RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2 The RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam is a mobile suit in the series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. It is the combination of the FXA-05D G-Defenser and the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II. It was piloted by Emma Sheen.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The Super Gundam is a vast improvement over the base model Gundam Mk-II. With the addition of the FXA-05D G-Defenser, the Mk-II's armament is able to match up with some of the Titans' more advanced mobile suits/armors. In order to increase the firepower and mobility of the Gundam Mk-II, Anaheim Electronics develops the G-Defenser support craft, which can dock with the mobile suit to form what's known as the Super Gundam. In this mode, the G-Defenser's armament pods become movable shields to protect the mobile suit itself, and the Gundam can make use of the G-Defenser's powerful long rifle and missile pods.

In addition to the G-Defenser's armaments the Super Gundam has access to all of the Gundam Mk-II's weapons and equipment, although the Mk-II's shield must be ejected in order to allow space for the docking procedure.

The docking procedure is not a permanent procedure. When on standby, undergoing maintenance, or otherwise not being actively used, the Super Gundam is broken down into its two component units which are operated independently until a need to dock arises.

Armaments

• A*E-Br*G-Sc-L Beam Saber

For close range combat the Super Gundam uses the two A*E-Br*G-Sc-L model beam sabers stored on the backpack recharge racks of its Gundam Mk-II base.

• 14-tube Missile Pod

The Super Gundam has 2 missile pods. Each missile pod contains fourteen missiles.

• Vulcan Gun

The Super Gundam has 4 Vulcan guns mounted on the missile pods of the G-Defenser units. The Vulcan guns are in essence small caliber (for a mobile suit) machine guns. The damage that they can do to a mobile suit, especially a gundarium armored machine, is negligible but should not be ignored in case the guns are used to target sensitive areas with less armor plating such as sensors. Ideally the Vulcan guns serve as a defense system to track and shoot down small lightly armored targets such as missiles or small attack vehicles.

• Long Beam Rifle

This long beam rifle is the unit's main weapon. With this very powerful rifle, the Super Gundam could destroy heavily armored targets from long range.

• VCU-505EX-V*B/Ver.021 60mm 2-barrel Vulcan Pod

In addition to the 4 vulcan guns on the missile pods, the Super Gundam can be outfitted with a 60mm 2-barrel vulcan pod on its head, capable of carrying a total of 1400 rounds. As with the beam sabers, both groups used different versions of the gun, with the Titans using the model type VCU-505EX-Gry/Ver.009 and the AEUG using VCU-505EX-V*B/Ver.012.

• Shield

As with most other mobile suits, the Mk-II carries a single physical shield for defense on its left arm. While the Titans use a shield of type RX*M-Sh-*VT/S-00018, the AEUG's Gundam shield is of type RX*M-Sh-VT/S-001.

• Beam Rifle

Since beam rifles were now a common equipment of most mobile suits, the Mk-II was also equipped with one as its main armament. Again different types of the rifle were used by the Titans and the AEUG, with the former using the model BOWA*XBR-M-86-C2, while the latter outfitted the suit with a A*E-Br*XBR-87-C beam rifle. Each rifle had its power rated at 2.6 MW and was powered by a replaceable e-pac, with two spare e-pacs stored in the shield of the suit.

• Hyper Bazooka

For heavy firepower, the Mk-II could carry a large hyper bazooka, which was clip-fed and capable of carrying seven rounds per clip plus 1 round in its chamber. Additional clips could be stored on the rear skirt armor storage rack. As with nearly all the other weapons, different types of the bazooka were used by the two groups, with the Titans using an H-Baz-85-Gry/Ver.045 bazooka, while the AEUG used a model of type H-Baz-87-A*E/Ver.004.

History

In UC 0087, the war between the Titans and the AEUG had started heating up. As it did, the AEUG learned something about their newly stolen Gundam Mk-II: Despite being advanced for its type, it was clearly inferior to the Mobile Suits being fielded by the Titans. A number of stopgaps were created in an attempt to increase the Mk-II's fighting potential until the development of the G-Defenser. The combined unit, Super Gundam, gave it a 20% increase in attack power, maneuverability and armor, making it on par with many of the suits used by the Titans.

The Super Gundam would be used by Emma Sheen after Kamille Bidan obtained the Zeta Gundam. The Super Gundam would play a critical role in the final stages of the Gryps Conflict. However, the G-Defenser would be destroyed at the very end of the Gryps Conflict, thus rendering the Super Gundam unusable in the First Neo Zeon War.

Picture Gallery

HGUC 1/144 FXA-05D/RX-178 Super Gundam

MG 1/100 RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam

RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam - Exploded View

Super Gundam Gundam War Card

Gundam Combat

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Super Gundam Titans Colors

Notes & Trivia

• Although it is not displayed during the show, the Super Gundam possesses the ability to transform into a mobile armor mode called the G-Flyer (Gフライヤー) which stores the Gundam Mk-II underneath the G-Defenser, allowing for use as a fighter jet similar to a more compact, more practical version of the previous G-Armor. It also serves most of the same functions of the Gundam Mk-II's FXA-00 Flying Armor. This ability is demonstrated in numerous video games, as well as in the instruction manuals for the High Grade Universal Century and Master Grade kits of the Super Gundam (misromanised in the latter case as G-Flighyer).
• The stock footage used to depict the Super Gundam during Zeta Gundam meant that the unit itself was never launched as a whole, but always formed following the launch of both the Gundam Mk-II and the G-Defenser from the Argama. Humorously, this also meant that the Gundam Mk-II would always launch with a shield only to discard it seconds later in order to form the Super Gundam.

References

External links

• RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam on MAHQ.net