Moors Proving Grounds
Timocratic Republic
The Grand Festival of Iron was an old tradition going back at least two centuries even all the way back to the Second Republic. It was a celebration of the technological capability and advancement of the country.
It was a flexing of the nation's technological and industrial might put on display for the nation and the world to see.
But this year it will be a bit different. It would also be a celebration of the past as well as the future and headline the entire event would be the SACT tournament.
As such it was a massive festival with people from all over the region coming to visit.
The military base used to stage movement of troops and material throughout the Moors Proving grounds had been transformed into a super sized fairground.
Base Bog as it was known, was located at the confluence of 5 separate rail lines and with two instrestate roads nearby with 3 separate tracks entering the base itself. The reason for the large amounts of rail lines was the fact the Moors Proving Grounds were criss-crossed with rail lines that were used to move men and material around the Proving Grounds was more efficient that road.
It was originally built on a bog hence its name, and it also had some flooding issues from time to time that would turn it into a bog.
The base itself was a large semicircle with a dual set of rail lines circling the outside with a single line cutting through the middle of the base heading straight into the Grounds themselves.
Inside the semicircle were many loading and unloading stations on the rails both circling the base and inside the base. One side held nothing but buildings including barracks , mess hall, administration and storage.
On the other side of the tracks was a massive open field used for assembly of troops and material whenever a military exercise was planned. But this time it was turned into a massive fair ground filled with tents and booths.
The tents and booths are selling everything from toys and nick nacks to deep fried food of all kinds. Civilians and military personnel intermingle on the ground in massive festive air. From the distance a ploom of smoke rises up into the sky.
A loud rumble echoes down the track and across the moors. It is a freight train. An old steam powered engine pulling a long freight train. Its a Big Boy, No. 4014 aka “Big Mike” steaming into the base pulling freight cars with the competitors tanks and armored vehicles, both modern and historical, loaded onto them. Its a massive 4-8-8-4 engine with a massive tender supported by 14 separate wheels. The engine alone weighs a massive 762,000 pounds. It pulls the mile long freight train loaded with tanks and other armored tracked vehicles with ease.
The engine was recently restored to take part in the festival.
However it was not the star. Behind it came a Fat Lady Steam Freight Engine No 5555 aka “Fat Jenny”, a massive 4-8-8-8-4 freight train meant to haul 2-mile long cargo trains through the Blue Ridge and Misty Mountains. Its tender is almost the size of a freight car itself. It is pulling a recently restored armored train and the rest of the competitors into the track around the base. It was the star of the festival. Fat Jenny flexes her muscles by pulling a 20 car armored train plus the Flash Gitz and the Fortress Team on transport cars. It also came in pulling the more historical tanks and their vehicles to be displayed for everyone to see.
The armored train was composed of 8 cars with tank turrets armed with 76mm and 90mm cannons and machine gun ports while 7 of the remaining cars are each carried a pair of 155mm artillery pieces on turrets while the remaining cars were ammo carriers.
Fat Jenny blows its whistle producing a surprisingly musical sound, the fat lady was singing. It was appropriate since it was the last steam engine built in the Republic.
The crowd cheered as both trains pulled into stations, people cheered as the main attractions were here at last. The unloading process began with the help of various crews from the schools and military personnel with cranes and recovery vehicles.
One of the first vehicles unloaded was M28A2 from the Fortress Team. The massive assault gun rolled off the flatbed car and down the ramp. It was expertly driven by its student driver who took the time to sound off its war horn. The thunderous eardrum shattering noise echoed across the base and moors themselves.
And the Merikcans cheered back at the mighty machine as it slowly rumbled off to its designated parking area. It was followed by the rest of the team with Johnny's blaring music. The Bobby’s brought up the rear.
Atop the second vehicle, a Harigold, stood Eve Killgore trying to smile warmly and wave at everyone but seeming stiff and machine like, she was very uncomfortable being out in the open like this. Public gatherings and relations were not her thing. She was called the Iron Maiden and not Great Speaker for a reason.
But Oddball was just doing what he did best. He was chilling. Atop his Johnny, Positive Waves, the guy was propped up in a chair smiling vacantly at everyone drinking from a gallon jug of his favorite “grape juice”.
Then came the Flash Gitz. The loudest cockiest fastest noisest team in the whole the league. The Hellcats, the Jacksons and the Super Hellcats that they planned to field this year.
The team came roaring down the strip with warhorns blaring and the crews hanging out and cheering while waving. Even the smoke launcher where popping off showering the area with colored smoke and confetti. They even threw candy and treats to the kids. At top the lead vehicle, a Hellcat, stood Georgy A. Cluster is full cavalry regalia complete with drawn sword and golden locks waving in the wind and smiling at everyone, waving her sword with glee. She loved being the center of attention like this. While they had not brought home the win last year they had given an extraordinary counting of themselves.
Other tanks, most of them historical and recently restored, were also off loaded. All of them came from the Ordnance Proving Grounds Reference Collection, which included tanks and armored vehicles both domestic and forgein.
Leading the parade was Mark 8 “Big Rom”. The nickname came from its rhomboid shape and the fact it was almost 38 feet long and 12 feet wide. Atop the hull sat a large slab-sided turret containing a short-barreled 105 mm howitzer, which was head to lob large explosive shells at bunkers. Mounted to the sides of the tank were a set of sponsons, with each one containing a heavy jacketed water cooled 50 caliber machine gun and a 37mm repeating cannon.
Behind it truddled a another two tanks. It looked like a much more traditional tank with its hull shape and turret. It was a small two man tank with a frame attached to the rear to allow trench crossing. Mounted in one turret was another water cooled 50 caliber machine gun and the other one carriered a regular 37mm caliber cannon.
Parade Field
A massive metal prefabricated stage had been erected at the end of the field. On it is a huge 60 foot by 25 foot screen for everyone to watch the matches on later. Right now it is just cycling through images from various participants showing off flags, tanks, personnel and such.
A tall official looking lady in a pretty skirt suit that is struggling to contain her assets, both front and rear, takes the stage. Well take is an exaggeration, walks and wobbles. While it can not be seen, she is wearing a microphone and immediately begins to speak.
“Hello and welcome to everyone attending!! I am one of the SACT Referees, Jackie Callahan from the Republic. I am pleased to announce the beginning of the 2nd Annual SACT tournament.
There will be a Classic Tournament and Modern Tournament. And In addition we will be having an Obstacle Course challenge this year for Classic League. It will be divided into Light, less than 20 tons, medium, 20 to 40, and heavy 40 plus tons. As the tournament will be taking place over an extended period of time we will be making use of several areas in the Republic, including the Moors Proving Grounds, Blue Ridge Training Range, and Morrigan Plains Training Range.
While the Moors is largely flat and firm you will find the Plains to be a bit swampier and the Blue Ridge with being a very mountainous challenge to overcome all by itself!!"
Good luck and Godspeed to everyone!!"
OOC: If one just wishes to submit the same team again that is fine just repost the application in this thread.
The following are some examples of one changing a team roster.
Application for New Tanks and Application for New Schools
Reminder: For Classic league, a school's roster for a season must include at least 8 tanks, ideally 18 (full tank company), and be no more than 600 metric tons total. Individual tanks must be at least 6 metric tons. Tanks over 40 metric tons shall be classified as Heavy Tanks and limited to 30% of a school’s metric ton total.
- Code: Select all
[*][color=#0000FF][b]SCHOOL NAME HERE[/b][/color]
[b]MODERN OR CLASSIC [/b]
[b]SCHOOL NAME:[/b]
[b]NATION NAME:[/b]
[b]LOGO (if applicable):[/b] Picture can be provided if you want
[b]Total metric tons:[/b] 000
[b]Heavy Tank Percent:[/b] 0.0
[b]TANKS FOR MODERN/CLASSOC LEAGUE:[/b]
[code][b]TANK MODEL APPLICATIONS:[/b]
[b]Model Name:[/b] (if this is a NS name for a IRL tank, please include the IRL name)
[b]Metric tons:[/b] 000
[b]Link to details:[/b][/code]
[b][u]SUMMARY: [/u][/b]
(short summary about your school and their unique approach to tank skills)
Obticale Course/ Race
Each team can submit a single tank to each class as long as they brought such tank for the classic tournament. I.E. you cant submit a light tank if you did not bring it for the tournament.
Application:
- Code: Select all
School:
Category:
Tank:
Top Speed:
Armor:
Weapon Systems:
Power Plant:
Weight:
School: Morrigan Plains Private Military Inistutitue
Category: Light
Tank: M18A1
Top Speed: 65mph
Armor: 0.19–1.00 in
Weapon Systems: 76 mm AT Gun
Power Plant: Cyclone R975 developing 500hp
School: Morrigan Plains Private Military Inistutitue
Category: Medium
Tank: M18a2 Super Hellcat
Top Speed: 55mph
Armor: 0.19–1.00 in
Weapon Systems: 90 mm AT Gun
Power Plant: Cyclone R975 developing 500hp
School: Fortress Military Academy
Category: light
Tank: M5 Bobby
Top Speed: 36 mph
Armor: 375 to 2.0 in
Weapon Systems: 37mm cannon, 3 x .30 caliber machine guns
Power Plant: Twin Caddy V8s
School: Fortress Military Academy
Category: Medium
Tank: M4 Johnny
Top Speed: 30mph
Armor: 12.7 to 54 mm
Weapon Systems: 76mm AT gun
Power Plant:V8 18 liter 450 hp
