MS-05B Zaku I

The MS-05B Zaku I is a mobile suit introduced in Mobile Suit Golden Gundam.

## Technology & Combat Characteristics

By the outbreak of the One Year War the MS-05 Zaku was two years old and largely considered obsolete. The Mobile suit was developed as the first combat-use mass-production mobile suit, but it was soon superseded by the MS-06A Zaku II Early Production Type, which was replaced by the MS-06C before that too was replaced by the MS-06F Zaku II.

## Armaments

* 105mm Machine Gun

A standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits, this model is the initial type of the machine gun used by the Zaku series. A 100-round drum magazine is mounted on the right side vertically.

* 120mm Machine Gun

Another standard weapon for Zaku type mobile suits. It is a shell firing gun that does not require energy to be used, however its effectiveness against heavy armor is very limited. This model used a 100-round drum magazine.

* H&L-SB21K/280mmA-N Zaku Bazooka

The 280mm Zaku Bazooka was another weapon that could be equipped to a Zaku type mobile suit and it fires explosive rounds. It is primarily for anti-ship combat and displays its power in hit and run attacks. It can also be used against enemy mobile suits, but it is harder to hit a constantly moving target.

* Initial Type Bazooka

This early design of the bazooka featured a block ammo cartridge and a single exhaust port.

* Shotgun

A pump-action shotgun, it is an early type that would be developed into the shotgun used by the MS-18 Kampfër

* 880mmRB-T27 Raketen Bazooka

A new heavy bazooka which features powerful rocket-propelled rounds, and improved targeting sensor with protective cover for aiming. It is fed by a 5 rounds magazine.

* Heat Hawk

An axe-like melee weapon, whose name is short for "tomahawk". Thermal energy is used to superheat the heat hawk's blade, allowing it to slice through the armor of enemy warships or mobile suits.

* G-3 Nerve Gas Grenade Launcher

During the early days of the One Year War, the Principality of Zeon planned to drop colonies on Earth as weapons of mass destruction. Instead of using colonies from Side 3, they intended to capture Earth Federation allied colonies. To prepare these colonies, several Zaku Is were equipped with a G-3 nerve gas grenade launcher. These weapons launched rockets filled with G-3 nerve gas, a chemical weapon that could quickly kill every living person in a colony.

* S-Mine

Anti-personnel explosives fired from various locations on the Zaku's body. They then explode in the air, raining down small metal shrapnels, killing approaching enemy soldiers.

* Knuckle Shield

The knuckle shield is a modified Zaku II shoulder shield carried on the arm, with the curve of the armor fitting over the mobile suit's hand. One of the modifications is the additions of three spikes placed on the plate that rests in front of the hand. These spikes make the knuckle shield an effective bashing weapon. Darmac Barlow's Zaku I in U.C. 0096 features a knuckle shield (minus the three spikes) with hard points to carry two 280mm Zaku Bazookas.

* Shoulder Shield

Originally a regular equipment for MS-06 Zaku II series, Darmac Barlow's Zaku I in U.C. 0096 features a shoulder shield on each shoulder with hard points to carry two sturm fausts and three of the Gelgoog's beam rifle.

* Heat Sword

A melee weapon originally developed for the Gouf line of mobile suits. Like the Zaku's heat tomahawk, the heat sword's blade is heated to high temperatures to increase its cutting capacity.

* MIP-B6 Cracker Grenade

Identical to those used by infantry, the cracker grenade is an explosive weapons designed to be thrown or launched by the MS and detonate after a set amount of time. The "cracker" breaks into several smaller munitions over a wide area.

* Sturm Faust

A simplified, disposable rocket launcher. As the warhead is not equipped with a guidance device, it is extremely hard to use the Sturm Faust to hit a moving target accurately. However, it is still a highly destructive portable weapon.

## Equipment

* Shield

The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. Shields are also treated with an anti-beam coating to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically, physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break.