TRans-EArth Deployment (TREAD) VF-6 Booster

Background and RPG Statistics by Kenneth Olson

Animedia Genesis Climber Mospeada Color Graffiti (pg 117)

BACKGROUND

With the introduction of the VF-6 “Alpha” fighter in 2019, the Earth Defense Forces had a formidable fighter to replace the aging VF-1 and VF-4 series of veritechs.  The single weakness to the VF-6 was its lack of onboard fuel for spaceborne operations.  In order to rectify this problem the United Earth Government, ordered several booster concepts which would attach to the rear of the VF-6 and provide additional fuel and firepower while the unit was in space.  Several design concepts were considered; however, the most promising was the TRans-EArth Deployment (TREAD) booster which attaches directly to the rear of the  VF-6 and could boost the mecha into orbit.  The early production designs of the TREAD were little more than an upscale booster with aerodynamic shaping and lift surfaces and without any onboard weaponry.  The TREAD booster program was eventually merged with the VF-X-7 heavy assault variable fighter program; unfortunately, two years of testing proved that the technology for the VF-X-7 “Beta” fighter was still premature and the project was canceled and the TREAD booster-only concept was revived.

The newly revived TREAD program took many of its design features from the cancelled VF-X-7 program, such as the two onboard DD-16 multi-missile systems and the three massive Pratt & Whitney JG100A Fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix turbines mounted on the rear of unit.  The basic shape of the TREAD booster was also borrowed from the "Beta"; however, the surface area of the wings were increased to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the booster while attached with an VF-6 fighter.  The new TREAD design, like the Beta Fighter, allows the VF-6 to transform into battloid mode while attached to the booster.  By 2022 approximately 400 TREAD units had been completed; however, the cost of producing a TREAD proved to be extremely high as the booster itself was as complicated as some contemporary space superiority fighters, albeit still less than a fully transformable veritech fighter.

As most of the TREAD units were to be deployed with the Robotech Expeditionary Forces (REF), the remaining Earth based Armies of the Southern Cross (ASC) and Robotech Defense Forces (RDF) still needed a space booster which could raise operational range of the VF-6 to near that of the VF-1 and VF-4 units which were rapidly reaching the end of their operational lifetime and in desperate need of replacement.  The ASC was so disappointed with the range of the VF-6 and lack of an immediate inexpensive booster alternative that they decided in 2022 to develop their own series of veritechs and deploy ASC VF-6 “Alphas” in atmospheric operations only, placing the remaining squadrons in reserve by 2028. 

Meanwhile in deep space, the REF would use the TREAD to increase the combat range and firepower of its VF-6 veritech fighters. As the number of TREAD boosters were limited, only REF deep-space reconnaissance and special forces were normally assigned the TREAD booster units as normally REF capital ships would transport their VF-6 combat troops and engage the Invid in either low orbit or within several hundred kilometers of the REF fleet. Although the TREAD booster only saw limited combat action during its two decades of combat service, most VF-6 pilots gave the TREAD high ratings as it substantially increased their range and firepower. The TREAD continued to serve for another five years after the introduction of the VBF-9 "Beta" in 2029, as military planners felt that the booster provided similar performance improvements while attached to an alpha fighter at a far cheaper price and without the need to endanger a second pilot.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: TRans-EArth Deployment (TREAD) Booster

Class: VF-6 "Alpha" Fighter Booster

Manufacturer: Earth Defense Forces and Robotech Expeditionary Forces
Crew:  None

Service History:

Served with the RDF Spacy and the Southern Cross Tactical Forces from 2020 until the Invid Invasion of 2031 and with the Robotech Expeditionary Forces from 2020 onward.

MDC BY LOCATION:

NOTES:

1. Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the TREAD and the booster will violently explode.  If the VF-6 main computer is functioning it will automatically eject the booster; however, if it is not the pilot has 5 seconds to eject the damaged unit or the mecha will take 2D6*100 MDC.

SPEEDS:

FLYING: At sea level / at 15 km (used only to boost VF-6 into orbit).

1206 mph (Mach 1.8) / 5561 mph (Mach 8.3)
Initial climb rate: over 20,000m per minute.
Service ceiling: The TREAD can boost the VF-6 into orbit around Terran standard planets.

DESIGNED G LIMITS:

+12.0/-6.5 (Computer overrides at 9.5g)

MAX ACCELERATION:  SPACE

3.41g

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT

6.1 m (fighter)

WIDTH:

19.5 m wingspan

LENGTH:

9.7 m (fighter)

WEIGHT:

18,000 kg (dry)

39,850 kg (with reaction mass and full weapons compliment)

CARGO:

Up to 8,000 kg of equipment can be stored in the bomb bay instead of weapons.

POWER PLANT:

RRL-2D Miniaturized protoculture-cell energizer

MAX ENGINE THRUST

[Main] 3 x Pratt & Whitney JG100A Fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix turbines. Max thrust, 356 kN of static thrust (400 kN augmented) in the atmosphere or 356 kN using internal reaction mass in space (specific impulse of 4125 sec).

[Auxiliary] 4 x Turbo-Union ATF-401 miniaturized fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix ramjets. Engines are mounted in pairs near the elbow joint of the arm for VTOL operations in jet mode.  Each engine is rated to 46.9 kN standard thrust, max overboost to 91.1 kN each.

FUEL CAPACITY:

24 standard canisters of protoculture.

30,000 liters of H₂0 for reaction mass

(Optional) 8,000 liters of H₂0 in bomb bay instead of weapons.

WEAPON SYSTEMS FOR THE TREAD BOOSTERS:

1. 2 x DD-8 MULTIMISSILE SYSTEM:  Located on the ventral side of the TREAD are two pop-up DD-8 medium range Coralsnake launchers. Each carries eight missiles in ready position with one reload of eight missiles.  These missiles can fire from the TREAD while the VF-6 is either in battloid or fighter configuration.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault/Defense
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-mecha
   • RANGE: Varies with missile.
   • MAX SPEED:  Varies with missile.
   • DAMAGE: Varies with missile.
   • RATE OF FIRE: One at a time or in volleys of two, four, eight, or sixteen (from both launchers)
   • PAYLOAD: Sixteen medium range missiles per launcher for a total of thirty two.
   
   
2. UNDERWING ORDNANCE:  Similar to the Beta fighter, three hardpoints are mounted on either wing of the TREAD boosters.  Weapons can only be placed for spaceborne operations as the placement of weapons affects the aerodynamics of the mecha drastically in the atmospheric flight.  Available payloads include, but are not limited to the following:
   • MEDIUM RANGE MISSILES: Eight medium range missiles can be stored on an AMER (Articulating Multiple Ejection Rack) on each inner hardpoint and six on each outer hardpoint for a total of 14 missiles. The middle hardpoint can not mount an AMER as the other two hardpoints block its line of sight.
   • LONG RANGE MISSILES: Each hardpoint can carry one long range missile.
   • CBM-200 cluster missiles: Each hardpoint can carry one. Two hundred guided cluster bombs with a range of 500 meters mounted on a long range missile. Customized for anti-mecha operations both in space and on the ground. 1D6*10 MDC to every mecha in 500 meter blast radius.
     
   • RF/IR JAMMER PODS:  Each hardpoint can carry one RF or one IR jamming pod used to divert guided missiles.
     • PRIMARY PURPOSE:  Anti-Missile
     • RANGE:  5 km
     • NOTES: Subtract -5 from the natural die roll of the missile attack (missile bonuses do not apply) for dumb missiles (+2 to strike bonus or less), -3 from standard missiles (+3 to strike), -1 from intelligent missiles (+4 to strike or greater). Bonuses do not stack from multiple jammer pods.
   • PROTOCULTURE FLARE PODS:  Each hardpoint can carry up to one Protoculture Flare pod.  Each Protoculture jammer produces waveforms in band to the Invid's protoculture sensors so great that it effectively blinds them to other inbound signals.
     • PRIMARY PURPOSE:  Anti-Invid Sensor
     • RANGE:  10 km
     • NOTES:  Although the Invid will know the direction and distance of the mecha carrying the Protoculture flare; however, the flare will blind the Invid from detecting any other targets within the 10 km effective range.
   • CHAFF AND FLARE PODS: Can carry up to 20 chaff and flares. Range: 100 m.
     Notes: Since it is impossible for a player to know what type of missile is being used against them, one chaff and one flare must be dispensed to attempt to jam an incoming missile volley. Subtract -3 from the natural die roll for dumb missiles (those with strike rolls +2 or less), -2 from the natural die from for standard missiles (+3 to strike), -1 from the natural die roll from intelligent missiles (+4 or greater to strike). If the natural die roll, without any strike bonuses added falls below +5 then the decoys are effective and the missile(s) will miss their intended target.


3. WEAPONS BAY: The TREAD can alternatively carry either a bomb or missile payload.
   Bomb Bay: Bombs are equal to short or medium range missiles in power and types available, except that they have no motive power of their own. They are unguided unless a laser homing device is installed on each bomb, and for the homing devices to work there must be a ground unit shining a laser designator on the target. The bombs can be set for impact, ground proximity detonation, or target proximity detonation by the pilot or weapons officer from the cockpit. The last form of detonation will cause the bombs to detonate if any large (8 feet+) target comes within 1/2 the blast radius of the bomb after it falls at least 100 feet from the TREAD, except for stationary items on the ground, until the bombs hit. While they WILL NOT EXPLODE if they hit the ground, or ground targets, once there, they become proximity mines, and will go off if an object of the right size approaches them on the ground within the preset range. This includes ground or air targets, and even the Veritech that dropped them! Bombs must be dropped at Subsonic speeds to have any chance of hitting their target. Bombs are dropped from both launchers simultaneously, and must be dropped in the order that they were loaded.

Primary Purpose: Ground Assault.
Bomb Type: As any short or medium range missiles.
Mega-Damage: Varies by bomb type.
Range: "Dumb" types are limited to 1/2 the TREAD's altitude in horizontal range. Laser guided bombs, due to their steering vanes, are limited to a horizontal range equal to the TREAD's altitude.
Both weapons gain an additional 10% to range for every 100 mph of speed, but at the expense of a cumulative -2 to hit for every 100 mph as well (-4 for 200 mph, -6 for 300, -8 for 400, -10 for 500, -12 for 600).
Rate of Fire: 2, 4, 6 or 8 (1, 2, 3 or 4 per rack).
Payload: 16 medium bombs (32 small bombs) per rack, 32 (64) total.

Bomb Modifiers to Strike: All bombs require a natural 5 or better to have a chance of hitting, and any result modified to 4 or less miss as well, other than Natural 20s. Note that bombs dropped from altitudes over 10,000 feet give the target a chance to dodge or roll, if possible, if the attack is detected by radar system.

Modifiers ("Dumb"/Laser-guided) -

• Stationary-large (buildings): 0/+3 or more (situational);
• Stationary-medium (mecha-sized) target: -4/0;
• Moving medium target: -6/-4;
• Any target under 10x10 feet (people, Invid scouts): -10/-6;
• Dumb bombs only = Each 1000 feet over 1000 feet: -1.
• Speed modifiers: See Range above.

Missiles: This replaces the bomb payload for missiles. In this configuration, the racks on the walls hold 16 MRMs or 8 LRMs. When fired, the missiles drop out of the bomber, then fire their engines. If the two wall racks are loaded differently (say, plasma in one, HE in the other), only one rack can be used, but this reduced the ROF to 1 or 2. The default launch method is to launch volleys equally from both racks.
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Spacecraft.
Missile Type: Medium & Long range missiles.
Mega-Damage: Varies by missile type.
Range: Varies by missile type.
Rate of Fire - LRMs: 1 or 2.
Rate of Fire - MRMs: 1, 2 or 4.
Payload: 16 MRMs or 8 LRMs.


4. 2 x AN/ALE-55 CHAFF/FLARE DECOY DISPENSERS: Two chaff flare decoy dispensers are located on the rear of the TREAD booster.  The type and number of each decoy is triggered manually by the pilot.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-missile
   • RANGE:  100 m
   • RATE OF FIRE: Up to 10 decoys per attack.
   • PAYLOAD:  40 decoys per dispenser.
   • NOTES: Since it is impossible for a player to know what type of missile is being used against them, one chaff and one flare must be dispensed to attempt to jam an incoming missile volley. Subtract -3 from the natural die roll for dumb missiles (those with strike rolls +2 or less), -2 from the natural die from for standard missiles (+3 to strike), -1 from the natural die roll from intelligent missiles (+4 or greater to strike). If the natural die roll, without any strike bonuses added falls below +5 then the decoys are effective and the missile(s) will miss their intended target.

ADDITIONAL COMBAT BONUSES FOR VF-6 WITH TREAD:

• Subtract two attacks per melee while the TREAD is attached to the VF-6, the additional weight of the boosters make the VF-6 unwieldy and more difficult to dodge or line up to engage enemies
• -1 to strike / -2 to roll / -2 to dodge

Random Hit Locations

When there is an equal chance of hitting both sides from 1D6.

• 1-3 hits the right side.
• 4-6 hits the left.

When there is a preferred side, roll 1D10.

• 1-8 hits the preferred side
• 9-10 hits the opposite side

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

• Macross Mecha Designs:  "UN Spacy FAST Packs"
• Palladium Books:  "The Sentinels"
• Robotech.com:  Veritech Alpha Fighter VFA-6
• Robotech Technical Files: Veritech Alpha Fighter VF-6