Macross Fleet Movements

[Phil K]

Here we track the notable fleet movements from the opening summary in Macross Frontier

Megaroad 01 in White

Macross 5 in Yellow

Macross 7 in Red

Macross Galaxy(21) in Blue

Macross Frontier(25) in Red

Megaroad 04 omitted

Points of interest:

Megaroad 01 isn't shown heading toward galactic center

Macross 5 is not shown to be sunk

Macross Galaxy launched from Eden

Discuss away I guess.

[Gubaba]

Hmmm...maybe the Megaroad-01 was just behind schedule, so, in order to save herself from a royal tongue lashing, she sent a mesage saying, "Oh, uh, yeah...we're...umm...near the Galactic Center now...yeah...that's the ticket. Uh, there seems to be some static or something...TalkToYouLater!"

Then UN Spacy checks the area near where they were supposed to be, finds nothing, and thinks, "OMFG! They've VANISHED!!!"

And once Misa hears what a big brouhaha has erupted over this, she's just too embarassed to contact them again.

Or, perhaps, the MF galactic map needs a little footnote that says "NOT TO SCALE."

[dreamweaver13]

Hmmm...maybe the Megaroad-01 was just behind schedule, so, in order to save herself from a royal tongue lashing, she sent a mesage saying, "Oh, uh, yeah...we're...umm...near the Galactic Center now...yeah...that's the ticket. Uh, there seems to be some static or something...TalkToYouLater!"

Then UN Spacy checks the area near where they were supposed to be, finds nothing, and thinks, "OMFG! They've VANISHED!!!"

And once Misa hears what a big brouhaha has erupted over this, she's just too embarassed to contact them again.

Or, perhaps, the MF galactic map needs a little footnote that says "NOT TO SCALE."

haha! nice one!

or maybe UEG didn't know where the friggin center of the galaxy was at first. "oh.. so that's where it is. Froniter, you're up next."

As a serious reply: maybe Megaroad 1 headed to another destination first before heading for the center of the galaxy.

[Morpheus]

Megaroad 1 disappearance was hidden from public from several years, so I think UN spacy announced Megaroad 1 is lost several year later, but never mentioned it was lost near the center of the galaxy. The Macross Fleet movement chart are released based upon UN Spacy propaganda.

As a fact there are several fleet heading toward the center of the galaxy now with hidden agenda, find Megaroad 1 and salvage it

[DestroidDefender]

Megaroad 1 disappearance was hidden from public from several years, so I think UN spacy announced Megaroad 1 is lost several year later, but never mentioned it was lost near the center of the galaxy. The Macross Fleet movement chart are released based upon UN Spacy propaganda.

As a fact there are several fleet heading toward the center of the galaxy now with hidden agenda, find Megaroad 1 and salvage it

Or perhaps Megaroad 1's real destination was not made public. Megaroad 1 was humanity's lone hope to survive and colonize space beyond Earth. It would have be almost as bad as the SW1 holocaust if it had been ambushed by rogue Zentraedi. So they only said "Yeah were head to the center of the Galaxy" and then went a different way.

But we've never seen anything on screen about Megaroad 1. The website timeline is "official" but it's been changed before IIRC. Still it's kind of strange they can't be consistent on this one important point.

Edited April 9, 2008 by DestroidDefender

[dreamweaver13]

Megaroad 1 disappearance was hidden from public from several years, so I think UN spacy announced Megaroad 1 is lost several year later, but never mentioned it was lost near the center of the galaxy. The Macross Fleet movement chart are released based upon UN Spacy propaganda.

As a fact there are several fleet heading toward the center of the galaxy now with hidden agenda, find Megaroad 1 and salvage it

hm.. best explanation i've heard morpheus.

[Radd]

That little fleet movement sequence also gives the impression that several fleets all launched in 2012 all at once, including the Macross 7 fleet. My take on it is, don't read too much into it, but it looked really neat.

[azrael]

As Egan notes:

http://macross.anime.net/wiki/Talk:2016

The galactic colonization shot is meant to be symbolic rather than an exact flight plan. For example, the latest version of the Macross Chronology (released after the Deculture edition of Macross Frontier's first episode) still has the Megaroad-01 and Macross 7 launching 26 years apart, even though their arrows in that Macross Frontier shot expand from Earth simultaneously. It also has the Megaroad-13 near the center of the galaxy in 2025, even though the symbolic colonization shot shows it elsewhere.

So perhaps Morpheus is on to something....

Back to work...I'm only the the L-characters.....

[taksraven]

I think that its pretty clear that the animation does not show any real indication of the timing of the events it depicts, especially the way the colonisation fleet arrives at Eden and then a heap of other fleets seem to be instantly launched from Eden.

I love this stuff. The speculation, the mystery, etc.... It really hooks you in. I would like to think that with this series that we might get some answers. If not for the Megaroad 01, then maybe what happened to Shin and Sara.......

Taksraven

[Duke Togo]

Egan knows the deal, I tend to go with his info, but does it take any effort to get past continuity right in that opening scene? I find it hard to believe Kawamori is that lazy, and he knows the affection the fans have for the old characters. I am leaning towards some sort of retcon until I see something more concrete.

[sketchley]

Chalk it up to an animation error, laziness, or simply trying to pack as much info as possible in an easily understandable 10 second sequence that gives an audience with no background whatsoever in Macross a general idea of the background of the Macross Frontier Emmigration Fleet. In other words, it'd be impossible to be accurate within the time and visual requirements.

[ce25254]

it'd be impossible to be accurate within the time and visual requirements.

And if they were accurate, it would be like the Total Perspective Vortex. You'd go insane.

In an infinite universe, the one thing sentient life cannot afford to have is a sense of proportion.

Edited April 10, 2008 by ce25254

[azrael]

Heck, try summarizing the entire Macross history in 3 sentences or less.

[Zinjo]

Points of interest:

Megaroad 01 isn't shown heading toward galactic center

Actually, when I was looking for a good image of the "Frontier Icon" in that sequence, I followed it frame by frame, and the Megaroad does head toward the core, albeit in a round about way. It heads in one direction and then swings back around on a wide arc. It isn't readily apparent in the few seconds on screen, but frame by frame does indeed show this.

The sequence ends before you can tell for sure if the Frontier and Galaxy fleets are going to intersect with the Megaroad 01 course, but is sure looked like they might.

Chalk it up to an animation error, laziness, or simply trying to pack as much info as possible in an easily understandable 10 second sequence that gives an audience with no background whatsoever in Macross a general idea of the background of the Macross Frontier Emmigration Fleet. In other words, it'd be impossible to be accurate within the time and visual requirements.

I am still unconvinced of this as of yet. They had the date counter underneath each world (Earth & Eden) and the date never changed with every launch. It only started to spool up after they left, thus giving the uninitiated the idea that all the colony fleets were launched by 2014.

The shot of the shipyard shows at least 4 -6 completed colony ships already completed in orbit. So we'll have to see what the Macross Encyclopedia says if any retcon has been done, I suspect.

[sketchley]

Keep in mind that the opening sequence in Macross 7 had a similar shot - multiple Long Range Emmigration Fleets gearing up to launch (if you paid close enough attention, you'll notice that one or two of the New Macross ships don't have a shell covering for the city section!)

Nevertheless, the one different between 7 and F's is that the colony ships in F have the o'neil cylinder like ships trailing behind them. Saving on animation resources (already have the CG models) or simply being more "current to the era in the storyline"?

[Duke Togo]

I'm with Zinjo on this one, I find it unlikely that they just casually threw that together with little thought. I don't think we'll really know until the Chronicles are out. I could be wrong, but that wouldn't say much for the folks working on the series.

[ce25254]

d the Megaroad does head toward the core, albeit in a round about way. It heads in one direction and then swings back around on a wide arc.

Yes, but then as it falls off the screen it begins to turn away from the core again.

I've drawn the approximate path that is shown in the previous frames and the course as the Megaroad-01 is about to disappear from view:

[Gubaba]

And if they were accurate, it would be like the Total Perspective Vortex. You'd go insane.

In an infinite universe, the one thing sentient life cannot afford to have is a sense of proportion.

I could take it...my ego is big enough.

The problem with the "roundabout" Megaroad-01 route is that they supposedly vanished near the Galactic Center in 2016, four years after they left Earth. The Macross 7 (with, presumably, improved engines and fold capibility) has been traveling for seven years as of 2045, and (AFAIK) isn't terribly close to the center yet. My impression was always that the Megaroad-01 made a beeline for the Core, while the Macross 7 was taking a lot more colonization detours...which doesn't match up with the map.

[ce25254]

Also does anyone else think that the galactic core looks like a manifestation of Sharon Apple?!? What does it mean?!?

[azrael]

Also does anyone else think that the galactic core looks like a manifestation of Sharon Apple?!? What does it mean?!?

It means you're reading into it too much....

[Gubaba]

Also does anyone else think that the galactic core looks like a manifestation of Sharon Apple?!? What does it mean?!?

...That all the Immigration Fleets want to feel her juices around their rock hard c*cks...?

[ce25254]

...That all the Immigration Fleets want to

Ummm yeah OK that is exactly not what I was thinking.

I will refrain from further comment about Sharon Apple and galactic center.

Edited April 10, 2008 by ce25254

[Mr March]

...That all the Immigration Fleets want to feel her juices around their rock hard c*cks...?

Idol Talk, baby

[Kelsain]

I thought it was her teeth...

[Phil K]

Here's some more stuff for you folks to speculate over. These shots were taken from the CIC screen during the first wave of X-9 Ghost Fighters.

The warship docked to Island 1 is indeed Battle 25, NCV-025 (listed as a New Macross Class Assault Carrier). Look at the size difference between the Battle 25 and its bodyguard Guantanmo class carriers .

On its left quadrant, it is protected by the Belleauwood battle group(?), consisting of CV-699 Belleauwood and CV-625(?) Clark 2 (Guantanamo class carriers) and FFM-805 Glendale, FFM-860 Amagi, and FFM-796 Century(Bolognese Class Stealth Frigates).

Sailing ahead of the fleet as its vanguard, we see CVS-720 Fahrion, CVS-707 Velagulf, and CVS-670 Rakatuo (A new class of stealth carrier?).

Other Bolognese class names visible during this pan is the Eden at the left front vanguard, and the FFM-832 Arc Broom on the right.

Some other interesting facts to note. Island 1 was in the process of lowering its shield when the Varja attacked. Its rate of descent appears to be pretty slow due to its immense size (about 0.01% per second).

The Island 1 possesses a much upgraded Pin Point Barrier System. the upper left front quadrant alone sports six PPBs.

[Mr March]

Just to note, the New Macross Class vessels had many more than three pin point barriers. In Macross 7, the Battle 7 is shown with something like 11 active pin point barriers operating simultaneously. So this isn't exactly a new feature.

Edited April 12, 2008 by Mr March

[Gubaba]

What I don't understand is why they're using a Pinpoint Barrier System at all. I mean, it was the best defense the Macross could muster at the time, and it was pretty underwhelming then. Why would they still be using a marginally effective defense which born of desperation FIFTY years before?

[Phil K]

This is my updated ship list that I submitted to the Macross wiki

New Macross Class Assault Carrier (colored in teal)

NCV-025 Battle 25

Guantanamo Class Stealth Carrier (colored in green)

CVR-699 Belleauwood

CVR-625(?) Clark 2

CVR-670 Bakuyou

CVR-663 Kaga

Bolognese Class Stealth Frigate (colored in blue)

FFM-805 Glendale

FFM-860 Amagi

FFM-796 Century

FFM-810 Eden

FFM-??? Glendale II

FFM-832 Arc Broom

FFM-??? Furious

FFM-866 Bluewhale

FFM-??? Starline

Uraga Class Escort Carrier (colored in purple)

CVS-720 Fahrion

CVS-707 Velagulf

CVS-670 Rakatuo

CVS-??? Magellan

CVS-??? Keiga

CVS-761 Vandeglift

Two Bolognese class ships named Glendale are seen during the shot. One is in formation with the Amagi and Century, and its name is very clear. Another Glendale is seen in formation with the Guantanamo Clark 2 off the port stern of Battle 25. Since it is not as clear as the first Glendale, I'm putting it down as the Glendale II for now.

[sketchley]

What I don't understand is why they're using a Pinpoint Barrier System at all. I mean, it was the best defense the Macross could muster at the time, and it was pretty underwhelming then. Why would they still be using a marginally effective defense which born of desperation FIFTY years before?

The other alternative is the Omnidirectional Barrier. Though, the tradeoff to blocking everything coming towards the ship, everything leaving the ship is also blocked. Eg: no VFs can launch, no guns can fire, no missiles can be launched. I'm certain that a main gun can be fired and penetrate the barrier via overloading, but there's a good chance the ship would be fried in the process, and the barrier would be offline after that; thus defeating it's purpose.

The pinpoint barrier allows for both a partial defense as well as a complete offense (presuming that attacks and launches are coordinated here.)

[kensei]

The other alternative is the Omnidirectional Barrier. Though, the tradeoff to blocking everything coming towards the ship, everything leaving the ship is also blocked. Eg: no VFs can launch, no guns can fire, no missiles can be launched. I'm certain that a main gun can be fired and penetrate the barrier via overloading, but there's a good chance the ship would be fried in the process, and the barrier would be offline after that; thus defeating it's purpose.

The pinpoint barrier allows for both a partial defense as well as a complete offense (presuming that attacks and launches are coordinated here.)

The differences in energy expenditure would be a big consideration too.

[Mr March]

The differences in energy expenditure would be a big consideration too.

Damn, beat me too it. I always love to tear this sci-fi cliche to pieces whenever I have the chance. The enormous energy expenditures to envelope a craft in an energy shield would only be worthwhile if the ship in question had no other pressing need for power from any other systems. Since most sci-fi ships use energy based weapons and other power hungry systems like gravity generators, force fields, FTL drives and the like, shields make almost no sense from a combat perspective. The power used to maintain a shield would be far better utilized for significantly increased speed and firepower. Especially in the case of Macross, which has one of the biggest energy cannons in all of sci-fi, it makes virtually no sense to use an omni-directional barrier in the vast majority of situations. The pin-point barrier system on the other hand, would be a far more efficient system and can be moved at a moments notice to more heavily shield the vessel from the most dangerous lines of fire.

[Gubaba]

The other alternative is the Omnidirectional Barrier. Though, the tradeoff to blocking everything coming towards the ship, everything leaving the ship is also blocked. Eg: no VFs can launch, no guns can fire, no missiles can be launched. I'm certain that a main gun can be fired and penetrate the barrier via overloading, but there's a good chance the ship would be fried in the process, and the barrier would be offline after that; thus defeating it's purpose.

The pinpoint barrier allows for both a partial defense as well as a complete offense (presuming that attacks and launches are coordinated here.)

But...but...it's FIFTY YEARS LATER! You'd think the Macross Consortium would've come up with something better by now.

Maybe they were too busy working on creating AI singers and figuring out how a guitar could be used to pilot a Valkyrie, and didn't spend enough time trying to figure out a better way to protect their ships...

Macross Tech Guy 1: Hey, have you made any progress on that workable omnidirectional barrier yet?

Macross Tech Guy 2: No, but check it out! I made these awesome Marshall stacks that pilots can attach to the backs of their Valkyries! Finally, we can ROCK THE F%#*IN' GALAXY, MAN!

Macross Tech Guy 1: *slowly edges away*

Edited April 12, 2008 by Gubaba

[Noyhauser]

But...but...it's FIFTY YEARS LATER! You'd think the Macross Consortium would've come up with something better by now.

Maybe they were too busy working on creating AI singers and figuring out how a guitar could be used to pilot a Valkyrie, and didn't spend enough time trying to figure out a better way to protect their ships...

Macross Tech Guy 1: Hey, have you made any progress on that workable omnidirectional barrier yet?

Macross Tech Guy 2: No, but check it out! I made these awesome Marshall stacks that pilots can attach to the backs of their Valkyries! Finally, we can ROCK THE F%#*IN' GALAXY, MAN!

Macross Tech Guy 1: *slowly edges away*

Yeah because after 50 years they can obviously develop ways to break the rules of physics.

[Alastar]

What I don't understand is why they're using a Pinpoint Barrier System at all. I mean, it was the best defense the Macross could muster at the time, and it was pretty underwhelming then. Why would they still be using a marginally effective defense which born of desperation FIFTY years before?

You also have to remember that they had a real bad memory of using a Omni-barrier system. They system was inverted or overloaded or what ever the case was and well...Kinda whipped Ontario off the map. (Robotech) and in DYRL they did even show the Omni-barrier or even the PPB in action. And in DYRL the ship was a Meltron warship not a Protoculture ship....wait so where did they get the barrier technology in the first place???

Like everyone pointed out the Omni-barrier would be useless in combat. Unless your unlucky enough to catch the first salvo in a battle and tun the system on and off that about as much tactical advantage you can get. Its like guarding and entire fist fight..Something has to give and good chances ur barrier will before the enemy can even get warmed up.

.........And if its Broke dont fix it..(PPB )

[Beltane70]

The best use of the omni-directional barrier was in episode 27 when it was used to protect the Macross from the destruction of Boddole Zer's fortress.