LEGO instruction booklet cover depicting a space minifig piloting a two-legged exploration vehicle with arms, holding tools

#6848 Strategic Pursuer

#6848 Strategic Pursuer from 1988 was a present from one of two possible friends on my birthday ’90. That same birthday I also got two other sets that we’ve already built here on the Hyggebygge blog: the Space Police Mission Commander from my parents, and the M-Tron Pulsar Charger from the other friend. I just don’t know which friend gifted which set! Nevertheless, it was a good birthday as I substantially expanded my LEGO space collection!

Instruction booklet, covering minifigure build and steps 1 to 4 Yellow space minifigure with helmet and visor The octagonal base of the vehicle housing

The Futuron sub-theme that LEGO was running at the end of the ’80s has white as the dominant colour, with accents of black pieces and trans-dark blue canopies.

Instruction booklet, covering steps 5 and 6, building the articulated robotic arms with clips for holding items and attachment points for the legs The left robotic arm The right robotic arm

As you can see in the images, the white LEGO parts don’t age well; they are yellowed, and any bite-marks are extra prominent in photographs as they cast shadows. They looked really good when new though!

I think those legs of the walker may have been my introduction to SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques where brackets are used to position a section of the build sideways. I had built with brackets before this, but I don’t remember seeing it in such big parts of a build until this one.

Instruction booklet, covering steps 9 and 10, building the walker's legs

Isn’t it cute that the walker has a trans-dark blue middle toe of sorts?

Instruction booklet, covering steps 11 and 12, the upper part of the vehicle

Apparently this was my only childhood set containing white torch pieces, and one was missing when I rebuilt the set this time so I had to order replacement parts before I could finish it.

Instruction booklet, step 13, adding the transparent canopy and the minifigure
The pursuer pursuing something on the ground using its tools

Unfortunately the hinges doesn’t have enough friction to position the feet at desired angles, so the walker has to be either standing upright or leaning forward on some support. Also, the arms can’t carry much weight before the whole thing tips over. But I think it’s a nice little set nonetheless, and I appreciate that building it taught young me new ways of building with LEGO.