Chapter 45: Designing a Tank
Throughout history, armies contained an armored group used to smash through enemy lines. It started with chariots. As time passed, people learned to ride the horses instead and cavalry was born. During the middle ages, cavalry was the dominant force on the battlefield, capable of smashing apart lines of infantry and chasing down the stragglers. Every strong army needed strong cavalry.
However, that began to change. As guns became more and more advanced, cavalry began losing effectiveness. This continued until World War 1, when cavalry charges were finally found to be completely useless as machine guns mowed them down in droves. The age of cavalry was over. With the demise of the mobile striking force to break through enemy lines, static warfare developed. However, in this environment, a new force rose up to take the place of the cavalry - tanks.
Developed near the tail end of the first world war, tanks were used to break through trench lines. These tanks looked much different than modern tanks, they had no large cannon and were large and bulky, shaped to be able to roll over trenches. Over time, tanks evolved and changed to better suit the needs of the army. Different types of tanks emerged for different roles. Roland had a century of tank design to examine when building his own tank.
For a long time, Roland pondered what the first tank should be. Should it be a lightly armored tank, designed to move quickly and kill the ordinary demons? Should it be a heavy tank to take on the more powerful demons directly? Should it be something in between? What armaments should the tank have?
There was simply too much to choose from. Roland couldn't decide what role the tank should take. Then, he realized the answer. Tanks were a new form of technology and they would need extensive testing to figure out what worked and what didn't. The first tank wouldn't need to be militarily efficient. He wasn't planning on mass producing that design of tank for the army to use. The first tank was going to be a proof of concept, a way to test out the various features of a tank.
Roland set out to build a prototype tank. The prototype would be something much stronger than an ordinary tank. Of course, it would also take vastly more resources to build. It would contain all of the features that he wanted to test. Once the basics of tanks were figured out he could begin building specialized tanks that were efficient uses of resources.
The tank was very large and covered with thick sloped armor. It would have a wide range of weaponry. There was a large main cannon. There would also be several machine guns on the sides. There would be an exceptionally large engine made specifically for this tank. Roland had many of the witches contribute to this project, including Anna to make the specialized parts and Soraya to coat the pieces to make the extra durable. These steps wouldn't be viable for a mass produced tank but it would be alright for testing.
It would also be a test for the interior systems. There were several periscopes on the tank to allow the people inside to see out even when the hatch was closed. They had to make sure the targeting for the weapons was accurate and that the reloading process was easy and efficient. This was also the first time they designed driving controls. The tank would require a number of crew members and Roland hoped that they would be able to operate the controls effectively without bumping into each other.
The building process was not easy. Often, they would find out that something didn't work which would lead to them taking the component apart to find the problem. Occasionally, they would find that there was a design flaw leading to the problem which would necessitate taking the entire tank apart. Despite these difficulties, the tank was completed.
It was a magnificent sight in Roland's eyes. Such powerful firepower welded onto a metal frame powered by a great engine. It was the symbol of military might. However, Roland suspected that others might not appreciate the aesthetics of the tank. To them it might look like an ugly combination of mismatched parts. Those people did not appreciate the beauty of a large caliber gun. After all, size is justice.
After Roland told Steven that the tank was done, Steven decided to come over and have a look. After getting off the train, Steven went to examine the tank. Steven got to the testing site while they were preparing for the first comprehensive test of the tank. While they waited, Roland began describing the capabilities of the tank to Steven.
The tank was ready for some full testing. Steven watched as the tank began rumbling and its treads started turning. The tank made a full circle around the course. Then, it stopped in front of the firing range. It got into position for the weapons test. The first to be tested was the machine guns. The machine guns fired into the targets from over 50 meters away. The tank turned around to test out the guns on every side. It also tested the turning range of the guns and also started moving to see how well the people could shoot while moving. The accuracy was not the best, but it is expected that the gunners just needed more training.
Then came the big show, the test of the main cannon. The barrel had a 40 cm diameter. It fired the explosive shell. The shell hit the target which was 500 meters away. The target was a model wooden house and it exploded in a shower of splinters. The power of the weapon was clear.
Roland and Steven were talking after the test.
"So, what did you think of the tank?", asked Roland.
"It was really cool", said Steven. "It sure looked like it could crush those demons like bugs."
"This tank was rather overengineered", said Roland. "It was a prototype for testing tank components so we put the best into it."
"I see. What is the name of the tank?", asked Steven. "I do hope you didn't name it Roland again."
"A name? I haven't done that yet." Roland thought for a few moments. "How about I call it the Warhound Prototype."
"I think that name is very good", said Steven.
"Thanks", replied Roland. "Now the tank needs some real combat testing. It will probably have to wait for the next demon attack or the winter when the demonic beasts attack though."
"Roland, I would like to ask something of you", said Steven. "Would you be willing to give the tank to me for the testing? Hermes does get attacked by a lot of demonic beasts every year. Also… I think Zero has been looking forward to having a tank ever since I mentioned it to her, and I would like to get her one."
Roland gave Steven a knowing look. After several seconds he replied, "I suppose it will be alright. I can send it on the train with you back to Hermes. I will also give you a copy of the manuals on how to operate the machine."
"Thanks!" Steven gave Roland a pat on the back. "You're the best!"
Steven returned to Hermes with a new tank in tow.
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