Suit Details
Model number: MS-18E
Code name: Kampfer
Unit type: prototype heavy assault mobile suit
Manufacturer: Zeonic Company
Operator: Principality of Zeon
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 17.7 meters; overall height 18.2 meters
Weight: empty 43.5 metric tons; max gross 78.5 metric tons
Construction: titanium/ceramic composite on monocoque frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1550 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 2 x 28500 kg, 2 x 27000 kg, 4 x 12000 kg; vernier thrusters/apogee motors: 16
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 2.03 G; 180-degree turn time 1.2 seconds; maximum ground running speed 215 km/h
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 6100 meters
Fixed armaments: 2 x 60mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in hip armor, hand-carried in use
Optional hand armaments: 2 x shotgun, pump-action magazine and breech, 9 round magazine, can be stored on backpack storage racks; 2 x 360mm giant bazooka, clip-fed, 5 rounds per clip, can be stored on backpack storage racks; 2 x panzer faust, rocket-propelled warhead, can be stored in racks on legs; chain mine
In the last days of the One Year War, the Principality of Zeon developed a prototype mobile suit, designated the YMS-18, and experimented with different variants of the design for specific mission roles. One of these variants was the MS-18E Kampfer, designed as a fast assault unit. The Kampfer ("kaempfer" being German for "fighter" or "champion") sacrificed armor protection in exchange for many thrusters and verniers, making it very fast and maneuverable. Armed with an array of giant bazookas, shotguns and panzer fausts, the Kampfer could approach a target at high speed, make a fast strike, and quickly escape. This "hit-and-run" concept made the Kampfer a very powerful and deadly mobile suit; however, its speed and high number of thrusters resulted in high fuel consumption and a limited operational time. Despite this minor drawback, the Kampfer was an excellent mobile suit. Unfortunately for Zeon, it was another case of "too-little-too-late," as the One Year War came to an end and the Kämpfer never saw mass production. Only one Kampfer unit is known to have been fielded, attacking a Earth Federal Forces research base in the neutral Side 6 Libot Colony during a failed attempt to destroy the RX-78NT-1 Gundam "Alex" prototype mobile suit on 20 December, UC 0079.
Suit Build
This was a great build. Great fit and the parts breakdown allows you to paint it in sections and assemble it afterwards.
Stage One:The Box and Contents
The Kampfer is a Master Grade kit and it comes in quite a substantial box typical of Bandai's Gundam offerings. It features artwork of the Kampfer rather than the model itself. But around the box are the varioous features of the model
Immediately inside the box is a picture of the actual model which makes for a useful guild to how the model will go together and what order might be best for assembly and painting.
There are numerous sprue trees (I didn't count them at the time but will update this at some point) each moulded in the final colour.
The instructions are in Japanese but this isn't really too much of a problem as there are clear diagrams. A typical page is shown below. As can be seen there are various diagrams which show how such a mech works in the Gundam world.
Stage Two:The Arms
The instructions indicate that the arms are the first point of construction, so assuming that Bandai know best I started with the arms....logical hey!!!
The major problem with all Master Grade models seems to be locating the correct part. Each sprue is labelled with a letter and each part is then numbered. So C14 is obviously part 14 on sprue C. But there are a lot of sprues and it takes a while to be able to remember which is which.
The parts finally located the arm went together quite quickly.
The parts are totally squeezed together at this stage as I will want to get them apart for painting and don't want to make life difficult for myself. The dimpled areas will be drilled out as they are meant to be air vents.
There are rocket jets in the shoulder area. you can see where the parts haven't been totally squeezed up better on this one.
Stage Three:The Weapons
The instructions have the weapons as virtually the last step but I jumped ahead. Basically I wanted to see how large they would be assembled. The answer is very large. There are two of each, a rocket launcher, a shotgun and a panzerfaust. There is also a whip thing with mines along it.
Stage Four:The Legs
The legs are a bit complicated and took some time to put together. There is an internal armature onto which the armour is clipped, which should make painting a fair bit easier. Some of the orange rocket nozzles haven't been added at this stage as I will paint them up first before attaching them. The large rocket which comes out the back of the leg can slide in and out by the way.
Stage Five:The Abdomen, Torso and Head
Nothing too tricky with these parts, although the pieces around the face are a bit loose and don't clip in nicely. They'll probably need a spot of glue to hold them in place. This is also the first time I've been able to get it into a robot shaped selection of parts, so the pictures below show this rather than just the parts for this stage. I haven't connected many of the armour pieces to the abdomen and torso at this point though. The final picture is a first thought at a pose.
Stage Six:Assembly and Painting
For the Kampfer I'm going to follow the method I've used for the last couple of mechs I've built and use preshading followed by a single colour top coat, in this case Tamiya Metallic Blue.
The parts are first primed with Halfords grey primer and then using an airbrush the edges and areas which would be in shadow are lined in with black. The picture below shows the disaster area which is my workbench with the parts primed and preshaded.
The metallic blue is then painted over the top, with more paint going in the centre of the panels and away from the black areas than over the black itself. The picture below shows how this has been done on the leg. I like the effect of this, especially with a metallic paint.
And here is the Kampfer assembled following painting. The areas which are shown as orange in the box art were painted with bronze and some liberties were taken using a metallic gray for the bit below the shoulder and the outsides of the rocket nozzles. There are still the shoulder armour to add but I am attempting to make some parts so that he has spikes on both soulders rather than just the one. It's not going well though, but overall it's nearing completion.
Complete
The decals are mainly from Wave's range of Options parts with just the Zion logo on the chest from the rub on transfers.
The base is borrowed from a Maschinen Krieger kit for the moment. I had planned to have a bit of city street and a ruined wall for the Kampfer to stand in, with concrete dust on the feet, but I just haven't had time, but I will try and do this for a later date. So for the moment it has been declared complete.
