Tanks

Ryan wrote:

> ** I'll give you that, but why don't I have GSR and such things for
> doing watches around the bivouac?

Well, you still want the mark one eyeball there to watch over things.

** I work in computers. I trust computers with lives on a daily basis
because our modern society requires it. I'm fairly certain that at some
point, we'll be superflous for many tasks. It might not be by 2185...
that is debatable, but it will probably happen.

> ** And have I abandoned my infantry support?

Tank doctrine includes it where its available, but the crunchies aren't
always there to help watch for Red Force scouts.

** True. But then again a good AI and sensor net can offset such a lack
to a large extent.

** It is a matter of balance. If it costs me to send guys to space and
losing them is politically expensive and costs a lot of retraining and
replacement bucks, then maybe just maybe one looks at other ways to do
the same job.

> ** I'm sure the first people who saw tanks made comments about their
> logistics too.
> ** Also, why couldn't we give our tankers some light PA to wear? Safer

> if they get hit.

It'd be really bulky and uncomfortable? I have a big car, I feel pretty
damn uncomfortable wearing one of my motorcycle jackets inside it. Just
operating the controls (steering wheel, gear shift, etc).

** A lighter version without much armour - call it a powered muscle
amplifier or exoskeleton.

** If it was air conditioned and whatnot, it might not be so bad. It
might also let you "chip in" to your tank, and thus working the controls
might cease to be an issue.

> ** As for the comment made elsewhere about autoloaders being slower...

> that's TODAY's autoloaders
> which I equate to the muzzle loading musket. We eventually developed
the
> repeating rifle then a number
> of nasty autofire variants. How about a G11 like rotating breech? I
bet
> a big version of that could load
> very quickly.

Big fast auto loaders exist, its just that the linkage and such needed
to
make them work are really bulky.

<TODAY>

The auto loaders I think of are the kind
that are onboard naval vessels and feed the 5" guns. Those turrets _do
not just_ mount on the deck. They go several decks through and are quite

bulky.

<TODAY>

The few other tanks that have auto loaders that take little space
are those that have a revolver style arrangement. Thats, great for fast
followup shots, however, they are short on loads (8-10 ready use rounds
as I recall) and they must be replenished from outside the tank

<TODAY>

** Let us further presume that we can develop for example a high speed
autoloader and feed system like a G-11. Or what about tanks mounting
HELs? No reloads. Or DFFGs? maybe or maybe not reloads. Mass Drivers?
You don't load the smaller MDCs by hand, so why the heck would you do it
with the bigger ones? I doubt it would work without a viable autoloader.

. Not the
best thing to do with a main battle tank in the middle of a pitched
battle.

** Well, from my limited experience, tanks don't fire that many rounds
at one time before 1) dying or 2) ending the fight. But that's mostly
simulation talking so I'm willing to here other evidence...

> ** I guess my point is one should (if playing SF) try to forsee the
> direction technology is going in terms
> of increasing capability and its force multiplier effects. It serves
to
> help do more with less. You can't do
> everything with nothing (yet) but you can certainly see that
technology
> will change our lives and the lives
> of soldiers by automating many tasks that otherwise would be done
> manually and by simplifying (if the

True, but if you can make a self healing and tensioning track, a power
pack that is easy to change out with 2 guys, computers that aren't
fooled
and are 100% reliable, and an auto loader that needs little work to keep

it humming (not to mention space and is fast) then it will be all rosey
and cheerful.

** Dispense with the track. (an option). I think Grav drives would be
solid state. They are supposedly (according to canon) common. Depot
maintenance only probably - maybe some simple tuning. maybe not.
** Power pack? FGP. If you do that, you change fuel rods every.... five
years? five months? not enough to worry about in some ways.
** 100% reliable? Wow. You want a gaurantee. I'll offer you that if you
convince me your human occupants that it replaced were 100% reliable.
I'll give you as good or better performance of vision and AI systems in
30-40 years, let alone 200. I may even be able to give you near 100%,
which might be a LOT better than the humans could manage.
** Autoloaders may become irrelevant with HELs, with DFFGs, or with some
other weapon types. For others, they are a must. Only for CPR guns are
they an issue and if we can't solve this in 200 years, then Henry Ford
should have not bothered with mass production nor Thomas Edison with
electricity because we're a bunch of clods.

> have to ship a new Framboozle drive out to your tank 30 ly away.

If you are smart, you've taken more than enough along with you and your
force. You did bring field repair kit right? You are going to be able to

recover and repair damaged tanks and AFVs right?

** Sure, but I'd rather have a list of 1000 parts, rather than 10,000.
And if my tank has an MTBF of 10 weeks rather than 10 hours, that'd be
pretty swell too - you can see the advantage of that given a long supply
chain?

> ** Speaking of which, it would be an interesting thing to work into
DS3
> to have a reliability factor. Let
> people build older tech not because it is bigger or clunkier, but
> because it is proven and breaks down less.
> In campaign games, this could be a major consideration for a force
with
> a long logistics tail (like across
> the galaxy...).

Yep, if you can easily repair an IC engine on Delta Tau 4, from locally
obtained spares then you are far better off than if you need to have a
shuttle (COD flight?)

<We don't take checks!>

deliver a fusion powerpack from the sterile production
floors of New Bremen...

** Agree. Or else that FGP must be so much more reliable and powerful
than the IC that the trip is worth it.

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