MS-06JC Zaku II

MS-06JC Zaku II
MS-06JC Zaku II (MS-06JC 陸戦型ザクII)
Unit Type
Mass Production General-Purpose Ground Mobile Suit
Profile
Developed from	MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type
First Seen	0079 U.C.
Manufacturer	Zeonic
Operator	Principality of Zeon Zeon Remnants Invisible Knights Earth Attack Force
Known Pilots	Norris Packard Arth Dell Fritz Bauer
General Characteristics
Head Height	17.5 meters57.415 ft <br />688.976 in <br />
Max Weight	74.5 metric tons
Empty Weight	56.2 metric tons
Power-plant	Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor
Sensor Range	3200 meters10,498.688 ft <br />
Pilot Accommodations	Pilot only (in cockpit in torso)
Armor	Super-Hard Steel Alloy
Movement
Max Acceleration	0.65 G
Rocket Thrusters	48500 kg106,924.167 lb <br />53.462 tons <br />
Standard Armaments
Fixed	Shoulder Shield
Handheld	ZMP-50D 120mm Machine Gun Heat Hawk
Optional Armaments
Fixed	Spiked Shoulder Shield 2 x Triple Missile Pod
Handheld	MMP-80 90mm Machine Gun 280mm Zaku Bazooka ZIM/M·T-K175C 175mm Recoilless Rifle MIP-B6 Cracker Grenade Sturm Faust Knuckle Shield FADEGEL RGM-M-Sh-007 Shield (Arth's Unit)
Real World
Mechanical Designer	Kunio Okawara
Appearances*
Movie	Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report
OVA	08th MST 08th MST: BTD
Game	Mobile Suit Gundam: Battlefield Record U.C. 0081 Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chronicles

The MS-06JC Zaku II is a mobile suit that first appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The MS-06JC is a minor modified version of the MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type, which was the main machine of Zeon's Earth Attack Forces during the One Year War. Like the J-Type, it also does not have any apogee motor on its legs. It has a focus on ground battles in hot and humid wetlands, and has undergone waterproofing and changes to the legs to improve running performance on soft terrain. Furthermore, the cockpit hatch opening and closing mechanism was improved to be simpler, and a winch-type wire was hung from the upward-opening chest panel to simplify the pilot's entry and exit.

Armaments

• Shoulder Shield

A large composite armored shield on the Zaku II's right shoulder. When the machine is in the optimal attack posture, where the frontal projected area is the smallest, the corners of the shield are in front, maximizing the defensive area and forming sloped armor to reduce damage from ricochets.

• Spiked Shoulder Shield

For Zeon's Southeast Asian forces, the JC-Type has a set of three spikes on its shoulder shield to enhance its melee combat abilities.

• ZMP-50D 120mm Machine Gun

A standard firearm for Zaku type MS. It is a shell firing gun that does not require energy to be used; however, its effectiveness against heavy armor is very limited. The ZMP-50D used a 100-round drum magazine, which is offset to the right. "ZMP" stands for "Zaku Machine Pistol".

• MMP-80 90mm Machine Gun

A small caliber machine gun for mobile suits developed under the United Maintenance Plan. The overall shape and mechanism of the Zaku Machine Gun, which was previously deployed, has been changed. The magazine has been changed from a drum magazine to a box magazine, and a 197mm grenade launcher is available as an option. The caliber has been reduced to 90mm, but as a result, the hit rate has improved, and the 90mm shell used is also excellent in initial velocity and anti-MS firepower. The number of bullets loaded is 32 in the standard single magazine and 100 in the triple magazine. The late production model features a different barrel and hand guard, resulting in a more compact shape.

• 280mm Zaku Bazooka

A portable, physical projectile-type firearm. It is primarily for anti-ship combat and displays its power in hit-and-run attacks. It can also be used against enemy mobile suits, but it is harder to hit a constantly moving target.

• Heat Hawk

An axe-shaped close combat weapon, it uses a super-heated blade to cut through the armor of enemy MS or vehicles. The thermal energy is generated by the power output of the Zaku II's thermonuclear reactor and relayed through the MS' hands.

• Knuckle Shield

A modified Zaku II shoulder shield carried on the arm, with the curve of the armor fitting over the mobile suit's hand. One of the modifications is the additions of three spikes placed on the plate that rests in front of the hand. These spikes make the knuckle shield an effective bashing weapon.

• ZIM/M·T-K175C 175mm Recoilless Rifle

The main gun of the Magella Attack main battle tank, it is remodeled as an MS artillery weapon. It was mainly used for long distance ground combat and can be loaded with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) or armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot (APFSDS) rounds.

• Triple Missile Pod

A pair of optional missile pods each containing three missiles, can be mounted on a weapon latch on the legs, they're used to perform mid to long-range attacks, and can be used with other weapons.

• MIP-B6 Cracker Grenade

A multi-warhead grenade. After being thrown at the target, the six protrusions on the grenade's body explode in different directions, dealing damage over a wide area. A flash-type variant also exist, which can temporarily paralyze the sensors of enemy MS.

• Sturm Faust

A simplified, disposable rocket launcher. 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.

• FADEGEL RGM-M-Sh-007 Shield

A defense armament used by the Federation's GM type MS. It is used by Arth's Zaku II.

History

The Zaku II JC-Type was the main mobile suit deployed by the Principality of Zeon in the Southeast Asian front and fought many intense battles against the mobile suits of the Earth Federation Forces' Kojima Battalion stationed in the area.

Gallery

Lineart

Spiked shoulder shield

280mm Bazooka

ZIM/M·T-K175C 175mm Recoilless Rifle (Magella Top Cannon)

Animation

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team OVA

Attacking with Heat Hawk while damaged

Striking Gundam Ground Type with Heat Hawk

Firing 280mm Bazooka

Dell's Unit using ZIM/M·T-K175C 175mm Recoilless Rifle

Inside the besieged Zeon secret base in South East Asia, with Gouf Custom and Dom

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Battle in Three Dimensions OVA

Damaged unit using 175mm Recoilless Rifle

Manga

Gunpla

1/144 HG "RX-79[G] Gundam vs. MS-06J Zaku II" model kit set (1996): box art

1/144 HG "MS-06J Zaku II" model kit (1998): box art

Design works for High Complete Model Progressive (HCM-Pro) figure (1)

Design works for HCM-Pro figure (2)

Notes & Trivia

• The J-type models seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996) were modified forms of the original MS-06J Zaku II Ground Type that appeared in Mobile Suit Variation published in 1983. However, the overall specifications published for both units conflicted in many areas. Subsequently, the 08th MS Team version of the J-type was retconned into a new model, the MS-06JC, so it no longer conflicted with the MS-06J.