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AMX-011S Zaku III Custom

Mass production general purpose mobile suit developed by Neo Zeon.
Jenxi Seow Published 21 Jun 2025 Updated 21 Jun 2025
AMX-011S Zaku III Custom

The AMX-011S Zaku III Custom was a mass production general purpose mobile suit developed by Neo Zeon that was essentially the basic AMX-011 Zaku III fitted with various optional equipment for enhanced performance.

The “AMX” in the model code indicated it was an Axis mobile experimental design, with “011” denoting it was based on the eleventh design in the series. The “S” suffix designated it as a special or custom variant of the base Zaku III.

History

Although the AMX-011 Zaku III design lost out to the AMX-014 Doven Wolf as Neo Zeon’s intended new frontline mass production mobile suit, several Zaku III prototypes were produced. These Zaku IIIs proved quite popular with many Neo Zeon officers and ace pilots fighting in the First Neo Zeon War.

One Zaku III unit ended up in the hands of Haman Karn loyalist Mashymre Cello, who employed his customised Zaku III in one of the last battles of the war. Although Mashymre’s Zaku III was referred to as the AMX-011S Zaku III Custom, it was indeed nothing more than the basic Zaku III loaded out with various optional equipment selected by Mashymre.

During the Battle of Axis, Mashymre engaged Ple Two’s NZ-000 Queen Mansa, and nearly scored a hit with his beam saber before being intercepted by a group of Doven Wolf, led by ace pilot Rakan Dahkaran.

In the ensuring battle, the more advanced Doven Wolfs trapped Mashymre’s Zaku III Custom and nearly killed him, but Mashymre used his Cyber Newtype abilities to resist and destroy one Doven Wolf before attempting a kamikaze attack that ultimately failed.

Design

The Zaku III Custom is essentially the basic, modular AMX-011 Zaku III fitted with various optional parts to enhance its performance. The most notable example was Mashymre Cello’s unit, which featured significant modifications to suit his combat preferences.

Mashymre’s Zaku III Custom sported heavier and more stylised armour, a new head mounting a pair of vulcan guns, optional left shoulder armour with hide bomb dispenser, a large backpack with powerful thrusters and ejectable external propellant tanks, and an enormous rear skirt armour plate.

The mobile suit featured enhanced power output compared to the standard Zaku III, with its Minovsky reactor generating 2,860 kW. The improved propulsion system provided 211,500 kg of total thrust, significantly higher than the base model.

The two propellant tanks on the backpack had a larger capacity than those on the standard Zaku III. Besides improving the suit’s cruising range, they also allowed the suit to accelerate several times faster than the standard Zaku III.

Armaments

The Zaku III Custom’s armament focused on versatility and enhanced firepower compared to the base model.

30 mm vulcan guns

Mashymre’s Zaku III Custom featured a new head unit which mounted a pair of 30 mm vulcan guns instead of the standard head beam cannon. These rapid-fire weapons provided excellent anti-aircraft capability and were effective against lightly armoured targets.

Waist beam cannon/saber

Like the standard Zaku III, the Custom variant retained the two waist beam cannon/sabers with a power rating of 2.8 MW each. These versatile weapons could be hand-carried in beam saber mode for melee combat or hand-operated in beam gun mode for ranged attacks.

Hide bomb dispenser

The left shoulder armour of Mashymre’s unit featured a hide bomb dispenser, providing additional tactical options for area denial and crowd control. This weapon system allowed the pilot to deploy explosive devices strategically during combat.

External propellant tanks

The backpack mounted two ejectable external propellant tanks that significantly enhanced the mobile suit’s operational range and acceleration capabilities. These tanks could be jettisoned when empty or when maximum manoeuvrability was required.

Known pilots

Behind the scenes

The original mechanical designer was Mika Akitaka. The Zaku III Custom demonstrated the modular design philosophy of the base Zaku III, showing how optional equipment could be used to tailor the mobile suit for specific pilots and mission requirements.

Appearances

See also