How effective would a Landkreuzer be?

Given the size of that thing, one hit from a 2,000 lb. armor-piercing bomb and that will be the end of the Landkreuzer. And the bomb will be dropped from either a de Havilland Mosquito or a Douglas A-26 Invader.
 
Actually, the Landkreuzer would be incredibly effective. It would shorten the war by months or more.

All the effort and materials tied up in building such an ineffective weapon would keep the Germans from building weapons that were actually useful, meaning the Allies would have a MUCH easier time, and would beat Germany much earlier.
 
P1000_Ratte.jpg


If the germans produced this monster, would it be a german white elephant like the Yamato class BB was, or the Landkreuzer P1000 could be worth it?
It'd be an interesting exhibit in a museum. As a weapon of war it would be useless.
 
Actually, the Landkreuzer would be incredibly effective. It would shorten the war by months or more.

All the effort and materials tied up in building such an ineffective weapon would keep the Germans from building weapons that were actually useful, meaning the Allies would have a MUCH easier time, and would beat Germany much earlier.

So no Me-262s or STG-44s?:D
 
Why don't they just paint a giant target on the top, it's just a large practice target for the allied air forces. That is if the thing dos the throw a track in the first 100 meters
 
Why don't they just paint a giant target on the top, it's just a large practice target for the allied air forces. That is if the thing dos the throw a track in the first 100 meters

Hell, getting it to move in the first place would be a trial. You'd need a hell of a drive shaft, along with a clutch made from some super-tough alloy that the Germans probably only had a very small amount of.
 
The logistics to keep her supplied break down, and she grinds to a halt somewhere in West Germany and is abandoned by her crew. Later the West German Museum of Armored Warfare is built around her.
 
(braces for criticism) I'm going to make the argument that, while indisputably a bad idea, it might not be an absolute flop. I am assuming two things, first that air cover can be provided for it, and second, that Saphroneth's estimate of it's mobility at the top of page 2 is accurate. I am also assuming that the weight is cut down as specified in that post. Now, assuming all of the above, to the opposing side seeing that thing coming, which can destroy effortlessly any field fortification or tank they have and which can't be harmed by any anti-tank weapon, it's going to be utterly terrifying and it could cause the opposing force in its' vicinity to disintegrate in an effect similar to that which the first tanks had in WW1.
 
(braces for criticism) I'm going to make the argument that, while indisputably a bad idea, it might not be an absolute flop. I am assuming two things, first that air cover can be provided for it, and second, that Saphroneth's estimate of it's mobility at the top of page 2 is accurate. I am also assuming that the weight is cut down as specified in that post. Now, assuming all of the above, to the opposing side seeing that thing coming, which can destroy effortlessly any field fortification or tank they have and which can't be harmed by any anti-tank weapon, it's going to be utterly terrifying and it could cause the opposing force in its' vicinity to disintegrate in an effect similar to that which the first tanks had in WW1.


Except as he pointed pointed out in his post the topside is essentially unarmoured (apart from the main and secondary turrets but the flak turrets are not much cop). That means plunging artillery fire let along aerial bombs will kill it dead and the lack of armour on the bottom leaves it vulnerable to improvised landmines. Also Saphroneth was very careful not to claim it could actually move. After all to have armour of the expected thickness you would have a vehicle of at least 240% its designed weight.

It gets worse but we have in this thread been over a lot of the reasons why already.
 
How useful would a modern variant of this be with its big gun?

I'm pretty sure every inch of the thing would be anti-air/missile defences.
 
(braces for criticism) I'm going to make the argument that, while indisputably a bad idea, it might not be an absolute flop. I am assuming two things, first that air cover can be provided for it, and second, that Saphroneth's estimate of it's mobility at the top of page 2 is accurate. I am also assuming that the weight is cut down as specified in that post. Now, assuming all of the above, to the opposing side seeing that thing coming, which can destroy effortlessly any field fortification or tank they have and which can't be harmed by any anti-tank weapon, it's going to be utterly terrifying and it could cause the opposing force in its' vicinity to disintegrate in an effect similar to that which the first tanks had in WW1.

I suspect the side armor could have been penetrated by some allied anti tank weapons (ie the 17 pounder.)
 
How useful would a modern variant of this be with its big gun?

I'm pretty sure every inch of the thing would be anti-air/missile defences.


Yeah, but it would guzzle more fuel than every hummer in texas combined and still be a logistical nightmare given its inability to use roads/bridges. Far better to just use the resources needed to build it to produce its weight in normal tanks/planes/guns/killdroids
 

Saphroneth

Banned
I suspect the side armor could have been penetrated by some allied anti tank weapons (ie the 17 pounder.)
As it happens, yes - just barely, and with the best ammunition. The APDS penetrates 275 mm of steel at 100 m, which is to say 10.8" out of the 10" of design armour.

Of course, it might be naval armour instead of RHA, which would change things a bit - not sure how APDS handles face-hardened armour.
 
Yeah, but it would guzzle more fuel than every hummer in texas combined and still be a logistical nightmare given its inability to use roads/bridges. Far better to just use the resources needed to build it to produce its weight in normal tanks/planes/guns/killdroids

Unless you just put a reactor in it, give it electric motors and make it big enough it'll just drive through most rivers.

And wouldn't everyone want a nuclear logistical nightmare bomb-magnet in their neighbourhood? :rolleyes:

I know I would in Civilization, where they won't blow up and irradiate said neighbourhood.
 
and which can't be harmed by any anti-tank weapon

Doesn't seem to be anything particularly preventing it from having a track blown off. And with treads half the tank's width and as high as a normal tank, there's no particular difficulty in hitting them. After that, it's just a pillbox of no offensive value.
 
Hell, getting it to move in the first place would be a trial. You'd need a hell of a drive shaft, along with a clutch made from some super-tough alloy that the Germans probably only had a very small amount of.

Would using a Porsche-style diesel-electric system help with the expected transmission issues? Or would it just serve to add more weight to the huge, silly hulking monster?
 
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