Battle of Saturn's Rings

The Battle of Saturn's Rings is a battle depicted in the episode 6 of the Robotech animated series. In the Robotech timeline, it was the first major engagement in space between the two armies and took place before the Battle of Mars. [ [http://www.robotech.com/infopedia/episodes/viewepisode.php?episode=6] ]

Prelude

The SDF-1 is now capable of transform itself into a huge humanoid figure. While in this form, it can fire the Main Weapon. However, the modular transformation destroyed much of the city, due to the radical effects on the fortress’s basic structure. In the months that followed, the citizens pull together and repair the damage. Once again, they try to lead normal lives. During this time Rick Hunter joined the Robotech Defense Force.

The Battle

The Zentraedi tracked the SDF-1 to its hiding place in the rings of Saturn. Captain Gloval attempted a blitzkrieg maneuver to take them past the alien armada. As the SDF-1 battles its way through, Rick Hunter takes part in his first official combat duty.

The fighting soon became too hard for the Terrans army, and battlepods began to attack the Battlefortress finding light opposition. For the first time, the Terrans used the "Pinpoint Barrier System", a mobile energy shield capable of deflecting attacks. As Zentraedi attacks bounced off the Battlefortress, they began to attack much more fiercely, and soon the Pinpoint Barrier System operators were overwhelmed by the constant fire.

The situation took a disastrous turn when the SDF-1 emerged from hiding to fire their main reflex cannons, only to have the firing system malfunction completely. However, Lisa Hayes came up with an offensive strategy of her own to stop the main Zentraedi vessel: the Daedalus maneuver. Concentrating all of the Pinpoint Barrier's energy into the tip of the Daedalus ship, the SDF-1 is able to penetrate the Zentraedi Destroyer by literally punching into it. Once achieved, the main forward hatch would open and a group of destroids stationed would launch a barrage of missiles inside the ship. This attack proved successful and the enemy ship was destroyed it from the inside, and bringing the battle to an end.

Aftermath

The Daedalus Maneuver and the Pinpoint Barrier System proved to be very effective means of attack and defense respectively. However, those maneuvers incremented the interest of Commander Breetai in securing the battlefortress intact, which would lead to the Battle of Mars.

References