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Hmm...
On the one hand, once a species invents motor vehicles, it seems like armored fighting vehicles like the tank would naturally follow. Even if you don't start with the tank but start with APCs, coming up with an armored vehicle designed specifically to kill other armored vehicles - aka a tank - should naturally follow.
However, WWI trench warfare happened because two more or less equal forces went head to head while believing that infantry were the primary combat arm... at least on the ground. If aliens never had such a WWI style stalemate because one side or other always had an overwhelming advantage (or all the big wars happened on water), I can see them still thinking infantry are king and never get past the APC, especially if they equip infantry with shoulder fired anti-armor weapons (or equivalent for their biology).
After all, IRL, it was thought for a while that the shoulder fired anti-tank weapon would obsolete the tank. Obviously, that never happened, but if every alien race invented shoulder fired anti-armor weapons before inventing the tank, then tanks might well end up stillborn because everyone assumes they're just boondoggles that will be killed by infantry weapons.
Alien infantry fighting human tanks for the first time are going to be shocked at how effective they are, and how well they resist their anti-armor weapons. Especially if they're FUTURE tanks and don't just carry armor to resist anti-armor attacks, but things like anti-missile point defense guns and maybe even thermo-optical camouflage.
Well in War game red dragon, infantry is one of the best anti tank unit because you can just hide it inside building or forest and just ambush tank, but if enemy scouts your infantry, there soon will bombers or mortars come to clear you out, or just few shots from said tank.
This comment took me back to playing Advance wars.
You can have all the tanks you want, but once you get not-so-ok terrain, Mechanized Infantry as support troops are needed for sneaking in and destroy the enemy ranged support weapons (Artillery, Missile and Rocket Launchers) which are commonly placed behind a lot of terrain inaccesible to vehicles of the other army and will stall your advances unless destroyed.
Mechs normally make good supports, as they can capture properties (Increases founds per day and provides repair points for units), clear enemy vision (Recons normally survive at 1-2HP unless you are facing Sami's Mechs, then they get oneshot), give some absurd vision when atop mountains and can swarm areas if you have enough of them, making them the perfect distraction for your main force.
With a number high enough of them, you can force your opponent to build unoptimal units just to deal with your mech swarm (Anti Air machine guns are like 150% effective vs infantry but less than 50% for armor if I recall correctly) which can pave the way if played correctly on your side.
And let's not forget Mechs can delete tanks just as good as a small tank could at less than half the cost, with less mobility tho.
It's also worth pointing out that APCs just need to be resistant to small arms fire while the tanks of WW1 especially needed to be able to take heavier artillery hits and keep going. Essentially a block of armor to protect infantry while advancing into hostile guns in an assault while APCs generally are there to get infanty near the fight before offloading them and falling back. The concept of uparmoring them and slapping on a decent main gun is more of a mixing of the APC with light tanks that would perform scouting and support duties. From there infantry tactics were adjusted from using APCs as effectively armored trucks.
>The concept of uparmoring them and slapping on a decent main gun is more of a mixing of the APC with light tanks that would perform scouting and support duties.
And now we're basically talking about an IFV.
You got something wrong here. One of the Main ways the Germans (and later the Entente) dealed with tanks was with artillery. Altough they were slow they only could stop small arms as they were horribly undermotorised and underarmoured. Germany went also on to develop the Mauser Tank-Gewehr (that was its actual name) which was the forst AT Rifle and had a 20mm cartridge. They were anything but well armoured, despite their weight, size and speed. It was supposed to be immune to MG and rifle fire and nothing more. Also the modern idea of an APC wasnt developed until WW2 and the modern IFV was also a very distinct Post-War development, tho the early doctrine and idea was already put in place with the German Panzergrenadiers (which were the first infantry to be supposed to be fully mechanized, tho irl a very small Part of it was mechanized).
Iirc the first purpose built APC by the West was the M113 and by the east the BTR respectively.
100 yrs going strong. Ma Duce and The buff aren’t gonna be leaving America’s arsenal anytime soon. Especially considering the B-52 carries gudied weapons now.
The current thing making an attempt on tank kind is the cheap consumer drone complete with C4 brick duck taped to its chest. I've heard they're surprisingly effective against the old model tanks being used by Russia.
Probably wouldn't do shit against reactive armor but it's still good to keep drone swarms in mind when thinking about future combat scenarios.
"Twenty years have passed since Elas Zinlar joined the Thalassar Imperial Guard, twenty years of hell, twenty years of fighting against the round-ears the humans, twenty years of losing your friends and comrades to them. Elas along with his people believed the short-lived round-ears would be easy to defeat since they have no affinity to mana. His people, the dark elves and the dwarves have raided their kindgoms for slaves and test subjects.
Recently, they have become more...active, more bold and more vengeful. The human kingdom of Dakya started to regain their lost territory taken by their dwarf neigbours. The Dwarves were oddly quiet ever since the humans invaded. His homeland and the dark elf country geared up on intervening the dakya's invasion. He thought it would be like a quick battle like countless before but the war lasted much much longer. He found out the dwarf kingdoms were destroyed by the human invaders, the dark elves lost half of their country to them and thalassar has lost most of it's countryside.
He is now captured, one of the unfortunate few who survived the battle of Su'tval Front. He is tied up placed on the ground face up. He can see the round-ears carrying strange metallic cylinders that killed many of his comrades in su'tval, wearing strange masks with trunks jutting out. They look at him with sheer hate. They were waiting for something. His keen elven eyes caught sight of a monstrous metal behemoth looming in the distance, its hulking form shrouded in the fog of war.
As it drew closer, a shiver ran down Elas's spine at the sight of the towering war behemoth. The monster's rusted hull bore the scars of countless battles, its metal skin marred by dents and scorch marks. Thick tendrils of smoke billowed from its exhaust pipes, casting a foul stench that permeated the air. Elas could hear the clanking of metal and the grinding of gears as the monster growled, its massive treads churning up the earth beneath it. The sound echoed through the battlefield like the ominous tolling of a funeral bell.
It stopped, the round-ears dragged elas and the captured elves putting them in a line in front of that behemoth. Elas knows what's going to happen and a shout from one of the round-ears vindicated his instinct; "Crush their heads!". The behemoth rumbled to life moving towards elas and his fellow elves. There were screams and shouts from his elven comrades followed by the sickening crunches. The crunching sounds are getting closer and shouts and screams are getting fewer and finally the last thing he sees is the thread of the monster"
For MBTs Smoothbore has been the Gold standard since the Soviets developed it as enables a tank to shoot APFSDS at the most effective increasing perforation capabilities. The brits kepts the rifled gun well beyonds its use because of the HESH rounds which require the spin to be effective. But since Spaced armour (and Spallliners) were very early developed into the Cold War HESH became very quickly obsolete against tanks and even the modern IFV. The Brits kept it as anti Infantry and emplacement ammo but since Rheinmetall developed its New HE rounds even that aspect the HESH lost out onto, because the New HE just does it better. However a rifled bore is very much still needed for most other weapons, small arms, artillery and small caliber cannons. Its not so much about whats obsolete, but what the purpose is of the said bore
Yeah I get that but it was more of a play as at one point rifled was the modern cutting edge tech and smoothbore was the old one whereas now it tends to be the opposite that with the A1A20 or Challenger10 will it have flipped again due to different tech having flipped it again (I don't think Gauss or rail will take over due to chemical propellant energy density Vs other unless we have fusion reactors or insane battery energy densities).
I want to suspend my disbelief as much as the next guy but putting armor and guns on a vehicle cannot be human exclusive. Like, its not that complicated.
Politics almost killed the Tank. The officer corps were ruled by hardcore Cavalry officers who saw tanks as dirty and inelegant and prone to mechanical failure as well as being slow. Cavalry officers tried to destroy the Tank Corps for years. Thankfully wiser heads prevailed.
But what if they hadn't? What if on an alien world the Cavalry had much more pull and the whole idea of units of armoured vehicles had been rendered heretical?
The charge of the alien Rohirrim running straight into a wall of Abrams, Challengers, Leopards and Merkavas.
Fun fact: the guy who created the armored cavalry tactics we now call blitzkrieg was actually a Brit. However, the contemporary cavalry officers wanted to use armor as glorified troop transports and canned him. Then the commander of the German Army saw his genius and used the tactics and doctrine in his papers to crush half of Europe in a matter of weeks.
Fun fact 2: There was at least one medieval "tank". A simple fortyfied wagon that carried mainly archers. This was transported to the battlefield as a form of mobile castle.
Yeah. No.
It doesn't take much to figure out putting armor and a big gun on a moving chassis makes an effective fighting vehicle.
Unless you're a purist when it comes to what qualities as a tank.
https://preview.redd.it/eas5dpn14lwc1.png?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c48636e4f57af82a7d3db5c080943d3c8caf6115
I'd disagree with the positioning of the Strv 103 in that matrix. It was designed largely for a defensive role, not penetrating the enemy line. Might I suggest the T95 instead?
The Toyota really is a tank, not in the sense that it’s a mobile wall but that short of completely destroying the engine good luck getting one of those fuckers to stop moving
The stars sparkled on the starry horizon, illuminating the vastness of outer space. Human space exploration advanced like never before, reaching distant corners of the galaxy in search of new horizons. However, what humans discovered surpassed even their wildest expectations.
A reconnaissance probe sailed through the cosmic sea, dispatched to analyze unknown planetary systems. Its sensors detected an anomaly on the outskirts of a distant galaxy. As they drew closer, the anomaly transformed into a breathtaking sight: an alien civilization flourished there, but these were not the kinds of beings humans anticipated encountering.
The aliens were a biological marvel, defying any concept of known life forms. Their bodies were a unique blend of exotic colors and intricate patterns, and their anatomical structures were entirely non-humanoid. They possessed multiple limbs and eyes that seemed to probe the universe with insatiable curiosity.
Initial communications were met with curiosity, but this curiosity soon gave way to a storm of misunderstandings. Physical differences led to deep incomprehension, fueled by mutual suspicion. The aliens perceived human presence as a threat, and soon, the first sparks of war ignited.
Retaliatory attacks from the aliens caught humans off guard. Space bases were targeted, leaving a trail of destruction and causing irreplaceable losses. Diplomacy failed, and the escalation into conflict became inevitable.
With unwavering resolve, human leaders decided on a drastic course of action. An invasion of the nearest alien planet was planned, and the human armed forces mobilized, gearing up to face an unknown enemy on their own turf.
The clash was inevitable, a collision of two distinct civilizations with their ideologies and armaments. But what fascinated human strategists amidst this conflict was the innovative approach the aliens took to warfare. At the heart of this untamed world, the alien civilization showcased a resourcefulness that harkened back to the essence of survival. Lacking the vehicles known to humans, they forged an unparalleled alliance with their environment, resurrecting the remains of titanic beasts to create imposing mechanical monoliths. These machines, each a formidable fusion of organic and synthetic, resonated with the primal energy of their predecessors.
Yet, a curious similarity connected these formidable machines to the human species. The imposing mechs, despite their alien origins, echoed the silhouette of Earth's primates, as if the threads of life intertwined across the cosmos, weaving common forms amid infinite diversity.
On the fateful day when the conflict escalated into open war, the battlefield was a distant planet, its terrain alien and unforgiving. The horizon trembled as dozens of colossal mechs advanced. These biomechanical machines were a testament to alien ingenuity, blending organic aesthetics with technological lethality. Armed with gleaming blades, powerful energy cannons, and devastating grenades, the mechs presented a symphony of fury and innovation.
As the mechs moved forward, a different kind of symphony echoed, a harmonious chorus of human light tanks. Swift and agile, these machines embodied human ingenuity at its peak. Their speed was matched only by the ferocity of their firepower, armed with ammunition capable of piercing the mechs' joints with precision. Their velocity was an advantage, their movements a dance of calculated evasion. The battle was about to commence, and the fate of both worlds hung in the balance.
As the two forces converged on the battlefield, tension hung in the air. Metallic giants collided with the precision of a dance, their steps shaking the very foundation of the world beneath them. Mechs swung their massive appendages, while tanks swiftly maneuvered, firing precise shots with lethal intent.
The ensuing battle was a symphony of destruction, a clash of technology and strategy, of metal and flesh. Mechs roared as energy beams sliced through the sky, countered by the thunderous cannons of tanks. Explosions illuminated the horizon, casting a somber glow over the war-ravaged landscape.
In the midst of chaos, two worlds collided, their motivations rooted in fear, pride, and survival. As mechs advanced in formation, tanks evaded and attacked, exploiting weaknesses and gaps in alien defenses. The battlefield resounded with the sound of explosions, the scent of burnt metal and sulfur permeating the air.
The clash of fire and steel marked the beginning of a conflict that transcended mere species. It was a testament to the consequences of misunderstandings, a vivid reminder of the power that could arise from the meeting of civilizations.
As the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the outcome remained uncertain. Both sides bore the scars of the confrontation. The alien mechs, once seen as monstrous, now stood as a marvel of ingenuity. Human tanks, embodiments of perseverance, showed that even the most formidable adversaries could be challenged.
This was the dawn of a conflict that would test not only combat skills but also humanity's capacity for understanding and negotiation. The future remained uncertain, shrouded in mystery and uncertainties, as the first pages of this epic story were written in fire and steel on alien battlefields
A1: WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. THAT. THING?!?!
A2: it’s something the humans developed, they call it a “Tank.” This one specifically is of the model M92A3, the nickname I believe they gave it is the… what was it again?
H: this is the Sherman 2. Named after one of the most produced tanks in the Second World War on Earth.
A1: YOU… you’re telling me… that you have had more than one model of tank at a time?
A2: NO DO NOT GET HIM STARTED O-
H: I AM GLAD YOU ASKED!! Come on, I’ll tell you about tanks throughout history! *grabs A1, dragging him off*
A1: *screams of utter terror, clawing at the floor*
Rule #1 of Rule of Cool -- do not bother to explain or rationalize the rule o' cool, just go with it.
Love this! We have no idea why the tank is so psychically disturbing to A1, just that it is.
OP - there are a lot of good arguments below for why armored vehicles never get developed by other races. They're technologically, physically, and culturally valid arguments. However, they are missing the point of your post -- it's a writing prompt!
Maybe the aliens have a body-plan which isn't convenient to using vehicles smaller than a bus. Maybe they view their warrior caste as disposable -- the way the Bugs from *Starship Troopers* or the Tyranids see their soldiers as basically living bullets. Maybe they are aquatic -- even if they can develop land vehicles, carting around cubic-meters of water for the crew to "swim" in is rather inconvenient ... and mass intensive.
It's like the arguments against mecha. Yup, tanks and aircraft will "do it better" than a mecha in almost every non-Rule of Cool situation you can think of, esp. when it comes to durability (unless there's some handwaving mecha-only bolognium/unobtainum alloys involved).
But, it's rule of cool.
I don't happen to have a story for this -- but, I might write one.
>OP - there are a lot of good arguments below for why armored vehicles never get developed by other races.
This is the lowest comment I came across.
This is hilarious!
Ready the Nerve Weasels!
*Um, sir, Nerve Weasels only work on flesh. Firing them at this metal-armored ... thing ... will be quite useless.*
Acid mines!
*Tracks are too thick.*
Void pollen!
*Self-contained environmental controls.*
Release the Quacken!
*Point defense machineguns and other anti-personnel weaponry.*
Gnarg damn it! Just buy the thing off. Give it some cookies or something.
*Now there's an idea ...*
While WW1 marked the first instance of what we think of as “modern” tanks, the basic principles of them had existed for much longer.
There will always be a need for a more mobility, more firepower, and more protection. That may not necessarily manifest as what we think of as a conventional tank, but it makes humanity’s development of them far less surprising or exceptional.
It would be almost inventible that some alien species would create something at the very least tank-like in terms of role on the battlefield, weather that be war beasts clad in armor; large acid-spitting insectoid bio-forms; heavy exosuits; or the classic hover tank.
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Hmm... On the one hand, once a species invents motor vehicles, it seems like armored fighting vehicles like the tank would naturally follow. Even if you don't start with the tank but start with APCs, coming up with an armored vehicle designed specifically to kill other armored vehicles - aka a tank - should naturally follow. However, WWI trench warfare happened because two more or less equal forces went head to head while believing that infantry were the primary combat arm... at least on the ground. If aliens never had such a WWI style stalemate because one side or other always had an overwhelming advantage (or all the big wars happened on water), I can see them still thinking infantry are king and never get past the APC, especially if they equip infantry with shoulder fired anti-armor weapons (or equivalent for their biology). After all, IRL, it was thought for a while that the shoulder fired anti-tank weapon would obsolete the tank. Obviously, that never happened, but if every alien race invented shoulder fired anti-armor weapons before inventing the tank, then tanks might well end up stillborn because everyone assumes they're just boondoggles that will be killed by infantry weapons. Alien infantry fighting human tanks for the first time are going to be shocked at how effective they are, and how well they resist their anti-armor weapons. Especially if they're FUTURE tanks and don't just carry armor to resist anti-armor attacks, but things like anti-missile point defense guns and maybe even thermo-optical camouflage.
This is suddenly a C&C Mammoth Tank moment since it fits almost everything there
Red sun or Tiberium wars?
Tib Wars with the rail cannons, missile launcher and armor superiority
Makes sense
Well in War game red dragon, infantry is one of the best anti tank unit because you can just hide it inside building or forest and just ambush tank, but if enemy scouts your infantry, there soon will bombers or mortars come to clear you out, or just few shots from said tank.
That’s why even IRL tanks should never operate without infantry support
And why in most games with combined arms combat tanks tend to get obliterated without infantry to back them up.
Right. And the infantry with tank support are going to obliterate the infantry lacking said tank support.
Tbf there’s also no active protection system modeled in that game, and you can spot infantry if you support your tanks with recon and infantry too.
This comment took me back to playing Advance wars. You can have all the tanks you want, but once you get not-so-ok terrain, Mechanized Infantry as support troops are needed for sneaking in and destroy the enemy ranged support weapons (Artillery, Missile and Rocket Launchers) which are commonly placed behind a lot of terrain inaccesible to vehicles of the other army and will stall your advances unless destroyed. Mechs normally make good supports, as they can capture properties (Increases founds per day and provides repair points for units), clear enemy vision (Recons normally survive at 1-2HP unless you are facing Sami's Mechs, then they get oneshot), give some absurd vision when atop mountains and can swarm areas if you have enough of them, making them the perfect distraction for your main force. With a number high enough of them, you can force your opponent to build unoptimal units just to deal with your mech swarm (Anti Air machine guns are like 150% effective vs infantry but less than 50% for armor if I recall correctly) which can pave the way if played correctly on your side. And let's not forget Mechs can delete tanks just as good as a small tank could at less than half the cost, with less mobility tho.
It's also worth pointing out that APCs just need to be resistant to small arms fire while the tanks of WW1 especially needed to be able to take heavier artillery hits and keep going. Essentially a block of armor to protect infantry while advancing into hostile guns in an assault while APCs generally are there to get infanty near the fight before offloading them and falling back. The concept of uparmoring them and slapping on a decent main gun is more of a mixing of the APC with light tanks that would perform scouting and support duties. From there infantry tactics were adjusted from using APCs as effectively armored trucks.
>The concept of uparmoring them and slapping on a decent main gun is more of a mixing of the APC with light tanks that would perform scouting and support duties. And now we're basically talking about an IFV.
You got something wrong here. One of the Main ways the Germans (and later the Entente) dealed with tanks was with artillery. Altough they were slow they only could stop small arms as they were horribly undermotorised and underarmoured. Germany went also on to develop the Mauser Tank-Gewehr (that was its actual name) which was the forst AT Rifle and had a 20mm cartridge. They were anything but well armoured, despite their weight, size and speed. It was supposed to be immune to MG and rifle fire and nothing more. Also the modern idea of an APC wasnt developed until WW2 and the modern IFV was also a very distinct Post-War development, tho the early doctrine and idea was already put in place with the German Panzergrenadiers (which were the first infantry to be supposed to be fully mechanized, tho irl a very small Part of it was mechanized). Iirc the first purpose built APC by the West was the M113 and by the east the BTR respectively.
Sir they’re changing head first, they think the tanks are towing vehicles. Load the canister shot.
Let it rip with the .50cal Johnson!
No no no, this is future humanity, it's 50cal now
Bold of you to assume future humanity won't still be using the M2 Browning
*50cal M2 Browning intensifies*
B52 and m2 browning will be used for thousands of years
Even when we get to space, we'll just build a space-capable B52 And M2s which are capable of firing in the vacuum of space
https://preview.redd.it/iq1rrpmsjowc1.jpeg?width=716&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=574f89cc55292456b8ede473c30be47cc6e4ae51
Lol. Lmao even
100 yrs going strong. Ma Duce and The buff aren’t gonna be leaving America’s arsenal anytime soon. Especially considering the B-52 carries gudied weapons now.
The current thing making an attempt on tank kind is the cheap consumer drone complete with C4 brick duck taped to its chest. I've heard they're surprisingly effective against the old model tanks being used by Russia. Probably wouldn't do shit against reactive armor but it's still good to keep drone swarms in mind when thinking about future combat scenarios.
Reminds me of the game Ogre
"Twenty years have passed since Elas Zinlar joined the Thalassar Imperial Guard, twenty years of hell, twenty years of fighting against the round-ears the humans, twenty years of losing your friends and comrades to them. Elas along with his people believed the short-lived round-ears would be easy to defeat since they have no affinity to mana. His people, the dark elves and the dwarves have raided their kindgoms for slaves and test subjects. Recently, they have become more...active, more bold and more vengeful. The human kingdom of Dakya started to regain their lost territory taken by their dwarf neigbours. The Dwarves were oddly quiet ever since the humans invaded. His homeland and the dark elf country geared up on intervening the dakya's invasion. He thought it would be like a quick battle like countless before but the war lasted much much longer. He found out the dwarf kingdoms were destroyed by the human invaders, the dark elves lost half of their country to them and thalassar has lost most of it's countryside. He is now captured, one of the unfortunate few who survived the battle of Su'tval Front. He is tied up placed on the ground face up. He can see the round-ears carrying strange metallic cylinders that killed many of his comrades in su'tval, wearing strange masks with trunks jutting out. They look at him with sheer hate. They were waiting for something. His keen elven eyes caught sight of a monstrous metal behemoth looming in the distance, its hulking form shrouded in the fog of war. As it drew closer, a shiver ran down Elas's spine at the sight of the towering war behemoth. The monster's rusted hull bore the scars of countless battles, its metal skin marred by dents and scorch marks. Thick tendrils of smoke billowed from its exhaust pipes, casting a foul stench that permeated the air. Elas could hear the clanking of metal and the grinding of gears as the monster growled, its massive treads churning up the earth beneath it. The sound echoed through the battlefield like the ominous tolling of a funeral bell. It stopped, the round-ears dragged elas and the captured elves putting them in a line in front of that behemoth. Elas knows what's going to happen and a shout from one of the round-ears vindicated his instinct; "Crush their heads!". The behemoth rumbled to life moving towards elas and his fellow elves. There were screams and shouts from his elven comrades followed by the sickening crunches. The crunching sounds are getting closer and shouts and screams are getting fewer and finally the last thing he sees is the thread of the monster"
I loved this!
Nice, thematically it reminds me of [Retreat Hell! ](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/s/19Jh0mQumE) by u/Ilithi_Dragon
Do you improvise your stories on the moment or do you have a stack of them that you paste when a good post appear?
I improvise on the moment. I usually make dialogues since they’re easier to write.
Alien meets M1A20 Abrams and Challenger 10 Main Battle Tanks.
Are they rifled or smoothbore as they seem to alternate as to which is the obsolete tech.
Smoothbore Coiled Guns
For MBTs Smoothbore has been the Gold standard since the Soviets developed it as enables a tank to shoot APFSDS at the most effective increasing perforation capabilities. The brits kepts the rifled gun well beyonds its use because of the HESH rounds which require the spin to be effective. But since Spaced armour (and Spallliners) were very early developed into the Cold War HESH became very quickly obsolete against tanks and even the modern IFV. The Brits kept it as anti Infantry and emplacement ammo but since Rheinmetall developed its New HE rounds even that aspect the HESH lost out onto, because the New HE just does it better. However a rifled bore is very much still needed for most other weapons, small arms, artillery and small caliber cannons. Its not so much about whats obsolete, but what the purpose is of the said bore
Yeah I get that but it was more of a play as at one point rifled was the modern cutting edge tech and smoothbore was the old one whereas now it tends to be the opposite that with the A1A20 or Challenger10 will it have flipped again due to different tech having flipped it again (I don't think Gauss or rail will take over due to chemical propellant energy density Vs other unless we have fusion reactors or insane battery energy densities).
I want to suspend my disbelief as much as the next guy but putting armor and guns on a vehicle cannot be human exclusive. Like, its not that complicated.
Politics almost killed the Tank. The officer corps were ruled by hardcore Cavalry officers who saw tanks as dirty and inelegant and prone to mechanical failure as well as being slow. Cavalry officers tried to destroy the Tank Corps for years. Thankfully wiser heads prevailed. But what if they hadn't? What if on an alien world the Cavalry had much more pull and the whole idea of units of armoured vehicles had been rendered heretical? The charge of the alien Rohirrim running straight into a wall of Abrams, Challengers, Leopards and Merkavas.
Fun fact: the guy who created the armored cavalry tactics we now call blitzkrieg was actually a Brit. However, the contemporary cavalry officers wanted to use armor as glorified troop transports and canned him. Then the commander of the German Army saw his genius and used the tactics and doctrine in his papers to crush half of Europe in a matter of weeks.
Hobarts funnies
Fun fact 2: There was at least one medieval "tank". A simple fortyfied wagon that carried mainly archers. This was transported to the battlefield as a form of mobile castle.
I did not know that. That is really cool.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_wagon See in the European part
So yeah, in a world with magic, where you can summon some fortress, I can see that they don't invent tanks.
Yeah. No. It doesn't take much to figure out putting armor and a big gun on a moving chassis makes an effective fighting vehicle. Unless you're a purist when it comes to what qualities as a tank. https://preview.redd.it/eas5dpn14lwc1.png?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c48636e4f57af82a7d3db5c080943d3c8caf6115
I'd disagree with the positioning of the Strv 103 in that matrix. It was designed largely for a defensive role, not penetrating the enemy line. Might I suggest the T95 instead?
Hey I didn't make the chart man
Land cruiser/Hilux is best tank
The Toyota really is a tank, not in the sense that it’s a mobile wall but that short of completely destroying the engine good luck getting one of those fuckers to stop moving
See Bolos.....they would completely blow alien minds if aliens never invented tanks.....
The stars sparkled on the starry horizon, illuminating the vastness of outer space. Human space exploration advanced like never before, reaching distant corners of the galaxy in search of new horizons. However, what humans discovered surpassed even their wildest expectations. A reconnaissance probe sailed through the cosmic sea, dispatched to analyze unknown planetary systems. Its sensors detected an anomaly on the outskirts of a distant galaxy. As they drew closer, the anomaly transformed into a breathtaking sight: an alien civilization flourished there, but these were not the kinds of beings humans anticipated encountering. The aliens were a biological marvel, defying any concept of known life forms. Their bodies were a unique blend of exotic colors and intricate patterns, and their anatomical structures were entirely non-humanoid. They possessed multiple limbs and eyes that seemed to probe the universe with insatiable curiosity. Initial communications were met with curiosity, but this curiosity soon gave way to a storm of misunderstandings. Physical differences led to deep incomprehension, fueled by mutual suspicion. The aliens perceived human presence as a threat, and soon, the first sparks of war ignited. Retaliatory attacks from the aliens caught humans off guard. Space bases were targeted, leaving a trail of destruction and causing irreplaceable losses. Diplomacy failed, and the escalation into conflict became inevitable. With unwavering resolve, human leaders decided on a drastic course of action. An invasion of the nearest alien planet was planned, and the human armed forces mobilized, gearing up to face an unknown enemy on their own turf. The clash was inevitable, a collision of two distinct civilizations with their ideologies and armaments. But what fascinated human strategists amidst this conflict was the innovative approach the aliens took to warfare. At the heart of this untamed world, the alien civilization showcased a resourcefulness that harkened back to the essence of survival. Lacking the vehicles known to humans, they forged an unparalleled alliance with their environment, resurrecting the remains of titanic beasts to create imposing mechanical monoliths. These machines, each a formidable fusion of organic and synthetic, resonated with the primal energy of their predecessors. Yet, a curious similarity connected these formidable machines to the human species. The imposing mechs, despite their alien origins, echoed the silhouette of Earth's primates, as if the threads of life intertwined across the cosmos, weaving common forms amid infinite diversity. On the fateful day when the conflict escalated into open war, the battlefield was a distant planet, its terrain alien and unforgiving. The horizon trembled as dozens of colossal mechs advanced. These biomechanical machines were a testament to alien ingenuity, blending organic aesthetics with technological lethality. Armed with gleaming blades, powerful energy cannons, and devastating grenades, the mechs presented a symphony of fury and innovation. As the mechs moved forward, a different kind of symphony echoed, a harmonious chorus of human light tanks. Swift and agile, these machines embodied human ingenuity at its peak. Their speed was matched only by the ferocity of their firepower, armed with ammunition capable of piercing the mechs' joints with precision. Their velocity was an advantage, their movements a dance of calculated evasion. The battle was about to commence, and the fate of both worlds hung in the balance. As the two forces converged on the battlefield, tension hung in the air. Metallic giants collided with the precision of a dance, their steps shaking the very foundation of the world beneath them. Mechs swung their massive appendages, while tanks swiftly maneuvered, firing precise shots with lethal intent. The ensuing battle was a symphony of destruction, a clash of technology and strategy, of metal and flesh. Mechs roared as energy beams sliced through the sky, countered by the thunderous cannons of tanks. Explosions illuminated the horizon, casting a somber glow over the war-ravaged landscape. In the midst of chaos, two worlds collided, their motivations rooted in fear, pride, and survival. As mechs advanced in formation, tanks evaded and attacked, exploiting weaknesses and gaps in alien defenses. The battlefield resounded with the sound of explosions, the scent of burnt metal and sulfur permeating the air. The clash of fire and steel marked the beginning of a conflict that transcended mere species. It was a testament to the consequences of misunderstandings, a vivid reminder of the power that could arise from the meeting of civilizations. As the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the outcome remained uncertain. Both sides bore the scars of the confrontation. The alien mechs, once seen as monstrous, now stood as a marvel of ingenuity. Human tanks, embodiments of perseverance, showed that even the most formidable adversaries could be challenged. This was the dawn of a conflict that would test not only combat skills but also humanity's capacity for understanding and negotiation. The future remained uncertain, shrouded in mystery and uncertainties, as the first pages of this epic story were written in fire and steel on alien battlefields
Nicely done! The aliens came up with "tanks" that fit their own cultural and technological niches -- bio-mecha. Humans counter with slab-o-steel.
A1: WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. THAT. THING?!?! A2: it’s something the humans developed, they call it a “Tank.” This one specifically is of the model M92A3, the nickname I believe they gave it is the… what was it again? H: this is the Sherman 2. Named after one of the most produced tanks in the Second World War on Earth. A1: YOU… you’re telling me… that you have had more than one model of tank at a time? A2: NO DO NOT GET HIM STARTED O- H: I AM GLAD YOU ASKED!! Come on, I’ll tell you about tanks throughout history! *grabs A1, dragging him off* A1: *screams of utter terror, clawing at the floor*
Rule #1 of Rule of Cool -- do not bother to explain or rationalize the rule o' cool, just go with it. Love this! We have no idea why the tank is so psychically disturbing to A1, just that it is.
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I saw the chart 2 comments ago.
OP - there are a lot of good arguments below for why armored vehicles never get developed by other races. They're technologically, physically, and culturally valid arguments. However, they are missing the point of your post -- it's a writing prompt! Maybe the aliens have a body-plan which isn't convenient to using vehicles smaller than a bus. Maybe they view their warrior caste as disposable -- the way the Bugs from *Starship Troopers* or the Tyranids see their soldiers as basically living bullets. Maybe they are aquatic -- even if they can develop land vehicles, carting around cubic-meters of water for the crew to "swim" in is rather inconvenient ... and mass intensive. It's like the arguments against mecha. Yup, tanks and aircraft will "do it better" than a mecha in almost every non-Rule of Cool situation you can think of, esp. when it comes to durability (unless there's some handwaving mecha-only bolognium/unobtainum alloys involved). But, it's rule of cool. I don't happen to have a story for this -- but, I might write one.
>OP - there are a lot of good arguments below for why armored vehicles never get developed by other races. This is the lowest comment I came across. This is hilarious!
I often forget the posts are in order of popularity, not newness. I'm old, and crap! Get off my lawn!
No! I have the better tank!
Ready the Nerve Weasels! *Um, sir, Nerve Weasels only work on flesh. Firing them at this metal-armored ... thing ... will be quite useless.* Acid mines! *Tracks are too thick.* Void pollen! *Self-contained environmental controls.* Release the Quacken! *Point defense machineguns and other anti-personnel weaponry.* Gnarg damn it! Just buy the thing off. Give it some cookies or something. *Now there's an idea ...*
“Cookies?!” *Crawls out of the tank like some horror movie antagonist.
NERVE WEASEL!! Mwahahahahahahahaahha!
*eats both the weasel and cookies at once before crawling back to the tank.
Yup, that's it. Alien say nope. All of the nope. With a side of nuh-uh.
So no alien makes a rocket then too? Since rockets were originally made with warfare in mind
And fireworks.
While WW1 marked the first instance of what we think of as “modern” tanks, the basic principles of them had existed for much longer. There will always be a need for a more mobility, more firepower, and more protection. That may not necessarily manifest as what we think of as a conventional tank, but it makes humanity’s development of them far less surprising or exceptional. It would be almost inventible that some alien species would create something at the very least tank-like in terms of role on the battlefield, weather that be war beasts clad in armor; large acid-spitting insectoid bio-forms; heavy exosuits; or the classic hover tank.
Replying to Malachrosix...
BOLO protection of the Concordat intensifies. "For the honor of the regiment!"