Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam is a modified GAT-X102 Duel Gundam produced as part of the "Actaeon Project", a joint development between several companies led by Actaeon Industries and Phantom Pain. The project's main aim is to create customized MS for use by Phantom Pain's ace pilots. The Blu Duel is designed with an emphasis on melee combat to maximize combat efficiency in group battle tactics with the GAT-X105E Strike Noir Gundam and the GAT-X103AP Verde Buster Gundam.
Mounted on various parts of the Blu Duel, the additional armor "Fortestra" is a redesigned version of the one used by the GAT-01D Long Dagger and GAT-01D1 Duel Dagger, and featured enhanced thrusters and weapons for better mobility and offensive capabilities. It is also fully integrated with Blu Duel's body and cannot be ejected. This allows the application of the Variable Phase Shift armor to be extended to the Fortestra, enhancing its armor capability. At the same time, the mounting sites of the Fortestra are selected to preserve the suit's range of motions and avoid adding unnecessary weight, thereby enhancing defensive capabilities without reducing mobility.
With the exception of the two head-mounted CIWS, the armaments of the Blu Duel are mounted or stored in the Fortestra armor: a shield with railgun mounted on the right shoulder armor, a pair of retractable beam guns attached to the forearms' armor, two beam sabers stored on the legs' armor, and three anti-armor penetrators in the left shoulder's armor. Like the Strike Noir and the Verde Buster, the Blu Duel is also equipped with a power extender to increase its energy storage capacity.
History
During the First Alliance-PLANT War, the Earth Alliance collaborated with Orb's Morgenröte Inc. to create their own series of mobile suits. One of the suit produced under this "G Project" was the GAT-X102 Duel Gundam, which together with three other suits, was stolen by ZAFT. After the war, as part of the "Actaeon Project", another Duel Gundam was manufactured. It was assigned to Phantom Pain pilot, Mudie Holcroft, and subsequently upgraded into the more powerful GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam. Mudie and her Blu Duel often work in a team together with Sven Cal Bayang and his GAT-X105E Strike Noir Gundam, as well Shams Couza and his GAT-X103AP Verde Buster Gundam.
Later, Mudie and her comrades protected the land battleship Bonaparte from a ZAFT attack. During the fight, her Blu Duel lost its right arm and shield/railgun to an attack by a TMF/A-802 BuCUE, while a second shot off its left leg, causing it to fall to the ground. Mudie was killed when three TMF/A-802W2 Kerberos BuCUE Hounds attacked her damaged suit and tore into its cockpit using their beam fangs. The three Kerberos BuCUE Hounds were subsequently destroyed by Sven and his Strike Noir Gundam.