6818 - Cyborg Scout

Rating:
Pros: Original design; cheap
Cons: Low ground clearance; cyborg (no helmet); radar dish is blocked by front wheel
Contents: 35 pieces including 1 blue cyborg mini-fig
Price: $2.99
Reviewed: 6-Jun-1997
Reviewed by: Patrick Delahanty

The U.F.O. fleet needs a survey of a newly discovered world. Is it right for conquest? They'll know soon. A cyborg scout was sent to the surface to perform a routine survey.
Several days later, the diligent cyborg reports that the planet is inhabited by a primitive race of humanoids who have only evolved to a basic level of technology. They can make swords, spears, and crossbows, but haven't even imagined lasers. They live in large castles and ride on four-footed hairy animals. The government seems to be a monarchy.
Ripe for the taking! The fleet is on its way...

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The Cyborg Scout is to U.F.O. as the Hovertron is to Exploriens. They're both little sets with one mini-fig. Unfortunately, the Cyborg Scout is just as bad.
The Cyborg Scout is a little set which carts a blue cyborg mini-fig across the plains...and it'll have to be plains since there's not much ground clearance. That's my biggest complaint. Lego loves to use these wide little wheels on just about every recent Space ground vehicle. The problem is that they aren't good on carpets since there's no ground clearance. They're not good on smooth surfaces either since the wheels will just slide instead of turn. I wish Lego would quit using these and go back to the rubber tires which were in classic Space sets.
Anyway, there's not really much to this set. There's a laser gun on the front/side of the vehicle and a radar dish on the opposite side. Unfortunately, the radar is partially blocked by the front wheel.
Lego could have made this better by giving the set more ground clearance or including a mini-fig that isn't as dull as a helmetless cyborg. I have noticed that all the small U.F.O. scouting vehicles seem to be run by cyborgs. I guess the leaders want to save all the big ships for themselves. (I believe it's an attempt by Lego to get people to shell out at least $19.99 in order to get a single U.F.O. helmet and shoulder pad.)
In any case, this set will undoubtedly be popular because of the low price...but consider the Cyber Blaster as an alternative. It's a U.F.O. hovercraft baggie which is a dollar cheaper and has a better selection of pieces (even though there's only 19).
So...we've seen 6815, 6816, and 6818...where's 6817? [Editor's Note: 6817 is an Insectoid set introduced in 1998.]