Random set of the day: Hydro Search Sub
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6180 Hydro Search Sub, released during 1998. It's one of 11 Aquazone sets produced that year. It contains 297 pieces and 4 minifigs, and its retail price was US$50.
It's owned by 918 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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31 comments on this article
Doesn't exactly look very capable of withstanding the pressures of the ocean, but we're also probably dealing with future tech.
How many times have we been blessed with two of the same theme, two days (not counting the vintage set on Saturday) in a row?
It's not the original yellow Aquazone submarine -- and it is cursed with Lego's late-90s features of blocky design and unusual colour pieces -- but as a submarine, I think it's still pretty frickin' cool.
Tubular tubes, green windscreens and chrome parts? Sold.
In 1998 I was growing out of System sets and into Technic, so I didn't care for the Hydronauts set designs at all, but those chrome blue helmets were amazing.
Imagine what they could do when redesigning this with more modern parts ...
I'm trying to think of a Han Solo joke to connect this to "Solo Sub" but can't think of anything really funny. But this set is great and looks to have lots of interior space. I like the side cockpits, which recall 6982 ; they seem functionally pointless (most realistically they could be navigators, but are two human navigators needed in a computer-loaded sci-fi setting?) give minifigures other than the pilot somewhere to sit and feel important. I wonder what's under the dome section. It looks like it might lift off into a separate craft?
Edit: I was right about the separation, but it's unfortunate how insubstantial (no pun intended) the aft of the sub is once the huge dome piece is detached.
This set (and two other (distinct) sets from the same theme) have part: 71594c01 Minifigure, Utensil Suction Cup Gun. I can see this being brought back and added to a proper Technic/Mindstorm/PowerUp set with a robotic vacuum suction arm to move items on an assembly line - Fischer Technik had something like that in the past in it was pretty cool. Never knew this part existed - not exactly cheap either on Bricklink.
In May 1998, I made all-A's on my grades in school for the entire year, so my dad rewarded me with a choice of gift up to $50 in value. Obviously, I was going to choose a LEGO set, but in 1998, I was torn between this set and 6584 Extreme Team Challenge. I had been in love with Aquazone since the first wave in 1995, and a recent comic in the LEGO MANIA Magazine had brought the Hydronaut characters to life in a way that made me want the sets more. So this submarine was an ideal target at $50 exactly! However, 6584 had the full team of Max, Rex, Alexis, and Dex, plus a monster truck with chrome pipes, plus a cool zipline tool, PLUS a raised baseplate. That baseplate just made it seem I got more bang for my buck than just the submarine on its own. I left the Toys R Us that day with 6584, and while I really enjoyed the set and got many happy hours of play with it, a part of me missed having that Hydro Search Sub! Especially as the year went on and the only 1998 Aquazone sets I got were the 6107 Recon Ray and the aforementioned and ill-received Solo Sub.
I made moves to correct that mistake in recent years. Before the pandemic, I trawled eBay and found a sealed European version of the set along with the incredible Stingray Stormer. I look forward to building them both so I can have them battle with their suction cup hoses!
I honestly thought this Random Set was repeated. Wow. Two from same theme, as mentioned, two days in a row. Amazing.
I know I got some Aquanauts, Aquasharks, and Stingrays sets, and I’m pretty sure I never got any Aquaraiders, but I’m stuck on whether or not I ever got a Hydronauts set. If I did, the previous RSOTD is most likely.
@MCLegoboy:
“Good Lord! That's over 5000 atmospheres of pressure!”
“How many atmospheres can the ship withstand?”
“Well, it was built for space travel, so anywhere between zero and one.”
I wish they'd bring back those octagonal bricks that Aquazone gave us. I always thought those were so cool.
Two Hydronauts sets (kind of) in a row??? I love randomness!
I actually like the look of 6175 (which is practically this set's precursor) a lot more design wise, but rethinking it, this set might be a slightly more realistic design proportion wise (or is it?).
So many tasty trans-dark green parts! The suction cup thingies are kinda fun, but not as cool as the original magnets. However I like their willingness for innovation at the time.
Awkwardly enough Hydronauts was called 'Aquanauts' in the German catalogues (there even was a full logo with the Hydronauts helmet) which was really confusing back then... However there has never been an official source to explain what the relation between the older Aquazone factions and the final 2 was. It almost seems that Hydronauts and Stingrays were in a different era and completely disconnected from Aquanauts/Aquasharks/Aquaraiders. The color scheme on the other hand seems suspiciously reminiscent of the Aquanauts...
This set (like 6199 ) contains all 3 Hydronauts characters: The commander Captain Hank Hydro ('Hydronaut 2'), the navigator Hip 'Muddy' Waders ('Hydronaut 1') and Crystal Miner ('Hydronaut 3') who's role isn't clear (she might be a pilot/mineralogist or simply the generic rookie).
The sole Stingray guy is Raven Ray, who is infamous of often getting caught by the Hydronauts due to his lack of experience. The Stingrays themselves are described as human mutants, who adopted to their aquatic life by developping gills and other fishy traits due to 'living too long underwater'.
@Atuin:
I’m pretty sure living underwater for too long would cause you to develop an acute case of death.
The search for hydro shouldn't be too hard, you're in a sub!
I wish we could have a daily Aquazone set every day forever.
It looks like classic space under water. I give it a thumbs up!
Wow! I sure do like this single vehicle, I hope it doesn't do something wacky like split in half into a base and a faster sub! Seriously though that is the best lego set feature of all time, highly lacking these days for some reason
@Zordboy said:
"How many times have we been blessed with two of the same theme, two days (not counting the vintage set on Saturday) in a row?"
Same faction in the same theme no less.
Only got this set in my AFOL life (disposable income is really kind of great like that) as the only one I got at the time was the the last RSotD we had and I can’t leave things alone like that. I like how chunky and solid it seems, not some lightweight exploration vehicle but a much more industrial heavy lifter
Great set! In 2008 (?) I bought the set new in box. Box was discoulored, but still a nice Experience.
@Brickalili said:
" @Zordboy said:
"How many times have we been blessed with two of the same theme, two days (not counting the vintage set on Saturday) in a row?"
Same faction in the same theme no less.
Only got this set in my AFOL life (disposable income is really kind of great like that) as the only one I got at the time was the the last RSotD we had and I can’t leave things alone like that. I like how chunky and solid it seems, not some lightweight exploration vehicle but a much more industrial heavy lifter"
Small faction too, only four sets featured the Hydronauts.
Lego should have stayed with angular, blocky designs. Its just way more unique and fun looking than todays "everything must be round" philosophy
@MrGurt said:
"Wow! I sure do like this single vehicle, I hope it doesn't do something wacky like split in half into a base and a faster sub! Seriously though that is the best lego set feature of all time, highly lacking these days for some reason"
It's only sometimes a thing in Ninjago, Monkie Kid and rarely in City, but it's gotten very rare. I miss it dearly too.
With space, aquazone and other sci-fi themes you used to have multiple vehicles split off from one large one so you had a base with a small fleet. You don't really get that anymore. Even just droppable bases or main ships that can serve as a base have barely been done in the last few years.
Looking through the archive, Monkie Kid seems to have used it the most recently with 80028, 80013 and 80023 (arguably).
There's also 60160 and 60125. 60195 might also count as a rudimental example. The last clear-cut example of a vehicle with a detachable section that's normally part of the whole vehicle (not just a container) and that's clearly a base are set 70750, 70738 and 70224
What I noticed is that nowadays we rarely if ever get anything like this outside of Ninjago, City and Monkie Kid, and sets with detachable sections to serve as a mini-base only happens in huge, super expensive sets. And more than before, these are now just one big thing instead of a bunch of smaller things and a core. If something does split off it's almost always another vehicle, usually just one. The most ridiculously overbuilt example is 80011. That set has a detachable section almost half the size of the huge vehicle!
With stuff like this you really feel just how few original themes have been left since about 2016.
@Zordboy said:
"How many times have we been blessed with two of the same theme, two days (not counting the vintage set on Saturday) in a row?"
@Norikins said:
"I'm trying to think of a Han Solo joke to connect this to "Solo Sub" but can't think of anything really funny."
Han Solo: ‘Never tell me the odds!’
Seeing all prints and no stickers somehow makes me happy.
Aquazone, the next Clikits ;-)
@bdc101: I wish we'd gotten enough Aquazone sets to let that happen.
I've only got one Aquazone set, but perhaps the most awesome (6195 Neptune Discovery Lab). Absolutely love it.
@Atuin said:
"The sole Stingray guy is Raven Ray, who is infamous of often getting caught by the Hydronauts due to his lack of experience. The Stingrays themselves are described as human mutants, who adopted to their aquatic life by developping gills and other fishy traits due to 'living too long underwater'."
Please tell me more of this lore. What about the other Stingrays characters who aren't in this set, what's their story? I've been fascinated by the Stingray faction for ages but honestly don't know the first thing about them!
@MrGurt said:
"Wow! I sure do like this single vehicle, I hope it doesn't do something wacky like split in half into a base and a faster sub! Seriously though that is the best lego set feature of all time, highly lacking these days for some reason"
I am always a bit disappointed when I find out that the big capital ships are just smaller ships stuck together...
@lordofdragonss:
What was that? Couldn’t hear you, on my way out the door to go buy all the Lightyear sets!
@ThatBionicleGuy said:
" @Atuin said:
"The sole Stingray guy is Raven Ray, who is infamous of often getting caught by the Hydronauts due to his lack of experience. The Stingrays themselves are described as human mutants, who adopted to their aquatic life by developping gills and other fishy traits due to 'living too long underwater'."
Please tell me more of this lore. What about the other Stingrays characters who aren't in this set, what's their story? I've been fascinated by the Stingray faction for ages but honestly don't know the first thing about them!"
Stingrays (Faction):
Red eyes glow in the black water. A creature quickly snatches a crystal and disappears into the ooze. The villainous creature is a Stingray! Once related to the Hydronauts, the Stingrays were never good at building things. So to survive, they took on the characteristics of fish and breathe through the bone in their helmet.
COMMANDER MANTA RAY (https://brickset.com/minifigs/aqu013/stingray-2):
As leader of the Stingrays, Manta is the sneakiest of the sneaky crystal stealers. Manta's secret of sneakiness - be quiet, blend in, and don't wear floppy flippers.
NAVIGATOR STINGER RAY (https://brickset.com/minifigs/aqu014/stingray-3):
Stinger is the group's navigator, but the Stingrays don't even have a compass. So sometimes Stinger has to leave a trail of clam shells to find his way.
RAVEN RAY (https://brickset.com/minifigs/aqu012/stingray-1):
Raven comes up with the best ideas for raiding crystals. But the other Stingrays have to rescue him when he goes off on adventures by himself.
STINGRAY STORMER (Set 6198):
This scary looking, sneaky, stingray-shaped ship is the slickest submarine the Stingrays have. Just like a real stingray, the Stormer's tail is a swinging stinging weapon. The ship's defenses also include harpoons and searchlights. Inside the Stormer, the Stingrays study crystals in the ship's science lab.
SEA SCORPION (Set 6160):
As dangerous as a scorpion's tail, this deep-sea vessel carries a sting of it's own with pinching claws and harpoons.
Source 2 (taken from German LEGO World Club Magazine Issue 3/6 May-June 1998):
The Stingrays:
Devious, devilish sea people, who lived on the seafloor for so long, they became half fish, half man. They even have gills! Even their underwater vehicles look more like animals ! They are always on the watch to steal the Hydronauts' crystals !
Set names:
6140 Stingray Fighter
6160 Stingray Lobster
6198 Stingray Super Rochen (translates as 'Super Ray')
No character names or descriptions were given, but the Time Cruisers comic featured the Stingrays in issues 5 and 6 of 1998. The Stingray leader was simply called 'Commander' (although one Stingray briefly referred to him as 'Grand Leader'). They comic also featured a -hydronauts scientist called 'Professor Hydronis', but he does not seem to be based on an existing minifigure. Since the Time Cruisers comic portrayed all minifigures in a somewhat realistic style, this gave an interesting portrayal of Commander Manta Ray... (look for yourself at https://emilyinternet.zone/realm/img/tc/10_4.jpg)
Also note, that the Time Cruisers audio drama mentions a vague time frame for the Aqauzone theme. The Aquanaut leader (who remained unnamed unfortunately) mentions to remember the construction of the Time Cruiser's time machines being 'a couple of decades ago'. Given that they were very specifically said to have been built in the year 3777 by Dr. Cyber, this would put Aquazone roughly in the 39th century.
The Exploriens/Spyrius era of Space was even further away in the future, but it was not mentioned specifically either. Pirates took place in 1602 (though that contradicts the Pirates audio dramas, that put it in the 18th century), Castle in 1199. Town and Paradisa would take place in either 1996 or 3777 (apparently nothing changed in between there...), Trains was set in 2000, whilst no specific year was said for Western.