NZ-333 α Azieru
Prototype Newtype-use mobile armor developed by Neo Zeon.
The NZ-333 α Azieru (Alpha Azieru) was a prototype Newtype-use mobile armor developed by Neo Zeon’s Newtype Research Labs for the Second Neo Zeon War.
The “NZ” designation indicated it was a Neo Zeon model, “333” denoted its development sequence, and “α” (alpha) marked it as the first variant in its series. The name “Azieru” is derived from the German word “asyl”, meaning asylum, refuge, or sanctuary.
History
The NZ-333 α Azieru was an experimental mobile armor developed by Neo Zeon’s Newtype Research Labs, based on the prototype NZ-222 Psycho Doga. It was the direct descendant of the AMX-002 Neue Ziel fielded during the Delaz conflict and can be said to be the culmination of Zeon’s Newtype-use technologies.
One of the largest and most powerful mobile weapons ever constructed at its time, it rivaled earlier units like the NZ-000 Queen Mansa and later ones like the NZ-666 Kshatriya. The α Azieru was intended as a powerful space-only mobile armor for Neo Zeon’s space forces during the Second Neo Zeon War.
Because of its massive size, the α Azieru cannot be stored in regular vessels and must be towed during transportation. During the planning stage of Char’s Counterattack, the α Azieru was originally called “Neo Zeong” and design sketches depicted it with a head that resembled the MSN-02 Zeong. The name “Neo Zeong” was later used by a mobile armor in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.
The α Azieru was assigned to the young Newtype pilot Quess Paraya during the battle over the Axis asteroid. In the final battle, Amuro Ray was able to destroy some of the α Azieru’s funnels while damaging its head. Later, the α Azieru encountered the Re-GZ Gundam piloted by Chan Agi, who used a grenade launcher that fatally destroyed the α Azieru’s cockpit whilst its pilot also died in the process.
Design
The α Azieru represented the pinnacle of Zeon mobile armor technology, combining overwhelming firepower with advanced Newtype-specific systems. With a head height of 58.4 metres and overall length of 108.26 metres, it was designed specifically for space combat operations.
Intended for use by Newtype pilots, the α Azieru was equipped with a psycommu system for controlling its nine large-sized funnel remote weapons. Its cockpit was located in the head and featured a control interface similar to that of the MSN-04 Sazabi and MSN-03 Jagd Doga.
The α Azieru featured an ultracompact fusion reactor with an output of 19,830 kW and a massive propulsion system generating over 2.2 million kg of total thrust. Two external propellant tanks could be ejected to improve manoeuvrability when needed.
The mobile armor incorporated sophisticated sensors with a range of 23,800 metres, exceptional for its era. Like the Psycho Gundam series, the head unit could detach from the main body to serve as an escape pod for the pilot.
Armaments
The α Azieru’s standard weapons were vulcan guns for close defence, a mega particle cannon for heavy attacks, and wire-guided mega arms for all-range combat, supplemented by its funnel array.
Vulcan guns
The NZ-333 α Azieru mounts 4 vulcan guns on the sides of its head. Vulcan guns are typically small-caliber weapons that do not have the power to heavily damage the armor of a mobile suit, though it is possible to deal light damage. However, they have a high rate of fire and serve as mid-to-short range defensive weapons for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles or remote weapons, and to restrict an approaching enemy mobile suit’s movements.
The α Azieru has an additional pair of vulcan guns located in the forehead, and they are larger than those on the sides of the head. The large vulcan guns are capable of firing 6,000 rounds in a minute.
Mega particle cannon
One of its strongest weapons is the mega particle gun which can destroy several mobile suits with one blow. The α Azieru is equipped with one such gun in the head with a power rating of 19.5 MW. This high-output weapon was capable of destroying multiple enemy mobile suits with a single shot, making it devastating against formations of smaller units.
Wire-guided psycommu mega arms
Mounted at the ends of the α Azieru’s shoulder armor are two wire-guided mega arm cannon units. Each unit is armed with 5-barrel beam cannons, with each cannon having a power rating of 12.6 MW. When launched, the mega arm cannons allow the α Azieru to attack a target from multiple angles simultaneously, making dodging very difficult. Although they are also controlled by the Psycommu system like the large funnels, they however lack the range of the funnels and are used more as mid-to-short range weapons.
Funnels
The most dangerous weapons of the α Azieru are the 9 funnels stored in recharge racks on the rear skirt armor. They are equipped with built-in generators. Guided by the psycommu system, these remote weapons are capable of conducting all range attacks from great distances without the need for guiding wires and without interference from Minovsky particles.
In addition to being able to conduct all-range attacks at great distances with its funnels, the α Azieru could also conduct additional all-range attacks in close quarters with its pair of wire-guided “mega arms,” each of which mounted five beam cannons, which could be fired in a machine gun fashion.
Known pilots
Behind the scenes
The α Azieru was designed as the ultimate expression of Zeon mobile armor technology for Char’s Counterattack. During development, it was originally intended to be called the “Neo Zeong” as a spiritual successor to the MSN-02 Zeong, but this name was later repurposed for the NZ-999 Neo Zeong in Gundam Unicorn.
The design emphasised the overwhelming nature of Newtype weapons and their psychological impact on both enemy forces and civilian populations.
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn
See also
External links
- NZ-333 α Azieru on the Gundam Wiki
- NZ-333 α Azieru on MAHQ