Analyzing 'The Grand Cannon'

[grebo guru]

Greetings all,

I'm no newbie to Macross (been following it since it started), but there are some rather specific technical issues I've been wondering about. See, I plan on running a Macross game sometime soon and so there are several Macross details I'm looking to learn more about.

(For those who are curious, I'll be using R. Talsorian Games' "Mekton Z" system rather than Palladium, which I find unsuitable. I wrote up specs for the Macross Plus VFs which were printed in an issue of V.Max magazine back in the '90s. They represent the kind of stats I plan on using.)

Anyway, here's one of my questions. If the subject(s) I bring up were discussed/answered in previous threads, I'd appreciate it if someone would point me to them. And if any of these matters have not been covered, I'd be thrilled by a discussion. Thanks!

The Grand Cannon(s)

I believe five were constructed on Earth, but two or three were destroyed, right? Well, what I'm really curious about is how a Grand Cannon works. I understand it "uses Earth's gravity as a weapon" somehow, but I know nothing more than that (and what I've seen in the anime, of course). Also, any idea on how much recharge time is needed between shots? How about how many people are needed to staff a Grand Cannon facility?

Tangentially, I gather that the whole point of the space colonization efforts seen in post-SW1 stories is to "decentralize" the human poplation; thus ensuring that we are less likely to be wiped out by another massive attack. This being the case, I would expect each colony plant (like Eden, etc) to have at least one Grand Cannon facility of its own -- completed or in the works at least. Right?

Thanks in advance for your input, all!

Grebo

[azrael]

Please try to avoid starting topics with nearly identical headers in a relative short amount of time. It does looks like your spamming the board. Also, please remember to use the newbie thread (even if your not a newbie) to find answers to common/short questions.

http://macross.anime.net//mecha/united_nat...randCannon.html

Also, any idea on how much recharge time is needed between shots?

Nope.

How about how many people are needed to staff a Grand Cannon facility?

Lots.

This being the case, I would expect each colony plant (like Eden, etc) to have at least one Grand Cannon facility of its own -- completed or in the works at least. Right?

Depends on the people living there.

[Zinjo]

There hasn't been any mention of future grand canon construction since SDF Macross.

It may have been considered not worth the risk. Having such a powerful weapon planetary based, puts that world at risk. With all it's power, the risk to the world it fires from would face is most likely bombardment from space similar to what happened to the Earth.

However that is pure speculation, since nothing further is mentioned about the weapon system.

Edited October 24, 2006 by Zinjo

[Morpheus]

Grand cannon, well firing that big cannon will surely caused some orbital shift. Continous firing of the grand cannon is forbidden since it will propel the Earth away from the solar system leaving a trail of Zentran wreckage

Ok, back to work, my professor is watching my back (stupid desk arrangement)...