Technology & Combat Characteristics
The GNX-803T GN-XIV is the latest model in the GN-X series and the mainstay mobile suit of the Earth Sphere Federation Forces (ESF Forces) in AD 2314. Originally, the successor of the GNX-704T Ahead was meant to be the mainstay mobile suit, but following revelation of the A-Laws' evil deeds to the world, this plan and the entire Ahead series were discontinued due to close association with the A-Laws. It was then decided that a successor to the GNX-609T GN-XIII would be develop as the mainstay mobile suit.
The GN-XIV was developed from the GNX-612T/AA Superbia GN-X, an amphibious assault variant of the GN-XIII that has a number of innovative technologies, including those from the Innovades, and was used exclusively by the A-Laws for special missions. Therefore, influences from the Superbia GN-X can be seen in the design of the GN-XIV, most noticeably in the chest and waist sections. It is even possible to upgrade a GN-X series model three generations older, such as the GNX-604T Advanced GN-X, into the GN-XIV, but doing so would require considerable parts replacement. The GN-XIV's shoulder hardpoints are covered when not in use, and their attachment sections can extend and move flexibly, enabling the mounted armament to rotate as well as swivel up, down, and forward slightly. Besides these hardpoints, the GN-XIV also has a weapon mount at the center of the back of its waist, replacing the rear waist thruster of previous GN-X series models, including the Superbia GN-X.
In addition to high performance, ease of production, and ease of operation, the GN-XIV also has a variety of weapons to suit its pilots and to adapt to various missions or situations. The Surplus Particle Tanks are shoulder-mounted particle tanks with built-in thrusters, while the Long-Range Booster is a back-mounted booster unit that extends the GN-XIV's cruising range and operating area., the GN-XIV does not need a supplementary battery to power its system like the Ahead, and this is because the output of the GN Drive Tau has been further increased. Despite various improvements from the GN-XIII, the GN-XIV has the same head height as its predecessor and a very slight increase in empty weight.
History
When the wreckage of the old space exploration vessel Europa came close to the Earth Sphere, the Earth Sphere Federation Forces (ESF Forces) dispatched a small force of three Baikal-class cruisers to attack it and change its course. The cruisers fired their GN Missiles at the vessel as planned, but failed to significantly alter its course even after three waves of missiles. The accompanying GN-803T GN-XIV teams were then equipped with Long-Range Boosters and sent after the Europa.
Using their GN Long Rifles, the GN-XIVs shot at the vessel multiple times, but to little effect. When a GN-XIV's pilot attributed this to the vessel's large size, Andrei Smirnov in a GN-XIV Commander Type urged them not to give up, but he also bemoaned that their lack of firepower was caused by using most of their GN Particles for thrust. Just then, the GNMA-Y0002V Gadelaza mobile armor arrived and single-handedly sunk the Europa with its immense firepower. Afterwards, some of the Europa's fragments unexpectedly crash landed on Earth, and strange incidents began to occur close to the crash-landing sites. These incidents were eventually determined to be caused by the alien species, "Extraterrestial Living-metal Shape-shifter" (ELS), disguised as fragments of the Europa.
Later, a large group of ELS arrived at Jupiter after the ELS on Earth confirmed the presence of human beings with high level of Quantum Brainwaves. As the large group of ELS headed for Earth, the ESF Forces deployed a fleet to intercept them in the vicinity of Mars. The fleet consisted of two Baikal-class cruisers, one Nile-class battleship, their GN-XIV teams, and the Gadelaza. The Gadelaza went ahead to attack the ELS first and were later joined by the GN-XIVs, which were equipped with various armaments. Despite the valiant efforts of the Gadelaza and the GN-XIVs, the entire fleet was eventually overwhelmed by the ELS' superior numbers and assimilated by the aliens.
More ELS subsequently appeared at Jupiter, including a moon-sized Large ELS. Like the earlier group of ELS, this group was also heading towards Earth. In response, the ESF Forces created an absolute defense line in the vicinity of the Moon that consisted of all its available forces, with the command center located in the colony-class deep space mothership Celestial Being. Several days later, the combined ELS horde, which outnumbered the ESF Forces 10,000 to 1, showed up at the absolute defense line. The ESF Forces began its attack with a wave of GN Missiles fired from the cruisers and battleships. When the missiles turned out to be ineffective, the GN-XIVs and other combat mobile suits were launched to engage the ELS horde, with support fire from the various ships.
Initially, the GN-XIVs shot and destroyed the ELS one after another with relative ease. Patrick Colasour even used his double GN Shield-equipped GN-XIV Commander Type to block a Medium ELS head on so as to allow other GN-XIVs to shoot and take it out. However, not long after that, multiple Small ELS began to fuse with each other and transformed into mimics of the GN-XIV. These ELS GN-Xs also replicated the weapons of the GN-XIV, making them tough foes. The situation worsened further when the ELS transformed into Baikal-class cruisers immediately after assimilating the ships. Even so, the ESF Forces did not falter and were soon joined in battle by the paramilitary organization Celestial Being's Gundams and their tactical mothership, the CBS-742 Ptolemaios 2 Kai.
With their overwhelming numbers, some of the ELS soon broke through the defense line, forcing nearby mobile suits to rush over and intercept them. In one such instance, Andrei and his GN-XIV Commander Type joined several other GN-XIVs in intercepting a Medium ELS. Even though Andrei's machine had lost its right arm and GN Long Rifle in a prior fight with an ELS GN-X, he was still able to deal some damages using a GN Buster Sword. Unfortunately, Andrei's GN-XIV Commander Type came under assimilation by the Medium ELS. Unwilling to give up, Andrei overloaded the Trans-Am System, causing his GN-XIV Commander Type to blow up. The other GN-XIVs also did likewise, and the Medium ELS was destroyed at the cost of Andrei's and the other pilots' lives.
Later, Patrick and his GN-XIV Commander Type came under assimilation by an ELS GN-X. Seeing no way out, Patrick was about to overload his machine's Trans-Am System when a beam fired by a Gundam hit the ELS GN-X, causing an explosion that threw Patrick out into space. Eventually, the ESF Forces lost 70% of its fighting strength, and the command center in the Celestial Being deep space mothership was breached by the ELS. Just when all hope seemed lost, Setsuna F. Seiei, pilot of the Celestial Being's [[GNT-0000 00 Qan[T]|GNT-0000 00 Qan[T]]], successfully communicated with the aliens, and the fighting ceased as an understanding was reached between the humankind and the ELS.
Several months later, a meeting was held to discuss the future direction of the ESF Forces. Although the meeting reaffirmed the government's policy of disarmament and put on hold all new weapon development, it still approved the development of a mobile suit equipped with a Core Fighter, which is an emergency escape unit, in response to the the massive loss of lives during the ELS Crisis. To save on development cost, the GN-XIV was used directly as the base machine, and the Core Fighter reused the technologies of the Core Fighters previously developed by the Celestial Being and Innovades who falsely claimed to be Innovators. The resulting mobile suit was completed faster than expected, and it was called "GNX-805T/CF GN-XIV Core Fighter Loaded Type".