(Again, I'm posting for the author who does not have internet access. Any
replies will be given to him, etc., yada yada,)(Blah Blah Blah Yackety
Schmackety)
The author speaks:
hrrmmph. This thing on? Okay.
Well, I am glad to see that such commentary and debate
has been started by my little ( 8-) ) fanfic. I can tell
you that before I started writing I came up with some
answers to many of the questions that people are posing
here. Contrary to what Hard Case may imply by his comments
in this duscussion, I did do a lot of reasearch before I
actually started writing. I wont claim that my answers are
100% percent accurate for the actual Gundam universe. But I
do claim author's perrogative to say that they are
definitive vis-a-vis my own story.
First, on the subject of the Minovsky particles. I
understand that they are subatomic particles that interfere
and degrade any low frequency/long wavelength
electromagnetic spectrum emisions. This means that radar is
right out, but laser guidance, LIDAR (A laser based range
and direction detection system.), and comm lasers are all
going to be unaffected. So the VF's are gong to find
themselves able, in open space, to maintain a better
tactical communication and control net than the various
Gundam universe counterparts. Laser guidance is also
something that is currently used by the military for missile
tracking and guidance. (AIM-9(?) comes to mind. I may have
the serial number wrong... I was a squid, not an airdale.)
So I am going to assume that the Macross universe has a
number of laser guided munitions and uses a laser comm
system. The resons for this that a laser system, unlike the
omnidirectional radio systems, is VERY difficult to
intercept and monitor.
As for heat signatures and IR tracking and detection:
the primary means of suit detection shown in CCA was that
the large ships kept an close eye out for HEAT SIGNATURES
that would herald the coming of enemy mobile suits... Based
on that I am gong to say (definitively for my stories) that
heat signatures are degraded by Minovsky particles, but not
useless as a tracking means. So IR seeking missiles will be
of some use on the battlefield.
Also I believe that the only units that can blanket an
area with Minovsky particles will be the capital ships.
Again, this is an answer I believe to be true, that I will
be counting as definitive for my story. So the Mobile suits
themselves will not be able to mask themselves with Minovsky
particles. Since Minovsky particles are a byproduct from
the supralight fusion reactors on Mobile suits and capital
ships, I am going to say that to allow for them to be
released from the reactor will require an area of lower, or
removable shielding, around the reactor, and that would be a
bad thing for the mobile suits to have... (You don't want
your maintenance crews getting fried genitalia from fixing
your suit, they might not do as good a job then. Also it
would mean that no one wants to get into close formation
with their partners, either... really distracting. 8-) )
Now, a quick comment on the differences in the
advantages of the two mecha series...
The VF series mecha are mostly min/maxed to be decent
space fighters with impressive superiority in atmosphere.
The exception is the VF-17S. Part of the reason that I say
this is that as the VF series mecha progress they get
lighter! And their combat loads seem to stay relatively
constant. Their maximum thrust ratings also go through the
roof, with the VF-17S being able to generate about 10 times
as much thrust as their unloaded weight. However, they do
not seem to be able to carry the same reserves of reaction
mass on board, as a Mobile suit can. Of course the mobile
suts also average about five times the mass of the VF series
macha... I figure that in space the VF's will have a
superior edge in maneuverability, however the Mobile suits
may have the edge in endurance. It is an interesting
question, and I have a number of solutions. Of course the
older VF series mecha will be less capable than the newer
ones. But on a similar trade off they also seem to have
more ability to carry reaction mass.
I hope that confuses everyone even more. And gives a
new direction for the discussion to follow. 8-)
On the topic of Newtypes versus old types: All I can
say is that even in CCA there were aces on both sides who
were proud that they were NOT Newtypes. (Granted neither
example that I am thinking of survived the movie, but then
again how many characters actually did survive? "You die,
she dies, EVERYBODY dies." - Heavy Metal.) I will say that
Newtypes will be having a corresponding advantage to
themselves based on their unique abilities. However, they
will not find that everything is going all their way. For
instance... what do think will happen to the first Newtype
who flashes into the mind of the elder Kiirai Giverns? I
can believe easily that the mind of someone who is a true
alien and has alien patterns of thought may well be...
confusing. hheheheheheheheh. Also I will confess that at
least one of the Macross pilots will be showing Newtype
abilities. Forgive me if I don't feel the need to tell you
who, yet.
On the whole, I am gratified to see the discussing that
my story has catalyzed. I hope to have chapter 2 out soon
and that will not have the same cliff hanger ending that
chapter one had. After that I promise that I will get
Chapter three of Arthropod Antics out, and the first night
special, too: The Tick's War Journal. I just got a bit too
sillied out to keep the Arthropod Antics going, so I am
taking a break. I hope that I will be able to keep writing
at my current rate by alternating between the two projects.
So, until my next post...
Thank you all,
Mike.
+----------------------------------------------------------+
|Mike Taub, ex-squid, former portable shielding unit, |
|Chairman and Dictator for Life, Anarchist's Union; |
|Proprietor and Word Slave: Mutants for Nukes Productions |
| "Arggh! I've been Gundamed!!!!" |
+----------------------------------------------------------+
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| Frank 'Hard_Case' Zado, Otaku, computer guru, madman! |
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| http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/3481 'Anime Sounds Page' |
|'We specialize in high qaulity, full length stereo songs!'|
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| President and Chairman of Anarchists Union Local #666 |
| Fanfic Artist Industries "We're ready to deceive you!" |
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|'ARGH! I've been Gundamed!!' - Me, after 9 hours of MSG! |
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