RGT-503 Guntank Colossus

The RGT-503 Guntank Colossus is a mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam Alpha. It is the third and final member of the Guntank line, as well as the first "true" humanoid mobile suit.

Appearance
Looks like the Guntank R-44 from Mobile Suit Gundam F91, but again in a futuristic design. Colors are Federation standard gunmetal grey with navy blue highlights.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The third and final unit of the Guntank series, the Colossus (so-called because of its seventeen meter height, the largest of any mobile suit for its time) was more of an experimental design rather than a further upgrade for the Guntank in general. While its firepower and armor were about the same as previous models, the Colossus was special for abandoning the hoverbed system that was the hallmark of the Guntank, and instead utilizing an entirely different concept for ground based movement: a pair of humanoid legs.

Compared to the previous Guntank models, the Colossus' legs allowed it to travel over rougher terrain as well as maneuver much more easily, thus making the Colossus a true mobile unit. As well, the Colossus was given mounted Apollo Thrusters and a far more powerful Apollo Reactor than its predecessors, thus granting it true flight capability (which had previously been a lacking feature), although compared to later MS it was still pretty sluggish in this field of combat. The effectiveness of both concepts would soon make them standard for future mobile suits, as well as put the Guntank Colossus in a limited production run.

Armaments

 * M327 Beam Cannon
 * As with the rest of its kind, Colossus mounts a pair of beam cannons over each of its shoulder. Compared to the cannons of the preceding Defender and Destroyer types however, the Colossus guns are somewhat less powerful and lacking in range. This is due to the presence of Apollo Thrusters upon the  Colossuss body, which draw more energy than the original hoverbed system; as a result, less energy is directed toward the beam cannons. As a result, future cannon wielding mobile suits like the Guncannon line and the RGM-707 GM Vanguard would take such systems into account, thereby ensuring their mounted cannons did not suffer any power fallout.


 * M250 Beam Vulcan
 * Standard weapons for Federation mobile suits. Vulcans are miniature rapid-fire beam guns stored on the sides of the Colossus '  head. Having the greatest rate of fire of all the Colossus ' weapons, they are primarily used to ward off advancing enemies, shoot down missiles or hit other fast moving targets. They are also useful as anti-spacecraft and anti-personnel weapons. The vulcans however have a difficult time piercing heavier armor (though they are capable of destroying mobile suits when fired at close range) and thus are not often used against larger, more heavily armored foes. Still, the vulcans are useful in preserving energy for the Colossus ' more powerful weapons.


 * MR96 Missile Launcher
 * As the Colossus possesses actual arms and hand manipulators now, the original backpack missile launchers of preceding models were removed and placed over the arms in dispensable pods. As a result of this transition, the Colossus can fire its missiles from multiple arcs simply by moving its arms about, thereby making it more effective as a bombardment platform. As an added benefit, the missiles can now be used in close-combat as well due to the same reasons.

History
The final evolution of the Guntank line, the Colossus represented a transitional point in the development of the mobile suit. Specifically, it would be the first mobile suit to be of a fully humanoid design, one equipped with legs and accompanying Apollo Thrusters, developments that would render hoverbed based units like the preceding Guntanks and the Sanc Kingdom's SK-005 Capricorn obsolete. Ironically, the Colossus, despite enjoying a limited production run, would share in its line's fall as the Federation would become more interested in developing a new line of mobile suits that fully integrated the Colossus ' revamps and innovations than continuing the development of the Guntank series. As a result, only a handful of Colossi would be produced before Anaheim switched its assembly lines over to the Guncannon series.

That being said, the Colossus's service would not end so quickly. Although Guntank units would quickly be replaced by Guncannon as the Federation's mainline mobile suit, the effectiveness of these machines would ensure that they would remain in service for years to come, especially in the advent of the First Galactic War. During the latter, it was not uncommon to see a Colossus, as well as Defenders and Destroyers, attached to planetary and colonial garrison units, among other such roles.