SYSTEM ∀-99 ∀ Gundam

The SYSTEM ∀-99 ∀ Gundam (pronounced "Turn A Gundam", aka "∀", "White Doll" or "Mustache") is the titular mobile suit of Turn A Gundam. It is piloted primarily by Loran Cehack.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Turn A (∀) Gundam was originally designed for interstellar warfare. Unlike other mobile suits (even those that predate the Turn-A itself), the Turn A is powered by a DHGCP power plant (Discontinuous Hyperoscillation Gauge Collapsing Pile) which is essentially an artificial black hole. This is used in conjuction with an innovative reactionless I-Field Beam Drive system to move the suit's limbs and provide thrust. As a result, the unit's chest is almost entirely hollow and can equip various weapons inside, such as missiles or beam cannons. The legs too are hollow due to the use of the I-Field Beam Drive, and contain an array of thruster vanes which are used to power the suit's jumps and flight. This leaves the back of the unit free to store more weapons and equipment if desired.

The Turn A features a standard set of armaments consisting of a beam rifle and two beam sabers. It can also mount varioius missiles or beam cannons in the chest to compliment it's basic weapons. In addition to these weapons, the Turn A is equipped with a basic shield for defense. It can also use a powerful I-Field capable of covering a large area and affecting matter as well as energy. To further enhance its combat power, the Turn A has support areas called DOC Bases (Device Operation Control) which hold various armaments for the Turn A. These DOC bases allow the Turn A to adapt to the situation at hand by equipping a variety of weapons. One of these DOC Bases was discovered in C.C. (Correct Century) 2345 by Loran Cehack. However, the discovered base had been sealed and not maintained by any nanomachines during the thousands of years the Turn-A was buried, so almost all it's weapons crumbled upon exposure to air. The only weapon still usable was a hyper hammer that was simple and thick enough to remain intact for a short while after millenia without maintainence.

The Turn A's on-board nanomachines are capable of a devastating attack known as the "Moonlight Butterfly" (named after the visual appearance of the attack when active). The Turn A's nanomachines have the ability to convert matter and energy to silicon dioxide (sand) on an molecular basis, and can merge with weather systems to create large ionic storms capable of covering a much wider area. These nanomachines can be used offensively or defensively for all range attack and defense.

The nanomachines are capable not only of destroying technology however, but of maintaining and repairing it too. This ability is not instantaneous though, and it requires a considerable amount of time. Additionally, the Turn A is capable of bending light through an unknown method and cloaking itself from the sensors of most mobile suits.

Armaments

 * Beam Cannon
 * The Turn A can mount two beam cannons on its abdomen. These beam cannons create a cone of particles several times the Turn-A's own size in front of them and are more comparable to a shotgun than a cannon. Gym Ghingham appears to have had his technicians install these beam cannons when he briefly possessed the Turn-A. It is not known if they were created for the Turn-A and left in storage, or simply compatible with it (like the SUMO's cockpit).


 * Beam Saber
 * The Turn A is armed with two beam sabers, stored on the Turn A's shoulders and are noticeably thinner when compared to the standard beam saber of other mobile suits. Moreover, it has been shown that the Turn A's beam sabers have a adjustable power output and range. The two beam sabers can also be held side by side to generate a longer saber blade. The Turn A's beam sabers can also be turned into a defensive armament by the Turn A by rotating its manipulators in a 360 degree motion while holding beam sabers to create make-shift beam shields.


 * Multi-Purpose Silo
 * The Turn A's Multi-Purpose Silos were originally used to store missiles of an unknown origin or type. Two of these silos were used to store nuclear warheads in C.C. 2345 for a short period of time. The Amerian milita also provided missiles of an unknown type after some research with Moonrace engineer Niven Horace.


 * Beam Rifle
 * The Turn-A features a beam rifle, though it's power output is notably much greater than the output of a conventional beam weapons. The Turn-A's beam rifle does not use replacable E-pacs like many other beam rifles related to UC though, and instead converts the Minovsky particles directly. Thus, the Turn-A's beam rifle can be said to be a mega particle cannon more comparable to that used by battleships.


 * Gundam Hammer
 * The Gundam Hammer was a large spiked ball attached to a chain with four rockets built in to the spherical body, and is similar to a flail in use. The Turn A could either throw or swing the hammer around itself in order to impact and damage its target through the sheer mass of the hammer. It can also be used as a chain to restrict enemy movement.


 * Minchi Drill
 * The Minchi Drill is a unique mace-like close combat weapon that is first seen used on the TAF-M9 Eagail. It is based on a shield machine (tunnel boring machine) used for excavations. This weapon can pulverize or even cut through mobile suits.


 * Shield
 * The Turn A mounts a basic shield for defensive purposes, this shield is used to block both beam and physical attacks.

Special Equipment and Features

 * Core Block System
 * The Turn A features a Core Block System like some other Gundam type mobile suits. The Core Block System allows the Turn A's Core Fighter (which is also its cockpit and front skirts) to detach from the main body of the mobile suit. This core fighter can also equip several missiles for offensive purposes.


 * VR Head
 * Installed in the Turn A's cockpit was a retractable virtual reality helmet which connects to the mobile suit's camera sensors and can be used to aim as well as to view distant objects.


 * I-Field Barrier
 * The I-Field forms an invisible barrier around the Turn A, protecting it from incoming attacks, both matter and energy based. The Turn-A's I-Field is notable not just because it is used to power the machine's movements as part of a reactionless drive but it also has a bio-feedback system of some kind. When the pilot sits inside the cockpit they become part of the I-Field's loop and the strength of any shield it uses is depedent on the willpower of the pilot as well as the power of the Turn-A itself. It shares this system with the SUMO, and using it can tax the pilot because it's driven by their own energy and willpower. The Turn-A's cockpit seat has a serious of studs that connect to the pilot suit, and which were used as marks of worship by the people of Inglessa and it is possible the pilot connects to the I-Field through these studs.


 * Moonlight Butterfly System
 * Both the Turn-A and Turn-X's nanomachines are capable of an devastating attack called the "Moonlight Butterfly", named after the strange butterfly wings that emits from the Turn units when the attack is active. This attack can merge with weather systems when inside an atmosphere, multiplying it's power by creating ionic storms that can cover a much wider area. The nanomachines can be used for defensive purposes as well as for offensive, "eating" any incoming attacks and even "eating" any energy barriers (such as an I-Field) they encounter.


 * Nanomachine Regeneration System
 * The Turn A's Nanomachine Regeneration System allows it to "regenerate" any damaged areas on the mobile suit. It is said that with its full capabilities the Turn A can also regenerate its pilot. However, it is notable that this feature is impractical in battle as the Nanomachine Regeneration System requires a considerable amount of time. The Turn units can also use the nanomachines to bury any technology they desire, maintaining it indefinitely as if it were new. This is what formed the "mountain cycles" both Ameria and the Moonrace seek out for pockets of lost technology during the show. The nanomachines that bury such technology cover it in a thin "nanoskin" that maintains anything inside in a pristine condition, while merging with the Earth around them to create a loose sandy soil.

History
The Turn A (∀) Gundam is first found by Loran Cehack and Sochie Heim in C.C. 2345 during their coming of age ritual, outside the city of Nocis, the capital city of Inglessa. The Turn A was called the "White Doll" (most of the characters referred to it as the White Doll). At first the White Doll appeared to be a statue of sorts and was used in the coming of age ritual by teenagers. However the Turn A became active and revealed itself to be an operational mobile suit when the forces of Dianna Counter attacked Nocis. The Turn A would take the side of the Inglessa Militia in their struggle against the invading Moonrace in C.C. 2345, piloted primarily by Loran. It would serve as the Inglessa Militia's trump card against the more advanced mobile suit forces of the Moonrace.

Eventually, after accompanying the Willgem to the Moon, Loran finally learned the dark truth about the Turn A's past. It was revealed by the data of the "Black History" that the Turn A was responsible for the destruction of Earth's civilizations by unleashing its "Moonlight Butterfly" attack, spreading nanomachines across the Earth's surface (and through space, to Jupiter, with the exception of the Moon) and turning all of mankind's technology into sand. After learning of this truth Loran also discovered several features of the Turn A that he was unaware of, most notably that the cockpit was a Core Fighter capable of separating from the Turn A; also Loran discovered the ability to make the Turn A vanish from sight through bending lightwaves.

It is revealed that the Turn A is a reversed engineered Turn X. The Turn A was created due to the discovery of the Turn X, which was found before the Correct Century started, drifting in space. The Turn X outclassed all other mobile weapons at the time of its discovery. The Earthlings at that time were horrified by the fact that such advance technology existed and far surpassed their own capabilities. The Earthlings figured that if such a technologically advanced civilization were to attack them, they would stand no chance. Thus the Turn A was created. However after the creation of the Turn A, the Earth was divided into 2 factions, one possessing the Turn X and one possessing the Turn A Gundam, and a war between both sides began. Eventually, the full power of the two Turn units were released, and the ensuing conflict and a series of political decisions related to it led to all traces of technology between the Earth and Jupiter (save the civilizations on the Moon) being completely wiped out. At some point during this great conflict the Turn X was defeated in battle by the Turn A and received the X shaped mark that it continued to bear on its chest throughout the rest of its history. These events are assumed to have led to the beginning of C.C. 0001.

During the Turn A's second and final battle with the Turn X, both machines unleashed their Moonlight Butterflys and engaged in single combat. Both Turn units fought each other to a stalemate until both units managed to heavily damage each other in close combat. Both pilots, Loran Cehack and Gym Ghingham, escaped unharmed and subsequently engaged in a short sword duel. However, both machines were encased in a large cocoon as the Moonlight Butterfly from both machines were of equal strength and thus both suits were unable destroy each other. Eventually, both the Turn units and Gym Ghingham were encased in the cocoon created by the two Moonlight Butterflys for an unknown amount of time (presumably for a long time).

Variants

 * Turn A Gundam TAKU Custom
 * A customized Gunpla built and operated by TAKU, the leader of the popular rock group SGOCK Third Generation. This unit features a black color scheme and retains all of the Turn A Gundam's standard armaments. When fighting near water surfaces, TAKU uses the shield as a makeshift surfboard.

Notes & Trivia

 * The ∀ Gundam was chosen to be the 100th Master Grade model of Gunpla (abbreviation of Gundam Plastic Model) and at an earlier time, the first release of the ∀ Gundam DVD box set was announced. Dengeki Hobby, May, 2007 issue, 20th anniversary of Turn A.
 * The Hajime Katoki Version of the suit sports a different design as well as redesigned mouth-piece, which more closely resembles that of a normal Gundam.
 * Although Katoki did a different design for his own version of the ∀, he did design the Master Grade of the ∀ Gundam, which is the same as the anime version
 * The chest of the ∀ Gundam has sometimes been depicted as bearing a white cross instead of being completely blue
 * The Master Grade of the ∀ Gundam has the option of swapping the blue cross-shaped piece of the chest with a white one.
 * The ∀ Gundam is the first Gundam to not be powered by an Ultracompact Fusion Reactor, instead relying on a power source unique to its timeline. Future Gundams would continue this trend.