SzNH-53/e 'Medve' [Alt]

A squad of infantry accompany an m-53/e 'Medve' through a Prilepi village in the Szelást region, circa Sept.-Oct., 1958.

 

With the exponential rise in possible penetration possible with postwar guns and ammunition and the introduction of guided anti-tank missiles, the Grópac GariComm began Projekt-279 in the fall of 1949. Experiments with composite armour began quickly, and it was decided on a composite steel-lead-steel layered armour. This would introduce a massive weight increase, and the subsequent restrictions involved required an entire reworking of the chassis, eventually resulting in a crew compartment entirely within the turret ring and four separate track lengths. This would offset the weight as well as give it a ground pressure lower than many contemporary main battle tanks resulting in excellent off-road capabilities, if the speed was reduced to a meager 35Kph (much lower than contemporary MBTs). It would be given an absolutely massive 13.5cm rifled cannon and coaxial 8mm machinegun, and also sported a rooftop 7.8mm HMG for anti-soft-target use.

 

Designated the Szuper-Nhéz Harckocsi modell 53 upon introduction, it would serve in the higher echelons in Grópa's military, almost exclusively within the Guards divisions. The '/e' variant would denote those vehicles produced before the collapse of the Central Pact.

 

They would see service in the 1958 Prilep Crisis, particularly Grópa's annexation of the border region of Szelást and would crush the Prilepi resistance (armoured or otherwise) handily.

A somewhat outdated model, the 'Medve' is still in use and undergoing minor modernizations throughout the Grópac armed forces.

 

Posted in conjunction with and developed alongside Awe's Tank

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