sketchley

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?

Correct, but there is one more part: "planned release dates".

Psst: check out the Macross Ace discussion thread.

See the following two quotes: EDIT: Gah! Too many quote boxes. Changing to bold for 3rd party quotes: "One fortunate aspect of the US Air Force Reserve is that fighter pilot’s tactical nicknames are also used as a flight call sign. So when a guy nicknamed Fresco goes out and leads a 4-ship formation, his air traffic control call sign is Fresco too." http://www.fighterpilotuniversity.com/index.cfm/2008/3/7/Fighter-Pilot-Nicknames "Callsign Flight: An airborne aircraft uses a "callsign" as an identifier when talking to the controllers. This is generally a word and number combination. For example, "Killer 01." If Killer was a flight of four aircraft, the flight members would be numbered in succession; ie, 01, 02, 03, 04." http://www.christianfighterpilot.com/fighterpilotspeak.htm#Callsign Ergo: Fresco 1 (or Fresco Lead), Fresco 2, etc.. Nothing relevant to support either of us. Relevant to your point, but only in the context of the US Navy. You know, you just shot yourself in the foot. Especially as you said the following in the same post: Done. And one more source is the episode of "Wings" (Discovery Channel documentary series, not the sitcom) about either the F-15 or F-16; flying out of a base in Washington State. (Anyone else remember that episode? I feel like a chunk of the internet's been erased... )

No. I'm not. ... and a ficticious movie is relevant... how? Why not put some effort in with Google, and come up with something factual.

Actually, no. Head's wrong.

Isn't that what the end of SDFM is all about? (Both the planned ending, and the encoure episodes) TBH, SW doesn't need a reboot - simply because EVERY single release of the movies has been "improved upon" by the direct. (As a creative type myself, I understand why Mr. Lucas does the constant fiddling, but there are some choices that I felt have been detremental. Ie: Boba Fett to the (restored?) Jabba the Hutt scene in Eps 4, and the Eps 2 & 3 Anakin replacing the original actor in Eps 6). Anyhow, expanding on my point: one could even consider Eps 1-3 as a reboot, as they cast Eps 4-6 in a new light.

That would be the VA-3A, VA-3B and EVA-3 first, in "TiAS:M+", followed by the VA-3C in "M7 Dynamite", followed by the VA-3M in VF-X2. Nevertheless, it's good that the VA-3M is used by the Galaxy Fleet in 2059! If I'm not mistaken, the Macross F movies are doing that. Not to mention that DYRL did that as well... It's following Hikaru's point of view.

It sounds unlikely, but lengthy periods of time in the cockpit are more common than one thinks in the real world*. So, it's not much of a stretch if the same holds true in a ficticious world (TBH, I was expecting the "time seen on screen = time spent in fold", but ah well.) * B-2 bombing missions over Kosovon: Whiteman AFB, Missouri to Kosovo and back again (or a 28 to 32 hour trip).

That's not limited to older, nor Asian parents. It's ALL parents who don't recognize their children's inherent strengths. Of course, the opposite are the parents who do recognize their children's strengths, but completely neglect training them with practical skills for their future. But this is all a discussion for another place and time.

I agree. Aside from the first mechatronics, I'm finding them silly. (Not that a biplane attached to a VF-25 isn't silly. But it was intriguing, and restrained, compared to the next two).

Indeed. It is 11.7 light years (I was trying to find a source, but Macross Chronicle only has "dozens of light years away".) Fun fact: Macross Chronicle says that eden takes one or two folds from Earth, which takes 18 to 24 hours. So... 2 hours per light year?

More Macross The First #5 fun: Minmei is a high school student (the Across The Macross Universe even says "Rin Minmei, from Female High School Student to Songstress"!) She wears her high school uniform on the date with Hikaru. Hikaru eventually stops listening to her during the date, and the date becomes a virtuoso sequence where you have the highlights of the date through Hikaru's eyes (which are pretty pure, until he starts spacing out ), overlayed with an internal monologue which reads like a flashback, and a mantra of Hikaru looking only at her smiling face. Yocchan makes an appearance - he's a kid from the neighbourhood, who apparently works harder than Minmei at Nyan-nyan! (He's shown as the dishwasher). The space combat/Deadalus Attack takes place in the region of Saturn's Cassini. (not sure if it's been mentioned before or not, but I don't remember it being mentioned in either SDFM nor DYRL). There are 4 Tomahawk destroids on the top of the opening front hatch of the Deadalus! Next issue looks like it'll be taking place at Mars. Expect more Misa action (#5 has mostly Misa recognizing Hikaru and a talk with the bridge bunnies that he was found, and hadn't died during the fold, and her in full kick-butt mode, ordering and organizing the Deadalus Attack.) Macross 7th Code: I'm a bit disappointed by this issue. In short, it's all action and no character. What I found most interesting about the previous three issues are the characterization, and how the plot stayed in the background (or was an outgrowth of the character's actions). This issue it feels forced... Macross Plus: TAC Name Started reading it. Mistake #1: Eden is 17 light years from Earth. This manga states that it's 117 light years! Mistake #2: Alpha 1 referred to as Omega 1 (2?). I'm not quite convinced that it's a mistake at this point. The reason being is that in some air forces, the second person in a flight takes the first person's callsign. Therefore, if Omega 1 is the flight leader, than Alpha 1 being renamed to Omega 2 makes sense. That said, I'm not completely convinced that it's ultra realism - as the reason why they had different names in the OVA is to make it easier for the casual viewer. Therefore, I'm waiting until a time when we see the YF-19 on it's own, and see if it's referred to as an Alpha or an Omega. PS: Strumvogel: it's a battleship, not a submarine (didn't read the review I linked to, eh)

I echo what Gui says. A scanner is the best investment (+ an art program, but as there are free one's like GIMP, one only has to worry about hard disc space). A scanner is a good investment, not just for the digitization and mass-distribution that they allow, but because he can take his pencil/pen on paper art to the next level (adding tones and/or colour, cropping the art, flipping elements of it, etc., etc..) If you really want to see him learning the IT graphic skills, encourage him to manipulate and/or improve his art after scanning it. So, yeah, what Gui said about getting more experience and exposure to things old and new.

There's a key piece of information that's been overlooked: how old is your younger brother? The answer to that is key to the applicability of the guidance asked for. Reason being is the type of things you can expose him to. For example, in my pre-teens, the art-teaching book that I remember the most is one that used simple shapes (mostly triangles, squares and circles) to draw complex pirate boats - only in black and purple, too! In my teens, I vividly remember pouring over a book on drawing perspective. In my 20's, it was "Burne Hogarth Dynamic Figure Drawing" (alas, it's the only title that I can remember). After that, it was the "漫画を描こう" series.