AnimeSuki Forum - View Single Post - General Gundam Mecha, Weapons, and Technology

EnigmaticThief · 2007-01-01, 12:11

You're correct that the Movable Frame has to do with beam weapons becoming commonplace and its implications against most heavy armor.

Basically think of it this way: in the beginning mobile suits were designed around providing their pilot and the machine itself protection against most conventional weapons at the time (machineguns, bazookas, and other physical weapons) similar to how a spacesuit's most essential function is to provide a solid barrier that won't let air escape. Apogee motors, joints, and all manner of mechanics were packed into the shell of that armor to make the suit functional. Time passes and technology advances, and towards the end of the One Year War even Zeon has a MS with a beam rifle that's standard equipment, the Gelgoog.

Now that beam weapons have become standard equipment on most mobile suits, there needs to be a fundamental design change to counter that. The solution is to lose most heavy armor, and emphasise speed in order to dodge more effectively; namely, the movable frame. The movable frame reverses the previous standard for mobile suit construction. Now engineers begin at the basic structure of the mobile suit, it's "skeleton," and after that is complete design the armor that will go on top of the most essential or vulnerable spots (cockpit, knees and elbows, etc.) The armor itself is likely to be divided into several smaller pieces allowing a greater degree of freedom in regards to motion.

For an example, I'll use the Master Grade Gundam Mk. II 2.0. At first glance, it's leg seems like any other mobile suit's. However, when it bends at the knee the knee armor separates into two pieces. Keep bending it, and eventually the thigh armor separates in two, a front and back piece, that allows the lower leg to come all the way back up to the point where it's nearly touching the thigh. The front shin armor also moves up and down in time with how much the ankle is moved. So, you can see that the Movable Frame system allows for maximum coverage from minimal armor while providing encanced mobility.

2007-01-01, 12:11	Link #2
EnigmaticThief Schach is MAI WAIFU Join Date: Dec 2006	You're correct that the Movable Frame has to do with beam weapons becoming commonplace and its implications against most heavy armor. Basically think of it this way: in the beginning mobile suits were designed around providing their pilot and the machine itself protection against most conventional weapons at the time (machineguns, bazookas, and other physical weapons) similar to how a spacesuit's most essential function is to provide a solid barrier that won't let air escape. Apogee motors, joints, and all manner of mechanics were packed into the shell of that armor to make the suit functional. Time passes and technology advances, and towards the end of the One Year War even Zeon has a MS with a beam rifle that's standard equipment, the Gelgoog. Now that beam weapons have become standard equipment on most mobile suits, there needs to be a fundamental design change to counter that. The solution is to lose most heavy armor, and emphasise speed in order to dodge more effectively; namely, the movable frame. The movable frame reverses the previous standard for mobile suit construction. Now engineers begin at the basic structure of the mobile suit, it's "skeleton," and after that is complete design the armor that will go on top of the most essential or vulnerable spots (cockpit, knees and elbows, etc.) The armor itself is likely to be divided into several smaller pieces allowing a greater degree of freedom in regards to motion. For an example, I'll use the Master Grade Gundam Mk. II 2.0. At first glance, it's leg seems like any other mobile suit's. However, when it bends at the knee the knee armor separates into two pieces. Keep bending it, and eventually the thigh armor separates in two, a front and back piece, that allows the lower leg to come all the way back up to the point where it's nearly touching the thigh. The front shin armor also moves up and down in time with how much the ankle is moved. So, you can see that the Movable Frame system allows for maximum coverage from minimal armor while providing encanced mobility.