Monday, May 23, 2005

Agen Kolar #23 Tips and Tricks

Agen Kolar #23
Guest Reviewer: Stephen
ATTACKTIX CLASS: Warrior
STAR WARS CLASS: Jedi
POINT VALUE: 20
SPEED: 12

SPECIAL POWER: Rally (Warrior)
SPECIAL POWER RATIO: 10/26 (38%)
ATTACK TYPE: Striker (Lightsaber)


Agen Kolar is a difficult striker to use because his lightsaber arm crosses over his body. This, combined with the fact that one of his saber hands is not attached to his saber, makes his swing less powerful than that of most other strikers.

However, he still makes a useful addition to a striker team that's geared toward taking down a number of different types of figures. Agen Kolar may do best at striking figures with smaller bases or on the periphery of a group. If nothing else, his power to Rally a warrior back from the grave may make him a fair candidate for Jedi cannon fodder.

Tip for attacking with Agen Kolar:
As noted above, Agen Kolar isn't a great saber powerhouse. Hence, using him to take down an AT-RT isn't a wise move. However, the amount of torque he gets up as you swing him around is considerable. He can take down any non-Mega figure in an Attacktix collection with proper positioning, though his flowing robes at his base may cause some problems for novice strikers. Unless you're really good with Agen Kolar, it may be best to use him to attack lower point value figures, using other members of your team to knock down the higher-point figures.


Unfortunately, it doesn't take much more than a tap from an opponent's lightsaber (or a well-aimed small missile) to take Agen Kolar down. To make the most effective use of him, you should either put him behind figures with heavier bases (so that they can use him to help absorb more Forceful shots) or in front of figures with heavier bases (so that they can lend their strength to him to keep him upright). Putting him behind heavier Warrior figures may be a better strategy, because if they fall in battle and leave Agen Kolar exposed, his special power can bring one of those initially defeated Warriors back into play.

Tips for attacking Agen Kolar:
From more than 5 Tix away, it will be difficult to get Agen Kolar down with a small missile. However, he will fall to a well-aimed large missile or Force blast launched from even 10 Tix away. At 12 Tix or beyond, however, he may not fall to even a large projectile, so he might be able to close the distance on one of your figures before you can knock him down. Nevertheless, his small base makes him a good candidate for a shot to the midsection (the robes around his base make low shots more problematic)
.

If you can get a striker anywhere close to his midsection – even with just the tip of a saber – you should be able to knock him over fairly easily. About the only place he won't go down with just a tap is the sort of triangular bump right below his belt in the folds of his robes.

Keep in mind that his special power has less than a 50% chance of being active. Don't be afraid to knock him down, especially if you haven't knocked out any of your opponent's Warriors. If he gets knocked out before any other Warriors go down, his special power will be moot.

Alternative Strategies
Agen Kolar should be included in a squad with lots of Warriors, preferably those that will see front-line action before he will. Keep his base touching one figure immediately in front of him, and have his lightsaber resting behind the back of another figure in front of him. This will support the two front-line figures somewhat.


Even better, pair Agen Kolar with another saber-bearing figure. Have Kolar and the other saber figure's bases touching two figures in front, and have their lightsabers resting on the backs of the other figure in front, sort of like this (AK is Agen Kolar, and the Xs are other figures):

X X
X==AK

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Attacktix Tactics Going on Vacation

Attacktix Tactics' moderator (That's ME!) is getting married in a few weeks. This site will be slowing down in the mean time. It will be back on schedule for weekly news AFTER June 10th or so.

If you are looking for Attacktix News try the forum over at Proboards.

If anything new comes up, I will try my best to get it up on this site. Feel free to add your own comments, or Private Message me on the Attacktix Forum if you have an article to add.

Thanks for all the support! You can expect more Figure Reviews in just a few weeks. Maybe I'll have time before then, but no promises!

Monday, May 16, 2005

Attacktix Battle Case Exclusive Review and Rules

Thanks to Sean on the Attacktix Forum for the information (an shelling out the big bucks to get a Battle Case before they hit the major retailers.) All pictues and copy compliments of SFX500!



As promised the Battle Case comes with an exclusive CLONE SERGEANT figure.



CLONE SERGEANT
ATTACKTIX CLASS: Captain
STAR WARS CLASS: Republic
POINT VALUE: 20
SPEED: 10
SPECIAL POWER: Rally (Trooper x2)
ATTACK TYPE: Launcher (Small Missile)

The Sergeant is a re-paint of the Clone Lieutenant. Now, the first thing that struck my attention was a Speed of 10! That's right folks this guy has a movement of 10! The highest speed out of any launcher. At first, I thought this was a mistake (perhaps the sets were recalled and that is why they are delayed) but then I got to thinking... This movement is a clever idea on Hasbro's behalf.

All of those players who were going to pass on the case are now going to reconsider. Who wouldn't want a 10 Tix launcher (or a squad of them) on their team? I haven't seen him in a full-out battle yet, so I can't say, but he may be brokenly undercosted. His special power is "Rally: Return up to two defeated Clone Troopers to play". All in all, a very cool figure.



The Launcher
This is a cool little gun. It has two missiles that fire separately with two buttons, on each side of the launcher. It does not "attach" to the case and moves freely. The gun's base, which you snap on to the launcher to complete the gun, has several notches that allow the gun to be positioned three ways... down, stright, and up. Like usual, Hasbro hasn't gone into any details as to the rules behind the gun. It's more "make it up as you go".



The Flag
The flag is cool, as well. It has a little peg that fits into the base and a small ring at the bottom that clips onto you figure. Not much to say about that really.



CAPTURE THE FLAG GAME RULES (Click here for Instruction Sheet)

OBJECT OF THE GAME:Capture the flag and win the game!

SETTING UP:Insert flag into one of the holes in the case. Place launcher in game area.

PLAY:Use standard ATTACKTIX game rules. For this game variation, the goal is to capture the flag and return it to your starting point. Battle figures can move to a different level only at the stairs. To move up or down one level: One Tix.

CAPTURE:You capture the flag when one of your battle figures comes into contact with the flag. Remove the flag from the case and attach it to your figure. (Flag clamp fits most ATTACKTIX battle figures.) If a battle figure is knocked down while carrying the flag, return the flag to its original place in the base. It must now be captured again.

Well, those are the exact rules that came with it. More than likely this is similar to the way a lot of you were playing CTF already.



The Battle Case
First off, it doesn't have the cool silver painted panels... just flat molded black. This was a little disapointing. The case has a 'drawer' that slides out. On the inside are little grooves or tabs (not shelves) that hold the back of the tix base. You can fit anywhere from 12 -15 or so figures in there. It, of course, came with two black pillars. Which, by themselves, are pretty useless. But, if you get another case (nicely played Hasbro) you will have four and can begin your mad stacking.Over all the battle case is pretty cool. I'd have to say the highlight so far is the 10 speed on the Clone... just a little killer.

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Darth Vader #16 Tips and Tricks

Darth Vader #16


ATTACKTIX CLASS: Warrior
STAR WARS CLASS: Sith
POINT VALUE: 40
SPEED: 14

SPECIAL POWER: Recover (Trooper)
SPECIAL POWER RATIO: 16/26 (62%)
ATTACK TYPE: Striker (Lightsaber)


If you have a Darth Vader, use him. He is one of the most powerful figures in the game. A speed of fourteen, and more than a 60% chance of using his special power, he is a great value even at 40 points. His Lightsaber strike is one of the most devastating, as well.

Vader's Special Power is activated with with the weakest players available, a Trooper. He doesn't have the highest ratio, but it comes up more than half the time. As hard as Vader is to bring down, you do not want him standing back up for ANY reason.

Tip for attacking with Darth Vader:
Darth Vader has a long, sturdy Lightsaber, that can bring down anything. Vader has the largest base, for a non-Mega figure. Do not be afraid to charge into battle with his fourteen speed. Vader can take long ranged attacks from Blasters and Force Blasts and hardly be rattled. If you can knick your opponent with your saber, than give it a shot. Vader's attack can bring some figures down with just a tap. Pull all the way back and let the Force do the rest.


Load your team with Troopers and hope for the best. Everytime Vader stands back up, is another bit of confidence buster to your opponent.

Tips for attacking Darth Vader:
Before you begin your attack on Vader's team, take note of all the Troopers your opponent has. These support units make Vader a figure that will rise over and over again. Vader is tough to take down from any range, so the more Troopers on the board the worse your outlook is. If you have the option to take one of the Troopers out, don't waste it.


Vader is well balanced, but is weighted slightly heavier on his Lightsaber side. Most projectile blasts from very close range will bring him down, but not all. If you can't make it into extremely close range, try aiming for his left armpit. The extended left arm is a nice target, and if you can place your shot into the nook between the arm, waist and cape, you can knock him over.

If Vader has attacked, it may have left his cape up in the air. This will help your Force Blast Shooters to get in close range with less movement. If you can aim for the left tip of the raised cape, you can also tip Vader enough to knock him over.

Knocking Vader over with a Lightsaber is not as easy as it should be. A lot of the lower valued figures will just slap Vader, without even moving him. If you want to make sure you have a fighting chance, pull your Lightsaber ALL THE WAY back, and them touch it to Vader's body. Now, with the full kinetic force, release the saber and watch Vader fly away. He may go off the table, or out of bounds. He may fall over, or he may just slide a couple inches away and remain standing. Just keep in mind, if your normal Striking style does not kill Vader, try the above method. (Tested first in the Yoda review)


Alternative Strategies
You should already have a lot of Troopers in play if you are using Vader. If you have a support unit that can tag behind Vader, try to keep him to Vader's right, behind his saber. Even if you are attacking with Vader, you can keep a unit at this position. Instead of pulling back the saber, just twist his base in the opposite direction and you can get enough force to kill your opponent (and not your Trooper).


You may want to practice this a few times, but keeping a Trooper here will help to protect Vader from tipping over if you hit his weak spot.

Friday, May 13, 2005

Hasbro Updates Attacktix Site

Thanks to Meepo on the Attacktix Forum for pointing out these updates to the Hasbro site.

1. The Squad Builder now includes Series 2 figures, including point costs, class, and team affiliations! (Or you may have seen this previously in my "Rate Your Squad" link on the left!)

2. The Figure Gallery is much improved and also has placeholders setup for Series 2 figures. This is basically CD that was included in the Starter Set, now online with Series 2 in mind. I hope they add the Series 2 spinners to this gallery, I was worried they would only exist for Series 1.

3. New Html-Based Checklist. Very cool checklist, I may add it to my site.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Yoda #30 Tips and Tricks

Yoda #30

ATTACKTIX CLASS: Leader
STAR WARS CLASS: Jedi
POINT VALUE: 30
SPEED: 12

SPECIAL POWER: Vengeance (Opponent)
SPECIAL POWER RATIO: 20/26 (77%)
ATTACK TYPE: Striker (Lightsaber)


Yoda is a quality addition to any team. His Special Power is unique in that it eliminates the person who eliminated him, appropriately named "Vengeance". Yoda will get this ability more than three out of four times! A movement of twelve will get him in range to strike quickly, and he is tough to take down from a distance. Yoda can be relied upon to eliminate at least two of your opponents every game. Move him into the fray quickly, and strike an opponent, and if he should die on his next turn, another enemy SHOULD fall!

Tip for attacking with Yoda:
Yoda is a Striker, so he will need to be up close to knock over his opponent. Fragile, small based opponents can be taken out with ease. Figures with larger base, and higher defenses like Vader, you will need to find the proper spot to take them down. Also, the trick to using Yoda's Lightsaber to wield the most power is to pull back as far as possible, and release with the saber as close (if not touching) the figure.


I have experimented with the above technique a few times. A Striking attack released an inch or two away from Vader will barely rattle the figure. But holding the pulled back saber directly next to Vader will either knock him over, or push him about fifteen Tix away. If you are playing on a table, you can try to angle your attack so you push your opponent off the table. (As a note, Yoda attacks Vader best with this technique from the back, and from Vader's right side).

When pulling back Yoda's Lightsaber, it looks very cool to keep his right hand on the handle. However, if you let his right hand fall to his side, you can get more power from the swing. Trying to keep both hands on the saber may cause his backswing to rise, or even worse, throw it off target on the release. He may look a little goofy, with a blazing Lightsaber touching his side, but your attacks will be stronger.


Tips for attacking Yoda:
Yoda is tough to bring down from five or more Tix away. Shooters will have the best luck if they aim for Yoda's "Strike Zone" from the front, and upper back when attacking from the rear. Baseball fans will know that hitting a small figure like Yoda below the neck and above the waist will be tough.


FACT: St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck shocked the baseball
world when he signed midget Eddie Gaedel and sent him to the plate in the first
inning of the nightcap of a doubleheader against Detroit. Gaedel, wearing
uniform No. 1/8, walked on four pitches, trotted to first and left for a pinch
runner.

Being small has its advantages. And this is true for Yoda. Strikers must take his size into account and make sure they adjust their arm level to knock him over. Rookie Strikers fighting Yoda could easily swing over his head, or just clip him, but not knocking him over.

Once you get a Shooter close to Yoda, no longer aim for his chest. Most Shooters will have a higher point of attack, and from this close it will only push Yoda down and back. Since he can't go through the table, the force will be wasted. Aim for his neck and up, touch his face is you have to, you won't miss. This same rule applies to close range from the back, as well.

Alternative Strategies
Keep in mind, three out of four times Yoda will eliminate the player that kills him. Avoid using your best figure to kill Yoda first, unless you feel lucky. Bring a group of troops that can move in close, getting picked off along the way.


Thinking along the same lines, take a chance, and have Yoda lead your team into battle. An aggressive opponent will also lead with their best figures. If you can't eliminate their figures with a decisive blow from Yoda, maybe he will take him out on the way down.

Attacktix Wishlist - Figures I Hope to See Soon!

There is an ongoing discussion about what fans of Attacktix hope to see in the next few series. You can check out the discussion forum here. The following are some of my favorites, I can't take credit for all of them, but check out the forum to see them all!

1. Rancor. This deluxe figure will be a striker. It will have a giant clawed hand to strike down any opponents. He will have a hinged waist that allows his upper body and head to tilt down. His mouth with have a grasping feature, similar to the Emperor, and ONCE per game he can decide to bite one of his opponents. The figure will stay in his mouth for the remainder of the game. The figure will be hanging out of his mouth, disturbing his balance, but it will be worth it! Slow moving figure, with high defense.

2. Sarlacc's Great Pit of Carkoon. This will be an adventure/battle case. It will feature a raised platform, with a large hole in the middle. A valuable object, or figure, will be placed on a bridge over the pit. Teams will try to gain control of the object, risking peril by moving dangerously close to the edge of the pit. Maybe a lashing tongue attack, as well.

3. Chewbacca with C3PO. This will be a shooting figure. Chewbacca can gain a larger defense with a paranoid droid strapped to his back. With a heavy bowcaster, and partially assembled C3PO on his back, Chewie will move slower, but will have a powerful weapon and a great defense.

4. C3PO. This will be a probability figure. Allowing some of the game dynamics to change, like the R2, C3PO can be put into play to passively annoy the other team.

5. Ewoks. Strikers and shooters. Let's see some Ewoks with rock slingshots and striking sticks. With Special Abilities to pull other Ewoks into to the game, these little critters will be tough to wipe out.

6. Luke and Han in Stormtrooper Disguise. These will be shooting figures. Luke and Han, unmasked, in Stormtrooper armor. They will have a WILDCARD class, so that they can be used with ANY Star Wars Class. Bring any "Imperialist" into play from your back ups, or Attackback for one of your "Republic". It works with all Classes because they are in disguise, remember?

7. Jabba the Hutt. This deluxe figure will be a striker. I can only see him as a variation of the Boga figure. He doesn't really attack anyone with his tail, but he is too cool of a character NOT to make.

8. Lando. This figure will be a shooter. This smooth talking character will figure out a way to be in the next series.

9. Trash Compactor. This will be a battle case. This case is place in the middle of the play area. All players must cross OVER it in order to get to the other side. Everytime a player steps on the platform, a button is pressed so the Trash Compactor Monster attacks at random. Any player on the platform in vulnerable.

10. Wampa. This deluxe figure will be a striker. Yes, it is obvious by now I have a thing for Megas. If and when the Hoth figures are released, this bad boy better be available for $9.99.

Stalking Jeff Grubb - Attacktix Developer

This is an old post on Grubb Street, Jeff Grubb's Blog, that I thought was interesting. Only the first few paragraphs are included here, because you really should check out his site. If you are interested in fantasy, RPG, or strategy games, you have probably played one of Mr. Grubb's creations.

My Life in Plastic - February 8, 2005

Of course that it figures that while I was out of action nursing this cold, Hasbro would announce the action figure game I’ve been working on for the past few months. Its called Attacktix, and the initial information can be found here.

This becomes the third miniatures game that I’ve been deeply involved in the past few years. First was a good run on Heroclix from Wizkids, and my work there included Unleashed, Ultimates, and the biggie Galactus figure. That was followed by the successful Star Wars Miniatures Game from Wizards of the Coast. And now Attacktix from Hasbro.

Attacktix is a different type of figures and a different game than the previous two. While both Heroclix and Star Wars Miniatures were primarily miniatures games, aimed at a hobby market, Attacktix comes out of the toy side of the business and comes with a different set of sensibilities. As an example, one of the hobby’s sacred cows is that physical skill should not be a factor. Attacktix, on the other hand is very much about the physical, the tactile, and the kinetic. It is all about playing with the toy...

Read the whole story...

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Attacktix Battle Case

Some online stores are already saying in stock, but no stores in the Florida Area have it. If you have seen it PLEASE add a comment below.

It is coming SOON! So here are some new teaser pictures from Hasbro!!



Display and battle your ATTACKTIX figures with the awesome ATTACKTIX Battle Case!

This cool battle case is the premier accessory for your ATTACKTIX action figure collection. Use it to display figures, transport them for on-the-go incursions into enemy territory, or to head into battle, with a launcher that really fires missiles! Stack multiple cases to form new battlefields!

Includes special rules and instructions for a “Capture the Flag” battle game, plus an exclusive Clone Sergeant figure.

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Attacktix Autopsy: Dissecting the Dial

What do you do when you have a bunch of Grievous Bodyguards, and none of them work very well? You bust 'em open and see what's inside. Welcome to the first (and maybe only) installment of Attacktix Autopsy: Dissecting the Dial.

First thing I did was grab my tools, X-Acto knife and screwdriver, and find a clean place to operate. I used the think razor blade to cut the figure from the base. The base has two pegs in it, so that every figure has the proper orientation on the base.

I cut one of the pegs off, but you can see how they are pegged in place, and held with glue. If you are planning on customizing your Attacktix, you will probably want to remove him from the base. Make sure you do not cut ALL the way through, feel for the resistance and cut AROUND it. You should be able to pull the figure up, off the base, and then re-glue him later.

Next I wanted to see what makes it "Tix" so I got my screwdriver and separated the two pieces of the base.

There were only two spots of glue, but I do not know if these are consistent on all assemblies. Even without this knowledge, prying the two pieces apart is simple, just make an insertion every inch or so and they will come apart. The bottom piece is very simple. It contains an axle, with a small pink gear head on it. The axle holds the wheel in place, and as you move your figure it spins the pink head. The head serves two purposes, it spins the Special Powers disk, and also makes the "Tix" sound.

Also worth noting, the side of the base (hidden but the upper shell) has the number "13" printed on it. It looks like the same font as the Speed value. I do not believe this to be the part number, because there is also a "B2" molded on the inside of the base. I guess the "13" was an old game element, but we may never know.

The upper shell of the base, holds the Special Power disc and a small rubber washer. It looks like a black rubber band, but it is NOT meant to be complete. All the washers I have seen are "C" shaped. If the washer should fall out of your Attacktix you should not experience any loss in gameplay. The washer is in place to guide the disc, as the axle spins it, and also to hold it in proper position to be seen in the base's window. A missing washer will most likely make your disc a little looser, but still fully functional.

That's really all there is to it! It's amazingly simple, just like the game. Simple but genius! As far as what makes the Striker's Strike, that is for another day. I can give you this tip: you can NOT get inside the figure and fix a weak Strike. It took me an X-Acto and a wire cutter to get in, and it left me with about thirty pieces of a Bodyguard and a TINY answer.

Two tiny, plastic cylinders are joined together by a pin. The pin has a spring wrapped around it, with a little arm that sticks out of the center, where the two cylinders meet. The cylinders are then MOLDED directly into the figure, they are NOT pulled out with ease. I had to cut and scrape to get down to the hidden parts. Keeping this in mind, there are NO rubber bands involved in the Striking mechanism, so a "backwards" figure, CAN be spun around to face the proper direction. However, if he still functions after you have spun him, that's another story for another day.

More pictures of this part of the Dissection will follow!

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Attacktix Team Building - Using Special Powers

Attacktix is a great game, because you can pick up just about any three or four figures and have a 100 point team that can rival any other 100 point team. If you are playing against some serious competition, or just want to up your game, you need to analyze the Special Powers.

Deciding if you want a team that is hard to kill, and stay dead, versus a team that gets lots of free attacks when an ally dies, is your first choice. Or you can take a more balanced team, somewhere in between.

Some of my favorite team combos are as follows. These are just my favorites, the list is far from final, and in no way the best. But it will give you some examples on what to look for, and how to make sure your team works together. You may not have all the figures to build the strongest team EVER, but you can surely find the best group of cooperative players.

Build your team around one or two main figures, and use supporting figures with Special Abilities to back them up. #16 Darth Vader and Tarfful can both benefit from a team of Wookiee Scout support. Darth needs Troopers to Recover and Tarfful needs Wookiees, the same figure will support both main characters.

Dark Side Team (150 points)
#16 Darth Vader, #28 General Grievous, #17 Palpatine, #2 Super Battle Droid (X3):

Besides including some of the most evil characters in the Star Wars Universe, this is a tough cooperative team. The Super Battle Droids serve two purposes. One, the more Troopers in play, the more support available for Darth to use his Recover ability. Two, these Troopers are all Droid Army Class, giving a free attack to any other Droid Army figure when their Special Power is activated. There are a total of four Droid Army members on the team, including Grievous. If Grievous falls first, he allows up to TWO Attackbacks for the Droid Army.

Darth Vader is a major pain to take down, meaning you will have a stubborn Sith in play to keep your Palpatine figure alive. Also, should Vader fall, you have the three Troopers to bring him back. And that's a Recover, NOT a Sacrifice, so no figures are lost. This is a team that is hard to take down, and when they fall, they may bring the fire!

Jedi Team (150 points)
#30 Yoda, #20 Shaak Ti, #31 Obi-Wan, #23 Agen Kolar, #19 Mace Windu, (#18 Ki-Adi-Mundi in Backups):

The perfect team to counter the Dark Side. Yoda is a stubborn Jedi to kill, keeping the Recover power of Mace Windu in play. And of course, Yoda also has the chance of removing his attacker AND preventing the attacker from using his Special Power in return. Shaak Ti, with her high Defense, will be tough to defeat, and if she goes down, could bring a new Jedi (Ki-Adi-Mundi) into play. Obi-Wan is a quick, strong Striker, but without any Troopers to make his Special Power worth while.

If Ki-Adi-Mundi does come into the game, his defeat could also cycle in a defeated Jedi. Agen Kolar also can bring back a Warrior, like Mace, Ki-Adi, or Shaak Ti. With the Attacktix Gods on your side, the cycle is endless. Two figures with Rally could make this team a tough one to keep down.

Wookiee Team (100 points)
#29 Tarfful, #22 Chewbacca, #9 Wookiee Commando, #3 Wookiee Scout:

As covered at the end of Wookiee Week, the Wookiees has some well balanced figures, that work well together. This is a speed based team, that needs to strike quick. Tarfful has the chance to Recover as long as any other ally is alive. Chewie's death could trigger an attack from up to two of his Wookiee allies. The Wookiee Commando can Rally a defeated Wookiee back into play, so as long as he is not the first to fall, this could make your opponent very unhappy. The Scout works closely with Chewbacca, but still helps to support all his allies Special Powers.

Getting to go first with this team can be a huge advantage, and having your Special Power work 50% of the time will make it even better!

What's Yours?

This is only three of the endless combinations made possible in Attacktix. Teams full of low point supporting figures may not look like much, but if they all work together, they can be just as difficult to bring down as one tough figure! If you have a favorite team, or just some players that work well together, let me know!

Monday, May 02, 2005

General Grievous Attacktix Giveaway Contest

If you would like to win this "Super Rare" Chrome General Grievous Attacktix, simply make a post in this thread and you will be entered to win!



And to sweeten the pot, refer your Attacktix playing friends to thiscontest and have them post as well. If they list you as the referrer, they will get one entry, and you will have another added to your name.

What should you post about? Well, why you love Attacktix, of course!

This contest will end Sunday May 15th, and the winner will be drawn at random on Monday, May 16th (around 7:00PM EST) The winner must be a registered board member of the Attacktix forum. Registering is easy, just click here.

Entries: If you post, you will have one entry. If you refer two new members to the board then you will have a total of three entries. That's THREE chances to win!

Hasbro Attacktix Defective Figure Replacement Policy

It has been stated earlier that Hasbro will mail you a prepaid envelope for any defective Attacktix figure you wish to send back. They would replace this figure for you at no charge. Let it be known, that they will replace it with ANY figure at all, or more specifically a RANDOM BOOSTER PACK. So if you are a completist, it may be better to hold on to your broken Darth Vader, if you don't have a spare.

Call Hasbro to return figures. They will send you a shipping label.
Hasbro 800-327-8264

Letter from Hasbro regarding replacement:
Thank you for contacting Hasbro, Inc., and for bringing this matter to our attention.
Please be assured that we have shared your concerns with the product team. We will be pleased to arrange an exchange of the complete product for you as, unfortunately, the figures are not available separately.

To help facilitate the process, please use the postage paid mailing label that is being sent to you at the address you have provided. Simply package up your return and place the mailing label securely on the package. Drop it off at the Post Office window and it’ll be on its way back to us.

Once the product is received at our returns facility, we will be glad to send a new replacement product. If there is a production delay and this product is not available we will replace it with a product of equal value.

We want to assure you that all of us are dedicated to maintaining quality products. We hope you and your family will enjoy our products for many years to come.

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Attacktix Target Practice Mini-Game

Four years of Fine Arts has taught me alot, but nothing has been more useful than an X-Acto knife and a jar of Rubber Cement. I present the Attacktix Target Practice Mini-Game.



It is rather simple to make, if you are skilled with razors and foam core than you can probably build your own in about twenty minutes. Or, if you don't care about the look of it, you can probably just print out the template, glue it onto an empty cereal box, and begin playing!



If you decide to build it the elaborate way, you will need:
1 Piece of foam core (standard size is 20 inches x 36 inches)
1 Sharp X-Acto-type razor
1 Pencil
1 Cutting Board (or similar surface)
1 Metal ruler
1 Jar of Rubber Cement (and glue will do)
1 Printer (to print out the template)
1 Normal Template or Advance Template (VERY Difficult)

Take the foam core and lay it "portrait" orientation in front of you (length of 20 inches should be on the bottom). Place a sheet of printer paper "landscape" orientation on the foam core, so that it is flush on the bottom-left corner. Using the pencil, mark the upper edge of the paper on the foam core. Slide the paper to the bottom-right corner and finish the line.




Your foam core should now have a penciled section of 20 inches by 8.5 inches. Put the foam core on your cutting board and take your metal ruler and knife and cut that segment out. If you are new to the X-Acto, please remember to cut AWAY from your fingers. If you did not cut all the way through, drag the knife through a second time, or flip the board over and cut from the other side.



Take your ruler and measure off 4 inches from the right and 4 inches from the left. Now measure off 4.5 inches from the right and 4.5 inches from the left. You should now be looking a your foam core with two .5 inch penciled columns, on both sides, 4 inches from each edge.



Again, place the foam core on the cutting board and score the lines. Scoring is the process of cutting the upper layer of paper on the foam core, but NOT making a complete cut. (The term "score" used in most sporting activities comes from this definition, because points would be notched, or "scored" into wood.) After you have scored ALL four lines, fold the foam core on each scored line.



Fold the foam so that it is folded on itself, and your .5 inch section is sticking out. Now take your razor and slice down, like you are cutting off a very tall, very narrow slice of butter. Repeat this for the other side so that you now have a foam core that can be folded down to 8.5 inches by 11 inches. This makes it easier for storage, and also helps it to stand.




Now, lay the two folded sides underneath the top section so we can begin to apply the glue. You can leave it unfolded, but you may get glue on the side flaps. I use Rubber Cement, and I like to apply the glue to both the front of the foam core, and the back of my paper, then let them both dry. Once they are dry, but tacky (like three minutes) then I carefully but the paper on. If I were to mess up and lay the paper on wrong, this method will let me peel it off and reapply. You can get the same effect with white glue or one layer of Rubber Cement, I just find this method easier.



Ok, now you have you have glued the template onto the foam core, now you need to cut out the circles and your Target Board will be complete. I like to use the knife and perforate, or stab, little holes all the way around the circle, while the foam is laying flat on the ground. Then, I raise the foam slightly, and make my cuts through the other side of the foam core, following my path. If you have any messy or rough edges use a nail file and sand them down.



Now stand up your Target Board and place a book, or some other heavy object that won't obstruct the holes. Now you can begin your Target Practice!



GAME IDEAS

Target Creep - Any Number of Players

If you have ever watched "American Gladiators" you will see from where the inspiration for this game came. Ever player selects one shooter. Place the Target Board at the far end of the table. All players place their figures about three feet from the board. Using the Normal Template, I have assigned the large red target in the middle ONE point. The four medium red targets at the four corners are worth TWO points. The three small blue targets are woth THREE.

Each player starts by aiming for any of the holes and firing. If they successfully go through a target they are awarded that many points. After all players have fired from the starting line, they move FIVE Tix forward and fire again. Three feet will usually give you about six rounds of shooting.

Players can aim for, and score with, the same Target everytime if they wish. The player with the most points after six rounds (or whatever you determine) WINS!

Around the World - Any Number of Players

All players pick their favorite shoooter and line up the same distance from the board. Determine an order for all the Targets (large, medium, small) and the first player to score in all EIGHT Targets, in the proper order wins. I suggest aiming for the Large Target first, then once it is hit you move forward FIVE Tix. Now aim for the Medium Targets. After you have hit all four Medium Targets, move foward FIVE more Tix. Whoever gets here first, and hits all three Small Targets, WINS!

Attacktix Battle Case Delayed

News online is that the Attacktix Battle Case is not going to be on shelves, or shipping online until May 15th. This date is on Amazon/TRU.com and also repeated from the retail store members.

You can always pre-order it here and be the first to get one. All Capture the Flag rules, and any new game variations will be posted here once ours arrives!

Star Wars Attacktix Battle Case with Figure - $16.99