LOCKHEED SF-3 LANCER II
SPACE FIGHTER

(Version 1.0)

RPG Stats by Harvey Neil Johnston ([email protected])

The production of the SF-2 Hunter taught the fledgling UN Spacy several lessons in the development of space fighters. With the production of the SF-3 Lancer II, the SF-2 was quickly phased out. As the Lancer was built solely for use in space, no focus was placed on its aerodynamic shape. The main task of the fighter was anti-mecha warfare. Its primary armament was designed to destroy enemy mecha at long range, while its missiles were intended to destroy any mecha that broke through its cannons' perimeter. The main cannons were railguns developed by OTEC (OverTEChnology) and fired a guided plasma warhead. A large radar antennae was mounted upon the main section.

The Lancer II served onboard the Hermes class carriers and the SDF-1 Macross . They also served with various space stations. Only a handful survived the the final battle of Space War I. These few were reassigned to the few remaining Hermes carriers and were eventually replaced by space-optimized variable fighters.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Types:
      SF-3A (served with the UN Spacy from 2008 until 2017).
Class: Space fighter gunship
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System

MDC BY LOCATION:

 

* Main body	300
Reinforced pilot's compartment	150
** Engine thrusters (2)	150 each
OTEC mk 2 cannons (2)	150 each
*** Radar antenna	150

* Depleting the MDC of the main body will result in the destruction of the aircraft.
** Depleting the MDC of one engine will reduce maximum speed by half, and give the pilot -2 to dodge and -10% to piloting rolls. Destruction of both engines immobilizes the spacecraft.
*** Depleting the MDC of the antenna destroys the radar.

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:
      5.9 ft (1.8 m) w/ radar.
WIDTH:
      3.6 ft (1.1 m).
LENGTH:
      24.9 ft (7.6 m) w/o cannons, 50.5 ft (15.4 m) w/ cannons.
WEIGHT:
      9.3 metric tons empty.

CARGO:
      Small compartment behind pilot's seat for personal belongings.
POWER PLANT:
      (2x) Rocketdyne DRoE-4 reaction engines in tail section, providing 130 kN thrust each. Several vernier thrusters are located on the hull for added mobility. (8x) fusion cells for power generation.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1/ (2x) OTEC mk2 ELECTROMAGNETIC CANNONS: Mounted on either side of the fuselage, these cannons fire self-guiding plasma warheads mounted on maneuvering thruster units. The cannons may only fire forward. The shells are loaded from the same storage area, which loads both cannons.

• Primary purpose: Assault / defense.
• Range: 10 miles (16 km).
• Damage: 5D6 MD per shot, 1D6x10 MD for a dual shot.
• Rate of fire: Equal to pilot's number of attacks.
• Payload: 120 shells total.

2/ (2x) MISSILE BAYS: The SF-3 has two missile launch bays located on either side of the lower rear fuselage. Each bay holds three Boeing GA-80 Starstrike fragmentation medium range missiles (MRMs), although any MRM payload is possible. The missiles are ejected sideways from two launch ports in front of the lower engine.

• Primary purpose: Assault.
• Secondary purpose: Anti-spacecraft.
• Missile types: Any type of MRM may be used, typically fragmentation.
• Range: Varies with missile type, typically 30 miles (48.2 km)
• Damage: Varies with missile type, typically 2D6x10 MD.
• Rate of fire: Volleys of 1 to 2 missiles.
• Payload: 3 missiles per bay, 6 missiles maximum.

3/ (1x) ANTI-MISSILE CHAFF / FLARE DISPENSER: The SF-3 can eject chaff and flare decoys to evade missile attacks. Chaff decoys confuse radar images to divert radar-guided missiles, while flare decoys provide a brilliant infrared images to try and draw away heat seeking missiles. Every time the system is engaged, it launches one chaff and 1D4 flares.  Chaff provides a +2 to dodge radar guided missiles, and flares provide +2 to dodge (per flare) infrared guided missiles (with a maximum of +8 to dodge). The bonuses are not cross-cumulative, however; you cannot confuse a heat-seeking missile with a chaff decoy.

Primary purpose: Defensive.

Rate of fire: Equal to pilot's number of attacks.

Payload: 20 chaff and 40 flares.

• AUTO-PILOT: The SF-3 is equipped with a computerized auto-pilot, allowing the pilot to relax or even sleep during long voyages. The auto-pilot can be programmed with a single destination or a complex flight plan involving multiple speeds, directions, and destinations. The onboard computer will alert the pilot when the fighter is near its destination, and can also be set to automatically signal when sensors detect objects near the aircraft.
• COMBAT COMPUTER W/HUD DISPLAYS: The SF-3 is equipped with a combat computer that can store and analyze data during combat with hostile forces. Data readouts and stats can be displayed either on the cockpit's HUD display or on the dashboard monitors of the aircraft. The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 1,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 75 targets simultaneously.
• ESCAPE POD: The entire reinforced cockpit of the SF-3 is a detachable escape pod that can be jettisoned when the mecha is destroyed. The ejected cockpit does not contain thrusters, but does contain a powerful locator beacon and an integrated life support system that can support the pilot for up to 24 hours after ejection. The pod is also equipped with parachutes in case of ejection in an atmosphere. The combat computer is programmed to automatically eject the escape pod if the mecha is destroyed (main body MDC reduced to 0), but this can be overridden if the pilot is feeling suicidal for some reason.
• HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS: Special shielding prevents the penetration of life threatening heat and radiation. A radiation detection and alarm system are linked with the shields and will sound an alarm if there is a rupture in the shields and what the levels of radiation are.
• HOMING SIGNAL: The SF-3 is equipped with a homing device that enables rescue teams to locate a disabled craft. The range of the signal is 300 miles (480 km). Most UN ships and fighters can locate and track homing signals, and the onboard computers will automatically notify their pilots if such a signal is detected.
• LASER TARGETING SYSTEM: Range: 100 miles (160 km). Used for increased accuracy in the striking of enemy targets and is partly responsible for the fighter's strike bonus.
• OPTICS: INFRARED: Range: 2000 feet (610 m). This optical system projects a beam of infrared light that is invisible to the normal eye, but detectable by the mecha's sensors. The system allows the pilot to detect hidden/concealed objects by their IR reflectiveness. The beam will be visible to anyone with IR sensitive optics, however.
• OPTICS: NIGHTVISION: Range: 2000 feet (610 m). A passive light image intensifier that emits no light of its own, but relies on ambient light which is electronically amplified to produce a visible picture.
• OPTICS: THERMAL IMAGER: Range: 2000 feet (610 m). A passive optical heat sensor that detects infrared radiation projected by warm objects and converts that data into a false-color visible image. The system enables the pilot to see in the dark, in shadows, and through smoke, and also adds a +10% bonus to pilots using a tracking skill.
• RADAR: Can detect up to a range of 200 miles (321 km).
• RADIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional communications system with satellite relay capabilities. Range: 600 miles (960 km) or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay.
• SELF-DESTRUCT: To prevent capture of a fighter by the enemy, the pilot can activate the SF-3's self-destruct system, which will cause the fighter to explode after a delay of up to 60 minutes (time is set by the pilot). The explosive damage is contained within a 20 foot (6 m) area and inflicts 1D6x10 M.D. to everything within the radius of the explosion. All internal systems are obliterated. The ejection seat will be automatically ejected prior to the explosion unless the pilot overrides the ejection sequence.
• STANDARD SURVIVAL KIT: All UN space fighters come equipped with a portable survival kit. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium-sized flashlight, two hand flares, one rocket flare, a compass, infrared distancing binoculars, a small mirror, a pocket knife, dehydrated and concentrated food (can be stretched into a five day supply for one person) and basic first aid items (aspirin, bandages, disinfectant, etc.).
• TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The SF-3's cockpit is pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the pilot's flight suit that provides him with pressurized breathing. The UN Spacy flight suit also contains an upper and lower g-suit that promotes blood circulation even during high-g turns, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot blacking out in combat. The internal consumable supplies are enough to last for two days.

BASIC FIGHTER COMBAT TRAINING

• Basic training for non-pilot military personnel.
• 1 attack per melee (plus those of the pilot).
• Add one additional action/attack at levels three, nine, and fifteen.
• +1 to strike.
• +5 to dodge.
• +1 to roll with a punch or fall with an impact, reducing damage by half.
• Critical strike same as pilot's hand-to-hand.

• Advanced training for pilots specializing in the SF-3 Lancer II.
• 3 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
• Add one additional action/attack at levels three, six, eleven, and fifteen.
• +1 on initiative.
• +2 to strike.
• +6 to dodge.
• +3 to roll with a punch or fall with an impact, reducing damage by half
• Critical strike same as pilot's hand-to-hand.

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

Original name: Lockhee SF-3A Lancer II
Appearances: Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Episode 1: Booby Trap)
References used:
      Macross Compendium by Egan Loo.
      Robotech Reference Guide by Peter Walker and Pieter Thomassen.
      Macross: Perfect Memory by Minori Library, Big West and MBS.

The SF-3 Lancer II was referred to as the Lancer II space cannon in the Robotech RPG. It was mistranslated from the source material about the ARMD carrier and misidentified as being  unmanned.