Raidar X Write Up (no stats)

[Pouncer]

And now for my write up on the Raidar X

RAIDAR X DESTROID

ADR-PO4-MK. X
Raidar X

With the introduction of project Pioneer during Earth’s rebuilding after the Zentradi uprisings entirely new mecha designs were obviously needed to carry out the needs of the Expeditionary Force. For the needs of the ground forces designers returned to the proven and well known destroids for their inspirations. Two separate projects were put into play competing for the new destroid designs, Project Neo Excalibur and Project Colossus. While the Colossus team sought to place as much firepower as possible into their designs Project Neo Excalibur worked along the same lines that were being worked with on the new veritech fighters, smaller more flexible designs better suited to storage and use on and from spacecraft.

The first designs revisited by Neo Excalibur were those of the Modular Battlefield Robot Weapon System (MBRWS) seeking to follow up on the cost savings of interchangeable components like the original MBRWS designs. The second design to be updated was the Defender air defense robot. Well known for its massive, twin auto cannons supported by a powerful radar array, the Defender was the last word in anti-air capability for the UEDF and the Neo Excalibur team was looking to provide exactly that for UEEF. At the same time the team sought to address the limitations of the Defender, limited ammunition, light armor, lack of secondary weaponry and, though it was the second fastest of the first generation Destroids, low speed.

Naming their project Raidar X, a joking working name that somehow stuck for the production model, the team started by reducing the size of the mecha by about 30% and adding the newest armor plate available. Still meant to be a stand-off model the protection was less than the Excalibur’s but still 36% higher than the original design. With a major upgrade to the motive system added to its smaller size the Raidar X has a nearly 60% speed increase as well.

Looking at the main guns of the Defender the team had some tough decisions to deal with. The auto cannons had an incredible punch and range but used ammo far too quickly, especially for a mission that could be away from proper resupply for extended periods. The answer to the problem was a definite compromise, each auto cannon was replaced by a trio of powerful, long range laser cannons. While these cannons combined had less than one half the punch of the auto cannons their lack of recoil made up for the loss of firepower with an increase in accuracy as well as the eliminating the ammunition problem. The lack of recoil had another advantage as well, it allowed for much more flexible shoulders to be installed improving accuracy and flexibility even further.

When considering the addition of secondary weaponry the team started by borrowing from the Excalibur. The mini-missile launchers from the Excalibur would be added providing excellent punch if anything got too close to the Raidar X. As an afterthought a laser array was added to the lower torso of the mecha to provide protection against ground forces at short range.

Citing the vulnerability of the radar array mounted atop the Defender the team found a way to mount an improved radar array in the chest and the back/sides of the missile launchers for greater protection.

The advanced and ergonomic controls allow for a singe pilot to make full use of the mecha although a second set of controls is included to allow for a gunner to greatly increase the effectiveness of the combat unit.

Tactically the Raidar X is used in fire-support squadrons, sometimes called lances, where groups of 4 mecha provide anti-air fire and fire-support to ground units. Occasionally one of the rarer Gunslingers will be included in the lance to add massive firepower. Often operating with Longbows and occasionally with the rarer Catapults, the Raidar X’s ability to data-share it’s improved sensory information allows the Longbows and Catapults to use their long range missiles to much greater effect against air targets. On a number of occasions the Raidar X’s have data-linked with Koromons or Gojiras to improve the use of their artillery pieces against air targets as well. Often Gladiators and Condors will be assigned to defend the fire-support lances against close combat. With the advent of Cyclone and Silverback equipped infantry the Raidar X pilots have been quite happy to receive the additional close support, especially against the Invid swarm tactics.

[Pouncer]

I suspect this is all forthcoming, but what are:
- Gunslingers
- Gojiras
- Catapults
- Battleaxes, from the Excalibur entry?

I note Koromons already have an entry, and will read those in a few minutes.

Well I envisioned two competing design teams working on the new Destroids. NeoExcalibur was the overall winner, producing smaller, effective but less expensive mecha and Colosus produced bigger, more heavily armed and more expensive mecha. NeoX won the majority of the contracts as their designs met the needs set by the Pioneer team. Smaller numbers of Colosus mecha were produced, their bigger forms and larger resource needs consigning mostly to colony defense, though a few would be taken on the fleet for special use. I really like the visuals of the Macross II mecha and used them for the Colosus designs.

Gunslinger = Defender
Gojira = Monster II
Catapult = Phalanx
Battleaxe = Tomahawk

Unfortunately I haven't gotten the write ups done on them yet.

-POUNCER

[Pouncer]

Woof! That would be a real shocker to anyone attacking what they would expect to be an under-defended colony, that's for damn sure!

That's kinda how I see it. Say a RemZent pirate force tries to drop on a colony while the local colony patrol group is busy "elsewhere." They find themselves facing a weak aerospace defense by Alphas and AeroVals (also from Macross II). As the fighters play a fighting retreat into the deep atomosphere the RZ press their advantage and push to get their raiding force grounded.

Suddenly their fighters and transports get lit up by radar as a lance of Gunslingers step out of cover. With the fighters turning their attention to the first lance they're caught off guard as a lance of datalinked Catapults unleash barrages of missiles into the fighters and a datalinked Gojirra steps out of its' hanger to turn its rail guns on the transports. As a group of RZ mecha touch down and move to attack the air defense mecha they run face first into a lance of Battleaxes as the "routed" Veritechs turn to re engage the pirates.

Since this is RT we could easily throw a few Sentinels' destroids in for fun too.

-POUNCER

[Pouncer]

Though you also need to have some sort of counter for the hypothetical RemZent orbital assets. It isn't going to help much if you unmask heavy firepower and the attackers ace your force, and their bases, from orbit.

While the concept of surface to orbital missiles didn't do a lot of good against shielded Masters, I bet the same can't be said of unshielded Zentraedi forces, so I guess that, and maybe a few emplaced heavy beam turrets would help there.

Well, it's not much of a stretch to see large numbers of "recycled" anti ship missile launchers from the old, decomissioned Zent ships set up to defend colonies. Probably clusters of "recycled" heavy beam turrets off of the Zent destroyers with standard beam turrets thrown in for good measure. It doesn't really have to be much, just enough to convince pirates and raiders to not sit over the colony. They could also plant a ring of "asteriods" in orbit that were really concealed, automated missile platforms.

However the biggest defense for the colony would be that the pirate forces wouldn't use orbital bombardment or heavy missiles because that would probably destroy whatever they came to take.

Against a more concerted enemy the real hope would be the return of the colony patrol group's ships.

-POUNCER

[Pouncer]

I would buy that, but even during the bombardment of the SDF-1 we saw really, really good accuracy form fairly impressive ranges. If they have to blender a block or two to take out a quartet of defenders reaping their assault forces, I bet the restraint factor won't account for much.

I do like the idea of the "rise up from the hull type guns and launchers the Zentraedi used being reused as ground based surface to orbit defenses, while Destroids are used to prevent heavy landing forces. Unless you can spot the big guns when they are hidden, you won't know they are there until you trundle into orbit to establish orbital control. And since they won't unmask until you do, and aren't needed to handle landing forces because of the Destroids, it could get messy.

I can agree, defending against orbital attacks would require some heavy ground to orbit defense system, enough to prevent ships from parking above the colony.

-POUNCER

[jaymz]

Pouncer - I am guessing you might be using Battletech Units as your inspiration? Is this true? I am assuming this based on teh names you are using

Nevermind - just reread your post my bad. Though oddly enough those names as used by Battletech could almost be used in the manner you designated them....

[Pouncer]

Pouncer - I am guessing you might be using Battletech Units as your inspiration? Is this true? I am assuming this based on teh names you are using

Nevermind - just reread your post my bad. Though oddly enough those names as used by Battletech could almost be used in the manner you designated them....

Actually you're right, though there are several influences in my names, certain mecha did get their names from Battletech.

Longbow
Catapult
The upcoming write-up for the Marauder (shouldn't be hard to guess what that one is).

I've been considering renaming the Gunslinger the Rifleman too.

-POUNCER

[jaymz]

Pouncer - I am guessing you might be using Battletech Units as your inspiration? Is this true? I am assuming this based on teh names you are using

Nevermind - just reread your post my bad. Though oddly enough those names as used by Battletech could almost be used in the manner you designated them....

Actually you're right, though there are several influences in my names, certain mecha did get their names from Battletech.

Longbow
Catapult
The upcoming write-up for the Marauder (shouldn't be hard to guess what that one is).

I've been considering renaming the Gunslinger the Rifleman too.

-POUNCER

Would make sense if you went that route *nods*

[ArmySGT.]

Are you going to include modular accessories to improve costs or make a mecha into command models?

[Pouncer]

Pouncer - I am guessing you might be using Battletech Units as your inspiration? Is this true? I am assuming this based on teh names you are using

Nevermind - just reread your post my bad. Though oddly enough those names as used by Battletech could almost be used in the manner you designated them....

Actually you're right, though there are several influences in my names, certain mecha did get their names from Battletech.

Longbow
Catapult
The upcoming write-up for the Marauder (shouldn't be hard to guess what that one is).

I've been considering renaming the Gunslinger the Rifleman too.

-POUNCER

Would make sense if you went that route *nods*

But of course.

-POUNCER

[Pouncer]

Are you going to include modular accessories to improve costs or make a mecha into command models?

Command varients are a must, I figure the base models were built with "growth space" and modular electronics bays that can easily have a given unit converted into a command mech "overnight." Since I added the backseat to the smaller Sentinel's destroids a command unit automatically has space for the "commanding officer" to do his work without having to worry abou piloting the mecha. I'm currently working on the Officer's Pod Destroid and it will be written up as a command unit right from the start.

So far I've only toyed with more modularity, it's something I was gonna work on after I finished the write-ups I'm already working on. Right now it's easy to see basic add-ons and mods that would produce improved night fighters, stealth units and exotic environment units. I definately will have drop packs like the hovertank's that allow for air drops. Probably a space manuever pack as well.

As for modular weapons that's still down the road, those really don't seem to be a big part of the UEEF doctrine, though some of the "blocky" weapons pods, like the mini-missile launchers on the Excalibur and Raidar-X, would make good candidates for easy weapon swapping.

-POUNCER