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DWM-01MS Gespenst
Model number: DWM-01MS
After sinking considerable funding and effort into space exploration, for relatively unknown purposes, the Europe-based defense firm Dahlgren Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (Dahlgren Weapons and Munitions Factories) announced amid much fanfare that it was entering the mobile suit market in mid-UC 228. Although the rather conventional design of its mobile suits were never adopted in large numbers, as hoped, by the Earth Union's armed forces, DWM was able to pitch the design to other world military forces and armed organizations who needed a reliable but economical multi-role combat unit. However, rumors have persisted about DWM's mobile suit designs and their allegedly "superficial" resemblance to alien technology utilized by the Gun Saints during the pre-Interregnum period. The DWM-01MS Gespenst ("Phantom") is the first production model of DWM's mobile suit family, and is intended to be used in a multirole position in both atmosphere and space conditions. While it does not excel in any particular combat posture, its versatility and reliable design make it popular among legitimate armed forces and, to a lesser extent, outlaw groups as well. The Gespenst features an aerodynamic body and a large number of hybrid rocket/jet thruster arrays, giving it excellent mobility in space while allowing long jet-assisted jumps and dashes in a terrestrial environment. The Gespenst is also theoretically capable of flight, and even includes a pair of wings on its backpack, but in practice is only used briefly or for emergency purposes due to rapid overheating of its thrust systems. Aside from a conventional beam saber positioned in an accessible mount, the Gespenst is also provided with a unique melee weapon referred to as the 'Jet Magnum'. By venting surplus plasma from the reactor around three hyper-density conductive stakes in the Gespenst's arm, a highly capable melee weapon is created that does not need to be drawn or stored before use. However, the position of the 'Jet Magnum' effectively limits it to a punching weapon. Because its power increases exponentially with a faster strike, Gespenst pilots are typically instructed to use the weapon as part of a high-speed dash when a single-hit takedown of a well-protected target is necessary. For users who prefer ranged combat, the plasma stakes can be replaced with a triple-barreled beam gun, making for a nasty off-hand attack. The Gespenst is provided with a fairly standard array of handheld weaponry, including the compact M950 machine gun, designed to be fired one-handed, and the M13 shotgun utilizing tungsten-alloyed flechette shells. It may also be armed with the relatively typical M89 beam rifle, which possesses a high charge capacity but cannot be reloaded in the field thanks to its older-style energy cap power source. Finally, the Gespenst may be armed with a pair of split missile containers on its back. Designed to create a powerful attack that was also difficult to avoid, the split missile is really a submunition system of sorts - the missile container itself is launched at the target, only firing its own short-range missiles once it has closed to a very close distance. In spite of the relatively high degree of functionality, the Gespenst is also economical as well. Although DWM does not sell military hardware, including mobile suits, to parties accused by the Earth Union of supporting terrorism, there seems to be a vibrant black market for their products, and no small number of Gespensts have wound up in the hands of anarchist groups and other elements with a generally anti-EU agenda.
3-barrel beam gun |
