RB-79 Ball

	RB-79 Ball
Production information
Model number	RB-79
Code name	Ball
Type	Combat support mobile pod
Launched date	UC 0079
Manufacturer	Earth Federation Forces
Operator	Earth Federation Forces
Predecessor	SP-W03 Space Pods
Derivatives	{RB-79C Ball Type C RB-79F Ball Type F RB-79K Ball Type K RB-79M Ball Type M RB-79N Fisheye Model 133 Ball
Notable pilots	Hiden, Broglie Ligera
Technical Specifications
Head height	12.8 meters
Total length	meters
Empty weight	17.2 metric tons
Gross weight	25.0 metric tons
Max acceleration	0.96 G
Max running speed	Unknown
Max hover speed	Unknown
Max water speed	Unknown
180º turn time	2.2s
Power plant	Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor
Power output	400 kW
Propulsion	Rocket thrusters: 24,000 kg total
Crew	Pilot only
Cockpit	Standard cockpit in body
Armor	Titanium composite tri-frame
Sensor range	4,000 meters
Equipment
Fixed armament	180mm recoilless cannon (mounted on body)
Optional armament	None
Remote armament	None
Special equipment	None

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The RB-79 Ball was a refitted civilian mobile pod to serve as combat support for the RGM-79 GM in the One Year War.

Several variants were developed including the Type C, Type F, Type K and Type M models. However, the Ball was slowly phased out as more variants of the RGM-79 GM were developed.

Despite having less firepower, the Federation was able to produce the Ball in greater numbers and at a lower cost.

History

The concept for a combat mobile pod was formulated by the Earth Federation as early as UC 0076 under the RX-76 project. However, development was put on hold until February 13, UC 0079, when the project was revived with renewed interest. The first RB-79 Ball was launched in June UC 0079. At the beginning of the One Year War with the Principality of Zeon, the Federation did not have any mobile suits. The Zeon forces held the upper hand in the war with their mobile suits, the MS-05B Zaku I and the MS-06F Zaku II.

The Federation developed a prototype mobile suit, the RX-78-2 Gundam, but it was too costly to be mass produced. Their first mass-production mobile suit, the RGM-79 GM, was not produced fast enough to be deployed at all battle fronts.

Thus, the Earth Federation refitted around 1,200 civilian-use SP-W03 Space Pods to be deployed in combat.

The most famous battle involving Balls was Operation Star-One, an operation undertaken to further pressure Zeon into retreating from Earth after the Federation took the upper hand following Odessa. Since the GM was not yet ready, over 1000 Balls were committed along with Salamis-class and Magellan-class warships. Their numbers overwhelmed the Zeon fleets and drove them away, but countless RB-79s were destroyed during what turned out to be one of the most brutal battles for the Federation. Soon after, the Ball earned the nickname "Mobile Coffin" among EFSF pilots. It is sometimes joked that (in Gundam 0079) the only time a Ball ever hit anything was when one is kicked into a GM by a Zaku II.

Design

The RB-79 Ball has its armor was reinforced and a 180mm recoil-less cannon was mounted on each unit. Vernier thrusters were added to increase maneuverability.

The Ball was considered ill-suited for combat. It had limited ammunition, less heavily armored compared to its counterparts, and it had poor maneuverability. The mobile pod also had no close-range weapons aside from its manipulator claws.

Being smaller than the average mobile suits made the Ball harder to hit. It was also lighter and had a better acceleration than most mobile suits, especially the early generation units.

Known pilots

Variants

Behind the scenes

One of the mechanical designers of Bandai, Katoki Hajime, stated in the MG model instruction manual that the Ball unit is actually an attempt by Earth Federation Forces to reproduce the Mobile Armors and that it is actually quite powerful. Gundam Officials, a Japanese magazine by Bandai, has made similar positive statements on the unit.

In the SD Gundam series of Tactical RPGs, the Ball's large movement range, low cost, and very powerful long-range main gun make it a devastating second-line unit, although lackluster in close combat. In the Versus series of arcade games, the Ball is similarly dangerous.

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

Sources

Notes and references

External links

RB-79 Ball

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History

Design

Known pilots

Variants

Behind the scenes

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

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Notes and references

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