Zer0 Kay wrote:However, what are you basing your Macross DOESN'T have the highest tech on?
You mean aside from:
-the size reduction in terms of mecha (it really couldn't be done w/o advancement in technology)
-wide spread adoption of energy weapons for mecha as the main weapon systems (and secondary) and even making them portable (gunpods), that isn't something we see with UEDF-RDF mecha, where their energy weapons are (w/1 exception) secondary at best
-UEEF mecha are using a far more potent energy source (Protoculture has a higher energy density than an unspecified Nuclear type)
-UEDF-ASC (Louie) mentions "old cyborgs" (when doing field assessment of body parts the 15th finds in initial recon), suggesting they have cybernetic technology
-by the 2E RPG the ASC/UEEF mecha even with the reduction in size have better operating times than their RDF counter parts (that can not happen without advancing the technology)
-you have holographic technology that is far superior to anything seen in TMS saga (holopendants, life-like simulators)
-UEDF-ASC (and even UEEF) warships are more capable than their UEDF-RDF-era counter parts (ARMD and Orberth classes)
-TSC IIRC mentions nanotechnology (medical applications)
The reason the ASC (and even the UEEF) seem to have lower tech than TMS saga isn't because they had lower tech, but because they where facing far more capable foes than their equipment was designed to fight (originally I suspect Zentreadi-level). The Masters had technology that the UEDF-ASC was not ready for (Force Fields, Bio-Magnetic Induction Networks, bio-android systems, essentially "telephatic" control systems), and the Invid are shown to rapidly evolve (per canon they went from "single-cell" to humanoid-ish forms in under 20 years) and we know their mecha designs where evolving in this same period.
ZerO Kay wrote:f we're doing it by the original games the Mecha had Protoculture Reactors while Next Generation has people feeding their mechs beer cans.
Which is not an example of loss in high technology. Remember that protoculture supply is limited, so adopting more efficient approaches is bound to take hold.
ZerO Kay wrote:You have two superships one built entirely by humans with an annihilation canon and a series of global annihilation cannons built into the ground but they forgot how to build a weapon of that class in Southern Cross.
Just because the ASC did not build either type (and the UEEF only had one) does not mean they forgot how to build weapons of such class. What it shows is that from a cost/benefit ratio, they might not be as effective as the TMS saga fanboys might lead one to think for the investment in resources. It's also worth considering that the Reflex Cannons on the SDF-3 may not actually be built by humans, but rather salvaged from Zentreadi wrecks (like the Fold Drives are in Cannon), so it might come down to salvageable materials to boot (and in canon the number/type of Zentreadi ships with Reflex Cannons is much lower than indicated in the 1E PB RPG universe)
ZerO Kay wrote: I'm pretty sure a ship full of Super Veritechs equiped with long range missiles either nuke, reflex or cluster missiles would do more against either their planned Robotech Master adversaries or the encountered Invid and later Haydonite surprises and take up less space than Legios.
And you'd be wrong:
-1st you have those Force Field Barriers that the RM and Invid use (it should also be noted the Masters do attempt to shoot down incoming UEDF missiles at least once).
-2nd the Beta Fighter can match the VF-1 Super in terms of LRMs (per Infopedia/AotSC says each wing hardpoint can carry long range missiles, 2E RPG reduced that down to MRM), and exceed the SRM count
-3rd the Conbat Fighter is known to deploy Reflex Missiles in cannon ("Invasion" Comic Series) against Invid formations, and they are not shown to be all that effective at blunting the Invid action (they deployed their mecha before the targeted transports are destroyed)
-4th Long Range Missile strike role seems to be taken over by the warships the UEEF (and UEDF-ASC) use, which based on TMS saga could be based on experience (the VF-1 seldom used that LRM capacity, so that role might have been shifted)
-5th In terms of size the VF-1 (even w/ and w/o Super pack) occupies a larger deck area than an individual Alpha or Beta (comparing them both with wings at the same spread position), now against the A/B combined yes they do take up more space than a VF-1 Super, but you are technically comparing two vehicles to one.
-6th in terms of Range the VF-1 (even a Super) is not shown to have the same operational range as the Alpha/Beta stack (if we're being realistic, and not just going with the bad science can use their propulsion system as long as they are operational that the RPG espouses).
ZerO Kay wrote:It would have made more sense if they had developed their tech in line with the Macross series instead of the forced development line produced by combining three different series.
It would have made more sense if HG had ignored the OSM in a large part (retain the dimensions) and done their own stats in terms of performance and capabilities instead of trying to shoehorn that at the OSM level which had different technology and background assumptions going in leading to less head scratching.
