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MBT crew killed hitting a tree


DarkFib3r

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In a recent game, I reversed my MBT (an M1A1) to escape an HE barrage. Unfortunately, there was a tree approximately 25 meters directly behind my tank and I rammed into it at full reverse speed. This action killed both my loader and my driver, leaving the tank immobilized.

 

I have never been in a tank before, but I would assume that the crew in a 60 ton tank would barely feel the impact of a tree, let alone get killed by the impact at less than 60kph. I always imagined tanks smashing through trees and buildings as if they were not there, primarily being concerned about getting stuck in a basement rather than the impact hurting the crew. But again, I have no real world experience in this arena :-) Is this a realistic concern for tankers? Thanks!

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There is a crumple zone.  It's called your face.

 

Not all trees are easy to run over with a tank.  Pick the wrong tree and it will stop your tank quite suddenly.  And the crew, not being strapped down, can easily be injured or killed when their very soft bodies hit a very hard piece of the tank.  Doesn't happen all the time but it is possible every time.

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I think the problem with Pro PE is that it doesn't properly account for all factors when hitting something like a tree...

Namely, direction of impact, and which crewman we're talking about...

 

For example, the driver seems like he should be relatively safe since he's sitting down in his seat.  The same goes for the gunner and commander, with more potential injury than the driver.

 

The loader on the other hand, I imagine might quite easily go flying...

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Well there are other issues / risks to.

 

There was a similar thread on this previously but often when you hit a tree it wont just fall over, quite often they will break / shatter part way up and while the lower trunk falls the top portion will often fall all over the turret. This sort of effect is called (by us anyway) a "widow maker".

 

If the crew is "up" and not paying attention (e.g. when reversing), the Commander and Loader can get a whole bunch of wood falling on them.

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It's an Australian M1 running over some Eucalyptus trees or so, with varying levels of success. But it illustrates nicely the aspect of the tree crashing down on the crew hatches. Add the option of a low branch grazing just above the hatch while you're head is sticking out, and a closure rate of 30 miles.

 

Yes, tanks can kill trees. Usually. But sometimes the trees manage to take with them whoever may be looking out of the hatch.

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8 hours ago, Chiquito said:

Don't need prove if is a desert or not. Few rain, dryer area: bad quality trees.

 

Well we'd call it "prime grazing land" fitting for "a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains". :)

 

Or to put it another way ...

 

That's not a desert.

 

These are deserts:

gunbarrel.jpg

Australia_SA_Lake Eyre_Dino standing in Lake Eyre_APT_7115_LLR.jpg

TankTracksAtCultana.jpg

Edited by Gibsonm
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FWIW the medic can bring the driver (or whoever) back so its not like the tree is killing the crew - the crewman just needs medical attention.
 Maybe he suffered a broken bone, who knows.

 

The other reason this happens is to force the user to exercise caution rather than constantly drive around at top speed without a care in the world. The fact that it happens when you are frantically trying to do something during combat is, IMO, a nice "shit happens" factor. Of course as with anything there are questionable cases, but it does get the point across that you have to be cautious.

 

 

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