GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam

The Blu Duel is a Mobile Suit in the OVA Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer.

Combat Abilities
As the name implies, the Blu Duel is based upon the original GAT-X102 Duel and thus features similar but also upgraded armament. Among these upgrades is a form of the Assault Shroud armor, which is however fully integrated into the body of the suit and thus can't be expelled. Most of the suit's weapons are of the same or similar type as the ones used on the mass produced GAT-04 Windam. The armament of the suit is made up of CIWS guns and a shield for defense, anti-armor penetrators and beam sabers for close combat and two beam guns and a single railgun for ranged combat. As with its predecessor, the Blu Duel is protected by Phase Shift armor.

CIWS
Installed in the head of the Blu Duel are two M2M5 "Todesschrecken" 12.5mm automatic CIWS guns, used to shoot down incoming missiles or smaller units.

Anti-armor penetrator
One of the several weapons taken from the Windam are three Mk315 "Stiletto" rocket-propelled anti-armor penetrators, mounted in the shoulders of the suit. These knife-like weapons can be used for close combat or thrown to cause some damage to an enemy unit.

Beam gun
Each forearm of the Blu Duel mounts a M7G2 retractable beam gun. These are the only ranged beam weapons mounted on the suit and are carried in the hand when in use.

Beam saber
As with most other suits, two ES05A beam sabers are mounted on the Blu Duel for close combat. These sabers are of a similar type as the ones used on the Windam and stored in the legs when not in use.

Shield/Railgun
For defense, a single shield is mounted on the right shoulder of the suit. This shield also mounts an M443 "Scorpion" mobile railgun for additional firepower in ranged combat.

History
During the first Bloody Valentine War, the Earth Alliance colaborated with Orb's Morgenroete Inc. in creating their own series of mobile suits. One of the suit produced under this so-called G Project was the Duel, which, together with three other suits, is stolen by ZAFT in CE 71 and used by Yzak Joule during the remainder of the war. Eventually another Duel was produced and upgraded by Actaeon Industries into the more advanced, more close-combat oriented, and more powerful GAT-X1022 Blu Duel. This suit also incorporated some elements of the ZAFT-upgraded Duel, especially the Assault Shroud armor, which however was integrated into the Blu Duel's body.

The only known Blu Duel was eventually assigned to Phantom Pain pilot Mudie Holcroft, who worked alongside her comrades, who also piloted suit which were upgraded forms of the original G Project units. Mudie took part in several missions against the crew of the Mars ship Acidalium and also fought ZAFT forces on some instances. In CE 74, Mudie, along with her comrades protected the large land battleship Bonaparte from a ZAFT attack, during which her suit is overwhelmed by a large number of TMF/A-802 BuCUEs and TMF/A-802W2 Kerberos BuCUE Hounds. With her suit damaged and on the ground, three Kerberos BuCUEs used their beam fangs to attack the Blu Duel. The suit's cockpit area was immediately critically damaged, which resulted in Mudie's death, although the three Kerberos BuCUEs were destroyed by her comrade Sven Cal Payang in his GAT-X105E+AQM/E-X09S Strike Noir Gundam.

Trivia
Blu Duel holds the honor of being the first Gundam taken down by mass production mobile suits. It lost it's right arm & shield/railgun because a TMF/A-802 BuCUE sliced it off and another sliced off it's left leg. After falling to the ground, three TMF/A-802W2 Kerberos BuCUE Hounds tore into its cockpit like real dogs.