There’s a reason the ASW-G-08 Gundam ‘Barbatos’ was still functional more than 300 years after the war it was made for…
More than 300 years after the last ASW-G-08 Barbatos Gundam rolled off the assembly plant, humanity found a use for it. Such was the strength of its design. Engineered by Gjallarhorn in the latter days of the Calamity War, the Barbatos proved to be more than just any other Mobile Suit; it proved to be a hero in its own right.
Where did it come from? What made it so special? The answers to both questions can be found in the Calamity War, when 72 different Gundam Frames were created to counter the threat of seemingly unstoppable mobile armors.
ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos – Design And Capabilities
And what a design. Standing 18 meters tall, weighing in at just under 30 metric tons, the Barbatos was surprisingly resilient. The secret to its rugged endurance was twofold; for one, its Nanolaminate Armor and “high hardness rare alloy” framework made it tough enough to ford the river of time. But the other part of its secret were its dual Ahab Reactors.
The Ahab Reactors could output a tremendous amount of energy, and their construction makes them nigh-indestructible. Generating “Ahab Particles” via a specialized reaction, these engines were capable of powering much more than just the systems of their attached Mobile Suits. And in the case of the Barbatos, the Chryse Guard Security group had been using it exclusively as a power reactor before it was restored.
New Life
When restored, however, the Gundam Barbatos really began to shine. Due in part to its custom armament, created (as it happens) just in case the Barbatos was ever needed for combat. Chief among its weapons? A thruster-powered Mace designed to break Nanolaminate Armor with its high impact and specialized “pile bunker” which let it fire a Needle into enemy armor.
It also carried a sword, which was mostly a backup weapon – only a truly masterful pilot could make use of that.
For ranged, engagements, however, the Barbatos carried quite a bit more. A 300mm caliber Smoothbore Gun was its primary armament in zero gravity environments, with a 60mm machine gun attachment for good measure. It also had an Arm Mortar, which could fire at long range, but these could be replaced with a 170mm Autocannon for close combat.
The Barbatos was also easy to upgrade. Through its post-calamity combat career, it achieved a number of different forms. These depend on technology added by Teiwaz as parts from enemy Mobile Suits were integrated. This meant that the Barbatos was strangely adaptable.
But of all the special equipment, perhaps the most important one, was the Alaya-Vijnana System. This was one of the old “organic device systems” designed as a man-machine interface during the Calamity War. It allowed the pilot to connect directly to the Mobile Suit so that pilot and machine could function as one. But this was not without its danger. But in the hands of a capable pilot? The Barbatos could be unstoppable.
The Hands Of A Capable Pilot
The pilot in question was one Mikazuki Augus, who rescued the Gundam Barbatos from a CGS base during an assault by Gjallarhorn. After escaping the attack, Mikazuki defeated enemy mobile suits. This allowed the Barbatos to be upgraded – making it one of precious few Mobile Armors that could function at near-pre-Calamity levels.
The Barbatos took part in many battles across the Earth. Starting with a brutal battle during atmospheric entry, and following up with a near-defeat at Millenium Island. The Barbatos and Mikazuki fought their way to Edmonton, to try and stop a total disaster. During this fighting, the Alaya-Vijnana system gave Mikazuki the edge he needed to win.
After the Battle of Edmonton, the ASW-G-08 Barbatos fought in many other skirmishes. Though, eventually it took too much accumulated damage and was sent to receive a substantial retrofit. There, the story of the original Barbatos ends. And in the rebirth? A legend was forged.
But the Barbatos Lupus is a whole other beast!
Don’t Miss:
Read more at this site