NZ-666 Kshatriya

The NZ-666 Kshatriya (aka "Quad-wing") is a mobile suit featured in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The unit was piloted by Marida Cruz.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Kshatriya is an improved model of the NZ-000 Quin-Mantha developed by Anaheim Electronics. The Kshatriya is much smaller than the Quin-Mantha but has equal firepower.

This is accomplished by the four large shoulder binders similar to that of the Quin-Mantha, each binder storing a pair of mega particle cannons, beam saber holding sub-arms and six funnels. The main body of the Kshatriya also has four mega particle cannons and two beam sabers. Also, the beam gatling gun used by the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam originally belonged to the Kshatriya. Although the Kshatriya lacks the "mega particle deflection system" seen on the NZ-000, an I-field barrier generator was installed instead. Its original psycommu system was also replaced with a more effective psychoframe.

Although the Kshatriya is a massive mobile suit it has fairly good mobility thanks to the thruster-mounting wing binders.

Armaments

 * Beam Saber
 * The Kshatriya is armed with a total of six beam sabers for melee combat. Two are located in the forearms to allow for quick responses to close combat threats, while the remaining four are hidden — together with four sub-arms — in the Kshatriya's binders. These four sabers are likely fall-backs to allow the Kshatriya to fight off multiple enemies, or as a trump card to allow it to catch unsuspecting foes off-guard. The generated beams are strong enough to cut through standard mobile suit armor with ease.


 * Beam Vulcan Gun
 * The Kshatriya is armed with two beam-based vulcan guns in the chest, between the Mega Particle Cannons. These are used mostly to intercept small missiles.


 * Funnels
 * The Kshatriya is armed with a grand total of twenty-four funnels for all-range attacks. Each funnel possesses a powerful beam gun that is capable of melting an enemy mobile suit's armor. Six are stored within each of the Kshatriya's four binders, and are remotely controlled primarily through use of the psychoframe-equipped cockpit. These funnels are used primarily to allow the Kshatriya to engage large numbers of enemies at the same time, or to allow it to overwhelm a powerful foe. However, they are shown to be vulnerable to the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam's NT-D System.


 * Mega Particle Cannon
 * The Kshatriya is armed with an incredible twelve mega particle cannons. Four are mounted on the chest, giving the Kshatriya great firepower in its forward arc. They can be fired together to create a single and very powerful linked beam, or to fire a scattering beam in a manner similar to a shotgun. Two more of these cannons are mounted on each binder, allowing the Kshatriya to fight off enemies from virtually any direction.

System Features

 * Psycoframe Cockpit
 * The Psychoframe cockpit helps its pilot control the funnels and the suit itself.


 * Sub-arms
 * The sub-arms can also be used to destroy an opposing mobile suit's arm simply by latching on to it, or used to capture a mobile suit, as shown by its capture of the Unicorn.


 * I-Field generator
 * A device that produces a Minovsky particle barrier around the mobile suit, capable of deflecting incoming enemy beam weapons fire.

History
The Kshatriya was stolen by remnants of Neo Zeon called "The Sleeves" and is Marida Cruz's personal unit. It is first seen in combat against three Jegans during its trip to the Industrial 7 colony. After being alerted to Londo Bell forces near around the colony, Marida Cruz uses the Kshatriya to attack the enemy mobile suits consisting of RGM-89D Jegans, RGZ-95 ReZeLs, and RGZ-95C ReZeL Commander Types in order to give Suberoa Zinnerman and their ship Garancieres to escape. The resulting battle ends up reaching the colony interior and results in severe civilain casualties. Despite being significantly outnumbered, the Kshatriya manages to destroy a majority of the mobile suits.

Battle at Industrial 7
Marida Cruz later manages to locate Mineva Lao Zabi, but is ambushed by a D-50C Loto and ends up losing her and destroying the Loto. Upon recovering however, she was unable to search for Mineva, as the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, piloted by Banagher Links, attacked the Kshatriya and forced Marida outside of the colony. There, the Unicorn Gundam's Destroyer Mode activated, and the Kshatriya lost two of its shoulder binders and several funnels in the resulting battle. Upon the recovery of Suberoa, Marida broke off from the battle and retreated.

Ambush on Unicorn Gundam
The Kshatriya is seen again during the battle between the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam and the MSN-06S Sinanju, ambushing the Unicorn Gundam after it entered Destroy mode. Together with the Sinanju the Kshatriya was able to overwhelm the Gundam and capture it as it returned to Unicorn mode.

Battle of Palau
The Kshatriya reappeared during the Londo Bell/ECOAS offensive to take back the Unicorn Gundam. Marida faces off against Banagher, but Unicorn's NT-D System activates, taking control of Kshatriya's funnels. Banagher manages to severely damage Kshatriya and is about to make the finishing blow when the psychoframes resonate, giving Banagher a glimpse of Marida's past as Ple Twelve. Banagher takes Kshatriya and Marida on board the Nahel Argama.

Notes & Trivia

 * Kshatriya is the military and ruling order of Hinduism[1].
 * The model number of the Kshatriya (NZ-666) is a reference to the Mark of the Beast, or the Devil's number..
 * In Gundam Vs Gundam Next plus Kshatriya also Unlockable as a PSP exclusive unit.
 * In Gundam Extreme Vs, the Kshatriya is also an unlockable unit in the arcade version.
 * In Gundam Musou 3 the Kshatriya is paid downloadable content through PlayStation Network.