Technology & Combat Characteristics
Produced as part of the long-running RGM series of mobile suits, the RGM-196 Freedom is a mobile suit formerly used by the Earth Federation prior to its dissolution. The Freedom was primarily designed to be used in space and can only rely on two-dimensional movement while under normal gravity.
Designed during the Federation's decline, the Freedom is representative of an era where mobile suit technology had been lost in prior wars, and military research and development was obstructed by constitutional red tape.
The units used by Side 8 (Gaea) lacked the ability to use the Freedom's original beam weapons and are only compatible with older handheld weapons utilizing the MPC-1 and MPC-2 handplugs.
History
The Freedom was created near the end of the Earth Federation, and is almost three decades old during the events of G-Saviour. The Freedom was used by the Earth Federation Forces from its introduction in U.C. 0196 up until the dissolution of the Federation in U.C. 0218. Following the end of the Federation, it fell into private use by the Settlements for self-defense and construction.
In U.C. 0223 a squadron of Gaean Freedoms were deployed when Congressional Armed Forces led by General Garneaux attack the Side 8 Settlement of Gaea. These Gaean units lacked the ability to use the Freedom's original beam weapons, instead relying on old physical handheld weapons utilizing the MPC-1 and MPC-2 handplugs. In addition, the Gaean Freedoms had not received regular maintenance, and several units had unstable reactors. Of the 50 Freedom units Gaea had, only 40 were deployed, with the other 10 being used for spare parts. The outdated mobile suits were no match for the more advanced CONSENT mobile suits and autonomous mobile weapons, the MW-Rais.
One Freedom, piloted by Franz Dieter, was severely damaged and crashed onto Gaea's solar panels. He and the other Freedom pilots, who were volunteers not experienced with MS combat, won the battle only through the intervention of Mark Curran in the G-Saviour Space Mode and the arrival of the Illuminati.