Technology What purpose would the Tank design in Fallout serve?

[S'task]

I know. Heck, it's also why I think Battletech would work in the Fallout setting. 3 reactor hits and your mechs reactor explodes.

IIRC reactor explosions are kinda rare in battletech, they 'do' happen but most of the time the reactor just shuts off and fizzles out.
There is some pretty cool reactor explosions in the Mechwarrior 3 and Mechwarrior 5 (the OG mechwarrior 5, not the shitty one we got) trailers.

By RAW Reactors simple shut down when they take three engine hits. The entire "fusion plants go big boom" comes from the novels where one specific author was overly fond of having it happen.

There are OPTIONAL rules in BattleTech for having engines go critical, either via having to much heat buildup or an extraordinary number of engine crits (as in, taking five engine crits in a single round, which if you know anything about BattleTech and its statistic curve is... difficult) in a round. But BattleTech has optional rules for just about everything imaginable so...

 

[Typhonis]

By RAW Reactors simple shut down when they take three engine hits. The entire "fusion plants go big boom" comes from the novels where one specific author was overly fond of having it happen.

There are OPTIONAL rules in BattleTech for having engines go critical, either via having to much heat buildup or an extraordinary number of engine crits (as in, taking five engine crits in a single round, which if you know anything about BattleTech and its statistic curve is... difficult) in a round. But BattleTech has optional rules for just about everything imaginable so...

My thoughts were for a Fallout/Btech fusion where if you damage a car too much it goes up in a mushroom cloud.

 

[Bear Ribs]

Btech fusion engines are actually insanely durable and robust. Most of their tech is, we're talking about the universe where even an infatryman's kit can be tossed in a locker and 200 years later it'll still be in usable condition. They have fusion engines that have kept working for 500 years straight, frequently under combat conditions, with only a couple of guys performing maintenance periodically who may or may not actually be literate, much less skilled nuclear technicians.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

By RAW Reactors simple shut down when they take three engine hits. The entire "fusion plants go big boom" comes from the novels where one specific author was overly fond of having it happen.

There are OPTIONAL rules in BattleTech for having engines go critical, either via having to much heat buildup or an extraordinary number of engine crits (as in, taking five engine crits in a single round, which if you know anything about BattleTech and its statistic curve is... difficult) in a round. But BattleTech has optional rules for just about everything imaginable so...

They do show up in Mechwarrior too (not sure how canon that is, considering even then it's only in some cutscenes and Mechwarrior 4 and 5's gameplay).

 

[Carrot of Truth]

After looking at some pictures I have decided that if I end up going through with my Fallout mod ill be using the MBT-70 with some Sci-Fi additions.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

After looking at some pictures I have decided that if I end up going through with my Fallout mod ill be using the MBT-70 with some Sci-Fi additions.

Pretty much spot on, MBT-70 is the sort of thing the OG devs would've used for a 'state of the art fallout tank'.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

Man looking at the FO4 tank, I have to ask myself what the fuck the two sets of tracks are for.
The hull isn't segmented like some IRL armored vehicles, and each track isn't on it's own pod like the scorpion tank, so it's really just needless complexity for fucking zero reason.
I mean I 'know' why they designed it that way, namely the designers don't know how actual weapons work, but I digress...

 

[Lord Sovereign]

After looking at some pictures I have decided that if I end up going through with my Fallout mod ill be using the MBT-70 with some Sci-Fi additions.

Cold war era jets and armour are downright sexy, I have to admit.

 

[Jormungandr]

Yeah -- Bethesda have zero idea about Fallout's original visual design language and themes.

MBT-70 would've been on the level of the ideal Great War MBT design, albeit with a few additions and such since German influence wouldn't have been present.

That... monstrosity up there? The double-barreled Patton with twin barrels and riveted armour? Just what the fuck.

It's something I'd expect to see out of some goofy as shit iteration of Red Alert, but even then at least (until RA3) Allied and Soviet designs had some sort of realistic grounding (for example, the Prism Tank was actually based on a shortened/modified Patton hull, IIRC, which also makes you wonder if Pattons were one of the many Light Tank designs seen in the original Red Alert, along with the German Tigers) to their designs.

 

[Carrot of Truth]

There was an IFV that was being designed alongside the MBT-70 but I can't remember what it was called. I need to find that out so I can see about finding a model of it and see about putting it into FO4.

EDIT: If anyone knows tell me the name of that IFV.

 

[Carrot of Truth]

Yeah -- Bethesda have zero idea about Fallout's original visual design language and themes.

MBT-70 would've been on the level of the ideal Great War MBT design, albeit with a few additions and such since German influence wouldn't have been present.

That... monstrosity up there? The double-barreled Patton with twin barrels and riveted armour? Just what the fuck.

It's something I'd expect to see out of some goofy as shit iteration of Red Alert, but even then at least (until RA3) Allied and Soviet designs had some sort of realistic grounding (for example, the Prism Tank was actually based on a shortened/modified Patton hull, IIRC, which also makes you wonder if Pattons were one of the many Light Tank designs seen in the original Red Alert, along with the German Tigers) to their designs.

It looks like someone saw an M26 Pershing and decided "How can I make this look retarded" then went with it.

 

[Husky_Khan]

There was an IFV that was being designed alongside the MBT-70 but I can't remember what it was called. I need to find that out so I can see about finding a model of it and see about putting it into FO4.

EDIT: If anyone knows tell me the name of that IFV.

The Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV 65/75).

XM723 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle

www.globalsecurity.org

MICV-65 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've spent too much time looking up nebulous military machines for my Gallia threads.

Aesthetically it would've fit far better in Fallout then even the MBT-70 by far.IMHO.

 

[Carrot of Truth]

The Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV 65/75).

XM723 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle

www.globalsecurity.org

MICV-65 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've spent too much time looking up nebulous military machines for my Gallia threads.

Aesthetically it would've fit far better in Fallout then even the MBT-70 by far.IMHO.

Yeah this and the MBT-70 are what I think Fallout aesthetics should be.

 

[Marduk]

Man looking at the FO4 tank, I have to ask myself what the fuck the two sets of tracks are for.
The hull isn't segmented like some IRL armored vehicles, and each track isn't on it's own pod like the scorpion tank, so it's really just needless complexity for fucking zero reason.
I mean I 'know' why they designed it that way, namely the designers don't know how actual weapons work, but I digress...

There is at least one armored vehicle with full dual tracks:

T28 Super Heavy Tank - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The only reason why this one would have it would be that it's also that stupidly heavy.

However, this kind of setup doesn't help much, though it does help with maneuverability, being closer to vehicles like this:

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

There is at least one armored vehicle with full dual tracks:

T28 Super Heavy Tank - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The only reason why this one would have it would be that it's also that stupidly heavy.

However, this kind of setup doesn't help much, though it does help with maneuverability, being closer to vehicles like this:

Oh I know dual tracks can work, in the case of the T95 it was to make it easier to ship via rail/boat, because you could take the outer tracks off. And of course industrial machinery isn't going anywhere anytime quickly, so they have their own reasons for such setups.
But the ones on the FO4 tank don't have any sort of hinging mechanism, or any sort of mechanism which makes them operate as anything but straight running tracks. So the damned thing has more ground pressure than it should have. X_X

 

[Aaron Fox]

Given that this tank is basically the size of a house, the multi-track design is there because of the tracks' limitations.

It came up when I did a commission for a tank a long while back by the guy who did some of the artwork for the MOBA End of Nations. After a certain size and weight, you must go multi-track no ifs or buts. If you don't, you can only go forward or backward, as just turning will throw the track.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

Given that this tank is basically the size of a house, the multi-track design is there because of the tracks' limitations.

It came up when I did a commission for a tank a long while back by the guy who did some of the artwork for the MOBA End of Nations. After a certain size and weight, you must go multi-track no ifs or buts. If you don't, you can only go forward or backward, as just turning will throw the track.

It's really not that big, if the Maus handled single tracks, this thing can too.
And even if you did have to 'split' the tracks, you'd probably make each set identical in size for logistics, ease of maintenance, and general usability.

 

[Marduk]

It's really not that big, if the Maus handled single tracks, this thing can too.

True, though Maus was pretty damn slow. Knowing Fallout this one is nuclear powered and zips around like a MBT, for turning at such speeds it makes some sense.

And even if you did have to 'split' the tracks, you'd probably make each set identical in size for logistics, ease of maintenance, and general usability.

You generally don't switch whole tracks in combat operations, just replace damaged segments, and it looks like track segments and other parts may be interchangeable, so length doesn't matter.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

True, though Maus was pretty damn slow. Knowing Fallout this one is nuclear powered and zips around like a MBT, for turning at such speeds it makes some sense.

Well...We never get any speed information from the tank. And a lot of Fallout pre-war military tech is actually still oil powered. Its only really the FO3 and 4 cars that are all nuclear. Even the Highwayman is simply electric, with options for microfusion cells to charge it up.
Given it's appearance, I am giving doubts its a nimble swift MBT, it looks more like a big slow heavy tank designed to slug it out with other heavies.

You generally don't switch whole tracks in combat operations, just replace damaged segments, and it looks like track segments and other parts may be interchangeable, so length doesn't matter.

You sometimes have to swap tracks for reasons like transport, or when they're worn out. Even if the track segments are the same (they appear to be, Bethesda isn't THAT bad at designing thank god XD), its a lot simpler for the grunts using the thing if it's all standardized.

Forward suspension is 3 wheels and three idlers (too many idlers really...), while the rear suspension is 6 wheels and 6 idlers. Why not just have 5 on the front and back (a lil smaller than the current tank) or 4 on the front and back (and a lil larger)?

Now that I think about it...How the fuck does it transmit power to the front and back sets? This thing has to have a mess of driveshafts or two transmissions.

 

[Marduk]

Well...We never get any speed information from the tank. And a lot of Fallout pre-war military tech is actually still oil powered. Its only really the FO3 and 4 cars that are all nuclear. Even the Highwayman is simply electric, with options for microfusion cells to charge it up.
Given it's appearance, I am giving doubts its a nimble swift MBT, it looks more like a big slow heavy tank designed to slug it out with other heavies.

You sometimes have to swap tracks for reasons like transport, or when they're worn out. Even if the track segments are the same (they appear to be, Bethesda isn't THAT bad at designing thank god XD), its a lot simpler for the grunts using the thing if it's all standardized.

In that case it's a set of tracks per tank either way, regardless of what the tracks are.

Forward suspension is 3 wheels and three idlers (too many idlers really...), while the rear suspension is 6 wheels and 6 idlers. Why not just have 5 on the front and back (a lil smaller than the current tank) or 4 on the front and back (and a lil larger)?

Now that I think about it...How the fuck does it transmit power to the front and back sets? This thing has to have a mess of driveshafts or two transmissions.

That's further suggestion it may be nuclear-electric, no Rube Goldberg gearbox and messy transmission system then.