XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1


 * This article is about the mobile suit. For the manga series this unit is named after, see Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam.

XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 is a testbed mobile suit in the Universal Century developed by the Earth Federation's Strategic Naval Research Institute (SNRI). It was featured in the manga series Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Unlike many mobile suits developed by the SNRI, which were designed for use around the Earth orbit, the F-97 is specifically designed to be used around Jupiter, whose strong gravity field would generate serious propulsion problems. For units operating on Earth and around Earth orbit, the problem of high mobility was solved putting numerous thrusters all over the mobile suit's body. However, under Jupiter's gravitational influence, this would require enlargement of the thrusters, leading to an increase of the mobile suit's size and mass. Moreover, in order to use the larger thrusters a larger and more powerful generator would be needed, adding to the general mass.

To solve this matter, Crossbone Gundam is equipped with long variable X-shaped thrusters, composed of four thrusters can be pointed at any direction: with the addition of AMBAC, the main thrusters allow high mobility around Jupiter's orbit, while combined into one huge rocket column they largely increased the unit's top speed, without increasing the size and mass of the mobile suit. Due to the fact that it was created to be used in Jupiter's orbit, when the F-97 is used on Earth it is more difficult for the pilot to control.

In order to increase the pilot survivability, the F-97 is equipped with a plug-in type core fighter, which the variable thrusters and the two standard beam sabers are attached to.

Though technically the Crossbone Gundams are general purpose mobile suits, they were designed with extra emphasis on their close range combat abilities. With their high mobility, the Crossbone Gundams easily outmaneuver most enemy mobile suits, allowing them to slip into close range and past the beam shield. Additionally, Crossbone Vanguard leader, Berah Ronah, sought to fight the war against the Jupiter Empire with as little loss of life as possible. With blades it is easier to take out a mobile suit without destroying the cockpit than it is with a beam rifle.

Another new feature utilized by the F-97 is the Anti-Beam Coating cloak, which can be stored in the back and unfolded when needed. When unfolded, it covered the entire body of the mobile suit, and dispersed beam energy over the cloak. It could usually withstand five standard beam shots without spending any energy, with the additional advantage of stealth. Other armaments included the standard beam sabers, daggers (underneath the feet), scissor anchors (mounted on front skirts, as hidden weapons) and two brand markers, which could either act as beam shields or a shorter beam saber. Like its predecessor F91 Gundam F91, its "mouth" could be opened as a vent.

Four units in total were made, and all of them were given by SNRI to the Crossbone Vanguard. In order to cover this secret dealing, they were assigned the codes X-0, XM-X1, XM-X2, and XM-X3.

Armaments

 * Vulcan Gun
 * These head mounted shell firing weapons have a high-rate of fire, but have little power and are generally ineffective against mobile suits; however, the vulcan gun can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. These weapons are ideal for shooting down small, fast moving, lightly armored targets such as missiles or small vehicles.


 * Beam Saber
 * The beam saber is the standard close-combat melee weapon of mobile suits descended from the RX-78-2 Gundam, and many other machines developed in the years after the One Year War. Beam sabers are powerful weapons that emit a blade of plasma contained by an I-field that can cut through any physical armor. The only way to fully defend against a beam saber is to block it with another beam saber or a beam shield. Because of the I-field a beam saber can be used to block an attack from a beam rifle, but this is a technique that requires considerable skill, and can only block an attack of so much power. The Crossbone Gundam is equipped with two beam sabers stored in shoulder racks when not in use. They also serve as the beam guns for the core fighter.


 * Heat Dagger
 * The Crossbone Gundams are also equipped with two heat daggers as alternative close combat weapons. Unlike most heat weapons, the blade of the heat dagger is heated using leftover heat from the leg's thrusters. The heated blade can melt the enemies armor on contact, which when combined with the force applied to the attack, can inflict significant damage. The heat daggers are stored in the legs, one in each calf. Normally, it is handheld when in use, but it can also slide out of the sole as a surprise attack.


 * Scissor Anchor
 * Each Crossbone Gundam is equipped with a pair of scissor anchors stored on the front skirt armor. These anchors are attached to the Gundam by long chains and use scissor claws to grip objects. While these are not offense weapons per-say, they provide several uses in combat. They can be used to grip the limb and an enemy machine to ensnare it or to reel it in closer to the Crossbone Gundam where it is within melee combat range. They can also be used to turn ensnared mobile suits into bludgeoning weapons by pulling on the chain. The scissor anchors can also be used to stabilize the Gundam's footing in case of emergencies, such as when fighting the wind force of an explosion.


 * Beam Shield/Brand Marker
 * A new protective device used by the mobile suits of the U.C. 0120 era. Thanks to their increased generator output, the scaled-down mobile suits of this era are able to use beam technology for defensive purposes. Unlike an I-field generator, which is effective only against beam attacks, the beam shield blocks both beam and projectile weapons. The beam shield generates a plane of energy similar to the blade of a beam saber. This plane is divided into multiple sections, which can be turned on or off as needed to conserve energy. Individual sections are also automatically deactivated whenever they're in danger of coming into contact with the mobile suit itself. Beam shield generators can be built into the arm of the mobile suit or they can be optional equipment, a unit that mounts on the mobile suit's arm and draws power directly from the fusion reactor.


 * The beam shield generators of the Crossbone Gundams can further take advantage of beam energy malleability, forming four short beam blades at the corners of the beam shield generator that meet at the center, which gives the brand marker as a whole a pyramidal shape. The brand marker slides over the fist of the mobile suit and is used as a punching weapon. When used, the the brand marker leaves an X-shaped hole, if the target area isn't completely destroyed.


 * Beam Zanber
 * The beam zanber is a high power beam saber and is the primary weapon of the Crossbone Gundam. The hilt of the beam zanber is modeled after that of a traditional pirate cutlass, as does the beam blade when it is formed, and is stored on the left hip when not in use. The power of the beam zanber is significantly higher than that of ordinary beam sabers, such that it is easy for the Crossbone Gundam to overpower an enemy in melee combat or even "cut" through the beam of an ordinary beam saber. Behind the guard of the beam zanber is a gun handle that is used in the zanbuster configuration.


 * Buster Gun
 * The buster gun is the primary ranged weapon of the Crossbone Gundam. This beam pistol is modeled after a flintlock pistol and is typically used with only one of the mobile suit's hands, leaving the second hand free to use a melee weapon. Stored on the right hip when not in use the buster gun can combine with the beam zanber to form the zanbuster.


 * Zanbuster
 * A beam rifle formed from the combination of the beam zanber and the buster gun, the beam it fires is stronger than those of the buster gun. In this configuration, the butt of the buster gun is connected to the beam emitter of the beam zanber. When a grenade is attached to the Zanbuster's emitter, it can also function as a single shot grenade launcher.


 * Rifle Grenade
 * The rifle grenade is a high yield explosive that can be attached to the beam emitter of the zanbuster. Typically not used against mobile suits, the rifle grenade was used to intercept a nuclear missile that was targeting the Mother Vanguard.


 * Atomic Shell
 * An alternative weapon that can be fitted to the beam emitter of the zanbuster, it is fired in the same manner as the rifle grenade.

Special Equipment & Features

 * Anti-beam Coating Cloak
 * As with other Crossbone Vanguard mobile suits used in the year UC 0133, the X-1 could be equipped with a cloth cloak that had been treated with an anti-beam coating. Functioning similar to the old physical shields that had received the same treatment, the cloak was used to protect the mobile suit from beam shots. With its size it could completely cover the mobile suit, with the exception of the head, providing full body protection. However, despite its advantages, one of which is conserving power, the cloak has two disadvantages. First, unlike a beam shield the cloak can only handle about 5 shots before the coating wears off, rendering the cloak to simple cloth. The second disadvantage is that the cloak offers no protection from physical weapons.


 * Dummy Launcher
 * A deception device that takes advantage of Minovsky particle interference. Thanks to this interference, warfare in the Universal Century era relies heavily on visual sensors, which can be tricked by inflatable decoys. These decoy balloons are designed to mimic mobile suits, asteroids, and even warships. More sophisticated varieties are equipped with small maneuvering verniers, allowing them to move in a realistic manner and register on infra-red sensors.


 * The XM-X1 is equipped with a hand mounted dummy launcher that can deploy several dummies in the shape and color of the XM-X1. With these dummies the Gundam can confuse an enemy trying to bombard the unit at long range, long enough for the Gundam to use its weapons.


 * Bio-Computer system
 * A new kind of man-machine interface, that is functionally a reverse psycommu system, the bio-computer places less strain on its human operator. The bio-computer is originally intended to help the disabled, but its development is ultimately funded by the Earth Federation Forces, who hoped to employ it as a mobile suit control system and installed it in the F91 Gundam for experimental purposes. As its name implies, the bio-computer is similar in structure to a human brain, and its operating processes resemble human thoughts and feelings. Rather than merely displaying data on a computer monitor, the bio-computer can relay it directly to the pilot in the form of sensory information, so what the machine "feels" can also be experienced by the human operator. However, the full latent potential of this system can only be tapped by a Newtype pilot.

History
The XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 is the first F97 model mobile suit to be built and put into service by Berah Ronah's revived Crossbone Vanguard. It would serve as their flagship mobile suit piloted by Kincade Nau. In the Crossbone X-1, Kincade would lead many of the fights against the Jupiter Empire, using his honed skills to make the Crossbone X-1 a terror on the battlefield. His combat skill was so refined that none of his opponents were ever able to force Kincade to use the Crossbone X-1's shield.

One of the most distinguishing battles the Crossbone X-1 would participate in would be the Battle of Io. The battle was the Crossbone Vanguard's invasion of a Jupiter Empire military base on the moon of Iowhere the Jupiter President Crux Dogatie was resident. The base was a trap, with the base nuclear reactor set to detonate when the Crossbone Vanguard would made into the inner sanctum. Kincade took the Crossbone X-1 deep into the bowels of the base, destroying defending EMS-09 Vagon units attempting to stop it, and disabled the reactor before it could go critical

The last battle the Crossbone X-1 would participate in before being upgraded was against the Jupiter Empire's Death Gale team. Though individually the enemy mobile suits were not equal to the Gundam, together they surpassed it. The Crossbone X-1 was seriously damaged against the EMS-VSX1 Quavarze, but not beyond repair. The Crossbone Vanguard used much of their remaining resources to repair the Gundam and upgrade it, supplying it with new screw whip long-range melee weapons designed to get through the snake hands of the EMS-VSX1 Quavarze. The XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 was then re-designated XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 Kai.

Variants

 * XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 Kai
 * XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 Kai Kai "Skull Heart"
 * XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 "Patchwork"
 * XM-X2 Crossbone Gundam X-2
 * XM-X3 Crossbone Gundam X-3
 * XM-X9999 Crossbone Gundam Maoh
 * XM-10 Flint