Valkyrie Driver

I decided to go back and revise my list of mecha, I'm going to simplify and streamline my list. So the CF mech will be the VF-171, the Spec ops fighters will be the VF-19F/S and VF-22S, and I'll use the VA-3 as the catchall bomber/elint/early warning craft. I'll still be using destroids, tomahawks and monsters, and I'll have Quaedlunn Rhea's for the fleet's zentran units. Enemy mechs will be standard Zentradi mechs, regults, glaugs, Quaedlunns, Nousjadeuls, and fighter pods, in addition to modified older designs (ala M7's VF-14 based enemies). I decided that I put way too much emphasis on the mecha to begin with, so I'm streamlining it to established designs, and paring it down to what will feature most prominently in my story...

No worries, I think the discussion has moved past that point anyhow. We've begin discussing all kinds of things for the past several pages, that it doesn't even matter what the initial intent was. Incidentally, most of this discussion has branched off because it's kinda hard to pin down what defines an Advanced Variable Fighter in the first place. There's really no line of demarcation where the AVF category begins. Really the best way is to look at Variable fighters in generations as is done with contemporary fighter craft. So I submit to all of you my break down of production Variable Fighter Generations: (feel free to correct me) First Generation - VF-0, SV-51, VF-X-1, VF-1 Second Generation - VF-4, VF-3000, VF-5000, VF-9, Third Generation - VF-11, VF-14, VF-17 Fourth Generation - VF-19, VF-22, VF-171 Fifth Generation - VF-25, VF-27 This list doesn't include prototypes, that is anything with a YF designation, nor does it include specialized variable mecha like the VA-3, VB-6, or SDP-1. I didn't feel it was necessary to include those because, as is parallel with modern day, ground attack aircraft don't need updating as much as fighters, because of the less volatile nature of their mission.

I wanted to have a frontier sized ship, because of wanting to play around with full sized Zentradi. So I'm just going to make up my own fleet. As for the sound force, I'm going to use my own concept according to how I think my fleet would go about it. I hadn't thought about including the SMS, though in my fleet, it would make more sense for them to be Testing and Evaluation, and providing security for shipping, rather than providing military services, because of how my fleet (read "I") feels about private military contractors. This would be in their contract agreement.

I hope they do a new VF-19 that's closer to Perfect trransformation (I don't mind swapping hands, and missile bays, but having a gun pod that actually attaches, and some form of integral landing gear would be nice). Also with better wings, like the yamato VF-19 had. That and enemy mechs would be really nice.

I'm playing in the frontier era. I could use Macross 11, though I wanted to use a diverse multicultural fleet, but who says Macross 11 can't be that, since not much is said about it. Lynn Kaifun having spent time there might be a good genesis for my peace movement. I'm a bit hesitant to use an already established fleet though, since I'd have some constraints to deal with. I really don't want to use the Vajra, as I kinda already envisioned the events of my story being concurrent with and separate from Frontier. I also had my fleet taking a different route entirely, going spinward (with the spin of the galaxy) and coreward rather than just coreward. I thought this would give me some extra play with the kinds of stuff I'll run into going that direction. I'm personally a big fan of all kinds of music, I listen to many different genres. Among my favorite bands are Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Clutch, System of a Down, Metallica, Static-X, Volbeat, and the Prodigy. I like the idea of a rock band being my primary source of music, since it is my preferred genre. I actually intended for the Starlight fleet to run across a Boddol sized main fleet. Said Zentran fleet would still be engaged in fighting the supervision army. The main fleet would mistake the Starlight fleet for supervision army, because they noticed similar ships being enthralled by the particular force they were pursuing. That would precipitate conflict between the Zentran Fleet and the Starlight Fleet. Unlike previous incarnations of Macross, I'm going to have the fleet evolve towards a Minmei/Fire Bomber attack, and I'm not going to have a Basara clone, because that wouldn't be tolerated by the military in my particular fleet (civilians wouldn't have access to that tech, and interference with a military operation would be grounds for an investigation and charges of treason). However, using SDFM as a base, the Zentradi fleet could intercept the broadcasts from the Starlight, and become intrigued, following Britai's example and sending spies. Or I might have my special forces deliver speaker pod ordinance which play music from a broadcast concert.

Are you going to bork (kill, badly) one? I mean after the triangle resolves or as a resolution to said triangle (ala Guld)? I don't know why but I'm kind of a fan of borking characters...

So like I said, chop up some orange PT belts (sorry, reflective belts). http://www.amazon.com/Jogalite-High-Visibility-Reflective-belt/dp/B000ZHCH2W, these are expensive, seeing as I used to get them on post for like 4.99. Sadly I no longer have PX privileges... I'm sure you could find something like this on ebay for cheap...

I was going to have my enemy be enthralled humans and zentradi. I don't have a lot of info on the supervision army, I thought that I'd use them as my big bad evil guys, who have brainwashed a human/zentradi colony fleet. I was also planning on having a remnant Zentradi Main fleet, be the first antagonist they face, giving some motivation to the separatist Zentradi in the Starlight fleet. Then the Supervision army would show up to really throw a wrench in things, and threatening both sides. Seeing as we don't know the outcome and since the war could still be raging. I see what you're saying about US led wars. I have come to understand a lot more, about them recently. I won't go into my views on the recent wars the US has started, or any justifications, or misconducts. I don't always agree with the way my government goes about doing things, and I have that right. I do see how that could extend to the Macross Universe's UN, but remember that there are three kinds of reasons for why a nation does anything; The Stated Reason, The Moral Reason, and the Real Reason. They are not always the same, and remember every nation lies; To its people, to its neighbors, to the rest of the world. Politicians are an inherently untrustworthy bunch. They are people and people are ultimately self-serving, and imperfect. It's why my country has the Constitution, if you read it it, it clearly establishes what the government has the authority to do, and anything that is not stated falls to the states. The bill of rights is a list of protections, saying that we have the right to live our lives and protect them without government interference. The UN essentially becomes a military state after the SDF-1 disappears, and when you look at military ethics as opposed to political ethics, they're very different. So when you put it that way, I can understand the Anti-UN perspective a little bit more. As for my story, I had been planning at putting my fleet at odds with the NUNS, but I think that would be too much conflict, and I don't really know when it ceased to be the UN Spacy and Became the New UN Spacy. So I'll just have my fleet accept it as a fact of life, and function independently, without much interference from the NUNS. I will take some cues from the attitudes of M7 (regarding renegade zentradi [M7, Fleet of the Strongest Women], for how to deal with the main fleet I have as a bad guy). Characters are something I'm struggling with, because I want them to feel real. The setting is providing me some context for that. I'm going to work on it some more.

Does the VF-25 have internal missile launchers we don't know about...?

Hmm... So the Rainbow tinted canopy is hard to find? Kinda makes me glad i have one...

I have a 25F waiting at home for me, so excited...

Sadly, I don't have that, since they didn't make the ones I really liked (I have a V1 DX VF-25, a Renewal of the same, and a VF171. Planning on a VF-27 renewal, because I like to have enemies too). But this isn't the toy thread so...

I suppose. How do you color them, I'm curious, because I'd like to try my hand at doing some recolors...

Militaries, and especially individual units, develop their own traditions, and from some of the dialogue in SDFM, Zentradi seem to have some concept of recreation, and as such it would likely be reflective of what most warriors do with their downtime; eat, drink, fight, and generally raise hell. Unit histories are important to the creation of traditions, they establish a certain way of doing things, (Quamzin makes reference to it numerous times in SDFM). Some Zentradi might latch on to the more warlike aspects of human culture, while others might be intoxicated by the idea that there is more to life than war. As far as sympathizing with the Anti-UN forces, I get that. Being an American, my nation's history is replete with examples of forging one's own way. The American Revolution, The Civil War, Manifest Destiny, much of American history revolves around independence and self-sufficiency. I do understand and sympathize with the Anti-UN group, not wanting to lose their cultural and national identities, because that's been such a huge part of defining ourselves for most of human history (indeed it's integral to self-realization and moral life if you follow Hegel's views). On the other hand, being an American, and believing in American Exceptionalism (The idea that Americans are an exceptional people, not superior, but exceptional, I could expand on this, but politics has no place here, pm if you're interested in discussing this) I believe that we are all one race, and though everyone comes from different backgrounds, we all have something to contribute, and it is our differences that make us strong, because in us, we have the strengths of many peoples (E pluribus unum, from many we are one). It's kinda how I see the UN government, pre-space war 1. So I decided to model my fleet on my perception of what a united humanity should be. Everyone gets a vote, everyone works to live, and their work contributes to the common good. The guiding principles are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. It's not a Marxist paradise, because that would be boring, but it is what I think a true utopian society would be (I'm believer in community, and that if you have an abundance, it is your moral duty to share of your own free will with those less fortunate, rather than have the state take it and redistribute it for you). So taking this idealized humanity, and adding the Zentradi, and seeing how they get along is what I want to explore. I believe that life is full of conflict and competition, and it is through those elements, that we truly realize our selves. It could be conflict in military terms, or simply in business, and it is how we resolve those conflicts that shows our true character. In war, you resolve the conflict by protecting your people from harm, and destroying your enemy. In business, you resolve it by negotiation or competition (buying out the competition, reaching a mutual understanding, or cornering the market). I'm also planning on having a group that is radically opposed to war, and so that will be a source of conflict, that will further tug at the human and zentradi populations. Then there will be the military and the general and mixed race populations, who are caught between the two extremes. I think that focusing more on the internal struggles with an external struggle as the backdrop will be a fun playground to build in.

Agreed...

You could chop up a bunch of PT belts to make it... Honestly though, I don't really know what those shoulder pad things are supposed to be for...

Besides, how many times do they volley missiles, in a single fight (3-4 avg), and I'm thinking they have to be out of ammo after the first volley, because the racks don't look like they can hold an extra row of missiles (to me). Then again OT solves everything...

If I'm not mistaken, he loaded the live ammo into the YF-19's gun, and shot isamu with it. Thus establishing that since Isamu had the live ammo, he must have been intending to kill Guld. That's the way I remember it. That's also the way the whole thing makes narrative sense... Also, am I the only one who thinks the M7 Valks paint schemes are gaudy? Why are the Blue Angels flying around in combat, why can't my beloved VF-19's be two tone Fighter Grey like normal airplanes, with the leader having the full up colors (US Navy does that, the Commander of the Air Group's fighter has full color markings). The markings on the VF's are also really stark. Why not continue from SDFM? Modex numbers, squadron markings, the whole bit.

Shades and washes are your friend... Highlighting also good... Fine tipped brushes and good paint. Alas, all I have been using lately are citidel paints, for painting Warhammer 40k minis (water based latex acryllic. For something going on a toy, I'd probably go with testors enamels, and washes or something similar. Washing is your friend, gets in the cracks and crevices, that's how I'd go about doing panel lines on my toys, if I felt brave enough...).

God I wish I were fluent and literate in Japanese, my life would be so much easier... Well, second semester elementary Japanese and intermediate Japanese 1&2 are available to satisfy my Gen ed req's... Making it that much easier to get a Job with BanDai or Arcadia in their Macross divisions... (I am studying to be a Mechanical Engineer, I wonder how those companies feel about hiring foreign workers...). Before anyone goes mentioning it, I realize that 60 hour work weeks are commonplace, but I'd probably spend half my free time here in the states designing toys, so might as well get paid to do it...

Wow, so I should be able to do fine with my newer snapshot camera and a proper set up. Now, to get a proper set up. And some scenery to use for posing my valks...

Very cool, makes me want a couple for my 19's.

I do want an M&M set, though I think I'd want their VF-22s. I have only one VF-1 on display at the moment, and I'd like a few more, but a VF-1A and a VF-1J GBP are higher priority than the VF-1J M&M. I don't have a VF-22, and I do love the M7 valks.

Jeez, did he find the fountain of youth? Man hasn't aged a day in 19 years...

That's a good point you bring up, I hadn't thought about that. I'd probably replace that one with Chosin. My setting is a lot like frontier, except a bit more grown up. I have full size zentradi, many locations in the fleet for them to be full size (vast majority actually, the only place you have to be micloned is the main ship in the island cluster) and I'm trying to show some conflict between Humans and Zentradi, as I perceive that there is some between the traditions of the Zentradi and Humanity. I'm also going to keep with some of the typical themes of Macross, that song is the medium for love, and that love conquers all. I am still working on it, but the more I talk about it, the more it comes into shape. I just have so much on my plate that It's going to take some time, between school, finding work, writing, running a BattleTech RPG campaign, club activities and whatever else...