Title: RMS-141 Xeku Eins (Type 3 Armament)
Scale: 1/144
Brand: Bandai
Grade: High Grade Universal Century (HGUC)
Overall Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
Kit No.: # 24
Series: Gundam Sentinel
Release Date: 10/2001
Suggested Price: ¥ 1600
No. of Parts: 129 plastic + 25 polycaps
Plastic colors: blue, red, yellow, gray, black
Gimmicks: movable trigger finger, belt-fed machine gun, shoulder drum ammo storage
Where to Buy: Price: $20.95 >>Buy<<
HGUC RMS-141 Xeku Eins Gunpla Gallery
Built by Dave The Chef and shikan0079
Infomation of RMS-141 Xeku Eins
The RMS-141 Xeku Eins is a mass produced general purpose mobile suit fielded by the New Desides. It was featured in the photo-novel Gundam Sentinel. The unit has 3 configuration types, each with their own equipments and strengths.
General and Technical Data
Model number: RMS-141
Code name: Xeku Eins (Type 3 Armament)
Unit type: mass production general purpose mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: New Desides
First deployment: unknown
Accommodation: pilot only, in panoramic monitor/linear seat cockpit in torso
Dimensions: overall height 20.05 meters; head height 19.20 meters
Weight: empty 37.63 metric tons; max gross 87.28 metric tons
Armor materials: gundarium alloy composite
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 2100 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 2 x 15000 kg, 4 x 14500 kg; vernier thrusters/apogee motors: 10
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration: 1.01 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 15000 meters
Fixed armaments: 4 x beam saber, power rated at 0.9 MW, stored in recharge racks in shield, hand-carried in use
Optional hand armaments: clay bazooka, 5+1 round magazine; 120mm machine gun, drum-fed, 6000 rounds per drum, spare drums can be stored on shoulder shields
Technology & Combat Characteristics
The design of the Xeku Eins is based on reliable, proven technology, and despite its good overall performance the mobile suit itself has few distinguishing features. However, its sturdy frame and high generator output allow it to carry a large weapons payload, and the multipurpose latch and mount system built into its shoulders allows the Xeku Eins to carry a wide variety of optional equipment. As a result, this general-purpose mobile suit can reproduce the abilities of many different specialized machines. The capabilities of the Xeku Eins are highly regarded by the pilots of the instructor corps, and with the outbreak of the Pezun Rebellion it becomes the main mobile suit of the New Desides.
There are three known configuration for the Xeku Eins. Type 1 most basic configuration of the Xeku Eins. It uses a beam rifle with an attached grenade launcher. The mounts on its shoulders are for landing devices and external propellant tanks. This configuration is used by the pilots of the New Desides when they land their mobile suits on the lunar surface on March 13, UC 0088. Technically, it's possible to replace the propellant tanks with a shield in order to arm the Zeku Eins with a beam saber.
Type 2 is armed for long-ranged assault. This configuration uses a long-range beam smartgun with a disc radome on its left shoulder. A shield, which holds a beam saber, can be attached to one or both shoulders. This version of the Xeku Eins is used in the first encounter between the New Desides and Task Force Alpha on February 29, UC 0088.
Type 3 is a heavy assault configuration. Originally intended for attacking and defending space fortresses, this type is armed mainly with projectile weapons. Its main weapon is a large 120mm machine gun with a rate of fire of 360-540 rounds per minute, and it carries roughly 6000 rounds of ammunition in each of the huge drum magazines attached to its shoulders. Similar to the Type 2 equipment, this configuration has a pair of shield mounts in its shoulders, holding beam sabers and latches for optional equipment such as clay bazookas, bazooka magazines, and smoke dischargers. This is effectively the standard configuration of the Xeku Eins. The pilots of the Instructor Corps use this version to wipe out the regular Earth Federation Forces mobile suits stationed at Pezun, and after declaring themselves the New Desides, they continue using it throughout the Pezun Rebellion.
History
When the Earth Federation Forces captured the Pezun asteroid base towards the end of the One Year War, they unearthed a treasure trove of new state-of-the-art mobile suit schematics that the Principality of Zeon were developing. One of the Zeonic designs discovered at Pezun in the five years following the One Year War was the "X Series" mobile suit development project. When the "X Series" data was discovered it as handed over to the lunar-based mobile suit construction firm, Anaheim Electronics, where the data was redesigned into the RMS-141 Xeku Eins and several units were built and sent to the Pezun base for testing.
Variants
- RMS-142 Xeku Zwei
Miscellaneous Information
Pilot(s): Josh Offshore, Tosh Cray
Original mechanical designer: Hajime Katoki
Note: custom lineart by Gordan Gregov [Source: wikia & mahq]
1/144 HGUC RMS-141 Xeku Eins Model Kit Review
HGUC RMS-141 Xeku Eins is an original Gundam story set in the same time period as Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, that was originally published as a serialized photo-novel in the modeling magazine Model Graphix. The model kit has beautiful details and moving joints. Standard snap-fit with poly-caps for joints. Weapons load includes beam saber, machine-gin with 70 round belt-fed drum and Cray Bazooka.
Introduction
The Xekueins (or Xeku Eins, seems both are correct depending to whom you speak) is the New Decides' grunt mobile suit from Gundam Sentinel. Heavily reminiscent of the Zaku series in shape and name, it fits in with the beefed up designs that evolved with the aging of the UC line of mobile suit designs. Will this grunt design live up to its versatile utility design or will it just be another kit that could have been great?
Head
The head is a simple design but functional. A nice theme with the design of this kit is hiding seam lines beneath a piece of armor. Where some kits have the disadvantage of being too small to accommodate this move, the Xekueins pulls it off easily thanks to its immense bulk. It’s sad to see just a sticker used to make up the monoeye. I’ve seen the pictures from the original Zeta Plus 1/44 kits. It should have been given a translucent red piece similar to what is found on the HGUC Rick Dias, or Gaza C‘s monoeye. The head rests upon a polycap instead of the polycap neck piece going into the head. If you have assembled the HGUC Zaku IIIs you’ll recognize the design. Unfortunately there are no commander antennae present in the kit so it’s only the lowly grunt for your design.
Arms
The shoulder armor doesn’t hide its seam line as well as the rest of the kit. Fortunately the addition of the ammo drums on the shoulders and the shoulder shield hide them completely. If you opt to modify the kits to look more like a traditional Xekueins Type 1, you’ll have to work on it. Of course, it’s almost a given anyone going through that level of work would conceal the seams. The clasps to support and hold the ammo drums fit nicely into the shoulders. The problem is if you’re a person who likes to fiddle with their kits and sometimes feel that urge to pull apart pieces after assembly, you’ll probably break the shoulder claps. Though thick where they connect to the shoulder, these hollowed out parts thin near the top and insert into the drum with a male plug. The parts are very weak here and will crack or break with a little pressure.
The ammo drums themselves are a two piece assembly that blends its seam in nicely. You’ll still see it if you study closely. The belt feeding ammo down and behind the drum through to the back of the machine gun inserts and stays nicely… until you try to put it into the machine gun. If you mess with the kit a lot, this part will pop out a lot. Painting does help tighten the bond. I suppose you could glue the part in to stop this but, you’ll never be able to change it up later on to a beam saber pose. Just one of those things to note.
The shoulder shield is flexible, attaching to the shoulder via a male plug to a female polycap built into the end of the shoulder armor. It’s composed of two parts attached to a polycap hinge to adjust to different poses or ‘conditions’ depending on how you’re displaying the kit. The bad side is this joint can go too far in, jamming the joint under the thruster/beam saber assembly. A bit of pressure will pop it out, but who wants to put that much extra pressure on their model kit? If you look closely at the shoulder shields, you’ll notice slots carved into it for storing a clay bazooka and extra ammo clips. You’ll also notice I don’t have any ammo clips on the shields. Why? Because there are no extras like that with this kit. You’re given the machine gun and that’s it for long range weapons. It’s very disappointing to see and those little bits of extras would really add to the value and appeal of this kit.
The arms flex nicely at their joints and the hands fit well in their polycap wrist sockets. The right hand is large enough to allow the trigger finger to fold in for beam sabers or flex out to fit in the machine gun’s trigger guard. It uses a very fine male plug to pivot and rotate the finger. The left hand is either an open hand for holding the machine gun or a closed fist. Now the problems here are the amount of flex needed to get that proper pose for holding a machine gun as long as the one included with this kit. If you pull the arm off the male peg on the shoulder to near the edge you can almost get a nice angle for holding the machine gun. Then you need to get just the right bend out of the right hand and hope it doesn’t put too much pressure on the trigger finger’s super tiny male peg. This magic work of multiple angles is where the frustration begins. Get it wrong and the ammo belt keeps popping or the machine gun keeps twisting or the wrist pops out of its socket. Getting the right angle to hold the machine gun while using the left hand to do a steadying pose is even harder. This is where the extra bit of flex from the shoulders are needed.
Torso
Again the design is solid. Most of the seam lines are easily concealed within the armor plating or by the power cables going across the midsection. The raised details are a nice change in the armor design versus the normal panel lines so typical in Bandai’s HGUC kits. The downside is with so much flat space on this kit, a bit of panel line details would have really spiced it up. Also, though the pegs holding up the arms are very tight, they need that extra flex found in kits like the HGUC Gundam. That little bit of play would have made posing the kit and its machine gun that much more simple.
Legs
Unique amongst HGUC kits is the independently moving front skirt armor. Where most work on a central shaft so it moves as one piece, a polycap in the crotch thruster assembly allows the pieces to operate independent. This creates some awesome pose potential. Add in the very stable and heavy lower legs and feet and it really can do just about any running pose possible. The down side is the legs’ pelvic section is so much thicker because of this the kit can’t use Bandai’s HG model stands… unless you drill a hole and use the ‘insert screw’ option.
Again the armor hides all the seam lines. Unfortunately, again, the large amount of armor has little to no panel lines or raised details. I know the blue color can hide the work of panel line detailing but at least give us the option of attempting it, Bandai. Also, there are four fuel tanks hidden in the back of the legs. They fit nicely, don’t fall out, and have enough flex to afford a few careless hits from your hand during final assembly or posing.
Weapons and Accessories
Included in this kit are a machine gun, ammo drums, ammo belt, and two beam sabers. Though all are nicely detailed and aforementioned problems with the machine gun are already logged, there is a major disappointment with the beam sabers. First, the kit only has two. According to what I’ve read, this design should have four stored in the shoulder shields. Only two storage sabers are included, so one shield is left bare. Second, with only one hand actually open for accessories, what’s the point of having two beam sabers included with your kit? Why not take the second out and include a translucent red piece for that extra bit of flair?
Another question I’ve found myself asking is with the machine gun’s design. It’s very similar in shape and design to the smart beam gun weapons layout. Why not make the simple adjustment to the assembly to allow a person to build the Type II weapons layout? Why not give the builder the option to build any of the three Xekueins Types?
Conclusion
Pros: Solid, simple, stable kit which has a wide variety of interest for the beginner model builder to the advanced builder looking to customize a kit. Seams are well hidden and it incorporates some unique design for HGUC in its independent moving skirt armor.
Cons: This kit feels like it was rushed to production with the lack of extras. A few more months on the design table could have resulted in some more panel details, added mobility in the shoulders, weapon options to change up the Xekueins Types and this kit would have shined. Its design is almost too simple and might be a turn off for some of the more advanced kit builders out there. As it is, there’s nothing to make this kit stand out nor is there anything to truly sink this kit. It’s as average as it can get.
Value: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Design: 5/5
Had this for a long time, this gundam is freakin sweet! Has a chain-belt fed LMG type of weapon and the ammo containment sits on his shoulder, totally bad-ass! For HG, most of the little parts are well detailed and are separate pieces, not just engraved into the plastic. This model is great and my favorite of my 1/144's. Only thing i can frown upon is the gun with the chain-belt feed is a bit hard to position all over the place but does not hinder at all how much I love this model!
1/144 HGUC RMS-141 Xeku Eins Model Kit and Reviews
Source: www.scalemodelmuseum.com
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