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 BETA War World. The Beings of Extra Terrestrial origin which is Adversary to the human race, more commonly known by the acronym BETA, are extraterrestrial lifeforms.
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 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. 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. 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.
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.
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. Armor on the upper body segment also aids in maneuverability by improving the active instability aspect of a TSF; 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.
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.
International Use TSFs
A6 Intruder United Nations Model
A6 Intruder U.S. Marine Corps Model
A10 Thunderbolt II
Me101P Fenrir
Pilot: UN Pilots
Pilot: USMC Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
EF2000 Typhoon Duon
EF2000 Typhoon Sieglinde
EF2000 Typhoon Cerberus
XF2000a Typhoon
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
JAS39 Gripen
Lavi
Mirage 2000
Rafale
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
American Made TSF Models
F4E Phantom
F4G Phantom
F4E Phantom
F4R Phantom
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: German Pilots
Pilot: UK Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
F4UN Phantom
F5E Tornado
F5E Tornado ADV
F5E Tornado ADV Canadian Forces
Pilot: UN Pilots
Pilot: UK Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: Canadian Pilots
F5E Tornado ADV E.U. Forces
F5E Tornado ADV Stealth Model
F5G Tornado
F5I Tornado
Pilot: EU Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: German Pilots
Pilot: Italian Pilots
F5 Freedom Fighter
F5F Mirage III
F16 Fighting Falcon
F16AM Fighting Falcon E.U. Model
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: TSF Pilots
Pilot: EU Pilots
F16C Fighting Falcon U.N. Model
Type 00C Takemikazuchi U.N. Model
Type 00F Takemikazuchi U.N. Model
Pilot: UN Pilots
Pilot: UN Pilots
Pilot: UN Pilots
United States TSF Models
F14 Tomcat
F14E Super Tomcat
F14AN3 Mindseeker
F15A Eagle
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
F15C Eagle
F15E Strike Eagle
F15SE Silent Eagle
F16C Fighting Falcon U.S. Model
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
F18E Super Hornet
F22A Raptor
F22A Raptor EMD Phase II
F35 Lightning II
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
YF22 Lightning F
YF22 Lightning X
YF23 Black Widow Grey Ghost
YF23 Black Widow Black Widow
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
Pilot: US Pilots
A6 Intruder U.S. Marine Corps Model
Pilot: USMC Pilots
Chinese TSF Models
J-8
J-10
J-10X
J-11
Pilot: Chinese Pilots
Pilot: Chinese Pilots
Pilot: Chinese Pilots
Pilot: Chinese Pilots
Soviet TSF Models
MiG21 Balalaika
MiG21 Balalaika PF
MiG21 Balalaika USSR Model
MiG23 Cheburashka
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
MiG23 Cheburashka Stasi
MiG25 Spirt Voz
MiG27 Aligator
MiG27 Aligator Stasi
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
MiG29 Lastochka
MiG29M2 Vermillion Sword
MiG29OVT Fulcrum
MiG31 Plamya Lisa
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Su-11
Su-15
Su-27 Zhuvralik
Su-37M2 Terminator
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Su-37UB Terminator
Su-47 Berkut
Su-47E Berkut
Su-47pz Berkut
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Su-47pzX1 Berkut
Pilot: USSR Pilots
Japanese TSF Models
Type 16 Toryuu
Type 77 Gekishin
Type 77 Gekishin Imperial Army
Type 81 Wadatsumi
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Type 82 Kai Zuikaku
Type 82 Kai Zuikaku Fudai
Type 82 Kai Zuikaku Imperial Security
Type 89
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Type 89 Combat Type
Type 89 Kagerou
Type 94 Shiranui
Type 94 Shiranui Imperial Army
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Type 97 Fubuki Imperial Army
Type 97 Fubuki U.N. Model
F15SEJ Gekkou
F35J Lightning II
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
XFJ01a Shiranui Second Phase
XFJ01a1 Shiranui Second Phase
XFJ01a2 Shiranui Second Phase II
XFJ01b Shiranui Second Phase
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Imperial Army TSF Models
Type 00A Takemikazuchi
Type 00C Takemikazuchi
Type 00C Takemikazuchi U.N. Model
Type 00F Takemikazuchi U.N. Model
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: UN Pilots
Type 00F Takemikazuchi
Type 00F Takemikazuchi Fudai
Type 00R Takemikazuchi
Type 00R Takemikazuchi Shogun
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Japanese Pilots
Pilot: Yuuhi Koubuin
Type 98X Takemikazuchi Regent Model
Pilot: Meiya Mitsurugi
BETA Life Forms
The BETA Percentiles.
As an alien force created for mining, the BETA center their strategies around total dominance with overwhelming numbers; the areas that they take are eventually mined of all possible resources, leaving a barren wasteland behind that is unfit for supporting human life for decades to come. What allows them to not just stand toe-to-toe with humanity's forces, but to actually dominate them, however, are the Laser-class and Heavy Laser-class BETA. Their lasers can instantly destroy both air and ground enemy units from beyond visual ranges, and due to the fact that a typical low-threat BETA encounter would usually number several dozen Grappler-, Tank-, and Destroyer-class means that without air support, human armies would typically find themselves outmatched and outnumbered in a ground war. The laser classes also prioritize targets based on the computer systems they have, thus making missiles and drones higher priority targets than artillery shells. The more advanced the higher the priority. However, this later changed to give higher priority to manned systems, thus making TSFs which have powerful computers as well as having a human pilot a higher priority for the Laser class BETA.
In addition, there is no real way to detect a BETA offensive from far off; ground-based sonic sensors and recon satellites are at the mercy of the weather and mechanical failure. The best defence is to have pilots being able to respond quickly and efficiently to a sudden incursion, and to quickly deal with an incoming force if it is detected early enough. During an offensive push by the BETA, expect to see several hundred to tens of thousands of Tank-, Grappler- and Destroyer-class, as well several Fort-class and dozens if not hundreds of Laser/Heavy-Laser-class BETA in the mix as well.
The BETA are usually commanded by the Superior, a BETA strain best described as a "biological quantum computer". This is the one true threat to victory in any engagement; the BETA in general can be lured into traps or defeated with clever use of tactics, but when led by a Superior, the BETA become noticeably smarter, to the extent where it understands the concepts of human tactics and will create ways to counter them. Some basic tactics used by the BETA include tunneling from underground, often surprising defending forces from the rear, or from another front, creating opportunities for overconfident pilots to get trapped in a pincer maneuver. Often the main issue with combating BETA in any prolonged engagement is the threat of running out of ammunition, and the massive numerical odds; close-quarters combat is viable, but that would be playing into the area of strength for the BETA, and is not encouraged unless as a last-ditch measure.
BETA force size organization, as is expected of their force composition, is several times higher than their human counterparts. To add to that, most major engagements take place with multiple corps-sized formations deployed by the BETA, as is their nature to rely on overwhelming numbers.