The Best Mobile Suit For Fighting A War In Space – The MS-06 Zaku II Breakdown
During the course of the One Year War, the Zaku II changed the face of warfare. First for Zeon, and then in spite of it.
The MS-06 Zaku II is an infamous Mobile Suit design. It was the primary unitp roduced by the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War. At the beginning, it was a marked advantage for Zeonic forces. But by the end, this innovative design was starting to show its wear.
It would have been the single defining factor of the One Year War, had Zeon succeeded in destroying the Earth’s prototype moile suit, the RX-78-2 Gundam. When Zeon struck the Earth with their mobile suits, the Zaku proved that warfare had changed.
The MS-06F Zaku II – Zeon’s Big Bruisers
The MS-06F Zaku II was characterised first and foremost by its powerful fusion reactor and its mobility. After the success of the Zaku I, the Zaku II reduced armor weight and anti-nuclear protections, giving it a much more mobile frame. With a top speed of 85 km/h, and a massive thruster-assisted lift of 100m, the Zaku could move.
A Zaku II stood around 17.5 meters tall and had a sensor range of 3200 meters. With a Super Hard Steel alloy frame, and a right-shoulder mounted shield, it could withstand heavy fire, blocking most physical projectiles. Its left shoulder was outfitted with an anti-armor spike, allowing a Zaku II pilot to strike with devastating force (around 4500t) with a thruster-assisted shoulder tackle.
Additionally, Zaku IIs carried a 120mm Machine Gun. This shell firing gun did not draw on the Zaku’s reactor, allowing pilots to push their suits to the limits without worrying about weapons fire. But, when that wasn’t enough, a Zaku II could carry a wide variety of optional weapons.
Among the more popular options were the H&L-SB25K/280mmAP Zaku Bazooka and the EX-T2-2 Beam Bazooka. Both of these weapons gave skilled pilots a significant boost against enemy mobile suits and battleships.
For closer range engagements, the Zaku II carried a Heat Hawk Type-5. This was an axe with a super-heated blade that could cut clean through armor. Less common weapons include the Sturm Faust Rocket Launcher, the MIP-B6 Cracker Grenade, and a wired grappling hook known as a Sea Serpent.
The Zaku – A One Year War Casualty
The MS-06F came into play early on in the One Year War. They were seen in the Battleof Loum, and after the success of Zeon’s initial attacks, the Zaku became the primary mobile suit unit of Principality forces. In fact, it became the single most produced mobile suit of the entire war.
Zaku IIs could be seen in battles across space. From the First Landing Operation on Mars, to the battle in the shadow of the Moon. What made Zaku IIs stand out was their initial burst of mobility.
But as the Earth Federation found their feet and started mass-producing their own mobile suit, the RGM-79 GM, the bulky Zaku was quickly outmatched. The speed and maneuverability of the GM gave Earth pilots a leg up. And by the time the war was at its peak, most Zaku pilots were drawn from inexperienced ranks. As such, they struggled against the battle-hardened Earth forces.
But even so, the Zaku design and all its variants remain an iconic part of the Universal Century.
