Forums of the Megaverse®

Ok,

continuing with my series of threads, I decided to move on to variable mecha. For this thread, I'm going to focus on the Spartas Hovertank. Just to again reiterate: Yes, there is speculative material in this post! Please don't post in this thread telling me as such as I could care less.


One of the lessons learned in the aftermath of the war with the Zentraedi was the increased need for high mobility mecha. Simply put, there would never be enough units to defend every potential target from aggression all the time. While the VF-1 Valkyrie proved adept at rapid response, its light armament often times lead to the rescuing team being cut to pieces by the more heavily armed insurgents. For a while, units composed of various Destroids were organized and sent out on search and destroy missions. Other tactics called for every town to receive one or two Destroids to supplement their civil defense, usually a Spartan and Defender. Ultimately, it was the fact that the Destroids were fairly slow-moving that lead to the shift in emphasis to smaller and faster mecha which had less reliance on heavy artillery. The first unit to fulfill the requirements of good firepower and high mobility was the Spartas.

Designed to be the transforming equivalent of the old Tomahawk-class Destroid in terms of raw power, the new hovertank exceeded everyone’s expectations. Unlike the older Destroids, which had not been designed from the start as multi-role platforms, the Spartas would serve as a battle taxi, recon/scout, rapid reaction counter-offensive vehicle, stand-off direct fire platform and close quarters combat mecha.

Armor-wise, the Spartas mounts good protection. Newly developed advanced composite laminar guards the mecha. Ablative shielding, capable of deflecting energy weapon attacks (laser, particle beam, plasma & ion), was added to the forearms. This gives the hovertank driver the option of parrying energy-based attacks while in Battloid mode. Some of this shielding was also added to the weapons housings, increasing the survivability of the mecha, mostly from preventing cook offs of the 105mm ammunition.

Despite being rather heavily armored, the Spartas is surprisingly agile. Not only does it maintain rather high speeds in all modes, it also has increased mobility due to the jump jets built into the mecha. In Gladiator mode, its least mobile form, it can swivel upon its legs as well as activate its jump jets (built into the feet) to execute a full 180 degree rotation. More than one enemy mecha learned the bitter lesson that a Spartas, even shot at from behind, is not to be easily taken in combat. Lateral and horizontal movement are both capable in all modes, due mostly to the hover jets. While not capable of firing the main gun while moving laterally (usually in Gladiator mode), secondary weapons can be employed (beam rifle, rapid-fire beam cannon).

As a battle taxi, the Transport Mode of the Spartas allows the driver to move to and from the battlefield, mounting or dismounting as needed. This allows for a greater degree of flexibility in combat situations, letting the ATAC troopers (as they are commonly known) serve as mounted infantry in some cases. This is especially useful in MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) as well as other constricted terrains such as the infiltration of an enemy starship. The second function of the Transport Mode was to serve as a reconnaissance vehicle. All ATAC troopers are capable of serving as Cavalry Scouts, moving well ahead of the usual Army formations and behind enemy lines. The final profile of is that of a rapid reaction counter-offensive unit. More than once during the 2nd Robotech War, ATAC squadrons have turned the tide in a ground engagement by being able to rapidly move from one operational area to another. This makes them ideal for Civil Defense as well.

The intermediate form of the Spartas, known as Gladiator (or Guardian) Mode is where the hovertank gets its tank designation. The main gun is utilized often in this mode, mostly for the simple reason it is the most stable. Mounting either a 105mm howitzer capable of throwing a depleted uranium anti-armor penetrator round down range (among other options) or a 220mm heavy particle beam cannon (after the -1A1 refit), the main gun of the Spartas is without peer. Whatever target is hit by this weapon rarely if ever survives. The stabilization of the cannon means that the driver can fire while the mecha is in mid-leap. Secondarily, the Spartas does mount a tri-barreled beam cannon, copied from the model mounted on the VF-8 Logan, capable of ground/anti-mecha suppression or even anti-aircraft fire. Woe be to the aerial mecha pilot who gets within range of this weapon.

Close Quarters Combat is the style of warfare most people associate with the mecha created by Robotech science. The Battloid Mode fulfills that role, giving the Spartas the capability of engaging other mecha, or even demobilized full-size Zentraedi, in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike the earlier Valkyrie, whose Battloid profile was at best its least capable function, the Spartas excels in this arena. The heavy armor plating stands it in good, as both the chest (with modest glacis slope) and the arms/weapon housings are shown to be able to withstand a great deal of punishment. One other mission profile that the Battloid mode offered was aerial insertion. Since the jump jets on the Spartas were quite powerful, allowing the mecha to stay aloft high inside the Earth’s atmosphere, those same jump jets allowed for the mecha to be dropped from an transport plane onto a battlefield.

Statistics
Designation: VHT-1 (A- Officer, B - NCO, & C - Enlisted) or VHT-1A1 (Officer’s Prototype)
Crew: 1 driver
Weight: 26.4 tons (dry)
Power plant: MT 842 Fusion Reactor; 8 Protoculture cells provides the fusion reactor with enough generating power to last approximately 3 months under combat conditions for all but the -1A1. The Officer’s Prototype needs 12 Protoculture cells (due to the power requirements of the 220mm beam cannon) and will last approximately 3 months under combat conditions.
Air supply: In situations where the driver must stay for an extended period of time in Battloid mode, the Spartas has the equivalent of a 2 week air capacity due to recycling.
Cargo capacity: A small arms/stores locker is located in the mecha, allowing the driver to cache items that could be necessary on a mission. This usually includes: 2 weeks freeze-dried rations, 5 gal. water (kept cooled by refrigeration unit), 5 signal flares, waterproof matches, small high intensity flashlight, emergency blanket, 30m of cord, combat/survival knife as well as a Wolverine Assault Rifle, Weasel auto-pistol, 3 magazines for each and 6 Cobalt and/or Frag Grenades.
Ammunition Storage: Both the VHT-1 and VHT-1A1 can store an additional 30 rounds for the 105mm smoothbore in the armored sleeve above the tri-barreled beam cannon assembly. The rounds can be accessed only in Transport or Gladiator modes. They must be moved by hand to reload the main gun.
Black Market Value: If recovered for the Anti-Unification League, a Spartas is generally worth some 2 million Merchant Republic Credits intact and 500,000 damaged. Given the nature of the world economy, the AUL rarely pays in hard currency but instead in barter (weapons, ammunition, land etc).

Transport Mode
Height: 2m
Breadth: 2.7m
Length: 6m
Maximum land speed: 161kph
Jet Assisted Jumps: 20m high and long
Max sustained hover height: 2.3m

Gladiator Mode
Height: 4m
Breadth: 2.25m
Depth: 7.75m
Maximum land speed (leaping/hopping): 13kph
Maximum land speed (hovering): 70kph
Jet Assisted Jumps: 20m high and long

Battloid Mode
Height: 6.2m
Breadth: 4.4m
Depth: 2m
Maximum land speed: 90kph
Hover: 300kph at 10,000m
Jet Assisted Jumps: 75m high and long

Armament Loadout
1 x 36mm tri-barreled beam cannon (fires in Gladiator and Battloid modes)
1 x 28mm beam cannon gun pod (fires in Transport and Battloid modes, rear protection in Gladiator)
1 x 105mm smoothbore (fires in Gladiator and Battloid modes)
Or
1 x 220mm heavy particle cannon (fires in Gladiator and Battloid modes)

Armament
1.) 105mm Liquid-Propelled Smoothbore Cannon (VHT-1 only): The main gun of the Spartas until the introduction of the 220mm particle cannon, this weapon devastated its intended target. Capable of utilizing a number of different munitions, the cannon is noteworthy for the fact that all of them are either wire or LiDAR guided. This means that the target could be struck even if it were off-center of the main gun, either above/below or to either side. More than one foe discovered too late that hiding behind battlefield terrain was no sure guarantee of safety. There is enough liquid propellant for 65 shots.
Ammo types
Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding-Sabot Depleted Uranium
Multi-Purpose Airburst Flechette
High Explosive Shaped Head
Proton Torpedo
Tactical Nuclear (50m blast radius ground burst contact)

or

1.) 220mm Heavy Particle Beam Cannon (VHT-1A1 Officer‘s Prototype): When it was decided to upgrade the Spartas, the military brass called for lessening of the logistical tail of their ATAC Regiments. An all energy-weapon platform would allow their units to stay far longer in the field than normal, lengthening the amount of time between re-supply. An improved particle beam cannon based upon those on the old Tomahawk-class Destroid was chosen for the task. One of the single most devastating mecha-borne weapons, the 220mm particle cannon literally destroyed whatever target was struck by its beam.

2.) Tri-barreled 36mm Beam Cannon: The Spartas, like all ground vehicles, has to deal with the very real threat of attack from aerial platforms. To give them a fighting chance, the mecha is outfitted with an identical copy of the Logan’s nose-mounted tri-barreled cannon. Capable of rapid-fire, it serves as ShoRAD (Short Range Air Defense) as well as ground forces/anti-mecha suppression fire. In Gladiator mode this rapid-fire cannon can be used during a lateral move, unlike the main gun, giving the Spartas the capability of counter-fire during a dodge maneuver.

3.) EPR-11 Artemis 28mm Beam Gun Pod: For Close Quarters Combat the Spartas, like other Veritechs, carries a gun pod. In this case, its the 28mm EPR-11 particle beam cannon. It is capable of both semi-automatic and rapid burst fire. While the Spartas is in Transport mode, the cannon is stored in a scabbard mounted to the hood (it forms the rear skirt in Battloid mode), capable of elevating to 45 degrees.

Addendum: Space Warfare Variant Type
As part of the VHT-1 development phase, it was felt the Spartas should be capable of being deployed into any environment in Transport mode if needed, namely outerspace. Additional thrusters were designed to supplement the hover jets in transport mode, high intensity spotlights and a transparent driver's station cover was added to help give the driver an atmosphere as well as with visibility. This modification was rarely used until the Second Offensive during the 2nd Robotech War.

Addendum: Air/Space Warfare Variant Type
Rarely used during the 2nd Robotech War, the Air/Space Type modification centered around deploying the Battloid Mode Spartas as Jump Infantry and/or a Space Battloid. Building on the already powerful jet pack thrusters built into the mecha, this allowed use in the upper atmosphere, where the Spartas could already operate in Battloid mode, as the blades could operate like control surfaces on an aircraft. Additional thrusters were emplaced on the back and feet, as well as Ajax-style vernier blades at the tips of the back mounted add-on permitted this modification to be used in space.

Spartas lineart with transformation sequence

Edit: Sprucing up the old post a bit as some house-cleaning.

RSCF - I definitely agree with you that the VHT should use Protoculture Cells. Even though I think 8 and 12 is a bit light, in my game it is 16 cells for the VHT, 8 for the AGACS and Logan with a Nuclear reactor style similar to what is found in the Alpha.

But with your setup, I really think that the VHT-1A1 would have the same amount of PC-Cells as the VHT-1A, just with a lower combat power life cycle - instead of 3 months 1 month, or something similar.

Nicely done, RSCF! I can't wait to see how you handle the Logan (ducks) and the AGACS!

Very good.But I have one question why was the VH's speed so slow in the rpg?

nice Write up.
do you think if the time-line was able to advance enough that the "Officers" model would eventually phase out all the older models?

also in one episode i remember Sean being assigned to a moth balled unit... or am i remembering wrong.

Yep, Sean did get assigned a moth-balled VHT, 'cause Dana took his after sean was demoted!

batlchip wrote:Very good.But I have one question why was the VH's speed so slow in the rpg?

In all honesty, I think because no one really paid attention to Southern Cross at that time.

also in one episode i remember Sean being assigned to a moth balled unit... or am i remembering wrong.

It was described as the oldest mecha unit they had when Sean was sprung from the Stockcade and looking for his mecha assignment (which was lost by a replacement pilot).

As a battle taxi, the Transport Mode of the Spartas allows the driver to move to and from the battlefield, mounting or dismounting as needed.

&

The intermediate form of the Spartas, known as Gladiator (or Guardian) Mode is where the hovertank gets its tank designation.

Interestingly enough the VHT-1 in these two modes has many of the criteria for being a Tank-Destroyer and not a Main Battle Tank. At least after some short research I did after seeing a strange Armored Track Vehicle on the History Channel with German markings (they where talking about WW2). I became a little bit curious about the basic design because it reminded me of the VHT.

Many of the basic criteria can be met in part or full: It has an open/exposed crew station (in WW2 these where turret versions, so at least in part), the guns rely on turning the mecha for horizontal motion as there is no turret (full). While the VHT doesn't meet the locomotion requirement (tracked or wheeled), when we consider that a futuristic setting may expand the criteria to include newer technologies (leg and hoverjets for locomotion) we could call it a match.

ShadowLogan wrote: Many of the basic criteria can be met in part or full: It has an open/exposed crew station (in WW2 these where turret versions, so at least in part), the guns rely on turning the mecha for horizontal motion as there is no turret (full). While the VHT doesn't meet the locomotion requirement (tracked or wheeled), when we consider that a futuristic setting may expand the criteria to include newer technologies (leg and hoverjets for locomotion) we could call it a match.

Check here for a Debat on "Future" settings and Defenitions of words....

Very nice...I am by increments becoming a Southern Cross fan as a result of material like this....

Apparently a lack of turret does not prevent one from being called a tank nor does the pressence of a turret disqualify one from being a tank destroyer.

CavScout wrote:As has been pointed out, having a turret is not a requirement to be called a tank nor is lacking a turret a requirement for a tank destroyer. Most of the US's tank destroyers in WWII had turrets. German had many TDs lacking turrets but this was because of production. It is easier to build a TD without a turret than with one. Germany's more limited production capabilities lead to their reliance on TDs without turrets. Also, TDs need not be based on tank's chassis.

And I've heard news media refer to police armored cars as 'tanks'....so it's colloquialism creep...

Ok,

instead of starting a new thread, I shall simply continue on with this one. Now we come to the Logan. I have to say I think this mecha is vastly underestimated. Only 3 are actually lost to combat, while Marie Crystal has 2 different ones damaged while in combat (presumably they were salvageable). That makes the Logan have the lowest on-screen combat losses of any mecha in Robotech.


The end of the Advanced Veritech Program resulted in the adoption of the VFA-6 Alpha and VF-7 Sylphide, leaving the Air/Space Force with a need for a less sophisticated variable fighter to be procured in large numbers in comparison to the higher end fighters. It did not need to achieve a high dash speed nor would it be required to be ground attack optimized, thus allowing for a more modest set of engines and no reliance on internal weapons bays. The result was a small, incredibly agile fighter that excelled at air combat maneuvering.

One of the many improvements in weaponry that came about with the adoption of the Logan was the tri-barreled heavy beam mounted in the nose. This same weapon was later added to the Spartas to improve its AAA capacity and eventually lead to the development of the Alpha’s tri-barreled 80mm beam gun pod. Test firing the weapon showed it capable of cutting through the thickest of armor plating available, giving the Logan quite a punch for such a small fighter. The other main improvement was the magazine-less EPR-20 beam gun pod, a marvel of energy weapon micronization.

Armor-wise, the Logan uses the same lightweight alloys the VF-1 Valkyrie and VF-7 Sylphide are built with. While this allows for ease of maintenance as well as a reduced procurement cost, it is only a modest overall improvement in protection. Like the Sylphide and Spartas, the Logan does mount a pair of heavy arm shields using molecularly-bonded ablative armor. It was felt that the additional weight was a fair trade-off for the protection it afforded the pilot.

The Logan is designed to be an all weather, air-to-air combat platform in its Fighter configuration. Its small size and powerful thrust-to-weight ratio (greater than that of the VF-1 Valkyrie) make it a truly deadly dogfighter. Given that most Zentraedi mecha cannot accelerate past the speed of sound, its low dash speed is not really much of an issue. The conformal hardpoints, when loaded with medium range missiles, allow for the Logan to engage in missile combat even at supersonic speed. Laser or Television-guided bombs can also be loaded to carry out Ground Support missions. This option was rarely used during to the 2nd Robotech War and only came into its own during the interwar period and the early stages of the 3rd Robotech War during the Invid Invasion.

The Logan is also quite effective at Close Quarters Combat. Its arm shields give it a huge advantage, allowing it to parry incoming blasts that would surely cripple the tiny mecha, while counter-fire from the tri-barreled nose cannon and EPR-20 will generally destroy any opponent. A secondary Close Quarters mission profile is that of Infiltration. Given that the Zentraedi are giants, whose smallest ships were ½ a kilometer in length, it was decided that the Logan’s small Battloid Mode would be a perfect platform for boarding actions. This idea had some merit, given the fact that a Valkyrie team lead by Lt. Rick Hunter infiltrated Lord Breetai’s flagship during the 1st Robotech War and sowed rather significant confusion in the process.

Statistics
Designation: VF-8
Crew: 1 pilot
Weight: 6.5 tons (dry)
Power plant: FH-3001 Fusion Turbine; 8 Protoculture cells provides the fusion reactor with enough generating power to last approximately 2 months under combat conditions.
Air supply: In situations where the pilot must stay for an extended period of time in the Logan, there is the equivalent of a 5 day air capacity due to recycling.
Ejection System: If necessary, the pilot can eject from a crippled Logan in one of two fashions. Intra-atmospheric, the canopy is blown free and the pilot’s seat rockets out of the plane, deploying a parachute to slow descent. In space, the nose/pilot’s compartment of the fighter will blow free of the craft, deploying a distress directional beacon.
Cargo Capacity: A very small space behind the pilot’s seat is capable of holding a cache of survival supplies. The usual configuration is: 5 days supply freeze-dried survival rations, inflatable 1-man raft, 2-quart canteen, 3 signal flares, small high intensity flashlight, matches in waterproof case, emergency space blanket, PC-23 Raptor Particle Carbine and 2 magazines.
Countermeasures: Chaff, Flare and Electronic Countermeasures
Black Market Value: If recovered for the Anti-Unification League, a Logan is generally worth some 1.5 million UEG Credits intact and 500,000 damaged. Given the nature of the world economy, the AUL rarely pays in hard currency but instead in barter (weapons, ammunition, land etc).

Fighter Mode
Length: 6.29m
Wingspan: 6.29m
Height: 2.29m
Max speed at sea level: 700kph
Max speed at 10,000m: 1500kph

Battloid Mode
Depth: 4.55mm
Breadth: 3m
Height: 5.35m
Max speed at all altitudes: 350 kph
Max land speed: 64kph

Armament Loadout
1 x tri-barreled heavy beam cannon (fires in all modes)
1 x beam cannon gun pod
2 x 1 conformal hardpoints mounted in the wing roots/forearm

Armament
1.) Tri-barreled 36mm Beam Cannon: Mounted in the nose of the Logan is one of the most powerful rapid-fire beam cannons ever borne by a variable fighter. Capable of cutting through enemy mecha armor with ease, the nose cannon gives the Logan a significant punch in both air-to-air combat and close-quarters combat.

2.) Conformal Missile Hardpoints (2): Each forearm of the Logan has a single rail capable of mounting either a single medium-range missile, or a short range missile multi-ejector rack. Due to the fact that the Logan cannot transform to Battloid mode while the missiles are mounted, they are only issued on occasions where they are warranted. The rails can also accommodate a single guided bomb, or rack of cluster bombs instead of missiles. The Python Medium Range Missile is the most commonly issued piece of ordnance for the Logan.

3.) EPR-20 Hellfire Beam Gun Pod: Capable of blowing holes in another mecha, the EPR-20 was a marvel of micronization. Though many thought it would be next to impossible to achieve a small particle beam cannon capable of doing enough damage to an enemy mecha, the EPR-20 did the job with room to spare. Folded up while in Fighter mode, the gun pod remained inaccessible until the Logan converted to Battloid mode.

Logan sketch 1

Logan sketch 2

Logan sketch 3

Logan transformation sequence

Edit: Just a little fan speculation, but I think the Logan could accept both a FAST-Pack modification specifically designed for it as well as a Grenade Box Protector Armour for Battloid mode. In all likelihood, it would use the Alpha's 190mm Hammerhead Short-range missiles as well as the 76mm Mongoose Point-blank missiles where necessary.

Edit II: Just sprucing up the old post.

Now, the Logan with a FAST pack system would be something to see!! I think a FAST pack would make the Logan a nasty little fighter! RSCF, you think you could do a write-up for that or the Super Logan from the old Revised Return of The Masters book? I'm starting to becoma a fan of Southern Cross all over again with your work!

Any fast pack or add on package for a logan would have to be designed around that akward wing/arm folding eating up a lot of the usable space.

A back mounted system might be usable - perhaps a single FAST pack instead of twin.

of course coudl always go ground up and go Super Logan as a new model, Return of the Masters Style

Might as well go ahead and post the Ajax. Without further ado.....

VFH-10 AGACs Fighter/Helicopter Veritech
In the year just before the official start date of the Pioneer Mission, the need for a dedicated Air Cavalry Veritech for the Army of the Southern Cross was realized. In an effort to meet this goal, Project Auroran was conceived. The Air Force needed a transforming fighter that could deal with the Zentraedi’s Queadlunn-Rau Powered Armor in either aerial or space combat. Since this mecha did not have to achieve high dash speeds, given the Queadlunn-Rau’s modest in-atmosphere speeds, high performance engines were not required. In a radical twist, it was decided to meet the requirements of both the Fighter and Air Cavalry in one mecha. Thus the AGACs/Ajax was born.

In its Fighter Mode, the Ajax is mostly used in space as a multi-role medium fighter by both the Tactical Armored Space Corps and Cosmic Units. It is capable as both a Fighter, due to its narrow profile, beam weaponry and high agility, as well as Anti-ship platform due to its capability of mounting heavy medium range missiles. The five engines built into the frame (two main and three secondary) give the Fighter good acceleration and excellent control. Vernier thrusters built into the edges of the Helicopter blades (which are folded back in this mode) also add to its agility, giving a quick burst when needed. Four beam cannons and twelve medium range Lightning missiles make it a deadly foe to any mecha engaging it.

The Helicopter Mode’s outward appearance is not too much different from that of its Fighter Mode. Deploying the helicopter blades, the engine assembly moves forward and the beam cannon/arm assembly shifts, placing the cannons to the side of the nosecone. In this mode, the Ajax truly shines as a Ground Attack platform. Its ability to carry either medium range cluster bomb missiles or short range multi-purpose missiles as well as its rapid-fire nose cannon makes it a terror to whatever ground vehicle gets within the pilot’s sights.

In Battloid Mode, the Ajax is more than capable. Its arm mounted beam cannons stand it in good whether it needs to board an enemy vessel or engage in a city-wide firefight. The use of its missile pods is not hindered and definitely give it a fearsome firepower on the ground. Its only deficiency is that it does not mount arm shields like many of its contemporaries. However, its thick armor plating utilizing the same low-mass composite armor that was developed for the Alpha gives it significant protection. The chest plate, which also forms the bottom in Fighter and Helicopter configurations, averages a third of a meter at its thinnest point. In space and low-gravity environs, the vernier thrusters in the helicopter blades on the back allow it to move with a grace and agility most would not imagine.

With the need to fulfill both fighter and helicopter mission requirements, the Ajax incorporated contra-rotating blades, thus eliminating the need for a tail rotor. This also reduced the noise signature in helicopter configuration.

Also known as: Ajax
Statistics
Designation: VFH-10 AGACS (Armored Gyro Assault Chopper System)
Crew: 1 pilot
Weight: 16.8 tons (dry)
Powerplant: FD-1001 Fusion Turbine; 16 Protoculture cells provides the fusion reactor with enough generating power to last 3 months under combat conditions.
Air Supply: In situations where the pilot must stay for an extended period of time in the Ajax, there is the equivalent of a 1 week air capacity due to recycling.
Ejection System: If necessary, the pilot can eject from a crippled Ajax in one of two fashions. Intra-atmospheric in Fighter Mode, the canopy is blown free and the pilot’s seat rockets out of the plane, deploying a parachute to slow descent. In space, the nose/pilot’s compartment of the fighter will blow free of the craft, deploying a distress directional beacon. The ejection system will not engage intra-atmospheric if the Ajax is in Helicopter mode and the Pilot must attempt an autorotation to land the crippled mecha.
Cargo Capacity: A space behind the pilot’s seat is capable of holding a small cache of survival supplies. The usual configuration is: 10 days supply freeze-dried survival rations, 2-quart canteen, 3 signal flares, small high intensity flashlight, matches in waterproof case, emergency space blanket and a PC-23 Raptor Particle Carbine and 5 magazines.
Storage Bay: Built from the beginning to hold a Survival Bike (before and during the 2nd Robotech War), it was utilized mostly during the Interwar and early 3rd Robotech War to carry a Cyclone Veritech Powered Armor. Usually a pair of saddle boxes is packed in as well, containing a full suit of CVR-3 armor. Otherwise, if emptied, it can hold up to 500lbs of cargo.
Countermeasures: Chaff, Flare and Electronic Countermeasures
Black Market Value: If recovered for the Anti-Unification League, the Ajax is worth some 4 million Merchant Republic Credits intact or 1 million if it is in damaged condition. Given the nature of the world economy, the AUL rarely pays in hard currency but instead in barter (weapons, ammunition, land etc).

Fighter Mode
Length: 9m
Wingspan: 6.9m
Height: 3m
Max speed at sea level: 1000kph
Max speed at 30,000m: 1660kph

Helicopter Mode
Length: 9m
Wingspan: 6,9m
Height: 3.2m
Rotor Diameter: 7.1m
Max speed at all altitudes: 386kph

Battloid Mode
Depth: 2.5m
Height: 5.8m
Breadth: 2.8m
Rotor Diameter: 7.1m
Max land speed: 100kph
Max speed at all altitudes: 300kph

Armament Loadout
1 x rapid-fire beam cannon mounted in the nose (Fighter/Helicopter modes)
1 x single barreled beam cannon, mounted left (Fires in all modes)
1 x twin barreled heavy beam cannon, mounted right (Fires in all modes)
12 x 260mm medium range missiles, mounted in twin pods, 6 per (Fires in all modes)

Armament
1.) Nose Mounted Beam Cannon (1): Considered to be the main weapon of the Ajax in Fighter and Helicopter modes, this rapid-fire blaster is capable of cutting through the heaviest of armor. To compensate for but a single barrel, the power level on this cannon is equivalent to two of the older dual beam cannons mounted in the noses of most Veritechs prior to the adoption of the Ajax. This weapon can be volleyed with the dual and single-barreled beam cannons to create a terrific blast of energy.

2.) Dual Barreled Heavy Beam Cannon (1): Mounted on the right arm hardpoint is a dual-barreled beam cannon capable of rapid fire. Like the other beam cannons mounted on the Ajax, this is an especially powerful blaster that can cut through thick armor plating. This weapon can be volleyed with the single-barreled (or optional 2nd dual-barreled heavy beam cannon) and nose mounted beam cannon to create a terrific blast of energy.

3.) Single Barreled Beam Cannon (1): Mounting onto the left arm hard point is a single-barrel beam cannon capable of rapid fire. It is considered to be equivalent to many of the carried gun pods of the Army’s Battloids in terms of firepower. This weapon can be volleyed with the dual-barreled and nose mounted beam cannons to create a terrific blast of energy.

4.)260mm Medium Range Missile Bins (2): A single bin holding up to 6 medium range missiles can be attached to each wing of the Ajax. Loading either Lightning anti-mecha cluster bomb missiles, Ragnarok anti-ship cluster bomb missiles or Diamondback anti-mecha missile, these are the main stand-off range offensive weapons of the Veritech.

Optional Armament
1.) Dual Barreled Heavy Beam Cannon (1): Instead of mounting the single-barreled beam cannon on the left arm hard point, an Ajax can mount a second dual barreled cannon. This is usually only done if extremely heavy combat is anticipated and if a spare can be obtained.

2.) 190mm Short Range Missile Bins (2): In place of the Lightning/Ragnarok missile bins, the Ajax can substitute them with short range 190mm Hammerhead missiles (same as those found on the Condor and Alpha). This was usually done for intra-atmospheric operations during the InterWar Period and Invid Invasion.

3.) Wing Hard Points (2): If the missile bins are not used, their hard points can be utilized to mount a pair of medium range missiles (usually Pythons) or guided bomb units on a pylon or a single cluster bomb multi-ejector rack.

Ajax Fighter mode

Ajax Battloid mode sketch

Any fast pack or add on package for a logan would have to be designed around that akward wing/arm folding eating up a lot of the usable space.

Not sure I would agree with this. The Logan could accept an add-on package on the forearms without a problem. In Gaurdian Mode (yes it's called a Gaurdian mode in the show not a Battloid), it would appear to be mounted like on the VF-1, though with the option of an under/over config. Something the VF-1 could not do because of the Main Body of the Fighter Mode vehicle.

There would be far more problems with getting the leg pods to work with the design as they are in the opposite spot as on the VF-1 (inner track as opposed to outer) and they contain the landing gear. It should be noted a small section of the legs are "free" for the upgrade, but not a whole lot.

I don't think you could get large pods like the VF-1, but the back booster pods you could either get two smaller ones, possibly a single larger one. The twin pods could be mounted on the upper engine nacelles and designed to maintain it's position when transforming to Gaurdian mode since that section rotates. The Larger one would need to be centrally mounted, there is a "depression" on the upper surface that might serve that role.

Though I think the "depression" in question could also form a connection point to a "Beta" unit that the Logan can connect to. The existance and specs of which are pure speculation.

Now if we're talking a mode limiting add-on, I would think it becomes even easier in Gaurdian, not so much Fighter mode.

excellent...there hasn't been enough love for Logan/AJACs variants and enhancements....

I do so love the Super Logan from Revised Return of the Masters. It seems to me that the Logan should be the lightest, fastest, and most agile of all the flying VF mecha by dint of its weight to power ratio. I refuse to believe that something that small could be heavier than the VF-1 or the VF-6. The Super Logan addressed it's major concern, which was limited weapons.

Lt. Holmes wrote:I do so love the Super Logan from Revised Return of the Masters. It seems to me that the Logan should be the lightest, fastest, and most agile of all the flying VF mecha by dint of its weight to power ratio. I refuse to believe that something that small could be heavier than the VF-1 or the VF-6. The Super Logan addressed it's major concern, which was limited weapons.

You and me both...You and Me both...looked like a Volkswagon, flew like a brawler.

No kidding...out of all the mecha in that book, the Super Logan was my personal favorite! Though, I thought the ASC tactical battloid was cool also! The Super Alpha another favorite...though it's hard to convince people that it wasn't a shadow fighter ('cause according to the Sentinels and The New Generation RPGs, the Shadow Device was developed on Tirol by Dr. Lang and Cabell!)

Rabid Southern Cross Fan wrote:1.) Tri-barreled 36mm Beam Cannon: Mounted in the nose of the Logan is one of the most powerful rapid-fire beam cannons ever borne by a variable fighter. Capable of cutting through enemy mecha armor with ease, the nose cannon gives the Logan a significant punch in both air-to-air combat and close-quarters combat.

I have early models of the Logan (malcontent era version for GM 's who like to insert them there) use a 35mm cannon (GU-XX/20) instead of the 36mm beam cannon, that little GU-11S as the gunpod.

In regards to FAST packs for the Logan there is/was a fan based variant of the Logan online with two EU-20’s integrated into the arms, and three mini-missile pods with Viper 75mm x 400 mm mini-missiles.

Jefffar wrote:of course coudl always go ground up and go Super Logan as a new model, Return of the Masters Style

Because of its REF styling I’ve always considered the Super Logan to be the REF upgrade of the Logan.

Arnie100 wrote::D No kidding...out of all the mecha in that book, the Super Logan was my personal favorite! Though, I thought the ASC tactical battloid was cool also! The Super Alpha another favorite...though it's hard to convince people that it wasn't a shadow fighter ('cause according to the Sentinels and The New Generation RPGs, the Shadow Device was developed on Tirol by Dr. Lang and Cabell!)

The ASC TB---Heavy Paratrooper! One of many gems in that book...
Hopefully, once PB gets out the baseline books, HG will permit them to go off-road and indulge in similar flights of fancy with another 'prototypes' book or two...

Arnie100 wrote::D No kidding...out of all the mecha in that book, the Super Logan was my personal favorite! Though, I thought the ASC tactical battloid was cool also! The Super Alpha another favorite...though it's hard to convince people that it wasn't a shadow fighter ('cause according to the Sentinels and The New Generation RPGs, the Shadow Device was developed on Tirol by Dr. Lang and Cabell!)

I always saw that the Shadow Device as two separate items. An Active and Passive Shadow Device. The Active is what hid the protoculture sensors, and thus also has the Trojan Horse for the Haydonites to exploited. But the standard Human Sensors would fall under the passive, and thus depending on what sensors you were targeting by, you would get your bonuses or not. Thus the Super Alpha without the Cloak, would have normal sensor bonuses, but would still show up on the Protoculture Sensors.

Doesn't this violate the RT part of this post?

I took the Robotech/Macross to mean both any RT mecha and any Macross Mecha.

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Doesn't this violate the RT part of this post?

I took the Robotech/Macross to mean both any RT mecha and any Macross Mecha.

It shouldn't since I have scrupulously avoided posting any kind of game related stats. My posts are technically no different than the entries at the uRRG and should be eligible for the 'Fair Use' copyright protection.

Yep...no game stats!!! So... awesome stuff like RSCF's works should be okay! As long as no game-related stats (am I right on that one?)!

Yep, history and background ain't illegal...as well as non-statistical speculation...

Modern armorments.

Ok here are some things used in the modern current era military that might stack up to some robotech stuff.

item #1

The main gun of the M1 Abrhams(I hope I spelled that right) is a 120mm Gun that uses Depleted Uranium Shells.
Wouldn't that do Similar Damage to the 105mm gun of the VHT-1???

Item #2
Also consider the 30mm Tank killer mounted on the US army's A-10 Thunderbolt which also happens to use depleted Uranium shells. How compareable would that be to the 36mm tribarrel cannon of the VHT-1????? It Might even also be compareable to the old GU-XX gunpod of the OLD Invid Invasion/Sentinels rpg books.

The m230 Mounted on the underside of the Ah64 Apachee also comes to mind but I know it doesnt do the same level of damage that the Thunderbolts gun does.

Rabid, could you posted development notes / write up for the AA VHT variant & the Super Logan, & relegated the AA VHT variant either EF in origin or part of SCA terrestrial contingent of the Pioneer Mission, while Super Logan may've the serve extensively with the TSC (TASC-CU) & also TSC-EF. Regarding early Alpha variants in EF 2022-2031, I making 'em exclusive to EF Marine Corp & EF Marine Aerospace Corp, until the fall of Earth under Invid Invasion of 2031.

Of course by then, post 2031 UEEF begin to mass produce new Alpha variants to its new restructured combat arms (EF Army, EF Aerospace, EF Navy/Spacy) alongside existing EF Marine Corp & Marine Aerospace Corp.

Maybe the Super-Logan, the Heavy Assault Battloid and the Hoplite (AA Hovertank) were all UEF Marine mecha. Fast, well armed, and able to stand up to a lot of punishment.

Ok, after a long sabbatical I decided to return and finish posting a few more Veritechs I use in my own personal games. I'll start with the AAA variant of the Spartas from the preproduction sketches and shown in the Robotech comic series Rolling Thunder and Love & War. Many thanks to HoverTanker, Gamlin_Kizaki and Jeffar for their input long ago at RDF HQ on this mecha. Thanks also to my friend Jerome Leavy for the naming convention of Myrmidon, since it fits the theme. The main difference I would make from the sketches in the Battloid mode is to use of the same style heads as the Spartas. I've also modified it slightly to add head lasers as an upgrade to give it a secondary weapon system in Battloid as it has no room or need for a gunpod (YMMV on the head lasers). One of the things I've always tried to stress (and the idea really started with Kevin when he wrote the 1st edition Southern Cross book) is parts commonality. With the number of weapon systems seen in use (or implied to be in use) following the 1st Robotech War, it would make absolute sense to have as many weapons commonly spread across multiple platforms. It not only reduces the logistics involved, it also reduces the cost, something penny-pinching bureaucrats are notorious about. It helps you get more bang for your buck.


The Spartas Veritech is recognized as one of the most successful land war designs the United Earth Government ever fielded. Deployed since the Malcontent Uprisings heated up in 2015, the Spartas fulfilled a number of combat profiles. Building upon this success, a second model was ordered for the express purpose of Anti-Air Support. The most stressed aspect change was that of increased mobility over the Spartas. It arrived on the battlefield just before the Pioneer Mission left in 2023.

Where the Spartas was designed to be the equivalent of a transforming Tomahawk, the Myrmidon was to be the Defender. Likewise, the Myrmidon was to be a multi-role vehicle capable of serving as a battle taxi, reconnaisance, rapid-reaction offensive/counter-offensive and air defense. Like its cousin, the vehicle performed far better than expected, though far less glamorous were the drivers of these workhorse Veritechs than their aerial counterparts.

Despite its armor, the Myrmidon is surprisingly agile in all modes. Not only does it maintain rather high speeds, it also has increased mobility due to the jump jets built into the mecha. In Gladiator mode, its least mobile form, it can swivel upon its legs as well as activate its jump jets (built into the feet) to execute a full 180 degree rotation. Even shot at from behind, it is not to be easily taken in combat. Lateral and horizontal movement are both capable in all modes, due mostly to the hover jets. Unlike the Spartas while moving laterally (usually in Gladiator mode), all the weapons can be employed (rapid-fire beam cannon and head lasers in Battloid).

Armor-wise, the Myrmidon is protected with the same advanced composite laminar as used on the Spartas. However, less of the applique is used and fewer spots have quite the density as on the Spartas. The arm shields, while providing good protection and using molecularly bonded ablative armor, were slimmed significantly from the Spartas to reduce weight. This also means no ammunition storage capability for composite units of Spartas and Myrmidons.

Transport Mode is designed mainly as a Battle Taxi for ATAC troopers, allowing them to move rapidly from one encounter to the next and dismount or mount as needed. Unlike the Spartas, the Myrmidon has a fixed mount/integrated driver's cover in Transport Mode. The designers feel that the decrease in battlefield awareness is a fair trade off for the protection it provides. Since there are composite ATAC Squadrons, this provides for any deficiency. With no gunpod mount, the tri-barreled beam cannons face forward in this mode and provide the offensive punch. Capable of cutting through the heaviest of armour plating, the beam cannons are also quite effective at countering Infantry threats.

Air Defense is the primary combat profile of the Myrmidon in Gladiator (or Guardian) mode. Instead of a 105mm smoothbore, a pair of 36mm rapid fire pulse beam cannon copied from the system used on the Logan makes it the UEF’s premiere ShoRAD (Short Range Air Defense) mecha. The integrated HUD and Cover includes the ability to pinpoint aerial targets as well as communications to link all units for a combined firing point. Rarely does a target survive. Like the Spartas, Gladiator mode is considered its slowest form as the leap-frog and/or waddle-walk is the primary form of locomotion. However, just like the Spartas, the Myrmidon can hover in this mode at 80kph to move to and from an area.

Close Quarters Combat, or Battloid mode, shows the Myrmidon to be faster and more agile than the heavyweight Spartas. Since it does not require a gun pod, the Myrmidon driver merely hoses down an area with combined fire from the tri-barreled cannons and head lasers. A devastating tactic to be sure and one that rarely results in counter-fire. The other mission profile that the Battloid mode offers is aerial insertion. Since the jump jets are quite powerful, allowing the mecha to stay aloft high inside the Earth’s atmosphere, those same jump jets allow for the mecha to be dropped from an transport plane onto a battlefield.

Acquired in large numbers, the Myrmidon supplemented the Air Defense units of the Army of the Southern Cross. Usually organized into special ATAC squadrons, they were also in composite squadrons. Like the Spartas, it served with those Army units chopped to The Pioneer Mission and saw action on numerous planets across the galaxy. During the InterWar and especially during The Invid Invasion, those Southern Cross units that had Myrmidons proved their worth time and again as they brought down aerial foes by the score. It remained in active use with those forces in Deep Space and was counted among the ground forces units deployed with the 10th and 21st Mars Divisions. It was one of the most highly sought after mecha for the Resistance and AUL backed High-Tech Bandits on Invid Occupied Earth

Statistics
Designation: VHA-1 (A - Officer, B - NCO, C - Enlisted)
Crew: 1 driver
Weight: 16 tons (dry)
Power plant: MT 842 Fusion Reactor; 12 Protoculture cells provides the fusion reactor with enough generating power to last approximately 3 months under combat conditions.
Air supply: In situations where the driver must stay for an extended period of time with the cover sealed, the Myrmidon has the equivalent of a 2 week air capacity due to recycling.
Cargo capacity: A small arms/stores locker is located in the mecha, allowing the driver to cache items that could be necessary on a mission. This usually includes: 2 weeks freeze-dried rations, 3 gal. water (kept cooled by refrigeration unit), 5 signal flares, matches, small high intensity flashlight, emergency blanket, 30m of cord, combat/survival knife as well as a Wolverine Assault Rifle, Weasel auto-pistol, 3 magazines for each and 6 Cobalt and/or Frag Grenades.
Black Market Value: If recovered for the Anti-Unification League, a Myrmidon is generally worth some 2 million Merchant Republic Credits intact and 500,000 damaged. Given the nature of the world economy, the AUL rarely pays in hard currency but instead in barter (weapons, ammunition, land etc).

Transport Mode
Length: 6m
Breadth: 2.4m
Height: 2m
Max land speed: 210 kph
Jet Assisted Jumps: 25m high and long
Max sustained hover height: 2.3m

Gladiator Mode
Length: 7m
Breadth: 2.4m
Height: 4m
Max land speed (walking): 20 kph
Maximum land speed (hovering): 80kph
Jet Assisted Jumps: 25m high and long

Battloid Mode
Length: 2m
Breadth: 4m
Height: 6m
Max land speed: 100kph
Maximum flying speed at 30,000m: 300kph
Jet Assisted Jumps: 90m high and long

Armament Loadout
2 x triple-barreled 36mm pulse beam cannons, one in each arm (fire in all modes)
2 x light lasers mounted in the head (fire in Battloid only)

Weapon Systems
1.) Tri-barreled 36mm beam cannons (2): The Myrmidon was built to deal with the threat of attack from aerial platforms. To give them a fighting chance, the mecha is outfitted with an enhanced copy of the Logan’s nose-mounted tri-barreled cannon. Capable of rapid-fire, serves ShoRAD (Short Range Air Defense) as well as ground forces/anti-mecha suppression fire.

2.) Head lasers (2): An evolution of the ROV lasers mounted on the VF-1 Valkyrie, these weapons can be fired only in Battloid modes. Unlike the earlier models, these newer lasers are capable of more sustained blasts and are not prone to overheat like their predecessors.

Addendum: Space Warfare Variant Type I
At the same time as the VHT-1A refit phase, the Myrmidon was modified to be capable of being deployed into any environment in Transport mode if needed, namely outerspace. Additional thrusters were designed to supplement the hover jets in transport mode and high intensity spotlights to help with visibility.

Addendum: Air/Space Warfare Variant Type
Rarely used during the 2nd Robotech War, the Air/Space Type modification centered around deploying the Battloid Mode Myrmidon as Jump Infantry and/or a Space Battloid. Building on the already powerful jet pack thrusters built into the mecha, this allowed use in the upper atmosphere, where it could already operate in Battloid mode, as the blades could operate like control surfaces on an aircraft. Additional thrusters were emplaced on the back and feet, as well as Ajax-style vernier blades at the tips of the back mounted add-on permitted this modification to be used in space.

Edit: Oops, forgot the pics. How silly of me.

Myrmidon in Transport Mode

Myrmidon in Gladiator Mode

Myrmidon in Battloid Mode

Myrmidon (Rolling Thunder) 01

Myrmidon (Rolling Thunder) 02

Myrmidon (Love & War) 01

Edit II: Heh, forgot to add the Powerplant stat.

mechanimorph wrote:

Rabid's VHT wrote:Power plant: MT 842 Fusion Reactor; 8 Protoculture cells provides the fusion reactor with enough generating power to last approximately 3 months under combat conditions for all but the -1A1. The Officer’s Prototype needs 12 Protoculture cells (due to the power requirements of the 220mm beam cannon) and will last approximately 3 months under combat conditions.

Pretty sure that the Sourcebook will be Fusion powered throughout.

Also hoping that the ASC powerarmour power-supply has a huge caveat which makes Protoculture Cells in Cyclones the logical progression.

actually, i could see the VHT, logan, and most of the ASC battloids being fusion powered, and the AGACS and powered armorrs as using early versions of the protoculture cell powerplants. thus illustrating the transitional period of tech development it represents.

i'd also like to see the logan, VHT, and maybe some of the battlolids listed as being in use by the UEEF in that time period, which would help point out that the Alpha's and cyclones were not exactly so predominant back then.

mechanimorph wrote:Pretty sure that the Sourcebook will be Fusion powered throughout.

Don't care. Tv series says the ASC uses protoculture. I have yet to hear one line of dialogue that proves otherwise. Furthermore, Scott and crew find Protoculture Cells in an abandoned city that was evacuated a full day ahead of the Invid's arrival. I don't care how people twist and turn it, that right there shows that the UEF had Protoculture Cells during the period of the 2nd Robotech War. I don't care what Tommy Yune writes as it has no affect whatsoever on my beliefs nor what the Tv series shows.

Rabid Southern Cross Fan wrote:

mechanimorph wrote:Pretty sure that the Sourcebook will be Fusion powered throughout.

Don't care. Tv series says the ASC uses protoculture. I have yet to hear one line of dialogue that proves otherwise. Furthermore, Scott and crew find Protoculture Cells in an abandoned city that was evacuated a full day ahead of the Invid's arrival. I don't care how people twist and turn it, that right there shows that the UEF had Protoculture Cells during the period of the 2nd Robotech War. I don't care what Tommy Yune writes as it has no affect whatsoever on my beliefs nor what the Tv series shows.

yeah, lets not start this again. if anyone feels differently from RSCF, just chalk it up under his comment about "speculative material" and let Gideon make his own choice about it.

CavScout wrote:Borrowing from the SDF2 debate, can you provide the anime evidence that "explicitly" states that any mecha of the ASC uses Protoculture, in cell form or otherwise?

Dana's Story
The Robotech Elders: The first trans-signal is of the area where the highest readings of Proto-activity have been recorded and it would appear to be unguarded.

Southern Cross
Unnamed Government Bureaucrat: Citizens of Earth, a dire emergency confronts us. The renegade flagship of the Robotech Masters has appeared in stationary orbit 30,000 kilometers above our planet. Communications from within the flagship have been intercepted and decoded. These renegades are descendants of Zor, the originator of the science of Robotechnology. They are invaders intent on plundering the world's supply of Protoculture.
.............................
Unnamed Officer: Quiet all of you. This decision has been made at the highest levels of the government and once policy is set, its our job to carry it out. Believe me, I respect all of your opinions, however, I'm sure Headquarters has a much broader picture of the danger we face. We will follow the orders we've been given. What remains of the Protoculture is our concern. It must be protected at all costs, even to the point of sacrificing lives if necessary.

Metal Fire
The Narrator: 15th Squad's observations supported the belief that the Robotech Masters had come to the Earth in search of the last known supply of Protoculture.

A New Recruit
Supreme Commander Leonard: Zor's flashes of memory tell us one thing: Earth is the remaining source of all Protoculture. If we can believe it, then this is the sole reason the Robotech Masters have not destroyed the Earth. They will continue attacking until they have accumulated every supply of Protoculture on this planet.

Triumvirate
The Narrator: Against the advice of General Emerson, Supreme Commander Leonard of the Southern Cross forces has elected to throw an all-out frontal assault at the enemy fleet in an effort to thwart the alien's designs on Earth's dwindling supply of Protoculture.
...................
Supreme Commander Leonard: Proto-engineering has completed the first consigment of the new Armored Gyro Assault Choppers, henceforth designated as Ajax.

Clone Chamber
Marie Crystal: Update from the First Attack Wing. The survivors of our Bio-Engineering sections are initiating repairs on the Advanced Lunar Chemical Engineering or ALuCE-1 as its designated. They feel certain that a complete program of resource replenishment will have to carried out to make the station operational again.

Mind Games
Unnamed Spartas Hovertank Mechanic: This conversion mode Proto-generator is shot, but I think I've got time to repair it.

Just to jog y'alls memory, Lunk was a Bio-Maintenance Engineer and there is direct dialogue stating that the UEF Fleet has Bio-Maintenance sections. Furthermore, its only logical that the UEF have a unified fuel system, considering that a number of the New Generation mecha were already in use by this time (including the Cyclones). Also, Scott's team find Protoculture in an abandoned city that had been evacuated BEFORE the Invid arrived. Even if the REF forces that returned with Wolfe stuffed their ships to the gills, they would still have to rely on planet-side stocks to keep their mecha active. We are, after all, talking about intense fighting during wartime unlike the low-level skirmishing done by Scott's group during their journey to Reflex Point. There is dialogue stating that the Spartas runs on Protoculture from Mind Games. A Spartas is a mecha. Its inductive logic to say that ALL UEF mecha at this time run on Protoculture.

If someone has dialogue proof to the contrary, please provide it.

CavScout wrote:You'll have to help me out, I didn't see anything saying "protoculture" is is used in the mecha. Can you help me? Again, like the SDF2 thread, I want to use your level of "explicit" dialog stating "protoculture is used in this mecha".

Ah, but it doesn't have to say 'Protoculture' since we know the Masters use the word 'Proto' to mean the same thing. And I have already provided the explicit cues. Furthermore, unlike the SDF-02 debate, there is no dialogue that confuses or muddies the issue (Lisa says she has to get to the SDF-01, Grel and Khyron state the SDF-01 is their target, etc). Unless, that is, you can provide dialogue that confuses the issue.

I mean, I'd hate to assume you have different levels of evidentiary proof for your pet theories and different ones for everyone else's.

How about this Cav, I'm going to put you back on my Ignore List cause you can't debate civilly without snide and/or left-handed remarks that border on ad hominem attacks. Have fun debating by yourself.

Well, this was an interesting catch....

Broken Heart
Zentraedi Crewman of captured HWR-Monster (to Khyron): Sir, the protoculture level is zero.

Anyone with The Macross Saga sourcebook know if the Monster runs on protoculture as listed?

Could also be that the Zents, being more familiar with PC powered mecha use the term Protoculture the same way we use the term Gas. A human piloting the Mecha would just have easily said "We're outta gas sir" then made a more technically involved comment.

Not saying this is the case, but just trying to resolve some of the material that appears to be contradictory without needing to change any of it.

At any rate

This:

Supreme Commander Leonard: Proto-engineering has completed the first consigment of the new Armored Gyro Assault Choppers, henceforth designated as Ajax.

and this

Mind Games
Unnamed Spartas Hovertank Mechanic: This conversion mode Proto-generator is shot, but I think I've got time to repair it.

Sounds pretty specific to a proto-powered mech. Assuming the Proto refers to Protoculture of course.

Jefffar wrote:Could also be that the Zents, being more familiar with PC powered mecha use the term Protoculture the same way we use the term Gas. A human piloting the Mecha would just have easily said "We're outta gas sir" then made a more technically involved comment.

Not saying this is the case, but just trying to resolve some of the material that appears to be contradictory without needing to change any of it.

At any rate

This:

Supreme Commander Leonard: Proto-engineering has completed the first consigment of the new Armored Gyro Assault Choppers, henceforth designated as Ajax.

and this

Mind Games
Unnamed Spartas Hovertank Mechanic: This conversion mode Proto-generator is shot, but I think I've got time to repair it.

Sounds pretty specific to a proto-powered mech. Assuming the Proto refers to Protoculture of course.

and yet, its not clear or specific.

"proto-engineering" is a term for any development group dedicated to applying recent technological advances to existing systems, including the creation of new designs using both new and existing systems.

a "conversion mode" generator is a device which converts AC power to DC power, or vice versa. such conversion systems would be manditory for combat vehicles, as their power would be generated as AC from their onboard powerplants (regardless of type), but most of the electronic systems must operate under DC power. i cannot say for sure what the "proto" prefix refers to, but given that the prefix "proto" is used to indicate first or early, it could simply refer to it's placement in the vehicles power system.

Just to jog y'alls memory, Lunk was a Bio-Maintenance Engineer and there is direct dialogue stating that the UEF Fleet has Bio-Maintenance sections.

Bio-Maintenance is a real world field of engineering dedicated to the upkeep of industrial systems, particulary those involved in sustaining biological systems and research. modern Bio-Maintenance focuses on the upkkep of air conditioning, filter systems, lab equipment, and other aspect of life support for clean room biological industry. it is also the field which deals with life support systems for enclosed enviroments such as the space shuttle, space station, and submarines. if you look at this sample real world curriculum for certification as a Bio-maintenance engineer, you'll see a very firm grounding in mechanical systems which would allow the engineer to repair most mechanical and electrical devices, even those outside his focus.

in short, when lunk brag about being a certified Bio-Maintenance engineer, he's really saying "hey, i'm a high tech air conditioning repair man!"

glitterboy2098 wrote:

Just to jog y'alls memory, Lunk was a Bio-Maintenance Engineer and there is direct dialogue stating that the UEF Fleet has Bio-Maintenance sections.

Bio-Maintenance is a real world field of engineering dedicated to the upkeep of industrial systems, particulary those involved in sustaining biological systems and research. modern Bio-Maintenance focuses on the upkkep of air conditioning, filter systems, lab equipment, and other aspect of life support for clean room biological industry. it is also the field which deals with life support systems for enclosed enviroments such as the space shuttle, space station, and submarines. if you look at this sample real world curriculum for certification as a Bio-maintenance engineer, you'll see a very firm grounding in mechanical systems which would allow the engineer to repair most mechanical and electrical devices, even those outside his focus.

in short, when lunk brag about being a certified Bio-Maintenance engineer, he's really saying "hey, i'm a high tech air conditioning repair man!"

That isn't the tone or intent of Lunk's statement. The intent, as I heard it, was that the use of protoculture, a biological energy source, requires a engineer who understands both the biological aspects of the protoculture power source and how it interacts with the power regulation system, and how it interacts with the various pieces of electronics and weaponry aboard the mecha. Part of that would include knowledge of the life support systems, but that wouldn't be the main thrust of his training, and there is no way anyone could ever convince me otherwise. It runs completely counter to Lunk's entire character.

And besides, while we, currently, have bio-engineers who mainly work with environmental controls and life support, if we had a biological power source, we might go with a bio-maintenance engineer who is more than JUST a HVAC tech. The other thing to remember, is that aside from their manufacturing, the UEEF paradigm seems to be highly generalized training in their maintenaince staff, rather than specialists. At least that's my read.

the bit about "what he's really saying" was supposed to be a bit of a joke.

a Bio-Maintenance engineer, in a setting like robotech, would likely be a general engineer on a starship. not a reactor tech or armorer. Lunk obviously had enough knowledge to keep mecha running, but he's never seen mentioning any problems with engines, programming, or other specialist engineering fields. we see him replacing expended ammo, patching holes, and occassionally rewiring a damage part of the cockpit. all things most military engineers could do.

he's a machinist's mate. i find it highly unlikely that Lunk was a reactor technician, Aviation machinist's mate, or Aviation ordnance man

Going back to the Myrmidon for a moment, all that would be needed (really) is to modify the existing Spartas body. Most of the parts from the Spartas can be used, excepting for the forearms, shield mounts, armored skirt/beam rifle scabbard and maybe removing the chest glacis altogether (to account for the slimmed profile). Of course, that would reduce dramatically its procurement and logistics requirements. That means that the Myrmidon would look alot like the Spartas mostly in Battloid mode, somewhat in Guardian and only slightly in Transport.

Taking a page from Jedi078, it could be that the initial VHT-1 didn't have a 36mm tri-barreled beam cannon but instead relied upon the tri-barreled 35mm rotary gatling built with the VFA-6A Alpha seen in The Sentinels. That could explain the delay in procuring the Myrmidon as it most certainly would be outnumbered by the Spartas in general useage by the ATAC Regiments.

As promised, here is my take on the Prototype Cyclone from Robotech Art 3. As noted in the mecha's entry, I fell back (sort of) on Carl Macek's original idea for Robotech: The Untold Story, but shifted it to the end of The Anti-Unification War in '07 instead of during the SDF-01's absence in The Macross Saga. I also figured that Mark Landry's second Garland Prototype went with him into hiding during the 1st Robotech War and that he and Becky didn't emerge until Reconstruction started in 2013. As someone else suggested, perhaps BD Andrews was working for Colonel Edwards and the AUL. Also, I had to base some of the dimensions on the Garland (thank you MAHQ.net!), since I don't have access to the information on the Zillion Tri-Charger (which is what the Prototype Cyclone morphed into once The Sentinels project was cancelled). To the best of my knowledge, no one knows for certain if there is a Battloid Mode picture of the Prototype Cyclone, but I'd bet there is and I think it would look somewhat like the Tri-Charger (except that I think it would be fully enclosed in Battloid). To me, this is the ultimate GMP mecha.

Edit: I had forgotten about Robotech the Movie's designation of MODAT. I changed the acronym to be a little more in line with the MOSPEADA-series.



The development of an easily deployable Infantry mecha that could serve as a frontline unit in large numbers was one of the many goals of the Robotech Research Group after they had decoded the documents aboard SDF-01. Towards that end, they decided that a variable motorcycle, capable of both high mobility as well as heavy infantry armament, would be their best choice. Project Cyclone was born but it suffered from a long period of both development and delay until the roll out of the Typhoon occurred in 2020.

Their first attempt produced the semi-variable VR-X-01 Hargun-series. While a large batch of these test bed vehicles were produced, it was clear that the design was too limited. It required a second, larger vehicle to be fully deployable. Furthermore, it was not truly variable since the necessary parts to transform had to be attached from a special setup in the second vehicle. Another attempt produced the VR-X-10 Garland-series (or MODAT: Military Operational Drive Armored Trooper), capable of full transformation without external hardware. After initial testing, four more test models were produced. However, fate intervened and what later became known as The Andrews Incident in 2007 caused all but one of the test vehicles (both the Hargun and Garland-series) as well as their underground production facility in Japan to be lost to combat. Development ceased until after the recovery of the fifth test model in late 2013.

The new batch of engineers went back to the drawing board and culled all the available combat information regarding the VR-X-14 Garland/MODAT-5. It was decided that a smaller frame would be possible, reducing the size to just under 3m in Battloid mode. While some of the heavy combat capabilities were lost in the process, it was felt to be a better trade off as this would allow for more of these mecha to be procured. Also, the overlap with numerous Destroids and Battloids was seen as wasteful of resources. This mecha needed to be able to go where into human-sized environments, though it would likely have to crouch.

Unlike its predecessors or its immediate successor, the Typhoon is a 3-wheeled vehicle in Bike Mode. This gives it far greater stability in off-road environments than its two-wheeled brethren. Its main deficiency compared to the MOSPEADA-series Cyclones is the fact its significantly larger and has a more difficult time negotiating urban terrain than its smaller cousins. Also, unlike the MOSPEADA-series, the rider is not required to wear a special set of body armour to engage the Battloid mode.

Armor-wise, the Typhoon mounts both advanced low-mass composite laminar similar to that developed for the Alpha as well as the advanced lightweight alloy utilized by the Valkyrie. Certain spots, to reduce the chance of perforation, have the composite laminar while the rest of the bike, including the frame, is made of lightweight alloy. This does, however, reduce the performance of the mecha in both Bike and Battloid Modes. The left-arm shield is the only piece of equipment on the Typhoon to use the newer molecularly-bonded ablative armor in an effort to reduce the chances of the rider being killed by energy weapons.

Transport (aka Bike) Mode allows for the rider to move quickly and efficiently to and from a combat zone, dismounting or mounting as needed. This makes it a great vehicle for battlefield reconnaissance as well as rapid-reaction counter-offensive. The Typhoon is just as useful off-road as it is in urban settings and makes for an excellent Military Police mecha. The driver will have to rely upon hand-held weapons in this form as all others, including anything mounted to the hard point, are stowed away.

Close Quarters Combat, or Battloid Mode, is where the full range of ordnance carried by the Typhoon can be brought to bear. Like the shields mounted on the Logan, Sylphide and Spartas, the left-forearm shield can be utilized to parry incoming energy attacks, dissipating them almost completely. The right forearm beam cannon provides the main offensive punch, while the chest mounted rocket-propelled grenades give it relative long range offensive power.

The Typhoon was adopted in large numbers by the Global Military Police, The Army of the Southern Cross as well as the UEF Air/Space Force . A number of units, Army, GMP and Air/Space Force, were chopped to the Pioneer Mission and saw service across the galaxy. The Typhoon remained the most common Earth powered armor until the VR-052T Battler Cyclone was adopted in mass. For long after the Invasion in 2031, it was a highly sought after piece of military hardware on Invid Occupied Earth.

Statistics
Designation: VR-021 Typhoon; MODAT Mk II
Crew: 1 rider
Power plant: 1 Protoculture cell give the fusion reactor enough generating power for approximately 2 months under combat conditions.
Air supply: In situations where the pilot must stay for an extended period of time in the armor, there is the equivalent of a 2 day air capacity due to recycling.
Cargo Capacity: A very small space on the back of the mecha is capable of holding a small cache of survival supplies. The usual configuration is: 5 days supply freeze-dried survival rations, 2-quart canteen, 3 signal flares, small high intensity flashlight, matches in waterproof case, emergency space blanket and a PP-12 Panther Particle Pistol and 3 magazines.
Black Market Value: If recovered for the Anti-Unification League, a Typhoon is generally some 60,000 Merchant Republic Credits intact or 25,000 if damaged. Given the nature of the world economy, the AUL rarely pays in hard currency but instead in barter (weapons, ammunition, land etc).

Transport Mode
Length: 3m
Breadth: 1.35m
Height: 1.5m
Max land speed: 175 kph

Battloid Mode
Height: 2.9m
Breadth: 1.7m
Depth: 2m
Max land speed: 55kph
Max flying speed: 285kph

Armament Loadout
1 x 2-barreled pop-up beam cannon in the right forearm
12 x rocket-propelled grenades in the chest
1 x hand held particle beam gun
1 x hard point on left shoulder (Battloid mode)

Weapon Systems
1.) Forearm Beam Cannon (1): Instead of having to rely solely on a carried blaster, the Typhoon instead mounts a dual-barreled pop-up beam cannon in the right forearm. Though not nearly as powerful as those weapons mounted on the Battloids, they are nevertheless respectable.

2.) Rocket-propelled Grenades (12): Mounted in two pods on the chest, these rocket-propelled grenades are the same as those utilized by the smaller VR-041 Grenadier Cyclone.

3.) Optional Hand-held Weapons: Typhoon riders often times carry hand held weapons, from slug-throwing heavy machineguns, blaster rifles to recoilless rifles. Anything to give them an edge in combat.

4.) Optional Weapons Hard point (01): Located on the right shoulder of the Typhoon in Battloid mode, a single hard point allows for the carrying of optional weapon systems such as a x12-shot pod of rocket-propelled grenades, a heavy beam cannon or a rapid-fire light rail gun and ammunition bin.

Zillion (in Spanish?) on YouTube. The Tri-Charger is shown transforming at 2:35.

Typhoon in Bike Mode

Tri-Charger toy

Sorry, but I can't find lineart for the Tri-Charger.

As promised, here is my version of the VTOL from The Sentinels. I based a good deal of it off the draft file done by the uRRG, but I felt the name, designation and classification left a little something to be desired. After thinking about it, I decided a FAST-Pack would be a simple thing to have for use in space operations as well as the kind of radome the VEFR-1 'Funny Chinese' mounts. I also realized, after watching some of Macross Frontier, that docking and ejecting said units should allow the fighter to transition from space to atmosphere and back again. All it would require is having a homing beacon for the pack and then it would be a relatively simple matter to dock with it (after all, its space we're talking about). Anyway, I might do one more entry later as I thought of an interesting competitor for the all-energy weapon Spartas Officer's Prototype that could have been in limited production. So here is my take on the VEFR-7 Raven II.


With the roll out of the final VF-1 in 2015, there was already underway a program to produce the next-generation transforming fighter for the UEG military. That resulted in the adoption of the two main competitors, the VFA-6 Alpha Fighter/Ground Attack Veritech and the VF-7 Interceptor Veritech. One spin-off of that competition was that the VEFR-1 ‘Funny Chinese’ EWAR Veritech, ended up being replaced by the VEFR-7 Raven II for the UEF Air/Space Force and The Army of the Southern Cross.

In 2018, the Sylphide design team was asked to come up with a EWAR/Recce Veritech capable of both air and space operations. With a fresh perspective on the situation, they decided the new Veritech could dispense with a Battloid mode altogether, as it was not needed for heavy combat, as well as a full Guardian mode. Instead, a simple transformation sequence reminiscent of the VF-1 Valkyrie was adopted whereby the legs of the mecha deploy to allow for VTOL operations.

Fighter Mode of the Raven shows this mecha to be both blisteringly fast and incredibly agile due to its ability to thrust-vector. Capable of over boosting into orbit under its own power, the Raven II can move rapidly to and from a planetary battlefield. The two wing hard points can carry many of the same optional packages as the earlier VEFR-1. In space, it can dock with, as well as eject, a radome and/or FAST-Pack to increase its battlefield intelligence gathering capabilities. A ventral mounted sensor pod, aft of the beam cannon, includes additional hardware such as FLIR, digital telescopic camera and laser designator.

VTOL Mode allows the Raven II to perform low and slow intelligence gathering. This mode is also used to land the mecha, allowing the pilot to embark or disembark as necessary. The two-man Vixen variant utilizes this mode to allow recovery of down airmen behind enemy lines. A special pair of fold-down ladders are built into the port side of the fighter just below the pilot’s compartment to accommodate embarking and disembarking.

Armor-wise, the Raven II utilizes the same lightweight alloys as the Valkyrie, Sylphide and Logan. This not only reduces the weight of the plane, but also allows for cheaper acquisition and maintenance. A single-barrel beam cannon mounted in place of a head-unit is the only weapon system normally available to the pilot.

A number of specialized pods can be attached to the wing hard points. Among these are jammers, sensors and cargo pods. A Recovery Pod, with its own independent air supply and survival equipment, capable of holding a single human occupant lying down is available for Search & Rescue missions for when a downed aviator is injured. Finally, each hard point could hold missiles or weapons pods depending upon the mission profile.

Acquired mostly by the UEF Air/Space Force and The Army of the Southern Cross, the Raven II was made famous by those units chopped to The Pioneer Mission. They remained in use in deep space well after The Invid Invasion and were sometimes found on Invid Occupied Earth in the hands of either AUL-backed High Tech Bandits or Resistance pilots.

Statistics
Designation: VEFR-7
Variants: VT-7 Vixen Trainer/Search & Rescue/Fast Courier
Crew: 1 pilot (2 for the Vixen)
Weight: 13.6 tons (dry)
Powerplant: FH-2011-4 Fusion Turbine; 16 Protoculture cells provides the fusion reactor with enough generating power to last approximately 3 months under combat conditions.
Air supply: In situations where the pilot must stay for an extended period of time in the Raven II, there is the equivalent of a 2 week air capacity due to its superior recycling system.
Ejection System: If necessary, the pilot can eject from a crippled Raven II in one of two fashions. Intra-atmospheric, the canopy is blown free and the pilot’s seat rockets out of the plane, deploying a parachute to slow descent. In space, the nose/pilot’s compartment of the fighter will blow free of the craft, deploying a distress directional beacon.
Cargo Capacity: A very small space behind the pilot’s seat is capable of holding a small cache of survival supplies. The usual configuration is: 7 days supply freeze-dried survival rations, inflatable 1-man raft, 2-quart canteen, 3 signal flares, small high intensity flashlight, matches in waterproof case, emergency space blanket, PC-23 Raptor Particle Carbine and 2 magazines. Alternately, the 2-man Vixen can have the rear seat removed and the space utilized for storing up to 200lbs of equipment.
Countermeasures: Chaff, Flare, Smoke and Electronic Countermeasures
Black Market Value: If recovered for the Anti-Unification League, a Raven II is worth some 1 million UEG credits intact, or 250,000 in damaged condition. Given the nature of the world economy, the AUL rarely pays in hard currency but instead in barter (weapons, ammunition, land etc).

Fighter Mode
Length: 16.1m
Wingspan: 9.5m
Height: 5.1m
Max speed at sea level: MACH 1.25
Max speed at 10,000m: MACH 4.1
Max speed at 30,000m: MACH 6.4

VTOL Mode
Length: 15.5m
Breadth: 9.5m
Height: 8.9m
Max hover speed: 650kph

Armament loadout
1 x 1-barreled beam cannon mounted beneath the fuselage.
2 x 1 hard points (1 on each wing)
1 x dorsal radome/FAST-Pack mount (optional; for space use only)

Weapon Systems
1.) Beam cannons (1): The main weapon of the Raven II this beam cannon is considered a last-ditch armament. Capable of being fired in both Fighter and VTOL modes, it gives the mecha some survivability in combat. Both sustained rapid fire and a long pulse beam are part of the programmed patterns.

2.) Hard points (2): The Raven II has two hard points with which to mount additional sensors, fuel stores, cargo or Recovery pods. Possibly ordnance such as medium range Stiletto, Python, Diamondback or Heavy Anti-Radiation (HARM) missiles can be utilized depending upon mission requirements.

3.) Radome/FAST-Pack Mount (1): For space operations, the Raven II can be outfitted with a radome and/or FAST-Pack. This is generally done for added intelligence gathering as well as additional speed and reaction mass in the case of the FAST-Pack. Unlike those used by the VF-1 series, the Raven II variant mounts no internal weapons, but each does have a simple hose and drogue system to allow for refueling of other fighter craft.

Raven II lineart from Robotech Art 3

Sorry, but I can't find lineart for the Tri-Charger.

THE HURRICANE / TYPHOON CYCLONE PROJECT

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/TriCharger_ArmorMode.jpg
Tricharger (Typhoon) Armor Mode

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/TriCharger_RideMode.jpg
Tricharger (Typhoon) Bike Mode

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/TriCharger_Color.jpg
Tricharger (Typhoon) in Armor & Bike Mode

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/tri-moto.gif
Tricharger (Typhoon) Bike Mode Lineart

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/tri-robo.gif
Tricharger (Typhoon) Armor Mode Lineart

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/dingobike.gif
Hurricane Prototype Cyclone

VEFR-7 Raven II EWAR/Recon Veritech

Also known as VF-7 Delta Veritech Programme, initiated by UEEF in early 2030s to arm the Sentinels militias with a standard & distinct variable fighter of their own. Massed & licensed production by Karbarran Hegemony to supply the Sentinels mecha inventory.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/DeltaVT_Fighter.jpg
VF7 Delta in Fighter & Guardian mode

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/deltavt.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/DeltaVT_Battloid.jpg
VF 7 Delta in Battloid mode

VF-8 Logan Retrofit Programme

Initiated since early 2029 to mid 2031AD, VF-8 Logan retrofit programme started in earnest as 2nd Robotech War progressed. As UEDF-TAF started to receive former TASC's VF-8 Logan units that have been supplanted by VFH-10 AGACS, the UEDF High Command had by this time proceeded with the retrofit programme known as VF-8 Logan mk II. Several modified components were added, with new gunpod, additional canards & new wing upgrades alogside much needed avionic upgrades for intra atmospheric combat that UEDF-TAF favored & excelled at. By mid 2030, all surviving former TASC's VF-8 Logan veritechs seconded to TAF have been upgraded & retrofitted as VF-8 Logan mk II.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/logan_tech.jpg
VF-8 Logan Mk II Retrofit Programme

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/logan2fight.gif
VF-8 Logan Mk II Fighter Mode

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/logan2batt.jpg
VF-8 Logan Mk II Battloid Mode

VF-8H Super Logan & Strike Logan Advanced Veritech Programme

By 2027, Southern Cross Navy retired their last aging VF-1R Fighters aboard Prometheus carriers, thus a new Veritech, based on VF-8 Logan was developed. Known as VF-8H Super Logan, this specific mecha served the SCN naval air arm units & served valiantly during 2nd RT War.

Another programme initiated by TSC-Cosmic Unit was to upgrade their VF-8 Logan with Strike weapon package for aerospace assault role, making TSC-Cosmic Unit Logans as a distinct variant of VF-8 Logan in service.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/superlogan_fighter.jpg
VF-8H Super Logan Fighter

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/superlogan_battloid.jpg
VF-8H Super Logan Battloid

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/RDF-HQ/UEF%20Mecha/StrikeLogan.jpg
Cosmic Unit Strike Logan Veritech

Hehe, thanks for the lineart assist, especially the Tri-Charger. I had forgotten about Nathan Babcock's Logan SLEP art. Adding the canards and wing tabs might give it better atmospheric handling. The Logan should be able to accept a FAST-Pack anyway. My only real quibble would be that the 'Super Logan' should be VA-8 instead of VF-8, sort of like the A-16 Attack variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Hmm...also needs a different name. Corsair III and Spectre are open last time I checked.....I like Corsair III. Super Logan would be its nickname, much like the E/F-111 Raven was nicknamed The Sparky 'Vark for the F-111 Aardvark. Oh, and the head on the 'Delta' should have only had 1 beam cannon......and no eyes (bleh, way too anthropomorphic for me).

Edit: A slight modification to Nathan's SLEP would be to make the engine nozzels square (like those for the Valkyrie) and split on the sides to allow the Logan to thrust vector, improving its agility in both atmosphere and space. Probably could also give the upgrade the speed from the old Logan in the 1st Edition Robotech RPG.