Technology & Combat Characteristics
A direct descendant of the RX-78-2 Gundam developed by the Titans, the Gundam Mk-II is the first mobile suit to utilize the new movable frame concept. In this new concept, rather than merely serving as a structural framework, the movable frame incorporates all the mobile suit's vital mechanisms, including the actuators and control systems required for movement, and excludes the mobile suit's weapons, armor, and propellant tanks. This approach dramatically improves the mobile suit's responsiveness, reliability, and energy efficiency, as well as making it far more agile than traditional designs.
Another characteristic of the Gundam Mk-II is that some of its legs' movable parts are exposed and this design feature is based on the prevailing idea at that time that avoiding being hit by the enemy is the preferable choice. The origin for this idea is because no existing armor can fully protect against beam weaponry, thus it is better to increase the mobile suit's mobility by weight reduction rather than equip more armor which would lead to a higher weight and lower mobility.
The mobile suit also has what had become the standard 360-degree panoramic screen and linear seat fitted in a circular cockpit that also functions as an escape pod. The multiple panels of the panoramic screen make up a single 360-degree display, covering the entire inner surface of the cockpit. The image displayed on this screen is a computer simulation constructed from the cameras distributed around the mobile suit's exterior. The viewpoint is that of the mobile suit's head, and the image is carefully edited to remove the mobile suit itself. The linear seat is suspended in the center of the cockpit, supported by a linear arm which electromagnetically counters G-forces and impact shocks in order to protect the pilot. Together, the panoramic screen and the linear seat gives the pilot a larger field of view and eliminates blind spots.
The most notable flaw of the Gundam Mk-II is that it is armored using the obsolete titanium alloy ceramic composite. Another flaw is that the movable frame's leg sections have rigidity issues associated with the strength of the structural material used, and this problem persisted even after six design revisions. Despite this, for a brief time period, the Gundam Mk-II's movable frame makes it one of the most agile mobile suits available. Three Gundam Mk-II were produced in total. They were later stolen by the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) and given a new paint scheme. Despite being used by two different factions, the Gundam Mk-II's weaponry remains mostly unchanged. Its only fixed weapons are two beam sabers, but it can carry a vulcan pod, a shield, a beam rifle, a hyper bazooka and a clay bazooka if necessary.
History
Three RX-178 Gundam Mk-II units were developed by the Titans in December, U.C. 0086. When word of these three prototypes reached the Anti-Earth Union Group, Quattro Bajeena – (Principality of Zeon's infamous "Red Comet") – led a team which infiltrated the Titans' Green Noa 1 space colony. With the help of a young boy, Kamille Bidan, son of the Gundam Mk-II's principal designer Franklin Bidan, Quattro's team stole all three mobile suits.
's Gundam Mk II aiming beam rifle during the attack on Jaburo.]] Following the theft of the Gundams, two were sent to Anaheim Electronics to be dismantled and studied, while the AEUG kept the last one in its service, and repainted in a navy blue-on-white color-scheme. The Gundam Mk-II was piloted by many of the AEUG's best pilots, including the rookie pilot Kamille, and the defected Titans officer Emma Sheen after the former moved to the Zeta Gundam. Due to being an experimental unit meant to test the effectiveness of the moveable frame, the Gundam Mk-II was soon outclassed by the Titans' new and transformable mobile suits, though it still participated in many of the AEUG's most important missions, such as the Second Battle of Jaburo, or the Battle of New Hong Kong against the MRX-009 Psycho Gundam.
To improve its performance, the AEUG eventually commissioned Anaheim Electronics to build a new support craft for the Gundam Mk-II, resulting in the FXA-05D G-Defenser that could dock with the mobile suit to create the RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam which has superior speed, mobility, and firepower. Despite this upgrade, the Gundam Mk-II still suffered in performance compared to the Titans latest mobile suits during the final days of the Gryps War. Additionally, the Titans utilized the Gundam Mk-II as a reference when developing its newest mass production machine, the RMS-154 Barzam.
The Gundam Mk-II was again called to service during the First Neo Zeon War against the Neo Zeon forces, but it lost the ability to become the Super Gundam as the G-Defensor was destroyed during the Gryps War. Furthermore, with Emma's death at the end of the Gryps War, the Gundam Mk-II was never officially designated a pilot, although it was most often piloted by Elle Vianno. During the final battle at Neo Zeon's asteroid base Axis, the Gundam Mk-II was severely damaged against the NZ-000 Queen Mansa and abandoned by Elle.
A Gundam Mk-II somehow fell into the hands of the Mineva Faction and was modified for Banagher Links' use. In particular, its right arm was reinforced so that it could fire the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam's Beam Magnum without any issue. This modified Gundam Mk-II was stationed in the Magallanica. On December 8, U.C. 0096, Banagher launched in this mobile suit to meet Riddhe Marcenas, who had arrived in the space region near the Magallanica using a RGZ-95C ReZEL Type-C (Defenser a-Unit) (GR) to check on Banagher's return.
In Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, following Anaheim Electronics's declaration of independence as a nation called "Titans", the Gundam Mk-II was mass-produced as the nation's mainstay mobile suit. One unit was then used by Alicia to repel EUREKA's forces.