MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen is a mass-production ground combat mobile suit first featured in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. Its design was later updated in the novel Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The unit is piloted by Gaily and Adamski.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

An advancement of the YMS-09D Dom Tropical Test Type, the Zeon military introduced the MS-09F/trop late in the One Year War, designed to operate exclusively in localized desert and tropical regions on Earth. In addition to additional sand filters to protect its equipment, specialized block-shaped armor designed to help keep sand from getting inside, and powerful cooling systems to overcome the desert heat, the Dom Tropen also featured special sand filtering intakes for its leg-mounted thermonuclear jet engines, allowing the mobile suit to retain its high ground hovering speeds without fear of sand ruining the engines.

Armaments

• Scattering Beam Gun

A beam weapon mounted in the left side of the Dom Tropen's chest. Although the scattering beam gun is incapable of damaging an enemy machine, it does produce a bright light that can momentarily blind eyes and visual sensors.

• Heat Saber

The Dom Tropen's main close combat weapon, it uses thermal energy to superheat its blade to melt through the armor of an enemy machine. It has an electrical discharge function and can store high charges via the application of Minovsky particle physics. As the heat saber degrades during use, it is discarded after usage.

• MMP-80/90mm Ver.8 Machine Gun

An alternative to the 120mm Machine Gun. It used 90mm bullets instead of 120mm type, allowing for a greater firing speed and better penetration capabilities. The machine gun is magazine-fed with 32 rounds per mag with extra magazines stored on the waist armor.

• 880mmRB-T27 Raketen Bazooka

A new heavy bazooka which features powerful rocket-propelled rounds, and improved targeting sensor with protective cover for aiming. It is fed by a 5 round magazine. The bazooka can be stored on the rear skirt armor, while spare magazines can be stored on the waist armors.

• H&L-SB25K/280mmA-P Zaku Bazooka

A bazooka originally developed for anti-ship use. It fired explosive rounds that were quite effective against the armor of Earth Federation battleships and MS.

• 360mm Giant Bazooka

A bazooka for MS that fires rocket-propelled 360mm physical rounds. Liquid fuel supplied through a pipe from the Dom Tropen's hand is injected as a primary propellant, and then the projectile's speed is increased by rocket motor ignition. It is fed by a 10 rounds magazine, and a single round can blow the torso off of an enemy mobile suit.

• Hand Grenade

Throwing weapon used an alternative to the Cracker Grenade. These waist mounted grenades can be thrown like regular grenades and set to detonate upon impact with the target or timed to explode after a preset time. They come in multiple variants, allowing them to perform different roles in battle.

• 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. Can be stored on the waist armor.

• Heat Sword

A melee weapon originally developed for the Gouf line of mobile suits. When in use, the blade is heated to high temperatures to increase its cutting capacity. Appears on a customized Gunpla in episode 24 of Gundam Build Divers.

History

Not many Dom Funfs were produced before the end of the One Year War, thus not many could be modified into the Dom Tropen. However, at least eight units were known to exist. One unit was assigned to Lt. Sandra of Midnight Fenrir Corps near the end of One Year War, another unit was piloted by her former Fenrir teammate Sophie Fran during Operation Silver Lance in U.C. 0084. Another two units, piloted by Delaz Fleet's Gaily and Adamski, would participate in the theft of the RX-78GP02A Gundam "Physalis" from the Earth Federation Forces's Torrington Base in October U.C. 0083. Another four units were seen aiding the defense of Zeon's underground Kimberlite Base in eastern Africa.

In U.C. 0096, at least one more of these suits was used by Zeon remnants to attack the Federation's Torrington Base in combination with a MS-09G Dwadge and a MS-06D Desert Zaku. Its group would later be destroyed by the regrouping Federation Forces during the Federation counterattack.

Gallery

880mmRB-T27 raketen bazooka

MMP-80/90mm Ver.8 Machine Gun

280mm Zaku Bazooka

Sturm Faust

Heat Saber

Color art and design for 1/144 HGUC Dom Tropen (Sand Brown Color) model release (2002): illustration by BEE CRAFT

Dom Tropen art by Naochika Morishita

Gaily's Dom Tropen as seen on Gundam 0083 Rebellion

Dom Tropen armed with Heat Saber

Head close-up

Destroying a Federation Zaku F2 with heat saber

Dom Tropen destroys E.F.F.'s Powered GM in point blank range

Dom Tropen of Neuen Bitter's Kimberlite Forces, firing MMP-80/90mm Ver.8 Machine Gun

Kimberlite Forces' Dom Tropen, armed with H&L-SB25K/280mmA-P Zaku Bazooka

Kimberlite Forces' Dom Tropen, armed with Sturm Fausts

Zeon remnant's Dom Tropen in U.C. 0096

Dom Tropen prepares to launch hand grenades

Zeon remnant's Dom Tropen in action, slashing MSA-003 Nemo with heat saber

Dom Tropen as featured in Gundam Duel Company

Dom Tropen (Gaily's Unit) as featured in Gundam Card Builder

Dom Tropen as featured in Gundam Battle Operation

As seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Fan Art

CG render of the Dom Tropen

Gunpla

B-Club 1/144 "MS09F/TROP Dom Tropen" full-cast resin model (1998): box art

1/144 HGUC MS-09F Dom Tropen (2000): box art

1/144 HGUC MS-09F Dom Tropen (Sand Brown Color) (2002): box art

1/144 HGUC MS-09F Dom Tropen [Unicorn Ver.] (P-Bandai exclusive; 2017): box art

Notes and Trivia

• The name "tropen" is German for "tropical".
• In SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online the Dom Tropen has two variations - a standard colored one and the Kimberlite Fleet colors, known as "Desert Colors". Both versions use the Heat Rod and the Sturm Faust, but the standard Dom Tropen uses the machine gun and the "Desert Colors" uses the Raketen Bazooka.
• In the video game Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front, the Dom Tropen team can also use a beam rifle, which appears to be an early Gelgoog design. This has not been confirmed in other MSV sources.

References

MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen - Specifications/Technical Detail/Design

Dom Tropen (0083 version) - line art

External links

• MS-09F/trop Dom Tropen on MAHQ.net