XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The XXXG-0SR Gundam Sandrock (aka Sandrock or Gundam Zero-Four) is a mobile suit featured in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and is piloted by Quatre Raberba Winner.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The Sandrock was constructed by Instructor H in the L4 colonies under the financial support of the Winner family. Designed for operations on land, especially in a desert environment, it has high combat capabilities and excels in melee combat with its strong armor that is more robust than other Gundams'. In addition, it has advanced communication and information analysis systems as it was designed as a commander unit and tasked to be the core of the command system for the Maganac Corps and the five Gundams. Lastly, a sub-camera that functions in sandstorms is installed on the forehead. 

Armaments

• Vulcan Gun

Mounted in the head, the pair of shell firing weapons have a high rate of fire, but little power and are generally ineffective against mobile suits. However, they can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors and are ideal for shooting down lightly armored targets such as missiles, small vehicles, etc.

• Heat Shotel

These heat-radiating curved blades are the Gundam Sandrock's main weapons, and with them, it can cut an enemy in half with each hand simultaneously. When required, the heat shotels can also be used as throwing weapons. When not in use, they are mounted on the backpack of the Sandrock. In the EW version, the blades are larger and the heat shotels can be connected at their pommels to form a double-bladed weapon, as shown in the MG model kit.

• Homing Missile

A small automatic tracking missile stored in both shoulders, they are the Sandrock's sole long-range weaponry. Only present in the TV version.

• Shield

Designed with a snakehead motif, it features two claws as "fangs", and two shield flashers as "eyes". The shield has an anti beam coating, and the shield flashers can release a blinding flash to confuse enemies. In Glory of the Losers, the EW version retains the shield.

• Cross Crusher

This arm-mounted crushing weapon is formed by combining the Gundam Sandrock's shield, backpack, and heat shotels. It can capture an enemy mobile suit in between the shotels, and then cuts them in half. In the EW version, the Cross Crusher can be formed with just the shield and heat shotels as shown by the MG model kit.

• Beam Machine Gun

A handheld beam weapon used for mid-range combat. While its shots are weaker than those of standard beam rifles, its rate of fire is much greater. When not in use, the beam machine gun can be stored on the rear waist armor. It is only used by the Katoki version.

• Beam Rifle

A high output, long-range beam rifle powered by energy cartridges similar to the XXXG-01W Wing Gundam's buster rifle. It is only used by the EW version.

• Armadillo Armor

A set of optional, ejectable armor for the EW version that debuted in Gundam Wing - Endless Waltz: The Glory of Losers. It has built-in auxiliary boosters for high altitude jumping and additional boosters are also attached to the backpack. It also has a pair of modified WMS-03 Maganac's shields on shoulder mounts. In the Ver. 2 configuration, a pair of Sandrock shields are attached to the shoulder mounts instead and a missile pod is attached on top of each shield.

Special Equipment & Features

• Self-Destruct System

The Gundam Sandrock was built to self-destruct should the pilot choose to. A remote detonator is placed within the cockpit and if a dire situation arrives, the pilot can destroy the Mobile Suit. The system was designed to overload its power systems and has enough explosive power to destroy several city blocks. It's a last option tactic if the pilot is incapable of protecting the Mobile Suit, while not allowing it to fall into enemy hands. It also can be used as one large explosive device to eradicate large targets. Unlike the other Gundams', Sandrock's system opens the cockpit door after activation and once the pilot has escaped, the Sandrock is programmed to move forward a certain distance to ensure the pilot is not caught in the explosion.

• Anti-Beam Coating Cloak

A cloth cloak treated with an anti-beam coating to protect the mobile suit from beam shots. It could completely cover the mobile suit with its size, with the exception of the head, providing full body protection. In addition, it also protects against the heat during atmospheric entry. It is only used by the EW version.

• Diffuser Cloth

Similar to the anti-beam coating cloak, it was featured on the Gundam Sandrock in the Comic BonBon manga version of Gundam W and was used during the war in Sanc Kingdom.

History

When the five scientists who designed the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero in AC 180 went their separate ways, each of them took copies of the plans for their original Gundam design. Instructor H, who went into hiding in the L4 colonies, then went on to design and build his own Gundam based on their original plans. His result was the XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock, built specifically for pilot Quatre Raberba Winner. Quatre had no intention of aiding in Operation Meteor's colony drop operation, and - against his pacifist father's wishes - took his Sandrock to Earth to meet up with the Maganac Corps in their direct fight against OZ and the oppressive Earth Alliance.

Sandrock met its end when in order to create a diversion to facilitate the escape of his allies, Quatre was forced to sacrifice Sandrock along with himself, a decision which he did not take lightly, as he had come to see his war machine almost as a friend. However, Sandrock's cockpit opened of its own accord, implying that the Gundam wanted its pilot to live. After Quatre exited the mobile suit, it walked off by itself into the enemy forces before self-destructing, decimating the enemy's numbers and allowing Duo and Wufei to escape with their gundams in tow.

OZ recovered the Sandrock's remains, but made no effort to repair the machine. Eventually Sally Po lead a solo mission to destroy what was left of the gundam, sneaking into the hanger where the remains were being stored and covering them with explosive charges. As fate would have it, Sally discovered the Sandrock at the same time as the Maganac Corps had, briefly engaging them before detonating the charges. Surprisingly, even in its damaged state, the Sandrock survived the explosions. After escaping from OZ forces, Sally Po conceded the Sandrock's remains to the Maganac Corps, in hopes they would be able to re-unite the broken gundam with its pilot someday.

Quatre would eventually return to Earth, where he would later learn the Maganac Corps had found and restored the Sandrock. The young pilot journeyed alone through the desert in hopes of retrieving his Gundam, only to discover the Maganac Corps' headquarters under attack by OZ forces. Quatre managed to locate Sandrock in the nick of time, leading the Maganac Corps against the attacking OZ forces.

Realizing the battle had moved into space and joined by former Sanc Kingdom soldier Lucretia Noin, Quatre once again left the Earth, this time bringing Sandrock along with him. While the machine had been restored, the Sandrock had been constructed for land-based warfare, and was largely unsuitable for combat in outer space. Despite this, Quatre took the Sandrock into a number of battles, where despite its decreased effectiveness, it managed to hold out until they managed to make contact with the spaceship Peacemillion, where the former Gundam engineer Howard ordered the Sandrock to be refit for outer space combat, resulting in the Gundam Sandrock Custom.

In other series

The Gundam Sandrock has a brief cameo in Gundam EXA during the After Colony chapter, it was destroyed by Ex's Extreme Gundam in his attempt to cause a great disturbance that would destroy the AC world.

Variants

• XXXG-01SRL Gundam Sandleon
• Earthquake Naga Gundam
• Thunder Griffon Gundam

Picture Gallery

TV Ver. Front Lineart

TV Ver. Rear Lineart

EW Ver. with Heat Shotels

Sandrock development data screen from Gundam Wing episode 21 (Upper)

Sandrock development data screen from Gundam Wing episode 21 (Lower)

Destroying 2 Leos

In episode 2

EW Ver. with beam rifle

EW Ver. with Armadillo Armor

EW Ver. with Armadillo Armor in action

Armadillo armor with Missile Pods

The early design of Gundam W Gundam, Gundam Sandrock is on the far right

As seen on the game Gundam Diorama Front 3rd.

As seen on the game Gundam Diorama Front 3rd.

Gundam Sandrock from SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays

Gundam Sandrock Armadillo from G Generation Cross Rays

Gundam Sandrock Data From SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays.

Gundam Sandrock Armadillo EW Data From SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays.

Gunpla

1/144 Original XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock (1995): box art

1/144 Original XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock (Re-issue; 2000): box art

1/144 HGAC XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock (2019): box art

1/144 HGAC XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock & Gundam Breaker Mobile Product Code Set (2019): box art

1/100 MG XXXG-01SR "Gundam Sandrock (EW Ver.)" (2011): box art

SDGG XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock (2000): box art

1/100 MG "XXXG-0SR Gundam Sandrock (EW Ver.)": modeled by Hiroshi Sarai (Hobby Japan)

1/100 MG "XXXG-0SR Gundam Sandrock (EW Ver.)"

1/100 MG "XXXG-0SR Gundam Sandrock (EW Ver.)"

1/100 MG "XXXG-0SR Gundam Sandrock (EW Ver.)"

Action Figures

Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA / MIA) "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Kai" (Hong Kong release; 2000): package front view.

MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Kai" (Japanese release; 2000): package front view.

MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Kai" (North American original release; 2000): package front view.

MSiA / MIA "XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock / Kai" (North American renewal version; 2001): package front view.

Notes

• The first design of Gundam Sandrock was to follow the nationality trend from Mobile Fighter G Gundam. Gundam Sandrock's design was Arabian and it was to use a large round shield similar to one used by XXXG-01S Shenlong Gundam.
• Unlike the other 4 Gundams, Hajime Katoki's Endless Waltz redesign of the original Gundam Sandrock has no differences from its standard Sandrock Kai version, beyond a different paint scheme.
• In both Super Robot Wars Z2 games, the Sandrock and its upgrade both when fully upgraded (as its Full upgrade bonus boosts its armor even further), boast one of the highest if not the highest armor values of any mech in the game, surpassing many Super Robots, even Mazinger Z and Big O (super robots known for their toughness).
• The original 1/144 scale Sandrock model kit from the Gundam W series line came packaged with a beam machine gun, which the Sandrock was not armed with until its refit into Sandrock Kai. The model kit does not include the necessary parts to switch the resulting model between Sandrock and Sandrock Kai however.
  • The beam machine gun appears as an attack for the Sandrock in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Duel.

External links

• Gundam Sandrock on MAHQ
• Gundam Sandrock Ver. Ka. on MAHQ
• Gundam Sandrock on Wikipedia