RTX-65 Guntank Early Type

The RTX-65 Guntank Early Type is an Earth Federation fire-support vehicle developed before the RX-series Project V machines came online. More “tank” than “mobile suit,” it mounts a compact humanoid upper hull on broad, tracked lower units, favoring stability and sustained bombardment over agility. Designed as a stopgap to counter Zeon’s early mobile suit advantage, it brought heavy ordnance to the field quickly, using simple, proven mechanics that could be produced and serviced in bulk.

Its main battery consists of twin shoulder-mounted cannons intended for indirect fire and medium-range suppression, backed by multiple machine guns mounted in the head and hull for close defense. Crews often operated the Guntank Early Type as part of combined-arms teams, letting conventional armor screen it while it saturated enemy positions or broke up mobile suit advances. The chassis’ low profile and wide tread base helped absorb recoil and kept the guns on target during prolonged volleys.

In practice the design’s strengths and weaknesses were stark. On prepared ground it delivered reliable, punishing fire, but its tracked undercarriage and limited traverse left it vulnerable if enemy Zakus slipped inside its engagement envelope. Urban clutter, steep terrain, and ambushes exposed the platform’s slow reaction time and minimal close-combat options. These realities informed later Federation development, culminating in the RX-75 Guntank, which improved fire control, protection, and integration with true mobile-suit formations.

Even as newer units arrived, the RTX-65 remained a common sight in the early One Year War, guarding bases, anchoring defensive lines, and serving as artillery for advancing troops. It stands as a utilitarian precursor to the Federation’s mature mobile-suit doctrine: a blunt, dependable gun platform that bought time until more sophisticated machines could take the field.