For my very first Design Series post, I want to go over something that’s been on my mind a lot lately - namely, the GM variants found in the 1989 OVA Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket. I built two of these GM’s as model kits in the past year, and currently have another in the backlog. This seems like the perfect time to cover them all in one fell swoop.

Caveats and Context

• There are plenty of other GM variants from across the Universal Century timeline, but I am going to focus on the ones from War in the Pocket.
• These mobile suits don’t just happen to appear in the same OVA: they are also part of a single throughline of technological progression, each one building off of another. That makes this post much easier to write.

But before we begin in earnest, we need to mention one mobile suit that doesn’t appear in the OVA - the original, standard, classic, RGM-79:

The GM is, of course, the baseline from which all of War in the Pocket’s GM variants spring from. And while the GM’s sheer ubiquity made it the difference maker during the One Year War, the Earth Federation nevertheless felt the need to push the envelope and develop newer, better designs that could compete with The Principality of Zeon’s own ever-improving mecha. This is what lead to so many, many GM variants, including the ones we see in War in the Pocket.

With that in mind, let’s begin the first stop in our technological progression, which also happens to be the very first GM we see in the OVA.

RGM-79D ‘GM Cold Districts Type’

As far as I can tell, technically speaking, not all RGM-79D’s are Cold District Types, but all Cold District Types are RGM79-D’s. Allow me to explain.

At its core, the RGM-79D was a slightly improved variant of the original GM. It was introduced late into the One Year War, which means it wasn’t around long enough to make a huge impact (this will end up being true of all the units covered in this post, so I’m only going to say it once).

The main improvement of the RGM-79D was the inclusion a bigger backpack with extra thrusters, which of course made it more maneuverable.

Now, if I’m reading things correctly, what happens next is that some (but not all) of the manufactured RGM-79D’s were taken and further modified for use in arctic conditions. These enhancements included:

• A better comms system so the units could stay connected even during a heavy snowstorm
• Their ventilation systems were modified so that excess heat from the generator was routed to the joints, which helped keep them from freezing in subzero temperatures

In my headcannon, these units were the ones that became the most widely known among Earth Federation forces, which in turn caused the entire line of RGM-79D’s to be given the nickname of “GM Cold Districts Type”.

Appearances in Media

In addition to showing up War in the Pocket and the Blue Destiny manga, the Cold Districts GM also shows up in a few other manga, and a bunch of video games.

How is it Portrayed?

Allegedly, the Cold Districts GM performs very well in the Blue Destiny manga, taking down both Doms and Hy’Goggs. However, in War in the Pocket, the tables are turned. A Zeon squad piloting Z’Goks and Hy’Goggs sneaks in and manhandles the Cold District GM’s assigned to the Federation’s arctic base. All in all, it is far from a good showing for the mobile suit.

Maybe this means the Cold Districts isn’t actually all that good - but maybe it doesn’t. Maybe they were thrown off by the Zeon sneak attack, and that they would have done better had they faced their opponents head-on. Maybe they would have done better if they had been better equipped - for example, throughout the battle, we see literally one GM equipped with a shield:

Or, you know, maybe they really do suck …

Weapons and Accessories

The Cold Districts GM can use all of the common gear typically attributed to GMs, but several of the ones in War in the Pocket are equipped with a very particular machine gun that we don’t see anywhere else:

While these machine guns are unable to stop the Zeon assault, they presumably pack a punch. For example, here is a scene where they manage to chew through the walls of the base:

Furthermore, some sources claim that some of these machine guns were equipped with a grenade launcher, though we don’t ever see it being used. Still, I can imagine this thing being nasty in a fair fight.

RGM-79G GM Command

🙃 This is the part where we have to get careful with names.

What we are talking about here is the RGM-79G GM Command:

This, of course, is not the same as the RGM-79 [G] GM Ground Type:

Which in turn is not the same as the RX-79 [G] Gundam Ground Type:

I propose a moritorium on mobile suit names that use “7”, “9”, and “G” consecutively.

Anyway, if the Cold Districts GM can be described as “an improvement on the GM”, then the GM Command can be described as “an improvement on the Cold Districts Type - but also kind of not”.

On a purely technical level, the GM Command is an improvement on the Cold Districts. Its enhancements include:

• More thrusters on the backpack
• Additional thrusters placed across the body
• A better generator
• More and better comms equipment
• Two beam sabers instead of one

However, for reasons too complicated to get into, most GM Command units were deployed to protect space colonies. Because colonies are small, cramped, and delicate, these units had their performance tuned down far below their full potential, and they were given weapons that were less likely to cause damage inside the colony. In other words, most GM Command units were deliberately handicapped due to the specific role they were assigned to. They were an improvement that wasn’t allowed to use those improvements.

Appearances in Media

Again, the GM Command shows up in a number of minor Manga and video games, and it only shows up very briefly on screen in War in the Pocket. I’m not sure what the record is for “least amount of screen time given to a mobile suit that was eventually made into a model kit”, but the GM Command has to be close.

How is it Portrayed?

In the first episode of War in the Pocket, a couple of GM Commands chase some Zaku II Kai’s around the colony. While they eventually manage to shoot the Zakus down, they don’t exactly have an easy time of it.

(Pardon the quality of these screenshots - I took photos of my TV playing a DVD):

In fact, we don’t actually see them do the shooting on screen. Instead, most of their screen time is spent doing things like this:

Later in the story, some GM Commands are seen as part of Scarlet Team - which means they get crushed by the Kampfer.

All in all, not only does the GM Command barely show up, but it performs terribly when it does. Not exactly the best showing.

Weapons and Accessories

The GM Command has the same loadout as the GM Sniper II, minus the sniper rifle. That means its main armaments are a bullpup machine gun, beam sabers, and a shield.

There is a reason for their similar loadouts, but we will get to that later.

All in all, it’s a standard arsenal, but on the GM Sniper II the machine gun is a secondary weapon. It feels too small and puny to be “primary firearm” material.

Granted, I just said that the GM Command was intentionally gimped, but my feeling is one of disappointment, not shock.

RGM-79GS GM Command Space Type

The GM Command Space Type is simply a GM Command tweaked for use in outer space. It has a different backpack, with its thrusters placed differently for optimal movement in zero gravity. It also swaps out the machine gun for a beam rifle.

Appearances in Media

The Command Space Type appears in a bunch more stuff than the regular command, including a few more manga, a novel, video games, and an animated short.

How is it Portrayed?

The Command Space Type shows up in War in the Pocket’s sole space battle, a brief skirmish in which the squad fights off some Zeon forces. They manage to take out some Zakus:

But cannot handle the dreaded Gelgoog Jaeger:

Still, the fact that it gets a single kill means it has one of the best showings of any Feddie mobile suit in this entire OVA.

Weapons and Accessories

As mentioned, the Command Space Type gets to use a Big Boy gun, namely this sweet looking beam rifle:

RGM-79SP GM Sniper II

Now we get to the end of the line. Not only is this the last GM variant featured in War in the Pocket, but it is also the end of this technological line of progression. The GM Sniper II was one of the final, if not the final GM variant developed during the One Year War, and as such was arguably the most powerful GM from the OYW era.

It also happens to be based on the GM Command, adding even more enhancements to the Command’s base design, including:

• A Sniper visor with tons of cameras and tech to assist with long range sharpshooting
• More (and bigger) thrusters than the GM Command, some placed on the back, others in the legs
• Armor that’s reinforced with Luna Titanium, similar to the Grandaddy Gundam
• Its armor was made to have improved heat ventilation and better noise suppression
• Its arms were given extra special/powerful motors and servos

It is said that on paper, the GM Sniper II’s specs were even better than the Grandaddy Gundam, which allowed it to remain effective for years after the end of the war.

Appearances in Media

One again, the GM Sniper II appears in a bunch of manga, two novels, and a smattering of video games. It also makes an appearance in Gundam Build Fighters: GM’s Counterattack

I have to admit that I’m surprised it hasn’t shown up in other, more notable works. The GM Sniper II is a fan favorite nowadays, and I’m sure plenty of folks would like to see it.

How is it Portrayed?

In War in the Pocket, we don’t even get to see the GM Sniper II fire a shot. The units get destroyed offscreen by the Kampfer, and that’s that. For such a powerful mobile suit, it sure goes down like a punk.

The only thing that saves it from complete embarrassment is the fact that it has a very cool introduction:

Weapons and Accessories

The GM Sniper II has the same shield and bullpup machine gun as the GM Command, but it also has its signature sniper rifle:

What is notable about this rifle is that it is not a beam weapon. It actually fires ballistic slugs, in part because it is one of the only mobile suits that has the hardware and software needed to effectively aim such a weapon from long range.

Conclusion

Ostensibly, the GM’s of War in the Pocket exist to sell model kits. That’s why they mostly look the same, with just minor tweaks.

However, the in-universe explanations for how these units build off of and evolve from one another is interesting, and gives at least some justification as to why the Federation would field so many minor variants of a core design.

And yet, it is unfortunate to see so many souped up GM designs that ultimately get to do little to nothing on screen. There is something quite dismal about the fact that Bandai and Sunrise were able to make so many samey designs, have them get their teeth kicked in, and then expects us to buy them as model kits - and we fans fall for it hook, line, and sinker. When I want to be cynical about Gundam and Gunpla, this is what I think about.