AMS-123X-X Moon Gundam

The AMS-123X-X Moon Gundam was a prototype Newtype use mobile suit that emerged from an extraordinary combination of two different machines during a critical period in Universal Century history.

The AMS-123X-X Moon Gundam is the AMS-123X Varguil equipped with a Gundam-type head and repainted in tricolor scheme. Additionally, the backpack’s funnel rack has been completely removed and a sub-arm has been added to mount the Psycho Plates.

The “A” in the model code designated it as an Anaheim Electronics design, whilst the “MS” indicated it was a mobile suit. The “123” denoted the development sequence, with the “X” marking it as an experimental variant. The final “X” in the designation indicated the Gundam head configuration.

Development history

After the Earth Federation Forces received information that Char Aznable, who went missing after the Gryps Conflict, was plotting an armed uprising against the Federation, it deployed several search forces to various Sides. During one of the searches, Amuro Ray’s Londo Bell squadron encountered a group of Titans remnants and engaged in battle against the MRX-013-3 Psycho Gundam Mk-IV G-Doors.

Equipped with a new type of Psycommu armament, the Psycho Plates, the G-Doors was able to surprise Amuro briefly before he shot it down. Following the battle, the head and 8 of the Psycho Plates drifted to Moon Moon, colliding with the colony’s walls a year later.

The residents of Moon Moon recovered these components and integrated them with an existing AMS-123X Varguil unit. The resulting mobile suit became known as the Moon Gundam, reflecting both its Gundam-type appearance and the colony where it was assembled.

Design features

Frame and construction

The Moon Gundam retained the basic frame and structure of the Varguil, which itself served as a prototype for the development of the MSN-04 Sazabi. The suit stood 21.7 metres tall and was constructed from Gundarium alloy.

The most significant modification was the installation of the Gundam-type head recovered from the G-Doors, giving the machine its distinctive appearance and earning it the “Gundam” designation.

Psycho Plates system

The Moon Gundam’s most unique feature was the integration of eight Psycho Plates recovered from the destroyed G-Doors. The Psycho Plates is a Psycommu armament that drifted to Moon Moon along with the head.

A sub-arm was specially added to the backpack to mount and control these psychoframe weapons, replacing the original funnel rack system of the Varguil.

Performance

The Moon Gundam was powered by a Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor with an output of 2,910 kW. The mobile suit’s exact performance specifications remained largely unknown due to its unique construction and limited operational data.

Armaments

Fixed armaments

Vulcan guns

Mounted in the head, the pair of Vulcan guns are not very powerful and typically used for intercepting missiles, destroying mobile suit sensors and the likes.

Beam sabers

The Moon Gundam carried two beam sabers for close combat, typical of Gundam-type mobile suits.

Handheld weapons

Beam rifle with grenade launcher

A portable weapon passed down from the Varguil. Since the Varguil was a prototype for the development of the Sazabi, it was able to fire scattering beams like the Beam Shot Rifle which would be created later on. It can also fire grenade rounds.

Beam tomahawk

The mobile suit carried a beam tomahawk for close combat situations, providing additional melee capability beyond the standard beam sabers.

Butterfly edges

The Moon Gundam was equipped with two butterfly edge weapons that could function as both ranged and melee weapons, featuring deployable beam blades.

Psycho Plates

The Moon Gundam mounted eight psycho plates, which served as remote-controlled weapons that could be deployed and controlled through the mobile suit’s Psycommu system.

Operational history

The Moon Gundam was piloted by Yutta Kassim, a resident of Moon Moon colony. The mobile suit played a crucial role in the events leading up to Char’s Counterattack, serving as a bridge between the conflicts of the late Universal Century 0080s and early 0090s.

The unique circumstances of its creation and operation made the Moon Gundam a significant mobile suit in Universal Century history, representing the ingenuity of space colonists and the continuing evolution of mobile suit technology.

Known pilots

Yutta Kassim - Primary pilot and resident of Moon Moon colony

Variants

No known variants of the Moon Gundam exist, as it was a unique mobile suit created from the combination of specific salvaged components.

Behind the scenes

The Moon Gundam was designed by Ippei Gyoubu for the Mobile Suit Moon Gundam manga series written by Harutoshi Fukui. The series served as a bridge story connecting various Universal Century conflicts and exploring the “forbidden side” of UC history.