Military Nerds · 8:12am Feb 5th, 2021
Alright, some of you know I'm making a RWBY fic on Fanfiction and it will feature an Atlesian invasion on Vacuo before the canon timeline. So Vacuo here will have massive manpower, basically Russia but desert. Atlas meanwhile does not have the manpower nor industry to keep up, but they're experienced and have high-tech. Problem about the Atlesians is their equipment and strategies revolve around countering Grimm, not fighting a conventional war.
That's an advantage Vacuo will utilize, but they're lacking the armored vehicles needed to counter the Atlesian armor divisions (Atlesian ground vehicles will mostly be using 30mm, 40mm, and 57mm) as well as the early variants of the Paladins which are less armored than in the canon timeline. My idea is Vacuo was used as some sort of graveyard for Great War-era tanks where they were suppose to be scrapped. However, all focus have been on mining Dust so these Great War-era tanks have been sitting in storages for decades. This helps Vacuo as they can use these tanks and upgrade them to fight off the Atlesian invasion as well as other equipment. Here are the equipment I'm going to use. I'm sure many of you history nerds would love to see them.
-M4 Sherman which will be called the "Firefly" in the story. Originally, they're using low-velocity 75mm but they will be upgraded to Easy 8 standard with the high-velocity 76mm and upgraded armor.
-Panther, which will keep the same name. They'll be upgraded to Panther II standard.
-Tiger. Kept the same name. Engine upgraded to provide more mobility and utilize less Combustion Dust consumption
-King Tiger. Same name. Very limited. Will have ERA fitted on it.
-IS-3. No name. Will be referred to as Project 703. No chassis, only turrets lying around. Turrets will be used as Pillboxes around Vacuo's capital.
-Centurion. Same name. Starting from MK 1 variant, Vacuo will upgrade them to MK 7/1.
-T-34-76 and 85. Will be named the Immortal (Take down 1, 10 will take its place). Vacuo will upgrade them with 100mm guns, making them T-34-100 (I did consider using the T-44 instead, but the T-34 is such a magnificent tank I had to to use it). The Immortals will be the most common alongside the Fireflies.
-Chi-To. Will be named the Archer. Will have ERA because lets face it, Japanese tanks have paper armor. Excellent gun depression though. Very useful for the sand dunes in Vacuo.
-O-Ni. Will be named the Demon. No chassis, turrets only. Turrets with the 150mm howitzer will serve as pillboxes around the capital.
-Panhard EBR. Nicknamed Griefer (War Thunder players will understand). Not much to upgrade besides an upgraded engine that consumes less Combustion Dust energy, faster, and quieter. Probably also an improved stabilizer to it can fire at high speeds with better accuracy.
-FV215B (183). Named Nova. No chassis, turrets only. Used as pillboxes around the capital.
-Gustav Cannon. Nicknamed Eraser. Wreck salvaged from the boneyards. Only survivor will be rebuilt in the capital and used to bombard Atlesian encampments.
-Nebelwerfer (15cm Nebelwerfer 41). Nicknamed Inferno.
-Katyusha. Nicknamed Organ.
-Long Tom. Nicknamed Artemis.
-M-46 130mm field gun. Nicknamed Apollo.
There will be other pillboxes using the turrets of the Sherman, Panther, T-34-76 and 85, etc. besides the heavier guns. Mortars don't really have nicknames and I did decide against using the Greyhounds and Pumas. Already have the Panhard EBR.
If you guys have anymore suggestions, please let me know. No WW2 aircraft btw. Only WW2 warship you'll see is an old Vacuan Destroyer of the Fletcher-class called the "Greyhound". It'll use the same armaments but with a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar at the back between the 3 turrets where an AA gun is usually. Sonar will be new technology (As well as submarines) and the Greyhound will be the first warship in the world to use it in combat. Its first use will be against a pair of Sea Feilongs that attacked an SDC convoy off the coast of Vacuo.
Btw, when I say submarines, I meant those that can go long-range. Vacuo will be the first and Atlas are stuck with short-range subs. My thinking is Atlas will make the same mistake as Japan in WW2. So much effort placed in androids and airships, that the warships at sea are neglected. Just like how Japan neglected to upgrade their tank corps until it was too late. Wolfpack tactics will make an appearance for sure.
Vacuo will also have "Storm Pioneers" (Recon Troops), "Stormtroopers" (Shock Troops), "Kriegsmarine" (War Fleet), "Raiders" (Marines), "Motostrelki" (Mechanized Infantry), "Commando-Marines" (Marine Force Recon), "Vympel" (Tier 1 SF like DEVGRU and Russian Alpha Group), "Bravo 90" (Elite Paratroopers), "Frogmen" (Naval Special Forces), "Komandosi" (Army Special Forces), and "Winged Hussars" (Elite Vacuan 1st Armored Division).
I’d suggest adding either a Cruiser tank or a Panzerkamphwagon 2 to fulfill light tank roles as there are no frontline light tanks in the ones you chose.
Maybe a Stewart if you want more American stuff.
5448133
Nah, armor too light and main guns too weak. Panhard EBR is basically the recon/light tank here.
5448202
Technically the Crusader is a Cruiser Tank, after all British MBTs came form the Cruiser lineage. It’s why they have names that start with C. But later British Cruisers were edging towards MBTs, so their not bad options.
You know a deviant artist by the name of Soundwave 3591 actually beat you to it in one of his RWBY AUs (He’s got about three as far as I can tell) where he used WW2 models for the various kingdoms of Remnant.
5448221
Doesn’t really change my idea. These WW2 vehicles are only going to be used before the canon timeline. Vacuo will be making their own stuff after the invasion.
5448208
Yeah but I’m already including the Centurion. The other Cruiser tanks aren’t necessary and I already have the Panhard EBR.
5448230
Heh sorry though I’m surprised you don’t have any interest in soundwave.
5448240
That’s because I’m not that big of a fan where Remnant’s tech is changed in an AU. Only reason why Vacuo has to use WW2/Great War-era tanks is because they don’t have standardized armor at least, not yet.
5448259
Ahh I see.
One thing I might add is why the have all these different vehicles from multiple military doctrines?
Because each nation has a design they prefer and they stick with it.
5448325
Vacuo became a Great War junkyard, that’s why they have tanks from multiple kingdoms.