08th MS Team
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Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
In early 1996, Sunrise released this new One Year War side story close the end of Gundam Wing's TV run. Directed by Tateyuki Kanda, this 12 episode OVA series emphasizes the common soldier aspect of Gundam 0080 and Gundam 0083, which means there are no Newtypes to be found here. The story centers around rookie Federation pilot Shiro Amada and his soldiers of the 08th MS Team as they fight the Zeon in Southeast Asia towards the end of the One Year War. Featuring grand orchestrated music and redesigned mecha from designer Kunio Okawara, this series is a treat for fans of the One Year War. The series had a very irregular release in Japan, mainly due to the tragic death of director Kanda in a car accident. A new director, Umanosuke Iida, completed the series. Aside from the 12 episodes, a compilation movie with new footage called Miller's Report was produced, and it summarizes some events from the first 8 episodes. In 2001, Cartoon Network broadcast the series on their popular Toonami Midnight Run. It should be noted that what they broadcast as Episode 8 is actually a combination of that episode and the new footage from Miller's Report. The series is now available on DVD. -
Notable Thematic Elements
The 08th MS Team was one of the most 'realistic' installments of the Gundam series. Some vehicles and mobile suits were redesigned to become more practical. The Gundams were not portrayed in the heroic, invincible light they were in many of the other series. Gundams often suffered serious damage when fighting against minor enemies or simply from falling down. There is even one instance where a Gundam breaks down because of sand trapped in its gears (a common problem experienced by armed forces, especially in desert environments where sand storms are frequent).
The skill of the pilots in the show are also downplayed. The Gundams are advanced compared to Zeon equipment, but the pilots themselves are inexperienced. For example, most of the engagements in the series feature main characters missing targets frequently and emptying entire clips of ammunition to kill a single Zaku at close range. No Newtypes are mentioned in the course of the series and with Gundams being mass produced units, more focus is put on the characters and setting. Much of the political bent featured in other Gundam stories is absent, and more attention is paid to the psychology of soldiers fighting on both sides.
The show also emphasizes the use of tactics, an element absent from other shows where the main characters simply charged each other in combat. Characters discuss flanking, supporting fire, and teamwork while Mobile Suit troops use forests, mountains, and buildings (urban warfare) for cover throughout the series. Generally pilots on all sides of the conflict are hesitant to face the enemy alone, an attitude that is a marked contrast to Amuro Ray's frequent solo sorties into 10-to-1 odds or worse.
This change of attitude is also present in this series' treatment of ace pilots. The original series had main characters fighting (and often defeating) aces on an almost episode-by-episode basis. In 08th MS Team however, the only pilot that could be considered a Mobile Suit ace is Zeon Pilot Captain Norris Packard. His skill is so great that he easily fends off the entire 08th MS Team plus several supporting units single-handedly. Shiro, who is himself depicted as being one of the more skilled Federation pilots in the South East Asian theater, engages Norris in the only one-on-one Mobile Suit duel depicted in the series (again, the emphasis on 'realism' makes such dramatic- but tactically stupid- events rare) and is soundly defeated in a matter of moments. Only through teamwork, desperate improvisation, and a lack of ammunition on Norris' part are the Federation forces able to defeat him, and even then he is able to destroy all of his primary targets before finally succumbing to enemy action.
Frm wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/08th_MS_Team -
I love the 008 series in Stardust 0083 n War in the Pocket 0080. Has got more story punch and characters more 'human'. But I have not watch this 08th MS Team yet.
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i think this is one of the best gundam series...
i have watched it a couple of times and nv got sick of it...
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i only watch until 3rd episode and the realism of jungle warfare make me go gaga......Originally posted by GHoST_18:i think this is one of the best gundam series...
i have watched it a couple of times and nv got sick of it... 
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Earth Federation Forces
Mobile Weapons
* RB-79K Ball
* RGM-79[E] GM Precession Type
* RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type
* RGM-79[G] GM Sniper
* RX-75 Guntank Mass Production Type
* RX-79[G] Gundam Mass Production Ground Type
* RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8
Vehicles and Support Units
Big Tray class
Fanfan
* FF-6 TIN Cod
Gunperry
Jet Core Booster
* Magellan class
Medea
Space Transport Ship
Type 61
* Type 74 Hover Truck
* Salamis class
Principality of Zeon
Mobile Weapons
* Apsalus I
* Apsalus II
* Apsalus III
* MS-05B Zaku I
* MS-06F Zaku II
* MS-06JC Zaku II
* MS-06K Zaku Cannon
* MS-06RD-4 Zaku II Prototype
* MS-06V Zaku Tank
* MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom
* MS-07H8 Gouf Flight Type
* MS-09 Dom
* MS-14A Gelgoog
* MSM-03 Gogg
* MSM-04 Acguy
Vehicles and Support Units
Cui
Dodai II
Dopp
Gaw
Gunship Heli
Jukon class
Komusai
Luggun
Mad Angler class
Magella Attack
Military Transport Craft
* Musai class
* Zanzibar class -
RX-79[G] Gundam Mass Production Ground Type (Gundam [G])
General and Technical Data
Model number: RX-79[G]
Code name: Gundam Mass Production Ground Type
Unit type: mass production ground combat mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: UC 0079
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: overall height 18.2 meters; head height 18.0 meters
Weight: empty 52.8 metric tons; max gross 73.0 metric tons
Construction: lunar titanium alloy on semi-monocoque frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1350 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 52000 kg total
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.71 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 5900 meters; periscope, mounted in head; optional parachute pack, can be mounted on backpack rack; optional weapons storage container, can be mounted on backpack rack
Fixed armaments: vulcan gun, mounted in chest; multi-launcher, mounted in chest; 2 x X.B.Sa-G-03 beam saber, stored in recharge racks in legs, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: RGM·S-Sh-WF/S-00109 shield, mounted on either forearm
Optional hand armaments: NF·GMG-Type.37/100mm machine gun, clip-fed, 2 spare clips stored on hip armor; NFHI·GMCa-type.09/180mm cannon, clip-fed; P.B.R-0079/A12 S-000011 beam rifle, powered by rechargeable energy cap; bazooka gun, clip-fed, 7 rounds per clip; 6-tube missile launcher; net gun, fires large net to entangle a target
Technical and Historical Notes
While the Earth Federation Forces' "Project V" mobile suit development program was underway at the Side 7 research colony, the Federation also began production of experimental units at its Jaburo military headquarters in South America on Earth. Intending to help turn the tide of the ground war during the One Year War, the engineers at Jaburo used spare parts originally manufactured for the RX-78-2 Gundam prototype and built approximately 20 units of a specialized ground combat-model Gundam, the RX-79[G]. Twelve of these units were assigned to the Kojima Battalion stationed in Southeast Asia, particularly to the 04th and 08th MS Teams. Since the RX-79[G]'s were made primarily of spare parts leftover from "Project V", no replacement parts were available. This resulted in hasty field repairs like Shiro Amada's Gundam Ez8. When Karen Joshua's unit was damaged, the head of an RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type was used as a replacement, earning the Gundam the nickname 'GM Head'.
Though in many ways similar to its RX-78-2 predecessor, the RX-79[G] was quite a bit different in other ways, particularly in its armament. The beam sabers were stored in the legs, as the backpack mounted an equipment rack to carry storage containers, parachute packs, or other field options. The head vulcan guns were removed, as the head now carried a periscope for underwater and trench warfare. The Gundam still had the generator power to use a beam rifle, though it was often equipped with a standard 100 mm machine gun or a heavy 180mm cannon. A single vulcan gun and a multiple-use "multi-launcher" mounted in the torso's left breast rounded out the new armament. The complicated and expensive Core Block System was also replaced with a standard cockpit mounted in the upper chest just below the head.
Miscellaneous Information
Pilot(s): Shiro Amada, Karen Joshua, Terry Sanders, Jr., Michel Ninorich, Matt Healy, Barry Balzary, Nao Jessica Parker, Sebastian Kurie
Appearances: Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team; Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chronicles; Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chronicles (manga); Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation VS Zeon DX; Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo; SD Gundam: G Generation Neo; Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds of the Battlefield; Mobile Suit Gundam: Target in Sight; Mobile Suit Gundam: Pilot's Locus; Mobile Suit Gundam: Spirits of Zeon ~Dual Stars of Carnage~; Mobile Ops: The One Year War
Original mechanical designer: Kunio Okawara -
RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type
General and Technical Data
Model number: RGM-79[G]
Code name: GM Ground Type
Unit type: mass production ground combat mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: UC 0079
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 18.0 meters
Weight: empty 53.8 metric tons; max gross 66.0 metric tons
Construction: lunar titanium alloy on semi-monocoque frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1150 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 49000 kg total
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.74 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 6000 meters
Fixed armaments: 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in legs, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: shield, mounted on either forearm
Optional hand armaments: NF·GMG-Type.37/100mm machine gun, clip-fed, 2 spare clips stored on hip armor; bazooka gun, clip-fed, 7 rounds per clip; 6-tube missile launcher; beam rifle, powered by rechargeable energy cap
Technical and Historical Notes
During the stalemate period of the One Year War, the Earth Federation Forces were playing a fast game of catch-up on the introduction of mobile suits into warfare by the Principality of Zeon. One of their earlier prototypes was the groundpounding RX-79[G] Gundam, based loosely on the original "Project V" prototype RX-78-2 Gundam operating elsewhere during the war. From the RX-79[G] came another experimental unit, intended for mass-production. Called the RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type, it used 80% of the same parts as its RX-79[G] predecessor, as well as its extremely durable lunar titanium alloy armor, and its ability to use beam rifles, but was more powerful yet cheaper to produce.
Only 42 of these units were produced at the Federation's Jaburo military headquarters factory, and they were immediately put into combat for field testing. Twelve units were assigned to the Kojima Batallion stationed in Southeast Asia, with the rest participating in the Federation's "Operation Odessa" offensive in Eastern Europe. However, the GM Ground Type project was soon abandoned in favor of the later standard-model RGM-79 GM, which was even cheaper to build and could serve as a "multi-role" unit in both space and terrestrial environments.
Miscellaneous Information
Pilot(s): Sally, Rob, Mike, Matt Healy, Anish Lofman, Larry Radley -
RGM-79[G] GM Sniper
General and Technical Data
Model number: RGM-79[G]
Code name: GM Sniper
Unit type: mass production ground combat mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: UC 0079
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 18.0 meters
Weight: empty 53.8 metric tons; max gross 66.0 metric tons
Construction: lunar titanium alloy on semi-monocoque frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1150 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 49000 kg total
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.74 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 6000 meters
Fixed armaments: 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in legs, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: shield, mounted on either forearm
Optional hand armaments: long-range beam rifle, powered by external power source
Technical and Historical Notes
Although the experimental RGM-79[G] GM Ground Type was serving well as a general-purpose ground combat unit, the Earth Federation Forces found themselves needing specialized units for specific mission roles. The first of a long line of GM variants was the RGM-79[G] GM Sniper, although in a sense it wasn't a variant at all. The mobile suit itself was exactly the same as the standard RGM-79[G], except it was painted in an olive drab paint scheme for camouflaging purposes. The various hand-carried standard weapons were replaced with a large, long-range beam rifle. This rifle mounted a high-powered scope, allowing the pilot to hit distant targets with pinpoint accuracy. However, the energy required to fire such a powerful shot was an amount that the GM's power generator couldn't produce, and the rifle was connected via cable to an external power supply and cooling system on a support vehicle. At least 3 RGM-79[G]s of the Kojima Batallion were outfitted as GM Snipers and were instrumental in the destruction of Zeon's experimental Apsalus III mobile armor during the One Year War. -
RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8
General and Technical Data
Model number: RX-79[G]Ez-8
Code name: Gundam Ez8
Unit type: ground combat mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: UC 0079
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 18.0 meters
Weight: empty 51.5 metric tons; max gross 71.7 metric tons
Construction: lunar titanium alloy on semi-monocoque frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1380 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 53000 kg total
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.74 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 5900 meters; optional parachute pack, can be mounted on backpack rack
Fixed armaments: 2 x 35mm machine gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; 12.7mm vulcan gun, mounted in chest; 2 x X.B.Sa-G-03 beam saber, stored in recharge racks in legs, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: RGM·S-Sh-WF/S-00116·Ap-A shield, mounted on either forearm
Optional hand armaments: NF·GMG-Type.37/100mm machine gun, clip-fed, 2 spare clips stored on hip armor; P.B.R-0079/A12 S-0000204 beam rifle, powered by rechargeable energy cap
Technical and Historical Notes
As the Earth Federation Forces concentrated their manufacturing efforts on the production of their new mass-produced RGM-79 GM units during the latter months of the One Year War, those mobile suits already fielded had to make do with what few materials were available. Since the RX-79[G] Gundams were themselves built using spare parts, there were no more spare parts left to effect repairs to heavily damaged units, and field engineers had to literally rebuild mobile suits with whatever they could find. When Ensign Shiro Amada's RX-79[G] was trashed in an attempt to stop Zeon's prototype Apsalus II mobile armor in November UC 0079, the Kojima Batallion's engineers and mechanics rebuilt his mobile suit with many improvised modifications.
The RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8 (short for "extra zero-eight") retained the same beam sabers in the legs, as well as the standard RX-79[G] hand armaments. However, its other fixed weapons were changed out, with a pair of 35mm machine guns mounted in the head and a turret-mounted 12.7mm anti-personnel machine gun in the chest. The Ez8's armor plating and placement was improved overall, and the traditional Gundam "V-fin" on the head was replaced with a sturdier communications antenna. The Ez8 did retain the backpack equipment rack from the standard RX-79[G], allowing it to keep its ability to mount parachute packs or other field equipment options.Miscellaneous Information
Pilot: Shiro Amada, Aina Sahalin -
MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom
General and Technical Data
Model number: MS-07B-3
Code name: Gouf Custom
Unit type: mass production ground combat mobile suit
Manufacturer: Zeonic Company
Operator: Principality of Zeon
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: overall height 18.7 meters; head height 18.2 meters
Weight: empty 58.5 metric tons; max gross 77.6 metric tons
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1034 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 40700 kg total
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.53 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 3600 meters
Fixed armaments: heat wire, retractable, superheated slicing/grappling/shocking weapon, mounted in right forearm
Optional fixed armaments: 3-barrel 35mm machine gun, clip-fed, mounts on left forearm; Gatling shield, mounts 75mm Gatling gun, drum-and-belt fed; heat saber Type D III, battery powered, stored in Gatling shield, hand-carried in use
Technical and Historical Notes
Intended to be a replacement for the aging MS-06J Zaku II, the ground combat MS-07B Gouf proved effective in close combat, but was limited by its lack of long-range weapons. Production of the Gouf was soon halted when the Zimmad Company produced the popular ground-skimming MS-09 Dom. However, some pilots preferred the Gouf, and limited development of that model continued at Side 3. A flight-capable Gouf was finally perfected in the form of the MS-07H8, and parts from that model were used to produce a high-performance upgrade of the standard ground model. This high-performance upgrade was called the MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom, which had the same capabilities as its MS-07B predecessor but enabled it to be more effective in long-range combat. The original 5-fingered machine gun left hand was replaced by a normal manipulator hand, and instead a 3-barrel 35mm machine gun could be mounted on the left forearm. The original thick tentacle heat rod, somewhat limited in length, was replaced with a magnetic grappler mounted on a thin cable, allowing the right forearm to store a much greater length of heat wire and giving the weapon a much greater reach. Another major improvement was the option of a 75mm Gatling gun on its shield, which could be ejected at a moment's notice when the heavy weapon ran out of ammo or became a burden in close combat. The Gouf Custom proved to be an excellent unit, with one of these rare mobile suits operated by Colonel Norris Packard out of Zeon's Southeast Asian research base. Two units were also used by the Midnight Fenrir team at the assault on Jaburo and later at the defense of the California Base. Miscellaneous Information
Pilot: Norris Packard, Lou Roya, Manning -
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