[MOC] Blacktron Betrayer (Renegade Remake)

[danth]

Hi all!

I've finally finished a MOC that I've work on, on and off, for years. It's a redux of the Blacktron Renegade. Here's the original:

I wanted to keep the overall design pretty much the same. How did I do?

I named it Betrayer because a Renegade is essentially a traitor or deserter. I thought Betrayer sounded supremely evil while being synonymous with the original name.

One thing that excited me a lot was using the new yellow triangle tiles to make a brick-built Blacktron logo.

And I wanted to keep the original gimmick where the command ship could detach from the front, as well as the two side ships.

The command ship has hidden guns!

One thing that always bugged me about the original was that after you removed the command ship, you were left with the butt-end of a space ship without anything to control it. I guess you had to pretend it was computer or AI controlled at that point. Like a robot. That gave me an idea.

Why not make it transform into an actual robot?

I hope you like it!

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by danth

[icm]

What a neat spaceship!  Totally looks like it could be a set circa 2021.  I'd sure buy it.  Really good job keeping the look and feel of the original set, while using modern parts and set building standards, and swapping out a totally 1980s play feature (the cargo bay in the back) for a totally 2020s play feature (a giant robot with lots of joints).  I think it's especially cool how the cockpit is "held" by the robot hand, even if it's actually a firm clip connection that keeps it on rather than just the grip of the fingers.

[Elephant Knight]

Wow. Just wow. I didn't not expect it to transform into a robot! So hard to choose my favorite part, the side positions, the transforming function, the cockpit, the logos on the side... so many good things!

EKnight

[Umbra-Manis]

This is sick, I love the asymmetry, the integration of the modern parts and the surprise robot! 

[danth]

4 hours ago, icm said:

What a neat spaceship!  Totally looks like it could be a set circa 2021.  I'd sure buy it.  Really good job keeping the look and feel of the original set, while using modern parts and set building standards, and swapping out a totally 1980s play feature (the cargo bay in the back) for a totally 2020s play feature (a giant robot with lots of joints).  I think it's especially cool how the cockpit is "held" by the robot hand, even if it's actually a firm clip connection that keeps it on rather than just the grip of the fingers.

Thanks! Ha ha, the idea of the hand "holding" the command module makes me crack up because it's campy/silly but also kind cool...I like it!

36 minutes ago, Elephant Knight said:

Wow. Just wow. I didn't not expect it to transform into a robot! So hard to choose my favorite part, the side positions, the transforming function, the cockpit, the logos on the side... so many good things!

EKnight

Thanks, the kind words mean a lot to me! I had a butt-shot of the side ships I considered posting...here's one where you can see all 4 thrusters:

 

19 minutes ago, Umbra-Manis said:

This is sick, I love the asymmetry, the integration of the modern parts and the surprise robot! 

Thank you! Glad to hear the robot was a surprise and not totally obvious from the first few pics!

[Lego David]

This absolutely amazing. You managed to keep the general design philosophy of the original set, but also added a really effective transformation feature, that looks pretty good in both forms!

[TeriXeri]

Not only a great remake, the mech transform just adds so much to it, didn't expect that 

I like vehicles that can split up to begin with, but then this recombines into something completely different, and then still has the style of an original set , very well designed imo.

Edited November 9, 2021 by TeriXeri

[DelQuinn]

Great design, looks like a lot of fun. Love reimagining classic sets! the mech was a cool idea

[Feuer Zug]

You remade a classic Blacktron ship and added a robot mode! Wicked! Those triangles do make a superb Blacktron logo too.

[danth]

14 hours ago, Lego David said:

This absolutely amazing. You managed to keep the general design philosophy of the original set, but also added a really effective transformation feature, that looks pretty good in both forms!

Thank you!

I find it really hard to tell if something I made myself looks goofy or cool, so I appreciate the feedback!

5 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

Not only a great remake, the mech transform just adds so much to it, didn't expect that 

I like vehicles that can split up to begin with, but then this recombines into something completely different, and then still has the style of an original set , very well designed imo.

Thanks!

My pipe dream is to figure out how to get the three detaching ships to transform too. That might beyond my abilities though!

5 hours ago, DelQuinn said:

Great design, looks like a lot of fun. Love reimagining classic sets! the mech was a cool idea

Thanks friend!

3 hours ago, Feuer Zug said:

You remade a classic Blacktron ship and added a robot mode! Wicked! Those triangles do make a superb Blacktron logo too.

Robots rule! Thanks, I hope to see more people use the triangle tiles for Blacktron!

[astral brick]

On 11/9/2021 at 12:22 AM, danth said:

Why not make it transform into an actual robot?

What an interesting moc! About Blacktron, it is so sad to think that Lego had its in-house version of the Empire before Sw license was a thing. I wish they had bought Transformers' license instead.

[Moriboe]

Awesome build . Great pictures too!

[nota82]

Superb "remake", better than the original. Well done.

[danth]

On 11/15/2021 at 4:18 AM, Moriboe said:

Awesome build . Great pictures too!

Thanks! My one regret is the visible dust if you zoom in too far. D'oh!

On 1/3/2022 at 2:27 PM, nota82 said:

Superb "remake", better than the original. Well done.

Thanks! Yeah the Renegade is a set I love in concept but always found lacking in execution, like the designers wanted a bigger parts budget but had to make due with less. There are some other really nice remakes out there as well!

[the Inventor]

@danth Haven't commented on it yet, but I really like what you have done in comparison with the original set (the only one I'm sadly missing in my collection of Blacktron 1).

And it even transforms, I really like the cockpit section, maybe you should try to build another ship where that front section can dock, like an updated Invader.

[danth]

2 hours ago, the Inventor said:

@danth Haven't commented on it yet, but I really like what you have done in comparison with the original set (the only one I'm sadly missing in my collection of Blacktron 1).

And it even transforms, I really like the cockpit section, maybe you should try to build another ship where that front section can dock, like an updated Invader.

Thanks Inventor!

That's a cool idea. I might have to come back to it! The MOC I'm working on now isn't Blackton. But really, all "combiner" space ship MOCs should be able to recombine with others, right? I guess for that you just need a standardized docking attach point.

The ol' "technic pin in technic hole" docking design in Classic Space was pretty solid but I kinda like clips instead these days.

[Mondo-TRON]

On 11/8/2021 at 3:22 PM, danth said:

Hi all!

I've finally finished a MOC that I've work on, on and off, for years. It's a redux of the Blacktron Renegade. Here's the original:

I wanted to keep the overall design pretty much the same. How did I do?

I named it Betrayer because a Renegade is essentially a traitor or deserter. I thought Betrayer sounded supremely evil while being synonymous with the original name.

One thing that excited me a lot was using the new yellow triangle tiles to make a brick-built Blacktron logo.

And I wanted to keep the original gimmick where the command ship could detach from the front, as well as the two side ships.

The command ship has hidden guns!

One thing that always bugged me about the original was that after you removed the command ship, you were left with the butt-end of a space ship without anything to control it. I guess you had to pretend it was computer or AI controlled at that point. Like a robot. That gave me an idea.

Why not make it transform into an actual robot?

I hope you like it!

 

This is so cool. Do you have instructions?

[danth]

On 1/8/2023 at 7:52 PM, Mondo-TRON said:

This is so cool. Do you have instructions?

I have a stud.io file that is mostly up to date. I remember trying to generate instructions in stud.io but it didn't work very well. Let me know if the file interests you and I can dig it up. 

[Mondo-TRON]

4 hours ago, danth said:

I have a stud.io file that is mostly up to date. I remember trying to generate instructions in stud.io but it didn't work very well. Let me know if the file interests you and I can dig it up. 

Yes,Im interested in the Stud.io file. Thanks.

 

[danth]

15 hours ago, Mondo-TRON said:

Yes,Im interested in the Stud.io file. Thanks.

PM'ed you!

[tmtomh]

On 1/11/2023 at 12:23 PM, danth said:

PM'ed you!

I too would love the studio file, if you still have it.

This is just so amazing. Thanks!