S-532 "Tin Can" Main Battle Tank
The S-532 Main Battle Tank, also known by the nickname Tin Can by tank crews, was the backbone of UOAF armored divisions during the V3 War. The S-532 was known for its turretless design, with a fixed gun traversed by engaging the tracks and elevated by adjusting the hull suspension.
For a Main Battle Tank, the S-532 was relatively light and extremely agile. It could be mass produced in great numbers, allowing wide distribution on most UO colonies. Despite its strange appearance, it was a highly effective fighting vehicle.
Development
Development of the tank began in 2,0150, a joint effort between the United Orcs Military Research & Development division and the DBS Aerospace Corporation, one of the military's primary defense contractors. After the development phase, full production was started and by 2,0168 the S-532 had become the mainstay of UOAF ground forces, replacing the S-440 Medium Tank.
Design
The S-532's most noticeable feature is that it has no turret. The gun is fixed within the hull of vehicle, and is directed by moving the entire tank.
To traverse the gun, the driver slews the vehicle to right or left. To elevate or depress the gun, the height and angle of the tank's suspension is changed - in other words, to elevate the gun, the front suspension is raised while the rear is lowered. Although it may seem a ludicrous concept, the hydropneumatic suspension system can achieve a maximum gun elevation of 12° above the horizontal, and a maximum depression of 10° below the horizontal.
The S-532 has a crew of three. The driver doubles as gunner; the commander can also operate the gun if necessary. The third crewmember is the communications operator, who faces toward the rear of the tank. If required, the comms operator can drive the tank backwards.
Armament
Primary armament is the OKK9 105mm gun, for which the tank carries 50 rounds. A box on the left side of the hull contains contains two MR30 machine guns; these weapons are lined up with the main gun. Another machine gun is mounted to the left of the commander's cupola.
