MS-06JC Zaku II

The MS-06JC Zaku II first appeared in the Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team series.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
A modified variant of the MS-06J, The JC-Type featured improved rocket thrusters which were slightly more powerful than those fitted on the standard J-type. The most significant change to the design of the Zaku was the movement of the cockpit. It was moved higher up on the chest and in the center behind the T-piece armor rather than on the side of the T. The cockpit was also redesigned. The control sticks were moved to the sides of the seat and more screens were added. Despite these modifications, the two models were essentially the same in appearance.

Armaments

 * Shoulder Shield
 * The shield is a simple defense used to block most incoming ballistic and explosive projectiles. Also used to great effect in close quarters battle with enemy mobile suits. The Zaku II mounts a shield on its right shoulder.


 * Spiked Shoulder Shield
 * Zeon's Southeast Asian forces has a set of spikes on its right shoulder shield to enhance its melee combat abilities.


 * 120mm Machine Gun
 * The 120mm machine gun is a standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits. It is a shell firing gun that does not require energy to be used, however its effectiveness against heavy armor is very limited. It holds 100 rounds per drum with spare drums that can be stored on waist armor racks.


 * MMP-80/90mm Ver.8 Machine Gun
 * An alternative to the 120mm Machine Gun. It used 90mm bullets instead of 120mm type, allowing for a greater speed of firing and a higher rate of penetration. The machine gun is magazine-fed with 32 rounds per mag.


 * 280mm Zaku Bazooka
 * The 280mm Zaku Bazooka was another standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits. The bazooka fired explosive rounds that were quite effective against the armor of Earth Federation mobile suits and battleships. The bazooka was magazine-fed and could be stored on the rear waist armor when not in use.


 * Heat Hawk
 * An axe-shaped close combat weapon, it uses a super-heated blade to cut through the armor of enemy MS or vehicles. The thermal energy is generated by the power output of the Zaku II's thermonuclear reactor and relayed through the MS' hands.


 * Knuckle Shield
 * The knuckle shield is a modified Zaku II shoulder shield that mounts on the left arm. When mounted on the forearm the curve of the armor fits over the mobile suits hand. One of the modifications is the additions of three spikes placed on the plate that rests in front of the hand. These spikes make the knuckle shield an effective bashing weapon.


 * ZIM/M·T-K175C 175mm Recoilless Rifle
 * The main gun of the HT-01B Magella Attack main battle tank, it is remodeled as an MS artillery weapon. It is mainly used for long distance attacks in ground combat, and can be loaded with HEAT or APFSDS rounds.


 * 3-tube Missile Pod
 * Mounted on the legs are two 3-tube missile pods. These missiles are quite effective against armored enemies. However, they were also slow and unsuited for combat against nimbler targets.


 * MIP-B6 Cracker Grenade
 * Identical to those used by infantry, the cracker grenade is an explosive weapons designed to be thrown or launched by the MS and detonate after a set amount of time. The "cracker" breaks into several smaller munitions over a wide area. The Zaku II can optionally equip up to four cracker grenades, that are stored on the left and right waist armor racks, with two on each side.


 * FADEGEL RGM-M-Sh-003 Shield
 * A basic optional defense armament obtained from a RGM-79 GM. The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. Since the introduction of beam weaponry, shields have been treated with an anti-beam coating allowing it to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break.

History
The JC-type Zakus would be notably employed in the Southeast Asia campaign and in Australia.

Notes & Trivia

 * The J-Type models seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996) were modified forms of the original MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type that appeared in Mobile Suit Variations published in 1983. However, the overall specifications published for both units conflicted in many areas. Subsequently, the 08th MS Team version of the J-Type was retconned into a new model, the MS-06JC, so it no longer conflicted with the MS-06J.