ZGMF-Z042 Accel Gundam

"I will break through the limits with my ultimate speed!"


 * ―Race Terui

The ZGMF-Z042 Accel Gundam is one of the newly created antagonist mobile suits belonging to ZAFT mostly being used for scouting enemy territory on its Release Mode but mainly just used for front line battles on Armor Mode.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Accel Gundam is the fastest mobile suit to be ever created in the Cosmic Era but just when it's in Release Mode. Accel Gundam is the first to have releasable armor to increase mobility and power in the Cosmic Era. It's equipped with a newly developed system by ZAFT named the "Cast System" which allows mobile suits to wear heavy armor and release or re-equip it at anytime; Accel Gundam is the only mobile suit equipped with it that works. Accel Gundam bares some resemblance to Legend Gundam in Armor Mode and Impulse Gundam in Release Mode, both of which it was based on.

In Armor Mode, Accel Gundam is heavily armored and does very well in defense power but is slow and an easy target to hit. Its DRAGOON pods are only usable when the armor is equipped and is removed when the armor is casted off and will be replaced with DRAGOON wings in Release Mode. In Release Mode, Accel Gundam is the fastest mobile suit there is in the Cosmic Era. It can easily take out enemy mobile suits from close range with its fast speed and light weapons, it could also take out enemies from far range with its long-ranged weaponry. Accel uses its jets in Release Mode to move fast to avoid attacks and making light attacks strong enough to slice or pierce through armor.

Accel needs a large amount of energy to use a burst of the jets, which is why a cooling system was installed, but even with the cooling system in it, it still takes a long time to recharge from the speed bursts. Accel also needs a lot of energy for the DRAGOON wings and pods; since Accel has both DRAGOON wings and pods, it makes Accel Gundam take a longer time to recharge, and despite being the fastest mobile suit there is, it's the slowest in recovery which makes it have a shorter energy gauge than any other mobile suit. Unlike Strike Freedom Gundam, Accel has smaller DRAGOON wings to make it faster and have more mobility to fight close range in Release Mode. In Armor Mode, Accel's DRAGOON pod pack covers the wings making them unable to use until it's casted off.

MA-M02G "Super Lacerta" beam saber
Accel holds 2 beam sabers on its waist, making it similar to Freedom Gundam. Accel's beam sabers can be combined to make a spear but rarely does due to the fact that 2 swords are faster than 1 spear. Accel can take both the sabers out faster and easier in Release Mode than in Armor Mode, so therefore Accel usually only combines the 2 sabers in Armor Mode.

MX2200 beam shield generator
Accel has 2 beam shield generators which are only usable in Release Mode. Both the shields are on both its forearms.

MMI-M15E "Xiphias 3" railgun
Accel has railguns on its head and hips, making it able for it to shoot from 2 different spots and have stronger power. They are also capable to be shot from underwater so they give Accel a more efficent way to fight underwater. It can also be used to destroy small firearms.

EQFU-3X Super DRAGOON mobile weapon wings
Like Strike Freedom Gundam, Accel has DRAGOON wings making it able for Accel to move faster in air or space. The wings are smaller than the average size of the normal wings to enable Accel to have more mobility. The DRAGOON wings take up a lot of energy of the Accel so it isn't used very often; they are also only usable in Release Mode.

Small DRAGOON pod
Like the DRAGOON wings, they take up a lot of energy so it isn't used often, but the pods actually use less energy than the wings since it holds a lot of energy in Armor Mode. The DRAGOON pods are only usable in Armor Mode.

High-energy Long-range Beam Cannon
The beam cannon is a weapon more used in Armor Mode since the mode doesn't have much speed and mobility as Release Mode. The beam cannon is best used for long-ranged since the ricochet for close range hit is a very high possibility to happen. The beam cannon has a less powerful recoil when in Armor Mode because the armor could help hold the gun better.

MA-M21KF Beam Rifle
Accel has a rifle similar to Strike Freedom's, except it's a different color, different shape, and it's weaker to have a better grip from the recoil. The beam rifle is held on top of the rear skirt armor and is only usable when the armor is casted off since the heavy armor prevents the rifle to be grabbed. When used in full power, the beam rifle could shoot a beam like a cannon similar to Buster Gundam except with only 1 gun.

Shield
A basic beam-proof shield that's more used in Armor Mode than Release mode.

Trivia

 * The name "Accel" came from the shortened version of the word "Acceleration"
 * It's the only ZGMF-Z model
 * The numbers "4" and "2" in Japanese is pronounced "Shi" and "Ni" which combined together says "Shini," which means "Death" in English