Which HF Invasion from Below sets to get?

[JekPorkchops]

With the coming of Breakout in 2012, I finally gave HF a chance after kinda ignoring it after Bionicle was cancelled. I didn't get that many sets during HF's run and just recently I've been getting a few more Breakout sets since they're all very cool to my eyes.

Looking at the pictures, I really like Invasion from Below and its concepts as well. I can pretty much find almost every set for around RRP, new and sealed. My question to those who own a lot of the sets is, if I tried to hunt down about half of the first wave and about half of the second wave, which sets do you recommend?

Also, I'm trying to get a somewhat even amount of mechs and beasts, even though I like most mechs a lot more than the beasts (this is for conflict's sake), and as much variation among mini Heroes, jumpers and cocoons as possible.

Any advice/recommendations would be appreciated :) If you don't really care about the specifics I talked about above, please leave your favorite sets from each wave in the posts below.

[Junior Shark]

May fave HF sets are the Invasion from Below ones because of the little minifigure-sized Heros. And that's where my expertise ends, 'cuz that's the only wave I have sets from! But looking at the other waves on Brickset, I prefer the kaiju over a lot of the other villains.

[Takanuinuva]

Definitely get Furno's Jet Machine. Its an awesome set and has a great build.

[Leewan]

VBBN's reviews might help you deciding which sets to get.

There were a lot of creative sets in 2014, and a great variety of mechs among the two waves. Beasts-wise, Jaw Beast and Tunneler Beast are my absolute favourites.

[Anthony12901]

I'd say Queen Beast has a very intricate build. Splitter Beast was also pretty cool.

[Kalhiki]

Splitter Beast is cool. 2-in-1 sets are always pretty fun. Tunneler Beast is great especially for the size that he is. I'm also fond of Crystal Beast. A pretty straight-forward design, but makes up for it with the trans light blue (though by today's standards, that's nothing special).

As for Mechs, Furno Jet Machine is aces. I'm also partial to Evo XL Machine, but the lack of ankles may irk you. Rocka Crawler is also very nice; a small but effective set much like Tunneler Beast.

Queen Beast is also a nice set. Maybe a little pricey? But it is the big bad of the wave, so it might be nice to have in your collection.

[Aanchir]

My favorites are Furno Jet Machine, Evo XL Machine, Tunneler Beast, and Breez Flea Machine. All of these sets have fairly creative builds.

Breez Flea Machine is noteworthy for being the first (and so far, only) constraction set with a winch function! However, its aftermarket price has been driven up and its availability driven down by people using it as a source for the toe pieces (six of which are used in the limited-release Bat-Pod set). Many people who didn't win the Bat-Pod attempted to build it themselves from scratch, which made the aftermarket value of that one part skyrocket.

[JekPorkchops]

Thanks for the replies! I've read all VBBN sets in the past and I've watched a lot of video's, but I couldn't really make up my mind. Definitely not getting Evo Walker, Rocka Crawler (as I feel the polybag does a better job with fewer pieces) and Surge & Rocka Combat Machine. Flyer Beast has grown on me a little, but I don't think he's that great cause he's awkward in places so I'm probably not getting him. The Breez Flea Machine has grown on me quite a lot since I didn't like it initially, but that's one of two sets I can't seem to find, along with the Freeze Machine. I now get why that is the case.

I really like the mechs from the first wave, so I'll definitely get Rocka and Furno's. I really don't know if the XL is worth it, but it looks promising. Freeze Machine is cool but thereby skippable. Lovin' the smaller beasts too. Still on the fence about Splitter Beast. I don't really care for the splitting as both beast seem rather lackluster. Can someone tell me if the combined Splitter feels good enough as a proper two-headed monster?

Queen Beast is a must-have, but only because of her. Not really fond of the spider walker.

[Anthony12901]

Can someone tell me if the combined Splitter feels good enough as a proper two-headed monster?

Ohhh yeah. When you move the head to the side it looks awesome! Its kind of like Onua united with Terak though. You just add extra arms to the back. The heads are cool though...

[DraikNova]

All of them. Especially Splitter Beast and the Queen Beast set. Evo's Walker is actually one of the sets I've had the most fun with, since it's perfect as a parts pack yet is limited enough to make building with it a challenge. I spent four hours just making alternate models for it when I first got it. Combat Machine is reasonably good as a parts pack and very imposing, but it's slightly lackluster when it comes to the little jet thing. Rocka's Crawler is the only one that isn't particularly good, but it's still better than this year's bionicle sets.

Edited May 10, 2016 by DraikNova

[Kalhiki]

Thanks for the replies! I've read all VBBN sets in the past and I've watched a lot of video's, but I couldn't really make up my mind. Definitely not getting Evo Walker, Rocka Crawler (as I feel the polybag does a better job with fewer pieces) and Surge & Rocka Combat Machine. Flyer Beast has grown on me a little, but I don't think he's that great cause he's awkward in places so I'm probably not getting him. The Breez Flea Machine has grown on me quite a lot since I didn't like it initially, but that's one of two sets I can't seem to find, along with the Freeze Machine. I now get why that is the case.

I really like the mechs from the first wave, so I'll definitely get Rocka and Furno's. I really don't know if the XL is worth it, but it looks promising. Freeze Machine is cool but thereby skippable. Lovin' the smaller beasts too. Still on the fence about Splitter Beast. I don't really care for the splitting as both beast seem rather lackluster. Can someone tell me if the combined Splitter feels good enough as a proper two-headed monster?

Queen Beast is a must-have, but only because of her. Not really fond of the spider walker.

I wouldn't worry too much about the Flea Machine. It's alright, but considering it's a tripod, posing capabilities are limited.

I still recommend Evo XL. The only knock being the ankles (or lack thereof), but the rest is spectacular. Nice, big, and bulky.

Splitter Beast combined is totally worth it. Considering he's mostly black, the pieces blend together so you can't really tell it's a 2-in-1. And the smaller beast's limbs can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit your preference.

Evo's Walker is actually one of the sets I've had the most fun with, since it's perfect as a parts pack yet is limited enough to make building with it a challenge. I spent four hours just making alternate models for it when I first got it.

Agreed here. I can't remember who did, but I recall someone making an alternate, humanoid mech out of the parts of Evo Walker. Made the set completely worth it. I'm going to need to hunt that down later...

[JekPorkchops]

I'm now kinda tempted to get Splitter Beast as well. That pretty much covers the regular type of beasts, along with Jaw Beast which I'll get anyway. The problem is that I really like Crystal Beast as well, though he's another one of the regular types. I think I'm going to get him though, since I found him for an incredibly low price. Since I'll have most of the regular hoard type of beasts, I'd like some variety, like a flyer. However, I think Flyer Beast is a mixed bag. Does he have any redeeming qualities? I love his color scheme, head print, antenna as a weapon, him being a flyer and Breez and her accessories, but his awkwardness (regular fist on a long arm, short arm with huge claw, minifig platform, cheap bone wings) kinda destroys him.

All of them. Especially Splitter Beast and the Queen Beast set. Evo's Walker is actually one of the sets I've had the most fun with, since it's perfect as a parts pack yet is limited enough to make building with it a challenge. I spent four hours just making alternate models for it when I first got it. Combat Machine is reasonably good as a parts pack and very imposing, but it's slightly lackluster when it comes to the little jet thing. Rocka's Crawler is the only one that isn't particularly good, but it's still better than this year's bionicle sets.

Well I quite like this year's Bionicle sets, cluttered and inconsistent textures aside, they look better to me than the 2015 sets. I'm not really a MOCer or a rebuilder, so Evo Walker is still a pass for me because it is just so awkward and unfinished.

[Lyichir]

I'm now kinda tempted to get Splitter Beast as well. That pretty much covers the regular type of beasts, along with Jaw Beast which I'll get anyway. The problem is that I really like Crystal Beast as well, though he's another one of the regular types. I think I'm going to get him though, since I found him for an incredibly low price. Since I'll have most of the regular hoard type of beasts, I'd like some variety, like a flyer. However, I think Flyer Beast is a mixed bag. Does he have any redeeming qualities? I love his color scheme, head print, antenna as a weapon, him being a flyer and Breez and her accessories, but his awkwardness (regular fist on a long arm, short arm with huge claw, minifig platform, cheap bone wings) kinda destroys him.

Flyer Beast was the first set to include Breez but considering her mech in the summer is generally such a cool set, I'd be hard pressed to recommend Flyer Beast at this stage.

[JekPorkchops]

Uhm I have a weird question. Can one of those medium sized bags fit through a mailbox without the pieces getting squashed? The seller tried to do that before asking me what shipping method I wanted :( I hope the set is okay now that I'm planning to buy it.

[Aanchir]

Uhm I have a weird question. Can one of those medium sized bags fit through a mailbox without the pieces getting squashed? The seller tried to do that before asking me what shipping method I wanted :( I hope the set is okay now that I'm planning to buy it.

Probably depends on the size of the mailbox. In the sort of mailboxes I'm used to here in the United States, one of those bags would fit just fine.

[JekPorkchops]

I kinda meant a slit in a front door but I was really unspecific. It'll probably turn out all right.

[JekPorkchops]

This is going very well:

image by Jek Porkchops, on Flickr

These were easy to moderately easy to come by and so is the entire second wave (except for the Flea Machine of course). I might run into some trouble when trying to find the Jet Machine.

I opened up the Crystal Beast set to verify the contents. Does anyone know how to preserve that lovely artwork on the packaging when cutting it open? I'd like the bags to all stay in one piece from now on.

Edited May 21, 2016 by JekPorkchops

[Kalhiki]

I cut into the side of the top (where it says Invasion from Below) to where I could see the front and back layers of the bag. Then I just cut the back layer to preserve the artwork on the front and get access to the zip-lock... If that makes sense.

So in the end you'll just end up with a cut on the back but not the front aside from the small slit on the side.

[Leewan]

(have no idea how to put images directly in the posts)

Then you might be interested in this tutorial.

Does anyone know how to preserve that lovely artwork on the packaging when cutting it open? I'd like the bags to all stay in one piece from now on.

I cut a slit in the back, just above the zip, with a craft knife. However, you have to be careful, if you put too much pressure, you can cut the front too. I haven't totally understood Kalhiki's explanation, but it's very possible that we proceed the same way.

[Kalhiki]

I cut a slit in the back, just above the zip, with a craft knife. However, you have to be careful, if you put too much pressure, you can cut the front too. I haven't totally understood Kalhiki's explanation, but it's very possible that we proceed the same way.

I'm terrible at explaining things, I know. :P

Basically, I'm just doing your method but making it easier to access only the back. By cutting a slit into the side right above the zip, it'll separate the front and back of the bag. It'll open the pocket between where the bag is zip-locked and where it is glued together at the top. Just stick a scissor blade into that pocket and cut open the back.

Granted, you'll have a small cut on the front. That's why I said to do it where it says Invasion from Below as there's no artwork there (or, at least, not as prominent).

Hope that helps clear things up.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Kalhiki

[JekPorkchops]

You're not terrible at explaining things, I got it after the second time reading it

Both of your methods must be very good. I'll try Leewan's method and if I make a mistake, I can always use Kalhiki's method since a small slit in the Invasion from Below tagline wouldn't matter all that much.

Also, that tutorial was very useful.

Edited May 21, 2016 by JekPorkchops

[JekPorkchops]

Just built Jaw Beast and I don't think that small armor piece that represents his chest fits all the way. Either the armor piece doesn't clip on the ball joint entirely or the 3M grey beam underneath won't go all the way on the technic pins. The latter is how I kept it. I can't believe something so obvious made it through the reviews, though it's not the worst thing ever.

[Maskmaker of Light]

Lucky you can find them! I hope you don't mind me asking, what stores have the sets in your area? The only store near me that occasionally has them used, or sealed for a very high price is my LEGO resale shop, Bricks and Minifigs. You already got a lot of my favorites, but others I'd recommend are Evo XL Machine, for lots of great parts, the Tunneler Beast for a very fun and unique build, and the Queen Beast for a simple, but nice machine, a beast with a very unique and creative build, and lots of good parts.

[JekPorkchops]

@Maskmaker of Light I don't know where you live (I presume England) but I can't find them in any physical stores in my area. I found all of the sets that I currently have from this wave online. I usually always shop online for recent Star Wars and Bionicle sets, cause it's a lot cheaper of course. These old IFB sets were very cheap as well, though because I found one or two sets per different store I ended up paying a little more than original RRP because of shipping, which is fine. Normally I'd buy a whole bunch of sets at once. I keep complaining about European prices, but I usually get sets for very cheap anyway.

Apart from what can be seen on that photo, I now have the Evo XL machine, Splitter Beast, Tunneler Beast and Bulk Drill Machine. I'm planning on getting Queen Beast later on, since it's not that difficult to find online. The Jet, Freeze and Flea Machines are completely disappeared from the planet I think, at least for non-Ebay-rip-off-prices.

[Maskmaker of Light]

@JekPorkchops Thanks a lot for letting me know! I actually don't live in England, but actually far from it, in Texas.

I would love to go England some day, though, because it sounds like a very nice place to visit.

I've looked on Ebay for Invasion from Below, but there aren't many good deals, to be quite honest. Any other online stores you'd recommend?