Ghost X-9

[Oihan]

I've asked this before on the old forum, but since it's down I can't get to it. So I'll ask it again. The impression I get is that the Ghost X-9 is the most elite fighter there is, and we all know that Max is the most elite pilot there is in the Macross universe.

My question: If Max were in the YF-21/VF-22 or the YF-19/VF-19, do you guys think he would be able to beat the Ghost w/o killing himself in the process?

[Keith]

Max beat Milia, 'nuff said.

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

Max could probably do it in a VF-11 or even a VF-1!

[MAXXxxx]

hihi, *I* did it in a VF1 (in VFX2)

[Graham]

I've always felt that the Ghost X-9 and it's production version the Ghost AIF-9B were somewhat overated. They seem suitable as interceptors, but not much else.

Frankly speaking, they lack the versatility to handle all the various types of missions that VFs are tasked with. IMO, the UN Spacy was incredibly short-sighted for thinking that they could replace manned VFs, VAs and VBs with a non-transforming drone for all mission applications.

Basically, the X-9 has only it's high speed going for it and the only thing it is really good at is high speed slashing attacks (which is shown in Macross Plus). Even though the lack of a human pilot would allow the X-9 to pull more Gs than a manned VF, at the sort of speeds the Ghost flys, it's still going to have a huge turn radius. Plus as we all know, the prototype Ghost X-9 proved glaringly vulnerable to hacking.

And yes, I'm sure Max would have quite handily defeated the X-9 or an AIF-9B without dying. In fact, I suspect Isamu could have as well. I've long thought that Isamu had far more real combat experience and was a better combat pilot than Guld. From what I understand, Guld was not actually a military pilot, only a civilian test pilot for General Galaxy, with probably little or no actual real combat experience (probably only simulated combat experience). Isamu on the other hand was already a highly experienced and talented combat pilot by 2040AD.

Graham

[eugimon]

I don't think either guld or isamu would have had difficulty with the Ghost if they hadn't beaten the tar out of their fighters during their previous fight.

Even so, I figure Isamu could have taken out Guld easy if he ever really wanted to, so Isamu should be able to take out the Ghost, IMO. Which means, max would have no difficulty at all taking out the Ghost.... he probably could do it in VF-1 as stated previously...

[Anubis]

I'd say Graham hit it square on the nail.

[Lindem Herz]

As Graham said, Guld was a civilian pilot (and a damn good one while we're at it) and most likely lacked any combat experience except for his encounters with Isamu. Therefore, while fighting the Ghost, he only did what he knew, flying, so fast and hard that it killed him.

Thinking about tactics a VF pilot would use against the Ghost, taking into account it's HUGE turn radius and that it can't hover, I'd say that all that one should do is find a nice mountain chain or a nice wide canyon (Guld had BOTH of this) with lots of obstacles and space to move if they are destroyed (the city that Guld and Isamu fighted before could also do ), where instant agility and zero turn radius is a must, transform to battroid and wait in cover until the ghost comes near enough to fire a couple of good shots, cover when it shoots you and fire a couple of good shots while it run away and turns for another pass. Pretty much what a soldier with a shoulder carried SAM would do.

Rinse and repeat until you get a blown up Ghost or it smashes itself into something while trying to blow you up.

[Marso]

Agreed. Watching the way guys like Fokker used the canyons and stuff in Macross Zero, it's hard to believe a trained Valk pilot couldn't sucker the Ghost into a tight spot and vape it.

It'd be fun to watch Hikaru duke it out with the ghost in an old fashioned VF-1.

[dna]

Hikaru would probably get his arms blown off and then get raked by friendly fire.

[dedalus001]

i have to argue that the ghost was under the control of sharon, someone who had a very unique effect on isamu, so i have to disagree with isamu being able to defeat the sharon/ghost x-9.

max is the man.

period.

[Oihan]

Well...all I remember is the YF-21 getting torn to shreds.... And the maneuvers that the Ghost could pull off compared to the other fighters...I dunno. Your guys' answers have helped eased my mind so to say. Thanks.

[Lindem Herz]

Well...all I remember is the YF-21 getting torn to shreds.... And the maneuvers that the Ghost could pull off compared to the other fighters...I dunno. Your guys' answers have helped eased my mind so to say. Thanks.

I think (because of what he said inmediatly before) that Guld allowed the YF-21 to be torned to shreds to make the AI (or Sharon, whichever it may apply) believe it was destroyed, lay it's guard down, and open an opportunity to get the Ghost into a tight spot.

Which in turn was accomplished by transforming into the quite agile but not so fast battroid in an open space, where it could not get any kind of cover and was therefore slaughtered by the X-9

[ewilen]

Quick note: the Ghost's turn radius in a vacuum would be quite different from its turn radius in atmospheric flight.

[azrael]

hummm....I'm getting flashbacks of Kawamori at Anime Expo....

[JELEINEN]

Quick note: the Ghost's turn radius in a vacuum would be quite different from its turn radius in atmospheric flight.

Sure it can cut thrust and spin itself around, but it would still have to overcome the momentum it had going in one direction before going in another. And, turning while under thrust is still going to require a larger radius the faster it's going.

[Macross_Fanboy]

Hmm...this may sound dumb, but after playing MGS TS, and when I think about the Ghost, it reminds me of "Grey Fox." Graham mentioned slash attacks...maybe that's why.

[Smiley424]

With the variable transformation of the valk and Max's uber skillz (he's a genius) he'll definately take out the Ghost X-9 w/o a scratch. Another tactic that could be used to great effect against the Ghost is if the Ghost ever gets behind the valk, the valk can transform into gerwalk or battroid, watch the Ghost zoom by and bang, got'cha. This manuever is shown to great effect in Macross Zero Episode 1 when Nora in the SV-51 caps Shin in his F-14.

[macplus]

Let's put Kakizaki on a Vf-1 and the Ghost... the drone would get so tired of his sillyness that probably would short circuit..

[Southcross]

Let's put Kakizaki on a Vf-1 and the Ghost... the drone would get so tired of his sillyness that probably would short circuit..

no the perfect scenario with Kakizaki:

the Ghost would riddle him with bullets and Kakizaki wouldn't die (remember it took a barrier explosion to finish him off)... the Ghost would use its entire ammunition reserve trying to kill Kakizaki to no avail. The entire time Kakizaki would be crying "save me!" Hikaru or Max would arrive to find a Ghost swarming Kakizaki "trying" to finish him off by "shootin blanks" i.e. ammunition it doesn't have. It would be a simple matter of leading the target and riddleing it with bullets.

Even though that the Ghost is using a very high level AI system, it would not be capable of knowing that Kakizaki couldn't shoot himself with a 1000 rounds, a .45 Colt, and a mirror. Let alone actually "do any good in combat"

The Ghost would of been better off just "mocking" him and flying off to find a better target.