by the fans for the fans

Here are some simple questions:

1.How many saw the movie Top Gun?

2.How would you feel if they used the Red Baron type WW1 airplanes in Top Gun to help in dog fights?

I ask these questiones because there is alot of speculation that HG avoided using old Robotech Macross elements in The Shadow Chronicles but let us put aside the "copyright legal war hatred" and try to view this from another logical point.

Why would there be VF's and battloids in The Shadow Chronicles when the Alphas and Betas are far mor advanced than the past Robotech Macross mechas? after all Rook and Scott's Alphas took alot of beatings and even a new rebuilt Beta took a crash into a old hanger and most old VF's from Robotech Macross saga could not take alot of beatings except for Rick's VF that he had when he crashed into Minmei's roof and several buildings.

Oh, dear...

This question's already been asked and answered, after a fashion. On RT.com, there was a rather heated debate in a thread comparing the Macross Saga planes to NewGen/Shadow Chronicles birds.

Ultimately, what it came down to was a matter of personal opinion, weather or not the Alpha was better or worse than the VF-1(x). Stats were found all over the place, and one set tended to negate another set entirely. Of course, when referenced, the OSM for each saga of the RRT series was a hot subject, and that brewed into antother quasi-debate that loosely connected with the 'legal rights' debates, and it broiled over into many a fight.

When I sy that personal opinion comes into play, I mean to say that every fan has their own favorite, as far as the variable fighters are concerned, and this will influence their contribution to a debate. We're not talking about a critical analysis done by Sandhurst Military Academy, after all.

Considering the idea of direct design evolution, then yes, it would be reasonable to assume that the Alpha/Beta type variable fighters would be more advanced than the original VF's, but then again, one may have to consider the idea that they're built for different mission roles.

With the idea that an Alpha hs rather limited offensive capability, in and of itself, it's need for a Beta as a suplimental platform is severely limiting. VF's could carry a rough equivalent of the Alpha/Beta's firepower in super packs, which don't require a tricky mid-ir/mid-space docking/mting maneuver.

however, there is the rugged nnture of the Alpha/Beta to be considered. AS has been seen, their toughness is plain to see. It's evident that resilience and robustness was incorporated into the design. (I'm reminded of the design process for the F6F Hellcat, as a replacement of for the older Wildcat fighter)

All in all, there are pros and cons for each design.

< holding hand over mouse getting ready to move this to the fodder, its gonna get heated. . . >

Ghost Maker wrote:

Here are some simple questions:

1.How many saw the movie Top Gun?

Raises hand. . .

Ghost Maker wrote:

2.How would you feel if they used the Red Baron type WW1 airplanes in Top Gun to help in dog fights?

I ask these questiones because there is alot of speculation that HG avoided using old Robotech Macross elements in The Shadow Chronicles but let us put aside the "copyright legal war hatred" and try to view this from another logical point.

Oh boy is right Viper!

Ok, so you're basically saying that we can see how the F-14s made Top Gun successful because they were newer machines as the producers did not use the outdated WWI planes? Thus the same would work for the SC not using "outdated" mecha.

I see comparing apples to oranges, Top Gun was all about the flight school that was based in Miramar here in California. It was not about Top Gun in WWI, there was no such thing. Remember they even tell you in the movie that Top Gun was specifically created to improve the dogfighting skills of US pilots.

Now, if the source material HAD come from WWI and then they decided to use newer planes, that speculative comparison would apply.

Ghost Maker wrote:

Why would there be VF's and battloids in The Shadow Chronicles when the Alphas and Betas are far mor advanced than the past Robotech Macross mechas?

Two part answer:

A: Because just about everyone loves VFs!

B: Remember that this new "advanced" technology, Shadow Technology is what got them in trouble as they were setup by the monks awareness people, whatever they're called. The fan-boy in me says this is how the "outdated" mecha would work in the SC. Since they can't use Shadow Technology because it was booby trapped. They could use the old Battloids and VFs that were in museums or "collector's hangers" much like they did in Macross 7 using the old civilian destroids and Max/Miriya's VFs.

Now obviously my answer is very biased, just take a look at my signature.

Another idea to throw in...


RT:TSC has esteblished that the energy source for Alphas and Betas (Protoculture) is in very short supply, roughyl 18 months worth, if I recall correctly.

The VFs, though, use another type of energy, though... Fusion. Since fusion is an established energy sourse that humanity can use to power planes, they'd revert to that energy as the primary means of motivating fighting machines.

Now, as the Alpha/Beta is designed to use protoculture as its primary power, the lack of it would mean that both ships would need a radical redesign to utilize the older, more reliabe power source. Why go through all that trouble?

Sighup's correct. Private collectors and museums would be asked to return thier machines to active status. With minor upgrades in the electronics and avionics, a VF could be up to spec with current demands in little time, much less time than would be needed for a redesign of an lpha or Beta to accomodate a retro-grade power source.

I AGREE WITH VIPER AND SIGHUP.

DIFFERENT MISSION CALLED FOR A NEW CHANGE ALL TOGETHER. PLUS THE USE OF PROTOCULTURE VS. FUSION.

YOU COULD ACTUALLY LOOK AT TOP GUN AND THE IRAQI WAR ITSELF WITH THE USE OF STEATH PLANES. CONSIDER THE ALPHAS TO THE STEALTH PLANES VS ITS OTHERS USES AND MISSIONS.

NOW IT WOULD BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT IF THE FUEL WAS CHANGED AS WELL FROM FOSSIL TO SOME THING COMPLETELY ALIEN.