NS Military Realism Consultation Thread #6

[Allanea]

Not really, his tank is immune to HEAT

It is not.

Those bracketed numbers are ERA.

Anything that gets 900mm after ERA will kill this tank from every direction but the front.

[Padnak]

Looks like its time for Padarm to start creating some unlicensed Kornet clones

[Velkanika]

Just because it can happen doesn't mean it is reliable. I can shoot at a tank from a higher angle if I can get a good elevation and ignore their frontal armour hitting them on the top. Doesn't mean I should rely on it.

Not if I pick the site of battle.


The thing is tanks are generally armoured more heavily on the front of the sides than the rear sides. The protection more focuses on the front 90 degrees or whatever. Even then it is not something to rely on, why is your opponent letting you outflank him so significantly? Why doesn't he just engage the forces you moved over with his own forces he moved over. Sure a Sherman could kill a tiger by shooting it in the side during WW2, the thing is the Shermans suffered heavy casualties as a result, making tank destroyers and sherman fireflies preferable to engage the enemy since you didn't need to take as many risks. Also what if you are in an enclosed area like a city or a forest?

He's not letting me outflank him, it's already been established he uses this tank when he is outnumbered.
It's a question of how can he stop me from outflanking him?

Also, if it's in a forest (or jungle ) that's still better on me because he has far less room for him to engage my tanks before they are right up on him.
If its in a city, I'm golden because chances are a lot higher for getting a side shot, especially one at shorter ranges, when his tanks come rolling into my inevitable ambush. Unless the Tulkas-II has an elastic barrel that can extend 90 degrees around the corner to shoot my tank, he is going to have to either go around a long as detour and loose his ability to support his foot soldiers, or take a side shot.

The only reason I would deal with this tank is because it's hilariously inefficient, and honestly seems to cast a shadow of over confidence on user. It honestly does me more of a favor him trying to use these than as if he had just gone with an Abrams, Challenger or Leopard-2.

Not really, his tank is immune to HEAT, it is immune to KE from the front, his gun can punch through the front of an Abrams at all combat ranges. His tank (if we ignore its wank) will wreck a fleet of Abrams absolutely, sure you could try to flank him, meanwhile he will be punching holes in your front from 4 km away with no effort, and if one of these gets into a city it is pretty much unkillable unless you wanna try flanking this tank with another tank in a city since it is pretty much immune to HEAT.

No, his tank can essentially only come out on top in the long run in the scenario for which it is justified if he has absolute air supperiority and estabished SAM and C-RAM grids, and we are fighting in either a desert, open plains/savannah, farmland or tundra.

And even if he does win, will it be worth it if I still manage to rape his logistics, which will naturally be bloated do to the gasoline those things will realistically suck down?

Sounds like a modern day Tiger to me. Outmaneuver the things via your lower ground pressure (which the Allies notably lacked against the Tiger in Western Europe) and ability to use lighter bridges. Limit their ability to maneuver and attack the supply chain to force them to fight engagements with starting conditions, locations, and timing of your choosing. You should be fine if you use those methods.

[Allanea]

It's a 20 million dollar tank. You can deploy something like 5 or even 6 T-90s for that price. You're going to outflank it by sheer virtue of having more tanks.

[Padnak]

Not to mention that you could buy god knows how much rocket artillery for that kind of money

just imagine how well that thing would fare if it was caught in a 10 BM-27 barrage

[Spirit of Hope]

It's a 20 million dollar tank. You can deploy something like 5 or even 6 T-90s for that price. You're going to outflank it by sheer virtue of having more tanks.

It looks like you could get 2-4 western tanks (M1, K2, Leclerc, Leopard 2, Challenger 2) for the same cost and have between 2-4 million dollars sitting around afterwords.

[Mitheldalond]

From the front, yes.

"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, and some 105mm guns at long range. 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."

An AGM-65 may or may not be able to penetrate it. It would take more than one to get a hit anyway, though. You have to get past both the softkill and hardkill APSs before you get to the armor. The best way to destroy it is probably to hit it with a 500 lb bomb or a cruise missile or something, though taking out the tracks and external electronics and sensors would get you an effective mission kill.

EDIT: I'd guess that this would cost no less than $20 million each, so you have a bit of leeway in what you can use to kill it cost effectively.

If I have forced you to use a tank which is also apparently impervious to almost all HEAT weapons (which I find debatable considering I could still reasonably kill the optics and I'm wondering how that AESA radar works through all that armor) then I guess I have already won, haven't I?

Secondly, let me throw off a few ideas:

Two of my A-10/A-6E/IA-40/IEK-74/Su-37MI simply fire all 4 - 8 of their AGM-65/Kh-25. What now?

I spam with rocket artillery (because I would never do that! ) forcing you to waste most of your APS in very short order or else loose your external electronics. What now?

I bring in a modified mobile artillery acting as a tank destroyer (with a smoothbore cannon) and fire a 155mm APFSDS. What now?

I simply don't fight your wankstrosity, kill your ships and bloated logistical trails and just starve out the crew who now have no way of getting home and/or run out of fuel very fast (apparently the Abrams is a massive gas guzzler, so imagine what yours would be). What now?

Or, I shoot my normal person 120mm at the sides of the tank. What now?

The radar is outside of the armor, either on top of the turret, or mounted on the turret face (haven't been able to find a picture of the actual Quick Kill radar).

The first two options you suggested are the best ways to handle it. Both missile spam and rocket artillery will be able to overwhelm the APS and destroy the sensors and electronics on the tank's exterior. While it may not penetrate the fighting compartment, that's still a mission kill.

The 155mm APFSDS is exactly what the heavy armor was designed to stop.

You may be able to outflank it eventually, you may not. Either way, you're going to lose a bunch of tanks in the attempt.

It's a Diesel engine, so it's more fuel efficient than the Abrams.

It isn't intended to be indestructible. It's intended to survive long enough to take out several enemy tanks before it gets knocked out.

[Mitheldalond]

He's not letting me outflank him, it's already been established he uses this tank when he is outnumbered.
It's a question of how can he stop me from outflanking him?

Also, if it's in a forest (or jungle ) that's still better on me because he has far less room for him to engage my tanks before they are right up on him.
If its in a city, I'm golden because chances are a lot higher for getting a side shot, especially one at shorter ranges, when his tanks come rolling into my inevitable ambush. Unless the Tulkas-II has an elastic barrel that can extend 90 degrees around the corner to shoot my tank, he is going to have to either go around a long as detour and loose his ability to support his foot soldiers, or take a side shot.




No, his tank can essentially only come out on top in the long run in the scenario for which it is justified if he has absolute air supperiority and estabished SAM and C-RAM grids, and we are fighting in either a desert, open plains/savannah, farmland or tundra.

And even if he does win, will it be worth it if I still manage to rape his logistics, which will naturally be bloated do to the gasoline those things will realistically suck down?

Sounds like a modern day Tiger to me. Outmaneuver the things via your lower ground pressure (which the Allies notably lacked against the Tiger in Western Europe) and ability to use lighter bridges. Limit their ability to maneuver and attack the supply chain to force them to fight engagements with starting conditions, locations, and timing of your choosing. You should be fine if you use those methods.

It has better ground pressure than the Abrams thanks to 1m wide tracks. On the downside, those tracks mean that it's 5.3m wide.

EDIT: Also, I overestimated the price. It should actually be closer to $12 million.

[Imperializt Russia]

It isn't intended to be indestructible. It's intended to survive long enough to take out several enemy tanks before it gets knocked out.

Unless you're fighting Iraq, in 1991, you won't be able to achieve this.

[Inyourfaceistan]

Not to mention that you could buy god knows how much rocket artillery for that kind of money

just imagine how well that thing would fare if it was caught in a 10 BM-27 barrage

Think bigger. Image M270A1 barrage with mixed DPCM rockets, guided unitary rockets and tactical ballistic missiles dropping dozens of infrared-guided EFP bomblets.

[Mitheldalond]

It isn't intended to be indestructible. It's intended to survive long enough to take out several enemy tanks before it gets knocked out.

Unless you're fighting Iraq, in 1991, you won't be able to achieve this.

Why? I mean, even without the armor (though I'm just going to stick with the light armor scheme, and basically scrap the lol-heavy one) it still has a soft-kill APS to jam guided munitions, a hard-kill APS with 64 shots, and advanced ERA (which is supposed to be capable of defeating tandem HEAT rounds, like Relikt). And it has a defense network that automatically coordinates APS engagements with the other vehicles in its formation.

[Padnak]

Not to mention that you could buy god knows how much rocket artillery for that kind of money

just imagine how well that thing would fare if it was caught in a 10 BM-27 barrage

Think bigger. Image M270A1 barrage with mixed DPCM rockets, guided unitary rockets and tactical ballistic missiles dropping dozens of infrared-guided EFP bomblets.

victory

Not to mention the MLRS deployed AT minefield and 240mm 2S4 Tyulpan barrages

[Purpelia]

Unless you're fighting Iraq, in 1991, you won't be able to achieve this.

Why? I mean, even without the armor (though I'm just going to stick with the light armor scheme, and basically scrap the lol-heavy one) it still has a soft-kill APS to jam guided munitions, a hard-kill APS with 64 shots, and advanced ERA (which is supposed to be capable of defeating tandem HEAT rounds, like Relikt). And it has a defense network that automatically coordinates APS engagements with the other vehicles in its formation.

Because if your enemies are at least a bit competent and your tank is really all that than they will simply use tried and proven tactics for dealing with super heavy tanks. And those are to NOT face it in open battle with your own tanks but to instead call in artillery barrages and aircraft to take care of it at range whilst safely outmaneuvering it.

[The Greater Luthorian Empire]

It's a 20 million dollar tank. You can deploy something like 5 or even 6 T-90s for that price. You're going to outflank it by sheer virtue of having more tanks.

Except the 5 or 6 T-90s will cost far more in terms of manpower and maintenance.

[Novorden]

It's a 20 million dollar tank. You can deploy something like 5 or even 6 T-90s for that price. You're going to outflank it by sheer virtue of having more tanks.

Except the 5 or 6 T-90s will cost far more in terms of manpower and maintenance.

Man power yes, parts not necessarily.

[Korouse]

So basically the speed (to you) is going down a steep road already haulin' ass.

Noep.

The Abrams seemed perfectly content to get up to over 80 km/h on flat ground, even if it stresses the vehicle's drivetrain. Sorry that you seem to think this is some impossible feat, but it really kind of isn't. It's just not a very smart thing to do in most circumstances.

also sand serb tank will be smashed by the legions of superior FAR armour.

If it's stupid, normally a military won't do it.

[Calla]

It's a Diesel engine, so it's more fuel efficient than the Abrams.

"More fuel efficient" is one thing. Producing an extra 500 hp, while pushing around an extra "10 tons" is something else entirely.

In comparison to the Leopard 2:
You have 56 more gallons of fuel capacity (373 vs 317)
You also claim 60 miles more in operational range.

So the Leo 2 is claiming 1.073 mpg in operational range.
Your M7A3 is claiming 1.072 mph in operation range.

While making 521 more horsepower.
While weighing "3 to 10" tonnes more.

So, please tell us, how exactly, your tank is capable of maintaining essentially the same fuel mileage as a lighter, less powerful tank?

[The Kievan People]

Oh good, we're doing tanks. 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: 9.84 ft (3m) hull, 17.39 ft (5.3m) overall
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
  • 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 M751 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: 45 deg/s
Turret traverse: 45 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)

The M7A3 Tulkas II is the main battle tank of the Kingdom of Mitheldalond.

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.

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, and some 105mm guns at long range. 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

[spoiler=Armament]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 ammunition 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 @ 1,000m
  • 1,175mm @ 2,000m
  • 1,100mm @ 3,000m
  • 1,025mm @ 4,000m
  • 950mm @ 5,000m

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 punch through the wall and 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 weapon station by the commander’s hatch. The M307 can be easily converted into the M312 .50 cal machine gun, but its slow rate of fire significantly reduces the M312’s effectiveness as a machine gun. As such, if an HMG is needed, the M307 is removed and replaced by an M2 Browning. 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.

Tanksharp this thing. Your weight figures are much too generous, the "light" configuration would probably be well over 75 tonnes.

Speed of the GLATGM is also excessive, unless it is peak velocity. You should just steal the LAHATs average speed and call it a day (14 seconds to 4km).

[Purpelia]

If it's stupid, normally a military won't do it.

There are so many historical examples to the contrary that one could write a book about them and it and all the tomes would not even fit in an average sized library.

[Korouse]

Oh good, we're doing tanks. 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: 9.84 ft (3m) hull, 17.39 ft (5.3m) overall
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
  • 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 M751 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: 45 deg/s
Turret traverse: 45 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)

The M7A3 Tulkas II is the main battle tank of the Kingdom of Mitheldalond.

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.

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, and some 105mm guns at long range. 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

[spoiler=Armament]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 ammunition 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 @ 1,000m
  • 1,175mm @ 2,000m
  • 1,100mm @ 3,000m
  • 1,025mm @ 4,000m
  • 950mm @ 5,000m

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 punch through the wall and 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 weapon station by the commander’s hatch. The M307 can be easily converted into the M312 .50 cal machine gun, but its slow rate of fire significantly reduces the M312’s effectiveness as a machine gun. As such, if an HMG is needed, the M307 is removed and replaced by an M2 Browning. 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.

Tanksharp this thing. Your weight figures are much too generous, the "light" configuration would probably be well over 75 tonnes.

Speed of the GLATGM is also excessive, unless it is peak velocity. You should just steal the LAHATs average speed and call it a day (14 seconds to 4km).

Can you link me to tanksharp?

[Korouse]

If it's stupid, normally a military won't do it.

There are so many historical examples to the contrary that one could write a book about them and it and all the tomes would not even fit in an average sized library.

If it's known to be stupid*

[Purpelia]

There are so many historical examples to the contrary that one could write a book about them and it and all the tomes would not even fit in an average sized library.

If it's known to be stupid*

Especially if it is known to be stupid.

[Korouse]

If it's known to be stupid*

Especially if it is known to be stupid.

Give me examples, other than prototypes and things that were used on very small-scale?

[The Kievan People]

Tanksharp.

[Purpelia]

Especially if it is known to be stupid.

Give me examples, other than prototypes and things that were used on very small-scale?

How about my number #1 favorite. Selling commissions. A big thing in most European armies for a very long time.
And yes, they knew full well it was a bad thing and produced bad results.