Re: OT[DS2]TD Design

John Skelly wrote:
> 
> I'm a big WW2 buff when it comes to history so I gotto jump in.  I
once read
> that one reason that assault guns were made was due to the difficulty
in
> manufacturing turret rings.  I've only read this in one text (the name
> excapes me) It even mentioned that they (Germans) would salvage the
rings
> off of damaged tanks to be sent to the rear for use in new tanks.

That's a new one on me.  There is a limit to the effective size/recoil
your turret ring will transmit to the hull, but it's not particularly
hard..	just requires planning ahead, and your upper limit of gun is
fixed by the diameter of your turret ring.  

The point of the hull/casemate mount gun is you are freed from this
restriction.  It is also cheaper and faster to do.

Remember, the turret ring itself is probably going to be part of your
hull roof, and I can't see you getting it out... the roller elements of
the bearing possibly, but they wouldn't be _that_ important.

That being said, the Germans did try hard to salvage disabled tanks for
repair and salvage.

> 
> Now, if this is true, I can imagine colonies having the same
manufacturing
> restrictions.  I know we're talking 2300AD here but for a DS scenario
the
> colonists could be forced to use Assault guns rather than full fledged
> tanks.

Problem is, AFV design is a very specialised art, the
size/mass/compactness requirements are like nothing else.  You'd have a
steep learning curve.
 
> If anyone else has heard of this I'd appreciate the source.

Fraid not.

-- 
Barry Cadwgan ( BCADWGAN@FL.NET.AU )
http://www.users.fl.net.au/~bcadwgan/homepage.htm
"The end does not justify the means.  
 The end is the sum of the means,
 as the road travelled determines the destination." 
Valijon Starbringer (Hellflower Trilogy, Eluki bes Shahar)