Lego Set 18 — Thor/Summoner

One of the all-time classics of the BattleTech setting, the Summoner, or Thor as it is known in the Inner Sphere, is a stand-out Clan OmniMech. One of the most easily distinguishable machines of its faction, the Thor turned out to be one of the many nasty surprises facing the Inner Sphere forces, as it combined mobility, armor, and weaponry unheard of for machines of its size, becoming one of the lynchpins of the invading forces. This specific model emulates the colors of the Jade Falcon forces.

This is also one of the most parts-intensive models I’ve done thus far, clocking at around 80 parts. This is because the Thor has such a unique look, that was really hard to pull out initially. One of the hardest parts was the legs, actually.

In models like this, the legs are especially hard to do right. Mixing functionality and good looks, as well as emulating the original look, all present unique challenges.

As I experimented and studied the different designs brought up either by the Mobile Frame Zero manual and that game’s community I came to to the conclusion that there are three essential elements required to make legs work - and they are all joints. First the hips, then the knees, and finally the feet.

In smaller builds, it is easy and maybe even advisable to keep them quite simple. Look at the Blackjack I’ve posted a bit ago, which takes many cues from the builds in the manual, to see what I mean. Tap parts for the hips and simple 1x1 round plates for knees keep the whole thing simple and solid.

But on larger designs it becomes underwhelming. I felt that with my Dragon build which, although I like it, shows that it was one of the first I ever came with, as it uses a simple 2x3 plate for the hips, without any attempt at articulation. When I came to the Thor, I had already experimented with other ideas, like the Archer and the Mad Cat would show. However, there is always an attempt at mixing style with sturdiness for manipulation purposes.

The hips are a simple connection, without lateral movement. This allows me to have some back and forth movement but remains solid enough for the model to be easily manipulated without breaking. But, in order to have some inclination on the knee, I went for a strong hinge part. Then, I made some basic feet, taking dues directly from the older art for the ‘Mech.

This is a way to go about it. How do you plan your builds, and especially your legs? Let me know.