Technology & Combat Characteristics
The development of the mobile suit took a huge step forward thanks to the compact fusion reactor and fluid pulse system designed by Dr. Torenov Y. Minovsky, resulting in the birth of the prototype YMS-03 Waff. The MS-04 Bugu was completed using data gathered with the Waff, and it was designed with a focus on its mobility, maneuverability, and ease of production as a weapon, making this the first machine capable of handling genuine combat. To improve its mobility, the power pipes that transmitted energy as part of the fluid pulse system were attached to the outside of its armor, and the increased supply of the energy used to drive its limb joints gave it very high maneuverability. However, as is often the case in the development of high-performance prototypes, it was designed with no regard for ease of production. With its high production cost, it was unsuited for mass production, and the role of official mass-produced machine was given to the redesigned MS-05 Zaku I. Though the Bugu never entered mass production, several units were built .
History
Zeonic, Inc. followed up on its development of the YMS-03 Waff prototype with the much refined MS-04 Bugu. To respond flexibly to close combat, the upper attachment was eliminated. Instead, power pipes were attached to the outside if its armor to increase the transmission of energy to the fluid pulse system and enhance its joint drive performance. This gave the MS-04 greater mobility and a burst of acceleration to its degree of perfection as a mobile suit. However, the MS-04 was not only over budget, but also had production and operational problems. Strategically, it was most important to be able to mass-produce weapons that deliver stable performance/durability and establish steady logistics to maintain weapon supply/operations. In this respect, the MS-04 failed to be adopted for mass production .
during one of its tests.]]
In May, Sasha Kitz was invited to the Dark Colony where the development of mobile suits was carried out. Various tests had been conducted under Special Operations Lieutenant Cucuruz Doan. On June 23, although the verification testing of the MS-04 Bugu and YMS-03 Waff was to be conducted, commanding officer, Captain Yat Delma, told Doan that one of the pilots, Calden, was an industrial spy and gave the command "do not do anything" .
Though it failed to be adopted for mass production, it nevertheless garnered an extremely high reputation from pilots, such that Captain Ramba Ral made his sortie in a blue MS-04 instead of an MS-05 Zaku I, the first lot for which mass production was completed, in his assignment to prevent Dr. Minovsky's defection .
On the dark side of the moon, Ramba Ral in his MS-04 Bugu led the Black Tri-Stars, to reach the edge of Mare Smythii within 12 hours . Zeon would be targeting the buggy, giving it the codename "rabbit" .
Ramba Ral spotted the buggy ahead . The MS-04 Bugu revved up its main thruster at full throttle, beginning the "lunar rabbit hunt" . Ral asked Minovsky to come back as he and his Bugu chased the buggy. Erdush's Guncannon and Guncannons VB102 through to VB107 fired their cannons at the Bugu and the Black Tri-Stars, but the Bugu leaped out of the explosions undamaged. The Bugu dealt heavy damage to Erdush's Guncannon's chest with his main gun and then kicked it over. Later, Captain Ral turned his Bugu around to see Gaia's Zaku I chasing an armless Guncannon VB103 . The success of the MS-04 in the battle illustrated the effectiveness of the mobile suit .
