Completed : Takaratomy 1/72 Zoids RZ-002 Guysack

… and friend.

Kit Info
Brand: Takaratomy
Scale: 1/72
Media: Styrene
Markings: Samueldecal

The Subject
The Guysack is a small-scale infantry Zoid used by the Helic Republic. It is one of the oldest Zoid designs, based on the older Gurantula but has better firepower, durability, and close combat capability. It operates best in sandy deserts, where it is capable of burrowing into the loose soil to launch surprise attacks. Its primary weapon is the AZ30mm Beam Rifle on its tail, which can optionally be replaced by a 70mm beam cannon.

Info adapted from Zoids Wiki

The Kit
The Guysack was the second Republic Zoid of the so-called NJR (New Japan Release) Zoid line released in 1999. The Zoid was recolored in a desert brown and gray from the original release. The Zoid comes with 2 standard gray pilot figures. The Zoid comes with all of the original parts and new extra parts for more customization.

A small Zoid, it comes with a wind-up motor which allows it to simply skitter forward on its 8 legs. The head, pincers and tails are are movable but not motorized.

Snap-fitted

The Build
The kit is largely held together with clips and what will become a signature for the line, polycaps. Smaller parts are snapfit. Unfortunately due to the age of the kit the wind-up motor broke down after only a few wind-ups. With its many options I could have mixed and matched the parts but I decided to go with the same configuration as the boxart. I drilled out some of the barrels to add a bit of detail. The mold is old so while there are no injection pin marks, the flash is big in some parts.

As a kid, I had the original Japanese releases from the early 1980s so building this kit is a total nostalgia trip for me.

Colors & Markings
I went with a less brightly toned desert camo of brown and gray similar to the kit. I masked off and painted part of the canopy so it looks like it has frames now.

As a nod to my original Guysack, I painted the pilots gold.

The kit came with stickers but I added the Helic logo decals I got from Samueldecal instead.

Finishing
The kit was given a simple wash with Raw Umber oil paint, sponge chipped and drybrushed. The legs and the bottom were then dirtied up with a custom mix of brown pigments.

This took a lot longer than it really should but I’m done.

Number 01 of 2020