Cupola Dreams: The Armored Fighting Vehicles of Hestia
- Thread starter NothingNow
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Zp-00. Originally designed as a six wheel drive vehicle to fill an Army order for a military ambulance, the Zp-00 went thru a serious redesign when a Zardoz employee who had recently returned to work after being discharged from the army for wounds suffered in battle.
The combat vet told his employers that the modern battlefield was very tough on wheeled vehicles and that the ride back to base would probably kill the patient by being too rough on him or taking too long.
He suggested instead that the ambulance use tracks like a chariot and also like a chariot be armoured as well. The managers at Zardoz took the suggestions seriously, they had took note of losses suffered at the front and had been shocked at the high numbers suffered.
The Zp-00 was designed to be large enough to carry four men in stretchers and a crew of four, driver, medic and two stretcher bearers plus medical equipment.
The 00 used a new vertical spring suspension and had the engine mounted in front to the right of the driver.
The 00 was designed during the final months of the Tuvan war and when the design was presented to the Army many felt sure the order for an ambulance would be cancelled but the Army had had also been shocked by the casualties suffered during the war and had been impressed by the 00 design and ordered that its development continue.
At the end of the Tuvan war the Army had cancelled many projects in development but the decision to carry on with the Zp-00 was one the Army would look back on as a wise one.
The combat vet told his employers that the modern battlefield was very tough on wheeled vehicles and that the ride back to base would probably kill the patient by being too rough on him or taking too long.
He suggested instead that the ambulance use tracks like a chariot and also like a chariot be armoured as well. The managers at Zardoz took the suggestions seriously, they had took note of losses suffered at the front and had been shocked at the high numbers suffered.
The Zp-00 was designed to be large enough to carry four men in stretchers and a crew of four, driver, medic and two stretcher bearers plus medical equipment.
The 00 used a new vertical spring suspension and had the engine mounted in front to the right of the driver.
The 00 was designed during the final months of the Tuvan war and when the design was presented to the Army many felt sure the order for an ambulance would be cancelled but the Army had had also been shocked by the casualties suffered during the war and had been impressed by the 00 design and ordered that its development continue.
At the end of the Tuvan war the Army had cancelled many projects in development but the decision to carry on with the Zp-00 was one the Army would look back on as a wise one.
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NothingNow I was wondering if you could write up a brief history of the Tuvan war, I've been thinking it was something similar to OTL's WWI and have been using it as such for my backgrounds but some details like who fought who, where and what was loss and what was gained would be helpful.
I was thinking maybe the Tuvan war ended in a bloody stalemate with no clear winners or losers and both sides looking to right perceived wrongs.
I was thinking maybe the Tuvan war ended in a bloody stalemate with no clear winners or losers and both sides looking to right perceived wrongs.
NothingNow
Banned
I was initially planning that it was just going to be a border war between the Tanatic Empire on one hand and Izeria, and some of the Tanatic Empire's successor states on the other, over a mix of territorial and trade disputes. Basically, it was something like one of the Balkans Wars, or the Pig War of 1906-1908.
It did end in a draw, but it was extremely brutal for such a short war because it's one of the first really modern wars.
I see, well I've already written up that Vossland took part as well, so maybe you could add them to the mix?
Zp-001. At the end of the war Zardoz Products had most of their govt. contracts cancelled but they still had an order for two Zp-00 ambulances.
Wanting to improve their chances the Zardoz corp pulled another ace out of their sleeve and premiered two new vehicles to the army, the Zp-00 all terrain armoured ambulance and the Zp-001 armoured personal carrier.
The Zp-001 was an impressive vehicle, basically the same vehicle as the Zp-00 but fitted with benches that could seat sixteen troopers along with their equipment.
The army was surprised but impressed with the new APC and after putting the new vehicle thru several tests an order for ten of both the Zp-00 & Zp-001 were put in but orders for more would be forthcoming.
Wanting to improve their chances the Zardoz corp pulled another ace out of their sleeve and premiered two new vehicles to the army, the Zp-00 all terrain armoured ambulance and the Zp-001 armoured personal carrier.
The Zp-001 was an impressive vehicle, basically the same vehicle as the Zp-00 but fitted with benches that could seat sixteen troopers along with their equipment.
The army was surprised but impressed with the new APC and after putting the new vehicle thru several tests an order for ten of both the Zp-00 & Zp-001 were put in but orders for more would be forthcoming.
The standard Heavy Armoured Car of the Commonwealth at this time was the Mk II Griffon. A respectable vehicle for its day it had excellent road performance but its length and lack of all wheel drive (rear 2 axels only) gave it less than ideal off-road capabilities.
904MC: Heavy Armoured Car Mk II Griffon:
Crew: 4
Length: 16' (4.87m)
Width: 6' (1.82m)
Height: 7' (2.13m)
Armament: 2 x 0.5" HMG
Speed: 55mph
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It was soon realised that the L1A1 Stag and L2A1 were too slow to carry out the scouting function they were primarily intended for and that the Stag was somewhat under-gunned. Fitting of a 0.5" HMG to the Stag quickly lead to the L1A2 version but did nothing to address the lack of speed. Realising that the suspension and gunning gear of the Stag/Stallion was the limiting factor, a new specification was released in 906MC for a redesigned suspension capable of 30mph. Tenders were received and trials conducted which resulted in the L1A3 Stag. The suspension was a great success but the Stag was not stable at speed. In order to evaluate the suspension fully, the turrets of the trial vehicles were removed; the resulting reduction in weight allowed these L1A3s to achieve 35mph. Ultimately, the trials proved the new suspension but also signposted the end of the L1 and L2 series of Scouts.
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I really like that twin gun turret.
Thank you my good man.
I think the Commonwealth will be very interested in your Zp-00 and Zp-001. We might be open to some trade negotiations, neighbour...
The Empire is listening.
And watching.
Perhaps 3 Zp-001s for trial and evaluation purposes with a similar reverse deal on the Griffon Heavy Armoured Car...
A question for NothingNow. We are currently at 900MC and we are all producing designs that sort of reflect OTL 1920-30 or there about. How and when are we going to advance time so that we can develop our designs and doctrine without getting hideously disconnected?
I already have new designs for the Commonwealth that will show a developmental progression with existing vehicles and introduce new designs as doctrine and technology is developed but can't add them yet as they would be out of sync with everyone else.
I already have new designs for the Commonwealth that will show a developmental progression with existing vehicles and introduce new designs as doctrine and technology is developed but can't add them yet as they would be out of sync with everyone else.
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Nation Name: The Wold
Government Type: Aristocratic Oligarchy
Population (900MC): 28,000,00
Size and Location: The Wold is centered on the temperate forests of the Valadian Archipelago, from which it rose in 500 MC. However over the centuries the Wold grew to encompass a good deal of the mainland, and colonized the Thurwaet Isles, which they first encountered during Monsoon season. The Mainland areas are mostly farming areas and as such stay within the bounds of the monsoon forests, the temperate forests and the savanna. They grow bounds of cereal crops, the good soil lending itself to farming. Coal has been found on the hills of the far west, and cursory expeditions have been sent to learn whether the deposits continue. The Wold is a green and bountiful land, but without a source of oil, the High Executor is currently searching for a solution to the problem.
Brief History:
The beginnings of the Wold lie in the 6th century MC. The islands of the Valadian peninsula were fiercely competetive, each aiming to extend their control over the others. The city of Albeclif, quickly rose to power in the 2nd century MC, holding an enviable spot at the openning of a bay. By the 3rd century, Albeclif controlled the main island, Sidhelf, of the Valadian Peninsula. Through diplomacy and military might, Albeclif continued to expand among the disparate statelets. Albeclif finally reached the end of their struggle when matched up against the island of Stantorr in the mid 5th century MC, a powerful state that controlled the second largest island of the Valadian peninsula. The two states went to war and the battle lasted over fifty years. The offensive might of the Albeclif could gain no hold against the defensive positions on the Stantorian island. Finally in 503 MC, the king of Stantorr, Theobald and the Executor General of the Albes, Cyneric, signed a peace that united the two realms. They created a high council consisting of men of both realms, who vote for the High Executor, the man with the majority of the power. They centered the government in the neutral city of the Haege, on one of the smaller islands and became the Wold. The Wold quickly outgrew their islands, building their first settlement on the mainland, Thurneric in the year 601. Later the islands in the east were also colonized and used for growing spices desired in the home islands. The wood found in the forests of this area were found to be of high quality and the area soon exported the wood to the furniture makers on the Valadian Archipelago.
Over the course of the next 200 years, the realm expanded and changed, industrializing and building up their island cities, currently much of the islands are used for sheep herding, fueling the thriving textile industry in the cities, but it is soon expected that the sheep herding will soon move to the mainland. Quickly the cities of the islands become more and more urbanized, as production is more efficient on the mainland.
Stantorr has become a hub of the steel industry while Albeclif is known for its glorious beauty, military academy and cutthroat financial sector. The Haege still stands as the center of government and the heart of The Wold and is the third largest city behind Stantorr and Albeclif. At the moment, the Wold is notable for its small but formidable army, undersized navy but utterly dominant airforce.