Bit of bad news for you - World War III has kicked off, Commie-Nazi space aliens are brainwashing world leaders and it’s all kicked off. Fortunately, you’ve got a picture of a general in a tutu so he agrees to make you a tank commander, with full training and an experienced crew. All you need to do is pick which main battle tank you want to take into battle, which could be anywhere in the world.
The South Korean K2 is probably a better choice than the Japanese type 10 - being in a heavier class but with the same up to date technology. It should be a serious contender in this poll.
Hmm, well, that’s the ‘other’ option. Me, I’d go with the Challenger 2, being British. Better armour than the Abrams, only one has ever been knocked out…by another Challenger 2.
You might decide that the Leopard with its very powerful gun would be your best bet, or the Challenger with its armour, however its much more than about one tank.
By far the most important thing is logistics and the ability to communicate, and that means the use of digital technology. That leaves the M1A2 Abrams.
If you want to start theorising about , say, 400 of tanks of choice with supply lines able to support them and including targetting technology using GPS, then the choice might be differant, but thats why you’d choose the Abrams in the first place.
If IFVs work (probably not), then the South African Ratel IFV, because honey badger don’t care, he don’t take crap from no one.
While I don’t generally trust British vehicles on the road, I’ll go with their tank. Being knocked out isn’t a criterion as I doubt the Type 10 will ever seen combat soon, let alone been destroyed in battle, whereas some other countries use their tanks more often.
Well, I certainly have no detailed knowledge of any of these things, but on paper the Leopard 2 looks a good choice. Same main weapon as the Abrams, better (supposedly) armor protection while being bit lighter, and diesel, rather than turbine-powered, for reliability and wider availability of fuel.
Of course, without knowing the specific conditions of battle, who you’re fighting with and against, it’s a crapshoot.
My first instinct is to go with the Merkava. It’s designed for better survivability, particularly for the crew. Also, it’s versatile, with a mortar for indirect fire and the ability to carry a small squad of infantrymen. Which is all the more important in the aftermath of WW3, which I assume will very quickly devolve into some Mad Max/Tankgirl type shit.
Ah yes. I know if I was going into a war situation, I’d like to know that although my tank may be less armoured, have a weaker armament and poorer sensors than the enemy, that at least it could drive a long distance and was cheap.
Why can’t we hire Will Smith to try and steal one of theirs? Because that would be my choice, I want the commie-nazi spacealien tank… with brainwashing capabilities.
Well, the OP said you’d be a tank commander. A tanker. A tread-head. A DAT.
You’re not Rommel, and this isn’t some intricate strategic simulation computer game; the strategic implications of your decision are, by inference of the OP, way beyond your pay-grade.
You don’t have to worry about cost.
You don’t have to worry about logistics.
You just have to tend to your crew, and Kill. The. Enemy.
You’re going to war. WAR! Pick a tank. It’s the tank you will ride into battle in, with which to do battle with invading Commie-Nazi Space Aliens.
