[Kit Insight] Premium Bandai HGUC 1/144 RMS-099 Rick Dias [Federation Type] - Painted Build

Model Number: RMS-099
Designation: EFSF Mass Production Attack Use Mobile Suit

A somewhat-revived older model kit that actually manages to hold its own against modern kits!
Build Notes
While this is essentially a P-Bandai remake of a HGUC 1/144 model kit that came out in 2002, the Rick Dias features several enhancements that serve to modernise an aged design and give it some means to stand toe-to-toe with fancy modern model kits. The bulk of the P-Bandai Rick Dias is congruent to its non-premium predecessor, but it now has new joinery in the elbows, knees and hips, giving the Rick Dias much greater flexibility and articulation that goes towards its playability.

Older HGUC model kits are also quite the experience: the amount of part separation and build design belies the model kits age. For example, waist units on modern HG 1/144 kits are usually simple affairs that consist of the frame sandwiched between two sections of armour. The Rick Dias' waist unit is interestingly complex and features separate thrusters and a part-separated inner back skirt, along with additional piping for detail. The hooded vulcan phalanx gimmick in the head unit is also a very unique and fun feature that is now largely absent in modern High Grades.

Fictional Lore
The RMS-099 Rick Dias was the Federation's attempt at emulating the exceptional performance of the unit, whose use was first pioneered by the A.E.U.G. While the Rick Dias was being outclassed by newer mobile suit designs during its induction into the regular EFSF forces, the unit was still more formidable than the outdated post One Year War designs that the EFSF had left after the Titans emptied their coffers.

Refined and constructed by Anaheim Electronics, the Federation Type Rick Dias bore an adapted colour scheme inherited from the late-type Rick Dias units used by the A.E.U.G which used the red hues from Quattro Bajeena's custom machine. The Federation Type units were almost exact copies of their A.E.U.G predecessors, save for new joints in the limbs and armour plating updated with contemporary anti-beam coating.

The semi-new Rick Dias units performed their role as an attack use mobile suit admirably, using their thick armour to weather heavy assaults and their nimble mobility to perform lethal high-speed strikes. The combination of solid and beam weaponry made the Rick Dias an all-rounder able to go against most adversaries save for the most dangerous combatants. 

A common combat tactic employed by Federation pilots had the squad leader immobilise the enemy mobile suit with the clay bazooka before the other squad members finished it off with their beam pistols and/or beam sabers. Squads of Rick Dias units could also focus their vulcan phalanxes into a fusillade of 55mm armour-piercing rounds, forming a wall of bullets to defeat masses of enemy projectiles. The placement of the beam pistols allowed the Rick Dias to fire them backwards from their stowed positions, catching enemy chasers off guard. 

Although the Federation Type Rick Dias put up a strong performance for an older mobile suit design, it was eventually phased out for next-generation mass production units such as the powerful RGM-86R GM III.

Gallery