Completed » Fourth Planet Terraformation Initiative – Zeta Plus A1 Type

Story »

“…The Men of Earth came to Mars.
They came because they were afraid or unafraid, because they were happy or unhappy, because they felt like Pilgrims or did not feel like Pilgrims. There was a reason for each man. They were leaving bad wives or bad towns; they were coming to find something or leave something or get something, to dig up something or bury something or leave something alone. They were coming with small dreams or large dreams or none at all…. it was not unusual that the first men were few. The numbers grew steadily in proportion to the census of Earth Men already on Mars. There was comfort in numbers. But the first Lonely Ones had to stand by themselves…”

–Ray Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles

ter·ra·form tr.v. ter·ra·formed, ter·ra·form·ing, ter·ra·forms

To transform (a landscape) on another planet into one having the characteristics of landscapes on Earth.

During the Sentinel Era of the Universal Century, let’s say 0086 or something (Whatever, I’m not that big of a fan boy.) Aneheim Electronics Advanced Research and Projects Group (AEARPG) led an independent study on the feasibility of placing a permanent colony on the martian surface. This colony would be the launching point for a terraformation project. To make Mars into another Earth could solve the problem of overpopulated space colonies in the Earth Sphere.

A special task force dubbed the Fourth Planet Terraformation Initiative was created to oversee the project. Phase one of the Independent Permanent Mars Colony and Terraformation Study (IPMCTS) would be to seal off large portions of the Valles Marineris Canyon system making the Canyon itself into a colony.

Having no support from the Earth Federation, AEARPG took it’s own security measures in the form of three mobile suit squadrons amid fears of terrorism from Zeon remnants and other military capable groups. These MS squadrons would patrol and scout the martian landscape and defend the project if necessary.

For the first year of the project, all was quiet. Work proceeded on schedule and the 29th Zeta Plus MS Squadron spent most of their time mapping the landscape and escorting shuttle and transport craft.

About the Kit »

This is the Master Grade Zeta Plus A1 Type. I gave it a custom color scheme designed as Martian camoflauge. I designed the decals in Adobe Illustrator and had them printed by “Scale Models 4U”. Since this mecha would be oporating on Mars, I gave it a dusty post shade to simulate Martian dust.

Overall, I really like the MG Zeta Plus kits. There are some issues that arrise when in Wave Rider mode, such as the back armor not meeting up with the chest armor, but other than that, it’s a great kit. It has several locking mechanisms which keep it from being floppy and they actually work pretty well. Well, as long as you don’t treat it like
a toy that is.