RMS-179 GM II

The RMS-179 GM II was a mass-produced general purpose mobile suit developed by the Earth Federation Forces. It was an improved version of the RGM-79 GM.

Units designated RGM-79R were upgraded GM frames, while those designated RMS-179 were newly constructed. The “RGM” indicated it was a Federation general-purpose mobile suit, while “RMS” stood for remake mobile suit.

The “R” in the type code meant it was a Federation model¹ and the “MS” meant it was a mobile suit. The “17” in the code number referred to its development at Gryps while the “9” indicated it was the eighth design created there.

Some earlier units of that were ugpraded from the GM were designated as RGM-79R GM II. The “R” variant code meant that it was a refitted version.

History

After the One Year War, the Earth Federation Forces began upgrading their RGM-79 GM units with newer technology. Once existing GMs had been upgraded to the RGM-79R GM II standard, the Federation started constructing new units under the RMS-179 designation.

The Federation first deployed the GM II in UC 0084 as its mainstay mobile suit. It saw extensive use during the Gryps Conflict in UC 0087 before being succeeded by the RGM-86R GM III. Despite this, the GM II remained in service and saw action as late as UC 0096 when Zeon Remnants attacked the Federation capital Dakar and Torrington Base in Australia.

Anaheim Electronics developed the GM II into the MSA-003 Nemo, which became the mainstay mobile suit of the Anti-Earth Union Group.

Design

The GM II featured several improvements over the original GM, including a higher output generator rated at 1,518 kW, improved thrusters for greater propulsion, amplified actuators for faster limb response, and additional verniers for increased maneuverability.

Four main rocket thrusters provided 62,000 kg of total thrust, while ten vernier thrusters allowed for fine control. The mobile suit was constructed using titanium alloy ceramic composite armor and equipped with a standard panoramic monitor cockpit with linear seat.

Its standard sensor suite had a detection range of 8,800 meters.

Armaments

The GM II’s standard weapons were a beam saber for melee combat and a beam rifle for ranged attacks. It could also equip various other Federation weapons.

60 mm vulcan guns

A pair of fire-linked 60 mm gatling vulcan guns were mounted in the GM II’s head. Each gun carried 600 rounds of ammunition and fired at a rate of 1,600 rounds per minute. Though primarily used against lightly armored targets and incoming missiles, sustained fire could damage mobile suits at close range.

Beam saber

The GM II carried a single beam saber stored in a recharge rack on its backpack. The saber used an I-field to contain Minovsky particles in a blade shape. The high-energy particles could cut through almost any material. An energy capacitor in the hilt recharged from the mobile suit’s reactor when stored.

Beam rifle

The GM II’s primary ranged weapon was the BOWA·BR-S-85-C2 beam rifle, with a power rating of 1.9 MW. It drew power from rechargeable energy capacitors containing Minovsky particles. The high-energy particle beams could penetrate most mobile suit armor, potentially destroying targets in a single hit.

Shield

The GM II could mount an RGM-M-Sh-007 shield on either forearm for defense. Made of titanium alloy ceramic composite, this improved version of the original GM’s shield could block most ballistic weapons and was also effective in melee combat.

Known pilots

• Jack Bayard
• Clark
• Quattro Bajeena
• Cristobal Rutherford
• Bier Quatrieme
• Braier Ryude
• Ing Ryude
• Pesco Lingua
• Hildegard Skortzny

Variants

• RMS-179 GM II Semi-Striker
• RS-82B-R GM II Custom

Behind the scenes

Kondo Kazuhisa was the principal designer and Fujita Kazumi refined the design for Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Katoki Hajime created the version seen in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.

Gunpla

• Original 1/144 RMS-179 GM II (1985)
• HGUC 1/144 RMS-179 GM II (2011)
• HGUC 1/144 RMS-179 GM II Desert Color Ver. (P-Bandai, 2012)
• HGUC 1/144 RMS-179 GM II AEUG Color Ver. (P-Bandai, 2012)
• MG 1/100 RMS-179 GM II (P-Bandai, 2017)
• MG 1/100 RMS-179 GM II Unicorn Ver. (P-Bandai, 2017)
• MG 1/100 RMS-179 GM II AEUG Color Ver. (P-Bandai, 2020)

Appearances

Anime

• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
• Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

Manga

• Under the Gundam: Double Fake
• Advance of Zeta: The Flag of Titans
• Mobile Suit Gundam Ecole du Ciel
• Mobile Suit Gundam UC 0094: Across the Sky
• Advance of Zeta: The Traitor of Destiny
• Mobile Suit Gundam Katana: Bond of the Battlefield UC 0084
• Mobile Suit Gundam MSV-R: The Return of Johnny Ridden
• Mobile Suit Gundam Walpurgis
• Mobile Suit Gundam Climax UC
• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Define

Novels

• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (novel)
• Anaheim Laboratory Log

Games

• Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: AEUG VS Titans
• Mobile Suit Gundam: The Return of Zeon
• Gundam Evolve
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Climax UC
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren’s Greed
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam

External links

• RMS-179 GM II on the Gundam Wiki
• RMS-179 GM II on MAHQ

Footnotes

1. Federation in Japanese is renpou, hence the use of “R”. ↩