MSZ-006-3B Zeta Gundam 3B Type

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The MSZ-006-3B Zeta Gundam 3B Type (also "Gray Zeta") is a variant of the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam piloted by former Zeon ace Shin Matsunaga (codename "Gray Wolf"), who calls it "Buster", and appears in the Gundam Evolve episode 9.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

For the most part, the Gray Zeta has similar appearance as the standard Zeta, save for two differences: the tail binder, instead of lying down on the back in Mobile Suit mode, instead splits into two horizontal airfoils behind the head; and the thrusters on the lower leg have three small exhausts in place of the standard two.

Weapon wise, it has a new wider shield that covers a greater portion of the unit's underside in Waverider mode, and has two built-in, rapid-fire beam machine guns. The shield also no longer serves as the unit's nose - instead, a large beam launcher is mounted in its place, which detaches and is hand-carried in Mobile Suit mode.

The Gray Zeta has the same beam-deflection coating as the MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki, which gives it its yellow color (much to the chagrin of its pilot, who wanted it to be a gray color). It is fitted with the split-panel cockpit screen of old MS like the Zaku rather than a modern panoramic monitor.

Armaments

• 60mm Vulcan Gun

Similar to the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam, the Gray Zeta has a pair of 60mm vulcan guns located in its head as mid-close range defensive weapons. While they normally do little damage against the armor of a mobile suit, they are useful in intercepting missiles, lightly-armored targets, etc. The vulcan guns are operable in mobile suit mode only.

• 2-tube Grenade Launcher

Just like the original Zeta Gundam, the Gray Zeta has a pair of 2-tube Grenade Launchers in its forearms. These are self-propelled projectiles strong enough to destroy a mobile suit. Each tube carries two rounds, meaning each grenade launcher carries four grenades, for a total of eight rounds.

• A.E.BLASH XB-G-35/Du.105 Beam Saber/Beam Gun

The beam saber is the standard close-combat melee weapon of many MS. The pair employed by the Zeta Gundam 3B Type are stored in the side skirt armor, and are hand carried in use, with a power rating of 0.65 MW. In waverider mode, the beam sabers double as beam guns, partially extending from the storage racks, with a total power rating of 1.3 MW.

• Large Beam Launcher

The main firearm of the Zeta Gundam 3B Type. It has a much greater output than the Shield's Beam Machine Guns and can be use in both Waverider and MS Mode.

• Shield

A standard defensive feature of most mobile suits is a shield. A thick piece of extra armor designed to stop enemy attacks, it also has anti-beam coating to defend against beam weaponry, however the coating gets worn down with each hit until rendered useless. The Gray Zeta's shield serves as the underside in waverider mode.

• Beam Machine Gun

A pair of rapid-fire beam weaponry are mounted on the shield.

Special Equipment & Features

• Beam Deflection Coating

Multiple layers of high specific heat capacity material are coated on top of the armor that evaporates in high temperature. It provides a type of sacrificial protection against beam weaponry. However, due to its nature of ablating when defending against great heat, it can only tolerate a few hits to the same spot.

History

After the Gryps Conflict, three Zeta Gundam was made and assigned to AEUG for whipping out Titans remnants. The Zeta Gundam 3B Type was piloted by Shin Matsunaga (Gray Wolf), a Newtype and former Zeon's Ace. Together with Amuro Ray's MSZ-006-3A Zeta Gundam 3A Type and Yurii Ajissah's MSZ-006-P2/3C Zeta Gundam P2/3C Type, Shin confronted the monstrous mobile armor, QRX-006 Geminus. During the battle, Gray Wolf crashed his Zeta into the enemy unit in an attempt to expose the enemy's movement patterns to his allies.

Gallery

Art from Gundam Perfect File

Gunpla

1/100 MG "MSZ-006-3B Zeta Gundam 3B Type" (P-Bandai exclusive; 2015): box art

Notes and Trivia

• Hidetaka Tenjin, the mechanical designer for Gundam Evolve, stated in a 2008 interview with Newtype Magazine that the Gray Zeta was intended to have a color scheme similar to the Zeta Plus C1. The main colors of the suit ended up bright orange due to Tenjin's protanopia colorblindness, and the 'Gray Zeta' name was passed as a "light-hearted joke".

Reference

Gray Zeta and Red Zeta: information

External links

• Gray Zeta on MAHQ