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Maybe the feet of the legs can grip the surface better than treds for when it is firing. Or if not, then so it can grip onto a ships hull in zero gravity. You can't do that with a tred. Remember it was designed based on a walking mech that didn't have a shuttle mode or any kind of transformation ability. It was not intended to move very far or very fast. But it does seem to be intended to provide mobile weapons coverage in the orginal Macross, as these were used on deck and inside the Assault carrier arm for the Macross' punch-like attack (to deliver heavy ordinance to an enemy ship's interior).
The shuttle mode makes the vessel more useful as it can now be used as part of a fleet's force projection group when needed, or for rapid redeployment to vessels in the fleet that need heavy firepower (civilian ships).
As for its battleroid mode....I have no idea really. Its GERWALK mode was the original standard mode and the shuttle gives it superior self deployment capability. I guess the battleroid mode is for its own personal self defense? Instead of being ripped up at close range where it's massive guns are useless (because it would take itself out in the blast), and it can't outrun whatever is attacking in shuttle mode, them it would have to have a means of defending itself. Fists and/or a mech sized rifle would do I suppose to get it to the standards of the various variable fighters.
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