Argama Assault Cruiser Part 3: Ship Systems and Armament

Argama Assault Cruiser Part 3: Ship Systems and Armament

Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3

 The Argama as photographed by a MSA-003 'Nemo' on patrol.  The date of the photo is not known, but is estimated to be around May 0087.

Argama Assault Cruiser Part 2: Structure and Systems

Argama Assault Cruiser Part 2: Structure and Systems

Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3

In August, U.C.0078, the Titans conducted Operation Apollo, the Von Braun City capture operation.  The AEUG's recapture operation commenced immediately after this photo, and the entire operation was documented and publicized by the AEUG.   Among the launching MS units the Gundam Mk II can be seen, which was to be transferred to the escorting Radish soon after.

Argama Assault Cruiser, Part 1: Development and Deployment

Assault Cruiser Argama Part 1: Development and Deployment

Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3

The Assault Cruiser (Argama) served as the AEUG flagship and first ship of the Argama-class (the nameship) during both the Grypps conflict and First Neo Zeon War (the Haman Khan conflict).

Carrying the MSZ-006 Z Gundam, as well as other AEUG flagship Mobile Suit units, the Argama functioned as the carrier and mothership for these units, continuing the legacy of the One Year War assault carrier, the SCV-70 ‘White Base’.   The name ‘Argama’ means ‘The coming of’ in the Sanskrit language (with the religious implication of ‘the coming of the one who leads others to the doctrines’) 

TL Note: A more clear implication in a Christian sense could be ‘one who leads others towards faith’, or 'disciple' in the purest religious sense of the word.  It's difficult to translate and I can't actually find any corroborating evidence in Sanskrit.

Long Voyage

Return of the Valkyrie

In 2025, a single Valkyrie was recovered in Lunar Orbit.  Though more or less intact, it had suffered severe damage, and all onboard systems had stopped.  Thought to have been shot down and abandoned in the First Space War, and fearing possible Zentraedi booby traps, it was carefully brought to the Moon's Apollo base for examination, where an astonishing discovery was made.

EFSF Weapons Vol. 4 - Beam Weapons

The final volume of the extensive GM weapons series...The beam weapons.

A late model Beam Spray Gun with increased beam cohesion used by an RGM-79B.  On January 1, U.C. 0080, this image was taken by an embedded war journalist during the battle of Hughenden.   Due to complications in reporting the armistice negotiations, this grueling battle continued for an additional two days.

GM Beam Weapons

A brief overview of GM Series Weapons

This article will detail the various weapons systems deployed by the RGM-79 GM during the One Year War period and beyond, and though most information is known at this time, there are a few details that remain unknown to this day, most information can be inferred from the state of production and technology at the time.

EFSF Weapons Vol. 3 - Shields

Though not strictly weapons, the distinctive large shields are a signature piece of equipment used by EFSF Mobile Suits.

After their initial crushing defeat early in the war, the 10th Fleet (10TF) stationed at Luna II was reconstructed in November U.C. 0079 with Mobile Suit units. This image shows a unit deployed with the 6th patrol fleet (a subordinate unit to 10TF), which was deployed to interdict the supply lines between 

Side 3 and the Earth Attack Force.

GM Series Shields
A brief overview of GM series weapons.

EFSF Weapons Vol. 2 - Heavy Weapons

The second part of the EFSF/GM weapons series will cover the heavy weapons - Bazookas, Cannons, and Missiles. (Oh my?)  

RGM-79C scrambled to intercept an HLV launch from Hughenden.  With the suspected presence of a warship to recover the HLV , this unit carried heavy firepower in the form of 360mm Hyper Bazookas in both hands.   However, the HLV HLV changed course and escaped towards Africa, rather than heading towards Side 3, so this unit was not able to intercept their target.

Armaments of RGM-79 

A brief overview of GM series weapons

During the One Year War, combat under the influence of Minovsky Particle scattering was an area of combat neither Zeon or Federation Militaries had much experience in.   Ideal factors such as engagement distances, shot accuracy, and required magazine capacities were not well understood, and so a variety of concepts for weapons systems were developed. 

EFSF Weapons Vol. 1 - The Projectile Weapons

The first part of the GM weapons series is here!   This volume will cover the projectile hand weapons used by the EFSF - Rifles, Machine Guns, and Sniper Rifles!

A GR-MLR79-90mm equipped GM Sniper II in firing position.  Equipped with a 120 round magazine, the Sniper type MS has the ability to detect enemy units at long range, and typically provides supporting fire from long ranges while operating independently from the main force.

Armaments of RGM-79

A brief overview of GM series weapons

From the initial birth of the Mobile Suit concept, unlike Mobile Armor, the AMBAC system which utilized four limbs for mobility, also allowed weapons to be brought to bear on a target in an extremely short period of time.  Though combat maneuvering is the basic purpose of this system, secondary to this concept is the use of the external manipulators of a Mobile Suit to carry weapons appropriate to the situation, and the ease of being able to freely change weapons creates excellent flexibility as a general-purpose mobile weapon.

Dakka dakka dakka.

Here's a sneak peek of the big post this week:

Guns.  Lots of guns.   I have to apologize for the Zeon fans, as the Master Archive books don't cover Zeon units.. (Yet.)

So mostly it'll be Feddie guns.  Lots of feddie guns.

GP-01Fa Full Armor Gundam Zephyranthes

The GP01 was built on various technologies pioneered by the One Year War-Era RX-78 (Gundam), and incorporates advances in many of these concepts and technologies.

While the RX-78 was highly adaptable owing to its high performance, the GP01 is designed to utilize changes in equipment to adapt to different situations.

More Power!

The GP01fb ready for business with double RX-Vsh-023F/S-04712 Multiple Shield/Anti-MS shields, and two BOWA XBR-M-82A beam rifles.

(Though it may look like Gunpla, it is actually a CGI illustration.  The reversed lettering on the shield is evidence of this.)

The GM Machinegun

Following a recent discussion on Reddit regarding how poorly the MS-18E Kampfer fared against the Alex's 90mm gatlings... I thought it would be appropriate to see just how the standard weapon of the GM series may have fared... 


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The HFW-GMG-MG79-90mm GM Machine Gun was the essential anti-Mobile Suit machine gun deployed in the One Year War.  As a 'system weapon', different parts could be combined to create the GM Rifle, and the GM Long Rifle.  (TL: The HFW-GR·MR82-90mm GM Rifle and HWF GR·MLR79-90mm Long Rifle, respectively.)

When used against either Super hard steel alloy and Titanium-Ceramic alloy armor materials, the weapon has the power to easily penetrate either.

This weapon was also seen being used by the RX-78-GP01 during the Torrington base Gundamjack incident.


Source: Master Archive Mobilesuit RX-78GP01 Zephyranthes