RX-78-6 Mudrock Gundam

The RX-78-6 Mudrock Gundam (sometimes spelled "Madrock") is a Gundam from Kunio Okawara's MS Collection (M-MSV) original design series, designed by Kunio Okawara as the 6th Gundam. The design was updated to be used in Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front by Hajime Katoki.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Study of the RX-78-2 Gundam's combat data revealed a problem with its design: a drop in firepower when its beam rifle ran out of energy and needs to be recharged. To solve this problem, the Mudrock was developed and armed with additional fixed weaponry in the form of a pair of 300mm cannons (which could be inspired by the RX-77-2 Guncannon) and a pair of grenade launchers. These new weapons however also increased the suit's weight, and to prevent this issue from affecting the Mudrock's mobility, the backpack is enlarged and more thrusters are mounted on the legs.

Armaments

 * 60mm Vulcan Gun
 * Mounted in the head, these shell firing weapons have a high-rate of fire but have little power and can't damage the thick armor of a mobile suit, though it can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. The weapons are ideal for shooting down small, fast moving, lightly armored targets such as missiles, small land vehicles, and attack helicopters.


 * Beam Saber
 * The beam saber is a small cylindrical device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by an energy capacitor that is recharged from special racks. The beam saber is capable of cutting through any metal that has not been treated with anti-beam coating. The Mudrock is equipped with two beam sabers, that are stored in recharge racks beside the 300mm cannons when not in use.


 * Beam Rifle
 * A revolutionary weapon for its time, the beam rifle is the primary weapon used by the RX-78-6. Making use of E-cap (or "energy capacitor") technology, the rifle uses charged concentrations of Minovsky particles as ammunition. This gives the beam rifle firepower equivalent to that of a battleship's beam cannons. As the Minovsky particles destroy matter on a molecular scale, the beam rifle can penetrate even the thickest armor and destroy its target with a single shot. One weak point of the rifle was that it could only fire a certain number of shots before it ran out of energy and needs to be recharged.


 * 300mm Cannon
 * Much larger than the Guncannon's 240mm cannons, the pair of heavy weapons are mounted on the backpack of the Mudrock, instead of on the shoulders.


 * 4-barrel Grenade Launcher
 * One of the RX-78-6 Mudrock Gundam's more unique weapons is a pair of 4-barrel grenade launchers built into the mobile suit's forearms. These grenades are not very effective against large ships, but are ideal mid-range anti-mobile suit weapons.


 * HWF GMG·MG79-90mm Bullpup Machine Gun
 * The bullpup machine gun is an open-bolt, gas-operated, magazine-fed, mobile suit handheld sub-machine gun. It does not require energy to be used, however it is ineffective against heavy armor. When the magazine is empty, it can be discarded and replaced with a new one.


 * Shield
 * A basic optional arm-mounted defense armament for many mobile suits. The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. Since the introduction of beam weaponry, shields have been treated with an anti-beam coating allowing it to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break.


 * Hyper Bazooka
 * Technically a large rocket launcher, it could fire several 380mm missiles to attack targets at long range. No mass-production MS's armor is able to stop this weapon. While very powerful, it has a slow rate of fire and a fairly little amount of ammunition. Most often used to take out slow, heavily armored targets.


 * Hyper Hammer
 * An enhanced version of the Gundam Hammer. Like its predecessor, the Hyper Hammer is a large spiked ball attached to a chain, but it also has several rockets mounted into the ball in order to allow it to maneuver more effectively in space as well as the ability to change its direction before impact, and to increase the damage it could cause.

History
The Mudrock was originally supposed to be launched into space and participate in the Operation Star One. However, the attack by the Zeon's Midnight Fenrir Corp special forces on Jaburo on November 30, 0079, caused Lieutenant Agar to pilot the incomplete Gundam Mudrock for the protection of thePegasus-class ship SCV-73 Blanc Rival. Despite the Gundam's firepower, it was damaged along with the ship. Mudrock was later repaired and deployed in its completed form to assist in the recapture of the California Base. However, Agar once again found himself against the Midnight Fenrir, and in the ensuing battle, the Mudrock Gundam was severely damaged and forced to retire.

Notes & Trivia

 * Although some games depicted the Mudrock as being able to hover while on earth, there are also other games that did not depict the Mudrock with this ability. Thus, it is unknown if the Mudrock really could hover.
 * The likeness of the Mudrock Gundam made an appearance in the Iron Man VS Lex Luthor DEATH BATTLE.