Why doesn't the hover tank have a windscreen?

[The Artist Formerly]

So, no windscreen, no top, and a lot of the time they don't even have their helmets on while driving at speed. That's weird, right?

Any guesses as to why? I would think eating a bug at speed would be as awful on a VHT as it is on a motorcycle...

[Rabid Southern Cross Fan]

So, no windscreen, no top, and a lot of the time they don't even have their helmets on while driving at speed. That's weird, right?.

"More heroic" would be the anime answer.

As to "real world", I would point out they HAD the half-armored driver's station, so its likely that only 2 of the Hovertank squads we positively identify in the Monument City Garrison (14th, 15th ATAC, all others are named and not really seen per se) that ditched them. Its entirely possible that other ATAC units stationed elsewhere used them.

[Kagashi]

Wasnt that actually corrected in the show itself...hovertanks eventually getting armored cockpits and all.

Prior to the armored cockpits, thats why you wore armor. Your helmet was your windshield. Its not all that cosmic of a concept, every single cyclone has this problem too...

[ShadowLogan]

So, no windscreen, no top, and a lot of the time they don't even have their helmets on while driving at speed. That's weird, right?

Any guesses as to why? I would think eating a bug at speed would be as awful on a VHT as it is on a motorcycle...

I don't see why it is weird. I think the VHT is modeled more after Tank Destroyers than Main Battle Tanks, and TDs are known to have that open "crew station" and "turret-less" designs.

I suppose its possible that when in motion at sufficient speeds the air flow over the front of the tank acts as a sort of wind screen.

[Chronicler]

So, no windscreen, no top, and a lot of the time they don't even have their helmets on while driving at speed. That's weird, right?

Any guesses as to why? I would think eating a bug at speed would be as awful on a VHT as it is on a motorcycle...

I don't see why it is weird. I think the VHT is modeled more after Tank Destroyers than Main Battle Tanks, and TDs are known to have that open "crew station" and "turret-less" designs.

I suppose its possible that when in motion at sufficient speeds the air flow over the front of the tank acts as a sort of wind screen.

True, I always thought the VHT as more of an IFV than tank. Given the open cockpit allows for the operator to have a much wider view of the battlefield but at the hefty expense of protection.

[Seto Kaiba]

So, no windscreen, no top, and a lot of the time they don't even have their helmets on while driving at speed. That's weird, right?

Any guesses as to why? I would think eating a bug at speed would be as awful on a VHT as it is on a motorcycle...

Two answers to this one...

The first is the obvious production-related answer. The creators of the original Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross series had spent an awful lot of time, money, and effort creating all of the the elaborate body armor for the original series concept that the Southern Cross anime developed from. Science Fiction Sengoku Saga was originally going to be a "Space western"-style juxtaposition of historical dramas from Japan's warring states period into a sci-fi setting. (Think Nobunaga the Fool, but a LOT less flamboyant and hot-blooded.) When they changed formats to making a robot show in order to get sponsorship, the body armor came along for the ride as the Arming Doublet, and the Spartas' design ensured that the Arming Doublet was prominently displayed throughout the series so they could still capitalize on the designs for merchandising.

(It also serves a second purpose in that it makes it easier to differentiate between the main characters at a glance, since the show doesn't give characters different Spartas paint jobs and the differences in head between Spartas units are so subtle most folks don't even notice there are different head designs.)

The second answer is the in-universe reason in Southern Cross and Robotech... "We didn't think this one through". The original Southern Cross setting materials aren't clear on why humanity even HAS war robots, let alone transforming ones like the Spartas. The Arming Doublet isn't a sealed or airtight system (except on those versions issued to fighter pilots), but the basic rationale for the Spartas not having a sealed cockpit is "they have arming doublets for that"... though it would still likely be rather unpleasant at speed or in bad weather. The Robotech write-up simply acknowledges that it was a really bad idea and makes absolutely no effort to explain or justify it.

[taalismn]

"The body armor stopped the bugs from getting in our teeth alright. The moose on the other hand....."

[Arnie100]

You don't get to see the hero's or heroine's face with a windscreen.

[Seto Kaiba]

You don't get to see the hero's or heroine's face with a windscreen.

The windscreens they added to the Spartas late in the series didn't seem to stop 'em... but that'd be a fair answer as to why they keep riding at high speed with their helmets off.

[drewkitty ~..~]

They do have a Low Profile windscreen/windshield.
http://s354.photobucket.com/user/Drewki ... ort=2&o=17

Here is a exaple of a low profile windscreen IRL
http://www.imaginelifestyles.com/luxury ... v8-emerges

With the LP windscreen
http://s354.photobucket.com/user/Drewki ... sort=2&o=3

Without the LP windscreen
http://s354.photobucket.com/user/Drewki ... y&sp=false

[The Artist Formerly]

Yeah... No seat belts, often driving at speed with their helmets off, no wind screens.

[taalismn]

Yeah... No seat belts, often driving at speed with their helmets off, no wind screens.

Modular backpack clamps might fill the role of seat belts, though, of course, we don't see that as 15th members are pitched out of their hovertanks.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Pretty much, it looks cool, and after the planet has been bombarded and 90% of all life incinerated... swarms of bugs in the desolation aren't a huge issue? (maybe?)
if were are going into that level or realism in the game to where we need to worry about this, then we should apply that level of realism to all the aspects of the game and make sure we render the PC's sterile and cancer ridden after a few adventures on the radioactive wastes after the Zentradi-holocaust....
Rick (after "saving" Lisa from the ruins of the grand cannon): "Lisa... why is your hair coming out in clumps?"
Lisa: "Rick, your left eye is completely blood shot"
Rick: "I don't know, but i think my liver has shut down and my kidneys are failing"
Lisa: [dies]
Rick: [dies]

[taalismn]

Pretty much, it looks cool, and after the planet has been bombarded and 90% of all life incinerated... swarms of bugs in the desolation aren't a huge issue? (maybe?) ]

Big craters....lots of new churned-up wetland(at least until new drainage paths are established by nature). Insect breeding grounds.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Big craters....lots of new churned-up wetland(at least until new drainage paths are established by nature). Insect breeding grounds.

all highly radio-active areas, most don't even have plants growing in them until the Invid era. There is alot more unrealistic problems in Robotech i'd be worried about "fixing" before I'd jump onto a problem that is non-existent in the show. (i'd start with 40ft tall humans)

[taalismn]

[ (i'd start with 40ft tall humans)

Rick Hunter: "According to physical law and biological limitations, you should be barely able to move, and gasping like a beached whale, slowly being crushed by your own weight and starved by your own ineffectual metabolism."
Khyron: "AHHHHAAHAA*GASP*#GAK#....what...THUD*gerk* foul...micron(heave) ian...treachery #burble#...is...#HHHHHEEEEAAAKKkkkk# ...this?!"

[Seto Kaiba]

Big craters....lots of new churned-up wetland(at least until new drainage paths are established by nature). Insect breeding grounds.

Well... if the damage inflicted by the orbital bombardment is anything like as severe as it is in the Macross OSM, those crater-lakes (and much of the surrounding countryside) are effectively sterile down to the microbial level. Insects probably aren't an issue.

(I won't get into a full summary of the damage here, but in Perfect Memory they say it'll take 10,000 years of environmental repair and recovery before Earth looks anything like it did before the war.)

[The Artist Formerly]

Yeah... No seat belts, often driving at speed with their helmets off, no wind screens.

Modular backpack clamps might fill the role of seat belts, though, of course, we don't see that as 15th members are pitched out of their hovertanks.

But the not quite a red shirt guy in the check out the Master's ship episode got tossed clear.

As an aside, I have to say, watching the Southern Cross stuff in spanash, a language I don't speak beyond "Uno mass cervesa porvafor." is all kinds of awesome. It sounds very, very serious. Especially when they use that reverb effect for "alien speech".

[ShadowLogan]

Yeah... No seat belts, often driving at speed with their helmets off, no wind screens.

I think its just a product of the times it was made in (ie early 80s) that explains why seatbelts were not worn.

[SRoss]

The real answer is that Dana thinks spitting bugs makes her look cool.

[taalismn]

"Sean, keep your tongue in your mouth and put your helmet back on....You're leaving a slobber contrail."

[Arnie100]

Marie: "Is that someone's slobber on my canopy?!"

[The Artist Formerly]

Yeah... No seat belts, often driving at speed with their helmets off, no wind screens.

I think its just a product of the times it was made in (ie early 80s) that explains why seatbelts were not worn.

Undoubtedly, you are correct. I watched an old episode of Starski and Hutch, super wild car chase. No one is wearing seatbelts, The G-forces alone should have thrown the driver (the blonde guy) into the lap of the passenger (the other guy) a couple of times. Mythbusters has really damaged my ability to enjoy these things.

[Alrik Vas]

Mythbusters has only enhanced my amusement, really.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I'm not certain if a no comment about the wind screen I pointed out is a good or bad thing.