Gundam Frag and Axis' Galbaldy Beta

[Black Knight]

Perhaps, like so many things in Gundam, it's both.

When Axis first began producing MS, they might have used the existing upgraded OYW relics as training machines, especially with the poor longevity of the Gaza machines which tended to break after only a handful of flights. So the ReGelgs could have begun life as training units, and Axis needs to do a lot of MS training as it seems very, very few of their pilots are OYW vets. Possibly upgraded Zakus and Doms were also used for these purposes, but never seen because that was all they did -- serve as training machines.

As time passes, though, Haman decides she wants better machines in her Royal Guard, and takes the existing ReGelg designs, updates it further, such as with the newer rifle, and makes it the command unit of the Royal Guard, complete with Quebeley-lookalike shoulders.

In this way, the ReGelg could indeed have been Mashymere's training machine, possibly, due to its higher performance, used to train better-performing recruits while the unwashed masses are training on Zakus and Doms, which was then upgraded even more to be the Royal Guard command unit, because, hey, it's a Gelgoog, and fairly recognizable as such, which might be important from an image-management perspective as Haman attempts to woo Side 3.

[toysdream]

That's not quite how the kit manual explanation goes, though. The relevant portion goes as follows:

The remnants of Zeon migrated to Axis in the asteroid belt, bringing Gelgoogs and other mobile suits with them. However, because they were needed for construction work to expand their living space, they were almost never used for combat. With the development of the worker machines Gaza A and Gaza B, they were warehoused, never to be seen again.

But after the base was fortified, and a return to the Earth Sphere became thinkable, the Gelgoog and other old mobile suits became useful again as trainer machines for new recruits. Over the years, technological progress had increased the performance of mobile suits. Even the Gelgoog had become obsolete, and modifications were required. Thus a backpack and wing binders with built-in thrusters were added, and the generator replaced with a new model. The cockpit was also changed to a linear seat. Thus the ReGelgu (Refined Gelgoog) achieved performance on a level with current front-line mobile suits. The young pilots now in service learned to operate mobile suits using this machine.

By this account, then, the One Year War machines were basically mothballed until Axis began planning a return to the Earth Sphere, at which point they were upgraded with wing binders and put to use as trainers. That doesn't really leave room for another reshuffle to the Royal Guard.

I still think the "Royal Guard commander" theory is a lot more plausible. After all, the only other vintage mobile suit in the Axis forces - the Gaz - is used exclusively by the Royal Guard.

-- Mark

[Gelgoog Jager]

Regarding the regular Gelgoogs, Axis still had at least one before Haman and Judau's first meeting. The following screenshot is from episode 18 of ZZ:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v287/ ... oginZZ.jpg

If Axis was going to use an MS to train their forces, it would make more sense to use the Gaza A or B since their most mass produced MS belong to the Gaza series. Maybe the ReGelg was only used to train officers or members of the Royal Guard?

By the way, in the introduction video about the Axis faction from the Gihren's Greed - Blood of Zeon videogame, Chara Soon is also shown as the pilot of a ReGelg.

[reeoyuy]

Or maybe ReGelg is used to train cyber newtype pilots that will be designated to pilot Qubeley MP? They have similar thruster layout (judging from similar shoulder unit) after all. It's like subsonic trainer jet for supersonic fighter jet pilot training. Less advanced, but similar feel and control.

[toysdream]

Or maybe ReGelg is used to train cyber newtype pilots that will be designated to pilot Qubeley MP? They have similar thruster layout (judging from similar shoulder unit) after all. It's like subsonic trainer jet for supersonic fighter jet pilot training. Less advanced, but similar feel and control.

That would make more sense, but there's not really any support for it in the publications; every reference to the ReGelgu being used as a trainer says it's for newbie pilots in general, there's no indication it was ever used by the Ple clones, and its one confirmed pilot - Ilia - isn't a Cyber-Newtype.

-- Mark

[domtropen]

Regarding the regular Gelgoogs, Axis still had at least one before Haman and Judau's first meeting. The following screenshot is from episode 18 of ZZ:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v287/ ... oginZZ.jpg

This Gelgoog seems to have different backpack from the supposed stock B type. Is it the same one as Regelg minus drop tank?

[Enileph]

Regarding the regular Gelgoogs, Axis still had at least one before Haman and Judau's first meeting. The following screenshot is from episode 18 of ZZ:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v287/ ... oginZZ.jpg

This Gelgoog seems to have different backpack from the supposed stock B type. Is it the same one as Regelg minus drop tank?

Looks more like a Gelgoog high Mobility type, or its variants.

[domtropen]

I mean the backpack, not the gelgoog.

[Gelgoog Jager]

I mean the backpack, not the gelgoog.

The backpack seems to have a large propellant tank on top, which would point towards a high mobility type, cannon type or maybe a unit carrying special equipment, such as the minelayer Zaku. It could also be a ReGelg's backpack, minus the 2 lower propellant tanks.

[saneman]

Just how many of the some 170 Gelgoog survive to be upgraded at all? I was under the impression that most perished in the last days of OYW

[mcred23]

Just how many of the some 170 Gelgoog survive to be upgraded at all? I was under the impression that most perished in the last days of OYW

It's not really clear what happens to the bulk of the Gelgoogs. The Ace Corps loses two (With three more damaged, although I don't know how badly) during their Operation Clarion raid on the Federation prior to A Baoa Qu. At A Baoa Qu, Zeon fields 65 Gelgoogs (Including the Ace Corps, which has around 20 at this point), and while most of those are probably lost, I don't know of exact figures. Plus, don't forget that the 165 figure for the Gelgoog only accounts for the basic MS-14A, B, and C types and none of the others. Once you tack on things like the 60 Gelgoog Marines that are built (Granted, Cima's Marines have half of them), the handful of Gelgoog Jägers, and assorted others, it's quite possible there are decent number of Gelgoogs running around that can be upgraded.

[REMecha00Q]

So does that mean any of the surviving gelgoog models could be upgrade to Regelg? I thought it only applied to the A type Gelgoog.

[Black Knight]

As the B/C-type Gelgoogs are just A/S-types with after-market backpacks mounted on them to give increased specialized capabilities...any of the 165 Gelgoogs which survived would have been available to become a ReGelg. Out-of-universe, none of the other Gelgoog variations existed when the ReGelg was created. In-universe, these other types were probably produced in few enough numbers that survival post-war becomes less likely.

[Enileph]

Well, I am just interested in upgrading a Gelgoog Jaeger.