WI: Killdozer Rampage ends in Airstrike

In June 2004, Martin Heemeyer, a welder and repairman, used a modified, armor-plated bulldozer rigged with two rifle firing ports to wreak havoc on the town of Granby, Colorado. While no one was killed during his rampage, he destroyed several buildings and caused $7 million in damage. His attack when his bulldozer became stuck in a building’s basement; when he was unable to extricate himself, Heemeyer killed himself with a gunshot to the head.

During his ramage, Granby police and Colorado State Patrol engaged the Heemeyer in a running gun battle, failing to make a dent in the machine. After several failed attempts to stop the Killdozer, Colorado governor Bill Owens and the State Patrol were considering
asking the Colorado National Guard to use either an AH-64 Apache armed with Hellfire missles or a Javelin team to destroy the vehicle. The plans were abandoned, partly because Heemeyer became stuck in the basement before any such action was needed, and partly because it was ultimately deemed a missile strike would risk causing more damage than the Killdozer.

So, what if the Heemeyer had not become stuck and continued his rampage, causing the governor to order a missile strike on the Killdozer? What would the fallout of such an action be?
 
Killdozer is already such a legend. I think if there was an airstrike, it would stick into the collective memory of Americans like Waco. The man hadn't killed anybody and they use a goddamn missile on him! It would be a real controversy.
 
I think you get copycats seeing how far they could up the damage both for the vehicle and retaliation.
 
Killdozer is already such a legend. I think if there was an airstrike, it would stick into the collective memory of Americans like Waco. The man hadn't killed anybody and they use a goddamn missile on him! It would be a real controversy.
to be honest, it seems he was aiming for suicide by cop from the beginning, but it's not like anyone'll pick that up from the aftermath of an airstrike.
 

Driftless

Donor
Armored dozer with gun ports and he'd already done some damage? It wouldn't be hard to sell that to the public that he was a domestic terrorist.
 

Puzzle

Donor
Armored dozer with gun ports and he'd already done some damage? It wouldn't be hard to sell that to the public that he was a domestic terrorist.
Yeah, it’s hard to see people lining up behind a guy who was literally driving a tank around shooting people. Maybe if the air strike missed and did way more damage than the tank, but if the missile does its job I think people will be sanguine about it.
 
Nightmare scenario: Waco-style incident with two or three vehicles lile this...maybe even with light cannons atop them...
 
Killdozer is already such a legend. I think if there was an airstrike, it would stick into the collective memory of Americans like Waco. The man hadn't killed anybody and they use a goddamn missile on him! It would be a real controversy.

Not for like of trying he hadn't. But I guess it might depend on how much collateral is involved.

Nightmare scenario: Waco-style incident with two or three vehicles lile this...maybe even with light cannons atop them...

And at that point, I don't think anyone would question sending in the army. That's escalating from domestic terrorism to conventional(ish) warfare against the state.
 
Killdozer is already such a legend. I think if there was an airstrike, it would stick into the collective memory of Americans like Waco. The man hadn't killed anybody and they use a goddamn missile on him! It would be a real controversy.

If his rampage had continued, he easily could have killed someone. And god forbid if the missile missed.

I think you get copycats seeing how far they could up the damage both for the vehicle and retaliation.

Marvin Heemeyer died 14 years ago tomorrow, yet no one in the world has done that sort of rampage since. The reason being that few people have the sort of money to get the equipment needed (bulldozer, steel, etc.), the technical experience to build one, and the outright rage at the world to want to cause such destruction.
 
Blind spots. Stones placed in the bottom track to damage sprockets Eventually he would have thrown a track. Rifle AP shots into the radiator area. Eventual or quick overheating with engine seizure. Scoped common Deer Rifle shots through the vision slits. Bullet splatter. Lots of way to stop a big D8. Also lots of ways to stop the operator.
 

WILDGEESE

Gone Fishin'
In June 2004, Martin Heemeyer, a welder and repairman, used a modified, armor-plated bulldozer rigged with two rifle firing ports to wreak havoc on the town of Granby, Colorado. While no one was killed during his rampage, he destroyed several buildings and caused $7 million in damage. His attack when his bulldozer became stuck in a building’s basement; when he was unable to extricate himself, Heemeyer killed himself with a gunshot to the head.

During his ramage, Granby police and Colorado State Patrol engaged the Heemeyer in a running gun battle, failing to make a dent in the machine. After several failed attempts to stop the Killdozer, Colorado governor Bill Owens and the State Patrol were considering
asking the Colorado National Guard to use either an AH-64 Apache armed with Hellfire missles or a Javelin team to destroy the vehicle. The plans were abandoned, partly because Heemeyer became stuck in the basement before any such action was needed, and partly because it was ultimately deemed a missile strike would risk causing more damage than the Killdozer.

So, what if the Heemeyer had not become stuck and continued his rampage, causing the governor to order a missile strike on the Killdozer? What would the fallout of such an action be?

Sorry . . . . I thought you was talking about the film starring Clint Walker.
 
Stones placed in the bottom track to damage sprockets Eventually he would have thrown a track.
The tracks were armored to keep that from working.
Rifle AP shots into the radiator area.
The radiator was armored enough to keep that from happening.
Eventual or quick overheating with engine seizure.
This only happened because of the extra weight of the armor, not because of anything the police did.
Scoped common Deer Rifle shots through the vision slits.
The Killdozer didn't have any vision slits.
Bullet splatter.
The Killdozer didn't have any other openings, either.

the outright rage at the world to want to cause such destruction
Marvin's 'rage' was narrowly directed against the people who opposed him in the concrete plant dispute.
 
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Anchises

Banned
Nightmare scenario: Waco-style incident with two or three vehicles lile this...maybe even with light cannons atop them...

The only way to stop a bad guy with a Killdozer is a good guy with a Killdozer...

Basically the script for a very trashy movie
 
Nightmare scenario: Waco-style incident with two or three vehicles lile this...maybe even with light cannons atop them...

Unless they're in the middle of a town/city smashing buildings and infrastructure, then they're much more easily contained. There wouldn't be much hand-wringing over calling in an airstrike or using anti-tank missiles. The Branch Davidian compound was in a rural area where collateral damage was a lot less of a concern. Same goes with Ruby Ridge and any potential standoffs at Elohim City in Oklahoma or the Aryan Nations compound in rural Idaho. In a situation like that, a Killdozer is pretty useless compared to just fortifying your compound more. Even if you have a cannon on it--and I'm not sure your average 90s anti-government group could actually acquire that--it's just a mobile pillbox. Although if a group like that could move their Killdozers into a nearby town, that would be a good diversion and cause some serious damage.
 

Anchises

Banned
I'd watch the shit out of that, I'll admit.

Who wouldn't ?

Just imagine an 80s style film where the corrupt police isn't able to stop the Killdozer gang and a bunch of construction workers, who lost their job in a killdozer rampage, band together to stop them.
 
Now that I've seen the love for Marv on the anniversary of his death, I think that he would definitely be seen as a hero across a pretty good section of the populace. I know that both the far-left and the far-right adore his spree and I think such an overreaction would definitely spawn a movie or something sympathetic to him.
 
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