Fat Gandalf's Bar & Lounge (OOC Chat) - Chapter Six

[Sherwood]

@Sherwood Yes, we'll be using the MECT bonuses found in Shadow Chronicles, page 104. From the best that I can gather, those are the bonuses used by the Rifleman model. =)

Thank you.

 

[Purr]

You're welcome, bud!

Update: Added two House Rules to Shop Talk we chatted about here. =)
1. House Rule: What's really going on when your Game Master says, "Your Character is in Mortal Danger." =)
2. House Rule: Combat - Cover and Cover Rating

 

[Purr]

O.K. Here's another little question that's been rolling around in my (admittedly overactive) mind. VF-1S Valkyries! Kaerri D. Rex (and this is me tagging the two PCs whose characters revolve around said machines). Should all Valkyries be Command variants or should they be separate models?

In Shop Talk, I have a House Rule that basically states all Valkyries (in the players' hands) are VF-1S models. VF-1Js and VF-1As are still in the game, but considered early-models no longer in use (I mean, why put only one cannon on the head when you can have four?). VF-1Rs do not yet exist (again, the difference being a head-model thing still in the testing stages, right Kaerri? =) ).

I believe I told D. Rex in conversation that all (PC) Valkyries were VF-1Ss. But when I was reading through Shop Talk just now, I realized that I made a House Rule which stated all Valkyries had the VF-1S head configuration. But in Macross Saga Sourcebook, the VF-1S is a Command Valkyrie with additional sensors and abilities (similar to a Command Spartas for you tankers out there). In that House Rule, I state that there are two types of Valkyries - the VF-1Ss are the standard, while the VF-1SC is the Command variant.

Spoiler: From Technopolis

The VF-1S Command Valkyrie also has an integrated Identify Friend or Foe system for increased command and control, with a database of up to 200 known enemies of the UEDF. This system can identify a target, assign it priority based on known abilities and threat level, and even anticipate known behaviors and tactics. The on-board computers can then connect to the computers of all other Valkyries in the squadron (up to 18), and transmit the data to them. This grants all Valkyries linked to the command VF-1S the following bonuses. +2 to initiative, +1 on Perception Rolls, +1 to strike and +3 to parry and dodge to all fighters. This requires a roll on the SEnsory Equipment skill at -10% due to the chaos of combat. See the description of the VF-1S for more details. THe IFF system can "learn" new enemies by analyzing data from the targeting and combat computers, as well as gun camera footage.

So, with all that in mind and given the age of humanity's oldest and most-produced Veritechs, should all Valkyries be Command variants ("VF-1SCs")?

Note: And while I get that this is basically a free benefit and some players might say, "Of course we'd like more combat bonuses! We ain't dummies!" I would like to take the conversation a little farther than that as far as our roleplaying goes if you know what I mean? =)

 

[Sherwood]

By this time in history, I would think that the Valkyries would have been upgraded with the latest avionics possible. That aircraft is getting older, and in order for it to remain effective in the near future until the ASC is fully equipped with the upcoming Ajax, it would have to remain effective.

That is my two cents worth.

 

[D. Rex]

Just work up, so my comment is short.

But maybe only one bonus can be applied and they dont stack. If you want to keep the balance. The added benefit here is that it isnt in one person to remember to activate the buff.

 

[D. Rex]

And also agree with Sherwoods two cents about the reasoning.

After all, with new craft coming, more pilots would be switching over, thus leaving more unpiloted command variants.

 

[Purr]

D. Rex Oh, I'm not worried so much about the game balance or I wouldn't have brought it up. =) Only one command variant can brings its special buff up at a time and I'm comfortable with that. =)

 

[Kaerri]

I can see an argument for either option.

While the Ajax is a newer mecha, it isn't a Valkyrie replacement -- it's got its own role, it's not taking over the Valkyrie's, as I understand it. The Valkyrie is an odd beastie because it's old, but it's still the best or nearly the best at what it does (it seems that for some reason the engineers have been focused on other things instead?).

Also, remember that adding all the extra goodies costs money and resources, and Earth just shipped off a lot of its best gear and people, so what we've got left is, well, what's left. I'd actually expect us to have more of the noncommand variants if the command variant was seen as most desirable.

On the other side, of course, are the things Sherwood and D.Rex mentioned and I don't need to repeat them.

 

[Purr]

Hmm! Good points!

What does the rest of the Gang have to say?

 

[Psychie]

I hate to rain on the parade here, but why would all the Valks available be upgraded? Wouldn't the best ones be taken along with the UEEF forces out of the system, leaving the dregs behind? That is pretty much the impression that I got from my reading is that the UEEF took the bulk of the Earth forces with them, leaving the ASC under staffed and ill equipped. Wouldn't the bulk of the Valkyries here be the older ones that do not have the best stuff on them?

 

[Purr]

Rain away! Your perspectives are entirely the reason I'm asking! =)

 

[D. Rex]

Rain effects my parade in no way. I am waterproof.

I came in expecting a run of the mill stock Valkyrie. So anything past that is a bonus.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

VF-1S Strike Valkyrie

Your argument is invalid.
Captain Hesperus

 

[Purr]

I really like that artwork! Valkyrie with the gun-mounted FASTPack! It's super! =)

 

[Captain Hesperus]

The VF-1S was my first Robotech character’s dream bird. He never got to fly it.

Captain Hesperus

 

[Purr]

What?! A crime! Well, if you guys come by more Valkyries, Herc can Traverse one in this game! =)

Sherwood remembers my first character (Captain Steve Yeager) and his first bird (a Valkyrie). Good times of the past! =)

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Captain Yoshinobu Tokugawa, callsign ‘Shogun’, was mine. Flew his Alpha with his wingman, Shigenaru ‘Ghost’ Hiroaki, in the Beta fighter. Later on he got himself a VF-1MS:

So pretty...

Captain Hesperus

 

[Sherwood]

Yup. The Metal Siren from the Macross II game is pretty sweet.

 

[Purr]

Is that what the "MS" stands for in VF-1MS? How is it different from a typical Valkyrie?

 

[Sherwood]

It is very different. It comes with 60 mini-missiles in internal launchers, two hand-held beam cannons, and the long pointy on the nose is a plasma spear, capable of firing off blasts of plasma or can be used as a melee weapon. It is as fast as the Beta, and has a bunch of armor to it.

 

[Purr]

Wow, that thing is wild! =)

 

[Silanon]

Late remark on the Valks, somehow managed to miss most of the conversation: If I'm not reading things wrong, the command valkyrie is, rule-wise, build to help out an entire group of up to 18 Valkyries at once, right? Knowing that and the general lack of ressources, I'd personally expect the military to aim for a number of Command variants that's large enough to give each squadron access to about one or two of them, at most. Now that doesn't mean there's only one for 18 normal Valkyries out there, since smaller squadrons exist; but I personally don't quite see the appeal of equipping every single machine out there with the newest tech if the better-equipped Command versions improve all the other, normal models around them; there's no benefit of having two Command Valks over having one in a squad, as long as the latter doesn't get taken out of the fight, right? Or am I misreading things in that regard? So I'm leaning more towards the 'not all of them are upgraded' side of things.

 

[Purr]

Silanon You are correct; the command bonuses do not stack.

And perhaps some of you wonder why I love role-playing with people like you so much! Just look at all of these different perspectives that I could not have come up with on my own! =) Thank you, Gang!

I agree that the Robotech Expeditionary Force took all the best and brightest that they could - including the technology. That much is clear in Palladium's books.

It seems most reasonable to me that all of the Valkyries, unless otherwise stated, are of the -1S variety while the command versions (-1SC) should be in the minority. As of this writing, Shirley's Red Baroness will (later) become the only command Valkyrie in your flight group. Thanks for the feedback!

Also, Silanon D. Rex Let me know if you have any questions about the latest post to any of your characters' prologues?

Please don't take that as a hidden request for me to push you into posting. It is holiday season, everyone is busy, and I want you to post when you are comfortable doing so (and besides, I don't like hidden requests, and being a very direct person myself, I like to just tell you straight-up). =)

 

[Silanon]

No questions for now, but there might be a few once I actually know where I'm headed post-wise myself. Should hopefully have some time tomorrow to think things through, so maybe there's more to come then - I'll see. Thanks for the question, though, I'll let you know once I stumbled over something.

On a side note: Good thing the bonuses don't stack. I mean, imagine a squadron of 10 (for easier math, it's late), striking with +20 ini, +10 to strike and being basically untargettable with +30 dodge if they make their rolls - on top of their own stats. I don't know the values of many of the other things out there, but that sounds slightly unreasonable...

 

[Purr]

Oh, no. That is more than slightly unreasonable; that is God mode. =)