Skiure
Mobile turret developed by the Principality of Zeon.
The Skiure was a mobile turret developed by the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War to compensate for the lack of range and firepower of mobile suits. It consisted of a large beam cannon mounted on a movable platform operated by a mobile suit.
History
The Skiure was developed during the One Year War as part of Zeon’s efforts to enhance the firepower and range capabilities of their mobile suit forces. The weapon system was designed to address tactical limitations encountered in mobile suit warfare, where standard mobile suit armaments sometimes proved insufficient against heavily fortified positions or at extended ranges.
At least one Skiure was deployed in the defence of Granada during the One Year War. The unit’s effectiveness in this role demonstrated the value of auxiliary weapons platforms in supplementing mobile suit operations.
Post-war service
Following the end of the One Year War, at least one Skiure survived and came into the possession of the crew of the Garencieres by UC 0096. During a rescue operation against the Garuda, the Skiure proved its continued utility in combat operations.
Because the Garencieres lacked any mounted weaponry of its own, the Skiure was positioned in the dorsal hatch to act as a makeshift turret. The weapon was operated by an AMS-129 Geara Zulu, demonstrating the platform’s adaptability to different mobile suit types beyond those originally intended during its development.
Design
The Skiure represented an innovative approach to mobile weapons platform design. Rather than attempting to integrate heavy weapons directly into mobile suits, Zeon engineers created a separate platform that could be operated by existing mobile suit units.
The system consisted of a large beam cannon mounted on a mobile platform designed to accommodate a mobile suit operator. The mobile suit would stand on the platform and control the weapon system, providing the targeting capability and tactical awareness necessary for effective operation.
Power system
Because the large beam cannon was powered by the Skiure’s own reactor, the platform could be operated by mobile suits incapable of using beam weapons. This feature significantly expanded the range of mobile suits that could effectively employ heavy beam weaponry, making the Skiure particularly valuable for older mobile suit types or those with limited power generation capability.
Armaments
High output beam cannon
The Skiure’s only weapon was a high output beam cannon capable of destroying most mobile suits in a single shot or inflicting significant damage to warships. This level of firepower represented a substantial upgrade over standard mobile suit armaments and made the Skiure effective against targets that would otherwise require multiple mobile suits to engage successfully.
The beam cannon’s high output came at the cost of mobility and deployment flexibility. Unlike mobile suit-mounted weapons, the Skiure required careful positioning and could not easily relocate during combat operations.
Known operators
- Granada defence forces (UC 0079)
- Garencieres crew (UC 0096)
Behind the scenes
The Skiure was part of the MS-X original design series, representing experimental mobile weapons concepts that expanded the traditional mobile suit paradigm. The design reflected Zeon’s innovative approach to mobile weapons development during the One Year War.
Appearances
- MS-X design series
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
See also
External links
- Skiure on the Gundam Wiki