Technology & Combat Characteristics
The MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom was one of the MS-07 Gouf series machines produced at the very end of the One Year War, and it was based on the MS-07B Gouf. Despite the mass-produced B-type Gouf having better mobility than the MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type it was replacing, its fixed armaments – namely the finger vulcans and heat rod – suffered from short effective combat range, limited ammunition, and low effectiveness against heavy armor. As a result, it lost the versatility that was an advantage of mobile suit.
The body and head of the Gouf Custom further improved on the various functions and structure of the B-type Gouf, making it a highly refined unit equipped with various sensor precision, devices for aerial combat, and a lightweight, high-output generator. and a heat rod with a thinner rod diameter to extend the effective range, resulting in a machine with all-round combat characteristics. Overall, the Gouf Custom was the favorite MS of many ace pilots and achieved brilliant results in battle, and it was widely considered to be the masterpiece of the Gouf series.
History
The MS-07B Gouf was intended as a counter measure to the newer EFF MS, and to replace the MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type. While never replacing the J-type Zaku II, it managed to see limited number of units produced. Zeonic eventually cancelled production of the MS-07B when Zimmad's MS-09 Dom was introduced. Despite this, further development of the Gouf continued, producing several experimental units, including flight-capable prototypes. Some of the components of these flight-capable prototypes were used to develop and create the MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom.
While having similar appearance as the MS-07B Gouf, the Gouf Custom had better weapons, better mobility, was lighter overall and thus faster. Unlike the Zaku, which fights well in forests, and the Dom, which fights well on flat plains, the Gouf and Gouf Custom fight best in urban settings. Norris Packard's Gouf Custom easily destroyed three RX-75 Guntank Mass Production Types and damaged two RX-79［G］ Gundam Ground Types before being defeated in battle by Shiro Amada and his RX-79［G］Ez-8 Gundam Ez8.
Two Gouf Customs were assigned to Zeon's Midnight Fenrir Corps for the assault on Jaburo on November 30, U.C. 0079, and later used for the defense of the California Base. In The Plot to Assassinate Gihren, a white Gouf Custom, used by the White Rose of the Capital Defense Battalion, was modified to be piloted by the single-armed Lt. Lance Garfield. He single handedly used his unit to defeat a pair of customized assault Rick Doms and squared off evenly against an MS-17 Galbaldy α. He is eventually killed at the conclusion of the duel with both units effectively destroyed in the process, purposely missing the cockpit of his opponent as to entrust the future to a younger generation.