PRELIMINARY DRAFT:  This work is based off preliminary material posted on Robotech.com and is subject to change

Experimental Veritech Fighter XVF-15 "Gamma" 

(Version 0.11 - Last updated: 10/12/02)

Based off a drawing presented on Robotech.com

Background and RPG stats by Kenneth Olson

Background Information derived from Robotech.com

BACKGROUND

The XVF-15 was designed at the end of the Third Robotech War in a effort to produce a variable fighter which would combine the maneuverability of the VF-6 "Alpha" with the armor and firepower of the VF-12 "Beta".  One additional criteria placed on designers was that the new fighter must be able to drop from orbit, enter into combat, and then have the capability to rendezvous with orbiting REF starships in geosynchronous orbit.  Several designs were proposed; however, only the XVF-15 met all the necessary criteria.  The XVF-15 is physically similar in size and external appearance to the older 2^nd generation variable fighter VF-4 "Lightning".  In order to speed the new fighter into production, the airframe of the VF-4 was upgraded with new crystal-composite Choblam armor provided by the Spherians.  The VF-4 airframe, like the VF-6, gave the fighter adequate atmospheric maneuverability while providing the internal space necessary to mount heavy armor, weapons, and internal reaction fuel and engines capable of propelling the fighter into orbit.

The XVF-15 mounts two GE-125-500 Fusion turbojet engines providing the highest thrust to weight ratio of any previously designed engine.  Each engine is capable of providing 500 kN of static thrust (600 kN augmented) in the atmosphere, giving the XVF-15 similar performance to the VF-6, or 400 kN using internal reaction mass in space, capable of propelling the fighter with up to 6.0 g of acceleration.  The XVF-15 has an internal D₂0 fuel supply of 6000 kg providing the XVF-15 with 15.4 kilometers per second delta-v. 

The Gamma  is armored with a 6^th generation Choblam armor produced in collaboration with Spherian material scientists resulting in a armor with 50% greater resistance than that on late models VF-6 and VF-12 fighters.  As a result, the Gamma  is immune from all small arms fire up to 25mm in caliber and man personal missiles with warheads less than 4 kg in size.  Medium caliber mecha weaponry can penetrate if repeated strikes are made in a common area.  Only direct hits from heavy anti-mecha weaponry, 120 mm class projectiles inflecting 30 kJ in a single blow, have any real chance of penetrating in to the internal structure for a kill.

Although the XVF-15 was not mounted with arm shields, the Gamma was given a first generation mecha-pin point shield.  The shield is powered directly from the main protoculture generator of the mecha and is capable of absorbing 10 MJ (25 MDC) of damage before being overloaded and the remainder of the damage passes to the unit.  Every 15 seconds, the generators provide enough power to fully reenergize the shield.  The barrier can be manually placed by the pilot or can through voice command be placed automatically by the computer (one melee action for either), otherwise the computer places the barrier over the pilot's compartment in guardian and fighter and over the main body in battloid.  Although the early models suffered a number of spectacular failures, including several which destroyed the unit, once the first combat units were formed these malfunctions had generally been fixed.  Designers estimated that a malfunction will still occur one out of every 10,000 times the primary shield energziers were charged.  As a result of these early failures pilots are somewhat hesitant to use the new defensive system and will only power up the shields if heavy combat is expected.

The weapon systems placed on the XVF-15 are the most advanced to date mounting an impressive arsenal of 120 missiles, disruptor particle cannon, nose lasers, wing hard points, and head lasers. Similar to the VF-6, the XVF-15 mounts a MM-120 internal missile launcher with 30 hammerhead missile in each leg 12 in each shoulder and 18 in each lower arm.  Unlike previous veritech fighters, prior to the mission pilots can customize the number of missiles fired using ten pre-programmed missile volleys. 

The Gamma mounts two high power RRG Mark 10 high power lasers located in nose blisters on either side of the pilot's compartment.  Each laser can fire 10 MJ bursts out to an effective combat range of 5 kilometers; however, the lasers are only capable of firing while the mecha is in fighter mode.

The primary projectile weapon of the XVF-15 is a hand-held EP-15 Destablizer.  The design is similar to the earlier EP-12 found on the VF-2V Vindicator and EP-13 VF-6S; however, the EP-15 fires nearly double the amount of energy 20 MJ.  The EP-15 can fire 30 times per minute and is powered from its own dedicated protoculture cell; however, it can be fired from the main energizers albeit at half the standard rate of fire.

In addition to the the two hardpoints, one on each wing, the final onboard weapon is a head mounted LA-7 laser.  The LA-7 has three modes of operation:  manual, autonomous anti-missile, or autonomous anti-mecha.  The selection of the mode is manually controlled by the pilot; however, it takes 1 melee action to switch between modes.  Unfortunately, the artificial intelligence targeting is not without its faults and has been known to hit friendly units while engaging targets.  As a result, some pilots refuse to use anything other than manual targeting.

In addition to its impressive armor, weaponry, and engines, the Gamma possesses the latest in stealth technology.  The XVF-15 mounts a RRG MK3 Shadow device which is capable of downshifting and adsorbing  EM radiation, including emissions from protoculture use.  The protoculture emissions, and other EM radiation as well, is therefore suppressed and downshifted so that they now appear out of band from Invid protoculture sensors.  In addition, the entire unit is covered with a fourth generation radar absorbing material which is strongly absorbs electro-magnetic radiation and thereby providing a passive system if the RRG MK3 Shadow device should fail.  A new low observable AN/APG-95C X-band pulse Doppler radar was added to the unit.  The system consists of six conformal antenna on the nose, body, wings and tail thereby further reducing the passive radar cross section.

The first test flight of the XVF-15 occurred on March 23 2043.  Over the next year, the Gamma had numerous teething problems with failures in the pin-point barrier system and the automated LA-7 targeting system being the most spectacular in addition to the three units which were lost in accidents.  By 2045, the REF high command were eager to place the new units in combat to prove their value and as a result they ordered that the XVF-15 would join the REF Saturn Division during the reconquest of Earth scheduled for July of that same year.  Fourteen units organized into two squadrons were formed and placed on board the SS. Yamato.  Although, the REF high command ordered the units into battle the mission commanders did not wholly trust the new mecha.  As a result, they placed the XVF-15 into a reserve role protecting the SS Yamato from any Invid which might break through the defenses.  The units did suffer a number of malfunctions before the attack even commenced, reducing the effective combat strength down to nine units.  However, the remaining fighters did show themselves to be extremely effective fighters and many on board the SS. Yamato believe that these 9 fighters were directly responsible for bringing the ship through the battle.  However, as the large number of malfunctions showed the XVF-15 is not ready for mass employment and will likely remain as an experimental unit for a number of years to come.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: XVF-15 "Gamma"

Class:

XVF-15:  Experimental single seat, all-weather, aerospace air superiority veritech fighter

Manufacturer: Robotech Expeditionary Forces
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System.

Service History:

XVF-15: Experimental veritech fighter undergoing testing and evaluation with the REF from 2043-2044.

 

MDC BY LOCATION:

NOTES:

1. Destroying the sensor head of the XVF-15 will knock out the mecha's optical 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:

120 kph

LEAPING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

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

FLYING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

400 kph

FLYING, GERWALK/SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

1050 kph

FLYING, FIGHTER CONFIGURATION: At sea level / at 15 km

1550 kph / 2900 kph

Stall speed : 182 kph (VTOL rectification possible)
Initial climb rate : 30000 m/min

DESIGNED G LIMITS:

+12.0/-6.5 (Computer overrides at 9.5g)

MAX ACCELERATION:  SPACE

6.64 g

DELTA V:

15.7 kps with 6000 kg of D₂0

Drop Tanks will provide an additional delta v of:

• 1300 liters - 2.9 kps
• 2310 liters - 5.0 kps
• 4000 liters - 8.4 kps

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:

13.8 m  in soldier configuration.

7.9 m in gerwalk configuration.

5.2 m in fighter configuration.

WIDTH:

5.8 m at shoulders in soldier and gerwalk configuration.

13.1 m  with wings at maximum extension.

LENGTH:

4.1 m in soldier configuration.

12.8 m in gerwalk configuration.

15.3 m in fighter configuration.

WEIGHT:

18,000 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:

2 x RRX-5 miniaturized protoculture-cell energizers each providing a total of 950 MW of power. 

MAX ENGINE THRUST

[MAIN] 2 x General Electric GE-125-500:  Fusion plasma-air/reaction turbines. Max thrust, 500 kN of static thrust (600 kN augmented) in the atmosphere or 400 kN using internal reaction mass in space (specific impulse of 6087 sec).

[Auxiliary] 4 x Turbo-Union ATF 510:. Miniaturized fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix ramjets.  Two are in each arm and pointed to the rear while in fighter mode.  Each engine is rated to 71.3 kN standard thrust, max overboost to 125.6 kN each.

FUEL CAPACITY:

24 standard canisters of protoculture
1 dedicated canister for each EP-13/EU-13 gun pod

6000 liters of D₂0 for reaction mass

COMPATIBLE FAST PACKS:

None

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. EU-15 DESTABLIZER: Sub-nuclear particle beam gun with output of 20 MJ, can fire up to 30 times/minute.  Draws power from its own dedicated protoculture canister, but can be fired using the veritech's own power (rate of fire reduced to 15 times per minute or 4 times per melee).  Particles have specific, disrupting effect on force fields, and will short out a low power field completely, while high power fields may temporarily and locally cease to function.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-force Field
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
   • RANGE: 1500 m
   • DAMAGE: 2D4*10 for each single shot
   • RATE OF FIRE: Single shots equal to the combined attacks of the pilot up to eight times per melee.
   • PAYLOAD: Conditionally unlimited.  Each protoculture cell can power up to 100 shots.

    

    

2. RRG MK10 NOSE LASERS: Like the original VF-1 and the VF-6 "Alpha", the XVF-15 "Gamma" has two nose lasers on either side of the pilot's compartment.  Each RRG-10 fires 10 MJ bursts of energy up to 20 times per minute out to an effective combat range of 5000 meters.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault/Defense
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-mecha
   • RANGE: 5000 m
   • DAMAGE: 2D4*10 for each single shot
   • RATE OF FIRE: Equal to the combine attacks of the pilot
   • PAYLOAD: Unlimited

    

3. MM-120 MULTI-MISSILE SYSTEM: The Gamma mounts 120 short range hammerhead missiles or twice the number of short range missiles as a VF-6 "alpha".  Unlike previous veritech fighters, prior to the mission pilots can customize the number of missiles fired using ten pre-programmed missile volleys.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault/Defense
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-mecha
   • RANGE: Varies
   • DAMAGE: Varies
   • RATE OF FIRE: Standard volleys are one at a time or two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four are all 120.  However, each pilot can program the combat computer prior to the mission to fire customized volleys
   • PAYLOAD:  12 in each shoulder, 18 in each forearms, 30 in each lower leg

    

4. LA-7 HEAD LASERS: A single LA-7 laser is mounted on top of the Gammas head.  The laser is capable of firing 8 MJ bursts every two seconds.  The LA-7 has three modes of operation:  manual, autonomous anti-missile, or autonomous anti-mecha.  The selection of the mode is manually controlled by the pilot; however, it takes 1 melee action to switch between modes.  Unfortunately, the artificial intelligence targeting is not without its faults and has been known to hit friendly units while engaging targets.  As a result, some pilots refuse to use anything other than manual targeting.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault/Defense
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-missile
   • RANGE: 1000 m
   • DAMAGE: 6D6 MDC
   • RATE OF FIRE (MANUAL):  Equal to the combine attacks of the pilot, up to 8 times per melee
   • RATE OF FIRE (ANTI-MISSILE):  Four attacks, up to two against any given missile volley, per melee
   • RATE OF FIRE (ANTI-MECHA):  Four attacks, up to four against any given opponent, per melee
   • PAYLOAD: Unlimited
   • NOTES (ANTI-MISSILE):  Will attack friendly mecha on strike roles of 1-2
   • NOTES (ANTI-MECHA):  Will attack friendly mecha on strike roles of 1-3 

    

5. BODY/WING HARD POINTS: Two fixed hard points are mounted on each wing.  Each hard point can carry a missiles, fuel tanks (for spaceborne operations), sensor or jamming pods.  Each hard point can carry up to 15 short range missiles, 5 medium range missiles or 2 long range missiles or jamming.

 

6. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the Gamma can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The XVF-15  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: 3D4*3 . (only effective against small objects)
     

    

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE XVF-15:

• ACTIVE SENSOR JAMMER WESTINGHOUSE ALQ-250(V): internal ECM providing broadband protection.  Estimated system effective radiative power 50 dBW.
• AUTO-PILOT: The XVF-15  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.
• CHAFF AND FLARE DISPENSERS AN/ALE-55: 30 chaff and 30 flares are stored in each of the lower legs
• COMBAT COMPUTER IBM-210: 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.
• INFRA-RED WARNING RECEIVER OLDELFT (IRWR):    Providing rear aspect protection from IR guided missiles
• 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 XVF-15  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 veritechs 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.
• PIN POINT MECHA PROTECTION SYSTEM:    The shield is powered directly from the main protoculture generator of the mecha and is capable of absorbing 10 MJ (25 MDC) of damage before being overloaded with the remainder of the damage passing to the unit.  Every 15 seconds, the generators provide enough power to fully reenergize the shield.  The barrier can be manually placed by the pilot or can through voice command be placed automatically by the computer.
• RADAR AN/APG-95C:  X-band pulse Doppler radar.  Detection radar against 0 dBsm target 140 km.  System consists of six conformal antenna on the nose, body, wings, and tails, thereby further reducing the passive radar cross section.
• 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.
• RADAR WARNING RECEIVER AN/ALR-80 (RWR):  Providing all aspect broadband protection from RF guided missiles. 
• RRG MK3 SHADOW: four-dimensional distortion field generator (downshifts and dampens protoculture radiation) emitting only weakly in these wavebands.   NOTE: . Once the mecha has lost half of its main body MDC, there is a 50% chance that the stealth system will fail every time the main body of the craft is hit. Once the stealth system has failed, it will not work again until repaired at a RDF base.
• RRG MK4 EM-ABSORBING SKIN COVER: strongly absorbing EM radiation from radio through ultra-violet wavelengths, and emitting only weakly in these bandwidths
• SELF-DESTRUCT: To prevent capture of an advance variable fighter by the enemy, the pilot can activate the  XVF-15 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 REF veritechs 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 XVF-15  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.
  

COMBAT BONUSES FOR XVF-15 FIGHTER TRAINING:

• 4 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
• Add one additional action/attack at levels five and ten.
• +3 on initiative
• +3 to strike
• +3 to parry
• +2 to dodge in solder, +4 in guardian, +5 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

Random Hit Locations

When there is an equal chance of hitting both sides from 1D6

• 1-3 hits the right side
• 4-6 hits the left

When there is a preferred side, roll 1D10

• 1-8 hits the preferred side
• 9-10 hits the opposite side

Malfunction Table (Optional):   Roll each time a built-in weapon is used

Malfunction Table (Optional):   Roll each time a transformation is executed

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

• Palladium Books:   "The Sentinels"
• Palladium Books:  " Ghost Ship"
• Additional Design Notes

Back to Mecha Home

PRELIMINARY DRAFT