MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The MS-05L Zaku I Sniper is a variant of the MS-05B Zaku I. It first appeared as a part of Harmony of Gundam variations design by Hajime Katoki, but was also featured in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn and Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The Zaku I Sniper Type is a MS-05B Zaku I retrofitted for sniping purposes. Over the normal type, this mobile suit has an improved mono-eye sensor and redesigned head for better visibility and durability. The Zaku I Sniper Type is installed with the same type of camera lenses as the MS-06E Zaku Reconnaissance Type but revised for higher magnification zoom. The improved sensors come with night and thermal vision to meet the needs of complex shooting conditions. An antenna has been installed on the head allowing for short-range wireless communication as well as for detecting the surrounding environment parameters, such as the degree of atmospheric scattering at different times, the air specific heat, and even wind speed and dust content. These parameters will be transferred to the Zaku Sniper Type OS environment specific calculation module, which will enable the pilot to take the most accurate shot possible. For powering its beam sniper rifle, it is outfitted with an external auxiliary reactor with a rated output of 700 kW. The right knee has a collapsible strut for increased targeting and firing stability. Other weaponry include head vulcans and a sturm faust.

Armaments

• 60mm Vulcan Gun

Mounted in the head, the pair of shell firing weapons have high-rate of fire but little power and can't damage the armor of a mobile suit, though they can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. They are ideal for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles, attack vehicles, etc.

• Beam Sniper Rifle

A beam weapon developed by Zeon near the end of the One Year War, the beam sniper rifle is powered by a dedicated generator located in the backpack. When used in conjunction with the MS-05L's camera lenses, it is capable of long-range precision firing. The barrel overheats after several shots, and needs to be swapped out. It appears to be from the same series as the MS-14G Gelgoog Ground Type's Prototype Beam Rifle.

• Sturm Faust

A simplified, disposable rocket launcher. It is commonly used by Zeon mobile suits in the late stages of the One Year War. As the warhead is not equipped with a guidance device, it is extremely hard to use the Sturm Faust to hit a moving target accurately. However, it is still a highly destructive portable weapon. Due to its excellent cost performance, the Sturm Faust is still in use even in U.C.0090s. Can be stored on waist armor.

Special Equipment & Features

• External Auxiliary Reactor

As the original Zaku I's reactor was found insufficient to power the beam sniper rifle, the Zaku I Sniper Type is outfitted with a 700 kW external auxiliary reactor.

• Leg Knee Pad

The Zaku I Sniper Type's right leg knee pad is unique in that when the mobile suit kneels down into firing position, the knee pad extends outward so as to stabilize the mobile suit not unlike a monopod on a rifle.

• Improved Mono-Eye Sensors

To increase the effectiveness of the Zaku I Sniper Type, its sensors have undergone improvement over the standard Zaku I. It possesses night and thermal vision, as well as a variant of the sensors from the Zaku Reconnaissance Type modified to increase the zoom function.

History

Harmony of Gundam

During the One Year War, Zeon's mobile suits mostly relied on Magella Top Guns for sniping, which lacked in both precision and firepower. After the death of Garma Zabi, Zeon forces on Earth requested a more effective long-range weapon. However, while the Zeon homeland experimented with the concept of using Psycommu all-range weapons for sniping missions, all support was cut off after the loss of Odessa.

Using the portable beam weapon technology first developed for the MS-14 Gelgoog, California Base developed the Zaku I Sniper Type, using the outdated MS-05B Zaku I, which were mostly relegated to transportation and engineering duty, as the basis. These units used guerilla tactics against the massive counterattack of the Earth Federation Forces, and contributed to slowing the EFF's advance.

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

One Zaku I Sniper Type is seen used in UC 0096, piloted by the Zeon remnants leader Yonem Kirks during their attack on Torrington Base. The Zaku I Sniper Type supported the Zeon remnant forces on the ground from the air inside a Fat Uncle. Despite being nearly two-decades old by UC 0096, it still proved to be quite effective, taking out multiple modern Federation units.

Ultimately, the Zaku I Sniper Type was cornered by Londo Bell's Tri-Stars team in their Jestas. With only one shot left, Kirks stabbed the beam sniper rifle into the suit's abdomen and attempted to detonate its backpack generator,  but the Jestas were able to destroy the rifle before shooting the Zaku I, killing its pilot.

Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G

In the series Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G, the MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type is the Gunpla model used by one of Koji Matsumoto's teammates and participates in the 3 on 3 battle against Haru Irei's team.

Picture Gallery

Unicorn novel design

Harmony of Gundam design draft

Backpack

Leg with kneepad

Beam Sniper Rifle

With MS-06K Zaku Cannon (from Gundam Unicorn novelization)

Yonem Kirk's Zaku I Sniper Type, aiming the beam sniper rifle from inside the Fat Uncle Custom transport plane

Close-up of Zaku I Sniper Type's beam sniper rifle: ready to offload the overheated barrel

Zaku I Sniper Type, loading a new barrel for beam sniper rifle

Zaku I Sniper Type, with beam sniper rifle barrel reloaded

Zaku I Sniper Type, firing the beam sniper rifle

Cockpit

As seen in Super Robot Wars Z3

As seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Gunpla

1/144 HGUC MS-05L Zaku l Sniper Type (2006): box art

1/144 HGUC MS-05L Zaku l Sniper Type (Yonem Kirk's Custom; 2012): box art

1/144 HGGB AMX-107 Bawoo GPB Color & MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type GPB Color (P-Bandai exclusive; 2011): box art

1/144 HGUC MS-05L Zaku l Sniper Type (2006): line art and color art

1/144 Zaku I Sniper Type (Gunpla Love The Origin Ver.; non-canon) model conversion based on 1/144 HGUC MS-05L Zaku l Sniper Type: modeled by MATSU-O-JI (firstAge)

Action Figures

Robot Damashii "MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type" (Tamashii Web exclusive; 2012): package front view

1/144 Robot Damashii Ka Signature "MS-05L Zaku l Sniper Type" action figure (2012): color art

Notes and Trivia

• The Kirks Custom Zaku I Sniper Type appears to have been fitted with the same type of cockpit as the United Maintenance Plan mobile suits, with monitor panels on either side and overhead.

References

Specifications/Technical Detail/Design

MS-05L Zaku I Sniper (Commander Type): Information from Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation

MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type: design details

External links

• MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type on MAHQ.net