MS-07B Gouf

The **MS-07B Gouf** is a mass production close-quarters combat ground mobile suit.

## Technology & Combat Characteristics

The MS-07B Gouf is designed specifically for Earth-based, close-quarter MS combat. It featured much-improved mobility with a powerful backpack and leg-mounted thrusters for jet-assisted jumps based on the YMS-08A High Mobility Test Type. For armaments, it has the 5-barrel 75mm machine gun in its left hand and a heat rod, which could be used as a superheated slicing weapon or as a grappling weapon with a powerful electric shock effect. It also had a powerful heat sword stored within a shield, and could also use the standard Zaku II weapons, such as the 120mm machine gun or the 280mm bazooka.

The Gouf outclassed the MS-06 Zaku II in terms of speed, power output, and melee combat ability, but its overall performance was not great enough to be justified by its increased cost. The Gouf's production was cut short by the development of a more cost efficient unit, the more powerful and nimble MS-09B Dom. Despite its very short production run, several variations were produced in limited numbers and it was still deployed across the world alongside Zakus and Doms. One customized unit was piloted by Visch Donahue, which had the original 5-fingered machine gun left hand replaced by a normal manipulator hand, in its place a 3-barrel 35mm machine gun was mounted on the left forearm.

## Armaments

* 5-barrel 75mm Machine Gun

The MS-07B Gouf's regular left manipulator is replaced by a five-barrel 75mm machine gun shaped like enlarged fingers. It fires physical rounds at a rapid rate, and despite its bulky and awkward appearance, its barrels demonstrate limited degree of digital dexterity, including the ability to hold the shield, and to adequately grip the heat sword and various firearms. Some Goufs were fielded with two 5-barrel 75mm Machine Guns, while others were fitted with two regular manipulators instead.
* Heat Rod

A close-range weapon installed in the right forearm. This retractable cable delivers a high-voltage electrical shock when it comes into contact with an enemy mobile suit, damaging its internal systems and stunning its pilot. The heat rod could also be superheated to give it cutting properties.
* Shield

A defensive armament that can be attached to the left arm, it also stores the melee weapon, the heat sword.
* Heat Sword Type-βIV

A melee weapon originally developed for the Gouf series. Like the Zaku's heat hawk, the heat sword has a blade that is heated to high temperatures in order to increase its cutting capacity. However, it has a longer reach than the heat hawk and is capable of slicing in half shield made of Luna Titanium. Initially, its blade was made of a polymer compound that has undergone shape memory treatment, allowing it to be stored inside the weapon's grip when not in use and upon heating, will expand out of the grip and took on the shape of the heat sword's blade. Since the polymer compound's primary ingredient was ceramic microparticles, it was basically a disposable weapon. This polymer compound was later replaced by easier to produce ceramic materials.[1] The heat sword is also known as "Heat Saber".
* Heat Hawk Type 5

An axe-like melee weapon, whose name is short for "tomahawk". Thermal energy is used to superheat the heat hawk's blade, allowing it to slice through the armor of enemy warships or mobile suits.
* Heat Wire

First featured on the MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom, the heat wire is a magnetic grappler mounted on a thin cable, allowing the right forearm to store a much greater length of heat wire and giving the weapon a much greater reach. The heat wire can release an electric charge to disable an enemy mobile suit, and in the hands of highly-skilled pilots, it can be utilized as a survival tool for hanging onto buildings or enemy units to buy time for the Gouf to launch surprise attacks. The weapon is also known as heat rod (anchor type).

* 120mm Machine Gun

A standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits. It is a shell firing gun that does not require energy to be used, however its effectiveness against heavy armor is very limited. This model used a 100-round drum magazine.
* MMP-80/90mm Ver.8 Machine Gun

An alternative to the 120mm Machine Gun. It used 90mm bullets instead of 120mm type, allowing for a greater firing speed and better penetration capabilities. The machine gun is magazine-fed with 32 rounds per magazine.
* H&L-GB03K/360mm Giant Bazooka

The Giant bazooka is the same model used by the MS-09B Dom and is fed by a 10 rounds magazine. A single round can blow the torso off of an enemy mobile suit. During Zeon's invasion of EFF's Jaburo headquarters in December U.C. 0079, some Goufs were equipped with the Giant Bazooka.

* H&L-SB25K/280mmA-P Zaku Bazooka

The same weapon as used by the Zaku type mobile suits, it fires explosive rounds that were quite effective against the armor of Earth Federation mobile suits and battleships.
* MMP-78 Machine Gun

A new model machine gun with enhanced firepower to combat Federation Forces MS. Early type and late type models exist, with differences in the location and mounting of the grip on the latter. In addition to the regular machine gun bullets fed from the drum magazine, the MMP-78 is also capable of firing anti-aircraft rounds being fed from a smaller, box-type magazine. The MMP-78 is also integrated with a grenade launcher under its barrel for additional firepower. "MMP" is an abbreviation for "Mobile Suit Machine Pistol".