sketchley

Initially, the only reason the VF-1 had lasers in it's head turret is because of the space savings. I'm not sure if there is a weight issue, but generally in the real world, more powerful lasers are larger. But yeah, as was said, power supply is not an issue. Take the one-use mini-reaction-weapon powered mobile lasers that VFMF:VF-19 introduces. Uber powerful, but most sane people don't want to be next to it when it fires.

I think I do remember that thing about being specifically design to defeat energy conversion armour. I believe that was in a VF-1 translation, and how the VF-1 was specifically designed to combat Zentraadi weaponry, AKA battle pods. (I distinctly remember the implication that Zentraadi craft have energy converting armour, which came as a surprise. In retrospect, it's fairly obvious (where would the technology come from, when it was introduced in the VF-0? Mankind was still learning the basics of OTM at that time.)

The name was the non-studio nue name for the VF-4. That's about the extent of my knowledge of that version (aside from what I mentioned herein or elsewhere that it can transform and has FAST packs).

Over the past few months I've been thinking about what role or roles the VF-4 would be applied to, and the only one that really comes up is as a (space) interceptor. What else would the long-range missiles and beam cannons that have beyond excellent performance in space but poor performance in an atmosphere be used for? Depending the veracity of VFMF: VF-1, all of the VF-4 except for the VF-4G couldn't transform. Sure, that may be a fan error on the writers of VFMF: VF-1, but if it were true, it does ask a lot of questions about how the VF-4 could have been produced in so many numbers. Nevertheless, TiAS:M+ Movie Edition has an image of a VF-1 being used to explore the surface of Eden. Therefore, it's fairly safe to say that the Megaroad fleets were deployed with a mix of VF-4 and VF-1 varients. Oh, I was glancing through the VFMF:VF-1 and another nugget of information popped up: after Block　17 and the end of mass production, the VF-1 continued to be manufactured by the Factory Plants of the Emigration Fleets. Given the proliferation of appearances of the VF-1 in M7D, MDMVF-X and VF-X2, it's also fairly safe to say that an additional 1,000 to 2,000 VF-1 were made. The same could hold true of the other variable fighters, as well. VFMF:VF-1 also indicates that these post-mass production units also continued to be improved upon. So, it's equally likely that a VF-19P with the VF-19F engines installed was made, just as would a VF-1 with engines the equivalent of the VF-19F's (of course it goes without saying that the airframe would've been strengthened to support them at full thrust, too).

Good points. The VFMF: VF-19 section on the gunpod also mentions something about EMP (not sure what capacity), and cooling. On top of that, there is versatility: it's far easier to change the bullets in a gun pod, then it is to change the beam emitters in a beam weapon. Sure, one might be able to adjust the frequency and the power output... but turn it into a tracer? HESH? HEAT? APFSDS?

Check your perspective lines (the lockers). Hikaru's head is at about Fokker's nipple level. Also, there's a culture difference going on. Long story short: public baths & nudity isn't as culturally taboo.

Now that I have a bit more time to reply, there are a couple more points that needed expansion in the "why the VF-22" post: A VF-22 without Super Parts has superior active stealth performance than a VF-19 or any other craft with Super Parts. Sure, the VF-19 may have the edge on atmospheric performance overall, but the VF-22 has a greater amount of internally carried weapons. There was something else that made the non-Super Parts equipped VF-22 better than a Super Parts equipped VF-19 in that situation, but I can't remember what that is now >.< Thanks Azrael for the clarification, too.

Graham tackled your first question, so I'll try to answer your second: Because Shoji Kawamori wanted to have the VF-22 appear at least once in Macross 7. In universe, it's probably because of two factors: the number of internal weapons the VF-22 can carry, and it's enhanced flight controls. By that, I mean the BDI control system, and not the other kinds of controls.

True. That's pretty much the only justification for craft like the VF-17, VF-19, VF-22, VF-171EX and perhaps even the VF-25 to have them. The VF-11 is the odd one (as the VF-1 and VF-5000 definitely need the extra fuel for space use). It's been described as not needing super packs as it's capable in space (thereby in the same league as the VF-17 et al), but without them, it's internal weapons (if any) are negligible (akin to the VF-1 et al). The boggling part of it is that the engine nacelle packs are only for fuel, not additional armaments (like the VF-17 et al).

Ok. Gets out MC binder. Flips to VF-4 page. If you're referring to "The fighter form of the VF-4G (Ichijo's craft is pictured).", then that was a mistake on my part. It should be "The fighter form of the VF-4 (Ichijo's craft is pictured)." [Translation also corrected.] That's how they appear. The designations are also not limited to the VF-4, and crop up with other variable craft from time to time. I've been making a missile resource for the Macross role playing game that I'm running. The canon missile names and information is in green: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/Sketchley/Statistics/Missiles.htm#Medium_Range_Missiles There are a lot of missiles referred to as AIM or something similar (AMM, AOM, ASM, HAIM, CHM, SACHM, AAMS, AAMM). So, it could have been a similar looking name. What I find most intriguing is that the VF-14, the successor to the VF-4 in-universe (MC entry confirms it), has AAM-01S. Not quite AIM-01, but remarkably similar. Perhaps the VF-4's missiles are AAM-01?

Yay for crazy people to remind us who nice life is (without them). Have you had the schoolgirls and boys shout random English at you? Or the crzed mama's forcing their kids in front of you and prompting them to speak English?

More VF-4 fun: I was skimming over the VF-14 description in "Shoji Kawamori Macross Design Works", and his notes on the design say that it is the successor to the VF-4. Now, there are two ways to interpret that: the in-universe successor, or the out-of-universe design successor (both VF-4 and VF-14 are visually based off of the SR-71). In universe, it makes a bit of sense, as both the VF-4 and 14 have enlarged fuselages that allow for a greater amount of fuel to be stored. The VF-14 also has a load of "large" missiles stored within the engine nacelles (Bifors AAM-01S, if anyone's asking), so they have comparible armaments, too.

Technically the non-Studio Nue timeline has a FAST pack equipped VF-4 appear in one of the games. Of course, said game also has it appear in a battroid form that looks suspiciously like the VF-1. That said, no one will disagree with you that it doesn't have FAST packs in the Studio Nue timeline. Yes and no. (Or something right or left). MC translation of the VF-4 article: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/forums/index.php?topic=2503.msg37738#msg37738 and the bit in the Game and Advanced section: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/forums/index.php?topic=2481.msg37165#msg37165 That would be "Macross Perfect Memory". They're not called the AMM-1. As far as I've come across, they're referred to as "Half Embedded* Type Long Range Missiles" *Alternatively, Semi-Recessed could also be used.

Ahh. I understand. It's not that the VF-4 was stated as being expensive, but it's implied that it's cost-performance is worse than the other VFs that were developed roughly at the same time. Nods. Mind you, Macross Chronicle and other sources give the impression that craft that need super parts are less desireable or otherwise looked down-upon in-universe. But I think that stems more from the super parts being needed for the extra fuel to have a decent mission range, rather than the additional firepower that they provide.

No, the prime reason is that there are already anti-laser defences that have been created. The most relevant in this situation is a light-polarization material that blocks and/or reflects the laser light. On the other hand, there are some theories about using lasers themselves as a kind of force field. Basically a single beam is bounced off of a bunch of mirrors causing a fine net to form over the surface of a craft. Said net will vaporize things like missiles and bullets, but won't stop other lasers. So, in summary: they will be deployed, but in tandem with bullets. Macross has also built on these real-world sciences: both laser/beam and bullet weapons, as well as anti-laser materials covering the fuselage and PPB. The last one is quite interesting, as the VFMF:VF-19 explanation of it is extremely similar to a real-world explanation of how a force-field could be created. The difference being that the PPB uses microwaves (obviously of OT origin), and not lasers (with the aforementioned limitations).

I haven't seen anything indicate that the VF-4 has a high cost-performance ratio, either. The one thing one must keep in mind about the VF-4 is that it was designed as a space fighter, at the sacrifice of atmospheric performance. Thus the adoption of the VF-5000 - a fighter optimized for atmospheric performance at the sacrifice of space performance. Anyhow, it's all in the link I posted.

*cough* VF-14 *cough* Fz-109

You'll have to read up on your Macross history: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/forums/index.php?topic=2264.msg35166#msg35166 Probably the greatest error is the part about the VF/A-14. Namely, it was involved in a competition with the VF-11 to determine the next main fighter of the UN Forces to take over from the VF-4 / VF-5000 main fighter combi. I remember reading somewhere that the competition between the VF-11 and VF-14 was called project "Nova", but I'm not sure if it was a canon source or not.

Before I forget: VFMF:VF-19 Excalibur states that the "standard" number of forces on an emigrant planet are: 16 Space Cruisers 48 Stealth Space Destroyers 9 Space Carriers about 600 VF-11C (described as the main force) more than 100 VF-14A (described as a self-defence force) So... that's a lot more variable craft, pending on the number of emigrant planets. I should probably revise the "most successful variable attackers" to: VA-3 VF-14A (or VF/A-14?) VB-171 (I strongly feel that this could be 2nd, mostly because due to it's commonality with the VF-171, it'd be adopted as the main attacker/bomber quite quickly. Though considering it's only been around for, at most, a decade, where the VF/A-14 has been around for close to 30 years...)

Agreed, however I've based that extrapolation on the time that it took to reach the 1,000th, total time "mass produced", minus the lack of it being adapted as the main fighter. Of course, VFMF:VF-19 states with the VF-19P that Emigration fleets and Immigrant Planets continue manufacturing the VF-19P under contract (or something along those lines), so the number of VFs (P variant mostly) could be significantly higher. This is in agreement on your speculation of a 1:1 or a 1:2 replacement for certain fleets. It may be. Nevertheless, we haven't been provided a total number of ships in the M Frontier or Galaxy Fleets. So, I've based the numbers on a doubling of the number of carriers from a New Macross fleet, halved by the unmanned craft, as some fleets have more manned craft than others (M Frontier) and others have much more unmmanned craft than manned (M Galaxy), coupled with the number deployed to emigrant planets. Nevertheless, the VF-4 had roughly 10,000 craft produced in it's 10 year run as main fighter, and for the last portion of it, it was the main fighter in conjunction with the VF-5000. So, I can easily see at least 20,000+ being made. 35,000 may be a little high. But on the other hand, I can't see more than that being made. Various books. Such as: Macross Chronicle Variable Fighter Master File (VF-1 and VF-19) This is Animation Special: Macross Plus

Something to get out of the way first: The most successful VFs in the real world are: VF-1 VF-25 VF-19 (correct me if I'm wrong here, as I don't collect toys/models) The information implies that there are (if a Megaroad class fleet has half as many VFs as a New Macross fleet, and the Island Cluster class has the same amount - I figure the balance is filled by unmanned craft): VF: 70,200 VA: 23,400 VB: 351 VE: 4,680 Impressive numbers, eh? One must keep in mind, in addition to the oversimplification of numbers per fleet, that the numbers are only for super long range emigration fleets. It's not much of a stretch to double that number, for things like emigrant planet defence forces and so on. Now, of those large numbers, the majority were launched in the period that the VF-11 and VF-171 were the main fighters. Therefore, I figure the following: The most successful VF is the VF-11, with 35,000 to 45,000 made. The second most successful VF is the VF-171: 25,000 to 35,000 made. It's unclear how many of the VF/A-14 were produced, but I'd say a number equal or greater than that of the VF-4 (say, 10,000). The same for the VF-5000 (10,000 or so made). The other thing to look at is Variable Attackers. Macross Chronicle states that the successor to the VA-3 was the VB-171. So, despite the VB-4, VB-5 and so on, the VA-3 was (and still is!) the main attacker for a good 30+ years. Therefore: The VA-3 is the most successful attacker, with a 15,000 to 20,000 made. The VB-171 is the second most successful attacker, with around 3,500 to 5,000 made (if I'm reading Macross Chronicle correctly, it was introduced around 2050. Therefore, it's been around for almost a decade). These are, of course my thoughts and interpretations of the data. I'm curious what you're interpretation is. Just keep in mind that it's implied that there are around: 100,000 VF made in total 35,000 VA 1,000 VB 10,000 VE PS: what got me thinking about this? Talk in the "Variable Fighter Master File: VF-19 Excalibur" thread that the implied 2,000 VF-19 being made is too high a figure. It got me asking how many VF have been implied as being made by canon information.

You know, that's not a very nice thing to say. For example, how many native Japanese speakers were born and raised in an English speaking country, thereby speaking fluent English AND Japanese? And let's not forget those that have achieved considerable education and are able to get a higher score on a TOEIC/TOEFL/IELTS/IELTS Academic test than a "native speaker" from an English speaking country? Anyhow, there is only one undeniable fact: the manufacturer cares enough about the international market to hire a professional to do the translation. Kudos to them, and I hope that there is more from where it came from.

Which was why I thought the initial two Dark Horse Comics follow-up series were much more relevant than the 3rd movie. You pretty much summed up the plot, but I think Hicks might have been replaced, Newt is grown up, and Riply doesn't appear until the very end of the second series.

I think James Cameron comments on Alien3 succinctly sums up everyone's feelings toward Alien3.

Com'mon, the best part of "Alien Reserrection" is the combination of Ripley and the Alien. If anything, her character was the scariest thing in that whole movie. For a couple of years, I looked forward to a continuation of that character exploring Earth, etc.. Alas... the turd called AvP, and the WTF were you smoking AvP2 pretty much precluded a Ripley alien sequel. As for the rest of "AliRes"... it... well... uhm... it was cool seeing a pre-CSI Gary "Warrick Brown" Dourdan in a completely different role. Reaffirmed my believe that he fits the CSI role. Alien 3? What alien got cubed?