For some time, the REF planners had considered building a mecha with a mobility not unlike that of the Glaug: very fast, and reasonable jump/hover capabilities. Also, this mecha would have the firepower of a Glaug, as well as Destroid level armor. This mecha would then serve as the premier fast strike mecha of the REF. A solution to the specifications was sought by re-using the existing frame of one of the newer, smaller Destroids. The first choice was the Gladiator, but this design effort was halted after a few months, as there was no conceivable way in which additional mobility could be added to a Destroid without unacceptable degradations in armour and armament levels. Then, the design team turned toward a Veritech frame, under the assumption that uparmouring an already highly mobile Battloid would be easier than downarmoring a slow and heavy Destroid. However, the VF-1 was Battloid too old and in the process of leaving the service and thus, more by necessity than by suitability, the Alpha frame was chosen as the conversion starting point. However, the development of the Z2 Battlepod, as well as the newer armour plating which enhanced Veritech Battloid survivability some, caused the project to be suspended during its definition phase.

During the taking of Tirol, however, the REF was once again opposed by mecha with far superior mobility: namely, the Invid Scouts and Troopers. As the REF troops were unprepared to fight an air-mobile army, initial losses were quite high. Consequently, a crash program was started to equip the REF Armies with more mobile mecha, and the cavalry mecha project was re-activated. The result was the Condor Mobile Battloid.

Operationally, the Condor suffered drawback after drawback. Most importantly, the REF adopted new tactics to deal with the Invid mecha. This was started by the observation that the Alphas and Betas were far better in aerial combat than their Invid counterparts, and that the Destroids with their heavy armaments and superb battlefield staying power far outclassed the Invid mecha on the ground. Thus, the REF adopted a combined-weapons tactic which pitted the Invid against each Earth mecha type on its most favorable terms. For instance, Alphas no longer served Infantry duty in Battloid mode unless absolutely necessary. Likewise, the Destroids were not pitted against Invid in terrain where the Invid's mobility was of overwhelming importance, such as in mountain ranges. This change rebalanced the scales in favour of the REF before the first production runs of the Condor had returned from their first combat deployments. Another reason for its woes was the lineage of the Condor. Being an uparmored and upgunned Alpha, the Condor remained mediocre at ground combat, where it was outclassed by the Destroids. Thus, casualty rates in Condor units were always higher than in Destroid or Veritech units, due to the fact that the Condor was not armoured enough to withstand attack like a Destroid, and not mobile enough to evade it like a true aerial mecha. With an uneasy eye on the numerical balance, the REF High Command decided to stop the envisioned massive deployment of these Destroids until a fully satisfactory design could be produced. The Condors were then used for adversary training, and for recon operations, and as an air cavalry mecha.

Consequently, many Condors were sent with the REF units in the relief missions to the Southern Cross, in the hopes that the mecha would be more useful on the homeplanet than in the Tirolian sectors. Ironically, though, most of these arrived too late in Earthspace, and eventually found themselves mothballed on the moon, to be reactivated to fight the Regis's Invid during the occupation. Very few Condors survive from those dark days.

RPG STATS

M.D.C. BY LOCATION:

   	*Head			50
	Hands (2)		30 each
	Upper Arms/Missiles (2)	100 each
	Lwer Arms (2)		100 each
	Legs (2)		150 each
	**Main Body		250
	Rear Thrusters		50
	EP-12 Gun pod		150
	***Thruster Pod		200

*Destroying the head of the Condor will destroy all the mecha’s radar, communications and sensors. The mecha is now -2 to strike, parry and dodge.

**Destroying the main body will shut down the mecha.

***Destroying the thruster pod will disable the extra engine systems. The Condor can shed the damaged pod and continue function normally.

SPECIFICATIONS

WEAPON SYSTEMS

1. EP-13 Gun Pod. The main weapon of the Condor is the EP-12 gun pod, typically held in the mecha’s right hand. This weapon is an earlier version of the Alpha’s EP-13.
• Purpose: Assault.
• Range: 1800m
• Mega-Damage: 1D6 x 10 MD
• Rate of Fire: Equal to the total hand-to-hand attacks of the pilot.
• Payload: effectively unlimited.
2. Short-Range Missile Launchers. The Condor is equipped with a short-range missile launch system similar to that of the Alpha. The Condor has eight missiles in each shoulder, eight in each leg and an addtional 10 missiles in the left forearm.
• Purpose: Assault.
• Missile Type: Any type of SRM can be used.
• Range: Depends on missile type
• Mega-Damage: Depends on missile type
• Rate of Fire: One at a time, or in volleys of 2, 4, 6, 21 or 42 (all).
• Payload: 42 missiles
3. Hand to Hand Combat. Rather than use any weapons, the Condor can opt to engage in hand to hand combat.
• Punch: 2D4 MD
• Kick: 2D6 MD
• Leap Kick: 3D6 MD
• Body Flip/Throw: 2D4 MD
• Body Block/Tackle: 2D6 MD plus knockdown.
4. Optional Medium-Range Missiles. 6 medium range missiles can be added. They are located on the underside of the intakes on the mecha’s chest.
• Purpose: Assault.
• Missile Type: Any type of MRM can be used.
• Range: Depends on missile type
• Mega-Damage: Depends on missile type
• Rate of Fire: One at a time, or in volleys of 2, 4 or 6.
• Payload: 6 missiles

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE CONDOR:

• Radar: Range: 150 km. Standard operation.
• Radio/Video Communications: Wide band, directional radio and video telecast capabilities. Range: 1000km, or can be boosted by satellite.
• Laser Targeting System: Close range; 3 km
• Combat Computer: Calculates, stores & monitors data on the control panel computer screen or Heads-up display
• External Audio Pickup: Range: 300 ft (91.5 m). A sound amplification system that can pick up normal conversation up to 300 feet away.
• Loudspeaker: A loudspeaker system is built into the craft, which can be used to amplify the pilot's voice up to 90 decibels.
• Searchlight: All of the battloids have a high-powered searchlight mounted in their heads. Range: 50 meters.
• 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-colour 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.
• Protoculture Engine: The Condor runs off Protoculture power cells, in much the same manner as the Alpha. The Condor uses 16 cells. Typically, the Condor will last about 200 operational hours before cell replacement. Constant leaping or flying will not wear out the cells quicker, as the Condor uses dedicated cells to power it’s thrusters. Normally, the Condor will alert its pilot when power is running low.

HAND TO HAND COMBAT BONUSES FOR CONDOR COMBAT TRAINING:

• 2 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot)
• Add one addtional attack at levels four, eight and twelve
• +1 to strike
• +3 to parry
• +3 ro dodge
• +2 to rolll with a punch or impact, reducing damage by half
• Critical strike same as pilot's hand to hand.

Designers Notes

Japanese Name: AF-01 Condor Genesis Climber MOSPEADA

Episodes Seen in: #71

There is very little data or pictures on the Condor in any of the source material. It is likely that the Condor is an earlier design for the Legioss (Alpha). The mecha is seen breifly in Lancer's flashback in The Secret Route.

There is a single picture of this mecha in the mecha model sheets section of Robotech Art Three. This suggests to me that this mecha was going to appear in Sentinels, thus my listing it as a REF Mecha design.