ZGMF-1017 Gai's GINN

The ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom is a customized ZGMF-1017 GINN used by Gai Murakumo of the Serpent Tail mercenary organization. It is seen in a side story in the back of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom is a ZGMF-1017 GINN that has been customized by the Serpent Tail mercenary organization for increased speed, mobility, and operational flight range. To increase speed and mobility additional thrusters are mounted throughout the unit's frame, most notably on the unit's legs. Because more thrusters means greater fuel usage a new set of fuel pods were attached to the GINN's back. These fuel pods are capable of holding a significantly greater amount of fuel than the base GINN, which not only allows the mobile suit to effectively use its numerous thrusters but also grants the GINN a greater operational flight range, allowing it to traverse vast distances without a carrier ship. This ability allows the GINN Gai Murakumo Custom to conduct hit-and-run attacks without alerting the enemy of the location of Serpent Tail's carrier.

One oddity of the ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom is that the head crest found standard on GINNs has been replaced by second mono-eye sensor tract. This decreases the amount of armor protecting the head but allows the pilot to see what is above or behind his machine without turning the mobile suit.

The ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom is designed for hit-and-run combat, quickly entering the enemy airspace, attacking the enemy at range with a M68 "Cattus" 500mm recoilless rifle, and then leaving the enemy air space to return to the carrier. For close combat Gai has discarded the standard GINN heavy sword and replaced it with a pair of Armor Schneider combat knives stored on the mobile suit's shoulders.

Armaments

 * 'Armor Schneider' Combat Knives
 * The ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom is equipped with a pair of Armor Schneider combat knives stored on the mobile suit's shoulders. Armor Schneider combat knives typically are small and can be dual wielded in both hands. The blades are quite sharp and with enough force can even be pierce through mobile suit armor. Because of their small size and the mechanics involved they are not effective as cutting tools, instead being used to pierce the enemy by being thrust into the armor point first. For maximum effect the area's with the thinnest armor should be targeted.


 * M68 "Cattus" 500mm Recoilless Rifle
 * The M68 "Cattus" 500mm recoilless rifle is a standard GINN armament that is similar in design to a bazooka, though fires non-explosive rounds. The M68 "Cattus" 500mm recoilless rifle has greater range and firepower than the MMI-M8A3 76mm heavy assault machine gun but has less ammunition and a slower rate of fire.

History
In mid-January of the year C.E. 71 Gai Murakumo was hired by the Earth Alliance to destroy a series of ZAFT operated supply depots in space. Using the ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom Gai was able to destroy the supply depots over a series of days, destroying each without running into trouble except for the last one. When he sought to destroy the last supply depot Gai encountered the "Magic Bullet of Dusk" Miguel Aiman in his custom GINN. The two ace pilots engaged each other and inflicted heavy damage on each others mobile suits; however Gai never lost sight of his objective and used the confusion of the battle to destroy the last depot and retreated. The ZGMF-1017 GINN Gai Murakumo Custom had received extensive damage from the battle and could not be used again until repaired. During that time interval Gai came to acquire the MBF-P03 Gundam Astray Blue Frame. With its versatility and power the Blue Frame became Gai's mobile suit choice, placing his custom GINN into storage with the rest of Serpent Tail's machines where it would be kept until a mission required its use.