30 Minutes Missions EEMX-17 Alto (Dark Gray) by Bandai - First Impressions

I purchased this model kit to see how it looks with 15mm scale miniatures. Also, building scale models is something I've been wanting to get back into and big stompy robots are as a good place to start as any. This is an initial look with general product information, a description of the build process, and a few comments on its potential for tabletop gaming. I also have a couple of accessory kits for this model that I plan on featuring in a follow up post.

Alto covering 15mm "Earth Exploration Team" members.

Bandai's 30 Minutes Missions (30MM) line is intended as a starting point for getting into Gundam models. The kits in this line are priced lower than comparable Gundam models since they aren't tied to that franchise and its associated licensing fees. A selling point of 30MM is the relative speed and ease of assembling a kit without sacrificing quality.

Bandai created its own lore for 30MM, based around an alien invasion. I'm not versed in Gundam lore, but I have picked up the broad strokes of the franchise over the decades it's been around. Even I can recognize that the Alto is loosely based on the concept of the GM - a mass produced unit deployed in quantity by an Earth-based military against a threat from space.

30MM is named for the amount of time it's supposed to take to assemble a kit. I took closer to an hour. Inexperience played a role, but I also found myself going slow to savor the process. Note that I still need to clean up the nubs left from clipping off the parts.

Close up of backpack. Note the holes where accessories can be attached and the melee weapon in the left hand.

The sprues (or runners) are laid out intuitively. Each runner holds parts of a particular color or type of plastic. Parts that go together on the model are grouped together on the runners. This reduces the need to squint and hunt for parts spread around a runner.

I choose the dark gray and black color scheme as something that would be plausible for a unit with a low observable coating. Military colors - green and tan - are available. These also come in brighter colors. I'm tempted to get the Alto's counterpart - the Portanova - in red or blue. I may see how well the plastic takes spray primer and paint sometime down the road.

Trying a more daring pose to test the articulation.

Although the Alto is a 1/144 scale model, it works well enough with 15mm miniatures using an eyeball comparison. It looks like there should be just enough space for a cockpit big enough for a 15mm scale pilot in the chest. It might be a tight squeeze, though - certainly not as roomy as some mecha cockpits I've seen in various media. I'll have to dig out more of my 15mm collection for further comparison.

Of course, the whole issue of "where's the cockpit?" can be dodged by declaring it a remotely piloted or AI controlled drone. That might be enough justification to make it work with 28mm scale miniatures. It might work as a major threat to a band of adventurers in a sci-fi RPG game.

The Alto is well articulated and stays in a pose without "drooping" - at least, when the joints are new. There is a good amount of detail, considering that this is supposed to be a starter model. The holes are attachment points for additional parts. That offers the ability to customize the model for a particular role - sniper, command vehicle, close combat variant, etc. Two option kits came in the bundle that I ordered - I'll post a follow up after I get a chance to assemble and play around with them.