XM-08 Zondo Gei is a mass produced mobile suit of the Crossbone Vanguard. It was featured in the manga Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam.
Technology & Combat Characteristics
As with other mobile suits of the day, the Zondo Gei was designed to be light weight to make it fast and maneuverable. To this end the Zondo Gei was made exceptionally small at a mere 10 meters, making it one of the smallest mobile suits ever. However its small size meant it had to have a smaller reactor and thus suffered a decrease in efficiency and combat ability. Despite this shortcoming the Zondo Gei could still use beam weapons and mounted a beam shield on the left shoulder, however to conserve energy the pilots of the Zondo Gei preferred the signature Crossbone Vanguard mobile suit weapon, the shot lancer. It could also mount a booster to its back which increased its speed and flight range.
Another piece of equipment used to conserve energy was an anti-beam cloak rigged on the mobile suit's waist, giving it the appearance of a skirt. The anti-beam cloak was equipment prepared before battles and could withstand up to five beam shots before coming apart. However the placement of the anti-beam cloak suggests it is mainly used to protect the mobile suit's lower half whilethe upper half is protected from the admittedly limited coverage of the beam shield.
Overall the Zondo Gei was a sub-par machine when compared to contemporary mobile suits, possibly why it was never used by the original Crossbone Vanguard, and pilots had to rely more on their ability and intuition to survive combat against superior machines.
Armaments
- Beam Shield
- Beam Rifle
- Beam Saber
- Shot Lancer
- 4-Barrel Heavy Machine Gun
System Features
- Anti-beam Coating Cloak
- Booster
History
The production of the Zondo Gei began around the year UC 0123, though the production run was limited and the Zondo Gei would not become known until some years later when the second Crossbone Vanguard would turn pirate and start a secret war with the Jupiter Empire. In the year UC 0133, the second Crossbone Vanguard possessed five Zondo Gei mobile suits, all operated by excellent pilots, that would serve as the backbone of their mobile suit forces. However by the same year, the Buch Concern had ceased producing parts for the ten-year old mobile suit and it was impossible to continue repairs. In the end, they had no choice but to sacrifice the units, sending them on autopilot against enemy units on the Jupiter's moon Io, to act as a distraction while the real mobile suit team attacked from a different direction. To make up for the loss of the Zondo Gei, the Crossbone Vangaurd filled their ranks with captured EMS-06 Batara and an EMS-10 Pez Batara mobile suits.
Picture Gallery
External Links
Template:Late Universal Century Mobile weapons