Technology & Combat Characteristics
The RMS-108 Marasai was developed using Zeon design principles combined with technology pioneered by the Earth Federation during the One Year War. Technologically based on the RMS-106 Hizack the Marasai features improved technologies, such as a movable frame, Gundarium Alloy armor instead of a titanium alloy that improves overall defense, greater sensor range, greater acceleration, and a more powerful Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor. It is equipped with high-power thrusters that allow atmospheric flight under gravity for a short period of time. Alongside its technological improvements the Marasai is also several metric tons lighter than Hizack when measuring its empty weight. The Marasai did not have as large a weapon selection as the Hizack, however because the Hizack was often equipped with older weapons used by Zakus, such as machine guns and heat hawks, while the Marasai used only advanced beam weapons. The Marasai was also compatible with the ballute system if it needed to conduct an atmospheric reentry on its own.
The standard Marasai's weapons were a rapid-firing beam rifle capable of shooting three beams in rapid succession, a beam saber, and two head mounted Vulcan guns on the sides of its head. A large shield was attached to the right shoulder, much like Zeon's Zaku line of mobile suits.
- Vulcan Gun
- A pair of Vulcan guns are mounted into the Marasai's head. These shell firing weapons have a high-rate of fire but have little power and are generally ineffective against mobile suits, though it can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. These weapons are ideal for shooting down small, fast moving, lightly armored targets such as missiles or small vehicles.
- Beam Saber
- The Beam Saber emits high-energy Minovsky particles to form a blade-shaped I-field (via manipulation of electromagnetic fields), and then fills this I-field shell with superheated Minovsky particle plasma to produce an effective cutting blade. The termination of the I-field along a solid contact surface allows the plasma to eat away at the offending material until the I-field reestablishes itself, allowing the weapon to "cut" through almost any target. The Marasai carries two beam sabers that are stored on the shield when not in use, this particular model used by the Marasai has a noticeably longer handle compared to others.
- BR-87A Beam Rifle
- A standard armament for ranged combat, the beam rifle is powered by a rechargeable energy cap. Capable of firing concentrated mega particles, a shot can damage any ordinary armor that has not been specially treated to resist beam attacks. The beam rifle on the Marasai is the same model used by the Hizack, however, it's unique in its ability to change its rate of fire.
- Fedayeen Rifle/Beam Saber
- Originally used by the RX-139 Hambrabi and RX-110 Gabthley, it is a long and powerful beam rifle. Power rated at 6.6 MW, and charged by rechargeable energy cap. It can also emit a beam saber, similar to the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam's (BOWA) XBR-M87A2 Beam Rifle.
- Sea Serpent
- Another weapon of the Hambrabi, this weapon was used by one particular Marasai unit during the Zeon Remnants attack on Torrington Base. A wire-guided grappling weapon or shocking weapon used to deliver crippling electrical shocks to enemy mobile suits. It is launched from the hands.
- Shields are simple in their design, being essentially thick slabs of metal that the equipped mobile suit can use to absorb the impact from attacks that, for whatever reason, cannot be dodged. Mounted on the right shoulder, this weapon serves as the Marasai's primary means of defense and is also used as a storage rack for its beam sabers.
Special Equipment & Features
- Ballute System
- An atmospheric entry device designed to be used by a Mobile Suit. As the mobile suit enters the atmosphere, a bowl-shaped ballute (balloon parachute) deploys to protect it from the friction heat of atmospheric entry. The balloon then detaches, leaving the mobile suit with chest and leg hover units which ease its descent to the ground. If the mobile suit reaches the ground without expending all the fuel in the leg units, these devices can also be used for hovering and high-speed strike missions. The equipment was designed and mass produced between the years UC 0083 and 0087 and is designed to be used by a multitude of different mobile suit models.
Originally designed by Anaheim Electronics for the Anti Earth Union Group as the "MSA-002", it was designed to be an all round better version of the RMS-106 Hizack. However, due to pressure from the Titans, Anaheim presented them with the design when the Titans started to turn their attention towards Anaheim support of the AEUG. It was formally adopted and put into mass production as the "RMS-108", being the eighth machine developed at the Granada base.
Many pilots used Marasai's in the Titans and Earth Federation, most famous is Kamille Bidan's rival, Jerid Messa. While defending the Earth Federation base Jaburo, Jerid's Marasai fought with the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II before being destroyed. Other pilots of the Marasai include Kacricon Cacooler and Sarah Zabiarov. Kacricon was killed in a Marasai by Kamille Bidan, who destroyed his Ballute, causing him to burn up in the atmosphere.
Despite initially being used by an organization whose very duty was to seek out and destroy anti-Federation or revivalist Zeon movements, after the Gryps Conflict the Marasai would be used almost exclusively by Neo Zeon movements. After the Gryps Conflict ended, the Earth Federation sought to distance itself from connection to the Titans, which included abandoning numerous mobile suit designs that were used by the Titans (no matter how effective they were). The abandoned Marasai were picked up by the first Neo Zeon, Haman Karn's Zeon, who used the machines to fill out their ranks, during Glemy's rebellion some units were used by his faction and were painted in a gray color scheme. After the First Neo Zeon War many of the Marasai had been destroyed. Some of those that survived would be used by old Principality of Zeon remnants, who would repaint the Marasai in their own distinctive green color scheme.
During UC 0096, several of the RMS-108 were used by Zeon remnants to attack the Federation's Torrington Base. One of these units would later be destroyed by the RX-160S Byarlant Custom. Another one of these units were destroyed by regrouping Earth Federation forces during the Federation counterattack.
In the fourth episode of Gundam Build Fighters, a Marasai appears equipped with a Hyper Mega Launcher fighting the Build Strike Gundam, with the fight ending with the Marasai defeated.
Notes and Trivia