GAT-X102 Duel Gundam

The GAT-X102 Duel Gundam is the first mobile suit (MS) developed under the Earth Alliance's "G Project" in the Cosmic Era time-line. It was featured in the series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GAT-X102 Duel Gundam was among the first to be completed in the Earth Alliance's G Project series of prototype MS, developed with the concept of a general-purpose machine and following the requirements for well-balanced performance. The Duel Gundam was used as a basis to set the standard for the future of their flagship MS.

The armament of the Duel is rather simple and consists of two head-mounted "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS guns, which would later become standard weaponry on most suits to shoot down incoming missiles and close enemy units. For close combat, the suit features two beam sabers, which are usually mounted behind the shoulders of the suit. For ranged combat the Duel also uses a 57mm high-energy beam rifle with an attached 175mm grenade launcher. For defense the suit mounts a single physical shield.

Duel also has a bazooka as optional weapon, loaded with high-explosive rounds. The bazooka was taken and used by MBF-P01 Astray Gold Frame to escape from Heliopolis.

After being stolen by ZAFT and damaged in battle, the suit is upgraded with the so-called Assaultshroud armor, which fits several armor plates over the body that can be ejected if necessary. The armor also adds an additional "Shiva" 115mm railgun on the right shoulder and a 220 mm 5-barrel missile pod on the left shoulder for additional firepower.

As with the other suits developed under the G Project, the Duel was equipped with the new Phase Shift armor, making it nearly impervious to shell firing weapons.

Armaments

 * "Igelstellung'"75mm Multi-barrel CIWS
 * Mounted in the Duel's head are two "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS guns. These light projectile weapons are used to intercept missiles and to destroy lightly armored vehicles, although it is classified as an anti-air weapon.


 * Beam Saber
 * These are the primary close range combat weapons and can slice through any armor that does not have an anti-beam coating.


 * 57mm High-energy Beam Rifle
 * Similar to the one used by the Strike, the beam rifle can optionally be fitted with an underslung grenade launcher. This is the primary mid to long range combat weapon and can easily destroy a ZGMF-1017 GINN with one shot, but is mostly ineffective against suits with anti-beam coating.


 * 175mm Grenade Launcher
 * Fitted underneath the barrel of the beam rifle. This weapon did not see much use, but could presumably fire a variety of grenades.


 * Hyper Bazooka
 * A weapon designed for the Duel but never used by it; the bazooka was taken for use by the Astray Gold Frame. It was made to fire high-eplosive rounds.


 * "Shiva" 115mm Railgun
 * Mounted on the right shoulder of the Assault Shroud armour, this weapon packed a significantly heavier punch than the Duel's other armaments, enough to pose a serious threat to the Strike.


 * 220 mm 5-barrel Missile Pod
 * A basic high-explosive missile pod, similar to those mounted on the Buster.


 * Shield
 * Identical in design to the shield used on the Strike and its derivatives. A simple metal shield with a vision slit near the top.

System Features

 * Phase Shift armor
 * As with all of the G Project mobile suits, the GAT-X102 Duel is equipped with phase shift armor. When activated the Duel's color is changed from a light grey to a blue and white scheme with a bit of orange mixed in. Phase Shift armor, when activated, renders the Duel immune to physical attacks such as bullets, the GINN sword, or against missiles. However Phase Shift armor continually drains the battery of energy, shortening the mobile suit's combat endurance. Also the Phase Shift armor draws on even more energy each time it is struck.

History
The Duel was the first mobile suit developed under the Earth Alliance's "G Project" during the opening months of the Bloody Valentine War. The suit served as a testbed for the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam, GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, GAT-X207 Blitz Gundam, & GAT-X303 Aegis Gundam and was the first mobile suit ever to be equipped with Phase Shift armor. On January 25, CE 71, the Duel was stolen from Morgenroete, Inc.'s Heliopolis facility by ZAFT mobile suit pilot Yzak Joule.

Yzak then used his suit together with his comrades piloting the other stolen suits to pursue the Archangel on its way to Earth. During the pursuit Yzak fought the Strike piloted by Kira Yamato several times and also took part in severely damaging the Eurasian Federation space fortress Artemis. Eventually, the Duel was outmaneuvered by the Strike and suffered a severely damaged arm in one instance and suffered a penetrating hit to the cockpit in another, which caused that injury to Yzak's face. After these battles, the Duel was equipped with a 34.37 ton armor system called the Assault Shroud, which it continued to use until the end of the war.

When the Archangel descended down to Earth, Yzak and his suit continued to fight against the ship, first as part of Andrew Waltfeld's team and later together with his comrades from a Vosgulov-class submarine. Despite several battles, the team was never able to destroy the Archangel and instead lost their friend Nicol Amalfi, pilot of the Blitz, in battle against the Strike.

The Duel also took part in the disastrous Operation Spit Break, the attack on the EA's JOSH-A base, as well as the successful attack on the Panama Spaceport. When the Alliance introduced their first mass-produced mobile suit GAT-01 Strike Dagger, the Duel proved highly effective in combat against them and frequently racked up admirable kill counts of the suits. When his ZAFT comrades began to slaughter Alliance soldiers as revenge for the losses in Operation Spit Break, Yzak was disgusted by their actions.

The Duel eventually returned to space and took part among other in the battle around the Mendel colony and the later battles around the PLANT homeland. He also fought in the Second Battle of Jachin Due, the last battle of the war, during which he defended the PLANTs against the Earth Alliance nuclear attack. It was also during this battle that he destroyed the GAT-X252 Forbidden, by sacrificing the Assault Shroud as a decoy. After the loss of the Duel's Assault Shroud armor, Yzak helped his friend Dearka Elsman in battle against the GAT-X370 Raider, which it also destroyed by using the Buster's rifle. After the war ended, the Duel is apparently decommissioned, along with its 'brother' unit, the Buster.

The Earth Alliance eventually created several variants of the Duel. The first unit was the GAT-01D Long Dagger, which served as a testbed for the Natural OS and its limited mass production follower, the GAT-01D1 Duel Dagger. Each of these suits could optionally use a so-called Fortresta mode, which is similar to the Duel's Assault Shroud armor. Also at least one other Duel was built, which was upgraded by Actaeon Industries in the GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam, piloted by Phantom Pain member Mudie Holcroft.

Variants

 * GAT-01D Long Dagger
 * GAT-01D1 Duel Dagger
 * GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam
 * LR-GAT-X102 Regen Duel Gundam

Trivia

 * The Duel's head crest displays the text "UNO X-102", which means "One" in Italian (and in Spanish) and a reference to the GAT-X102 Duel being the first mobile suit developed under the Earth Alliance's "G Project".
 * The Duel is the only G Project weapon that was not severely damaged or destroyed.
 * According to other information about the Duel form some sources, it is regarded as a testbed for future mobile suit and related technology research, although it was not specified in the series.