Cold War Armoured Car Challenge

[Bevillia]

History
The Tepoztlaotlazacani-Tepitoto Makuili uan Makuili, Mokamanalis e ("Armoured Car-Light, Fifty-Five, Model e", commonly known as the TPT-T55e), was a heavily armed light armoured car developed initially in the early 1950s by the Divine Monarchical Order. The TPT-T55 was designed to supplement a plethora of lightweight armoured cars that had found various roles in Ordan service in the 1940s, offering a hefty increase in firepower over the existing vehicles (which were largely armed with machine guns or light anti-armour weapons) while remaining lightweight enough to be easily transported or cross rural bridges. In its initial incarnation the TPZ-T55 was fitted with a turret that mounted a short-barrelled 60mm breech-loading mortar alongside a coaxial 13mm HMG or 20mm Autocannon, while being armoured against rifle fire from typical combat ranges. This version was well-regarded by troops in Vangael and Cetia, who appreciated the firepower of a light mortar on a vehicle that was often present on patrols, and T55s often found themselves being called in as long-range mortar support by units on patrol that got ambushed.

This became such a common occurrence that it led to the development of the "e" variant of the T55, introduced in 1970, which mated a new turret to the existing hull that carried a new, longer gun-mortar. This gun-mortar had a much greater effective range, able to fire at targets nearly twice as far away as the previous turret (and accurately, thanks to improved fire control), but was bulky enough that the formerly-coaxial 20mm was relocated to a rooftop mount. The 20mm was then given its own coaxial 8mm MG for use against enemy infantry (the limited ammunition of the 20mm was another common complaint), and the enlarged turret was fitted with better ammunition stowage and a mounting for a longer-ranged radio.

The 60mm Gun-Mortar of the T55e could fire directly at ranges up to 500m, and could provide indirect fire up to 5km. In addition to being able to fire any of the standard 60mm mortar ammunition of the Ordan army, specialised HEAT shells were developed that could penetrate up to 200mm of armour plate in the direct fire role, though these were rarely issued. The HIY-20-67 20mm Autocannon was an improved version of the cannon used in the Ordan MCZ-H62 IFV. It fired a 20x110mm round at ranges up to 2km vs ground targets and 1.5km vs aerial targets, and its high rate of fire and APHE ammunition allowed it to effectively engage lightly-armoured enemy vehicles as well as enemy forces behind light cover. The TQT-Z56 8mm machinegun was a version of the common GPMG used across the Ordan armed forces, and fed from an ammunition box fitted externally on the vehicle. The gun-mortar and the Autocannon/MG mount could elevate independently of each other, but both rotated with the turret.


Specifications

Name: Tepoztlaotlazacani-Tepitoto Makuili uan Makuili, Mokamanalis e ("TPT-T55e")
Weight: 5.8 tons loaded
Dimensions: 3.75m x 1.98m x 2.19m (Gun Forward)

Armament:
- 1x TQQ-X70 "Yacametlapil" 60mm Gun-Mortar (50 Mortar Bombs carried)
- 1x TTQ-T40 "Yecchi" 20mm Autocannon (300 20x110mm rounds carried)
- 1x TQT-Z56 8mm machinegun (200 rounds ready use, 400 more carried)

Protection: 8-12mm RHA

Mobility:
Engine: 100hp Tepoztli model 22 I4 Diesel 2.5 Litre engine. Rear-mounted.
Maximum Road Speed: 90kph (6th Gear), 5.5kph (Reverse Gear)
Operational Range: 700km (internal fuel tanks only)

Crew and Passengers:
- Crew: 3 Men (Driver, Vehicle Gunner, Vehicle Commander/Loader/Radioman)

[kvasius]

The BURD-4RP-1 (Broneavtomobil', Universalny', Rozviduvalno-Dozornyy', model 4, Radarnyy', Pokraschennya - 1) "Armored Car, Universal, for Reconassiance and Patrol, model 4, Radar-equipped, Improvement package 1" is a venerable reconaissance vehicle of the Armed Forces and associated branches of the FSR.

Equipped with the state-of-the-art electronics, such as the RNP-6T radar, which is able to spot enemy vehicles to ranges of up to 18km (the image shows the crew of such a vehicle undergoing a routine inspection of the system), a comprehensive laser ranging and dual-mode IR imaging sight PKTN-2PR (with an additional IR searchlight for active search), it is considered one of the most advanced reconaissance platforms in Septentrion. For self-defence, the vehicle comes with a stabilized high-velocity 68 mm cannon with 35 rounds of available ammunition, as well as a coaxial 7,92 mm RM-PM machinegun. It's mobility is provided by a in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine with 150 hp, giving it ability to traverse hard terrain with speeds of up to 90 kph. Protection for the crew of 4 men is light, only capable of withstanding .50 BMG fire from the front and the sides.

Overall, the vehicle is well-regarded by its users, as BU-4 in its various forms (such as improved BURD-4RP-2) are still seen in use with the second-line army units of FSR and various reserve and police organizations, such as the Border Guard Service. Vehicle found some success on the world market, being exported to Kolodoria and Calafia in reasonable quantities.

[Charguizard]

While the brunt of European combat during the first year of the Second World War was taken up by legacy equipment that was available, all the western powers quickly learned various lessons and set off to improve their material equipment accordingly. Light, unspecialized vehicles like open topped wheeled cars or tracked carriers proved exceedingly vulnerable to artillery and mortar splinters. Fighting predominantly in southern Europe and Anatolia, Italy required a fast and mobile armored car for reconnaissance units that could present a moderate threat to medium tanks. The Breda AB.52 used components from the Breda 51 and 501 vehicles and performed superbly with the Italian Army and Free Hungarian Army in the southern front. By the 1960s the AB.52 needed a replacement. Its fuel consumption and 75mm m.37 gun were not up to requirements. In 1961 Nicholas Straussler still refused to retire, and was hired once more by Weiss Manfréd to design one last armored car. Replacing the beloved AB.52, known as M52 Huszár in Hungarian service, would be difficult not because a new vehicle couldn’t be made good, but because how well the current one still performed. An economical turbocharged diesel engine was a top priority. Lancia developed the 5 cylinder 8,8L 532 specifically for medium military vehicles, made entirely of aluminium, it produced 230hp on its turbocharged variant. This engine was licensed and built by Manfréd Weiss as the MW 532T. The 300km range of the AB.52 was found wholly inadequate, the new vehicle would have to be able to travel 600km by roads with a single tank of fuel. Furthermore, the vehicle's armor should be able to resist armor piercing shot from the ubiquitous 16.8mm Vickers and 20mm Oerlikon cannon. Armament would be the new 60mm L/70 STAV light infantry gun, equipped with two 3-round hoppers. These hoppers allowed the gun to achieve 30 rounds per minute briefly. Its high elevation mount and ballistic computer also allowed it to take on a secondary anti-helicopter role. All of this was packaged into a 13 tonne limit in transport configuration, allowing the now called Weiss Manfréd 71M Oktár to be carried by a STOL tactical airlifter.

[MrJetMan]

Joey LAC Mk.1B LGV

Overview
The Joey LAC Mk.1B LGV is derived from a larger family of 6x6 and 4x4 armored vehicles, designed jointly by Ralstaerian National Armory and Kiryat Galim Heavy Industries in Ramav in order to replace an aging fleet of '50s and '40s vintage armored personal carriers and scout vehicles assigned to both nation's reconnaissance battalions and motorized/mechanized units. This development would lead to the creation of the Kangaroe (Gaazel in Ramav service) 6x6 infantry fighting vehicle, and Joey (Jaakals in Ramavi service) 4x4 light armored car, both in the year 1980.

The vehicle is equipped with a Ramavi made TTA-20 20mm Autocannon made by Yaran and Savkowani made S3A2T 7.62mm GPMG in the coaxial and commander cupola positions. Powering the LGV is the six-cylinder turbodiesel Alveston D650 250 hp engine, giving the vehicle good mobility even with its relatively hefty 8 ton weight. With accommodations for 3 crew and a relatively long range fit for the empty outback of Ralstaeria, the Joey LGV would see most of its assignments in SAB units.

The variant depicted is the Joey LAC Mk.1B LGV, referred to in service typically as just the "LGV" or "Mk.1B". Its been shown here assigned to 1st SAB of the Ralstaeria Army, depicted in late 1980s colors and markings under bravo company command. By the late 80s the Joey series of armored vehicles would have been untested in Ralstaerian service, however by the 90s, the Joey would see its first combat support during the multinational ground operation codenamed Operation Fencer.

[Aiseus]

Zahira's Ikv-55



Following the end of the Great War in 1950, Zahira (the successor of the Hymuth Empire, with most of the former empire having been given to newly formed independent states) was left with a severely weakened economy and heavy industry sector. Despite this, the Zahiran High Command sought to maintain the mechanized and armored force they had fielded at the start of the Great War in 1935. The Ikv-55 was born as a compromise. The vehicle was designed to work in tandem with the VI1 infantry fighting vehicle to deliver infantry quickly to an enemy's weak points, with the Ikv-55 intended to destroy anything that the VI1's 25 mm autocannon was incapable of penetrating. The Ikv-55 would enter service a year before the vehicle it was intended to support in 1966. The vehicle was initially armed with a 105 mm cannon, but it was upgraded to a 120 mm cannon in 1972 to keep up with the increasing protection of tanks it was meant to combat.

The vehicle pictured was part of the All-Hythrian Peacekeeping Force in Voneria following the collapse of Korigs and the start of the Korigian Civil War. The Vonerian rebels fielded few tanks, making the vehicle mostly useless in its intended role, and all losses were due to rocket propelled grenades at close range. In total, 3 vehicles were lost in combat during the height of Operation In the Delta in 1975, with 1 more non-combat loss. About 400 were built in total between 1969 and 1980, with most being sold off after 1990 with the development of the Gidan main battle tank. The crew are taking advantage of a lull in the fighting to cool off and relax. Ventilation and cooling was widely reported as being an issue by crews deployed in the Vonerian heat.

[KoleonGray]

Designed and built by Hudspeth Defense, with assistance from Maverick Automotive and MacFurdell-General Dynamics, the W88 Manoeuvre Kill Vehicle is a 6x6 armored car with three crew and armed with a 25mm Autocannon (Gun, Automatic, 25mm), and two 8mm machine guns (MG.16C and MG.16A, co-axial and pintle mounted respectively). The design was generated in 374 (~1974 IRL), when Redwood's government sought out a new type of light armored car to make use of the extensive road networks of the mountainous nation and of the west coast Davnian continent, as well as for rapid deployment through air drops in foreign excursions. The vehicle itself is lightly armored for air portability with the C-7 Wallaby cargo aircraft, able to resist calibres up to 8mm, with some modifications allowing for protection from 15mm armor piercing rounds.

The vehicle represented is a retired W88A1, brought to as close to original 1979 service specification as possible by the Redwood Tank Museum in Arleigh Rouge, Gravlin Province, Redwood. Due to the threat of world domination by Doctor Diabolical's Dastardly Drone Division in 329 (~2029 IRL), a force of approximately 10000 unmanned combat entities, several nations would spearhead a small military task force to prevent the further construction of these drones and prevent the world falling into chaos at his hands. This task force would work in conjunction with volunteers from across the world, and the Redwood Tank Museum would donate one of its W88A1s to assist. With the cooperation of retired Redwood Ground Corps engineers, as well as employees at the museum and volunteer enthusiasts, the vehicle was uprated to 1983 combat specification, and airlifted to the combat zone, The Periphery of the Northern Davnian Territories.

This vehicle, designated 411, would be part of a forward task force, destroying jamming facilities as well as locating primary construction and maintenance facilities for bombardment/occupation by primary military forces. 411 and its crew would be able to destroy 2 jamming facilities before succumbing to several drone attacks and becoming partially disabled. After repair efforts by the crew, the commander Leighton Parsons would sacrifice himself to ensure the safety of his compatriots and to complete the mission, by setting the remaining ammo to detonate inside the third jamming facility. He would be posthumously given the Honor of the 17 Stars, the highest military honor bestowed by Redwood, as his actions lead to the survival of his two fellow crew, as well as the reveal of the location of the primary drone control facility, resulting in the defeat of the Drone Division and the capture of Doctor Diabolical... for now.

Specifications:
Full Name: Car, Armored, Reconnaissance, 25mm Gun, W88
Weight: 13.5 Metric Tons Loaded
Crew: 3 (Driver, Commander, Gunner)

Armament:
Gun, Automatic, 25mm (Primary)
MG.16A (Pintle)
MG.16C (Co-axial)

Mobility: Maverick ME62 Diesel V6, Front Mounted,
Top Speed: 100km/h FWD, 16km/h BKD
Operational Range: 1000km

Crew of 411 (Volunteers):
Driver: Guy Svensson (47) - Redwood Tank Museum Staff, High School Design Technology Teacher (visiting)
Commander: Leighton Parsons (55) - Redwood Tank Museum Staff, Former Army Corps Tank Commander
Gunner: Sheldon Hadaway (34) - Redwood Army Corps Tank Gunner (On Loan)

[TigerHunter1945]

Death to Dictator!!! Roman Style!

[Kiwi Imperialist]

Polls Now Open
The submission period for the Cold War Armoured Car Challenge has ended.
You can rate each entry here.
Voting for the next challenge topic is also open.
Both polls will remain open until 23:59 (UTC-12) on Thursday, 5 September 2024. (Countdown Timer)

Challenge Options
Sailors of the Literary Seas
1. Your submission should depict a fictional watercraft which originally appeared in written media.
2. Your submission should not depict a craft which which you yourself initially conceived of.
3. Your craft should attempt to follow the spirit of the author's intention for the craft (some artistic interpretation is not only allowed, but necessary).

Embiggened Cruiser
1. Your submission must depict a fictional cruiser.
2. The calibre of its main battery should be between 9 and 13 inches (229 and 330 mm).
3. Standard displacement of the cruiser must be between 20,000 and 32,500 long tons (20,321 and 33,022 tonnes).
4. The lead ship of the cruiser's class should be laid down between 1935 and 1945.

Modern Non-Nuclear Attack Submarine
1. Your submission must depict a fictional attack submarine.
2. The lead boat of the submarine's class must be laid down after 1 January 2000.
3. The submarine cannot be nuclear powered.

Interwar Destroyer
1. Your submission must depict a fictional destroyer.
2. Design of the destroyer should commence at some point after 11 November 1918.
3. You must show the destroyer in service prior to 1 September 1939.

Stranger in a Strange Land
1. Your submission must depict a fictional ship which, through a series of unforeseen events, has ended up in the hands of an unexpected operator. Examples suggested by Charguizard:

Perhaps your ship was interned because a war started and she can't make it back home. The government of the place she's stuck in then offers to buy her and put the hull to good use. (Scharnhorst becomes Shin'yō.)
Perhaps the ship was legitimately bought from a friendly nation, but the friend has suddenly become foe and there's no support available for the ship. So she's been converted somehow using local resources or those from new allies. (Lützow becomes Petropavlosk.)
Perhaps the ship was taken over as a war trophy, and has been adapted by the new navy with their own equipment. (Attilio Regolo becomes Châteaurenault.)
Perhaps the country of origin of the ship doesn't exist anymore! The ship goes through a complicated process to determine who she belongs to now. (SMS Viribus Unitis.)

[armyco]

Regarding the Embiggened Cruiser. The time frames requirement is understandable. The functional requirements is understandable. But the performance value frames requirement is not understandable. It is possible that the tasks that the proposer believes are performed by a cruiser of between 20,000 and 32,500 long tons and with guns between 9 and 13 inches, are performed by me by a cruiser of 17,000 long tons and with guns of 7.5 inches. The purpose is absolutely the same, but I am not allowed to compare myself to others within the purpose.

[Kiwi Imperialist]

Challenge Results
Both polls are now closed.
Congratulations to TigerHunter1945, Charguizard, and Wolftheriot who achieved first, second, and third place respectively.
The Embiggened Cruiser Challenge is now open to all who are interested. The other options, by ranking, were Interwar Destroyer, Modern Non-Nuclear Attack Submarine, Stranger in a Strange Land, and Sailors of the Literary Seas.