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Aries Turner

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  1. Aries Turner
    Those visual cues I was referring to, under the impression it was an aid to stick to that vector to avoid putting yourself in the way of a fellow pilot. I was under the impression catapults remained just for a coolness factor, but somehow suspected an in-universe rationale, avoiding wasting reaction mass in space being the usual suspect, fighters launched into the enemy approach vector. I didn't know about linear catapults being used for the role. Nice bit of trivia. ('Great Mechanics'?) Atmosphere use is less clear, as STOBAR rather than CATOBAR, usually disadvantageous for nowadays real fighters, have little to no disadvantages for VFs with month-long endurance on internal fuel, perfectly capable to accelerate to takeoff speed on maximum take-off weight in very few meters due crazy thrust to weight ratios. Any VF since VF-11 is capable to accelerate itself from 0 to 130kn in a second or less. Catapults impart about 3.5g to any given aircraft to reach ~140kn in 2s. In 2s, even a heavy loaded VF-11 should be capable of the feat. VF-1s could use the aid, though. But as catapults are still useful in space, it doesn't make sense to dismantle those when entering an atmosphere, and the flattop is just a convenient big recovery area for GERWALKs, the four surfaces of a Guantanamo being the most efficient in the space fleet, at the cost of being pretty unuseful when landing on water, ARMD-L or Uraga-class being better at sea.
  2. Aries Turner
    Again, I wholeheartedly agree with this, but this raised a question that I found, rather unexpectedly, has not been raised before. Catapults in space aid a bit to avoid fighter fuel consumption, and as some carriers are both space and atmosphere capable, apparently make sense to have those for conventional CATOBAR. But as early as DYRL we see Hikaru launching from an ARMD just using super pack rockets. Holographic imagery on Frontier's Guantanamos seem more about being visual cues to stick to the safe corridor rather than actual catapults, with VF-171's apparently launching on their own. As for within atmosphere, under gravity kind of operations, even if a modern VF was to launch on its own with armor, and it shouldn't as it is highly un-aerodynamic, she can still pull more than 11Gs instant acceleration. So why bother with catapults or even a flattop at all?
  3. Aries Turner
    What I found interesting about using Lilldrakens, is that those make the resulting combo both a no-frills TW31 Tornado Siegfried and a Drone Controller RVF-31 Luca Angeloni Custom/ Limited Edition (limited to two, from three in the RVF-25, plus another three if a second controller is seated in the cockpit). As General Galaxy would be an unlikely provider for Xaos for the foreseeable future, the Brisingr Cluster would do well finding a supplier for their very own little drone for this SPS-31++ configuration. Preferably with hardpoints, making the VF-31 jump from 2/4 hardpoints to 6/8.
  4. Aries Turner
    Then I probably was thinking about the NUNS AIF-7S and VF-171 as you stated earlier and I stand corrected.
  5. Aries Turner
    Oh, I see. Thank you, thank you, thank you OCD was making me nuts. I almost agree with you here. So I don't I mean, the radar pack is unshielded, but protected by the aerodynamics of the area when undeployed. Even the LU-18 is shielded, using linear actuators to pop down and fire. But also proves the VF-31 wasn't severely outmatched. Forgive my presumptuousness: are you sure? The double beam turret was described as antiship, and certaintly seemed to play the role on screen. I was thinking about Destroids vs VF-1, but those were heavy. It takes VF-25 or better. I just assume they didn't know. No amount of Cheyenne, Beatrice or mortar firepower could have taken it down. I just point out if deploying wheels to not damage the pavement was that imperative, EX-Gears were cheaper, better and MOST would have survived in that suicide mission.
  6. Aries Turner
    ...that isn't standard, as there are a plethora of options. Including going full fuel and ammo WITHOUT one, even without the LU-18. I must surely not have explained myself properly. You are utterly right. Dispensing with ASWAG in the VF-31, however, IS cutting corners. More so if anticipated Zentraedi fleet opposition it outmatched by 5th Generation VF's and Vajra opposition is unlikely. And I am pretty aware those several different occasions involve Hayate to a degree, as even Brisingr VF-171 pilots do much better. Seven salvos if a remember right, but I was focusing in VB-6 arm missile launchers. The VB-6 would seem about two APS-31 worth, that also provide to the battlefield that nasty beam turret with, agreed, different than kinetic capabilities, although about as destructive and FASTER than railguns to reach a target. I see no afterthought there, as those reaction warhead canisters are pretty big and ugly, and pack about the same punch as the VB-6 does, even if SMALLER than EXTERNALLY carried RMS. But only about a third of a VF-31A that have similar capabilities with only the turreted LU-18, with far better defensive capability. It may make even sense that VF-31 packs focus on more dakka and not on more armor: to be able to replace destroids three to one and still survive the battlefield. I see I failed to convey the general idea: EX-Gears don't need to withstand any recoil. The soil does. EX-Gears only have to reach the area in a HI-LO-LO mission, faster than a chopper, using their guided HE munition mortars, as powerful as 105mm cannon ordinance is, because cannon and howitzer munitions have smaller warheads as those need to withstand heavier pressure and acceleration for better range. And they surely couldn't have killed a Vajra either, even if attacking from different vectors with double or triple the rounds, but would have surely survived better than trapped in fat wheeled cans. The whole point of troop carriers is moving troops faster, and Beatrice's can't, because EX-Gears are faster than choppers. Troop carriers use armor to improve survivability by reducing vulnerability. EX-Gears do so by reducing susceptibility and detectability. The whole point of mobile artillery is about deploying big pieces of artillery fast. Howitzers have way too far reach even for biggest Island-class seen. Cannons made sense, but mortars make even more sense, and benefit from the steady arm and point of impact calculations than an EX-Gear could provide.
  7. Aries Turner
    Then fly the thing without one. Even if one the weight of an empty GU-11 should be mounted for inexplicable reasons (the Kairos should fly after ejecting one), the VF-25 should also add the weight of an empty gunpod for an apples to apples comparison. ...and that is an inferior solution, that for Machida's VF-171 still got the job done. The point is ASWAG was one of the cut corners, but the alternative provided 80% the efficiency at 20% the cost (proverbially speaking, no real numbers here, and unless a civilian brat is at the helm wasting the plane each and every chance he gets). Mind you, a 5th generation rehash of the VB-6 would probably do MUCH better. But the point is in Passionate Walkure, a salvo of reaction missiles fired from an APS-31 achieved a similar effect as Kanarya's salvo (maybe even reusing footage). For the Brisingr cluster, that would be an acceptable budget conscious replacement for a 3th generation VB if there is no operational need for a 5th generation VB. Wholeheartedly agree (Guantanamo-class is one of my favourites basically for the same thing). But even Frontier had the nasty habit of wasting valuable hangar space with rusty Destroid nostalgia for no real reason: a third of APS-25 would have achieved the same or better effect in that Macross Attack maneuver. I remembered an old conversation where deploying Beatrice's or even Cheyenne II's didn't make any sense, not even for fear of breaking the pavement, because EXGears with 81mm mortars would have done more damage while being more mobile and survivable against that Vajra Heavy Soldier. But I digress: the point is the VF-31A solves much of the Brisingr logistical problems and uses space more efficiently in those inefficiently designed vessels. And would also do a favor to SMS logistics if they ditched the wheeled rust cans for the Kairos in their rather small, claustrophobic ARMD-L carriers, while mantaining the Messiah wing and even Kanarya's finest.
  8. Aries Turner
    Hi, APS-25A/MF25 rated acceleration is 11.5G. I don't know if that was a typo or confusion with SPS-25S/MF25 initial acceleration of 15G. Also, while I acknowledge VF-31A thrust/weight ratio of 40.66 does not take into account container pod weight, empty means empty, and I doubt an empty ordinance pod weights more than a third of a ton, as that is the weight of an empty naval torpedo launcher, still more than three times the weight of an empty drop tank. So the thrust/weight ratio would still be better than VF-25's 39.09. VF-31A is an acknowledged cheap design, but still should be a match for a ten years old design. It may not have an ASWAG shield, but have twice the shields, optional SPS shield reinforcements (not unlike VF-171EX shield missile canisters) and are used effectively by an experienced soldier like Messer to block a full beam cannon discharge without taken much damage. On a side-note, I noticed that the GERWALK Kairos is functionally similar to a Glaug, or even a Variable Glaug. The APS-31 also somewhats provides VB-6 class fire support. It seems to me it is a Jack of all trades that attempts to simplify logistics in the Brisingr sector. It certainly does for Xaos, as Hemera and Aether, while being bigger than Quarter ARMD-L, aren't really carriers but gunboats destroyers with limited aviation facilities.
  9. Aries Turner
    I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion, as there is nothing in what I said that precludes the existence of two facilities before or after 2010. I think you made the assumption that, if I were pointing that there is no implication that there are more than one after 2010, I had written in stone that there was only one. Sorry, no. My only assumption is that Bodolza fleet made a good job wasting whatever station *or* stations were at Earth-Moon Lagrangian point 5, basing such assumption in millions of years of Zentraedi military experience and the fact that they indeed destroyed at least *one*, also damaging but not destroying its ARMD escort and wasting some of her VF-1 wing. Of course, mistakes do happen. But you in turn seem to be making the assumption that such mistake did indeed happen, because you seem unable to accept the possibility of replacing a manufacturing base in the lapse of a year. OK. Maybe not.
  10. Aries Turner
    I didn't came to that conclusion: L-5 base, a lab, was destroyed, as per VFMF Space Wings. It is *its* conclusion, black over white. As L-5 is a Lagrangian point, whether it is the one in the Sun-Earth system or the Earth-Moon system (and it appears it is this last one), whatever is placed next in that area becomes L-5 station. And a Zentraedi Factory Satellite placed in L-5 is certainly a very large L-5 Industrial Station, whatever the name you put on it, very much alive and kicking as by any account had not to endure Bodolza fleet. Unless you mean that in February 2010, Bodolza fleet destroyed the L-5 Labs but spared the necessarily pretty near L-5 Factories. Maybe. Highly unlikely, but maybe. Choose your favorite L-5:
  11. Aries Turner
    No, it isn't. Whatever a VF mounts, a warship can mount in a bigger and badder version. The problem is technology seemingly advancing too fast to catch up and build new warships and retire old ones fast enough. Or is it? Macross-Quarter, Half-A-Macross... I miss a One-Eigth-A-Macross in there, or even a Golg-Gant-Charts or Quell-Quallie micron equivalent. A VF the size of a VB-6 but capable of folding, with two or more beam turrets with the punch of beam grenades and 4-5th generation acceleration. A frigate with a buster cannon and Quarter-class mobility. A light carrier with even bigger and badder ISC to protect its crew against insane defensive maneuvers, or assault shuttlepod to launch from big carriers and deploy a dozen VFs or thrice the QFs. Something that is more survivable than the target rich environment of legacy frigates, destroyers and carriers with G acceleration in the single digit class. Something that will make a full battlegroup able to do 30G maneuvers, like this one. Because if you have shorter range weapons but greater acceleration, you can hope to evade enough to close to weapon range and nuke them. If you don't have acceleration but have longer range weapons, you can pray to reduce your enemy to atoms before it is close enough. But if you have shorter range weapons and lesser acceleration, you are royally screwed, as you would be hit from long range and will never be able to close distances. Some of Walkure equipment uses fold quartz: the Siegfrieds. I have not played Macross 30, but I was under the impression that while Basara didn't use fold quartz, maybe not even fold carbon, the point was moot, because YF-30 Chronos did. Chronos amplified Basara's song. What is valid for Basara, is valid for Walkure. Maybe theirs is legacy equipment, used when escorted by Kairos only, in the beginning. Maybe not.
  12. Aries Turner
    Although VF-31A Kairos were shown as used in the beginnings of Walkure, it is no longer associated with them.
  13. Aries Turner
    A fighter based AEW has its usefulness, as checking the other side of a planet or moon for ambushes. I didn't say it is worthless. I just said its usefulness is limited if a ship radar is present when there is no nebula or other interference, and those are scarce within the Sun system (although Saturn rings were depicted as dense, those are not). The same book cites the exact manufacturing plant there, later, but as L-5 being only the location, it could meant that such production facility was put where the lab was before. Just ended reading both Space and Stratosphere Wings. Apollo Base, on the Moon, survived, even the ARMD that was defendind L-5 base. The L-5 base itself, apparently did not survive February of 2010. I weren't doubting you. I was in fact somewhat asking if that Satellite acquisition and operation was described somewhere else as canon and if VFMF was thus in contradiction, as one is advised to take into account.
  14. Aries Turner
    Maybe.
  15. Aries Turner
    You are welcome... to madness. A thing I remember about SDFM ES-11D deployment is that it was made after SDF-1 sensor cluster was destroyed in an attack. Mind you, limited fighter range in space limits usability, as ship mounted giant antennas would still have a longer reach: smaller seafaring vessels have other restrictions, like atmosphere dissipation or Earth horizon, that spacefaring vessels do not. Without fold boosters or in presence of such huge vessels sensor arrays, tiny AWACS don't even make sense. VFMF VF-1 Space Wings #85 cites the facility as destroyed during Op. Trapeze. I suppose this is one of those cases where a VFMF contradicts canon.
  16. Aries Turner
    Agreed. But didn't put 'fold emerald', nor 'fold magnet'. Maybe just heard 'fold carbon' somewhere and simply liked the sound of it. Maybe it was written on purpose. So much maybes to discuss further if we would only know for certain in the uncertain future.
  17. Aries Turner
    True. It only appears to coincide conveniently, in place, color and function. True... but wrong. It clearly made sense to classify it as special equipment for whomever wrote that. It clearly makes no sense in the way you are interpreting it to mean. As the person who wrote that should be aware of the same fact, whatever she/he intended was meant to be something else, or would have not bothered to classify it as 'special'. Mind you, however ubiquitous it is, this may be the first time it is seen externally mounted and in a large chunk. In a fighter, at the very least. There must be a reason for that. Granted: if, and only if, it is talking about those grey whateverthoseare in the chest plate.
  18. Aries Turner
    From another thread, where it happened not to be so short a question, maybe neither too newbie. As reading Sketchley's translations, I noticed that the wings root 'coal crystals' of the VF-31A are fold carbon instead of fold quartz. As those fold quartz are associated with engine performance in the Siegfrieds, I wonder what it means for the Kairos to have those instead. It probably has nothing to do with integral fold boosters, as we never saw VF-31s of any kind folding on its own, even when it would have meant an obvious advantage. Fold quartz in other craft seem associated to a 30% overboost. Could these fold carbon crystals (*) be associated with that 15% overboost figure? (*) As far as I have reed, fold carbons are crystalline in nature, existing in both real and fold space and *not* ever considered as 'fold diamonds'.
  19. Aries Turner
    I remembered where I saw that. I think it would be best to follow the discussion there.
  20. Aries Turner
    Thanks, corrected my improper addressing. Beg your pardon for that. I remember something about Walkure attires using fold carbon as well. Now THAT is getting weird.
  21. Aries Turner
    Sorry, I forgot: what are fold carbon rocks about? I was reading Sketchley's translations and noticed that the wing root of the VF-31A, while not having fold quartz, are that coal color because those have fold carbon instead. A cheap, less efficient alternative? That would certainly put those a notch above VF-25s.
  22. Aries Turner
    Of course I do! Where is the fun if not? I am even doing a fanfic on the whole thing. I don't miss however that while DYRL? is confirmed fiction within fiction, SDFM is only strongly suggested. Your explanation about Zero makes a lot of sense and I like it as is, but still there was another explanation I didn't take into account: Macross Zero being done, in-universe, way after the events. It would have clarified things if in 'Legend of Zero' Macross-F episode, the actors actually looked as Shin and Sara while being addressed by their actual actor names, and Ranka sporting a fake tan and a Mao haircut and coloring. That would have meant Zero OVA is the film production made in Frontier, and Zero cockpit being actually the VF-25 one, with a redress. However, there is no limit to the number of remakes: in M-7, Mylene and Basara were doing a remake of DYRL?.. There is however the issue of real Hikaru appearing in Macross 30 as in DYRL?
  23. Aries Turner
    It just occurred to me that while SDFM series drama seems most accurate about events than DYRL?, as a lot of UNSpacy mishaps and bad judgements are not censored out, it could be the opposite regarding equipment. When you take Zero into account, cockpit controls actually go retro for the VF-1 block 1-5. Actual military specs are irrelevant to cover SDFM story, so Gloval may have permitted or even endorsed filming all events without obscurities or cover-ups, but may have not been so inclined to show actual hardware technology. He may have leased pre-production (*) crafts found stored somewhere and garments for the series, to not divert still in use assets, to avoid technology leaks or both. That would explain why Hikaru appears in 30 as in DYRL?. That also means that while events are near what SDFM depicts, hardware used could well have included VT-1 and VE-1, and even not a single VF-1G VEFR (*) Or VF-1 blocks 1-5 are real production birds, but deployed to some ARMDs, GC 1-6 as reserve/last line of defense, while Macross SDF-1 received the best for inauguration, block 6 onward. [Edit]: But that would again contradict VFMF Squadrons that, at this point, could have made a mess even worse instead of making sense of it. Maybe is Zero events serialization what is at fault about too modern cockpit controls. Man, is this frustrating.
  24. Aries Turner
    I've finally decided to place the airing of this 'documentary' no later than 2029. Wether 2031's DYRL promotion or general interest leading to the funding of a movie is irrelevant for the setting. Problem is, there is a lot more data on the period than it seems. Even if I leave out Macross II timeline, I have Macross Chronicle material that I have not read and I should not contradict. I think I hit a wall here. It is stated somewhere that around 2030 some Zentraedis left Earth to find his own destiny outside UNSpacy control, never to be heard about again. P.S.: Oops, we are now in the 2nd page of the thread. Don't miss van Zanten entry at the end of page 1.
  25. Aries Turner
    Thobyas van Zanten, GC III survivor. At SAAF I was 2nd Liutenant, so naturally as soon as my rank was verified I was assigned SAR duty. Man, I didn't knew we were hit THAT bad, difficult to even describe. But duty goes first and routine makes you pragmatical. Or so I thought. It was early morning when I picked a blip in the middle of nowhere, so there I went. Downed bandit, ABP-type. I went battroid and made a quick inspection. Cockpit was slightly open. I checked but no one was there. I noticed slight traces of foot marks, the wind apparently unable to fully erase such big ones. I followed the track and found the pilot, lying against a rock, the helmet slightly cracked. Whether friendly or foe, the guy might still be alive. I pushed him slightly with the gunpod and then he motioned his head. It fell right to the ground, worms wriggling in his rotten neck. Good news was life somehow had survived. Bad news was I had to clean my mask and most of the cockpit.
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