Zaku I refitted to Zaku II?

[Erisie]

I was reading the new Burke's profiles for the 00 units. The section on the GN-X family is particularly interesting. It seems that the ESFF had a policy to refit their existing GN-X units instead of building new units from scratch every time a new upgrade is developed.

This means that any basic first generation GN-X unit can eventually be refitted into all of its successors (and their variants) in a progressive manner, except perhaps, the transformable amphibious Superbia:

GN-X (Advanced) → GN-XII (Cannon/Sword) → GN-XIII → GN-XIV (Core Fighter Type).

Obviously, that theoretical GN-X that went through all eight refits in a span of six years (2308 to 2314) finds itself in a Ship of Theseus' dilemma: how much of that original unit is left after most of its parts have been swapped?

As the title suggests, my question is related to the Zaku series.

According to the design sheets for The Origin that have been published in Gundam Ace, the overall chassis of the Zaku I and II are pretty much identical. The baseline Zaku II is shown as, basically, a refit baseline Zaku I. Upgrades are limited to:

- Power pipes across the chassis (fluid pulse system).
- T-shaped cockpit hatch.
- Head with power pipes.
- New backpack connected to the pipes.
- Spiked left shoulder.
- Removal of the Zaku I's "elbow pads" (that's the literal translation).
- A cut on the Zaku I's heels.

Everything else is exactly the same in both units. They can carry the same weapons (goodbye to the 105mm Zaku I rifle from the model kits) and, according to both episode IV and Mechanical Archives 9, the cockpit layout is virtually the same from MS-04 all the way to, at least, MS-07 (and probably beyond).

Is there any information out there that mentions MS-05 units being refitted to MS-06?

[toysdream]

Well, kind of. See the profile for the MS-05S Zaku I on the official Origin website. This seems to be as far as the update goes, though.

In the MSV-R series, there's a similar concept (the MS-05Q) with a different set of changes. And we're told that all the original MS-06A units were later upgraded to the standard Zaku II version. But no reports of a complete MS-05 to MS-06 overhaul, though.

-- Mark

[Erisie]

Well, kind of. See the profile for the MS-05S Zaku I on the official Origin website. This seems to be as far as the update goes, though.

As it is described on the site, the 05S is basically an standard 05 fitted with systems that would eventually be deployed on the 06 (belt-fed rifle, shoulder shield, etc), making it something between a testbed for new systems and an interim deployment of improved weapons in the wake of the Zeon independence war.

In the MSV-R series, there's a similar concept (the MS-05Q) with a different set of changes. And we're told that all the original MS-06A units were later upgraded to the standard Zaku II version. But no reports of a complete MS-05 to MS-06 overhaul, though.

While upgrading, say, a 06A to a 06F/06J, seems to be like a straightforward process; some of the various OYW-era Zaku variants look more complicated than (apparently) overhauling a basic 05 to a 06 (eg. Cannon, Tank, Marine, Thunderbolt's Psycho Zaku). And I'm not even counting the more exotic redesigned versions: F2, FZ and perhaps others I'm not remembering.

It is kind of odd that, given the (apparent) commonality of parts, all available information tells us that all the 06 produced were brand new, rather than just upgrade the existing 05 units. It would be interesting to have some sort of answer, either from the setting or outside of it.

In any case, thanks for the info, Mark!

[Gelgoog Jager]

I would like to point the odd case of the MS-06W and MS-06V (08th MS Team), which use the frame of a Zaku I.

Anyway, as Mark pointed out, the MS-05Q (MSV-R), MS-05S (The Origin & Zeonic Front), and even some Custom MS-05B units such as Ramba Ral's (MSV), Erick Blanke's (0081) and most recently Slender's (The Origin), are the closest there's to upgrading MS-05 units into a MS-06 configuration.

I should point out that the MS-05L is believed to be the result of California Base giving preference to the most outdated units to be modified, since given their sniper role the would theoretically face little direct action and as such the base performance of the machine shouldn't be an issue. My point is that this "L-type" configuration was probably meant to also (or instead) be applied to the MS-06 units. I vaguely remember seeing one such MS-06L unit in recent years for a browser game I think.

As for the cockpits, I think that at least some Zaku units did use cockpits on the center of the torso, namely machines with a similar torso hatch as the MS-05 and MS-07, such as the MS-06D, MS-0G and MS-06K. Also, there are some instance of MS-06F and MS-06J using such configurations, such as in the case of the units from 08th MS team.

All that being said, I do recall that in at least one of the Gihren Greed games it was possible to upgrade MS-05B units into MS-06 (I don't specifically recall it it was I to C-type, F-type or J-type). Also, one of the PS3 games, 0081 if I'm not mistaken, allowed you to convert a MS-05B I to a MS-06K, a connection I assumed they made due to the vaguely similar shape of their heads.