GN-X01 Alteron

History
Realizing the Earth Sphere Federation mobile suit forces were vastly inferior to those used by The Ascent, the ESF in conjunction with Star Strike began developing new units to send into battle. Overall two designs were used. One such design was the Alteron.

Design
The Alteron was loosely based on the GNX-IV and GNC-4 Legacy. Unlike it's predecessors, the mobile suit was rather bulky. This was due to additional armor designed to better protect both the thrusters and the pilot during battle. Also, unlike the Legacy, the Alteron lacked a secondary fighter configuration.

The primary weapon of the Alteron was the GN-Rifle. The rifle could rapidly fire several consecutive shots or one larger burst depending on the situation. On the end of the rifle, just below the barrel, was a hidden beam saber designed to act as a bayonet. However the bayonet was difficult to use in close range and thus wasn't used often.

On the left arm, the Alteron was equipped with a physical shield. The shield was highly durable and was designed to operate similar to GN-Composite armor. In addition, the shield could generate a GN-Shield for additional protection. An unorthodox usage of the shield is throwing it for use as a projectile. The sharp edges of the shield could easily pierce most armors.

On the head were two beam vulcans. The vulcans sacrificed firepower for firing rate. As a result the output isn't enough to cause visible damage to an enemy mobile suit. Instead the vulcans are used to keep an opponent on the defensive or to intercept incoming missiles.

On the back of the Alteron were six GN-Verniers. These granted the Alteron surprisingly fast speed and maneuverability compared to other models. Additional thrusters were placed throughout the body.