Bullfrog

**Key Features** | »»Twin *PVS 5-7 Tucha* flak cannon (x2)»» *CC98 Hlopushka* Troop-Deployment System»» Treads deploy automatically on contact with land»» Intimidating *shark-tooth* paint job»» Passenger room for five

*"Dasvedanya!"*

- Bullfrog, launching infantry into battle

## Tactical Analysis

* **Committed To The Purpose**: Essentially an armoured transport, the Bullfrog is resistant to small arms but vulnerable to anti-vehicle fire. Furthermore, its primary weapon is only capable of anti-air defence, which means that the Bullfrog has no answer to enemy ground combatants. And may be built from either a War Factory or a Naval Yard and perform comparably well both on land and at sea. Both on land and at sea, the Bullfrog is among the Soviets' best answers to enemy aircraft as far as surface vehicles go.

* **Soviet Air Parade**: In addition to its anti-air weapon, the Bullfrog features the Hlopushka "Mancannon", which can launch infantry into battle or to tactically-advantageous terrain. For example, infantry can be launched onto high ground, over enemy base defences, from sea to land, and more. Infantry automatically parachute down from the apex of the launch. And, thanks to recent innovations, the Bullfrog can now use its mancannon to launch light mortar shells to shatter light defenses and provide support fire, though they won’t use their cannons while in this mode.

* **One Way Out**: Bear in mind that once infantry units get into a Bullfrog, the "mancannon" is the only way out, apart from death. Therefore it is ill-advised to use the Bullfrog as a troop transport in areas with heavy anti-air defence...

* **Standardised and Specialised**: After two days of tireless brainstorming (and being locked in a room with a month supply of provisions and vodka), the Soviet scientists have found a way to mount SAM launchers on the Bullfrog without harming it’s passengers, increasing the damage and range to the retrofitted Bullfrog. But as recent design the Bullfrogs are currently going into retrofit, with veteran getting first pick.

## WWIII Operational History

 File:BullfrogArtwork.jpg  The **KDB-2 Bullfrog** is an unusual all-terrain assault transport with significant anti-aircraft capability. Kiev-based Kazminov Design Bureau all but clinched its monopolistic role as the Soviet Union's favoured manufacturer-designer of military vehicles with this particular model, which has proven itself time and again in more than seven years' worth of fierce combat worldwide.

 File:VM-SovietBullfrog.png
The Bullfrog is an amphibious variant of the obsolete Soviet Flak Track, and features a specialized version of its predecessor's feared anti-air weapon combined with an innovative infantry-launching device: the Hlopushka Troop-Deployment System (part CC98-HTDS), colloquially known as the *mancannon*. As the name suggests, this device is capable of launching a full-grown man across roughly a thousand meters, where he can drop behind the frontlines using a basic parachute pack. Year-over-year safety statistics for this unorthodox transportation system continue improving at a rate of 40 percent, which surely would have delighted its inventor, legendary circus ringmaster and patriot Arkady Ilyushin, had he survived the Bullfrog's tragic maiden voyage.

 File:BullfrogArtworkWater.jpg  One hotly-debated side effect of the CC98-HTDS is that the air lock used to build sufficient pressure in the firing mechanism means in practice, that the only way for troops to exit the vehicle during combat operations is for all of them to launch out. After initial field tests, strict rules were imposed that greatly mitigated Soviet conscripts' complaints of whiplash, nausea, acrophobia, or general malaise at having to use this system. Pursuant to new Soviet combat regulations, the Bullfrog now comes standard with accommodations fit for larger passengers, such as trained War Bears and Tesla Troopers. The inside of the cannon is greased to ensure these forces are less likely to ignite from the friction of launch.

Apart from its role as a transport, the Bullfrog features the powerful-if-conventional PVS 5-7 *"Tucha"* flak cannon, which can track fast-moving aerial targets easily and fill the skies with a hail of metal fragments that can efficiently tear through fuselages and cockpits alike. The vehicle itself is rugged and manoeuvrable, guarding coastal territories well. Its all-terrain treads drop automatically as soon as the vehicle detects contact with solid ground, which helps make the Bullfrog relatively easy to operate. This, together with the attractive and patriotic standard paint scheme applied to this vehicle, has consequently enticed many Soviet citizens to enlist in the armed forces in the hopes of becoming a Bullfrog pilot. Indeed, Bullfrog operators have been known to be enthusiastic and forthcoming during combat, even under duress. They tend to fill their supporting role on the battlefield with great pride.

## Post-War Operational History

 File:Render69SovietBullfrogHeroic.png
The initial Bullfrog prototype was intended to mount one of the old SAM systems, but after a few incidents involving missile exhausts and burned parachutes in case the Bullfrog launched both its missiles and infantry simultenously, the idea was shelved and the production type Bullfrog was equipped with the Tucha Flak Guns instead. However, after WWIII, with the perpetual Allied research towards countermeasures and ESM, a shift to heat seekers from radar based AAA was deemed necessary. After two days of tireless brainstorming and dehydration, the Soviet scientists came up with a solution, the new purpose built parachutes would not only survive missile backblasts, but also allow for longer range man cannon uses as it would be safer for the troops to get down. The missiles offer increased damage and range to the retrofitted Bullfrog. The backblast issue was also somewhat alleviated with a hydraulic system that fires the missile before starting the engine, and many Conscripts have reported to be enjoying the hot air left after the missile is launched.

It was also thanks to this new parachute, and the downsizing of the mancannon fire control equipment, that has also allowed the Bullfrogs to load and fire light mortar shells from the mancannon, giving it some way of defense against ground targets and light anti-structure artillery.

## Just the Stats

 **Armour Type** | Light Armour

 **Kill Reward** | 7200

 **DPS** | 30