Mr March

I'm guessing the 300 meter figure is correct. The 300 meter rating must be a representative figure since no destroid is 300 meters in size, let alone possessing armor that thick. A rating of 300 millimeters would be barely the same penetrating power as the earliest anti-tank missiles from the 1960s. We know that standard gun pods can destroy other valkyries and that the weakest of the valkyries (the VF-0, without thermonuclear engines) possessed armor as hard as a tank. Since we know from the events of Macross Frontier that the SSL-9B is far more powerful than a standard gun pod, it absolutely cannot have a penetration rating of 300 millimeters.

Just discovered the album "Chill'em All" by Champion. If you like electronic music or dance, you owe it to yourself to check this album out. Great stuff.

Moving discussion to Tech Thread

The shells in the SSL-9B sniper rifle are apparently using several metals/alloys and polymers, so gold is probably only one part of the package. In addition to the electromagnetic advantages other have mentioned, gold may be used in the shells not for it's structural strength, but as a way to add density. Gold is one of the most dense metals, so it would make a projectile much more dense and thus grant it superior kinetic force. Of course, the super-hard metal casing of the sniuper rifle shell is also a cypher. Is this an allusion to space metal, the material used way back in the SDF Macross era as the frame of the VF-1 Valkyrie? Back on the topic of gold as a commodity, now that the human civilization has long expanded beyond Earth, it's quite possible gold is no longer considered a rare metal. Other sources may have been found or even synthesis may now be possible. I'm not sure if that penetration figure is accurate, but the SSL-9B sniper rifle is firing a projectile at an astounding velocity. To give you an idea of how fast the SSL-9B sniper rifle is firing its bullets, the current limit of cannon ballistics for tanks has them firing at 1,800 m/s (roughly 6,000 feet per second). Rail guns currently being researched can fire projectiles at double that velocity, starting at 3,500 m/s or more. In comparison, the SSL-9B is firing at a max velocity of 7,490 m/s. I'm not sure if that 300 meter penetration rating is correct, but a bullet from that gun must have one hell of a penetration rating given the insane velocity of the projectile.

Zentradi genetics are nearly identical to humans, so it would appear they have comparable life spans. Max and Milia appear to age (or not age, depending upon how you look at it) at the same rate. Guld (half Zentradi, Half Human) aged at same rate as Isamu and Myung, so his Zentradi heritage did not appear to slow the aging process. There are some exceptions. In DYRL, Bodolzaa claimed to have been alive for thousands of years, though he was obviously a different type of Zentradi than the others. He was clearly bio-mechanical to a large degree. Britai and Exedol also appear to be built differently than other Zentradi, but whether their life cycle has also changed along with their skills/appearance is unknown.

I would assume the transformation systems in the Valkyries are self-monitoring and would not transform if one or more transformation systems would cause damage to the craft in doing so. Some Valkyries have as few as 16 articulated mechanisms (such as the YF-21/VF-22 Sturmvogel II), so monitoring them should be easy given the level of technology used in the variable fighters. The VF-2SS Valkyrie II is actually one of the more complex valkyrie transformations, requiring 26 articulated mechanisms to transform. So it may be more prone to problems than other valkyries. There may also be a lot of give and take in the transformation system of a valkyrie, owing to their apparent robust nature. Even normal operation without any damage would make transformation impossible when you think about it. Vibration and expansion/contraction due to heat/cold are everyday factors that would impact a transformation system. So the articulated mechanisms for transformation must be self-correcting to a certain degree. If the transformation system can handle such stress, it's probably able to adjust and move around damaged parts to achieve transformation. Granted, if a major section of the valkyrie has be torn out or has been warped, transforming might be impossible. But within a certain error margin, self-correction is likely possible.

I thought everyone said the unnamed ship from the Macross Galaxy fleet that sent a distress call to Frontier was supposed to be the big Macross II homage. As for large hologram, why wouldn't Ranka's giant hologram be a Minmay homage (DYRL) or a Sharon Apple Homage (Macross Plus)?

If the opening to Macross 7 is accurate, there were at least three other New Macross Class fleets launched at the same time as the Macross 1 in 2030.

This has largely been my experience as well. On the Palladium boards, most Robotech fans have been quite approachable and open to my website. Granted, because my site is Macross only, it's only interesting to a smaller portion of the board, but they've been good about it all and have asked many questions. I've only run into a few haters, including one guy who is such a jealous Macross hater you can telegraph his vitriolic replies from orbit. While they are few, there are still some RT fans (actually, from any franchise really) out there that should be in therapy.

LOL! There is only one possible reply to a post like that...

I think anime52k8 was questioning why the length of a Macross ship would be measured in MILES rather than KILOMETERS, since Macross is Japanese and all the official statistics for the franchise are always in METRIC BTW, 177.07 kilometers = 110.03 miles

That looks really nice. A welcome change after all the VF-4s

Zeta Gundam was undeniably influenced by Macross and embraced the transforming trend that SDF Macross made popular in the 1980s, but I wouldn't say Zeta Gundam ripped off Macross. After all, I wouldn't call Macross a rip off of Gundam, though it's clear SDF Macross was strongly influenced by Mobile Suit Gundam. I think any time a show is inspired by a particular trend, but takes that trned and goes it's own way with it creatively, it's only an influence. SDF Macross certainly took it's own creative direction with a robot war story and developed a clearly distinct mechanical design. I think Zeta, though influence by Macross, also clearly blazed it's own trail (in as much as it was a sequel, of course).

Yeah, Cheap Trick is a good choice. I can see that influence.

I'll pass.

I knew it would happen sooner or later. Now I know what all those other screaming video game fans feel like. Granted, Shadow of the Colossus is all about atmosphere. The story is really simple. But to give a treasured gem like SOTC to the Andrzej Bartkowiak? The guy who made Doom and Street Fighter the Legend of Chun-Li? They might as well just contract Uwe Boll. What a waste.

It happens every once in a while. The MAHQ recently upgraded their forums, so it made a good excuse to change up my avatar there and at the various boards I visit.

Whoa. The Who? Metallica? No offense, but Fire Bomber is Ziggy Stardust, at best. The Macross 7 music is definitely glam. But it gets me thinking about the fictional music acts of Macross. What would be their real world contemporaries, taking into account era, movements and popular styles. If I had to compare the fictional Macross idols to real world popular music acts, I'd choose something like this: Lynn Minmay would definitely be a Donna Summer/Madonna fusion, right down to the late disco and early 80's pop influences. Sharon Apple would be a Mylene Farmer/world music combination, with some house ala New Order thrown into the mix. Fire Bomber would be early David Bowie/Iggy Pop glam/glitter rock with a sanitized Kiss-meets-Mötley Crüe wardrobe. Sheryl Nome is like a Gwen Stefani/Kylie Minogue medley of alternative/retro pop with a diluted Cher-like stage personality.

Nice! I like the blue and grey one. I never got your first one. Regardless, I can't accommodate.

LOL! That's pretty damn cool.

I like it!

That is really damn cool. I hope you do more pictures. This looks great.

Good for a laugh.

Nothing could ever destroy my love and continued adoration for the Kawamori Macross from 1982 to 1994 (SDF Macross to Macross Plus). To me, that period is forever golden But with total honesty, the Macross 7 to Macross Zero era nearly finished me off. I was actually very disillusioned with Macross during that whole 1995 to 2006 era. The Yamato products, Animeigo set of SDF Macross and my decision to build the Macross Mecha Manual were the three things that sustained my Macross fandom more than anything else. A lot was riding on Macross Frontier; for me, it was the last hope. If Macross Frontier had turned out to be stupid like Macross 7 or fell with a thud like Macross Zero, that would have been it for me. With three strikes against it, I would have judged Macross spent and had no more entertainment value left to it. I would have given up on Macross as a franchise. Now, I've no doubt that even if I left the Macross franchise I would have still purchased the Revoltech figures. But I would not have collected the Macross Chronicle, I'd have left the Macross online community and I would have closed my website (or perhaps handed it off to a trustworthy fan).

I seem to recall reading an interview where Kawamori mentions the VF-11 Thunderbolt might be a little undersized. But since they didn't change the dimensions for the Macross Chronicle, I guess that means that he's okay with the dimensions again. Digressing, the VF-11 Thunderbolt isn't much larger than a VF-1 Valkyrie, particularly in Battroid mode. The VF-11 Thunderbolt is 12.92 meters tall while the VF-1 Valkyrie is 12.68 meters tall, but the VF-11 looks broader in the torso.