2.  Kreon parts in the upper right corner.  Plenty of Plates, Tiles, Bar Plates, Clip Plates and Slopes, along with Kre-O Ball Joints.

Parts 3.  Kreon parts in the upper right corner.  Dark Red this time instead of Red for a 2nd Optimus variant.  Plenty of Plates, Tiles, Tires, Rims, Bar Plates, Clip Plates and Slopes, along with Kre-O Ball Joints.  There's also a couple of Bar Clips, and that funky 1x1 Round Plate w/ Vertical Bar.

Build 1.  A Wall, it'll take two hits before being reduced to non-Cover.

Build 2.  A fairly standard Frame,

a little on the tall side.

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'm sure the MSRP is closer to $20 than what I paid for it, so the score is questionable.

Purity: Kre-O 80715 Transformers Optimus Prime

For the penultimate review of the Kre-O "transforming" Transformers sets, let's look at the Optimus Prime solo kit.

Box.  Base price was $7.99 at Marshall's, for a $0.09 Price per Piece.



Instructions.









Stickers.

Parts.  Plenty of Red and Blue.  Kreon pieces in the upper right corner.  Plenty of Clip Plates and Bar Plates, a handful of Plates, Tiles, Tires, Rims, and 2x1 Modified Plates w/Axle, a couple of 1x1 Round Bricks, Bar Clips, and Studless Slopes.  Also a couple of 1x2 Modified Technic Bricks w/Bar (closed ends).  One Flag and a Kreon-scale gun.

Build.  A relatively normal looking mech this time around, 2Rd/2B/1Y/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+).  Another licensed set getting a max score?  Inconceivable!

Purity: Kre-O 80716 Transformers Bumblebee Review

Number two in the Kre-O "transforming" Transformers sets review week.

Box.  Base price was $7.99 at Marshall's, for a $0.10 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plenty of Yellow in this one.  Kreon parts in the upper right corner.  Lots of Bar Plates and Clip Plates, a fair amount of Slope pieces, a handful of Tires and Rims, some Plates and Tiles, and a few Kre-O Ball Joints.

Build.  A naked quad walker design.

The Questions:
Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  At.  (0)  (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: +15 (A).  Another decent score and this set also has some interesting parts.

Purity: Kre-O 80718 Transformers Grimlock Review

As I've managed to track down more of the Kre-O "transforming" Transformers sets, let's review them.

Box.  Base price was $7.99 at Marshall's, for a $0.10 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Stickers.

Parts.  That's a fair amount of Gold in that there box.  Kreon parts on are along the upper right side.  Plenty of Clip Plates and Bar Plates, a fair amount of Slopes -- regular, Inverted, and Studless -- a couple of Bar Clips, a handful of Wedge Plates, and a couple of 1x2 Bricks w/Studs on 1 Side.




Build.  Another centaur Frame for your
amusement.  2Rh/1B/1Y/1G+d8/2W.

The Questions:
Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  At.  (0)  (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: +15 (A).  Not a bad score and the set has some interesting parts.

Battle Report: The Anatomy of Another Demo Game

My friend Rusty Panama couldn't make the game again last Sunday so I visited him last night and we ran through another demo game so he could stay familiar with the rules.

Me (2 Frames & 8 Systems) = (5 Points per Asset) * (3 assets) = 15 points.
   Archetype Soldier Yellow -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.
   Archetype Soldier Green -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.
Rusty Panama (2 Frames & 8 Systems) = (5 Points per Asset) * (3 assets) = 15 points.
   Chub #1 -- 2Rd+d8/2Rh/1B/2W.
   Chub #2 -- 2Ra+d8/2B/2W.

This is what the table looked like at the start of the game.  My forces are on the right side of the board.

Events of Turn 1 (DDC@7):  Both of us jockey for position, and a few attacks are launched but nothing lands.

Rusty: 15 points.

Me: 15 points.

Events of Turn 2 (DDC@6): Rusty's Chub #1 rushes forward and seizes the center Station.  My Green Archetype hits it for 1 damage.

Rusty: 20 points.

Me: 15 points.

Events of Turn 3 (DDC@4): My Yellow Archetype hits Rusty's Chub #1 for 1 damage.

Rusty: 20 points.

Me: 15 points.

Events of Turn 4 (DDC@2): My Yellow Archetype hits Rusty's Chub #1 for 1 damage and then moves towards Rusty's Station.  Rusty's Chub #2 hits my Green Archetype for 1 damage.  In a bid to win the game, my Green Archetype hits Rusty's Chub #1 for 2 damage.  The Doomsday Clock is ticked down to zero.

Rusty: 20 points.

Me: 15 points.

Here's a few pictures of Rusty's Chub #1, the Survivor.





Thoughts & Observations:

• We added a Station each to add a bit more complexity to the game.
• They never really came into play though.
• We started the Doomsday Clock at 7 again to have a decent length game.
• Rusty grabbed the Station first again, but managed to hold on this time.
• Neither one of us loaded SSRs.
• Rusty got his Chubs from MobileFra.me.
• Rusty had a good time and finally got to experience how tense MFZ can get.
• The game really did come down to the last activation and the last die roll of the game.
• I needed to do three points of damage on that last damage roll to remove Chub #1 as I had enough movement to seize the station.

Review: 30276 First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter Polybag

Well, that's a long title for a small set.  :-)  This was a "free giveaway" at Target several weeks ago.

Bag.  MSRP was $3.99 for a $0.10 Price per Piece

Instructions.

Parts.  Plenty of Wedge Plates, 2x2 Round Plates, and Grille Tiles.  I also see a couple Technic Plates, and 4x4 Plates w/Cutout, 1x2-2x2 Brackets, Minifig Utensil, Nozzles, Technic Gears, 1x1 Round Plates, and 1x2 Technic Bricks w/Axle Hole.  Rounding it out we have an Axle 8, 1x2 Clip Plate, and a 2x2 Trans-Clear Radar Dish w/Print.

Build.  We've got a walking gun emplacement, 2Rd+d8/2B/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?  At.  (0)
(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: +15 (A).  Not a bad score and the set has some interesting parts.

Battle Report: The Connector Clash

For the first game of the year we met at a new location, the Connector Cafe, after hours for another five player throwdown.

Me (3 Frames & 12 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (4 assets) = 28 points.
Tom (4 Frames & 15 Systems) = (4 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 20 points.
Narbey (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.
Stevenik (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.
Occam's Spork (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.

Occam's Spork was selected to be Primary Attacker by lowest dice roll.

Here's how the table looked at the start of the game.  My squad started out in the center of the table.  Occam's Spork's squad controls the lower left corner.  Stevenik's controls the upper left corner.  Narbey's controls the upper right corner.  Tom's controls the lower right corner.









Events of Turn 1 (DDC@11): Mostly movement and jockeying for position this turn.  Stevenik and Occam's Spork make some moves towards my position.

Me: 28 points.

Tom: 20 points.

Narbey: 15 points.

Stevenik: 15 points.

Occam's Spork: 15 points.

Events of Turn 2 (DDC@7): Ouch.  Stevenik seizes my Station after someone destroys the Frame guarding it.  I manage to destroy one of Narbey's Frames.  I lose another Frame trying to capture Narbey's Station.

Tom: 20 points.

Stevenik: 18 points.

Occam's Spork: 15 points.

Narbey: 12 points.

Me: 7 points.

Events of Turn 3 (DDC@4): Tom destroys one of Stevenik's Frames and captures my former Station.  He also destroys one of Narbey's Frames and captures the Station it was guarding.  Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures as we were wrapping up so I can't show you the carnage on the field at the end of the game.

Tom: 28 points.
Occam'sSpork: 15 points.
Stevenik: 12 points.
Narbey: 9 points.
Me: 7 points.

Thoughts & Observations:

• I really have to plan better for these games.
• Or at least get better at running away to fight another day.