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The RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8 is a customized RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type introduced in the OVA Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team and is piloted by Shiro Amada.

Technology & Combat Characteristics[]

During the battle with the Apsaras II, Shiro Amada's Gundam Ground Type was heavily damaged, necessitating major repair and overhaul. Based on the combat data collected up until that point, as well as feedback from Shiro Amada himself, the Gundam received various modifications. The result became known as Gundam Ez8, short for "Extra-zero-8",[1] which stood for "08th MS Team extra unit".[2]

The Ez8's chest armor received major changes. Its chest armor plating was made using two Zaku II shoulder shields welded together,[3] which can flip open for easy maintenance[1] and can withstand a direct hit from a Zaku II's 175mm Recoilless Rifle with only a few scratches.[4] The multi-launcher and the chest-mounted vulcan gun were removed due to being considered unnecessary. Instead, a 12.7mm vulcan gun was mounted just below the chest armor.[1]

Due to high damage rates in the jungle, the Gundam's signature V-fin was replaced with a rod antenna mounted on the right side of the head.[1] The snorkel camera was removed, and a pair of 35mm vulcan guns were mounted on either side of the head. Due to the lack of Luna Titanium armor material, extra armor was added to the forehead and around the chin for protection.[5] Other changes include the addition of movable knee spikes, which ensure stability during firing, and an improved shield fitted with extra armor. Due to improved power balance, its backpack thrusters had a higher output despite being visually identical.[1]

Overall, as a result of the various modifications, the Ez8 was made lighter without significantly sacrificing durability. Though its basic performance was unchanged from the Gundam Ground Type, it was slightly superior in terms of mobility and communications ability.[2]

Armaments[]

  • 35mm Machine Gun
A pair of shell-firing armament built into the head, they are also known as "35mm Vulcan Guns". Although the caliber of the guns is smaller than usual, they are effective in restricting enemy movements as the head's movable structure allows them to have a wide angle of fire. A casing exit is located on the side of the head.
  • 12.7mm Vulcan Gun
Installed in the center bottom of the chest. This anti-personnel weapon has a range of motion of 60 degrees left to right and +20 to -60 degrees up and down. Ammunition is supplied from two drum-type magazines in the chest armor.
  • X.B.Sa-G-03 Beam Saber
The Gundam Ez8 has two beam sabers, one stored in the side of each lower leg. The beam saber is a small device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. The beam saber emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-Field and is capable of cutting through almost any armor not treated with anti-beam coating.
  • YHI YF-MG100 100mm Machine Gun
The standard armament for Federation's mobile suit ground forces during the One Year War that was developed by Yashima Heavy Industries. It has an alternate model number: "NF·GMG-Type.37/100mm". Equipped with a box magazine and folding stock, it has excellent rate of fire and is easy to wield. It utilized a smoothbore type barrel that lacked rifling and has to be replaced after firing 3000 rounds. The weapon could utilize three different types of ammunitions: HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank), APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding-Sabot), and HESH (High Explosive Squash Head), allowing combat units to select the appropriate type to meet operational needs. Like the Gundam Ground Type, the Gundam Ez8 carries two spare magazines on its side skirt armor.
  • BLASH XBR-M-79E Beam Rifle
The same beam rifle as used by the Gundam Ground Type, it is a redesign of the RX-78-2 Gundam's XBR-M-79-07G beam rifle. Instead of the 79-07G’s large movable sensor, this rifle is fitted with the BP-SS-001 composite box-type sensor system utilized on the BR-M-79C-3 Beam Spray Gun and licensed from BOWA Corporation, granting the weapon improved targeting precision.
  • RGM*S-Sh-WF/S-00109 Shield
Mounted on the forearm, this small, light shield is commonly used by the Gundam Ground Type and GM Ground Type. Constructed of Luna Titanium alloy, it is designed to primarily protect the cockpit and other critical areas. Additionally, it can be used as a close-range striking weapon due to its movable mount. Furthermore, through lodging the spikes at the tip into the ground, the shield can serve as a free-standing frontal defense. This also allows the mobile suit to use both hands to hold large caliber weaponry and maintain a stable firing position. It can also be used as a gun mount, and a bipod is attached to the back for additional stability when placed on the ground.[6]
  • RGM·S-Sh-WF/S-00116·Ap-A Shield
Also known as "Improved Shield", this forearm-mounted shield is a reinforced version of the RGM*S-Sh-WF/S-00109 shield commonly used by the Gundam Ground Type and the GM Ground Type, with a small additional armor plate attached to the surface that provides additional protection against projectiles and increases overall durability. Other features remain the same. It retained the Gundam Ground Type's color, and was not repainted in Ez8's white color.
  • YHI FH-X180 180mm Cannon
A transportable cannon developed by Yashima Heavy Industries as a long-range weapon for use in 1G environment. It has an alternate model number:"NFHI·GMCa-type.09/". Its design is thought to have referenced the Zimmad Corporation’s ZIM/M-T-K175C Magella Top Cannon. It uses a six-rounds box magazine that is inserted into the top. The most notable feature of this weapon is that it can be broken down into compact components for transport in the weapon container carried by the mobile suit.

Special Equipment & Features[]

  • Container Rack
Like the Gundam Ground Type, the Ez8 has a container rack on its back for carrying weapon container, parachute packs, etc. In addition, the rack is equipped with a foldable searchlight and certain sections can unfold into a forklift-like mechanism for attaching the container.
  • Parachute Pack
An optional back-mounted MS equipment created by the Federation for paradrop missions from the Medea Transport Plane. The Parachute Pack contains three parachutes and four thrusters to help in making a safe descent to the ground. Once touchdown had been accomplished the Parachute Pack would be ejected so not to hinder the mobile suit performance in ground combat. Two types of parachute pack were known to exist.
  • Weapon Container
The same container as used by the Gundam Ground Type, it can be attached to the container rack on the Ez8's back. The weapon container enables the Ez8 to carry a variety of armaments and ammunition for both itself and the other members of its squad.

History[]

As the Gundam Ground Type units were constructed primarily of spare parts left over from the RX-78 development project, replacements parts for them were very limited. When the 08th MS Team's leader, Ensign Shiro Amada's Gundam Ground Type was all but destroyed during an ambush on the Zeon's prototype Apsaras II mobile armor, it had to be rebuilt using whatever parts the engineers could find, including parts salvaged from Zeon machines.

Shiro Amada's Gundam Ez8 continued to see service in the Southeast Asian theater during the One Year War, until it was destroyed during the battle to besiege and capture Zeon's mountain stronghold where the completed Apsaras III was located. The Ez8 suffered heavy damage in its battle against Norris Packard and his MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom before being damaged beyond repair in combat against the Apsaras III, with a RGM-79[G] GM Sniper obliterating its left side before having most of its lower body blown off when the Apsaras III misfired after the Ez8 smashed its cockpit with its fist and disappeared into the volcano along with the MA, although the Ez8's pilots survived.

Variants[]

  • RX-79Ez-8 Gundam Ez8 Kai
A space combat variant of Gundam Ez8. First appears in the video game SD Gundam G Generation Gather Beat. Aside from becoming space worthy, the only difference to Gundam Ez8 is its handheld cannon which is 200mm caliber instead of the standard 180mm. In the game, the Ez8 Kai is built after Shiro Amada launches his regular Ez8 to fight the Apsaras III in space, but is unable to move, due to the fact that his unit was built for Earth combat and thus easily beaten. Doctor J, aiding the heroes, goes on to modify the Ez8 to be space-worthy and later creates two specialized modules for the Ez8 Kai. In the sequel game SD Gundam G Generation Gather Beat 2, the Ez8 Kai undergoes renovation using technology introduced during the Gryps War. Although the appearance does not change, the internal mechanism has been changed to modern standards, so the Ez8 Kai's performance does not lag behind the MS at the time.

Gallery[]

Lineart[]

Animation[]

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team[]

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

Illustrations & Artwork[]

Games[]

Gunpla[]

Action Figures[]

Gashapon[]

Notes & Trivia[]

  • The Ez8 is the first protagonist Gundam to have no V-shaped or similar antenna on the head.
  • The designation "Ez8" appears to be a reference to the M4A3E8(76)W "Easy Eight" variant of the M4 Sherman medium tank of World War II.
  • In Battle in Three Dimensions, the Ez8 uses a standard Gundam Ground Type shield in the same colors as the Ez8 itself.
  • In SD Gundam Battle Alliance, numerous characters refer to the Ez-8 as a "hornless Gundam".

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 High Grade 1/144 RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8 (1998) instruction manual
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team Official Archive, p.40
  3. Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team Official Archive, p.99
  4. Battle in Three Dimensions
  5. Master Grade 1/100 Gundam Ez8 (2000) instruction manual
  6. 1/144 HGUC RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type (2007) model kit manual

External links[]


The 08th MS Team Mechanics
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