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 "Alex".
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 basic armament of many Federation mobile suits, a pair are mounted on the Gundam's head. The Vulcan Guns are mainly for intercepting incoming missiles/rockets, destroying mobile suit sensors, and engaging lightly-armored vehicles.
Beam Saber
The Gundam was the first mobile suit to use a beam weapon made for melee combat. The beam saber emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and can cut through most armor not treated with anti-beam coating. This small device is held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. The Gundam has two beam sabers stored in the backpack, each power rated at 0.38 MW. One can be used as a reserve weapon, or both can be used simultaneously in a twin sword fashion. The beam saber can also transform into the beam javelin.
Beam Javelin
The beam javelin is an alternate form of the beam saber, with an extended handle and a three-pronged beam at the end. The long reach of the weapon gives the RX-78-2 an advantage in close quarters combat.
BOWA*XBR-M-79-07G Beam Rifle
A revolutionary weapon for its time, the beam rifle is the primary weapon used by the Gundam. Making use of the Federations E-cap (or "energy capacitor") technology, the rifle uses charged concentrations of Minovsky particles as ammunition. This gives the beam rifle firepower equivalent to that of a battleship's beam cannons. Features include a large, movable offset sensor that interfaces with the RX-78’s Fire Control System (FCS) to achieve a high degree of accuracy, and a stabilizing foregrip for firing support. One weak point of the rifle was its energy limits. The rifle could only be fired 16 times before depleting its energy and becoming useless. When not in use, the rifle can be stored on the back skirt or the back of its shield. Output 1.9 MW.
BLASH*XHB-L-03/N-STD Hyper Bazooka
A general purpose fire support rocket launcher platform for Mobile Suits. With considerable destructive power owing to the explosive yield in each warhead, the weapon was primarily used to destroy less-maneuverable battlefield targets such as warships, satellites, land battleships, bunkers, and buildings. When required, the Gundam can use another Hyper Bazooka for increased firepower.
RX*M-Sh-008/S-01025 Shield
Hand-carried, forearm-mounted or stored on the Gundam's backpack, the shield is a simple defense used to block most physical and beam attacks. Also used to great effect in close quarters battle with enemy mobile suits and can also be used as a throwing weapon. Weighing 10 tons, its armor structure is a simplified version of that on the Gundam's body and is designed for the diffusion and absorption of impact rather than robustness. The outermost layer is a triple honeycomb structure using luna titanium alloy-based material. The shield is also used to deflect heat away from the mobile suit during atmospheric re-entry. The Gundam can carry a second shield on its right forearm when docked with the G-FIghter; when ejecting from the support craft, the right shield will attach over the left shield.
Gundam Hammer
Essentially a large spiked ball attached to a chain, it serve as a ranged melee weapon. The gundam hammer could either be thrown or swung around the mobile suit itself to damage the enemy units.
Hyper Hammer
An enhanced version of the Gundam Hammer. Like its predecessor, it is a large spiked ball attached to a chain. However, it also has several rockets mounted into the ball to allow it to maneuver more effectively as well as the ability to change its direction before impact, and to increase the damage it could cause.
History
The RX-78-2 was the second of three Gundam prototype units constructed on Side 7 in UC 0079, as part of the Earth Federation's V Project. Built to complement the long-range unit Guntank and mid-range support unit Guncannon, the Gundam was designed to be a highly mobile, close range machine with advanced weaponry beyond that used by Zeon's machines.
A raid by Zeon forces on Side 7 in September of UC 0079 resulted in heavy damage to the other two RX-78 units built on the colony. However, thanks to the unexpected interference of V Project head Tem Ray's son, Amuro, inside the RX-78-2, the Zeon intruders were repelled. Though they had caused significant damage to the colony, the Gundam and its sister units were spared. The three machines acted as the defense force for the Pegasus-class mobile suit carrier White Base and protected the ship in its push to Earth and travels over North America and Asia, fighting in support of General Revil's Odessa campaign.
The RX-78-2 would see use in the defense of the Federation's headquarters in Jaburo and the pivotal raids on Zeon's asteroid bases Solomon and A Baoa Qu. Its reputation was one of dread, with Zeon armed forces nicknaming the unit and its pilot White Devil. In the final battle of the One Year War, the Gundam engaged an unfinished Zeon prototype, the Zeong (piloted by Char Aznable), in battle. Both machines took heavy blows from the other, with the Gundam losing its head and left arm. The two machines ultimately destroyed each other within the corridors of the Zeon stronghold, when their pilots had them both fire one last shot after being set to auto pilot. Amuro later returned to the Gundam's wreckage and used the still-intact Core Fighter to escape the fortress.
Despite the loss of Amuro's prototype Gundam unit, the series itself enjoyed a long service life in the Federation, being made with many variants before being replaced in 0087 by the Gundam Mk-II, the Zeta Gundam and the ZZ Gundam.
转自gundam wiki
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