Review: 76089 Mighty Micros Scarlet Spider vs. Sandman

Another random review from the backlog pile.

Box.  MSRP was $9.99 for a $0.11 Price per Piece

Instructions and parts list.

Minifigs.  Parts built
weapon for Sandman.

Parts 1.  Tires, Plates, Mudguards, Tails, Brackets, Bar Plates, Axle Plates, Printed Tile, 2x2 Slope, Tile, 2x2 Mod. Plate w/Studs on side.

Parts 2.  Black Downward Tooth Plates!  Slopes, Rims, Round Plates, Plates, Round Tiles, Clip Tiles, Cheese
Graters, Cones, Large Jumper, Grille Tile, Tile,
Printed Slope, 1x1 Mod Brick w/Studs on side.

Build.  Two almost battle carts.

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+).  There's not really enough of any of the parts to build anything meaningful.

Terrain & Scenery 14

A nice picture post for a lazy Friday.

aDSCN9929 by František Hajdekr.  It
looks like some sort of farm equipment.

KX6 Auriga by Yloquen. 

This looks really neat.

IMG_0925 by Simmon Kim.  This
is a great microscale helicopter.

Classic Space Micro Big Rig by Andreas Lenander.   A nanofig scale big rig.  Nice!

Lego Truck by František Hajdekr.
I think this could be 6P scale.

Review: 30384 Star Wars Snowspeeder Polybag

I found this in Target last week, it's part of the Lego Star Wars 20th anniversary celebration.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.08 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Wedge Plates, Hinge Plates, Clip Plates, Door Rail Plates,
Round Plates w/Bar, Bricks, Slopes, Grille Tiles, 6L Bars w/Stop Ring,
Cones, Tiles, a Bracket, a Jumper, and a Technic Gear Rack.

Build.  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-).  I think I like this polybag the most of the three new Star Wars ones.

Review: 30529 Mini Master-Building Emmet Polybag

Switching gears for a second, I finally found this in Target last week.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.08 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts.  Plates, Clip Plates, Bar Plates, Round Plates, Axle Plates, Rims, Tires, Brackets, Bar Clips, Slopes, Exo-Force Arms, Printed Tiles, Grille Tile, Turntable, Minifig Steering Wheel, and 1x4 Mod. Plate w/Angled Tubes.

Build.

  

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-).  Another almost great polybag.

Battle Report: Neue Regel 2

This was the fourth month in a row for the Usual Suspects which ties the longest streak we've had.  This was a four player battle with a new rule being tried out.

Stevenik (4 Frames & 15 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 42 points.
   Orange Artillerist -- 2Ra+d8/2B//2W + SSR.
   Gold Tank -- 2Rd+d8/2B/2W.
   Blue Watchtower -- 2B/2Y/1Gd8/2W + SSR.
   Green Light Tank -- 2Rd/2B/2W + SSR.

Occam's Spork (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (6 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 36 points.
   Red Spotting Bodyguard -- 2Rd/2Rh/1B/1Y/2W +SSR.
   Green Spotting Bodyguard -- 2Rd/2Rh/1B/1Y/2W +SSR.

   Blue Spotting Bodyguard -- 2Rd/2Rh/1B/1Y/2W +SSR.

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

PJ_Nichts (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (5 Points per Asset) * (7 assets) = 35 points. (mechs)

   Blue -- 1B/2G+d8/1Y/2W + SSR (x3).
   Magenta Tank -- 2Rd+d8/2B/2W.
   Purple Tank -- 2Rd+d8/2B/2W.
   Yellow Squad Leader -- 2Rd/1B/2Y/2W.
   Cyan Fast Assault -- 2Rd/1B/2G/2W.

Me (6 Frames & 24 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (8 assets) = 24 points. (Thanatos)
  Orange Delegator -- 2Ra/1B/2Y/2W + SSR.
   Red Delegator -- 2Ra/1B/2Y/2W + SSR.
   Brown Delegator -- 2Ra/1B/2Y/2W + SSR.
   Blue Heavy Assault -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1G/2W.
   Green Heavy Assault -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1G/2W.

   Tan Heavy Assault -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1G/2W.

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

Events of Turn 1 (DDC @ 11): Stevenik captures both of my Stations before the game starts, all according to plan.  He then captures the neutral Station but loses a Frame in the process.

Stevenik: 56 points.

Occam's Spork: 36 points.
PJ_Nichts: 35 points.
Me: 18 points.

Events of Turn 2 (DDC @ 8): Stevenik loses control of his white Station to Occam's Spork.  He also loses control of the neutral Station to my Green frame.  Another one of Stevenik's Frames is destroyed and I capture his red Station with my Green frame.  (My Green frame did the Station Dance after being attacked by PJ Nicht's Purple frame)  PJ Nicht takes control of the neutral Station.

Occam's Spork: 42 points.
PJ_Nichts: 40 points.
Stevenik: 28 points.

Me: 21 points.

Events of Turn 3 (DDC @ 6): Stevenik loses control of my red Station to PJ Nicht.  I destroy PJ Nicht's Cyan frame and re-take control of the neutral Station.

Occam's Spork: 42 points.
PJ_Nichts: 35 points.
Me: 24 points.
Stevenik: 21 points.

Events of Turn 4 (DDC @ 3): Stevenik loses control of my blue Station to Occam's Spork.  Occam's Spork loses control of one of his Stations to PJ Nicht.  Occam's Spork loses a Frame.  PJ Nicht loses his Purple frame.  The Doomsday Clock is ticked to zero.

Occam's Spork: 36 points.
PJ_Nichts: 35 points.
Me: 24 points.
Stevenik: 14 points.

Here's a couple of aftermath pictures.

Thoughts & Observations:

• We used a new optional rule that Joshua told me about before PAX East.
• It involves putting a neutral Station on the board for a four player game.
• I didn't take detailed notes, just kept track of the scoring, as Stevenik was on a time limit.
• We didn't hammer the clock but we did try and play fairly quickly.
• Stevenik ended up leaving during the third turn and I played his Frames in the last turn.
• This was a pretty competitive game.
• If I had started moving during the first turn instead of holding my ground I may have finished in second.
• PJ Nicht's Purple and Magenta frames were new for this game and looked pretty cool.
• I think this is the first game where one of the Sensory Towers that go with the Stargate was destroyed.

Review: 30461 Star Wars Podracer Polybag

I found this in Target the other day, it's part of the Lego Star Wars 20th anniversary celebration.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.07 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Round Bricks, Round Plates, Round Jumpers, Tiles, Plates, Bar Plates, Pins, Clip Plates, Clip Tiles, Travis Bricks, Cones, Rims, Bars, Slope, Brick, and Technic Brick.

Build.  Frame.  Yeah, that's pretty horrible.

  

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+).  Good parts and a good price but I'm not impressed.

Review: 30383 Star Wars Naboo Starfighter Polybag

I found this in Target the other day, it's part of the Lego Star Wars 20th anniversary celebration.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.08 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Wedge Plates, Plates, Apollo Studs, Technic bits, Bars, Brackets, Cones, Slopes, Tiles, Boat Studs, Barraki eyes, and a Jumper.

Build.  IO Frigate. (2Ra+d8/1Y)

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-).  Not a bad set, two more pieces and it would have had a better score.

Review: 75193 Star Wars Microfighter Series 5 Millenium Falcon

This gets me halfway through the Series 5 Microfighter reviews.

Box.  MSRP is $9.99 for a $0.11 Price per Piece

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts 1.  Boat Studs, Brackets, Headlight Bricks, Handle Bricks, Plates, Round Plates, Wedge Plates, Slopes, Pneuma-Ts, Apollo Studs, Stud Shooter Triggers, Jumper, Hinge Brick Base, Log Brick, and Modified Plate.

Parts 2.  Plates, Round Plates, Wedge Plates, "L" Plate, Round Tiles, Grille Tiles, Round Tile w/Hole, Bricks, Round Bricks, Wedge Bricks, Printed Truncated Cone, Stud Shooters, Slopes, Jumpers, Clip Plate, Hinge Brick Top.

Build. IO Frigate (2Ra+d8/1Y).

  

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+).  There are some really useful pieces in here, it just needs a higher parts count.