The following material is a mecha from the Macross Zero OVA, a prequel to the original Japanese MACROSS TV series. All I ask is that you give proper credit to the author and do not claim that it is your own work. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

VF-0 PHOENIX
VARIABLE FIGHTER

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

BACKGROUND

With the VF-1's thermonuclear reaction engines delayed and intelligence indicating that the Anti-UN Forces had a Variable Fighter of their own, the UN needed a temporary replacement for the VF-1. The VF-0 was built to fill the needed gap. The VF-0 strongly resembles the VF-1 but is much larger to accomodate it's overtuned conventional enigines. The VF-0 has conformal drop tanks on the dorsal surface in fighter mode and on the chest and back in Battloid mode. FAST Packs could also be mounted on the legs. Because of it's conventional engines the VF-0 needs delicate handling to avoid stalling the engines. The VF-0 also has a much shorter range than the VF-1 would have.

Three models of the VF-0 were produced. The VF-0A standard model with a single head laser. The VF-0S command model with two head lasers. And the delta winged, two seat, single head laser VF-0D. The VF-0D is slightly slower than the other two models but it is more manouverable and has an increased payload and electronic warfare capabilities. While the VF-0's engines are of a conventional design, the VF-0 is built with overtechnology. One such example is the SW-AG energy armor system. The System uses surplus power to ensure that the VF's moving parts stay locked together in it's different modes making the Variable Fighter as solid as any conventional design and as strong as a tank. This system would become an integral part on all future variable craft.

While the exact number has been lost, surviving records indicate that 20-30 VF-0's were constructed. They were assigned to the Skull Squadron, under the command of Major Roy Focker, and stationed on the Aircraft Carrier Asuka II. The VF-0 first saw combat in 2008 over the South Pacific with the Anti-UN Forces SV-51 Variable Fighter. They would be withdrawn from frontline service after the VF-1 entered production. With the VF-0's original mission accomplished the remaining VF-0's were re-assigned to testing centers and gradually forgotten. They would have remained so if recently found and declassified documents had not shed new light on the UN's first operational Variable Fighter.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: VF-0 Phoenix
Class: Tactical Variable Fighter
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman/Stonewell/Shinsei
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System, Two in the VF-0D
Variants:
VF-0A: General-issue UN Spacy variant. One head-turret-mounted Mauler laser cannon.
VF-0D: Two-seat UN Spacy variant designed for enhanced attack and electronic warfare capabilities. Increased air combat maneuverability and payload as well as improved electronic warfare capabilities. High-maneuverability canard and clipped delta wing with dogtooth edge and large wing area. One head-turret-mounted laser cannon.
VF-0S: Commander UN Spacy variant. Two head-turret-mounted Mauler laser cannons.

MDC BY LOCATION: 

    Head                                        100
    Head Mounted Lasers (1-2)                    30 each
    Fore-arms (2)                                75 each
    Lower-Arms (2)                               30 each
    Hands (2)                                    50 each
    Legs/Thrusters (2)                          150 each
(1) Main Body                                   230
    Pilot's Compartment                         150
    Wings (2)                                   100 each (150 VF-0D) 
    Tails (2)                                    50 each 
    External Fuel Tanks (4)                      50 each 
    Canards (VF-0D only)(2)                      25 each 
    GU-9 Gun Pod                                100 
    Optional FAST Packs (2)                      75 each

NOTES:

(1) Destruction of the main body will shut the unit down completely.

SPEEDS:

RUNNING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:
60 mph (96 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:
312 mph (500 kmph) maximum speed limit in an Earth-like atmosphere. Can also hover in place indefinitely.
FLYING, FIGHTER CONFIGURATION:
VF-0A/S: Mach 2.74 with a service cealing of 25000m without rocket booster assistance. VF-0D: Mach 2.62 with a service cealing of 26500m without rocket booster assistance.

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:
LENGTH:
18.69 m in fighter configuration.
WEIGHT:
Mass empty: VF-0A/S 16191 kg.
PHYSICAL STRENGTH:
Equal to a P.S. of 50
CARGO:
Small compartment behind pilot's seat for personal belongings.
POWER PLANT: Two EGF-127 custom over-tuned conventional turbofan jet engines, each rated at 91.08 kN and 148.9 kN with afterburning. Three Shinnakasu ARR-2 maneuvering rocket motors in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
RANGE:
1500 miles (2400 Km)

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. MAULER ROV-20 ANTI-AIRCRAFT LASER CANNON/S: Mounted on the head when in Soldier mode, but located on the underbelly when in Gerwalk and Fighter mode. 360 degree rotation. VF-0A and the VF-0D both have a single laser the VF-0S has two lasers.

  2. HARDPOINTS: The VF-0 is designed with two hard points per wing, for a total of four hard points. Each Hardpoint is capable of carrying three Raytheon Bifors AIM-130A medium-range air-to-air missiles for a total of 12 missiles. Other ordinace can be carried but the AIM-130A are standard.

  3. GU-9 35MM TRI-BARREL GUN POD: The standard issue armament for VF-O Variable Fighter is a 35 mm Gun POd, which is a much smaller calibre weapon that the gun pod carried by the VF-1 Valkyrie. The GU-9 however is an earlier model experimental version which although smaller in calbre makes up for this by a higher rate of fire.

  4. OPTIONAL LEG MOUNTED FAST PACKS: Two optional FAST Packs micro-missile launcher/conformal tanks can be mounted on each legs. The FAST Packs are armed with 24 Raytheon Erlikon GH-30B micro-missiles.

  5. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the pilot of the VF-0 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 SV-51:

COMBAT BONUSES FOR VF-0 TRAINING:

BASIC VF-0 COMBAT TRAINING

ADVANCED VF-0 COMBAT TRAINING

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN