BACKGROUND (as per Macross Mecha Manual)
From Macross Mecha Manual
During development of the VF-1 Valkyrie, the U.N. Spacy development teams found it necessary to utilize other variable fighters as test beds and trial production models for the various new OverTechnology systems. The VF-0 Phoenix was one such variable fighter begun in 2002, an experimental series of VF manufactured after inheriting the F-14 Tomcat experimental system group. Delivery of the first completed craft occurred in 2004 and in 2008 the VF-0 Phoenix was utilized in combat when delivery of the thermonuclear reaction engines delayed deployment of the VF-1 Valkyrie. Although the VF-0 was used for various tests and strategic research, it was not considered for combat until reports the Anti-UN Alliance organized a VF experiment combat group. Once the Anti-UN threat of a variable vehicle surfaced, the VF-0 was equipped for actual combat and productions increased rapidly. The transformation mechanisms, energy conversion armor and active stealth capabilities would have a major impact on later VF development and would be placed into practical use after the VF-1 Valkyrie. The Phoenix was deployed around the island of Mayan in the South Pacific Ocean that same year and many VF-0 variable fighters participated in an operation to combat Anti-U.N. forces for the purpose of recovering of an alien artifact.
The VF-0A was the primary fighter of the series, possessing many of what would become the standard variable fighter technologies including the famous three-mode variable transformation system. Unfortunately, the lack of thermonuclear reaction engines meant the VF-0A was deployed with larger conventional (but overtuned) jet engines and dorsal conformal fuel tanks. These problems seriously limited the operational range of the VF-0A and ultimately meant the series would remain a small production model. Nonetheless, the VF-0A was combat worthy and possessed a Mauler laser cannon, one standard Howard GPU-9 35mm gatling gun pod (with 550 rounds) and four underwing hard points with a variety of missile loads. For defense, the VF-0A featured the first incarnation of the energy converting armor system which utilized surplus power to triple fighter mode's armor strength in battroid mode (a similar system would become standard in all future variable fighters). The VF-0A could also be fitted with the leg/engine nacelle conformal missile/fuel tanks for increased firepower and range, these parts belonging to the VF-1 "Super Pack" that were not yet fully completed.
The VF-0A was a successfully deployed unit, but was only produced in small numbers as production resources were devoted to the more advanced VF-1 Valkyrie that would follow. The U.N. Spacy manufactured 24 VF-0A general-issue single-seater fighters, 4 two-seater fighters designated VF-0B and 2 two-seater armed reconnaissance units designated VF-0B recon type. Six single-seat delta wing types designated VF-0C were built for the UNMC and 18 two-seater types designated VF-0D of the delta wing were constructed as well as 4 VF-0S commander versions. U.N.G. pilots Shin Kudo and Edgar LaSalle piloted VF-0 fighters as did ace pilot Roy Focker when conducting operations around the island of Mayan in 2008.
The VF-0D Phoenix is a two-seat variant of the standard VF-0 variable fighter and
From Macross Mecha Manual
features larger main wings for improved range. For maneuverability, the VF-0D has two large canards mounted ahead of the main wings and two ventral stabilizers near the intakes. The increased surface are of the main wing allows the VF-0D to carry 20% greater maximum payload than the VF-0A/S variants and is capable of mounting most former United States/NATO standard aviation weaponry. Shin Kudo and Edgar LaSalle piloted a VF-0D during the events surrounding the island of Mayan in 2008.
The VF-0S was a variant of the VF-0 built to be utilized by the more experienced commanders of flight groups. While largely identical to the standard VF-0, the "S" variant featured a new head unit with two Mauler laser cannons rather than a single cannon on the "A" variant. In addition, the VF-0S removed the integrated control system's limiters by default allowing skilled pilots to maximize their control of the VF-0S in all modes. Renowned ace pilot Roy Focker piloted a VF-0S during the events surrounding the island of Mayan in 2008. Although only an estimated 4 units of the VF-0S were manufactured, the variable fighter was utilized in a number of sorties and Focker himself piloted several modified variants including a FAST Pack equipped version and the VF-0S Reactive Armor unit.
Note: -B model is a two seat swing-wing variant while the -C is a single seat delta-wing variant
Model Type - VF-0A/C/D/S
From Macross Mecha Manual
Class - Variable Fighter
Crew - 1 (-0A/C/S), 2 (-0B/D)
MDC By Location
Head 70
Head Laser (1, or 2) 25 ea
Arms (2) 100 ea
Hands (2) 40 ea
Legs/Engines (2) 155 ea
Feet (2) 65 ea
Main Body/Fuselage 210
Wings (2) 100 ea
GU-11 Gunpod 50
Wing Hardpoints (4) 30 ea
Tail Planes 60
Cockpit/Nose 90
AR - 14
Armour - stops upto and including the equivalent of standard .50cal rounds (1d6+1md)
Speed
From Macross Mecha Manual
Running - Battroid - 120kph
Flying - Atmosphere - Battroid - 160kph all altitudes, Gerwalk - 400kph all altitudes, Fighter - Mach 2.74 (2.62 -0C/D) @ 11000m
Leaping - Battroid - 20ft from a stand still, 40 ft with a running start
Deployment Range - 2075km (2400km -0C/D)
Service Cieling - 25 000m (-0A/B/S), 26 000m (-0C/D)
Uderwater operation depth - 20m
Statistics
Height - Battroid - 14.2m, Gerwalk - 9.1m, Fighter - 3.9m
Length - Battroid - 4.6m, Gerwalk - 12.4m, Fighter - 18.7m
Width - Battroid - 7.8m, , Gerwalk - 8.5-14.9m (13.4m -0C/D), Fighter - 8.5-14.9m(13.4m -0C/D)
Weight - 22 tons operational 22.5 tons -0C/D), 16.2 tons dry (16.5 tons -0C, 16.8 tons -0D)
PS - 38 Robotic Lift - 19 tnos, Carry - 9.5 tons
Punch - 4d6mdc, Kick - 6d6mdc, Body Block - 2d6mdc, Restrained Punch - 8d6sdc
Cargo - Minimal space for survival gear and personal weapons
Power System - Two EGF-127 custom overtuned conventional turbofan jet engines with thrust-vectoring nozzles
Weapons
From Macross Mecha Manual
Weapon Type - GPU-9 35mm gatling gunpod
Primary Purpose - Anti-mecha
Range - 1500m
Damage - 5d6 per round. 2d6x10 on a short burst (20 rounds), 3d6x10+30 on medium burst (30 rounds), 5d6x10 on a long burst (50 rounds), 1d4x100+50 on a full melee burst (200 rounds)
Rate Of Fire - only fires bursts equal to pilots attacks
Payload - 550 HEACA armour piercing rounds. Use armour piercing rules
Bonuses - N/A
From Macross Mecha Manual
Weapon Type - Head Laser (1 -0A/B/C/D, 2 -0S)
Primary Purpose - Anti-Missile
Range - m
Damage - 2d4 per blast, 5d6+2 per short burst (20 blasts), 1d6x10 medium burst (30 blasts), 2d4x10 long burst (50 blasts), 2d6x10 per full melee burst (200 blasts)
Rate Of Fire - single fire or bursts equal to pilots attacks
Payload - 200 blasts fully charged, recharges 50 blasts per melee.
Bonuses - N/A
Note - equivalent to a 14.5mm machine gun
Weapon Type - Wing Hardpoint (4, 6 on the -C/D)
From Macross Mecha Manual
Primary Purpose - Ordnance
Range - varies by missile type
Damage - varies by missile type
Rate Of Fire - 1-2 per volley (1-8 missiles per missile canister)
Payload - Each wing has 1 inner and 1 outer hardpoint (2 of each total)
Inner - 3 air to air missiles (HE, Heavy HE) OR
3 bombs (light HE, HE) OR
2 air to surface missiles (A/P, Heavy A/P, HE, Heavy HE) OR
1 missile Canister (8 micro-missiles 1d6x10md damage, range 4km, maximum volley of 8 at a time)
Outer - 3 air to air missiles (HE, Heavy HE) OR
3 bombs (light HE, HE) OR
1 air to surface Missile (A/P, Heavy A/P, HE, Heavy HE) OR
1 missile canister (8 micro-missiles 1d6x10md damage, range 4km, maximum volley of 8 at a time)
Bonuses - +2 to strike for air to air, missile canister and bombs, +4 for air to surface or cruise
Note - All missiles are Semi-Active Radar Homing or Passive Infra-red Homing.
Bonuses and penalties
Use Robot Combat Elite with the following additional bonuses:
+1 attack at level 1 and 12
+1 pull punch
+1 autododge at level 2, 6 and 11
Systems of Note
From Macross Mecha Manual
Fly By Light System - Due to the complexity of the fighters systems a Fly By Light system is used to fly and maneuver. This imparts a +15% bonus to all piloting skill rolls for maneuvers etc. If the fighter takes more than 75% damage to the main body, or more than 50% in one attack the system fails causing the fighter to become extremely difficult to fly. All piloting rolls are made at -50% and must be made at least once per minute if just trying to keep it going or anytime any kind of action is taken (attacks, parries and dodges as well as any kind of special maneuvers)
Passive Stealth Capability - The unit was designed with some stealthiness in mind. Thus all opponents are at a -5% to any sensor skill rolls.
1st generation Active Stealth system - Renders unit virtually invisible to radar (penalty to opponents read sensors skill roll to be detected - see rules on detecting active stealth systems) though it may still be detected by an experienced radar operator or by other visual based systems like LIDAR (at no penalty)
Radar (1st generation over tech era system) - Range 400km, can track up to X targets simultaneously
Radar Warning receiver - Detects when an opposing radar attempt to identify or lock on to the VF-0. Range - 400km
Multi-Lock capability - Unit can lock on to and fire at X targets using semi-active radar homing and passive infra-red homing missiles at one time through it's radar tracking system.
Look and lock capability - Unit can lock on to and fire at X targets using semi-active radar homing and passive infra-red homing missiles at one time through it's helmet mounted eye movement recognition cuing system.
LIDAR - This system uses lasers to detect and image items as small as 100cm (1.0m) at 3km, as small as 500cm (5.0m) out to 7km and as small as 2000cm (20.0m) out to 10km. This system also assists the other sensors in detection and identification.
Limited Electronic Countermeasures Capability - With a Electronic Countermeasures skill roll (or Sensor operations at -20%) the pilot/crew can impose a penalty of -1 to strike and a -15% to all sensor skill rolls of any opponents within radar range depending on terrain.
Advanced Infra-Red Imager – Forward looking infra-red imager that detects and identifies targets based on their heat signatures. Range – same as Radar.
Motion Detector and Collision Warning System - Close range: 200ft (61m); sounds alarm and red light warns pilot of impending collision and/or immediate target.
Radio/Video Communications Systems - Wide band and directional, radio and video telecast capabilities. Range is 600 miles (965.4km) or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay.
Targeting Computer System - Range: 400km, +1 to strike in ranged combat
Combat Computer - Calculates, stores and transmits data onto the cockpit computer screen or Head Up Display (H.U.D.). Patches in with targeting computer. Also has an integral IFF system and can identify up to 200 different enemy target types.
External Audio Pickup - Sound amplification listening system. Range: 500ft (152m)
Loudspeaker - Loudspeaker system that can amplify the pilot's voice up to 100 decibels.
External Video Surveillance System - A video camera relays images to a cockpit monitor. 360 degree rotation. Range: 300ft (91.5m). Telescopic capabilities: 6x magnification.
Telescopic Optical Enhancement- Range: 2000ft (610m). Field of vision: 120 degrees
Shoulder/Head Spotlights - Range: 1000ft (305m)
Hydraulic Pilots Chair - Can rise out of the fighter 10ft (3.0m) and retract back inside.
Ejector Seat - In case of emergencies the pilot seat can be instantly ejected.
Utility Arms - This is a set of small, retractable arms housed in the right forearm, to perform delicate work and to effect repairs. Each of the three arms has an A.R. of 6 and 3 M.D.C.
Self-Destruct - A last ditch effort to prevent capture of the Variable unit (usually preceded by the pilot's ejecting from the fighter). Explosive damage is fairly contained — 40ft radius (12m); does 2d6x10.
Heat/Radiation Shield and Independent Oxygen/Circulatory Systems.
Detachable Pilot's Compartment - This is the reinforced pilot's compartment (jet's nose) which can be detached and mounted onto another fighter's arm for ease of carrying (or carried by any Destroid).
Distress Beacon - range of 250 miles (400km). 10 times that in space.
Chaff and Flare Dispensers- Each has 12 charges. 75% chance to fool radar or heat guided missiles. 45% chance to fool smart missiles. If successful missiles /volleys lose their lock and fly off.
Smoke Dispensers- 24 charges that each create a 60ft wide cloud of smoke behind the fighter.
References Used
From Macross Mecha Manual
Macross Mecha Manual
Macross Compendium
Mecha HQ
Robotech RPGs
uRRG
Robotech Infopedia