# Martian Tripod War Machine vs. M1A1 Abrams Tank. Who wins? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martian-tripod-war-machine-vs-m1a1-abrams-tank-who-wins/214570 "2003-11-21T21:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martian-tripod-war-machine-vs-m1a1-abrams-tank-who-wins/214570/41 "2003-11-25T18:18:36Z")
If all the Martians have is the heat ray and the black gas, then I’d say they’re screwed. The heat ray is pretty much line of sight, and most artillery engagements nowadays are carried out at greater distances than that. Even the 120mm M256 gun on an MIA1 has been effective at almost 4000 meters (in Desert Storm), and that’s not a particularly long range gun. With effective use of terrain, an M1A1 could get off a shot or two from a mile and a half away and be back under cover before the enemy could respond. Meanwhile, when you’re in an 80 foot tall tripod, there’s not really an such thing as cover unless you’re in a city or a redwood forest. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martian-tripod-war-machine-vs-m1a1-abrams-tank-who-wins/214570/42 "2003-11-25T19:26:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Finagle \* > \*\*If all the Martians have is the heat ray and the black gas, then I’d say they’re screwed. The heat ray is pretty much line of sight, and most artillery engagements nowadays are carried out at greater distances than that. Even the 120mm M256 gun on an MIA1 has been effective at almost 4000 meters (in Desert Storm), and that’s not a particularly long range gun. With effective use of terrain, an M1A1 could get off a shot or two from a mile and a half away and be back under cover before the enemy could respond. > Meanwhile, when you’re in an 80 foot tall tripod, there’s not really an such thing as cover unless you’re in a city or a redwood forest. \*\* No artillery support, no infantry. Tank vs. tripod _only_. And that elevated Tripod can, equally, see _over_ most cover. Great field of fire. BTW–“Torpedo Rams” are a roughly Light Cruiser sized vessel, armed with fairly light deck guns & depending on true naval torpedos to attack. They also have rams, as in “Ramming Speed!” :eek: They were _very_ fast for their size, & I assume lightly armored, with reinforcing structures in the bow so the ship wouldn’t sink after ramming the target. Intended for Coastal Defense, & planned as a command ship, around which a flotilla of PT-like boats would operate. Only one was ever built by the UK, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire was _nuts_ over the idea, seeing it, I suppose, as a cheap way to sink British Dreadnoughts. Ancestor of the modern Guilded Missile boats, used in a similar role. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martian-tripod-war-machine-vs-m1a1-abrams-tank-who-wins/214570/43 "2003-11-25T19:39:33Z")
Tank v Tripod is a point worth discussing. The modern U.S. Military v All the Tripods (in an area) is not. The U.S. Military can deploy a large number of weapons equal to or better 1900s artillery shells. in the blink of an eye. (BTW, how the heck are Tripods supposed to walk? Does the trail leg just drag on the ground and serve as nice place to sit while zapping London or what?) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martian-tripod-war-machine-vs-m1a1-abrams-tank-who-wins/214570/44 "2003-11-26T02:03:12Z")
The tripods’ gait brings to mind a three-legged stool rolling along, only with a smooth organic motion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martian-tripod-war-machine-vs-m1a1-abrams-tank-who-wins/214570.md?page=2)