RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Woundwort – MechaBay

The RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Woundwort was an experimental transformable mobile suit developed by the Earth Federation Forces as the culmination of the Titans’ TR Project.

The “R” in the model code meant it was a Federation model¹ and the “X” indicated that it was an experimental mobile suit. The “124” in the model code denoted that it was developed in UC 0087, and it represented the final evolution of the TR series.

History

The Gundam TR-6 was developed as the next-generation mainstay mobile suit for the Titans and the Earth Federation Forces. It represents the final and fully realised model of the Titans’ development initiative for their main MS—the culmination of the “TR Project.”

Its creation took place during the Gryps Conflict, a period marked by disorganised development efforts in which various MS design bureaus independently pursued incompatible systems. As a result, productivity was disregarded, and many prototype machines with highly specialised and incompatible structures were fielded simultaneously. This chaotic era would later be known as the beginning of the so-called “dinosaur evolution” of mobile suits.

To bring order to this fragmented situation, the “Model Integration Plan” was initiated, aiming to standardise and consolidate all MS into a unified platform. The TR-6 [Woundwort] was the embodiment of this plan.

In the manga adaptation, the parts for the Gundam TR-6 [Woundwort] are transported from Confeito to the Aswan in November UC 0087 aboard a shuttle piloted by Carl Matsubara, with assembly carried out externally, outside the ship.

The TR-6 was originally intended to sortie in its RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Inle form, but the conversion was incomplete. Instead, the Fiver II unit was mounted onto Lieutenant Carl Matsubara’s Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Owsla]. After the destruction of the Woundwort, Carl recovers Eliard and initiates a self-destruct sequence aboard the Hazel Owsla, escaping with Eliard via the Primrose escape pod.

Design

The RX-124 Gundam TR-6 was developed as a compilation of the TR series and, rather than indicating a single machine, this codename referred to an entire weapons system centred on the core machine Woundwort.

Designed as a “Light Armor MS,” the Woundwort features a minimally armoured frame to prioritise transformation capabilities. Its limbs are equipped with folding mechanisms that allow it to seamlessly switch between various forms. Despite its small size, the Woundwort is powered by a high-output TR-type generator, granting it an exceptional power-to-weight ratio—a signature of compact mobile suits.

The term “Gundam TR-6” does not refer to a single mobile suit, but rather to a comprehensive weapon system—or more precisely, an operational platform—built around the base unit Woundwort and its core component, the Primrose II.

Transformation system

The TR-6 was essentially a set of components attached to a drum frame which served as the central unit of its transformation mechanisms. The mobile armor form’s aerodynamic characteristics were poor, and special option parts were required for atmospheric flight, so this form was mainly for use in space.

Its nose section was a booster pod with atmospheric entry capabilities. Its torso section was extremely small, and its thigh sections relatively large, because its generators were housed in the thighs and booster pod.

Primrose II escape system

Its torso, which contains the cockpit, can detach and function independently as a mobile escape pod known as the Primrose II. This system represented a significant advancement in pilot survival technology.

Modular design philosophy

As with the RX-121 Gundam TR-1 Hazel, the base machine Woundwort could be enhanced via a wealth of option parts, and a wide variety of these parts were prepared so that it could display maximum performance in any environment and in any battlefield. Because it could theoretically achieve higher specs than any existing machine by swapping parts, it could almost be called “the strongest of the strong” at the present point.

Armament

Fixed armaments

Vulcan guns

Mounted in the head, the pair of shell firing weapons have a high rate of fire but little power and can’t damage the armor of a mobile suit, though they can damage lightly armoured areas such as the sensors. They are ideal for shooting down small, lightly armoured targets such as missiles, attack vehicles, etc.

Composite shield booster

The composite shield booster was a multifunctional shield that could be used as both a long beam rifle and a claw for melee combat. This device served as the main weapon of the Woundwort. The claw section of the composite shield booster contained a beam emitter that could be connected to a long rifle barrel. The composite shield booster also included a targeting sensor and an I-field generator, and could function as a winch unit.

Weaponry attached to the Composite Shield Booster. The claw contains a beam emitter that can be connected to a long rifle barrel. It features Heat Blades on both sides of the barrel.

Sub arm unit

A folding sub-arm unit attached to the waist section.

Optional equipment

Booster pod variants

The booster pod of the TR-6 was based on the movable booster pod used by the Hazel, and it included coolant gas emitters that allowed the TR-6 to perform atmospheric entry. This booster pod could be replaced by a variety of other types, including an EWAC radome and a “double shield” type similar to the multi connector pod of the RX-121-2A Gundam TR-1 Advanced Hazel.

Double shield type

This double shield version lacked coolant gas emitters, but it included a mega particle cannon and two shield latches that could hold composite shield boosters.

Known pilots

Carl Matsubara - Test pilot for the Titans Test Team

Variants

The Woundwort served as the core unit for numerous variants and configurations:

RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Woundwort-Rah

The Woundwort-Rah is equipped with two sets of Hrududu II shoulder units, one pair attached to its shoulders and one pair to its hips. It also has four multi arm units of the same type used by the ORX-005 Gaplant TR-5 Hrairoo.

RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Haze’n-thley II

A form of the RX-124 Gundam TR-6 [Woundwort] outfitted with full-body special reinforcement parts. Also known as the “high-speed combat form,” it was developed as a replacement successor to the RX-110 Gabthley.

RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Inle

The intended final form of the TR-6 system, combining the Woundwort with additional components to create the ultimate mobile weapon platform.

RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Gigantic Mode

In this configuration, known as the Gigantic Arm Unit Form, the arms and legs of massive mobile weapons—such as those from the MRX-009 Psycho Gundam—are mounted onto the drum frames located on the Woundwort’s shoulders and waist.

RX-124 Gundam TR-6 Queenly

A heavily armed configuration equipped with 5 weapons cargo (multi-purpose weapon storage device) and 7 beam guns. It is made by consuming one Woundwort, two Advanced Kehaar II, and a number of additional parts.

Behind the scenes

The story is by Bin Konno, the mechanical designs by Kenki Fujioka, and the character designs by Takuya Saito. Because team leader Wes Murphy is fond of rabbits, all the TR Series machines assigned to the Titans Test Team are given nicknames derived from Watership Down, a novel by Richard Adams which recounts the adventures of a group of rabbits. Woundwort is a rabbit general who becomes their adversary.

The original mechanical designer was Fujioka Kenki.

The origin of the name is presumed to be General Woundwort, who appears in British author Richard Adams’ long fantasy novel Watership Down.

Appearances

Advance of Zeta: The Flag of Titans (manga)
Advance of Zeta: The Flag of Titans (novel)

External links

RX-124 Gundam TR-6 [Woundwort] on the Gundam Wiki
RX-124 Gundam TR-6 [Wondwart] on MAHQ

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