Cyclone Trooper

And the last shot...

One thing I'm having a problem with on mine is the the curved parts of the mecha.

Applying the D7-type decals on the curved abdominal section, as well as the rear-torso dome...

Anyone have any suggestions as to a way of getting around this?

I'm adding a few more decals to mine today and was pondering this same problem, as a matter of fact. The easiest way to apply the numerical decals to the mecha's rounded "belly" is to use an X-acto blade to cut out the number and letter designation you want, trimming away all excess plastic around them. This will allow for easier application to the mecha without the decal wrinkling up. Hope that helps!

My Tomahawk tends to bend backward as if it is top heavy or something. Does this happen to anyone or is it common due to its weight.

Yes. This seems to be an inherent design flaw with the Tomahawk. But see my post above on how to fix the floppy waist...

Okay, this is ridiculous! After playing around with this thing for a few hours, and completely disassembling its modular pieces, I SOOO want the Defender now! There are actually parts on the Tomahawk that are removable that haven't really been mentioned in reviews. The quad-barrel chest cannon emplacements all have removable barrels; the paneling behind the cockpit is removable; the arm cannons' barrels and "elbows" are removable...hinting that other weapon systems could be used in place of the particle cannons; and the hip-mounted missile covers can be removed.

I was kind of surprised at the sheer size of this thing. If nothing else, it's definitely "beefier" than the Valkyrie...and even moreso than the Q-Rau in some ways. I know some people have complained that the Destroids should have some kind of gimmick, considering their price point, but I'm damned impressed with them as-is.

The only con against the Tomahawk is the same one that practically everyone who's gotten their hands on one has mentioned: a really floppy waist. Mine was so loose that the mecha was at a permanent 45-degree angle looking up at the sky. But a simple fix got rid of the floppiness: Krazy Glue. I took apart the waist/cockpit assembly by removing 4 small screws in the back of it, then slid the waist section out of its housing. It's nothing more than a round bowl-shaped piece with two small pegs on each side. Two plastic rotator cogs slip over the pegs and keep the waist section connected to the upper part of the mecha. I put a few drops of glue on the pegs and them reassembled the whole thing. I then slowly worked the waist up and down until the glue began to tighten it up, making sure it didn't permanently bond the plastics. The end result now has my Destroid able to stay facing forward without any problem whatsoever...

Well, I picked up my Destroid this morning and spent a few hours today applying decals. I used a mixture of styles, using both decal sheets. I'm actually surprised at how many more a Destroid comes with compared to a Valkyrie. I love the color scheme on this mecha...it looks like something a real military would use. Here are a few shots of the finished product...

The Destroid I ordered on Friday is now sitting at my post office. It only took 2 days for it to get here!

As I have mentioned in a few other posts, I had ordered an OD Tomahawk Destroid from Overdrive last Friday. It's the first time I've ever placed an order with Overdrive, but the prices on Yamato Macross items are significantly cheaper than HLJ, especially the "older" stuff like the Destroids, the first-run "shoulder-cracked" Valkyries, the Q-Raus, etc. Based on several positive posts about Overdrive and the fact that it apparently has a sweet arrangement with Yamato to get spare parts at a discount for your Yammies, I figured I'd bite the bullet and give them a try...

I gotta say that Overdrive is aptly named...

My Destroid is sitting at my local post office as of 1:24am this morning (Wednesday). Because I placed my order on a Friday afternoon, EST, it wasn't even processed until Monday. But it was shipped out the same day that it was processed via EMS and it took only two days to get to the US. It came from Japan to New York, and then straight to Maryland, where I live. I'm absolutely amazed at how fast this whole order was pushed through! I wasn't even expecting to see the damned thing until the end of the week or possible next Monday!

Hobby Link Japan has an awesome customer service staff (very polite and courteous), but I had a bad experience where I paid for EMS shipping and got my very first version 2 Valkyrie shipped SAL instead. It wasn't the end of the world or anything because the Valk eventually arrived, and HLJ did reimburse me for the shipping mixup. But it was just kind of frustrating that I paid for the faster shipping and someone pushed it through with basic shipping instead. I understand that mistakes happen and people are only human, but first impressions are everything, y'know?

I think I'll be sticking with Overdrive from now on when I find myself needing a Macross fix.

just a nooby observation going on here.....but there are some rich forumites around here!!!!!!

(or some with a serious addiction;) )

It's a healthy mixture of both. You'd be shocked at how some on here can outright purchase entire cases of these $150+ Valkyries. Granted, I'm not one of those lucky few, but I don't think my wife would allow an influx of Macross collectibles of that magnitude.

I've heard about a feature in a few reviews that the cockpits of the Tomahawk and Defender actually have detailed control panels and monitors. It's always mentioned in passing and none of the review photos ever show this particular feature. Could someone snap a quick pic of the cockpit interior showing its details?

EDIT: I would have answered my own question if I had simply went back a few pages before posting this request. Anyhow, the cockpit detail is really cool, IMO.

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&id=66446

So to breathe some life into this thread until we get some definite news of any new Destroids, I'd like to ask those of you who own any of these mecha how they stack up against other Yamato offerings lately (Version 2 Valkyries, redesigned FAST Packs, etc.)? I ordered the Olive Drab Tomahawk last week, so I'm wondering what the "wow" factor is on it. I've honestly heard mixed reviews about the Destroids with everything from awesome articulation to complaints that the missiles should be spring-loaded. Just interested in what other Destroid owners think...

I'm waiting for a 1/60 Olive Drab Tomahawk from Overdrive. It should be here in a few days...

As far as the VE-1 goes, I think he just means that he's preordered it and is patiently awaiting its release.

I know I'm just full of questions these past few weeks about various aspects of Macross, but it's not just to boost my post count, I swear!

My latest pondering comes from one of the early scenes in Macross F when the "Firefighter Destroids" are putting out the fires around the interior of Frontier's City Island. In the years following Space War I, it seems like the Destroids fell out of use as direct combat units for some reason...then for a period, fell into complete disuse altogether. Frontier's relatively small Destroid mecha compliment consists of the very generic-looking Cheyenne Mk II, which is a direct descendant of the equally generic-looking Cheyenne Mk I from Macross Zero. The Tomahawk, Spartan, Phalanx or Defender (or any kind of upgraded versions) are all gone and the Konig Monster isn't even technically considered a Destroid at this point...just a REALLY big Valkyrie. Were Destroids considered too destructive for close-in urban combat, should it erupt inside colonization ships? Or were ground-based mecha simply not agile enough to effectively fight against enemy units? Did Kawamori simply not show much interest in these mecha in the years after SDFM and DYRL...showering all his love and energy into Valkyrie designs instead?

While Frontier does have Destroids, they seem to be relegated to tertiary roles that were lower down the ladder than where the original Destroids occupied. Just wondering why these awesome mecha have been overlooked for so many years...

There was also the Zentraedi Power Armor at the beginning of Macross Plus that seem to be the "male" equivalent to the Q-Quilqua. A heavier version of the Nousjaedul-Ger outfitted with clamshell-like missile pods on its back. Are these units that have been part of the Zentran/Meltran arsenal for millenia and were just "off camera" during Space War I, or are these newer designs created since then? Notice that both units' chest weaponry seem to be exactly the same...or damn near the same.

Throughout the entirety of the Macross mythos, we've seen a progressive evolution of Earth's (and by proxy, its colonization fleets') Valkyries. From the VF-0 Phoenix prototypes to the cutting-edge VF-25 Messiah, and everything in between. While the design standard has remained essentially the same--Fighter/GERWALK/Battroid--the Valkyrie has seen practically dozens of variations spanning a 50+ year timeline. It seems to be human nature to keep trying to "reinvent the wheel" so to speak...

But in sharp contrast, Zentran/Meltran technology has remained standardized for literally hundreds of thousands of years. The same Glaugs and Regults that took part in Space War I are the exact same models that were used during the Schizm War against the Supervision Army. In Macross F, Klan even makes reference to a long-dead Nousjadeul-Ger pilot floating in space and the fact that he's been dead for over 7000 years...yet his weapons are still perfectly usable. By all appearances, its the exact same power armor suit featured in DYRL. While there are variations of these mecha, practically all of them still retain identical body styles. The Regult, for example, comes in three flavors, only being differentiated by the weapons mounted on the pod's ventral hull. The Q-Rea uses the same basic spaceframe as the Q-Rau with only slight stylistic differences and weapons loadout. One would be lead to believe that the two models of Meltran armor could mix-and-match weapon systems, based on how similar the two units are.

So here's my couple of questions...

Had the Zentraedi and Meltrandi reached the pinnacle of mecha and weapons development back when humans were still wearing animal hides and just discovering fire here on Earth? And is this the reason why none of the Protoculture factory planets and satellites never really "upgraded" anything at the same fever pace the humans have maintained over the 5 decades since Space War I?

There's probably been tons of material published on this, but I have yet to come across anything that addresses this particular area of Macross history...

Absolutely!

If Max or Milia piloted it, then it goes on their shelf...

I tend to buy at least 1 of every M&M item for my little shrine. I can't wait for the Virgin Road and the (just revealed!!!) VF-22s!!!

I've scoured eBay and a few other sites looking for the macronized Max figure shown in your Q-Rau, but I can't seem to find him anywhere. Am I to assume that it'd be easier to find the Holy Grail nowadays than it would be to track one of these figures down? I'm looking for one to possibly put in my new Q-Rau, but thus far, to no avail...

I want to nominate VALK009 for the Straight Shooter List. He hooked me up with a brand-new Max Q-Rau after I had posted a request for one in the Wanted forum. I wasn't really expecting any kind of response, but he not only contacted me, but snagged one for me out of Hong Kong WAY cheaper than any of the usual online channels sell them for. Then to top it all off, he shipped it EMS and it arrived today, along with the VF-1J MP I had been waiting for from Hobby Link Japan. Valk009 made my weekend!

The VF-1J came today! As a long-time Macross collector who has a relatively small collection consisting mostly of a handful of the old V1 1/60 Valkyries, a single 1/48 Valkyrie and the WAVE SDF-1, I gotta say that the V2s are lightyears apart from the first ones! For everyone who already has entire squadrons of these newer Valks, what I'm gushing about is really old news...but I am absolutely amazed at the improvements, some of them even over the 1/48s, such as the double-jointed elbows and shoulders, allowing for much more dynamic positioning of the GU-11.

The Version 2s have pretty much all the anime-accurate gimmicks seen in either the TV series or DYRL. I love the removable cockpit/nosecone and the ability to attach it to the forearm. I've seen tons of pics here in the forums showing this particular feature, but actually being able to do it myself just adds to the enjoyment of the 1J. About the only thing missing is the "slide-out seat" in Battroid mode. And now that its all decked out in the DYRL FAST Pack armor, the dark greenish-blue of the armor actually looks really good against the light tan/beige of the Valkyrie itself. I've fallen in love with Yamato again. I've crossed back over to the Dark Side.

...god my wife and wallet are going to REALLY hate me now.

Personally, I don't see it...

Well...false alarm, sort of. My Valkyrie didn't show up. Instead, it was the Strike/Super FAST Pack set I had ordered along with it. Knowing my luck, it'll be another 3 weeks before I actually get the Valk itself, considering it was shipped SAL...

Actually, that's a good thing for my wallet that the VE-1 has been pushed back a month. It can take a small breather before getting raped just in time for Halloween...

Got a notice in my mailbox this morning that I have a package from Japan waiting at my local Post Office. My first V2 Valkyrie arrived finally! I'll be picking it up later this afternoon. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning...this is ridiculous!

Hopefully the Max Q-Rau that a fellow MW member snagged for me will be here soon too...

How about this...

Since it's en vogue to do prequels nowadays...how about a Macross series covering the height of the Protoculture and the Schism War between the Supervision Army and the Zentraedi/Meltrandi? I'd love to see an "origins" story like that. It'd cover a lot of as-of-yet untouched Macross history (or prehistory, as the case may be). Exedol specifically remarks on how their culture had been reawakened after 500,000 years...so a prequel covering the events of how their culture was robbed from them that long ago would be an interesting story to tell...

And of course it'd have to include the origins of "Ai Oboete Imasu Ka" and the first person who sang it to tie everything together, or it just wouldn't be a Macross series. Minmay sang it in DYRL, Ranka in Macross F...so there HAD to be an original Protoculture singer/performer who made it so culturally significant to the Zentraedi. I'd love to know about her...

ok, just to throw some random facts into the original question.

according to the VF-1 Master file book, of the 5459 valks produced, only 49 were originally VF-1J's (with VF-1J's being VF-1's build under license in Japan by Shinnakasu). Ok, so the reason you see multiple VF-1J's in SDF:M is because in that version of SW1, most if not all of the Japanese produced VF-1's ended up being set to South atria to equip the SDF-1; in DYRL? the majority of the 1J's remained in Japan or where shipped elsewhere. the 1 VF-1J that did happen to end up on the SDF-1 was probably delivered along the GPB-01 from shinnakasu.

That actually makes the most sense, all things considered...

Now...WTF is up with that Phalanx's head unit? That's definitely not standard-issue!

For decades now, its been common knowledge that Macross Valkyries use a unique ranking system with their Valkyries in the TV series: the head unit. While this is kind of ridiculous from a military standpoint, it's mainly used as a way to differentiate different heroes onscreen, aside from color scheme. VF-1S is generally assigned to the squadron commander, the VF-1J to combat aces or second-in-command, and the 1A to anyone else barely eligible to climb into a Valkyrie cockpit. In DYRL, this ranking heirarchy gets loosely translated onto the big screen. But it seems that the 1J is completely cut out of the equation established in the TV series. Skull Squadron, for example, consisted of a VF-1S and VF-1As only (at least those seen in the movie). When Max got his upgraded Valk, he completely bypassed the 1J altogether and got a brand-spanking-new 1S.

The only time that we see the existence of the VF-1J in DYRL is in a 5-second scene during the final battle of Space War I...all decked out in GBP armor. In terms of usage in battle, I've always viewed Valkyries outfitted with a GBP system to be little more than a 6th Destroid that just happens to have one hell of an advanced escape pod: the Valkyrie itself. But that's just my personal view. Considering the proliferation of "specialized" Valkyries in DYRL such as the VE-1 and VT-1, is it possible that the 1J somehow got relegated to being the only Valkyrie designed to accept the GBP? I'm sure no one else has questioned this particular point of view before, but it could be entirely possible...at least in the DYRL universe.

A VERY cool fellow Macross member recently just hooked me up with a Max Q-Rau for my fledgling collection (again, thanks Valk009!) of 1/60 Macross mecha. I know that it wasn't exactly the best mecha design for Yamato to start with as far as enemy mecha go, but thus far, its the only one we have...not counting the Toynami Regult coming out at some point in the future. I needed something to square off with the CF-1J I'm still waiting for from HLJ.

So here's my question to those of you who collect each and every Max Valkyrie that comes down the pipe: Do you include the Max Q-Rau among the rather lengthy list of mecha that Jenius piloted throughout his career? Or do you strictly limit things to transformable Valkyries only? The reason I ask is that I don't think I've ever seen the red and blue Q-Raus included alongside their U.N. Spacy counterparts in anyones collections. They seem to always occupy a separate niche as the default "enemies".

Just curious...