Improving the new Renegade
Posted by Huw,
There's no disputing that 10355 Blacktron Renegade that we reviewed yesterday and which will be available at LEGO.com from 1st January, is an excellent model and a fitting tribute to the classic and much-loved 1980s space set.
However, in my opinion, it's more 'Yellowtron' than it should be, and while I love the design of the planetary rover, I lament the lack of a cargo pod and feel that the rover nestling between the hulls spoils the overall aesthetic of the craft.
So I set about addressing these issues and here's what I've come up with...
Here's what the model looks like fresh out of the box:
And here's my modified version. Yellow was used very sparingly on the original Blacktron fleet, so I wanted to replace as much black as possible, but leave enough splashes of the brighter colour to keep it looking unmistakably Blacktron.
There are two areas that looked too yellow in my opinion, and the most egregious was the surround of the cockpit. I've replaced all the yellow with black, but left the interior as it was.
The other thing I disliked was the yellow stripe running across the body, which I felt was far too prominent. I have removed that, and also stripped off some of the other yellow pieces on the tops of the hulls.
To do that, a lot of black Roof Tile 1X2, Deg. 45, W/O Knobs and its inverted counterpart Roof Tile 1X2, Inverted, Deg. 45, W/ Cut are needed, which I didn't have in stock, but luckily there are enough in the rover, so I dismantled it.
One pleasing side effect of the change is that the brick-built Blacktron logos on the detachable speeders on the wings are now more noticeable.
There was a lot of superfluous yellow pieces on the bottom, so I removed them all and replaced most of them, although I felt some were not needed as they didn't contribute to structural integrity very much.
Finally, I built a cargo pod that's compatible with the latch/release mechanism of the ship. I love the lattice girders on the hulls, so I wanted to incorporate them on the top of the pod, which is of course its most visible part.
Here's what I came up with. Just like the one on the original ship, it's hinged at one end. I've not yet built a vehicle to go inside but will have a go at doing so.
I have not yet made it possible to connect it to the cockpit and other subassemblies because I don't have the required pieces in stock, but I've just ordered them -- and the parts I nabbed from the rover -- from BrickLink, so I'll do so when they arrive.
I am much happier with the way it looks now, but no doubt I will continue to tinker with it.
Do you like the model more Yellowtron than Blacktron as it comes, or do you plan to modify yours?
277 likes
107 comments on this article
That’s actually way better
I'm convinced. That's great the rover can serve a higher purpose now.
Definitely looks more blacktron
I prefer the newer design of "make the entire cargo the vehicle, instead of a big box with a tiny vehicle in it". But that's just like, my opinion, man.
Well recoloured Huw! I like it more black but actually kinda like the rover in the middle - can you take a picture of your modified ship with the rover instead of the cargo pod? Thanks
The yellow didn't bother me too much in the stock version, but yeah, whoosh, that's so much better. Could you make a parts list available? No biggie if you can't, just thought I'd ask.
The area around the windscreen looks SO much better without the yellow. I had suspected as much, but it's nice to see an image of it. I'll definitely be making that modification when I get this set.
I prefer the set version to be honest.
In particular I thought the yellow in the cockpit was a great way of addressing the way that the black interior washes out the normally bright and vivid trans yellow of the cockpit into a murky mess. This is an issue that affects non-neon trans colors in particular, especially lighter ones like trans yellow, since their glassy consistency means that dark colors behind them can overpower their apparent hue considerably—so using a matching color like the yellow in this set, or a vivid neutral color like the white used for the interiors of the Galaxy Explorer remake, can help to keep those hues appropriately vibrant.
Nice modifications, but I prefer the LEGO designed version. I think it has just the right splash of yellow. The black dominating in this version makes it look a bit dull.
@Huw you should post more mods of sets. Makes for good reads!
Gotta agree with the other here that this looks far better then the official updated version
Damn that looks even better! Altho I kinda like the rover, so I will probably end up displaying both
It'll definitely come down to personal preference between the kit and the mod, but I can always get down with building past the instructions. A new toy every day!
Mixed feelings. The surround of the cockpit, absolutely, black looks so much better. It just looked weird as at was. When I get the set, I totally see myself doing those same modifications.
As for the lines....not so much. While more black makes it look more sinister, it also makes it look kinda like just a flat black blob. The container, even when I like the idea, only enhances that.
@ALSTDA said:
"Well recoloured Huw! I like it more black but actually kinda like the rover in the middle - can you take a picture of your modified ship with the rover instead of the cargo pod? Thanks"
He says he used some of the pieces from it to replace the yellow.
I don't think anyone understands that the yellow parts around the windscreen were there because the original windscreen was much more squared off, and the yellow stripes are a callback to the yellow hoses that they don't manufacture anymore.
"There was a lot of superfluous yellow pieces on the bottom, so I removed them all and replaced most of them, although I felt some were not needed as they didn't contribute to structural integrity very much."
Imho, those long places most certainly help with stability over the long run, for play/wear and tear. They're there for a reason.
Especially the various areas where you grab from underneath. They provide additional stability joining alot of the bottom parts together. So wherever you grab over time, it keeps the structure solid.
More this, please!
When I originally saw the new set and read your review I was like, “Eh, new set is fine with the colors and rover. Looks great!” Then I saw your modifications and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to have to do the same. Looks sensational! Well done, Huw!
Having the rover is so much better than the cargo redesign, BUT, it does look good with the girder elements there in the middle.
Rover better for play and it can still haul and store stuff too.
I concur that this color scheme is better and more faithful to the original.
The cargo container on 6954 was much taller than the body of the ship. You could make your new container bigger and remain prototypical.
The sensor array on the front is the other element that bugs me. It was more dainty and greebled in 6954. The one in 10355 reminds me of a battering ram with train buffers.
Oh wow, I'm amazed how much better I find that colour scheme looks! I don't even have any specific attachment to Blacktron, but I felt like the newer set looked too 'busy' compared to the classic design; with the decreased amount of yellow, though, even though none of that detail has actually been removed I find that it really doesn't give me that 'overly busy' impression anymore, instead looking much more sleek and dangerous. Nice work ^^
Cockpit looks more Blacktron now. The rear is now too sprinkled with yellow and as some others commented: I prefer the idea of the rover to be the cargo in itself. I would build another cargo container with the blacktronish hexagon look suited to be exchanged with the rover if necessary.
@legoDad42 said:
"Having the rover is so much better than the cargo redesign, BUT, it does look good with the girder elements there in the middle.
Rover better for play and it can still haul and store stuff too."
It can, but I think it would have worked better with a couple of storage boxes on the open section. There’s certainly room for them…
@ALSTDA said:
"Well recoloured Huw! I like it more black but actually kinda like the rover in the middle - can you take a picture of your modified ship with the rover instead of the cargo pod? Thanks"
It was stripped for parts for the modification but will do when replacements arrive.
Never having seen the 1980s original I had no particular affection for it. As a new set with a hint of the 1980s I much prefer Lego's design. It's just more coherent. The modified version looks like a black craft that's had an unfortunate accident with a spray gun.
But hey...
Lego... Still a new toy every day.
I like these modifications, though I don't think the out-the-box set is unappealing in the least.
It's clearly a matter of personal taste, but that's the great thing about LEGO - you can tailor it to your own preferences.
Fantastic!
Can't say I'm the most fond of these changes. I understand your motivation to try and bring the model closer to the colors and structure of the original set, but I think there's a lot of room for improvement in the way you went about it.
The cargo bay in the original set had a 45-degree angled canopy of the sort which no doubt informed the extensive use of 45-degree slopes in the new Renegade, but those angular surfaces are so reduced in prominence on your version that when separated from the ship, it kinda just feels like a rectangular box with a decorative lid.
This "lid" also compresses the interior space quite a bit compared to the original, which was spacious enough for minifigures to stand inside when the rover was removed (almost more of a "room" and less of a "compartment"). Obviously this is not a big issue if you use it only to store a compact rover like in original set, but the versatility is reduced.
I'm glad to hear that your version of the cargo bay will eventually include modular clip-and-handle connections once you have the necessary parts in stock, I feel like the mismatched width and lack of beveled edges on the underside will leave it looking a little disjointed when combined with the other modules included in the set. At present, the hinge placement also appears like it will leave no room for the upper clip on any module you try to attach it to, so I'm curious how you intend to resolve that (I'm sure you'll figure something out, though).
While I understand wanting to reduce the amount of yellow, the way you've done so leaves the remaining yellow parts looking oddly patchy and haphazard, whereas even on the original Renegade a lot of the yellow parts formed more continuous horizontal stripe motifs along sections like the cockpit, cargo bay, and engine attachment blocks. I think it would have been more fitting if more of the yellow parts you chose to keep were arranged in stripes or bands instead of just scattered greebles.
(You did retain the stripe on the cargo bay, which I definitely do appreciate, but its placement means it is hidden when the cargo bay is attached to the main vehicle, so without stripe motifs elsewhere on the vehicle to balance out their absence on the attached cargo bay, much of the effect it lent the original set is lost.)
Moreover, with this current redesign, certain modules have almost NO solid yellow on their exterior, which will make the color scheme of some of the alternate modular combinations (like cockpit+engine or cockpit+comms unit) feel pretty imbalanced compared to the full ship assembly. I think in the very least, the cockpit might benefit from adding a one-plate-thick yellow stripe above the inverted slopes, sort of like there was in the original Renegade set (and still is on the engine modules of both the new Renegade set and your redesigned version).
Of course, I realize all this stuff is kinda nitpicky and ultimately comes down to personal preference! Just weighing in since you asked for our thoughts.
@JavaBrix said:
"
I don't think anyone understands that the yellow parts around the windscreen were there because the original windscreen was much more squared off, and the yellow stripes are a callback to the yellow hoses that they don't manufacture anymore."
I certainly picked up on that myself! Beyond echoing that windscreen shape, this yellow border does a lot to brighten up the interior, kind of like the white interior fixtures of the upscaled Galaxy Explorer. That's especially helpful here since the Blacktron astronauts' spacesuits blend in so much with the base color of the ship. That said, I also get why some people are bothered by it.
It does surprise me a bit that this redesign doesn't include any hoses. Those struck me as one of the most conspicuous details from the original that was absent in the new version, and hoses/cables of some sort seem like they'd be an especially cool detail now that the Renegade includes actual fuel cells for them to connect to.
@Ridgeheart said:
"It's darker, and contains a container.
And yet, I don't think I like this shadowbox-version better, sorry."
I don't know about that. I appreciate both versions. I myself can't wait for them to remake a set from the best Space theme, Galaxy Squad.
Looks great. Definitely “more Blacktron.” But as much as I love the original in all its dusky glory, I kinda like the Yellowtron version better…. Now I’m questioning everything.
@legoDad42 said:
""There was a lot of superfluous yellow pieces on the bottom, so I removed them all and replaced most of them, although I felt some were not needed as they didn't contribute to structural integrity very much."
Imho, those long places most certainly help with stability over the long run, for play/wear and tear. They're there for a reason.
Especially the various areas where you grab from underneath. They provide additional stability joining alot of the bottom parts together. So wherever you grab over time, it keeps the structure solid."
A lot of those yellow parts on the base of the original also serve an additional purpose: they keep the connection points of the different modules level with one another so that when placed on a flat surface, you can simply slide them together or apart! By contrast, if you remove the layer of plates underneath the cockpit as Huw did, you have to lift it up to attach it to any of the other modules.
I actually prefer the livery of the retail version; that yellow piping stripe contributes a lot to making the ship look structured.
I do think this is a useful demonstration of criticized parts of the set, though, particularly the solid yellow parts lining the canopy. I too did think that was a bit much, but as others have noted, the lighter color gives the trans-yellow canopy higher contrast on the model and helps it retain its vibrance. Ideally, I think the exterior-facing outline of the canopy should be black but the actual cockpit interior should be brighter, perhaps using more of that yellow, but that's an unconventional interior color, especially for yellowfigs, and I assume they didn't implement white to adhere to the original set's color palette, while the light and dark grey are used sparingly.
That said, the 80s/90s Lego Space build style and color distribution was never something I liked, it was in the dark period between my father's childhood and mine, so I guess the "higher accuracy" of random disorganized accents and monolithic messy builds are what the audience the set is catering to wants.
I plan to slightly modify my two 40580 or this one (junctions and upper two layers) to make them full compatible and allow for complete modularity between parts of the two sets.
As for the color, I think I will remove the yellow around the cockpit that is too much given the already yellow cockpit, but I may add a yellow line a little below to match that on 40580. I will keep the remaining yellow parts, I like it a bit more colorful.
@Huw
Can you please make a Rebrickable list of parts are needed for this MOD? I feel a lot of people may want to replicate what you've done. Thanks in advance!
Simple changes, looks milions times better
Love this type of article, more of these please!
I think I'll go for a middle ground. I don't need it to be that dark (plus some parts are more modern than I have), but a few choice areas will sort it out for me.
I also dig the pod you made, might try something similar because what's the point of a modular pod/vehicle design if you don't make multiple things to use with it? I might attempt to make an orbital bombardment pod because this ship looks very not atmospheric.
Better. More Blacktron and less wasp-looking.
Yip, so much better.
Only the yellow on the cockpit bothers me. I'll probably make those parts black, and add a one-plate-thick stripe lower down.
I'll also build a cargo pod.
For a vehicle to fit in the cargo pod- how about a recolored 30663 Space Hoverbike?
Edit: the rover's wheel rims ought to be yellow.
@Huw , Great job! Your mods restore Blacktron’s sinister tone. I’m not into Blacktron, but if I were, I’d get this set and duplicate much of what you’ve done.
@WizardOfOss said:
"Mixed feelings. The surround of the cockpit, absolutely, black looks so much better. It just looked weird as at was. When I get the set, I totally see myself doing those same modifications.
As for the lines....not so much. While more black makes it look more sinister, it also makes it look kinda like just a flat black blob. The container, even when I like the idea, only enhances that."
Apart from Star Wars, LEGO generally has an aversion to big blobs of colour. I don’t know if the designers are specifically told to avoid it, but I believe it’s because it looks flatter and makes the model harder to market when consumers can’t easily see what’s what. When you have a set in hand though, it’s often a different story. Breaking up areas of one colour using two or more can make it too busy which is the problem with this ship as sold IMO.
Like this type of mod article - in the spirit of Lego as a toy, not a display piece. Really inspiring to see what could be done without a total rebuild.
If you feel like doing more pod types, or others submitting them, I'm here for it
It's too bad the Bright Yellow parts can't all be replaced by Vibrant Yellow! :-)
Love this article. Would love to see more like this. Or articles with rebuilds like you used to have on the back of the boxes. That would be ace too.
I like both colour variations. But I prefer the Rover in the middle.
@Ridgeheart said:
" @560heliport said:
"It's too bad the Bright Yellow parts can't all be replaced by Vibrant Yellow! :-)"
You should make an Ice Planet mod instead, because you are ON THIN ICE."
You have made a powerful enemy this day.
It’s still 2024, but this is already the most talked about set of 2025. Love it!
the cargo module is a really great improvement here. if only we had instructions...
@AllenSmith said:
"I concur that this color scheme is better and more faithful to the original.
The cargo container on 6954 was much taller than the body of the ship. You could make your new container bigger and remain prototypical.
The sensor array on the front is the other element that bugs me. It was more dainty and greebled in 6954. The one in 10355 reminds me of a battering ram with train buffers. "
Indeed, the cargo container is WAY too flat. It needs volume.
Otherwise the colourway is more cool and elegant - as the original.
I loved the look of the lattice girders on the out of the box version. Gives it a very dark industrial look. Adding more to the cargo pod is a fantastic idea. Looks awesome! You need to put some mod instructions together for your final version.
Thanks to @Huw for the great work!
@Ridgeheart said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
" @560heliport said:
"It's too bad the Bright Yellow parts can't all be replaced by Vibrant Yellow! :-)"
You should make an Ice Planet mod instead, because you are ON THIN ICE."
You have made a powerful enemy this day."
Make peace with your icy gods, for today is the day they die."
I'm Minnesotan. I ain't scared of cold!
375-2 in Vibrant Yellow. Got it.
Completely agree with the yellow surrounding the canopy as well as the main yellow stripe being changed to black. The rest I was fine with the stock design. And I even begin to understand why they did things the way they did. You do tend to lose some detail by taking away yellow--especially the lattice frames, which I love. They tend to just blend in with the surrounding black.
While I appreciate the attempt at a cargo bay, I love the new rover and the cargo bay sacrifices a lot of playability. Maybe if there were still a rover in it. The new remake also feels a bit more spindly but also more blocky than the original. Less menacing, more utilitarian--which makes it look like more of a cargo ship in general. I guess that's fine, Blacktrons need to move stuff around, too... But it's a little less sleek than I want. It's a great set, though, and I'm fine with the few modifications I plan to make to it.
Existing set: *literal coolest thing ever*
Huwbot: this fudging sucks actually
The color scheme is definitely better in your fixed version, but personally I'm a fan of the rover storage in the unmodified set. Something about that just feels very satisfying.
This makes me want to “dust off” Spaceship Spaceship and see if can adjust some minor points there as well. A good reminder of bricks being made to build and rebuild, would love more similar pieces (hah) for next year. Gardens of the World certainly seem to lean in to it, as does the current ads for Animal Crossing with houses changing parts
This kind of tweaking and recolouring is exactly the kind of thing I love doing with my official LEGO sets. Whether they end up looking better or worse it doesn't really matter. It's all about enjoying yourself. That's what LEGO's all about after all.
I actually prefer Lego's version, the second, while cool, does look far more like a Batman vehicle and far more muted.
Changing the cockpit surround from yellow to black will be the only mod I'll make to mine.
@dukedishin said:
"the cargo module is a really great improvement here. if only we had instructions..."
Do it!
Looks good both ways. Still a cool model.
Would be very curious to see:
- Blackening of the roof tile knobs only and
- Putting a band of yellow back on the cockpit.... maybe the slopes
Something to endlessly tinker with.....which I shall when I can ;o)
On a more serious matter (in which comment 63 just isn't gonna cut it so I will probably cut and paste this a few times in different reviews - spaceships or not!), I would like to get a conversation started about including a:
SWOOSHABILITY SCORE
- I think it is time.
- It should be entirely subjective, entirely the reviewers opinion. The audience can make of it what they will.
- I think it should be out of 10 - enough scope to differentiate between for example ..... a Y-Wing (Flying Shed) and a Sopwith Camel :o), or on the other hand.... the Milano and a Naboo Starfighter.
- It will of course give us a whole new subject to ........... comment about.
- Should helicopters be included?
There will be questions. Such as does a big, slow cargo ship even qualify? Can slow but graceful arcs even be described as 'swooshing'? Is it physically possible to swoosh the UCS Millennium Falcon? And if it is, structural integrity withstanding, would that be the best SWOOSH ever? Imagine the videos of people doing this outdoors - and not feeling remotely silly. For day-to-day swooshing I prefer the living room. Plenty of stuff to narrowly avoid and also some good spontaneous landing spots.
I bet most of us swoosh - especially when it's freshly built. Where's the harm in adding some fun to life.
What do you say Brickset Gang?
@yellowcastle said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
"It's darker, and contains a container.
And yet, I don't think I like this shadowbox-version better, sorry."
I don't know about that. I appreciate both versions. I myself can't wait for them to remake a set from the best Space theme, Galaxy Squad."
I was thinking of GS when I said Space Police was 'perhaps' the best.
Thank you for sharing your mods @Huw.
Replacing the yellow bricks around the cockpit with black ones immediately improves upon the stock version. I still find the stock canopy piece making the cockpit section really squashed, however, especially when viewed sideways. Definitely prefer the canopy piece / cockpit design of Blacktron Cruiser 40580 with its proportion and silhouette.
I also find the gap between cockpit section and the sensor array section too wide and open. Would have preferred the use of angular plates to close the gap up.
The reduction of visible yellow pieces does make the model represents its Blacktron identity better.
@beatnik said:
"Looks good both ways. Still a cool model.
Would be very curious to see:
- Blackening of the roof tile knobs only and
- Putting a band of yellow back on the cockpit.... maybe the slopes
Something to endlessly tinker with.....which I shall when I can ;o)
On a more serious matter (in which comment 63 just isn't gonna cut it so I will probably cut and paste this a few times in different reviews - spaceships or not!), I would like to get a conversation started about including a:
SWOOSHABILITY SCORE
- I think it is time.
- It should be entirely subjective, entirely the reviewers opinion. The audience can make of it what they will.
- I think it should be out of 10 - enough scope to differentiate between for example ..... a Y-Wing (Flying Shed) and a Sopwith Camel :o), or on the other hand.... the Milano and a Naboo Starfighter.
- It will of course give us a whole new subject to ........... comment about.
- Should helicopters be included?
There will be questions. Such as does a big, slow cargo ship even qualify? Can slow but graceful arcs even be described as 'swooshing'? Is it physically possible to swoosh the UCS Millennium Falcon? And if it is, structural integrity withstanding, would that be the best SWOOSH ever? Imagine the videos of people doing this outdoors - and not feeling remotely silly. For day-to-day swooshing I prefer the living room. Plenty of stuff to narrowly avoid and also some good spontaneous landing spots.
I bet most of us swoosh - especially when it's freshly built. Where's the harm in adding some fun to life.
What do you say Brickset Gang?"
I love this idea!
Helicopters? Hmm... Maybe a "whop-whop-whop-whop-whop" score?
@560heliport said:
" @beatnik said:
"Looks good both ways. Still a cool model.
Would be very curious to see:
- Blackening of the roof tile knobs only and
- Putting a band of yellow back on the cockpit.... maybe the slopes
Something to endlessly tinker with.....which I shall when I can ;o)
On a more serious matter (in which comment 63 just isn't gonna cut it so I will probably cut and paste this a few times in different reviews - spaceships or not!), I would like to get a conversation started about including a:
SWOOSHABILITY SCORE
- I think it is time.
- It should be entirely subjective, entirely the reviewers opinion. The audience can make of it what they will.
- I think it should be out of 10 - enough scope to differentiate between for example ..... a Y-Wing (Flying Shed) and a Sopwith Camel :o), or on the other hand.... the Milano and a Naboo Starfighter.
- It will of course give us a whole new subject to ........... comment about.
- Should helicopters be included?
There will be questions. Such as does a big, slow cargo ship even qualify? Can slow but graceful arcs even be described as 'swooshing'? Is it physically possible to swoosh the UCS Millennium Falcon? And if it is, structural integrity withstanding, would that be the best SWOOSH ever? Imagine the videos of people doing this outdoors - and not feeling remotely silly. For day-to-day swooshing I prefer the living room. Plenty of stuff to narrowly avoid and also some good spontaneous landing spots.
I bet most of us swoosh - especially when it's freshly built. Where's the harm in adding some fun to life.
What do you say Brickset Gang?"
I love this idea!
Helicopters? Hmm... Maybe a "whop-whop-whop-whop-whop" score?
"
I say, “Swoosh and/or whop-whop on!”
While tinkering with 2 and 3 stud long interfaces between 10355 and 40580 , I suddenly noticed an interesting fact: 10355 connector cross sections have exactly the same shape as 2022-2024 city space "airlocks" (Bricklink 49699).
It would be quite easy to mod an interface allowing 10355 elements to connect seamlessly to city space
@Ridgeheart said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
"It's darker, and contains a container.
And yet, I don't think I like this shadowbox-version better, sorry."
I don't know about that. I appreciate both versions. I myself can't wait for them to remake a set from the best Space theme, Galaxy Squad."
I was thinking of GS when I said Space Police was 'perhaps' the best."
Well now, it's been a while since I've been in a Martian stand-off."
Pew-pew. SC shot first!
I'm neither a fan of the original 6954 nor of the remake in the form LEGO is going to release.
But your mod @Huw imho massively improves the design. I would buy the set if it came like that out of the box. LEGO could sell both the rover as well as the B-model Alienator 2.0 as separate sets to make a new mini Blacktron wave.
When you get the pod tuned up and rover figured out, please post instructions and partlist!
Could, but sadly won't... it's a cynical play to make you buy more big expensive sets, like how building all three builds on 10497 required you to buy either THREE $100 sets or drop a ton of money at PAB or Bricklink.
Hmmm... Blacktron hauling off old abandoned Cityspace relics to build a base on the cheap and down-low?
definitely have to change the cockpit area. the rest will see.
Oh wow that’s exactly the changes I would make! It looks just like I imagined!
Excellent work, Huw. Now I just have to bookmark this somehow. I haven’t really kept up with “bookmarks” in browsers, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out.
No no no no no! What have you done?!?
I loved this set just the way it was!
Then you went and improved it. Now I don’t know what to think
I like the amount of yellow they’ve added just fine - if anything, the OG was too unyellow for my tastes - and I adore the rover mechanism, but this is executed as nicely as a version with less yellow and more black could be, I think. Kudos!
The one thing I’m considering changing is that I really liked the dimensional and dynamic look of the yellow tubing on the original, so I might end up adding just a touch *more* yellow if I can track down the parts… :)
amazing mod!
it definitely captures more of that 'stealth craft' vibe from the og with just enough small accents to make it recogniseable.
and the pod is great too, the craft could bee made to pick up all sorts of things.
1) I definitely like the recolour and the one around the cockpit was the most needed (if only one mod has to be done).
2) In the original, the pod is much taller than the rest of the craft. I don't mind the big rover at all; so by covering the back of the rover with an hinged box (opening in the middle), you should get the same look. Your pod, will force you to have a very small rover. The current rover would also need to be de-yellowed a bit.
@Huw this might be impossible due to space requirements but I always thought it would be nice to have a place where people could showcase official sets mods.
@Diamondback_Six said:
"Could, but sadly won't... it's a cynical play to make you buy more big expensive sets, like how building all three builds on 10497 required you to buy either THREE $100 sets or drop a ton of money at PAB or Bricklink."
That's an odd way to look at it. Would you rather they didn't develop alternative builds for this and the Galaxy Explorer? To me, the alternative builds simply add value in the form of free instructions, and I felt no need to buy more than one copy of 10497 for myself.
@Aanchir said:
"It does surprise me a bit that this redesign doesn't include any hoses. Those struck me as one of the most conspicuous details from the original that was absent in the new version, and hoses/cables of some sort seem like they'd be an especially cool detail now that the Renegade includes actual fuel cells for them to connect to."
In a YouTube interview by MiniSuperHeroesToday ( around 20:39 ), the set designer says that they tried having hoses but they would always disconnect during play.
First off, thank you so much for doing this - whether folks like it or not, it helps us all figure out if we want to do something like this and helps us get a head start on ordering parts if need be.
As for me. I'm torn - removing all that yellow makes everything pop less and obscures the interesting lines and angles of the build somewhat. But it absolutely makes it look more like Blacktron and more like the original sets - and it restores the mystery and menace that's so great about BT.
Personally I really like the rover - I think the "catch and release" mechanism is far superior to the original' mechanism for the cargo container. And I think the lack of a container here allows the rover to have so much more detailing and functionality - the original rover is comically tiny given the size of the container and ship necessary to hold it. And I think the same will be the case with any vehicle you could design to fit the new container, impressive-looking as it is.
But for me all these modes are just so joyful because this is what Lego is all about, and it's great to have real photos to show how we can make this more authentically Blacktron-like.
Thanks for sharing this mod. I intend to modify my own too, thought I will retain most of the yellow. The issue I have with how the official version uses yellow is that it's busy: you have some big blocks and you have a lot of smaller spots and some horizontal lines and some vertical lines and different textures... it's too much. The 40580 Blacktron Cruiser in contrast has mainly one horizontal line slicing/underlining the whole model and a few well placed logos to break up the black monotony. Nice and clean.
Really enjoyed your take on recoloring 10355 to give it a more Blacktron-like aesthetic! I myself would not have so completely de-yellowed the cockpit surround, but that's just a matter of preference. Building a cargo hold to swap in for the large rover is also something I'll enjoy doing; given the modular nature of the Blacktron lineup having both options seems very appropriate. I seldom leave sets I really like exactly as the instructions direct, since fiddling around to "improve" things gives me so much pleasure. (My version of The Black Pearl has twice as many cannons, better ways to get topside from the gun deck, several cabin details stolen from other ships, and is half again as long as the stock model. The conversion was expensive, yes, but what satisfaction I got from it!)
I'm sorry but this looks worse than both the original Renegade and the official remake. Both have very deliberately placed yellow accents that are stronger/larger in certain spots and draw the eye's attention.
This one has too many same size/shape accents too uniformly spread out, and as a result it looks very bland.
I'm still thinking 'secondary cockpit'/'twin-Mustang style'...plus, I'm gonna lose the 'traffic signs'...don't know if I'll darken the ship up as much, but I do see a bit of the point.:)
I don't have any of the original Blacktron range as I preferred the Classic Space sets, so my opinion probably doesn't count for anything. However, an impartial observation may interest some.
In Huw's review he mentioned the original was about 10% yellow and the new version is perhaps 25% yellow. Comments such as "yellowtron" are therefore rather ridiculous as it is still at least 75% black, so definitely "blacktron"
I would agree the cockpit of the new version has too much yellow. It draws the eye too much and makes it look like an added on afterthought by a different designer, rather than an integral part of a single ship. Perhaps it is taking the modular aspect too far.
On the other hand, Huw's recolouring goes too far in removing yellow. The new version is far larger than the original and the few remaining yellow accents are lost in a sea of black. At the larger scale it needs more yellow to break it up, and highlight the detail and shaping of the ship.
Main realisation here is that LEGO could have/should have included a modular cargo pod in addition to the rover to enhance playability and modifiability of the set further.
I agree with some other commentators that removing the yellow around the cockpit only shows that it serves a purpose in the orginal. It helps the trans-yellow pop against the black of the ship.
Thank you all for your comments. Clearly some prefer the out of the box model and others my version, and that's perfectly fine. My aim was not to please everyone, only myself, and showcase what's possible should you wish to modify your own when you get it.
I do intend the rebuild the rover once parts arrive so will have the option on stowing either the cargo hold or it in the docking bay.
I don't intend to produce instructions but I will photo all the yellow parts I stripped off so you know what needs to be replaced with black.
@Huw said:
"Thank you all for your comments. Clearly some prefer the out of the box model and others my version, and that's perfectly fine. My aim was not to please everyone, only myself, and showcase what's possible should you wish to modify your own when you get it.
I do intend the rebuild the rover once parts arrive so will have the option on stowing either the cargo hold or it in the docking bay.
I don't intend to produce instructions but I will photo all the yellow parts I stripped off so you know what needs to be replaced with black."
I think it’s an excellent update.
I didn’t realise how much of a fine art, the amount of yellow on a Blacktron vehicle is, until I modified my classic space 6927 All-Terrain Vehicle into Blacktron colours on my YouTube channel…
…and got a lot of comments telling me it was too yellow!
4 articles already for a set not even yet released. Someone open the record books. :o)
We are now taking requests for the next article:
1) Photos of the Renegade in different arrangements with recent modulars.
2) Customizing the Renegade by replacing all the black with yellow.
3) A Closer Look: Why the Dutch hate Space Police
@Sandinista said:
"That’s actually way better "
It's even better than the 1987 original.
@Huw said:
"Thank you all for your comments. Clearly some prefer the out of the box model and others my version, and that's perfectly fine. My aim was not to please everyone, only myself, and showcase what's possible should you wish to modify your own when you get it."
This article really underlines how much better the revamped version could and should have been. I hope they'll make the minifigs available outside of this and the previously released Blacktron remake, so I can pad out my OG Blacktron squad, because I don't think I'll be getting this set.
@yellowcastle said:
"2) Customizing the Renegade by replacing all the black with yellow."
Yes! I want to see that!
@yellowcastle said:
"3) A Closer Look: Why the Dutch hate Space Police"
Do we? I'm just indifferent....
Needs a rebrickable and/or parts list, this is awesome, the cargo looks great, and goes back to the previous post of hoping there are many modules and things designed to work with the blacktron.
Nice job, Huw - looks much better to my eyes now.
I think the cockpit in particular is much improved - the use of all that yellow near the trans-yellow cockpit canopy didn't look right to me.
As mentioned elsewhere, the left sensor array on the new version looks more like a stubby battering ram so any modifications I might make (digitally as I have too many issues with the new model to actually buy it) will be related to making the sensor array a bit more sleek. Maybe the neck behind the cockpit needs to be longer than the left neck as well.
As for the modifications in this article, I believe the cargo pod should indeed be a bit bigger and more angular instead of relying on the girder pieces.
The color is better, but it's still to bulky, the hull is still symmetrical and the cargo bay is to flat.
"Look, I turned a Lego set into something I like better". I enjoy reading about that (and the comments), but isn't that what the core idea behind Lego is? Sets seem to be more fixed ideas than a heap of bricks you can build your own with.
Greatly improved in my opinion! I was already planning to buy 2 copies to use pieces from the second copy to do something like this and to give it a second cockpit. I’m Dutch after all and an engineer to that, so I love me some dual cockpit symmetrical spaceships!
I liked the original version. I didn't see any reason to make any changes. I think you changing the cockpit area works really well to convey the old style Blacktron scheme. The yellow stripe is prominent, but I didn't notice an issue with it. I think you removing it is more representative of the original theme. But I think in the end I'll just leave it as it is.
I like the addition of the rover, but the cargo works well too.
I think an ideal cargo pod should be compatible with the modular system, so one could add to the ship's asymmetrical-ity by putting it behind the cockpit, or extending the battering ram. *punch*
A lot better!!!!! THANKS
@Huw said:
"Thank you all for your comments. Clearly some prefer the out of the box model and others my version, and that's perfectly fine. My aim was not to please everyone, only myself, and showcase what's possible should you wish to modify your own when you get it.
I do intend the rebuild the rover once parts arrive so will have the option on stowing either the cargo hold or it in the docking bay.
I don't intend to produce instructions but I will photo all the yellow parts I stripped off so you know what needs to be replaced with black."
I may have to make a feature request to be able to change my vote on the reveal article's poll. Your version has definitely brought this set up to a "Yes, as soon as it's released" vote in my book!
As I miss the cargo too, I thought about simply add a cover to the large central veichle.
In this way I maintain the original veichle and save the appearance of the assembled ship with a prominent cargo area. And this requires few extra parts and building work.
The area is a bit small considering the starship size but still effective.
Obviously inside the bay there is a little wheeled veichle for fast explorations.
When reading the original review I found the complaints of too much yellow to be a bit pedantic, but you're right. When swapped for black it looks SO MUCH better!
I try to give CITY Space 2024 color scheme for it. MAYBE...
Blacktron 2 is also possible. I have 3 mutants.
Not sure I will modify mine when I get it as it would be an extra expense to get replacements in that one color, but I do admit it looks better. The addition of more black pieces throughout and the cargo pod is an excellent upgrade. I wonder if getting two of them would allow for a slightly larger equally sturdy and more black version of the ship as well?
I like the effect on the total ship , @Huw. As for the container, I am divided: Blacktron are not renowned for cargo hauling. Their reputation for spying and information gathering precedes them, and having a rover for rapid infiltration meets the brief here.
You could make the argument for them using it for smuggling contraband bricks and illegal techniques across the galaxy, in which case you might wish to extend the depth of the cargo pod downwards, to reach ground level when the landing gear are deployed. This could increase the capacity, with room for additional figures to man a communications bay.
Now I'm torn on the regular retail version.
Still really want it, but it does now look more salient how the color blocking might be off on the remake.
Still I will eventually buy it because it's Space in 2024.