RX-160G Byarlant Isolde
Custom close combat mobile suit developed by Buffo Junk Inc.
The RX-160G Byarlant Isolde was a customized space use version of the RX-160 Byarlant that was first fielded by the Titans in UC 0087 during the Gryps War. The Byarlant Isolde was used by Birnam, a private army belonging to Scharnhorst Buffo, founder of the Buffo Concern.
The “R” in the model code meant it was a Federation model1 and the “X” indicated that it was an experimental mobile suit. The “160” denoted its relation to the original Byarlant series, whilst the “G” suffix distinguished this particular variant.
Development
A customized version of RX-160 Byarlant, the Byarlant Isolde belonged to the mysterious armed group “Birnam” which attacked Earth Federation’s special forces unit “Mastema” near the former asteroid base Axis in UC 0096. It was unknown how Birnam acquired the base Byarlant unit and the reasons for its unique modifications.
The Byarlant Isolde has several features similar to the RX-160S Byarlant Custom, such as the two new back-mounted Propellant Tank/Thruster Units, two redesigned thruster units mounted on the sides of the arms, and new armour on the back of the legs.
However, it differed from the original Byarlant in several key areas. It had a different head unit that utilised a twin-eye camera instead of the original Byarlant’s mono-eye sensor system, giving it improved visual capabilities.
Design
The Byarlant Isolde’s backpack was reconfigured for space and equipped with a pair of propellant tanks. These provided additional fuel for extended operations and greatly improved the mobile suit’s acceleration and agility in space combat.
The mobile suit retained the original’s characteristic claw-like manipulator hands and flight-capable design, though optimised for space operations rather than atmospheric flight. The Gundarium alloy armour provided excellent protection while maintaining the suit’s mobility characteristics.
The twin-eye sensor system represented a significant upgrade from the original mono-eye design, providing better depth perception and target acquisition capabilities essential for close combat operations.
Armaments
The Byarlant Isolde retained the armaments of the original Byarlant, consisting of mega particle guns and beam sabers designed for close-range combat.
Mega particle guns
A rapid-fire, ranged armament installed in the Byarlant Isolde’s palms. Built into the mobile suit’s palms, the pair of mega particle cannons were the mobile suit’s primary ranged weapons. They were capable of rapid-fire and provided substantial firepower for engaging enemy mobile suits at medium range.
The unique design of the Byarlant’s hands meant that the mobile suit could not wield conventional handheld weapons, making these integral weapons essential for its combat effectiveness.
Beam sabers
Similar to those used by the original Byarlant, the Byarlant Isolde had a pair of beam-type sabers stored in the upper arms near the elbow joints, which could be drawn during combat. The beam sabers’ handles had a unique triangular cross-section to match the mobile suit’s clawed hands.
The beam sabers used an I-field to contain Minovsky particles within the shape of a blade, allowing them to cut through almost any material with molecular-level precision.
Propellant tanks
The booster is a combination of large fuel tanks and rocket boosters. It provides additional fuel for longer deployment times and greatly improves the acceleration and agility of the Byarlant Isolde. A pair is fitted to both sides of the Byarlant Isolde’s rear thrusters.
Service history
In UC 0096, Byarlant Isolde pilot Walter Fermo joined his brother, Tristan pilot Quentin Fermo, in attacking the Earth Federation Forces’ special unit Mastema at the former Neo Zeon asteroid Axis.
Walter engaged former Neo Zeon test pilot Danton Hyleg, who recovered an AMX-011S Zaku III Custom that he previously piloted years earlier. The Byarlant Isolde’s high mobility and close-combat capabilities made it well-suited for the confined spaces and debris fields around the Axis asteroid.
The mobile suit served throughout the Twilight Axis conflict, with the pilot fighting alongside his brother’s Tristan against the Federation forces investigating the asteroid’s psychoframe research facilities.
Known pilots
- Walter Fermo
Behind the scenes
The Byarlant Isolde was designed as part of the Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight Axis project. The Isolde, along with its partner unit the RX-78AN-01 Gundam AN-01 Tristan, are named after the eponymous characters from the 12th century Anglo-Norman mythological tale Tristan and Iseult.
The name “Isolde” was also previously used on the Cannons on Minerva from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny.
Appearances
Anime
- Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight Axis
Movie
- Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight Axis: Red Trace
See also
External links
- RX-160G Byarlant Isolde on the Gundam Wiki
- RX-160G Byarlant Isolde on MAHQ
Footnotes
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Federation in Japanese is renpou, hence the use of “R”. ↩