Random set of the day: UFO Abduction
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 7052 UFO Abduction, released during 2011. It's one of 10 Space sets produced that year. It contains 211 pieces and 3 minifigs, and its retail price was US$29.99/£25.99.
It's owned by 4,583 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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57 comments on this article
Complete with a random farmer to probe. Fun for all the family!
So there's a farmer, but no farm animals of any kind to abduct, and the cow existed at the time, so that's a major opportunity missed.
This little theme was very cool, so disappointed I only have 7051 Tripod Invader.
This was the only set I got from the theme, but it feels like such a ‘classic UFO’.
What are the odds an Alien Conquest set gets chosen, out of all sets ever? There were only, like, 10.
@Randomness said:
"What are the odds an Alien Conquest set gets chosen, out of all sets ever? There were only, like, 10."
Decent enough, since both 7067 and 30140 have been RSotD (in their first year eligible no less).
@ScholtzTKO said:
"This little theme was very cool, so disappointed I only have 7051 Tripod Invader."
I had the Tripod Invader as a kid. Didn't think much of it at the time, but I rebuilt a lot of my old set a couple years ago and it was way more impressive than I'd remembered.
Loved this theme. Bought heaps to add to my LEGO display at a hobby show. https://brickshelf.com/gallery/ToyKiwi/Hobby-Expo-2012/2012taupo04.jpg
Best set of the theme personally, even though I never got it.
I was so close to getting this set at the time and never did. All I got was the tripod one at the "battle pack". Regrets, regrets. (Tripod seems popular around here?)
@ScholtzTKO:
@GSR_MataNui:
I've had Tripod Invader perched on my fridge since...what year was it released again?
@Randomness:
Did you miss the Lone Ranger set-of-8 that got posted yesterday, in its first year of eligibility?
@AllanSmith:
In 2012, I got 200 of the Clingers from this theme on LUGBulk, which uncharacteristically arrived well before Brickworld Chicago that year. BWC's 2012 theme was "the end of the world", and my LUG's president suggested we stage an alien invasion. I ended up buying a copy of the mothership and seriously beefing it up for that display.
Still my favourite Space theme after all these years! The use of those rubbery spikes underneath the UFO to hold onto minifigs and other small things was simply ingenious.
@MCLegoboy said:
"So there's a farmer, but no farm animals of any kind to abduct, and the cow existed at the time, so that's a major opportunity missed."
I don't think the abduction function of this set (where you could place it over the farmer and it'd pick him up with rubber-tipped spike pieces) would necessarily be big enough for a cow.
Actually, yeah, I bought the Tripod too and loved it.
I love themes like this that are City-adjacent enough to basically be City.
With that grille in front, this is the Rolls Royce of UFOs.
Ah, loved this set building with my kid.
Has a nice 50s retro vibe. And that play-feature to grab someone from below the UFO was alotta' fun.
@ScholtzTKO said:
"This little theme was very cool, so disappointed I only have 7051 Tripod Invader."
That's the only one I have from this theme, too. Such a great set. Had everything you need--including mind-controlling brain slug! There have been other themes I pref--
..^
ALIEN CONQUEST IS THE ONLY THEME HUMANS REQUIRE
I built this once from a bulk lot. Seemed pretty cool. I've been tempted to get the Mothership a couple of times.
@Noahcat1 said:
"Still my favourite Space theme after all these years! The use of those rubbery spikes underneath the UFO to hold onto minifigs and other small things was simply ingenious."
It also has a red light brick that illuminates the cockpit and shines down like a capture beam when you press the green ball behind the cockpit. So cool. They packed a lot of play into all of this themes sets. The big EDF Mobile Command Unit is still one of my all time favorites. for shear play value it might be the densest Space set ever.
The theme which brought the 1x2x2 window in blue in 7066 Earth Defense HQ which is only now coming back in a friends set 41739 Liann's Room.
Those windows were starting to cost a bit more than I was willing to pay (at least from sellers with more than one or two)
@MeisterDad said:
"With that grille in front, this is the Rolls Royce of UFOs."
I believe that would actually be 5984.
Its PROBING TIME!!!!!
Perfect shape and size. I wish I had one of these.
I had this one as a kid. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Randomness:
Did you miss the Lone Ranger set-of-8 that got posted yesterday, in its first year of eligibility?"
It appears that I did in fact miss that strange occurrence. I was focused on finding out if there is a Lego hatchet and whether the crow thing would fit in a Friends hairpiece.
One of my favorite Alien Conquest sets. I loved the retro alien aesthetic and the ADU color scheme. Lego was on a roll with new space themes during this period.
I loved the Alien Conquest theme wish I had gotten more of the sets.
A great set from a great theme!!!
I am in the tripod team. Super fun set
@Randomness:
There is not a hatchet piece. A hatchet is a hand axe on one side of the shaft, and a hammer on the other. There’s a more Euro-style hand axe, which was used for a long time in Town or City Fire sets, until they made a proper firefighter’s axe.
Regarding the murdered old crow, I just checked, and it does use the same hat pin connection that dates back to the early days of Castle, with plumed helmets. This means that you can, and should, mount a murdered old crow on top of any Friends birds’ heads you come across.
Grew up with this theme. So nostalgic! I used to take the little blue missile launcher that's in this set and mount it on the big blue ADU truck to add to its already-impressive weapons payload, because it seemed so useless as a standalone. The human picker-upper function here works reasonably well for what it is, and makes nice use of the light brick as well. Great set.
@Miyakan said:
"I built this once from a bulk lot. Seemed pretty cool. I've been tempted to get the Mothership a couple of times."
Definitely get it if you can find it at a decent price. It's probably the best set of the theme!
Almost more talk about the tripod set (which yes, I owned as well!) than the actual RSotD. To balance it out, should the tripod gets its day we have to talk just as much about this one!
"WE ARE HERE! WE ABDUCT!"
"And then...?"
"What do you mean 'And then'? We abduct people! That's what we always do!"
This set has such a lovely silliness to it! And I do love it! Same spirit in 7051 (businessman) and 7065 (reporter).
Despite being several years out of production, Alien Conquest brought me out of the Dark Ages.
Incidentally, this comment section is celebratory because it marks the 100th time that @purpledave has mentioned his clinger collection. Congratulations!
Great set! I love the B-Movie design of the saucer, which I had displayed on top of a transparent plastic cup with a LEGO cow suspended inside, to make it look like a proper alien abduction!
One of the last original Space themes, before Lego realized making unlimited Star Wars sets is more profitable than original IPs.
@ScholtzTKO said:
"This little theme was very cool, so disappointed I only have 7051 Tripod Invader."
No doubt. Wish I had more. Lego should make a set like this every couple years. Too damn cool!
I don't own this set, but I do own the Tripod Invader (one of the best 20 euro sets ever made IMHO) and the Earth Defense HQ (one of the best mobile bases and ground vehicles ever made, IMHO).
So, great theme.
I've been close to getting this one a few times, but to be honest the color scheme kind of dissuaded me so far. And second hand it's a gamble to get one with a working light brick.
But most of all I own two UFOs from the theme and the 6975 Alien Avenger.
Fun fact: the farmer's pitchfork was a major draw for many AFOLs to this set at the time because those hadn't appeared since the 80s. Right now they've become relatively common, but this set used to be a real trailblazer in that sense!
I, like everyone else apparently, only ever got the Tripod Invader at retail. I did pick up the mothership a couple of years later, though. They’re really nice sets, especially the tripod.
The red abduction light for such a small set was a cool addition.
I love space sets. I actually collected all of this, a ton of SP3, and I think all of Galaxy Squad. And this series had the second official LEGO Vic Viper!
It’s too bad the general public doesn’t share my enthusiasm, though. I think these sets had creative parts use, fun play features, and pretty decent price per part.
Oh well. Long live SPACE! Also I can’t believe it’s already been over a decade!
Back in the 80s when I built my Enterprise MOCs for my LEGO Star Trek theme (I actually built a Hollywood studio MOC and Star Trek was one of the soundstages), I could only have dreamed of having these grey quarter-round slope bricks.
I feel like Alien Conquest had the best aliens of any LEGO line.
Great set from a great space theme. I only wish it came with a cow.
@JasonBall34:
What, you don’t think it makes sense to drag a wheel-less, single-shot gun platform, that probably weighs several hundred pounds, out into the open when fighting aliens with technology beyond our ken?
@bananaworld:
Aw, you can’t really celebrate without citing every single instance! Go ahead. We’ll wait.
Huh. I just watched Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks!" yesterday... is this some kind of sign I'm being watched?
I wanted this set so bad when I was little, eventually in 2020 I bought this and the Tripod Invader as a lot for maybe $30 and I love it.
I was just discussing Mara Attacks! with members of my LUG two weeks ago at a show! Have you been spying on us at public events?
@PurpleDave said:
"I was just discussing Mara Attacks! with members of my LUG two weeks ago at a show! Have you been spying on us at public events?"
What are the odds we would both have seen / discussed Mars Attacks! and then a similar set shows up on Brickset RsotD? We have a better probability of aliens landing on DC's National Mall than this...
This set had the ALL-TIME BEST play feature in the history of Lego sets. I don't think there's even any competition.
And they built it out of two parts I had always considered useless: the light brick and 61406 Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Angular Extension and Flexible Tip. It was as if these parts had been predestined for this use from the foundation of time.
I bought this set because it had a pitchfork for the first time in forever and a neat bubble canopy, and it looked good. Then I built it and my mind exploded. I have kept this set assembled forever, and I have dragged many visitors into a dark room to show them the wonder of abducting minifigures.
@AllenSmith said:
"This set had the ALL-TIME BEST play feature in the history of Lego sets. I don't think there's even any competition....."
I don't have the set and upon reading your comment had to look through the instructions. Wow. Now I think I'll try to build it off of alternative parts, do have some of those spiky flex pieces in other colors.
I remember being baffled by the fact that it had an abduction feature as a kid, only to discover later that it was made by using some rubber spikes.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I was just discussing Mara Attacks! with members of my LUG two weeks ago at a show! Have you been spying on us at public events?"
What are the odds we would both have seen / discussed Mars Attacks! and then a similar set shows up on Brickset RsotD? We have a better probability of aliens landing on DC's National Mall than this..."
And I just so happened to be researching Tim Burton's filmography last night which Mars Attacks! always gets my extra attention (such a great fun film), thus our trifecta of brainwave UFO energy beams converged in the direction of huwbot to electromagnetically influence his RSotD pick. This phenomena has its best chance of occurrence given the culmination of the three!
I only have 7065 Alien Mothership from this theme, got it mainly for the sound brick! This set has been on my wanted list for ever. I have managed to acquire the farmer minifig tho.
@darkstonegrey said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I was just discussing Mara Attacks! with members of my LUG two weeks ago at a show! Have you been spying on us at public events?"
What are the odds we would both have seen / discussed Mars Attacks! and then a similar set shows up on Brickset RsotD? We have a better probability of aliens landing on DC's National Mall than this..."
And I just so happened to be researching Tim Burton's filmography last night which Mars Attacks! always gets my extra attention (such a great fun film), thus our trifecta of brainwave UFO energy beams converged in the direction of huwbot to electromagnetically influence his RSotD pick. This phenomena has its best chance of occurrence given the culmination of the three!
I only have 7065 Alien Mothership from this theme, got it mainly for the sound brick! This set has been on my wanted list for ever. I have managed to acquire the farmer minifig tho."
Sounds plausible! I'll go get my tin foil hat on to amplify my brain waves for tomorrow's pick.
(this is a joke post. everyone knows tinfoil doesn't work as well as construction-grade steel.)
The only set from that theme I didn't get. :( Always seemed cool, waited too long for a sale and it went out of print. That's the way it goes! Love the theme though, and the mobile command set in particular has been a favorite for my son and I.