Research: Delta Astray series various MS armaments

The future is now. This is the place for mecha and science.
Post Reply
User avatar
balofo
Posts: 2437
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:45 pm

Research: Delta Astray series various MS armaments

After finding the 2 last Delta Astray manga chapter I can finally open this topic. This manga was short and the good mecha design had little chance to shine and to effectively show us all their combat capabilities :( . To make it worse I can't seem to find original HQ lineart with the designers notes, making it even more difficult to guess the cool gimmicks they are supposed to have. I'll only list the MS which there are doubts about their armaments. Some of these MS appeared before, but I'll include them here.

1)Kerberos BuCUE Hound/Kerberos ZAKU Warrior

The first one is more of a correct name for the weapon case. The MAHQ current lists Beam Horns and a double-edged beam saber(which is only 1 saber) on the wizard pack, the thing is those weapons are only called Beam Fang System everywhere. Did someone make this up for the sake of profile explanation convenience? Other interesting thing is the ability to remove the top portion of the Wizard head and to combine these 2 beam sabers(?) as one weapon to be used by the Zaku. This combined weapon has 3 beam edges in each saber, 6 total as the pic bellow shows. Suu also uses it as a makeshift Beam Shield in Frame Astrays by rotating it fast.

http://dalong.net/review/seed/sh46/p/sh46_mb0002.jpg
http://dalong.net/review/seed/sh53/p/sh53_mb0002.JPG
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/17/docu0048.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/28/docu0059.jpg/

2)Mars Jacket

We know the whole story from Destiny and Delta Astray(Red Frame switching to a Civilian Astray JG Custom). When we see Lowe using it he's carrying the Gerbera Straight in the waist as usual until he loses it, therefore the 2 Large Swords on the backpack obviously aren't Gerbera Straight as the current profile says. The most recent armament list for this MS is: Beam Twin Sword Rifle(named Beam Naginanta on lineart notes) which also doubles as makeshift Beam Shield as Diego uses it in Destiny Astray, and Tactical Backpack which contains 2 Large Swords, 2 Beam Cannons(since they point down in Melee mode I believe they can swivel freely to attack), Verniers(extra mobility in melee mode), and 2 Beam Barries(Beam Shields on lineart notes I think, too blurry) which in reality are located on the forearms of Gelgoog mode and are purged to engage in melee combat(it seems they are based on Hyperion one).

The Gelgoog armor is strong enough to survive reentry on its own, one profile claims it has FAPS(Full Armor Phase Shift). Is the large antenna the only difference from the standard Red Frame? Official name for the Jacket Forms: Jacket High Mobility Form and Jacket Armored Mode? This Astray clearly has the Vulcans barrels visible on the head, yet they aren't listed(guess they are assumed to be Astray standard weaponry, but even the Civilian one has them)

http://imageshack.us/f/856/docu0199.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/268/23762438.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/638/docu0125.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/1913.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/607/1912h.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/1911b.jpg/

3)Turn Delta

Another MS full of cool gimmicks. Its Beam Rifle is clearly a KMS71/J beam pistol with lots of attachments(WTH is that katakana word in that Data collection scan describing the beam rifle under the model number?). The official name for the beam saber is Fixed Beam Saber(?). Now the fun part: in the manga we see Agnes using the backpack as beam shield which seem to emanate from the same place that the lineart shows a beam saber(?) which I believe is used for high speed attacks sweeping melee attacks(Voiture Lumiere can't be used to attack). JP wiki claims the backpack is both a Voiture Lumiere and Armure Lumiere generator hence the Beam Shield and Beam Saber(see Hyperion destroying unit 2) capabilities, which makes a lot of sense. I believe the second scan mentions just a Lumiere Shield and a Beam Saber(the Lumiere one?) in the description, requesting translation.

http://imageshack.us/f/850/70144646.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/684/docu0198.jpg/
Last edited by balofo on Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
balofo
Posts: 2437
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:45 pm

Re: Research: Delta Astray series various MS armaments

4)Rosso Aegis

Pretty straightforward one, it has the same Aegis weapons minus the vulcans, and can optionally carry two Beam Rifles, either hand carried or fixed to the forearms according to the scratchbuild pictures from Phantom Pain Report(there's a mode that uses this configuration in particular, with the extra arms as support); no shield. It can use the Scylla in MS mode, can bend it like Forbidden thanks to the new arms structures(?) and the manga shows the beam cannon can fire spreading shots like a shotgun. What are the multiple forms actual names?

http://imageshack.us/f/190/docu0069.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/535/docu0200.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/109/docu0141.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/513/39283085.jpg/

5)Nero Blitz

The second most unorthodox MS in this story. First, the Trikeros: the profile claims it only has 3 Lancer Darts, nothing else; yet you can see only 2 lancer darts and 3 exiting holes :o . In the manga it only fires 2 lancer darts, then what's the point of the third hole(the bottom one)? Either there's a hidden lancer dart inside the shield or it's used for other purposes. Beam rifle/saber perhaps? Sadly without some HQ lineart with mecha designer notes we'll never know. Second, the other arm thing called Claw and 6 barrel Launcher according to the profile: the manga only shows it firing Dummy Balloons(first use in the Seed universe?) and to assume it can fire other things we again need the lineart notes or other sources; and what's the point of this other claw if it already has bigger ones on the backpack(JP wiki claims it's for melee combat and enemy capture)? Third, the backpack: as we already know these arm units can destroy even PS armor and can deflect beam at will, the only new thing is it also has a Pile Bunker as per lineart and profile description in the last scan.

http://imageshack.us/f/535/docu0200.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/141/docu0068.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/513/39283085.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/109/docu0141.jpg/

6)Guard Shell

The most unorthodox MS and the reason I opened this thread. According to the profile it has: Shield, Rocket Anchor, Laser Sword, Laser Rod. Let's go through each of these individually(for linear notes please use the first scan and zoom it)

a)Beam(?) Cannon: not mentioned in any profile, but used in MA mode in the manga. Is attached to a tentacle like thing and can be seen on the chest in MS mode(can it be used in MS mode?). Since all its weapons are laser based, could this also be a Laser Gun/Cannon?
b)Laser Sword: pretty simple one to figure out: stored on the shield can be detached for close combat. The shield appears to hold 3 of these(!)
c)Rocket Anchor: this one took me a while to figure out, these anchors are actually the 3 shield sections that don't store the Laser Swords. From the lineart it appears to have verniers on the back and a cable attached, it also opens to reveal a Laser(?) Saber(the laser generator looks like the Laser Sword one)
d)Laser Rod: stored in the forearms, in the manga it's somehow attached to the shield to be used as a yo-yo weapon(really wanted to see where it attaches, the lineart notes may say where but it is illegible :( ). The lineart notes has mount written in katakana pointing to the laser rod tip, perhaps for the shield. It doesn't look like it can be used as weapon like the GOUF one(heat, shock) and looks a lot like the tentacle beam cannon.
e)Shield: in MA mode it's clear it has Armure Lumiere capability, in MS mode the manga isn't clear(to transform it loses some pieces of armor). It has a piece of armor to attach it to the arm in MS mode. When used as yo-yo weapon it isn't clear if the laser swords are activated or it's used as a solid weapon(first option makes more sense).

Sadly the only scan I have with the lineart notes is pretty illegible, if someone has the Gundam Ace volume where GATE 09 was first published they could see if the text is legible at all. The Guard Shell is quite equipped, imagine throwing the shield then activating the rocket anchors to perform a massive area attack :D

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/44 ... dad7o.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/268/23762438.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/856/docu0199.jpg/

Feel free to correct me in my assumptions. I made this as a first step to write good profiles for these MS.
User avatar
AmuroNT1
Posts: 3420
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 12:41 am
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Research: Delta Astray series various MS armaments

Rosso's modes are Flight Unit Mode (the one where the wings act like Justice's lifter), Four-Leg Walker Mode, High-Speed Cruising Mode (the MA mode), MS Scylla Gunner Mode, and MA Scylla Gunner Mode.

As for Nero, it could just be that we never see the third lancer dart; for example, in the lineart it could be blocked by the body. Regarding the arm launcher, there's a scene in the manga where Emilio points it at the Acidalium's bridge and says "Goodbye", indicating that he's about to attack with it; however, before he can Diago interrupts with Mars Jacket. Therefore it's commonly assumed that the launcher can fire something other than dummy balloons, because otherwise him menacing the Acidalium doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Sakuya: "Whatever. Stop lying and give up your schemes, now."
Yukari: (Which lies and schemes are she talking about? It's hard to keep track of them all...)

-Touhou 07.5 ~ Immaterial and Missing Power
Post Reply