MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type – MechaBay

The MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type was a commander type mobile suit produced by Zeonic for the Principality of Zeon.

The “MS” in the type code indicated that it was a mobile suit. The “06” model number denoted that it was the sixth design of this type, and the “S” variant code identified it as a commander type¹ in the famous Zaku II line. It is often referred to as the S Type Zaku II.

History

In UC 0078, Zeonic developed the MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type as a high-performance variant of the MS-06F Zaku II. The company built approximately 100 units, assigning them primarily to squadron commanders and ace pilots.

Elliot Rem led the development, with testing primarily conducted at Granada facilities. To maintain secrecy, production took place exclusively in the Zeon homeland. The S Type’s success influenced the development of later high-performance mobile suits including the MS-06R Zaku II High Mobility Type and MS-14 Gelgoog.

Initially, Zeon concealed the existence of these commander units by passing them off as standard F Types. Between the Battle of Loum and the signing of the Antarctic Treaty, the S Type achieved impressive battle results. Most notably, Char Aznable piloted his red-painted unit to shoot down five battleships during the Battle of Loum, earning him the nickname Red Comet. His unit demonstrated speeds three times faster than a standard Zaku, showcasing both the machine’s capabilities and Char’s exceptional piloting skills.

On 18 September UC 0079, Char engaged the Earth Federation’s prototype mobile suit RX-78-2 Gundam at Side 7 in his MS-06S. Despite Char’s superior experience over the Gundam’s civilian pilot Amuro Ray, the Gundam’s advanced armor allowed it to survive their encounters. Char continued pursuing the Gundam’s mothership White Base, but eventually abandoned his Zaku II in favor of an MSM-07S Z’Gok Commander Type during the mission to infiltrate Jaburo.

Design

The MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type featured significant improvements over the base F Type model while maintaining 80-90% parts commonality for easy maintenance and resupply. The most visible distinction was its head-mounted multi-blade antenna, which provided enhanced communications and enemy detection capabilities.

Engineers enlarged the vernier nozzles and increased main thruster output by 30% while keeping the same size. To accommodate these improvements and enlarged propellant tanks, they removed various automatic control systems from the F Type. While this reduced operability, it allowed experienced pilots to disable unnecessary limiters and push the mobile suit to its structural limits.

The S Type’s generator was 5% lighter than the F Type’s, and improvements to armor composition and structure enhanced the overall power-to-weight ratio. Like the F Type, it could be easily modified for operations in space or under gravity.

Container backpack

A special equipment backpack used on Ortega’s unit for storing additional weapons and ammunition. It featured explosive bolts for rapid jettison during combat and could mount bazookas and heat hawks on its sides.

Armaments

The Zaku II Commander Type’s standard weapons were a machine gun for ranged attacks and a Heat Hawk for melee combat.

120 mm machine gun

The M-120A1 120 mm machine gun served as the standard firearm. It featured a large drum magazine on top, plus a scope and foregrip for accurate shooting. The weapon could switch between single-fire and automatic modes. While ineffective against Luna Titanium alloy alloy, it could damage weaker armor materials with sustained fire.

280 mm Zaku bazooka

The H&L-SB25K/280 mm Zaku bazooka provided heavy armor-piercing firepower primarily intended for anti-ship combat. It proved effective in hit-and-run attacks but was more challenging to use against mobile targets. The weapon could be stored on the rear waist armor when not in use.

Heat hawk

The heat hawk was an axe-shaped close combat weapon that used a super-heated blade to cut through enemy armor. The thermal energy came from the Zaku II’s reactor and was relayed through the mobile suit’s hands.

Sturm Faust

The Sturm Faust was a simplified, disposable rocket launcher good for a single shot. While lacking guidance systems made it difficult to hit moving targets accurately, it remained a highly destructive portable weapon.

M-120AC machine gun

A limited production variant of the Zaku machine gun equipped with a heat bayonet on the barrel. This experimental weapon was tested exclusively by Zaku II Commander Types.

Double bazooka

A specialized weapon combining two 280 mm bazookas into a single unit with a unified grip on the left barrel and enhanced sighting system. While only about ten units were produced and used primarily by the Black Tri-Stars, it never entered official service.

175 mm recoilless rifle

The ZIM/M·T-K175C recoilless rifle was adapted from the Magella Attack tank’s main gun for mobile suit use. It excelled in long-range ground combat and could fire either high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) or armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds.

Cracker grenade

The MIP-B6 cracker grenade was a multi-warhead explosive device. Upon detonation, six protrusions would explode in different directions to damage a wide area. A flash variant existed that could temporarily disable enemy sensors.

Known pilots

Char Aznable
Johnny Ridden
Robert Gilliam
Gaia
Mash
Ortega
Doug Schneid
Neuen Bitter
Lloyd Nichols
Killy Garrett
Glennis Escot
Nordit Bauer

Variants

MS-06SHAKU Zaku II Shaku Yumiko Custom

Behind the scenes

Okawara Kunio was the original mechanical designer. Katoki Hajime later designed the version seen in the Gundam: The Origin anime.

In the original series, there was no visual difference between the standard Zaku and the commander type aside from color and the commander’s antenna. However, later model kits depicted the commander type as having larger thrusters and attitude control verniers.

In Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3, the S Type had a special ability called “Triple Speed” that enhanced the Zaku II’s speed, but only when Char Aznable was the pilot—a reference to his ability to push the mobile suit to its maximum capabilities.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam: Cross Dimension 0079
Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space
Gundam: Battle Assault
Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo
Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chronicles
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs Zeon DX
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam

External links

MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type on the Gundam Wiki
MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type on MAHQ

Commander in Japanese is shirei-kan, hence the use of “S”. ↩