| RGM-79 GM & RB-79 Ball |
| Released: 2001 Series: Mobile Suit Gundam Avg. Price: $7.98 Version: 1.0 |
| Model number: RGM-79 Code name: GM Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces Operator: Earth Federation Forces Rollout: UC 0079 First deployment: UC 0079 Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso Dimensions: overall height 18.5 meters; head height 18.0 meters Weight: empty 41.2 metric tons; max gross 58.8 metric tons Construction: titanium alloy on semi-monocoque frame Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1250 kW Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 2 x 24000 kg, 4 x 1870 kg Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.94 G; 180-degree turn time 1.6 seconds; maximum ground running speed 102 km/h Equipment and design features: sensors, range 6000 meters Fixed armaments: 2 x 60 mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; beam saber, power rated at 0.38 MW, stored in recharge rack in backpack, hand-carried in use Optional hand armaments: beam spray gun, powered by rechargeable energy cap; 100 mm machinegun, clip-fed; shield (RB-79 Ball technical data and history below) |
| Overview Articulation: 1 Detailing: 4 Accessories: 4 SCORE: 3 |
| MSiA Features RGM-79 GM GM machinegun beam spray gun beam saber shield RB-79 Ball |
| 1 = POOR 2 = DECENT 3 = GOOD 4 = EXCELLENT 5 = OUTSTANDING |
| REVIEW Based on the same figure design as the original RX-78-2 Gundam figure, the RGM-79 has nearly all the same faults. The arms, shoulder armors, hands, upper legs, and feet are identical, with limited range of motion and a penchant for falling apart easily. The hands don't easily hold the weapons, and the shield droops lazily to the side. There are some improvements over the Gundam figure however, such as a beam saber hilt that is removeable from the backpack, a ball jointed head with good range of motion, and far more surface detail. Weapons include the GM machinegun and beam spray gun, and the same shiedl as the original Gundam figure. The RB-79 Ball is a wonderful adaptation of this perrenial Gundam favorite and flying coffin, known more for being cannon fodder than for prowess in battle. The arms are attacked to the body with balljoints, though due to how they are set there is not a wide range of motion possible. The arms feature hinged joints at their elbows and pinchers, and can actually grap small objects. The cannon is mounted on a swivel, and can elevate from about - 45 to + 45 degrees. The sculpt is fairly accurate, and the Ball makes for a nice accessory. In all a good figure. |
| With the Federation on the offensive and taking the war to the Principality of Zeon's home territory, the Earth Federation Forces needed to field more guns to support its somewhat limited number of RGM-79 GM mobile suit units. Their answer was to refit approximately 1200 civilian-model SP-W03 space construction pods with armor plating and a 180 mm recoilless cannon. Despite their limited firepower and low maneuverability, the Federation Forces would deploy this RB-79 Ball as mobile fleet defense units, protecting the Federation's ships while the GM mobile suits went on the attack. Appearances: Mobile Suit Gundam; Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory; Gundam Battle Assault (PS1); Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation VS Zeon DX (PS2); Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space (PS2); Gundam Battle Assault 2 (PS1) Original mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara |
| Not initially taking the threat of "mobile suits" seriously, the Earth Federation was a latecomer during the One Year War when it came to development and production of its own mobile suits to counter the Principality of Zeon. Based on combat data from the RX-78-2 Gundam's "learning computer" system and experimental GM-type units such as the RGM-79[E], the Federation's first true mass-production unit was simply named the RGM-79 GM. Though the first GM units weren't available until UC November 0079, the Federation's material and manufacturing superiority allowed it to quickly catch up, fielding enough units in time to retake contested areas on Earth and to participate in the Federation's Operation Star One offensive on Zeon's space front. The production-model GM was basically a simplified version of the original Gundam, eliminating some of the more complex and expensive features - such as the Core Block System and using normal titanium alloy armor instead of lunar titanium - to make it production faster and more economical. The GM only carried one beam saber instead of two, and had optional hand armaments of either a 100 mm machinegun or a short-range - but highly effective - beam spray gun. With the Federation Forces already on the offensive, the introduction of the GM units to the front lines assured the Federation's victory... and descendants of the GM line would continue to serve the Federation military for at least the next fifteen years. Pilot(s): Shin, Master P. Rayer, Leung Lee-Fai, Maximilian Berger, Jack Beard, Adam Stingray, Yu Kajima, Philip Hughes, Summona Fulis, Conrad Morris Appearances: Mobile Suit Gundam; Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory; Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny (manga); Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise from the Ashes (Dreamcast); Mobile Suit Gundam 0079: Zeonic Front (PS2); Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation VS Zeon DX (PS2); Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo (PS2); Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space (PS2) Original mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara |
| Model number: RB-79 Code name: Ball Unit type: combat support mobile pod Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces Operator: Earth Federation Forces Rollout: UC 0079 First deployment: UC 0079 Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in body Dimensions: overall height 12.8 meters Weight: empty 17.2 metric tons; max gross 25.0 metric tons Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 400 kW Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 24000 kg total Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.96 G Equipment and design features: sensors, range 4000 meters Fixed armaments: 180 mm recoilless cannon, mounted on body |
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