VF-1M "MORNINGSTAR"

(Version 1.01 - Last updated: 7/29/98)

Concept by David Olson (olsonda@web1.ecol.net)

Background and RPG Statistics  by Kenneth Olson 

Background Information derived from Robotech Technical Files

BACKGROUND

As the second Robotech War proceeded, it became increasingly aware to the remaining Robotech Defense Force personnel, that this war would be exclusively the show of the Southern Cross.  As a result, no new mecha were to be designed or manufactured for the already depleted RDF forces.  RDF high command quickly came to the decision that although no new mecha would be designed and built, the RDF did have a considerable quantity of older VF-1 Valkyrie fighters in storage in Tranquility Base on the moon and in various depots scattered around the Earth.  The solution was to then take these stalwart watch guards from the First Robotech War and turn them into guardians in the second

The basic airframe was kept, but the electronics, weapons and armor under went a major overall.  Two new Nakajima/P&W/Rolls-Royce FX-2010 fusion turbines were added to replace the venernable FF-2001 or FF-2001D initially installed.  These engines produced 25% more thrust than the earlier models at three-quarters the weight.  The aging Hughes AWG-20 X-band pulse-Doppler radar was replaced with a new AWG-30 model providing 50% greater detection range.  The armor was upgraded to the Chobam laminar found on the VBF-1 and VAF-6 series of veritech fighters.  In addition the two nose lasers were replaced with  two EP-4 single barrel particle cannons Each cannon is charged from the main protoculture generator and can fire 9 MJ of particle energy every second.    The head lasers were similarly upgraded to LA-5 lasers able to fire 6 MJ bursts every 2 seconds.

The first production upgrade was rolled out in March of 2029 and entered combat service the next month in South America.   Major David Olson flew the first upgrade VF-1M into combat against remnants of the Khyron's Vipers a Zentraedi Malcontent band.  Although he was shot down moments after the combat began and the mecha was completely destroyed, the RDF high command decided that the Morningstar package was an inexpensive means by which they could upgrade their forces.

The upgrade kits went into full production on September 2029 at New Albuquerque base in the North American Quadrant.  All total some 1,129 VF-1A, J, and S models were upgraded with a majority  taking place on the Valkyrie fighters placed on Earth because of the Robotech Master blockade.  These fighters were immediately placed into action against the Master's Bioroids and Assault Shuttle forces to mixed success.   Generally, the Morningstar pilots had lower death and higher kill rates than their Southern Cross comrades in arms.  This result is more likely due to the fact the the RDF pilots were generally more experienced.  Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the Morningstar upgrade package allowed the RDF to play a more significant roll in the Second Robotech War than it otherwise would have.

At the end of the war, most of the Morningstars had been destroyed.  However, some 100+ of the units survived the Invid invasion and were highly prized by resistance forces for their longevity of the protoculture generator and their high maximum speed which could often outrun any Invid mecha .

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: VF-1M Valkyrie Morningstar Fighter

Class: Variable Fighter
Manufacturer: Robotech Defense Forces upgrade package New Albuquerque Base
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System.

MDC BY LOCATION:

NOTES:

1. Destroying the sensor head of the Morningstar 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.

SPEEDS:

RUNNING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

128 kph

LEAPING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

50 ft (15 m) high or 70 ft (21 m) long without thrusters.

FLYING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

300 kph / 400 kph for (A,B,G,H,I,T)

FLYING, GERWALK/SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

Mach One (670 mph/1072 kmph) maximum speed limit in an Earth-like atmosphere. Can also hover in place indefinitely.

FLYING, FIGHTER CONFIGURATION:

Max level speed at sea level : Mach 1.5
Max level speed at 10km:  Mach 4.5
Max level speed at 30+ km:  Mach 7

Stall speed : 182 kph (VTOL rectification possible)
Initial climb rate : over 35000m per minute
Service ceiling : 40 km (unboosted).

MAX ENGINE THRUST:

• Two Nakajima/P&W/Rolls-Royce FX-2010 fusion turbines, total engine output 332 kN total at max. power; 613 kN are available with overboost. Exhaust nozzles allow for vector thrust, serving in place of conventional elevators. System includes two reverse-vernier thrusters, on blisters outboard of each intake; exhaust comes directly from main turbine at a maximum of 20% thrust.
• Four Nakajima NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters, one on the ventral in fighter mode, three in the 'backpack' in
  Guardian and Battloid modes.
  

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:

16.7m  in soldier configuration.

11.7m in gerwalk configuration.

6.3m in fighter configuration.

WIDTH:

9.1m at shoulders in soldier and gerwalk configuration.

14.8m  with wings at maximum extension.

LENGTH:

5.0m in soldier configuration.

11.3m in gerwalk configuration.

14.0m in fighter configuration.

WEIGHT:

23,000 kg empty.

PHYSICAL STRENGTH:

Equal to a P.S. of 60

CARGO:

Small compartment behind pilot's seat for personal belongings in addition to the cyclone storage compartment

POWER PLANT:

Two Tirolian mecha protoculture-generators RT-6d providing a total of 1,000 MW

Delta V:

100  kps

 

COMPATIBLE FAST PACKS (Macross Mecha Designs):

Dorsal: NP-BP-01, NP-BP-02, NR-BP-T1, NP-BP-10, NP-BP-11, NP-BP-12, NP-BP-19
Arm: NP-AR-01, NP-AU-T1
Leg: NP-FB-01, NP-FB-T1, NP-FB-10

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. GU-111 65MM THREE-BARRELED SMOOTHBORE ROTARY: firing 700 rounds per minute, 600 round capacity stored internally.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
   • RANGE: Armor Piercing Spin Stablized Discarding Sabot (APSSDS) 5249 feet (1600 m), or 3937ft (1200m) for all others.
   • DAMAGE: APSSDS 6d6 short burst, 1d4*10+10 medium burst, 3d4*10+10 full melee burst.   HEAP 1d4*10 short burst, 2d4*10 medium burst, 4d4*10 full melee burst.  Tracer rounds reduce damage by 25%.  Standard 5d6 short burst, 1d4*10 medium burst, or 3d4*10 full melee burst
   • RATE OF FIRE: Single shots or bursts equal to the combined attacks of the pilot.
   • PAYLOAD: 600 rounds of internal ammunition or 60 short bursts, 30 medium, or 15 full melee. 
   • NOTES:  APSSDS crits on 17,18,19,20.  HEAP crits on 19,20.   Tracers add +2 to strike.

   

2. 2 x NOSE MOUNTED EP-4 THREE-BARRELED 80MM PARTICLE GUN POD: Can fire 9 MJ bursts of particle energy every second and is powered by the main protoculture generators.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
   • RANGE: 2000 m
   • DAMAGE: 1d4*10 for each single shot, or 2d4*10 for each dual shot.
   • RATE OF FIRE: Single shots equal to the combined attacks of the pilot.
   • PAYLOAD: Conditionally unlimited. 

    

3. LA-5 HEAD LASERS: The head lasers were upgraded to the more powerful LA-5 laser cannons capable of firing 6 MJ shots every two seconds.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-missile
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Assault
   • RANGE: 600 m
   • DAMAGE: 4d6 for each Head lasers or 2d4*10 for all four, if 'S' version
   • RATE OF FIRE: Single shots equal to the combined attacks of the pilot up to eight times per melee.
   • PAYLOAD: Conditionally unlimited. 

   

4. BODY/WING HARD POINTS: Two fixed hard points are mounted on each wing.   These hardpoints can be used to carry 15 short range missiles, 5 medium range missiles or 2 long range missiles.

 

 

5. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the Morningstar can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The VF-1M  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:  

   • Punch in Battloid:  3D6*3
   • Punch in Guardian:  3D4*3
   • Kick: 3D6*3
   • Leap Kick: 6D6*3
   • Body Flip/Throw: 3D6*3
   • Body Block/Tackle: 3D6*3
   • Stomp: 6D6*3 . (only effective against small objects)
     

    

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE MORNINGSTAR:

• AUTO-PILOT: The Morningstar is equipped with a computerized auto-pilot, allowing the pilot to relax or even sleep during long voyages. The auto- pilot can be programmed with a single destination or a complex flight plan involving multiple speeds, directions, and destinations. The onboard computer will alert the pilot when the fighter is near its destination, and can also be set to automatically signal when sensors detect objects near the mecha. The auto-pilot was designed with long intra-system space journeys in mind.
• COMBAT COMPUTER: The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 10,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 250 targets simultaneously. 
• EXTERNAL AUDIO PICKUP: Range: 300 ft (91.5 m). A sound amplification system that can pick up normal conversation up to 300 feet away.
• HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS: Special shielding prevents the penetration of life threatening head and radiation. A radiation detection and alarm system are linked with the shields and will sound an alarm if there is a rupture in the shields and what the levels of radiation are.
• HOMING SIGNAL: The escape pod of the  VF-1M  is equipped with a homing device that enables rescue teams to locate a disabled craft or ejected life pod. The range of the signal is 400 miles (640 km). Most REF ships and veritecs can locate and track a homing signal, and the onboard computers will automatically notify their pilots if such a signal is detected.
• LASER TARGETING SYSTEM: Range: 100 miles (160 km). Used for increased accuracy in the striking of enemy targets and is partly responsible for the mecha's strike bonus.
• LOUDSPEAKER: A loudspeaker system is built into the craft, which can be used to amplify the pilot's voice up to 90 decibels.
• OPTICS: INFRARED: Range: 2000 feet (610 m). This optical system projects a beam of infrared light that is invisible to the normal eye, but detectable by the mecha's sensors. The system allows the pilot to detect hidden/concealed objects by their IR reflectiveness. The beam will be visible to anyone with IR sensitive optics, however.
• OPTICS: NIGHTVISION: Range: 2000 feet (610 m). A passive light image intensifier that emits no light of its own, but relies on ambient light which is electronically amplified to produce a visible picture.
• OPTICS: THERMAL IMAGER: Range: 2000 feet (610 m). A passive optical heat sensor that detects infrared radiation projected by warm objects and converts that data into a false-color visible image. The system enables the pilot to see in the dark, in shadows, and through smoke, and also adds a +10% bonus to pilots using a tracking skill.
• RADAR: 200 mile range.
• RADIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional communications system with satellite relay capabilities. Range: 600 miles (960 km) or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay.
• SELF-DESTRUCT: To prevent capture of an advance variable fighter by the enemy, the pilot can activate the VF-1M self-destruct system, which will cause the fighter to explode after a delay of up to 60 minutes (time is set by the pilot). The explosive damage is contained within a 20 foot (6 m) area and inflicts 1D6x10 M.D. to everything within the radius of the explosion. All internal systems are obliterated. The escape pod will be automatically ejected prior to the explosion unless the pilot overrides the ejection sequence.
• STANDARD SURVIVAL KIT: All REFs veritecs come equipped with a portable survival kit. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium-sized flashlight, two hand flares, one rocket flare, a compass, infrared distancing binoculars, a small mirror, a pocket knife, dehydrated and concentrated food (can be stretched into a five day supply for one person) and basic first aid items (aspirin, bandages, disinfectants, etc.)
• TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The Morningstar cockpit is pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the pilot's flight suit that provides him with pressurized breathing. The REF flight suit also contains an upper and lower g-suit that promotes blood circulation even during high-g turns, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot's blacking out in combat.
• Elettronica Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
• OlDelft Infra-red Warning Receiver (IRWR)
• Westinghouse ALQ-250(V) active sensor jammer
• Chaff and Flare dispensers: 12 chaff and 12 flares are stored in each lower leg
  

COMBAT BONUSES FOR MORNINGSTAR TRAINING:

• 3 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
• Add one additional action/attack at levels six and eleven.
• +2 to strike
• +3 to parry
• +2 to dodge in solder, +4 in guardian, and +6 in jet mode.
• +3 to roll with a punch or fall with an impact, reducing damage by half.
• Critical strike same as pilot's hand-to-hand.

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

• Robotech Technical Files: Veritech Valkyrie
• Palladium Books:  "Robotech The Roll Playing Game"

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