RX-78-2 Gundam

### Armaments/Parts

Luna Titanium, Core Block System, Hardpoints, Learning Computer, Magnet Coating (field upgrade), Heatproof Film/Heatproof Field, Autopilot

### Source

Earth FederationProject V

The **RX-78-2 Gundam** is the titular mobile suit of *Mobile Suit Gundam* television series. Part of the RX-78 Gundam series, it was built in secret on Side 7. The Gundam would turn the tide of war in favor of the Earth Federation during the One Year War against the Principality of Zeon. It was primarily piloted by Amuro Ray.

## Description

The Gundam was incredibly advanced for its time. Built from lightweight Luna Titanium Alloy, its frame was both lighter than that of Zeon's mass-produced mobile suits and much sturdier, able to shrug off a MS-06 Zaku II's machine gun fire with little to no damage. Its offensive power was above and beyond that of the Zakus. The Gundam would engage in most battles with its beam rifle, making it the first mobile suit to have firepower equivalent to a battleship's beam cannons. In addition, it made use of two beam sabers, blades of extremely hot plasma which could cut through any metal with ease. Those beam sabers could be extended into a spear-like beam javelin, which could be used to stab into an enemy from a longer distance.

The Gundam also used more conventional weaponry; it could launch rockets with a "Hyper Bazooka", the Federation's answer to the bazookas used by Zeon's Zakus; in addition, its head was outfitted with a pair of small vulcan guns, as a way of attacking light-armored aircraft and vehicles without wasting ammo or energy from its more powerful armaments. It also made use of a very unconventional close-range weapon known as the "Gundam Hammer" - a large weapon similar to a flail which could be swung at enemies to deal crushing damage. The Gundam Hammer was eventually upgraded for use in space and outfitted with a number of verniers on the ball, and renamed to be the "Hyper Hammer". Lastly, it wielded a shield which would offer it a defense against enemy attacks that not even its Luna Titanium body could withstand without damage. Gundam pilot, Amuro Ray, would make use of the shield as a decoy in many battles, taking advantage of its size to fool the enemy into thinking he was charging at them, then attacking the enemy through the shield.

In terms of technology, the Gundam was equipped with a sophisticated *Learning Computer* which would collect pilot and enemy data during skirmishes and allow the Gundam to operate more effectively. The data from the computer was used by the Federation to improve the controls of the Gundam's mass-produced form, the RGM-79 GM. In addition, it was upgraded by Federation technician Mosque Han shortly before the Battle of A Baoa Qu to improve its reaction times, the joints of the Gundam were given a *Magnet Coating*, based on the experimental procedure performed on the RX-78-3 G-3 Gundam and later used on Amuro's intended successor unit, the RX-78NT-1 Gundam NT-1.

The Gundam makes use of the Core Block System implemented in the other V Project units. The torso of the Gundam is mostly hollow so that a FF-X7 Core Fighter can dock with it. This allows the pilot to jettison the legs and torso of the Gundam should the machine be too heavily damaged and gives the pilot a chance to escape from battle. Later, during Operation Odessa, the Gundam is given a support unit known as the G-Fighter. The two G-Fighters were designed to take advantage of the Gundam's modular system and diversify the Gundam's role in active combat. These modes ranged from the assault bomber G-Armor to the close combat support tank G-Bull. Officially, it is called a prototype, but it is also said to be more of a custom-made machine that is finished with high quality materials and the best technology.

## Armaments

### 60mm Vulcan Gun

A pair of 60mm three-barrel vulcan guns are mounted in the Gundam's head and are used for mid-range and close combat defense. They are useful for intercepting incoming missiles/rockets, destroying mobile suit sensors, and attacking lightly-armored vehicles. Furthermore, a concentrated barrage at close range could critically damage a Zaku II.

### Beam Saber

The Gundam is armed with a pair of beam sabers with an output of 0.38 MW for melee combat, and they are stored on the sides of the backpack when not in use. One beam saber can be kept as a reserve weapon, or both can be wielded simultaneously. The beam saber emits high-energy Minovsky particles from an E-cap within the handle and contains them in a blade-shaped I-field. The resulting blade of superheated particles is able to cut through almost any material not treated with an anti-beam coating. The beam saber's E-cap is recharged using the mobile suit's reactor when the weapon is stored.

### Beam Javelin

The beam javelin is an alternate form of the beam saber, in which the handle extends and the beam emitter produces a three-pronged beam at the end. The long reach of the weapon gives the Gundam an advantage in close quarters combat. The beam javelin can also be thrown like a spear. At first, the beam javelin could not be used because a limiter was placed on the beam sabers.

### BOWA\*XBR-M-79-07G Beam Rifle

A revolutionary weapon for its time, the beam rifle is the primary weapon of the Gundam. It is a miniaturized version of a mega particle cannon with an output of 1.9 megawatts. The beam rifle employs the Federation's energy capacitor, or E-cap, technology and uses charged concentrations of Minovsky particles as ammunition. The resulting weapon has power equivalent to that of a battleship's main gun at the time of the One Year War, allowing it to defeat a mobile suit with a single shot. The rifle can fire 12-15 shots when fully charged. It also features an offset, movable sensor that interfaces with the RX-78’s Fire Control System (FCS) to achieve a high degree of accuracy, as well as a foregrip for firing support. When not in use, the beam rifle can be stored on the back of the Gundam's waist or behind its shield.

### BLASH\*XHB-L-03/N-STD Hyper Bazooka

The Hyper Bazooka is a portable, handheld, anti-ship rocket launcher that functions like a recoilless rifle, with gas ejected from the rear of the weapon. It is loaded with five rounds in a magazine towards the rear end. The Hyper Bazooka is effective against large groups of mobile suits due to its ability to cause damage over a wide area, though it is primarily used to destroy less-maneuverable targets such as battleships and buildings. When required, the Gundam can be equipped with two Hyper Bazookas for increased firepower, with one held in each hand.

### RX\*M-Sh-008/S-01025 Shield

The Gundam's shield is a simple defensive equipment that can be carried by its handle or mounted on the mobile suit's forearm. When not in use, the shield can also be stored on the backpack. Weighing 10 tons, it is a simplification of the armor structure on the Gundam's body and is designed for shock diffusion and absorption rather than robustness. It features a triple honeycomb structure, with a high-density ceramic material based on super-hard steel alloy sandwiched between aramid fibers and an outermost layer made of luna titanium alloy. The surface of the shield is filled with a resin made of a polymer material for improved elasticity. Used to block most physical and beam attacks, the shield was effective in close quarters combat and could be thrown as a weapon. The shield could also be used to deflect heat away from the mobile suit during atmospheric re-entry. The Gundam carries a second shield on its right forearm when combined into the G-Armor. This shield was originally discarded when the Gundam was ejected, but after a proposal by Amuro Ray, a special joint was implemented so that it could be mounted over the top of the shield on the left arm.

### Super Napalm

The Super Napalm is a 4-tube rocket launcher that fires powerful napalm rounds. It is an optional armament that is mounted underneath the Beam Rifle's barrel and is used to incinerate large areas.

### Gundam Hammer

The Gundam Hammer is a physical melee weapon that takes the form of a flail, with a large spiked ball attached to the handle by a chain. It is useful in situations where beam weapons cannot be used. The chain is long enough that the weapon can be swung around the mobile suit to strike enemies at mid-range or thrown. The ball section of the weapon is extremely sturdy, and can take a direct hit from a Zaku Bazooka without any apparent damage.

### Hyper Hammer

The Hyper Hammer is an enhanced version of the Gundam Hammer, with the ball featuring sharper spikes and multiple vernier thrusters. The thrusters are activated when the weapon is swung to increase the damage the ball causes or change its direction before impact.

## Trivia

* According to *Gundam MS Historica Vol. 1* the RX plan's acronymn stands for "**r**obot" and "x", as it was e**x**perimental and also an e**x**tension of the conventional weapons development plan led by the munitions industry.
* The Super Napalm is the Gundam's most obscure weapon. Seen only in the second episode of the original series, it was used to destroy the remaining mobile suit parts in Side 7. The weapon did not appear in any other episode and was not mentioned in most source books. However, it has since appeared as a weapon in the PlayStation game *SD Gundam G-Generation F* (used by the RX-78-1 Prototype Gundam) , the Game Boy Advance game *Super Robot Wars A* , the PlayStation 3 games Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. and Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation (where it is attached to the Beam Rifle, a gimmick first introduced in the Master Grade Gundam ver. 2.0).
	+ While the Super Napalm appears to be a missile launcher, in *Super Robot Wars A Portable*, the Gundam uses it by throwing it at the opponent and detonating it with a beam rifle shot.