Bandai’s Chainsaw Macuahuitl Model Kit Makes Me Doubt Myself About Gundam Rogue Orbit

A Gundam game built around giant monsters used to sound like a step too far. Now it sounds like a very good idea, thanks to a new model kit.

Bandai Namco’s Gundam Rogue Orbit is a mobile suit action game due on Steam in spring 2027. It was announced back in June, and the writer behind the piece has been skeptical since then. The game’s focus on giant monsters seemed to be the sticking point, not the war-pilot premise itself. But then Bandai showed the HG 1/144 Bau Bahlam model kit, and the writer changed their mind.

The Bau Bahlam appeared briefly in the game’s release date trailer back in September. The model kit renders are the first proper look at the design. The writer describes it as a mono-eye suit, similar to the classic Gouf that Ramba Ral flew. That connection alone is a win for Gundam purists.

But the real attention-grabber is the weapon. The Bau Bahlam carries a CHAINSAW MACUAHUITL. The macuahuitl is a Mesoamerican weapon made of a wooden body with obsidian blades embedded along its sides. The Bau Bahlam swaps one side of that design for a chainsaw, and the model kit even includes a mock pull-cord so it can be posed as if revving the engine.

The writer describes the design as “impressively menacing.” They also note that the game’s mecha customization system shown in the trailer suggests players might be able to use the Bau Bahlam’s parts on their own robots. The macuahuitl, specifically, would be cruel to leave out.

Chainsaw Macuahuitl Explained

The macuahuitl is a historical weapon. It was used by warriors in ancient Mesoamerica, and it has a distinctive shape: a wooden body with sharp edges embedded along its sides. The Bau Bahlam takes that design and pushes it further. One side of the weapon becomes a chainsaw, a modern industrial tool turned into a giant robot-scale melee weapon.

The model kit’s inclusion of a pull-cord adds a layer of theatricality. It lets fans pose the mech as if it is revving the weapon’s motor. It is a small touch, but it sells the absurdity of the design.

Bau Bahlam Design Elements

The Bau Bahlam succeeds because it respects Gundam’s history while pushing it forward. The mono-eye design connects it to the Gouf, a classic close-quarters mobile suit piloted by Ramba Ral, who the writer describes as “the realest moustachioed man in the Universal Century.”

The weapon itself is the star. A chainsaw is a brutal tool, and attaching it to a Mesoamerican war club creates a hybrid that is both absurd and impressive. The spiked knuckle plates add to the menace. The writer notes that being punched by a giant robot was apparently not painful enough on its own.

The design is a bold move. It is the kind of thing that might turn off a casual viewer. But for a Gundam fan, it is exactly the kind of specific, enthusiastic design that makes the franchise feel alive.

Writer’s Change of Heart

The writer admits to being a Gundam traditionalist. They see the series as about traumatized child war pilots whose brains explode, not about fighting aliens. The giant monsters in Rogue Orbit initially rubbed them the wrong way.

But the Bau Bahlam changes the equation. Seeing the model kit’s design in person softened their stance. The writer now sees the game as a project with a genuine commitment to the franchise’s spirit.

They still reserve the right to be obnoxious about the game’s departure from the traditional Gundam conceptual palette when it launches. But for now, the impressive mecha designs are doing the work of softening them up.

Launch Date and Kit Details

Gundam Rogue Orbit launches on Steam on March 4, 2027. The HG 1/144 Bau Bahlam kit does not have a release date yet, but it is expected to be available sometime in 2027.

The model kit is a way for fans to engage with the game’s designs before it ships.

The Bau Bahlam is a statement. It says that Rogue Orbit is not just another Gundam game. It is a project willing to embrace the weird, the specific, and the absurd.

The chainsaw macuahuitl is a design choice that is an effective way of softening the writer up. It is a bold move, and it lands.

The writer’s final verdict is clear. A game willing to give its robots giant Mesoamerican chainswords has to have its heart in the right place.

1. The Bau Bahlam’s mono-eye design connects it to the classic Gouf piloted by Ramba Ral.
2. The weapon combines a Mesoamerican war club with a chainsaw on one side.
3. The model kit includes a mock pull-cord for posing the chainsaw as if revving its engine.
4. The Bau Bahlam may let players use its parts through the game’s mecha customization system.

Source material: “I've been skeptical about Bandai Namco's upcoming Gundam game—but then I saw this model kit's chainsaw macuahuitl,” PC Gamer.

Bandai Namco · Gundam · mobile suits · model kit · Steam