From: chem7l@jane.uh.edu
Subject: Will Tanks Become Extinct?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 19:05:00 GMT

This may not be the right group for this posting, but here it is anyway:

I've read (and participated in, to a limited extent) a lot of posts dealing with
the feasibility (or lack thereof) of man-shaped robots, hexapods, or tanks on
tracks being the heavy weapons platform of choice in futuristic armies.  All of
these have faults: the (BattleMech) robot is limited by many factors (high 
profile, hi IR sig, unstable vulnerable legs for locomotion), the tank is 
limited by terrain and speed, and the hexapod is limited by the vulnerability
and (probable) lack of strength in its legs (which limits the weapon size and
armor strength).

What I'm wondering, is whether anyone has any ideas for better platforms.

I personally favor the helicopter.  It is very fast, very maneuverable, is not
limited by terrain, but can take advantage of it, and can mount decent weaponry.
The principle limitations are in weaponry and armor.  The armor protection can
be very good against light infantry weapons, but is not effective against 
missile weapons.  Even hand-held missiles (like a stinger) can take it out 
quickly.  The weaponry that a helicopter can mount is limited to light (relative
to tank guns) ballistic weapons and missiles/rockets.  This means the helicopter
can't pack the long-range punch that a tank can except against targets that its
(few) missiles can target.  On the other hand, the ability of those missiles to
destroy tanks and armored vehicles quickly makes helicopters a viable heavy
weapons platform.

Ground support aircraft (like the A-10) can kill tanks so quickly and 
efficiently, and from such long ranges, that tanks are basically rolling coffins
on any battlefield where the enemy controls the air.  Helicopters, however,
have a better anti-aircraft potential.  Infantry vehicles like the Bradley are 
beginning to mount long-range wire-guided anti-tank missiles that are making 
even the thin-skinned armored vehicles a viable threat to tanks.  Helicopters 
are, of course, at least as vulnerable.  But they have enough speed to pop in,
strike, and get out of the kill zone before the enemy can respond.  This is
becoming even more important in times when infantry men have missiles (like the
dragon and the stinger) that kill a tank or a helicopter

This brings up the central question: what role should the tank (or whatever 
takes its place) have on the modern battlefield?  The first tanks were designed
to cross an area raked by machinegun fire and attack entrenched positions.  
Modern tanks tend to have two primary uses:  fight each other, and support the
infantry against positions that the infantry can't take themselves.  If tanks
were eliminated on one side, the tanks of the other side (that weren't destroyed
by airplanes, helicopters, artillery, armored personell carriers, or infantry)
would roll over the infantry like so many weeds.  With enough air cover the
tanks would never get very close to the lines.  So, with proper (extensive) 
preparation and a LARGE ground-support (and necessarily air-superiority) air 
force an army can do quite well against tanks without any of its own.  Against
heavy positions, however, the firepower and armor of a tank gives it a distinct
advantage over the helicopters more limited missile weapons and light armor.

But then again, what about tomahawk missiles and smart bombs?  If they can hit
within a few feet of the target, they can be much more effective as artillery
than the tank can be at point-blank range.

With improved hand-held anti-tank weapons, even a tanks ability to kill infantry
would come into doubt.  A helicopter can use its machineguns, rockets, or bombs
(especially bombs with fragmentation or incendiary submunitions) to hit infantry
and 'run for the hills' -- literally.

Does this mean that future battlefields will be dominated by fast-moving APCs, 
helicopters, long-range artillery missiles and smart bombs -- and that tanks
will become extinct?  If so, why do no rpg's that I know of use such settings?

Please post your ideas -- they could lead to some interesting game developement.

Jim Corbit