I don't like GP02, either. I think 01 looks alright, though.

http://gundamguy.blogspot.ca/2016/02...ease-info.html

So the 1/100 Barbatos not only comes with the mace but the Earth configuration Mika used? Suddenly I don't regret skipping the base form 1/100.

Yup, you can pretty much make any variant of Barbatos since it got its round shoulder pads. All it's missing is the sword. Glad I skipped the first one.

I wonder if they also give you the arms from the original too? Since I'm assuming it'll be 75% of the same runners.

I assume so, looking at the runners the arms are surrounded by parts that are shown off, so they're not easily excluded. Aside from missing the sword and cannon, it's likely the ultimate Barbatos up until now.

Except 1) the Antarctic Treaty was moot after the end of the OYW - It was signed by thePrincipality of Zeon, and by that point what was left was the Republic of Zeon and various splinter groups, which, legally speaking, is a HUGE difference - and 2) There was rumors/evidence of the Zeon remnants developing their own nuclear-capable Mobile Suits. The Physalis was roughly analogous to Metal Gear Rex in a lot of respects, being intended as a deterrent and circumventing certain restrictions or limitations of launch vehicles at the time.

The Atomic Bazooka didn't actually fire the warhead, more used it as a single-use charge to power an immensely powerful directed blast.

I knew about the uselessness of the Antarctic treaty, but I didn't know about the nuke being used to power a beam. Thanks.

It's been a while since I've seen the series and I can't read Japanese so I could be misinterpreting the specs, but as I recall it didn't actually LAUNCH a physical warhead, rather than fire a single, massive blast similar to a beam cannon. In a sense, it'd be a gigantic X-Ray Laser akin to Project Excalibur, or what was planned for implementation as part of the SDI back in the 80s.

Granted, this could just be artistic license, but that's the interpretation I've always held.

Cool.

I do vaguely remember Londo Bell using nukes in Char's Counterattack to fish out the Neo Zeon suits during the end movie operation. So it's not like Gundam hasn't ever used nukes. Just not particularly as part of one's aresenal.

As I recall they were using them in an attempt to halt or destroy Axis, or at least break it up enough that it'd burn up upon re-entry. In any case, they functioned more like you'd expect a nuclear weapon to upon detonation, although google-fu points out that things like radiation, ballistic shockwaves, and EMP would be a moot point in space, the latter in particular seeing as Minovsky physics already cover that.

Still, they'd be one of the more outright powerful weapons available to a small unit like Londo Bell, which in and of itself is pretty horrifying. Though I suppose it'd be faster and easier to provide them with nuclear weapons than a fleet with firepower enough to actually eradicate a body of Axis' size.