Bionacles - Robot Warfare: Fathers versus Sons, Men versus Boys ... "There will be Tears!"

Bionicles are fun to assemble - albeit rather tricky to balance in an upright position. There are two types "shooters" and "brawlers" [hand-to-hand specialists] .. shooters possessing ranged fire and a little hand-to-hand skill. Both move the same rate (see below, the lower squat models having a distinct advantage over their lanky cousins):

From the yellow bin of robotic parts an intimidating battle-line is formed (see below, I like to think "Spartan Red - with a funny Green dude to the left" [aka "The Dad's Team] looking imposing and imperial):

They faced a motley crew of haphazard designs that had escaped various research facilities and experimental weirdos no combat unit would want to use (see below, lanky shooters and claw armed crushers ["the Kid's Team"] looking unconventional and liking black paint jobs):

Both sides advanced fearlessly (see below, note the professional close grouped formation from the Dad's Team, with a lone gun man out left, contrasted with the "zig-zag" jumble from the kids):

Things start to go awry for the Dad's Team as a long range shot is deadly accurate and a Spartan goes down. Never under estimate the ability of a small child to throw a "six" with the accuracy of a sniper (see below, "man [bot!] down", early days "Don't Panic" as Corporal Jones and the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy reassuringly says):

Oouch! They are good at this shooting lark. Another Spartan falls. The Spartans are down to two shooters and one last "claw" (see below, OK start to worry a little bit 3:5 odds and more rounds incoming expected any second):

Carnage as the Spartan "claw" de-claws and kills his opponent, that's the spirit! 3:4 are slightly better odds for the Dads Team (see below, the Green Dude has taken a hit but is still standing, but two nasty "black claws" are exploiting an open flank):

The Green Dude is mercilessly targeted and losses limb after limb, like the Black Knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail, but is still fighting (see below, the art here was keeping him in the game by balancing him on one leg (see below, I just hope the centre of gravity is not compromised by an extra dust particle settling on one side):

Carnage "Take II", I am not sure who is still standing, but there seems to be more Spartan body parts lying on the floor. Not a good sign (see below, I think the last Red Spartan bows out being unable to stand of it own accord, the symmetry of the enemy hits coming on one side did for it - good grouping by The Kids):

Left unopposed the "Black Leader" heads towards the "take-out coffee cup top" button which represents a game "kill switch" (see below, no mercy and no quarter is shown in this battle-bot tournament):

"Game Over!" A devastating win for the Kids (see below, ever more the impressive because the Dads thought they had it in the bag - over confidence breeds hubris when you are facing a fearless seven year old!):

The Re-Match (see below, The Dad's were keen for revenge and to right past historical wrongs - it was also fast approaching bed-time so things had to be done fast):

This time more mutual carnage (see below, The Dads had improved their battle algorithms, but to no overall avail as the Kids triumphed once more):

A "black shooter" this time calls time and trips the "kill switch" (see below, the untold hidden story here is a mid-battle substitution when the seven year old called on his twelve year old brother for help, this would be genius "Ender" [see Ender's Game] employed tactical skill combined with good dice rolling to be The Dad's undoing):

Two - Nil. Battle won and war over. Congratulations to the winner (and bed) and commiserations and another beer for the losers!