The GAT-X102 Duel Gundam is a Mobile Suit introduced in the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series . The pilot of this MS is Yzak Joule.

Features

The Duel Gundam is the first unit developed in the Earth Alliance's Project G MS prototype series. Equipped with the new Phase Shift armor that makes it almost impervious to most physical weapons, the Duel is designed as a well-balanced performance all-round machine, and also serves as a development base for the other MS in the project.

The Duel's armament consists of two head-mounted "Igelstellung" multi-barreled 75mm CIWS cannons, which would later become the standard armament of most Earth Alliance machines to intercept incoming missiles and encircle enemy units, two ray sabers stored in the back and carried on the hand for use in close combat, a 57 mm high energy ray gun with a 175 mm grenade launcher for combat at distance, and an anti-beam coated shield for defense. The Duel also has a linear bazooka as an optional weapon, but it was taken and used by the MBF-P01 Gundam Astray Gold Frame to escape Heliopolis.

After being stolen by ZAFT and damaged in a fight against the GAT-X105+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Gundam, the MS is upgraded with the Assault Shroud. The Assault Shroud is a set of ejection armor mounted on the Duel's body to enhance his combat performance. It adds a 115mm "Shiva" railgun to the right shoulder and a 220mm 5-barrel missile pod to the left shoulder for additional firepower, as well as various leg and backpack mounted thrusters for better mobility. Although the equipment performs well in space, it performs poorly in gravity due to its bulk.

• Phase Shift Armor

Like all Project G machines, the Strike is equipped with phase shift armor called Phase Shift . When this armor is activated, the color of the Duel changes from light gray to white and blue with some hints of orange. Phase Shift armor makes the Duel immune to physical attacks such as bullets, sword slashes, missiles, etc. However, the Phase Shift continually drains battery power, reducing the MS's stamina in combat, and consumes additional power when hit.

• Assault Shroud

An add-on made by ZAFT, built for Duel after it was

damaged in battle. It is based on similar equipment used by the ZGMF-1017AS GINN Assault Type and the ZGMF-515AS CGUE Assault. The Assault Shroud increases the Duel's combat effectiveness by giving it additional armor and new weapons like the "Shiva" railgun and missile pod. It also contains additional vernier thrusters which improve the Duel's mobility in space and offset some of its extra weight. However, the latter is only effective in space, and the extra bulk still impedes Duel's movement when under gravity. If the Duel Gundam takes a deadly or highly damaging blow, it can detach from the Assault Shroud and continue to fight using its base form and weaponry.

Armaments

• "Igelstellung" 75mm Automatic Mutli-barrel CIWS: Anti-aircraft guns mounted on either side of the head. These light projectile weapons are used to intercept missiles, destroy lightly armored vehicles, etc.
• 57mm High-energy Beam Rifle: The Duel's primary ranged weapon, it features a single-shot grenade launcher under the barrel. The Beam Rifle can easily destroy a ZGMF-1017 GINN with a single shot, but is virtually ineffective against armor with an Anti-Beam Coating. It is stowed on the side skirt of the armor when not in use. The same Beam Rifle is subsequently used by other MS.
  • 175mm Grenade Launcher: Installed under the barrel of the Beam Rifle this grenade launcher can fire a wide variety of grenades. However, he can only draw one.
• Beam Saber: Mounted in the back, these weapons are primary close combat weapons and can pierce any armor without an anti-beam coating. One of them can be used as a reserve weapon, or both can be used simultaneously like a twin sword.
• "Shiva" 115mm Railgun: A weapon of the Assault Shroud armour, this linear cannon is mounted on the right shoulder. This weapon uses electromagnetic energy to launch its projectiles.
• 220mm 5-barrel Missile Pod: Mounted on the left shoulder of the Assault Shroud armor this device is similar to that fitted to the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam.
• Shield: This is a piece of equipment that increases the defensive capacity of Duel. It is mounted on the left forearm and/or carried by hand. The shield does not have Phase Shift armor, so it is not as tough as Duel body armor, but it does not drain energy each time it is hit. The main advantage of the shield is that it has an anti-beam coating and can block or deflect attacks from beam weapons, which Phase Shift is ineffective against. The same shield is also used by the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam and other Mobile Suit. The shield can apparently be stowed on the rear waist armor when not in use.
• 350mm "Gae Bulg" Rail Bazooka: A handheld ranged weapon that uses electromagnetic forces to launch its projectile. Originally developed for the Duel Gundam, it was taken over by the MBF-P01 Gundam Astray Gold Frame.
• Hyper Impulse Long-Range Sniper Rifle: Borrowed from the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam, this ray cannon type weapon has a very high energy output and projects a wider beam capable of penetrating multiple targets, including battleships.

Variants

GAT-X102 Duel Gundam (Atmospheric Equipment)

Appearing in the manga Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Re: This is the Duel Gundam equipped with a new atmospheric flight pack on its back. The pack is based on data fragments from the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam IWSP pack that ZAFT recovered from Heliopolis. It is built with parts from the AMF-101 DINN, and is armed with a pair of swords similar to the YFX-200 CGUE DEEP Arms heavy laser sword, but with solid blades, as well as a pair of double-barreled guns, the upper barrel being a beam cannon and the lower barrel a railgun. The gear also allows the Duel Gundam to enter a "high mobility mode" in which its head is covered with a helmet similar to that used by the DINN.

History

The Duel Gundam was the first machine developed under the Earth Alliance's Project G during the First Alliance-PLANT War. It served as a test bed for the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam , GAT-X105 Strike Gundam , GAT-X207 Blitz Gundam and GAT-X303 Aegis Gundam . On January 25, CE71, the Duel was flown from Morgenroete Inc.'s Heliopolis facility by ZAFT Mobile Suit Pilot Yzak Jule of Le Creuset Team and flown back to the team's mothership. , the Vesalius.

Along with Buster, Blitz, and Aegis, Duel is deployed in pursuit of Strike and the Alliance's newest battleship, Archangel. Along the way, he severely damages the Eurasian Federation's Artemis space fortress. During one of the fights against the Strike Gundam GAT-X105+AQM/E-X01 Aile, the Duel was hit under his left chest by the enemy's Armor Schneider combat knife, causing an explosion in the cockpit that left a scar on Yzak's face.

Later, the Duel was equipped with the Assault Shroud and participated in the operation to prevent the Archangel from descending to Earth. During the battle in orbit, the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud fought against the Alliance 8th Fleet, which was protecting the Archangel, and faced off against the Strike Wing. With Yzak too caught up in the fight, the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud got caught in Earth's gravity well and couldn't return to their allies. Despite this, Yzak continued to fire on the Strike Wing, and even shot down a shuttle launched by an Alliance starship that stood in its way, unaware that it was carrying civilian refugees.

Yzak and the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud survived atmospheric entry alongside the Buster and its pilot, Dearka Elsman, and were later assigned to Andrew Waltfeld's team in North Africa. Both Gundams were deployed on the Lesseps during the Battle of Talbadiya against the Archangel, as they could not keep up with the TMF/A-802 BuCUEs. Yzak later attempted to get more involved in the fight, but failed as the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud was not properly adjusted to the soft, sandy terrain.

After Andrew Waltfeld's forces were defeated, the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud and Buster joined the Blitz and Aegis who had arrived on Earth, and operated from a Vosgulov-class submarine. The group launches two failed attacks on the Archangel, the first ending because the battle encroached on Union waters of Orb, and the second ending in the destruction of the Blitz and the death of its pilot, Nicol Amalfi. .

Despite losing the Blitz, the group engaged again against the Archangel. The Duel Gundam Assault Shroud engaged in a fierce battle with the Strike Wing, but fell from its Guul when its right leg exploded from a knee shot from the enemy Gundam. Despite this, Yzak continues to fire at the Aile Strike and manages to destroy its Beam Rifle. The Aegis then took over and defeated the Strike Wing by self-destruction, while the Buster was captured by the Archangel, leaving the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud as the only party member to return from combat.

The Duel Gundam Assault Shroud then took part in the disastrous Operation Spitbreak, the attack on the Alliance's JOSH-A base, as well as the successful attack on the base in Panama, where the Gundam easily defeated the the Alliance's first mass-produced MS, the GAT-01 Strike Dagger. During the Battle of Panama, Yzak and his Duel Gundam Assault Shroud also fought against the GAT-01D Long Dagger developed from data from the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud and using similar armor known as the "Fortestra" piloted by the ace of the Alliance, Jean Carry. However, this duel was interrupted when ZAFT forces activated the Gungnirs and disabled all Alliance MS, but Yzak spared Jean, allowing her to escape.

The Duel Gundam Assault Shroud eventually returned to space and participated in various battles, such as that of the Mendel Colony where Yzak learned that Dearka had defected to ZAFT and joined the Tri-Ship Alliance with the Buster. In the Second Battle of Jachin Due, the last of the war, the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud defended the PLANT colonies against Alliance nuclear missile attacks, with the aid of the Three Ship Alliance. Later, Yzak protects the Three Ship Alliance's Red Strike Wing MBF-02+AQM/E-X01 from the Earth Alliance's GAT-X252 Forbidden Gundam and even destroys the Forbidden by sacrificing the Duel Gundam Assault Shroud as lure.

Afterwards, Yzak and the Duel aided the Buster, which had been heavily damaged by Rau Le Creuset's ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam, then used the Buster's hyperpulse long-range sniper rifle to destroy the GAT-X370 Raider Gundam. of the Alliance. The Duel and the Buster were later retrieved by the Archangel. Afterwards, the Duel used the Strike's spare shield and rifle to protect the Archangel as the ship joined the Eternal and the Kusanagi. The Duel was apparently decommissioned at the end of the war.

Despite the loss of the Duel Gundam, the Alliance continued to develop Mobile Suits based on its design, resulting in the aforementioned Long Dagger and its production version, the GAT-01D1 Duel Dagger. Some time after the end of the First Alliance-PLANT War, the Alliance and Actaeon Industries manufactured another Duel Gundam as part of the development plan for the MS "Actaeon Project". The unit was piloted by Phantom Pain pilot Mudie Holcroft and was later modified to become the GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam.

Did you know?

• The Duel's crest displays the text "UNO X-102". "Uno" means "One" in Italian (and Spanish) and refers to the suit being the first unit of the Earth Alliance's "Project G".
• In Gundam Build Fighters, a red and black Duel Gundam makes an appearance among the Gunpla who fought against GAT-X105B/ST Star Build Strike Gundam.
• The name Duel attributed to the Duel Gundam is a reference to the primary combat feature of the MS, close combat.