Build Journal: Hecaton 1.7

Eight years ago I posted a look at my Hecaton frames.  Then three and a half years after that I posted an update.  Now, with even more new parts available, I've gone back to update them yet again.

The main change to the body is the use of Rounded Plates in the legs.  This saves a total of four pieces.  I also changed the arms to Bar Holders w/Clip instead of the Exo-Force Arms as the colors and availability align a bit better with what I'm trying to do.  I also decided to make the Attachments more in line with the way I've been making them for other Frame designs.  If you're unfamiliar with this idea, that means I make them out of different colors and parts than the ones on the base Frame.  I also put together a Soldier archetype to finally get a handle on the Attachments for the squad.

Right side view.  This gives a clearer look at the Direct Fire (gun) and Movement (levitator) attachments.

Left side view.  This gives a clearer look at the Spotting (antenna array) and Defensive (armor plate) attachments.

Recon by Fire.  This is my old White Hecaton updated with the new

parts and colors to fit in with the new direction for the squad.

Brawler.  My old Red Hecaton updated to the new standards.

Now all I have to do is create Single Shot Rockets and

Stations to finally finish this squad after almost a decade.

Flickr page.

Build Journal: Hecaton 1.5

Two and a half years ago I posted a look at my Hecaton frames.  Quite recently, while trying to build another, I discovered a modification that was not possible at the time the original frames were constructed.  Using Axle Towballs and Mod. Plates w/Small Towball Socket on Side gives more room to maneuver than using Pneuma T's and Double Clip Plates.



Black 1.

This isn't a major modification, hence the 1.5 designation, but it does give me a few more options than the old way of doing things.

Black 2, I changed the loadout slightly.

White.

Red.

Lime.

This also gives me a chance to debut the newest Hecaton build.

Blue.

Another Hand-to-Hand specialist, what a surprise.  :-)

The Evolution of a Frame

I keep all my pictures.  I keep a lot of stuff really.  I'll admit it, I'm a packrat.  This does allow me to look back at the things I've built and track their progress over time though.  I've been doing a lot of building and picture taking lately.  Some new, some old.  Quite a few of the pictures I took recently were of my Hecaton frames.  This led to me modifying one of them and stumbling into a design secret I wasn't aware of.  Let's go back to the beginning and see how it all evolved, shall we?

This is the part that inspired the initial builds.

From left to right we have Melee, Artillery, and Direct Fire models.  The frame evolved pretty quickly and the three versions you see above are basically how it changed over time.  Although the black version initially had the legs attached underneath like the white version. The leg joint on the white and red mechs is taken from here and really helps with poseability. The original, on the black, had limited flexibility.

Here's links to a few shots of the frames posing; White kneeling, Black walking, Red in Leaning Stance.  After that a fourth design came along.  Taking new pictures of all four frames last weekend led to a discovery.  You can remove the arm sets and swap them between frames.  When I initially built this design this never really occurred to me.  I just built them specifically for each mech.  Swapping arms gives us this fun design.

It also allows us to this.

I'm not too happy with that picture, so expect a new version sometime in the future.  Along with Spotting and Movement options for arm plug-ins.

As I'm just beginning to discover, the Hecaton is a modular, multi-purpose frame that lends itself to multiple loadouts.  It's also roughly the same size as the ubiquitous Chub.

So look through the following pictures galleries and see if the Hecaton inspires you.

Hecaton Frame set on Flickr.  Brickshelf gallery.