| RX-79(G) Gundam Ground Type |
| ` |
 |
 |
| Information: Model number: RX-79(G) Name: Gundam Ground Type Unit type: Heavy combat mass prod. Armaments: Vulcan gun, mounted in torso Multi-launcher, mounted in torso 100mm machinegun beam saber x2 arm shield Mission specific armaments: beam rifle 180mm cannon net launcher bazooka, caliber unknown 6-tube missile launcher Weight: 73 tons (maximum) Armor: Luna titanium Thruster acceleration: .71 G's Remarkable pilots: Shiro Amada Terry Sanders, Jr. Karen Joshua Head height: 18 meters Sensor range: 5900 meters Extras: Parachute pack, weapons backpack, periscope, head mounted Operator: Earth Federal Forces First deployment: U.C. 0079 Cockpit: Standard type in upper torso Weapon lineart: 100mm machinegun bazooka beam rifle beam saber & storage rack 180mm cannon 6-tube missile launcher net launcher storage container Additional pictures: Headshot of an RX-79 (G) A pair of Gundams on patrol A Gundam wielding its cannon Another firing position for the cannon A Gundam aiming its beam rifle A Gundam hiding underwater Mechadomain's Gundam picture |
| This illustration was drawn by Mark Simmons of the Gundam Project. This is not mine in any way as I did not draw it. I am only using it for lack of a good picture, not to steal his credit. |
| After the Duchy of Zeon's "Operation British", the Earth was left occupied by thousands of Zeon mobile suits, and the antiquated Earth Federation was left reeling. To counter the Zeon's advanced war |
| technology, the Federation began to upgrade their forces with mobile suits of their own. A trio of unique mobile suits, the RX-75 GunTank, the RX-77 GunCannon, and the RX-78 Gundam were constructed in the colony of Side 7, and proved to be excellent, superb designs. While the Federation's early mobile suits wreaked havoc on the unsuspecting Zeon army in space, a similar plan went into production in the Federation HeadQuarters of Jaburo's factories. A slighlty downscaled version of the original Gundam, intended solely for ground combat to help run the Zeon forces off the Earth was created and given the model number RX-79(G). Dubbed the Gundam Ground Type, the name stuck. The Gundam Ground Type bears a strong similarity to the original Gundam, but also maintains its own unique features. The original Gundam's 60mm head mounted vulcan guns did not carry over into the RX-79 to keep the all important V-fin communications antenna stable. In the deep, steamy jungles of Southeast Asia where the Gundam Ground Type was first fielded, radio communication was of utmost importance, as getting lost in the jungle was a major headache. New to land combat, Shiro Amada learned that the hard way. Of course, the Gundam Ground Type wasn't left without small caliber vulcan weapons for melee combat. A vulcan of similar caliber was mounted in the Gundam's right torso, in addition to a multi-launcher, capable of launching grenades, flares and a number of other projectiles. Much of the original Gundam's weaponry carried over into the Gundam Ground Type, and a few new accessories were added as well. The basic armament for a Gundam Ground Type was a 100mm machinegun, similar in function to the 120mm rifle wielded by the Zeon's Zaku mobile suits, but with a lower caliber and higher rate of fire. The traditional pair of beam sabers are present, only now moved to storage racks in the Gundam's knee armor as opposed to the backpack mounted position. A large caliber bazooka was included, similar to the original Gundam's hyper bazooka, just optimized for land combat. An arm shield was included, but it is perhaps the greatest departure from Federal Forces design. As opposed to a large and unwieldy full body shield that requires the use of one hand to hold like the RX-78's, the Gundam Ground Type's was completely redesigned, morphing into a small, easy to work around arm shield, which clipped onto the Gundam's forearm, no hands required. Very efficient. Of course, a beam rifle, almost exactly like that of the RX-78's, was included as well for that time when a Federation pilot just needed the extra Zaku bashing power. A six-tube missile launcher for anti-bunker duty and a backpack-like weapons container to carry it all rounded out the Gundam Ground Type's armaments. Another nifty extra was a radical new feature in mobile suits, a mobile suit scale parachute! This parachute allowed the Gundam to be air |
| lifted into combat zones and dropped off safely, conserving fuel for long-term missions and allowing the Gundam Ground Types to be dropped from aircraft without risking a landing into territory where Zakus could be waiting. A Gundam Ground Type could also efficently operate underwater for short periods of time, completing its versatility. |
 |