NationStates Jolt Archive

Today, General Kirk Hughes, vice-Provost-General, announced that he had recieved information from the AS's that the optimal design for a manned Heavy Battle Tank, completely new.

"This tank design has been evaluated by our top AS's and has been found to be the best that our current tactical situation requires. The new Systement heavy tank is the best that our industry can privide, and projected production numbers are to be in the 1500s every T-standard month. Design parameters to follow."

The tank was finally unveiled, to the shock of every one. On the top of the tank, two triple turrets, each gun a 203mm Hellbore cannon, squated low on the sloped hull. On the hull itself, seven 4mm Ultra cannon protruded on each side, and 50mm infinite-repeaters dominated the frontal battery and were ball-mounted on the side. The four treads, each six feet wide with two on each side, took up nearly half of the underside of the vehicle. The rear deck bristled with 50mm AA guns and the muzzels of mortars.

"Its a veritable manned Bolo! Six 8-inch hellbores..." people in the crowd began to mumble. The heavy tanks weighed one-hundred and eighty-six tons, and can attain 40 kph on roadways, and are fitted to go underwater since no bridge is projected able to hold its full weight.

Updates will continue as more is revealed about the new heavy Systement tank.

OOC: A tank with all that stuff would weigh 300 tons. Minimum.

A 203mm shot from any of the side guns(since only one can be a centre gun) will rip the turret off the tank, unless they are rediculously short-barreled or low velocity.

40kph on roads is doubtful. Assuming this can even ride on roads with its weight, having to pull that much weight would take a huge amount of fuel to go that fast, and you wouldnt have more than 40km of range probably.

Huge target for weapons. You have what looks like Metalstorm protection(the 4mm's), but laser guided bombs and artillery can take it out much more cheaply, especially because of the low speed, and its likelyness to get stuck in areas.

This is why people dont use heavy battle tanks :P

Ever heard of Bolo's? that's essentially what I am building. A WAAY future tech version of the German Maus tank. Which, had it entered service, would have been invulnerable. It had two guns. Niether firing would have ripped the turret off the tank.

Ideally, it would have thick enough armor to defend against incoming shells and missiles. And, in FT, point-defenses help too.

Ever heard of Bolo's? that's essentially what I am building. A WAAY future tech version of the German Maus tank. Which, had it entered service, would have been invulnerable. It had two guns. Niether firing would have ripped the turret off the tank.

Ideally, it would have thick enough armor to defend against incoming shells and missiles. And, in FT, point-defenses help too.

The maus only had one big gun.

OOC:Actually, a 128mm main gun with a 75mm secondary gun...however, the 75mm gun lacked mobility at all, and served absolutely no crucial purpose - only making the tank heavier and more unwieldy.

The maus wiould have died quickly under air attack.

But Bolo's don't need to worry about that because of their infinite repeaters. Similar to Hammer's Slammers in that respect.

The maus wiould have died quickly under air attack.

But Bolo's don't need to worry about that because of their infinite repeaters. Similar to Hammer's Slammers in that respect.

That's why it was designed a rear unit, and a defensive tank killier - it was God defensively.

No... it blows up a couple of shermans. They radio "Help! yet another german tank we can't destroy with our piddling little guns and that rips through our armor like tissue paper!"

"Roger that, tanks. Two typhoons vectored in. Again."

"Hmm this one's a bit bigger than the others. Oh well. Tally ho"

*no more maus*

No... it blows up a couple of shermans. They radio "Help! yet another german tank we can't destroy with our piddling little guns and that rips through our armor like tissue paper!"

"Roger that, tanks. Two typhoons vectored in. Again."

"Hmm this one's a bit bigger than the others. Oh well. Tally ho"

*no more maus*
It also knocked out vast quantities of Su's and T-34s in Operation Zitadel.

Although the soviets had great strike aircraft, they tended to have poorer communications. And the soviets were used to being able to kill german tanks rather than screaming for air cover whenever something larger than a panther was sighted.

/hyjack

Although the soviets had great strike aircraft, they tended to have poorer communications. And the soviets were used to being able to kill german tanks rather than screaming for air cover whenever something larger than a panther was sighted.

/hyjack

Not just that but during Operation Zitadel the Germans were able to contain air superiority for 6 July,and then tactical superiority from 7 July to 12 July. Soviet air coordination was stronger, and more communicated, than most think, it was just persistant German anti-air bombardments that staved off massive Soviet breakthroughs, as well as superior German tactical defenses.

The Maus, in a well protected situation, is a very capable, albeit fixed, anti-tank gun - it proved its superiority in range, accuracy, and power, time and time again... if you want to read on its success check out The Battle of Kursk by David M. Glantz.

However, in mountanous terrain, such as in the Apennine mountains (the Italian defensive campaign) it didn't fare well because not only was accuracy and visibility reduced, but going up slopes overtaxed its transmission - which is the foremost problem of a super heavy tank.