Realistic After Colony Mobile Weapon Classification System

( Updated as of 30/07/2020 )

Contact e-mail : freighttrain@email.com

Gundam is a Japanese model kit, print media, anime cartoon and video game franchise, featuring futuristic warfare involving the use of gigantic mechanical military vehicles known as mobile weapons, that are designed in the likeness of soldiers and warriors, which began in 1979 with the mecha anime series Mobile Suit Gundam.

Hello Gundam and hard science fiction fans, I am known as Freighttrain and in this blog post I have categorised most of the mobile weapons from After Colony (  Anno Domini mobile weapon version here ) in accordance with contemporary military classification using adjusted and/or improvised terminology, as no nation or other military force has such vehicles in their arsenal... yet.

This classification system is a projection of how the mobile weapons from the After Colony timeline would be classified as according to and derived from the trends involved in contemporary military classification, it is not fan fiction, which is usually just alteration or addition of characters or events in official franchise lore for the purpose of storytelling or roleplaying, which is completely different from this.

A primary focal point of this classification system is on how contemporary militaries would classify a vehicle such as a mobile suit, I propose the term SHMV (Super-heavy Humanoid Military Vehicle) or 'Shumvee' as when using a size/chassis/battlespace format, that is the most succinct, comprehensive and appropriately ambiguous designation that I have been able to derive from contemporary military classification thus far and I am particularly interested in comments regarding that.

'Shumvee' SHMV (Super-Heavy Humanoid Military Vehicle)


 * 1. Size / 2. Chassis type / 3. Primary battlespace


 * 1) Super-Heavy: As all mobile suits/armours are at least slightly larger than tanks from WWII and afterwards that were classed as super-heavy, it is the best existing size indication terminology I am aware of.
 * 2) Humanoid: The most descriptive and succinct word that would describe the chassis layout.
 * 3) Military Vehicle: A military vehicle is a type of vehicle that includes all land combat and transportation vehicles, which are designed for or are significantly used by military forces, and could also feasibly include humanoid military vehicles designed primarily for ground warfare.

I have listed most of the mobile suits and armours featured in media from After Colony with the exception of certain obscurities that either lack sufficient information and/or have designs or capabilities that are exotic beyond what I would call hard science fiction. Though it is possible I may add such examples later.

I may also create later blog posts that categorise mobile suits and armours from elsewhere in the Gundam franchise.

And on related developments I have also made similar blog posts on the Zoids and Alien franchises featuring definitive classification systems.

I am particularly interested in comments regarding the comprehensiveness, accuracy or terminology of my classification system as well as the battlespace viability and distinctive equipment of any vehicles.

 Blog post contents :
 * Key
 * 1) Acronyms/Initialisms
 * 2) Terminology
 * 3) Classification information
 * 4) Notes
 * 5) Questions from the author
 * 6) Abridged contents
 * 7) Comprehensive contents
 * 8) (Vehicle listings in full)

Key :

Acronyms/Initialisms:


 * CQC = Close Quarters Combat


 * AI = (Piloted by an) Artificial Intelligence (Mobile Doll system)
 * (AI) = Prefix denoting that a vehicle is capable of having both human and AI pilots.
 * AIC = AI Coordinator (ZERO System variant used by Dorothy Catalonia and the T'ien-Lung Gundam)
 * AAIW = Anti-AI Electronic Warfare


 * 1K ← OoaK = One of a Kind (chassis)
 * LPC = Limited Production Chassis
 * MPC = Mass Production Chassis


 * BEJ = Bipedal Exoskeleton Jettisonable
 * SPACS = Self-Propelled Air-Cushion Sled
 * DVU = Docking VTOL Unit (Damselfly heli pack)
 * MFFM = Mobile Force Field Mantlet (Planet Defensors)
 * (Stealth-)AC = Active Camouflage
 * PPC = Prism Particle Coating
 * KP (System) = Kinesiological Predictive System (Fighting Sight)
 * NIS = Neural Interface System (ZERO System)
 * ACX = Air-Cushion Xerocolous
 * AMR = Aerial Mobility Retrofit
 * SMR = Space Mobility Retrofit
 * OLV = Orbital Launch Vehicle


 * DCMC = Dynamic Coterminous Modular Configuration
 * DCBC = Dynamic Coterminous Bimodular Configuration
 * DCTC = Dynamic Coterminous Trimodular Configuration


 * SHMV = Super-heavy Humanoid Military Vehicle
 * SHSPG = Super-heavy Humanoid Self-Propelled Gun
 * SHXMV = Super-heavy Humanoid Xerocolous Military Vehicle
 * SHMA = Super-heavy Humanoid Military Aircraft
 * SHMAS = Super-heavy Humanoid Military Aerospacecraft
 * SHMS = Super-heavy Humanoid Military Spacecraft
 * SHCV = Super-heavy Humanoid Command Vehicle
 * SHXCV = Super-heavy Humanoid Xerocolous Command Vehicle
 * STHMV = Super-heavy Tetrabrachio-chelate Humanoid Military Vehicle
 * SBWP = Super-heavy Bipedal Weapons Platform
 * SHAS = Super-heavy Humanoid Attack Submarine
 * SCCAS = Super-heavy Chelate Cephalothoracic Attack Submarine
 * SCMS = Super-heavy Cephalothoracic Military Spaceceaft
 * TCAE = Tridactylochelate Cephalobrachial Armoured Exoskeleton
 * BCAE = Brachiochelate Armoured Exoskeleton
 * CCAE = Chelate Cephalobrachial Armoured Exoskeleton


 * NBMV = Nonspecialised Battlespace Military Vehicles
 * XMV = Xerocolous Military Vehicles

Terminology:
 * Battlespace = The environment in which a vehicle is designed to be able to engage in combat effectively.
 * Multirole = In this classification system 'multirole' is used to describe a vehicle that is capable in both ranged and close quarters combat.
 * Gunship = In this classification system 'gunship' is used to describe a vehicle with a large variety of ranged weapons that can attack not only surface targets but also aerospace targets.
 * Special weapons = In this classification system 'special weapons' is used to describe vehicles with nonstandard or exotic weapons (usually CQC).
 * Xerocolous = Adapted for desert conditions.
 * Cephalothoracic = Cephalo (cephalic/cephalon) thoracic (torso/thorax) = 'of the head and torso'
 * Chelobrachial = Chelo (chelate) brachial (arms) = 'having arms with pincers'
 * Tetrabrachio-chelate = Tetra (four) brachio (brachial, of the arms) chelate (having pincers) = 'having four arms and pincers (the hyphen between Tetrabrachio and chelate means that only two arms are chelate)'
 * Tridactylochelate = Tri (three) dactylo (dactyl, the movable claw of a chela) chelate (having pincers) = 'having two 3-clawed pincers'

 Classification information :
 * Military Vehicles
 * All listed military vehicles (ground warfare) are purely ground battlespace vehicles except for the following listed which are also capable in space:
 * Gundam Heavyarms Custom
 * Vayeate
 * Vayeate Suivant
 * Virgo
 * Capricorn
 * Gundam Aesculapius
 * Gundam Burnlapius
 * Altron Gundam
 * Mercurius
 * Mercurius Suivant
 * Xerocolous Military Vehicles
 * All listed xerocolous vehicles are purely ground battlespace vehicles except for the following listed which are also capable in space:
 * Gundam Sandrock Custom
 * Gundam Sandleon
 * Gundam Sandleon Custom
 * Unlisted mobile weapons:
 * (All gunpla variants derived from After Colony mobile weapons)
 * For purposes of context, this classification system only lists vehicles developed by militaries for practical military applications and testing.
 * New Mobile Report Gundam Wing Perfect Album Bom-Bom Comic — WTF...
 * Epyon Kaiser — A kitbash model designed as a joke.
 * Black Wing Gundam Zero — Not originating from the After Colony timeline so likely not developed with consideration to relevant military doctrine/battlefield reports etc.
 * Civilian:
 * Mining Colony Mobile Suit — No information
 * Mobile Weapons not seen in the anime:
 * Leo Valder Farkill Custom (unofficial name) — No information
 * New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Battlefield of Pacifists:
 * Vulkanus — No information
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers:
 * OZ-00MS Tallgeese Shilong/Zi-long — No information
 * New Mobile Report Gundam Wing G-Unit: Operation Galiarest:
 * OZX-GU03CA Gundam Caster — Limited information
 * OZX-GU04PX Gundam Pollux — Limited information
 * OZX-GU0403SR Gundam Scuri — Limited information
 * Mars Century mobile weapons:
 * Snow White — Possible unconfirmed novel canon of the Snow White Prelude
 * Warlock — No information
 * Wyvern — No information
 * Scheherazade — No information
 * Prometheus — No information
 * Epyon White — No information
 * Tallgeese Heaven — No information
 * OZ-03MDIV Virgo-IV — No information
 * OZ-??MS Tragos II — No information
 * OZ-??MS Leo II/Chimera — No information
 * OZ-??MS Leo IV/Greif — No information

Notes :
 * The 'H' ('Humanoid') in the acronym SHMV and its derivatives implies; among other things; that all such vehicles are capable of traversing a solid surface under Earth; or Earth-like; gravity, despite some of those acronym derivatives classifying vehicles as submarines, aircraft, aerospacecraft or spacecraft.
 * The first 'D' ('Dynamic') in the initialism DCMC and its derivatives means that the vehicle is capable of quickly altering its chassis configuration in the field under its own power.
 * Vehicles that have 'Modular configuration' in their classfication have a particularly modular chassis but require an appropriately equipped hangar bay for equipment/chassis modification in contrast to vehicles designated as DCMC etc.
 * The description of each vehicle is seperated into segments defined by the use of a capital letter as emphasized in the following example:
 * Gundam Epyon — 1K CQC Special weapons DCBC-SHMV
 * Gundam Epyon — 1K ——— CQC ——— Special weapons ——— DCBC-SHMV
 *  —  ———  ———  ——— 
 * Mass production vehicles are not indicated as such in their description while all other production types are noted at the beginning of the description for vehicles other than mass production chassis.
 * Some vehicles are listed in more than one battlespace category:
 * Gundam Heavyarms — NBMV (w/ DVU) / MV
 * Taurus — MAS (SK-12SMS) / MS (OZ-12SMS)/(WF-12SMS)

Questions from the author :
 * Is the Hovercraft Propulsion System used by the Gundam Sandrock and the Maganac and its variants essentially a jettisonable system that looks similar to the bulky legs of the Olifant's Hovercraft Propulsion System?
 * What are the capabilities and performance increases of the Scorpio's mobile armour mode?
 * What is the armour material(s) and battlespace capabilities of the Leo-N, Leo-R and Leo-S mobile suits?
 * Is the Gundam Heavyarms' Damselfly heli pack an autonomous aircraft when not docked with the Gundam Heavyarms?
 * Are the following mobile suits capable of atmospheric flight:
 * Gundam Geminass 02
 * Gundam Heavyarms Custom
 * Vayeate
 * Vayeate Suivant
 * Virgo
 * Serpent
 * Capricorn
 * Mercurius
 * Mercurius Suivant
 * Are the following mobile suits capable of manoeuvring in space:
 * Gundam Derringer Arms

Abridged contents : — 62

1. Nonspecialised Battlespace Military Vehicles (ground/air or ground/aerospace warfare) — 25


 * Multirole — 16


 * Ranged combat — 2


 * CQC — 5


 * Support — 1

2. Military Vehicles (ground warfare) — 15
 * Technology Demonstration — 1


 * Ranged combat — 6

3. Xerocolous Military Vehicles (desert warfare adapted) — 10
 * CQC — 9


 * Multirole — 7


 * Ranged combat — 1

4. Amphibious Military Vehicles — 2
 * CQC — 2


 * Multirole — 1

5. Warships — 1
 * Ranged combat — 1

6. Military Aircraft — 1
 * Multirole — 1

7. Military Aerospacecraft — 1
 * Ranged combat — 1

8. Military Spacecraft — 7
 * Multirole — 1


 * Multirole — 3


 * Ranged combat — 3


 * CQC — 1

Comprehensive contents :

1. Nonspecialised Battlespace Military Vehicles (ground/air or ground/aerospace warfare)


 * Multirole
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Tallgeese — Prototype Multirole SHMV
 * Tallgeese II — 1K Multirole SHMV
 * Tallgeese III — 1K Multirole SHMV
 * Leo — Multirole (AI)SHMV
 * Leo-R — Custom Multirole SHMV
 * Leo-S — Custom Multirole SHCV
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Wing Gundam — 1K Multirole DCBC-SHMV
 * Wing Gundam Zero — Prototype Multirole DCBC-SHMV
 * Wing Gundam Seraphim — Multirole SHMV
 * Hydra Gundam — Prototype Multirole DCBC-STHMV
 * Gundam Deathscythe Guilty Custom — Custom Multirole Stealth-AC Special weapons STHMV
 * Gundam Griepe — Prototype Multirole DCTC-SHMV
 * Virgo III — Multirole AI-SHMV
 * Gundanium alloy, Luna Ceramic and Fine Kevlar armour
 * Gundam Geminass 01 — Prototype Multirole SHMV
 * Gundam Geminass 02 — Prototype Multirole SHMV
 * Gundam L.O. Booster — Prototype Multirole DCBC-SHM


 * Ranged combat
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Heavyarms (w/ DVU) — 1K SHMV gunship
 * Neo-Titanium alloy armour
 * Serpent — SHMV gunship


 * CQC
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Deathscythe Hell — 1K CQC Stealth-AC SHMV
 * Gundam Deathscythe Guilty — CQC Stealth-AC SHMV
 * Gundam Epyon — 1K CQC Special weapons DCBC-SHMV
 * Gundam Epyon Ares — 1K CQC Special weapons DCBC-SHMV
 * Gundam Epyon Bai — 1K CQC Special weapons DCBC-SHMV


 * Support
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Aquarius — 1K Multirole AAIEW-SHMV


 * Technology Demonstration
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Lucifer — Prototype SHMV

2. Military Vehicles (ground warfare)


 * Ranged combat
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Heavyarms — 1K SHMV gunship
 * Gundam Heavyarms Custom — 1K SHMV gunship
 * Gundam Derringer Arms — SHMV gunship
 * Vayeate — Prototype Ranged combat (AI)SHMV
 * Vayeate Suivant — Prototype Ranged combat SHMV
 * Virgo — Ranged combat AI-SHMV


 * CQC
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Leo-N — Custom CQC SHMV
 * Titanium alloy and Ceramic composite armour
 * Capricorn — Prototype CQC AI-SHMV
 * Gundanium alloy and Titanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Aesculapius — Prototype CQC DCBC-SHMV
 * Gundam Burnlapius — Prototype CQC Special weapons DCBC-SHMV
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Deathscythe — 1K CQC Stealth SHMV
 * Shenlong Gundam — 1K CQC Special weapons SHMV
 * Altron Gundam — 1K CQC Special weapons SHMV
 * Mercurius — Prototype CQC (AI)SHMV
 * Mercurius Suivant — Prototype CQC SHMV

3. Xerocolous Military Vehicles (desert warfare adapted)


 * Multirole
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Maganac — Multirole SHXMV w/ ACX-BEJ
 * Maganac Abdul Custom — Custom Multirole SHXMV w/ ACX-BEJ
 * Maganac Ahmad Custom — Custom Multirole SHXMV w/ ACX-BEJ
 * Maganac Auda Custom — Custom Multirole SHXMV w/ ACX-BEJ
 * Maganac Rashid Kurama Custom — Custom Multirole SHXCV w/ ACX-BEJ
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Sandrock — 1K Multirole SHXMV w/ ACX-BEJ
 * Gundam Sandrock Custom — 1K Multirole SHXMV


 * Ranged combat
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Olifant — ACX-SBWP


 * CQC
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Gundam Sandleon — CQC SHXMV
 * Gundam Sandleon Custom — Custom CQC SHXMV

4. Amphibious Military Vehicles


 * Multirole
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Pisces — Multirole DCBC-SHAS


 * Ranged combat
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Tragos — SHSPG w/ SPACS

5. Warships


 * Multirole
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Cancer — Multirole DCBC-SCCAS

6. Military Aircraft


 * Ranged combat
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Aries — Ranged combat DCBC-SHMA

7. Military Aerospacecraft


 * Multirole
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Taurus (SK-12SMS) — Multirole DCBC-SHMAS

8. Military Spacecraft


 * Multirole
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Tallgeese Flugel — 1K Multirole SHMS
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * Virgo II — Multirole Space superiority AI-SHMS
 * Scorpio — Prototype Multirole DCBC-(AI)SHMS


 * Ranged combat
 * Titanium alloy armour
 * Taurus (OZ-12SMS) — Ranged combat Space superiority DCBC-(AI)SHMS
 * Taurus (WF-12SMS) — Ranged combat Space superiority DCBC-SHMS
 * D-UNIT — Ranged combat AI-SCMS


 * CQC
 * Gundanium alloy armour
 * T'ien-Lung Gundam — CQC Special weapons AIC-SHMS