Let us assume, then, that the explosions from the Zentradei cannons are reduced by a factor of 10 from what I envisioned (that is, the explosions are only in the kiloton range.)
Let us assume, also, that only half of the Zentradei fleet (2 million ships) fired.
Let us also assume that, as stated above, the fire was concentrated on major population centers and military targets.
And finally, let us assume the hits had no nuclear components, thus releasing no radiation or leaving behind any long term radiation.
- - -
The initial bombardment destroys all cities, metropolitan areas, and most of the larger towns, across the entire Earth.
Nearly all military bases are hit, and most are destroyed.
Subsequently, massive firestorms rage across the planet, as all combustible material in the cities burns away.
Forested regions ignite from the heat, and there are no firefighting attempts.
Vast regions of forest burn, including nearly all of the woodlands in Europe, large parts of the vast Siberian taiga, and great parts of the forests of the United States and Canada.
There are major praire fires in North America, South America, Africa, central Asia, and southern Australia.
However, damage is quite limited in South America, central Africa, southeastern and eastern Asia (including Indonesia), and northern Australia for the simple reason that heavy rains are normal in these areas, and the forests are wet, and fires will not burn through wet vegetation.
Only in areas suffering drought or undergoing the normal dry season see firestorms within the forested areas.
The attack is insufficient to throw much debris or dust into the stratosphere.
What happens instead is that a colossal mess is made in the troposphere, which fills with smoke and dust.
This smoke and dust will quickly settle out of the troposphere in (heavily polluted) rain and by other means.
There is little to no effect on Earth's climate.
Thus, there is no change in the level of the oceans, no change in their temperature, and no extinction of sea life.
The polar ice is unaffected.
This is, indeed, much more like the scenario envisioned in later Robotech videos and in the Robotech sourcebooks.
There is one minor problem with all of this, though.
I happen to live in the Detroit Metropolitan Area.
I happen to have seen a picture of New Detroit, on the online Robotech site (or, at least, one of the online Robotech sites.)
I have seen New Detroit.
I can reasonably assume New Detroit is approximately where old Detroit used to be.
So ...
Where is the Huron River?
Where is the Rouge River?
Where is the Detroit River?
Where is Lake St Clair?
Where is Lake Erie?
Where are the gentle slopes of the Irish Hills?
Where are the ruins that should be left over from a kiloton level attack?
Where is the vegetation that should have quickly started regrowing (grass, brush, saplings, etc.)
I see nothing but a cratered desert here.
If the attack was in the kiloton range, I should be seeing all of the above.
However, if the attack was in the colossal range that I first credited it, then the blasted, cratered, and empty desert I see around New Detroit would make sense.
What is your take on this, then?
