Review: 40302 Become My City Hero Polybag

Another polybag from the Lego Discovery Center.  Never mind the weird name.

Box.  MSRP is $6.00 for a $0.07 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Playmat.

Minifig.

Parts 1.  Bricks, Slopes, and Plates.

Parts 2.  Gold Ingots!  $100 Tiles!  Slopes, Plates, Tiles, Branches, Pin Holder Plates, Axles, Pin/Axles, Pins, Technic Connectors,  Boat Studs, Bar Claws, Clip Plates, a Wedge Plate, a Lampholder, A Technic Brick, a Bar, a Panel, and a Minifig Snake.

Build.  A Station and a 4 Hit piece of Cover.

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 (B+).  Not sure that score is really deserved.

Purity: Mega Bloks FVK51 Pokeball Charmander Review

Series 6 of the Pokeball releases hit the shelves the other day so I figured I'd review at least one of them.

Box.  MSRP is $6.99 for a $0.33 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Those bracket pieces
used for the legs are neat.

Parts 2.  The Double Sided-Half Circle-Ball Joint Socket in the lower right corner is interesting.

Build.  This is the same
as the one in set DYF10.

Size Comparison.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (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?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  As with all the other Pokeball sets, it's hamstrung by the lack of parts..

Post Game Interview 2

I brought along the questionnaires to the game at Greenfield Games a few weekends ago.  I figured I'd get some interesting answers as I was going to be sharing the table with both Joshua and Vincent .

Here are the questions I asked.

1.) Why did you choose the squad composition and size that you brought to today's game?

Vincent: Soldiers are eeeasy.
Tom: I made new guys.
Liam: Even balance of weapons.
Joshua: Wanted to start in the middle then capture.
Me: I wanted to try a new squad composition.

2.) Did you have a strategy for today's game?

Vincent: Nope.
Tom: Kinda.
Liam: Not really, it's only my second game.
Joshua: Yep.
Me: Yes.

2a.) If so, what was it?

Tom: Overwhelm and destroy.
Joshua: Capture and hold.
Me: Be Primary attacker.

3.) Why did you place your squad on the table the way you did at the start of the game?

Vincent: I was crowded on to the edge.
Tom: I group more on the corner because then ?? ?? ?? ?? space, I tried to concentrate firepower and take advantage of my double Blue systems.
Liam: I was very restricted on where I could.
Joshua: Keep formation, add fire support.
Me: Short answer, because I got screwed by a die roll.  Long answer, I tried to push everyone to the edge of the table to get as much room to maneuver as possible.

4.) Did your strategy for today's game change at any point while we were playing?
Vincent: Sure!
Tom: Not really.
Liam: Yes.
Joshua: Yep!
Me: Yes.

4a.) If so, how?
Vincent: I changed enemies in Turn 1, I think?
Liam: Try to get the unguarded stations.
Joshua: Had to alternate offense and defense.  Had too few viable targets for capture.
Me: After losing two-thirds of my forces in the first turn it became about survival and possibly getting control of open Stations to build up points.

5.) Any personal comments you'd like to add?
Vincent: Yay!
Tom: This was a crazy game with huge swings.
Liam: It was fun.
Joshua: Vincent hit me!

The answers I received are under the corresponding questions.  Any mistakes in reporting are mine.

I hope this gives some insight to the strategy and tactics of the Ice 9 @ Greenfield Games game.

Battle Report: Ice 9 @ Greenfield Games

I had never shared a table with Vincent or Joshua, so I set about arranging a game with them and a few other people last weekend.  Here's what happened.

Tom (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.
   White Armored Swarmer -- 2Rh/2B/1Gd8/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Purple Armored Swarmer -- 2Rh/2B/1Gd8/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Orange Armored Swarmer -- 2Rh/2B/1Gd8/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Yellow Squad Leader -- 2Rd/1B/2Y/2W.

Liam (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.

   One Fast Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/1B/1G+d8/2W.
   Two Binary -- 2Ra/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Three Anvil -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Four Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.

Joshua (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.
   Anvil One -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1Y/2W.
   Guardian Two -- 2Ra+d8/(1Rd/1Rh)/1B/2W + SSR.
   Soldier Three -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Soldier Four -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.

Vincent (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (5 assets) = 15 points.
   Soldier One -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Soldier Two -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Soldier Three -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Recon by Fire Four -- 2Ra+d8/2Y/2W.

Me (3 Frames & 12 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (4 assets) = 28 points.  (Serpentus)
   Black Charger-- 2Rh/2Rd/1B/1G/2W + SSR
   Red Charger-- 2Rh/2Rd/1B/1G/2W + SSR
   White Charger-- 2Rh/2Rd/1B/1G/2W + SSR

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

Events of Turn 1 (DDC @ 11): Tom's frames start the game in a "stack" angled into the battlefield.  Liam's frames are in a line at one end of the battlefield.  Joshua's frames are at the other end, mostly in cover.  Vincent's frames are wedged between the side and corner of the battlefield opposite from Tom's.  My frames hold the center.  My Red frame seizes Tom's Station as the turn begins due to placement during set-up.  Liam's #3 frame moves forward and shoots my Black frame for 2.  Vincent's Soldier #2 moves forward into cover and pings my Black frame for 1.  Liam's #4 frame moves forward and blasts my Black frame for 4, destroying it.  Tom's Orange frame moves left out of the stack and scrapes Liam's #3 frame for 1.  My White frame moves towards Joshua's end of the battlefield and into cover then zaps Joshua's #2 frame for 3, it does the Station Dance.  Joshua's #4 frame moves into the open and pings my White frame for 1.  Tom's White frame moves forward out of the stack and buzzsaws Liam's #3 frame for 3.  Tom's Yellow frame hits my Red frame for 2.  My Red frame moves away from Tom's Station and beside the big building zapping it for 3, also pinging Tom's White frame for 1.  Tom's Purple frame moves out of the stack, up beside my Red frame, carves into it for 4, and destroys it.

Me: 21 points.
Joshua: 15 points.
Vincent: 15 points.

Liam: 15 points.
Tom: 12 points.

Events of Turn 2 (DDC @ 8): Tom's Purple frame moves towards Liam's end of the battlefield -- away from the wreckage of my Frame -- and scrapes Liam's #4 frame for 1.  In return Liam's #4 frame pings Tom's White frame for 1.  Vincent's #4 frame launches rockets across the battlefield and hits Tom's Orange frame for 1.  Tom's Orange frame then turns to the right and carves into Liam's #4 frame for 4.  Joshua's #3 frame hits Vincent's #1 frame for 2, then moves forward and seizes my Station.  Joshua's #1 frame blasts Vincent's #1 frame for 4, destroying it.  Joshua's #2 frame tries to shoot Vincent's #3 frame but hits Vincent's #2 frame instead for 3 damage.  Vincent's #3 frame pings Joshua's #3 frame for 1.  Joshua's #4 frame hits Vincent's #4 for 2 and it does the Station Dance.  Liam's #1 frame charges to the right and spears Tom's White frame for 5, destroying it.  Tom's Yellow frame moves towards Liam's Station, intercepting Liam's #4 frame and buzzsawing it for 3 which destroys it.  Vincent's #2 frame hits Joshua's #3 frame for 3.

Joshua: 18 points.
Me: 14 points.
Vincent: 12 points.

Liam: 12 points.
Tom: 9 points.

Events of Turn 3 (DDC @ 5): Feeling threatened, Joshua's #3 frame hits my White frame for 2.  My White frame leaps forward and seizes Joshua's Station.  In response, Joshua's #2 frame hits my White frame for 2 and it does the Station Dance.  Seeing an opening Vincent's #4 frame hits Joshua's #2 frame for 2, destroying it.  Toms'  Purple frame charges over and captures Liam's Station.  Joshua's #4 frame zaps my White frame for 3, destroying it.  Liam's #1 frame turns away from the wreckage of Tom's frame and captures Joshua's (my) Station.  Vincent's #2 frame pings Joshua's #1 for 1, and hits the cover it was hiding behind for 2.  Tom's Yellow frame hits Liam's #3 frame for 1.  Liam's #3 frame makes a break for my (Tom's) Station.  Not one to let that stand, Tom's Orange frame hits Liam's #3 frame for 1 with a SSR and destroys it.

Me: 14 points.
Tom: 12 points.
Vincent: 12 points.

Liam: 9 points.
Joshua: 9 points.

Events of Turn 4 (DDC @ 1): Vincent's #2 frame hits Joshua's #1 frame for 1.  Joshua's #1 frame hits back for 3, destroying Vincent's #2 frame.  It then recaptures the Station my White frame had stolen.  Tom's Purple frame runs towards Liam's (my) Station and buzzsaws Liam's #1 frame for 3 with a giant overhand swing.  The DDC is ticked to zero.

Tom: 12 points.
Joshua: 12 points.
Vincent: 9 points.

Liam: 9 points.
Me: 7 points.

Here's a few aftermath pictures.

Thoughts & Observations:

• This game was chaotic from the start.
• We all started out with squads the same size and we were playing a Skirmish.
• Defender was decided by a die roll, as was Primary Attacker.
• We all brought new squads for this game.
• Joshua had Ijad numbers on his units to tell them apart.  It was a little confusing
• Vincent and Liam had no way of discrimination between identical frames.
• So the record keeping may be a little suspect in later rounds.
• I tried being a little more descriptive with this report.  I hope it worked.

Review: 30541 Animal Free Build Polybag

Also known as the "Yellow Chick" or "Build a Duck" set, I picked this up at the Lego Discovery Center.

Bag.  MSRP is $2.00 for a $0.20 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Hey, there's one of those
Printed Eye Bricks everyone
makes fun of me for using!

Build.   A 1 Hit wall.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  No.  (-5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (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?  No.  (-5)
Score: -15 (C).  Yeah, not worth it.

Review: 30498 Imperial AT-Hauler Polybag

I visited the Lego Discovery Center again.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.00 for a $0.08 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  I'm not sure if that's Dark Red or Reddish Brown.  Plates, Clip Plates, Cheese Graters, Technic Plates, Tiles, Technic Bricks, Minifig Handlebars, Bushings, Slopes, Pin Axles, Brackets, and Technic Spacers.

Build.  An IO frigate.

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?  No.  (-5)
Score: +10 (A-).  One more part and this would have gotten the top score.

Review: 60120 Volcano Starter Set

Here's a starter set that's a little more recent, only dating back to 2016.

Box.  MSRP is $9.99 for a $0.12 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifigs.

Parts 1.  Trans-Neon Orange 1x1 Rounds and the 1x1 Technic Brick w/Hole stick out to me.

Parts 2.  Liftarms, Bushings, a
Clip Plate, a Printed Slope,
Cheese Slopes, and a Minifig
Handlebar are all interesting.

Parts 3.  The new "Lava
Boulder" is pretty cool, and
I like the Fender Plates.

Build.  A 1 Hit piece of Terrain and a 2Rd/1G/2Y Frame.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (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: +5 (B+).  Sets like this are fun because you can "kitbash" the Minifig vehicle into a wheeled Frame design in short order.

Purity: Mega Bloks DYF10 Squirtle vs. Charmander Review

I think this is from the first wave of Pokemon releases.  I mainly bought this to see if the Orange pieces in this set were the same color as the ones in the Pokeball Paras set.

Box.  I paid $13.49 at Target for a $0.10 Price per Piece

Instructions.

Parts 1.  A typical layered Plate that came loose in the box.

Parts 2.  Round Plates, Jumpers, Cheese Slopes, Connectors, and a Headlight Brick.

Parts 3.  Here we have Ball Joint
parts for the Pokemon, vegetation
sections, and "energy blasts".

Parts 4.  Bricks,Plates, and Slopes.

Parts 5.  Slopes, Bricks, Wedge Plates,
a Plate, some interesting Offset Plates,
and a Trans-Clear T Bar.

Parts 6.  More Pokemon parts, vegetation
 parts, more layered Plates, and a Brick.

Build.  Three sections of Terrain (2 Hit, 1 Hit, and 2 Hits
respectively).  Two Pokemon and plenty of spare parts.

Size comparison.   The Pokemon seem a little small but you may
be able to pop them on to a Plate and use the "Two to a Plate" rule.

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).  Three sections of Terrain and a Frame, not bad for one set.