Varients of the Archon Infantry Fighting Hover Vehicle

[mech798]

So, one of hte best vehicles in the UEEF book is the Archon-- mainly because, well, it answers the question of "What is keeping up with all your cyclones, that is also touch enough that it can't be vaproized by a harsh glance."

But, that being said, what varients do you think there are? Remember that the first thing a good designer says when he builds a platofrm is: "Hmmm... you know, what can I use this for so we don't have to build another new design, complete with the need for a seperate parts pipeline"

I can think of a few:

1. Pure logistics-- lose the big guns, build out the cargo space, and you've got a unit that can pretty much haul the best part of a companies supplies.
2. Missle platform. Long or medium range missiels.
3. Monster gun-- the monster destroid may be too slow, so take one of hte guns, put it on the Archon and you have an excellent artillery platform, even if you have to stop and ground to fire.

Anyone else have a suggestion?

[glitterboy2098]

Ambulance. much like the Merkava "Tankbulance" it would give your injured decent protection. main reason we don't do this much IRL is because having an armed ambulance forfeits its protections under the conventions. (which can be a legal nightmare.)

given that the UEEF's enemies (alien or otherwise) don't follow the geneva conventions, there should be no issues with having an armored and armed ambulance version.

[taalismn]

Ambulance. much like the Merkava "Tankbulance" it would give your injured decent protection. main reason we don't do this much IRL is because having an armed ambulance forfeits its protections under the conventions. (which can be a legal nightmare.)

given that the UEEF's enemies (alien or otherwise) don't follow the geneva conventions, there should be no issues with having an armored and armed ambulance version.

It's no good if your SAR vehicle needs search and rescue itself, so yeah, Rifts and Robotech do well to have armed ambulances(if only with point defense systems).

[Arnie100]

Scout/recon variant: fitted with intel-gathering electronics, etc. and minimal armaments.
Recovery variant: used to help repair and recover damaged vehicles and mecha in the field.
Command Post variant: used for command post duties.
Observation Post variant: used by forward observation officers.
Engineer variant: fitted with a dozer blade and engineering equipment for use with combat engineer units.

[taalismn]

Scout/recon variant: fitted with intel-gathering electronics, etc. and minimal armaments.
Recovery variant: used to help repair and recover damaged vehicles and mecha in the field.
Command Post variant: used for command post duties.
Observation Post variant: used by forward observation officers.
Engineer variant: fitted with a dozer blade and engineering equipment for use with combat engineer units.

Hovervehicles aren't exactly the best choice for bulldozers unless you're planning on using hard thrust to blast loose earth up in a cloud that can be seen for miles. For pushing around dirt, you need traction and backstopping. For that, I'd use a variant of the TCH-4.
A CVE hovercraft might be better suited for launching ground sensors or quick-deploy minefields(especially seeing as ground-bound mecha like the Invid Inorganics would be vulnerable to mines).

[glitterboy2098]

elaboration on the command post version.. in robotech this would basically be a version that combines an Aliens-esque tactical console system with enhanced communications, and a command computer similar to what the VF-1S or the command Alpha carries. all of this could even be put in without really hindering the firepower of the basic model, keeping the HQ safer.

i'd call this a tactical command vehicle, because it would mainly exist to coordinate and augment a company sized unit of cylones, silverbacks, and Archons (and maybe a few battloids)

theater level command (battalion+) would be better off on something like a Garfish or a GMU, which has much greater processing capacity on hand, and does not have to be right on the frontlines.

strategic level (multi-regiment/division level) would be better off on an Ikazuchi or SDF somewhere.



to be honest, i get rather annoyed that the UEDF and UEEF don;t have more command computer units in general.. the UEDF has the VF-1S and the big AWACS plane, but no Destroid/ground forces command system. (one of the reasons RTT had to add an upgrade option for regular destroids so you could do a non-VF force)
and the UEEF has.. the Command Alpha. and that is pretty much it. sure the starships could provide some of the same benefits, but you'd think they'd have options for the battloids and cyclone/silverback troops as well. (and you'd think there would be a command Beta.. it's bigger and could pack better computers in, not to mention having room to fit an extra crewman or two to act as a mini-AWACS/flying command post if you remove the bomb bay for avionics spaces.

the ASC is a bit better off (they have command variants of most of their standard VF's, battloids, and the hovertanks, as well as dedicated HQ vehicles) but when you compare bonuses, their combat networking is evidently a much less capable version, offering fairly minor advantages compared to the UEDF and UEEF systems.

[taalismn]

the ASC is a bit better off (they have command variants of most of their standard VF's, battloids, and the hovertanks, as well as dedicated HQ vehicles) but when you compare bonuses, their combat networking is evidently a much less capable version, offering fairly minor advantages compared to the UEDF and UEEF systems.

Don't recall any ASC command veritechs, and I thought the command model Spartas was purely cosmetic.
Maybe the lower quality came about of cost-shaving to equip the planetary forces. since they were going with a wider mix of gear sustainable with the recovering world industrial base(which, conversely, would require more coordination)? The resource and brain drain to the space forces and colonies, resulting in budget cuts to C&C network systems might be another reason Leonard disliked the UEEF.

[glitterboy2098]

you're right about the VF's.. i could have sworn the ASC had a command Ajax (but that would have made sense)

the ASC had;
VHT-1J spartas (NCOs, 1000ft range radio beacon, +4 perception rolls for allies to spot the -1J to those in range)
VHT-1S spartas (CO's, C3 computer, +1 init, +2 strike, +1 parry and dodge for those linked)
CBH-4A2 salamander (NCO's, C3 computer, +1 init, +2 strike, +1 parry and dodge)
CBH-4A3 salamander (NCO's, C3 computer, +1 init, +2 strike, +1 parry and dodge)
M2204 Janissary Commander's Vehicle (CO's, C3 computer, can link up to 24 units, +2 init, +1 strike)


the UEDF had:
VF-1S Valkyrie (CO's, C3 computer, +2 init, +1 perception, +1 strike, +3 parry and dodge)
ES-11 Cat's Eye (AWACS, C3 computer, 500 mile range, +1 attack, +2 init, +2 strike and dodge)
EC-33B Tiger's eye (theater AWACS, C3 computers, range 800 miles, +1 attack, +2 init, +2 strike, +3 dodge)

the UEEF has the:
VH/A-6H Command Alpha (CO's, C3 computer, can link up to 18 units, +2 init, +2 strike, +3 parry and dodge) (not.. the wording says "can link to all alphas in the squadron" so RAW it may not be applicable to any other mecha)
VM-9L Silverback w/ optional OSS-88 Sensor suite (C3 computer, links up to 18, +2 init, +2 strike, +3 parry and dodge)

(don't have time to dig out my UEEF marines atm, but i don't remember many C3 vehicles in it)

the main advantage the ASC ground mecha have is no listed limit on how many they can link up.. which may explain the weaker bonuses. (no idea why the janissary Command vehicle is so limited though.. guess it is meant more as a Command post for a SAM battery or non-mecha ground combat unit. still)

but in each there are major gaps in the C3 options. the UEDF needs a ground based platform so they don't have to have VF's or AWACS overhead. (not a safe place against zents) the ASC needs flying options other than (presumably) full starships. and the UEDF needs a ground C3 unit that isn't a lightly armored scout vehicle, and a flying unit that has better range and a higher number of linkages than the -6H.

[Arnie100]

Would a shadow-equipped variant for special ops be feasible?

[taalismn]

Would a shadow-equipped variant for special ops be feasible?

Hmmm...you'd need to somehow mask the command linkage transmissions. A proper stealth vehicle has little to no emissions that could betray its presence. Certainly with regular radio/EM systems that would be difficult, but laser or some sort of extradimensional 'shadow radio'*, it might be doable.

*Provided the mere act of generating shadow-space doesn't cause a spike in sensors. And I wouldn't trust such a system after the Haydonite betrayal.

[mech798]

Would a shadow-equipped variant for special ops be feasible?

You run into the problem of the downwash of hte hover jets, which are incredibly visible. OTH, this doesn't seem to be an issue with veritechs, so we might just fluff it as one of those facts that robotech physical laws politely ignore.