| |
|
IGNITION Class Light Mech . . The first of five Dawn Forge builds from the “Zero Hour on Highway 44” collaborative project. I will be posting another one in the next few days. Here are the links to mine and Keith’s Zero Hour postings in case you missed them.
While technically classified as a scout/recon mech, the IGNITION’S versatility and armament makes it suitable for a number of roles, including frontline combat. The primary weapons systems are the six 220 mm rocket tubes and a new, high velocity 35mm autocannon. The new gun and caliber are designed to replace the venerable 55mm round which, while extremely powerful at short ranges, was wildly inaccurate at any significant distance. The high velocity of the new round makes it almost match for the 55mm in terms of sheer power, and far superior at greater distances.
The right shoulder has a hardpoint normally used for mounting communications equipment and sensor arrays (as seen here), but can also mount a third weapons system for straight up combat situations.
OK, you can stop cringing now…I’m done with all the pretend military BS. I’ll just shut up so you can look at the pics.
I have to say I’m pretty satisfied with how the legs turned out. Mechs are all about joints, and this technique really allows for a huge range of movement, yet is easily strong enough to hold poses like this one. There is a "how to" lower down on the page.
Interestingly, I brought four of these guys to Keith’s house for use in the dio but, somehow, I only left with three. Hmm…
Oh yes, the DF is definitely done with windscreens...
Another pic to demonstrate the range of movement available in the legs. Yes, I know the one on the left looks absurd. Work with me people…it’s just a demonstration!
Access hatch, complete with foxy mech pilot…
OK, nice big smile now, hold still aaand…
What the…?
Darn it, Bob, get out of there!
And of course, the requisite artsy pic.
Here is the breakdown of the leg joints. Obviously, that section on the right slides on to the two black bars, and is pushed snugly into the holes in the technic bricks, with the dishes placed on last. There is another, identical section on the other side that is installed in the same fashion. The dishes are mainly aesthetic in nature and not necessary for the joint to function. On the bottom is a simplified breakdown of the pieces used in the actual joint. Of course, any length technic brick can be used and you can replace the 1x1 bricks with studs on two sides with ones with studs on four sides (Travis bricks) for some really interesting possibilities. I also see potential for this joint system for things like fold out wings on spacecraft etc.
You can also do a reverse version of this with the 1x1 brick with side studs on the inside and the technic bricks on the outside. I actually tried that version when first building this mech, with the dishes flipped, slid on to the bars, and their studs inserted into the technic brick holes. This gives about the same holding power as the first version, and the reversed dishes are actually a little more greebly looking, but not quite as “realistic” looking as the outwardly curved version, IMO.
Also, apparently LEGO makes two slightly different diameter 4L bars, since the black ones I am using here are significantly tighter than other colors I have tried, and add to the holding power of the joint. The looser fit of the smaller diameter bars still works fine, and could easily have supported a mech this size, but I wanted the centers of the hollow studs on the dishes to be black when the leg was assembled.
One word of warning however…this is a stud friction joint with quite a bit of holding power. It easily holds up this mech in any position, and could potentially support something a good deal larger. But since the joint is so tight, I imagine that over time there could be some issues with parts wear to the studs used in the joint and to the technic brick in the middle, especially when using the slightly larger diameter 4L bars. If you are simply displaying your MOCs as opposed to actively playing with them, I can’t imagine having any problems, and I myself have had no issues yet, but I just wanted to mention it before someone accuses me of conspiring to destroy their laygoes.
Another Dawn Forge MOC from the Zero Hour dio in a few days. Until then, thanks for looking.
|
