MRX-009 Psyco Gundam

The MRX-009 Psyco Gundam is a transformable mobile armor that appears in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Developed by the Earth Federation Forces' Murasame Research Institute as a Cyber-Newtype-use machine. Although it has the appearance of a Gundam-type unit, its internal systems are completely different and reference the MSN-02 Zeong. However, because the Psycommu System could not be miniaturized, developers were forced to produce in accordance with the machine's size, resulting in the Psyco Gundam being more than twice the size of a regular mobile suit. Although it bears the Gundam name, it is classified as a large Mobile Armor (MA). Plans for a "Mobile Fortress" in the base defense role were drafted after the One Year War. Due to its sluggish movement, the Psyco Gundam could not respond to attacks by high-speed enemy machines. The problem was solved by the inclusion of transformable mechanisms introduced by the NRX-044 Asshimar.

The Psyco Gundam is entirely controlled by a Psycommu System, including its fire control system and operation. It is designed so that the pilot makes up a part of the system, so to speak. As it was designed to be used by Cyber Newtypes, the Psyco Gundam cannot be handled by normal humans as the psychological burden is tremendous and potentially fatal. The Psycommu Controller function allows the Psyco Gundam to move towards the pilot via remote operation when apart. The unit can transform into a mode called "Mobile Fortress", and is capable of atmospheric flight through use of a Minovsky Craft System. Since it has evolved from its initial conception as a "Mobile Fortress", it was designed to mainly operate in the form of its transformed "Mobile Fortress" mode. It is armed with a 3-barreled scattering beam gun, 10 beam guns in its fingers, a head-mounted 2-barrel beam gun and Anti-beam Coating, giving the Psyco Gundam overwhelming power and defense. Two units were confirmed to be produced.

Armaments

 * 2-barrel Beam Gun
 * Aside from the various beam weapons in the Psyco Gundam's arsenal, there is an additional 2-barrel mega beam gun mounted in the mobile weapon's head unit. These weapons are ideal for shooting down small, fast moving, lightly armored targets such as missiles or small vehicles.


 * 3-barrel Scattering Mega Particle Gun
 * Three scattering mega particle guns are mounted on the torso of the MRX-009. They each emit multiple energy beams, and can even tear through some mobile suits at point-blank range.


 * Beam Gun
 * The fingers of the MRX-009 Psyco Gundam each contain a beam emitter, turning each one into a beam gun for a total of 10. Each of these guns is capable of doing serious damage.


 * Shield
 * A simple protection, inspired by the MS-14A Gelgoog's trademark shield. It's used to protect the suit from most ballistic and beam weapons. When in Mobile Fortress mode, the shield splits in half, with both halves being placed on the lower sides.

Special Equipment & Features

 * Anti-beam Coating
 * The technology coats multiple layers of high heat-capacity material on top of the armor that evaporates in high temperature. It provides a type of sacrificial protection against any type of beam weapon. However, due to its nature of ablating when defending against great heat, ABC can only tolerate a few hits to the same spot.


 * Psyco-control Chair
 * After being retrieved by Titans, the Psyco Gundam was equipped with with an experimental new "psyco-control chair", further enhancing Four's abilities to control the Psyco Gundam.


 * Psycommu System
 * A Psycommu is a device connected directly into the user's thoughts, through which the user can manipulate it by using his/her mind. In essence, a psycommu system works by passively scanning the brainwaves of newtypes, amplifying them in order to send the brainwave signal out long distances, and then translating these brainwaves into raw machine codes upon being received by the selected object with limitations. Since brainwaves are not affected by the radio interference property of Minovsky particles, at first it was mainly used to mentally control remote weapons via Minovsky Communication, usually mounted with a single beam gun. This enabled the resurrection of BVR engagements, with bits and funnels being the first weapons able to engage targets without visual contact since the development of the Minovsky particle.


 * Minovsky Craft System
 * In order to maintain mobility while in Mobile Fortress Mode, the Psyco Gundam is equipped with a Minovsky Craft System.

History
For more information on the Psyco Gundam's history, please go to Four Murasame's page.

Variants

 * MRX-010 Psyco Gundam Mk-II
 * MRX-011 Mass Production Type Psyco Gundam
 * MRX-012 Psyco Gundam Mk-III
 * MOX-012 Psyco Gundam Mk-IV
 * Full Burst Psyco Gundam

Notes & Trivia

 * Apparently, a non-psycommu variant of the Psyco Gundam makes an appearance in Turn A Gundam novel adaption. It was piloted by Guin Sard Lineford, who called it Black Doll. It also shows up in SD Gundam G Generation WARS, on Turn A Gundam-mission 5, when the player triggers Wars Break 2. This Psyco Gundam is piloted by Guin, and has all the abilities of the original Psyco Gundam. (which may indicate that Guin during the trip to the moon awoke as a Newtype, however, it could be due to an oversight or gameplay restrictions.)
 * Psyco Gundam's destructive pose is compared to the General Zeong's destructive pose.
 * In the game Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam, during Kamille Bidan's "Four Alive" Route in Universal Century Timeline mode, Four can be seen piloting the MRX-009 Psyco Gundam during the mission "Inside Rosamia," which takes place on the surface of Axis. This is the only time that the Psyco Gundam is piloted in space.
 * The name is likely meant as a double meaning: the correct term is "psyco" as a further shortening of "psycommu", but the two incarnations of the Gundam seen throughout Z and ZZ are infamously piloted by individuals tragically gone psychotic.