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==Design & Development== |
==Design & Development== |
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| − | The tank in many ways follows the traditional layout defined centuries ago, with the notable exception of having twin main guns. An automatic loader is located at the bottom of the turret basket to feed both guns, with turret crew compartment on top of that loader. Turret crew in baseline models includes a gunner and a commander, who are cut off from the driver's compartment in the forward hull by the autoloader. Minimal close-in defenses against infantry or aircraft are primarily provided by a 12.7mm machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola; the stowage |
+ | The tank in many ways follows the traditional layout defined centuries ago, with the notable exception of having twin main guns. An automatic loader is located at the bottom of the turret basket to feed both guns, with turret crew compartment on top of that loader. Turret crew in baseline models includes a gunner and a commander, who are cut off from the driver's compartment in the forward hull by the autoloader. Minimal close-in defenses against infantry or aircraft are primarily provided by a 12.7mm machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola; the stowage basket at the turret's rear can serve as a platform for another 7.62mm machine gun, but a crewman must exit the tank altogether to operate that second machine gun, or alternatively another personnel outside of the tank's crew complement (an accompanying infantryman, for example) can man the platform. |
After the [[Principality of Zeon|Zeon]] forces introduced the [[MS-06 Zaku II|Zaku]] as a mainstay war machine in the [[One Year War]], the Type 61 acquired a reputation of obsolescence, as Minovsky interference heavily undermined the tank's tactical communication abilities and also reduced its observation and targetting capabilities to line-of-sight optics. Another disadvantage was that mobile suits, being highly agile humanoid robots, could outmaneuver the slow-moving tanks at close distances and dodge tank rounds with ease, as well as attacking the tank from the top, whereas the tank lacks enough gun elevation to hit critical parts of the mobile suit at close range. |
After the [[Principality of Zeon|Zeon]] forces introduced the [[MS-06 Zaku II|Zaku]] as a mainstay war machine in the [[One Year War]], the Type 61 acquired a reputation of obsolescence, as Minovsky interference heavily undermined the tank's tactical communication abilities and also reduced its observation and targetting capabilities to line-of-sight optics. Another disadvantage was that mobile suits, being highly agile humanoid robots, could outmaneuver the slow-moving tanks at close distances and dodge tank rounds with ease, as well as attacking the tank from the top, whereas the tank lacks enough gun elevation to hit critical parts of the mobile suit at close range. |
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Revision as of 22:37, 13 September 2011
The Type 61 or M61 main battle tank is a type of ground weapon in the animation series Mobile Suit Gundam. It was fielded by the Earth Federation in U.C.0061 and saw service to at least U.C.0079. The Type 61 tank featured dual 150 mm cannons and a 12.7 mm machine gun, as well as eight smoke dispensers. There were also a wide selection of variants made for transport and troop deployment.
Design & Development
The tank in many ways follows the traditional layout defined centuries ago, with the notable exception of having twin main guns. An automatic loader is located at the bottom of the turret basket to feed both guns, with turret crew compartment on top of that loader. Turret crew in baseline models includes a gunner and a commander, who are cut off from the driver's compartment in the forward hull by the autoloader. Minimal close-in defenses against infantry or aircraft are primarily provided by a 12.7mm machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola; the stowage basket at the turret's rear can serve as a platform for another 7.62mm machine gun, but a crewman must exit the tank altogether to operate that second machine gun, or alternatively another personnel outside of the tank's crew complement (an accompanying infantryman, for example) can man the platform.
After the Zeon forces introduced the Zaku as a mainstay war machine in the One Year War, the Type 61 acquired a reputation of obsolescence, as Minovsky interference heavily undermined the tank's tactical communication abilities and also reduced its observation and targetting capabilities to line-of-sight optics. Another disadvantage was that mobile suits, being highly agile humanoid robots, could outmaneuver the slow-moving tanks at close distances and dodge tank rounds with ease, as well as attacking the tank from the top, whereas the tank lacks enough gun elevation to hit critical parts of the mobile suit at close range.
History
After Zeon initiated their Earth Drop Operation in March U.C.0079, Type 61s soon began to become the norm for protecting ground transports from attacks by the Magella Attack Tanks and were crucial in the Capture of Odessa and Defense at Jaburo where the Federation armor took most of the burden. Type 61 was one of the most heavily deployed military hardware in the One Year War, and also among the greatest casualties. While their battlefield anti-MS performance seems to be greatly lacking, improper tactics that negated the advantages of traditional tanks can often arguably be blamed for such heavy losses. While massive as a tank, they have a much-smaller frontal visual projection than mobile suits and can therefore be easily camouflaged for ambush operations. Concentrated firepower from larger tank formations can be very effective in suppressing enemy positions (as evident in the Odessa Campaign), complicating enemy reactions and consequently making it easier to exploit the range of the tank guns with even degraded fire control. The tank's smaller size is also an advantage in hit-and-run missions, especially on harassing raid on Zeon supply depots (which are often undermanned in defence), or between the tight, narrow streets of urban warfare. Before the formal introduction of Federation's RGM-79 GM mobile suits, Type 61s were Federation's backbone of resistance in their bitter 9-month stalemate against the Principality of Zeon.
In the strategy games series Gihren's Greed, the Type 61 functions as the Earth Federation Forces' only ground unit until the Project V is completed. As in the series, the Type 61s are no match for mobile suits in equal numbers. However, because they take up much fewer resources than mobile suits, it is possible to recapture large areas of Earth territory from Zeon by the sheer weight of numbers. Needless to say, when in the war's focus shifts into space, the Type 61's importance become minute (though the RB-79 Balls perform a similar function spacewise).
Variants & Upgrades
Type 61 "M61A5 MBT"
Two new variants were shown in the MS IGLOO 2 — the Type 61's 3rd variant type of the Mk. 5 version and the command tank version. The main dual cannons are upgraded to 155 mm caliber smoothbore capable of firing a variety of ammunitions including but not limited to APFSDS, flash-and-concussion round, and HEI. This up-gunned design severely depletes the internal room of the turret, restricting the crew to only one- tank commander- and leaving him far more susceptible to battlefield fatigue.
Image Gallery
External Links
Reference
Template:Universal Century vehicles