Variable Destroids and Zentradii mecha

[Variable_Queadlunn]

Greetings MWorlders -

Inspired by the Konig Monster and thr Variable Glaug I had composed the attached offerings solely for my own amusment but speaking to Shawn at MW-Con 2013 convinved me to post them to the forums for the bennefit of all

I loved the idea of the the Monster transforming and wondered if I could do the same for it's smaller brethen

Likewise, for me, the quintessential Zentradii mecha have always been the Regult battlepods and the Queadlunn Rau for the Zentran and Meltran respectively so why not try them too

I'm sorry it took so long- please enjoy the following

Variaable Queadlunn

V-Gult

Variable Spartan

Variable Tomahawk

Variable Defender

Variable Phalanx

Have a merry Macross Christmas !!

[Benson13]

These are your designs?

[Variable_Queadlunn]

Yes- other than the intentional resemblance to the original 80's designs which were used as a starting off point

[Gabe Q]

Hey, I remember seeing these in person at the MWCon. I was really impressed! In fact, you're too modest because you never mentioned the fact that Tenjin himself looked at them and was impressed as well. Awesome work.

[Variable_Queadlunn]

his praising my work was the highlight of the con for me

[Mr March]

Not bad. I think the Variable Spartan is my favourite. There are some interesting flourishes to the classic designs.

[Variable_Queadlunn]

Thanks

[Benson13]

Yes- other than the intentional resemblance to the original 80's designs which were used as a starting off point

Great work.

[Zinjo]

Amazing work, I'm sure Kawamori would be impressed your imaginative variable solutions.

Are the Zentradi variables for full size giants?

Why are there flying destroids when the Valkyrie system performs that role?

[Variable_Queadlunn]

Both of the Zentran mecha are for macronized pilots- but could probably be reworked for microns just like the variable Glaug

As for the variable destroids- I designed them basically because I really liked the Konig Monster- The Destroids have long been denied the transforming love

As for a tactical role the variable destroids would fill it would be pretty much what they do now, heavy assault firepower and air defence- these versions would be more self-mobile though- able to fold in and re-enter on their own power but still kick ass on the ground

I almsot hesitate to call the insectoid forms of the Destroids "Gerwalks" but the legs are technically reversed knee and the leg mounted thrusters give them good ground effect hover movement- also being so low compared to most normal mecha gives them a "hull-down" aspect while fighting which both the original destroids and Valkyries sorely lack

but mostly... I did it because it's Cool

[Aurel Tristen]

I really like these designs! I'm not a huge fan of the insectoid forms, but otherwise, they look like big armored flying death machines! Though as tempting as it is, I wouldn't want to be the one trying to figure out these transformations in 3D. I can't follow them as they are. They look rather complex.

[Variable_Queadlunn]

I need to draw up the transformation details- or at least do some color coded t-form guides ala the Macross Mecha Manual

Best, of course would be 3D models with animated t-form sequences-but that's a little beyond my abilities for the moment-

I'm just glad I was able to get a scanner working so i could share them with everyone

[sketchley]

I almsot hesitate to call the insectoid forms of the Destroids "Gerwalks" (...)

Well, the VB-6 doesn't use the standard terms (Fighter, GERWALK, Battroid), either.

If memory serves, it's Shuttle, Heavy GERWALK and Destroid (with Destroid being synonymous with Battroid - or in this case, a super-sized Battroid).

So, you could get away with calling them Fighter, Heavy GERWALK (just to be different, but not unrecognizeably so), and Destroid (which is also consistent with the in-universe VB-6 naming pattern).

Anyhow, some art critiques:

- some of the artwork looks very crisply scanned, and others look washed out. Adjusting Image > Adjustments > Levels (in PS) is the easiest and quickest fix for that, and will improve presentation tenfold.

- some of the Fighter designs come across as too close to the Variable Glaug and VB-6's shuttle form, for me. It is apparent that you put a lot of effort into them, but they don't have the same 'wow' as, for example, the VB-6's Destroid Monster form turning into a space shuttle

That said, having scorpions and other insects as the GERWALK form is inspired (plenty of 'wow'), and the consistency between the Destroids is a nice touch. Perhaps reworking the base Destroid form so that they work better in Fighter form would be worthwhile? (like how some of the square edges were turned into curves, and parts that suggested the shuttle form were added to the other forms when Kawamori-san turned the Destroid Monster into the VB-6).

Edited December 24, 2013 by sketchley

[sketchley]

I'm not a huge fan of the insectoid forms (...)

I think those forms are the most consistent with the original concept of the Destroids: mobile gun turrets!

[Frogze]

Great work, these are all winners but the variable Phalanx drawings are pure genious!

[Flaming Guantlet]

Very creative I'd say. I'm totally digging that Variable Phalanx.

[jenius]

Very nice work. My only critique is that the three way transformation seems unlikely and at the very least the 'tank' type aspects of a destroid would necessarily give way to very small bits if transformable which makes the very concept contradictory. The destroid form is a compromise to represent everything a mech would need if not transformable... if it could transform then its very like the battroid form would not be similar to the destroids we know.

[Variable_Queadlunn]

Very nice work. My only critique is that the three way transformation seems unlikely and at the very least the 'tank' type aspects of a destroid would necessarily give way to very small bits if transformable which makes the very concept contradictory. The destroid form is a compromise to represent everything a mech would need if not transformable... if it could transform then its very like the battroid form would not be similar to the destroids we know.

You are probably quite right about the contradictions involved with the destroids being transformable and a dedicated design would look very different- For my own reasons I made the point of the exercise to start with the destroids we know and love and see if a transformation could even be made possible - I'm glad that they worked at all

Well, the VB-6 doesn't use the standard terms (Fighter, GERWALK, Battroid), either.

If memory serves, it's Shuttle, Heavy GERWALK and Destroid (with Destroid being synonymous with Battroid - or in this case, a super-sized Battroid).

So, you could get away with calling them Fighter, Heavy GERWALK (just to be different, but not unrecognizeably so), and Destroid (which is also consistent with the in-universe VB-6 naming pattern).

Anyhow, some art critiques:

- some of the artwork looks very crisply scanned, and others look washed out. Adjusting Image > Adjustments > Levels (in PS) is the easiest and quickest fix for that, and will improve presentation tenfold.

- some of the Fighter designs come across as too close to the Variable Glaug and VB-6's shuttle form, for me. It is apparent that you put a lot of effort into them, but they don't have the same 'wow' as, for example, the VB-6's Destroid Monster form turning into a space shuttle

That said, having scorpions and other insects as the GERWALK form is inspired (plenty of 'wow'), and the consistency between the Destroids is a nice touch. Perhaps reworking the base Destroid form so that they work better in Fighter form would be worthwhile? (like how some of the square edges were turned into curves, and parts that suggested the shuttle form were added to the other forms when Kawamori-san turned the Destroid Monster into the VB-6).

Thanks for the scanning advice- I played arround with my originals in GIMP and they do indeed look much more crisp - i will be sure to apply the technique to any further scans I maight post-

the fighter forms resembling the VB-6 and the Variable Glaug was intentional because I loved those designs (perhaps a bit too much

[Dax415]

These are pretty nice and along the lines of what I would expect destroids to transform into. When I think of transforming destroids, I think they would fill a role Valkyries cant. Like heavy bombardment type craft that just level entrenched and heavily armored positions and craft. Looking forward to more of your work.

[Variable_Queadlunn]

These are pretty nice and along the lines of what I would expect destroids to transform into. When I think of transforming destroids, I think they would fill a role Valkyries cant. Like heavy bombardment type craft that just level entrenched and heavily armored positions and craft. Looking forward to more of your work.

Heavy bombardment would definately be a specialty of the Variable Phalanx- one of the options I haven't had a chance to draw yet is what I like to think of as the "stand-off" posture-

The basic fighter can jetison and lauch both missile drums as long range remote delivery sleds for their full payload while the fighter stands off at a safer long range

the drum can fly in close using evasive manuevers a piloted unit cannot perform then fire it's full pay load point blank- as a bonus, the fighter becomes more manueverable since it dumps all the weight

[sketchley]

Of all the designs you made, the one for the Phalanx is the best - probably because its torso is the least deformed in Fighter/GERWALK (retaining both a lot of armour strength and internal space (one of the, if not the best point of the 04 series)), and you've added enough to the Destroid/Battroid form to have effectively created something new based on the old (like the VB-6 and the Monster).

That said, you've got arms located in the missile launcher exhaust ports and removed the rapidly exchangeable missile loads in the launcher. Perhaps adding a similar sized box in front? Or better, integrating the FAST Pack-like micro-missile launchers into the missile launcher pods and adding VF-25 Super Part shoulder launchers to the top and bottoms of those FAST Pack-like parts (thereby attaining better aerodynamics, retaining the Missile Circus aspect of the Phalanx, and making more room in the pods themselves for thermonuclear turbine engines and their required fuel load.

Also, have you thought about incorporating one of the alternative "heads"? See 2b, 2c, and 2d here for examples (if memory serves, they're all penned by Kazutaka Miyatake): http://sketchleytranslation.host-ed.me/Stats/Statistics/Phalanx/Phalanx.php#OFFENSIVE_SYSTEMS

[Variable_Queadlunn]

Of all the designs you made, the one for the Phalanx is the best - probably because its torso is the least deformed in Fighter/GERWALK (retaining both a lot of armour strength and internal space (one of the, if not the best point of the 04 series)), and you've added enough to the Destroid/Battroid form to have effectively created something new based on the old (like the VB-6 and the Monster).

That said, you've got arms located in the missile launcher exhaust ports and removed the rapidly exchangeable missile loads in the launcher. Perhaps adding a similar sized box in front? Or better, integrating the FAST Pack-like micro-missile launchers into the missile launcher pods and adding VF-25 Super Part shoulder launchers to the top and bottoms of those FAST Pack-like parts (thereby attaining better aerodynamics, retaining the Missile Circus aspect of the Phalanx, and making more room in the pods themselves for thermonuclear turbine engines and their required fuel load.

Also, have you thought about incorporating one of the alternative "heads"? See 2b, 2c, and 2d here for examples (if memory serves, they're all penned by Kazutaka Miyatake): http://sketchleytranslation.host-ed.me/Stats/Statistics/Phalanx/Phalanx.php#OFFENSIVE_SYSTEMS

As for the alternate heads- I played with a composite which incorporated features from several of them- but ultimately decided to go with the original- it slides into the body and effects the transform better- I modidifed the hinge point and allowed the indidvidual lights to pivot to attain the flat profile for the gerwalk mode- I also swapped the antenae for AA lasers- I figured that was change enough-

The slip stream covers on the missile drums have additinal sensors and mount mini missile launchers similar to those on the VF fast packs-these packs are optional but greatly improve aerodynamic performance in atmosphere while boosting the missile compliment so they are effectively standard equipment-

the main drum stores a standardized missile load in 2 ranks- one behind the other but can be configured to load fewer longer or wider missiles or additional ranks of shortrer range warheads

the long slots on the side allow the rear rank misiles to launch without openeing the main doors so the fighter mode can launch the larger ordinance at speed- but only in volleys of 2 or 4- the forward rank requires the doors to open in order to fire- not impossible while flying in atmosphere- but definately limited to slowere flight regimes obviously in space these limitations do not apply

due to the addition of the arms- one missile tube per drum can be swapped as a mount for an updated Spartan Battle Mace- givin the Phalanx some extra punch up close but reducing the payload slightly

[paramat]

Good work!

[claude grant]

Just so you know, you're an incredible artist that shows amazing skill & virtuosity; especially with designs as old and familiar as these are.

Awesome...you just keep pressing forward with any Macross related art that inspires you!

[SARmedic]

Just plain Awsome !

[aaajin]

those drawings are too awesome to be buried...bumping this!

[Professor Dire]

>>Applauds.

I am very impressed with the work you have done here: Variable Queadlunn.

I have tinkered on some Variable Destroid designs for years and these are top notch.

[Professor Dire]

Double-post

Edited October 26, 2015 by Professor Dire