In one of the Robotech comics written by anybody but the original creators the hovertanks are made by the same people who made the Destroids. Does this make sense, do the hovertanks have enough firepower or versatibility to replace the destroids?

Not Nessicarily, notace that the HT's are More hevily armored but, They may not be mission specific (Air Defense, Fire Support ect...) to compleatly replace the old Destroids.

I hope not!

First: VHT's were a Southern Cross Mecha, not RDF. The Southern Cross was a totaly seperate outfit from the RDF and unique to the second Robotech War.

Second: RDF and Southern Cross tactics varied greatly. RDF ground tactics seemed to be based on the desteroids holding down fixed defensive positions and providing a heavy punch against ground oponents with the tri-configuration VF-1 Veritechs filling both the air/space superiorety tole and mechanized cavalry role. The Southern Cross seemed to prefer to use its air/space type veritechs (Logan and AJACS) for air/space superiorety while having its ground force mecha focus on mobile warfare. In fact, the VHT's were operated by the ATAC (which stands for somthing like "Armored Tactical Assault Cavalry") Corps.

Thirdly: When I think first generation (Macross) Robotech I think of big, 50 FT Veritechs and lumbering, battleship-like desteroids. VHT's would just seem out of place. Also remember that the mecha designs would reflect the era. These are the first Robotech wepons for Earth and I think the ground mecha should have a down and dirty lumbering feel.

Fourthly: If I were a military planner with Robotech wepons avalible to me, I'd use a mix of heavily armed, old school desteroids with high mobility hover tanks filing the typical high mobility warfare, scouting, raiding and flanking roles of traditional cavalry.

EXACTLY!!! The Light ! Someone has seen the Light , hallajuea!!

Also I'd like to add that the ASC had Battleiods that also have, supposedly decent ground combat capability. However, from what I could see, Hovertanks would be great for boarding actions (as see previously) If the Southern Cross had Space Marines (Oorha!) they would definately have them.

Firepower - Destroids hands down. They are slower but have a mix range of weaponry to fight at varied ranges (i.e. REF Destroids) or are combined in groups that compliment each others range of weapons (i.e. RDF Destroids)

Maneuverability - Hovertanks with a jack of all trades weaponry, master of none type mix. Yet, if I remember correctly according to the field guides the arm shields were ridiculously well armored plus the hover tank uses only energy weapons only PLUS the field guide clearly states that the hover tanks ran off of non-Protoculture based fuel source engines (fusion I think) so making them a "shadow fighter" as well plus endurance when compared to third generation Mecha that need fresh protoculture cells every so often. (First generation were supposed to last for 20 or 30 years I think.)

So yes, I think a Hover tank could fill some roles better but my question comes to anti-aircraft support roles. The big gun on a hover tank takes time to recycle. Two of the four first generation destroids would beat a hovertank hands down in this role. But you would not find any first generation destroid doing boarding missions like a hovertank except MAYBE, and that is a big MAYBE, a Gladiator. But all enemy mecha are way faster than a Gladiator and they would be chewed to bits without proper suppression fire.

Now third generation destroids doing boarding ops, different story. Smaller, faster, more agile, more reflex weaponry. I think they have a good chance of standing alone but the advantage of mode change would still be helpful to move out in a hurry or to secure an objective quickly.

Just my 2c on tactics.

To HELL with it, just use the main gun or fold. Smoke um' or run!

I thought some Hovertanks had some kind of APFSDS shell for its Gladiatior mode (please don't make me spell out APFSDS, PLEASE!!) that aside, I do agree with the fact that it dosent run off of Protoculture and that Destroids (depending on the model) a better suited to different tactics whitch (sp?) would help determine overall strategy. This is a very interesting discussion.