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PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 4:17 pm
by Rich and Corporations
Tanks that weight two-hundred tons,

These tons you speak of... do you mean metric or Her Majesty's?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 4:17 pm
by Central and Eastern Visayas
The Soodean Imperium wrote:
Meinkraft wrote:Gentlemen, I am here. My buddy Mozria finally dragged me over here to stamp out my creativity learn something new about modern warfare. So, hello. Now, for my question.

In my home territory, I have Mozrian guard troops surrounded on all four sides. He is based on the shore, in an oil-rich region, with many trees. I am currently moving my MBT Diplomat Heavy Tanks and Marksman Light Tanks alongside my lighter infantry to neutralize his Southeastern defense forces. There are ~30,000 men of my own in the area and about one-third of that number of Mozrian troops within the base, with a few hundred civilians. His naval forces are about 100 or so miles out to sea, tangling with my HD fighters. I'm planning to send an elite team of paratroopers deep within the confines of the base via HAHO to cut power to all wired defense systems that depend on the grid. Is this plan feasible?

When deploying anything by para-drop, the key is to land it a safe distance from enemy installations; you'll need to drop them in a place where they won't be noticed, and where they'll have time to regroup and gather separately-dropped equipment before heading for their objective. While your troops are falling, they'll be drifting apart, and highly vulnerable to detection and enemy fire. Dropping them right on top of the enemy base will be tantamount to suicide; even if they make it to the ground alive they'll be scattered randomly around a large enemy encampment, surrounded by enemy soldiers who have probably seen where they landed.

That being said, there may be other, more secretive ways to insert saboteurs into their base. None that guarantee success, but several that at least offer a smaller chance of being shot to swiss cheese.

Edit: Given your situation, of course, there are much easier ways to take them out. The simplest would be to pummel the base with artillery, rocket fire, and cruse missiles, but if you're worried about inflicting civilian casualties that's a risky option. Alternatively, you could cut off their supplies and wait for them to surrender (given that they're already surrounded and outnumbered by a sizeable margin). Elite special forces operator teams may be the coolest option, and the most prominent in popular culture, but they're not always the most tactically useful.

And if you really are concerned about collateral? Or would that be the realm of a SpecOps insertion force?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 4:27 pm
by Krazeria
you could simply form a perimeter around the city, lay a large mine field, leave a small contingent of troops to man the perimeter, then continue on your campaign while the poor bastards starve, or if they try to make a break out attempt, get their legs blown off

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 4:28 pm
by Zeinbrad
My attempt at making the Zeinbradian doctrine during the Colonial Wars. Let me sum it up.

-Train all troops in the colonies in counter-insurgency.

-Be as nice to the locals as possible, try to keep good relations with them.

-Search and Destroy missions are to try and avoid as many civilian causalities as possible.

-Train Pro-Zeinbrad militia's.

-'Borrow" some KA-46's and copies from the Tundran territories.

-Armored Vehicles, such as the M24 Chaffee, are to be only used in missions of high importance, AEC's are mainly going to protect convoys.

-Bombing campaigns will be used only in areas lacking a big civilian presence.

-Basics on disease prevention will be given to any and all troops.

Still thinking on this.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 5:05 pm
by Questers
Meinkraft wrote:Gentlemen, I am here. My buddy Mozria finally dragged me over here to stamp out my creativity learn something new about modern warfare. So, hello. Now, for my question.

In my home territory, I have Mozrian guard troops surrounded on all four sides. He is based on the shore, in an oil-rich region, with many trees. I am currently moving my MBT Diplomat Heavy Tanks and Marksman Light Tanks alongside my lighter infantry to neutralize his Southeastern defense forces. There are ~30,000 men of my own in the area and about one-third of that number of Mozrian troops within the base, with a few hundred civilians. His naval forces are about 100 or so miles out to sea, tangling with my HD fighters. I'm planning to send an elite team of paratroopers deep within the confines of the base via HAHO to cut power to all wired defense systems that depend on the grid. Is this plan feasible?
The answer depends on the size of the base. Why?

Just hit it with artillery repeatedly.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 5:39 pm
by Lubyak
So, opinions on 3 vs 4 tank platoons? At the moment, I'm working with 3 tank platoons, 3 platoons + 1 command tank to the company, and 3 companies + HQ and support platoon for a battalion of 32 tanks and ~150 men. Somehow this feels like it's a bit small....

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 6:06 pm
by Austrasien
Lubyak wrote:So, opinions on 3 vs 4 tank platoons? At the moment, I'm working with 3 tank platoons, 3 platoons + 1 command tank to the company, and 3 companies + HQ and support platoon for a battalion of 32 tanks and ~150 men. Somehow this feels like it's a bit small....


The US Army conducted combat simulations to compare the 4-3-3 and 3-3-4 tank battalion structures in European and Desert terrain. They concluded the differences were small but the 4-3-3 battalion was superior in desert terrain, massing more firepower and taking fewer losses. Which would seem to confirm the wisdom of the Israeli preference for the three tank platoon. There was no significant difference between the battalions in European terrain.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 6:19 pm
by Questers
>tanks

heres the set up

battalion: 2 command tanks

squadron: 2 command tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks

squadron: 2 command tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks

squadron: 2 command tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks

squadron: 2 command tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks
troop: 4 tanks

4-3-4 best

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:00 pm
by Mitheldalond
I shall now tag this thread by posting the most recent rendition of my MBT. The picture is just a quick PowerPoint diagram I made to check the dimensions, so it's a very basic outline and not much more.

M7A3 Mk. II Tulkas:

Type: Main battle tank
Weight: 65-75 tonnes (75-85t with ERA)
Length: 27.23 ft (8.3m) hull length, 39.2 ft (11.25m) gun forward
Width: 17.39 ft (5.3m) overall, 9.84 ft (3m) hull
Height: 9.02 ft (2.75m) with 0.5m ground clearance
Crew: 3 (Commander, driver, gunner)

Armor: 3-tiered defense
  • Tier 1: 3rd generation depleted uranium between Chobham layers
  • Tier 2: next generation ERA (optional)
  • Tier 3: Active protection
    • Hard kill: Quick Kill active protection system - 4 launchers with 16 countermeasure missiles each, one set of reloads (64 missiles) are carried inside the tank
    • Soft kill: Softkill Active Protection System (SAPS) - disrupts semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire and radio guided ATGMs, laser rangefinders and target designators, and thermal and infrared ATGMs

Armament:
  • 140mm L45 smoothbore gun (36 rounds)
    • 11 x M749 depleted uranium APFSDS penetrators
    • 11 x BGM-751 Dramborleg gun launched ATGMs
    • 14 x M750 multipurpose rounds
  • 1 x M307 25mm automatic grenade launcher or M312 .50 cal machine gun - Remote weapon station (1400 rounds)
  • 1 x M240 7.62mm machine gun – coaxial (4000 rounds)
  • 24 x smoke grenade launchers

Engine: 2000 horsepower diesel engine
Power/weight: 30.77 hp/t (65t configuration), 23.53 hp/t (85t configuration)
Suspension: Hydropneumatic active suspension
Ground pressure: 53.14 kPa (7.707 psi) 65t configuration, 69.49 kPa (10.08 psi) 85t configuration
Ground clearance: 0.07m - 0.75m (3 in - 2.46 ft)
Vertical step: 1.8m (5.9 ft)
Hull traverse: 60 deg/s
Turret traverse: 60 deg/s
Gun elevation: -15 deg/+25 deg (5 degrees from suspension)
Fuel capacity: 373 US gallons
Operational range: 400 mi (644 km)
Speed:
  • On road (governed): 45(cruising) - 50(sprint) mph (72-80 km/h)
  • Off road: 35 mph (cruising) – 40 mph (sprint) (56.33 - 65 km/h)

Protection:

Concealment:
The Tulkas II carries 24 smoke grenade launchers, capable of creating a smokescreen that obscures the tank from both visual and thermal imaging detection. The tank can also create a smokescreen by injecting fuel into the exhaust.

Active Protection:
The Tulkas II’s first line of defense is composed of the hardkill Quick Kill active protection system, and the Softkill Active Protection System (SAPS). These two systems work in concert to ensure the safety of the tank, as well as that of any nearby friendly units.

SAPS provides softkill protection by jamming and disrupting wire and radio guided semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) ATGMs, laser rangefinders and target designators, and thermal and infrared ATGMs. Projectiles defeated by SAPS are not destroyed; they are simply caused to miss. If SAPS fails to decoy a projectile, or if other friendly units would be endangered by a miss, the Quick Kill system will attempt to shoot down the projectile.

The Quick Kill system uses an AESA radar to detect incoming projectiles, which it can engage with small vertical launch countermeasure missiles. It is capable of engaging a wide range of threats, from RPGs to ATGMs to kinetic energy penetrators. Four reloadable vertical launch units, each containing 16 countermeasures, are mounted on the turret, for a total of 64 countermeasure missiles. A full set of reloads are carried inside the tank.

APS engagements are handled automatically by the Tulkas II’s onboard computer system.

Armor:
The Tulkas II uses a modular armor scheme, allowing different armor kits to be mounted according to protection and weight requirements. There are 3 primary armor schemes used: light armor, medium armor, and heavy armor. Only the 3m width of the hull is armored as indicated, not the full 5.3m width that includes the tracks. (Note that all armor values are approximations, as penetration isn’t binary.)

Light armor is used primarily for strategic transport and amphibious landings, or other scenarios when heavier armor would be impractical or detrimental. The former are common situations, as Mitheldalond is an island nation. The light armor scheme offers protection roughly on par with that of many other battle tanks; it is highly vulnerable to hits to the sides and rear, as well as to modern anti-tank mines and top-attack munitions, while remaining largely impregnable from the front. This is the lightest of the three main armor schemes, and the only one that allows the Tulkas II to be transported by standard means. A Tulkas II-LA (light armor) weighs 65 metric tons standard, but can weigh up to 75 metric tons with ERA. However, ERA is not normally mounted to a tank equipped with light armor; it is generally preferred to refit tanks with one of the heavier armor schemes once they have arrived at their location.

Light Armor (values in parentheses include ERA):
Turret:
  • Front: 1000mm (1250mm) vs APFSDS, 1500mm (2000mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 150mm (400mm) vs APFSDS, 650mm (1150mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 100mm (350mm) vs APFSDS, 600mm (1100mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 100mm (350mm) vs APFSDS, 600mm (1100mm) vs HEAT
  • Underside: 100mm vs APFSDS, 600mm vs HEAT
Hull:
  • Front: 900mm (1150mm) vs APFSDS, 1400mm (1900mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 100mm (350mm) vs APFSDS, 600mm (1100mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 50mm (300mm) vs APFSDS, 550mm (1050mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 50mm (300mm) vs APFSDS, 550mm (1050mm) vs HEAT
  • Bottom: 50mm vs APFSDS, 550mm vs HEAT

Medium armor is used primarily for low intensity conflicts, where the chances of encountering enemy tanks are minimal. A tank equipped with medium armor is still vulnerable to most modern kinetic energy penetrators at typical combat ranges from all but the frontal arc, even when equipped with ERA. However, a Tulkas II with medium armor is almost completely immune to most HEAT penetrators, including RPGs, HEAT shells, and many ATGMs. As such, the medium armor scheme is used when there is a low probability of encountering enemy armor, but a high probability of RPG and ATGM attacks. Though the Tulkas II was not designed for urban combat, this armor scheme enables it to enter urban environments with little risk to the vehicle or crew, and is therefore the most commonly used armor scheme in such situations. A Tulkas II with medium armor has a base weight of 70 metric tons, and 80 metric tons with ERA. ERA is almost always mounted when medium armor is used.

Medium Armor (values in parentheses include ERA):
Turret:
  • Front: 1250mm (1500mm) vs APFSDS, 1750mm (2250mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Underside: 250mm vs APFSDS, 750mm vs HEAT
Hull:
  • Front: 1150mm (1400mm) vs APFSDS, 1650mm (2150mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Bottom: 200mm vs APFSDS, 700mm vs HEAT


Heavy armor is used for high intensity conflicts, when enemy tanks are expected to be encountered in significant numbers. When equipped with heavy armor, a Tulkas II becomes virtually impenetrable. The frontal arc is capable of stopping 155mm armor piercing shells at all but suicidally close range. From the side, the tank is protected against 105mm guns – such as those carried by the Stryker mobile gun system and many early MBTs – at medium to long range; however, some high-pressure guns like the 105mm Improved Weapon System may be able to penetrate. The rear and top armor offers protection from guns of up to 90mm, though it can also stop 100mm rounds from the BMP-3’s low-velocity gun. A Tulkas II-HA (heavy armor) is completely impervious to almost all HEAT weapons, including top attack ATGMs and even air launched missiles such as the Hellfire. This armor scheme allows a relatively small number of Tulkas IIs to engage and defeat a much larger group of enemy tanks. This capability was seen as necessary, as the number of Mitheldalondian troops and vehicles that can be deployed abroad is limited by the capacity of amphibious assault groups. One of the consequences of being an island nation, this means that Mitheldalondian ground forces will often be going into combat with a numerical disadvantage. A Tulkas II equipped with heavy armor is a monstrously heavy vehicle, weighing 75 metric tons before ERA is added. With ERA, which is almost always mounted with heavy armor, the tank weighs a staggering 85 metric tons.

Heavy Armor (values in parentheses include ERA):
Turret:
  • Front: 1500mm (1750mm) vs APFSDS, 2000mm (2500mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 350mm (600mm) vs APFSDS, 850mm (1350mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Underside: 250mm vs APFSDS, 750mm vs HEAT
Hull:
  • Front: 1450mm (1700mm) vs APFSDS, 1950mm (2450mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 350mm (600mm) vs APFSDS, 850mm (1350mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Bottom: 200mm vs APFSDS, 700mm vs HEAT

Armament:

Primary:
The main gun of the Tulkas II is an autoloaded 140mm, 45 caliber smoothbore cannon. The gun has a sustainable rate of fire of 10 rounds/minute, and can be used to engage helicopters.

The Tulkas II carries 36 rounds for its main gun in its turret bustle racks. There is room in the hull for an additional 8 rounds, but this is very rarely used due to safety concerns. Most tank crews use this space to store personal belongings or additional supplies. A typical load consists of 11 M749 depleted uranium APFSDS penetrators, 11 M751 Dramborleg tandem HEAT gun launched ATGMs, and 14 M750 multipurpose rounds for use against infantry, fortifications, and armored vehicles. Typical engagement ranges for APFSDS rounds are 2-4.5 km. While they can penetrate the front of many tanks well beyond this range, the probability of a hit with the unguided projectiles is less than desirable at extreme ranges. The ATGMs are typically used to engage targets between 6 km and 8km. They have a maximum effective range of around 10 km, but the Tulkas II cannot detect surface targets that far away by itself.

Ammunition:
(Note that all Penetration values are approximate, as penetration is not binary.)

M749 APFSDS:
Based on the M829A3/E4, the M749 is a depleted uranium saboted kinetic energy penetrator.
  • Type: armor-piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot penetrator
  • Effective range: 4,500+ m
  • Penetration:
    • 1,250mm @ 2,000m
    • 1,175mm @ 3,000m
    • 1,100mm @ 4,000m
    • 1,025mm @ 5,000m
    • 950mm @ 6,000m

M751 Dramborleg:
The Dramborleg is a fire-and-forget anti-tank missile with inspiration taken from both the LAHAT and the Spike. It can receive targeting data from the launch vehicle, or from friendly assets beyond the Tulkas’s line of sight.
  • Type: top-attack gun-launched ATGM
  • Diameter: 140mm
  • Warhead: 6.5 kg (14.3 lb) tandem HEAT
  • Range: 8 km – 10 km
  • Speed: Mach 2
  • Guidance: Laser homing, IR, or active radar
  • Penetration: 1,100mm after ERA

M750 Multipurpose round:
The multipurpose round is capable of engaging armor, troops, and fortifications effectively. In anti-armor mode, it functions as a HEAT shell and can penetrate the equivalent of 800mm of RHA. An airburst mode is used to combat infantry, wherein the shell performs as a high explosive fragmentation artillery shell. Against buildings and fortifications, the M750 uses point detonation delay, causing the shell to detonate inside the building. A single round is capable of leveling an entire building, or demolishing a reinforced concrete bunker.

Secondary:
The Tulkas II carries an M307 25x59mm automatic airburst grenade launcher in a remote weapons system by the commander’s hatch. The M307 can be easily converted into the M312 .50 cal machine gun, but the grenade launcher is more common. The Tulkas II also carries a coaxial M240 7.62mm machine gun. Provision for a second M240 on a pintle mount or RWS in front of the gunner’s hatch has been made, though the weapon is not usually fitted.

Mobility:
The Tulkas II was designed for excellent off-road performance, even in its heaviest configuration. Its 2,000 horsepower engine enables the Tulkas II to achieve a cruising speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) on paved surfaces, with a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). This maximum speed can be maintained for short durations without damage to the tank, and is typically used for rapid maneuvering during combat. Across moderately soft terrain (dirt, grass, etc.), the Tulkas II can maintain a cruising speed of 35 mph (56.33 km/h) with a sprint speed of 40 mph (65 km/h). The tank can also move at full speed in reverse.

Fording Capability:
The Tulkas II is capable of wading through water up to the top of its hull without preparation, and through water up to 15 meters deep with preparation. It can remain submerged for over an hour with crew oxygen rebreathers, and longer with a snorkel fitted. It can fire so long as the gun barrel is not submerged, making rivers beds and lake bottoms good places from which to ambush enemy forces. The tank can enter combat ready status immediately upon resurfacing.

Suspension:
In order to achieve the low ground pressure necessary for good off-road performance, the Tulkas II’s tracks are 1.0m wide. There are nine road wheels, each 0.5m in diameter, on each side of the tank.

The Tulkas II uses a hydropneumatic active suspension system, which allows the tank to vary its ground clearance from 0.75m to effectively resting the hull on the ground. This means that the overall height of the tank can vary between approximately 2.25m and 3m. Each of the road wheels can be independently controlled by the driver, though individual wheel control is usually handled automatically while the driver concentrates on controlling the tank as a whole.

The ability to change the Tulkas II’s ground clearance allows the tank to adapt to its environment. Raising the tank to its maximum height enables it to clear taller obstacles, and reduces hull movement while traversing smaller obstacles. This results in a much smoother ride when driving off-road and through rough terrain, improving both crew comfort and accuracy when firing on the move. Lowering the hull allows the Tulkas II to hide behind shorter obstacles than would normally be possible. However, constantly raising and lowering a 65-85 ton vehicle puts quite a bit of strain on the suspension, resulting in a fair amount of wear and tear. Too much wear and tear can cause the suspension to fail, disabling the tank. Regular maintenance prevents this from becoming a problem; therefore, Mitheldalondian tank crews are trained to keep track of their vehicle’s condition, and to know how often it needs to go in for maintenance. This job is made easier by the array of electronics and sensors that monitor all of the tank’s systems, which will notify the crew of any necessary maintenance long before the situation reaches critical status.

The impressive capabilities and maneuverability afforded by the Tulkas II’s suspension were demonstrated in a novel fashion during the tank’s official unveiling to the public. During the ceremony, a group of about a dozen Tulkas IIs performed an armored rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video, for which they received a standing ovation from the audience. Critics were quick to write scathing condemnations of Mitheldalond’s new “dancing tank”, remarking that is was “more suited to dance competitions than combat.” However, more observant individuals noted that the performance displayed not only the impressive agility of the tank, but also an incredible level of coordination between vehicles.

Electronics:
The Tulkas II incorporates an extensive array of electronic sensors and displays designed to improve situational awareness and combat effectiveness. Radar, infrared, and visual sensors work together to create as complete an image as possible of the surrounding battlespace.

In addition to the Mk 1 eyeball, a number of cameras arrayed around the tank's exterior provide a 360 degree view of the nearby terrain. This is primarily useful to the driver for navigation, and the commander to assist with visual detection.

The tank's AESA radar, improved considerably from the original Quick Kill radar, provides 360 degree hemispherical coverage out to a maximum detection range of 8km for surface targets, and 10-12km for aerial targets. It can track over 2 dozen targets simultaneously, and is also capable of terrain and limited weather mapping. The radar can provide targeting data for the Tulkas II's main gun and RWS, in addition to the Quick Kill launchers it was originally intended to control. Both weapons can be slaved to the tank's fire control computer, which will use the targeting data provided by the radar and other sensors to automatically aim and fire at targets selected by the tank commander. Adjustments for direction of travel and speed of both the tank and target, as well as environmental factors like wind speed, are made automatically.

All three crew stations are equipped with an array of touchscreen multifunction displays. By default, these are set up to display information most relevant to their particular crew station, in the most useful format possible for that crew member. They can be used to display a map of the immediate area and terrain, including the locations of friendly, hostile, and unidentified vehicles and troops. They can also be used to monitor the condition of the tank or other friendly vehicles, view orders and rules of engagement, or display other important information. It is also possible to use them to watch television or view the Internet, but checking Facebook during combat is generally discouraged.

All crew stations are networked together, allowing any station to be controlled from any other station. The commander for example, without leaving his seat, could take control of the driver's station, use his display screens to plot a course by placing waypoints, instruct the tank to execute the designated maneuver, switch to controlling the gunner's station, slave the main gun to the fire control system, and then start designating targets. The tank will automatically follow the waypoint course, while targeting and firing as directed by the commander. This allows the Tulkas II to operate with a fair degree of efficiency even with 2 of its 3 crew members out of action. As a security measure, the tank can only be controlled in this manner from its own crew stations; any external commands are simply ignored.

The ADMIN Combat System:
The Tulkas II is fully compatible with Mitheldalond's Arena Distributed Mass Information Network (ADMIN). ADMIN is an information sharing and coordination system, integrated into all Mitheldalondian combat vehicles, aircraft, and ships. Contrary to what its acronym implies, it is not an administrative system; rather, it is a decentralized library of all information available to Mitheldalondian forces in a battlespace. If any Mitheldalondian unit (vehicle, plane, ship, etc.) knows a piece of information, all Mitheldalondian forces in the battlespace can know that information. All information is not known by all units at all times; it is merely accessible to all forces in the battlespace at all times. The amount of information, and level of detail of that information, that can be "known" by any vehicle, aircraft, or ship at any one time is mostly dependent on how much processing power it has.

A trade-off between width of focus and level of detail is necessary; a wider focus will offer less detailed information, while a narrower focus will offer much more detail. For example, a supercarrier and a main battle tank can both view a map of the entire battlespace. However, the map in a tank will likely be little more than an overview, similar to a strategic map displaying general information about troop deployment and approximate strength at perhaps battalion level or higher. If the tank crew wants information about a particular battalion, they will have to narrow their focus, losing information about the rest of the battlespace in exchange for more detail about a smaller area. A carrier on the other hand, could view the entire battlespace in far more detail. It is possible to make an analogy to real-time strategy games: a tank would be able to view either the minimap or a small section of the main map, while a supercarrier would be able to view the entire main map at once.

The ADMIN system allows unprecedented situational and battlespace awareness, enabling such a high level of coordination among Mitheldalondian forces that they can appear to think and act as one. For this reason, many people refer to the ADMIN system as the “hive mind”, a surprisingly accurate nickname. Some of this coordination is automatic. In the case of the Tulkas II, as well as most other combat vehicles, this is applied most obviously in the active protection systems. When a group of tanks are faced with multiple incoming projectiles, they will automatically communicate with each other to determine which vehicles could most effectively engage which projectiles, and assign targets to each vehicle accordingly.

As might be obvious, the effectiveness of the ADMIN system increases with the number of units connected to it. If only a single vehicle was connected, the system would be completely useless. More vehicles, aircraft, and ships offer a greater wealth of available information.

There is an extremely high level of security built into the ADMIN system. Highly complex encryption protocols and many other security features work together to ensure that any unauthorized sources trying to access the network will be completely unable to acquire any information in any comprehensible form.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:09 pm
by Alduinium
So, I'm trying to make the most incompetent terrorist group known to man. How do I go about creating this group?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:14 pm
by Drakadia
How realistic is this for a situation:

Drakadia is a small island nation with just over 35,000 residents. Its largest industry is cannabis growing, processing and exporting, followed by tourism and services, followed by gas refining. The nation is quite well off economically, quite free in terms of civil rights and personal freedoms.

In wake of a military the Prime Minister established the Civil Defense, Civil Air Corps and Civil Coast Guard. These are all civilian-esque voluntary organisations that assist the emergency services. The Civil Defense consists of about 500 members and consists of several service wings. The 'Arm' is the Armed Confrontation Service, which has 102 members. 84 of which are in the combat structure.

84 Personnel - Company ; Commandant Shane Galbraith

42 - 1st Platoon ; Captain
41 - 2nd Platoon ; Captain

10 - Section A (1st) ; Lieutenant
10 - Section B (1st) ; Lieutenant
10 - Section C (1st) ; Lieutenant
11 - Section D (1st) ; Lieutenant

10 - Section W (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section X (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section Y (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section Z (2nd) - Lieutenant

Sections are then broken down into Fire Teams or Fire Squads consisting of five personnel with one exception having six. Teams and Squads are led by either a Lieutenant or a Sergeant.


MOWAG APC
Image
Currently 2 in service, painted a matte navy. They can be fitted with a water cannon or heavy machine gun. These are currently operated at a platoon level but the Prime Minister is seeking funding to purchase two more.

Nissan Patrol
Image
There are 3 in service. They are painted in the same mate navy colour. Two of the SUVs are armoured to resist small arms, while the third remains soft skinned. The Prime Minister also wishes to purchase two more, to remain soft skinned. The two armoured versions are issued to each of the Platoons, for operational use, while the third is issued to the Company Commandant.

Ford Mondeo
Image
Currently 2 is service. These are issued to each of the Platoon leaders and are soft skinned. They are also painted matte navy.


Each troop is issued with a uniform pack which contains;

Black combat boots, navy combat trousers, white cotton t-shirt, black polo shirt, navy fleece, navy rain jacket, navy winter coat, navy peak cap.

They also get an equipment pack which contains;

SG 556 service rifle, ballistics vest, combat knife, energy bars, water canteen, combat helmet, balaclava, safety goggles/glasses

Ammunition and grenades (everyone gets one flash-bang, smoke and frag - but not always a frag) are handed out on deployment.



The primary duties of the ACS are to assist the Police Force when necessary, and to provide extra security in emergencies. They assist the police in making raids on locations that may have armed occupants, sieges, hostage situations, shootouts and anything else that may be of that nature.

Is there anything I should change? Anything I'm leaving out?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:14 pm
by Chebucto Provinces
Redo of my land forces. Now smaller.

Royal Chebucto Armoured Corps
63rd Regiment (Halifax Rifles)
- 1st Battalion RCAC, Armoured, Halifax
- 2nd Battalion RCAC, Armoured, Dartmouth
- 3rd Battalion RCAC, Reconnaissance, Sackville
- 4th Battalion RCAC, Armoured, Middle Musquodoboit
23rd Regiment (Halifax Rifles)
- 5th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Halifax
- 6th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Dartmouth
- 7th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Middle Musquodoboit
- 8th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Sydney
2nd Regiment (Halifax Rifles)
- 9th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Yarmouth
- 10th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Canso
- 11th Battalion RCAC, Mechanized, Amherst
- 12th Battalion RCAR, Airborne, Truro

While I added a second regiment, and five battalions, to my armoured forces, I have also handed off infantry fighting vehicles and APCs to them.
All Armoured battalions operate the Leopard 2A4+.
All Mechanized battalions operate IFVs I have yet to decide.
3rd Battalion RCAC operates light armour in the Recce role.
12th Battalion RCAC operates armoured vehicles that are used by paratroopers.

I'm not sure yet how I will do it, but not all units are active, or not all of each unit will be active.
The idea is that a Mechanized battalion has the carry capacity to carry exactly one infantry battalion. Section to IFV, etc. Therefore all infantry battalions will be light battalions (no organic AFVs) and they will either operate in that role or in conjunction with a mechanized battalion as mechanized infantry.

By the way my tank battalions are 4-4-3.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:25 pm
by Premislyd
Drakadia wrote:How realistic is this for a situation:

Drakadia is a small island nation with just over 35,000 residents. Its largest industry is cannabis growing, processing and exporting, followed by tourism and services, followed by gas refining. The nation is quite well off economically, quite free in terms of civil rights and personal freedoms.

In wake of a military the Prime Minister established the Civil Defense, Civil Air Corps and Civil Coast Guard. These are all civilian-esque voluntary organisations that assist the emergency services. The Civil Defense consists of about 500 members and consists of several service wings. The 'Arm' is the Armed Confrontation Service, which has 102 members. 84 of which are in the combat structure.

84 Personnel - Company ; Commandant Shane Galbraith

42 - 1st Platoon ; Captain
41 - 2nd Platoon ; Captain

10 - Section A (1st) ; Lieutenant
10 - Section B (1st) ; Lieutenant
10 - Section C (1st) ; Lieutenant
11 - Section D (1st) ; Lieutenant

10 - Section W (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section X (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section Y (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section Z (2nd) - Lieutenant

Sections are then broken down into Fire Teams or Fire Squads consisting of five personnel with one exception having six. Teams and Squads are led by either a Lieutenant or a Sergeant.


MOWAG APC
(Image)
Currently 2 in service, painted a matte navy. They can be fitted with a water cannon or heavy machine gun. These are currently operated at a platoon level but the Prime Minister is seeking funding to purchase two more.

Nissan Patrol
(Image)
There are 3 in service. They are painted in the same mate navy colour. Two of the SUVs are armoured to resist small arms, while the third remains soft skinned. The Prime Minister also wishes to purchase two more, to remain soft skinned. The two armoured versions are issued to each of the Platoons, for operational use, while the third is issued to the Company Commandant.

Ford Mondeo
(Image)
Currently 2 is service. These are issued to each of the Platoon leaders and are soft skinned. They are also painted matte navy.


Each troop is issued with a uniform pack which contains;

Black combat boots, navy combat trousers, white cotton t-shirt, black polo shirt, navy fleece, navy rain jacket, navy winter coat, navy peak cap.

They also get an equipment pack which contains;

SG 556 service rifle, ballistics vest, combat knife, energy bars, water canteen, combat helmet, balaclava, safety goggles/glasses

Ammunition and grenades (everyone gets one flash-bang, smoke and frag - but not always a frag) are handed out on deployment.



The primary duties of the ACS are to assist the Police Force when necessary, and to provide extra security in emergencies. They assist the police in making raids on locations that may have armed occupants, sieges, hostage situations, shootouts and anything else that may be of that nature.

Is there anything I should change? Anything I'm leaving out?


Company should be lead by a captain

platoon should be lead by a lieutenant

sections are lead by sergeants.

Also, no Company First Sergeant?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:28 pm
by Drakadia
Premislyd wrote:
Drakadia wrote:How realistic is this for a situation:

Drakadia is a small island nation with just over 35,000 residents. Its largest industry is cannabis growing, processing and exporting, followed by tourism and services, followed by gas refining. The nation is quite well off economically, quite free in terms of civil rights and personal freedoms.

In wake of a military the Prime Minister established the Civil Defense, Civil Air Corps and Civil Coast Guard. These are all civilian-esque voluntary organisations that assist the emergency services. The Civil Defense consists of about 500 members and consists of several service wings. The 'Arm' is the Armed Confrontation Service, which has 102 members. 84 of which are in the combat structure.

84 Personnel - Company ; Commandant Shane Galbraith

42 - 1st Platoon ; Captain
41 - 2nd Platoon ; Captain

10 - Section A (1st) ; Lieutenant
10 - Section B (1st) ; Lieutenant
10 - Section C (1st) ; Lieutenant
11 - Section D (1st) ; Lieutenant

10 - Section W (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section X (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section Y (2nd) - Lieutenant
10 - Section Z (2nd) - Lieutenant

Sections are then broken down into Fire Teams or Fire Squads consisting of five personnel with one exception having six. Teams and Squads are led by either a Lieutenant or a Sergeant.


MOWAG APC
(Image)
Currently 2 in service, painted a matte navy. They can be fitted with a water cannon or heavy machine gun. These are currently operated at a platoon level but the Prime Minister is seeking funding to purchase two more.

Nissan Patrol
(Image)
There are 3 in service. They are painted in the same mate navy colour. Two of the SUVs are armoured to resist small arms, while the third remains soft skinned. The Prime Minister also wishes to purchase two more, to remain soft skinned. The two armoured versions are issued to each of the Platoons, for operational use, while the third is issued to the Company Commandant.

Ford Mondeo
(Image)
Currently 2 is service. These are issued to each of the Platoon leaders and are soft skinned. They are also painted matte navy.


Each troop is issued with a uniform pack which contains;

Black combat boots, navy combat trousers, white cotton t-shirt, black polo shirt, navy fleece, navy rain jacket, navy winter coat, navy peak cap.

They also get an equipment pack which contains;

SG 556 service rifle, ballistics vest, combat knife, energy bars, water canteen, combat helmet, balaclava, safety goggles/glasses

Ammunition and grenades (everyone gets one flash-bang, smoke and frag - but not always a frag) are handed out on deployment.



The primary duties of the ACS are to assist the Police Force when necessary, and to provide extra security in emergencies. They assist the police in making raids on locations that may have armed occupants, sieges, hostage situations, shootouts and anything else that may be of that nature.

Is there anything I should change? Anything I'm leaving out?


Company should be lead by a captain

platoon should be lead by a lieutenant

sections are lead by sergeants.

Also, no Company First Sergeant?


Sorry, fairly new at this. What's the purpose/role of a Company First Sergeant?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:31 pm
by Premislyd
Drakadia wrote:Sorry, fairly new at this. What's the purpose/role of a Company First Sergeant?


Band of Brothers has taught me that First Sergeant pretty much advise the Captain.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:31 pm
by Zeinbrad
Okay, since the Kingdom of Vak has a small (Compared to most NS nations) armored force of Panzer 61's and 68's, I was thinking of not putting them in a provinces regiment, but keeping them as a independent unit, to act as a fast-response force.

Thoughts?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:00 pm
by Carpathus
I'm Working on the military organization for my brother's nation. The diagram is of the active army.

The general stats are:
450,000 Personnel
~30,000 Per Division
~3,000 Per Brigade

Image

Is there anything I'm missing or anything I should change?

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:03 pm
by Questers
The divisions are too big and don't have enough supporting arms.

also

>motorised
muh sparky

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:11 pm
by The Akasha Colony
Mitheldalond wrote:I shall now tag this thread by posting the most recent rendition of my MBT. The picture is just a quick PowerPoint diagram I made to check the dimensions, so it's a very basic outline and not much more.

M7A3 Mk. II Tulkas:

Type: Main battle tank
Weight: 65-75 tonnes (75-85t with ERA)
Length: 27.23 ft (8.3m) hull length, 39.2 ft (11.25m) gun forward
Width: 17.39 ft (5.3m) overall, 9.84 ft (3m) hull
Height: 9.02 ft (2.75m) with 0.5m ground clearance
Crew: 3 (Commander, driver, gunner)

Armor: 3-tiered defense
  • Tier 1: 3rd generation depleted uranium between Chobham layers
  • Tier 2: next generation ERA (optional)
  • Tier 3: Active protection
    • Hard kill: Quick Kill active protection system - 4 launchers with 16 countermeasure missiles each, one set of reloads (64 missiles) are carried inside the tank
    • Soft kill: Softkill Active Protection System (SAPS) - disrupts semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire and radio guided ATGMs, laser rangefinders and target designators, and thermal and infrared ATGMs

Armament:
  • 140mm L45 smoothbore gun (36 rounds)
    • 11 x M749 depleted uranium APFSDS penetrators
    • 11 x BGM-751 Dramborleg gun launched ATGMs
    • 14 x M750 multipurpose rounds
  • 1 x M307 25mm automatic grenade launcher or M312 .50 cal machine gun - Remote weapon station (1400 rounds)
  • 1 x M240 7.62mm machine gun – coaxial (4000 rounds)
  • 24 x smoke grenade launchers

Engine: 2000 horsepower diesel engine
Power/weight: 30.77 hp/t (65t configuration), 23.53 hp/t (85t configuration)
Suspension: Hydropneumatic active suspension
Ground pressure: 53.14 kPa (7.707 psi) 65t configuration, 69.49 kPa (10.08 psi) 85t configuration
Ground clearance: 0.07m - 0.75m (3 in - 2.46 ft)
Vertical step: 1.8m (5.9 ft)
Hull traverse: 60 deg/s
Turret traverse: 60 deg/s
Gun elevation: -15 deg/+25 deg (5 degrees from suspension)
Fuel capacity: 373 US gallons
Operational range: 400 mi (644 km)
Speed:
  • On road (governed): 45(cruising) - 50(sprint) mph (72-80 km/h)
  • Off road: 35 mph (cruising) – 40 mph (sprint) (56.33 - 65 km/h)

Protection:

Concealment:
The Tulkas II carries 24 smoke grenade launchers, capable of creating a smokescreen that obscures the tank from both visual and thermal imaging detection. The tank can also create a smokescreen by injecting fuel into the exhaust.

Active Protection:
The Tulkas II’s first line of defense is composed of the hardkill Quick Kill active protection system, and the Softkill Active Protection System (SAPS). These two systems work in concert to ensure the safety of the tank, as well as that of any nearby friendly units.

SAPS provides softkill protection by jamming and disrupting wire and radio guided semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) ATGMs, laser rangefinders and target designators, and thermal and infrared ATGMs. Projectiles defeated by SAPS are not destroyed; they are simply caused to miss. If SAPS fails to decoy a projectile, or if other friendly units would be endangered by a miss, the Quick Kill system will attempt to shoot down the projectile.

The Quick Kill system uses an AESA radar to detect incoming projectiles, which it can engage with small vertical launch countermeasure missiles. It is capable of engaging a wide range of threats, from RPGs to ATGMs to kinetic energy penetrators. Four reloadable vertical launch units, each containing 16 countermeasures, are mounted on the turret, for a total of 64 countermeasure missiles. A full set of reloads are carried inside the tank.

APS engagements are handled automatically by the Tulkas II’s onboard computer system.

Armor:
The Tulkas II uses a modular armor scheme, allowing different armor kits to be mounted according to protection and weight requirements. There are 3 primary armor schemes used: light armor, medium armor, and heavy armor. Only the 3m width of the hull is armored as indicated, not the full 5.3m width that includes the tracks. (Note that all armor values are approximations, as penetration isn’t binary.)

Light armor is used primarily for strategic transport and amphibious landings, or other scenarios when heavier armor would be impractical or detrimental. The former are common situations, as Mitheldalond is an island nation. The light armor scheme offers protection roughly on par with that of many other battle tanks; it is highly vulnerable to hits to the sides and rear, as well as to modern anti-tank mines and top-attack munitions, while remaining largely impregnable from the front. This is the lightest of the three main armor schemes, and the only one that allows the Tulkas II to be transported by standard means. A Tulkas II-LA (light armor) weighs 65 metric tons standard, but can weigh up to 75 metric tons with ERA. However, ERA is not normally mounted to a tank equipped with light armor; it is generally preferred to refit tanks with one of the heavier armor schemes once they have arrived at their location.

Light Armor (values in parentheses include ERA):
Turret:
  • Front: 1000mm (1250mm) vs APFSDS, 1500mm (2000mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 150mm (400mm) vs APFSDS, 650mm (1150mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 100mm (350mm) vs APFSDS, 600mm (1100mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 100mm (350mm) vs APFSDS, 600mm (1100mm) vs HEAT
  • Underside: 100mm vs APFSDS, 600mm vs HEAT
Hull:
  • Front: 900mm (1150mm) vs APFSDS, 1400mm (1900mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 100mm (350mm) vs APFSDS, 600mm (1100mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 50mm (300mm) vs APFSDS, 550mm (1050mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 50mm (300mm) vs APFSDS, 550mm (1050mm) vs HEAT
  • Bottom: 50mm vs APFSDS, 550mm vs HEAT

Medium armor is used primarily for low intensity conflicts, where the chances of encountering enemy tanks are minimal. A tank equipped with medium armor is still vulnerable to most modern kinetic energy penetrators at typical combat ranges from all but the frontal arc, even when equipped with ERA. However, a Tulkas II with medium armor is almost completely immune to most HEAT penetrators, including RPGs, HEAT shells, and many ATGMs. As such, the medium armor scheme is used when there is a low probability of encountering enemy armor, but a high probability of RPG and ATGM attacks. Though the Tulkas II was not designed for urban combat, this armor scheme enables it to enter urban environments with little risk to the vehicle or crew, and is therefore the most commonly used armor scheme in such situations. A Tulkas II with medium armor has a base weight of 70 metric tons, and 80 metric tons with ERA. ERA is almost always mounted when medium armor is used.

Medium Armor (values in parentheses include ERA):
Turret:
  • Front: 1250mm (1500mm) vs APFSDS, 1750mm (2250mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Underside: 250mm vs APFSDS, 750mm vs HEAT
Hull:
  • Front: 1150mm (1400mm) vs APFSDS, 1650mm (2150mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Bottom: 200mm vs APFSDS, 700mm vs HEAT


Heavy armor is used for high intensity conflicts, when enemy tanks are expected to be encountered in significant numbers. When equipped with heavy armor, a Tulkas II becomes virtually impenetrable. The frontal arc is capable of stopping 155mm armor piercing shells at all but suicidally close range. From the side, the tank is protected against 105mm guns – such as those carried by the Stryker mobile gun system and many early MBTs – at medium to long range; however, some high-pressure guns like the 105mm Improved Weapon System may be able to penetrate. The rear and top armor offers protection from guns of up to 90mm, though it can also stop 100mm rounds from the BMP-3’s low-velocity gun. A Tulkas II-HA (heavy armor) is completely impervious to almost all HEAT weapons, including top attack ATGMs and even air launched missiles such as the Hellfire. This armor scheme allows a relatively small number of Tulkas IIs to engage and defeat a much larger group of enemy tanks. This capability was seen as necessary, as the number of Mitheldalondian troops and vehicles that can be deployed abroad is limited by the capacity of amphibious assault groups. One of the consequences of being an island nation, this means that Mitheldalondian ground forces will often be going into combat with a numerical disadvantage. A Tulkas II equipped with heavy armor is a monstrously heavy vehicle, weighing 75 metric tons before ERA is added. With ERA, which is almost always mounted with heavy armor, the tank weighs a staggering 85 metric tons.

Heavy Armor (values in parentheses include ERA):
Turret:
  • Front: 1500mm (1750mm) vs APFSDS, 2000mm (2500mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 350mm (600mm) vs APFSDS, 850mm (1350mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 250mm (500mm) vs APFSDS, 750mm (1250mm) vs HEAT
  • Underside: 250mm vs APFSDS, 750mm vs HEAT
Hull:
  • Front: 1450mm (1700mm) vs APFSDS, 1950mm (2450mm) vs HEAT
  • Sides: 350mm (600mm) vs APFSDS, 850mm (1350mm) vs HEAT
  • Rear: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Top: 200mm (450mm) vs APFSDS, 700mm (1200mm) vs HEAT
  • Bottom: 200mm vs APFSDS, 700mm vs HEAT

Armament:

Primary:
The main gun of the Tulkas II is an autoloaded 140mm, 45 caliber smoothbore cannon. The gun has a sustainable rate of fire of 10 rounds/minute, and can be used to engage helicopters.

The Tulkas II carries 36 rounds for its main gun in its turret bustle racks. There is room in the hull for an additional 8 rounds, but this is very rarely used due to safety concerns. Most tank crews use this space to store personal belongings or additional supplies. A typical load consists of 11 M749 depleted uranium APFSDS penetrators, 11 M751 Dramborleg tandem HEAT gun launched ATGMs, and 14 M750 multipurpose rounds for use against infantry, fortifications, and armored vehicles. Typical engagement ranges for APFSDS rounds are 2-4.5 km. While they can penetrate the front of many tanks well beyond this range, the probability of a hit with the unguided projectiles is less than desirable at extreme ranges. The ATGMs are typically used to engage targets between 6 km and 8km. They have a maximum effective range of around 10 km, but the Tulkas II cannot detect surface targets that far away by itself.

Ammunition:
(Note that all Penetration values are approximate, as penetration is not binary.)

M749 APFSDS:
Based on the M829A3/E4, the M749 is a depleted uranium saboted kinetic energy penetrator.
  • Type: armor-piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot penetrator
  • Effective range: 4,500+ m
  • Penetration:
    • 1,250mm @ 2,000m
    • 1,175mm @ 3,000m
    • 1,100mm @ 4,000m
    • 1,025mm @ 5,000m
    • 950mm @ 6,000m

M751 Dramborleg:
The Dramborleg is a fire-and-forget anti-tank missile with inspiration taken from both the LAHAT and the Spike. It can receive targeting data from the launch vehicle, or from friendly assets beyond the Tulkas’s line of sight.
  • Type: top-attack gun-launched ATGM
  • Diameter: 140mm
  • Warhead: 6.5 kg (14.3 lb) tandem HEAT
  • Range: 8 km – 10 km
  • Speed: Mach 2
  • Guidance: Laser homing, IR, or active radar
  • Penetration: 1,100mm after ERA

M750 Multipurpose round:
The multipurpose round is capable of engaging armor, troops, and fortifications effectively. In anti-armor mode, it functions as a HEAT shell and can penetrate the equivalent of 800mm of RHA. An airburst mode is used to combat infantry, wherein the shell performs as a high explosive fragmentation artillery shell. Against buildings and fortifications, the M750 uses point detonation delay, causing the shell to detonate inside the building. A single round is capable of leveling an entire building, or demolishing a reinforced concrete bunker.

Secondary:
The Tulkas II carries an M307 25x59mm automatic airburst grenade launcher in a remote weapons system by the commander’s hatch. The M307 can be easily converted into the M312 .50 cal machine gun, but the grenade launcher is more common. The Tulkas II also carries a coaxial M240 7.62mm machine gun. Provision for a second M240 on a pintle mount or RWS in front of the gunner’s hatch has been made, though the weapon is not usually fitted.

Mobility:
The Tulkas II was designed for excellent off-road performance, even in its heaviest configuration. Its 2,000 horsepower engine enables the Tulkas II to achieve a cruising speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) on paved surfaces, with a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). This maximum speed can be maintained for short durations without damage to the tank, and is typically used for rapid maneuvering during combat. Across moderately soft terrain (dirt, grass, etc.), the Tulkas II can maintain a cruising speed of 35 mph (56.33 km/h) with a sprint speed of 40 mph (65 km/h). The tank can also move at full speed in reverse.

Fording Capability:
The Tulkas II is capable of wading through water up to the top of its hull without preparation, and through water up to 15 meters deep with preparation. It can remain submerged for over an hour with crew oxygen rebreathers, and longer with a snorkel fitted. It can fire so long as the gun barrel is not submerged, making rivers beds and lake bottoms good places from which to ambush enemy forces. The tank can enter combat ready status immediately upon resurfacing.

Suspension:
In order to achieve the low ground pressure necessary for good off-road performance, the Tulkas II’s tracks are 1.0m wide. There are nine road wheels, each 0.5m in diameter, on each side of the tank.

The Tulkas II uses a hydropneumatic active suspension system, which allows the tank to vary its ground clearance from 0.75m to effectively resting the hull on the ground. This means that the overall height of the tank can vary between approximately 2.25m and 3m. Each of the road wheels can be independently controlled by the driver, though individual wheel control is usually handled automatically while the driver concentrates on controlling the tank as a whole.

The ability to change the Tulkas II’s ground clearance allows the tank to adapt to its environment. Raising the tank to its maximum height enables it to clear taller obstacles, and reduces hull movement while traversing smaller obstacles. This results in a much smoother ride when driving off-road and through rough terrain, improving both crew comfort and accuracy when firing on the move. Lowering the hull allows the Tulkas II to hide behind shorter obstacles than would normally be possible. However, constantly raising and lowering a 65-85 ton vehicle puts quite a bit of strain on the suspension, resulting in a fair amount of wear and tear. Too much wear and tear can cause the suspension to fail, disabling the tank. Regular maintenance prevents this from becoming a problem; therefore, Mitheldalondian tank crews are trained to keep track of their vehicle’s condition, and to know how often it needs to go in for maintenance. This job is made easier by the array of electronics and sensors that monitor all of the tank’s systems, which will notify the crew of any necessary maintenance long before the situation reaches critical status.

The impressive capabilities and maneuverability afforded by the Tulkas II’s suspension were demonstrated in a novel fashion during the tank’s official unveiling to the public. During the ceremony, a group of about a dozen Tulkas IIs performed an armored rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video, for which they received a standing ovation from the audience. Critics were quick to write scathing condemnations of Mitheldalond’s new “dancing tank”, remarking that is was “more suited to dance competitions than combat.” However, more observant individuals noted that the performance displayed not only the impressive agility of the tank, but also an incredible level of coordination between vehicles.

Electronics:
The Tulkas II incorporates an extensive array of electronic sensors and displays designed to improve situational awareness and combat effectiveness. Radar, infrared, and visual sensors work together to create as complete an image as possible of the surrounding battlespace.

In addition to the Mk 1 eyeball, a number of cameras arrayed around the tank's exterior provide a 360 degree view of the nearby terrain. This is primarily useful to the driver for navigation, and the commander to assist with visual detection.

The tank's AESA radar, improved considerably from the original Quick Kill radar, provides 360 degree hemispherical coverage out to a maximum detection range of 8km for surface targets, and 10-12km for aerial targets. It can track over 2 dozen targets simultaneously, and is also capable of terrain and limited weather mapping. The radar can provide targeting data for the Tulkas II's main gun and RWS, in addition to the Quick Kill launchers it was originally intended to control. Both weapons can be slaved to the tank's fire control computer, which will use the targeting data provided by the radar and other sensors to automatically aim and fire at targets selected by the tank commander. Adjustments for direction of travel and speed of both the tank and target, as well as environmental factors like wind speed, are made automatically.

All three crew stations are equipped with an array of touchscreen multifunction displays. By default, these are set up to display information most relevant to their particular crew station, in the most useful format possible for that crew member. They can be used to display a map of the immediate area and terrain, including the locations of friendly, hostile, and unidentified vehicles and troops. They can also be used to monitor the condition of the tank or other friendly vehicles, view orders and rules of engagement, or display other important information. It is also possible to use them to watch television or view the Internet, but checking Facebook during combat is generally discouraged.

All crew stations are networked together, allowing any station to be controlled from any other station. The commander for example, without leaving his seat, could take control of the driver's station, use his display screens to plot a course by placing waypoints, instruct the tank to execute the designated maneuver, switch to controlling the gunner's station, slave the main gun to the fire control system, and then start designating targets. The tank will automatically follow the waypoint course, while targeting and firing as directed by the commander. This allows the Tulkas II to operate with a fair degree of efficiency even with 2 of its 3 crew members out of action. As a security measure, the tank can only be controlled in this manner from its own crew stations; any external commands are simply ignored.

The ADMIN Combat System:
The Tulkas II is fully compatible with Mitheldalond's Arena Distributed Mass Information Network (ADMIN). ADMIN is an information sharing and coordination system, integrated into all Mitheldalondian combat vehicles, aircraft, and ships. Contrary to what its acronym implies, it is not an administrative system; rather, it is a decentralized library of all information available to Mitheldalondian forces in a battlespace. If any Mitheldalondian unit (vehicle, plane, ship, etc.) knows a piece of information, all Mitheldalondian forces in the battlespace can know that information. All information is not known by all units at all times; it is merely accessible to all forces in the battlespace at all times. The amount of information, and level of detail of that information, that can be "known" by any vehicle, aircraft, or ship at any one time is mostly dependent on how much processing power it has.

A trade-off between width of focus and level of detail is necessary; a wider focus will offer less detailed information, while a narrower focus will offer much more detail. For example, a supercarrier and a main battle tank can both view a map of the entire battlespace. However, the map in a tank will likely be little more than an overview, similar to a strategic map displaying general information about troop deployment and approximate strength at perhaps battalion level or higher. If the tank crew wants information about a particular battalion, they will have to narrow their focus, losing information about the rest of the battlespace in exchange for more detail about a smaller area. A carrier on the other hand, could view the entire battlespace in far more detail. It is possible to make an analogy to real-time strategy games: a tank would be able to view either the minimap or a small section of the main map, while a supercarrier would be able to view the entire main map at once.

The ADMIN system allows unprecedented situational and battlespace awareness, enabling such a high level of coordination among Mitheldalondian forces that they can appear to think and act as one. For this reason, many people refer to the ADMIN system as the “hive mind”, a surprisingly accurate nickname. Some of this coordination is automatic. In the case of the Tulkas II, as well as most other combat vehicles, this is applied most obviously in the active protection systems. When a group of tanks are faced with multiple incoming projectiles, they will automatically communicate with each other to determine which vehicles could most effectively engage which projectiles, and assign targets to each vehicle accordingly.

As might be obvious, the effectiveness of the ADMIN system increases with the number of units connected to it. If only a single vehicle was connected, the system would be completely useless. More vehicles, aircraft, and ships offer a greater wealth of available information.

There is an extremely high level of security built into the ADMIN system. Highly complex encryption protocols and many other security features work together to ensure that any unauthorized sources trying to access the network will be completely unable to acquire any information in any comprehensible form.


Storing all of those Quick Kill rounds internally is going to take up quite a bit of space, and probably not be necessary, given that you will need pretty much daily resupply just to refuel, if nothing else.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:16 pm
by The Republic of Lanos
Alduinium wrote:So, I'm trying to make the most incompetent terrorist group known to man. How do I go about creating this group?

Easy, they blow themselves up with their own bomb. Preferably in their own workshop without security forces getting involved but to clean up the scene.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:17 pm
by Austrasien
Their plot is to build an antimatter bomb out of red mercury.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:18 pm
by Alduinium
Austrasien wrote:Their plot is to build an antimatter bomb out of red mercury.

They already have a stolen suitcase nuke, are in another country, and plan to announce it on Youtube.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:20 pm
by The Akasha Colony
Alduinium wrote:So, I'm trying to make the most incompetent terrorist group known to man. How do I go about creating this group?


By making them so incompetent, they can't even form a group.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:21 pm
by The Republic of Lanos
Alduinium wrote:
Austrasien wrote:Their plot is to build an antimatter bomb out of red mercury.

They already have a stolen suitcase nuke, are in another country, and plan to announce it on Youtube.

Blow themselves up with suitcase nuke. Hilarity ensues.

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:26 pm
by The Corparation
The Republic of Lanos wrote:
Alduinium wrote:They already have a stolen suitcase nuke, are in another country, and plan to announce it on Youtube.

Blow themselves up with suitcase nuke. Hilarity ensues.

Bonus points if they do it while training out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere.