Mobile Suit Variation No.2
GUNPLA INFORMATION
Scale: 1/144 Mobile Suit Variation No.1
Released: 1983.04
Price: 525 yen
JAN Code: 4902425013046
Exposition: Stream Base’s Masahiro Oda
[MS-06K Zaku Cannon Exposition] The MS-06K is a type of mobile suit devised to provide more mobile anti-air defense during operations by Zeon’s ground forces. It is equipped with a 180mm cannon integrated with the backpack, mounted on the right shoulder. To enhance its mobility, auxiliary thrusters were installed in the legs based on the expertise gained from the MS-07. A detachable big gun was also provided for use in mass mobile suit combat. A total of nine units were prototyped and saw service in combat, but due to concerns such as the weight of the onboard weaponry, mass production was rejected just before reaching completion. However, the concept of the K-Type would be realized with the MS-14C.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF ZEON FORCES MOBILE SUITS
The Principality of Zeon stood a chance in the modern war against the Federation Forces because of the early exploits of their mobile suit’s mobile forces. The mobile suit, a weapon designed for visible-range combat under Minovsky particle interference, was the result of countless design revisions, born out of the demands of the Zeon Defense Ministry. To meet the military’s requirements, the designs had to simultaneously provide mobility, armor, and weapon capacity that would be adaptable under any strategic circumstance. The concept solidified five years later into a bipedal, humanoid form due to issues of invasion tactics and operational feasibility. This formed the basis of the future Zaku mobile suits, starting with the MS-01. The Ministry of Defense assigned the model number MS to the new weapon and also announced it as a space utility vehicle for external purposes.
Starting from its basic form, Zeon progressively conducted research and improvements to meet the performance requirements as a weapon. Enhancing mobility and heavy armor was a pressing matter in protecting the machine and its pilot. The MS-04, bearing high expectations, is likely the first to be called a combat-ready mobile suit. Further eliminating inefficiencies led to the MS-05, the quintessential Zaku mobile suit, completely humanoid in external design.
The establishment of the mobile forces led to the creation of combat squads, thanks to the initial production run of twenty-seven MS-05 units. Knowledge gained from pilot training led to further refinements of the MS-05, culminating in the creation of the MS-06 Zaku II, a fully combat-ready mobile suit. The entire process took seven years from the original MS-01. The devastating efficiency of the destroyer fleet, accompanied by the MS-06, was unparalleled in weapon history. The Principality of Zeon, within a week of declaring war, annihilated four Sides, causing the deaths of half the total population.
After entering a de facto stalemate situation due to the Antarctic Treaty, Zeon shifted its focus towards enhancing its ground forces and improving mobile suits for terrestrial warfare. Considering the numerous developments from the outset of the war, Zeon developed several ground-based mobile suits based on the MS-06, which showed various variations itself. This led to the development of the MS-07 and MS-08, which further enhanced close-quarter combat capabilities. Although both were based on the MS-06, the MS-08 was rejected due to an imbalance between cost and specifications. Predicting issues with weight distribution and armor in ground combat, Zeon developed the MS-09 Dom, a heavy ground-based mobile suit. Equipped with a nuclear jet engine, the MS-09 could overcome the problem of mobile suit mobility in ground warfare by hovering.
Because Zeon’s base design sought versatility, it, unfortunately, had to design a different mobile suit for localized warfare instead of relying on the Zaku. Essential for ground domination were amphibious mobile suits. These were part of the original concept, and before the war, various tests were conducted on the MS-06M based on the Zaku. In addition to the three mass-produced MSM series, five prototype models and three Agg-type series for wetland warfare were created. Zeon’s mobile suit forces were able to achieve success by limiting their operational scope.
The purpose of limited use evolved into mobile armor that utilized the mobile suits’ strengths. Meanwhile, as successors to the space combat Zakus, the MS-R09 and MS-14 were developed. Especially in the MS-14, they succeeded in standardizing beam weaponry, and overall performance improvement was completely realized with the MS-14. Foreseeing the incorporation of Newtypes into their weapon systems, Zeon advanced the previously mentioned mobile armor. The need for reliance on mobile suits in visible-range combat became unnecessary due to the psycommu control of weaponry, marking a return to the initially rejected design models. However, due to the rarity of awakened Newtype, these were made to fit only a select few Newtype pilots. This leads to the birth of the MSN-02 Zeong (MS-16), the ultimate mobile suit model for close combat, in line with this concept.
MS-06K ZAKU CANNON
MS-06K was a creation of Zeon’s ground forces, designed as a highly mobile solution for air defense during combat. Initially, the Mother Plan intended for the MS-06J to simply be equipped with an optional anti-aircraft gun. However, issues such as weight balance remained unresolved, leaving the plan stagnant.
This led to a reevaluation with the introduction of intel about the RX suit from North America, specifically California. Upon reconsideration, the prototype was designed not with air defense as its primary goal but to provide support in the battles against mobile suits. The first unit was rolled out in California. The monitor eye was redesigned to offer full panoramic vision, and a 180mm cannon was installed on the right shoulder. Integrated into the backpack, the cannon could be swapped out, allowing for similar usage to the base J-type model. Leveraging the expertise of the 07, auxiliary thrusters were attached to the leg unit, enhancing its mobility. A total of 9 prototypes were produced, all of which saw combat in North America. The standard color was dark grey, though Lieutenant Greyden’s unit, known as the “Rabbit type,” featured two antennae. Considering the possibility of large-scale mobile suit battles, the backpack was designed to accommodate a detachable big gun that could be secured with straps.
