Monthly Archives: February 2012

Halo Mega Bloks Covenant Shade Turret – Toy Review

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Covenant Spade Turret: Set number 96949

Build Time: 2 minutes sorting, 5 minutes build. Total 7 minutes.

Set Piece count: 68
Minifigs, Weapons and Accessories: Green Air Assault Spartan with 2 Frag grenades and Assault Rifle, Grunt (Major) with Plasma Pistol. Also a circular stand and clear bar for the Spartan to attach to by the jetpack (to appear as if flying-very cool!)
Dimensions: Height 4 inches, width and length 3 inches minus forward turrets. Add 2 inches for those to length.
Price/Value: $11.99 US

The set has 68 pieces, The set was an extremely quick build. Be careful of the small pieces. I thought I had lost on of the turret handles, only to find it on the table rolled away.

This is a great little set and relatively holds it value at the normal retail price of $11.99-12.99 depending on store. We get two minifigs that we’d pay $3.50 each for if single packed. So for an additional $5-6 we get the turret, UNSC crate, and jet pack, plus an extra Spartan Helmet. I think it’s worth the cost. WE’ve seen the Air Assault Spartan before, but not in this color. I happen to like the color choice. The grunt is an all new sculpt using the Halo Reach Major template. It’s bigger than any previous grunts by about the height of it’s head. It’s also wider by one whole stud so it fits on a 1X3 tile instead of the smaller grunt’s 1X2 stance. Excellent execution and upgrade to the Grunt mold and I look forward to getting a lot of them when they hit late in the Series 5 single packs.

I find no fault with this set other than I wish Mega would give us different weapons. I have plenty of ARs and Plasma Rifles. I’d love to see more Battle Rifles/DMRs and Needlers. Only for this reason did it not receive a perfect 10 out of ten.

Overall Rating: 9.5 out of 10 medals.

Here are the images of the build in progress as well as views of the minifigs:

Click on images to see a larger version.

The box front:

What you get in the box:
The pieces sorted:
The base being put together:
The turret being put together:
Completed set:
A couple of close-ups of the turret gunner area:

Minifig views:

The Spartan had a fleck of paint missing from the helmet. Unfortunately.
All in all a great set. I highly recommend getting it!
-HFFL

HaloFanForLife’s First Giveaway/Contest.

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Okay the giveaway/contest is simple. To enter you need to be a member at any of my three outlets. That being here on the blog, my twitter (https://twitter.com/#/HaloFanForLife) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/halofanforlife11). You must post a response to the outlet you are a member of:
• This thread saying why you like my blog
• tweet @HaloFanForLife why you like my blog
• reply on the Facebook post why you like my blog

If you are a member of all three outlets and post a response to all three you will get an extra entry (total of four entries).

I’ll select the winners at random for each outlet as well as one for any members of all three.

The winner will receive a NEW Halo Reach copy WITH Recon code (for Reach) (courtesy of Mega Brands Inc.), plus a random sealed Mega Bloks Minifigure. Limited to U.S. and Canada residents only (sorry elsewhere folks, but due to regional coding, I do not know if the disc will work outside of the U.S. or Canada).

Winners will need to supply a valid shipping address. If you are under 18 years of age, please get permission from your parents. HaloFanForLife will not assume any liability for lost or damaged packages. Entering the contest specifically implies you’ve read the rules and will adhere to them, including if you are under 18, that you have received permission from your parents to enter.

Contest starts now and runs through March 5, 2012. 

I look forward to your replies. Please keep them civil and safe for work. Any rude comments will be deleted.

-HaloFanForLife

What came before the Spartan II Project?

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A question was brought up on HaloWaypoint.com about who created the Spartan I project. The following was my answer to that question. I hope you find it insightful.

The Spartan I program was originally called the Orion Project and only in later years was it called the Spartan I project. Halsey called her program Spartan II after the Orion Project had been commissioned and before Orion had been referenced as Spartan I. She felt those people were the first Spartans even though the program was not called that. ONI was the department in charge, specifically ONI Section-III (the Special Projects section of ONI Beta-5 division).

The Orions however were under the command of Naval Special Warfare command. A specific person running the program has not yet been revealed. Sergeant Major Johnson was an Orion. ONI talked of a disease called “Boren’s syndrome” that made people immune to the flood, though it was really a cover up for those who were Orions. This is why Johnson was not converted to a flood.

You can read much more on wiki, though how much of that is “true” you’ll have to read for yourself and check all of the references.
Here is that link: http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/ORION_Project

Considering the Orion Project started much earlier in Halo-lore, we may never know, unless a prequel game comes out and the info revealed then. (Halo: Insurrection?) Anyway, it’s likely a team effort and credit not given to any one person, though that is just a guess at this point.

Making of Mega Bloks Halo Universe

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HaloWaypoint.com has released a video with Andrew Sparkes, Vice President of Mega Brands, Boys Brand Toys, explaining the new Halo Universe (Die Cast) line and more.

http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/detail/making-of-mega-bloks-halo-universe/d1ea377f-0700-4b85-9b50-4fa5574ab4d0

Sparky, as he is known, is the gentleman I met at Toy Fair and had an exceedingly fun time viewing the Mega Brands booth with, not to mention gaming with at their LAN.