On 5/8/06, Dr. Core <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Given I know about it. I don't have the book at my side (office) and I don't trust my memory on what publication date the book was.
My pov would be that Zaku I was "mass produced" but not in as vast a number as Zaku II, and it's quickly phased out due to the quick success of Zaku II. Think Zaku I as "labor" but Zaku II as "soldier". The former is working (barely) but was deployed for early combat, but when Zaku II came out Zaku I quickly became outdated (like Motorola 2-nd gen iTunes phone quickly replaced ROKR). There'd be some desparate pilots who'd have to use the moth-balled Zaku I, but most Zeon soldier can get a Zaku II from supply easily by the time 0079 TV series started.
But I do agree there're less Zaku I still in service than we'd expect.
Boaz MyTurnASpace wrote:
> The old classic gunpla mook "How to Build Gundam 2" had a Zaku I mod and it
You should explain that this book was pre-MSV.
Given I know about it. I don't have the book at my side (office) and I don't trust my memory on what publication date the book was.
So we know (1) Zaku I played a tiny (if at all) role in Odessa, Op.
Star One, A Boa Qu etc, (2) Zaku I appeared in a pre-MSV book, but not
in MSV.
Considering MSV included (1) a large number of Zaku variants,
including one that looked a lot like a Zaku I (MS-06W) and (2) a lot
of really obscure mechs. Omitting any variants for Zaku I seems to be
very pointed. If MAHQ is accurate in calling it a "mass-production"
model, then it seems more reasonable to see its variations in some of
the non-combat roles. Why do we not have Zaku I Minelayer, Zaku I
Trainer, Zaku I Tank, Worker Zaku I? It suggests to me that unlike
Gouf (which also was rarely seen until 08MST revived it), Zaku I was
in fact never mass produced. At least that was the thinking during
early 80s.
I think games and 08MST in 1990s was largely responsible for (1)
turning Zaku I from a R&D prototype to a mass produced mech deployed
in multiple theatres (ground - Earth and marine - colony). I also
think that custom weapons were added around that time. Notice
especially MAHQ lists standard Zaku II weapons for Zaku I, so there
doesn't even seem to be consensus on what the standard armament is.
My pov would be that Zaku I was "mass produced" but not in as vast a number as Zaku II, and it's quickly phased out due to the quick success of Zaku II. Think Zaku I as "labor" but Zaku II as "soldier". The former is working (barely) but was deployed for early combat, but when Zaku II came out Zaku I quickly became outdated (like Motorola 2-nd gen iTunes phone quickly replaced ROKR). There'd be some desparate pilots who'd have to use the moth-balled Zaku I, but most Zeon soldier can get a Zaku II from supply easily by the time 0079 TV series started.
But I do agree there're less Zaku I still in service than we'd expect.
--
Boaz
http://myturnaspace.blogspot.com
