Tactical Surface Fighter
Tactical Surface Fighter yf_23_lone_wolf_by_blazingchaos-d4rdlzb.jpg
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102

A poster of various TSFs of American, Japanese, and Soviet origin.

Text: Born in a purgatory with no future, nourished with the blood and viscera of the grotesque, the threads of hope spun decay, a sword to determine their annihilation-
Senjutsuki (戦術機, "tactical fighter"), or senjutsuhokousentouki (戦術歩行戦闘機, "tactical walking fighter aircraft"), are large bipedal machines, and are a primary weapon system used to combat the aliens known as the BETA in the Muv-Luv Unlimited and Muv-Luv Alternative visual novel games, as well as their spinoff/side-story works.

The official translation of the name is "Tactical Surface Fighter". However, this terminology was only first seen nine months following Alternative's release in promotional materials for Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse. It was never used in the trilogy games as the story was set in Japan and therefore use the Japanese terminology. That said, senjutsuki should be read as TSF, due to it being the closest acronym equivalent of the Japanese term.

TSF action figures are currently produced by Volks (in their A3 =Advanced System of Action Arms= and Tactical Surface Fighter Model Collection lines) and Kaiyodo (in their Revoltech line). Model kits for TSFs are produced by Kotobukiya.
Contents[show]
HistoryEdit
All-range combat

(IW) A Type-94 Shiranui displays the flexibility typical of TSF joint construction.

In the alternate timelines of Unlimited and Alternative, the invasion of Earth by the BETA began in 1974. To circumvent the overwhelming anti-air superiority of the Laser-class BETA, TSFs were thus developed as all-purpose assault units, able to fight in urban areas, on uneven terrain, and 3-dimensional combat within the interior of BETA Hives[1] without their maneuverability being constrained in the heat of battle, following the successful deployment of bipedal mechanized units such as the Feedback Protector and NCAF-X1 used in the preceding First Lunar War. Since their first deployment in 1974, TSFs have become essential to humanity's survival over the 30-year war.

TSF movement is a combination of bipedal locomotion and thrust from their Jump Units.[2] Their legs and arms are moved with carbon actuators, superconducting bands of carbon-based material that expand and contract based on the electrical current passed though them; the electricity to power the carbon actuators come from a combination of batteries and magnesium fuel cells.[2] Jump Units produce thrust by processing specialized jet fuel, usually stored in the Jump Units themselves or in storage tanks in a TSF's legs. External tanks can be attached to a TSF for increased operational time and distance.[2]

TSF mobility is further enhanced by their joint construction; the combined usage of carbon actuators and multiple joints structures in a single joint segment impart TSFs with high operating limits and shock-absorbing capabilities during battle.[3] One example is the wide-ranged rotational capability of a TSF's shoulders and elbows, allowing them to engage targets directly behind them even without gun-equipped Mount Pylons.[3] Sub-arms positioned underneath the shoulder-block armor allow TSFs a wide range of arm movement without interference.[3]

Mobility is not just all that TSFs have, however; they are also armored in an anti-projectile and heat-resistant composite that has been further treated with anti-laser coating.[4] Armor on the upper body segment also aids in maneuverability by improving the active instability aspect of a TSF;[4] a higher center of gravity improves the execution time of maneuvers during combat. However, with the immense power wielded by the Laser-class BETA, armor protection for TSFs remains a low-return concept compared to attack avoidance.

Most if not all of the American, Soviet, and European TSFs are based on real-life fighter jets (e.g.- the F-22A being built by "Lockweed Mardin", a clear reference to Lockheed Martin). However, the people responsible for the design and manufacture of the real world's various fighter jets are not necessarily the same people who were responsible for the design/manufacture of TSFs in Muv-Luv Unlimited/Alternative.

TSF development can be split into three distinct generations, with each generation an indicator of their technology level and advancement. However, the generation standing is not a direct indication of combat strength in any capacity.
1st GenerationEdit
Allied assist

(MLA) An example of battlefield versatility - A grounded pilot being helped out of his disabled machine.

Early on, 1st generation TSFs such as the F-4 Phantom were envisioned as mobile tanks, and were sent into battle with heavy armaments and armor plating while operated by retrained former military aviators. The results were disastrous; BETA combat strength easily bypassed any amount of armor, and pilots struggled with the conceptual differences between piloting an airplane and a TSF. Specialized TSF training was quickly established and taught to officers early in their careers to improve and advance TSF combat doctrines throughout the years.

With the experiences gained from fighting the BETA, later 1st generation TSFs began a shift towards lighter, more agile units. Examples include the F-5 Freedom Fighter and its derivatives, the Tornado IDS and Mirage III. Nations that adopted the F-4 also upgraded their TSFs for improved close-quarters capabilities; examples include the MiG-21 Balalaika, J-8, and the Type-77 Gekishin.
2nd GenerationEdit

Starting from the 2nd generation, manufacturers shifted their focus to improving the agility and maneuverability of TSFs, as the numbers and offensive strength of the BETA in a war of attrition assured that pilots fared much better by avoiding attacks, rather than withstanding them. One of the means by which improved performance was achieved was active instability[5] - 2nd generation TSFs had their center of gravity located in their upper body segment, using the inherently unbalanced design to reduce the time needed to commence maneuvers during combat. Otherwise, the TSF is kept upright by its own OS.[6]F-15J_KAGEROU.png

These TSFs resemble modern fighter planes ("sentouki") in performance, rather than tanks.

During the 2nd generation of TSF development, tactics such as the High-Low Mix were developed, resulting in TSF designs built around exploiting this strategy; examples include the F-15 Eagle/Su-27 Zhuravlik as "heavy" TSFs, and the F-16 Fighting Falcon/MiG-27 Aligatori as "lightweight" TSFs. Numerous 1st generation TSFs also underwent extensive upgrading into 1.5th generation TSFs, their upgrades vastly improving their mobility and evasion capabilities. 1.5th generation TSFs were still constrained by their physical frames, however, and some, like the Type-82 Zuikaku, were unable to reach a level of performance comparable to 2nd generation TSFs of that time.

Not counting the United States, most nations attempting to enter the 2nd generation of TSF technology often found themselves outmatched, mostly due to the pressure on their infrastructure and industry from the advancing BETA, or from a lack of specialized knowledge on TSF construction; examples include the quasi-2nd generation MiG-23 Cheburashka, the poorly-developed MiG-25 Spirt-Voz, and the troubles experienced by the Empire of Japan during the development of their own TSF, forcing them to acquire the F-15J Kagerou as a stopgap measure.
3rd GenerationEdit
253

Two Shiranui Seconds display their prowess in short-range combat maneuvers.

By the 1990s, the development of TSFs had shifted into the 3rd generation. TSFs of this tier boast superior maneuverability, mobility, and firepower compared to 2nd generation TSFs, due to the input of combat data over the past two decades, which helped shape the vast improvements in the technology, hardware and software used as their components; their resultant designs clearly reflect the strategic needs of their nations. The Type-94 Shiranui, the world's first 3rd generation TSF, remains a high-performance unit nearly a decade after its introduction, and late 3rd generation units like the Type-00 Takemikazuchi focus on overwhelming close-combat advantages, while the F-22A Raptor uses stealth and superior mobility to not only outmaneuver BETA, but human and TSF opponents as well.

Even with the superiority of 3rd generation TSFs, development, production, and procurement difficulties for most of them have resulted in renewed improvement and experimentation projects involving 2nd generation TSFs. Some, like the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-18E/F Super Hornet, have received upgrades with tried-and-tested technology originating from the 2nd generation of development, but others, such as the F-15ACTV Active Eagle and MiG-29OVT Fulcrum, have been partially upgraded with technology developed for 3rd generation TSFs. Heavily upgraded TSFs are known as 2.5th generation TSFs, while TSFs extensively upgraded with 3rd generation technology are known as quasi-3rd generation TSFs. Depending on development and performance, a quasi-3rd generation TSF (such as the F-15SE Silent Eagle) may be reclassified as a full-fledged 3rd generation TSF.
8 Minutes of DeathEdit

The average survival time for the first pilots of early 1st generation TSFs was 8 minutes, and surviving the "8 minutes of death" has become a rite of passage among modern pilots, even when using 2nd or 3rd generation TSFs.

The "8 minutes of death" is just simple superstition; rookie pilots have died due to letting their guard down after 8 minutes into a battle, and veteran pilots are also not exempt from this rule.
Combat TacticsEdit

See: Unit Organization

As TSF tactics and technology were developed cooperatively across the world, they share a similar aircraft-derived unit organization pattern in most armed forces, yet retain some aspects of tactics not commonly found in aerial formations; a unique melding of both army and air force command structure.

See: Combat Doctrine

In the past two-and-a-half decades of war with the BETA, both anti-BETA and anti-TSF combat tactics developed for the exclusive use of Tactical Surface Fighters have appeared, honed, and refined over the years. However, in a strategic sense these tactics are truly useful only when combined with other military forces.
Tactical Surface AttackerEdit

Tactical Surface Attackers are a variation on the Tactical Surface Fighter concept that have been adapted to carry massive firepower and armor volume, usually by sacrificing speed and maneuverability in their design. TSAs excel in clearing operations and establishing a beachhead in contested regions,[1] where their immense volume of firepower can easily stop the advance of the BETA head-on.

Out of their niche area, however, TSAs suffer from low speed and low maneuverability, making them unsuitable for close-quarters combat, or tactical actions that require speed and precision.

Currently, there are only three known series of TSAs: the A-6 Intruder, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the A-12 Avenger.
Tactical Surface Fighters By NationEdit

Japanese TSFsAmerican TSFsEuropean TSFsSoviet TSFsChinese TSFsIsraeli TSFs

Muv-Luv Alternative - Red Alert, All Units Scramble

UN Type-94s initiating combat maneuvers.

Varying in design from mundane to highly ornate, most Japanese TSFs focus on high speed, maneuverability, and close-combat tactics, due to a need to fight in crowded Hive conditions to cleanse Japan of the BETA, as well as strengthened joint systems to overcome the issue of the uneven and rough terrain of the Japanese mainland. With improvements in TSF technology, Japanese TSFs have become more maneuverable, with some bearing weaponized armor and parts for greater defense against certain BETA; most TSFs have limiters installed, however, to improve joint and frame durability and uptime during combat.

Type-77/F-4J Gekishin
Type-81/A-6J Wadatsumi
Type-82/F-4J Kai Zuikaku
Type-89/F-15J Kagerou
Type-94 Shiranui
Type-97 Fubuki
Type-00 Takemikazuchi
Test Type-02/F-15SEJ Gekkou
Type-04/XFJ-01 Shiranui Second
Shinshin ATD-X

Loadout OptionsEdit

ArmamentsEquipmentSystems

Battle-tested and proven in combat over nearly thirty years, most TSFs use weapons that operate on similar principles to their human-wielded/vehicle-mounted counterparts, but differ in their manufacturing and operation. Humanity is also developing new weapons daily, seeking to even the playing field in any way possible.

Assault Cannon
Close Combat Dagger
Melee Halberd
Missile Container
Supplemental Armor
Fixed Armament
1200mm Over the Horizon Cannon
EML-99X Electromagnetic Induction Launcher
S-11 SD-SYSTEM
http://zarconian.wikia.com/wiki/Robot_mechas http://muvluv.wikia.com/wiki/User:Queen_Armada

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