ZM-S08G Zolo

The ZM-S08G Zolo is a fictional mobile suit from the anime series Mobile Suit Victory Gundam.

Technology and Combat Characteristics
The basic technology of ZM-S08G Zolo, like most of the Zanscare Empire's mass-production mobile suits, is derived from the ZM-S06S Zoloat and is designed for combat on Earth. Though while the Zolo's design may have been inspired by that of the Zoloat it is still a very different machine in terms of new technologies built into the machine, the type of combat it is suited for, and the types of weapons it uses.

Unlike the Zoloat which was designed for space combat the Zolo is designed for combat on Earth, both on the ground and in the air. For that purpose its thrusters and systems have been optimized for use under gravity and in the atmoshpere allowing limited flight. The ZM-S08G Zolo is also the first mobile suit to utilize the beam rotor technology which is mounted on a hardpoint on either the left or right arm, or a back-mounted hardpoint. The beam rotor works on a principal similar to helicopter rotors allowing more fuel efficient flight. Also while in mobile suit mode the beam rotor doubles as a beam shield or a beam saw that can cut an enemy mobile suits much like a beam saber.

One of the ZM-S08G Zolo's most significant features is its transformation system. The mobile suit's torso can disconnect from the legs at the waist and transform into a helicopter/jet hybrid vehicle known as a Top Terminal. In this form it relies on the beam rotor to provide lift, its thrusters for thrust, and it is equipped with a single nose mounted vulcan gun for anti-personal and anti-aircraft combat. It can be outfitted with wing mounted missile launchers and a large Gatling cannon, that is hand-carried in mobile suit mode, for use against larger, better armored foes and for bombing runs. Similarly the legs of the mobile suits become a Bottom Terminal that is remote controlled the Top Terminal. The Bottom Terminal relies on jet thrusters for propulsion and can be outfitted with a large missile container so that it may be used as an accompanying bomber to the Top Terminal. Normally the Top Terminal and Bottom Terminal combination is used for bombing runs and other missions that require dealing large amounts of damage to ground targets. The Top Terminal and Bottom Terminal can combine into a full Zolo in midair and disconnect again in midair allowing it to adapt to changing battle conditions.

In mobile suit mode the Zolo could be equipped with a wide variety of optional hand-carried armaments among which include the standard beam rifle, a powerful beam bazooka, a multi-bazooka that could be equipped with a variety of bazooka use projectiles, and a projectile firing Gatling cannon that can mount under the body of the Top Terminal. The Zolo also makes use of a pair of beam sabers, a fairly standard armament for all mobile suits, for close combat.

The Zolo's unique transformation and "Terminal" system were theoretically an efficient combat system, however that proved not to be the case.

Missile Launchers
The Top Terminal can be equipped with a pair of wing-mounted 9-tube missile launchers that can launch air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles.

Bombing unit
The Bottom Terminal can be equipped with a large 30-tube bomb container that is capable of dropping a large number bombs. When the Bottom Terminal docks with the Top Terminal the bombing units position shifts so that it is back mounted and hanging under the mobile suit's right arm and is still capable of dropping its bombs. When mounted like this the bombing unit throws the Zolo's profile askew and increasing wind resistance. When the bombing unit has spent all of its ammunition it can be discarded to lighten the Zolo and restore some lost maneuverability.

History
The ZM-S08G Zolo' was an early model mobile suit designed and built by the BESPA for the Zanscare Empire's Earth combat forces. One military unit that was known to favor the Zolo were the elite Yellow Jackets that were stationed in Europe.

Zolo mobile suits and its various Terminal combination were used to hunt down and fight against the League Militaire and its supporters, apparently aware that the League Militaire was in the process of developing its own advanced mobile weapon. The Zanscare Empire military also would not hesitate to use the Terminals to bomb out cities where the League Militaire and its sympathizers resided, not caring how much collateral damage or how many civilian deaths they caused. This was an atrocity that they enacted upon the city of Woowig.

When Uso Evin stole the ZMT-S12G Shokew the ZM-S08G Zolo mobile suits were his opponents, battling six of them on three separate occasions. When the young teen switched to the LM312V04 Victory Gundam he would battle a red Zolo piloted by ace Cronicle Asher.

One Zolo was modified into the ZM-S08GC Zolo Kai, a unit specialized with a more powerful sensors for sniping piloted by Mathis Walker.

Because the Zolo failed to meet expected combat efficiency projections its production was ceased and active models were phased out of service and replaced by more advanced models, including its direct descendant the ZM-S09G Tomliat.

Variants

 * ZM-S08G Zolo First Mass Production Test Type
 * ZM-S08GC Zolo Kai

Trivia

 * The Top Terminal and Bottom Terminal system bears a strong resemblance to the AMX-107 Bawoo from the first Neo Zeon war from sixty-five years before the war with the Zanscare Empire.
 * While in helicopter mode, it sort of resembles the Russian Military's Hind Helicopter.