This game is loosely based on Robotech and Macross. I have blended together some aspects of both to suit my personal imaginary storyline and continuity. I borrow most heavily from the Robotech Novel series by Jack McKinney, as well as my own personal take on the timeline I have worked on.
There are elements from both continuities blended together to suit my interests, and I have tried to make something imaginative and different here, which I hope people will enjoy. While it does feature anthropomorphic characters, I have tried to make them feel part of the canon and suit the setting, and have tried to make them interesting and varied, as much as the existing races and characters already are.
The game itself will be a blend of drama, action and sci-fi discovery, as well as good plain old
fun. After all, that's why we roleplay in the first place.
In the later years of the 20th century, on the planet known as Earth, war wracked the worlds surface. Two superpowers butted heads, and almost ended all life on the world. The doomsday clock ticked perilously closer to midnight, as the skies were almost blotted out by gunsmoke, and tracers formed the stars on the canopy of this choking sky.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, on the other side of the galaxy, the ever-moving machinery of a war unrelated, but by species that would turn out to be inextricably related to the humans of Earth, sent a messenger toward the distant blue-white marble of Earth, as seen in the dying visions of a genius-turned-madman, who had turned against his former masters.
This messenger was in the shape of a giant alien starship, the crucible of this genius’ achievements, and keeper of his secrets. When they learned of his treachery, the masters of his technology had him put to death. In their selfish eyes, he had doomed their Empire to failure by taking secrets with him to his grave.
No longer possessed of the swaggering confidence they once had, and consumed by panic, their enemies assaulted them from every quarter, and in desperation they harvested the memories from the dead brain of their one-time saviour, and set off on a slower-than-light journey to find the source of their power, now thrown clear across the galaxy, while the worlds of their local cluster fell into war and occupation amongst themselves in the resulting vacuum of power.
On Earth, the war came to an abrupt end, as the mile-long starship plummeted to Earth. Destruction followed in it’s wake, and threw the war into the background, as disaster wracked the planet.
In the followed investigation, the truth came to light: Aliens were real, and sooner or later, they would arrive on Earth.
Shaken by the revelation and all it implied, the governments of Earth made an agreement: in secret, they would develop technologies to fight these aliens when the arrived, and to make plans to journey to their homeworld as soon as possible, and sue for peace - backed up with the ability to make war. The front for this massive project would be the reconstruction of their ruined homeworld, followed almost a decade of warfare.
More civil war followed, as the unification of government was resisted by many, but ultimately was suppressed under the yoke of new technologies, designed to fight the aliens, but used against humans in the first instance, and provided by the technologies salvaged and reverse-engineered from the hulk of the fantastic ship.
The most amazing of these was a substance that, roughly translated, was called Protoculture. In one form it was an amazing power source. In another, refined strain, it was a catalyst for biological and genetic change. It seemed to be derived from some form of plant, held in a matrix-like machine within the bowels of the reconstructed ship, which itself gave many secrets in the form of advanced materials science and formerly unknown forms of propulsion and other technologies, that were soon reverse-engineered and put into production.
The decade and a half following the crash-landing of the ship in 1999 were some of the fastest-changing in Humanities history, their like not seen since the wake of the Second World War, or the Industrial Revolution. Come 2014, the project to rebuild the ship - now made public, but the aliens still a secret - was completed, and it’s complement of new war machines, crews and pilots fully stocked up.
On the other side of the galaxy, the remaining few starships of the Free Worlds League, the unified government of the Core Worlds, had banded together to call themselves ‘The Sentinels’, named after their flagship.
Hunted and harried, they were being run down. One by one their worlds had fallen to the whims of the Invid Regent, the Emperor of the Invid race. He had embarked on a pattern of conquest, taking the worlds of the Core Group from their former occupation under the Robotech Masters, and replacing it with his own rule.
Of his wife, the Regess, there was no sign; she had disappeared for parts unknown. But the Regents’ forces were challenged by the mysterious and implacable Machine Race of the Haydonites, who moved on their own unknown plans, eliminating whatever protoculture-based forces they chose in some long-term plan of their own.
The Sentinels in their few remaining ships reformed their forces and held out in the orbit of the Masters’ own abandoned homeworld, Tirol, with the last few of their abandoned citizens alongside them and watched warily as their enemies paused to draw breath in their fight against one another, and gave a brief respite to the ruin and seemingly incidental genocide of their people.
At the same time, on the celebratory launch day of the newly rechristened Super Dimensional Fortress-1 Macross, deep-space warning sensors, installed on the Space Station Liberty in orbit, and at the Armstrong and Aldrin moon bases warned of readings similar to those 15 years earlier. Space twisted open, and vomited forth unknown ships. Clam-like smaller vessels and greater arrowhead-like craft emerged by the tenfold. And on the Macross, hidden subroutines activated, even as alarms sounded for the vessel to take flight. Uncontrolled by human hands, the ship charged and fired it’s awe-inspiring Main Cannon and cored two of the ships through - while they were still in orbit.
In the following silence, the ship continued on automatic, and propelled itself to orbit under anti-gravity power. A retinue of smaller, yet still potent cousins and descendents of human origin rendezvoused with the ship, intending to evacuate the crew and civilians still aboard. However, systems thought re-programmed and now understood activated according to hidden subroutines programmed by it’s original owner as part of his dying acts activated, and the ship and it’s escorts vanished from Earth orbit, leaving the world open to conquest by the Regess, who had found the same world the Masters sought, and overtook them on their slow journey.
On the other side of the galaxy, the SDF-1 and her escorts reappeared - in the exact moment as the battle the Sentinels had been dreaded began, as the Regents’ fleet appeared in orbit of Tirol, and began their attack. But the journey was not smooth - the SDF-1 had been dormant too long, and as she appeared, wracking explosions ripped through her Hyperspace Fold generators, and left the magnificent ship stranded in orbit of this alien world - and her escorts had no long-range drives of their own, being designed only for defense of Earth’s home system.
Thrown together in fate by circumstance beyond control, the humans and the Sentinels are forced into an uneasy alliance. For the Sentinels, the humans are the firepower and relief they need to liberate their home worlds. For the Humans, the Sentinels have the knowledge and the access to resources they need to build a fleet capable of tackling the forces on the way to their now-occupied homeworld. Both of them need something from one another.
And yet more: The Sentinels are evolved and altered forms of life familiar to Earth’s children. Animal-like people, of many of the same species they know. And genetically, they are similar, as well as biological, despite being clear across the galaxy from Earth. Moreover, many of the same plants and other creatures reside on these alien worlds. There is, somewhere, a connection between these worlds, so distant in space, but yet linked.
All of these races and people are linked by the strands of history, and protoculture alike, and held together by the chains of war itself. To survive and understand, they must survive. And to survive, they must win - and change.
The common cultural link between the Sentinel species is the apparent belief and knowledge in a figure known as Haydn, Heyden, Haydon and other variations on the same name, that had some form of influence on their development and evolution, as well as some aspects of their society. In some of the species it is a quiet religious belief, in others it is more of a myth or legend, or some form of passed-down tale.
While the various species of the Core Group have their own separate beliefs and concepts around the enigmatic figure of Haydon, they are not mutually exclusive, and each keep their beliefs privately to themselves and do not widely discuss and preach them to others, keeping conflict to a minimum. Organized worship of Haydon is not widely practised, and is seen as an irregularity more than the norm. The awareness that there is some element of engineering is present, as all of the races share too many similarities for it to be otherwise, and the belief in a common ancestry and heritage, possible connected with outside interference is a commonly agreed concept, and the appearance of humans and the general similarities of Tirolians are also agreed to further this theory.
All of the Sentinel races are civilized and have cultures and societies with sophisticated trade and commerce, as well as indigenous industry. They all have wide varieties of art, entertainment and technology, but are of comparable levels to one another, and to Earth. Most have their own culture and history that are somewhat checkered and storied, and some have had conflicts with one another, as well as various periods of mistrust and distrust, but for the most part they are peaceful and cordial with one another, and co-operate in matters of mutual security and defence to some degree.
Humans come from Earth. They have a tumultuous and vibrant culture, and a chequered history. Somehow, they are linked to the worlds and species of the Core Group, in a way that they are unaware of. Until the very recent history, they had no knowledge or knowing involvement with their politics and history, but it seems some unseen hand may have dabbled in their past, given their affinity for protoculture, and also their genetic and physical similarities to the species of the Core Group worlds.
Human physiology forms the template for all the Core Group species - bar the Haydonites, and Invid though even they have some similarities in certain forms - with the Tirolians being virtually identical in appearance, aside from a light, fine bone structure giving a willowy, tall appearance and long, pointed elfin ears. As a result, Tirolians look somewhat like fantasy elves.
The compatibility and similarities between Earth-born humans and Tirolians leads many to believe that whatever species has a hand in altering the evolutionary progress of the various Known Races, it had some special fascination with Humanity, and that they have some particular link to it.
Tirolian FemaleTirolian Homeworld: Tirol
Capital: Royal City
Exports: under the Robotech Masters, misery and resentment
Imports: under the Robotech Masters, everything
Government: Former Imperial, currently absent.
Vulfen are Canine, Vulpine and Lupine men and women from the planet Vulfar in the core group. Whilst being friendly and loyal for the most part, they also have a somewhat strongly-knit pack-based society, but enjoy travel and social situations. They are brave and daring fighters, and have a knack for learning about new technology and adopting it. Intelligent and quick-witted, they are eminently practical and straight-forward folk for the most part.
Physically, they have many varied appearances, though certain particular strains and appearances are more common than others, such as fox, wolf, and other recognizable traits recurring.
They have a coolly wary and distrustful relationship with the Felness, though this is by no means universal, and work together as often as they fight.
Homeworld: Vulfar
Capital: Rostrapha
Exports: Food products (livestock and alcohol), Lumber, Military Products, Entertainment
Imports: Raw Materials, Food products (crops and seafood), Military Products, Electronics
Government: Democractic Socialism
Races include:Canines (including all non-wolf canidae species, such as wild dogs, dholes, and Raccoon Dogs)
Wolves (Timber Wolves, Grey Wolves, Red Wolves, Maned Wolves)
Jackals (Of all types)
Dingoes
Coyotes
Foxes (Including all True Foxes, and other genus of foxes)
Felness are felinoid aliens. Rather more independent and aloof than the Vulfen, they are nonetheless intelligent, and have a somewhat selfish streak, but are still sociable and communal enough to work well with others - albeit, having their own goals and often manipulating others and pulling their strings to get to those common goals and needs.
They often appear to have some kind of sixth sense or attuned knowledge of danger and dangerous situation, or so it is said, and also seem to have an almost unnatural grace and balance. They deny any such extra-sensory knowledge, but do little to deny it at the same time.
Like the Vulfen, they have an affinity for technology, but are less innovative, and instead often adapt the technology of others to their needs.
Homeworld: Felnat
Capital: Xerxes
Exports: Craft products, Electronics, Art and entertainment, Raw Materials
Imports: Military Products, Food Products, Consumer Electronics, Clothing
Government: Democracy
Races include:Cheetahs
Tigers
Leopards (Including snow leopards, clouded leopards, spotted leopards)
Jaguars
Cougars
Servals
Lions
Wild Cats (Including Leopard Cats, spotted cats, fishing cats, bobcats, etc)
Lynxes
Ocelots
Saber-toothed cats
Margay
Panthers
Othren is the name often given, sometimes somewhat derogatorily, to the races from the worlds of the Olthrana system.
Home to a variety of species, it is a mixing and melting pot of a world. Known for it’s vibrant culture, arts, food and social scene before the Invid occupation, Olthrana was also a home for ideas to meet, and was the ‘crossroads’ of the Core Group before Tirol rose to power.
Othren - or Olthranan - people are a mix of Rodent, Mustelid, Procyon and Chiropteran (bats) people. They co-exist in a long-earned peace, despite occasional short conflicts.
Most of them are fairly small in stature, but are quick-witted and adept problem solvers, with surprising dexterity and quickness of their hands. Many of them have remarkable senses, or are capable of amazing feats of physical dexterity as well. They have a wide variety of diets and come from a surprising array of habitats as well. They are the most populous and numerous of all species, though physically they are the least imposing - for the most part, at least. Wolverines and Badgers are some of the most physically impressive Core Worlders.
Their home system has many habitable moons, rather than one homeworld, as well as many stations and outposts constructed over many long years. These individual worlds have formed a united government that while strong, often takes a long time to agree on anything. However, they do have a comparatively strong military as a result, despite being physicially weak as individuals, for the most part.
They are excellent mechanics and engineers due to their superb dexterity and quick wits, and are quick studies of mechanical and electrical systems, and as such are often part of many engineering projects and research groups. Most of the known Core Group mecha, vessels and other hardware was developed by the Olthranans.
Six homeworlds: Murina, Stovra, Neridya, Sophos, Jelachi, Tannat
National Capital: Varlesport
Exports: Consumer and military electronics and equipment, entertainment and cultural products, heavy manufacturing, raw materials
Imports: Food products and services, clothing, cultural products and entertainment
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Races include:
All species of Bat
Racoons
Coatis
Red Pandas
Otters (of all species)
Stoats
Weasels
Ferrets
Mink
Badgers (of all species, including honey badgers)
Wolverines
Muridae (Rats and Mice)
Sciuridae (Squirrels, Chipmunks, Prairie Dogs, Marmots)
Cavies (Guinea Pigs and Capybaras)
Porcupines
The Elquan are another of the races in the Core Group that form part of the Sentinels. Comprised of those races apparently engineered, uplifted, or otherwise recognizable as ‘herd animals’, they live on a world of open grassy plains, shallow warm seas and gently rolling mountains, with snowy steppes nearer the polar regions.
The Elquan races of behooved peoples - Deer, Reindeer, Antelopes, Zebra, Giraffe and Horses - are politically savvy and maneuvering, though wholly reluctant to engage in open combat except in the most dire of circumstances, despite their physical strength and relative size. Intelligence and careful observation are their primary weapons, as well as force of numbers in a crushing stampede of machines and forces, when they finally do engage in war.
Family and breeding are hugely important in the culture and political structure of the Elquan. They proudly keep records of long lines of breeding and pedigree, and their government is strongly based on class and seniority. As a result, their medical and genetic records are strong, and their medical sciences are also very well-developed. However, power-politics and maneuverings are an integral and unavoidable part of their culture as well, and as such it takes a lot of pressure and perseverance to get a straight and dedicated answer from an Elquan, and they are extremely susceptible to double-crossing and have a reputation for letting their allies and friends down at the 13th hour.
When the Invid invaded, Elquan officials attempted their normal strategies or negotiation, waiting, observation and feints, before finally and reluctantly engaging in combat. However, before their under-trained and outdated military could even fully mobilize, the Invid had landed troops as part of their negotiation retinues. The majority of their cities were captured, and held as hostage to those that didn’t. The few remaining ships that did not outright surrender fled in search of help, while the Invid instituted a puppet government on the world, and set up numerous hives.
Homeworld: Elquara
Capital: Firstholme
Exports: Crops, Clothing, consumer goods and electronics
Imports: Military equipment, vehicles, Entertainment
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Races include:Zebras (Of all species)
Horses (Of all species)
Gazelles (Of all species)
Giraffes
Cervines (Of all species)
The last world and species commonly considered part of the Sentinels are the Selachai. Amphibious warm-blooded creatures with smooth skin, they are unlike their fellow Core Group cousins in that they lack fur, but are uplifted or engineered from the various species of shark that inhabit Earth’s oceans. Cunning, vicious in battle, and superb predators, the Selachai are only hindered by their occasionally abrasive personalities and dependence on returning to water every twelve hours, as well as a biology quite vulnerable to toxins and other irritants and pollutant materials.
If one can get past their personality and their reputation for viciousness (though only toward their enemies), and barbarity (due to eating their meat-only diet raw), they are actually intelligent and somewhat quick-witted and life-loving people, though can often be rowdy and lacking in the same decorum and restraint that other species show, often adding to their ‘barbaric’ reputations.
All the same, they are brave, tough and strong fighters, and are more than willing to pitch in for a common cause. Their hatred for the Invid is strong, as the aliens have already heavily damaged the crystal clear waters and elegant semi-underwater cities of Selachia, once known as wonders in their own right. The slug-like aliens have also held many of their children and young to ransom, in exchange for the Selachai’s physical labor underwater in mining out mineral deposits on the ocean floor of the world. Generally speaking, they are less populous than other Core Group species, but tend to live longer and have slower rates of reproduction, coupled with more demanding and specialized environmental needs.
Homeworld: Selachia
Capital: Lands Port
Exports: Exotic foodstuffs, Sports and recreational equipment, Tourism, art
Imports: Electronics, Vehicles, Industrial products
Government: Democracy
Races include:Tiger Sharks
Great White Sharks
Blue Shark
Grey Shark
Blacktip Shark
Haydonites are the other obvious connection to both Haydon. Their homeworld is known as Haydon IV, for long-lost reasons.
The world itself appears to be artificial in construction, and many believe that it was constructed by Haydon him/her/itself. The Haydonites themselves are enigmatic, and while sentient and sapient, do not often offer communication to others.
Until the recent activities of the Invid in their conquest across the sector,
The Haydonites were welcoming of others to their world, albeit shadowy and aloof to their visitors. However, when the Regess left the sector and the Regent commenced his campaign of conquest, the Haydonites exiled all visitors, and the world itself went into lockdown, only for fleets of previously unseen ships and war machines to spring forth in defence of their own enigmatic interests. So far, there seems to be no pattern to their attacks, and the machine-people of Haydon IV have struck out in directions across the various systems of the local star group, often setting up research outposts, mines, bases and all manner of other bizarre and intricate structures and systems. Often, they will assault an area to clear it of any known life, and then set up such a machine there, for some reason unknown to others. The Invid have fought back when they encounter the Haydonites, who for some reason are especially vicious in battle against the protoculture and flower-of-life dependent Invid.
Haydonite technology seems to not be powered by Protoculture, but by some other unknown power source, and is terrifying in both it’s power, and frequently its’ appearance. So far, all attempts to sue for peace with the Haydonites have failed, but thankfully their devastating attacks have been sparse and widely spread.
The Invid are the source of much of the strife in the Core Group and beyond. The Flower of Life was indigenous to their homeworld, and was essential to their life-cycle and survival, and an integral part of their physiology and psyche, allowing them to morph between stages of their life-cycle along with the plants’ own, at the direction of their ‘king and queen’ the Regent and Regess.
This all changed when the explorers from Tirol arrived on Optera, their homeworld, and a bold and curious explorer named Zor made contact with the peaceful Invid, and took samples of their flower.
After the return of Zor, heady with discovery and the rapid progress and changes it had wrought on the ailing Tirolian society, the Invid were welcoming and accommodating - but things soon changed as Zor’s masters, now filled with dreams of conquest and empire, tore Optera apart and left it devastated in their hunger for more flowers to fuel their war machine. The Regent was vicious in his fury, finding out that the Regess had shared secrets of their race in a near-intimate mental embrace and communion with Zor, and took his rage out on the worlds of the local group and the Empire of the Masters, while his now-estranged wife turned her bitter interests outward, and looked for solace elsewhere, caring little for other species other than her own ‘children’, whom she felt were wronged by other races and species.
The Invid war machine is utterly terrifying and ruthless, and equipped with masses of firepower, equipment and machinery, all powered by fragments of the Invid’s collective intelligence and consciousness. Organic computing systems symbiotically link with nutrient feeds to semi-developed Invid pilots, giving each mecha a rudimentary intelligence to guide it, along with supplementary feeds from a local hive-mind ‘brain’, onboard a ship or in a local hive.
The Invid’s main goal is to recover enough flowers of life to refoliate Optera, or raise enough crops of the Flower of Life - in the mutated strands present on the Core Group - to at least survive, if not thrive.
The Regent seems lacking in any long-term strategy or goal, and has little other than furious vengeance in mind, born of his all-consuming rage and anger at the betrayal of his wife and of the Masters and Tirolians, and - in his eyes - other races as a whole. Some say he is made, but he possesses great cunning and guile in his efforts, and has many equally ruthless and clever advisors to guide his course of conquest and battle.
Invid MechaScoutAssault ScoutMortar ScoutTrooperShock TrooperEnforcer - Armoured InfantryCommand UnitInorganic Units - used as mass cannon fodder and assaultTroop Carrier shipHive ShipFrigateMobile FortressHaydonite MechaReaverRevenant
ExecutionerShadeBehemothFrigate
Destroyer
Battlecruiser
Fighter
The influence of protoculture on technology as a power source has lead to leaps and bounds in technological advancement. The realization of advanced robotics, and the perfection of miniaturised power sources has allowed for agile, powerful robotic vehicles, energy weaponry, and powerful, vast starships with such systems as artificial gravity control and manipulation, hyperspace fold engines, near-light sublight engines and even force-fields on some vessels.
This is not to say that other technologies are forgotten or do not still have their purpose: Cannon and other projectile weapons are still widely used as infantry weapons and even main armament on many vehicles and vessels, and missiles are the primary form of armament for most variable fighters, as well as being a large part of many other vehicles arsenals.
Computer systems and their user interfaces are also highly developed. Holographic iconography and tactical holographic interfaces are standard on both Sentinel and Human ships and vessels, and are supplemented with voice control and response interfaces. Computer systems for installations and large ships often use a ‘central computer’ with a holographic interface and near-AI level intellect.
Medical technology involves such developments as replacement cybernetic organs and prosthetics, and rudimentary gene therapies and cloned organs. Mostly, this has allowed the prevention of many birth defects and hereditary deficiencies and diseases, especially amongst Tirolian populations, but is only a recent development among human and Sentinel species.
Fossil fuels have widely been replaced with battery power, fusion and protoculture powerplants in most respects, as they have a longer shelf-life and are more efficient, as well as less polluting.
Personal Armour
All races have some form of personal body armour for their troops. With the advent of more efficient and powerful rounds for small arms and better weapons themselves, casualty rates on the battlefield have gone up. Furthermore, the step into space for armed conflict has lead to the need for hostile environment suits, which have been combined with body armour to allow personnel to survive in dangerous environments. The armoured suits also tend to incorporate sensor and communications systems, as well as networked targeting systems with many forms of mecha, vehicles and weaponry.
While not functioning as true exoskeletons, they do have environmental controls, and are designed carefully to distribute loaded weights, and be comfortable for at least short periods of time, though are impractical and uncomfortable for long periods of wear.
Mecha
The Sentinels races, Humans, Invid and Tirolians all use various types of robotic vehicles, commonly named Mecha. Armed and armoured, the majority of them are agile and fast, and many can fly, as well as change into one or more forms for high-speed combat and transportation.
The Veritech Fighter, otherwise known as the Variable Fighter in Sentinels service, is the primary form of mecha used in combat, and it’s multiple-form nature is typical of Protocultures’ nature and capacity for change and transformation.
The Terran Robotech Defence Force use the VF-1 Phoenix variable fighter in several variants, a capable aerospace combat craft with high speed and acceleration, as well as massive agility. Equipped with a variety of weapon systems, the Phoenix is a formidable opponent in combat and capable of a wide variety of mission profiles.
Other fighters are being researched and looked into, and a small number of former Anti-UN SV-51 fighters have been refitted and overhauled for use in the RDF as supplementary combat craft to complement the VF-1 due to their superior thrust and stealth characteristics, as well as their significant payload capacity. However, they require considerably more maintenance than the VF-1 series.
Small numbers of VF-4 Lightning variable fighters are used for Special Operations and Special Forces roles, but the Lightning is lesser in number than the VF-1 or SV-52, due to it’s reduced payload and range overall.
In the Sentinels service, the main fighter used is the SV-VII Alpha and it’s complement the heavy-attack SV-VIII Beta fighter. The pair form a heavy one-two punch of firepower, and are able to link together in their fighter modes into a linked form - named a Legioss - that allows them to increase range and power, especially in deep space.
A third fighter used is the SV-IX Gamma Fighter, a sleek and extremely fast design, but less heavily armed and armoured than the earlier counterparts. An additional armour pack rectifies this to some extent, but the Gamma remains a complement, rather than a replacement, to the earlier models.
For combat in and around aquatic environments, the Sentinels and especially the Selachai use the SV-X Delta fighter, a transformable sub-fighter craft. While lightly armed and only really suited for ground and aquatic combat, it is unequalled in the water, and is faster and more agile than any other known craft in that environment. However, it’s specialization means it is only of limited use, and numbers are low.
In addition to the Variable Form mecha, both the Sentinels and RDF use single-form mecha with heavy armour and firepower as point-defence and ground assault forces in certain situations. Sealed against vacuum and hostile environments, these machines are often used to augment firepower on spacecraft, as well as in defensive and attack roles. While far less agile than their transforming counterparts, destroids - as they are known in RDF service - more than equal them in firepower and armour.
The Invid and Haydonites use single-form mecha, but in far greater numbers and more variants than the RDF or Sentinels smaller variety of mecha. Individually, their weapons possess superior firepower, but have less versatility than the transformable mecha.
Other Vehicles
Many other types of vehicles are used by the RDF and Sentinels. Ground vehicles are still extremely common for logistics, utility, combat and support, as well as for specialized roles such as engineering and battlefield reconnaissance. Hover vehicles have been trialled, but the idea was abandoned soon after the realization that when the hover mechanism breaks or is damaged, it’s a lot more difficult to repair than changing a tire or replacing a tread link. Many vehicles are derived from earlier models in RDF service, and use variants of the same weapon systems.
Sentinel vehicles tend to look different, but fulfil many of the same roles, and are often even recognizable as such on the battlefield.
Aircraft that are non-transformable have widely been replaced by aerospace craft, such as shuttles and dropships, but the role of the aircraft on the battlefield is still valued by many races and the RDF as well. Single-use aircraft have dwindled in number, but are still used for some tasks and fill niche roles, such as surveillance and light transport.
Ocean-going vessels are still common as well, and many were refitted with Robotechnology weapons and sensors, as well as new armour. However, they were not present on the SDF-1 when it made its’ jump - naturally, their large size prevented any from being loaded aboard. Only small boats were aboard, in the shape of rigid inflatables with light weapons and no real systems of note, barely changed from their 20th and 21st century counterparts, and a few combat boats with their light armaments.
The Sentinels have various naval vessels on their own worlds - the Selachai in particular are experts in water-based combat, and have mastered the technology of Supercavitation, and have constructed amphibious variable mecha, capable of flight, aquatic and ground combat with equal ability, as well as other such vehicles and vessels.
Curiously, the Invid have never demonstrated specialized water units, but instead use broadly adapted versions of their standard mecha.
Weaponry
Earth forces, such as the RDF, use primarily Robotechnology enhanced versions of extant weapon systems, alongside newer energy weapon systems, and newly designed missile systems on their mecha and vehicles.
Armour-piercing shell-firing weapons have come a long way with the creation of plasma-based explosives and warheads, capable of penetrating robotechnology SWAG energy conversion armour and alloys, as well as the advanced alloys and composites used in Invid mecha. Their ignition and combustion often use binary liquid or electrothermal propellants and ignition giving more efficient and even burn-rates, which lead to greater penetration of armour while other weapons are railgun or coilgun-type magnetically propelled weapons. The combination of traditional ‘ballistic’ type weapons, energy weapons and railguns is favoured, due to the direct-fire and over-the-horizon applications of such weaponry.
Similar advances in guidance and thruster systems have resulted in the production of highly effective guided mini-missiles, fired in swarms and clusters against massed targets. Standard-sized missiles are still used, enhanced with improved guidance and avionics, as well as plasma warheads. Many different types of warhead are used in missiles, for a wide variety of applications and roles in combat, replacing and supplementing older marks and models of missile used by the Unified Governments’ combat aircraft.
Bombs and rocket pods are also still used, in wide varieties, many of them still the same ones used in the 20th and early 21st century, some revised with new warheads.
Small arms and other infantry weapons are still predominantly projectile weapons, often variants or newer models, often fitted or refitted with new rounds and propellants, and rechambered to suit.
Anti-armour launchers and other similar weapons have also been re-engineered and refitted, often with two-stage plasma warheads and advanced guidance systems based on reverse-engineered technology, giving them a new lease of life in the post-unification war era and the wars against the Invid.
Sentinel weapons are not too dissimilar to the Earthen counterparts, differing in their use of different ammunition and propellants, and their shape and contours being different as well. Otherwise, they are muchly the same in that they are projectile weapons using kinetic energy to damage their targets.
Invid and Haydonite weaponry tends to be energy based, rather than using projectiles, and they also use missiles more sparingly than their enemies. However, their weapons tend to be powerful and numerous, and more than capable of shredding armour.
Spacecraft and Starships
All races of the Local Group and the RDF possess and use spacecraft of various types. Spacecraft designed in the last few decades have moved on from the non-reusable types of earlier space programs, and toward single-stage to orbit reusable spacecraft, capable of VTOL takeoffs and landings in many cases, and with significant ability to reduce G and inertia on their occupants. Many of these vessels are used to transport people and cargo from the surface to space or vice versa, and some variants are used in military support roles and drop-ships, or as electronic warfare and communications support platforms.
These vessels can vary wildly in size, from small vehicles with only a few occupants, to massive craft that dwarf even the biggest airliners, and are close to being starships themselves.
The primary differing factor between a starship and a ‘spacecraft’ is the lack of a faster-than-light drive, and the ability to travel significant interplanetary distances, due to the lack of long-term life support and berthing facilities for the crew.
Starships tend to be much larger than the craft described above, and most - but not all - have hangars and launch and recovery facilities for smaller craft. Any starship that holds the name has a space-fold drive that allows it to traverse the distance between stars, which requires a ship to be over a certain size and mass to be able to generate the power and house the fold-drive core needed to enable hyperspace travel.
Short-range and long-range fold drives are very different, and long-range drives are capable of traversing the distance between spiral arms of the galaxy in near-instant time, where short drives are only capable of hops between close clustered local star groups.
All starships in current use have some form of artificial gravity control, life support and crew berthing and many of the largest have recreational and other facilities aboard as well. Many starships are capable of re-entry into planetary atmospheres, and can station-keep above a planets’ surface for a limited time, or can land on the surface of bodies of water to allow them to on and offload personnel and equipment in great volumes. However, when vessels are of a large size, the prospect of re-entry and landing is often a dangerous and difficult one.
Variable Fighters:SV-VII Alpha FighterSV-VIII Beta FighterSV-IX Gamma FighterSV-X Delta FighterDestroids:DG-A Grasshopper Light combat robot - Lightly armed and armoured 1-man combat scout robot.
DG-U Scorpion Urban combat robot - Person-sized drone robot with anti-infantry weapons and a grenade launcher.
Aerospace CraftSpecter-Class Heavy Dropship
Phantom-Class Medium DropshipShade-class Light DropshipGhost Personnel ShuttleStarship ClassesMost Sentinels ships have been destroyed or captured by the Invid. The Sentinel itself remains free, with only a very small flotilla of ships, numbering no more than five.
Sentinel-Class Command Battlecarrier ‘Sentinel’Ranger-Class Frigate
Bowman-Class Destroyer
Lancer-Class Corvette
Small Arms & Heavy Weapons:Due to the varied races of the Sentinels, they tend to use a wide variety of firearms as manufactured by the various races. Some share the same designs, or even some similar components, but there are no universal standards for small arms and heavy weapons among the Core Group races.
Personal Body ArmourSentinel body armour is similar in capability to it’s RDF equivalents, though their individual variants tend to be very different in appearance between races, due to personal stylings, customs, physical needs and tactical theories and priorities. Even among some races militaries there can be some differences in appearance, depending on manufacturer of the armour, or the branch of service and specialization.
Melee weapons:Some of the Sentinel races retain a fondness for melee weapons, such as swords, axes, lances, and fearsome knives within their arsenals of weapons. While such weapons are questionable against armoured Invid and mechanical Haydonites, they do occasionally come in handy, and many Sentinels carry such weapons as utility tools as well as weapons.
The story kicks off just after the first battle over Tirol. The Sentinels and the RDF have reached an uneasy agreement: The RDF is crippled and marooned in the Core Group, unable to reach home. Even a message will take years to get back. The Sentinel races are under deadly threat of the Invid, and by the Haydonites. They have won their first battle in years, in no small part thanks to intervention from Human forces.
The RDF need allies, materials and resources to begin rebuilding the Macross and to construct a fleet capable of liberating Earth. The Sentinels need to liberate their people and homeworlds. The two groups join forces, with the handful of ships of the RDF remaining to defend Tirol, which will become the new home for the RDF, and the base for their shipyards and factories. Mecha, personnel and weapons will be transferred to the Sentinels, in an agreement to liberate the homeworlds, in order to provide the RDF with materials and factories necessary to construct their fleet.
The players will be a combined squadron in the new liberation fleet, working alongside each other for the first time on their journey to defeat the Invid Regent and the Haydonites, and to liberate the various homeworlds of the Sentinels - and, eventually, the Human race.
Along the way, there will be many mysteries and stories to uncover, and a lot of things to discover. Such as, what is the link between humanity and the Sentinels, and why are the Haydonites interested? Who or what is Haydon? What connection do the Invid have to everything? and a lot more besides, along with all the necessary personal drama that is required of such an anime setting. All this and mecha dogfights too!
The GM’s Word is Final.
Don’t be a dick to other players (or to me). Remain civil to each other. If you have a problem, PM me, or contact a site admin.
If you can’t be bothered, than neither can I - if you don’t show any enthusiasm and you’re ‘too lazy’ to read things, then I’ve got no time to waste on you. This isn’t my job, it’s a hobby. If you care enough to be interested, then make an effort to join in.
While this is a relatively realistic game, it does obey the established laws of Macross and anime. Fun comes before reality, unless it’s something truly idiotic or unbelievable. And then, my word is final.
Keep things within the spirit of the game when devising your character, this is supposed to be a epic, heroic, romantic space adventure. Not a gritty, slog through the long dark tea-time of the soul.
Some swearing is okay, but don’t take it to excess. Imagine this is a PG-13 or UK 15-rated movie, and you won’t go far wrong. Similarly, keep all adult situations out of things - just hint at stuff, and that’s fine.
If you want to play an unpleasant character, then that’s your call - but don’t be surprised when other people don’t want to talk to your character, or interact with them. And remember, interaction with other characters is kind of the point.
You may have hidden secrets from other players - however, as the GM, I need to know what they are, so that my own plans do not mess them up, or vice versa. Please PM me with your ideas, and I’ll see if I can write them in.
Similarly, don’t introduce new races, ideas, or concepts without an OK from the GM or other players. It’s amazingly frustrating and irritating for someone to completely derail a plot or setting you’ve been working on because they didn’t okay it first.
No power-gaming auto-hits, and no Mary-Sues or Marty-Stus. Your character is not the best at everything. No matter how much you say they are. Write you character to have space to learn and grow, make them have some humility and have them make mistakes. It’s far more interesting, and much, much, much less annoying. Combat is meant to be a challenge - remember, we’re a tiny force fighting against an empire. We might have great mecha and weapons, but there’s always more of them. And they did conquer a whole region of space.
If you’re not sure about something, then ask. I love Macross and Robotech, and I will be more than happy to show my knowledge and interest.
No Robotech or Macross Canon characters will be allowed, all OC’s please (though you can use art of them to represent your character!)
You may play more than one character, provided you can keep track of them, and you actually spend some time talking to other players and not *snigger* playing with yourself.
nb: As the RDF and Sentinels are working together and equipment exchanges and cross-training have taken place, Sentinel characters may use RDF weapons and equipment as part of their loadout, and vice versa.
Name:
Age:
Race: Human or Sentinel
Species: Sentinel Species/Terran Human/Tirolian
Appearance: Anime art or a text description is fine
Personal Info: An outline of personal traits, interests, etc.
Personal History: A short bio, doesn’t need to be detailed, but at least a paragraph.
Mecha: Choose from the mecha listed in the appropriate section. All characters are Variable Fighter pilots, unless otherwise discussed!
Weapons and equipment: As per the above lists. And any personal gear or trinkets otherwise acquired.
Personal Theme: Optional… but it’s Macross, so go with the music!
Yay, lists are back! Thanks Mahz!
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