rodiziorobs

I love the spacious clean interior! NPU on those helmets, although the way they are attached they look kind of like flick-fires

The story is great, but the MANTIS walker and the lava effects are truly fantastic.

That was a clever idea to build the speeder with different modes. I quite like the overall shape of it.

Great use of building technique to tell the story, and how you tried to show everything from 1st person!

I like your mech quite a bit! The combination of the arms is probably what does it for me, although I also think you used the color really well.

To be fair, this could be said about any faction or nation or pretty much any group of people throughout history. Even teams of "good guys" has people who like being bad. I personally didn't have a problem with the way you portrayed your recent build. I think it was a way to include some more serious content and I don't have a problem with that (my own build this week alluded to cases of continued child abuse). It's not like you were pointing to any specific characters or sigfigs, which would have been problematic for me. Frankly your OoC posts like the ones in this thread seem a little more pointed than the things you included in your fiction. Like this: I have tried but I honestly don't know what you mean by this. MANTIS has had fun playing with a "bad guy" persona, but it's not like we're the only ones. Besides, I think we are all here to have fun, and I don't think anyone here is intending to be spiteful or hurt anyone else. I certainly hope so. I don't speak for anyone but myself, and my opinions are my own.

Thanks, Moose and Isundir! I realized the story was definitely in the TL;DR category, but there wasn't really enough build to spread over two weeks. That's why I put the notice at the top so people would know to skip to the bottom for the build if they wanted Seems like I am usually incapable of short posts!

Location: E02 (Jurin II) Tags: Spying, Water Vehicle Previously, Supervising Accountant Laszlowe and Scorpio were interrogating a prisoner taken by MANTIS long ago, when Scorpio made a startling discovery. **************** Lots of story below, build at the very bottom **************** Onboard the MANTIS ship, still in Ertauq's atmosphere... Arsenica?! How...? Where...? I thought you were dead. Dead, huh? Would that have helped you sleep better at night? All those years I looked up to you, relied on you, and then... ...I'm going to, uh...get a bite to eat...yeah, some larvae. Anyone else? No. Great, I'll just uh...see myself out... You left. Of course I left! You know how I couldn't stand it at home, with the drunken rage and all that. The academy was the only chance I had to escape. Yet you left me there! Do you think I wanted to stay? I hated living with him as much as you did! Whatever. If he ever happened to be sober all he could do was go on and on about how perfect you were! I don't think he ever even hit you... Shut up! You have no idea how much hell I had to endure after you left! ... No idea... That scar...you never had that before. He did that, didn't he. Yeah. ... The academy may have been your ticket out, but you were supposed to be mine. You told me so! We made plans of getting out, of getting on without him looming over us! You would go off to school and take me with you. And then you left... Arsenica... look, I'm really... You know what, Scorpio, I don't even care any more. I don't even care. I don't need your apology. ... I'm not the same little girl you grew up with. I've had to grow up myself. In fact I don't blame you for not recognizing me sooner. The night he gave me this I ran away. Ran away and never looked back. I had to learn to take care of myself the best I could. To lie, cheat, and steal, I even joined a band of pirates for awhile, but you know what? When it comes right down to it I'm glad for it. I just wish you hadn't abandoned me. I suppose that's one thing I picked up from training with Kawashita: even though the glory and honor crap never meant much to me, Raven helped me learn the value of loyalty. Look Arsenica, I never... **************** Scorpio, you have an urgent message from CEO SpacerSteve. Leave this to me, I'll handle the interrogation from here. Right now? But I can't leave! You have to--apparently this is another one of those missions that just can't wait. Don't worry, she'll be locked safely behind these same bars when you get back. You're not going to let her out?! Of course not. She is a dangerous prisoner! She is my sister! And, must I remind you, a Kawa spy! But... No more protests! Just go do this stupid mission and try not to get yourself killed! **************** You are clever, I'll give you that. You almost had me convinced to set you free. ...what? how did you..? You don't think I would actually leave this whole interrogation up to that incompetent ninny, did you? I have been listening the whole time. Don't think I missed that bit about your loyalty! Raven invests a lot in her agents, and I highly doubt you would turn your back on her so easily! ... I know I am right. You think so, but you're wrong. Even though I have spent years hating him, we are still family. Besides, Kawashita tried to have me killed, remember? But he did leave you behind, so where does your loyalty lie? With him and M.A.N.T.I.S.? or with Raven and the Kawas? ... Tell me! ... Ha! You talk big about how much you don't believe in Honor, yet you can't bring yourself to speak even a word against your old master because of your loyalty. I give you credit for that. Guards, take her back to cellblock B! **************** You have an urgent mission for me, sir? Uh...what, no. Oh. Laszlowe said... Oh well, since you're already here I guess we could use you for phase one of the operation down on Jurin II. Ok. Just tell me what to do...and exactly how to do it. We need you to do something involving gathering information about another faction, hacking their computers, or sabotaging their equipment. Oh, and if you could use a land vehicle in a significant way that would be a huge plus. Can do. Oh, and Scorpio? Sir? Try not to get killed out there, okay? **************** Later, on Jurin II... So what are we supposed to do, again? Use this water vehicle to spy on Octan. They have a refueling station built on a platform out here in the ocean, and SpacerSteve has been tracking two Penetrator-class vessels, but they dropped out of orbit. We figure they are coming to refuel here, so we wait for them until they take off and then give him the signal. That should give him just enough time to intercept them as they break free of Jurin II's atmosphere. Coordinates up ahead, we should be getting close. There it is! So now we just wait here for these ships to show up? What if someone spots us and tries to attack us? This boat doesn't have much firepower... We'll be fine. In a few minutes the ships will show up, take off, and we'll be on our way back to base. What are you doing? Texting? I thought I'd write a message while we're waiting. Message? Message for what? A message for...oh wait! There they are! We have visual on the Penetrators, they should be docking soon. The ships are docked and refueling now. Only another couple of minutes... The Octan ships are away, and headed back up to orbit. They are all yours, SpacerSteve! **************** C&C Welcome, more photos below. 2016-01-31_02-57-16 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr AG week 32 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr AG week 32 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr AG week 32 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr AG week 32 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr AG week 32 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr AG week 32 by rodiziorobs, on Flickr

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Finally had a chance to stop by my local Target, got most of what I wanted: 1 Tribal Woman, 1 Queen, 1 Animal Control, 1 Jewel Thief, 1 Evil Knight (I still want two more), and 3 Ballerinas. I had found a Faun and thought I put him aside, but must have forgotten to pick it up when I was done, so I still need one of him. I also would like a Farmer, and at least two Winged Warriors.

I also don't have theme yet, and my dark age ended over 6 years ago I MOC rather than collect sets, so I am in it more for parts than sets. Here is how I buy, in order of preference (I'm in the US, by the way): In-store PAB: I am lucky to have a store about 15 minutes from my work, so can go somewhat regularly. It is a great way to stock up on pieces, but I will only get a cup if there is a good selection of different parts that are useful to me. Since most stores started coordinating parts around a small model, that means that sometimes every piece is great. I.e. last October the selection was good enough I ended up getting about 5 or 6 large cups. They change the selection quarterly, and right now the Pick-a-Model doesn't have a whole lot for me so it will probably until April that I go again (I may go for the 2x VIP in March, IDK.) Clearance sets, particularly Target. If a theme is nearing the end of its life, you can often get sets over 50% off. This varies from store to store, though; where I used to live I could find really good deals, but where I live now it seems like they are content to let old sets rot on the shelf rather than mark the price down. I have never found a good clearance at WalMart, YMMV. TRU also has good clearance from time to time. Ebay mixed/incomplete lots. I haven't used this much for years, but when I first got out of my Dark Age it was a great way to increase my collection. You have to be diligent and check almost daily (put potential buys on your watch list) but also patient to wait for when a listing that is ending is actually worth bidding on. It will also help you to get an idea of value to see how much other people pay for things: there will be deals that get away from you that you realize you should have bid on. You'll start to realize when others have spent too much on something, or when a seller is asking way too much. Mixed lots can be good to bulk up a collection (and find surprise parts you would never have bought otherwise, but can't live without afterward!) and incomplete sets are a good way to try and get something specific you are after (10193, Medieval Market Village, was one of those for me). I watched ebay for several months picking up little things here and there before springing for a big ones, and ended up getting an average of 60-70% off everything. I rely on PPP as a good metric, but with a caviat: if there are minifigs or pieces that are worth more to me, I figure that separate from the price. Take for example, a $30 set with 279 parts and three minifigs: two of the minifigs are worth $4 each to me and some of the parts I really want--say I would pay $3 just for those few parts without the set. Normal PPP is about $0.11/p, but for me personally, the leftover of the set that I don't particularly need (but would like) drops to about $0.07. I would consider that set a good deal and have no problem paying RRP. Of course, my budget still doesn't allow me to get every set that passes this test, but this "adjusted PPP" helps me consider value for me personally.

Some phenomenal part usage here to achieve such detail on this small of size, while incorporating a way for 'figs to ride.

S7 isn't really doing much for me (except for the horse/pegasus Mixel), and the only one that really grabs me from S9 is the green car-wash-hands guy; I will probably get 3 of just him. Series 8 however? All of the Pyrratz, all of the Medix, and Splasho in particular look good to me. This is all from a parts perspective, as I tend to view Mixels as great impulse-priced parts packs. (Plus, you can never have too many of those joints!)

+240 credits to Umbra-Manis, please.

I know that, but from the GR picture it seemed like he wasn't holding it that way. The bridge pictures show it more clearly, though, so that's good.

Really? From the GR set picture it looks like his arm is only slightly raised instead of extended forward. It looks to me just like this piece: which was introduced in Friends sets last year. I'm happy to be wrong, though.

Nice! Is your avatar a "Shinning" Homer? That's definitely my favorite.

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Very funny build, reminds me of the part in the Lego Avengers cartoon (Maximum Overload), "20 crafts you can make from dryer lint" or something.

Nice story, and I love the gigantic tank! My favorite part is that speeder, though.

When did Octan get hold of Big Sal's persuade-o-matic tech? I swear Pombe must be including some in his builds lately! Nice pipeline and droids

Very cool jeep! I really like how rugged it looks, yet so compact.

I like how you tried to use the lighting for different effects here, even if some of the pictures aren't as clear because of it. The red light from inside the base is good, but the shot of the exploding tower is definitely my favorite--the use of light on that spot specifically works really well.

Great use of the planet pod! I love the way you made the landing gear for it. Do those parts actually fit inside it closed?

I really like the part usage on the hoverboard, and that final explosion shot cracked me up