The RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8 (ガンダムEz8) is a custom variant of the RX-79［G］ Gundam Ground Type appearing in the OVA series Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team. It is piloted by the main protagonist Shiro Amada.
Contents
Technology & Combat Characteristics
During the battle with the Apsalus II, Shiro Amada's RX-79［G］ 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 monuted 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
- Also known as 35mm Vulcan Gun, a pair of these weapons are mounted in the head. These shell firing weapons have a high rate of fire but little power and can't damage the thick armor of a mobile suit, though it can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. They are ideal for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles, small land vehicles, and attack helicopters.
- 12.7mm Vulcan Gun
- Mounted in the torso, the Vulcan gun is primarily designed to take out enemy infantry. It can be used in conjunction with the head mounted 35mm machine guns to target enemy attack craft, though like the machine guns, it lacks the power to significantly damage mobile suit's armor.
- X.B.Sa-G-03 Beam Saber
- The RX-79[G]Ez-8 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.
- RGM·S-Sh-WF/S-00116·Ap-A Shield
- Mounted on the forearm, this shield is a reinforced version of the one 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.
- 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.
- 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 containers carried by the mobile suit.
Special Equipment & Features
- Weapon Rack
- On the back of the Ez8 is a weapon rack for carrying weapon containers, parachute packs, etc. In addition, the rack is equipped with a foldable searchlight and certain sections can unfold into a forklift-like mechanism.
- 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
- Container for storing spare or additional armament that can be attached to the weapon rack. The container allows the Ez8 to carry a variety of armaments and ammunition for both itself and the other members of its squad.
History
As the RX-79[G] 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, RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type was all but destroyed during an ambush on the Zeon's prototype Apsalus II mobile armor, it had to be rebuilt using whatever parts the engineers could find.
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 Apsalus 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 Apsalus III, with a RGM-79［G］ GM Sniper obliterating its left side before having most of its lower body blown off when the Apsalus 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 SD Gundam G Generation Gather Beat video game. This non-official variant has an identical in-game visual appearance. 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 Apsalus 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
_face.jpg "RX-79(GUNDAM EZ8) face.jpg (495 KB)")
Games
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Gunpla
Action Figures
Gashapon
Notes and Trivia
- 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.
- Gundam Ez-8 is one of three Gundams to not have the V-fins on the head. The others are the Victory Gundam Hexa and OMS-90R Gundam F90.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 High Grade 1/144 RX-79 [G] Gundam Ez8 (1998) instruction manual
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team Official Archive, p.40
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team Official Archive, p.99
- ↑ Battle in Three Dimensions
- ↑ Master Grade 1/100 Gundam Ez8 (2000) instruction manual
External Links
