RB-79M Ball Type M

The RB-79F Ball Type F is a variant of the original RB-79 Ball. It first appeared as a part of the Mobile Suit Variations line.

Combat Characteristics
The RB-79F Ball Type F also known as the Ball Bommer are the Earth Federation latest Ball variant. The directional thrusters mounted on all Ball units were "directed" solid fuel explosives, the detonation giving an impulse through the thrusters to change the direction of the Ball. This configuration gave the Ball unit good reaction speed and reasonable maneuverability on each thrust but very limited use of the system compared to the liquid fueled directional thrusters on Mobile Suits. The Ball units had an advantage on refueling on-board the Columbus class support vessel due to the lack of beam weapons and low number of liquid fuel thrusters, making the refueling/rearming time extremely short compared to any Mobile Suit with Thermo-nuclear power.

In fact, the thrusters and weapons were designed to be modular, allowing depleted thruster banks and empty gun magazines to literally be removed by the servicing crew and reloaded at a later time, and fully-loaded ones to be quickly installed in their place. The Ball Type F main weapons are the mine scatter pods. The mine scatter pods can only release 48 mines around its designated area. The mines can be highly effective if only the enemy goes through it. Once the mines are release the Ball Type F is unarmed and defenseless.

History
The RB-79F Ball Type F first appeared in the One Year War. The Ball Type F were brought by Columbus-class supply ship along many RB-79 Ball. While laying out its mines the Ball Type F and Ball units were ambushed by Zaku IIs lead by Johnny Ridden piloting his MS-06R-2 Zaku II High Mobility Type. All of the Ball units were destroyed except for one, the pilot who survived was inspired by Johnny Ridden's symbol the unicorn emblazoned on the Zaku's elbow that it became his teams symbol in UC 0090.