VF-013

Designation: VF-013
Nickname: Cauldron-Born
Motto: "Fata Post Mortem Nobis Supersit" ("Death From Beyond The Grave")
CO: Lieutenant Commander "Reverend" Link McKenna

Named for the unstoppable zombies of Irish myth, the fabled VF-013 Cauldron-Born are the go-to Veritech Squadron when a mission MUST succeed at any cost. Those who join the unit are listed as 'Killed In Action' and are required to forego communicating with former friends and family members. They are, for all intents and purposes, dead to the world. Founded in the Autumn of 2008, Flight 13 was immediately dispatched to the North Pole to deal with rumors of a secret base constructed by the Anti-Earth Government faction. The mission was successful, though the Squadron returned home with only two operational Valkyries and three surviving pilots. All records of this mission were classified 'Above Top Secret' by the RDF brass and the survivors were sequestered at Cold Station Seven in the Aleutian Islands.

Quietly rebuilding, the unit was out of pocket when the Super Dimensional Fortress One executed an emergency fold maneuver and disappeared along with Macross Island and its 70,000 inhabitants. Since the leaders of the United Earth Government were petrified at the thought of revealing the existence of giant alien invaders, a story was concocted that the SDF-1 had left the Earth safely to assume its duties as the planet's newest protector just hours before a cell of the AEG wiped out all life on Macross Island. Since few within the RDF were aware of the behind-the-scenes machinations, there was a considerable clamoring within the ranks that urged the UEG leadership to take, at least SOME, action against the believed annihilated AEG. Once again tapping the men and women of Flight 13, the UEG ordered the flight to neutralize an "enemy" missile base in the Philippines (in reality, a remote RDF Forward Observation Post). Striking in the dead of the night, Flight 13 burnt the base to the ground with no casualties to men or material. With their objective of "waving the flags and firing the guns" complete, Flight 13 was once again sequestered at CS-7 to await further orders... 

Unit Traditions: So far, the unit has only one standing tradition. Pilots who survive a mission paint their normally drab Off-White/Gunmetal Veritechs in splotches of color for their lost teammates. Commander McKenna here has made the mistake of being "one of the lucky ones".

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Tools: Crayola Colored Pencils, Faber-Castel Inking Pens, Sketch Pad, Canon Scanner/Printer
Time: Two Hours

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I do not own Robotech or am in any way affiliated with Harmony Gold, Palladium Books, or the rest. This "paint job" and Unit Designation was created for personal use in the Robotech Second Edition Roleplaying Game and may not be copied, altered, or distributed in any way, shape, form, or fashion without written consent.

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Artist's Notes: It's been around 15 years or so since the last time I drew a VF-1J Valkyrie, but I'm oddly impressed with this one. The lines aren't as clean as I'd like and my scanner didn't pick up the metallic colors I used in certain spots for detail, but hey...what can ya do?