Everything Explodes...Why?

[Duraham]

If they're as reliable as that, it's a wonder they don't use flight capable escape pods instead...and it brings me to another query, is there no other alternative to this escape balls that are worthwhile? Personally, I find it rather difficult to swallow the fact that pilots would rather use such unreliable escape devices instead of something better. Would cost and/ or logistics etc be a reason why more reliable escape devices are not used?

more like there's not enough time. For exmaple, in the case of the Sazabi, it literarly had its HP bar punched to zero by Amuro, up to the point where the system sensed too much damage and force-ejected Char out. now, in the case of other MS, such as the Rick Dias(es), they could do the same thing as well, but more often than not the system could not detect and eject the pilot fast enough before it exploded.

so I doubt its cost and logistics, seeing that even the Rick Dias had a ejection system while it was pretty much cannon fodder, but rather more of unreliability, or being too slow

[Maelstromm]

So, in that case, what would be the use of that system? And, so, would be there a system that can actually work as intended? Anyone know of any systems that actually work as planned?

[mcred23]

So, in that case, what would be the use of that system? And, so, would be there a system that can actually work as intended? Anyone know of any systems that actually work as planned?

The use of it is too offer a means of escape, while many MS prior to that may have had nothing at all. The pods at least give the pilots some hope and a chance they'd survive, which is probably more than your average pilot in a Zaku II or a GM had back in the OYW.

As for systems that work as planned, there aren't many and I honestly can't think of one. Every the Core Fighter system doesn't always work, as shown with the GP01-Fb.

[Duraham]

There's the TurnA Gundam's core fighter, seems to work pretty well, considering that the core fighter, heck the cockpit is outside the MS itself

[Maelstromm]

Hmm, a chance of survival? I dunno how many times they were actually used, but how would the engineers know how effective such systems were? I doubt that they would want to waste time and money equipping grunt units with a system that doesn't work...

[mcred23]

Hmm, a chance of survival? I dunno how many times they were actually used, but how would the engineers know how effective such systems were?

They were used at least three times that I know of (Char, Emma and Yazan), but as to how effective such systems are, I'm sure in testing they probably proved effective. However, working during test runs and actually working in battle are very different, and AFAIK, no one ever came up with a system that was any better for MP units.

I doubt that they would want to waste time and money equipping grunt units with a system that doesn't work...

It may not always work, but like I said, it's better than nothing. Besides, we don't actually know all the details about them and why/why not they work, so we can really only speculate (Like how the system may be easily damaged).

[plutoniumhunter]

So now I'm confused...do you or do you not put ejection seats in prototype mobile suits? Do prototype MS from the UC and other AU possess ejection seats?

In UC, standard ejection seats are rare and not often found. Some Federation prototypes have their Core Fighter system, and some Zeon machines have wacky escape systems like detachable heads and whatnot, but most don't have any ejection system. It isn't until the panoramic cockpit becomes standard in the mid-UC 0080's that any form of ejection system sees any wide spread use.

I feel a need to point out the ground gundam and Shiro's ejection, but I don't know if that also translates to ground GMs as well.

Sorry for being a little late, but if the ground gundam has an ejection seat, does it apply to the 3 blue destiny units as well? After all, they're part of the same family, possessing the same basic model number... And then, if the cockpit ball ejection system is kinda reliable, why did jerid not use it when his gabthley blow up? Instead, mouar had to fly over n let him climb into her cockpit... Same thing wit reccoa... When the methuss blew up, she did not use the escape pod...

[mcred23]

Sorry for being a little late, but if the ground gundam has an ejection seat, does it apply to the 3 blue destiny units as well? After all, they're part of the same family, possessing the same basic model number...

I don't know. On one hand, you'd think they'd have them since they are based on the RX-79[G]. However, the Blue Destiny units are all heavily modified, so the ejection seat could have been removed. AFAIK, we never see any of the units use them, so I guess we have no way of knowing if they have the ejection seats or not.

And then, if the cockpit ball ejection system is kinda reliable, why did jerid not use it when his gabthley blow up? Instead, mouar had to fly over n let him climb into her cockpit... Same thing wit reccoa... When the methuss blew up, she did not use the escape pod...

Given the damage both of those units took, it wouldn't suprise me if the cockpit ejection systems were damaged or didn't work at all, which could be a reason why they didn't use them (As for the reason why, no one knows).

[Mark064]

Ejection systems have two problems the situation and the pilot. Let's face it some situations are hopeless, probably a good deal of them in the era with beam weaponry. So really in some situations the only way to survive is see the fact you are about to be killed and eject before hand. This of course leads into the second problem the pilot. Since the ejection systems are not automated the pilots have to manually activate them, so no matter how great of an ejection system there is if the pilot cannot activate them in time they are dead. This of course becomes complicated in the heat of a battle suddenly getting a fatal blow then having to pull a lever in a split second before your MS blows up.

Speaking of the ejection systems the panaromic cockpit ejection I believe we see more commonly used during Victory Gundam. And on the Earth well based on Zeta Gundam TMAs at least like the Gaplant and the Asshimar both seem to have some sort of ejection ability. Rosamia's Gaplant we see has an ejection seat which ejects her to safety. While the Asshimar has some sort of ejection that includes a parachute, however we don't get a clear shot at all just someone parachuting away, this was during the Dakar episode of Zeta Gundam.

As for the above situation if I am thinking of the same situation as you are then Reccoa could not have ejected without smacking straight into Yazan's Hambrabi. And second Reccoa wanted to talk to the pilot who she believed was calling her.

And finally flight capability, I don't think that's really too important and would really add in a lot of weight and hazzardous materials just waiting to explode. Flight on the Earth would be pretty much impossible without growing wings or a rotor or something, and just a thruster would be a nice rocket of death.

[Maelstromm]

All these complications and factors really make survival more difficult than it seems in the anime, so it would seem that only those pilots with names actually use the escape pods as they are intended...