The Middleman

I'm just working under the assumption that the new track will be compatible physically. I mean, then, the only loss would be the electric paraphernalia, like the motor and lights and stuff, nothing else.

Since this was the most expensive part on trains, yes Well, the track is the most important bit to preserve, since all the train buffs bought that in great amounts (even I have a good amount of it). And I don't think LEGO has offered the electric accessories like switchers or lights for years now, so that's not a huge loss. And that wasn't that expensive, was it? Maybe like $10 for lighting or $20 for the switchers. So really, maybe $100 in loss total for the average train collector, if you count incompatibility as loss.

Hey all! Once again, I need a part in great quantities! This time, it's the gold coin. You know, the little ones that come with pirate sets. Also, I can use chrome gold crowns, chrome swords, 1x2 chrome gold tiles, chrome gold plates (the minifig-style ones), chrome keys, chrome sun disks, and chrome armor. I'm open to trading Star Wars figures, money (if you can give me a better deal than Bricklink - they charge $0.20 per 4 coins), and other miscellaneous stuff like figures or accessories. I'm looking for up to 1,500 of the gold coins in total. On Bricklink, that would set me back $75! :'( Again, I'm looking for large quantities - let's say around 100 parts or more (doesn't have to be just coins, although that is preferable - coughIMPERIAL JOHNcough ;)). Shoot me a message via PM if you have a bunch of shiny stuff you wouldn't mind me taking off your hands! ;) ~ Bloody Jay

If the new track is compatible with the old track, then the only things that'll go out of service are the motors and the electric stuff, right? I understand how that may upset some train buffs, but is it really a huge deal?

I say we head to the library.

Ok, this is the big one. The controversial one. The one everyone either hates or defends... What do I think? Read on. The Figs: Bandana Man Masked Dude Dude with Shades Good figures, I miss Scarface. Comes with his torso, though, which is my favorite (the one with the ammo strap across the chest). One figure short of the figure-to-price value, but we can deal with that. The Dino: The Dino. It's the one that comes with the chopper, in green. Any questions? The Tank: And so it begins. I think it looks a lot better in person than on the box. The left side. Good time to mention that the treads run pretty easily, and this is a very playable set. Right side. Keep an eye on that flap in the center... ... and we have a folding ladder! The back. Probably the weakest point of the set, apart from the dino. The turret, turned and tilted. The mechanism works extremely well, and the gun seems to work better than others for some reason (or maybe it just seems that way). The front of the cockpit. I'm at a loss trying to figure out how those TINY windshields defend them against 40-foot mutant tyrannosaurus rexes with radioactive breath, laser eyes, and what have you... Anyway, another one of those neat steering wheels, some Viking horns, and some stickered control panels (oh yeah, this set has a good amount of stickers. Probably around 20-ish.). The back of the cockpit. I love the little gun, it turns 360 degrees and tilts up. Oh yeah, and those green barrels they've been using are awesome, I can think of tons of uses for them. The Verdict: 7.6/10 Playability: 9.4/10 Pieces: 7.5/10 Figures: 8.8/10 Dino: 3/10 Value: 4/10 The MAIN DOWNFALL of this set is the price. I would easily pay $30 for this, no questions asked. But $40 was a hard sell for me - I gave in merely to see what I would think of it, and also to help you guys find out the same. This is a great display set, and a great play set. The pieces are good - lots of nice blay beams used in the construction. But the price, people. That's the killer. Pick this up only if you have everything else or you find it on clearance. And thus ends my Dino Attack review series. Hope you enjoyed them! Until next time, Bloody Jay

Ok, now for the Urban Avenger (whatever that means)! Second smallest set at a retail of $11. The Fig: My favorite head, of course. It only comes in this and 7477 (the copter to you people not in 'the loop' ;)), so grab this one if you're trying to save money but want the figure. The Dragster: This, again, is a lot of fun. Nothing to write home about, but fun to zoom around the table. My only gripe is that the gun on top is a little loose, but hey. It's LEGO, not Hot Wheels. Comes with one of those steering wheels I love oh so much. And the back. Gotta love those little engine pieces. The Dino: Ok, ok, this one is actually somewhat worth a mention... The Raptor It actually looks pretty cool, for an action figure. Emphasis on that. It's not LEGO, but it's not horrible. The Pieces Just five pieces out of 87, and the arms might be useable for something else. The Verdict: 8.2/10 Figure is great. Vehicle is fun, has some useful pieces. Dino is better than the rest of the dinos. Value, not so much - 87 total pieces for $11. That's about the whole story - either you like it or you don't. I think it was worth the money I spent on it. And now, coming in just a little bit - Iron Predator vs. T-Rex, 7476. Bet you didn't see THAT one coming!

Since these two are fairly short, I decided to create just one topic. Let's start with the Steel Sprinter, the smallest set of the line. Retail $4. The Fig: Picture Decent figure for $4. The torso only comes with this set and the Iron Predator, so good deal there. The ATV: This really is a cute little bugger. It's a lot of fun in person, just has a cool look. Useful pieces in dark red, and some good tires. Can't say much else about it, but as I said, good deal for $4. The Dino: No picture. It's seriously not worth that. It's identical to the black 'mutant lizard' from 7475, except it has seafoam green spots instead of yellow, making it worse, which I seriously DID NOT think was possible. The only thing good to be said about this thing is that it's only one piece, so it's not taking up too much space in the piece count. The Verdict: 8/10 Pretty straightforward. Worth the money. If you see it, pick it up. I mean, why not? It'll set you back a whole trip to the vending machines at lunch, right? Go for it. Plus, you can have fun destroying your mutant lizard. 7474 review following shortly.

As sure as I am that chewie is a good trader, I can't add him until the deal is completed. ;)

People on Lowlug have so. So, there are more people who ordered. BTW, it is true that there has been a bulk ordering system in Europe for many years. You had to order a minimum of 100 of the same piece, and the minimum order amount is 250 euro. So, that is not interesting if you don't have that kind of money, or if you can't find other people who want to order with you. If you can, it's very interesting, though a lot of pieces are less expensive if you buy them of of Bricklink. I'd be interested in a purchase of that sort. Is there a price list somewhere?

Welcome aboard, Zenith! You'll love it here. Re the missing sails - there's this incredible website Bricklink where thousands and thousands of people sell individual LEGO pieces. You'll find EVERYTHING you need there. Hope that helps!

I'd suggest buying one of the older tugboat models LEGO produced way back when if you're looking for one...

Thanks guys! Just got back a day early. Got an Urban Avenger, a couple baseplates I needed, and some cash (guess what that's going towards? :-D). It's been a great one! Thanks for all the good wishes! :') ~ Bloody Jay

It was pretty bad. Still, that little lemur was adorable.

Quick response to the 'hypocritical issue' - I was under the impression that you meant that they produce war toys, but at the same time won't produce modern war toys. Hence my comments about the helis and the hummers. And that wasn't an insult, it was a joke. By the way, I'm a TFOL, not an AFOL. Regardless, I am up with the LEGO community, but I don't spend time matching names unless I have a specific reason to. I'm going to make a judgment call here and end this discussion. I know several people that harbor harsh attitudes about this argument (although they have so far remained removed from the conversation...), and it's turning far too personal, including my comments. I don't really see anything unsaid being said. Bottom line: LEGO is not making a war theme. Thread locked to prevent further arguments. Contact me with any concerns.

What's your Bricklink name? PS - let me know when and where you open your store, it'd be cool to stop by. Any chance of wholesale LEGO...? ;)

So you haven't spent enough time there to connect Brickshelf ID's with Lugnet/Eurobrick/Bricklink handles. I have. Just because you are not aware of what's what doesn't make my point "invalid" I wasn't addressing the market I was responding to the question originaly posed by this thread. Someone else took it that direction but, if you insist the military model has made Mega Bloks. Many other building systems have military theams and are doing quite well. LEGO stays the hypocritical pacifist and continues to struggle. It's fair to extrapolate that if LEGO had a military line it might not make them but they certainly could not do any worse. Any thing is possible if you choose to read into it what's not there, even the guy with whom you originally agreed took back his words. Just read what's there and try not reading into it what's not. 1) You said 'Funny a cruise through the pages of Brickshelf will show', not 'Funny a cruise through Brickshelf and a subsequent search through all major LEGO forums to match up dozens of users will show'. Don't accuse me of not knowing 'what's what' when you yourself made it seem like something simple and obvious to start with. 2) Mega Bloks attracts a cheap market. LEGO has said in the past and continues to call their product THE BEST. They do not have the same policies as clone products. Many parents buy LEGO for their children because they grew up with it, and war machines might turn them off from the entire product, which is entirely possible in Europe, a market that Mega Bloks has barely penetrated, but which makes up over half of LEGO's total revenue. Secondly, LEGO is actually NOT struggling at the moment. They actually did not produce ENOUGH sets to fill the demand at the beginning of the year. They have begun to revert to their old level of quality, and their profits are increasing. Additionally, with the recent sale of LEGOLAND to an investor that will improve the parks, more gain can be expected. Thirdly, LEGO is not hypocritical in any way - it's stuck to its policy. No war products resembling wars from within the past century. What we're talking about are panzers, Apaches, AA guns and the like - if you're going to say that they weave around that by making HUMMERS WITH CATAPULTS and RED HELICOPTERS WITH LIME-GREEN GATLING GUNS, I suggest professional help. 3) I don't see him taking back his words outright, he merely said that it's difficult to tell what a person means when they're talking on the internet, which is true. I agree with that. But just because you didn't say something flat-out doesn't mean you didn't insinuate it. Like Akkh, I'm enjoying this debate. It's one of the better ones.

Does it prevent the piece from interlocking in any way? Where's the bend?

Hey all! I'm going to be out from 2 PM EST Sunday until sometime around 6 PM Thursday. I'm heading out to Little St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia. Great place! We got some vouchers for a few free nights a while ago, and decided to go there for my birthday and a few days around it (I turn 15 on the 3rd!). I'm sure it'll be fun, but I'm missing you guys already! See you around, Bloody Jay PS - Yoda/Ras: let me know via PM what you find for me in Billund! SuvieD: let me know via PM when you receive my knights! Packrat: let me know via PM what you have as far as classic castle up for trade! Ok, later (for real this time ;))!

Funny a cruise through the pages of Brickshelf will show that MOST of the finest military/LEGO models made are comming from European AFOLs. Don't read into it what's not there, I never said such a thing and I stand by it. If someone chooses to read into it what's not there, that's not my fault. 1) I'm sure there are plenty of European military MOCs that are excellent, but your point is invalid in many ways. First of all, Brickshelf doesn't display a user's nationality, so aside from their usernames, there's really no way to know where they're from unless you know them from another forum. Second, even if EVERY SINGLE MILITARY MOC was European in origin, that would account for only a tiny fraction of a percent of LEGO's European market. You fail to realize that LEGO's intended market is, was, and will remain to be CHILDREN, and that most of these children do not post MOCs online. Finally, these kids' parents are the ones that buy the LEGO for them, not the children themselves, so the kids have very little say in the matter. I assume most adult Europeans don't want to buy toys for their children that remind them of WWII. 2) You never said that Europeans were ungrateful, but you used a tone - if such a thing is possible on the internet - that suggests it. We read what you write in the way that you write it, nothing more. "Unfortunately what they fail to realize is most of them would be a lampshade or a slave if it wasn't for military force on the side of right" definitely indicates that you think of them as either ignorant or ungrateful.

You sound like a serious seller. Bricklink or retail? In any case, I'd suggest putting this in the Buy/Sell/Trade/Finds forum. I'm sure you'll get some responses.

Only the ship and the fortress, though.

What do you have as far as classic castle sets go? (I call first dibs on any!) That includes anything up to, say, Fright Knights. Oh, and I'm looking for rock pieces in dark gray, if you have any.

Well, it appears as though we can't enter through here without a key. I'll bet we find the keys in the other rooms of the mansion.

Aquanauts were actually pretty popular. I would say Time Cruisers, Time Twisters, Galidor, Jack Stone, and Znap are the least popular themes of all time. Time Cruisers was actually pretty good for a cross-theme parts pack.