Cobi/ Best-Lock

Sorry DD, I don't have a digital camera but i can give u a link to this set that i bought- http://www.zabawki-sklep.pl/go.php/en/sklep_internetowy/blocks/military/art1436.html . The picture isn't intirely accurate though, the guy in the car is black and he has a gun and the guy in the helicopter's glasses don't look like that. I also have 2 tanks (which comes with an sweet RPG), 2 missle trucks (which comes with an awesome stockless AK-47), a jet(looks like a flying brick in my opinion), and that set up there that i showed you. And like I said in my first post, they are almost the same quality as LEGO, and the pieces work with lego and u can swap parts between these and LEGO minifigs. -Pac

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( < wakka wakka wakka wakka

Proud brother of a United States Marine

How's the quality, Pac? From what I understand, pretty much every clone-brand is seriously lacking in the actual quality of their plastic, and sometimes their fit of their bricks.

And no, this isn't against MCN rules. MCN is not a totalitarian regime in support of official LEGO products. All LEGO-like construction brick topics are welcome, as they do add to the customizing community.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

Thanks for the report Pacman. You have just made MCN's headline :)

RB

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I also have several of the Cobi/Best-Lock sets.  I have two tanks, two bunkers, a tracked missile vehicle, a couple of jeeps, a couple of helicopters, and the field hospital (which comes with an ambulance truck). 

My friend's mom in Poland got the last one for me.  Overall, I think the quality is just as good as LEGO, except for a couple of their specialty bricks.  I don't like the helicopters too much, but I think everything else is just as good as LEGO. 

While the minifig accessories are completely compatible with LEGO's, the minifig parts are not.  I've tried using the Cobi torsos on LEGO legs, for example, and they don't fit exactly right.  The heads are pretty close, though -- the Cobi heads are a little snug on the LEGO torso, but they work fine. 

The bricks are completely interchangeable, and come in some pretty unique colors.  Overall, I think that as long as you stay away from the air vehicles, the Cobi sets are an excellent value.  If you're into military sets, this is the way to go (and Brickarms, of course!).  As soon as they start stocking some sets that I don't already have at my local TRU, I'm sure I'll pick them up.


Try some paragrahping next time :) -DD

Good point!  I guess I just got a little loquacious....

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Please, call me Chris.

i have all of the sets and i have to say i am satisfied with them also pac i got the 400 one for 14.99!!!!! The guns are great but the bricks are alright and the minifigs are ok. The pistol i used for my mp40!

~n00blet

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i am the champion of cup stacking...They also call me awesome
b-shelf

Like I have said in my first two posts, these sets are very close to LEGO quality and the pieces are strong and stay together well. If I had a camera, i would take a pic of me holding my tank upside down, by the barrel and it staying together, but alas i don't have a camera.. And thank you Redbean for putting this on the home page... it makes me feel all happy inside. =) -Pac

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( < wakka wakka wakka wakka

Proud brother of a United States Marine

I finally got around to taking some photos of my Cobi sets. I apologize if they're not the best quality, but I'm still learning how to overcome the automatic settings on my camera.

Anyway, the pride of my collection is their missile launcher. As you can tell from this pic, it's pretty durable. Here I'm holding it my the rotating missile platform. I shook it up and down a few times to make sure it would hold. The one problem I've had with this set's durability is in the pneumatic arms that attach to the missile platform. One of them broke on me when I was putting the set together, but it was an easy fix with some super glue.

Another set I like is the field hospital. Here you can see it with the doctor minifig that comes with it. I particularly like the stethoscope. The set also comes with an ambulance, which I modified by turning the canvas inside-out so that the red cross doesn't show. I'm planning on using it as a regular truck for transporting troops and supplies.

The bunker is also pretty good. It comes as an accessory to some of the larger sets. The shells you see at the front of the set fit into a hole in the back of the gun, but they're far too large to actually fire from the gun -- the barrel is not large enough for the shell to fit.

Finally, there are several guns that come with these sets, including an AK-47, an RPG, a machine gun, and a heavy machine gun. The latter two can be mounted on tripods.

I'm still working on getting some quality pics of other weapons, minifigs, and sets. I'd like to have some of the tanks and jeeps. When it's available, you can see all of my Cobi pics at http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=190630. In the future, I hope to post some comparative shots of Cobi weapons with guns from BrickArms (I just ordered some!), LEGO, Mega-Bloks, and the old Best-Lock sets.

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Please, call me Chris.

Thank you for the pics cwencker, thats the missle truck that I was talking about.And I really like that hospital and I hope its in stores soon. -Pac

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( < wakka wakka wakka wakka

Proud brother of a United States Marine

No problem, Pac.  And you can call me Chris (I keep meaning to put that in my signature).  I'd really like to see some new Cobi sets in the stores, too.  I just don't know if I can justify buying another Jaguar tank....  I'd kind of like to get one of the canons, but I'd really like to get some of those GM-style jeeps, and also one of those multiple-rocket launchers on a truck.  We'll just have to wait and see, I guess....

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Please, call me Chris.

Ok then Chris, I really enjoy my Jaguar tanks(but now i have to wait until Toys R Us gets some more in stock. Theres a large army a coming.:) ). They are my favorite out of the ones I bought (that missle truck is a close second though!). -Pac

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( < wakka wakka wakka wakka

Proud brother of a United States Marine

Does anyone know in which sets the fedora-like, drill Sergeant  hat comes? 

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"From a simple beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved"
Brickshelf account

I didn't know they made one of them.... but boy would I like one!

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Emily J. Brownlow

MCN Supervisor Moderator

Leader of the Sneaky Forum Ninja Assasination Squad

~Custom Cast Helmets and Hairpieces~

Here's a question for ya Cwencker: How do the minifigs compare to LEGO minifigs? By the pictures, it appears that, aside from a slightly differently shaped head, the figures are almost identical in build. Are they fully compatible, and if you put a LEGO fig and a Cobi fig side-by-side, is there a noticable difference, or could you literally pass Cobi parts off as official LEGO parts?

(To be honest, I'm a little concerned that people would be able to sell this stuff on Bricklink and claim that it's actual LEGO.)


Your pictures are turning out good. You'll notice that the minifig accessories Cobi produces are not yet in our Minifig Accessories database. So if you have some good pictures taken in the same way as the pictures in the database, I'd be happy to add them in (with credit to you as the poster of them). We're always looking to expand the database. No pressure - just if you happen to be able to take such pictures, we'll add them in to the database.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

I have one of these sets.... the color and print on the minifigs are different from Lego, but the rest is almost exactly the same.  I put the same questions to Legofreak when he got some, and he reports slight differences in the shapes for the arm holes and hands.  However, they are still compatible, fully, and only noticibly different in color and print style.  The heads are exactly the same.

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Emily J. Brownlow

MCN Supervisor Moderator

Leader of the Sneaky Forum Ninja Assasination Squad

~Custom Cast Helmets and Hairpieces~

To badger:  I sent you a PM on this, but for the benefit of everyone else, the fedora-style hat (which really looks like a fedora, in my opinion) came in one of the four-figure blister packs.  I got it from my friend's mom, who lives in Poland, where Cobi sets are made.  I keep checking their site to see if the online store is up and running, but it's not yet.  When it is, I'll make a post (if someone else doesn't beat me to it).

To Damien:  The minifigs are almost identical to Lego minifigs.  Recluse is right about the similarity in size -- Cobi and Lego figs are identical (at least to the eye) in their exterior dimensions.  I've had very little trouble exchanging heads, hats and accessories.  I'm not sure if they can be passed of as Lego product, though, because most of the colors are a bit different -- especially the skin tones (except brown).  The Cobi heads are a little tight on Lego bodies, but they generally work out.  The Cobi hands are pretty loose in Lego arms, but sometimes they stay put.  Conversely, Lego heads fit on Cobi bodies, but are a little loose, and Lego hands fit in Cobi arms pretty well, though tightly.  Lego legs are a bit too big to fit well into Cobi torsoes -- you can't get the bottom edge of the torso completely flush against the top edge of the legs.  Cobi legs fit well into Lego torsoes, though.  I haven't tried exchanging arms yet, so I'll have to defer to Legofreak on that.  As for the blocks, they're completely compatible, and Cobi makes some interesting colors.

Thanks for the kind words about my pics.  I'm still working on learning the nuances of lighting, framing and staging.  I'd love to submit some pics for the Accessories Database, once I put together a blank minifig.  I got a pretty nifty Stikfas set (though Redbean already got several of them in there), and some cool Oxford/A-K weapons too.  When I can get some appropriate pics, I'll pass them along.  Thanks again.

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Please, call me Chris.

I did get the PM, thanks.  Shame to hear that they're not available in the US yet, but assuming the sets they've just released here do well enough, it's certainly in the realm of possibility we'll see some on the shelves. 

Out of curiousity, how does the soldier-pouch bodywear accessory (in the picture minifig_with_ak) fit a standard LEGO torso?

badger

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"From a simple beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved"
Brickshelf account

The pack-pouch bodywear fits a Lego minifig perfectly.  In fact, I'm using one (or maybe more) of them for some animation.  I really like the look and fit -- it doesn't cover the entire back of the fig, and looks very tactical.  If I get some pics soon, I'll post them.

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Please, call me Chris.

Good to know.  Thanks, cwencker.  I may have to pick up one of these nex time I'm out to compliment my "desert" faction.

badger

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"From a simple beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved"
Brickshelf account

A few pics I just took, the first one is my LSF soldier, Alpha, wearing the webgear while "hanging out" with one of the Cobian soldiers. The second pic is a bit blurry but I think it still shows the best part of the rocket carrier- it's hydraulics- when I fist saw the picture on the box, I was afraid that it was was going to be a single piece that stays in one postion- each hydraulic arm is made of three pieces to allow it to extend or lower. Eventually I plan to turn this vehicle into a six-wheeled personnel/cargo carrier (almost a "Duece and a Half") and a tracked Rocket launcher- when I get the time.

Chillin'

Rocket Launcher (Extended)

-Alan

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"I am the Alpha and the Omega- I am the creator and the destroyer..."

Nice work on that LSF soldier, Alan!  I really like his beret.  I've been planning on making some for a few of my figs, and it will be nice to have something to use as inspiration.  The Oxford-style beret just isn't quite right ....  Great job!

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Please, call me Chris.

I am thinking of buying some of these because of the prices and reviews -but- i really want to kno if it's worth it

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Brick Shelf

Well, Mustard Gas, no one can tell you what is worth it or not to you. Read the reviews, as you said you have, and decide for yourself if they are worth your money.

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MCN Moderator of Customization Tips, Techniques & Questions

Thanks Chris, so far that beret is the only Sculpey piece I've created so far- don't forget to show your beret when it's done. That pic might not be the best for inspiration, but if you like my design, I can post better pics elsewhere.

Mustard Gas, the best idea I can think of if check out the stores in your neigborhood, try to find the cheapest price, buy one and check it out- if you like it get an army. I've been noticing that even with chain-stores like Toys R Us prices vary- in my neighborhood, one TRU sold those sets for $5 and change while another TRU sold the same set for $9.99- at the first store I can't even find the cheaper sets anymore- so you might like to work quickly.

My opinion though: they don't hold as well as LEGO, and in the USA they're not as varied, but they're something different and if you're building a defense force, they're worth it- but remember they're not LEGO so don't be expecting high quality- you may or may not be disappointed. Personally I bought two of the same [$19.99 OD Green] tubs (which contained the howitzer, jeep and helicopter*), one of the [$5+ OD Green] boxes (which contained the tracked rocket launcher) and one of the [$5+ Brown] boxes (which contained the tank).I like the Rocket Launcher (even though I plan to turn it into two other vehicles) and the howitzer (although I plan to turn it into a two wheeled howitzer instead of four), the  jeep has an interesting design, but I plan to retool it as well ( it doesn't stay together too well and it holds only one minifig), the helicopter looks nice but it also is not too sturdy. I unfortunatly do not like the tank- it's design, it's looks and the fact that the one I bought gives me turret problems with it's gun. All-in-all, my opinion is that the best best vehicles of the sets they have [that I have bought] would be the Rocket Launcher, with the howitzer coming a close second. I don't know if that helped you Mustard Gas [and anyone else looking for a yay or nay], but the end result is that you probably need to try "trial and error" but start slowly (unless you want to buy all the sets at once- but you might be disappointed with some of them). G'Luck.

-Alan

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"I am the Alpha and the Omega- I am the creator and the destroyer..."

Hey Alan,

Out of curiousity, did any of those sets come with the ever-popular (with myself and Recluse that is) "fedora" hat?  There's been some mention that the box pictures often don't feature all the accessories that are included.

Also, thanks for your opinion on the brick quality.  Other companies may have some nice extras, but LEGO continues to be standard.

badger

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"From a simple beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved"
Brickshelf account

Hi Badger, I've been hearing alot of the "Fedora" hat unfortunatly I don't remember ever seeing what it looks like even when I was at the Cobi site (that doesn't mean I didn't see it- when I hear "Fedora", I think Indiana Jones, not a Sergeant's "Smokey-the-Bear" hat) either way, the sets I got did not have either a "Fedora" or "Smokey-theBear" hat. But yes, at least with the tubs what you see in the piture is not necessarily what they put in there- at least figure-wise.

In the picture on the tub [with the jeep/howitzer/helicopter] it shows an officer sitting in the jeep wearing an "Officer's Cap"- that's included (think of the LEGO Police caps). That officer's shirt has a tie and a badge saying "Sheriff"- his shirt is a regular button-down shirt with two pockets/no tie. The soldiers with the [removable] suspenders have shirts similar to the LEGO cops one series back or so [with the diagonal zipper running down the front]- luckily, the tub's soldiers had a camouflaged shirt with a printed-on suspender system (the two removable suspenders are included in the tub as well). The two soldier's helmets are included also. In the tub's picture the Pilot in the helicopter looks like he's wearing a standard LEGO helmet with a black visor but you can't really see his body- the helmet is different, the best way I could describe it is similar to one of the LEGO "Rock Raiders" helmets. Otherwise, I think all the pieces sown are the same. The pic below is the soldiers from my first tub without the removable suspenders.

The smaller boxes (300 pieces) pretty much had everything as the picture on the box showed (if I remember correctly) with no substitutions. Of course these are from the two boxes I bought, if there's any 300 pc. boxes with an officer within, you might have a new Sheriff in town.

I hope that helps.

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"I am the Alpha and the Omega- I am the creator and the destroyer..."

Thanks for the detailed post, NIX.  There's actually a picture of the hat in question in Cwenker's Cobi BS folder - it's the one with the name minifig_with_AK_and_hat.  I describe it as "Fedora-like" since it lacks the deep front pockets that primarily catagorize the a Sergeant hat.  Aside from Cwenker's picture, there's a good shot of it in the minifig pack for the "Small Army" line on the Cobi site which can be found here (third row, last minifig). 

Hopefully we'll see these minifig packs released in the US sometime shortly.

badger

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"From a simple beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved"
Brickshelf account

Fedora is an apt description, it is more Indy Jones than Smokey (Smokey hats seem to have a flat brim this fedora has curved- irrelevent, but it seems closer to fedora). And thanks Badger- I actually downloaded that pic when I first tried checking out these sets- I just never paid attention to the characters [just the weapons ; ) ]. As for them releasing the packs in the US- at least in the TRU's in my neighborhood (Brooklyn, NY) I'm wondering if they're going to be getting more of these sets since (unless it's just because of the summer) they seem to be taking their time replenishing their stock- I'm hoping that they're not getting rid of them. But I guess time will tell.

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"I am the Alpha and the Omega- I am the creator and the destroyer..."

i just went and bought one of the 450 piece sets with the tank and jeep i was pretty satisfied with the parts but i didnt get any of the guns i wanted the minifigs although arent that  good at all i think. although i love my tank.

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Brick Shelf

Mustard Gas you didn't like the minifigs?  I think they're great!  Remove those silly heads they provide you with and put on a good old fashioned Lego yellow head and see how that helps them out.

And I agree, the tank is way cool.

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Emily J. Brownlow

MCN Supervisor Moderator

Leader of the Sneaky Forum Ninja Assasination Squad

~Custom Cast Helmets and Hairpieces~