VR-060 "GRIFFIN" SPACE CYCLONE

(Version 1.00 - Last updated: 8/8/98)
Concept and Background by Kenneth Olson Kenneth Olson (olsonk@trans4.neep.wisc.edu)
HTML form provided by DAVE DEITRICH (deitrich@mediaone.net)
 

BACKGROUND

griffin.gif (25527 bytes)As the war against the Invid Regis proceeded and the initial waves to reclaim Earth met with disastrous results, REF military planers became aware of the venerability of the Horizont, Garfish, and Ikazuchi class starships to massed Invid attacks.  These designs had been created with the assumption that major capital ships would fight other major capital ships.  As a result the number of anti-mecha batteries were kept to a minimum in favor of heavier weaponry.  However space battles against the Invid, did not lead itself to this type of fight.  Often, the Invid clam ships would release their mecha before the REF space fleet could destroy them.  As a result, starships were forced to use their massive batteries in a often futile attempt to destroy any Invid that managed to make it through the veritech fighter screens.

At the same time military planners were aware that while the starships were attacked by incoming Invid, a majority of the cyclones were impotent.  The solution was obvious.  REF designers would produce a new cyclone design which would be predominately used in space; although, the design would be able to function in Earth type gravity.  The resulting design was the VR-060 'Griffin'.  The Griffin was not strictly speaking a veritech, as there was only a battloid mode.  However, the basic internal structure and advanced alloy armor was taken from the more traditional cyclone design..

The Griffin design was more heavily armed and armored than the cyclone.   The Griffin's main weaponry is four missile launchers, two on either shoulder and two on the back.  Each missile launcher contains 12 scorpion mini-missiles.  The scorpion design was chosen over the other mini-missile designs because of its improved amour piercing capabilities.  In addition, one EP-37 was mounted in each arm.   Unlike the more traditional EP-37 which is clip fed, these EP-37's are powered directly by the protoculture generator.   This limits the rate of fire for each gun to 4 short bursts (1d4*10 MDC) for each 15 second period (1 melee).  However, the advantage to this design was that pilots would never find themselves out of ammunition.

REF high command envisioned that the Griffin design would bring about a new revolution in anti-Invid operations.  For a given invasion, a majority of the attack fleet (roughly 2/3) would fold into a system.  This first fleet would be armed with veritech and the new Griffin space cyclone.  Each Ikazuchi could now hold some 3,000 Griffin space cyclones and would now have an extremely effective anti-mecha screen.   The rest of the fleet would be on stand by some 5 light years away.  After the Griffins and the veritechs take out any space based Invid defenses, the ground invasion forces would fold in and the invasion of the given planet could begin.

Unfortunately, only 500 units were produced before the final invasion of Earth.  These units were stationed onboard the SS. Izumo which was subsequently destroyed during the Regis escape.   However, before hand the Griffin proved itself an extremely effective anti-Invid tool as evident from the fact that no Invid were able to penetrate the inner defenses for the SS. Izumo.  If these units had been produced in greater numbers they would have allowed the invasion of earth to proceed much earlier.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: Veritech Space Cyclone
Class: Powered Armor

Manufacturer: Robotech Expeditionary Forces (REF)
Crew: One pilot wearing CVR-3 body armor
 
MDC BY LOCATION:
 
Location Griffin
Head 75
Arms (2) 50
Arm Shields (2) 100
Legs (2) 150
(1) Main Body 250
Shoulder missile launchers (2) 50
Back missile launchers 50
Engine Thruster (Rear) (2) 25
 

NOTES:

  1. Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the mecha.

SPEEDS:

RUNNING (with booster jumps):
200 kph
LEAPING:
100 meters without thrusters.
FLYING:
350 kph for two minutes
MAX ENGINE THRUST:
2 x GE-1017 THERMAL NUCLEAR ENGINE (LEGS): [Main] fusion plasma-air/reaction mass intermix turbines in the back. Max thrust, 50kN
2 x P&W PR-0718 REAR ENGINES (MOUNTED ON REAR):  Maneuvering thrusters are mounted on the back of the mecha.  Max thrust, 25 kN

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:
3.0m
WEIGHT:
600 kg
PHYSICAL STRENGTH:
Equal to a P.S. of 40
CARGO:
None
POWER PLANT:
2 x RRF-79 Micronized Protoculture Engine
2 standard canisters of Protoculture

10.9 lit. D2O reactant for fusion engines.
Delta V:
25 kps
COMPATIBLE FAST PACKS:
None
 

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

 
  1. 4 x GR-204 SCORPION MINI-MISSILE LAUNCHERS:   The griffin has four scorpion mini-missile launchers.  Two are mounted on either shoulder and two are mounted on the rear thruster backback.  All four launchers fire foward and each contains 12 scorpion mini-missiles.  REF designers felt that the Griffin needed to mount the most effective short range missile possible.  They decided to mount 48 of the more powerful scorpion missiles rather than additional quanities Recluse missiles which may or may not destroy incoming invid.
    2. ep-37.gif (4294 bytes)
  2. 2 x EP-37 12.7mm PARTICLE BEAM GUN: Mounted in each arm is a single EP-37.   Each is powered directly from the main protoculture generator.  As a result the number of shots per melee is limited to 4 for each; however, the pilot need not worry about running out of ammunition once the battle has commenced.
    3.  
  3. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the Griffin can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The Griffin  is extremely agile and can execute most typical hand to hand combat moves, such as punches, jump kicks, leap attacks, rolling with impacts, etc.

    4. DAMAGE:

     

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE GRIFFIN:

COMBAT BONUSES FOR GRIFFIN TRAINING:

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

 
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