Universal Century factions
The Universal Century saw many major political, military and social organisations that shaped human society following humanity’s migration into space. These groups emerged from the Earth Federation’s space colonisation programme and subsequent conflicts over political autonomy and resources.
Overview
The dominant political entity at the start of the Universal Century was the Earth Federation, which governed both Earth and the space colonies. However, the Federation’s preferential treatment of Earth-born citizens led to growing resentment among space colonists, or spacenoids. This tension eventually gave rise to various independence movements and breakaway states.
The most significant early challenger to Federation authority was the Principality of Zeon, which emerged from Side 3 and sparked the devastating One Year War in UC 0079. This conflict established a pattern of anti-Federation movements that would continue throughout the Universal Century, with various successor organisations carrying on Zeon’s legacy of spacenoid independence.
Governments
Earth Federation government (UC 0001-0164)
The Earth Federation served as the primary governing body for both Earth and space colonies throughout most of the Universal Century. It maintained control through several key institutions:
Central government
- Earth Federation Assembly
- Earth Federation Senate
- Earth Federation Cabinet
Military forces
- Earth Federation Forces
- Earth Federation Space Force – Space operations and colony defense
- Earth Federation Ground Force – Terrestrial combat operations
- Earth Federation Air Force – Atmospheric and low-orbit operations
Intelligence and law enforcement
- Earth Federation Intelligence Service – Military intelligence
- Federation Survey Service (est. UC 0080) – Counter-intelligence
- Federation Criminal Police Organization (est. UC 0080) – Civil law enforcement
Space colony governments
Side 3 Governments
- Republic of Zeon (UC 0001-0078)
- Autonomous Republic of Munzo (UC 0078-0079)
- Principality of Zeon (UC 0079)
- Republic of Zeon (reformed, UC 0080-0100)
Other colonial authorities
- Side 6 Republic – Neutral colony cluster during One Year War
- Von Braun City government – Semi-autonomous lunar city
- Congress of Settlement Nations (Late UC)
Military units
Earth Federation Forces
Regular Forces
The Earth Federation maintained several distinct military branches:
Space Force
- Space Fleet Command
- Space Defense Force – Colony defense and patrol
- Space Strike Fleet – Offensive space operations
Ground Forces
- 1st Terrestrial Mobile Division
- 2nd Terrestrial Mobile Division
- 3rd Terrestrial Mobile Division
- 4th Terrestrial Mobile Division
- 5th Terrestrial Mobile Division
- Brigade Support Command
- Armored Battalion
Special operations
- Earth Colony Asteroid (ECOAS) – Counter-insurgency unit
- 13th Autonomous Corps – Elite mobile suit corps
- Task Force Alpha – Anti-insurgency operations
- Londo Bell – Elite anti-insurgency force
Elite units
- White Base Corps – Unofficial special forces formed around White Base
- White Dingo Team – Australia-based test unit
- Slave Wraith – Covert operations unit
- Nemesis Instructor Corps – Elite training unit
- Titans Test Team – Experimental mobile suit development
Zeon Forces
Regular military
- Space Attack Force – Space combat operations
- Earth Attack Force – Terrestrial invasion forces
- Mobile Assault Force – Primary mobile suit corps
Elite units
- Black Tri-Stars – Elite mobile suit team
- Midnight Fenrir Corps – Special operations
- Cyclops Team – Intelligence gathering
- Living Dead Division – Heavy assault unit
- Mad Angler Unit – Underwater operations
Independent military groups
Anti-Federation forces
- Delaz Fleet (UC 0083) – Zeon remnant fleet
- Axis Advance Fleet (UC 0087) – Axis Zeon vanguard
- New Desides (UC 0088) – Anti-Federation military group
- Glemy Faction (UC 0088-0089) – Neo Zeon splinter group
- Mars Zeon (UC 0120) – Mars-based Zeon remnants
Armed reform movements
- AEUG (UC 0087-0088) – Anti-Titans resistance
- Karaba (UC 0087-0088) – AEUG’s terrestrial allies
- Mafty (UC 0105) – Anti-Federation insurgents
Mercenary units
- Death Gale Team
- Black Dog Team
- Cheshire Cats
Special Task Forces
Counter-Insurgency
- Birnam Corps
- Circe Unit
- Man Hunters
Test units
- Aggressor Squadron
- Y-02 Development and Training Team
Civilian organisations
Colonial administration
Government bodies
- Colony Public Corporation – Colony construction and maintenance
- Congress of Settlement Nations – Colonial representation
- Information Control Bureau – Media and communications oversight
Corporate entities
Major conglomerates
- Anaheim Electronics – Primary military contractor
- Yashima Group
- Yashima Heavy Industrial – Military equipment
- Yashima Light Metals – Materials manufacturing
- Yashima Conglomerate – Civilian industries
Military industries
- Zeonic (Pre-UC 0079) – Original Zeon supplier
- Zimmad Company (UC 0079) – Mobile suit manufacturer
- MIP Company – Components and subsystems
Specialist producers
- Hervic Company – Mobile suit components
- Buch Concern – Artillery systems
- Pezun Dynamics – Experimental weapons
Transportation and infrastructure
- Lunar Transport Company
- Jupiter Energy Transport Company
Research organisations
Newtype research
- Flanagan Institute (Zeon, UC 0079)
- Murasame Research Institute (Federation, UC 0079)
- Augusta Newtype Laboratory (Federation, Post-UC 0080)
- Newtype Research Institute (Independent)
Military research
- Minovsky Physics Society
- Strategic Naval Research Institute (SNRI)
Anti-Federation Groups
- African Liberation Front – Independence movement
- Moore Brotherhood – Space colony rights
- Settlement Freedom League – Colonial autonomy
- True Federal – Government reform movement
Political Organizations
- Vist Foundation – Influential private foundation
- Luio & Co – Financial institution
- Zeon Party – Political movement
Educational institutions
- École du Ciel – Federation military academy
- Ecole des Nouveau Type – Newtype training institute
Characteristics
Military Development
Most major factions maintained their own mobile suit development programmes, often in partnership with major defense contractors. The Earth Federation worked with multiple companies, including:
- Zeonic – Originally the primary mobile suit manufacturer for Zeon
- Zimmad Company – Another major Zeon supplier that later worked with the Federation
- Anaheim Electronics – Became the dominant military contractor after the One Year War
- Hervic Company – Specialized in mobile suit development
- Buch Concern – Notable for their work on the Guncannon series
Key military development programs included:
- The Federation’s Project V, which produced the RX series including the Gundam
- Zeon’s mobile suit development program that created the first combat-ready Zaku
- Later Federation programs like the Titans’ development of the MK-II series
- The AEUG-Anaheim partnership that produced the Zeta Gundam
This arms race drove rapid technological advancement, with corporations often selling similar technology to opposing factions.
Political Ideology
The major ideological divide in the Universal Century was between Earth-centric Federation conservatism and spacenoid independence movements. This was often framed in terms of evolutionary pressure, with many spacenoid factions believing that humanity’s future lay in space adaptation and development of Newtype abilities.
Economic Systems
The Earth Federation maintained control over most economic resources, particularly food production and energy supplies. This economic dominance was a major source of tension with space colonies, who often struggled for self-sufficiency. Various factions attempted to challenge this economic hegemony through both military and political means.
Legacy
The factional conflicts of the Universal Century shaped human society for over a century. While the Earth Federation maintained nominal control throughout this period, it faced constant challenges from various independence movements and splinter groups. These conflicts drove technological development but also resulted in massive casualties and destruction, including multiple colony drops and the use of weapons of mass destruction.
The ideological divisions between Earth and space would continue to influence political movements well into the late Universal Century, with various groups attempting to either maintain or challenge the status quo established by the Earth Federation.
Behind the scenes
The factional conflicts of the Universal Century were inspired by real-world political tensions and independence movements.
Creator Tomino Yoshiyuki used these conflicts to explore themes of human advancement, political corruption, and the cost of war. The Earth Federation was partially inspired by the United Nations, while Zeon’s aesthetic and military doctrine drew inspiration from World War II Germany and other historical military powers.