Re: Unique / Odd Weapons

by MadHatChemist Wed 2 Dec 2009 - 22:31

SPARTAN 119 wrote:The WWI-era Russian Lebedenko Tank AKA the "Tsar tank"...

by maverick375 Wed 2 Dec 2009 - 23:41

Remember that there are hundreds of failures for every successful design idea.

I can't say that I wouldn't be intimidated at first by that thing above, but I would quickly realize that the wheels are susceptable to arty or explosives, and an immovable tank is a poorly placed and extremely vulnerable pill-box.

by SPARTAN 119 Thu 3 Dec 2009 - 0:10

A proposed WWII German oversized tank, never actually built, the P-1000 Ratte. Armed with two 280mm (11 inch) naval guns, two 128mm anti-tank guns, 8 20mm AA guns, and 2 15mm machine guns, equipped with armor that could have only been pierced naval gunfire and aerial bombing and powered by two U-Boat engines, the Ratte was more a land battleship than a tank. Intimidating and lethal to land forces without air support, but, had one actually been built, i suspect it would have been very vulnerable to aerial bombing.

Unique / Odd Weapons - Page 4 P1000

Ratte fact sheet, translated from German.
More info on the Ratte, with a scale model compared with model tanks and trains.

by Piero Thu 3 Dec 2009 - 0:46

Quite aside from the vulnerability to air attack issue, just imagine the mobility problems such a machine would have.

by SPARTAN 119 Thu 3 Dec 2009 - 1:16

Piero wrote:Quite aside from the vulnerability to air attack issue, just imagine the mobility problems such a machine would have.

Yeah... takes up at least two, possibly more lanes on a highway*, gets about fifty feet to the gallon*, and can destroy many bridges without firing a shot, simply by driving over it!*

*All of these are estimates (and the gas mileage probably a hyperbole), not based on any actual data.

by Awinnell Thu 3 Dec 2009 - 4:33

its top speed wouldn't be that great either,it could only be used on open land,so mostly against the Soviet forces, and would sink in the mud at the first drop of rain,it's tracks would be another obvious weak point,break one with a mine or anti tank gun and it grinds to a halt and can you imagine the sort of equipment you would need to repair a broken track on that thing ?

by MikhailN Thu 3 Dec 2009 - 5:08

I'm under the impression that the thing was more for morale than actual fighting. After all, you'd expect most enemies to take one look and run for dear life

by MadHatChemist Thu 3 Dec 2009 - 21:56

SPARTAN 119 wrote:
Yeah... takes up at least two, possibly more lanes on a highway*, gets about fifty feet to the gallon*, and can destroy many bridges without firing a shot, simply by driving over it!*

*All of these are estimates (and the gas mileage probably a hyperbole), not based on any actual data.

"My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and thats the way I likes it"

by funkmachine Mon 7 Dec 2009 - 15:07

the Landkreuzer P. 1500 Monster

WeightLengthWidthHeightCrew

1,500 tonnes
42.00 m
18.00 m
7.00 m
100+

with a 80 cm Gustav gun as its main weapon it was to have a range of some 38Km.
it begs you to ask why not make a hundred odd Tiger IIs,or thousands of Sturmgewehr's.

by **rusty-spring** Mon 7 Dec 2009 - 21:39

MadHatChemist wrote:"My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and thats the way I likes it"

Damn straight Abe Simpson! Unique / Odd Weapons - Page 4 Icon_razz

by Piero Mon 7 Dec 2009 - 21:56

funkmachine wrote:it begs you to ask why not make a hundred odd Tiger IIs,or thousands of Sturmgewehr's.

Well, why do you think it never got built? Razz

Actually, I seem to remember reading that the Panther was considerably less expensive than the Tiger.

by **Nachtsider** Mon 7 Dec 2009 - 23:54

1. Use Rat tank as behind-the-lines mobile pillbox/artillery. Much like those railroad-based cannons.
2. Couple Rat tank with spotter planes/forward artillery observation units for beyond visual range capability
3. Build AAA emplacements around operating area, plus quick-response fighter airstrips
4. ?????
5. PROFIT

by **boomer_gonz** Tue 8 Dec 2009 - 6:10

<--raises hand like an enthusiastic kid in kindergarten

I know what #4 is! I KNOW! I KNOW!!

Number 4 is "Secure the Borders" so as to cut off the supply lines and limit the advent of reinforcements.

by **Nachtsider** Tue 8 Dec 2009 - 6:33

Right on, brah. I can just imagine Horatio Caine saying this now...

"I guess... the enemy... (sunglasses on) were snared... like rats in a trap."

YEEEEAAAAAAHHHH

by tsundere9kagami2 Fri 11 Dec 2009 - 22:21

FMG