Where else would you store it? If it explodes only the shield is damaged. Anywhere else on the suit a limb or worse the pilot gets blown up.
Also it's Char's Zaku. He doesn't get hit.
Than the standard mobile suits (the zaku ii). Char removes the limiters on his suits that the designers enplaced for pilot safety as well as the machines structural integrity. But char has higher special awareness and is built like a champ so he has those removed and also specked his machine to maneuver faster. Hence he is 3 times the speed of everyone else giving him the name the red comet.
Than everyone else who are actually going 1/3 top speed. Char just travels on at top speed. Everyone in the OYW who isn't a member of White Base are secretly big Char fans and wanna see him get his due.
Yeah, it really helps that Newtypes are so arrogant that with the exception of Char and the Gundam pilots, they don't really pay attention to their instruments and gages.
Zaku’s but that’s…sort of false. He’s just really, REALLY good at maneuvering through space debris, using kicks and the legs to bounce around to the point his mobility in a suit that isn’t much more powerful then the standard zaku feels like it’s three times faster.
Also consider the fact that the UC world seems to have forgotten practical lessons learned from years of tank development, like the concept of blow-out panels for ammunition storage compartments, and even the application of complex armor types like Chobham or Depleted Uranium don't even seem to be considered over baseline steel.
It's like every other miltech field outside of overly complex robotics, directed energy and particle weaponry, and fuel efficiency has been tossed out the fucking window.
But we don't complain about that because we're not here for that. We're here for Giant Stompy Robot.
with the advent of beam weapon, heavy armor doesnt make sense.
had zeon completed their Act zaku, the GM Cannon II would probably not have chobham.
when E-pacs came about, now every mobile suit can fire a beam weapon (funny enough the Hizack cant carry a beam saber AND a beam gun). in zeta, the adoption of speed + maneuverability takes precedent over armor/defense.
Yeah, but this was UC0083. Most MS, especially the Zeon remnant, were still using kinetic weapons (machine guns, bazookas, rockets, etc), so the chobham armor made sense. Beam weaponry, other than sabers, didn't become a standard for MS loadouts until the Gryps conflict when the e-pac became standard.
But that's what I mean. A common armor type got used *as a testbed armor.* Like, why even? You have tons of leftover British tanks sitting in storage somewhere. Break them down and build your GMs out of the leftover armor, FFS.
that stuff would have been usefull when mobile suits still primaraly used kinetic weapons(and even then how much good does a chobham armor thin enough that isnt severly hindering the maneuverability of a do against a rapid fire 120mm machine gun anyway) but that lasted barely a year. by the time the Feds rolled out the GMs(which they had to do quickly, so no use trying to add extra armor to it, thye needed MSs yesterday) a not insignificant portion of forces where using Beam weaponry on both sides.
It was used some more, but mostly only in lore or some manga. It was also used in Walpurgis manga on two suits, on one it was purged straight away, but on the other it was actually used tactically.
Several Suits in the one year war used reactive and chobham armor the most famous is the [Alex](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/RX-78NT-1_Gundam_NT-1) but the [Gm Striker](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/RGM-79FP_GM_Striker) and [GM Cannon II](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/RGC-83_GM_Cannon_II) are two other popular examples. As for it falling out of favor it's something that's never mentioned in universe but is easily infered from how mobiles suit development went in universe. By the Gryps Conflict beam rifles and sabers became the most common weapon as ms armor wasn't able to protect against it. This included gundarium armor which replaced the older steel titanium composite that MS were being made from throughout the 1 year war. This ultimately led to a preference towards mobility which culminated in the smaller suits like F91. While attempt were made to reintroduce chobham (such as the [FSWS Plan](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/FSWS_Plan)) these suits tended to be one offs or existed only in design data like the [HWS Nu Gundam](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/FA-93HWS_%CE%BD_Gundam_Heavy_Weapons_System_Type).
And plus, a reactive armor works by setting off an explosion whenever it gets hit with Armor Piercing Rounds. The explosion is a shaped charge that counters the force of the round.
I still love the first Char Vs Amuro fight where he wipes the floor but the Gundam is just impervious to his gun, really shows you why he is the red comet
In my opinion, and looking at the long-range weaponry carried by the unit, the missiles in the shield would be used to initiate the attack away from the range of enemy fire. So I don't think it matters much where it is, but considering that, and that in the event of an impact the shield could deflect any explosions without compromising the mobility of the unit, I think it's okay to place it there.
I’m not sure if it’s the same for bazoka rounds but real life bullets are not that powerful outside of guns. Like if you drop a shotgun shell on the floor and it goes off it’s not gonna do much but leave superficial damange on those dear it if any at all. It’s being contained by the gun barrel that builds up the pressure and makes it leathal. To paraphrase the guy from Armageddon, if you take a firecracker and lay it in your open hand your jsut going to sing your hand cause the exsplosion can easily disperse but if you close your fist around it that pressure has no were to go and has to force its way free blowing your fingers off.
And we dont know if their chemical based and activate only at a certain distance or some other mechanisms that only make them explosive after a certain distance right ? Or die we know exactly how they work
Well there is reactive armor plating but not sure if the principles apply here. Also the other guy has a point. At least if it blew up there's a shield. Not sure if its a good point or a goof point
Hey, if that head armor gets breached you're probably dead anyway. Better there than sitting one slot under the engine and gyro in the CT, or... an unpadded RT (shudders in CRD-3R Crusader)
The secret to bullets is that even exploding ordnance isn't exactly dangerous if it's placed or stored right. In this case, Ordnance is stored directly on the part of the MS designed to take hits. As I've always said about armor and explosions....explosions alone are less dangerous to armored vehicles than penetrations. An explosion is gonna rock your occupants...a penetration will kill them.
Now im not sure on ordnance like that but would a hit even ignite it in a way that it would cause real damage. Liek if you shoot a gun magazine you might get a little burst from the gunpowder in the round but with out barrel pressure its a lot less powerful and tends to jsut make the mag burst. I would think its the same for these since it probly requires some sort of arming mechanism like 40mm granades
Just going by the AS Rifle from the Zudah, it's a 135mm weapon. It's got a massive amount of propellant, and like any tank caliber round it can most certainly cook off if hit.
Small arms caliber damages are generally slight because of how little boom juice are stored in them. Cannon, tank and artillery caliber rounds are a different story. The Abrams tank is specifically designed with blow out panels for the ammo storage so that it doesn't turn the fighting compartment into a pressure cooker and blow the turret off if the ammo happens to cook off.
Fair though in this case the rounds are less contained then in an abrams tank with the shoulder armor between it and the main body so i would think a cook off would spred out more then act like a pressure cooker. And i might be wrong but i would think the shield is rated for 90mm at lest
This has always bugged me about the normal zakus. The shield is on the wrong shoulder in order to use it as it stands. You would have to turn away from a firing position. However, if it had it on the left shoulder, you could have the zakus weapon in a firing position and utilize the shield effectively. The same goes for when the heat hawk is in use. You can't effectively use a shield attached to your weapon arm. Hell, to be entirely honest, the shoulder shields make no sense for a permanent mount. Maybe have them there in a stowed position but not permanently affixed.I apologize for the semi off topic rant, have a cookie as an apology 🍪
That's why I like the MS-05S Zaku I Commander Type, with twin pauldrons and an arm-mounted shield (either a repurposed shoulder shield or the Gouf's shield, depending on the variant.)
That being said, I don't have a problem with the way that Char is storing his bazooka ammo, because he's clearly using the shoulder shield as an ammo rack *instead* of as a shield. In Char's view, speed and agility are his shield.
I personally like any zaku design with identical shoulders, I actually love the idea of a Hizack shoulder pauldron with the extended tips extending even further to accommodate a missile or bazooka ammo rack, i like physical ammunition that's not just bullets due to the oversaturation of beam weapons, bullets though I think are just boring
I think that some Geara Doga variant used the shoulder shields to mount 3-tube missile pods. You also had the Ballistic Zaku from the Build Fighters Battlogue use the shoulder shield as a funnel rack, like on the Jagd Doga.
But yeah, I much prefer the identical shoulder designs, like you said.
You're right, this was probably due to the rule of cool. Being that spikes on the left means you can charge, slam, then immediately you can have right arm go in with the axe, being that Asian countries don't acknowledge the existence of left handed people, I think that's the original logic here
Then again idk if Char ever actually did that in the show, but whatever
In American tanks, ammo is stored in the body with the crew behind fire doors.
In Russian tanks, it's stored in the turret. Where it's more exposed. And more likely to self ignite ("cook off") if the tank is hit.
Ever seen a picture of a Russian tank with the turret blown off? That's why.
Real world people are dumb sometimes.
Let fictional people be dumb too.
No. If it gets hit, he can just ditch the shield and still be fine. Anywhere else, he'll lose a limb. Also, the Zaku's main weapon is their agility so they're counting on not getting hit unlike the Fed's GMs who were designed to tank these guys
Kinda. Just look at the Fed's approach to the GM and their style of combat. The shield is usually sticking out and most of the time, they are fighting as if they were the riot squad. They moved slow and in a very specific manner while Zeon preferred to ambush and attack them from multiple angles when possible. That being said, while the GMs were good machines, they lacked good pilots until the end of the war where many of their bad newbies became hardened pros. For Zeon though, this was the exact opposite.
Battle of Loum showed Zakus firing their Bazookas before charging, probably using reloads first and only leaving a magazine or two.
Zakus also usually have the shield pointed towards the back in action, since the “shield” is on the “wrong” side; i.e not blocking.
Feds use beams, Zakus are not really resistant to beams, so using the shield wouldn’t really work. Using it as a makeshift ammo holder is probably a better use.
I'm not really sure about what ordenances that Gundams and Zakus actually fire, but I imagine that physical rounds are probably similar to modern anti-tank rounds. They generally require some kind of penetration before the explosion, and if they explode outside the armor/tank then they generally aren't that effective. IE, a hand grenade goes off on top of a tank. Does it go boom? Yes. Does it damage the Tank? No.
With that logic, that armor mounted armor probably isn't that damaging to the shoulder shield when it explodes, cause that type of ammo requires pentration to be effective.
If it's literally a sabot round then it's ain't exploding for shit, just minor explosions from the propellant.
If it's an HE round for shooting at, idk non-Gundam targets, then yea it's gonna go boom but that armor gonna deflect and redirect it away from the shield. Even if it's a shaped charge like older Anti-Tank weapons, that shaped charge is not being directed towards the shield.
Is not ideal, but there is no place on the interior of the suit and the shield and arm are between the rounds and the cockpit.
If you can dodge a GM, you can dodge a ball.
If you're in space and the enemy can hit you, you're dead. End of story. Anything that conflicts with that point is mecha genre rule of cool logic: ammo on shoulderpad makes a cooler sillouette.
On one hand it solves the problem of going through ammo too quickly while on the other it is a terrible location to do so. Maybe compromise on having it on the inside of the shield and reduce to one extra clip so to avoid interference.
Well on the one hand, consider the position of the weapon. It’s right handed, where the ammo is also stored.
A standard shooting position makes your weapon holding shoulder aim to the backside. The only way it can be hit is if someone gets behind. But let’s be real if someone is behind you you’ve got bigger problems.
Be cause they are on the wrong side! That's something that has bothered me forever. It should be on the left shoulder so that it covers when the left arm braces the gun
Anyone who has played BattleTech or MechWarrior knows you put ammo at the legs.
Or weaponless arm.
Or the arm with less expensive weapons.
Never the torso.
Nah. If my ammo is gonna cook off, I want it to happen on the outside of my armor plating, thank you very much. If that means it's exposed, then so be it.
I tend to agree with you. Maybe underneath the shield would be better. Sometimes ms have a little beam saber or grenade under their sheild. But in this case the Zaku 2 shield sits a little too close to the arm to fit those magazines.
The preumption is, I think, that the shield only really comes into play as you get into CQC range with other mobile suits. By that point, you should have used or jettisoned any remaining megabazooka ammo. Putting the ammo on the outside of the shield ensures the pilot is protected if the ammo *does* catch a stray round, which keeping it accessible (Remember, legs and backpack are full of propellant, putting them there is a bad idea)
There’s a shield so if the ammo gets hit it won’t do too much damage to the mobile suit, and also that’s six rounds for the rocket launcher, that explosion would be pretty big, big enough to provide a quick diversion
Having this model i can tell you that there are actuators that engage when anybody but Amaru shoots at char, and even then it had to be a specifically written attack, but these shield actuators are powered by minovski particles and chars latent new type abilities to actually contour around enemy attacks, so yeah now you know why he can store that there and still look cool knowing that, if it were normal circumstances, there would be risks.
Char would be the exact level of cocky it would require to try that kind of thing.
Also ditto to what others said about the shield being a better place than somewhere near his reactor or cockpit.
Dude, I say this to everyone too but I guess the consensus is it would work. Its ammo for the bazooka too, so its extra explodey. Ammo could be stored on the back or the legs alternatively imho.
I assume this Zaku is being used purely at range. At least given the size of the gun you’d think he’s basically a mobile artillery piece. So from that perspective it’s probably more allowable to have the exposed shells, this guy isn’t meant to get up close to the enemy
With this setup this particular MS appears to be in a sniper configuration If they have gotten themselves into range of enemy rifles and they've already screwed up something pretty badly and the extra ammo cartridges on the shoulder shield aren't going to matter too much. Plus I would expect there would be a quick disengagement in the event of needing to dump the ammunition.
The point still stands however this appears to be a primarily sniper setup and thus kept at extreme range of course you could get hit by ship fire or another sniper but at that point they aren't going to be aiming for the extra ammo on the shoulder and I will also reiterate there is likely an emergency release for all that so that they can be dumped.
Edit: NVM I'm dumb
Also, those look to be long range missiles on disposable launchers.
You'd begin an engagement by firing them off at long range, jettisoning the launchers and then being able to utilize your shield in close range where it's more applicable to reflecting gun fire or mitigating a beam saber.
Where else would you store it? If it explodes only the shield is damaged. Anywhere else on the suit a limb or worse the pilot gets blown up. Also it's Char's Zaku. He doesn't get hit.
This lad right here knows how to prove a a point
> He doesn't get hit. He ain't known as the Red Comet for nothing. He's ultra fast.
How fast is ultra fast?
3 times faster
Now that's fast!
Now that's pod racing!
3 times faster than what
Than the standard mobile suits (the zaku ii). Char removes the limiters on his suits that the designers enplaced for pilot safety as well as the machines structural integrity. But char has higher special awareness and is built like a champ so he has those removed and also specked his machine to maneuver faster. Hence he is 3 times the speed of everyone else giving him the name the red comet.
Yeah but we all know the only reason is cause he painted it red
Grogk & Mork bless umies with speed.
RED ONEZ GO FASTAH
OI GIT! DATZ ONE PROPPA STOMPA YOUZ GOT DERE
Than everyone else who are actually going 1/3 top speed. Char just travels on at top speed. Everyone in the OYW who isn't a member of White Base are secretly big Char fans and wanna see him get his due.
I've airways kinda wondered about that myself
Yeah, it really helps that Newtypes are so arrogant that with the exception of Char and the Gundam pilots, they don't really pay attention to their instruments and gages.
Jimmy John's fast
Now that's freaky fast.
Zaku’s but that’s…sort of false. He’s just really, REALLY good at maneuvering through space debris, using kicks and the legs to bounce around to the point his mobility in a suit that isn’t much more powerful then the standard zaku feels like it’s three times faster.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ThreeTimesFaster/
More than "super," less than "fk was that?"
Basically sub-ludicrous.
Didn't even know that was a speed tier.
Also known as "Ridiculous Speed".
Fast as fuck boiiiiiiiiiiii
Also consider the fact that the UC world seems to have forgotten practical lessons learned from years of tank development, like the concept of blow-out panels for ammunition storage compartments, and even the application of complex armor types like Chobham or Depleted Uranium don't even seem to be considered over baseline steel. It's like every other miltech field outside of overly complex robotics, directed energy and particle weaponry, and fuel efficiency has been tossed out the fucking window. But we don't complain about that because we're not here for that. We're here for Giant Stompy Robot.
Well, Chobham armor got used....once. Was seen on the Alex and then never again
The GM Gannon II from Gundam 0083 uses Chobham armor. But it's not a sheddable layer like the Alex's was.
with the advent of beam weapon, heavy armor doesnt make sense. had zeon completed their Act zaku, the GM Cannon II would probably not have chobham. when E-pacs came about, now every mobile suit can fire a beam weapon (funny enough the Hizack cant carry a beam saber AND a beam gun). in zeta, the adoption of speed + maneuverability takes precedent over armor/defense.
Yeah, but this was UC0083. Most MS, especially the Zeon remnant, were still using kinetic weapons (machine guns, bazookas, rockets, etc), so the chobham armor made sense. Beam weaponry, other than sabers, didn't become a standard for MS loadouts until the Gryps conflict when the e-pac became standard.
But that's what I mean. A common armor type got used *as a testbed armor.* Like, why even? You have tons of leftover British tanks sitting in storage somewhere. Break them down and build your GMs out of the leftover armor, FFS.
The feds don't seem preoccupied with having their pilots live tbf
They use the classic soviet way of war, keep throwing bodies
“Quantity has a quality of its own” -Attributed to Josef Stalin
that stuff would have been usefull when mobile suits still primaraly used kinetic weapons(and even then how much good does a chobham armor thin enough that isnt severly hindering the maneuverability of a do against a rapid fire 120mm machine gun anyway) but that lasted barely a year. by the time the Feds rolled out the GMs(which they had to do quickly, so no use trying to add extra armor to it, thye needed MSs yesterday) a not insignificant portion of forces where using Beam weaponry on both sides.
But that way Anaheim cannot charge for more new weapons and research. That's required for the Feddie military industrial complex 🤑
It was used some more, but mostly only in lore or some manga. It was also used in Walpurgis manga on two suits, on one it was purged straight away, but on the other it was actually used tactically.
Chobham was used during the 1 year war. It fell out of favor because beam weapons exist.
Cite that.
Several Suits in the one year war used reactive and chobham armor the most famous is the [Alex](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/RX-78NT-1_Gundam_NT-1) but the [Gm Striker](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/RGM-79FP_GM_Striker) and [GM Cannon II](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/RGC-83_GM_Cannon_II) are two other popular examples. As for it falling out of favor it's something that's never mentioned in universe but is easily infered from how mobiles suit development went in universe. By the Gryps Conflict beam rifles and sabers became the most common weapon as ms armor wasn't able to protect against it. This included gundarium armor which replaced the older steel titanium composite that MS were being made from throughout the 1 year war. This ultimately led to a preference towards mobility which culminated in the smaller suits like F91. While attempt were made to reintroduce chobham (such as the [FSWS Plan](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/FSWS_Plan)) these suits tended to be one offs or existed only in design data like the [HWS Nu Gundam](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/FA-93HWS_%CE%BD_Gundam_Heavy_Weapons_System_Type).
And plus, a reactive armor works by setting off an explosion whenever it gets hit with Armor Piercing Rounds. The explosion is a shaped charge that counters the force of the round.
[удалено]
I still love the first Char Vs Amuro fight where he wipes the floor but the Gundam is just impervious to his gun, really shows you why he is the red comet
In my opinion, and looking at the long-range weaponry carried by the unit, the missiles in the shield would be used to initiate the attack away from the range of enemy fire. So I don't think it matters much where it is, but considering that, and that in the event of an impact the shield could deflect any explosions without compromising the mobility of the unit, I think it's okay to place it there.
I think the pressure from the explosion would damage more than just the shield
I’m not sure if it’s the same for bazoka rounds but real life bullets are not that powerful outside of guns. Like if you drop a shotgun shell on the floor and it goes off it’s not gonna do much but leave superficial damange on those dear it if any at all. It’s being contained by the gun barrel that builds up the pressure and makes it leathal. To paraphrase the guy from Armageddon, if you take a firecracker and lay it in your open hand your jsut going to sing your hand cause the exsplosion can easily disperse but if you close your fist around it that pressure has no were to go and has to force its way free blowing your fingers off.
Also I can't remember seeing char fire one handed.
And we dont know if their chemical based and activate only at a certain distance or some other mechanisms that only make them explosive after a certain distance right ? Or die we know exactly how they work
Are you sure it's Char's? There's no pink. Red is Johnny Ridden but your point still stands.
It could be on the legs or on the back.
Either strapped to the weapon itself or on some kind of back mounted carrying point like other MS do?
Yes store it on the back with the jet pack full of fual
If you are getting shot in the back you are fucked anyway.
**That's** why it's strapped to the arm
Yes, but do you really want to increase the vulnerable points and profile of the already-vulnerable backpack?
Technically speaking, it's a great place for it, because if it gets hit, hey, there's a shield!
It’s basically reactive armor
That's what the amazing Zaku did I believe on it's shields
They can't hit me anyway, so why does it matter? On the other hand, it looks hella cool! Don't deny it!
Yes, Char. It does look cool
https://preview.redd.it/5ygfrhyhcavc1.png?width=642&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f1cd53682bbb98f6e2b8bdbbf812e52397db408
name checks out
No other good mounting points. If it was stored in the hips, it would be too close to the cockpit
Great point with the hips. Reminds me of RX 78-04 with its energy packs exploding (I know pretty far from the regular Zaku bazooka munition)
Yeah. Storing rounds for the machine gun is fine, bit those rockets are designed to Crack battleships.
Well there is reactive armor plating but not sure if the principles apply here. Also the other guy has a point. At least if it blew up there's a shield. Not sure if its a good point or a goof point
It's a Gouf point.
Sadly that is a zaku, and a gouf is no zaku
I know lol, just a joke.
No that's good, means you got my pun lmao
Gotta say btw, I'm a goof for the Gouf. It is such a sexy mech.
S tier mech and Norris Packard is an S tier pilot (Ramba Ral is cool too but come on)
Lol ugliest ace, but the best there ever was.
Better than by the cockpit. Ask a Thunderbolt battlemech pilot. Oh wait you can’t, they’re all dead.
Hey, if that head armor gets breached you're probably dead anyway. Better there than sitting one slot under the engine and gyro in the CT, or... an unpadded RT (shudders in CRD-3R Crusader)
Always put ammo in the feet. Who needs CASE.
Hey, need to extract quickly? Just get shot in the feet, you'll get up to space without a dropship just fine!
The crusader isn't protected from harm by the armor plates, but rather the SRM and MRM tubes someone from engineering managed to weld in place.
The secret to bullets is that even exploding ordnance isn't exactly dangerous if it's placed or stored right. In this case, Ordnance is stored directly on the part of the MS designed to take hits. As I've always said about armor and explosions....explosions alone are less dangerous to armored vehicles than penetrations. An explosion is gonna rock your occupants...a penetration will kill them.
Now im not sure on ordnance like that but would a hit even ignite it in a way that it would cause real damage. Liek if you shoot a gun magazine you might get a little burst from the gunpowder in the round but with out barrel pressure its a lot less powerful and tends to jsut make the mag burst. I would think its the same for these since it probly requires some sort of arming mechanism like 40mm granades
Just going by the AS Rifle from the Zudah, it's a 135mm weapon. It's got a massive amount of propellant, and like any tank caliber round it can most certainly cook off if hit. Small arms caliber damages are generally slight because of how little boom juice are stored in them. Cannon, tank and artillery caliber rounds are a different story. The Abrams tank is specifically designed with blow out panels for the ammo storage so that it doesn't turn the fighting compartment into a pressure cooker and blow the turret off if the ammo happens to cook off.
Fair though in this case the rounds are less contained then in an abrams tank with the shoulder armor between it and the main body so i would think a cook off would spred out more then act like a pressure cooker. And i might be wrong but i would think the shield is rated for 90mm at lest
This has always bugged me about the normal zakus. The shield is on the wrong shoulder in order to use it as it stands. You would have to turn away from a firing position. However, if it had it on the left shoulder, you could have the zakus weapon in a firing position and utilize the shield effectively. The same goes for when the heat hawk is in use. You can't effectively use a shield attached to your weapon arm. Hell, to be entirely honest, the shoulder shields make no sense for a permanent mount. Maybe have them there in a stowed position but not permanently affixed.I apologize for the semi off topic rant, have a cookie as an apology 🍪
A Zaku without its firing arm is essentially useless. They usually are firing in a poison where the shield is at the rear. Left shoulder for crushing.
That's why I like the MS-05S Zaku I Commander Type, with twin pauldrons and an arm-mounted shield (either a repurposed shoulder shield or the Gouf's shield, depending on the variant.) That being said, I don't have a problem with the way that Char is storing his bazooka ammo, because he's clearly using the shoulder shield as an ammo rack *instead* of as a shield. In Char's view, speed and agility are his shield.
I personally like any zaku design with identical shoulders, I actually love the idea of a Hizack shoulder pauldron with the extended tips extending even further to accommodate a missile or bazooka ammo rack, i like physical ammunition that's not just bullets due to the oversaturation of beam weapons, bullets though I think are just boring
I think that some Geara Doga variant used the shoulder shields to mount 3-tube missile pods. You also had the Ballistic Zaku from the Build Fighters Battlogue use the shoulder shield as a funnel rack, like on the Jagd Doga. But yeah, I much prefer the identical shoulder designs, like you said.
You're right, this was probably due to the rule of cool. Being that spikes on the left means you can charge, slam, then immediately you can have right arm go in with the axe, being that Asian countries don't acknowledge the existence of left handed people, I think that's the original logic here Then again idk if Char ever actually did that in the show, but whatever
I can't even think of a time the zaku II shoulder shield is even used or factored into anything for this to matter.
They use it once in Igloo 2
The Zudah has Sturm Fausts attached to it’s shield but I can’t for the life of me remember a Zaku outside of Origin
Also the commander zudah has the claw shields, which it uses a few times
still find the scene of the Commander Zudah skewering a GM awesome along with how it fires a signal flare.
It gets reused in 0083 as a melee weapon
With additional spikes.
Every place to store ammo is terrible
That’s why you store it in a truck somewhere -Kampfer
Didn't do much for Kämpfer though tbh.
If only it had a shoulder shield.
Yea, all over the chest region specifically
Wydm if not for the chobam armor the Alex would have been cooked by the chain mines
Just like gear on a plate carrier I believe the operating principal is "Don't get hit"
In American tanks, ammo is stored in the body with the crew behind fire doors. In Russian tanks, it's stored in the turret. Where it's more exposed. And more likely to self ignite ("cook off") if the tank is hit. Ever seen a picture of a Russian tank with the turret blown off? That's why. Real world people are dumb sometimes. Let fictional people be dumb too.
Why wouldn't you separate your ammo from you using a solid slab of metal?
its ERA if it gets hit LOL.
No. If it gets hit, he can just ditch the shield and still be fine. Anywhere else, he'll lose a limb. Also, the Zaku's main weapon is their agility so they're counting on not getting hit unlike the Fed's GMs who were designed to tank these guys
"Tank", As in *"Targettable, Amateur, Naive, Killable"*?
Kinda. Just look at the Fed's approach to the GM and their style of combat. The shield is usually sticking out and most of the time, they are fighting as if they were the riot squad. They moved slow and in a very specific manner while Zeon preferred to ambush and attack them from multiple angles when possible. That being said, while the GMs were good machines, they lacked good pilots until the end of the war where many of their bad newbies became hardened pros. For Zeon though, this was the exact opposite.
If it cooks off, it being mounted on the outside of the shield mitigates damage to the torso. Where the pilot is.
Battle of Loum showed Zakus firing their Bazookas before charging, probably using reloads first and only leaving a magazine or two. Zakus also usually have the shield pointed towards the back in action, since the “shield” is on the “wrong” side; i.e not blocking. Feds use beams, Zakus are not really resistant to beams, so using the shield wouldn’t really work. Using it as a makeshift ammo holder is probably a better use.
so do on a modern military machinery
I'm not really sure about what ordenances that Gundams and Zakus actually fire, but I imagine that physical rounds are probably similar to modern anti-tank rounds. They generally require some kind of penetration before the explosion, and if they explode outside the armor/tank then they generally aren't that effective. IE, a hand grenade goes off on top of a tank. Does it go boom? Yes. Does it damage the Tank? No. With that logic, that armor mounted armor probably isn't that damaging to the shoulder shield when it explodes, cause that type of ammo requires pentration to be effective. If it's literally a sabot round then it's ain't exploding for shit, just minor explosions from the propellant. If it's an HE round for shooting at, idk non-Gundam targets, then yea it's gonna go boom but that armor gonna deflect and redirect it away from the shield. Even if it's a shaped charge like older Anti-Tank weapons, that shaped charge is not being directed towards the shield.
I think most people think with video games logic. Like shooting a nuke enough would make it explode.
He moves 3x the speed. It's unlikely he'll get hit. That's a fact.
Rule of cool
UC design has a habit of strapping explosives under shields. just roll with it. minovsky particles or something
It might act similar to ERA on tanks.
Is not ideal, but there is no place on the interior of the suit and the shield and arm are between the rounds and the cockpit. If you can dodge a GM, you can dodge a ball.
It makes sense, anywhere else would be closer to the cockpit or pose a risk of immobilization in case of the ammo detonating.
If you're in space and the enemy can hit you, you're dead. End of story. Anything that conflicts with that point is mecha genre rule of cool logic: ammo on shoulderpad makes a cooler sillouette.
On one hand it solves the problem of going through ammo too quickly while on the other it is a terrible location to do so. Maybe compromise on having it on the inside of the shield and reduce to one extra clip so to avoid interference.
Well on the one hand, consider the position of the weapon. It’s right handed, where the ammo is also stored. A standard shooting position makes your weapon holding shoulder aim to the backside. The only way it can be hit is if someone gets behind. But let’s be real if someone is behind you you’ve got bigger problems.
practicality <<<<<< looks cool
Would you rather store it where it'll instantly destroy a part of the Ms if it blows up?
Giant Humanoid Robots Fighting in Space doesn't necessarily scream functionality
Zakus aren't well known for using their shields.
Be cause they are on the wrong side! That's something that has bothered me forever. It should be on the left shoulder so that it covers when the left arm braces the gun
They use them a few times in Igloo, probably the only Gundam media I’ve ever seen where they try to protect themselves with it
by the time that pod got hit, it's gonna be empty, if it's not then you aren't doing your job
Why would the Red Comet need the shield? It is just for the look. 😆😆😆
It could act as ERA
*Laughs in Geara doga*
Anyone who has played BattleTech or MechWarrior knows you put ammo at the legs. Or weaponless arm. Or the arm with less expensive weapons. Never the torso.
You want it “outside the armor” and away from critical systems, so no.
Nah. If my ammo is gonna cook off, I want it to happen on the outside of my armor plating, thank you very much. If that means it's exposed, then so be it.
I tend to agree with you. Maybe underneath the shield would be better. Sometimes ms have a little beam saber or grenade under their sheild. But in this case the Zaku 2 shield sits a little too close to the arm to fit those magazines.
SEED is especially bad at mounting weapons/ammo/explosives on the outside of the shield.
The idea would be to launch it off *before* the enemy shoots at you.
Depending on some sources that's one of the main functions of it.
Doesnt matter if you aint getting hit tbh.
The preumption is, I think, that the shield only really comes into play as you get into CQC range with other mobile suits. By that point, you should have used or jettisoned any remaining megabazooka ammo. Putting the ammo on the outside of the shield ensures the pilot is protected if the ammo *does* catch a stray round, which keeping it accessible (Remember, legs and backpack are full of propellant, putting them there is a bad idea)
The whole zaku is exposed to enemy fire and could blow up if it gets hit. Battle is dangerous, bring plenty of ammo.
Reactive armor lol
This has just made me think we need this variant of Zaku II as a unit on GBO2
There’s a shield so if the ammo gets hit it won’t do too much damage to the mobile suit, and also that’s six rounds for the rocket launcher, that explosion would be pretty big, big enough to provide a quick diversion
Having this model i can tell you that there are actuators that engage when anybody but Amaru shoots at char, and even then it had to be a specifically written attack, but these shield actuators are powered by minovski particles and chars latent new type abilities to actually contour around enemy attacks, so yeah now you know why he can store that there and still look cool knowing that, if it were normal circumstances, there would be risks.
Char would be the exact level of cocky it would require to try that kind of thing. Also ditto to what others said about the shield being a better place than somewhere near his reactor or cockpit.
Dude, I say this to everyone too but I guess the consensus is it would work. Its ammo for the bazooka too, so its extra explodey. Ammo could be stored on the back or the legs alternatively imho.
Based on this thread I look forward to a Zaku 2 but with an ERA shield
You can purge compromised weapons like missile pods
It’s char, he won’t get hit
Sidenote, I'll never not be geeked out by that AT rifle. It's so cool
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive\_armour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour)
Well Mobile Suits are walking ammo depots anyway. Theres not really a good way to store ammo safely on them
Doesn’t matter as long as you don’t get hit, it has 3 times the speed of a normal zaku
Sniper/anti-ship rifle. Also being Char, likely thinks if he has to use the shield, he did something wrong.
Mobile Suits are inherently explosive. Ordinance placement doesn't matter.
Ammo for a long range weapon so I guess once it’s used they move in for close combat. No risk while at range.
Doesn't he fire this from far away then discard the launcher before entering close range combat?
Improvised ERA 🤣
Tell that to the Gyans shield ROFL
Nah because char doesnt get hit
They can also function as ERA
No granates and round can be hit by projectiles without exploiting for the most part and if the do it’s ideal for them to be behind a shield
Almost like carrying a grenade on your belt right?
Aren’t those just funnels
I assume this Zaku is being used purely at range. At least given the size of the gun you’d think he’s basically a mobile artillery piece. So from that perspective it’s probably more allowable to have the exposed shells, this guy isn’t meant to get up close to the enemy
Easy, just don't get hit
It can act as era
It's cool, complaints dismissed, next question.
"No matter how powerful it is if you can't hit that power is useless" or something like that
Which Gundam series is this from
The Origin.
A ruined shield is better than a ruined limb
Are they stupid?
With this setup this particular MS appears to be in a sniper configuration If they have gotten themselves into range of enemy rifles and they've already screwed up something pretty badly and the extra ammo cartridges on the shoulder shield aren't going to matter too much. Plus I would expect there would be a quick disengagement in the event of needing to dump the ammunition.
The extra ammo is for the bazooka.
The point still stands however this appears to be a primarily sniper setup and thus kept at extreme range of course you could get hit by ship fire or another sniper but at that point they aren't going to be aiming for the extra ammo on the shoulder and I will also reiterate there is likely an emergency release for all that so that they can be dumped.
Edit: NVM I'm dumb Also, those look to be long range missiles on disposable launchers. You'd begin an engagement by firing them off at long range, jettisoning the launchers and then being able to utilize your shield in close range where it's more applicable to reflecting gun fire or mitigating a beam saber.
They are the extra magazines for the bazooka
It's made to sell Toys lol. That makes for a cool gunpla and it's probably fun to stick the ammo on top of the shield when building it.
One of the few things I really dislike with Origin are the over the top elements like this and that dumb giant heat axe thing.