XM-X3 Crossbone Gundam X-3 (Alpha)

The XM-X3 Crossbone Gundam X-3 is a mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam Alpha. It is the first of the three Gundam units utilized by the Crossbone Vanguard.

Appearance
As opposed to the canon X-3, the Alpha version otherwise falls in line with its brethren X-1 and X-2. Following this, the most noticeable aesthetic change is that it is now painted in red with grey trim.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Being one of the first mobile suits to be developed straight off the Federation's RGX-780 Gundam, the Crossbone Gundam is a high performance unit that surpasses almost all others of its type. Unlike its parent, the Crossbone Gundam isn't meant for Newtypes, and so lacks the original Gundam's trademark Psi System, but otherwise retains its originator's conventional strengths. Its defining feature is the long variable X-Binder assembly on its back, which is composed of four Apollo Thrusters that can be pointed in any direction. With the addition of AMBAC and the natural powers of the Apollo Particle, such thrusters allow for high mobility even under the strain of heavy gravity, and when combined into its singular rocket column configuration can greatly increase the unit's top speed.

Being meant from the start for the Crossbone Vanguard's usage, the Crossbone Gundam was given extra emphasis on close range combat capability. With its speed and mobility, it can easily outrun and outmaneuver most mobile suits, allowing it to close in at melee level within the blink of an eye. The Crossbone Gundam's arsenal follows this orientation, with its standard armaments derived straight from the original Gundam (itself a close combat oriented unit) while also adding on the beam zanber and buster gun for further effectiveness.

Additionally, the Crossbone Gundam can be equipped with an Anti-Beam Cloak, which covers the entire body of the mobile suit. Upon being impacted with a beam, the cloak disperses the energy over itself, granting the Crossbone Gundam an additional defense outside its beam shields and mobility. As a side effect, the cloak also has the capability of bending sensor waves around itself, giving the Crossbone Gundam some level of stealth capability. And finally, the Crossbone Gundam has one other unique feature: the "mouth" of its faceplate can "open" to vent excess heat, in turn creating a highly intimidating appearance to enemy pilots.

Armaments

 * Beam Vulcan
 * Standard weapons for Federation mobile suits, vulcans are miniature rapid-fire beam guns stored on the sides of the Crossbone Gundam 's head. Having the greatest rate of fire of all the Crossbone Gundam 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 Crossbone Gundam's more powerful weapons.


 * Beam Gauntlet
 * Close-range weapons mounted within the Crossbone Gundam's palms. Essentially hand mounted beam emitters, the beam gauntlets release powerful energy discharges, which can either act as a beam shot or be directed across the Crossbone Gundam's hand manipulators to superheat them, giving them the destructive power and defensive measure of a beam saber. As such, they are either used as striking weapons or as back up melee weapons in case the beam sabers are otherwise unavailable.


 * Beam Shield
 * Following its Gundam parent's example, the Crossbone Gundam is equipped with two beam shields, one in either forearm. These weapons are self-explanatory as their main function is to generate a plane of energy over the Crossbone Gundam's arms, similar to the blade of a beam saber. They are powerful enough to deflect most types of attacks, though higher powered weapons, such as warship cannons, are more than capable of overwhelming and breaking through the shields.


 * Beam Saber
 * The Crossbone Gundam is equipped with two beam sabers, which are concealed in shoulder ports when not in use. The sabers are stored on the backpack. When activated, the hilts generate a focused blade of beam energy; this is revolutionary compared to standard melee weapons at that point, which can only generate a beam "edge" over a designated area. The blades can be shortened or lengthened at the pilot's command, allowing them to be utilized as daggers when necessary. Once activated, beam sabers do not rely on the mobile suit's reactor and can be thrown or discarded as decoys. The beam saber is most often used for close range combat or as an emergency weapon once all others have been depleted or lost.


 * Buster Gun
 * The buster gun is the primary ranged weapon of the Crossbone Gundam. Essentially a beam rifle in pistol form, the buster gun is modeled after an ornate Old Earth flintlock pistol. Its reduced size allows it to be used more efficiently by one hand, leaving the second hand free to use a melee weapon. As a secondary function, the buster gun can combine with the beam zanber to form a more powerful and longer ranged zanbuster.


 * Beam Zanber
 * A high power, greatly enhanced version of the traditional beam saber, the beam zanber is the primary weapon of the Crossbone Gundam. Modeled after a traditional cutlass, the zanber's generated beam blade is significantly larger and more powerful than that of ordinary beam sabers, thereby allowing the Crossbone Gundam to overpower an enemy in melee combat. So powerful is the zanber that it can even "cut" through an adversary unit's blade. As a secondary function, the zanber can combine with the buster gun to form the zanbuster rifle.

System Features

 * X-Binder
 * The Crossbone Gundam's defining feature. Inspired from the variable Shelf Nozzle propulsion system, the X-Binder is meant to grant the Crossbone Gundam exceptional speed and mobility, as well as a similar degree of versatility. Used in tandem with the unit's AMBAC system, these thrusters generate exceedingly high mobility without increasing size or mass, and when combined into one huge thruster column, they are capable of dramatically increasing the unit's top speed. As a result, the Crossbone Gundam's overall performance easily surpasses that of the standard mobile unit, being considered but a step below that of its parent Gundam.


 * Anti-Beam Cloak
 * A development that would eventually become new standard equipment for the Crossbone Vanguard, the Crossbone Gundam could be equipped with a cloth cloak that had been treated with an anti-beam coating. Though appearing as little more than a physical garment, the cloak is treated with special coating and materials to make it resistant to energy weapons. The cloak is large enough completely cover the mobile suit, with the exception of the head, providing full body protection. Unfortunately however, the cloak can only take up to five beam shots/contacts before losing effectiveness, becoming a simple cloak thereafter. Likewise, it is ineffective against physical weapons.


 * Heat Vent
 * The Crossbone Gundam can physically "open" its mouth to reveal a set of vents, which are used to shed off excessive heat. This has a side effect of giving the Crossbone Gundam a demonic profile, as though it were exhaling fire. It's rumored Project X's head Monica Arno came up with this function herself, and that she was inspired by records of the pirate Edward Teach (better known as Blackbeard) wearing lit fuses under his hat to give himself a frightening appearance.

History
Following the development and ultimate success of the RGX-780 Gundam, Project V engineer Monica Arno would develop her own spinoff Project X. Though its de jure purpose was to evaluate if technologies pioneered by Project V could be mass produced, in reality Monica, who was very much aware of her son Seabook's survival and defection to the Crossbone Vanguard, wished to grant him and his compatriots a more effective weapon than the BM-001 Denan Zons and BM-002 Denan Geis they had been utilizing. So long as the Psi System was not transitioned, those Federal officials who were aware turned a blind eye to Project X's true intentions, while its proclaimed purpose was actually fulfilled through Anaheim Electronics' GM lineup. Thus the Crossbone Gundam would be discreetly developed and passed onto the Vanguard, which would utilize it in their continued fight against Iron Mask and his minions.

Being made exclusively for the Crossbone Vanguard, the Crossbone Gundam would enjoy a very limited production run, rounding out to three units. The third unit, X-3, would be assigned to Commander Annamarie Bourget, who would have it adorned in the red and grey of the elite Dark Tiger Squadron (which she had served with long ago). In Annamarie's capable hands, the X-2 would serve in many a fight against Cosmo Babylonia and its allies, oft alongside its brothers X-1 and X-2.