Jotunheim-class
Experimental support ship converted from civilian transport vessels by the Principality of Zeon.
The Jotunheim-class support ship was a converted civilian transport vessel used by the Principality of Zeon for experimental weapons testing during the One Year War. The class comprised at least two ships: the Jotunheim and the Muspelheim.
History
The Jotunheim-class vessels were originally civilian cargo ships that were converted by the Principality of Zeon for military use at the outbreak of the One Year War. The lead ship, Jotunheim, was commissioned as the base of operations for Zeon’s 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit, a special crew of weapons development researchers tasked with field-testing prototype weapons.
The Jotunheim served throughout the war under the command of Captain Martin Prochnow, with Lieutenant Oliver May supervising the experimental weapons testing. The ship participated in major battles including the Battle of Loum, where it deployed the experimental QCX-76A Jormungand plasma cannon. The vessel continued operations through the war’s final stages, ultimately participating in the Battle of A Baoa Qu.
The sister ship Muspelheim operated alongside the Jotunheim in experimental weapons testing. During operations in high Earth orbit, the Muspelheim was sunk by an Earth Federation Salamis-class cruiser.
Design
The Jotunheim-class retained much of their original civilian transport configuration, with modifications made to accommodate military equipment and experimental weapons systems. The ships featured a distinctive elongated hull design with multiple docking points for prototype weapons and mobile suits.
The class was designed specifically to support the testing of experimental weapons that were too large or specialised for deployment on standard Zeon warships. The vessels could accommodate massive prototype weapons such as the Jormungand plasma cannon, which was nearly the size of a Musai-class cruiser.
The ships were powered by five thermonuclear rocket engines and featured standard military-grade sensors. The vessels were originally painted in civilian green livery but later received military camouflage schemes appropriate for their combat role.
Mobile weapons complement
The Jotunheim-class ships carried a diverse array of experimental mobile weapons for testing purposes. Standard complement included three mobile suits, typically EMS-10 Zudah units, along with various prototype mobile suits such as the MS-14 Gelgoog and specialised units like the MSM-07Di Ze’Gok.
The ships also carried up to 32 MP-02A Oggo mobile pods, which were used for reconnaissance and as cannon fodder in desperate situations. Four launch catapults provided deployment capability for the mobile weapons complement.
Armaments
The Jotunheim-class ships were lightly armed, reflecting their original civilian origins and experimental support role rather than front-line combat duty.
Mega particle cannon
A single mega particle cannon was mounted on the bow of each ship. This weapon fired a focused beam of massive, high-velocity mega-particles that could penetrate conventional armor materials. The cannon provided the primary offensive capability for the converted vessels.
Machine guns
Four pairs of dual machine guns were mounted across the bow, starboard, and port sections, providing a total of eight defensive guns. These weapons served as anti-aircraft defence and protection against mobile suit attacks, though they were ineffective against enemy warships.
Ships and captains
- Jotunheim captained by Martin Prochnow
- Muspelheim, captain unknown
Behind the scenes
Shinji Aramaki was the original mechanical designer for the class. The ships are named after locations from Norse mythology—Jötunheimr was the land of the giants, while Muspelheim was the realm of fire.
The design appears to be loosely based on the Earth Federation’s Columbus-class transport ships, reflecting their civilian transport origins before military conversion.
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War
- Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: Apocalypse 0079
- Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 603
See also
- 603rd Technical Evaluation Unit
- QCX-76A Jormungand
- Papua-class Supply Ship
- Musai-class Cruiser
External links
- Jotunheim-class on the Gundam Wiki
- Jotunheim on MAHQ