Technology & Combat Characteristics
As the One Year War dragged on, Zeon forces found themselves in desperate need of replacement mobile suits and other weaponry. Forced to salvage whatever they could, field workshops would often disassemble inoperable machines for use as replacement parts and cobble together new units from whatever was available in order to get more combat units to the field. One of the most common variations was the Zaku Tank, created from mounting a Zaku torso, head and arms onto the hull of a Magella Attack. These units were prized by field commanders, starved for replacement mobile suits and used for both combat and support duties. Since the Zaku Tanks were constructed to cater local military needs, there were no single unified design and a variety of chassis and equipment existed. The most commonly known chassis utilized the upper torso from MS-06 Zaku II series, but torso from MS-05 Zaku I series were also used.
History
Localized version of the Zaku Tanks had been fielded by Zeon Arm Force across the Earth during the One Year War. For instance, In October U.C. 0079, after hearing that his song was getting a major debut, EFF soldier Cpl. Eledore Massis of the 08th Mobile Suit Team broke the order to standby and went to a town near the Southeast Asian frontline to celebrate with his comrade Cpl. Michel Ninorich. However, the town turns out to have been occupied by the Zeons, and they were captured. In order to escape, the duo stole a Zaku Tank, but they were soon discovered by a passing Armored Vehicle, which began firing on the Zaku Tank. Due to Eledore's claustrophobia, he refused to close the cockpit hatch even under fire. Eventually, a stray shot shattered a display screen in the Zaku Tank's cockpit, injuring Eledore. Despite his wounds, Eledore managed to destroy the Armored Vehicle by crushing it with the Zaku Tank's excavator arm.
Another example of Zaku Tank's variant include Cpl. Kurt Blatt's unit fielded by the Zeon Army's Engineering Battalion in Kharkov, Ukraine circa October, UC 0079 which features the torso of MS-06W Worker Zaku. Blatt's unit would eventually undergo several field modifications included the addition of the 180mm Cannon from MS-06K Zaku Cannon and torso replacement with MS-06G Zaku II High Mobility Ground Type.
After the end of One Year War, many captured Zaku Tanks were employed at the Federation bases across the world, including its Jaburo headquarters in South America.