SYSTEM ∀-99 ∀ Gundam

The SYSTEM ∀-99 ∀ Gundam (pronounced "Turn A Gundam", aka "∀", "White Doll", "White Devil", "Mustache") is the titular mobile suit of Turn A Gundam. It is piloted primarily by Loran Cehack.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Turn A (∀) Gundam was originally designed for interstellar warfare. Unlike mobile suits from previous timelines, the Turn A is powered by a DHGCP power plant (Discontinuous Hyperoscillation Gauge Collapsing Pile) which is essentially an artificial black hole. The power plant leaves the chest cavity of Turn A empty, allowing various equipment to be placed inside, as evidenced by the Turn A holding nuclear warheads within the cavity. The Turn A's main propulsion is provided by an I-Field Beam Drive System, which left the mobile suit completely hollow and allows it to be filled with extra armaments and rocket thrusters. Moreover, the Turn A is also equipped with an I-Field Barrier which could protect it from various sorts of attacks with power output lower than the system requires, such attacks include nuclear explosions.

The Turn A features a standard set of armaments consisting of a beam rifle and two beam sabers, for heavier firepower the unit mounts two beam cannons on its abdomen area. In addition to these weapons, the Turn A is equipped with a basic shield for defense. To further enhance its combat power, the Turn A has large support units called DOC Bases (Device Operation Control) which hold various armaments for the Turn A. These DOC bases allow the Turn A to adapt according to the situation at hand. One of these DOC Bases was discovered in C.C. (Correct Century) 2345 by Loran Cehack. However, the discovered base was more or less rendered unusable by the Moonlight Butterfly, with the only surviving and usable weapon being the Gundam Hammer which was heavily coated with nanomachines.

The Turn A's on-board nanomachines are capable of a devastating attack known as the "Moonlight Butterfly" (named after the visual appearance of the attack when active). At its full power, the Moonlight Butterfly can cover a wide range (from Earth to Jupiter). The Turn A's nanomachines have the ability to convert most if not all matter to silicon dioxide (sand) on an molecular basis, allowing it to turn objects into sand during the use of the Moonlight Butterfly. It is said that the Moonlight Butterfly has three requirements, the nanomachines, the energy to use them, and finally the program to activate it. However, in C.C. 2345, the Turn A only had the nanomachines and the program. The Turn A did not possess sufficient amount of energy to activate the Moonlight Butterfly on its own and required energy from an outside source, namely the CONCEPT-X 6-1-2 Turn X. Contrarily, Turn X only had the sufficient amount of energy for the usage of Moonlight Butterfly, but lacked the nanomachines and program.

The Turn A is also capable of total regeneration of both itself and its pilot, by using the same nanomachines that the Moonlight Butterfly uses. However, this ability is not instantaneous and it requires a considerable amount of time. Although not fully confirmed, this ability is speculated to be a technology adoption of the DG cells of the JDG-00X Devil Gundam. Furthermore, the Turn A possesses the non-canon ability to warp beam shots directly into enemy cockpits with unspecified limitations. However, it is confirmed that beam shots with outputs exceeding the beam warping system's power consumption are not able to be warped by the Turn A. Also, teleportation is noted as one of the Turn A's non-canon abilities (the teleportation of the Turn A only occurs in the novel version of the dark history and is never shown in the ∀ Gundam series itself).

Additionally, the Turn A is capable of bending light through an unknown method and cloaking itself from the sensors of most mobile suits. This stealth ability allows the Turn A to create an illusion of teleportation.

Armaments

 * Beam Cannon
 * The Turn A mounts two beam cannons on its abdomen, these beam cannons can scatter their beam particle shot to cover a large radius.


 * Beam Saber
 * The Turn A is armed with two beam sabers, these beam sabers are stored on the Turn A's shoulders. Moreover, it has been shown that the Turn A's beam sabers have a adjustable power output and range. One can be used as a reserve weapon, or both can be used simultaneously in a twin sword fashion. The Turn A's beam sabers can also be turned into a defensive armament by the Turn A by rotating its manipulators in a 360 degree motion while holding beam sabers to create make-shift beam shields.


 * It is notable that the Turn A's main pilot, Loran Cehack has a habit of using these as his preferred weapon because of his a pacifist outlook. Generally, Loran uses them to cut around the cockpit and as to not cause collateral damage by using the Turn A's beam rifle.


 * Additionally, the Turn A's beam saber is noticeably thinner when compared to the standard beam saber of other mobile suits.


 * Multi-Purpose Silo
 * The Turn A's Multi-Purpose Silos were originally used to store missiles of an unknown origin or type. Two of these silos were used to store nuclear warheads in C.C. 2345 for a short period of time.


 * Beam Rifle
 * The Turn A features a beam rifle, like many conventional mobile suits. The Turn A's beam rifle's power output is notably much greater than the output of a conventional beam weapons, however its exact power is unknown.


 * Gundam Hammer
 * A rather unusual weapon, the Gundam Hammer was essentially a large spiked ball attached to a chain. It is a ranged melee weapon. The Turn A could either throw or swing the hammer around itself in order to impact and damage its target through the sheer mass of the hammer. The Turn A's Gundam Hammer is similar to the one used by the RX-78-2 Gundam.


 * Minchi Drill
 * The Minchi Drill is a unique mace-like close combat weapon that is first seen used on the TAF-M9 Eagail. It is based on a shield machine (tunnel boring machine) used for excavations. This weapon can pulverize or even cut through mobile suits.


 * Shield
 * The Turn A mounts a basic shield for defensive purposes, this shield is used to block both beam and physical attacks.

Special Equipment and Features

 * Core Block System
 * The Turn A features a Core Block System like some other Gundam type mobile suits. The Core Block System allows the Turn A's Core Fighter (which is also its cockpit and front skirts) to detach from the main body of the mobile suit for whatever reason.


 * VR Head
 * Installed in the Turn A's cockpit was a retractable virtual reality helmet which connects to the mobile suit's camera sensors.


 * I-Field Barrier
 * The I-Field forms an invisible barrier around the Turn A, protecting it from incoming beam attacks. It can be assumed that the Turn A has one of the most powerful I-Fields, thus the Turn A's I-Field probably protects it from most physical attacks as well. It has been shown in C.C. 2345 that the Turn A's I-Field can protect it from the explosion of a nuclear warhead.


 * Moonlight Butterfly System
 * Both the Turn A's and Turn X's nanomachines are capable of an devastating attack called the "Moonlight Butterfly," named after the strange butterfly wings that emits from the Turn units when the attack is active. It is said that the attack has three requirements, the nanomachines, the energy to use them, and finally the program to activate it. At full power, the Moonlight Butterfly can cover a wide range (from Earth to Jupiter), while turning most if not all technologies into silicon dioxide (sand). Lastly, the Moonlight Butterfly can be used as a defense of sorts as it can easily defend against both beam and physical attacks.


 * Nanomachine Regeneration System
 * The Turn A's Nanomachine Regeneration System allows it to "regenerate" any damaged areas on the mobile suit. It is said that with its full capabilities the Turn A can also regenerate its pilot. However, it is notable that this feature is impractical in battle as the Nanomachine Regeneration System requires a considerable amount of time.


 * Teleportation System
 * Despite not being explicitly shown in its deployments in C.C. 2345, it is said that the Turn A can teleport itself and its beam weapons through an unknown method. This ability is not firmly held in canon and is not seen used in the animated series.

History
The Turn A (∀) Gundam is first found by Loran Cehack and Sochie Heim in C.C. 2345 during their coming of age ritual, outside the city of Nocis, the capital city of Inglessa. The Turn A was called the "White Doll" (most of the characters referred to it as the White Doll). At first the White Doll appeared to be a statue of sorts and was used in the coming of age ritual by teenagers. However the Turn A became active and revealed itself to be an operational mobile suit when the forces of Dianna Counter attacked Nocis. The Turn A would take the side of the Inglessa Militia in their struggle against the invading Moonrace in C.C. 2345, piloted primarily by Loran. It would serve as the Inglessa Militia's trump card against the more advanced mobile suit forces of the Moonrace.

Eventually, after accompanying the Willgem to the Moon, Loran finally learned the dark truth about the Turn A's past. It was revealed by the data of the "Black History" that the Turn A was responsible for the destruction of Earth's civilizations by unleashing its "Moonlight Butterfly" attack, spreading nanomachines across the Earth's surface (and through space, to Jupiter, with the exception of the Moon) and turning all of mankind's technology into sand. After learning of this truth Loran also discovered several features of the Turn A that he was unaware of, most notably that the cockpit was a Core Fighter capable of separating from the Turn A; also Loran discovered the ability to make the Turn A vanish from sight through bending lightwaves.

It is revealed that the Turn A is a reversed engineered Turn X. The Turn A was created due to the discovery of the Turn X, which was found before the Correct Century started, drifting in space. The Turn X outclassed all other mobile weapons at the time of its discovery. The Earthlings at that time were horrified by the fact that such advance technology existed and far surpassed their own capabilities. The Earthlings figured that if such a technologically advanced civilization were to attack them, they would stand no chance. Thus the Turn A was created. However after the creation of the Turn A, the Earth was divided into 2 factions, one possessing the Turn X and one possessing the Turn A Gundam, and a war between both sides began. Eventually, the full power of the two Turn units were released, and the ensuing conflict and a series of political decisions related to it led to all traces of technology between the Earth and Jupiter (save the civilizations on the Moon) being completely wiped out. At some point during this great conflict the Turn X was defeated in battle by the Turn A and received the X shaped mark that it continued to bear on its chest throughout the rest of its history. These events are assumed to have led to the beginning of C.C. 0001.

During the Turn A's second and final battle with the Turn X, both machines unleashed their Moonlight Butterflys and engaged in single combat. Both Turn units fought each other to a stalemate until both units managed to heavily damage each other in close combat. Both pilots, Loran Cehack and Gym Ghingham, escaped unharmed and subsequently engaged in a short sword duel. However, both machines were encased in a large cocoon as the Moonlight Butterfly from both machines were of equal strength and thus both suits were unable destroy each other. Eventually, both the Turn units and Gym Ghingham were encased in the cocoon created by the two Moonlight Butterflys for an unknown amount of time (presumably for a long time).

Variants

 * Turn A Gundam TAKU Custom
 * A customized Turn A Gundam unit built and operated by TAKU, the leader of the popular rock group SGOCK Third Generation. This unit features a black color scheme and retains all of the Turn A Gundam's standard armaments.

Notes & Trivia

 * The ∀ Gundam was chosen to be the 100th Master Grade model of Gunpla (abbreviation of Gundam Plastic Model) and at an earlier time, the first release of the ∀ Gundam DVD box set was announced.
 * The Hajime Katoki Version of the suit sports a different design as well as redesigned mouth-piece, which more closely resembles that of a normal Gundam.
 * Although Katoki did a different design for his own version of the ∀, he did design the Master Grade of the ∀ Gundam, which is the same as the anime version.
 * Kunio Okarawa also drew his own version of the ∀ Gundam. The latter also sports a mouth piece similar to the original Gundam.
 * The chest of the ∀ Gundam has sometime been depicted as bearing a white cross instead of being completely blue.
 * The Master Grade of the ∀ Gundam has the option of swapping the blue cross-shaped piece of the chest with a white one.
 * The ∀ Gundam is the first Gundam to not be powered by an Ultracompact Fusion Reactor, instead relying on a power source unique to its timeline. Future Gundams would continue this trend.