KIDOU SENSHI GUNDAM: RENPOU VS ZION (ARCADE)
RGM-79 GM (MASS PRODUCTION TYPE) FAQ

Version 0.85
Copyright Wavehawk 04/05/2002

============
UPDATE BOARD
============
03/27/02 - Version 0.85
- Corrected description of Zaku attacks.
- Corrected names of enemy MAs
- Added the 'Standing Gogg" apparent bug in game.
- Re-edited for easier viewing.

02/17/02 - Version 0.80
- First version of GM FAQ. Set at 65 CPL.

========
LEGALESE
========
This FAQ may only be shown at Gamefaqs <http://www.gamefaqs.com>
website, or as part of Don "Gamera" Chan's Renpou VS Zion FAQ.

Any reprinting or publication of part or the whole of this
article without the authors' permission is prohibited. Any
attempt at copying part or the whole of this FAQ and pass it off
as another's work is considered blatant plagiarism and will be
punished accordingly and personally by the authors themselves.

This is a non-profit FAQ written for free and informational
purposes only and not to be marketed for any reason. Know fully
well that if this is violated in any way, the writer and the
maintainers of the page this FAQ is displayed on are perfectly
within their legal rights to sue the pants off of you, since
murder is not permissible.

The information written in this FAQ is neither sponsored by nor
endorsed in any way by software developer Capcom nor by
entertainment company Bandai/Sunrise. The names and terms Mobile
Suit Gundam, Gundam, GM, Zaku, et al., and the likenesses thereof
are copyright 1979, 2001 Sunrise animation and Bandai Co.


==========
COMMENTARY
==========
I am a longtime Virtual On fan. When Capcom first came out with
the arcade version of Gundam, I was initially skeptical since
their previous mecha game, Kikaioh (Tech Romancer) did not really
appeal to me, mainly due to it's fighting-game interface.
However, I was thoroughly impressed with the result, and
currently Renpou vs Zion is one of the few new non-shooting gun
games I am currently playing.

Nonetheless, I highly recommend reading Donny's general Renpou VS
Zion FAQ first before going on to this MS-specific FAQ, as it
will save you some trouble later on.


=========
INTERFACE
=========
Gundam: Renpou VS Zion uses a standard 8-Way joystick and four-
button control interface. Ideally, the stick should be controlled
by the left hand, and the right hand handles the action buttons
(unless, of course, you happen to be double-jointed). Long-time
players of the Capcom games Spawn: The Devil's Own or Heavy
Metal: Geomatrix should feel right at home, as Gundam uses more
or less the same game engine, with a few new twists.

Here is the control scheme with respect to the RGM-79 GM:

  NW  N  NE
    \ | /        G  F  J
  W - C - E   T
    / | \
  SW  S  SE

N - North. Walk forward. (Tap twice to dash)
E - East. Walk right. (Tap twice to dash)
W - West. Walk left. (Tap twice to dash)
S - South. Walk backward. (Tap twice to dash)
NW - Northwest. Walk forward-left. (Tap twice to dash)
NE - Northeast. Walk forward-right. (Tap twice to dash)
SW - Southwest. Walk backward-left. (Tap twice to dash)
SE - Southeast. Walk backward-right. (Tap twice to dash)
T - Target selection.
G - Beam Spray Gun.
F - Beam Saber.
G+F - 60mm Vulcan Gun.
J - Jump Booster.
F+J - Jumping Stab.

=========
RGM-79 GM
=========
Earth Federation
Mass-Production General Purpose Mobile Suit
RGM-79 "GM" (Gundam Mass Production Type)
Head Height: 18.0 Meters
Empty Weight: 41.2 Metric Tons
Loaded Weight: 58.8 Metric Tons
Power Output: 1250 Kilowatts
Armor Material: Titanium Alloy
Total Thrust: 55480 Kilograms/Thrust
Sensor Radius: 6000 Meters
Production Run: Mass Production
180 Degree Turn Time: 1.6 Seconds
Land Speed: 102 Km/H
Armament:
- Beam Saber x 1
- 60mm Vulcan Gun x 2
- Beam Spray Gun x 1
- Shield

Notes:
- The GM (pronounced 'Jim'), or Gundam Mass-Production (some
sources call it General Purpose Mass-Production), is the
Federation equivalent of the Zion Zaku, and is the 'grunt' MS of
the Federation's side. It is still more expensive than the Zaku
and packs more firepower, but only really shines in the hands of
a skilled player. Virtual On fans can liken the GM to Gundam the
way the 10-80 is to Temjin in that game.
- The GM functions similarly to the Gundam(Beam Rifle), only with
less damage capability, less armor, and shorter range. In short,
it is a (heavily) downgraded Gundam. At longer ranges, the GM is
cannon fodder to most Zion MS, but at mid- to close-ranges, it
can be at least as dangerous as a Gundam.
- In the DX version of the game, this MS is not to be confused
with the RGM-79(G) GM. The RGM-79(G) or Ground Combat GM is
slightly more costly, can select either a 100mm Machinegun or
Beam Rifle, has thicker armor, no 60mm Vulcans (no secondary
attack whatsoever), and is meant for Ground Combat only. The
RGM-79 GM Mass Production can be used in any environment.

========
GM TIPS:
========

"Don't call me GM Head..."
- Karen Joshua, The 08th MS Platoon

One of the problems of the GM is that the sum of all its weaponry
is weaker than most enemy MS including the Zaku. Although the
Beam Spray Gun is an effective weapon, most of the GM's high-
damage ranged attacks are with the Beam Spray Gun, and that's not
saying much as it is the weakest of the Federation beam weapons.
It really excels best at close combat.

-------------
GENERAL TIPS:
-------------
- First rule of thumb (for ALL players): Stay alert. It's easy to
lose yourself in what you're doing, so much so that an enemy
could easily get the jump on you. Especially one who's just
respawned and falling from the sky. In the upper-right corner is
the radar. Red dots are your enemies and the green cone is your
MS' field of vision. Be aware of where your enemy is, and keep on
your toes.

- If your MS has a shield and is moving backward when it is fired
upon, the MS will raise its shield to defend, thus taking no
damage. However, the shield itself will be damaged, and it's only
a matter of time before that is destroyed. I have observed this
with the Gundam and the GM. The Gyan, on the other hand, ALWAYS
has its shield up since it houses its primary weapon, but the
shield is small.

- Donny has noted that in a two-player game, both players
shouldn't attack the same enemy MS. In close combat, it's easy
for one of you to attack a teammate as well as an opponent; the
slashing attacks of the GM's Beam Saber have to be watched
carefully. Thus, if a partner GM is already in close combat, STAY
AWAY.

--------
WEAPONS:
--------

BEAM SPRAY GUN
- The GM's main weapon. It is far weaker than the Beam Rifle and
has less accuracy, but is still a considerable weapon to use in
mid to close range combat. Because of its weaker power and
shorter range, it is not nearly as good at sniping as most other
beam weaponry, but can still do fairly well in the right hands.
Take note of a few things:
* Beam Spray Guns cannot autofire like autocannon or machineguns,
but are single-shot.
* When at less than maximum ammo count and not in use, long-range
Beam Weapons recharge slowly (at a rate of 1 shot/10 seconds), so
don't waste your shots; make each one count and restrain the urge
to empty your clip. This is especially true of the GM, as you
will rely on the Beam Spray Gun for nearly all of your ranged
combat actions.
* Beam Spray Guns fire quickly, but are not as accurate as Beam
Rifles.
* Beam Weapons penetrate through enemy and friendly MS alike. Be
aware not only of what you're shooting, but what lies directly
behind your target.
* When confronted with Beam Weapons, the best defense is to NOT
get hit. The GM should be reasonably quick enough to avoid most
enemy shots.

- It helps greatly to think of the Beam Spray Gun as a handgun
more than a Beam Rifle. It's far weaker than any other beam
weapon and is quite innacurate at range. On the other hand, it's
quite deadly close-up, and most able GM pilots will try to get as
close-in as possible to maximize their MS' abilities.


BEAM SABER
- The GM Beam Saber is weaker than the Gundam's Beam Saber due to
the GM's lower power output, and this reflects in the game.
Nevertheless, it's still an effective melee weapon, as it comes
out about as fast as the Gundam's Beam Saber. Like all melee
attacks, the GM's dashes forward in close combat. The attack has
a short range, but is often enough to catch up to a retreating
Zaku.

- The saber used in combination (F, F) starts out with a diagonal
cut from upper-right to lower-left, then the GM pulls back for a
forward thrust. It seems that although the damage is less, the
two-stroke GM cut on the ground is a definite knockdown if both
attacks connect.

- The aerial version has the GM move forward and slash downward,
similar to the way the Gundam attacks. It especially shines
thorough when dealing with Doms in the Black Sea Forest stage, as
it allows you to move fast enough to slash at a retreating Dom.
In fact, this is my recommended tactic against Doms in this stage
(see below).

- Pressing the Jump and Melee (J and G) buttons simultaneously
will make the GM jump upwards and stab down. Although it's a
relatively fast and powerful attack, it has a very small area of
effectivity and can be easily dodged by an astute enemy, since
the GM's jump looks different in this version.


60MM VULCAN GUN
- The Vulcan Gun does relatively little damage, and unlike the
other weapons it fires only directly forward, without any
tracking ability whatsoever. However it takes practically no time
at all to prepare and fire. Though it does weak damage, this
slight 'chipping' of armor can sometimes spell the difference
between life and death battles with a Zaku.

- Vulcan Guns are the fastest ranged weapon in the GM's arsenal.
They function similarly to the Zaku Machine Gun in the sense that
although they do little damage, a sustained burst can stun an
enemy MS.


----------------
ANTI-MS TACTICS:
----------------
MS-05 Zaku/MS-06 Zaku II/MS-06S Char's Zaku
- For all intents and purposes, the many Zaku variants are pretty
much the same in performance and armor with little difference
between each, save for Char's Zaku. The GM's Beam Spray Gun is
more powerful, but lacks the accuracy of the Zaku's Machinegun or
Bazooka. This is my biggest gripe with the GM; it can't select
weaponry like its Zaku counterpart.

- The Zaku I fights unarmed, with kicks and punches. It should be
no problem for a GM to destroy a Zaku I since the Beam Saber has
more power and better reach as well. The Zaku I seems little more
than cannon fodder at melee ranges for GMs.

- The Zaku II and Char's Zaku posess a Heat Hawk which comes out
fast, but roughly equal to the GM's Beam Saber. Zakus usually
aren't much of an opponent individually, but their sheer numbers
and low cost can swamp you. Also, try using the Vulcan Guns when
the GM is facing the Zaku and has a clear shot; this would save
you energy that the Beam Spray Gun would normally use, and
stunning the Zaku with the Vulcans is a good set-up for an
incoming Beam Saber attack.

- The Zaku I's special brawl attack is a very slow shoulder rush,
not really much of a threat unless it comes from behind or to the
side (or you're really, REALLY slow). All of the Zaku IIs will do
an aerial body-check (!) by leaping into the air and giving you
the atomic elbow (if you ask me the boys at Bandai have to cut
down on their WWF intake).

- The 120mm Zaku Machinegun (MMP-78) is the standard weapon among
all Zaku. Though it is the second weakest primary weapon in the
game (only the Agguy's 105mm and Gouf's 75mm cannon are weaker),
it packs a lot of ammunition (120 rounds for Zaku I/II, 160 for
Char's Zaku) and a sustained burst is powerful enough to stun an
enemy MS without knocking it down (ideal for a combination
attack). It's also relatively better at tracking, since the hail
of shots follow you as you move, unlike the straight-line Beam
Spray Gun. Be wary, as the hail of 120mm ammo will hit hard
enough to throw your aim and cancel the firing of your weapons.

- The 280mm Zaku Bazooka is the second choice weapon of all Zaku
variants, and the one most commonly used by human players. Since
a bazooka has a lot of power and no recoil, it is an easy
favorite. One of its other advantages is area effect; if a
bazooka shell explodes, the area explosion will do some level of
damage. Finally, the Bazooka is quite effective at knocking down
opponents due to its power. The drawback of the Bazooka is that
it has a slightly slower firing rate than the Zaku Machinegun, so
use that to your advantage. It is possible to shoot the shells as
they are fired; if you manage to fire your Beam Spray Gun at the
Zaku as it fires the Hyperbazooka, you could get lucky and hit
the shell as well.

- The Cracker is a Zaku-sized grenade. Though it has a fairly
short range and not very accurate, its explosive effect covers
enough of an area to damage an MS or at least stun it. It is an
indirect-fire weapon, capable of going over obstacles such as
buildings in order to hit an MS on the other side. It works
exceptionally well when two MS are close together, so try to keep
out of range. The Cracker can also be used to knock an MS out of
its jump, so be wary of this. Zakus usually pack only a pair of
Crackers at a time, but this weapon reloads fairly quickly.

- The 175mm Magella Top Cannon is only available to the regular
Zaku II (Not to the Zaku I or Char's Zaku II). It is a powerful
artillery weapon, and thus suffers disadvantages from it, such as
slow rate of fire, and the necessity to stand still while firing.
A Zaku is light, thus it has to step back slightly after
firing a shot. A GM could anticipate a Magella Top shot, once the
Zaku fires, quickly sidestep and counter with the Beam Spray Gun.
It will most likely hit, as the Zaku will be caught in mid-
recovery.

- A Zaku with a Magella Top can go into Sniper Mode, just like
the Guncannon and Guntank, but it can only fire the Magella
Top in that mode. CPU rarely uses Sniper Mode, but if it does,
remember that an MS in Sniper Mode (You can tell since it is
kneeling down and not moving) is a sitting duck for a direct-fire
or melee attack.

- Another Zaku II-only option are the Missile Packs. This
replaces the Cracker as a subweapon, while the 120mm gun is the
main weapon. The Missile pack carries 6 shots, and it takes
considerably longer than the cracker to aim and fire on the
ground. Since they are housed on the legs, the Zaku must kneel in
order to fire them. They are far more dangerous when fired in
air, though, as a Zaku may let three missiles loose at a time in
mid-air, and these missiles home in rather well. The GM has less
to worry against these since it is more nimble, but don't let
yourself get caught with your pants down. A Zaku will often
reserve the missiles for the Guncannon and Guntank instead.

- Char's Zaku has less armor than the other Zaku, but it packs
more ammunition for its MMP-78 and Bazooka. It is also faster and
more agile than the other Zaku, and it packs Char's trademark
flying kick as well.


MS-07B Gouf
- The Gouf is tough at short-range combat; after all it was
designed for close combat more than any other Zion MS (save for
the Gyan). Thus, its 75mm Hand Cannon is the single weakest
ranged weapon in the game short of the GM/Gundam Vulcan Guns. As
much as possible, avoid close range combat with this MS, as its
Heat Sword and Heat Rod(whip) can do serious damage to you at
those ranges.

- The Gouf is also quite fast--not as fast on its feet as a Dom,
but definitely fast enough to keep your GM on its toes. In fact,
a lot of Gouf pilots in close combat are like GM pilots--they
know that the best kills they can do are in close quarters. It's
SPECIFICALLY designed for close combat as opposed to the General-
Purpose GM, thus you might be at a slight disadvantage.

- The Gouf's Heat Rod can reach up to near medium range, and
unlike most attacks, the whip can flail from side to side, thus
simply sidestepping it is not enough. The Heat Saber is also
quite an effective weapon, especially with the way the Gouf
slashes (very wide cutting strokes). But at long range, the Gouf
is a literal pussycat as long as you can avoid the 75mm cannon
(which doesn't do much for it, either).

- Fear the Gouf pilot that gets within close quarters. A skilled
Gouf pilot can really put the fear of God into you, as its
weapons assortment in melee combat makes the GM Beam Saber look
pitiful. In fact, the Gouf's Heat Saber is more powerful than the
GM's downgraded Beam Saber. Once a Gouf gets in close, you
usually only have a fraction of a second to dodge and
counterattack before he destroys you.

YMS-15 Gyan
- Keep as far away from the Gyan as possible. It's missiles are
it's only ranged weapon, powerful enough, but it's nothing
compared with it's Spider Mines and Beam Saber. The Gyan is
similar to the Gouf in the sense that close combat is its
specialty. The Spider Mines it uses are miniature booby-traps;
walk into them and they explode like multiple Cracker grenades.
One tactic would be to keep at least medium-range distance, and
when the Gyan launches the Spider Mines, fire the Vulcans to set
them off ayt range. This will set off the Mines and damage the
Gyan. The Gyan is also incredibly well-protected. It is the only
MS in the game with an indestructible shield (since the shield
fires the Missiles).

- In close-combat, the Gyan is nimble and tricky to deal with.
Try to keep your distance as it does more damage in close combat
than a Gouf, as well as to avoid those Spider Mines.

- The Gyan underwater sucks hard. While this will probably only
happen in vs matches, it's good to know that the Gyan loses most
of its agility and speed when submerged, while the GM only
suffers a small slowdown. In the Belfast and Jaburo(aboveground)
stages, this is the place to get the jump on the Gyan, and
possibly the only stage wherein its a sitting duck.


MS-09 Dom/MS-R09 Rick Dom
- The Dom or Rick Dom is trouble for a GM player at range. The
only chance here is to get aggressive and go for melee combat.
Remember that melee attacks and air-dash attacks are relatively
fast; use this to your advantage in combatting the fast-dashing
Doms.

- Conserve your Beam Spray Gun shots for times when the Dom has
its back turned or is stunned by a Guntank's shots. A Dom will
often dodge at the very last second if it can see your shots,
thus don't waste them.

- My tactic is to get as close to the Dom as possible, then do an
aerial Beam Saber attack (jump, then dash forward Beam Saber).
This allows the GM to catch up to a Dom and slash at it. The
initial attack wills tun the Dom, follow it up with a second
slash to knock it down. Repeat as necessary. Unless someone comes
up with a better idea, this is the best tactic to use against
Doms.

- Watch out for the Giant Bazooka. It's the weakest of the
Bazookas in the Zion arsenal (due to game balance reasons), but
it still packs a punch. Especially in knocking GMs out of the
sky.

- Remember that the best thing to do would be to keep moving. A
stationary GM is a dead GM, especially when dealing with
something as fast on its feet as the Dom.


MSM-01 Zock
- Don't be fooled by its bulky appearance; the Zock is actually a
highly maneuverable MS, especially in water stages. It fires a
total of eight Beam Cannons, four in front and four behind, so
keep to its side where possible. It also has a head-mounted Beam
Gun that works well in knocking jumping enemies out of the sky,
so don't try to jump-attack it too often, as it will quickly get
wise to you. This giant MA costs 1/3 the resource bar, but you'll
find that like the Dom, it slides pretty well along flat terrain.

- The Zock only turns up in one stage in the story mode: Jaburo
underground. At times, you will have the unfortunate opportunity
to fight two Zocks at once, which is a pain.
- FURTHER TACTICS PENDING


MSM-03 Gogg
- The Gogg has a different sort of Beam Cannon; instead of
straight powerful beams, it shoots a shotgun-like spray of beam
shot that has fairly good range as well as damage. It is rather
slow on the ground, but packs very thick armor and a pair of
homing torpedoes/rockets that can also be a serious problem.

- Even though they're called "Torpedoes", these weapons can
easily leap out of the water and act like normal rockets with no
penalty at all. They're not exceptionally hard to dodge, though.

- The Gogg, like the Z'Gok and Agguy, excel underwater. However,
this dumpy-looking Marine Mobile Suit is a bigger and relatively
easier target to hit than the Z'Gok or Agguy partly due to its
size and its slower movement. The Gogg's weakness becomes readily
apparent when it engages aboveground; despite its power it packs,
it is the slowest Zion MS in the game.

- Even though it's slow, the Gogg packs a punch at close range.
It only needs to hit you once or twice to do serious damage, so
as with all enemies, flank it first before attacking. Beware the
Gogg's sudden forward rush attack ("The Headbutt of Love", as
fans call it).

- It's not all that hard to hit the Gogg with the Beam Spray Gun
at range, either. On the ground and out of the water, the Gogg is
rather easy to hit, but don't get too cocky or careless.

- There will be occasions wherein you will catch a Gogg from
behind, simply standing there. I call this the "Standing Gogg"
bug, but am unsure if this really is just a bug in the original
game (I've not heard of it happening in the DX version), but make
the most of it. If you see a stationary Gogg, don't hesitate:
attack!


MSM-04 Agguy
- Otherwise known as "Huggy Bear". The Agguy is the cheapest of
the Marine Mobile Suits. It has retractable claws for close
combat and a 105mm Autocannon that is slightly weaker than the
Zaku Machinegun but not as accurate. Finally, a body-mounted
Rocket Cannon rounds out the set.

- FURTHER TACTICS PENDING


MSM-07 Z'Gok/MSM-07S Char's Z'Gok
- Keep AWAY from the Z'Gok. Its close-combat attacks are fast
despite its appearance, and it can dish out serious amounts of
pain with just one two-hit combo. It also has the advantage in
the water, with it's slow but accurate Beam Cannon and the 240mm
Rockets.

- The Z'Gok's 240mm Rockets fire in a 6-shot burst and come out
relatively quickly, slower than a Machinegun but faster than most
of the ammo-based big guns.

- It's hard to nail down a Z'Gok since it dodges so well for a
large machine. Char's Z'Gok is even more nimble.

- Underwater, the Z'Gok is king. When jumping underwater it uses
no Jump Booster fuel and thus can hover around indefinitely if it
wanted to, underwater. Obviously, you do NOT want to deal with
this MS underwater.

- ALWAYS try to force the Z'Gok onto land. The Z'Gok on land is
still a fearsome opponent, but not nearly as bad as it is
underwater. In fact, the regular Z'Gok is noticably slower
aboveground; its Beam Cannon comes out slower, and it moves
slightly slower than it would in water. Use this to your
advantage.

- Char's Z'Gok is the real threat; it is as fast as Char's
Gelgoog(!), and does not seem to suffer the loss of movement
thatthe normal Z'Gok has when fighting on land.

- Like the Gogg, the Z'Gok also has a charging headbutt, but I
rarely see it actually connect. It's a good dash maneuver,
though. In the Belfast stages, I often see Z'Goks doing this in
order to cover long distances underwater in a hurry.


MS-14A Gelgoog/MS-14S Char's Gelgoog
- Nothing desribes pain like a Gelgoog. It's like confronting the
Zion equivalent of the Gundam, except that the Gelgoog looks
meaner. It even has more or less the same loadout: Beam Rifle,
Beam Naginata that acts as both melee weapon and shield. The only
thing lacking is the pair 60mm Vulcan.

- The Twin Beam Naginata is a nasty dual-purpose weapon. It's a
damaging melee weapon, but when it's spun by the Gelgoog, it also
becomes a powerful anti-Beam weapon shield. Unlike regular
shields, it will not shatter with damage, and the Gelgoog is
perfectly safe from damage. Don't try to charge in, as the
spinning blades can shred you. It's better to sidestep and try to
go for a shot angle at the Gelgoog where the spinning Naginata
does not protect.

- FURTHER TACTICS PENDING


MSN-02 Ziong
- TACTICS PENDING


MA-08 Byg Zam
- This huge Mobile armor posesses an I-Field that lessens the
damage done by Beam Weaponry somewhat. The only thing you can do
to damage it seriously would be to get in close and swing away at
the Byg Zam's legs. Not a good idea since the damn thing could
just as easily stomp on you. Leave the Byg Zam to the Guntank,
Guncannon, or Gundam(Hyperbazooka) MS, they're better equipped to
deal with it.

- My tactic: Run.


MA-04X Zakurello
- TACTICS PENDING


MAM-07 Grublo
- This is the Marine Mobile Armor that turns up in the Belfast
stage underwater. It's not very easy to down, but neither is it
extremely difficult; you have more to fear from the Z'Goks in the
same stage. It attacks with torpedoes, Beam Cannon, and it's
arms, but it also keeps swimming around in figure-eight arcs.
It's not a hard target to hit or dodge; you can actually afford
to ignore it temporarily and concentrate on the Z'Goks, which are
a far more serious threat.

- The Grublo being a marine MA, it cannot get aboveground. If
you're feeling lazy, wait for the Z'Goks to get aboveground and
fight them there; at the very least you'll have reduced the
number of problems you have to deal with.


MAN-03 Braw Bro
- This is the Mobile Armor that turns up early in the A Boa Qu
stage. Technically, it's a flying Grublo with wire-guided
Bits.

- FURTHER TACTICS PENDING


MAN-08 Elmeth (Lala Sun's MA)
- Of the mecha I've encoutnered in the Solomon stage, the Elmeth
is the hardest to deal with due to it's accurate BITS units and
its maneuverability.

- FURTHER TACTICS PENDING


-------
STAGES:
-------
Side 7 Stage:
- Side 7 is the easiest stage in the game. In CPU mode it starts
off with a Zaku I and a Zaku II, one will carry a Machinegun
while the other will pack a Bazooka. Your partner will be either
another GM or a Guntank. When two or three Zaku are destroyed,
Char's Zaku (Machinegun) will enter. Avoid the open hills if
possible; stay behind the cover of the buildings while Zion drops
in front.

- Use the buildings as cover as much as possible. Ducking behind
a building makes you a bit more difficult to hit from the Zaku
machineguns or bazookas.

- Try jumping on top of one of the buildings and shooting from
there. But be careful as the Zakus may get the same idea and
surprise you as you jump. Remember also that the buildings will
sometimes crumble due to damage.


Grand Canyon Stage:
- The CPU match usually starts off with two Zaku IIs, either one
with a Machinegun and one with a Bazooka, or both with Bazookas.
As with Side 7, when two or three Zaku are destroyed, Char's Zaku
(either Bazooka or Machinegun) will enter.

- If you start off atop one of the canyon mountains, start off
the match by jumping across to the next cliff. While doing so,
swap your target and look for the Zaku on your left.

- Alternately, you start at the bottom of the mountains and
cannot see your opponent. If this is the case, move towards the
right and be prepared to dodge a bazooka shot, or to take a
potshot at the incoming Zaku.

- Most of the close-combat battles will likely take place along
the river found at the bottom of the canyon. The water is a nice
touch but doesn't seem to affect movement at all. However, the
tightly boxed-in canyon walls are not for the claustrophobic.


New York Stage:
- The CPU match usually starts off with two Zaku IIs, either one
with a Machinegun and one with a Bazooka, or both with Bazookas.
As with the previous two stages, when two or three Zaku are
destroyed, Char's Zaku (Bazooka) will enter.

- The area behind curve of the colosseum wall is open area.
Outside, there are some tall skyscrapers, as well as a smaller
colosseum-like crater in the ground, wherein you can also engage
your enemy. The skyscraper area, like the buildings in Side 7,
provide some degree of cover from enemy attacks, but the heights
of most of these buildings make it fairly impractical to jump
atop them and snipe.


Takla Makan Desert Stage:
- The CPU game starts off either with the Azzam floating fortress
or Gallop hovercraft. For MS, it has either two Zaku IIs or one
Zaku II and one Gouf (2vs CPU game). The Zakus here will usually
be equipped with the missile pack subweapon. Your teammate will
be either a Guntank or a Guncannon. Take note of this; since
you're a GM, you'll occasionally need help from the Guntank or
Guncannon's cannons for this mission.

- Starting off, you can immediately see the two Zion MS and the
Azzam or Gallop in view. The second the round starts, your
targeting reticule will lock on to the closest enemy (in this
case, the Zaku). Don't waste time or ammunition, close the
distance as quickly as you can without getting hit.

- If I jump and dash forward, I usually fire off the Vulcans. It
does little damage, but at least it saves on Beam Spray Gun
energy that will become vital later on in the round.

- This stage appears as a 'dustbowl'. Huge sand dunes border the
sides while the center area is mostly open ground with a few
dunes here and there.

- You can try to take potshots at the Azzam, but according to
Donny, it's worth relatively few points, and the GM's Beam Spray
Gun doesn't do enough damage to it to really matter (Believe me,
I've TRIED). IMHO, going after it with a GM would be a complete
waste of time and effort; leave the Azzam kill to the Gundam or
Guncannon MS.

- Avoid the small 'cages' that the Azzam drops onto you on
occasion. They act like the Gouf's Heat Rod, electrocuting your
MS for great amounts of damage if you touch the bars. You can
avoid damage by staying dead-center of the cage, but it will also
leave you a sitting duck for enemy MS to take potshots at.

- In the 1-player game, after downing a Zaku, the Gouf makes a
flashy entrance from above the highest mountain peak before
leaping off and joining the fight. This is a beautiful
opportunity; once he leaps, aim and fire off a shot from your
beam weapon and watch him fall.


Black Sea Forest Area Stage:
- The CPU game starts off with two Doms and will keep piling up
Doms on you until the end of the match. In this stage there are
two forested hills and a wide valley between them. Your partner
for this is a Guntank and hopefully a G-Fighter to support you as
well.

- This is a tricky battle, especially for the short-range GM. The
Doms are more powerful, have better armor AND are faster. The Dom
has an additional advantage in this stage due to its hovering
movement, allowing it to skate from one hill through another
smoothly.

- The usual tactic I use here is jumping. Lots of times. Since
the Dom is infinitely more maneuverable than the GM, the only way
the GM can dodge its attacks would be to jump and air-dash or
jump and counterattack with the beam saber at close range. See my
tactics against Doms, above.


Odessa Stage:
- The CPU game starts off with one Zaku II (Magella Top) and one
Dom. After two Zaku IIs are destroyed, a second Dom will replace
it instead. If your partner is a computer, you will be partnered
with a Guncannon in this stage. The Federation units usually
start at the bottom of the cliff, while Zion units start on top,
among the buildings. There are occasions wherein a Fed unit will
start on the edge of the cliff, just left of the Zaku II.

- There is also a large 'land battleship' called the Big Tray,
located far off. This provides some heavy cover fire for the
Federation forces.

- The CPU MS tend to be hotshots, jumping off the cliff to
attack. Use this to your advantage and shoot them as they leap
down. Especially the Dom, which has less of an advantage on
uneven ground.

- Take care when at the bottom; since the CPU Zaku(Magella Top)
will fire off a shot at you as soon as it reaches the cliff, it's
good to keep yourself on the move. The Beam Spray Gun can't hit
very well at range, so you might as well close in.

- The buildings and flat area on the top of the cliff are more
even ground. If you wish to balance things out, get up there and
engage the enemy MS in standard face-to-face combat.


Belfast Stage:
- This is the first underwater stage in the game (Jaburo
underground is the second). Enemy MS are a Z'Gok (or two) and the
Grublo, a large underwater Mobile Armor. Destroy the Mobile
Armor and another Z'Gok or Gogg replaces it. Fed forces start
aboveground and must make their way toward the lake to engage the
Zion MS.

- One of the immediate dangers of underwater combat is that the
water is thick with silt and mud. This makes visibility rather
poor. This becomes even more of a problem for the GM since the
Z'Gok and Gogg are not only heavily armored, but are powerful at
both long-range and melee combat.

- The Gogg isn't too difficult since it's slow and big; keep a
reasonable mid-range distance and fire the Beam Spray Gun at it;
More often than not the Gogg will just stand there and take it,
and if it dodges it's quite easy to catch up to.

- The Z'Gok is another matter entirely. In the water, it's fast
and deadly, as well as quick enough to dodge your shots. Also,
since it uses no Jump Booster fuel when underwater, it can hover
almost indefinitely. Avoid its Beam Cannons and try to get it
from behind, not an easy task in itself.


Jaburo Stage (Above):
- This is the second underwater stage in the game. Zion MS here
are the Gouf, Gogg, and the Z'Gok. Your partner will be a
Guncannon, but will later be replaced by a Gundam (Beam Rifle).

- Unlike Belfast, you have little choice but to get your feet wet
in this stage; waiting for them to come to you still works, but
not as well since there's almost no cover to hide behind except
the pit directly behind the Federation start position (Similar to
the one in the Belfast stage).

- Same tactics apply, except that you have to keep moving. The
island in the center of the river is a prime sniping area to be
on, but it's also easily attacked from below, so be sure you know
where the two Zion MS are; It won't do for you to draw a bead on
the Z'Gok down below while a Gouf pilot with an evil gleam in his
eye sneaks up behind and whacks you one with his Heat Rod.


Jaburo Stage (Below):
- This is a cavern stage, taking place inside the underground
city of Jaburo. Zion MS here start off with two (woefully
underappreciated) MSM-04 Agguy MS. Later on, MSM-07S Char's Z'Gok
and/or the MSM-01 Zock replaces the downed Agguys.

- There are two ways to go about this stage: Destroy the Agguys
and Char's Z'Gok will appear, followed by a Zock. Hit the Char
Z'Gok as much as possible, but concentrate more on the Zock and
how to destroy it. If you destroy the two Agguys and Char's
Z'Gok, you'll have two Zocks to worry about, and that can be a
SERIOUS problem when you pilot a GM.

- The ideal attack sequence should be this: Agguy, Agguy, Agguy,
Zock, Char Z'Gok. Although you should not ignore Char's Z'Gok,
it's the Zock that is most dangerous. Attack the Zock from the
side or slightly at an angle to avoid its powerful 8-shot Beam
Cannons. Once the Zock is down, then attack Char's Z'Gok.
Remember however that another Zock will appear, so be careful.


Solomon Stage
- The first space stage. MS here is the MS-R09 Rick Dom and
either the MA-08 Byg Zam or MA-04X Zakurello Mobile Armors. Once
two Rick Doms are destroyed, either the MS-15 Gyan or the
MS-14/14S Gelgoog/Char's Gelgoog replaces it. The Byg Zam, of
course, makes up a bigger portion of the Zion resource bar, so
destroying it is crucial. Too bad the GM just isn't up to the
task of MA-busting.

- The Guncannon will have the easiest time of all the Federation
MS to destroy the huge Byg Zam. As a GM, the best you can do is
keep the other MS busy. If the Byg Zam is out, only one MS is
available, so it's not too much to worry about. Once the Byg Zam
goes down, then another enemy MS pops out. Concentrate on the
enemy MS and leave the Byg Zam be. NOTE: in RvsZ DX, the Byg Zam
is more aggressive, so watch out.

- The Zakurello is another matter entirely. The Zakurello has
thick armor and is quite nimble. It doesn't take as much off the
resource bar as the Byg Zam, but it's speed and power make it a
problem, not to mention the fact that as a flying MA, its hard to
shoot down from the ground.

- What is said for the Zakurello also holds true for the Elmeth,
but the Elmeth is a more nimble machine and packs a lot more
accuracy in firepower due to its BITS systems.


A Baoa Qu Stage (Above):
- This is apparently the first half of the final stage. MS here
are the MS-14/14S Gelgoog (may vary), and the MAN-03 BraBow. Once
two Gelgoogs are destroyed, the MSN-02 Ziong will appear to
replace them.

- The battle takes place at the very top of the A Baoa Qu
asteroid fortress. At the center is a very large tower with
outcropping support struts. Both sides start out evenly, opposite
each other with the tower in between.

- The A Baoa Qu stage has even less gravity than the Solomon
stage. Be careful; the gravity is so low that even the Guntank
can dodge shots. It can also come as a rude awakening to players
trying it out for the first time; often, a jump can send an MS so
high up in the air that you may lose track of your opponent.
Floating down from a very high jump also makes one an easy
target, as well.

- This stage can be annoying to the GM pilot. First, you're up
against a powerful MS/MA combination. Second, once you destroy
oen MA, another takes its place.


A Baoa Qu Stage (Below):
- TACTICS PENDING

========
CONTACT:
========
For any further queries or comments, please email
[email protected] with Subject: RGM-79 GM FAQ if you
have any questions, I'll try my best to answer them. Send me no
Spam; my mother just unloaded 60 cans of it on me wholesale.


=======
BIBLIO:
=======
These FAQs I have worked on as of this writing. All game FAQs are
available exclusively on GameFAQS. I have also written some
material for
GURPS.

Half-Life: Counterstrike (PC):
- Counterstrike Real Weapons FAQ

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Real Weapons FAQ

Gundam: Renpou vs Zion (Arcade):
- MS-14A/S Gelgoog FAQ
- MS-09/R09 Dom/Rick Dom FAQ
- MS-07B Gouf FAQ
- RGM-79 GM FAQ
- RX-77-2 Guncannon FAQ


========
CREDITS:
========
- Thanks to Don "Gamera" Chan for his FAQ on Gundam: Renpou vs
Zion, which helped give me a head start on this game, as well as
additional notes on the Azzam.
- Quantum amusement, for actually bringing this gem of a game
here instead of yet another fighting game.

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