Prime

This is my feeling as well. Isn't the Anti-UN more or less a large terrorist organization? If so, then it is unlikely they have large bases, unless there are countries that are alligned with the "anti-UN". I suspect they want to remain as mobile as possible, and destroids aren't good at that. Another issue is the financial situation of the Anti-UN. Presumably they have less in the way of funds than the UN. If this is the case, they know that they won't be able to field forces that are comparable over the long term. So they have two options. Either they spend their money on a large number of cheap weapons, or they spend it on a few high-end weapons. It seems clear from Zero that they have Valkyries that are pretty comparable to what the UN has. So I suspect that they have gone with the latter. The Valkyries also seem much more suited to the their likely strategy of hit and fades. But I don't know enough about the Anti-UN to know if that makes sense...

I'm a big fan of it too. It is definitely my favorite series after the original show, for all the reasons mentioned so far...

The very short answer is "yes"

Damn that looks sweet. Can't wait to see it in action!

This game is a blast! A definite improvement of JO, IMO. If there were only enough hours in the day to play it As for dismemberment, there should be cheats to crank it up if you want. Has anyone tried the JO cheats? I'm not thinking of g_saberrealisticcombat, because that just cranked up the saber damage and made the game to easy. There where also cheats that delt only with dismemberment.

True, but due to the fact that the cockpit is set lower into the fuselage, and not above it (like the F-14 or F-15), those mirrors would only provide a rear view to above the fighter. They still do not show the pilot what is directly behind them

There are certainly several fighters out there that have a similar cockpit design to the VF-1. Anyone know how they compensate?

Not calling them "Veritechs" would be a great place to start That is a Robotech term that usually doesn't meet with too friendly a response around here. Just so you know. Here is the breakdown, and anyone can just jump in if I make a mistake or two. Macross TV and DYRL: VF-1 Valkyrie (with various versions) Macross Plus: VF-11B Thunderbolt (and/or C?), YF-19 prototype, YF-21 prototype Macross Flashback 2012: VF-4 Lightning III Macross 7: VF-11C Thunderbolt, VF-17 Nightmare, VF-19 Excaliber (descendant of the YF-19), VF-22 Sturmvogel (descendant of the YF-21) Macross Zero: VF-0, SV-51 VF-X2 video game: VA-3M Invader, VB-6 Konig Monster There are various others from other sources as well. You can find out more about them from the Macross Compendium. Hope that helps

Perhaps Max just had it repainted at one point?

This is what I was saying earlier. The thermonuclear engine needs fuel for the fusion reaction, but also fuel for the mass to push out the back to create thrust. Fusion just provides the energy to drive the mechanism. It is like nuclear reactors now. It creates energy, which is use to drive turbines or whatever to create electricity. This is the same as using coal or hydro damns to make the turbines go (efficiencies aside). Air is used in an atmosphere as the reaction mass, but this option isn't avaiable in space. One thing that is in the Valkyries (or any spacecraft's) favor is that much less thrust is needed in space than in an atmoshpere. In an atmoshpere, constant thrust is needed to counter drag and maintain enough speed so that its wings can provide lift. This requires a lot of mass to fire out the back, but the air provides that. In space, drag is not an issue, so the mass is only needed to increase/decrease speed, and change course. This requires much less fuel. So the Valkyrie only needs to store enough mass for those types of manouvers.There are also some good points here on the differences between fusion and fission.

Logically maybe. But like logic has anything to do with these sorts of things

This is how I was as well. When I found out that it was going to be before the Zentradi arrived, I was pretty sceptical. I mean, what was there do? I found out that there is plenty.

<---- How about my avator? I have a larger picture of it if you are interested. Whether it is a truly accruate portrail of the colour scheme, I don't know...

There are two issues really. The first is what powers the thermonuclear engines? There needs to be "ingredients" for the fusion reaction. Presumably the engine creates an enviroment where fusion can occur. This reaction creates a pile of energy, which is great, but the engine has to utilize that energy somehow. This is where the mass being fired out the back comes in. My physics days are long behind me though

Is its value determined by who created it?

How would it work?

Have we even gotten a release date for volume 3?

That is a problem that was in inherent in most copies of the game, IIRC. You can get a good understanding of the story from one of (the only?) walkthroughs at gamefaqs.com. All beating the game would do is allow you play again with the option of using any of the Valkyries right from the beginning. Also, some of the missions gave you access to the armoured VF-1 and VF-11.

I have a copy that only came out a year or two ago. Is it really that hard to get? If we are talking about a book that isn't old at all. Was it only printed in limited numbers? I believe you, I'm just surprised, is all. Also, my local comic store has the Design Works book for Kawamori's work on cars from a series whose name I can't remember (Formula something?). Does anyone know if that would be worth picking up?

I also agree. One thing that I like about the series is that after the TV show set up the story's foundation, he has been able to write stories that are independant, yet fit very well into the overall saga. Not only that, be it has allowed him to write stories that are smaller in scale (like Mac Plus and Zero so far, though I also realize the ramifications of the events described) and yet still make them compelling. They go together like pieces of a puzzle. Although I like each segment for its differences and strengths, making my little list made me realize that I enjoy them that much more because they do fit so well together. For example: Macross Plus: Guld's emotional problems make so much more sense and are more tragic when I know the history of his race. Knowing the history of the Macross, seeing it rise up again is a much more awe inspiring sight. It also adds to the story knowing the significance and history celebrated by the Space War I ceremony. Macross Zero: To me, that opening prologue in episode 1, with the first person recounting of the arrival of the Macross is one of the best parts in all of Macross-dom. It still gives me chills. The arrival of such a thing in any story would be big, but knowing all that resulted from it's arrival: the development of technology, Zentradi's arrival, the near destruction of Earth, and the human expansion into the cosmos makes that seen so much more powerful. Anyway, you get the idea. Although each Macross series has it's own unique strengths, the saga as a whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

That's brilliant!

Zero: mechanical animation, Roy Macross TV: great storyline/indepth story, great characters, great enemy, great mecha DYRL: great animation, along with the elements of the TV series Macross II: pass on this... Macross Plus: music, mechanical designs, characters, and animation Macross 7: Don't really like it at all.

I'd be on that like stink on a monkey...

I know what you mean about the subtitles. From what I have seen everyone is flying around in Scar Squadron. Sigh I'm not sure that it is too early to judge the series. Certainly it may pick up in the last three episodes, but the fact is for some people (not so much me ) it has not captured their interests. This is a problem with the series, regardless of how it turns out. I know what your saying that there is a lot left, and there is, but still, we are over a third of the way through. I do find it a bit slow in places, but I seem to enjoy it more than a lot of other people around here. And I am going to wait for the end of the series before I buy them If they come out with a box set or something, I want to get that. Has there been any mention of something of that sort so far?

Or they just wanted something cheap to offset the AI development costs. Or something cheap in general so that they could mass produce them. Not only are the construction costs of the Valks a consideration, but so are the costs of training and paying a fleet of pilots. The Ghost probably killed a couple of birds with one stone.