MS-09R Rick Dom

The MS-09R Rick Dom was a high performance space combat mobile suit mass produced by the Principality of Zeon.

History

Near the end of the One Year War, the focus of the war shifted from the Earth into space. Zeon turned all its production resources to manufacturing space combat mobile weapons in preparation for the decisive battle in space.

When the Zeonic Company stopped its development of the space combat MS-11 Act Zaku, the Zimmad Company was quick to react by designing a space-use mobile suit based on its successful ground combat MS-09 Dom.

MS-09R Rick Dom from Mobile Suit Variations

The design of the Dom was refined for space use and the MS-09R Rick Dom was developed. The MS-06RD-4 Zaku II, a modified MS-06F Zaku II, was used to gather flight data for the Rick Dom. The Rick Dom was immediately put into full production to replace the MS-06F Zaku II as the mainstay of Zeon’s space forces.

MS-09R Rick Dom from Apocalypse 0079

Late into the war, the Zeon high command ordered the commencement of the United Maintenance Plan, an initiative to streamline the manufacturing process by redesigning mobile suits to use the same parts. The Rick Dom was redesigned into the MS-09R-2 Rick Dom II.

Design

The MS-09R Rick Dom was based on the design of the MS-09 Dom. Instead of hover jet thrusters used by the Dom, the Rick Dom was equipped with standard rocket thrusters.

MS-09R Rick Dom cockpit

The Rick Dom’s larger frame meant that a Musai-class cruiser could only carry two Rick Dom units in its main hanger, which could fit three Zaku II units.

Armaments

Like the Dom, the Rick Dom was able to use many of the weapons designed for the Zaku II and Gouf lines. The standard weapons used by the Dom were a giant bazooka and a Heat Sabre for melee combat. Zeon developed an experimental beam bazooka to increase the combat capabilities of the Rick Dom. Only several units were equipped with the beam bazooka.

Scattering beam gun

The scatter beam gun was a beam weapon mounted on the left of the Rick Dom’s chest. The gun had a cheap, small focusing coil that causes the beam particles to lose cohesion. Its lower power meant that it was incapable of damaging an enemy mobile weapon. The gun was often used to momentarily blind pilots or overload visual sensors.

Heat Sabre

The Heat Sabre Type7 was a battery-powered melee weapon designed for the Dom. It was a refinement of the Heat Sabre used by the Dom. The blade of the Heat Sabre took the form of a simple rod, reminiscent of the beam sabre used by Earth Federation units. Instead of a beam, the Heat Sabre had a superheated blade to allow it to melt through the armour of an enemy machine.

Heat Sabre Type 2

It was stored in a recharging dock when not in use.

360 mm giant bazooka

The H&L-GB03K/360 mm giant bazooka was the main weapon of the Rick Dom that was initially designed for the Dom. It was magazine-fed from a ten-round clip. The heavy weapon allowed the Rick Dom to make full use of its speed and deal maximum damage.

H&L-GB03K/360 mm giant bazooka

120 mm machine gun

The ZMP-50D/120 mm machine gun was developed specifically for the Zaku II line. It was drum-fed with 100 rounds per drum. It did not require power to be fired. However, that reduced its effectiveness against heavy armour.

ZMP-50D 120 mm machine gun (Mobile Suit Gundam version)

ZMP-50D 120 mm machine gun

Beam bazooka

The Ex-T2-2 beam bazooka an experimental weapon developed for the Rick Dom. The bazooka was essentially a portable Musai-class cannon. It drew power from an internal reactor. This allowed it to fire a sustained blast or several short bursts. However, it required ten minutes to recharge before it could be fired again.