MOC - Rock Raiders "Rubble Wrecker"

[Daedalus304]

Hello! Today I'd like to present a new Rock Raiders build I've put together, the goal with this one was to make something new that fit in with the official Rock Raiders line of sets - and the game as well! I've tried very hard to make sure it fits well into the Rock Raiders theme,  I've tried to make sure that the build style matches that of the existing sets and game models, and good, sturdy play features have been redesigned and reiterated until they felt like they worked just right.

The Rubble Wrecker is a bi-directional heavy transport vehicle, capable of sitting down in one spot and gathering large amounts of resources in its cargo hold. It can transport these resources itself, or fill up the cargo module used by the Tunnel Transport for even more efficient cargo transportation. The top section of the Rubble Wrecker is able to spin a full 360 degrees, and the crane allows it to collect resources that may otherwise be out of reach.

The cargo bed of the vehicle tilts to dump out all the rocks, ore, and crystals the raiders have obtained - and it is able to do so no matter which direction the cockpit is facing.
 

The crane has two modes, a free motion mode and a supported mode to keep the boom up at an angle. This little lock hinge is the trick to that. Raising the boom all the way up lifts this bar, which will support the crane arm in a lifted position. It's a sturdy little support, but all you have to do is push it back a little bit and the boom will regain its full range of motion.
 

 

If the Rubble Wrecker were in the game, of course it would need to have upgrades. I've designed two for it, both seen here in this render.

The Engine Upgrade swaps out the tires for a set of heavy-duty repulsor lifts that let it cross freely over both bodies of water and bubbling magma. When paired with a Tunnel Transport, it's easy to gather and move large amounts of supplies from anywhere in the cavern network!

The Scanner Upgrade increases the capabilities of the crane's bucket - a sonar system allows the crew to find and extract precious materials from underwater. In essence, it's a dredging upgrade!

A few more photos can be found on my Flickr page!

 

I've put together a set of PDF instructions for the Rubble Wrecker, which are freely available for anybody interested in building one. I've tried to make sure to avoid using too many hard-to-find parts, and I've attempted to match the design ethos of the original 1999 Rock Raiders sets.

The instructions are available in the Google Drive Folder below, you can download the PDF by itself or the "Instructions Pack" zip file which also includes a Parts List PDF and a Bricklink Wanted List XML.
Instructions for the Rubble Wrecker!

One step up from that folder, you can find the instructions I've made for every building and vehicle in the Rock Raiders PC Game!
Rock Raiders PC Building and Vehicle Instructions

I want these to be free for anybody who's interested in Rock Raiders. However, if you would like to donate a bit, I have a Ko-Fi set up now so you can do so. I do not expect you to do so! I'm happy to share the love of Rock Raiders.

 

 

[Autumn]

That's so cool. I like how you created a vehicle for a purpose that is missing from the line up. Also love mocs for vintage themes that look like they'd fit right in!

I saw the top half of the first image and thought it was a wrecking ball at first, maybe that's the next role to be filled.

[Slegengr]

It looks like it could have been an original set.  Funnily enough, I built a somewhat similar crane over 10 years ago for loading ore into a separate loader/dumper truck.
I like your use of tool clips at minifigure height.  Hopefully it was intentional that Axle was included as the driver and Bandit as the sailor for the upgraded version.

Including functional upgrades is a neat idea!  Being able to gain resources from water (maybe magma as well?) would be a nice benefit in the game.

Nice addition to one of my all-time favorite themes!