EMS-10 Zudah

This article is about a fictional weapon from the Gundam metaseries.

During the Principality of Zeon's race to develop a superior fighting machine, they developed four prototype mobile suits from different engineering companies: one of these was Zimmad Company's EMS-04 Zudah. It had a good powerplant, an excellent armament (120mm machine gun, 280mm bazooka, sturmfausts, and a heat hawk Type3), and good rocket thrust. However, the suit did have limits: if the engines were used for too long, the suit would overload and break apart. Zeonic Company used this information to outdo the Zudah with their well-known MS-04 Protype Zaku and successfully marketed the Zaku series.

This, however, was not the end of the story. The Zudah was resurrected under the model number EMS-10, with some minor improvements and cosmetic differences. Its left shoulder was refitted with a movable shield that could be swung to the back, and it was equipped with spikes for melee combat. A number of new weapons were also added, including all of the updated Zaku weapons, as well as a new 135mm anti-ship cannon.

Four of these improved Zudahs were issued to the 603 Experimental group. They were the subject of an extensive Zeon propaganda campaign claiming that these were new "secret weapons" rather than scantily-refitted 3 year old prototypes. They were used in at least three combat actions. The first one, against a Federation Salamis-class cruiser and several RB-79 Ball units, resulted in the loss of a Zudah from the (supposedly corrected) engine overload error. On the second operation, the three remaining Zudahs would be piloted by three Zeon ace pilots, Jean Luc Duvall, Hideto Washiya and Monique Cadillac, to help defend the Odessa forces that managed to escape to outer space (the majority of those MS that were stationed in Odessa were ground based, and could not fight in space efficiently). While they manage to destroy all the attacking Federation units, and proved thier worth by outmanouvering and destroying the pursuing GMs during an extended fight, Duvall's suit was also destroyed by overload. The two other Zudah's were kept on-board the test ship Jotunheim for defense, and saw action during the 603's geurilla attacks on Federation ships being launched from Jaburo, as well as in the battle of A Baoa Qu. Both Zudahs survived that battle, although Cpt. Cadillac's Zudah was severely damaged while defending the Big Rang mobile armor.

While it is unconfirmed, it is possible that the GM camouf, a unit employed for false flag operations, is a modified Zudah, although it is also possible it is a heavily refitted Zaku II. Many parts, such as the backpack and external power pipes appear to be from the Zaku; the joints appear to be those of a Zudah.

EMS-10 (EMS-04) Zudah
Manufacturer: Zimmad Company Operator: Principality of Zeon First deployment: October UC 0079 (EMS-10, EMS-04 rejected) Dimensions: overall height 17.3 meters Weight: empty 61.00 metric tons Powerplant: ultracompact Minovsky fusion reactor, output rated at 1150 kW Propulsion: rocket thrusters: total output 58,700 kg Armaments: 120mm machine gun x1, 280mm Zaku bazooka x1, several sturmfausts (usually 2-3), heat hawk Type3 x1, 135mm anti-ship cannon x1 (EMS-10), movable shoulder shield, mounting two spikes (EMS-10) Pilot(s): Jean Luc Duvall, Hideto Washiya, Monique Cadillac

Appearances
Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO (anime) Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: Apocalypse 0079 (anime) Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO (manga)