Battle of Solomon

The Battle of Solomon (ソロモン攻略戦 Soromon Kōryakusen) was a major Earth Federation Forces offensive against the Principality of Zeon’s strategic space fortress Solomon on 24-25 December UC 0079. The battle resulted in a Federation victory that breached Zeon’s defensive perimeter and opened the path to Side 3, setting the stage for the final Battle of A Baoa Qu.

The engagement saw the Federation deploy its Solar System superweapon, a massive array of mirrors that concentrated solar energy into a devastating beam. The weapon’s success demonstrated the Federation’s growing technological sophistication and willingness to employ unconventional weapons to end the war.

The capture of Solomon dealt a severe blow to Zeon’s strategic depth, forcing them to consolidate remaining forces at A Baoa Qu for a final defensive stand.

Prelude

By late December UC 0079, the One Year War had turned decisively against the Principality of Zeon. Their Earth-based forces were in retreat following Operation Odessa, and the Earth Federation had achieved mobile suit parity with mass-produced RGM-79 GM units.

The Federation’s next objective was to strike at Zeon’s space-based infrastructure. Solomon was a massive asteroid fortress positioned to defend the approaches to Side 3, Zeon’s homeland. The fortress mounted powerful beam cannons and housed a significant garrison of mobile suits, making it a formidable defensive position.

Dozle Zabi, commander of Zeon’s Space Attack Force, personally oversaw Solomon’s defence. A capable military commander and devoted family man, Dozle had fortified the base extensively and assembled elite mobile suit teams, including aces like Anavel Gato.

General Johann Abraham Revil, the Federation’s supreme commander, planned an unprecedented assault using a secret weapon—the Solar System. This massive array of mirror satellites would focus concentrated solar energy into a beam powerful enough to devastate the fortress’s defences.

Battle

Deployment of the Solar System

On 24 December UC 0079, the Federation fleet approached Solomon. As Zeon forces prepared to repel what appeared to be a conventional assault, Federation engineers activated the Solar System. Hundreds of mirror satellites aligned, focusing sunlight into a massive concentrated beam.

The Solar System fired directly at Solomon, the intense energy beam striking the fortress with devastating effect. The weapon vaporised portions of the asteroid’s surface, destroyed defensive emplacements, and inflicted heavy casualties on Zeon forces. Several mobile suit squadrons were caught in the beam and instantly destroyed.

The attack shocked Zeon defenders, who had not anticipated such a weapon. The Solar System’s effectiveness demonstrated that the technological advantage had shifted to the Federation, which now possessed superweapons comparable to or exceeding Zeon’s own strategic weapons.

Mobile suit assault

With Solomon’s defences weakened, Federation mobile suits launched a coordinated assault on the fortress. RGM-79 GM squadrons, supported by more advanced units, pushed into the fortress’s defensive perimeter.

The White Base, with Amuro Ray and the RX-78-2 Gundam, participated in the assault. Amuro’s superior piloting ability and the Gundam’s performance continued to make a significant impact, destroying numerous Zeon mobile suits.

Zeon defenders, though reeling from the Solar System attack, fought fiercely. New MS-14 Gelgoog mobile suits, which could match Federation mobile suits in performance, engaged the attackers. The battle devolved into brutal close-quarters combat as Federation forces pushed deeper into the fortress.

Zeon counterattack

Dozle Zabi, recognising the fortress could not be held, ordered a fighting retreat to evacuate as many personnel and mobile suits as possible. Zeon ace pilots, including those who would later become legendary like Anavel Gato, conducted delaying actions to allow transports to escape.

Elite Zeon units utilised the fortress’s complex internal structure to ambush Federation forces, inflicting casualties and slowing the advance. MS-09R Rick Dom teams used hit-and-run tactics, whilst MS-14 Gelgoog units engaged in direct combat with Federation mobile suits.

Despite fierce resistance, the Federation’s numerical superiority and momentum proved overwhelming. Federation forces systematically secured key sectors of the fortress, cutting off escape routes and forcing Zeon units to surrender or be destroyed.

Fall of Solomon

By 25 December UC 0079, Federation forces had secured Solomon. Dozle Zabi successfully evacuated a significant portion of the garrison, including many mobile suits and experienced pilots, but the fortress itself was lost. The Federation now controlled a strategic position within striking distance of Side 3.

The capture of Solomon represented more than a tactical victory. It breached Zeon’s defensive perimeter and demonstrated that the Federation could project power into Zeon’s core territory. The psychological impact on Zeon forces was significant—their supposedly impregnable fortress had fallen in less than two days.

Aftermath

The Battle of Solomon forced Zeon to concentrate all remaining forces at A Baoa Qu, their last major stronghold. The loss of Solomon eliminated Zeon’s strategic depth, meaning the Federation could directly threaten Side 3 without fighting through multiple defensive lines.

For the Earth Federation, the victory validated their strategy of developing superweapons to counter Zeon’s mobile suit advantage. The Solar System’s success inspired confidence in the Federation’s technological capabilities and demonstrated their willingness to employ unconventional weapons.

The battle also marked a shift in the war’s momentum. Zeon, which had dominated the conflict’s first nine months through superior mobile suit technology and tactical innovation, was now on the defensive. The Federation’s industrial capacity and population advantage were finally translating into military superiority.

Dozle Zabi’s successful evacuation of much of Solomon’s garrison would prove significant at A Baoa Qu, where these experienced units would make their final stand. However, the loss of Solomon meant that final battle would be Zeon’s last-ditch defence rather than part of a layered defensive strategy.

Legacy

The Battle of Solomon demonstrated the effectiveness of strategic weapons in modern space warfare. The Solar System’s success influenced subsequent military planning, with both the Federation and later Zeon remnants developing similar superweapons for future conflicts.

The battle also highlighted the importance of mobile suit aces in determining engagement outcomes. Whilst the Solar System opened the way for victory, skilled pilots like Amuro Ray and Zeon’s aces were crucial in the subsequent mobile suit combat. This reinforced both sides’ emphasis on identifying and nurturing exceptional pilots.

For Christmas Day battles, Solomon became symbolic of the war’s tragedy—a major military engagement fought on what should have been a peaceful holiday. This timing emphasised the war’s total nature and the way military necessity overrode all other considerations.

The fortress would later be rebuilt by the Federation as Konpei Island and serve as a Federation military base throughout subsequent conflicts. Its strategic location ensured it remained militarily significant well into the Universal Century.

Behind the scenes

The Battle of Solomon was featured in episode 38 of the original Mobile Suit Gundam television series. Director Yoshiyuki Tomino used the battle to demonstrate the war’s escalation to strategic weapons, paralleling real-world nuclear weapons development.

The Solar System was one of several superweapons featured in Gundam, establishing the franchise’s pattern of including both mobile suit combat and strategic weapons. The weapon’s visual design, with hundreds of mirrors focusing sunlight, created a memorable image that has been referenced in subsequent Gundam works.

The battle’s timing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was deliberate, emphasising the war’s tragedy by contrasting military violence with a traditionally peaceful holiday. This thematic choice reinforced Gundam’s anti-war message.

The battle has been featured in numerous Gundam video games, including Gihren’s Greed, where players can command either side and potentially alter the battle’s outcome. Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory later established that Anavel Gato, the series’ antagonist, participated in Solomon’s defence, connecting the battle to later Universal Century events.

Appearances

Anime

Mobile Suit Gundam (episode 38)

Films

Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space

OVAs

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (referenced)

Games

Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo
Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon
Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space
Gihren’s Greed
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Gundam Battle Operation 2

External links

Battle of Solomon on the Gundam Wiki