FD-03 Gustav Karl

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The FD-03 Gustav Karl is a mass-produced general purpose mobile suit introduced in the Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash novels.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

A direct successor to the RGM series, the Gustav Karl is developed by the Earth Federation as a next generation, mass production general-purpose mobile suit. However, it is developed along separate lines from the RGM-89 Jegan and is designed with a focus on enhanced operability under gravity.

The Gustav Karl is bigger and more heavily armored than the Jegan, but this did not hinder its versatility. To counteract the added weight, the suit has a higher output reactor, and multiple thrusters and attitude control verniers are placed throughout its body to maintain mobility and maneuverability. On paper, its specifications are much better than the Jegan's. The Gustav Karl has a very simple armament consisting of head-mounted vulcan guns, a pair of beam sabers, a beam rifle, a grenade launcher, and a flexible shield.

Early version of the Gustav Karl was first deployed in UC.0096 at certain Earth Federation Ground Force facilities, under the pretext of functional testing. When operating in the atmosphere, it can board the BJ-K232 Kessaria sub-flight system. A commander version, the Dora Karl, is fitted with different communication equipment.

Armaments

• Vulcan Gun

Depending on the version of Gustav Karl depicted, it has one or two vulcan guns mounted on the left side of its head. These shell firing weapons have a high rate of fire but little power, however, they are effective at close range and are commonly employed to deter an enemy mobile suit from getting too close. They are also ideal for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles, attack vehicles, etc.

• 2-tube Grenade Launcher

The Gustav Karl is equipped with a 2-tube grenade launcher mounted on the left forearm. The grenades are moderately powerful self-propelling explosives that can deal significant damage to a mobile suit.

• Beam Saber

The standard close range armament for most mobile suits, it is a small device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. The beam saber emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and can cut through most armor not treated with anti-beam coating. The Gustav Karl is equipped with two beam sabers stored in the side armor.

• Beam Rifle

A standard hand carried ranged beam weapon, the Gustav Karl used the same beam rifle as the Jegan. It has a short barrel for ease of handling, and is most effective in mid-close range combat due to its short firing range. Although its output is reduced, it has an excellent rate of fire, and can eliminate enemy accurately during melee combat when utilize in conjunction with the composite sensor at the top of the rifle.

• 90mm Short Machine Gun

Used by the Gustav Karl in Gundam Narrative, it is an improved version of the older HFW-GMG·MG79-90mm Bullpup Machine Gun. It uses a new magazine that enhances the weapon's balance and carries more ammunition.

• Flexible Shield

Depending on the version of Gustav Karl depicted, its shield is mounted on a backpack linked movable arm or directly attached to the left shoulder armor. Regardless of the attachment point, the flexible shield can swivel 180 degrees, offering protection straight forward, straight backward, and from any angle that is left or right.

History

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

An early version of the Gustav Karl was deployed by the Earth Federation Forces 3 years after the Second Neo Zeon War in certain ground facilities such as the Cheyenne base. During Bright Noa's investigation of said base, the Tri-Stars team disarmed a guarding Gustav Karl by covering its main camera and cutting off its forearm with a beam saber in a surprise attack.

Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative

The Gustav Karl was deployed alongside some RAS-96 Ankshas and RGM-89D-ESC Jegan Type D Escort Types to escort Martha Vist Carbine.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash

9 years later, it would be used to defend Federation cabinet members in Adelaide, Australia from a terrorist attack led by Mufti Nabiyy Erin (a.k.a. Hathaway Noa). The Earth Federation Forces would use the Gustav Karl alongside the RX-104FF Penelope to counter the terrorist group's Me-02R Messer and Mufti powerful RX-105 Ξ Gundam. As mobile suits were entering the age of miniaturization, the Gustav Karl was produced in limited numbers.

Gallery

Lineart - front view (SD Gundam G Generation version)

Lineart - rear view (SD Gundam G Generation)

Lineart - head unit (SD Gundam G Generation)

Gustav Karl (Gundam UC version)

As featured in Gundam War card game

As featured in Gihren's Greed

Head details (Narrative Ver.)

Firing Vulcan Gun (Narrative Ver.)

With Beam Saber and firing Grenade (Narrative Ver.)

As seen on Super Gundam Royale game

Fan Art

Gunpla

HGUC 1/144 FD-03 Gustav Karl (Unicorn Ver.) (2019): box art

Notes & Trivia

• The original novel design was done by Yasuhiro Moriki. It later appeared in the video game SD Gundam G Generation, and was redesigned by Kazumi Fujita.
• The original settings for the Gustav Karl indicated it was developed from the RGM-89 Jegan, but later works such as Gundam Narrative dropped this setting.
• The Gustav Karl gets its name from the real-life Carl Gustaf anti-tank rocket launcher system.

References

Design and information (SD Gundam G Generation)

Information from Gundam Perfect File

External Links

• FD-03 Gustav Karl on the official Gundam UC Re:0096 website (English)