Gundam AGE Mecha, Weapons, and Technology

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by GN0010 Nosferatu

Probably don't need nuclear warheads with those bombs around now. I don't know much about plasma, but isn't that a clean energy or something? No fallout or nuclear waste?

Another thing, in episode 33 we see once again that DODS tech is still doing well against Vagan MS. Especially against the new mass production front line unit, the Danazine. So again I ask, why change up the order of things wih that Sigmasis rifle? If DODS tech is still working for low level grunt MS, why can't it just be adapted for high performance MS like the AGE-3?

Why couldn't they just bring in a Mega DODS cannon or something?

We've seen DODS shots being blocked by EM Armor before plenty of times and although it's still early we have not seen Sigmaxiss beams being blocked yet.

The main answer is likely raw power. For the AGE System to have made this decision, it probably would have had to statically compare Sigmaxiss and a similar DODS equivalent class and see which one is the better weapon.

There's also the suggestion that Photon Blaster tech is just plain stronger than DODS. When it came to Diva's main weapon, the AGE System years ago used and developed the Photon Blaster rather than say a larger class DODS cannon. To me this suggests that Photon Blaster is the superior tech even back then (if DODS was better, the AGE System would have likely used that instead). The suggested reason why DODS was the preferred method to smaller weapons was because miniaturizing the Photon Blaster was just not possible until recently.

On a similar note, I dont think we've actually seen DODS being used in larger power levels at all. It's been awhile but Madorna's Custom Shaldoll's Mega Launcher didn't appear to use it from the visual and neither does the Diva's smaller cannons either back in Gen 2. It seems mainly to be an MS-class weapon for the most part.

The other advantages of using Sigmaxiss is that apparently it can be amplified even further with Ring Ray technology. The Sigmaxiss is already a beast and that beam can be amplified even further with the Blustia Cannon. The cannon itself is flawed because of it's emergency development but the concept is still fairly sound. A Mega DODS Cannon may lack the ability to be amplified even further than it's base design and the AGE System may have factored that in.

DODS at this point probably cheaper though and may be more suitable for mass production purposes but for a singular Gundam where expense limit is far larger, luxury weapons are likely more suitable. Your enemy will constantly seek to improve themselves, so you must do so as well. Because the job of a Gundam isn't just to defeat grunts go but also going toe to toe with the enemy's best singular mechs. It's the AGE Gundam's role not only ad an ace but also as a prototype machine for weapons technology that will be more common in the future, like it's predecessors have served.

[Znozzy]

It took the feds the entire GEN-1 + timeskip to GEN-2 to outfit their MS's with DODS tech though, and pretty much the entire GEN-1 time for the main cast (with their small fleet of mobile suits) to get DODS rifles aswell, minus the AGE-1 and G-EXES.

and the reason for the Photon blaster is mainly pure power output, DODS tech is basically just " spinning " the beam to increase its penetration power (correct me if im wrong here, i belive Flit mentioned it around episode 3 or so).

Around Gen 4 (if there ever will be one, or post-timeskip or some sort) we might see MP'd Sigmasis rifles on MP AGE-3's, which would be lovely.

Then again, tech in AGE doesnt really progress as fast as earlier gundam shows either, so i dont think the feds would need MP Sigmasis rifles yet.

[GN0010 Nosferatu]

Originally Posted by SonicSP

We've seen DODS shots being blocked by EM Armor before plenty of times and although it's still early we have not seen Sigmaxiss beams being blocked yet.

The main answer is likely raw power. For the AGE System to have made this decision, it probably would have had to statically compare Sigmaxiss and a similar DODS equivalent class and see which one is the better weapon.

There's also the suggestion that Photon Blaster tech is just plain stronger than DODS. When it came to Diva's main weapon, the AGE System years ago used and developed the Photon Blaster rather than say a larger class DODS cannon. To me this suggests that Photon Blaster is the superior tech even back then (if DODS was better, the AGE System would have likely used that instead). The suggested reason why DODS was the preferred method to smaller weapons was because miniaturizing the Photon Blaster was just not possible until recently.

On a similar note, I dont think we've actually seen DODS being used in larger power levels at all. It's been awhile but Madorna's Custom Shaldoll's Mega Launcher didn't appear to use it from the visual and neither does the Diva's smaller cannons either back in Gen 2. It seems mainly to be an MS-class weapon for the most part.

The other advantages of using Sigmaxiss is that apparently it can be amplified even further with Ring Ray technology. The Sigmaxiss is already a beast and that beam can be amplified even further with the Blustia Cannon. The cannon itself is flawed because of it's emergency development but the concept is still fairly sound. A Mega DODS Cannon may lack the ability to be amplified even further than it's base design and the AGE System may have factored that in.

DODS at this point probably cheaper though and may be more suitable for mass production purposes but for a singular Gundam where expense limit is far larger, luxury weapons are likely more suitable. Your enemy will constantly seek to improve themselves, so you must do so as well. Because the job of a Gundam isn't just to defeat grunts go but also going toe to toe with the enemy's best singular mechs. It's the AGE Gundam's role not only ad an ace but also as a prototype machine for weapons technology that will be more common in the future, like it's predecessors have served.

I have the feeling the Sigmasis Rifle will be blocked soon enough. As we saw back in generation 2, it's not invincible. The Gigantis Shield System blocked the Photon Blaster Cannon at its strongest. I bet you before the end of this generation, a MS portable system of that shield will be fieled.

[gordol]

Originally Posted by GN0010 Nosferatu

I have the feeling the Sigmasis Rifle will be blocked soon enough. As we saw back in generation 2, it's not invincible. The Gigantis Shield System blocked the Photn Blaster Cannon at its strongest. I bet you before the end of this generation, a MS portable system of that shield will be fieled.

Vagan Gundam's shield

[casval cehack]

Originally Posted by Znozzy

Then again, tech in AGE doesnt really progress as fast as earlier gundam shows either, so i dont think the feds would need MP Sigmasis rifles yet.

Quite notable. Usually, military technology improves at a breakneck pace in times of war, though it was mention in the recent episode that the EFF didn't fully use the Age System to their advantage.

[Revolutionist]

Originally Posted by casval cehack

Quite notable. Usually, military technology improves at a breakneck pace in times of war, though it was mention in the recent episode that the EFF didn't fully use the Age System to their advantage.

Not really.

The perfect example of this is the US armed forces. The majority of the heavy equipment such as fighters, bombers, tanks and helicoptes, i.e all the expensive toys are going on 30+ years of service, even more in some cases. There are very few F35s for example.

Technology moves forward, it always is, and in times of war it moves faster, but you don't see it in the battlefield right away. The military takes its time phasing out equipment, it just doesn't happen over night, and they are of the idea that, "if it gets the job done, why change it?" Not only do new toys cost billions of tax payer money, which makes it unfeasable to completely update all of your forces in a small amount of time, it also requires you to spend more money and man hours training all the mechanics and maintenance crews on how to service and repair said new toys. This is why the military loves to simply make updates to existing designs as opposed to completely revamping them.

This is something that I think AGE got right. We've seen the gradual introduction of new models, with the older models getting upgrades and remaining the bread and butter of the armed forces. That's exactly how it goes down in real life.

[casval cehack]

Age is finally in the phase of a major, planetary war so I'm expecting progress like aircraft technology in WWII (e.g. biplanes to jet aircraft) compared to the previous cold war like improvements. The Vegan Gundam and the presumed "Age-4" could be the results of this.

[GrahamAker]

My fav suit from age is age2 double bullet .I would like to see pirate gundam use double bullet.

[casval cehack]

Vegan ship classes from episode 35 (Zeheart's Fazard in front of Diva).

[GN0010 Nosferatu]

The Vagan like to make up names with the first two letters being "Fa" don't they?

[Rising Dragon]

Well in this case, it's the Fa Zard and the Fa Santa, if the naming scheme set by the Fa Bose class is any indication.

The real question is what is the class of these two ships? They're the same make, but have different names.

[casval cehack]

Originally Posted by GN0010 Nosferatu

The Vagan like to make up names with the first two letters being "Fa" don't they?

Maybe it's their prefix for "vegan ship".

[GN0010 Nosferatu]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

Well in this case, it's the Fa Zard and the Fa Santa, if the naming scheme set by the Fa Bose class is any indication.

The real question is what is the class of these two ships? They're the same make, but have different names.

You see a lot of that in Star Trek. A differently named ship will come on screen, but it will look exactly like the Enterprise.

[Rising Dragon]

And in Gundam. I'm just trying to figure out the name of the class, which is typically named after the first ship in the line--like how the Amadeus is a Diva-class.

[casval cehack]

With the lack of any information about these ships (there were dozens shown in the vegan drop), they can be referred collectively from the first one named on the show (like the limited perspective in a war).

[Rising Dragon]

Exactly, though as far as the Fa Bose goes, we know of the Fa Bose and the Menas.

The problem here is that for the "first name" for this class of warship... we got two names at once. So which is it? Fa Zard or Fa Santa?

Or something else entirely? For all we know these are just slightly modified versions of the original Vagan battleships seen docked to the Fa Bose-class warships. Wouldn't surprise me if that were the case; the Reganner is nothing more than an upgraded Defarse, so we do know that the Vagans would pull such a move.

[casval cehack]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

Exactly, though as far as the Fa Bose goes, we know of the Fa Bose and the Menas.

The problem here is that for the "first name" for this class of warship... we got two names at once. So which is it? Fa Zard or Fa Santa?

Or something else entirely? For all we know these are just slightly modified versions of the original Vagan battleships seen docked to the Fa Bose-class warships. Wouldn't surprise me if that were the case; the Reganner is nothing more than an upgraded Defarse, so we do know that the Vagans would pull such a move.

I remember the similar "Fa Zeos" was the first one identified (and subsequently sunk) in episode 30, when Zeheart commanded it to bombard the civilians in Olivernotes.

They do have the same 9 deployable turrets in the bow, but the bottom part of the ships are new (maybe the wings has something to do with reentry). Plausibly an extended design.

[Rising Dragon]

Ah, Fa Zeos, that's what it's called. Now I'm remembering it from episode 30...

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

And in Gundam. I'm just trying to figure out the name of the class, which is typically named after the first ship in the line--like how the Amadeus is a Diva-class.

Is that class confirmed to be called the Diva-class though? Under the first ship in line pattern, it's likely to be called that but I can't recall hearing or seen it being confirmed as the official name of the class at this point.

[Rising Dragon]

Not officially, I don't think. Can't really see them calling it anything else though. I wish they'd give the battleships model numbers like they do with mobile suits--it'd make figuring that out so much easier.

Looking back through older episodes, I noticed that the Gafran and the Baqto were able to physically hold back the Gundam AGE-1 Titus when they grappled. The Gafran breaking free of the Adele Titus back in generation 2 does look more plausible now, though the two Adeles should've been able to trash at least that Gafran.