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By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com) Ver 2.6 2016.02.14
Official Setting information is in darkgreen. Extended Universe information is in steelblue.

VF-171 Nightmare Plus

BACKGROUND

The VF-171 is a multi-purpose Heavy Variable Fighter developed from the special forces Heavy Variable Fighter VF-17. It first flew in 2046 and is widely deployed as the main VF of the New Unified Forces in the 2050s. However, as the New Unified Forces place emphasis on unmanned craft in the 2050s, the manned combat craft has been reduced to a comparative few.
By having solved the problems of the VF-17, the VF-171 became one of the fighters which spread the most in the 2050s. However, compared to the VF-25, the next main fighter, the VF-171 has an unfavourable performance. Nevertheless, with it's established reliability, high performance and a substantial warfare equipment system, it is a masterpiece Variable Fighter/Attack Craft that the New Unified Forces have used for a long time as the main Variable Fighter/Attack craft of the New Unified Forces. It is deployed in each Emigrant Fleet as of 2059.
Though the VF-171 was adopted as the main manned craft, because of the number of situations where the AIF-7S unmanned aircraft increasingly took charge in combat, the VF-171 seems to have rarely been put into combat missions. Though, in the Vajra attack incident on the Frontier Fleet that occured in 2059, a large number of VF-171 were put into combat, and it had insufficient performance against the Vajra opponents.
The VF-171 progressed in deployment as the successor craft of the VF-11, in place of the VF-19, VF-22 and so on; whose deployment the Unified Forces were unable to get because of problems of cost and so on. What the VF-171 aims at isn't merely high-performance, but the improvement of control, which was the defect of the VF-17; by using high low-output engines with high reliability, and greatly reducing the pilot's load by updating the control system avionics, so that the VF-171 became an airframe that treated even general pilots easily. Perceiving these improvements as well as detuning the craft, the VF-171 has the durability, payload and so on that the VF-17 handed over. Though, from the extension of the nose and application of ordinance stations under the main wings, probably because of an increase in inerception missions, the VF-171's stealthiness seems to have been degradated. Nevertheless, the latest production models in 2059 are equipped with the ASS/PS 155 3rd generation active stealth system, which is the same class as the VF-19's system; and this has improved the stealthiness of the VF-171. It's integrated performance now surpasses that of the VF-17.
Asause a pin-point barrier can be operated, such things as the VF-171's bullet resistance and hand-to-hand combat abilities have improved greatly. In hand-to-hand combat in Battroid, the Vajra are also defeated by a Pin-point Barrier punch.
The nose of the fighter is enlarged more than the VF-17's nose. The canopy also has a larger field of view than the VF-17. Compared to the VF-17, the center of its arms are slimmer, because of an improvement in its aerodynamic performance.
Although it is the main fighter, it's operated using the old generation of cockpit. The structure of the cockpit is completely different from the EX-Gear using VF-25's cockpit. Since the cockpit is different from one equipped for EX-Gear, the control levers are attached to the sides of the fuselage, like a conventional machine.
The canopy is a type composed of many transpartent parts. The rear of the fuselage cannot be seen with the naked eye.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Heavy Variable Fighter
Class: main Variable Fighter
Crew: one pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System
Manufacturer: General Galaxy
Government: New Unified Government
Customer: New Unified Space Forces

Design Features: variable-geometry-sweep (VG) wing with sawtooth delta wing standard cruising configuration; forward underwing surface blends with forward fuselage; vertical T-O and landing (VTOL); high maneuverability vernier thrusters in clusters of three strategically placed for maximum maneuverability in space; two-dimensional horizontal thrust vectoring with two independently pivoting exhaust nozzles; option of external radome. Retractable tricycle undercarriage landing gear with two steerable nosewheels that retract rearward into nose and twin coupled mainwheels which retract rearward into fuselage.

Variants:

MDC BY LOCATION:

Location MDC Location MDC
Head Lasers (2)
(1) Head
Hands (2)
Arms (2)
Shoulders (2)
Legs & Thrusters (2)
25 each
70
40 each
120 each
125 each
240 each
(2) Main Body
Main Wings (2)
Gun Pod
(3) Pinpoint Barrier Shield
Pilot Compartment/Escape Pod
350
150 each
120
100
200

SPEEDS:

RUNNING: BATTROID: 160 kmph
LEAPING: BATTROID: 9 m high or 15.2 m long without thrusters.

FLYING: Mach 3.5+ at 10,000 m; cruising speed Mach 21+ at 30,000 m
VTOL: all modes capable

MAXIMUM AIRFRAME DESIGN LOAD: +33.5 to -18.0.
CEILING: unlimited (capable of launching into satellite orbit over an Earth-class planet)
MAXIMUM RATE OF ASCENT: 42,500 m/minute (Fighterde)

OPERATIONAL UNDERWATER DEPTH: ?200? m (Battroid & GERWALK)

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:
Battroid (w/o laser cannons): 15.18 m.
GERWALK: under investigation
Fighter: 3.68 m.

WIDTH:
Battroid: under investigation
Battroidwalk & Fighter: 14.18 m with wings at maximum extension.

LENGTH:
Battroid: under investigation
Battroid: under investigation
Fighter: 15.65 m

MASS: 12,150 kg

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: equal to a PS of 50
CARGO: small compartment behind pilot's seat for personal belongings.

POWER PLANT: two 445.9 kN Shinnakasu/P&W/Royce FF-2110A Thermonuclear Turbine Engine (initial type). Over 30 Pratt&Whitney HMM-6B high-maneuverability vernier thrusters for additional mobility are mounted on the wingtips, vertical stabilizers, upper and lower surfaces of the nose, and other key locations.

DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS

Note: Refer to the VF-19 Excalibur for stats unless otherwise noted herein:

1. ASS/PS 155 3RD GENERATION ACTIVE STEALTH SYSTEM

Built into the fuselage of the VF-171 is a stealth system that, when activated, renders the craft almost invisible to standard sensors such as radar. The VF-171 Nightmare Plus has the 3rd generation of Active Stealth System, which is of the same grade as the VF-19's system; and has improved the stealthiness of the VF-17.

2. ESCAPE POD

3. INTERNAL MULTIPURPOSE CHAFF/FLARE DISCHARGER SYSTEM

4. HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS

5. HOWARD PBS-03F PIN-POINT BARRIER SYSTEM

6. SELF-DESTRUCT

7. SWAG ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM (SWAG/RA155)

OFFENSIVE SYSTEMS

1. Ericon AAB-7B Beam Cannon: (2)

Mounted on the head turret when in Battroid and in the central dorsal section of the main body, pointed rearward, in Fighter and GERWALK. These cannons can be turned to point above or behind the Valkyrie in Fighter and GERWALK. The head turret cannot be turned in these modes (cannot fire at targets to the left or right).

2. Bifors AMG-30 30 mm Heavy Machinegun: (2)

A machine gun is mounted on both sides of the cockpit in a fixed-forward position. These machine guns can be fired in any mode, but cannot be moved and must be aimed by moving the body of the vehicle. The guns can be fire linked. They use enhanced armour piercing ammunition.

3a. Howard GU-14B Kai Gatling Gunpod:

A portable, large 7-barrelled firearm. It has a grip on the side for the left hand, and the trigger is pulled and (the weapon) discharged by the right hand. With retractable handle and fore grip, folding stock, muzzle sensors, and strap. It is mounted with an exit port and stealth cover in the lower main fuselage in all modes or ejectible from the lower leg section into manipulator in Battroid (one spare gun pod magazine stored in lower main fuselage in Fighter mode or in opposite lower leg section in Battroid).

3b. General Galaxy MC-17C 40 mm Multipurpose Stealth Gatling Gunpod:

Instead of the GU-14B, the VF-171 can use the MC-17C.

3c. SSL-9B Dragunov Semi/Fully-Automatic Anti-Armor Sniper Rifle:

The VF-171 variant geared toward long-range precision shooting is specially designed to support the use of sniping rifles. The SSL-9B is the standard issue armament for the VF-25G Messiah, used for long-range precision shooting.
Magazine located on the underside near cooling fins. Has a built-in optical scope. In conjunction with the VF-171's adjusted for sniping mono-eye, it has an error margin of less than 10 cm at a shooting distance of 20 km with AI fire-control. The sniper rifle has balancers that open on the barrel during firing to assist in targeting. The barrel uses electromagnetic rails for maximum acceleration with the SP-55X 55mm ultra-high-speed armor-piercing round. Muzzle velocity of SP-55X cartridge is 6,200 m/s (SSL-9B's linear driver, in addition to the chemical reaction, can increase muzzle velocity to 7,490 m/s for ultra-long-range firing in space). Ultra-hard-metal jackets on ultra-dense alloy bullets can penetrate 300-mm-thick GFS-a2 composite armor used by Destroids. Pump action.
Due to the weapons high velocity and penetration, it more often then not completely passes through lightly armoured targets, causing less structural damage, but causing more debilitating damage to critical systems. The weapon's effective range is considerably reduced during combat due to the constant manuevering of the firing and targeted mecha.
With this weapon, the VF-171 is +3 to strike up to 10,000 m. Other mecha are -3 to strike beyond the limits of their optics, -6 at double the limit.

4. Bifors BLM-02S Micro-missile Launcher (2):

The VF-171 is equipped with two internal missile launchers, one in each shoulder. Any type of micro missile may be use, but the HMM-20(e) General Purpose Micro Missiles are standard. The missiles may be fired in any mode.

5. Internal Armament Loading Bays (2)

Each engine nacelle of the VF-171 Nightmare Plus contains an internal armament loading bay, which can be customized for different mission objectives and carry a variety of different payloads. Any type of internal pallet may be use, but the B-7 Standard Internal Pallet are standard. The leg pallets can be used in all modes.

6. Wing Hard Points (6)

The VF-171 has three hardpoints per wing, for a total of six. The standard combat loadout for the VF-171 is as follows. For alternatives, refer to the Hardpoint and Missile Details. It is possible to have the same type of munition on all hardpoints.

7. HAND TO HAND COMBAT

If necessary, the pilot of the VF-171 can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The VF-171 is extremely agile, and can execute most typical hand to hand combat moves; such as punches, jump kicks, leap attacks, rolling with impacts, etc..

DAMAGE:

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT (FAST PACKS & SUPER PARTS)

FOLD BOOSTER

On the dorsal surface, the VF-171 features a pecial equipment hardpoint for mounting a single Fold Booster. The booster must be ejected prior to transformation.

SENSOR SYSTEMS

Note: Refer to the VF-19 Excalibur for stats unless otherwise noted herein:

OTHER STANDARD EQUIPMENT

Note: Refer to the VF-19 Excalibur for stats unless otherwise noted herein:

COMBAT BONUSES FOR VF-171 TRAINING

BASIC VARIABLE FIGHTER COMBAT TRAINING

Basic training for non-pilot military personnel.

ADVANCED VF-171 COMBAT TRAINING

Advanced training for pilots specializing in the VF-171.

REFERENCES
  • Palladium Books Game Engine and MDC Rules
  • Macross Chronicle VF-171 & VF-171EX articles
  • Great Mechanics.DX4
  • Newtype June 2008
  • Macross F Official Fan Book
  • Macross F 2059: Memories
  • Macross Frontier (TV series)
  • Macross Compendium VF-171 article

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