Torrington Base – MechaBay | Mobile Suit Gundam

Torrington Base was an Earth Federation Forces military base located in eastern Australia, north of the Sydney Crater, where the colony impacted during Operation British. Positioned at coordinates 29.3°S, 151.7°E, it served as the Federation’s main nuclear weapons storage facility throughout the Universal Century.

History

Construction and early role

Torrington Base was established by the Earth Federation Forces as a strategic military installation in eastern Australia. Its remote location, north of the massive crater left by the Operation British colony drop, made it an ideal site for storing the Federation’s nuclear arsenal. The base’s position near the transformed Sydney Bay provided both security through isolation and access to coastal approaches.

One Year War

First Battle of Torrington Base

During the One Year War, Torrington Base’s strategic importance as the Federation’s primary nuclear weapons storage facility made it a target for Principality of Zeon forces. In December UC 0079, Zeon units launched an assault on the base in an attempt to capture its nuclear stockpile. The attacking Zeon forces successfully infiltrated the base’s perimeter and seized control of the nuclear weapons storage areas.

However, the Federation’s White Dingo Team, an elite mobile suit unit operating in the Australian theatre, mounted a successful counterattack. Led by their skilled pilots operating RGM-79SP GM Sniper II units, the White Dingo Team recaptured the base and repelled the Zeon forces. This victory ensured that the Federation retained control of its nuclear arsenal during the critical final stages of the One Year War.

Delaz Conflict

Theft of Gundam Unit 02

On 13 October UC 0083, Torrington Base became central to the opening phase of Operation Stardust, the Delaz Fleet’s ambitious plan to strike back at the Federation. The base was chosen as the testing site for two prototype mobile suits from the Gundam Development Project: the RX-78GP01 Gundam “Zephyranthes” and the RX-78GP02A Gundam “Physalis”.

The selection of Torrington Base for testing the GP02A was particularly significant, as the mobile suit was designed specifically for nuclear attack missions. The base’s existing nuclear storage facilities provided the necessary infrastructure and security for fitting the GP02A with its Mk-82 nuclear warhead.

Anavel Gato, the legendary Zeon ace known as the “Nightmare of Solomon”, infiltrated the base disguised as a Federation lieutenant. In a daring raid supported by remnant Zeon forces, Gato successfully stole the GP02A “Physalis” along with its nuclear payload. The theft marked the beginning of the Delaz Conflict and dealt a significant blow to Federation security, demonstrating the vulnerability of even their most secure installations.

Post-Delaz Conflict decline

Following the events of UC 0083, Torrington Base’s strategic importance began to wane. The successful theft of the GP02A exposed serious security flaws, and the Federation’s nuclear strategy evolved in response to new threats. By UC 0096, the base had been relegated to a secondary role, staffed primarily with outdated mobile suits and serving as a rear-area facility.

Second Battle of Torrington Base

Despite its reduced status, Torrington Base would face one final major engagement in UC 0096. Following the Third Battle of Dakar, the Neo Zeon remnant group known as the Sleeves discovered coordinates related to the La+ Program that led them to target the base.

Yonem Kirks, commanding Earth-based Zeon remnants working with the Sleeves, used an old One Year War radio code to rally Zeon survivors across the globe. His call to “give the Feds the shock of their lives” brought together disparate remnant units equipped with aging mobile suits from the One Year War era, including MS-06 Zaku, MS-09 Dom, and MSM-07 Z’Gok units.

The assault began with the sinking of the Juneau-class patrol vessel Bonefish by the massive amphibious mobile armor AMA-X7 Shamblo and two AMS-129M Zee Zulu units. The next morning, Zeon remnants launched a coordinated surprise attack that initially caught the base’s defenders completely off guard.

However, the attack diverged from its original plan when the Shamblo’s pilot, Loni Garvey, became consumed with revenge and redirected the massive mobile armor to attack the nearby civilian city rather than supporting the base assault. This decision proved crucial to the battle’s outcome.

The tide turned with the arrival of the Londo Bell task force aboard the Ra Cailum, which had been investigating the Bonefish’s disappearance. The deployment of the RX-160S Byarlant Custom and the elite Tri-Stars unit quickly shifted the battle in the Federation’s favour. The modern Federation units made short work of the aging Zeon mobile suits, with Yonem Kirks being killed during a failed suicide attack. Meanwhile, Riddhe Marcenas in his MSN-001A1 Delta Plus destroyed the Shamblo, killing Loni Garvey and ending the threat to the nearby city.

Geography

Torrington Base was strategically positioned in eastern Australia at coordinates 29.3°S, 151.7°E, placing it north of the massive Sydney Crater created during Operation British. The base’s location near what became known as Sydney Bay provided both security through its remote position and tactical advantages through coastal access.

Originally, the base was surrounded by dry wilderness, reflecting the harsh Australian outback environment. However, by UC 0083, urban development had begun to encroach on the area, and by UC 0096, a substantial city had grown up near the base. This civilian development would later complicate military operations, particularly during the 0096 Zeon remnant attack when the Shamblo threatened the civilian population.

Facilities

As the Earth Federation’s primary nuclear weapons storage facility, Torrington Base featured extensive underground bunkers and specialised storage areas designed to house nuclear warheads securely. The base’s infrastructure included:

Nuclear storage complex

The heart of Torrington Base was its heavily fortified nuclear weapons storage facility. These underground bunkers were designed to withstand direct attacks and featured sophisticated security systems. During the UC 0079 Zeon attack, these facilities became the primary objective, whilst in UC 0083, they provided the nuclear warhead for the GP02A Gundam.

Mobile suit hangars

The base maintained facilities for testing and deploying mobile suits, including specialised equipment for the Gundam Development Project. These hangars could accommodate prototype units like the GP01 and GP02A, complete with maintenance and modification capabilities.

Command and communications

Torrington Base served as a regional command centre for Federation operations in the Australian sector. Its communications equipment could coordinate with both space-based and terrestrial Federation forces, as demonstrated during the various attacks on the facility.

Strategic importance

Torrington Base’s significance stemmed from multiple factors that made it a crucial Federation installation:

Nuclear deterrent

As the Federation’s main nuclear storage facility, Torrington Base represented a key component of their strategic deterrent capability. The base’s nuclear arsenal served as both a defensive measure and a potential offensive capability against Zeon forces.

Testing facility

The base’s remote location and security infrastructure made it ideal for testing prototype weapons and mobile suits. The Gundam Development Project specifically chose Torrington for trials of the GP01 and GP02A, demonstrating the facility’s importance to Federation military development.

Regional command

Torrington Base served as the Federation’s primary command centre for the Australian theatre, coordinating military operations across the continent. Its position near the Sydney Crater also made it symbolically significant as a reminder of Zeon aggression.

Behind the scenes

Torrington Base was first mentioned in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory and later appeared prominently in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The base also features in the video game Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise From the Ashes, which depicts the White Dingo Team’s defence of the facility during the One Year War.

The name “Torrington” may reference several real-world locations of the same name, including towns in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The base’s location in New South Wales, Australia, places it in a region that would have been dramatically affected by the Operation British colony drop.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise From the Ashes

External links

Torrington Base on the Gundam Wiki
Battle at Torrington on the Gundam Wiki