M-Tron

M-Tron
Release years:	1990-1991, 1993
Main theme:	Space
Colour scheme:	solid: transparent:
Concurrent faction(s):	Futuron, Blacktron, Space Police I, Blacktron Future Generation, Space Police II

M-Tron is a subtheme of the LEGO Space theme and started after Futuron in 1990 until 1993 along with Blacktron.

Overview

A large M-Tron presence in a catalog from 1991.

In an effort to increase interactivity, LEGO introduced magnets in the next Space theme, M-Tron, who took over the "civilian" role of the Futuron space agency. Vehicles in this set, distinctive for their red hulls, gray trim and neon-green canopies, are devoted primarily to mining out precious ores. They often featured crane-like attachments with magnets for picking up small cargo and storage boxes. These boxes, unfortunately, were generally not interchangeable.

M-Tron was the first major Space theme that did not include a base of any kind; all sets were vehicles.

M-Tron was also the last space theme to carry the LEGOLAND banner. LEGO System was the name used starting in 1992.

The Most Popular sets included the Stellar Recon Voyager and Mega Core Magnetizer as mentioned above. The Mega Core Magnetizer was the M-Tron's mobile base, that served as a home, repair station, and launching/landing center.

Features

Red and Black bricks is what defined the M-Tron. The transparent windshields and windows were trans-neon green.

M-Tron were the first to use magnets in their sets to hold containers, vehicles and parts together.

The minifigures shared the exact same uniform - White legs, red torso with a M logo, white arms, and a Black helmet with trans-neon green visor. The M-Tron also had robots, most notably in the Particle Ioniser. Many of the spaceships and vehicles carried smaller land or air based craft. Mainly of the four wheel type with a magnet on it to allow for attachment and pickup with a bigger M-Tron spaceship or vehicle.

The M-Tron, along with the Blacktron, showed weapons only in the form of vehicle based or the "loud-hailer" untensil parts.

Backstory

The M-Tron were depicted as a civilian nomadic style of mini-figs searching for the trans-neon green 1x1 rounds. The M-Tron were fairly peaceful except when encountering their opposite the Blacktron in the Future Generation theme as depicted in this 1991 cataloge picture. The M-Tron had no base units, only large space ships such as the 6956 Stellar Recon Voyager and 6989 Mega Core Magnetizer.

Sets

• Set title / UK title (Year)
• 6811 Pulsar Charger / Micro Bike (1990)
• 6833 Beacon Tracer / Inspection Buggy (1990)
• 6877 Vector Detector / Search Craft (1990)
• 6896 Celestial Forager / Astro Wrecker (1990)
• 6923 Particle Ioniser / Cosmicopter (1990)
• 6956 Stellar Recon Voyager / Star Cruiser (1990)
• 6989 Mega Core Magnetizer / Recovery Team (1990)

Other sets

• 6862 Secret Space Voyager - Super Set Instrutions only (1991), could be built by using parts from 6877, 6896 and 6923
• 1478 Mobile Satellite Up-Link (1991), part of US only 1476 5 Item Bonus Pack

Other appearances

• 6704 Space Mini Figures (1991), contained two M-Tron minifigures

Reference	Name	Released	Minifigures	Notes
1478	Stellar Buggy	1991	Space-Civilan
6811	Pulsar Charger	1990	Space-Civilan	25 elements.
6833	Beacon Tracer	1990	Space-Civilan	38 elements
6862	Secret Space Voyager	1991	3 Space-Civilans	300 elements
6877	Vector Detector	1990	Space-Civilan	59 elements
6896	Celestial Forager	1990	Space-Civilan	87 elements
6923	Particle Ionizer	1990	Space-Civilan	187 elements
6956	Stellar Recon Voyager	1990	2 Space-Civilans	221 elements
6989	Mega Core Magnetizer	1990	3 Space-Civilan	486 elements
9401	M:Tron Team	1993