Model Number:RGM-87C2 BR-GM/RGM-87CR BR-GM Mahaus
Overall Height: 19.4m
Full Weight: 58.9t
Armaments:

beam saber
beam rifle
missile launcher (inside shield)
hyper bazooka
vulcan pod
others
*Type-CR is also equipped with a beam lance

A BASTARD CHILD OF HAMAN’S WAR

This suit is a second-generation mobile suit that the Titans formally adopted towards the end of the Gryps War.

Many mysteries abound over the development history of the mobile suit, and some theories say that it was a mass production model of the Gundam Mk-II, others opine that it was independently developed at the New Guinea base, while others go so far as to claim it was the product of a top-secret project known as the TR Project. Whatever the case, the truth isn’t exactly known (and still isn’t some 60 years after that war ended).

All this confusion stems from the embarrassment of the Federation government following the Gryps War and their extreme reluctance to disclose relevant information about the Titans, the very same organization they hefted responsibility for the war as coup d’etat rebels, which included the destruction of the colony at Side 2.

Throughout the anarchy, Titans accused of war crimes (among them were a large number of regular forces which had joined the group) destroyed documents, covering up their involvement in any war crimes and wiping out a bulk of the records.

But, the Barzam remained.

Unlike the RMS-108 (MSA-002) Marasai, which Anaheim supplied a few of to the Titans, the Barzam was the first Federation-produced second-generation mobile suit designed for mass production. Its mass production (including those from the regular forces, which were incorporated under the Titans’ command) was progressing at an accelerated pace across various arsenals.

(Left) Equipped with a moveable frame and Gundarium γ, the Barzam was the first fully mass-produced model of the Federation’s second-generation mobile suits. (Right) A Jegan used by Birnam Wood in U.C.0096. The Jegan’s armor layout has similarities with the RGM-87, so its parts commonality is exceptionally high.

The Federation’s regular forces had been reliant upon the GM series, thought to be “superior in production, though lacking against Zeon’s Dom or Gelgoog on a one-on-one level,” and the HiZack, which faced concerns with its generator, despite having high performance. Thus, the Barzam at hand was not a mobile suit they could simply abandon because it was developed under the leadership of the Titans. What’s more, Haman’s fleet stared them in the face.

And so, the Barzam was introduced into the maelstrom of the struggle with the Neo Zeon.

While many of these mobile suits were utilized with the same specs as the RMS-154, on-site were reluctant to use Titans weaponry which exuded an image of colony destruction. This didn’t boil down to simplistic, emotionally charged sentiments; it was also an inconvenience for the military top brass and the politicians who shifted all the blame onto the Titans.

Fortunately, the Barzam is a highly modularized mobile suit, making it easy to adapt its head layout closer to its predecessor, the RGM-79N GM Custom.

Refurbishments came courtesy of Buch Aerodynamics, who had long been planning to retain their own military branch, and the NAMSD Labs on Side 2 (absorbed into SNRI in 0107), which had close connections with the company through the Colony Public Corporation. Despite Anaheim producing the reactors, Buch and NAMSD Labs gained valuable data and engineers for later mobile suit development from these overhauls.

Come March 0088, the AEUG and Karaba first adopted the BR-GM as the MSA-008, and shortly thereafter, the regular forces formalized the same suit as the RGM-86. The Type-A saw only slight modifications to the Barzam’s head unit, while the Type-B was redesigned with more parts shared with the GM II.

By October 0093, Buch had formed a partnership with the reorganized SNRI. Since the NAMSD Labs were accepting many TR Project researchers, the BR-GM was redesigned as a second-generation mobile suit that was easy to maintain and procure parts for, rather than for an elite unit like Londo Bell. This became the Type-C. However, some say that the redesign was just a reversion back to the TR Project, though it is unknown how true that is.

The Type-C2 was a modernized and upgraded suit with a generator swap-out similar to the RGM-89J and was deployed to several rear colonies during the Oldsmobile War, and many states in the Side 2 Alliance still adopt it to this day.

The Ronah family also deployed a Type-C2-based BR-GM for their secret forces known as “Birnam Wood.” The Type-CR, or BR-GM Mahaus as it’s known after Celtic mythology, was equipped with Buch-made enhanced sensors and is said to have exhibited performance that matched or surpassed that of the early model Jegan.

(U.C.0146.09.12 Dinah Kim)

Reporter Cain Glacier, who was in charge of this article as of our last publication, passed away suddenly as a result of a car accident. While the suspect remains unknown at this time, anyone with information on eyewitnesses is encouraged to come forward and contact our editorial office. Please also note that the content of this series has been modified from its previous announcement. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.