GAT-X103AP Verde Buster Gundam

The GAT-X103AP Verde Buster Gundam is a Mobile Suit in the series Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Verde Buster Gundam is a modified GAT-X103 Buster produced as part of the "Actaeon Project", a joint development between several companies led by Actaeon Industries and Phantom Pain. The main aim of this project is to create customized MS for use by Phantom Pain's ace pilots. Like the original Buster Gundam, the Verde Buster is designed mainly as an artillery mobile suit and thus features a set of heavy armament consisting of a beam cannon, a gun launcher, missile launchers and two powerful beam rifles, which also mount bayonets for close combat and hence increase the number of combat situations the MS can handle. To complement the additional weapons, the FCS and sensors system have been improved, which also leads to enhancement in the MS's accurarcy. Other modifications include a new face guard to protect the sensors during close combat and movable thrusters installed on both shoulders to compensate for mobility reduction caused by the increase in weight.

Armamament

 * High-energy beam cannon
 * An updated version of the Buster's 94mm high-energy beam rifle. It is mounted on the left shoulder.


 * Gun launcher
 * An updated version of the Buster's 350mm gun launcher. It is mounted on the right shoulder. As the gun launcher and beam cannon are now shoulder mounted, they cannot combine like the original version.


 * Missile launchers
 * Another weapon taken from the old Buster are the two shoulder mounted 6-tube 220mm multipurpose missile launchers.


 * Composite Bayonette-equipped Beam Rifle
 * The only new addition to the Verde Buster's armament is a set of two M9009B composite bayonet-equipped beam rifles, which are usually mounted on the hips of the suit but are hand-carried when in use. Each rifle mounts a bayonet at the bottom, which will unfold during close combat and can generates a force field that allows it to penetrate most armor easily. The rifles can be combined into a high ouput double-barrel rifle, which is strong enough to severely damage a space station. The powerful beam produced in this form is guided by the control system within the unfolded bayonets.

History
The Verde Buster was originally a normal GAT-X103 Buster unit which was upgraded by Actaeon Industries into the more powerful Verde Buster according to Phantom Pain’s instruction. Only one unit was confirmed to be built which was assigned to the Phantom Pain special forces unit, piloted by their pilot Shams Couza. One of the suits sorties was against a ZAFT unit which attacked the Hannibal-class land battleship Bonaparte, carrying the GFAS-X1 Destroy. While the Verde Buster easily holds itself against ZAFT's forces, fellow pilot Mudie Holcroft is killed by a squad of TMF/A-802W2 Kerberos BuCUE Hound units.

Some times later, Shams and his suit are assigned to the Nana Buluku, which attacks the DSSD space station to steal the AI unit used in the GSX-401FW Stargazer. During the battle Shams is able to destroy a large number of the DSSD's UT-1D Civilian Astray DSSD Custom units but when he is ordered to retreat he is overcome with rage and continues to fire on the station. Even when he is warned that his energy will soon be depleted he continues firing until there is no energy left in his suit. This chance is used by several Civilian Astrays which fire on the defenseless suit and destroy it. Despite this Shams dies smiling.

Trivia

 * Beneath the head covering is a head identical to the Buster's.
 * The Verde Buster holds the dubious honor of being the third Gundam taken down by mass productions mobile suits. The first was the GAT-X1022 Blu Duel and the second was the ZGMF-X24S Chaos.
 * The combined mode of Verde Buster's twin rifles is called buster mode, most likely in reference to XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero's twin buster rifle.
 * Like its sister units the Strike Noir, the Blu Duel, the Nero Blitz and the Rosso Aegis, the unit bears a color-themed name, "verde" being a Spanish word for green, the unit's dominant colour.