clamy99 - 10 September 2019 01:17 AM
TLDR: Many sources claim that Southern Cross mecha do not use protoculture but this undercuts the importance of protoculture in the entire storyline.
Nothing in the Tv series remotely indicates the mecha of the United Earth Forces in the 2nd Robotech War used anything other than Protoculture.
Some relevant dialogue:
Eps. #50 Triumvirate
SUPREME COMMANDER LEONARD: Proto-Engineering has completed the first consignment of the new Armored Gyro Assault Choppers, henceforth designated as AGACs. These will form the nucleus of the first assault wave. Your corps commanders will have your individual battle assignments.
Eps. #51 Clone Chamber
MARIE: Update from the first attack wing . . . The survivors of our bio-engineering sections are initiating repairs on the Advanced Lunar Chemical Engineering Station, or ALuCE-1 as it’s designated. . They feel fairly certain that a complete program of resource replenishment will have to be carired out to make the station operational again.
(Remember, Lunk was a Bio-Maintenance Engineer and he was an REF Mars Division soldier).
Eps. #54: Mind Games
MECHANIC 2: This conversion mode proto-generator is shot, but I think I’ve got time to repair it. (He’s working on a Spartas Veritech Hovertank in this scene, btw)
Eps. #61 The Invid Invasion
NARRATOR: In a distant corner of a far off galaxy, a race of protoplasmic creatures receives telepathic sensor reports indicating a huge buildup of protoculture on an insignificant planet in the fourth quadrant of the Known Unvierse,.....The location happens to be the Earth and the reason for the large buildup of protoculture is directly attributable to the final battle of the 2nd Robotech War.
.............
SHUTTLE PILOT: Somehow I can’t get romantic about the Invid grubbing around the old homestead for protoculture.
.............
COMMANDER GARDNER: Most of you know what I’m about to say, but for those who don’t know what this war is all about, its simply this: the Invid became aware of a large supply of active protocutlure on our home planet and moved with hostile and murderous intent to retrieve it.
So….yea, the mecha of the 2nd Robotech War used Protoculture.