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Hi all,

I was visiting the old Robotech Technical Files and I noticed an entry for the VF-7 Sylphid. Apparently the Sylphid (as the site calls it) is a veritech style fighter used by the ASC's TAF. The picture shown on the site is that of the Spectre (as it is called by the RPG).

I've seen the series before and know about the aircraft in question- it is the poor thing that seems to get slaughtered all the time in battle with the Master's assault ships. Anyway, I do remember the narrator refering to this ship as a veritech. Which I think is why the Technical Files have a section for it.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone out there has made a set of stats for this craft? I'm thinking about doing it, however I don't have a copy of Southern Cross yet, so I don't have the stats for the Spectre to start with.

Thanks!

Scott

Having only two modes isn't unheard of in Robotech, especally in Southern Cross. However I've heard some people mention that there is a 'head' structure on the craft's under belly that could suggest a battloid configuration.

Be that as it may, that is what I'm thinking: A Logan style veritech. Lightly armored and armed only with internal weapons and missiles with MAYBE the ability to carry a gunpod.

the aledged head structure can be seen on the linked page above. next to the section on armaments.
the image shows missiles being launched but to the right of image is the back half of what looks to be at the least a laser turret.

There does not seem to be the required structures for a full GERWALK*, with arms. the thrusters do look suitable for VTOL in the usual veritech style.


(*Ground Effective Reinforcement of Winged Armament with Locomotive Knee-joint)

So far I've favored going Alpha style, upper pods as arms, and legs underneath, suitably blocky if we stick fairly close to it's existing undercarriage, nose as front torso.

AlexanderDeath wrote:GERWALK's prerequisite has nothing to do with the fact that the Mecha's arms can fold out, but more that the mecha is capable of Walking on the proverbial legs on the mecha instead of just using them as landing pylons for VSTOL and VTOL lift only.

I had thought that because when rick pulls down the leaver marked G, to go to guardian config, and the arms come out it woud be a proper or full guardian/GERWALK.

I was mearly stating that I think it has no arms.

I know Veritech legs in gerwalk/ guardian or STOL/VTOL are not mearly pylons, as you would well know. they are required to be very articulate as they need to balance a big mecha on thrusters that are not centraly located.

Ben Quash wrote:Form the picts I wouldn't of given it a Bataloid mode. But would of made it a plane & Grwalk fighter like the Logen.

(GRWALK is the 'gardien mode' for you newbes)

Uh...It's Gerwalk and Guardian.

i disagree with the VF-7 Sylphid.

while HG has "canonised" it, it was a concept developed by the RRG, and is not supported by images in the show or the art sheets.

first, the "legs" everyone has been talking about appear to be a single block, with no joint visable. it also has 4 intakes, 2 above and 2 below the wing root, both blended into the fuselage and wing of the plane. not the best design for a transforming craft.

second, the missile hard points are F-15 style conformal hardpoints along the outside of the engines. a bad location for a transforming craft, since it would leave the missiles pointing upwards on the outside of the lower leg in walker mode. great if you want to shoot yourself down, but rather bad when fighting others.

third, that "Head" structure bears a closer resemblance to the FLIR pods of the F-15, or the GAU-88 of the A-10. the structure seems to be made of 3 parts, 2 'sheilds' and a weapon, each bolted to the fuselage. not a good design for a head or turret.

fourth, that wing design is not one well suited for VTOL operation. those massive twin vertical tails on the wings would slow down the craft, and cause a lot of turbulance, making it so unstable that the pilot would be likely to loose control and crash. as a fighter, it works well, since your not trying ot do extreme sideslips.




this aircraft give the impression of a High speed interceptor, rather similar in role to the F-104. basically you fly straight, fire you missiles at the the enemy, and hightail it home as fast as your engines will take you. the fact that leonard was using them to dogfight with was ridiculous, and i'd say to be the main reason the fighter branch had such massive losses

Bestarium wrote:There is no way in hell that thing is transformable, otherwise we'd have seen it do so.

That is not necessarily true. When the series hit its stride about eps. 11 or so, it was already decided to wrap it up and end it early due to lower than expected ratings. When you look at the various aspects of the fighter (especially in the episode #43 Prelude to Battle/SC eps. #6 Prelude) you see how blocky it appears...just like the VF-6 Alpha. The sections appear to be made to move independently of one another....just not in a fashion that is readily apparent.

It is also possible that someone on the Ammonite team decided early on to make it a variable mecha only to change their mind once production started. Getting ahold of the preproduction mecha art would help in solving part of this mystery as its NOT, for the most part, in This is Animation Special #10: The Southern Cross. If we could get in touch with the members of Ammonite that worked on Southern Cross it could also be cleared up.

I'd also argue that it wouldn't matter if the Southern Cross had squadrons of legios to send at the Master's vessel. The result would have been the same.

I agree with that statement. Nothing burns me more than to hear that if the ASC had simply had Valkyrie's or Alpha's the war would have been won readily. Baloney to both. Neither the mecha of the 1st Robotech War nor the mecha of the 3rd Robotech War (and forget the warships...they're even less armed than their SC counterparts) would have sufficed to have done better in the 2nd Robotech War.

Sorry Zer0 Kay sometimes I can't spell worth beans.