Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation

Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation (機動戦士ガンダム バトルオペレーション) is a free-to-play multiplayer team action game for the Playstation 3, developed and published by Namco Bandai Games, released in Japan on June 28, 2012 via download from the Playstation Network. The game is also released for Hong Kong and Taiwan servers on March 28 2013.

Gameplay
Players are grouped into teams, minimum of four, maximum of six per side. If entering a Quick Match, the player will be randomly put into the Federation or Zeon forces with a starter unit (GM/Zaku II). The game will not begin until there is an equal number of participants and players from both sides confirm a complete launch preparation.

MS are categorized into 3 types: All-Purpose, Artillery, and Close-Combat. All-Purpose types have balanced stats and can equip a variety of weapons, some can even perform an emergency barrel roll. Artillery units are durable and have powerful cannons and rifles but most of them cannot perform melee attacks. Some have a high-res snipe view zoom scope and a more powerful radar. Close-Combat units can only equip low-power weaponry, but most of them can perform a 3-stage melee combo attack with correctly-timed button presses.

The above mentioned types also have a Rock-Paper-Scissors relationship between them in which each has a specific type that they are strong or weak against.


 * All-Purpose: Strong against Close-Combat, Weak against Artillery.
 * Artillery: Strong Against All-Purpose, Weak against Close-Combat.
 * Close-Combat: Strong Against Artillery, Weak against All-Purpose.

Basic
Once all launch preparations are complete, teams will emerge from their respective home bases and start a mission with several objectives:


 * Defeat opposing Mobile Suits.
 * Capture outposts scattered around the map area.
 * Invade the opposing force's base to destroy it with a time bomb (or an Artillery MS' shell weaponry).

The player has the option to disembark from his/her unit to avoid detection when performing an invasion. However, there is always the risk of being hit by mobile suit weaponry (which will result in instant defeat), interception by other players on foot, and the unit being stolen/destroyed while unmanned. This is also the only way to capture an outpost/set a bomb on the enemy base.

Unmanned enemy MS can be stolen to temporarily impair an opposing player's performance, though it does not allow for false flag tactics. A self-destruct timer will start after riding, and will kill the pilot of he/she does not disembark in time.

Aside from armor damage, head and leg damage is also calculated. If the head part is heavily damaged, the radar will be disabled and the camera view will become grainy (this will also reduce attack power). Severely damaged leg parts will affect walking speed, and will not be able to support the weight of the MS at the end of a boost dash or jump, resulting in a knockdown.

If defeated, the player can respawn in certain points (near the base, where the MS unit was left after disembarking, captured outposts etc.) either on foot or with an MS (unless the player was subdued on foot, in which case no new MS can be assigned until the unmanned/stolen unit is recovered/destroyed).

Bases and outposts have utility vehicles near them. The player can opt to utilize said vehicles to perform an infiltration, retreat to safety, or in the case of tanks, have an alternative offensive option when unable to access a usable MS.

Heavily damaged MS units can be repaired by returning to base and standing idle within it's vicinity. The pilot can also do a field repair by switching to a repair tool. Base repairs can no longer be done if it has been destroyed.

Points are earned for performing objectives and foiling efforts from the opposition. The team with the most points at the end of the 8-minute mission will be the winners.

Maps
Recently, there are six different maps in the game which each map having up to three different settings (Example; day or night, clear or foggy).
 * Mountain Area (Clear/Evening/Foggy)
 * Desert (Clear/Night/Sandstorm)
 * Deserted City (Day/Night/Rain)
 * Quarry (Day/Night/Dusty)
 * Military Base (Day/Foggy)
 * Canyon (Day/Rain)

Team Deathmatch
In this mode players choose a side, either Federation or Zeon and fight to accumulate the most points before the match timer runs out. The team size for a battle ranges anywhere from 4v4 to 6v6.

Seige
Each side will start with 18000 resource points in the same tradition as the Gundam Vs. games. There are two main objectives for this mission:


 * Defeat opposing Mobile Suits.
 * Capture outposts scattered around the map area.

Base bombing is disabled in this mode.

The outposts in this game are situated in alternate spots and have shelter structures unlike in Basic. Outposts are not only for respawning. Each controlled outpost will increase the rate in which the opposing side's resource meter depletes.

The game can end two ways:
 * When the 10-minute limit expires, the team with the higher amount of resource points will be the winners.
 * If one side's resource meter is fully depleted, the game will instantly be stopped in a cease-fire.

Ace
Like Seige match, base bombing is disabled in this mode and each side started with 18000 resources points. The main objection in this match is simple, defeating the opposing team and gaining most team points.

When the match time is about to expire (3 minutes remaining), player with highest score on each team will be designated as Ace. Ace player can gains Ace Bonus by getting Mobile Suit kills or assists, making their own scores even higher than usual. At the same time,  an opposite team player who defeating or kill assist enemy Ace also gains Ace Bonus as well.

Combat Training Exercise
Petty Officer 2nd Class players can now participate in combat training before moving on to face other players. This mode can be used until the player reaches Petty Officer First Class.

Post-Game
After viewing the mission results, development points, rank EXP and equipment research progress will be tabulated. If an item/MS research path is completed (progression is selected at random) it can be developed on the spot for the next mission. If the player sorties more than 4 times in one day, bonuses will be awarded.

Upon reaching Chief Petty Officer rank, players can customize MS colors to suit personal preferences and apply decals earned from level-ups and research paths.

Certain achievements and rank-ups will unlock medals. Medals have varying effects, like increasing MS HP, boosting outpost conquer or bomb setting speed, etc. Only one medal can be equipped at first, but more can be used in later ranks. Recent updates have also introduced preset medal slot settings and "Commendation Plaques" the latter of which when obtained grant passive beneficial effects and need not be equipped.

Players can have 3 sortie energy items by default at a given time. Extra sortie energy items can be gained by rank level-ups (regular grants stop upon promotion to Petty Officer First Class, but will still be given at certain levels) or purchasing them at the Playstation Store. Once all sortie items have been expended, the player cannot sortie again until after a minimum grace period of 2 hours. (6 hours maximum to fully restore regular sortie energy)

The game has a penalty system for players who disconnect from a match. If their disconnection rating reaches 10%, they will lose the ability to host matches. If it hits 25%, rank progression and blueprint drops will be suspended. Finishing matches normally will gradually decrease the percentage.

Ranking
New feature are now available that functions as leaderboards. Player can gain Rank Points at the end of the match. Player can toggle between showing National Rankings or Private Rankings (between player and their friends) but they cannot see other people's rank in the match lobby. However, player can turn off the ranking feature in the option menu.



Mobile Weapons

 * RGM-79 GM
 * RGM-79(G) GM Ground Type
 * RGM-79(G) GM Ground Type with Weapon Rack (WR)
 * RGC-80 GM Cannon
 * RX-77-2 Guncannon
 * RX-77-2 Guncannon with Spray Missile Launchers (SML)
 * RX-78-1 Prototype Gundam
 * RX-78-2 Gundam
 * RX-77D Guncannon Mass Production Type
 * RX-75-4 Guntank
 * RGM-79FP GM Striker
 * RGM-79C GM Type C
 * RGM-79SC GM Sniper Custom
 * RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type
 * RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type with Weapon Rack (WR)
 * RGM-79SP GM Sniper II
 * RGM-79L GM Light Armor
 * RX-79BD-1 GM Blue Destiny Unit 1
 * RX-79(G)Ez-8 Gundam Ez8
 * RGM-79G GM Command
 * RGM-79(G) GM Sniper
 * RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type (GM Head)
 * RX-75 Guntank Mass Production Type
 * RX-79BD-3 Blue Destiny Unit 3
 * RGM-79SP GM Sniper II White Dingo Type
 * RGM-79 GM White Dingo Type
 * FA-78-1 Gundam Full Armor Type
 * RX-78XX Gundam Pixie
 * RGM-79V GM Night Seeker
 * RX-77-3 Guncannon Heavy Arms Type
 * RX-78-3 Gundam "G-3"
 * RGM-79D GM Cold Climate Type
 * RX-78NT-1 Gundam "Alex"
 * RX-78GP01 Gundam "Zephyranthes"
 * RGM-79F Desert GM
 * RGM-79HC GM Guard Custom

Support Units

 * Type 61 Tank
 * Medea

Mobile Weapons

 * MS-06 Zaku II
 * MS-06FS Zaku II (Garma Zabi Custom)
 * MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type
 * MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type
 * MS-05B Zaku I
 * MS-06K Zaku Cannon
 * MS-06K Zaku Cannon "Rabbit" Type
 * MS-06V Zaku Tank Cannon Type
 * MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type
 * MS-06FZ Zaku II Kai
 * MS-07B Gouf
 * MS-09 Dom
 * MS-09 Dom Heavy Combat
 * MSM-07 Z'Gok
 * MSM-07E Z'Gok-E
 * MSM-04 Acguy
 * MS-14A Gelgoog
 * MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom
 * MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen
 * MS-08TX(EXAM) Efreet Custom
 * MS-14S Gelgoog Commander Type
 * MS-14G Gelgoog Ground Type
 * RX-79BD-2 Blue Destiny Unit 2
 * MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Commander Type
 * YMS-15 Gyan
 * MS-06FZ Zaku II Kai (B Type)
 * MS-14C Gelgoog Cannon
 * MS-06FS Zaku II (Shin Matsunaga Custom)
 * MS-08TX Efreet
 * EMS-10 Zudah
 * MS-09G Dwadge
 * MS-18E Kämpfer
 * MS-14G Gelgoog Ground Commander Type
 * MS-06D Zaku Desert Type
 * RX-78GP02A Gundam GP02A Beam Bazooka Type
 * MS-14F Gelgoog Marine
 * MS-11 Action Zaku

Support Units

 * Fat Uncle
 * HT-01B Magella Attack tank
 * PVN.4/3 Wappa