This is the first in a series of reviews of MicroTactix’ new Color Vyllage on the Cheep cardstock building sets.
In 1999, MicroTactix released the first Vyllage-On-The-Cheep fantasy cardstock building kits. Soon after, the company went totally electronic, and the Vyllage became a PDF product. A second set was added the following year. Both original sets were in black and white, and I put dozens of buildings from these sets together. While the buildings were fun to build, the black and white effect didn’t do anything for me. Yes, I could have colored them, but that was just adding too much time and hassle to make it worth my while.
Now, in 2003, MicroTactix is releasing several new sets of color Vyllage on the Cheep buildings. And if the Sampler is any indication of what the rest of the sets will be like, you’ll want to grab them all. The Sampler is available RPG.NOW at http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=576&
The kit contains five buildings: a Vyllage Cryer, Bottle & Bone Shop, a Shack, the Vyllage Tavern, and the Odd Little House. Here’s a look at them in more detail:
The Vyllage Cryer/Bottle & Bone Shop
I grouped these two models together because they are essentially identical in their construction method. Both models construct using the box-method, which essentially is just folding the cut-out piece into a box and gluing down the glue-tabs. The roofs are then added and in the case of the Bottle & Bone Shop, a chimney is added. Both buildings have a plaster/wattle & timber look with tiled roofs. The Cryer has a few signs, a standup sign-board, and a portly-looking Town Cryer figure. The Bottle & Bone shop has signs and three standups, two burly looking brothers and the proprietor, Old Joe. These two structures are very versatile because simply by changing the signs, you can change the type of building.
The Shack
The Shack is a simple box-structure of peasant’s dwelling. It also includes an outhouse and some fence standups as well as a large chimney to attach to the side of the shack. The Shack is colored as a wooden structure with a thatched roof. Again, this is another versatile building, as the common folk have to live somewhere.
The Vyllage Tavern
Again, another box-type structure, but with a nice color job and a some great-looking windows. With a sign-change, this building could serve as any number of different structures, including a merchant’s office, residence, or small inn.
The Odd Little House
Now to my favorite building: The Odd Little House. This is the most complicated building in the set, as even though the main walls build as a box, the roof is a four-sided affair with four roofed dormers and a roof skirt. In addition, the front door is recessed and has a set of stairs leading to it. Despite the additional complexity, the Odd Little House builds easily and looks great. A set of windows is provided so you can customize the building to your needs and the model has a wonderful stonework color job that sets it apart from the others in the set.
For an additional trick with the Odd Little House, head to http://home.earthlink.net/~atamar/odd_tower.html
and see how you can turn the Odd Little House into a cool tower!
Summary
The Color Vyllage Sampler is a great introduction to cardstock modeling as all the buildings construct easily. Plus, the models are all quite versatile, look great, and are priced great. Wargamers looking for new terrain or RPGers looking for something to spice up an adventure would be well-served by this product.
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