RTX-65 Guntank Early Type
Early prototype artillery mobile suit deployed by the Earth Federation Forces for public order maintenance.
The RTX-65 Guntank Early Type was a main battle tank (MBT) rolled out in UC 0065 by the Earth Federation Forces. It represented the Federation’s first serious attempt at creating a large, heavily armed fighting vehicle that transcended traditional tank concepts, establishing the foundation for future mobile suit development.
The “RT” designation indicated it was a Federation development project, whilst the “X” denoted its experimental status. The “65” in the model code indicated it was developed and deployed in UC 0065.
History
A large fighting vehicle officially adopted by the Earth Federation Forces in UC 0065, the Guntank Early Type was equipped with two large-caliber cannons for bombardment and quadruple autocannons in its manipulators, capable of both anti-ground and anti-air combat. This machine was born from concepts far beyond those of traditional tanks, establishing an overwhelming presence ever since its deployment in the colonies began.
In UC 0068, one unit was used by Crowley and two rogue soldiers to transport Casval and Artesia to safety from Side 3. When military officers led by the Zabi siblings tried to stop them, Casval furiously took over the Guntank and proceeded to eliminate almost all of the opposing forces until Artesia helped him regain his senses. The captured Guntank was evacuated as a decoy before its passengers escaped.
In UC 0071, the Guntank was used to test Zeon’s first mobile suit, the Mobile Worker MW-01 Model 01 Late Type, which resulted in the latter’s victory. This engagement demonstrated the limitations of the Guntank design when facing more advanced mobile weapons.
By UC 0078, the EFF was deploying the RCX-76-02 Guncannon First Type with the intention of making it the new MBT. However, the Guncannon performed poorly against Zeon’s MS-05 Zaku I during the Battle of Mare Smythii.
Design
The Guntank Early Type featured a revolutionary design that broke away from conventional tank warfare concepts. Thanks to this breakthrough in large tank design, it established an overwhelming presence ever since its deployment in the colonies began. It was used to maintain public order in the space colonies, serving as both a weapons platform and a symbol of Federation authority.
The vehicle featured a unique dual-cockpit design with the primary pilot position in the torso and a secondary cockpit mounted in the head unit. This arrangement provided enhanced situational awareness and redundancy in command and control systems.
The Guntank utilised caterpillar track propulsion rather than legs, making it more of a traditional tank than the humanoid mobile suits that would follow. However, its substantial size, articulated arms, and sophisticated weapon systems represented a significant evolution in combat vehicle design.
Armaments
The Guntank Early Type carried an impressive array of weapons designed for multiple combat scenarios, from long-range bombardment to close-range defensive action.
Large-caliber cannons
2 x large-caliber cannon, mounted on shoulders served as the Guntank’s primary armament. These weapons provided substantial firepower for bombardment missions, capable of engaging targets at extreme range with devastating effect.
4-barrel autocannons
2 x 4-barrel autocannon, mounted on forearms offered versatile firepower for both anti-ground and anti-air combat. These weapons could provide sustained fire against multiple targets and served as the primary defensive armament.
3-barrel machine gun
3-barrel machine gun, mounted on lower main body was used as a riot suppression weapon. This weapon was specifically designed for maintaining public order and crowd control in colonial environments.
Smoke dischargers
6 x smoke discharger, mounted on main body provided defensive countermeasures. The smoke screen capability allowed the Guntank to blind opponents visually, providing tactical advantage during combat operations.
Known pilots
- Casval Rem Deikun
- Various Federation operators
Behind the scenes
Original mechanical designer: Kimitoshi Yamane. Note: Based on the RX-75 Guntank from the Gundam: The Origin manga.
The RTX-65 represents Yamane’s interpretation of early Federation mobile weapon development, showing the evolutionary step between conventional tanks and true mobile suits. The design emphasises the practical, utilitarian approach of early Federation military engineering.
Appearances
Anime
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
See also
- RX-75-4 Guntank
- RCX-76-02 Guncannon First Type
- MW-01 Mobile Worker Model 01 Late Type
External links
- RTX-65 Guntank Early Type on MAHQ
- RTX-65 Guntank Early Type on the Gundam Wiki