RX-77 Guncannon - Role in Plot

Role in Plot

The Guncannon is the second prototype design model that stemmed from the Earth Federation's Project V in the original anime series. It was developed during the One Year War in response to the Principality of Zeon's MS-05 Zaku I and MS-06 Zaku II mobile suits.

The Guncannon was a step up from the RX-75 Guntank; while the Guntank was more a "tank" than a humanoid robot, the Guncannon was a true mobile suit with limbs. However, it did share the Core Block System, using the same FF-X7 Core Fighter. This allowed the Guncannon's pilot to quickly change control with Guntank and RX-78 Gundam.

The first Guncannon was the prototype RX-77-1A Guncannon A, which had poor mobility due to its heavy armor. The second version, RX-77-2 Guncannon, corrected this problem. As defensive weapons, it mounted two 60 mm Vulcan guns in the head. However, the Guncannon's primary weapons were the twin 240 mm cannons mounted on the shoulders, which were used for the mobile suit's design purpose: mid-range fire support. The Guncannon was also armed with a high-precision beam rifle for sniping operation, being one of the first mobile suits equipped with a beam weapon.

The Guncannon was less mobile but more heavily armored than its cousin, the Gundam. This allowed the Guncannon to be a significant threat to Zeon's Zakus. Unfortunately, the extra armor provided no additional protection against the powerful beam weapons, and heavy projectile weapons (such as the Giant Bazooka used by MS-09R Rick Dom) were also capable of causing severe damage. It also lacked any sort of melee weapon, rendering it having to fight empty-handed during close encounters with an enemy unit. Another disadvantage was that its 240 mm cannons only held 20 rounds per cannon, limiting the Guncannon's effective operation time on the battlefield.

During the Zeon attack on Side 7, only one RX-77-2 survived the attack. It was later stationed aboard the Pegasus-class assault carrier White Base and assigned to Kai Shiden. However, when White Base made its way to Jaburo, another Guncannon was transferred to the White Base to replace the space-incompatible RX-75-4 Guntank piloted by Hayato Kobayashi. To separate the two units, they were named the "C-108" and "C-109" respectively. Both units were heavily damaged at the final battle of the One Year War at the Zeon's space fortress A Baoa Qu. Kai's Guncannon later reappears in Hayato's mobile suit museum in Zeta Gundam.

In the 7-minute avant-title video of Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Record U.C. 0081, another Guncannon named "C-203" appears along side White Base's assault on A Baoa Qu's S-field and performed a brilliant shield kick on Erik Blanke's Gelgoog, before taking out another Zaku and moves on.

The RX-77-2 Guncannon was the only Project V mobile suit ever to have limited mass-production. It served as a main mobile suit until the Federation introduced the RGM-79 GM; however, due to the high cost of beam weapons, many Guncannon units were armed with conventional machine guns or rifles. Some unlucky pilots were not issued a hand weapon at all, and had to rely on the Guncannon's built-in armaments. In the Gundam 0079: Zeonic Front video game, a three-man Guncannon squad was commanded by young, brash Federation pilot, Lieutenant Agar (who would later become pilot of the RX-78-6 Mudrock Gundam). This team would pursue the infamous "Midnight Fenrir" Zeon special operation mobile suit team up to the Battle of Jaburo. Also in Cross Dimension 0079 video game, at least two Guncannons was used by Albatross transportation team in the Gobi Desert, though game's dialogue said they already loss several units. There were also reports of several Guncannons used to assist the 16th Autonomous Corps, the Thoroughbred as well as at least 1 Guncannon used to assist Yu Kajima during the final days of the Blue Destiny units' test.