Rewloola-class
Battleship serving as flagship of Neo Zeon forces.
The Rewloola-class was a battleship developed by Neo Zeon based on the former Principality of Zeon’s flagship, the Gwazine-class. It served as Char Aznable’s personal flagship during the Second Neo Zeon War and was later used by the The Sleeves organisation.
History
Development and deployment
At the end of the Gryps Conflict, Char Aznable disappeared and was presumed dead. However, in UC 0093 he re-emerged with a self-made declaration that he was now in command of his own Neo Zeon movement. The Rewloola-class battleship served as the flagship of this new faction, demonstrating Char’s commitment to leading from the front.
The ship was installed with a living room for Char’s personal use, reflecting his position as supreme commander of the movement. Like the Londo Bell’s Ra Cailum-class, the Rewloola-class combined excellent anti-ship firepower with significant mobile suit deployment capabilities.
Second Neo Zeon War
The Rewloola saw heavy action during the Second Neo Zeon War, first coming under fire whilst capturing Fifth Luna and dropping it onto Earth. The battleship demonstrated exceptional performance during this operation, successfully completing its mission despite fierce Federation resistance.
The vessel’s most significant engagement came during the Battle for Axis, where it again performed exceptionally well against the Earth Federation Forces. The ship’s combination of heavy firepower and mobile suit support proved effective in the complex three-dimensional warfare that characterised space combat during this period.
The Rewloola was heavily damaged at the end of the war but managed to escape destruction, demonstrating the resilience of its design even under extreme combat conditions.
Sleeves operation
Following the Second Neo Zeon War, the Rewloola was repaired and became the flagship of the Neo Zeon remnants known as the The Sleeves. The vessel was involved in the Laplace Incident in UC 0096, continuing to serve as a symbol of Zeon resistance against Federation rule.
During this period, the ship’s armament was upgraded, with the secondary guns being replaced by additional main guns, bringing its total dual-barrel main beam guns up to seven. This modification enhanced the vessel’s already formidable firepower.
The Rewloola’s service with the Sleeves ultimately ended when it was destroyed by the Gryps 2 Colony Laser, marking the end of this particular symbol of Zeon naval power.
Later vessels
Besides the original Rewloola, another Rewloola-class ship was observed during the events portrayed in Mobile Suit Gundam in UC 0099: Moon Crisis, indicating that additional vessels of this class were constructed.
Design
The Rewloola-class was developed based on the Gwazine-class design but incorporated significant modifications to enhance its capabilities. The ship was built for speed and agility, reflecting Char’s tactical preferences, whilst maintaining the heavy firepower necessary for a flagship.
The most distinctive design feature was the inclusion of twelve thermonuclear thrusters, giving the ship impressive acceleration and manoeuvrability. To manage the incredible heat output from these engines, the ship made use of two large cooling fins along the hull at its midsection, maximising the vessel’s ability to irradiate heat.
Mobile suit operations
The ship featured two launch catapults, one positioned above and another below its bow. These launch decks could additionally serve as recovery decks, and both launch bays were connected to a large internal maintenance bay. This arrangement allowed for efficient mobile suit operations whilst maintaining the ship’s combat effectiveness.
Armaments
The Rewloola-class was heavily armed, befitting its role as a fleet flagship.
Main armament
The ship’s primary armament consisted of dual-barrel main beam guns. Initially, the Rewloola mounted five such weapons: two on the dorsal side of the bow, two on the ventral side of the bow, and one behind the bridge. By UC 0096, modifications had increased this number to seven dual-barrel main beam guns, significantly enhancing the vessel’s firepower.
Secondary armament
Originally, the Rewloola was equipped with two dual-barrel secondary beam guns, one positioned in front of the bridge and another behind the ventral mobile suit catapult. However, by UC 0096, these secondary guns had been omitted in favour of additional dual-barrel mega particle main guns.
Anti-mobile suit defence
For anti-missile and anti-mobile suit defence, the Rewloola mounted twenty 3-barrel machine guns arranged in batteries of two or three on the sides of the ship. Despite their high rate of fire, experienced mobile suit pilots were still capable of evading their attacks, highlighting the challenges of defending large vessels against skilled opponents.
Missile systems
The Rewloola carried an unknown number of missile launchers, providing additional tactical flexibility and long-range strike capability.
Ships and captains
- Rewloola captained by Char Aznable
Behind the scenes
Anno Hideaki of GAINAX was the original mechanical designer for the Rewloola-class. The design reflected the aggressive, high-performance aesthetic that characterised Char’s forces whilst maintaining the distinctive Zeon design philosophy.
Appearances
See also
External links
- Rewloola-class on the Gundam Wiki
- Rewloola class on MAHQ