VBA-1 Naetrone Model #: VBA-1 Codename: Naetrone Manufacturer: Rodarian Fleet Yards Weight: 13, 200 Kg Height: 17.11 M (54.8 ft) in Battloid Mode 7.70 M (24.6 ft) in Walker Mode 3.80 M (12.2 ft) in Fighter Mode Width: 11.98 M (38.33 ft) at shoulders in Battloid Mode 19.97 M (63.90 ft) in Walker or Fighter Mode with wings at maximum extension Length: 4.36 M (13.95 ft) in Battloid Mode 16.06 M (51.4 ft) in Walker Mode 20.08 M (64.3 ft) in Fighter Mode Weapons: Fixed Short-Range Missile Launchers (8)     - 4 mounted on each engine.     - Each launcher contains 5 rounds. Leg-Mounted Medium-Range Missile Launchers (2)     - Concealed missile bay in each leg.     - Each bay holds 8 missiles.     - Can be fired in any mode. Anti-Aircraft Plasma Cannons (2)     - Located on "head" in Battloid mode, on the nose cone in fighter mode.     - Can only fire in fighter or walker modes. Large-Bore Plasma Cannon (1)     - For close-range or hand-to-hand combat.     - Mounted on lower chest in Battloid mode, on rear fuselage in fighter/walker modes.     - Fires forward in Battloid but towards rear in walker/fighter modes. Rapid-Fire Plasma Cannon Cluster (1)     - Contains 3 individual plasma cannons.     - Intended for short-to-medium range combat.     - Located on lower chest (Battloid) or rear fuselage (Fighter/Walker). Gunpod (2)     - One mounted in each leg (Fighter.     - Fires bursts of concentrated plasma.     - Ejected into hand module in Battloid/Walker mode.     - One spare energy cell contained in each "leg". Ventral bomb-bay     - Contains 6 medium yield laser-guided homing missiles.     - Usable in Fighter Mode only. Cargo: Small storage compartment located behind the pilot's seat. Equipment (Standard): Auto-pilot Combat computer Escape Pod Homing beacon with separate power source Optical enhancement package (infrared, nightvision, thermal imager) Full sensor array Self-destruct (delay up to 60 min) History:     In the time following the Elionite Crisis, the Eltorian Guard entered a period of change. The Eltorian government's association with the Terran Federation had begun to influence military practice and procedure. The most obvious manifestation of this influence was the transition from the time-tested Eltorian Battle Armor to newer, larger, Variable Battle Armor. Variable Battle Armors, or VBAs for short, represent a fusion of older Eltorian military design with newer Terran mecha. Like its predecessors, VBAs are capable of limited self-repair. However the concept of form changing mecha was entirely new for Eltorian designers. As a result they based their initial design on what they considered to be the most well rounded Terran variable fighter, the VF-14 Hunter (the VF-19 had not yet been produced). Like their older Battle Armor, the VF-14 was more or less equally effective against air or ground targets. As such, it suited Eltorian military tactics perfectly. The Eltorian version of this design is more heavily armed, sporting two gunpods, a large bore plasma cannon, an array of missiles, and additional plasma cannons. Though, it should be noted that pilots tend to use only one at gunpod at a time to conserve energy cell charge. While just as durable as its Terran counterpart, the VBA-1 owes this feature more to its regenerative capacity than its armor plating. A benefit of using less armor is that the craft has a faster top speed than the VF-14.     VBA-1 was the first battle armor of its class to be produced. It is for this reason that it is also the most common VBA seen in service within the Eltorian Guard. With its introduction, the VBA-1 met with much skepticism. Many doubted the craft would be as effective as the older, smaller, Battle Armors. However, the VBA-1 quickly won over the skeptics as it was discovered that pilots could handle missions of greater duration and had greater success rates using the new craft. Additionally, thanks to new innovations like the escape pod, pilot casualty rates dropped dramatically. Thus the VBA-1 became the first of a new line of Eltorian Battle Armors.     The term Naetrone means "moonslice". It is a reference to the old Eltorian legend of Bae-Lor. Bae-Lor was a legendary warrior from ancient times that relied on his otherworldly sword to best his many enemies. According to legend, Bae-Lor's blade was so powerful that in one of his battles his errant swings struck one of Eltoria's moons - creating numerous craters and crevasses on its surface. Through time the term still finds use as a poetic way to state that someone or something has landed a powerful strike. Considering that the VBA-1 was designed to be a powerful strike fighter, it does indeed live up to its legendary name. "Eltorian Standard Issue"