Hello everyone!
Having gotten back from Brickworld, I have decided to share my thoughts on some Brickarms products with you all.
I did not get a huge amount of prototypes, 2 to be exact (well, and one other from a Brickmania kit), but I thought people would like to hear more about them anyway. Or at least see the pictures.
This review does not only contain my prototypes (it would be awfully short if it only contained 3 items!), but also new and old(er) products that I like/have thoughts on/have criticism for.
Also: my prototypes are not for sale, trade, etc. Period.
Enjoy!
First up, the Brodie Helmet:
This is probably my favorite Brickarms product at the moment. I DESPERATELY wanted one. Therefore, I was ecstatic when Will gave me one!
As you can see, it is not a complex design. It does have a great potential for many subjects though. It can be used as WWI British and American helmets (if molded or painted in green), WWII British/Commonwealth Helmets, or the kind of helmet that would be seen on U.S. Army troops around the time of Pearl Harbor (again if painted or molded green).
The inside, showing the pieces that lock it on to a minifig head. They are exactly the same as those found in TLC headpieces.
Now, the MG42!
I must say, I love this weapon! Big, meaty, and cool looking! In fact, this gun could not only pass off as a WWII piece, but also as the MG-3 many countries use today.
As you can see here, it is rather large; just about as tall as a minifigure. It is also grippable in just about any place; this provides for an excellent range of mounting opportunites.
On a bipod. My last thoughts on it: I really think it plugged a hole in heavy WWII German firepower. Almost every U.S. machine gun can be made satisfactorily out of bricks. German MG's, however, are a different story. I simply could not find a way of making a German MG without cutting/guleing my precious bricks. Yes, I know. It's sad. I just can't bear butchering my pieces. And now I don't have to! All in all, a fantastic design with a wide variety of uses.
The Brickarms Blaster Rifle/E-11 Blastech/Modified Sterling
I'm really liking this design. Lots going on. Very cool looking. Can be used as the famous Star Wars E-11 Blastech (Stormtrooper blaster), or as the cold-war era Sterling SMG.
I do have some criticism on this one, though. The way the handle is angled, you must have the fig grip it pretty low. I have found that when the figure's hand is placed too high, the weapon has a tendency to pop out of the figure's grasp. Hopefully we can see a fix in this if the weapon ever reaches production.
Up next, a trans-green Space Magnum:
What can I say? I really like the design of the Space Magnum to begin with, and making it in trans-green just makes it look even cooler!
I hear these things glow brilliantly under a black light. Unfortunately, I do not have one. In a solid color, the Space Magnum could be used as a near future, futuristic, or sci-fi gun. Another gun that suits many topics. In trans-green, it seems more likely to fit into the role of sci-fi/space weapon better. But then again, so does every gun in trans-green!
A Brickarms Veteren: The M1911 Colt .45
The classic handgun of the U.S. Army/Government from it's first production up until the '80s. I have to say, while I still like it, I am a little dissapointed in it. I understand that it is hard to put detail into something this small, gut this one seems to be lacking too much. The trigger area is a solid block (I understand this has been fixed in the Longslide), for starters. I also think a shell ejection port on one side would have added a lot to this weapon.
The world-famous M1 Garand is next!
Said to be, "the greatest implement of battle ever devised" by Gen. Patton, the M1 Garand was indeed a breakthrough in weapons technology when it came out in the late '30s. The Brickarms version lives up to that standard. Nicely scaled to minifigures, and cool looking to boot.
My only thoughts are that maybe a little more detail could've been put into the bolt/ejection area. All in all, a good rendition of the Garand, though.
One of my favorites now: the SMLE (as you can see I have painted the one in the pictues)!
Beautiful. Just beautiful. I really love this Brickarms product. Perfect scaling, incredible detail, and fantastic historical value!
But, just because I sound in love with it, doesn't mean I don't have some criticism for it. Unfortunately, the front end of it is to skinny for a minifg/u-clip to grasp it. This makes the concept of putting a bayonet etc on it difficult.
The Lewis Gun...
I cannot fully express how much I love this gun. Next to the Brodie, it is my favorite BA product. It was the one that kept me anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first wave. It, like the MG42, is rather larger. Unlike the MG42 though, it has far less areas to grip. Only the handle and very front are truly grippable.
As you can see, the magazine is removable; a very, very cool feature. Also, the bumb on the bottom is designed to fit into the socket for TLC's little antennea thingies. Genious. Pure genious. Besides the lack of areas to grip, a very cool product, with a creative way to mount it.
Slice! Stab! Two Brickarms bladed weapons: The Combat Knife and Machete!
My two favorite bladed BA products. I like the machete alot. Great for adventurous themes. The lip on the handle really changes it to a boring, plain weapon to an exciting, jungle hacking tool. The combat knife is perfect, in my opinion. Use it as a bayonet, weapon, or maybe make it the claws of a big mech. It's just that versitle. IT is incredibly detailed for such a small object; the handle has a pattern, and there is even a groove in the blade.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! The BA MGL!
Another fantastic weapon by Brickarms! The MGL is big, chunky, and looks like it could bring down any lego structure! The grenade drum magazine is removeable, and the gun is prefectly scaled to a minifigure. In the picture, you can see this well. The stock fits perfectly into the fig's shoulder when he is holding it. The front barrel is also grippable, providing opportunity for a foregrip, bayonet, or some other addition.
Chk-chk! Lock and loaded. The BA Combat Shotgun!
I much prefer this shotgun over the previous BA m47 shotgun(s). Much cooler looking, and much more detailed. Great for modern, future, or sci-fi scenerios. My only complaint is that the lip on the handle prevents the minfig from gripping the handle sideways, thus for desplaying a full profile of the weapon.
Another Stroke of Genious: the U-Clip:
I must say, at first I seriously underestimated the versatility of these things. It was only as I saw what people were doing with them that I realized I desperately needed some! They can grip anything a minifig can grip, providing endless weapons and design possibilities. Attach a bayonet or scope to a gun, hook a bunch of swords together, or use it to hold parts of your MOC in place! As I said before, the possibilities are endless.
Those Panzers have to be brought to thier knees somehow! The Brickarms Bazooka and M6 Rocket!
A very nice combo. Brickarms already had a RPG thing that could be used as a German Panzerfaust (but that is now obsolete considering an actual panzerfaust is in the prototype stage), but the Americans had nothing to counter the German tanks! Here you go... the bazooka! It fits perfectly in a minifigure's hands, and even has a flawlessly molded shoulder rest. My only complaint is that maybe a little sight could be added to one side; most bazookas had some sort of aiming aparatus. Other than that, a very good product.
As for the rocket, I really like it. Very cool looking. can be used as bazooka ammo, or you can use u-clips to link them together as ammunition for a big gun or mech.
Aliens beware! The Brickarms Space Assault Rifle!
The Brickarms Space Assault Rifle (*cough cough Halo MA5B/C cough cough*) is a very interesting looking weapon. It is packed with detail, and has a super cool-detailed front grip that is, well, gripable. Great for Halo or Sci-Fi mocs. No design complaints here.
The M47 shotgun... with a scope
I can honestly say this is one of my least favorite Brickarms. I don't know why, there's just something about it I don't like. In my opinion, it would be better with some kind of stock. Like I said before, I much prefer the new combat shotgun.
Need someone dropped? Do it from a safe distance with the M21 Sniper Rifle!
A very nice weapon. I personaly prefer it over the PSG1 (even though I don't have one). I got mine before the 2009 first wave, so it only came with a bipod and monopod (both of which are MIA at the moment). Good design, and it can be modded into a Kar98k, a M1903 Springfield (with or without scope), and for those of you who don't have an M1 Garand, it can be modded into a M1 as well. After all, the M14/M21 was based off the design of the Garand. Great for scenes from Vietnam up to the present.
Ahhhh the flashbang... so very effective, and fun to use to boot!
Why, you may ask, am I using a WWII soldier to model the modern flashbang? Well, because I don't just see this nifty little grenade as a flashbang, but in my opinion it does a fantastic job as doubling for the AN-M8 smoke grenade! The grenade is grippable by the body, and can be used as a flashbang or a smoke grenade. It is a nice and simple design (but hey, the real thing's pretty simple too), but very effective an cool. Good for all kinds of moc's.
You can't go wrong with Bond's weapon of choice... the silenced PP7!
Well, what can I say? It's a small, spy pistol with a silencer. What more could you ask for?
And finally, the Mauser C96!
In case you couldn't already guess, I am a huge WWII history buff. I know quite a bit about it. And, I have a weakness for the lesser known weapons in that war. The Mauser C96 fits right into that catagory. It is often overshadowed by the much more famous Luger P08 and Walther P38. But, I still love the C96. And Brickarms has done a fantastic job of modeling it, with superb details. I love it.
Getting near the end. Time to add a little humor!
If you thought you feared the MG42 before, well, think again!!
Mr. German thinks he has the upper hand on his enemies...
...unfortunately for him, his upper hand has come to an end!
That's it for my review! I hope you enjoyed it. If I get my hands on anymore prototypes, I'll be sure to add them to this.
As this is my first review, feel free to leave comments and criticism!
--JHank
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
