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The OZ-12SMS Taurus is a mass-produced space-combat mobile suit introduced featured in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.

Technology & Combat Characteristics[]

The OZ-12SMS Taurus was a high-performance machine designed by Organization of the Zodiac (OZ) as a space superiority combat mobile suit to replace the aging Leo Space Type. Besides having superior mobility, defensive and offensive capabilities, it can also transform into flight mode for high-speed cruising. With some simple modifications, the Taurus can operate on Earth and even fly in the atmosphere as seen with the units later used by the Sanc Kingdom. The Taurus was used as a reference when the five captured Gundam Scientists were designing the Vayeate and Mercurius.

Although originally designed for human pilots, the Taurus is the first mobile suit to be installed with the Mobile Doll artificial intelligence system, making them the first AI-controlled mobile suits. The mobile doll version was noted for fighting at high speeds and performing incredible maneuvers that would kill a human pilot from the G-forces. A disadvantage of the mobile doll however was that its maneuvers had to be programmed and thus lacked the ability to adapt or innovate to a situation, making them predictable and easy to outsmart.

The Taurus is primarily armed with a beam rifle and could use a beam cannon when heavier firepower is needed. Like most mass production mobile suits employed by the OZ and the United Earth Sphere Alliance, the Taurus is typically not equipped with any close-range weapons. However, it could be equipped with up to two beam sabers when necessary, as seen with the Sanc Kingdom's units. Additionally, the Taurus, even the mobile doll version, could fight enemy units in close combat with its limbs like any mobile suit. After the White Fang began producing the Virgo II, the OZ's Taurus was armed with laser gun as a countermeasure to the Virgo II's planet defensors.

When used by factions other than OZ, the Taurus has slightly altered designations and color schemes; SK-12SMS for the Sanc Kingdom's units painted in white with red accents and WF-12SMS for the White Fang's unit painted in mostly reddish brown. The Tauruses used by the Mariemaia Army retain the default OZ color scheme and designation.

Armaments[]

  • Beam Rifle
The standard armament of the Taurus is a cartridge-type beam rifle that can destroy a Leo with one shot, it is usable in both mobile suit mode and flight mode. Used for close to mid range combat, the beam rifle is easy to wield and has an excellent rate of fire. It is handheld in mobile suit mode and mounted on the top or on the underside when in flight mode.
  • Beam Cannon
An optional armament that the Taurus can use to supplement or replace the beam rifle. The beam cannon is a large, long range energy weapon that is taller the suit itself and requires the use of both of the Taurus's hands to wield. It is powered independently from the mobile suit's reactor and has a high output, as shown by Trowa Barton who used a beam cannon while piloting a Space Leo to destroy the remains of the Gundam Deathscythe, knowing the beam rifle wouldn't have an effect on Gundanium Alloy. Although developed specifically for space use, it can be used within the atmosphere after some adjustments. The beam cannon is mounted on the suit's backpack when not in use.
  • Laser Gun
Used by the Taurus units defending Bulge from White Fang's assault, it is a small caliber gun that fires a laser. Although it is not as powerful as the beam rifle, it can penetrate the electromagnetic barrier generated by the Virgo II's planet defensors. If not properly adjusted before use, it has a tendency to overheat and explode with enough force to destroy the suit carrying it.
  • Beam Saber
Used by Sanc Kingdom's Taurus, it is an optional melee beam weapon and improves the suit's close combat capability. Quatre is seen briefly using two of these in episode 33, although it is unknown where they are stored on the Taurus when not in use.

Special Equipment & Features[]

  • Mobile Doll Operating System
The Taurus is the first mobile suit to be mass produced with an internal mobile doll AI control system, though several Leos were using an external system to test the mobile doll system. With the mobile doll operating system, the Taurus can function independently, negating the need for a human pilot. Because it is a computer controlling the Taurus, its reactions are lightning fast and it can fly at speeds where the G force would normally crush a human pilot. However as mobile dolls, the Taurus's movements lack innovation, relying on pre-programmed data to determine how it reacts in a given situation. It is also possible to manipulate the mobile doll operating system into attacking allied forces indiscriminately. This was seen when Heero and Duo tricked the mobile doll operating system into recognizing the OZ's astro suit and the Leos as enemies, resulting in friendly fire by the Taurus units on the local OZ forces. However, it is possible to stop such an attack by accessing the mobile doll operating system and cancelling the targeting command.

History[]

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing[]

The Taurus was first seen when OZ's Victoria training base was attacked by Chang Wufei and his Shenlong Gundam. The Taurus units were not used to defend the base as they were incapable of atmospheric flight at the time. Instead, base instructor Lucrezia Noin ordered all machines to be evacuated on a transport plane. Unfortunately, this transport plane was soon shot down by the Shenlong Gundam, ironically with the Taurus' Beam Cannon, which it acquired from two Aries that were attempting to stop it.

As OZ was making its move to take control of space, the Taurus, both mobile suit and mobile doll versions, played a prominent role as it replaced the aging Leo Space Type as their frontline unit. In battle, the Taurus easily defeated the older mobile suits that were their only opposition until the arrival of the Gundams. However, the Gundams had been designed to operate on Earth and were not very fast or maneuverable in space. Thus most of them, such as the Gundam Deathscythe, were easily outmaneuvered until the Gundam pilots received newer Gundam units that were customized for space, allowing them to overcome the Taurus easily.

When the White Fang made its move to destroy OZ, it made use of every mobile suit it could get its hands on, including a number of Taurus that were re-designated as the WF-12SMS Taurus. When White Fang captured and began using the powerful Virgo II, OZ forces countered with both Taurus and Space Leo units, however, both machines were outmatched by the newer mobile doll.

The pilot most associated with the Taurus was Noin, who piloted a white Taurus after defecting to the Sanc Kingdom. Lady Une, Quatre Raberba Winner, Trowa Barton, and Hilde Schbeiker also piloted the Taurus on occasion.

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz[]

Mobile Doll Taurus units were also used by the Mariemaia Army in the AC 196, first to protect the captured colony L3 X-18999, then to temporarily distract the Preventers. Later, Noin used her white Taurus to fight the Mariemaia Army in Brussels.

Gallery[]

Lineart[]

Anime[]

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing[]

Gundam Build Divers[]

Illustrations[]

Games[]

Gunpla[]

Notes[]

  • The Taurus' name is derived from "Taurus" being the second Zodiac sign meaning "Bull".
  • The Taurus is still in development at the start of the anime, although training prototypes are seen in episode 4, and the deployment of the first complete batch of Tauruses is central to the plot of episode 10.
  • The Mobile Doll version of the Taurus appears by episode 19, making it the very first AI-controlled mobile weapon deployed in actual combat.
  • The Taurus' laser gun reused the same lineart as the bullpup machine gun introduced in Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, used by the RGM-79G GM Command and various other mobile suits.

References[]


External links[]


Mobile Suit Gundam W Mechanics
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G Team / Maganac Corps / Sanc Kingdom
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-00MS Tallgeese Flugel | OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon | SK-12SMS Taurus | WMS-03 Maganac | WMS-03 Maganac Abdul Custom | WMS-03 Maganac Ahmad Custom | WMS-03 Maganac Auda Custom | WMS-03 Maganac Rasid Kurama Custom | WMS-04 Olifant | XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero | XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe | XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell | XXXG-01H Gundam Heavyarms | XXXG-01H2 Gundam Heavyarms Custom | XXXG-01S Shenlong Gundam | XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam | XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock | XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom | XXXG-01W Wing Gundam

Transporter / Supply Ship
Atmospheric Escape Plane | Cargo Shuttle | Jet Transport | Space Shuttle | Transport Shuttle | Vehicular Space Shuttle
Cruiser / Mother Ship
Peacemillion
OZ / Romefeller Foundation
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-00MS Tallgeese | OZ-00MS2 Tallgeese II | OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-07AMS Aries | OZ-07MS Tragos | OZ-08MMS Cancer | OZ-09MMS Pisces | OZ-12SMS Taurus | OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon | OZ-13MSX1 Vayeate | OZ-13MSX2 Mercurius | XXXG-01W Wing Gundam
Mobile Doll
OZ-01MD Taurus | OZ-02MD Virgo | OZ-03MD Virgo II

Land Vehicle
Tank
Ship / Submarine
Catamaran Mobile Suit Mothership | Command Ship | Dock Ship | Submarine Mobile Suit Mothership
Aircraft / Spacecraft
Recon Plane
Transporter / Supply Ship
Jet Transport | Leo Mothership | Leo Transport Heli | Passenger Jet | Atmosphere Entry Transport | Supersonic Transporter | Taurus Cruiser | Special MS Transport | Vehicular Space Shuttle | OZ Shuttle
Cruiser / Mother Ship
Bulge | High-Speed Combat Command Ship | Libra
United Earth Sphere Alliance
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-07AMS Aries | OZ-07MS Tragos | OZ-08MMS Cancer

Land Vehicle
Tank
Aircraft / Spacecraft
Attack Heli | Jet Fighter | Transport Heli
Transporter / Supply Ship
Jet Transport
White Fang
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon | WF-12SMS Taurus
Mobile Doll
OZ-02MD Virgo | WF-12SMS Taurus | WF-02MD Virgo II | OZ-13MSX1 Vayeate | OZ-13MSX2 Mercurius

Transporter / Supply Ship
Atmosphere Entry Transport
Cruiser / Mother Ship
High-Speed Combat Command Ship | Libra
Civilians
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
Operating Mobile Suit


G-Unit Mechanics
edit
MO-V
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-10VMSX Gundam Aesculapius | OZ-19MASX Gundam Griepe | OZX-GU01A Gundam Geminass 01 | OZX-GU01LOB Gundam L.O. Booster | OZX-GU02A Gundam Geminass 02
Mobile Doll
D-UNIT
Organization of the Zodiac / OZ Prize
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
EWAC Leo | OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-06MS-SN3 Leo-N | OZ-06MS-SR2 Leo-R | OZ-06MS-SS1 Leo-S | OZ-10VMSX Gundam Aesculapius | OZ-10VMSX-2 Gundam Burnlapius | OZ-12SMS Taurus | OZ-13MSX1B-S Vayeate Suivant | OZ-13MSX2B-S Mercurius Suivant | OZ-15AGX Hydra Gundam | OZ-19MASX Gundam Griepe
Mobile Doll
OZ-02MD Virgo

Mothership
Bulge | Grand Chariot
United Earth Sphere Alliance
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-07AMS Aries
White Fang
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon
Mobile Doll
WF-02MD Virgo II

Mother Ship
Libra
G Team
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
XXXG-01S Shenlong Gundam | XXXG-01W Wing Gundam


Gundam W: Battlefield of Pacifists Mechanics
edit
G Team
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
Leo III | XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero | XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell | XXXG-01H2 Gundam Heavyarms Custom | XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam | XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom
Organization of the Zodiac
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-12SMS Taurus
Mobile Doll
OZ-02MD Virgo

Mothership
High-Speed Combat Command Ship | Leo Mothership
Perfect Peace People
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Doll
OZ-04MD Virgo III | OZ-12SMS Taurus | OZ-16MSX-D Scorpio


Gundam W: Endless Waltz Mechanics
edit
G Team / Preventer
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
OZ-00MS2B Tallgeese III | OZ-06MS Leo | SK-12SMS Taurus | XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero | XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell | XXXG-01H2 Gundam Heavyarms Custom | XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam | XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom

Transporter
Crash Shuttle | Preventer Shuttle | Transport Shuttle
Mariemaia Army
Mobile Weapon
Mobile Suit
MMS-01 Serpent | OZ-06MS Leo | OZ-12SMS Taurus | XXXG-01S2 Altron Gundam

Transporter
Atmosphere Entry Transport
Civilians
Transporter
Interplanetary Transport Ship
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