VC-1 "Hargun"  Light Veritech Cycle

SDR-5 "Space Hargun" Space Defense Robot

(Hargun Version 1.01 / Space Hargun Version 1.01 - Last updated: 04/31/02)

Background and RPG stats by Kenneth Olson

Background Information derived from  Robotech Technical Files

BACKGROUND

• Beginnings
• Hargun
• Space Hargun

Beginnings

In 2019 as the departure of the Robotech Expeditionary force became immanent and the defense of Earth was beginning to be passed to the Armies of the Southern Cross (ASC), the United Earth Government ordered a number of extensive studies to issue recommendations on the number and type of forces which would be needed in the upcoming decade.  After careful consideration, the study concluded that future conflicts were likely between malcontent Zentraedi forces on Earth and the remnants of the Zentraedi fleet attacking from space.  To meet the later threat the ASC began to build a space fleet which could defeat any external Zentraedi attack.  However, the ASC was not prepared to respond to attacks from within.  In 2020, the ASC possessed 25% of the number of ground based mecha which the soon to be departing RDF/REF maintained.  As a result, the primary units which would be called on in case of a malcontent rebellion would be conventional in nature supplemented with ground based infantry.  Although, the ASC infantry were provided with the most advanced personnel armor available at the time, they were still woefully incapable of stopping an attack from full sized Zentraedi..

Hargun

The VC-1 "Hargun" was designed to provide the infantry with a combat mecha which could defeat small numbers of rogue Zentraedi.  The first Hargun was designed in 2021 and the first production model produced one year later.  The design was to be easy to operate which would allow the rapid training of personnel.  The Hargun was armored with a composite plastic ceramic material which provided immunity from all small arms of less than 12.7 mm in caliber; however, most anti-mecha weaponry is capable of destroying the unit with only a couple of direct hits.  To provide additional protection ,the Hargun pilot was issued  CVR-1 battle armor.  Although the armor could not protect the pilot from a direct strike on the pilot's compartment, it could save the pilot from errant fragments.  To further protect the unit a Chobham plate arm shield was created capable of with standing a couple of strikes from weapons up to 55mm in caliber.

The primary weapon of the Hargun is GU-19 32mm cannon.  The weapon fires caseless armor piercing shells at a rate of 200 rounds per minute.  Although underpowered when compared to most anti-mecha weaponry, the GU-19 is capable of destroying most Zentraedi Pods with a couple of direct strikes.  At the request of the Global Military Police (GMP), the Hargun mounts two magnetic grapples which can attached to vehicles and/or mecha to add in their capture.  The grapples are capable of hitting targets out to 15 meters and can be fired and reeled in to the unit in 15 seconds.  In place of the GU-19 the Hargun can be mounted with the N-1 net gun capable of entrapping targets in a 30 square meter net composted of tungsten steel.  Although not standard, a plasma beam saber was issued for special operations.  The beam saber was stored in the right leg when not in use and is powered by a dedicated protoculture cell providing power for up to 10 hours of operational use.      

Although the initial designs for the Hargun were to allow the unit to be fully transformable from cycle to battloid, the production of micronized transformation equipment on such a small framed proved difficult.  As a stop gap measure, the Hargun was required to enter into a specialized support vehicle which would facilitate the transformation.  This design limited the tactical use of the Hargun in non-urban environments where the operational use of the support vehicle would be difficult.  As a result, only the Civil Defense Forces ordered any Harguns and then only 350 units to operate in the urban areas.  Other divisions in the ASC decided to order derivatives of the  newly created battloid forces or the Spartas Hovertank to increase the effectiveness of their ground units.  However, the GMP without any mecha forces and operating mostly in cities decided to order 1125 Harguns and placed then in 30 companies scattered around the earth.

The final Hargun was produced in 2024; however, the initial design team continued to try and give the Hargun full transformation capabilities.  They hoped that the added capabilities would convince the ASC into a second production run.  However, work was suspended in 2026 when developmental work on the fully transformable Garland light veritech cyclone began.

Although, no new Harguns were produced after 2024 several differing types of transports were developed for the system.  In 2025,  a modified version of the GMP hover platform was developed to transport the Hargun into combat more quickly.  The pilot and Hargun would be transported together on the platform into the battlespace at which point the pilot would enter into the Hargun while the Hargun deployment hovercraft would fly on autopilot to a predefined coordinates.  The GMP ordered a total of 765 transports to upgrade the mobility of their Hargun forces.

In an effort to produce a truly rapid response force, the GMP modified 21 SF-9 Pirate space fighters to allow the inclusion of a Hargun.  The Hargun replaced all of the pilot's compartment and most of the reaction mass.  Once the fighters managed to penetrate through the outer defenses, the pilots would shed the outer aircraft and deploy into the area using the Hargun.  The newly formed rapid response unit was only deployed a single time in 2027 to rescue an UEG senator which was being held in South America by members of the the Black Adder Zentraedi malcontent group.  The rescue mission was successful however four of the 12 units were destroyed.  The unit was decommissioned by the start of the 2nd Robotech War as the ASC could not afford to build disposable fighters for light combat units and instead concentrated on the construction of veritechs and heavy combat battloids. 

Other than the suppression of the Zentraedi food riots in 2024 in the Arkansas quadrant, the Harguns never engaged in combat against the forces for which they were designed.  Instead they were were primarily used in law enforcement which was a role that was added only as an after thought.  Towards this end the Harguns proved to be extremely successful and generally loved by their pilots.  Unfortunately, when they were thrown into combat during the initial stages of the Robotech Master's invasion of 2029 they proved vastly inferior to the Robotech Master bioroid forces they were defending against.  As a result, most of the civil defense units were decimated in the initial attacks and were placed in reserve status for the rest of the 2nd Robotech War.  A few units survived through the war and were used by resistance units during the Invid invasion and subsequent occupation; however, they were normally confined to a single mode (be that motorcycle or battloid) as the support vehicles were extremely rare.

Space Hargun

In 2024 the Tactical Space Corp was interested in a light battloid which could function in space, supplement the defensive systems of the ASC capital ships, and  used for spaceborne maintenance and construction work.  Although several designs were proposed, a modified version of the Hargun was accepted.  Production started in 2025 and continued for 18 months with a total of 754 units produced.

The space Hargun in external appearance appears similar to its terrestrial brethren and the two systems have much in common.  However, there are several key differences.  First, the transformation equipment was totally removed as there was no need for the cycle mode in space operations and the mecha chassis has been given almost 50% more armor protection.  The space Hargun can make use of the Chobham shield to further increase its armor protection.  Free from gravity, the space Hargun replaced its GU-19 with the more powerful and larger GU-11C.  The GU-11C is a tri-barreled carbine version of the GU-11 gunpod found standard on the VF-1 during the first Robotech War. The space Hargun's maneuverability in space is provided by  two ATF-390 thrusters are mounted on each leg and a Nakjima NB-3 thruster pack.  These thrusters can accelerate the unit up to 1.5g and coupled with a fuel load of 100 liters of D₂0 the space Hargun has a deltav of nearly 2.7 kilometers per second.

The space Harguns served as a frontline unit with the ASC from 2025 until the second Robotech War.  The units proved to be extremely vulnerable to bioroid attacks as entire squadrons of units were destroyed without killing any enemy forces.  This only hastened the retirement of the surviving units as the space Harguns were quickly withdrawn from service and replaced with the more powerful VF-10 "Logan" and VF-12 "AJAC".  The few units which survived through the 2nd Robotech War where located on Moonbase Luna and were used not to combat the Invid during the occupation but as EVA suits for external repairs.  

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: VC-1 "Hargun"  and SDR-5 "Space Hargun"

Class:

VM-1:  Single seat semi-variable police/military motorcycle

SDR-5:  Single seat Space Defense Robot

Manufacturer: Armies of the Southern Cross
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System.

Service History:

VM-1: Served with the Global Military Police from 2022 until 2031 and with the Southern Cross Civil Defense Unit from 2025 until 2031.

SDR-5:  Served with the Southern Cross Tactical Space Corps from 2025 until 2031.

 

MDC BY LOCATION:

NOTES:

1. * Destroying the sensor head of the Hargun  will knock out the mecha's optical systems (infrared, nightvision, thermal). Radar and communications will be unaffected.
2. ** Depleting the MDC of the main body will destroy the mecha.

SPEEDS:

MAXIMUM SPEED CYCLE CONFIGURATION

340 kph for Hargun

RUNNING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

50 kph for Hargun

45 kph for Space Hargun

LEAPING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

15 ft (15 m) high or 30 ft (21 m) long without thrusters.

FLYING, SOLDIER CONFIGURATION:

175 kph for Hargun 00 kph for VF-6D

120 kph for Space Hargun (rarely used in atmosphere)

DESIGNED G LIMITS:

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

MAX ACCELERATION:  SPACE

0.0g for Hargun (no spaceborne capabilities)

1.5g for Space Hargun

DELTA V:

0.0 kps for Hargun (no spaceborne capabilities)

2.7 kps for Space Hargun

MAX ENGINE THRUST:

Hargun

• 3 x Nakajima NBS-5 Fusion/plasma-air reaction thrusters:  Thruster ports on the rear and two on each leg [Main]:  Two are mounted on the legs and on on the rear each thruster emits from two ports.  Max thrust 3.6 kN
  

Space Hargun

• 1 x Nakajima NBS-3 Thruster pack [Main]:  A single thruster pack is mounted on the rear of the unit with three thruster ports.  Max thrust of unit is 12.2 kN (specific impulse of 3410 sec).
• 2 x Turbo-Union ATF 390 [Auxiliary]:  Auxiliary thrusters are mounted on each leg to provide additional thrust.  Each thruster has two thruster portsi and is capable of providing a maximum thrust of 2.5 kN. 

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:

3.96 m  in soldier configuration.

1.20 in cycle configuration

WIDTH:

2.50 m in soldier configuration .

0.88 m in cycle configuration

LENGTH:

1.9 m depth in soldier configuration (Hargun)

2.2 m depth in soldier configuration (Space Hargun)

2.85 m in cycle configuration

WEIGHT:

1000 kg for Hargun

1300 kg for Space Hargun

PHYSICAL STRENGTH:

Equal to a P.S. of 40

CARGO:

None

POWER PLANT:

RRL-1 Miniaturized Protoculture-cell energizer providing a total 50 MW of power

FUEL CAPACITY:

All:  2 standard canisters of Protoculture 400 hours of operational use
Space Hargun:  100 liters of D₂0 for reaction mass

COMPATIBLE FAST PACKS:

None

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. GU-19 SINGLE-BARREL 32MM GUN POD: The GU-19 can fire either in semi-automatic or fully automatic modes with the later at a rate of 200 rounds per minute.  The weapon is fed from a single 100 round clip inserted into the rear and has the capability of being reloaded in the field provided additional clips are available.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
   • RANGE: 1000 m
   • DAMAGE: 3D6*10 SDC per single shot, 2D4 MDC per short burst (10 rounds), and 4D6 MDC per medium burst (20 rounds)
   • RATE OF FIRE: Single shots or bursts equal to the combined attacks of the pilot.
   • PAYLOAD: 100 rounds or 10 short bursts or 5 medium bursts

    

2. (SPACE HARGUN) GU-11C THREE-BARRELED 55MM ROTARY GUN POD: A carbine version of the venerable GU-11 gunpod found on the VF-1.  The GU-11C can fire at a cyclic rate of 250 rounds per minute and has an internal capacity of 200 rounds.  The weapon, like the GU-11, can not be reloaded in the field.  The ammunition is high explosive armor piercing although other ammunition types may be fired.  
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
   • RANGE: 1500 m
   • DAMAGE: 3D6 MDC per short burst (10 rounds) and 5D6 MDC per medium burst (20 rounds)
   • RATE OF FIRE: Bursts equal to the combined attacks of the pilot.
   • PAYLOAD: 200 rounds or 20 short bursts and 10 medium

    

3. 2 x MAGNETIC GRAPPLES:  Both models of the Hargun are outfitting with magnetic grapples.  The grapples can be used either to capture vehicles (as is the case for the Hargun) or to tie the unit to the exterior of a spacecraft (in the case of the space Hargun).  The grapples have a range of up to 15 minutes can reel the Hargun, or bring the target closer.  
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE:  Capturing
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anchoring
   • RANGE: 15 m
   • DAMAGE: None
   • RATE OF FIRE: Every 30 seconds
   • PAYLOAD:  2 grapples
   • NOTES:  Target is -3 to dodge until they can escape, requires a piloting skill check at -25%

    

4. (Optional) BEAM SABER: Powered by a dedicated protoculture cell, the beam saber is a magnetically confined 10 eV DT plasma capable of cutting through the hardest of material.  The weapon is stored in a dedicated housing in the right leg, ready to use if the enemy closes to hand-to-hand combat range.  The weapon proved to be difficult to manufacture and of limited combat ability and therefore they were normally only issued to officers and/or enlisted personal in special circumstances.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-mecha
   • RANGE: Hand-to-hand
   • DAMAGE: 4D6 MDC
   • RATE OF FIRE: Equal to the combine attacks of the pilot
   • PAYLOAD: Conditionally unlimited.  The sword is powered by its own dedicated protoculture cell with an estimated life of 20 hours of use

    

5. (Optional) N-1 NET LAUNCHER:  The N-1 fires 30 square meter net composed of tungsten-steel filaments.  The net is capable of ensnaring small sized mecha and/or vehicles and has the capability of reeling the net back to the launcher to fire again (15 seconds).
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Capture
   • RANGE: 50 m
   • DAMAGE: None
   • RATE OF FIRE: Equal to the combine attacks of the pilot
   • PAYLOAD: One net

    

6. HAND TO HAND COMBAT: If necessary, the Hargun can engage in melee combat rather than use a weapon. The Hargun  is extremely agile and can execute most typical hand to hand combat moves, such as punches, jump kicks, leap attacks, rolling with impacts, etc.

   DAMAGE:  

   • Punch:  1D4
   • Kick: 1D6
   • Leap Kick: 2D6
   • Body Flip/Throw: 1D6
   • Body Block/Tackle: 2D4
   • Stomp: 2D6 (only effective against targets less than 2 meters tall)

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE HARGUN:

• COMBAT COMPUTER: 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 20 targets simultaneously. 
• EXTERNAL AUDIO PICKUP: Range: 300 ft (91.5 m). A sound amplification system that can pick up normal conversation up to 300 feet away.
• HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS: Special shielding prevents the penetration of life threatening head 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 escape pod of the Hargun is equipped with a homing device that enables rescue teams to locate a disabled craft or ejected life pod. The range of the signal is 400 miles (640 km). Most ASC ships and veritechs can locate and track a homing signal, 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 mecha's strike bonus.
• LOUDSPEAKER: A loudspeaker system is built into the craft, which can be used to amplify the pilot's voice up to 90 decibels.
• 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 ERICCSON CYCLOPES: X-band pulse Doppler radar.  Detection range against 0 dBsm target 40 km.  System consists of a three conformal array on the body and arms.
• 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 an advance variable fighter by the enemy, the pilot can activate the  Hargun 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 5D6 M.D. to everything within the radius of the explosion. All internal systems are obliterated. The escape pod will be automatically ejected prior to the explosion unless the pilot overrides the ejection sequence.
• STANDARD SURVIVAL KIT: All ASC mecha 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, disinfectants, etc.)
• TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The Hargun cockpit is pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the pilot's flight suit that provides him with pressurized breathing.
  

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE SPACE HARGUN:

• ACTIVE SENSOR JAMMER WESTINGHOUSE ALQ-225(V): internal ECM providing broadband protection.  Estimated system effective radiative power 30 dBW.
• AUTO-PILOT: The Space Hargun  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 mecha. The auto-pilot was designed with long intra-system space journeys in mind.
• INFRA-RED WARNING RECEIVER OLDELFT (IRWR):    Providing rear aspect protection from IR guided missiles

COMBAT BONUSES FOR HARGUN COMBAT TRAINING:

• 2 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot)
• Add one additional action/attack at levels five and ten
• +1 on initiative
• +1 to strike
• +2 to parry (+4 with shield)
• +3 to dodge in battloid and +4 in motorcycle
• +3 to roll with a punch or fall with an impact, reducing damage by half.
• Critical strike same as pilot's hand-to-hand.

COMBAT BONUSES FOR HARGUN BASIC TRAINING:

• 1 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
• Add one additional action/attack at levels six and eleven
• +0 to strike
• +1 to parry (+2 with shield)
• +1 to dodge in battloid and +2 in motorcycle
• +1 to roll with a punch or fall with an impact, reducing damage by half.
• Critical strike same as pilot's hand-to-hand.

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

• Army of the Southern Cross Recruitment Manual:  SMS-17S "Meteor" Space Hargun
• B-Club Special #9: ARTMIC Design Works, a.k.a Artmic Bible, © 1987 ARTMIC, published by Bandai. ISBN 4-89189-325-7
• B-Club Special: Megazone 23, Parts I, II, and III Perfect Data Book © Victor, ARTMIC, AIC. Published by Bandai. ISBN4-89189-476-8
• Garland, Hargun, and MODAT Southern Cross Cylcone RPG Stats by Chris Meadows:  Hargun Entry
• Megazone 23 Graffiti:  Best Hit Series ©1985 61041-16
• Robotech Technical Files: Southern Cross Light Veritech Cyclones

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