What started as a casual glance at the MS Evolution Chart from Mobile Suit Bible.86 ended up sending me down a rabbit hole to find more nuggets of information on relatively obscure mobile suits. So, I elected to dive into some of the suits presented in the charts.

「テストベッド∀」　機体解説
∀ガンダム試作　性能実験テストベッド機

Testbed ∀ Unit Exposition
∀ Gundam Prototype: Performance Testing Testbed Unit

So, there was a shift from a stand-alone tactical weapon to a system weapon operating with a complex, large-scale support system. That is at the heart of the design concept of the Testbed ∀. The Testbed ∀ is one of the prototypes of the ∀ Gundam.

The purpose of this machine was to demonstrate the “teleportation” function, which is the greatest feature of the ∀ Gundam, and to acquire data on it. At first glance, the head closely resembles that of the Turn X, the prototype of this machine.

This means the cockpit of this machine was placed in the head. Around the time the Testbed ∀ was built, this combination was created for two reasons: the original cockpit was a dummy for data collection, and to provide a means of escape to protect the test pilot.

The main part of the upper body is occupied by a platform for receiving weapons, ammunition, etc., sent in from the outside via teleportation. If performing as intended, weapons would materialize and be used by the ∀ Gundam as it penetrated deep into enemy territory.

The text mentions something about the “Gossen Effect” which is an extension of morphogenetic field theory. Beats me. Anywho, continuing on! This suit was SUPPOSED to showcase teleportation abilities, but this function was never fully realized…

So, the mass production prototype that followed this suit had the teleportation function itself removed. Still, there is no record of the ∀ Gundam teleporting through space and purifying the Earth through the power of the Moonlight Butterfly. The end.

Addendum: Mobile Suit Bible 86 lists this particular suit as “System-98 ∀ Gundam Prototype & Performance Testing Testbed Unit (Testbed ∀).” Sheesh that’s a mouthful.

『オリジナル　ターンX』機体解説
ターンX初期生産型

Original Turn X Unit Exposition
Turn X Early Production Type

There are significant differences between the original Turn X unit and the one that was later unearthed from the Mountain Cycle on the Moon. At first glance, the most distinctive features are the presence or absence of scars across the chest armor, the difference in the right arms armor, and the structure of the platform across the back. Furthermore, some areas across the suit have been damaged in battle, the history of which is unknown, and a significant portion of these areas are discolored due to malfunctions with the nanoskin. Based on this, it is believed that the opponent it faced in battle was a weapon of equal or superior performance to the Turn X, but only the Turn X knows what kind of weapon it was.

The right arm of the original suit can be seen with what appears to be a shape similar to that of a human. However, it seems that it was still equipped with a thermal energy cauterizing weapon known as the “Shining Finger” at this point. The fact that this shape couldn’t be recreated in later repairs may have been due to technical obstacles.

The back platform is quite simple, unlike its progeny. The original Turn X was more of an interplanetary high mobility fighter with a striking hue to it, and this platform in particular was the main propulsion system for it. It can be said that it was converted into weaponry in a future generation shows the tactical ideology of the suit’s owners at the time had gradually deviated from that of the original.