Vf-1 Valkyrie

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

Well this cover the VF-1 and all variants i devised for Mekton Zeta. There a couple different rules that aren't in the Mekton books, they come form Tateno Tsuneo, he used the Mekton system when Sunrise contracted him to write a RPG for Gundam covering all UC storyline prior to Operation Stardust, so some of the rules work for Macross as well. Gundam Senki as it is called has been translated by Talsorian Games and will be published hopefully soon. I aslo worked with him on to make ACE Points for Macross, we had to apply a new cost multiplier since not all mechs in Macross can use the ACE system fully, this is will covered in detail later.

First we shall cover the VF-1 then talk about the new rules for Macross then cover all the variants. The A-Model will be covered, then the changes for the J, D and S. Since i have not been able to make table in this, i apolgize if this is hard to follow, so please bear.

Stonewell/Bellcom Variable Fighter Type 1 Valkyrie

Cost: 1307.1 CP Weight: 13250kg

Configuration

Fighter: -5 MV, 0(taxi) Land MA, 38 Flight MA, 2 Turn Value

GERWALK: -4 MV, 6 Land MA, 15 Flight MA, 2 Turn Value

Battroid: -3 MV, 9 Land MA, 14 Flight MA, 3 Turn Value

Balance Mod: -1 MV, -1 Land MA, -1 Flight MA

Servos and Armor

Location

Fuselage: 8 Kills, 3SP, 1 DC

Head: 4 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC

L. Arm: 5 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC, +1 Kill Damage, 3 Throw

R. Arm: 5 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC, +1 Kill Damage, 3 Throw

L. Leg: 5 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC, +1 Kill Damage

R. Leg: 5 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC, +1 Kill Damage

L. Wing: 4 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC

R. Wing: 4 Kills, 3 SP, 1 DC

Sensor Systems

Fuselage Location

AWG-20 FCS: 260km Rng, 2300km Comm Rng, 7 Kills

Marine Suite

Head Location

Resoulution Int. (8x)

Head Radar: 26km Rng, 2300km Comm Rng, 3 Kills

Movement Systems

Wheels: 0 MA, Fuselage, R/L Leg Location, 3 Kills

FF-2001: 17 MA, R/L Leg Location

Thrusters: 8 MA, Fuselage Location

Cost Multpliers

Powerplant: Standard Fusion Split in the Legs, XS: 1/1

Control: Screen

Hydrualics: Standard

Systems:Enviro- Protection (All), V/STOL, Concealment, Efficient Trans, ACE (100%), +6 Target Computer, Fighter, GERWALK, ACE Custom

Additives

Fuselage Location

Cockpit: 1 Crew, Canopy/Armored Enclosure

Eject Seats, Escape Pod

Stereo

Spotlights 1/Shoulder, 2 Hex illuminate

FLIR: 100 Hex IR illuminate

Quick Change Mounts

Arm Location

Micromanipulators

Hardpoints

Quick Change Mounts

Wing Location

Leg Location

Quick Change Mounts

Weapons

Head Location

ROV-20: +1 WA, 8 Rng, 4K Dmg, 4 Kills, BV-8, All Purpose

Arm Location

Hands: +0 WA, Melee Rng, 1K+ Dmg, 1 Kills, Quick, Handy

GU-11: +1 WA, 4 Rng, 2K Dmg, 2 Kills, BV-7, Variable Phalanx

GU-11 Location

Ammo: 200 Shots: 28.6 Bursts, 5 Kills, AP

Wing Location

HMM-01: +0 WA, 7 Rng, 4K Dmg, 15 Shots, 4 Kills, Long Rng

AMM-1: +3 WA, 32 Rng, 10K Dmg, 3 Shots, 2 Kills, Smarts-3, Skill-15+, Long Rng

RMS-1: +3 WA, 40 Rng, 12K Dmg, 1/2 Shots, 1/2 Kills, Nuke, Blast Radius-2, Lng Rng

Note on RMS-1 1/2 = Inner Hardpint/ Outer Hardpoint

Designer Notes:

This was long time in coming, i kept revising my write-up as i understood the system more, this is a culmation of nearly 3 years and 7-9 rewrites. Please comment and all questions will be answered. Rest will follow later.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

Edit: My bad here i forgot the D, J and S variants here they are.

Stonewell/Bellcom Variable Fighter Type 1-J

Cost: 1595.5 CP

The Mauler ROV-20 has 2 laser ports, they are linked and mated.

Stonewell/Bellcom Variable Fighter Type 1-D

Cost: 1605.1 CP

Throw in a extra seat and the Mauler set-up of a J unit and your all set.

Stonewell/Bellcome Variable Fighter Type 1-S

Cost: 2228.2 CP

Mauler ROV-20 with 4 laser ports. Linked and mated as well.

Edited May 26, 2006 by Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

New Rules For Macross

Turn Value

Tsuneo Tateno writer of the Gundam Senki game created an option to spending MA to turn. Taking a cue from the Mekton Z rules Tateno formed Turn Value. Turn Value took the spending MA to turn and made it into TV. Instead of spending MA to turn the mech could spend TV points to turn. Each TV point means the mech could make a 60 degree turn (one hex side). TV is depended upon the mech design. The TV values closely mirror those in the Mekton Z core where MA was used to turn.

TV=3 to the most adaptable mecha (usually humanoid in most Anime), then give TV=2 for usual mecha (starfighters or tanks), finally TV=1 to big clumsy mecha. More advanced futuristic mecha can have TV’s of 4-5. Yikes! Now your Ace Points can increase your TV to represent your skills as a pilot. How much you can raise it is based on your TV. A TV=3 gives conversions on a 1-1, TV=2 is 1-2 or ½ and TV=1 is 1-3 or 1/3 point conversion.

Another way to increase TV is Ace Custom. It increases your base MP and is added to the vehicles base TV. It is bought with the ACE cost mult it comes in two versions. First is bought with the 67% increase, the base MP is increased by x1.5, this is for TV only. The second is with 100% and it doubles the base MP. The 67% costs x.13 (that paying for the ACE 67% and the cost for the Ace Custom), and 100% costs x.25

To give you a better understanding, we will look at the mecha of Choo Jikuu Yoosai Macross (Super Dimensional Fortress Macross). The SDF-1 and all Zentradi Starships would all have a TV=1. The Destroids would have a TV=2, ‘cept for the Monster, due to its size and weight (285t at combat load) would have a TV=1 and the Spartan would have a TV=3. The Esbeliben Reguld and the Roiquonmi Glaug would have a TV=2. The Nousjadeul-Ger and the Queadlunn-Rau would have TV=3. The Valkyries themselves would have a TV=3 in Battroid and a TV=2 in GERWALK and Fighter.

Ace Custom 100% would be given to the Valkyries, Roiquonmi Gluag, Nousjadeul-Ger and the Queadlunn-Rau.

Minimum Speed Rule

This applies to mech that can transform into or are fighters. This rule states if a fighter mech travels under 8 MA, it will suffer a -2 MV. This applies in atmosphere as well in space. This is included upon landing and take-off. This does include if the fighter is designed for V/STOL or STVOL and is attempting the take off or land. Sitting on the tarmac or being moved into catapult launch may incur a higher penalty. The -2 MV for a fighter in space can be avoided if it has gravitics.

Now if the fighter is atmosphere and drops below 8 MA (for 2 turns) it is assumed the engine has stalled, but the mech will not drop unless it’s not designed to glide (the F-117A is a example, it drops like a rock). So the pilot can attempt to keep the plane under control as it glides, but the longer the plane is in the air the harder it is (a Harrier had to do it to land safely, a scary 2 minutes). So the pilot needs to make a Piloting check every turn to keep the plane gliding, the diff begins at 10 and goes up one diff level every turn after with 30 being the highest. If the roll is failed the plane goes into a dive, the pilot needs to make a Piloting roll at diff 20 to recover. He can attempt this roll until he recovers, ejects or is a greasy stain on the object that stopped the plane.

G-SUITS

G-Suits are suits for pilots that fly fighter and/or recon jets. Since these jets fly at incredible speeds and can perform tight turns. This creates a force known as g’s. G’s are a measure of acceleration due to gravity. Humans live in a 1g environment. When you travel at high speeds and make a tight turn, you exert a percentage of centrifugal force. This in turn creates a measure of g. This is calculated by A=v^2/r. This is Acceleration equals velocity squared divided by the radius of the turn. That result is then divided by acceleration due to gravity and that gives the g forces felt. Now acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2 (read as meters per second per second) or 32.2 ft/s^2. In Mekton it is cheated, every 8 MA is a g, so when a jet makes a turn at 17 MA it is 2g’s. When g forces are felt two things happen, first you feel heavy (at 2g’s you feel twice as heavy). The second is the condition known as “eyeballs inâ€. The pull forces blood to pool in your legs, taking blood from your head and cause you to pass out from lack of blood in your head. You do get a warning, first you experience grey out, where your vision starts to get fuzzy, then blackout, you can’t see anything. Finally you will pass out. This is like getting incredibly dizzy. The human body can take up to 9g’s before passing out and the human body can take up to 14-15g’s before the spinal column is crushed, at this time you’re dead.

Another version of g’s is known as negative g’s. These are felt when you stop fast or do a sharp downward dive. Known as “eyeballs out†since the blood is being forced into your head. The human body cannot take negative g’s as well as positive g’s. Around negative 2-3g’s something called “red-out†occurs. This is when the blood vessels in the eye burst and the world is now seen through a shade of light red, you get a warning by pink-out first, when you notice the world has a pink haze to it, this is due to increased blood, but just before the blood vessels burst. Experience high enough negative g’s and you eyes will be forced out of their sockets, usually pilots will change the rotation of the plane to cause positive g forces since the body can handle positive g’s better.

To combat these problems the G-Suit was developed. It uses liquid-filled bladders to keep the blood where it should be. This only helps prevent black-out. The character makes Endurance rolls to pass out at one difficulty level less. Also the G-Suit will only work on positive g forces, since negative g’s will push the liquid in the bladders up and away form the body.

CANARD WING

A canard wing is two small wings near the front of jets to give them better maneuverability in an atmosphere, but keeps the jet from reaching top speed due to drag forces involved. There is no system needed to buy this, it grants no true bonuses, but the system can be attacked and that can cause problems.

If a jet with a canard wing is attacked in a atmosphere and one of the canard wings is hit, the jet then has a -2 MV due to how the air is flowing around the jet fighter. A canard wing can be hit by a called shot at -4 or as a Other on the random (roll another D10, canard hit on 8-10) or special (Gm decides) hit chart. The canard wing only gets armor protection. Now if the other wing is destroyed (Valkyries can go to GERWALK to rip the other canard off) then the jet only has -1 MV since the maneuverability was lost. This is only in an ATMOSPHERE, if done in space then it don’t matter.

That about covers them.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Roy Focker]

Well I'm gonna save the super intense review for after I get Plus and had chance to read a few times but some initinal comments.

The Maneuver values are lower than I thought they would be. You have -3 MV for battroid/Basic Humoid Mekton. Is not the MV connected to weight? A -3 is equal to a Mekton 3 times the size. What is causing the VF-1 to "weigh" more?

The ROV-20 Actual rate of fire is 6,000 pulses a minute. The Gu-11 rate is 1,200 rounds a minute. For the time takes the Gu-11 to fire one round the ROV-20 has let loose 5 pulse. Of course your limited by the Burst Values of the game but should the BV you have listed be further part than just by 1 BV? Also I know Mekton is inspired a lot by Gundam and in Gundam Beam Weapons are more primarly used over Projectile guns. Thus Beam weapon tend to be powerfull in Mekton. In Macross the Gu-11 is one most used weapons a VF-1. Your stats for the ROV-20 has it having twice the range and twice the damage than the GU-11. The question is if the ROV-20 does more damage and has much better than why do the pilot rely more on the GU-11?

One 10 Kill AMM-1 hits the torso/fuselage. Of those 10K it looses 3 against the armor (which than at 2 stopping power). The remaining 7K reduces the Fuselage to 1 kill. Do you think that damage might be too high? Prehaps a 8 Kill missile would be better to at least allow the VF-1 to survive two missile hits.

RMS-1 only 12K? Should it do a hell of a lot more damage? The Mekton II tech books has missile damage that goes up to 20K. Since the RMS-1 is a anti-ship weapon should something like say 150K (the damage list for a ship missile MZ page 77)?

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

While yes MV is related to weight, i added the extra MV since i was doing all Valkyries. A YF-19 is going to run circles against a VF-1. No sense in having all Valkyries the same MV and being the only saving grace is that they can take hits better then another.

Burst Value is a tricky thing in Mekton, figuring it is difficult. Burst Value can be put into these terms, how many shots you can put into a hex. so a BV-8 means 8 shots in 8 hexes. Second the burst Values are spot on. The Tactical Display has a section making weapons huan scale (common request) To figure burst value they list the Cyclic rate of what BV would be. BV-8 is 6,000 and BV-7 is 3,000. BV-6 is 1,000 but since the GU-11 fires 1200 it was moved the up to 7.

I had to keep in mind range for bullets. They have the problems of range espically in air, keep in mind thats the combat range in air, so max range for firing is 4 hexes. And it is supported most battle in Macross are up close and personal, bullets start dropping. In aeral dogfights you need to be coming at your opponent from behind and have to be within 50 yards to hit, thats is dangerously close, so i left the range where it was.

As for the Mauler ROV-20 well with the weapons the Zentradi mostly use, it seems with the reverse tech of the ASS-1 that this would show up, with laser being a much more damaging weapon.

As for the pilots relying on the GU-11 training, hey how your train. Also once you run out of ammo you want to have something that keeps you safe.

Missiles have always been shooting planes out of the sky, it usually take one shot. Even in anime missiles are seen are flying death, in Maross we just jam millions of them in small area. While yes a less kill can have them survive, its anime, you dodge missiles of shoot them out of the sky. I don't seen the damage as too high. As stated before most of the battles in Macross is inside missile range, so you just with your Gunpod and Mauler laser.

RMS-1, ah the Angel of Death, the nuke missile.Since you don't have Plus let me explain the powers of a nuke. Aything with in the 2 hex radius is destroyed, no saving throw, no explains its gone. Only things that survive is Refree saying and maybe excessive scale mecha. anything outside the 2 hex band to 4 hexes take 10x damage to every location, so anything left on a large ship now has 120K of damage to worry about. From 4-8 hexes normal damage, command armor takes the damage and handheld weapons take full damage. There is more but since your getting Plus you can see what happens fully then. Luckily these are only anti-ship.

Good questions don't think anyone has ever asked me these questions, really made me sit back and think about them. I await your arrival of Plus for a detailed review and possibly more questions.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

Edited May 27, 2006 by Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Roy Focker]

Okay a YF-19 seem more manuverable I'll give you that but what when you includes Destroids? A VF-1 battroid should manuver better than those. Do you keep bumping each slow mecha down/up a MV?

BV-8 is 6,000 and BV-7 is 3,000.  BV-6 is 1,000 but since the GU-11 fires 1200 it was moved the up to 7.

Wouldn't have easier to round down? When you typical round off you either round up or down to the closer number. BV-6/1000 Rounds is only 200 rounds away. BV-7 is 1800 more rounds.

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

Well the Destroids will have their own problems, weight is a big factor on them and they will suffer bad as well. However for the Destroids I am using Dataweavers Destroid Transformation, so they suffer an additional -1 MV on top of the weight problems, the Monster sits a -8 MV and the Defender is at -6 MV. They are slow on cumbersome, but still with the targeting computers they can hit thier mark without having to worry about taking a big negative.

Well its not rounding off, the 1,000 round cyclic is the highest possible for BV-6 so i stepped up to the next to get it. Once again burst value is a clunky thing in Mekton they had to cover it the erratta to make sense of it. the BV-7 limit of 3,000 rounds is the maximum, so between 1,001 to 3,000 rounds fits in BV-7. Now if you feel the Valkyries should be different, by all means when you get Plus, please stat them out yourself. One problems in RPG's based on TV shows, movies and anime is everyone thinks differently about what the strength of the weapons and characters should be. Others have stated out the Valkyries and they are all different, one on the MZML stated my Valk's can take his down no contest, but in his game his are at the right level so I really can't defend myself properly in this. I designed as i saw it, you feel different I would like to see your version. Be interesting to see how the your version comes out.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

Edited May 27, 2006 by Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

Well time for another thing, i have my days of work so posting these will get irregular but i will post when i can, 8 hours dealing with people with single digit IQ's can get to you. Its amazing that so many drive without having their ID's on them.

Anyway on to the next Valkyrie post, its a short one its getting late. Time for the Armored Valkyrie. Now this uses the Command Armored rules. As for the MV it stays the same since the armor -2 Balance Mod and the Valkyrie by it self in Battroid is -1 (though for game play its -3 MV), but if you want to give it the whole -5 go for it.

I would like to express a thanks (though he may never read it) to Benjamin Wright, he helped me on some design aspects on this. So Benjamin: Arigato Wright-Sensei.

Armored Valkyrie

Cost: +362.6 CP Standard Operational Mass 37100kg

Configuration

Battroiod: -3 MV, 4 Land Ma, 14 Flight MA, 3 Turn Value

Servos

L. Pod: 5 SP, 1 DC

R. Pod: 5 SP, 1 DC

Command Armor

Fuselage: 6 SP, 1 DC, .5 B. Mod

L. Arm: 4 SP, 1 DC, .3 B. Mod

R. Arm: 4 SP, 1 DC, .3 B. Mod

L. Leg: 4 SP, 1 DC, .3 B. Mod

R. Leg: 4 SP, 1 DC, .3 B. Mod

Movement Systems

Thrusters: 9 MA, R/L Pod Location

Cost Mult.

Enviro-Protection (All, but Re-entry)

Weapons

Arm Location

Erlikon GA-100: +1 WA, 7 Rng, 6K Dmg, 3 Shots, 6 Kills, HyperVelocity, Blast Radius 3, Long Range

Ammo: 3 Shots, 1 Kills, AP

Erlikon GH-32: +1 WA, 8 Rng, 5K Dmg, 11 shots, 4 Kills

Leg Location

Erlikon GH-32: +1 WA, 8 Rng, 5K Dmg, 12 shots, 4 Kills

Fuselage Location

Ramington H-22T: +0 WA, 8 Rng, 5K Dmg, 6 Shots, 2 Kills, Blast Radius 1 Hex

Erlikon GH-32: +1 WA, 8 Rng, 5K Dmg, 10 shots, 3 Kills

All weapons are linked.

This was probably the easiest variant to design, the FAST Packs took a bit longer as my thought about them changed and a interesting chat with Benjamin also led to a second FAST design, so the FAST can be run two ways and that will be handled next.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Roy Focker]

Please don't tell me I'm reading a slightly defensive tone. I trust I am mistaken.

The G in GPS-1 stands for Ground. Does Misa get on Hikaru ass for using the unit in space? If you decided to impose the full -5 MV, space would the place to possibly do it.

The Ramington H-22T the Compedium list them as being "hand grenades" as opposed to grenade mini missiles. I wonder if they should be treated like a thrown weapons.

Not sure if I can tell by your stats but I'm thinking Powerplants in the Macross universe would be 'Hot'. Also I'm leaning to have the G-Factor be standard for at least brown colored VF-1A and Regults.

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

No defensiveness on my part, you must be reading things. As i said problem with RPG's and TV everyone has their own idea, so not everyone is going to agree. Do realize after a reading a couple times it does come out defensive, my bad for the wording.

True you could impose the -5 in space, might make that a note on the sheet now. Not a bad idea.

Well there were shown being fired in the anime so i treated as such. You can make then thrown. Lets see make it a 0 range missile, add the Fuse multiplier (instead of sayin' when it goes off, time limit when the spoon comes off).

The powerplants are cool actually, i did list the explosion save (XS) right? <checks> yeah i did, but i guess i should've make that more easier to read. While Macross does have exploding enemies and good guys a plenty the powerplants are treated as cool. I had a reason for this years ago, but i have forgotten it.

G-Factor for crunchy units, oh hell yea.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

Edited May 27, 2006 by Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

Got a couple minutes before work, might as well get the FAST packs up. Now there are 2 ways to build the FAST Packs. First up the way i orginally designed them, i will put the other way after work today.

Booby Duck (VF-1 w/ FAST Packs)

Cost: +215.2 CP Weight: 32250kg

Configuration

Fighter: +0 MV, 0(taxi) Land MA, 43 Flight MA

GERWALK: +0 MV, 5 Land MA, 20 Flight MA

Battroid: +0 MV, 8 Land MA, 19 Flight MA

B. Mod: +0 MA, -1 Land MA, -1 Flight MA

Servos:

NP-BP-01 (R. Pod): 5 SP, 1 DC

NP-BP-01 (L. Pod): 5 SP, 1 DC

Command Armor

R. Leg: 4 SP, 1 DC

L. Leg: 4 SP, 1 DC

R. Arm: 4 SP, 1 DC

L. Arm: 4 SP, 1 DC

Notes: Arms Together impart +1 MV, Legs impart +2 MV

Movement Systems

EF-2001: +5 MA, R/L Pod Location

Cost Mult.

Enviro-P (Space and EM), Trans-at, Maneuver Verniers: +5 MV (3/FAST, 4/Legs, 2.4/Arm)

Note: the Maneuver Verniers listed cover the space amount not how much MV is gained per location

Weapons

Arm Location

HMM-01: +0 WA, 7 Rng, 4K Dmg, 3 Shots, 1 Kills, Long Range

Pod Location

HMM-01: +0 WA, 7 Rng, 4K Dmg, 20 shots, 5 Kills, Long Range

Note:Missile Packs and FAST Weapons are Linked. GU-11 is not linked

Strike Valkyrie

Cost: +314.2 CP Weight: 33250kg

The only difference is a removal of Pod Missile Pack and the Mauler RO-X2A added, usually its the Right Pod.

Weapon

Mauler RO-X2A: +1 WA, 11 Rng, 7K Dmg, 7 Kills, BV-8

Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Cruel Angel's Thesis]

Okay some explation on this version of the FAST. i was talking to Benjamin about the FAST on the YF-19 and he saw the FAST as being built as shields more then as command armor as i had did, so i figure why not and started doing that for the Valkyries. So here is the variant for FAST. Took me a good while, if these are shields they should be able to take more punishment then straight armor, so the DC is a little higher then for straight armor, if its shields might as well get some use as you use it the take what you couldn't dodge. You might use this in more cinematic battles, allows you to look good as you use the arm and legs to aborb enemy damage, but don't expect it help on missiles, oh no its still going to suck, just not as bad. Have been thinking of changing the DC to a little lower, but what do you think. keep in mind i think it was Benjamin that said a good DC or SP and low DA so i might be right, i remember the DA part the DC part might be one of the voices in my head playing with me.

Necessary Changes

Booby Duck

Cost: +203.7 CP Weght: 39750kg

Strike Valkyrie

Cost: 302.7 CP Weight: 39750kg

Shields

Arm Location

6 SP, 4 DC, -4DA

Leg Location

7 SP, 4 DC, -3 DA

You know i could've added this, i was first thinking of just typing it all out then i realized I only had to list the changes, man do i feel stupid. Well lack of sleep will do that to you.

Cruel Angel's Thesis

[Roy Focker]

Interesting you do see the use of arm fast packs used as a shield. Reading the book my first thought about fast packs would be a Pod stuffed with missiles or boosters. I knew fast packs would the last thing I would attempt to tackle.

A lower SP and low DA would seem right. Sure you can consider them shield to a degree but they are still carrying fuel, boosters and missiles. They aren't a solid hunk of metal for defence.