Rock Raiders
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Rock Raiders was a theme that was released in 1999. It was based on space travelers/miners that got trapped at an alien planet. The theme consisted of 8 main sets, 4 promotional sets and 3 minifigure sets. There was also a video game based on the theme for both PC and PS1. Rock Raiders was discontinued after 2000.
Contents
Details
The eponymous Rock Raiders were a team of miners that searched for energy crystals in the underground. They had several specialized mining and transport vehicles at their disposal, and were based at various locations around Planet U, where they processed rocks to extract the powerful Energy Crystals with their refinery stations. During their excavations, they would occasionally encounter Rock Monsters (but these were only included in two different sets), Slimey Slugs, and numerous other monsters, who would often attack the Rock Raiders or their bases, usualy for Energy Crystals (though some, like Spiders and Scorpions, were mearley agressive towards the Raiders).
This was the second theme (the first was Adventurers Egypt) whose Minifigures were individual characters with names.
The setting had several elements that were reprised, and also somewhat further developed, in the Power Miners theme ten years later, such as the occurrence of Rock Monsters and Energy Crystals. Here, the Rock Monsters had just minor appearances and were not named characters, merely bearing the name "Rock Monster".
Rock Raiders introduced also several new pieces, such as the chrome drill, blade saw, hollow boulders and an electric light-producing cannon piece that served as a laser cutter.
The sets of the first wave, which were also the only ones of the theme that appeared in the catalogs, all included Rock Raiders comics. The models and minifigures of the respective set the comic was included in played a major role in the story.
Story
The Rock Raiders were traveling on their spaceship, the LMS Explorer, mapping the whole Galaxy. They had just finished their journey and were headed home, when they drove into an asteroid field. The ship was badly damaged, and, to make matters worse, a wormhole caught them in its gravitational pull. The fuel supply was drained in the failed attempt to escape, and the LMS Explorer was flung into a distant Galaxy. They found themselves around Planet U, a planet rich in mysterious Power Crystals. They sent down Rock Raiders to mine it, and sure enough, there were vast amounts of Energy Crystals to power and tons of Ore to repair the LMS Explorer, but they also encountered many alien creatures. The team would endure numerous hardships to obtain the Crystals, but they eventually triumphed, and successfully gathered enough Crystals to return home.
The three books further expand on this story, as well as the missions from the games.
Minifigures
- Axle
- Bandit
- Docs
- Jet
- Sparks
- Chief
- Unnamed Rock Raider (Seen in the video game, presumably the standard uniformed Rock Raiders crew member)
Creatures
Rock Monster
Rock Monsters are subterranean beings, who are made entirely of rock, with glowing red crystal eyes. They feast on the energy crystals used to power Rock Raiders vehicles, and are not aggressive unless their crystals are stolen. They are the most common enemy. They were also seen in LEGO Island 2 as a threat in the game. The best way to kill them is with a Laser Beam.
Ice Monster
They are similar to Rock Monsters, except that they are white and icy. They too feast on crystals, and can be found in the icy sections beneath Planet U. They are more aggressive than Rock Monsters, though not as strong. In a prototype image of one of the Rock Raiders sets, a Rock Monster was shown, except for the fact that it was white. This could have been an Ice Monster, or it could simply have been an unpainted prototype. The best way to kill them is with a Laser Beam. Ice Monsters only make a single appearance in the NTSC PS1 game.
Lava Monster
Lava Monsters are similar to Rock Monsters, except that they are hot and volcanic in appearance. They can be found in the underground molten lava caverns on Planet U. Though they have no instant-kill solutions like the above monsters do, the best way to kill them is with a Freezer Beam. Lava Monsters do not appear in the NTSC version of the PS1 game.
Slimy Slug
Slimy Slugs are very large slugs, though usually not as large as Rock Monsters (some rather large Slugs were seen at one point). They are large, green with some faint spots, and they eat crystals. Slimy Slugs can also be found on Ogel Island in LEGO Island 2, and push the player back when the player runs into them. The best weapon to use on them is a Pusher Beam.
Bat
Bats appear in the Rock Raiders PC video game. They scare Rock Raiders, and cause them to drop what they carry.
Small Spider
Spiders appear in the Rock Raiders PC video game. They randomly emerge when Rock Raiders are drilling. They cause the Rock Raiders in the area to slip and drop whatever they are carrying.
Large Spider
Spiders also appear in the Rock Raiders PS1 video game. Unlike the small variety, these are agressive, and will attack Rock Raiders. They can also spin Large Webs that only the Loader Dozer or the Pusher Beam can clear. There are also prototypes of them lying unused in the PC Game's files.
Purple Scorpions
Purple Scorpions are giant, about the size of Small Diggers. They will attack a nearby Rock Raider. They only appeared in the PS1 game. 3 shots from a Pusher Beam will kill them.
Green Scorpions
Green Scorpions are very similar to Purple Scorpions. However, they prefer to not attack directly; rather, they stand at a distance shooting plasma globules from their claws at the Rock Raiders. They only appeared in the PS1 game. 3 shots from a Pusher Beam will kill them.
Rockwhales
Also called Rock Whales, these massive 6-legged creatures lumber through the underground passages of Planet U. Though they do not usually attack, they can do a lot of damage, albeit unintentionally. There are 2 types: a large green type who moves slowly, and a smaller red type that can scuttle faster than most vehicles can move. They only appeared in the PS1 game and the book High Adventure Deep Underground. The only way to remove the large 'Whales is to use a Pusher Beam to move them into water, causing them to merge into the ground and form a bridge The small ones move too fast to use a Pusher Beam on.
Sets
- Released in 1999
- 4910 Hover Scout
- 4920 Rapid Rider
- 4940 Granite Grinder
- 4950 Loader-Dozer
- 4959 Loader-Dozer (same set as 4950)
- 4970 Chrome Crusher
- 4980 Tunnel Transport
- 4990 Rock Raiders HQ
- Released in 2000
- 1274 Light Hover (promotional set)
- 1275 Chainsaw Bulldozer (promotional set)
- 1276 Helicopter Transport (promotional set)
- 1277 Drill Craft (promotional set)
- 4930 The Rock Raiders
- 3347 One Minifig Pack - Rock Raiders #1
- 3348 One Minifig Pack - Rock Raiders #2
- 3349 One Minifig Pack - Rock Raiders #3
- Kabrock Rock Raiders 4-Pack
- RRMinifigs Rock Raiders Minifig Packs 3-Pack
Books
There were 3 books released: Save the Spaceship, Race for Survival, and High Adventure, Deep Underground.
Save the Spaceship
Plot coming soon
Race for Survival
Plot coming soon
High Adventure, Deep Underground
Plot coming soon
Original plans
On June 20th, 2000, Lugnet member Sergio Guerra discovered the original plans for the Rock Raiders theme [1]. Many elements are different, or left out entirely in the final theme.
- Different Elements
- A different standard Rock Raiders uniform, similar to Bandit’s uniform.
- Different hand-held drills.
- Different Chrome Crusher, with twin drills and no laser.
- Different Hover Scout, with two long antennas and pilot seat.
- Different Loader Dozer, with a Dune buggy look, and a drill.
- Different Granite Grinder, much sleeker look.
- Different Rock Raiders insignia, with a red cog, instead of a silver drill.
- The Large Vehicles' windscreens are silver, instead of brown.
- Tailed Rock Monsters.
- Original Elements
- Mobile Rock Raiders HQ.
- New insect-like vehicle.
- New six-wheeled vehicle, with two claws and three laser-like devices mounted on top.
- Some mysterious green aliens, slightly resembling those from Mars Mission (Lugnet claims they are Insectoids) traveling with the Rock Raiders.
.
Had the theme been more successful, these elements might have been reconsidered. Concept images and info in The Ultimate LEGO book are seen on pages 30-31.
