The following material is an adaptation of mecha from MACROSS PLUS and MACROSS 7, both sequels to the original Japanese MACROSS TV series (which became Robotech in the U.S.). Please feel free to use, copy, and distribute it as you see fit. All I ask is that you give proper credit to the author/s and do not claim that it is your own work. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

QVF-11 "THUNDERBOLT"
DRONE VARIABLE FIGHTER

RPG Stats by MARC FLETCHER
Edited by DANIEL HENWOOD (dhenwood@hotmail.com)
Background info provided by the MACROSS ONLINE COMPENDIUM

BACKGROUND

The VF-11 Thunderbolt is the standard tactical variable fighter for the UN Spacy forces as of 2040. The mecha is a direct descendant of the original VF-1 Valkyrie and has several design similarities to the now-antique fighter, including variable soldier and gerwalk modes, a head laser external gun pod, and optional add-on boosters for increased range and maneuverability. The VF-11 replaced the older VF-4 Lightning III as the UN Spacy's main combat mecha in 2030, and has been in service now for almost a decade. Thunderbolts are found all over human-colonized space, on long-distance colony ships, colonized planets, and deep space military forces. The design is starting to become outdated, however, and is scheduled to be replaced by the VF-19 Excalibur, the winning design of the Project Super Nova competition. However, due to the large numbers of Thunderbolts stationed all across the galaxy it will probably be several years yet before the VF-19 can be produced in sufficient numbers to retire the VF-11 from service.

There is one interesting footnote in the development of the Thunderbolt. During the early tests of the prototype VF-11s the addition of the forward canard wings was a subject of great debate with the engineers and test supervisors. Although the canards provided increased maneuverability for the fighter, they also created additional aerodynamic drag which lowered the top speed of the variable fighter in a planetary atmosphere. Despite the drawbacks many of the test pilots were in favor of the canard wing, including Captain Milia Jenius of the Eagle Nest Aerial Tactics Center, who was involved in testing of the final VF-11 prototypes. The event which clinched the decision to include the canard wings eventually came when Captain Jenius piloted the VFX-11 prototype on a rescue mission to save a UN chief advisor. The successful rescue of the individual and the data collected from the prototype during the rescue operation led to the decision to include the canard wing on the VF-11, as well as later VFs designed by Shinshi Inudstries.

The QVF-11 however is a Drone version of the VF-11 Thunderbolt. In the past many Variable Fighters have been fitted with Artificial Intelligence brains designed to control a Variable Fighter. General Gomez of the UN Spacy procured lots of QVF-11's for his X-9 Ghost program, the next evolution in Artificial Intelligence controlled fighters designed not only to replace the QVF-11, but also Variable Fighter pilots altogether. As the X-9 ghost was shown to be unstable the QVF-11 will remain as the drone fighter of the UN Armed Forces for a long time yet.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Types:

Class: Tactical Variable Fighter
Manufacturer: Shinsei Industries
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System

MDC BY LOCATION: 

    Head Laser                                     30
(1) Head                                           75
    Hands (2)                                      50 each
    Arms (2)                                      100 each
    Legs & Thrusters (2)                          200 each
(2) Main Body                                     300
    Canard Forward Wings (2)                       30 each
    Main Wings (2)                                120 each
    Tails (2)                                      50 each
    Multipurpose Gun Pod                          100
    Anti-Projectile Shield                        150
    Reinforced Pilot Compartment/Escape Pod       150

NOTES:

  1. Destroying the head of the fighter will knock out the mecha's major sensor systems, including all of the optics systems (infrared, nightvision, thermal). Radar and communications will be unaffected.
  2. Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the mecha. The pilot and cockpit section/escape pod will be automatically ejected from the doomed mecha before it explodes by the mecha's main computer.

SPEEDS:

RUNNING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
90 mph (144 kmph)
LEAPING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
30 ft (9 m) high or 50 ft (15.2 m) long without thrusters.
FLYING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
300 mph (480 kmph) maximum speed limit in an Earth-like atmosphere. Can also hover in place indefinitely.
FLYING, GERWALK CONFIGURATION:
Mach One (670 mph/1072 kmph) maximum speed limit in an Earth-like atmosphere. Can also hover in place indefinitely.
FLYING, FIGHTER CONFIGURATION:
Mach 3.5+ (2345 mph/3752 kmph) max speed at 10,000 meters or less above sea level. Mach 8.2+ (5494 mph/8790 kmph) max speed at 10,000-42,000 meters above sea level. Max altitude of 42,000 meters without rocket booster assistance. Maximum rate of ascent is 28,500 meters/minute. G limits are +22 to -14.5 standard Earth gravities.
MAX ENGINE THRUST:
28,000 kg x2 from main engines, plus 10,000 kg x4 from optional super booster units or 120,000 kg x2 from optional solid-fuel rocket boosters.

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:
41.34 ft (12.92 m) in soldier configuration.
22.05 ft (6.89 m) in gerwalk configuration.
15.39 ft (4.81 m) in fighter configuration.
WIDTH:
17.46 ft (5.45 m) at shoulders in soldier configuration.
35.84 ft (11.20 m) in gerwalk or fighter configuration with wings at maximum extension.
LENGTH:
11.17 ft (3.49 m) in soldier configuration.
28.54 ft (8.92 m) in gerwalk configuration.
49.63 ft (15.51 m) in fighter configuration.
WEIGHT:
9000 kg.

PHYSICAL STRENGTH:
Equal to a P.S. of 50
CARGO:
Small compartment behind pilot's seat for personal belongings.
POWER PLANT:
Two Shinsei Industries/Pratt & Whitney/Rolls Royce FF-2025G thermonuclear turbine engines. Several additional Pratt & Whitney HMM- 5B high-maneuverability vernier thrusters for additional mobility are mounted at key positions along the mecha's hull. Additional thruster options include paired super booster units and added propellant storage or dual solid-fuel rocket boosters.
COMPATIBLE FAST PACKS:
Dorsal: NP-BP-01, NP-BP-02, NR-BP-T1, NR-BP-E2, NP-BP-10, NP-BP-11, NP-BP-12, NR-BP-E7, NR-BP-19, NR-BP-19-SES
Arm: NP-AR-01, NP-AU-T1
Leg: NP-FB-11, NP-FB-19

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. ANTI-AIRCRAFT PULSE LASER: The QVF-11 mounts a single pulse laser for use in air combat skirmishes and for defensive purposes. The laser is mounted on the head of the mecha in soldier mode, and is located in the central dorsal section of the main body pointed rearward in fighter and gerwalk modes. The laser can only fire to the REAR of the fighter in these modes; it cannot be turned to fire along another arc.

  2. MULTIPURPOSE GUN POD W/ANTI-ARMOR BAYONET: A gun pod similar to the old GU-11 used by the VF-1 Valkyries, this is the primary weapon of the QVF-11. The new gun pod also features a mecha-sized bayonet mounted on the front of the weapon, for use in close combat with mechanized opponents.

  3. BIFORS ALL-ENVIRONMENT HIGH-MANEUVERABILITY MINI-MISSILE CLUSTERS/LRM LAUNCHER: The legs of the QVF-11 are equipped with two concealed missile launcher bays, that can each hold up to 21 new high-maneuverability mini-missiles from Bifors in each bay, or one Long Range Missile. (NOTE: These are NOT the medium-range versions of the high-maneuverability missiles seen in Macross Plus #1). When armed, the missile launcher assembly rises out of the leg units, allowing all missiles to be fired at once if necessary. The missiles can be fired in any mode; fighter, gerwalk, or soldier. Any type of mini-missile can be used in the launchers, but usually only the Bifors high-maneuverability mini-missiles are used. The Long Range Missile however can be of any type.

    OR

  4. WING HARD POINTS: Two fixed hard points are mounted on each wing of the QVF-11 for a total of 4 hardpoints on the fighter. These hardpoints can be used to hold a variety of different ordinance types, including long, medium, or short range missiles, or even the new medium-range high-maneuverability (MRHM) missiles (after 2040). One long range, one MRHM, 3 medium range, or 5 short range missiles can be mounted per hardpoint.

    NOTE: Due to the location of the hard points, ALL missiles must be fired or ejected before the QVF-11 can convert into soldier mode. For this reason the hard point missiles are usually fired within the first few passes of an attack.

  5. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the pilot of the VF-11 can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The variable fighter is extremely agile and can execute most typical hand to hand combat moves, such as punches, jump kicks, leap attacks, rolling with impacts, etc.

    DAMAGE:

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE VF-11:

COMBAT BONUSES FOR QVF-11 THUNDERBOLT VF TRAINING:

The QVF-11 can operate autonomously or can be directed via remote control from a UN Spacy Base or a UN Spacy warship. The stats below represent bonuses for operators trained in remote control operation of the drone. In order to pilot the drone the operator must have following: Computer Operation, Radio Scrambler, Read Sensory Instruments. Untrained operators can only get basic thunderbolt training.

ADVANCED QVF-11 COMBAT TRAINING

QVF-11 THUNDERBOLT DRONE AI COMBAT STATS

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN