A very good point to make, but on review you'll note I never said speed or thrust.Genocide wrote:I think that's a pretty accurate assessment, at least of what differences exist between GN machines and "standard" mobile suits. Still, I have to question whether the difference is that much in favor of GN drives, since earlier episodes in 00 show that conventional means of propulsion on mobile suits can match or even surpass the mobility of the Gundams (Over Flag and Taozi, in particular). Despite having a broader range of movements available, I don't think it's sufficient to say that there's necessarily more thrust produced by GN drives than conventional means.Dean_the_Young wrote:Most all other Gundam series go with the 'rocket on back to fly forward', and focus on that. Mobility is usually measured by how quickly a mobile suit can turn around and face it's back pact in the proper direction. Lateral drift, let alone flying backwards, is almost unheard of, and yet it's a staple of GN drives.
One of the mechanics that actually sort of changed between S1 and S2 of 00 was the introduction of GN capacitors and 'vectoring' to boost speed.
In S1, the way the GN drives were set allowed great acrobatics, but were limited in terms of speed: 'aircraft' MS were always acknowledged to be faster than the machines. However, speed isn't maneuverability: for example, see how fast you can change direction when jogging compared to a sprint. While a number of MS had a greater speed than the Gundams, few were as maneuverable. In series, only the Flags came close, and then only with the greatest of pilots like Graham. Even with their great design, they were limited by their engines. (I'd disagree about the Taozi: besides space, in which the Space Tieren special forces were focused on dodging everything, and in which the Taozi was fighting the Virtue, the Taozi never got in a real fight against a gundam. Every time it went against Kyrios, the QBW kicked in, and it only had to dodge one or two attacks.)
*While on S1, it should be noted that the GN drives do provide massive thrust. The Virtue alone was overpowering a squadron of Space Tierens despite being trapped and immobilized, and in their first engagement Setsuna sent Graham's Flag flying backwards with a single sword lock.
In Season Two, however, GN capacitors and vectoring came into play. GN capacitors could store GN particles and release them for a boost of acceleration (as seen in the Dynames and in several of the Innovator MS), or be vectored through 'engines' for greater forward speed, as seen in the A-HEADs and 00 Raisers twin drive system for a more continuous acceleration. The tradeoff for the vectoring, however, was a (limited) return to the usual 'must point forward' problems and a decrease in other movements. While the 00 got around this with it's rotating GN drive mounts, the A-HEAD never quite seemed to, though as Mr. Bushido made clear against the 00 it could still fly do so in a pinch. The MS with GN capacitor boosts maintained superb maneuverability, but remained limited in top speed.
