AMX-011 Zaku III

The AMX-011 Zaku III was a mobile suit from the Gundam ZZ timeline of the fictional Gundam metaseries.

Technology and Combat Characteristics
As a descendant of the Zaku series of mobile suits the Zaku III was designed to be highly versatile, being able to perform just about any mission role. Though a part of the Zaku series the Zaku III is a big step up from the venerable MS-06 Zaku II, possessing over twice the power output, three times the sensor range, and four times the thruster acceleration, not to mention the various new beam weapons it wielded. Though not the highest performing mobile suit designed by Neo Zeon the Zaku III could still outperform most Federation fielded mobile suits.

Mouth Beam Gun
Each Zaku III possesses a fixed beam gun mounted in the "mouth" of the mobile suit. Power rating of 1.6 MW

Beam Gun/Beam Saber
Mounted on recharge racks on the front skirt armor and hand operated in use, these weapons possess two modes, a close combat beam saber mode and a long range beam gun mode. Both modes have a power rating of 2.8 MW.

Optional Shield Rack
Unlike the previous Zaku II the Zaku III's shoulder mounted shield is optional equipment, though it was standard practice to install one. Also unlike the Zaku II the shield of the Zaku III doubled as a weapons rack to store extra armaments.

History
As the First Neo Zeon War raged on, the Neo Zeon military continued its development of new and more powerful mobile suits. Two competing designs were produced as potential new mass-production frontline units: the AMX-011 Zaku III and the AMX-014 Doven Wolf. The intention of the Zaku III's design was that it would be a new descendant of the old Principality of Zeon's venerable (and highly versatile) MS-05 Zaku and MS-06 Zaku II lines. The Zaku III featured a modular construction design, enabling armor, the backpack, and other components to be changed out and customized pursuant to the current mission role. Despite its high performance and versatility, however, the Zaku III design lost out to the more contemporary Doven-Wolf. As a result, the Zaku III saw only limited production, with this handful of prototypes often operated by high-ranking officers or ace pilots.

One of these prototypes would be piloted by the captain of the Endora and mobile suit pilot Mashymre Cello who would outfit his Zaku III with various optional equipment which would lead the machine to be called the AMX-011 Zaku III Custom.