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Apsaras II

Experimental base attack mobile armor developed by the Principality of Zeon.
Jenxi Seow Published 22 Jun 2025 Updated 22 Jun 2025
Apsaras II

The Apsaras II (also known as Apsalus II) was an experimental base attack mobile armor developed by the Principality of Zeon as the second prototype in the Apsaras Project.

The name “Apsaras” was derived from a rendering of “Apsara”, a female spirit of clouds and water in Hindu and Buddhist culture, reflecting the mobile armor’s atmospheric flight capabilities. The designation “II” indicated it was the second variant in the development sequence.

History

The second Apsaras unit developed by the Apsaras Project, the Apsaras II was built on the same basic design as its Apsaras I predecessor. Unlike the Apsaras I, which was an unarmed flight test machine, this unit was equipped with a large mega particle cannon and was developed to test the compatibility of the Minovsky craft system and the mega particle cannon.

Ginias Sahalin’s Apsaras II featured a perfected Minovsky craft system that was much more stable in atmospheric flight. It also incorporated an extremely powerful mega particle cannon, capable of blasting through thick layers of rock. Various tests were carried out with the Apsaras II to verify the function and identify problems, and the lack of generator power suggested that the combination of the Minovsky craft system and the mega particle cannon might be difficult, and the problems were fed back to the development of Apsaras III.

Once again piloted by Ginias’ sister Aina Sahalin, the Apsaras II soon began test flights in Zeon’s testing grounds in Southeast Asia. When word of the test flights reached the Earth Federation Forces, the 08th M.S. Team was dispatched to investigate and capture or disable the new mobile weapon.

The 08th M.S. Team soon found their quarry, and the Apsaras II engaged the members of the team in a canyon in Southeast Asia. The Federation squad had been awaiting the weapon and set a trap. While the Apsaras II was able to escape the trap, Ensign Shiro Amada leapt aboard the mobile armor in his RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type and hung on. The Apsaras was forced to flee into the upper atmosphere once Aina realised it was Shiro who was clinging to its exterior.

The Apsaras II soon descended somewhere in the mountains. However, equilibrium problems caused by the use of a single generator as well as the weight of Shiro’s Gundam caused the mobile armor to begin to roll to the side and descend at a dangerous rate. However, by removing the limiters to his Gundam, Shiro was able to prevent the Apsaras II from falling off of the side of the mountain.

The Apsaras II was heavily damaged during the battle and was forced to crash-land in the Himalaya mountains on 9 November UC 0079. Aina survived and destroyed the Apsaras II to keep it from falling into Earth Federation hands. Soon after that, salvaged parts from the Apsaras II and the original Apsaras were used to build the final Apsaras III.

Design

The Apsaras II built upon the foundation established by the Apsaras I, incorporating significant improvements to both the Minovsky craft system and adding operational weaponry. The mobile armor retained the distinctive hemispherical design optimised for atmospheric flight whilst adding the capability to serve as a true weapons platform.

The mobile armor was powered by a Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor with an output of 1,400 kW, the same as its predecessor. However, the addition of the mega particle cannon created power distribution challenges that would need to be addressed in the final Apsaras III variant.

The Apsaras II featured improved sensor systems with a range of 3,200 metres, providing better battlefield awareness compared to the original prototype. The tandem-seat cockpit arrangement was retained, allowing for specialised pilot and weapons operator roles.

Armaments

The Apsaras II’s armament represented a significant advancement over its predecessor, transforming it from a test platform into a viable weapons system.

Large high mega particle cannon

The Apsaras II was equipped with a large mega particle cannon that gave it offensive capabilities unlike the previous Apsaras I. The particle cannon was capable of superheating earth and causing an explosion on impact, making it devastatingly effective against ground targets and fortifications. The weapon was powerful enough to blast through thick layers of rock, demonstrating its potential for attacking heavily fortified positions such as Jaburo.

However, the Apsaras II faced balancing issues when the mega particle cannon was fired, highlighting the power management problems that plagued this variant. The single reactor proved insufficient to simultaneously power both the energy-intensive Minovsky craft system and the mega particle cannon at full capacity.

Minovsky craft system energy pulse

Like its predecessor, the Apsaras II could raise the output of its Minovsky craft system momentarily to generate a shockwave that could be used as a means of attack. This capability provided a secondary offensive option and demonstrated the versatility of the Minovsky craft technology beyond its primary role as a lift-generating system.

Minovsky craft system

The Minovsky craft system was a lift-generating system that allowed the Apsaras to resist the pull of Earth’s gravity. The Apsaras II featured a perfected version of this system that was much more stable in atmospheric flight compared to the original prototype.

When Minovsky particles were released into the air, the positive and negative particles spontaneously aligned themselves into a three-dimensional cubic lattice. Because of the repulsive and electrostatic forces between the particles, this lattice resisted compression, and the Minovsky craft system used this phenomenon to push the underside of the vehicle away from the planet’s surface.

The improved stability of the Apsaras II’s Minovsky craft system made it a more reliable weapons platform, though power distribution between the craft system and the mega particle cannon remained a significant challenge that would drive the development of the Apsaras III.

Known pilots

Behind the scenes

The Apsaras II was designed by Katoki Hajime for the OVA Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team. The design represented the evolution from a test platform to an operational weapons system, incorporating the lessons learned from the Apsaras I whilst highlighting the technical challenges of combining advanced propulsion and weapons systems.

Like its predecessor, the name “Apsaras” has been officially localised as both “Apsaras” and “Apsalus”, with “Apsalus” being used in official subtitles and dubs whilst “Apsaras” is used in model kits. The name reflects the mobile armor’s graceful atmospheric flight capabilities.

Appearances

See also