December 1934, Vickers.
"So, do you have any solutions for us?"
"Well, actually, we have a number of possible solutions, perhaps I should lay them down and then we can discuss them?"
The Army men exchanged a few glances, then agreed.
"Now, we are currently producing the 3pdr tank gun. While this is approximately the same calibre as the Belgian gun you wanted to compare against, it has a much lower muzzle velocity, and so less penetration against armour. It would require a redesign, and based on the penetration figures you gave us, it might be more than needed against tanks, at least in the near future.
Second we have a 2pdr gun, being developed by the Woolwich arsenal. This is being developed for use as an antitank weapon, and while it has less penetration than the 47mm, our initial calculations show it should go through 30mm of plate at around 1,000 yards. It won't stop a Char B at this range, but anything else currently in service it can handle. It's going to be lighter and more mobile than the 3pdr which is obviously important to the infantry who need to carry it around.
Third is a anti-tank rifle being developed privately by Captain Boys. This isn't as capable as a proper gun, or course, but as it's basically a large rifle, it's going to be a lot more portable and a lot cheaper. He's expecting 20mm penetration at over 500 yards. Probably a bit underpowered against a medium tank, but it will do the job against an armoured car or light tank."
The Army team spent some minutes going over the paperwork on the various guns before exchanging some looks. Happy from the infantry representative, more worried from the RTC man.
"The 2-pdr does look like it will do the job the exercises suggested, and as you said it's already in development. The Boys - well, taking out the lights and armoured cars is helpful to blind the reconnaissance and give the infantry some warning. If they are both going ahead, we can allow the troops to use mock-ups against the tanks." He turned and smiled. "That's going to make your chaps life more difficult, Frederick."
Colonel Frederic Pile grimaced. "I'm afraid it will, but then overcoming this is a big part of next years exercise. We know other nations are developing similar weapons, after all. Although I'm afraid it's already looking like we need better-protected tanks. Which means getting more money to build them." That comment got a new series of unhappy nods, and even a few sympathetic ones from the Vickers team. "I'm afraid the 6-tonners just aren't going to be up to it. Even the anti-tank rifle is highly dangerous to it, and while we may use them as reconnaissance vehicles, it's looking more and more like they can't play an active part in any opposed attack."
"Well, gentlemen, when you decide what you need Vickers as always will be happy to design you a suitable tank. We have been having thoughts on some, so just let us know and we'll make you want you want."
Pile nodded. "While we have some ideas, we won't really be able to decide until after the exercises. We need to see what sort of losses are taken, and what thickness of armour would have been useful. Also, while the weapons are good for the infantry, what about us? As I understand it, the 2pdr will be an anti-tank gun that's better than our current 3pdr, but won't have any HE capability. We've found the 3pdr quite a useful gun, but if we are looking to increase our tanks protection, it's likely so will our potential enemies, so we are going to need something better."
This time it was the Vickers representatives who exchanged glances.
"Well, Colonel, a new gun would be an ideal solution, but of course developing one will cost money. However... what we could do is take the 2pdr when it's done, and build the same gun in a 3pdr version. We'll likely have to make a few changes, but it will be much cheaper and faster than developing a new gun from scratch. It will be longer than the 3pdr you have already, of course, but not too much so. And it can fire the existing 3pdr shells as a bonus."
"Well then gentlemen, let's sit down and thrash out some details, so we know what we're getting into."
************
December 1934, Experimental Armoured Force
"So, Frederick, how did it all go?"
Colonel Pile took a moment to collect his thoughts before replying to Lindsay.
"A bit of a curate's egg, sir. I have to agree with General Kennedy in principle, the infantry need better weapons if they are to have a reasonable chance against armour, and it's clear other countries are working on acquiring this capability to use against us. Now while I still think our aim to find a weak point and exploit it at speed is completely correct, it's also true that the enemy might not leave one sitting there for us to use. My thinking is that we may need to look at a two-phase battle - the first to open up a weakness, the second to break though it and exploit it. That gives us some equipment problems though. I know we've all had worries about just how useful the light tanks are, the meeting only confirmed that. They really will have no place at the forefront of an attack against determined opposition. There may be an exploitation role for them, but we only need a limited number. What we really will be needing are heavier tanks, with at least 30mm or frontal armour, based on what Vickers told us about the 2pdr design. Anything less well protected will suffer terribly against the new light anti-tank guns.
However none of our current tanks are so protected except the Independent, and we know the treasury considers that way too expensive. So we are going to need some new tank designs. Vickers indicated that are thinking about some possibilities, but we really need to analyse the exercise results carefully then tell them precisely what we need."
"Hmm. However our current aim is to use the faster light tanks to seize crossings and other choke points for the slower heavier tanks. It worked well for us in the previous exercises, will that still work against better-armed troops?"
"I'm not really sure yet, Sir. I think that should be one of the things we use the exercise to test. Of course, ideally a fast but better protected tank will do the job, but a fast heavy tank isn't going to be cheap. Since it's probably the treasury will balk at anything that costs more than a light tank, we need to get our needs very well defined and supported."
General Linday looked around his staff again. "Very well, so the next thing is to see what we need to improve apart from the tanks. Assuming the opposition will have better weapons and tactics this time."
"Well, sir, what we did notice was that the mounted infantry we used in support was very useful, we didn't have enough of them. We need more suitable vehicles, all of them need to be mobile this time. Also I think we might more infantry over all, if we can't just scare them off with our tanks. More engineers, for the mines and obstacles, and more artillery for suppression fire. We'll need all that to crack open the defence, once that's done we can take them from the flanks are rear easily enough. The second infantry battalion was very useful, if we make that a full part of the force, and dig up more tracked transport, I think we can handle the job. Having them as mobile as our usual support will go a long way towards giving us the numbers we look like needing. I'd like more Birch guns as well, they can keep up much better and if we have to sort out anti-tanks guns we'll need that speed. Sadly we have all there are, so I think that when we look at better tanks some more self-propelled guns are on the list as well."
"I think we can make the case for borrowing more Dragons and half-tracks for the exercise from other units, to bring us up to what we think we need. That won't make us popular of course, but we'll give them back afterwards."
"How are we going to handle the assumption that the light tanks are too vulnerable?"
"How about trying some armoured cars in that role? They won't be less vulnerable, but they are fast, so perhaps the extra speed and surprise will make up for. We may need to work out the sort of armament they should carry, depending on what they run into."
"Very well, I think we have enough now we can start planning in more detail. Let's get down to that, then we'll need to see what training we need to change in the new year."
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