GNR-101A GN Archer

GNR-101A GN Archer (aka GN Archer, pronounced "Gun Archer"), is a transformable MS weapons support craft that can change to a MS unit and combine with GN-007 Arios Gundam. The craft is piloted by Marie Parfacy.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Built in the L3 resource satellite and designed after GNY-0042-874 Gundam Artemie, GN Archer was originally designed as a 3rd generation Gundam for Hanayo, but the idea was abandoned before its completion.. It was redesigned as a transformable support MS instead and given a huge GN Condenser as its power source. When combined, it feeds off GN particles from Arios' GN Drive. The revised concept of GN Archer became an improved model of Kyrios's GN Tail Booster. This suit can combine with Arios for greater combat abilities. It can transform into a MS to operate independently.

As a fighter, GN Archer is capable of high speed combat and has eight banks of two GN-missiles to engage enemy units. Beyond the missiles, the only weapons available in mobile armor mode is are a pair of GN Vulcans in the nose. It's arsenal is limited in this form as it's main purpose is to enhance the speed, power, and maneuverability to Arios Gundam as its Tail Booster unit. Arios has no remote control(s) over GN Archer; the unit depends on the pilot to take action in combat situations. The unit can detach from Arios and independently fight to help divert attention from Arios or reduce Arios' burden in combat situations; regardless what action the pilot makes, the unit is still dependent on GN particles to continuously fight.

GN Archer must periodically return and dock with Arios in fighter mode to recharge its GN Condenser(s) for extended fights. It's considered GN Archer's weakness as the unit forces Arios to transform (regardless of the situation) to recharge the unit to fight or it would eventually power down. Under certain situations, this can become a liability as GN Archer hinders Arios in combat with enemy units. Another unexplained design flaw was its beam rifles being unusable in Fighter mode, a feature Arios is capable of. GN Archer would be far more efficient in combat if its guns were usable in flight, but for unexplained reasons, the guns are facing backwards and can't be fired except in MS mode.

In MS form, GN Archer is designed to handle against large number of enemy units. It has two wide-spread beam rifles to attack enemy units. The GN Missile Launcher upon its back can fire salvos of missiles against enemy units to help Arios fend off enemy targets. GN Archer's combat capabilities are lesser than the Gundams, but it's capabilities rival any GN-X III and/or Aheads in the battlefield; however the lack of a GN Drive limits its operation in combat. Because the unit is meant to be a new Gundam during it's construction, but later re-purposed, GN Archer still contains a Gundam face behind its visor.

Armaments

 * GN Beam Rifle
 * GN Archer is equipped with 2 GN Beam Rifles. The barrel of the Rifles are wider compared to those used by Gundams, so they have wider range. Instead of attacking the enemy, the main purpose of the Rifles is to protect allied units (like shooting to create a gap between the enemy and allied unit).


 * GN Vulcans
 * Two are equipped on the front of the plane part, used in shooting down missiles. Low power but high firing rate. In MS battle, used to limit the enemy's movement.


 * GN Missiles
 * GN Archer is equipped with target seeking missiles, with 8 hatches in total and 16 doors. When the GN Missiles hit their targets, they inject GN particles to destroy the enemy within.


 * GN Beam Saber
 * Same close-quarter-combat GN-weapon used by other Gundams. GN Archer has two of them, which are used in mobile suit mode.

Variants

 * GN-007 + GNR-101A Archer Arios
 * GN-007GNHW/M Arios Gundam GNHW/M + GNR-101A Archer Arios

History
The GN Archer was developed by Linda Vashti at the Langrange 3 asteroid base. It was attached to Arios to escort the escape ships away from the combat zone, and later to defend a crippled Ptolemy 2 on Earth against Gadessa. Later, Marie Parfacy volunteered to launch in the GN Archer when the Ptolemaios 2 was at risk of being overrun by A-Laws forces, but this was cut off when the A-Laws were called back to deal with the Federation coup attempt led by Pang Hercules.

Post break pillar incident, Marie's Soma personality took over and participated in all of Celestial Being's operations with GN Archer. She confronted Andrei Smirnov once, fighting equally with the GN Archer, only to be stopped by Allelujah and Saji to chase Andrei.

In the final battle against the Innovators, Allelujah/Arios and Soma/GN Archer were responsible for covering Ptolemy 2 which was docked at the Innovator's colony ship. Just when GN Archer ran low on GN particles and needed to dock with Arios, it was severely damaged by 2 incoming GAGA Forces kamikaze units. Soma was unharmed, leaving only Allelujah/Arios to protect the disabled GN Archer and Ptolemy 2 (0 Gundam ran out of GN particles as well). The fate of GN Archer is unknown, it's presumed the unit was either salvaged or scrapped during the construction of GN-011 Gundam Harute.

Notes & Trivia

 * The design of the GN Archer's head is almost identical to the RGM-79 GM.