Technology & Combat Characteristics
The ASW-G-64 Gundam Flauros' strength lies in the back-mounted long-range shelling unit and to maximize its power, a transformation mechanism is incorporated into the mobile suit's frame. This allows the Flauros to change into a quadruped form known as 'Shelling Mode', which excels in ultra long range shooting and is primarily for ground combat. The Shelling Mode's quadruped form improves the railguns' accuracy and helps absorb the recoils due to its low posture and because the mobile suit is fixed to the ground surface. It also supports immediate evasion during shooting. The mobile suit's cockpit rotates to accommodate the different modes, and as a result, it has two different hatches. One at the top of the chest for use in Shelling Mode, and another at the front of the chest for MS mode.
As Tekkadan failed to reactivate the Gundam Flauros after discovering it in a half-metal mine, they sent it to Saisei. The Saisei's mechanics found that its two Ahab Reactors were in a sleep state, and successfully reactivated and overhauled the machine. Unlike the ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos and the ASW-G-11 Gundam Gusion Rebake, the overhaul of the Gundam Flauros did not involve feedback based on pilot's data but was focused on restoring its original functions. As an example, the damaged railguns were replaced with newly built units based on the data Teiwaz had. Other modifications include changing the mobile suit's Nanolaminate Armor color to match its pilot's preference based on orders from Tekkadan and a cockpit from Teiwaz's MS series, but with an Alaya-Vijnana System compatible seat, was installed in place of the mobile suit's missing cockpit. The restored Gundam Flauros was dubbed by its pilot, Norba Shino, as the 'Ryusei-Go IV'.
History
The ASW-G-64 Gundam Flauros is the 64th of the 72 Gundam Frames created by Gjallarhorn near the end of the Calamity War to counter the threat of the powerful mobile armors such as Hashmal. With a white-and-blue color scheme, it was eventually sent to Mars to fight the mobile armors there. It was later abandoned in a half-metal mine alongside Hashmal, where they would remain, hidden and dormant, for over 300 years.
In P.D 325, the Gundam Flauros was excavated alongside Hashmal by Tekkadan. While the true nature of the much larger mobile armor initially remained unknown, Tekkadan immediately recognized Flauros as a Gundam Frame. It was salvaged and sent to Saisei to be repaired and overhauled, with its original colors replaced by the distinctive magenta color favored by Norba Shino. Once repairs were complete, Flauros was sent back to Mars to assist Tekkadan against the awakened Hashmal. Using its railguns, the Flauros was able to separate the Hashmal from its Pluma support units.
When Turbines was framed for the illegal possession of the Dainsleif-type railguns and came under Gjallarhorn's assault, the Gundam Flauros was deployed alongside STH-16/tc Shiden Custom (Riden-Go) and ASW-G-11 Gundam Gusion Rebake Full City to assist in the escape of non-combatants. This was the first time the Gundam Flauros fought with the short-barrelled cannons and the assault knife. Following that, the Gundam Flauros was deployed in Tekkadan's assault against JPT Trust, where it destroyed numerous enemy machines, as well as shelling the enemy carrier from a distance using the short-barrelled cannons and causing significant damage.
In the battle between McGillis Fareed's coup d'état faction and the Arianrhod Fleet led by Rustal Elion, the Gundam Flauros lost its left arm and left short-barrelled cannon after being caught in a Dainsleif bombardment. However, Shino insisted on taking on the Arianrhod Fleet's flagship using the Super Galaxy Cannon, but the shot with the Dainsleif projectile missed the bridge due to interference from Julieta Juris in the EB-08jjc Reginlaze Julia. Despite this, Shino refused to give up and charged towards the fleet. The fleet opened fire, and when the attacked ended, only Gundam Flauros' damaged torso was left and Shino was killed in action.