Dolstier I

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Dolstier I

Dolstier I.png
Type: Main battle tank
Place of origin: Jingdao

In service: 1641 AN - present
Used by:
Flag Jingdao.png
Jingdao

Designed: 1638-1641 AN
Manufacturer: Sokoku Industries

Weight: 65 tonnes
Length: 9.97 metres
Crew: 4
Main Armament: 2× 120 mm Heimat Hóngyípào smoothbore gun (42 rounds)
Secondary Armament:
Effective range: off-road ~480 km, road ~530 km
Speed: 80.2 km/h
Cost 70 Anunia Points
(50pts for MBT, 20pts for armoured anti-air)

The Dolstier (Mad Bull) was the first Jingdaoese main battle tank (MBT) designed in light of the experiences learnt during the wars against Constancia and the Jexit movement. Its design is fully consistent with the charming and subtle Jingdaoese philosophy of mercilessly crushing all opposition with overwhelming force.

Its most immediately distinguishing features are the two centrally mounted 120mm Hóngyípào (Red Barbarian Cannon) smoothbore guns. These guns, whilst installed in a fully traversable turret, are however only capable of limited elevation and therefore suited to direct fire in a tank hunting or fortified structure demolition role. The 120mm smoothbore gun is typically capable of firing either a Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding-Sabot or more conventional high explosive round for use against buildings and defensive emplacements.

The main armament is supplemented by the complement of 18 huoqiu unguided rockets carried in two Huǒlóng launcher-pods which can be traversed and elevated through 90 degrees to provide either indirect short-range artillery support or devastating suppressing fire in a salvo launch as close range. The firepower of the Dolstier is completed by the inclusion of a Kunikuzushi 35mm autocannon mounted in a ball-cupola turret. The autocannon is intended to primarily engage incoming air and missile threats at close quarters which are tracked by electro-optical sensors and engaged precisely with rounds that are set to detonate at an automatically pre-set distance from the target. Each round disperses 152 small tungsten projectiles to strike the incoming target. Whilst these are too small to do major damage in themselves, the accumulation of damage from multiple strikes is expected to destroy wings and control surfaces, sensors and aerodynamics, causing the target to crash. The autocannon can also be switched from automatic to manual in order to allow the tank commander to engage ground-based targets such as infantry or soft-skinned vehicles.

The inclusion of a close-in weapon system (CIWS) would provide some measure of defence against roving packs of tank-hunting Shirerithian Snaggletooths and the dual cannon configuration of its main armament provides a doubling of the rate of fire against its main rival, the Bandersnatch. It is however not invulnerable and has become a topic of conversation and study throughout the academies and staff colleges of the Imperial Forces of Shireroth.