MinuteMan: A LEGO® creation by Wes Coleman : MOCpages.com

MinuteMan

Rated 5 out of 5 Change your rating

Add a comment

Zoom in

The M60A1 Minuteman class moonbase-compatible light mech can dock with a moonbase via an endcap.

About this creation

The M60A1 MinuteMan is a light humanoid mech which can dock with a purpose-built moonbase-compatible endcap. The endcap recharges the mech, transfers a pilot into it directly from the moonbase, and acts as its armory. The ability to transfer a pilot directly into the mech from a pressurized corridor improves launch time compared to forcing the pilot to do an EVA or launching the mech from a pressurized mech bay. As such, anything that requires a fast response time is likely to be found in this mech's mission profile, from fire fighting to first-response moonbase defense. The moon also provides an ideal environment for the operation of mechs. Low gravity makes for easy walking, rough terrain means tough driving for traditional vehicles, and the lack of atmosphere complicates the use of infantry.

This mech (including the endcap, mock-up corridor, and some of the weapons) took less than two weeks to build, but I've been tinkering with it for the better part of a month making minor improvements and extra weapon systems. The biggest thing I'm still not satisfied with is the absence of a spine joint that allows the torso to tilt and swivel independently of the hips. The spine would have occupied a space where the docking hatch wound up in the final design. Simply inserting a spine joint would have offset the proportions of the mech and made it too tall (even when kneeling) to dock with the endcap. I could bore you with more construction details (don't think I can't! I could if I wanted to!), but instead I am just going to give credit to the people and designs who helped me out along the way and let you get to the pictures ^_^ .

Inspiration/Concept:
Justin Vaughn's V-57 Magnum: First-responder moonbase defense concept.
Keith Goldman's Mauser Support Facility: Moonbase mech support facility concept.
Eric Sophie's Various Mecha Bays: Moonbase mech support facility concept.
Dean Hofmeyer's Fire Fighter: Endcap docking and support facility concept.

Construction:
Rags na Rock's Titan III: Early proportions and details, back and leg thrusters, 1st generation legs.
Izzo Yoshi's Izzo's Mecha Basic Frame: 2nd-generation knees and ankles, armor details.
Jon Palmer's Moonbase Construction Guide: Instructions for up-to-code Moonbase corridors and connectors.
Fox Primus' Various Mecha Heads: Head details.

Enlarge image

The M60A1 is the first-response mech of choice for moonbase agencies such as defense and disaster management.

Enlarge image

The mech is powered by a series of high-density power cells: one large unit on the chest, two smaller ones on the legs. These limit the MinuteMan's range, but are faster to start up and safer to keep fully fueled than traditional reactors.

Enlarge image

I had to sacrafice a lot of detail on the back of the torso to make room for the docking hatch.

Enlarge image

The hemisphere on the chest is a reaction wheel assembly (a type of gyro stabilizer)

Enlarge image

Docked

Enlarge image

The endcap holds the mech's arsenal on side-mounted rails.

Enlarge image

It also recharges the mech's power cells. In the event of a power failure, the endcap's onboard power supply can recharge the MinuteMan for a few cycles while main power is being restored.

Enlarge image

A pilot can walk down the corridor directly into the cockpit.

Enlarge image

The endcap by itself, supported by a mockup moonbase corridor.

Enlarge image

I wanted to put more detail on the endcap, but the weapons took up a lot of space.

Enlarge image

Night on the moon lasts 336 hours (14 Earth days). Built-in lights on the endcap help with nighttime docking operations.

Enlarge image

Looking down the corridor into the cockpit (with chest plate removed)

Enlarge image

Loadout!

Enlarge image

This is a good example of this particular mech's "Never Exceed" load. Pretty much all the hardware that can be attached is mounted here.

Enlarge image

The MinuteMan's main long-range cannon: General Electric K-Series reagent-driven kinetic energy cannon with attached scope.

Enlarge image

Typical anti-air configuration, featuring the Gagarin Industries "De-Altitudizer" gatling cannon. The directional radar array mounted on this cannon augments the MinuteMan's built-in radar system

Enlarge image

The hands on this mech are not particularly accurate to a human hand. I was more concerned with a wider grip for holding more weapons. Also, the technic pin holes on the hands act like hardpoints to plug in to the long-range KE cannon and gatling cannon.

Enlarge image

Assorted missile launchers. On the arm hardpoint: L/H Series 1 Combo Launcher (Laser-guided and heatseeking).
On the hip hardpoints: GREV-8 SFW (reverse-engineered from captured sensor fused weapon of 3vil manufacture).

Enlarge image

The STABtekku 16-stud "Daito" sword is secured by a holder mounted to hip hardpoint.

Enlarge image

Weapons such as this are usually only equipped when heavy mech-on-mech close combat is expected.

Enlarge image

6-stud "Shoto" blades are more often mounted to an empty hip hardpoint. Also shown is the WARN 5k "Houselifter" utility winch mounted to forearm armor plate.

Enlarge image

The Chemidyne Industries wide-field building sealant distributor is used to fight fires and seal small leaks. I tried to make the tank on the back hardpoint look like the life support tanks carried by modern firefighters. The system also includes a pump mounted to the forearm hardpoint and a pistolgrip nozzle.

Enlarge image

Bleytronics R-55 railguns can be mounted to shoulder or hip hardpoints.

Enlarge image

The small thrusters on the legs are permanently mounted. When combined with the optional GE space systems high-yield space maneuvering thrusters on the shoulder hardpoints, the MinuteMan can reach significant altitude. What these thrusters lack is the endurance for true flight. A few jumps is all the pilot will get without external tanks or refueling.

Enlarge image

The PhysicsMancer Bass Mk. 3 from Fender Gnarworks (Fender's secret R&D department) generates a short range, wide field force field that vibrates the hulls of enemy vehicles. In its heyday, only a few were issued to skilled pilots and squad leaders. You have to play a lot of Guitar Hero and watch a lot of giant robot anime to come up with this.

Enlarge image

What? You've never seen a mech with a guitar before?
The first an only time it was used in combat was against the contents of a Starbucks invasion force heavy dropship. Eyewitnesses reported that the enemy mechs exhibited "moshing" behavior before destroying themselves. The pilot's debriefing revealed that he had whipped out a "wicked awesome" heavy metal bass solo. Shortly after, strict limits were placed on its use against sentient beings. This is the only technology currently in the arsenal of Moonbase Defense known to be effective against Mark Stafford's Cute field projector technology.

Enlarge image

A short animation of the ankle-mounted cameras deploying from behind the legs.

Enlarge image

The chest plate is removed to show the interior.

Enlarge image

Normally, the chest plate is fixed to the torso. The only way to enter and exit the mech is through this hatch.

Enlarge image

Many of this mech's proportions are Gundam-like, but its scale is closer to that of an Arm Slave from Full Metal Panic. I took inspiration from both anime series.