SK-006 Leo

The SK-006 Leo  is a mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam Alpha. Affectionately nicknamed the "Lion" by its pilots (and the "White Lion" by those of the other Inner Powers), it is the Sanc Kingdom's mainline mobile suit type.

Appearance
Essentially the original OZ-06MS Leo from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, but updated to the present setting. The main difference is that it no longer has the "butt" or pelvic thrusters, but instead a standard backpack assembly (though this can still be swapped out as originally). Likewise, its beam saber is now mounted in its rear skirt in a similar configuration to Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam 's MSA-003 Nemo. Usually colored in Sanc standard white, though ace custom units are known to exist.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The first fully humanoid mobile suit produced in the Sanc Kingdom's Zodiac Series, the Leo was, in many ways, a ground breaking unit for the Inner Powers. Designed as a balanced performance, general purpose type, the Leo was meant to function effectively in virtually any given assignment, though this meant it did not always excel as much as other models. Even so, in the right hands, the Leo can be one of the deadliest weapons to ever be produced.

The Leo 's adaptability stems from hardpoints on its shoulder armor pieces to mount various types of weaponry, as well as a hardpoint on its back that can mount equally various backpack modules. In turn, it has a fairly well rounded arsenal to work with: hand weapons include a beam rifle, a beam bazooka and the Sanc exclusive dobergun. It also retains a mounted beam shield on its left arm for defensive power, and later in the war it is retrofitted to carry a beam saber on its rear skirt armor.

However, the Leo 's main selling point isn't "merely" its adaptability, but its superior performance. For a time, it was the only Inner Power mobile suit capable of matching the ZMS-006 Zaku and its contemporaries in a dogfight; even its initial lack of melee weapon was only a slight hindrance to this. As a result of this, Sanc performed much better during the early stages of the war than the other Inner Powers (including the Earth Federation), such that it managed to actually halt the Outer Power advance into its territory when others could only stem the tide to some extent. When paired with the equally superior skill of Sanc pilots, both in the regular forces and within the elite Preventers, the Leo is a true force to be reckoned with.

Armaments

 * SH 03 Beam Shield
 * The Leo is equipped with a beam shield generator on its left arm. As its name suggests, the beam shield generates a miniaturized energy field over an area of the Leo 's left arm, allowing it block and deflect enemy attacks quite effectively. Unlike other Inner Power mobile suits, the Leo 's projected shield is round rather rectangular, but otherwise functions little differently.


 * BS 14 Beam Saber
 * Following the debut of Project V, the Federation shares some of the associated technology with its allies, allowing them to adapt their mobile suit forces accordingly. One of the more coveted items is the beam saber, which is eagerly retrofitted on any mobile suit that can support such a weapon. The Leo is one such unit, fitted with a single beam saber on its rear skirt. When activated, the hilt generates a focused blade of beam energy; this is revolutionary compared to standard melee weapons at that point (namely the ZMS-006 Zaku's beam axe), which can only generate a beam "edge" over a designated area. The blade can be shortened or lengthened at the pilot's command, allowing it to be utilized as a dagger when necessary. Once activated, the beam saber does not rely on the mobile suit's reactor and can be thrown or discarded as a decoy. The beam saber is most often used for close range combat or as an emergency weapon once all others have been depleted or lost.


 * BG 35 Beam Rifle
 * The Leo's standard handheld armament. Once more based on data provided by Earth, the BS 35 is a more refined design, meant for precision over striking power. As a result of this, it has greater accuracy, range and rate of fire than Earth (and most other) rifle types, effectively placing it on par with the Zaku's beam machine gun. When utilized by a skilled pilot, this rifle can evade virtually any defense and destroy a whole mobile suit in a single blow.


 * BZ 15 Beam Bazooka
 * A heavy beam weapon meant for striking larger, more defended targets. With power comparable to that of a Guncannons' shoulder beam cannons, the beam bazooka lacks the high firing rate of the Leo's beam rifle, but gives far greater power per shot, making it an effective weapon against heavily armored targets such as warships and fortresses. The tradeoff, however, is that the bazooka can expend its power in only a few shots, and the resulting recharge period can last up to several minutes.


 * DG 12 Dobergun
 * A weapon that, like the Leo itself, is practically analogous to the Sanc Kingdom proper. High-powered and holding long-range and precision, the dobergun is the ultimate striking weapon, effectively the combination of a howitzer and a sniper rifle. And though it is primarily a beam weapon, is uniquely capable of firing kinetic shells when required. It is usually fitted to either of the Leo's shoulder hardpoints and directly hand-triggered, though some models are able to fire remotely.

History
The first true mobile suit developed and produced in the Sanc Kingdom's Zodiac lineup, the Leo was something of a legend in the making. As one of the first Inner Power mobile suits to be able to match (if not surpass) the Zaku and its cohorts, it allowed Sanc forces to stand on equal footing with their adversaries. Between this and the superior skill of Sanc mobile suit pilots, the Kingdom was able to put up a much harder fight than the other Inners, hindering the Zeon and their allies in virtually every area and field. As a result, the Leo is widely perceived as a national symbol for the Sanc Kingdom, best emphasizing its might and majesty in the face of aggression and adversity.

As the war continued on however, newer, more advanced mobile suits would start to appear on all sides, effectively negating the Leo 's prominence within the Sanc forces for the SK-012 Taurus - a unit whose design owes to both the Leo and its immediate brethren, the SK-007 Aries. Regardless however, the Leo would remain in use all the way to the war's end, both in the regular military and within the Preventers.