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Earth Federation Guide

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 11 months ago

Earth Federation Guide

 


 

The Federal Forces and You

 

The Earth Federal Forces is the military arm of the Earth Federation, divided into two parts the Earth Federal Army and Earth Federal Space Force. As a Federal player you are a member of both able to fight on the ground and in space. Many of the things mentioned in the newbie guide still apply for the Feds, however there are few differences and tips to becoming a succesful member of the Federation's fighting forces.

 

 

Starting as Federal

 

WAR! The Zeon are invading and it's up to you to do your part to stop them, where do you begin? Good question, for the Federals Sydney, Perth, and Southern Cross are all popular starting points. Each has it's own strengths and weakness, with Perth most likely being the best spot. Sydney has a large population with some fairly decent crafters around; it's primary strength is in the large number of high ranking combat personel around it. Which helps if you find yourself being chased by high ranking Zeon players; usually a lot of these players will come to your aid. Also it's easy to find all the stores you need to use as they are all arrayed around the central square in the city. The biggest problem with the city is that it is a favored site for PVP raids and battles, due once again to the high population. Southern Cross is a small city that is dominated by the military base in it's southen portion. Here you will find mainly crafters and little else. PVP raids used to be frequent here but with the addition of the siege cities fighting here has died down, making it a pretty good spot to get an MS and start out. The downside is that since there is a very small combat population when a "PC Raid" does occur you might get pummeled. Perth is all around the best spot, while PVP raids do occur here the awkward layout of the city doesn't help the favored MS-09 DOM MS that most PVP raiders favor. Also most of the high ranking crafters are here so getting an MS to start out with is pretty easy. There really isn't anything wrong with Perth, it is the site of the Federal Spaceport so at times it sees some heavy PVP raids but in general it's not a battleground. A good place to start until your skills come into their own.

 

Your First Mobile Suit

 

The standard Federal Mobile Suit (MS) is the RGM-79 GM. The GM is the mass produced version of the famed RX-78-2 Gundam that was wreaking havoc against Zeon forces throughout the final months of the One Year War. The GM is a good starter MS with better stats than the MS-06 Zaku II, your primary NPC adversary. Balanced and versatile you'll find the GM a good ally in your early battles, and well suited to whichever fighting style you decide to pursue. The joy of the GM as it is with the Zaku II is the unit can operate both on the ground and in space useful if you want to try both out and see which one you like more. Best thing to do is go to Perth and ask for an "RGM-79 L3A 107 please" Maxing your defense early is a pretty good idea as you will get hit more often than not until your AMBAC (dodging) skill increases. As time progress more Federal MS will become available to you but we will touch on those later. For now get that wonderful piece of cannon fodder and charge out to beat back the Zekes!

 

The Federal Way of Battle

 

So you've bought your GM, now you need GUNS! What to buy? Well to figure that out you need to know a little about Federal tactics and strengths. The Federation has several unique ways of fighting, the most apparent of which is sniping and ranged combat. Most Zeon units are armed with machine guns and bazookas which require you to be within 800 meters of the target in order to fire. Federal weapons on the other hand in some cases can go out to 1000 meters and beyond! The baseline sniper rifle is the GM Long Rifle. It is a shell firing weapon with ok damage but a very long reach, useful for your first encounters with Magellas whcih can fire up 1000 meters. It's recommended however that you grab a GM Rifle instead. This cool looking bullpup rifle does good damage at 1000 meters range. It also lasts a long time since it isn't firing beam cartridges or rapidly like a machine gun. It's a good first investment. Other weapons the Federals favor are Beam Cartridge weapons; namely Beam Guns, Rifles, Spray Guns and the almighty BLASH. Beam weapons are spectacularly powerful and do far greater damage than most other weapons save CQB weapons. Their downside is that they chew through ammo like water and burn out fairly quickly, especially the higher end rifles. The best beam weapon to get when you start out is the RGM-79 Beam Gun OR the RGM-79C Beam Spray Gun. The former has better range so if you are favoring the long range approach pick up that one, if you are more for the up close and personal style the Spray Gun will suit you better as it does more damage at the cost of range. Sniper rilfes also fall into this category and will be covered later. The standard array of cannons, machine guns, and bazookas are also available. Many seem to favor the RX-79G 180mm Cannon for it's damage and range, however as you are just starting out it's too expensive, unless you happen to come by one for free. Then there are the always popular stop frame kill weapon: BEAM SABERS. Beam sabers come in all shapes and damage levels. The best way to decide which one to get it this, the more expensive the higher the damage, but the sooner it breaks down. The RX-78 Beam Saber is the same one used by the standard GM and does good damage and last long enough for you to earn some cash. A few things about CQB combat, if you are a sniper only use the saber to finish off targets you've already hammered, saber fighting is fun in that it does immense damage when compared to other hand weapons but remember that they don't last forever. When you're at the mid range skills it's a good way to hack your way out of an NPC swarm; as it does lots of damage you will be able to reduce the number of enemies shooting at you fairly quickly. Now your GM also has a head slot, what to do with that? Buy a head vulcan, but only if you want to eat up container space with vulcan ammo and want to spend the extra cash. Head vulcans aren't extrodinarily powerful but they have an extremely high rate of fire. They're useful for dealing damage quickly and especially effective against tanks. Also using them repeatedly helps your shooting, spirit and shell-firing weapon skills (especially against higher ranking targets). Almost all Federal MS have head vulcan slots you'll just have to decide if you plan to use these little buzz saws. The following layouts should be used depending on your style of fighting:

 

Sniping:

GM Rifle (or GM Long rifle if you want to save some money)

RGM-79 Beam Gun

RX-78 Beam Saber

Head Vulcans (optional)

RX-78 Shield

LVL 1 ERs

Beam, Machine Gun ammo

 

Close Quarters:

 

Machine Gun RGM-79D

Beam Spray Gun RGM-79C

RX-78 Saber

Head Vulcans (optional)

RX-78 Shield

LVL 1 ERs

Beam and MG Ammo

 

Mixed:

 

GM Rifle RGM-79C

Machine Gun RGM-79D OR Beam Spray Gun RGM-79C

RX-78 Beam Saber

Head Vulcans (optional)

RX-78 Shield

LVL 1 ERs

Beam and MG Ammo

 

This is only a general layout, ask around on the forums about what weapon combinations have worked for some players; but these configurations here lean in the direction of that fighting style while still offering a bit of flexibility if the situation changes. Also never spend all your cash at once, so if you can a weapon or take less ammo to save a buc that's ok, just remember that you'll have a reduced operation time if you do. Don't hesitate to ask for help! If you're in a Team it's OK to beg for cash especially if you're new, so always ask for help if you need it!

 

Rising through the Ranks (A more advanced look at the Federation)

 

Now that you've won some battles and gotten up in rank lets look at the more advanced weapons and Mobile Suits the Federation has to offer. A good rule of thumb when buying better MS is to ask can you afford to loose it? If you don't have the cash to buy the MS a second time than you may not want to buy it, or just keep it in the hangar until you do. Plenty of players have gone out and bought an RX-79(G) Ground Type Gundam as soon as they had the cash only to prompltly loose it and the 20 million they spent on it. Use caution! Even as you become more powerful no player can stand alone against a team of enemy players, staying in groups helps! We'll talk more on combat tactics and team efforts later, for the moment lets start talking about the other Federation Mobile Suits, especially that always popular topic: Gundams!

 

Guntanks: The other MS

 

Ah that Mobile Suit, if you can even call it that, with treads. Guntanks are specificaly built for long range combat and artillery, and generally not your best pick for PVP battles. If you really want one the RX-75 and RMV-1 are your best choices with the -75 being the more powerful of the two. Personally I think the RMV-1 looks better and it does pack more weapons making it a decent point defense platform. Guntanks should only really be used for grinding AMBAC and NPC fighting since you can hammer away with  the MS Cannons with relative impunity. As far PVP is concerned the two aforementioned are your best bets. The RX-75 packs better stats in general and also is one of the "Big Three" MS from the original series, so if you're a collector then it definetely belongs in your hangar. The RMV-1 Guntank II is arguably better for city defense in that it can pack more ranged weapons and heavier ones at that. Also it has a higher survival rate a medium range than the -75. At close range though you are as good as dead. If you do plan to use the Guntanks stay as far away as you can from your targets or at least stick close to GMs and Gundams who can fight more efficently at close range. Remember that you are a fire support unit not a frontline combat machine. If you keep that in mind you can become a fairly succesful Guntank pilot.

 

New! Improved! Better GMs.

 

The GM line is farily diverse with space variants, ground combat types, snipers, cold climate types and may others. With so many models it's sometimes hard to make heads or tails of it all. Well that is why you are reading this right? The best two GMs you can get your hands on are the RGM-79C GM Kai and RGM-79(G) GM Ground Type. Before we talk about those two lets touch upon the other models.

 

RGM-79D GM Cold Climate Type

 

The GM Cold Climate type was built specifically with extreme environments in mind as well as to counter the threat of the MS-09 DOM. You may remember seeing a group of them get shot up by a team of Hy-Goggs in Gundam 0080 or watching it own a group of Hy-Goggs in the Blue Destiny manga. In the game the GM Cold Climate is somewhat of a "sniper lite" in that it has a fairly decent hit ratios and does well at long range. It can't carry the beam sniper rifles but it can use the GM Rifle and does a pretty good job of puttin lead on target at 1000 meters. A new machine gun was introduced along with it which is functionally the same as the HFW-GMG but has a side clip reminiscent of the British Sten submachine gun. The underslung grenade launcher is not functional in the game. The GM Cold Climate can carry pretty much all the same hand armaments as the standard GM and is an adequate second MS when you decide to move on from you standard GM. it's usually this or the GM Command when you decide on your next GM. If you do get one built max out it's power since it already has a good hit ratio maximize the damage that this higher accuracy allows.

 

RGM-79G GM Command/RGM-79GS GM Command Space Variant

 

The RGM-79G is seen in Gundam 0080 several simes, usually getting shot up sad to say. In the game the GM Command is a good all round MS that works well in a sniper, close combat or fire support role. It can carry all the GM hand armaments except the beam sniper rifles and heavy beam rifles. The GM Command isn't a stellar performet but it's solid and will serve you well in many situations. The HFW and RGM-79 Beam Gun are a good combo for this MS and look cool with it too. The GM Command Space Variant is functionally the same as the standard Command except that it has extra verniers for use in space. Other than that it's exactly the same. When you're thinking of you second GM this is a good place to start, maximize it's defense so you can survive those closer hitting battles that the HFW and Beam Gun neccesitate.

 

TGM-79 GM Trainer

 

Why buy this ugly looking piece of metal? The answer is simple, expendable grinder. The GM Trainer is probably your best choice if you need to macro your MS skill or AMBAC. It has relatively low stats so AMBAC gain is better with this MS than most others. DO NOT USE THIS FOR PVP! Unless you like dying. The GM Trainer is ok for PVE but there are far better choices out there. Don't bother spending the cash for an upgraded version, just buying the store version is fine since you will usually end up tossing it out when you're done with it anyways. Unless you're a fan of the MSV series don't bother getting one of these.

 

RGM-79L GM Light Armor

 

Another Mobile Suit from the MSV series, this bare bones GM seems to be a favorite of some vetern players if only becuase it is really fast and packs a good punch. The GM LA is best used as a hit and run MS where it can jump in do lots of damage with it's Beam Rifle and get out, particularly useful in PVP raids. A lot of veterans also like to equip this MS with the 180mm Cannon in keeping with the fast speed high damage mentality. It is probably the closest equivalent mission wise as the MS-09 DOM series. The GM LA is not meant for drop down knockout fights since it's low armor causes it to suffer damage fairly quickly. More experienced players are able to avoid this as they have higher AMBAC and can capitilize on the evasion capabilities  of the suit. For you it's not a bad choice but make sure your AMBAC is decent before you use it. Also the GM LA is a better choice than the Trainer if you want a cheaper MS skill grinder, if only becuase it has a higher survival rate than the Trainer. All in all the RGM-79L is a great fast attack MS, but only if you have the skills to back it up; don't let that dicourage you if you want one just be cautious that you don't get into a heavy furball with it.

 

RGC-80 GM Cannon

 

This MS is great all range fighter, similar to the Guncanon series of MS. Able to carry all the weapons of the GM Line while mounting the long range cannon of the Guntanks the GM cannon is able to engage a variety of targets at almost any range. It also has plenty of weapon slots to properly outfit you Cannon. While good at all ranges it is a lot better as a mid range fire support unit than right in the thick of it. The GM Cannon can hold it's own if enemies get in close but at longer ranges where it can use it's cannon in support of close quarters units is where it really shines. The GM Cannon doesn't get a lot of use in PVP, it's not a bad choice if you want to stay on the edge of the fight while still getting your hits in but it doesn't do exceesively well close in. That said is you have a high enough skills the Cannon is a good choice, especially if you can't figure out which style suits you best as it can. You should max either its power or defense; or balance the two 404. Personally I am not a huge fan of the cannon but if you like Guncannons especially the Guncannon II it's a good starter until you have the MS skill for the higher end Guncannons.

 

RGM-79C GM Kai/ RGM-79CS GM Kai Space Variant

 

The GM Kai was introduced in early 0080 after the end of the One Year War.  The suit eventually supplanted the standard GM and by 0083 was the mainstay mobile suit in the Earth Federal Forces. The GM Kai is probably one of the top two GMs you can buy right now. It's an all range fighter, though it lacks any built in heavy weapons like the Guncannons or GM Cannon. You will see plenty of GM Kais running around in both PVE and PVP as it is just a solid all round performer with better evasion, speed, and boosting capabilities. While not as powerful as a Gundam the GM Kai can still hold it's own against a lot of opponents if used in groups. That and the Kai just looks good, probably one of the best looking mass produced MS around. In PVE the Kai is especially good at softening up NPCs in order to get at a better target. The GM Kai works well as a sniper using the Long Rifle or GM Rifle and has a great survival rate at close range unlike many other long range oriented MS. The space variant, like the GM Command space variant is functionally the same mobile suit. The Kai works best as either a 701 or 502 improved MS. The GM Kai is the GM that belongs in every Federal pilot's hangar.

 

RMG-79(G) Ground Type GM

 

This is the big kahuna of GMs. The Ground Type GM is best described as Gundam Lite. While strictly a ground use mobile suit the GM(G) can handle virtually any opponent. The GM(G) is in many respects a Gundam in that it utilizes most of the same components as it's bigger RX-79(G) cousin. With heavy armor (luna titanium), high speed, and a wide variety of weapons availble to it the GM(G) is definetely the choice GM for PVP combat. The Ground Types biggest stength lies in it's ability to carry all the same weapons as the 78-2 Gundam including the ridiculously powerful BLASH beam rifle. While it lacks the head vulcans of most GMs the 4 weapon slots availble to it more than makes up for it. The only drawback is the inability for it to operate in space or use beam sniper rifles. Of course that inability isn't a big deal when considering that the suit wasn't built primarily for sniping. The GM(G) is also a bit pricey when compared to most other GMs but the price is definetely worth it in pretty much all respects. The GM(G) is also excellent for PVE in that it can take good deal of punishment while you hack your way through NPCs, if you reallyt want to be able to just up your kill numbers the Ground Type GM is your MS. Once you can get one do it!

 

Snipers: Don't Bother Running, You'll Only Die Tired

 

The GM Snipers have three models starting with the sniper variant of the Ground Type GM, followed by the GM Sniper Custom, and the top of the line Gm Sniper II. The sniper's have only two weapon slots but the capability to carry beam sniper rifles. With extreme long range these rifles allow you to fire away with relative impunity. Early on the rifles do little damage but as your sniping and beam cartridge skills improve the rifles really come into their own. Love them or hate them at some point you will want to use one if only for PVE. There you can engage multiple NPCs and soften them up or destroy them outright without taking damage yourself. The reliance on long range slow firing rifles however does have it's downside in that it's utterly useless in close combat. To counteract this many players carry an RX-77 Beam Rifle or HFW machine gun as a side arm. Personally I carry an RX-77 Beam Rifle as my primary weapon and a beam saber as my secondary; I carry the sniper rifle in the container and equip it when im on station. LVL3 E engines work well here, even though they don't have the top speed the high boosting capacity allows you to get up on top of most of the tallest buildings in cities. Here you have a great vantage point and sniping perch for PVP defense of cities. On top of buildings such as the bank you can stay out of the reach of the CQB weapons that are the Zeon's primary strength. You may come under fire from small arms and the occasional beam rifle but if you pack enough ERs you're relatively safe up there. The best example of these from personal experience was being able to drive off three PC raiders at Southern Cross. While I did not destroy any of them, the ability to continually damage them without them being able to return fire eventualy forced them off. Unfortunatley this has led some to brand snipers as cowards. While this opinion may exist, one cannot deny the defensive strengths a group of snipers have on warding off PVP raids; able to deal impressive damage at extreme range makes the GM Sniper series an MS line that is here to stay.

 

Heavy Arms for Heavy Support: Guncannons

 

The RX-77 series is a venerable line of hardy MS that are good for just about everything. Heavily armed and armored Guncannons can be seen on the frontlines everywhere where their multiple weapon systems and long range radar allow them to handle themselves quite well. Guncannons are long range suits, but they are not snipers. They are meant primarily for close support holding back behind the GMs and Gundams providing withering fire into Zeon columns. There are several variants of the classic RX-77 each offering something a little different but still follow the same rules. Foremost of which is the mounting of a shouler and head armament, and that they cannot carry beam sabers. That's right, if you like sabers this isn't the suit for you.

 

RX-77D Guncannon Mass Production Type

 

The RX-77D is the mass produced version of the standard Guncannon. This is the first Guncannon model that becomes available to you. All in all it's a good all range suit, able to engae up to a range of 1000 meters if you equip a GM Rifle. However the Guncannon is not a dedicated sniping suit, it's a support suit. Operating on the same principles as the GM Cannon the 77D is meant to hang back and use it's two MS cannons where they can do the most good. However unlike the Guntank series they can handle themselves better in close quarters where they can fall back on headvulcans, MGs, Beam Guns and other GM hand weapons. The 77D has heavier armor than the GM Cannon but fundamentally is the same. Personally I like the 77D better than the Gannon if only becuse of the heavy armor and more accurate cannons. The suit works really well with an MS Cannon, Beam Gun, Grapple, Head Vulcan armament where it can engage at any range. Most veterans seem to equip the Guncannon MP with 180mm cannons, while for PVP this make sense, for longer engagements it's not realy a great idea since both weapons will be drawing on your cannon ammo (the 180mm and the shoulder cannons). If you like the GC series, this is the place to start.

 

RX-77-2 Guncannon

 

This is the Guncannon. If you are trying to collect the original series dynamic trio this is the one you want. The Guncannon is just like the Mass Production type and is an excellent design. Unlike the MP Type the Guncannon can operate in both Space and Ground with the proper engine. Couple a 77 beam rifle with it's formidable shoulder cannons it's a great support MS. Aside from that there really isn't anything special about the Guncannon. It's an excellent MS that is perfect for tankers and people who want to pound away at the enemy while absorbing impressive punishment. The Guncannon is a rare sight in recent PVP battles. Why this isn't exactly clear, however most GC pilots seem to be favoring the later two variants covered here: the 77-3 Heavy Guncannon, and 77-4 Guncannon II.

 

RX-77-3 Heavy Guncannon

 

The 77-3 is that blue thing that you see running around the siege cities during PVP. Cosmetically speaking it's not much different than that of the 77-2 but statistically it is a different suit that moves towards heavy armor, and high damage. This protection however comes at a cost of evasive capability. In keeping with the heavy damage capability the cannons deal more damage than the other Guncannon models. I see this model more than the 77-2 in PVP but it is still a rare sight, it appears to be more an MS suited or at least favored for PVE. In any case it's fun thing to pilot, solid, with no huge problems. If you want a step up from your 77-2 while retaining the MS cannons this is the suit for you.

 

RX-77-4 Guncannon II

 

The Guncannon II... now this is the MS for everything. Following the development of the 77-2 Guncannon, Federal engineers continued to build on the design. While the 77-3 Heavy Guncannon was called a succes it was fundamentally the same Mobile Suit. The Guncannon II, however, is a radical redesign. The main armament for the suit is changed from the MS Cannons to a Beam Cannon. This cannon is a powerful weapon with great range. The Guncannon II's Beam Cannon is perfect for NPCs, PCs, Bosses, and all other targets with an effective range starting at 400m up to 1000. Back that up with all the other standard hand armaments and you have an excellent extended operations MS. With so many weapon systems that utilize different sypes of ammunition the suit can stay out in the wild for quite awhile, perfect for boss runs. This one you will see in PVP. From personal experience I prefer this model to all the others, and most GC pilots swear by them. A powerful MS, this is a good one to have. Stress it's power in improvements to turn the beam cannon into a truely devastating weapon.

 

 "It's A Gundam!!"

 

A the Mobile Suits everyone wants but are so hard to get. This section is a rundown on the various Gundams available. Gundams are fantastically powerful but exceedingly expensive. This is kind of a setback due to the fact that the Zeon Gelgoog series are comparable to the 78-2 and cost less. That said a Gundam is still a powerful symbol on the battlfield and a group of them still spooks even the most seasoned of Zeon pilots. As a Zeon seeing a Gundam is an unnerving experience, you can't tell if it is piloted by a statistically weak crafter or a hard nosed veteran; and in either case they are sitting a powerhouse of weapons and armor. As a Federal a Gundam brings incredible power if you are a competant combat pilot. The BLASH and other weapons coupled with powerful engines and heavy armor give you the feeling of invincibilty. In any case Gundams are the suit that every player wants, but is so hard to get.

 

 

 RX-79(G) Ground Type Gundam

 

The first up on the list of these powerful suits is the popular RX-79(G) Ground Type Gundam. As seen in the series 08th MS Team the Ground Gundam is an offshoot of the RX-78 line designed specifically for ground combat. That means even though it uses an HB Engine like all Gundams it cannot go in space. The RX-79(G) offers a wide variety of weapons for it like most Gundams. The Ground Gundam is able to carry up to the BLASH Beam Rifle giving it impressive firepower. The Ground Gundam is an excellen PVP suit and will definetely see plenty of them in siege cities and other PVP engagements; and you will definetely have a higher chance of survival if you have a runin with a PC in this thing. A 701 improvement for this suit is recommended allowing it's natural armor and power to be enhanced. The suit can be treated as a sniper of sorts if it carries the GM Rifle, but in reality it is better suited for mid range to close quarters engagements. The 79(G) Gundam mounts 4 manipulator slots like all other Gundams (except the Full Armor) so you can mount a beam rifle, cannon, machine gun, and beam saber at the same time (a classic setup is the BLASH coupled with 180mm Cannon and 100mm MG). With a level 3 engine the Ground Gundam will go for roughly 20 million from a crafter, be sure to specify level 3. L3A or L3E work well here depending on the situation. The is the mobile suit to buy. It looks cool, it's powerful, and it's just plain kick ass. When you're skills as a pilot are developed grab one of these, you won't be dissapointed.

 

RX-78-1 Prototype Gundam

 

The RX-78-1 was the first Gundam to be built by the Federal Forces. Sporting a cool black, white and red paint scheme the  prototype is a sleek looking suit that cosemtically differs little from the famed RX-78-2. The 78-1 is almost identical to it's more powerful cousin except in that it has no MS Skill requirement. So if you have some cash to spend or some fine luna donated to you, this is a cool suit to get early on. On it's own it can cost around 80 million but most of the time crafters will require fine luna to build one. Aside from it's cheaper cost the suit is slightly less powerful or armored, still it remains a potent weapon that can't be taken lightly. It can mount all the weapons the 78-2 can and in almost any enhancement package it is a powerful tool. As anyone can pilot this suit it is important if you're a Zeon pilot to not assume on the pilot's skill; use caution.

 

 RX-78-2 Gundam

 

This is it. The Gundam. The MS that made the original TV series famous and a must in any pilot's collection. The suit can cost 100 million on it's own or if relatively cheap if fine luna can be provided. The suit is fast, powerful, and agile. Combined with a high AMBAC rating this suit can do plenty of damage in any situation. The suit is sometimes seen all over the place in a PVP engagement or not at all. It's value as a combat mobile suit is dependent on whether the pilot can risk losing it. Make no mistake while potent, the 78-2 is not invincible. However if you have two and can risk one, or at least have the resources to build a second one, you can dominate many fights. A group of these coming towards you on Earth or in space is enough to make a lone Zeon break out in cold sweat. The suit does nicely with almost anything you give it provided your corresponding skill is high enough. The suit tends to be equipped with level 3A engines where it's natural speed is pushed even further. Some pilots go as far as to put a rare level 4 engine in it, especially if it will be turned into a G3 or Full Armor. On that, the 78-2 is required to build the G3 or Full Armor Gundams; hence the somewhat rarity of those suits. The 78-2 has a high failure rate in construction, and it is recommended you have a stockpile of 1000 Fine Luna Titanium Alloy to ensure a success and even then it is not garunteed. I can say this though, once it succeeds and you own one... it's just awesome.

 

RX-79(G) Ez-8 (Gundam Extra-Zero-Eight)

 

This suit is hard to get. Really hard. When Ensign Shiro Amada's Ground Gundam was heavily damaged in a battle with the Zeon Mobile Armor Apsalus this field redisign emerged. The suit is not as well armored as a Ground Gundam but it has an impressive array of weapons it can carry. The Ez-8 is best described as a "Super Sniper" in that it is the only Gundam capable of carrying the sniper weapons. The aount of weapons available to the Ez-8 is staggering, pretty much ALL the hand armaments in the game can be used by it. If you do not plan to use the sniping capability of this mobile suit than it really isn't something to pursue due to it's high cost and difficulty of trying build one. The Ez-8 uses Junk Parts in it's manufacture. It can cost 150 million on it's own, and rarely will you find someone willing to sell it. This difficulty in manufacturing has made the Ez-8 a rare sight on the battlefield. Despite this you will see at least one in most PVP battles where a pilot can switch between close and long range tactics depending on the fluid situation of the battle. This MS is truly the suit for sniper and jack of all trades pilots; jsut don't take it out if you can't afford to lose it.

 

FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam

 

This thing is ugly, but so much fun to pilot. These things are walking fortresses that rival mobile armors in the number and power of the weapons it carries.  To build one you need an RX-78-2 and Full Armor aparts which can be bought only in the Siege Cities. The Full Armor has many different weapon slots ranging from Head Vulcans to a Shoulder MS Cannon, to an incredibly powerful Mega Particle Beam Gun. These weapons systems give the FA a huge ranged advantage. Close Combat is where it fails though as it can only mount an MS Grapple, so if you have low hand to hand then don't even think of engaging at close range. However if you're a big Guncannon pilot then all the aspects of this Gundam should suit you. Where the Ez-8 is the "Super Sniper" the FA is the "Super Guncannon" I've piloted this suit plenty of times in PVP and it's Particle Gun's power can't be matched. However I've only used it as a defensive MS in the Siege Cities where I can utilize it's range as a walking turret. L3A-L3E are good in there, but remember that if you are going for one that you need to decide the engine type beforehand with the 78-2 you need to begin with. 701, or 107 works wonders here. It's very heavily armored and armed, so stressing either will work out depending on how agressive your gameplay style is. If you are considering one of the Siege City Gundams then grab yourself an FA, if only becuase it's WAY cheaper than the other one...

 

RX-78-3 Gundam Model #3 "G-3"

 

The RX-78-3 or "G-3" Gundam is a fantastically expensive Gundam. The G-3 was built towards the end of the One Year War using left over parts from the 78-2 series in order to test the new "Magnetic Coating" that reduced friction to almost nothing giving the suit extreme responsiveness and handling. It was designed specifically with Amuro Ray in mind since his Newtype abilities were outstripping the capabilities of the 78-2. It was mainly going to be used as a stopgap until the more advanced RX-78-NT-1 Gundam "Alex" was handed over. However the war ended before the Alex could be delivered but the Magnetic Coating was applied to the 78-2. In the Game the G-3 is the same test unit developed by the Federal Forces. It's uninspiring in design in color, and at first glance is little more than a Grey Gundam. However in the hands of an ace this thing is feared by the Zeon. Due to the Magnetic Coating  used in it's construction the G-3 is exceedingly maneuverable and dodges almost anything shot at it. Of course a high AMBAC is neccessary to utilizes this fully, however even then it's a potent weapon. The G-3 unlike the Full Armor emphasizes dodging shots over being able to absorb them, to that end the Magnetic Coating used is VERY expensive. One of them coasts 100 million flat. Couple that with the potential cost for the 78-2 required to build one and the cost can get up to 200 millin and beyond. The worst I have heard is 500 million, since the construction can fail. This makes the G-3 reserved for only very rich players and teams. I will say this though while impressive I found that the G-3 was little more than something for bragging rights. It was very powerful but to be honest I would rather pilot an FA which is only a fraction of the cost. However if you are gunning for one save your pennies, it's gonna cost you; and once you get one guard it with your life. As to why it is feared by the Zeon it is due to its incredible maneveurability. A lone G-3 wiped out the entire PC defense contigent at Darwin once while barely scratching the paint. Granted the pilots abilities were very high but it cannot be ignored that the G-3 played a role in the assault. If you are a Zeon pilot the risk is very high if you encounter one of these, however it is 50/50 on the pilot. G-3s are actually most commonly seen in the hands of crafters advertising their skill to potential buyers. Though if you are in a siege city and see one of these coming at you avoid contact at all cost. Engage a 78-2 if you have to but stay away from the Grey Gundam.

 

 

Federal Battle Tactics (i.e. : How to Stay Alive)

 

First things first, the Federation is harder to play on. On the average Zeon PC pilots are better skilled and better armed in comparison to the average Federal. However I have managed to score 52 PC Kills at a loss of only 10 by following some basic rules and tactics. The Federation emphasizes ranged combat with heavy hitting weapons such as Beam Rifles and Sniper Rifles. To that end develop at least Beam Cartridge or Shell Firing Weapon to 130. It will take awhile but the results are very rewarding in combat. As mentioned though while your skills aid you greatly (NEVER stop developing them, even if you hit 800) a few things can be done by you to make you successful in both PVE and PVP:

 

PVE Tactics:

 

PVE is fairly easy, especially early on. The average enemy you'll encounter is weaker than you but has the advantage of numbers. Also Zeon NPCs hit twice as hard as Fed NPCs, so if you were a eon pilot be prepared for a rather rude suprise. The main thing you need to know is to not overextend yourself. This applies to ammunition, health, weapon status, and several other factors. Here are some tips to help you with the mindless hordes you'll  be gunning down:

 

1. Know When to Quit!

 

Too many pilots look at the pitiful damage most NPCs deal and think they can stay out there forever. Then their ERs fail repeatedly and they get swarmed. This is especially true in space where NPCs can swarm you very easily. Always have an escape route, keep your back to the home base or nearest supply team so you can disengage without trouble. When ERs fail multiple times back off until they work. The plus side is no Zeon NPCs can snipe so get outside of 800m few units can touch you. Gigans, Magella's and Zakus with Magella Top Guns are the exception to this but if you use the Long Rifle you can get outside even their range. Also Zeon NPCs are like Zombies they move very slow so you can outrun them even in a low end tank. However becuase of this it is easy to get surrounded from time to time. If you are target the weakest NPC and use your Beam Saber to hack a path out then disengage until your ERs kick in. If you hit 60% back off. Sure you can stay in until 75% in theory but even though they deal very little damage individually together they hit as hard as any PC. So you can find yoursefl going from 75% to 100% rather quickly. Use your head.

 

2. Pay Attention! It will save your life!

 

It may seem daunting but ALWAYS keep an eye on the radar and health bar. This is EXTREMELY important. Know your status, if you are hurting and don't pay attention you can be dead before you know it. A lot of people ignore their health bar and forget to apply ERs when they hit 50%. The radar needs to be watched for two reasons. It gives you an idea of how many are out there, and it helps warn you of an inbound PC. Granted this applies partially to PVP but it isn't uncommon for you to be out doing PVE when a PC will rollup and kill you. I'll touch on PVP later however if you see on red dot come in from off the radar look in it's direction immediatley. You see a Japanese Name or TeamTag RUN! If it's a DOM you won't make it so you might as well fight and die honorably. However 9 out of 10 times if you see them early you can at least get to a hangar and escape.

 

3. Got Ammo?

 

Keep an eye on your ammo, both in your weapons and in your container. Run out of ammo and reserve sabers and you're as good as dead. Always max your ammo before you go out and always replenish lost ammo stores as soon as you return.

 

4. MEDIC!

 

ERs will save your a$$ more times than you can count. When you hit 50% damage apply one IMMEDIATLEY and keep applying until one works. When you start out LVL 1 ERs will be the only one you can use effectively but as you get up in skill begin moving up to the others. The max available is Lvl 4 but they can only be picked off high end NPCs. Always up you ER skill, the higher the better and this will pay off in both PVP and PVE. You run out of ERs? Return to base!

 

5. Boom Headshot!

 

Snipe when you can. Even if you don't plan to be a sniper early on it's a good idea. If only to get yourself starter cash. IT allows you to engage without getting damaged early on. When you have some cash then get in close and start working on AMBAC. However even later on Sniping will be very important if you want to take on bosses alone. But we'll touch on that later.

 

OUT TO LUNCH BE BACK LATER :P

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