Grizzly Tank

**Key Features** | »90mm Smoothbore main gun w/ .50 cal remote turret»900hp twin-turbo gasoline engine»Co-axial 37mm autocannon (x2)»Halogen fog lights»Call-sign painted on the barrel

*"Destination, commander?"*

-...
## Tactical Analysis

* **Ready to roll:** The main battle tank of the US military, and the designated “superheavy” for the Unionists. Fast and relatively agile, the Grizzly was designed to outmaneuver most other superheavy tanks, hit hard, and swing fast. With emphasis on high speed low drag it is faster than others in its class. While other battle tanks, and especially superheavies like the Apocalypse, have to slowly chug into position, the Grizzly combines the high speed of a light tank with the armour of a medium tank and the firepower of a heavy tank thanks to its high output engine and 90mm main gun. And its strength is further enhanced by a Unionist Infantryman who can hop into the Grizzly and man its co-axial autocannons, doubling the Grizzly firepower and increasing its effectiveness against infantry, and when its time to hop out, the garrisoned infantryman can easily grab his/her gear and get back to the ground. And it has a remote M2 Browning turret for infantry and helicopters.

* **Commencing assault:** The Grizzly also has a special secondary fire system, known as the "Cavalier", that initially causes its cannons to fire slower compared to normal but increases after a short warm-up time, dealing more damage in less time as long as it keeps firing on a target, making it effective against tougher/multiple tanks and/or groups of infantry with the autocannon.

* **There's too many!:** Because of its offensive design philosophy, the Grizzly suffers most in its defense. Its armor is just shy above a medium tank and is greatly weak against being ambushed and hit with anti-tank weaponry. The only defense a Grizzly has is its speed and will not survive long against dedicated anti-tank units.

* **Weapon ready!:** Originally the Grizzly was to be armed with a 125mm cannon but was scrapped in preference of a lighter gun. However, in recent combat with the Continentals, some Unionist commanders have sent back Grizzlies to Arlington to get them retrofitted with the heavier guns, plus the experimental “Saturn” laser cannons. The 125mm hits harder against buildings and tanks, puncturing through layers of armor the 90mm couldn't, combined with increased range thanks to a longer barrel, while the saturns easily carve through vehicles and immolate infantry. It takes time for the vehicles to be refitted and sent back therefore these upgrades are only afforded to experienced crews.

## Background

*"Its not the size of the tank or its guns that matters. It's how you use it!"*

-Grizzly commander Abrams, when asked how it would compete against the Apocalypse
As the Unionists began to form they began to realized that once they take the fight to the Soviets and Empire they would face one of their greatest foe, one that even shakes the Allies; the superheavy vehicle.

Yet despite their firepower and resilience. The Unionists, and America as a whole, knew that the resources spent on one of these overengineered beasts could make a hundred more cost-effective tanks. And have long ago agreed with the Allies that such a large, ponderous, unit is extremely impractical. Doubly so for America, since transporting one to Europe would be a logistical nightmare as it would likely take up every space of their transport ship, and waste billions of dollars if a Soviet wolf pack sinks it.

But with the Allies unveiling of the Assault Striker, and OSS reports on the Rakshasa and Wasteland, the Unionists chose to "Follow the Leader" and try to get their hands on their own superheavy.

However, due to America's dislike of such vehicles, the Unionists couldn't find any blueprints of such a vehicle that wasn't designed in WW1, the closest was the Liberty but the number of specific parts meant that it was limited to a frontline doctrine, and try as they might they have absolutely no knowledge on how to make such vehicles. And were close to giving up until they looked into the **Grizzly Tank**, which they had previously rejected over the Maher.

Made to specifically counter Soviet armour, the Grizzly is considered the fastest and strongest, yet conventional, medium tank ever made to the point that it was supposed to be the Allies' main tank until they shifted into a peacekeeping force and replaced it with the cheaper, and less lethal, Guardian. However, the Tank's high performance means that it requires a substantial amount of logistics in order to be built/deployed, the main flaw that made it lose to the Guardian and the Maher, and forever remain in only the US Army. This wasn't seen as a problem since it was generally assumed by US planners that they'd be fighting overseas, so they could rely on the existing sea and/or air transport capability instead of the "Mobile Base" concept that the Soviets preferred. But when the Continentals started attacking with their retrofitted Battle Fortress “superheavies”, they went ahead and "acquired" any spare Grizzlies the US army had.

Compared to most of their counterpart's statistics the Grizzly is laughable, with those in the know considering its designation as an insulting joke. As it was barely larger than the Guardian and is equipped with a standard 90mm cannon (with an optional 125mm retrofit), 37mm co-axial autocannon, and an M2 Browning with above average armour, a far cry to the giants of the Apocalypse and King Oni that often has a 200mm cannon or two with three to six inches of armour, and will lose out in a one on one against such.

But what it lacked in (relative) size and firepower the Grizzly far surpasses the superheavies in speed, cost, and logistics. As the number of resources needed to make one Apocalypse can easily make four Grizzlies with parts to spare and its cannon, while underpowered for its designation, can still easily punch through most armour with ease (and far above its weight class against other superheavies), with many Grizzly crews being trained to use this to their advantage by attacking in "wolf packs" using its superior speed and numbers to outmaneuver other superheavies and flank at their targets weaker side and rear armour, a role which is further helped by its "Cavalier" integrated firing enhancement system, jokingly call the "wind-up", that increase the cannon rate of fire after a slow start up. While its Browning machine gun provides a much-needed counter against infantry, helicopters, and to a lesser extent aircraft.