UNSC Cyclops Series Showcase

The Box

In today's blog we will be looking at the Cyclops line of sets for Mega Bloks's Halo line. Straight up these sets are pretty much useless for standard Mobile Frame Zero. They are pricey and have very few useful parts. Now, for say upping your scale of MF0 to something bigger and crazy I think these are your go to. They are $14.99 each and the variety they have put out of these things give a wide system load out option but built in a way where you can be creative with parts to give them new systems. Essentially the core of each of these sets are exactly the same with a few different parts to build systems.

Core and some Extra Parts

There are studs on the back, shoulder,  shoulder pads for defense and the arms usually have perfect connections to build bricks off of for a variety of weapons. They are perfect minifig scale start frames despite they are also the smallest you most likely want to go in the scale. Want to see some of the ones I have collected?

How about a closer look?

So to sum this up, bad set for standard MF0 but if you want to try something crazy and making your game BIGGER then this is where you should start. Want to see my thoughts on making your game bigger then check out Scales, Sizes and Standards at the top or just click here. If you want to talk about trying MF0 at a bigger scale then join us April 11 for the Google Hangout on the Air. Below you will find my thoughts on out of the box load out for the Cyclops via Frame Cards (more info on those on the top of the page.)

UNSC Mantis Showcase

The Box

So another post stepping from the usual fair. I picked this puppy up awhile ago with something specific in mind; playing Mobile Frame Zero: Rapid Attack at a larger scale or minifigure scale. Minifigure scale or 14p originally started off as thought experiment that turned into a challenge between myself and Mantis King as a way to promote the game. We were suppose to face each other at this year's (2016) PAX East but do to mutual agreement we had to cancel and will try again in 2017.

Parts 1

Parts 2

Parts 3

So I didn't try to build anything at regular scale with this set. Given the number of pieces I am sure you could get a 7p or so size frame from it but you wouldn't be checking off the 'more then a handful' box on the usual reviews. So I went straight to building the set.

Parts 4

Parts 5

Parts 6

The complete set gives you the Mantis from the Halo franchise and a docking station for the 'chicken walker' to unload/load its pilot. I figured I could turn the dock into a station with some modification as I need it to fit in a 8x8 square and the default version was too long for that.

Parts 7

Parts 8

Parts 9

Parts 10

So many parts! I mentioned the docking station so let's take a look at that next.

Dock Station - Front

Dock Station - Back

So the Mantis itself is a beautiful model and very much like our Hi-Legs but on a much grander scale.

Mantis Front

Frame Side

Frame Back

But she is huge and pushes the edges of what I want to use at Minifigure scale game (14p).

Though it certainly comes with parts ready to be weapons and could easily be modified for custom systems. Let's see how it looks against our usual 7p scale frames.

Say Cheese!

Of course I also got UNSC Cyclopes for the same reason; let's see how it looks next to that!

So who is the big brother?

Wow, that has some height over the Cyclopes! Oh, look there are also stickers!

Yep, Stickers...

So I look forward with playing with the Mantis in a grand scale game of Mobile Frame Zero: Rapid Attack but I think I will only field the one unless I find another at a Magic Price! I shall leave you with a frame card!

Mega Bloks Halo Micro-Fleet Hornet Review for MF0

The Box

All these Helmet heads are storage containers and can hold all the parts they come with, even assembled as their set.

Parts 1 - Don't know why blogger wants to flip my part images...

Can you build some sort of creation right away?

I got nothing but the purple thing could easily make a great station and the hornet is certainly in scaleish but not sure what you could do with it. Maybe put it in Intercept Orbit? We will give it a 0.

Parts 2 - Clear pieces!

Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio? (10 cents per piece)

$14.99 / 19 cents per piece! -10, minus 10 now!

The Set - makes a nice looking diorama

If you can't build a something right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away? 

This I think so, certainly some interesting ones that would make some cool builds if only in the looks department. +5

Close Up -Trying to take a Selfie...

Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?

This is where I say No. -5 points

Total: Here we have a C+, honestly earned all around. I like the hornet but pricey and not sure what to do with it besides put it on my wall of geek.

Mega Bloks Halo Micro-Fleet Warthog Review for MF0

The Box

At the time of this post stores have been putting these on clearance or in sales. Looks like a good size for 7p so let's check it out. Though, why do they call it Warthog?

The Head - Also a container

The Base is the Back of the Head

Can you build some sort of creation right away?

So I couldn't get a frame or a spaceship out of this but the Warthog itself is nice. It pretty much fits the scale but I am not sure it it is tall enough for cover but if one wanted it could be fielded as is (1G, 2Ra+R8a). Also the extra bit using the orange piece could be put on a 4x4 plate and become a neat station. I am going to go with 5 because we have a station and something that could be fielded in the game using the frame rules.

Parts 1

Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio? (10 cents per part)

$14.99 / 93 = 16 cents per part. Ouch -10

Parts 2 - Two of the Cheese Slopes are Taller with Sharper Angels

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?

Many useful and interesting parts that you don't find in LEGO sets. +5

Parts 3

Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts? 

So this is a hard one, we have a lot of plates but then again we have a lot of other parts I can see in a build but not enough or the right kinds to inspire some kind of frame or a spaceship (out of me at least). I am going with 'handful' and giving a plus 5.

The Set, Blue isn't attached.

Total: We have a B+, mind you almost a B set but it very neat.

The Warthog