RMS-108 Marasai

The RMS-108 (MSA-002) Marasai is a Mobile Suit in the Universal Century timeline. It first appeared in the series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
The RMS-108 Marasai was developed using Zeon design principles combined with technology pioneered by the Earth Federation during the One Year War. Technologically based on the RMS-106 Hizack the Marasai features improved technologies, such as a Gundarium Alloy armor instead of a titanium alloy that improves overall defense, greater sensor range, greater acceleration, and a more powerful Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor. Alongside its technological improvements the Marasai is also several metric tons lighter than Hizack when measuring its empty weight. The Marasai did not have as a large a weapon selection as the Hizack, however that would be because the Hizack was often equipped with older weapons used by Zakus, such as machine guns and heat hawks, while the Marasai used only advanced beam weapons. The Marasai was also compatible with the ballute system if it needed to conduct and atmospheric reentry on its own.

The standard Marasai's weapons were a rapid-firing beam rifle capable of shooting three beams in rapid succession, a beam saber, and two head mounted Vulcan guns on the sides of its head. A large shield was attached to the right shoulder, much like the Zaku line of mobile suits.

Armaments

 * Beam Saber
 * Stored on the shield when not in use, this particular beam saber has a noticeably longer handle compared to others.


 * Vulcan Gun
 * A pair of Vulcan guns are mounted into the Marasai's head. These projectile weapons are designed for intercepting missiles and destroying lightly armored vehicles.


 * Beam Rifle
 * A standard armament for ranged combat. The rifle used by the Marasai was unique in its ability to change its rate of fire.


 * Shield
 * Mounted on the right shoulder, this weapon serves as the Marasai's primary means of defence and is also used as a storage rack for its beam sabers.


 * Feyadeen Rifle/Beam Saber


 * Sea Serpent
 * Originally used by the RX-139 Hambrabi, this weapon was used by one particular Marasai unit during the Zeon attack on Torrington base.

History
Originally designed by Anaheim Electronics for the Anti Earth Union Group as the RX-107 Rosette, it was designed to be an all round better version of the RMS-106 Hi-Zack. However, due to pressure from the Titans, Anaheim presented them with the design when the Titans started to turn their attention towards Anaheim support of the AEUG.

Many pilots used Marasai's in the Titans and EFSF, most famous is Kamille Bidan's rival, Jerid Massa. While defending the Earth Federation base Jaburo, Jerid's Marasai fought with the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II before being destroyed. Other pilots of the Marasai include Kacricon Cacooler and Sarah Zabiarov. Kacricon was killed in a Marasai by Kamille Bidan, who destroyed his Ballute, causing him to burn up in the atmosphere.

Despite initially being used by an organization whose very duty was to seek out and destroy anti-Federation or revivalist Zeon movements, after the Gryps Conflict the Marasai would be used almost exclusively by Neo Zeon movements. After the Gryps Conflict ended, the Earth Federation sought to distance itself from connection to the Titans, which included abandoning numerous mobile suit designs that were used by the Titans (no matter how effective they were). The abandoned Marasai were picked up by the first Neo Zeon, Haman Karn's Zeon, who used the machines to fill out their ranks. After the First Neo Zeon War many of the Marasai had been destroyed. Some of those that survived would be used by old Principality of Zeon remnants, who would repaint the Marasai in their own distinctive green color scheme.

During UC 0096, several of the RMS-108 were used by Zeon remnants to attack the Federation's Torrington Base. One of these units would later be destroyed by the RX-160S Byarlant Custom. Another one of these units were destroyed by regrouping Earth Federation forces during the Federation counterattack.

Variants

 * MS-108 Marasai-E
 * MS-108 Marasai-F (Griffon)
 * MS-108 Marasai-S
 * MS-108 Marasai-H
 * MS-108 Marasai-G
 * MS-22 Marasai
 * RMS-108L Marasai Transformable Type
 * RMS-108(d13) Strike Marasai
 * RMS-156 Griffin