'Gundam Evolution': How To Play The Zaku II (Ranged)

Gundam Evolution - Zaku Ranged screen — The Zaku II equipped with a machine gun in Gundam Evolution Gundam Evolution

KEY POINTS

The Zaku II (Ranged) excels at flanking and destroying enemies at close range
This mobile suit has three dash charges but low maximum health
Zaku II (Ranged) can deploy a smokescreen to become temporarily invulnerable

The Zaku II is one of the most iconic mobile suits in the "Gundam" franchise, standing against the RX and GM models as the backbone of the Principality of Zeon's main fighting force.

Unlike the RX-78, the Zaku II comes in melee and ranged playable configurations in "Gundam Evolution." This guide covers the pros and cons of the ranged variant and some tips on how to use it more effectively.

Zaku II (Ranged) Strengths And Weaknesses

The Zaku II (Ranged) is designed to be a close-quarter skirmisher that is extremely deadly and slippery. Armed with its signature machine gun, a fistful of Cracker Grenades and a large Heat Hawk axe, the Zaku can blast the enemy to bits before making its daring escape.

One of the main strengths of the Zaku II is its three-charge thruster system, which is a shared trait among other fast-moving suits. This pairs greatly with their rapid-fire machine gun that chews through enemy armor up close.

Gundam Evolution - Zaku Ranged gun — The approximate maximum effective range of a Zaku II's machine gun Gundam Evolution

The Zaku's ultimate causes them to lunge forward while swinging their axe to damage and stun enemies. Use this to easily win duels or to quickly dispatch pesky flankers like Barbatos, Exia or other Zakus.

On the other hand, the Zaku's low health pool and bulky profile mean its prone to die. Be sure to use Smoke Discharger to disengage from bad fights.

Tips And Tricks

While it may be tempting to engage enemies by thrusting toward them, it is best to save these charges for dodging incoming fire while reloading or to escape after picking off an enemy.

To use thrusters offensively, try to dash through the enemy and get behind them. This often disorients the enemy while giving the Zaku pilot time to adjust their aim.

As with other flankers, try to use unconventional routes to attack enemies from behind. Additionally, prioritize attacking squishy targets like GM Sniper, Methuss or other damage dealers instead of tanks like Sazabi.

Lastly, Cracker Grenade is arguably the worst ability in Zaku II's kit. Only use it to poke a group of enemies or to finish off a low-health target.