Technology & Combat Characteristics
In appearance, the GM Camouf resembles an RGM-79 GM, although numerous sections of its body, such as the hip section and legs, originated from various mobile suits. The GM-like visor hides a monoeye sensor and the head still retains the energy piping unique to Zeonic mobile suits.
The Federation's GM has a much slimmer profile than the Zaku. Thus, the GM Camouf's disguise was achieved by attaching thinner, similarly-profiled armor painted in Federation colors to the frame of a Zeon mobile suit. As these armor plates were made of super-hardened steel rather than the stronger titanium alloy, the protection afforded to this mobile suit was much reduced from ordinary Zaku IIs and far inferior to most Federation suits. An unexpected result of using such thinner armor, however, was that it in turn lightened the load on the suit's frame, making the GM Camouf a very agile machine. Other visual modifications included a larger shield mounted directly onto a Zaku knuckle-shield and a dummy rod on its backpack, to imitate the GM's shield and (in this case cosmetically) saber, respectively. Upon close personal inspection, the discrepencies between a genuine RGM-79 GM and the GM Camouf would be highly obvious. However, when used in an area with high minovsky particle interference, the Federation MS targeting computers would "fill in the blanks" and IFF-tag the Camouf as a friendly unit.
The standard armament of the GM Camouf was a 135mm anti-ship rifle, as the Federation still largely employed the use of warships at the time of the Camouf's development. Since the Camouf retained Zaku II's reactor (i.e. incapable of powering beam weapons), it relied on Zaku heat hawk as its primary melee weapon. The Camouf could also utilize a 120mm machine gun, which could be mounted in its shield to further its offensive capabilities.
History
Even before the GM Camouf (Camouf being an abbreviation of "camouflage") was produced, Zeon had used captured GMs known as the Gefangener GM for false flag tactics and operations. As a result, Zeon's produced imitations of the GM bear the name Camouf. In any case, both the Gefangener GM and GM Camouf were not issued a model numbers due to the criminal nature of false flag tactics. To that end, Zeon denied the use of either mobile suit during the One Year War.
Due to high minovsky particle inteferance, the GM Camouf's disguise would often prove effective at fooling Federal forces into believeing it was a true GM. However, as a mobile suit employed for false flag tactics, the pilot not only had to watch out for friendly fire, but also had to be concerned with being discovered by the enemy. Camouf pilots learned these two points the hard way during its only deployment, where the entire squadron was destroyed by its own Musai transport. Ultimately, it was given a poor evaluation, and was assigned to the Earth Volunteer Corps (Earthnoids or Federation Colonists that defected to Zeon).
