Flying a Variable Fighter

It is very important to remember that your character already knows how to fly a VF. He/she has spent most of his/her Academy time in the simulator. This means that you know how to steer using the foot pedals, how to go up or down using the flight stick, how to shoot missiles and use the gunpod, and how to do sensor sweeps. You also know how to change modes: battroid, GERWALK, fighter. You have only been trained in the VF-11C; this is the main fighter for the UN Spacy, and it is used everywhere. Perhaps once you graduate, you will be assigned to a squadron that flies a different aircraft, but for now this is all you have had experience with. For information about this aircraft, please see the Mecha Hangar and the Macross Compendium.

As your characters have all flown in simulations many times, they know certain basic things about flying and dogfighting. The general information they would have at this point can be found in the How To Do Macross Mecha Combat in Fuzion document. Please study that page carefully; it will tell you everything you need to know before heading into combat. Your character is assumed to know this stuff already, so check it out before acting. You, the player, will use this time in the Academy to practice roleplaying and taking actions, so don't worry too much about messing up. Just take it easy and enjoy yourself...and remember, if you can't find the answer on the website, feel free to ask questions!

Military Regulations

The second important thing that your character would know about is military regulations. Since your character has been in the Spacy for three years already, he/she should know how to behave. Here's what you'll need to know:

Boot Camp

You are in officer's school, so physical training isn't nearly as heavy as it would be for Marines. However, you did undergo a stint in basic training before you got through to regular officer's training. This six month period was spent eating, sleeping, breathing, and going to the restroom when the drill sergeant said so. You woke up at 5 am and ran for hours. You ate horrible-tasting meals with only half an hour to choke them down. You did pushups, pullups, and situps constantly. You learned many basic physical techniques such as rope-climbing, rappelling, and the belly crawl. You were trained in basic hand-to-hand. And finally, you were trained in the use of a knife, small firearms, and rifles. You are not as good in any of these things as a Marine would be, unless your character's history reflects hard training beyond what flight school would give you.

In this grueling part of training, you learned to respect your superior officers, even fear them. If a superior officer doesn't like the way you look at him, he can make your life a living hell. You learned that you have no rights as an individual. You learned that you are now the property of the United Nations Spacy. When they say jump, you ask "How high?" Those who did not learn this lesson would not have passed boot. Period.

If your character hates authority, that's fine; we all know Isamu did. But Isamu loved flying enough to grin and bear it when his superior officers came down on him...he behaved just enough so that they'd keep him around and let him fly. If you check the Chronology on the Macross Compendium, though, you'll see that Isamu's attitude didn't make him any friends; he was transferred extremely frequently until finally he ended up as a test pilot. He certainly wasn't going to go up in the ranks or be given any authority.

One thing to keep in mind is that in the Macross world in 2051, it's peacetime. The biggest thing we have going on is the expansion into space. The goal of the UN government is to populate as many worlds as possible so that humans can't be wiped out as easily as devastating one planet. So the military is kept up in order to protect the colonies and colony missions. Galaxy Patrols police known space; colony fleets have their own military presence, including a mecha manufacturing ship. But while there is a need for military personnel, the Spacy isn't desperate. If you don't toe the line, you'll be kicked out, period. There will always be someone else waiting to replace you.

Officers' School

Those who made it past boot camp were then groomed to be officers. All pilots in the UN Spacy are officers...that means 2nd Lieutenant or above. The majority of the pilots are 2nd Lieutenants, and that is the rank you will receive when you graduate.

Officers' School is fairly cushy compared to Basic, but you are still expected to adhere to a strict schedule and to respect superior officers. Your various instructors may have had different styles; some would be more physically-oriented than others, but all would put strict focus on piloting skills, combat tactics, and how you comport yourself. They want you able, smart, and clean-cut, and if you aren't, you're out. As I said above, this may go against your character's every instinct...but you have to play the military's game, or they aren't going to give you the toys. As your instructors were likely fond of telling you, the aircraft is worth more than you are.

During Officers' School you may have flown in an actual variable fighter a handful of times, but the vast majority of your training has been in the simulator. The simulators are extremely realistic; in some cases cadets have sustained injuries from being shaken around in the simulation pod. The pod will not only simulate motion but will also vary the temperature, degrade your control over the craft once you've been hit, and otherwise convince you that you are in a real aircraft.

Rules and Regulations

Some general rules of thumb that you will come away from this training with:

1. Every superior officer you come across, including your instructor, is always right, no matter what.
2. Getting your aircraft home in one piece is more important than getting yourself home in one piece.

1. No alcohol on base; minors cannot drink at all.
2. Simulation pods can be used during free time if they are checked out beforehand.
3. Fraternization leads to dishonorable discharge. (Fraternization means becoming involved, romantically or even just in extremely strong friendship, with your direct superior or direct subordinate. A person at your same level is okay. This is how the military tries to eliminate favoritism.)
4. You can be kicked out of the military without warning for breaking any civilian law, including the following crimes: assault, theft, hacking.
5. You do not wear your cover (hat) indoors.
6. In general, you salute a superior officer when you first greet him/her, and again upon leaving, but not in between.
7. You do not salute indoors. ("Indoors" is any place in a small space-bound structure or ship, and inside a structure on a large one [such as those with cities inside them].)
8. When a superior officer enters the room and indicates (non-verbally) that he/she wishes to address everyone, the highest ranked person in the room shouts "Attention on deck", and everyone comes to attention until the officer releases them.
9. When you report to an officer for any reason, it is important to make a good first impression. If you are outdoors, approach the officer to whom you are reporting and stop about two steps from him, assuming the position of attention. Give the proper salute and say, for example, "Sir/Ma'am, Private Smith reports." If you are indoors, use the same procedures as above, except remove your headgear before reporting. If you are armed, however, do not remove your headgear.
10. Do not refer to those who are not officers as "Sir" or "Ma'am" unless they have been specifically introduced to you as one of your instructors. Instructors are always referred to as "Sir" or "Ma'am", regardless of rank.

You also know how to hold attention without moving or making any facial expressions whatsoever, and you know that you have to do this whenever you come to attention. This is known as "bearing", and also involves not talking back to your superiors.

To Annapolis

Once you've made it through boot and officers' training, you come to Annapolis for your last few days. This isn't training for your character; it's more of a test to make sure your previous training stuck. This is where you don't want to mess up. You want to impress your instructors, graduate, and get a good posting. That should be your goal in the Academy. It may seem that this doesn't provide much room for character development...but remember, you can develop your character through his/her thoughts as well as actions. Be inventive! If you're not sure about something you want to do, just ask your instructor before posting.

Conclusion

Now, just because your character should know all these things doesn't mean you understand everything coming in. We're sympathetic to that and will let you know when you've flubbed. That's part of what the Academy is for...to get you acclimated to how the military dynamic works in our game. Just keep in mind what your character should know, and do your best to roleplay accordingly. We'll help you as much as possible. Once you're out of the Academy, all deals are off...if you are insubordinate, you will likely be punished for it, so be sure to figure everything out before you graduate!