Review: Miniso Toys Flowers HWMC1006 Multiflora Rose

Miniso now has a second line of Botanical sets.  According to the pictures on the back of the box there are nine sets in this line.  I managed to purchase three of them so let's take a week and review them.

Box.  MSRP is $4.99, for a $0.07 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Loose in box.  Ribbon.

Parts 2.  Curved Mudguards, Hexagonal Windscreens w/Bar, Axle Connectors,

2L Axles, Octagonal Bar Plates, Studless Slopes, Half Pin, Clip Plates, Round

Plates, Plates, Round Large Jumpers, Brackets, Pin Connector w/4 Clips,

3L Axle, Clip Claws, Flowers, Bar, Angled Axle Connectors, and Plant Stem.

Build.  Two Frames (2Rh+d8/2W), and a 2 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 (A+).  I like this set although I feel like it could do with a few more "filler" pieces to be really good.

Review: Forever Clever PR3523-01 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Mastodon Dinozord

The Forever Clever MMPR Battle Bike sets were so disappointing I gave up on reviewing them after one even though I bought all four.  The Dinozord sets are finally on store shelves so I'm going to look at them now.  The boxes are huge.  They rival the size of the title of this blog post.

Box.  MSRP is $5.00, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

Minifig.

The print on the helmet isn't great.  I think Lego

is having a similar problem so it's not a big deal.

Sleeve.  Like the first Forever Clever set I

reviewed, it has a divider to keep the parts

bags from rattling around in the giant box.

Parts 1.  Plates, Tiles, Clip Plate, Ball Joint Plate, Bricks, Bricks w/Stud on

Side, Cones, 2 Plate Tall Bricks, Bar Plates, Brackets, and Corner Plates.

Parts 2.  Slopes, Plates, Jumpers, Ball Joint Plates, Inverted Slopes, Wedge

Plates, Double Sided Plates, Curved Bricks w/Studs, Bricks, Tiles, 1x2x2/3

Bricks w/Studs on Side, Corner Slopes, Round Tiles, Bracket, and Clip Claws.

Build.  Two Frames (2W), a Station, and a 1 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 (A+).  I don't know why I keep coming back to this manufacturer.  There's flashing on some of the parts -- you can see it in one of the pictures -- which means that quality control is lacking.  The pricing is good, and there are good parts, but beyond that there's an intangible "ick" to the plastic quality.  Is this what Mega Bloks used to be like back in the day?  I know it has a top score but there are so many other sets to better spend your money on.

Review: Gundam Converge RB-78 Ball Twin Set (296)

This is an interesting set.  It's the first time I've ever seen a "twofer" Gundam Converge kit.  This set is from the 

 25th wave of sets which was released in May of 2024.

Box.  I paid $10.99 at Newbury Comics for this.

Parts.

Disassembled.  The gun could be Direct, Artillery, or Spotting.  You

 could remove one of the mecha to represent White Die damage.

Assembled.

 

Size Comparison.

The Questions:

Is it below, at, or above $10 per Frame?  Above.  (-10)

Is it a good size to use in a game?  Yes.  About the size of a Classic.  (+5)

How many parts does it have to represent systems?  Two.  (0)

Does it have enough parts you can remove to represent White Dice damage?  Yes.  (+5)

Score: 0 (B).  I thought this could be a good set to represent the "Two to a Plate" Rule but only having two possible Systems makes it a bit weak for that purpose.  Other than that they look pretty neat and it's a good set to use in case you want to mess around with the PpA algorithm.

Review: Mega Bloks HKF93 Hot Wheels Audi R8 LMS GT2

It's been a while since I've done a regular Mega Construx review but I grabbed this the other day in Wegman's so let's take a look.  For some reason this is part of the Canadian Hot Wheels line, not the American.  Weird.  Probably good that I grabbed it then.  This is the first Medium-sized(?) Hot Wheels set I've reviewed specifically based off a real world car.

Box.  I paid $12.99, for a $0.18 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts 1.  Rounded Tile w/Studs, Printed Wedge w/Cutout, Windscreen,

 Printed Tail, Inverted Slopes w/Cutout, Bracket, Printed Double

 Studless Slopes, Panel w/Studs, Modified Plate w/Projection.

Parts 2.  Vehicle Base, Printed Mudguards, Wheels, Plates, Mudguards, Bricks, Door Rail Plates, Steering Wheel, Axle Plates, Triple Curved

Slopes, Wedge Studless Slopes, Wedge Plate, Slope, Studless

Slopes, Bar Plate, Tiles, Jumper, Brackets, and Slope w/Cutout.

Package.  This is the bag for the second set of parts.  A little overkill.  Speaking

of parts -- including the instructions and the minfig -- I only count 70 pieces.  ??

Build. IO Cruiser.  I just had an idea on how to make this a little better.

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+).  I find the number of parts with odd dimensions in this set interesting.  I'll have to keep an eye out for more copies.

Battle Report: Neue Regel 11

This is our seventh game of Rapid Attack, as a group, this year.  We had a new player for this game.  This game basically came together in the last few days before the weekend arrived.  After the "Measuring Hell" of the last game, I  opted to put something simpler and more old-school on the table.

Stevenik (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 42 points.

   Blue Tank -- 2Rd+d8/2B/2W + SSR.

   Orange Tank -- 2Rd+d8/2B/2W.

   Yellow Watchtower -- 2B/2Y/2W + SSR.

   Green Artillerist -- 2Ra+d8/2B/2W + SSR.

Phungkyjams (5 Frames & 18 Systems) = (4 Points per Asset) * (7 assets) = 28 points.  (Dockhands)
   Red Anvil -- 2Rd+d8/1B/1G/2W.

   Yellow Squad Leader -- 2Rd/1B/2Y/2W + SSR.

   Orange Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.
   Purple Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

   Green Mini Watchtower -- 1B/1Gd8/1Y/2W + SSR (x2).

Me (5 Frames & 18 Systems) = (4 Points per Asset) * (7 assets) = 28 points.  (Dreadnauts)
   Lime Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

   Blue Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

   Yellow Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/2B/1Gd8/2W.

   Red Recon by Fire -- 2B/1Gd8/2Y/2W.

   Dark Tan Shield Maiden -- 2B/1Gd8/2W + SSR (x3).

Sweet T (5 Frames & 19 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (7 assets) = 21 points.

   Orange Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.

   Blue Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.

   Red Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

   Green Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.

   Sand Green Silent Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/2W + SSR.

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

Events of Round 1 (DDC @ 11): Before the game starts Sweet T's Green frame captures the Neutral Station.  Stevenik's Yellow frame jumps over the Rock Wall and captures my Yellow Station.  Stevenik's Green frame hits my Red frame for 1, and the Tower in front of it for 1.  My Blue frame hits Phungkyjams' Green frame for 3, then moves Northwest and captures Phungkyjams' Lil Nas station.  Sweet T's Sand Green frame moves North and hits Stevenik's Green frame for 2, Station Dance.  Sweet T's Red frame moves from behind a Blade Tree and captures Phungkyjams' Data Horse station.  Stevenik's Blue frame hits Phungkyjams' Purple frame for 2.  Stevenik's Orange frame scuttles around the Hedge and captures my Green station.  Sweet T's Green frame hits Stevenik's Orange frame for 2, Station Dance.   Phungkyjams' Orange frame hits Stevenik's Orange frame for 4.  My Lime frame hits Phungkyjams' Green frame for 1, destroying it, and the Comms Tower it was hiding behind for 2, then moves West to the Quad Tree.

Stevenik: 56 points.
Sweet T: 27 points.
Me: 24 points.

Phungkyjams: 16 points.

Events of Round 2 (DDC @ 8): Sweet T's Orange frame hits my Blue frame for 1 then moves Northwest towards the Triple Statue.  My Blue frame moves West and recaptures my Green station.   Sweet T's Blue frame hits my Red frame for 1 then moves to the damaged Comms Tower.   Phungkyjams' Yellow recaptures his Data Horse station.  Phungkyjams' Red frame hits my Dark Tan frame for 1 then moves to the other side of a Little Statue.  Sweet T's Green frame hits my Blue frame for 1, Station Dance.  My Lime frame hits Phungkyjams' Red frame for 1 then moves West to the Slicer Tree.  My Yellow frame changes direction, runs Southeast, and pickaxes Phungkyjams' Red frame for 3, Station Dance.  Stevenik's Green frame hits Phungkyjams' Red frame for 1.

Stevenik: 49 points.
Sweet T: 24 points.
Me: 24 points.

Phungkyjams: 24 points.

Events of Round 3 (DDC @ 5): Stevenik's Orange frame scuttles around the Hedge again and recaptures my Green station.  My Blue frame hits Stevenik's Orange frame for 1.  Stevenik's Blue frame hits my Blue frame for 2.  Sweet T's Sand Green frame hits Stevenik's Orange frame for 2, destroying it, then moves North and captures my Green station.  My Yellow frame captures Phungkyjams' Lil Nas station then moves West to join the scrum around my Green station.   Phungkyjams' Purple frame captures Sweet T's Carrot station, then hits the Stargate for 2.  Sweet T's Green frame moves South and captures Phungkyjams' Data Horse station.

Stevenik: 42 points.
Sweet T: 27 points.
Me: 24 points.

Phungkyjams: 20 points.

Events of Round 4 (DDC @ 2): Phungkyjams' Red frame captures the Neutral Station and his Lil Nas station in one bounding run.  Phungkyjams' Orange frame hits Stevenik's Green frame for 1.  My Dark Tan frame sprints Southeast and captures Sweet T's Second station.  Phungkyjams' Yellow frame hits Stevenik's Green frame for 2 then moves East.  My Blue frame hits Sweet T's Sand Green frame for 2.  Sweet T's Sand Green frame then hits Phungkyjams' Yellow frame for 1.  Phungkyjams' Purple frame hits Stevenik's Green frame for 1, Station Dance, then Phungkyjams' Purple frame moves Southeast to recapture his Data Horse station.  Sweet T's Blue frame hits Phungkyjams' Red frame for 2, destroying it, then Sweet T's Blue frame captures the Lil Nas station.  My Lime frame hits Stevenik's Yellow frame for 2.  My Yellow frame leaps over the damaged Stargate and captures Stevenik's White station.  The Doomsday Clock is ticked to zero.

Stevenik: 35 points.

Me: 28 points.
Phungkyjams: 24 points.

Sweet T: 21 points.

Here's several during and aftermath pictures.

Round 1.

Round 1.

Round 2.

Round 2.

Round 3.

Round 3.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Round 4.

Thoughts & Observations:

• This was a Skirmish.
• We had a new player for this game.
• We used the Neutral Station rule again.
• We used the "New 1.3" player count formula from my "Player Count 6" blog post.
• The difference between Second to Fourth place was very swingy all through the game.
• I made a rookie blunder at the very end of the game and missed an available Station.
• This game is the current holder of the "Most Station Captures in a Game" title.
• Flickr page.