Mobile Suit Variation No.3
GUNPLA INFORMATION
Scale: 1/144 Mobile Suit Variation No.3
Released: 1983.04
Price: 525 yen
JAN Code: 4902425013084
Exposition: Stream Base’s Masahiro Oda
[YMS-09 Prototype Dom Exposition] The Zeon military was compelled to develop a mobile suit with hover-jet propulsion capabilities that fulfilled the highest demands for mobility in ground warfare. The improved version of the Zaku, the YMS-08A, was rejected, and progress was made on the YMS-09, a completely new design. Prototypes were made in Zeon’s homeland, with the completed first and second units promptly sent to Earth for various tests. Captain Frederic Cranberry piloted the first unit during the practical tests, adding to the spectacle. The second unit underwent some modifications shortly after, serving as the foundation for the tropical warfare MS-09.
YMS-09 PROTOTYPE DOM
While the Principality of Zeon held an advantage over the Federation through their mobile suits, it didn’t take long for them to see the necessity of a new suit design specifically for ground combat, as they had attempted to draw out excessive versatility from the successful MS-06.
For some time, the high-performance MS-06 had been pursued until the birth of the MS-07, but its limitations in ground mobility were notably concentrated, with well-known remedies being flight-capable MS-07s or Dodai YS. The ground combat solution Zeon considered was a mobile suit with a hoverjet propulsion function that fulfilled the highest mobility demands. Taking inspiration from the lightweight and highly mobile RX-78, the YMS-08A was created as an improved version of the Zaku for close combat. Yet, already rejected and discontinued, the prototype proceeded under the moniker YMS-09.
The development was entirely new, rolling out more than six months into the war with armament capable of heavy artillery usage. It was equipped with a 360mm rocket launcher, a dedicated weapon, and a heat saber also found on the MS-07C-5. Prototypes were made in Zeon’s homeland, with the completed first and second units promptly sent to Earth for various tests. Many generals were summoned for promotional filming during these highly anticipated state-of-the-art tests. Captain Frederic Cranberry piloted the first unit during the practical tests, adding to the spectacle. In the records verified, the 1st and 2nd units were both marked in a regimental style, said to be markings ordered by the Zabi family for the ceremony.
The subsequent mass-produced versions showed minimal differences and only involved exterior refinements. According to the records, the YMS-09 was limited to two units, and a few weeks later, production officially continued as the MS-09.
The prototypes were handed over to the California Base, with the second unit undergoing minor modifications as the research base for the tropical warfare MS-09. The MS-09’s performance on the African front was indeed remarkable, but it’s not to say there were no problems in localized combat, and improvement requests from the field were reported.
Particularly, the short-range communication antenna, the head’s exhaust pipe, and the design of the back thrusters, were all sent back for revision, and the YMS-09 configuration was ultimately adopted. Because it took time to deploy the Dom itself on Earth, the modifications for the tropical combat variant were carried out by California Base as a preliminary measure. Optional parts for this specification were produced for some units, but it’s reported that less than ten units were actually used.
The MS-09 Dom revolutionized the mobility of mobile suits in ground combat. Despite the heavy focus on localized warfare, it proved to be a superior ground-type mobile suit compared to the Zaku, marking a significant achievement.
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.
