sketchley

They're calling it "Mardook Forces Variable Battle Mecha" on the front, and "Variable Battle Mecha" on the back. It doesn't appear in the size comparison chart with the other 4. Funny, this is the first time that I've seen the word "mecha" used in Japanese up until now... The associated image is from SDFM. Funny how the Dancing Skulls are missing from the worldguide sheet, but are part of the same issue's chronology sheet. I've got the feeling that it's going to be the GERWALKroid, and VTOL jets and ambulances. If the drones and satellites show up, I think they'll be as an extra report - like the small Mardook shuttle, which only gets one piece of lineart and animation grab, on the reverse of this issue's Mardook weapons sheet.

Contents review #39 Mechanic: SDFM Armoured Valkyrie: funny how the missiles are the only parts that look CG. Anyhow, looks like it's all there and I don't expect a B sheet. M7 Fz-109: images are all the Fz-109F. The development chart is most interesting: VF-4 > VF-14 > Fz-109. Intersting 'cuz the tech sheet VF-History 2 has the VF-14 directly decending from the VF-9, and only semi-descending from the VF-4. Hmmm... D7 VA-3C Kai Invader Kai: pretty much what I was expecting. Alas, no names for the aerospace boosters other than "rocket booster", "propulsion tank", etc.. Reverse has the transformation sequence, finishing off that VF. MII Mardook Forces Weapons: all four mecha are crammed on a single sheet (sadly, it's consistant with the short shrifting that the MC editors have been giving enemy equipment/stats in general...). The names of the equipment is also rather unimaginative (Zentran use power suit, etc.), but I don't think that's the fault of MC's writers. Character: SDFM: Vanessa, Kim, Shammy: front - uniforms. Back - single set of casual wear. Didn't they appear more than once in SDFM in casual clothes? The page feels a bit cramped... especially with the addition of an extra report on Chouzaki (Machizaki?). M+: Yan Noiman: I didn't spot if they wrote his origin in a quick scan (only looking for the Characters for China, mind you; which wasn't on it.) It does say that he's still only 17 at the time of M+. M7: Gigiru: unlike the Iwaano page, this one does have line art of his Protodevlin body. Alas, they've covered the entire character arc on the one page (including a shot from his appearance in M7 Plus!)... and he's not pictured in the vampire trench coat... T.T D7: Ray Lovelock / Viheda Fiizu: like the slightly evolved, more mature character art. Timeline: note preceeding amazed post on presence of VF-X(2) in the timeline. Otherwise, it's all MF. Starts with 2048 with the 117th. 2050, VF-X. Then March, 2059 and the start of MF up until the part where Ranka gets sucked outside of the ship in eps 02. History M+: Project Supernova: we're treated to another sweet image by Tomotake Kinoshita. Otherwise, it's all on the project, it's aftermath (Sharon Apple Incident) and effects (VF-19, 171, drone fighters, etc.). Technology Barrier System: pretty much the same brief treatment as the Beam Weapons page. Has a "barrier advantages and disadvantages" article, as well as OTech barriers (Pinpoint, and full), Tori no Hito's barrier, Protoculture ruin's barrier, and extra reports on the protodevlin and Vajra fold wave barriers, and sound beams and sound barriers. worldguide 22a: Reknown VF squads - in short: they're broken down by era: UN Wars: the Asuka II VF squad, SWI: Skull and Vermillion Squads, Varoota War: Diamond, Emerald and Sound Forces, Anti-Vajra Battles: Skull squadron. There's also an extra report on: Max and Miria (they're their own squad?!), and Jamming Birds. Glossary Sheets: two (2)! this month. MII and game content is: Dancing Skulls, Earth UN Forces, Defender EX, Timothy Daldanton, Denis Roon, and the 2nd sheet is: Toomu Jun, Tomahawk II and Nasutaasha Tooto. Goods: 1/60 Yamato YF-21. Reverse with transformation instructions. The Back cover of the issue has an add for the Hasegawa VF-1A Minmay 2009 Special, with a positively gorgeous full body Mikimoto painting of Minmei from Macross the First. The preview for #40 has images of M7's Ekisedoru, Max, Battle 7 and the VF-17T, as well as MII's GERWALKoid. Me thinks the UN Forces Weapons will be MII content. The extra sheet on the games should probably be translated as "Fuselages advanced in (by) games". Hopefully, fingers crossed with sugar on top, it'll actually be lineart of the VFs that have appeared in Digital Mission VF-X, VF-X2, Macross M3, SDF:M DYRL and M+ Game Edition!

The Prometheus Mechanic sheet has the picture from the game. The glossary section also has the Queadlunn-Nona from the game.

Well, colour me tickled pink. The timeline section has non-animated series content. 1 section (about 1/3 of one page) is about the VF-X Ravens, complete with images from VF-X2. Next to that is an extra report about the "Special Forces Squadrons other than VF-X Ravens", with mention of the Dancing Skulls (from M3) and images from Digital Mission VF-X. It's a shame that M3 didn't get the luv during the applicable section of the timeline. Nevertheless, it's great to see the games getting more recognition. My running tally of the games rendered "Macross Chronicle Canon" are: Digital Mission VF-X VF-X2 Macross M3 SDF:M DYRL (PS1/SS game)

?!? The publisher has gone from releasing these super late (after the issue has been released to sale) to, now, uber early. I wonder if someone's butt got kicked at the office... or the lateness was due to a rush to get the work done prior to the Shougatsu holiday? I'm guessing it's a frontier related sheet. Aruto to join SMS, and Ranka to join the music industry. I was expecting this. Lessee... it should be covering the Island Cluster class and hopefully we'll get a class name for the Macross Galaxy fleet's Mainland ship (and if that is the "4th generation" SLRES and/or one of the covered (Ie non-dome) SLRESs.) Me, too. Goody. They'll be elaborating on some of the tech behind the destroids. Fingers crossed that it'll include the Earth Trekkers! Though, I suspect it'll be history... or modular components; that being if it follows the VF tech sheets. Anyhow, it's most likely the B sheet. Whuzza? We get some games action? Or is this only the PSP, and not any of the older ones...?

Not so much words heard in a show, but words heard about a show: "We chose (director) due to his music video/special effects background." "We started filming before the script was finished."

Funny... I was thinking along similar lines last night about the series. Basically, I had asked myself "why do I feel that I can't introduce people to Macross using Macross F?" And the answer was that it reinforced too many negative stereotypes about otaku with the quoted content. Sadly, the only Macross I concluded would be good to introduce people to Macross was the original TV series. But as that show is dated...

Thank you for the link, and thank you to Roger for expending the time, energy and finances on this project. It's an excellent compliment to the recent Mospeada lineart book. Though, it has raised a question in me: if the people behind Southern Cross were able to persue their original vision of the project, would it have been more successful? (Referring to the domestic market here, mostly.)

Hmmm... going by the fleet roles based on real-world naval roles, IMHO the Combat ARMD would be a ship filling two roles: carrier and battleship. I say this, because the kanji used for the ship can also be used for battleship. (戦闘空母ARMD and 戦闘艦). Naming it "Combat Carrier" is just an esthetic choice, as it could also be "Fight(ing) Carrier" and "Battle Carrier" (but as we already have a Battle class carrier in Macross...) Nevertheless, battle capable or not, as soon as I learned that the Combat ARMD is fold travel capable, I felt that it was intended to be the flagship of a task force of Oberths. Possibly in the roles of exploring and patrolling the outer reaches of the solar system, and most likely in the role of defolding in a strategic position to catch enemies in a crossfire. Of course, we'll probably never know the plans the UN Spacy had for these ships... This is interesting. Partially in that it mirrors the Studio Nue continuity, what with Oberth's surviving SWI, and a fleet of (upgraded?) Oberth's accompaning Megaroad 01. One copied the other? It was the plan all along? Hmmm... Given that the Chronicle article states that the space fighter us space rigs (some? all? converted to the DYRL ARMD) were intended to be deployed at the Legrange points and above satellite orbit, places were the colony bunches, space ship factory docks, etc. were and are known to have survived SWI, it wouldn't be surprising if a few, some, most or even all of those that became the 26 DYRL ARMDs survived SWI. Sadly, the Macross Chronicle article in the Combat ARMD doesn't mention post SWI. VFMFVV states that 2 of the initial 8 survived SWI (6 and . Which is why I stated it's cononicity is debated. Anyhow, a good arguement, but it doesn't work, as the book is purportedly published in 2020.

And where exactly did I say I disliked all things MII?

I agree. The Zentran powersuit is probably the coolest looking version of the Nousjadel-ger; and it deserves a bit more love. Nevertheless, I can understand why the publishers are doing it: a) enemy equipment is getting the short-shrift in general (all variants of the Regult on one page :!: Majority of the SDFM Zentraadi battleships on one page :!: Hopefully the Vajra will get more than 1 page...) b) space crunch. We've already seen the publisher truncate to the point of rejecting previously printed pages. Damn... why couldn't Macross Chronicle be a 60 issue publication?!

Oh... and for the Macross II fans: Indications on the Macross Chronicle DYRL ARMD page are that there are only 2 converted space rig Space Carrier ARMD produced. On the other hand, it's unclear how many other space rigs were produced, if any. Or even if there was a fleet of Oberth Space Destroyers to escort the ARMD and space rigs! EDIT: pesky typos... >.<

Alrighty... I've been translating the Macross Chronicle DYRL ARMD, and I've noticed some things. Interesting things. Things that make me say "wait a second, isn't the DYRL version supposed to be more advanced than the SDFM version?" The movie version is described as "Space Carrier ARMD", and as nothing more than a platform floating in space for the operations of carrier-based aircraft and hurriedly converted into use as the "arms/carrier-based aircraft support platforms" of the SDF-1. The TV version is described as a "Combat Space Carrier ARMD", which not only has a bunch more weapons and flying controls (it's got a main engine, unlike the movie version which only has manuevering thrusters), but has the capability of fold navigation. Sure, it's never implemented, but the information on both ARMDs is up to SWI, not after. After SWI, there is only minute tidbits of info gleaned in passing. And they are: - SDFN class. Each has a pair of movie ARMDs for arms. Since there are only 12 SDFN ships produced (by 2059, though indications are that it ceased production before 2020), that means 24+2 (refit SDF-1). Giving a total of 26 known "converted space rig ARMD Space Carriers". Were 26 originally produced? Or did 24 of them get produced post-SWI? Unclear. - Orbit of Eden. One of the game stages of "Macross Plus Game Edition" takes place on a TV ARMD. The implications are that it folded there itself (though it could have been brought with another fold capable ship). Nevertheless, it's a TV ARMD active and in use in 2040. Is it a new ship, or one of the ones produced pre-SWI? Unclear. Nevertheless, it adds some weight to the information in... - "VF Master File VF-1 Valkyrie" (canonicity debated), where 14 TV "Combat Space Carrier ARMD" are indicated as having been produced by 2014, and a plan to produce beyond the 15th is indicated as existing, with 11 to 14 having fold drives. As the book claims to be published in June, 2020, it makes one wonder why the chart stops in 2014... Anyhow, 5 different sources* all show the concurrent use of the "Space Carrier ARMD" and the "Combat Space Carrier ARMD" in Macross. With the following numbers: 26 converted space rig Space Carrier ARMD 8 or 14 (or more) Combat Space Carrier ARMD. Of these, "VMFVV" indicates that 9 are lost or have left with a Megaroad fleet by 2014, and new ships are being produced at a rate of 2 per year. * Macross Plus, Macross Plus Game Edition, Macross Frontier, Macross Chronicle, VF Master File VF-1 Valkyrie". 4 of these being considered canon, and interestingly only 1 (M+GE) being the only one to have both types of ARMD!

Given the dearth of information, I'd say that engine nacelle launchers have a similar maximum capacity to that indicated for the VF-19 (12 micromissiles, total), and any other launcher having a similar capacity to those in the HMMP-02 missile launcher pods of the Super VF-1 (3 micro-missiles per launcher). It's a safe guesstimate, IMHO, as the launchers are in places where there is a lot of other equipment crammed in (case in point: VF-17 shoulders have the missile launchers, as well as a shoulder joint for the arm and a shoulder pivot for the shoulder, and a manuevering thruster.) The yields are variable depending on the needs of the plot and the animation budget.

Short answer: many. Long answer: it can house hundreds of thousands. However, in doing so, there won't be room to move them around, let alone deploy them in combat. Also, there weren't that many created by the time of it's launch - basically only enough VF-1 were created to fill the Prometheus and the UN Headquarters in Alaska. In addition, the interior of the SDF-1 isn't designed to support VF operations (refeuling, rearming, repairing, etc.). Therefore, the main limit is the capacity of the Prometheus (SDFM) or the ARMD (DYRL), which is 150 and 262x2 respectively. Therefore, even the figure of 300+ is inflated, and not representative of the operational capacity. And what of that other figure of 212? How many of those are combat ready? How many require significant time* to make combat ready? *The definition of significant time here is longer than it takes the Zentraadi, after being first detected, to arrive and make their attack run. Referring to general attacks by Regults and Gluags, and not the first battle per se.

Try: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/Sketchley/S...htsuits.htmTry:

Erm, I think that should be until Macross F, all designs were shared amongst all UN aligned forces (colonies, emigrant fleets, etc.), but some time between VF-X2 and MF, things switched to each colony, emigrant fleet, etc. creating their own derivative designs.

I, too. However, the more I translate Macross related articles (not just Macross Chronicle), the more little inconsistencies I spot. To be honest, the biggest flaw of the non-wiki version of the Compendium is the lack of citation of where the information comes from. I'm not saying that every piece of info on it has to be double checked, just that it'd be nice to know where it comes from, especially if later published information conflicts with the information on it. What's coming to mind right now is the VF-14 and VA-14 articles on the Compendium, compared to Macross Chronicle referring to it as the VF-14 Fighter-Attacker*, and Great Mechanics.DX as the VF-14 Heavy Fighter-Attacker; with neither mentioning a VA version. Combine that with what looks like an honest-to-goodness mistranslation of the EVA-3 information in the VA-3 section of TiAS:M+... there's been a lot of doubt created in my mind regarding the veracity of the info there. And then throw in this Jan vs Yang... *perhaps VF/A-14 would be a better name?

* Best/Worst Anime (film/TV series/OAV) - GiTS SAC Solid State Society / Dunno. Tend to only watch stuff that I know is good. [Disclaimer: I don't watch that much anime... and GiTS SAC III is the only one I can remember the story of after watching it, and I remember it making me think after watching it, too.] * Best/Worst Manga - mine / Macross F (Aoki Hayato's...) * Best/Worst SF (film/TV series) - Stargate SG-1 / Alien Vs Predator 2 [Disclaimer: there may be another film or something, but that's the most recent, totally sucky one] * Best/Worst SF Literary (Book/Short story/Comic) - mine / Dunno * Most annoying trend in Anime - dearth of interesting, relatable characters. * Most annoying trend in SF - spectacle over story. Come on, I thought this lesson was learned in the '90's... * Best comeback - Macross tied with James Bond * Most disappointing comeback - Star Trek Enterprise * Best/Worst Game of the decade - Sim City 4 / dunno * Most consistent game developer - dunno * Best/Worst Game platform of the decade - my PC / my PC * Which product do you really wish had not turned out to be vapourware? dunno * Most Unnecessary *Remake: hmmm... too hard to pick. Can I say "Toy Story 3D" without having seen it? *Sequel Pirates of the Caribbean 3 * Greatest addition to your toy/model/DVD collection - Ghostbusters tied with Hot Shots and Hot Shots part Deux * What is the piece of technology that you have now which was not available at the start of the decade that you cannot do without? mobile phone. (Not that mobile phones didn't exist back then. But the features combined into the mobile phone) * Best/Worst Band/Album/Live performance - Yoshio Kojima's flubbing of the "tub of hot water" joke. * What do you think is going to be the most inaccurate SF prediction about life in 2010? that Aliens would create a second star in the solar system. * Person of the decade Bear Grylls with honorary mention to Steve Irwin. * Where do you think you will be at the end of next decade? Here (as in my house in Japan) * Complete the following sentence. "I will be much happier next decade if..........." my manga had spawned a successful animated TV series. + What have you been calling this decade? The 20's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heisei_period As for the Western calendar... heard a good one a couple of months ago: "the double 0's."

Wouldn't it by funny if the Chronicle page describes him as half Chinese?

It's "YF-25 Prophecy". Try: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/forums/index.php?topic=2325.0 and http://macross.anime.net/wiki/YF-25_Prophecy

Erm... 200 m = 656 ft.* Isn't the arguement that it is 400 ft (122 m)? * http://www.google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&s...mp;aq=f&oq= PS: your image isn't showing up (only noticed because the message was quoted!)

Contents #38 Mechanic: Queadlunn-Rau: SDFM. A sheet. VF-1J Super Valkyrie: SDFM. B sheet (Max, Miria, General). Battroid mode is completely lacking... Destroid: DYRL. A sheet. All four (Monster, Tomahawk, Defender, Spartan) with minimal stats and write-ups. Not surprising given their limited on-screen time and that they are excatly the same as the TV series... Zentraadi Forces Military Vessels: DYRL. A sheet. Goru Bodoruzaa's mobile fortress. No data block... Macross Frontier Military Vessels: MF. A sheet. All 4 ships. Minimal data blocks for the 3 recycled from M7 (haven't compared them, but I'm guessing it's the same data.) Vessels are "Guantanamo Class Escort Space Carrier Maizura", "Uraga Class Two-deck style Dual Water and Space use Carrier Uraga", "Northampton Class Space Destroyer Stealth Frigate", and "Space Cruiser Stealth Cruiser". Character: Miria 639: DYRL. A Sheet. Reverse has the additional Meltraandi in an extra report (!): Moruku Rapuramisu, and Dawanton 3565. Goru Bodoruzaa and Underlings: DYRL. A sheet. Underlings include Kamjin 03350, Warera 25258, Konda 88333, and Rorii 28356. Nattaa Barugo / Babigurago: 7G. A sheet. Timeline: looks like it covers all of M7D. History: SDFM: Zentraadi Soldier Defections. Worldguide: Protodevlin: B sheet. The different ones, their organization, how they were born, and their combination ability as an extra report. Technology Sheet: Variable Figher: H Sheet - Supporting the cockpit and engines in a VF. Interesting stuff. Glossary sheet: MII content: Battle Pod, Zentraadi Brainwashed Soldiers, Solar System Valkyrie Championship Series. Interesting that the Zentran entry is indicated as being applicable to all series EXCEPT Zero, Flashback 2012, and DYRL :!: Song Sheet: Planet Dance and My Sould For You. Extra Sheet: Macross Frontier Front Cover inside: notice that this issue's Extra Sheet on MF replaces the one in Issue 10. Rear Cover inside: #39's content: Mechanic: Armoured Valkyrie - looks like it's got the cover. Nice Hidetaka painting of it. Fz-109 Erugaazorun VA-3C Kai Invader Kai - my money's on it being about the FAST packs. Mardook Forces Weapons - the kanji used (兵器) generally refers to what Western fans term mecha. Probably the Brainwashed Zentraadi stuff. Characters: Vanessa / Kimu / Shammi - all 3 on the same sheet? DYRL version? Yan Noiman (Yang Neuman) Gigiru Rei Lovelock / Behiida Fiizu - both on the same sheet? 7G or 7D? Timeline: Vajra, attack History: Project Super Nova Worldguide: well-known VF forces (squadrons) Technology: Barrier System Glossary Sheet Goods Sheet: Yamato 1/60 compete(ly) transforming YF-21

Very nice OAV. Highly recommended. Of course, it's probably (very) dated now, and a lot of the references may be lost on younger fans. Nevertheless, it provides a nice snapshot of the era it was made in, and the one(s) leading up to it's production.

Actually it is*, and Macross Chronicle** does it. The only major difference between the VF-1 and the VF-0 and SV-51 is the thermonuclear engines and it's related systems (fuel, etc.). Anyhow, where did you read that information? Some of it sounds canon, some of it assumptions, and some of it wrong and contradicting what is seen in the anime. * see above re: my point about technology, and especially my point about the space manuevering verniers. ** More on this later. The latest issue has a lot on the cockpits and engines of VFs. Which provide another two avenues to put variable craft into generations.