MS-11 Act Zaku

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The MS-11 Act Zaku is a Principality of Zeon mass production general-purpose mobile suit. It was featured as a mobile suit variation in MS-X, it later appeared in the anime Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and the manga Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Space, To the End of a Flash and Mobile Suit Gundam: Outer Gundam manga.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

Based on the design of the MS-06 Zaku II, the Act Zaku is a normal evolution of the Zaku series. Its development was focused on improving the Zaku series and enhancing overall mobility. The Act Zaku was the testbed for the new "magnetic coating" technology developed by the Zeonic Company. This technology reduces the friction caused by joints movement, enabling a faster and more responsive mobile suit. Because of this, the Act Zaku's joints are driven by field motors, similar to Federation mobile suits, rather than the fluid pulse system typically used by Zeon mobile suits.

The Act Zaku also had a much higher output reactor to wield beam weaponry. The Act Zaku could be issued the standard armaments of the Zaku series, such as the 120mm machine gun and 280mm bazooka. Model number MS-11 was originally given to the MS-14 Gelgoog, but was transferred to this unit due to delays in the development of the Gelgoog. Overall, the Act Zaku has demonstrated performance comparable to the Gelgoog's.

Armaments

• Beam Rifle

A standard hand carried ranged beam weapon is the beam rifle. Capable of firing concentrated mega particles, attacks from a beam rifle can damage any ordinary armor that has not been specially treated to resist it.

• Quadruple Barrel Machine Gun

A new four-barrel machine gun developed for the Act Zaku.

• M-120A1 120mm Machine Gun

Also referred to as a "rifle" by Zeon soldiers, Zeonic was contracted to develop this weapon. Its internal development code is "ZMC38III". It can switch between semi-automatic and automatic fire. Although useless against Luna Titanium Alloy, it can still destroy weaker armor material with multiple shots.

• H&L-SB25K/280mmA-P Zaku Bazooka

The 280mm Zaku Bazooka was another weapon that could be equipped to a Zaku type mobile suit and it fires explosive rounds. 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.

• 360mm Giant Bazooka II

A weapon borrowed from the MS-09R-2 Rick Dom II, which is a redesigned version of Dom series' 360mm Giant Bazooka, with improved shape charges and firepower. The Giant Bazooka II is magazine-fed with 5-round capacity. A single round is particularly effective in anti-ship warfare, and can blow the torso off of an enemy mobile suit.

• Hand Grenade

Throwing weapons used as an alternative to the Cracker Grenade. Stored on the waist, these grenades are thrown 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.

• 120mm Zaku Machine Gun Kai

A weapon borrowed from the RMS-106 Hizack, it was a recreation of the original Zaku II's machine gun. Features an improved stock and improved accuracy with a federation standard sensor.

• Large Heat Hawk

An axe-like weapon similar to the one used by the MS-06 Zaku II, whose name is short for "tomahawk", but bigger. Thermal energy heats up the weapon's blade, allowing it to slice through the armor of enemy warships or mobile suits.

• Beam Saber

The beam saber is a small device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. It emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and can cut through most armor not treated with anti-beam coating. The Act Zaku can carry two beam sabers, one can be used as a reserve weapon, or both can be used simultaneously in a twin sword fashion.

• Shield

The Act Zaku can optionally equip the same shield as the MS-14A Gelgoog, or the shield used by the RMS-106 Hizack. The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. Shields are also treated with an anti-beam coating to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically, physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break.

Special Equipment & Features

• Magnetic Coating

A special membrane treatment applied to mobile suit joints. The special magnetic coating materials could be electrically charged to produce a magnetic field. This field caused the components of the joints to repel one another, reducing the friction caused by joint movement to almost nothing, creating a faster and much more responsive mobile suit.

History

The Act Zaku was introduced too late for the Principality of Zeon. Some units might have actually seen combat during the retake of the Pezun asteroid after the end of the war, quite possibly already equipped with beam rifles. When the Earth Federation Forces captured the Pezun asteroid, they obtained the designs for the Act Zaku, and the concept of magnetic joint coating. The Earth Federation would put the Act Zaku into production for their own use after the One Year War.

At least one custom unit belonged to Granada's ace pilot, Mallet Sanguine. This Act Zaku has a commander antenna on its forehead and armed with two heat hawks, and a beam rifle and shield. After Mallet got seriously injured by the RX-78-4 Gundam Unit 4 "G04"'s mega beam launcher, he has the Act Zaku's limiter removed - increasing its performance while ignoring his condition - in order to exact vengeance from G04's partner, RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5 "G05".

The Earth Federation would use the Act Zaku for many years, right up into the Gryps Conflict, though not in as great a number as their other mass-produced machines. By UC 0087 the Act Zaku was fairly outdated when compared to the advanced machines being produced by both sides, and saw resounding defeats during each engagement against the AEUG. By UC 0087 the Act Zaku was phased out of service with the Earth Federation.

Gallery

Act Zaku (Zeonography): color art

Act Zaku (Zeonography): color art by Hajime Katoki

Beam Rifle

120mm Machine Gun

280mm Zaku Bazooka

Quadruple-Barrel Machine Gun

Large Heat Hawk

Shield

Act Zaku (Mallet Sanguine Custom)

E.F.F.'s Act Zakus as seen on Z Gundam TV series

7th Military Academy's Act Zaku using beam sabers in twin sword fashion (Gundam Build Divers Ep7)

7th Military Academy's Act Zaku being scratched by the Petitkapool

Games

Act Zaku as featured in Mobile Suit Gundam Gihren's Greed

Act Zaku promotion campaign as featured in Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation

From SD Gundam G Generation Wars

Act Zaku (Commander Type) as seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Act Zaku as seen in Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Action Figures

Zeonography #3007 "MS-11 Act Zaku / MS-06E-3 Zaku Flipper" (2005): package front view

Zeonography #3007 "MS-11 Act Zaku / MS-06E-3 Zaku Flipper" (2005): package rear view

Zeonography #3007 "MS-11 Act Zaku" figure: sample product (front) with parts convertible to MS-06E-3 Zaku Flipper figure (back).

Notes and Trivia

• In the game Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space, the Act Zaku is an unlockable unit and has its own beam rifle. The design of the beam rifle in the game is similar to the design for the beam rifle the Hi-Zack and Marasai used. This might imply that when the Pezun base was captured by the Earth Federation, they took the design for this beam rifle for their own production purposes.
• In SD Gundam G Generation Genesis, a special animation appears if Mallet Sanguine's Action Zaku defeats certain units such as RB-79 Ball with its Heat Hawks.

References

Act Zaku: information from Gundam Battle Operation

Act Zaku (Commander Type): information from Gundam Battle Operation

Act Zaku (Commander Type): information from Gundam Side Story: Missing Link

Act Zaku (E.F.F. Unit): information from Project File Z Gundam

External links

• MS-11 Action Zaku on MAHQ.net

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