Technology & Combat Characteristics
Based on and developed as an all-around improvement of the RMS-106 Hizack, the RMS-108 Marasai was one of the earliest second-generation mobile suits ever created. Designed around principles utilized by the Principality of Zeon, the Marasai featured several characteristics of the Zaku Series, including external power pipes around the head and torso, and a mono-eye sensor. The Marasai incorporated several new technologies pioneered by the Earth Federation, including a Movable Frame and Gundarium Alloy, which greatly improved its overall defense, maneuverability, and sensor range. The Marasai also has a new large backpack with high-power thrusters, granting it increased acceleration, as well as atmospheric flight under gravity for a short period of time. Thanks to the inclusion of a more powerful Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor, Marasai is able to utilize its beam weaponry far more regularly than the Hizack.
Alongside technological improvements, the Marasai is also several tons lighter than Hizack in terms of empty weight. The Marasai did not have as large a weapon selection as the Hizack however, because the Hizack was often equipped with older weapons used by Zakus, such as machine guns and heat hawks, while the Marasai used only advanced beam weapons. The Marasai's standard weapons are a beam rifle, two beam sabers, and two head mounted Vulcan guns. It also possessed a spiked pauldron on the left shoulder, and a large shield equipped on the right. These factors led to the Marasai's performance being equal to that of the MSA-003 Nemo and rivaling the RMS-099 Rick Dias.
History
The Marasai was originally developed by Anaheim Electronics for the Anti Earth Union Group (AEUG) as the "MSA-002". However, due to pressure from the Titans, Anaheim presented them with the design when the Titans started to turn their attention towards Anaheim's support of the AEUG. It was formally adopted and put into mass production as the "RMS-108", being the eighth machine developed at the Granada base. Many Earth Federation Forces and Titans pilots used the Marasai following its introduction, most famously Kamille Bidan's rival, Jerid Messa. While defending the Earth Federation Forces' Jaburo base, Jerid's Marasai fought against the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II before being destroyed. Other notable pilots of the Marasai included Kacricon Cacooler and Sarah Zabiarov. Kacricon was killed by Kamille, who destroyed his Marasai's Ballute, causing him to burn up in the atmosphere. As the Gryps Conflict continued, Marasais were fielded by the Titans as a frontline machine. Near the end of the war, the RMS-154 Barzam begun replacing the Marasai as the Titans' main mobile suit.
After the Gryps Conflict, the Earth Federation sought to distance itself from the Titans and abandoned numerous mobile suit models that were used by the latter. Some of the abandoned Marasais were picked up by the Neo Zeon, who would use the machines to fill their ranks. During Glemy Toto's rebellion, some units were used by his faction and were painted in a gray color scheme.
In U.C. 0096, several Marasais painted in a distinctive green color scheme were used by Zeon remnants to attack the Earth Federation Forces's Torrington Base. One of these units was later destroyed by the RX-160S Byarlant Custom. Another unit was destroyed by regrouping Earth Federation Forces during the counterattack.
