By The Intrepid in Echo in the Hangar — 16 May 2025

Echo in the Hangar: Universal Century, Part One

An unofficial, fan-made adaptation of our favorite MS Gundam characters to the Echo in the Hangar game.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

Shiro Amada – The Idealist

Callsign: Ensign (later Lieutenant)Archetype Reasoning: Shiro’s relentless belief in doing what’s right, even in the face of war’s cynicism, screams Idealist. He risks everything—his career, his team, his life—for a chance at peace and connection, especially with Aina. His optimism is both his strength and his undoing.Function Stack:

Wonder +3 (His idealism and hope drive him to see beyond the war.)
Grounding +2 (He connects deeply with his team and Aina.)
Reason +1 (He’s a capable leader, but not overly analytical.)
Impulse 0 (He acts decisively, but not recklessly.)
Recall -2 (He’s new to this war and lacks the baggage of veterans.)

Flaw Trigger: “When confronted with indifference, they escalate instead of adapt.” Shiro doubles down on his ideals when others shrug off his vision—like pushing for peace with Aina despite the Federation-Zeon divide.Spiral Anchor: “If we’re not better than them, then why fight at all?” (Reflects his moral compass and his bond with Aina.)Mech/Craft Description: RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type – Scarred from jungle combat, patched with field repairs, a symbol of his stubborn hope. It’s built for close-quarters fighting, but its shield is dented from protecting others.Grounding Object: Aina’s scarf (or a piece of it), tied to his cockpit controls—a reminder of the humanity he’s fighting for.

Aina Sahalin – The Bleeder

Callsign: Lady (a nod to her noble background and poise)Archetype Reasoning: Aina feels the war’s weight deeply, especially through her brother Ginias and her love for Shiro. She cares too much, absorbing others’ pain—like Ginias’s descent and Shiro’s struggles—until it nearly breaks her.Function Stack:

Grounding +3 (Her empathy and emotional depth define her.)
Wonder +2 (She dreams of a world beyond war.)
Impulse +1 (She acts when it matters, like saving Shiro.)
Recall 0 (She carries some memories, but isn’t defined by them.)
Reason -2 (Her decisions are emotional, not coldly logical.)

Flaw Trigger: “When someone else is hurting, they absorb it instead of processing it.” Aina takes on Ginias’s madness and Shiro’s risks, trying to hold their pain for them.Spiral Anchor: “I keep one joke in reserve. In case it’s the last thing they hear.” (A bittersweet nod to her gentle humor with Shiro amidst the chaos.)Mech/Craft Description: Apsalus II – Elegant yet monstrous, a prototype mobile armor with a massive cannon. It’s a symbol of her family’s ambition, flawed by its instability.Grounding Object: A small locket with a photo of her and Ginias as kids—her tether to a lost innocence.

Karen Joshua – The Cynic

Callsign: Doc (short for Doctor, her medic background)Archetype Reasoning: Karen’s seen too much—lost her husband, survived countless battles—and hides her weariness behind a gruff, no-nonsense exterior. She fixes things (mechs, people) but doesn’t believe in grand ideals anymore.Function Stack:

Reason +3 (She’s practical and keeps the team running.)
Impulse +2 (She’s quick to act in a crisis.)
Wonder +1 (A flicker of hope remains, buried deep.)
Recall 0 (She carries scars but doesn’t dwell.)
Grounding -2 (She struggles to connect emotionally.)

Flaw Trigger: “When idealism enters the room, they try to crush it—out of mercy.” Karen snaps at Shiro’s optimism, warning him it’ll get him killed, because she’s seen it before.Spiral Anchor: “I’ve seen this cycle before. It ends badly.” (Her veteran’s perspective on war’s futility.)Mech/Craft Description: RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type – A battered, reliable unit with extra field mods. It’s functional but creaks, like her.Grounding Object: Her husband’s old dog tags, tucked into her uniform pocket—never worn, just carried.

Terry Sanders Jr. – The Short-Timer

Callsign: Reaper (from his grim reputation)Archetype Reasoning: Terry’s the jinxed survivor, always losing teams, counting down to his discharge or death. He’s detached, expecting the worst, but keeps showing up—classic Short-Timer vibes.Function Stack:

Recall +3 (He’s haunted by every lost squad.)
Impulse +2 (He fights hard when it’s time.)
Reason +1 (He’s tactically sound, but not a planner.)
Wonder 0 (Hope’s long gone.)
Grounding -2 (He avoids deep bonds to survive.)

Flaw Trigger: “When asked to commit, they dodge, joke, or detach.” Terry brushes off team camaraderie, fearing he’ll jinx them too.Spiral Anchor: “I have a life after this. I think I do.” (A faint, desperate lie he tells himself.)Mech/Craft Description: RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type – Scarred and patched, with a kill tally scratched on the arm. It’s cursed, or so he thinks.Grounding Object: A crumpled transfer request form, never submitted—his “out” he can’t bring himself to use.

Michel Nino – The Newbie

Callsign: Kid (self-explanatory)Archetype Reasoning: Michel’s the green recruit, eager to prove himself but cracking under pressure. His letters to BB and naive enthusiasm fit the Newbie’s fresh-eyed fragility.Function Stack:

Wonder +3 (He’s full of dreams and optimism.)
Impulse +2 (He acts fast, often too fast.)
Reason +1 (He’s smart but inexperienced.)
Grounding 0 (He’s still learning to connect.)
Recall -2 (No war scars yet—just academy tales.)

Flaw Trigger: “When told to wait, they act anyway—to prove something.” Michel rushes into danger, like volunteering for risky recon, to show he belongs.Spiral Anchor: “They told me I was ready. I believed them.” (His trust in authority, soon to shatter.)Mech/Craft Description: RX-75-4 Guntank (or a hovertruck later) – Bulky, untested, prone to breakdowns. It’s not a Gundam, and he feels it.Grounding Object: A photo of BB, taped to his console—his reason to keep going.

Squad Rituals & Tone

Shared Rituals:

Launch Prayer: “One more run, one more day.” (Said quietly before every sortie.)
Post-Mission Drink: Jungle-brewed ration coffee, poured for the missing too.
No Goodbyes Rule: They never say it—too final in this war.

Tone Dial: Likely starts at Pensive Core—the 08th MS Team’s mix of camaraderie and loss fits this well—but could drift to Bleak Beauty as the jungle war grinds them down, or even Igloo Threshold during moments like Shiro and Aina’s final stand.

Shred Index Triggers:

Shiro’s idealism clashing with Karen’s cynicism.
Terry losing another teammate, ticking his jinx myth.
Aina absorbing Ginias’s collapse or Shiro’s risks.
Michel’s reckless proof-seeking getting someone hurt.

Playing the 08th MS Team in Echo in the Hangar

The game’s focus on pre-launch tension, debrief grief, and hangar silence fits the 08th MS Team’s episodic rhythm perfectly. Missions could be jungle ambushes, Zeon prototype hunts, or supply runs gone wrong. The Echo Chair would shine with lost teammates like Eledore or Kiki’s village friends haunting the narrative. The Shred Index would climb fast with this crew’s emotional stakes—Shiro and Aina’s forbidden love, Karen’s buried pain, Terry’s survivor guilt, and Michel’s fragile growth all spiraling together.