Author Topic: SU-180/SU-180bis Tank Destroyer. Ancient Soviet Secrets!  (Read 1102 times)

Liam's Ghost

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SU-180/SU-180bis Tank Destroyer. Ancient Soviet Secrets!
« on: 05 January 2018, 23:10:19 »
SU-180 Tank Destroyer

The SU-180 Tank Destroyer is one of the last generation of Soviet combat vehicles, first entering service mere months before the Second Soviet civil war in 2011. A response to both growing instability within the Soviet Union and advances in armor technology that was increasingly rendering traditional anti-tank weaponry obsolete, the SU-180 was built as a simple, lightly armored mobile platform for the new 180mm smoothbore gun, at the time considered the ultimate tank killing weapon. To mount such a huge weapon while both maintaining mobility and low weight, as well as meet the ambitious production goals imposed by the Soviet Central Committee, required compromises at every step. The design was simple to the point of being crude, the aluminum armor was lightweight, but provided little protection against vehicle weapons or even man-portable missile systems. The fire control system for the main gun was basically non-existent, all but prohibiting firing while on the move, and the ammunition supply for the huge weapon was extremely limited. This meant the SU-180 served best as an ambush predator, firing one or two rounds from a prepared position, then withdrawing to the next. In practice, however, the vehicle was used by both sides in the increasingly desperate civil war as a line combat vehicle and replacement for scarcer tank units. Despite its limitations, the SU-180 performed surprisingly well in this role, even scoring kills against the larger, better protected tanks fielded by NATO during the Western intervention.

After the war, the SU-180 continued to serve in the armies of the Soviet Union's successor states, with occasional refits and upgrades to keep it current. Following the acceptance of these states into the Western Alliance, a large number of SU-180s (alongside other Soviet derived hardware) were incorporated into the unified Western Alliance Armed Forces. Continued upgrades (culminating in the SU-180bis) kept the vehicle in service for generations, long after its contemporaries had been retired. As the Western Alliance Armed Forces transitioned into the Terran Alliance Global Militia, commanders found the relatively lightweight and mobile tank destroyer far more useful in peacekeeping duties than the heavy tanks it ended up supplanting. The SU-180bis remained a major component of the Global Militia all the way up to the Outer Reaches Rebellion, and many hundreds would be left behind on rebel held worlds by the retreating Terrans.

The reformations of the Terran Alliance Military from peace keepers to a powerful offensive force resulted in the SU-180bis' retirement among Terran forces. Among the growing interstellar states beyond Terra, however the vehicle continued to see use and even production up to the early Age of War. Unsurprisingly, there are no currently active SU-180s in service, however the vehicle is a regular feature in military museums across the Inner Sphere. The vast majority of these are copies built after the outer reaches rebellion, though a handful of Terran Alliance era examples can be found on worlds close to Terra, and the Military Museums of Kubinka and Yad La-Shiron on Terra are known to possess SU-180s dating back to the Second Soviet Civil War.

Tech Level: B
Mass: 45 tons (9 slots)
Motive System: Tracked
Chassis: 9 tons
Engine (ICE): 23 tons (3/5)
Fuel: 0.5 tons (approximately 200 km)
Armor: 2.5 tons of BAR 4 Armor
Fwd:12 Sides:10 Rear:8 Turret:10

Weapons and Equipment
Heavy Rifle, Turret, 8 tons
Turret Mechanism, 1 ton
6 rounds Ammunition, 1 ton


SU-180bis Tank Destroyer
Tech Level: C
Mass: 45 tons (9 slots)
Motive System: Tracked
Chassis: 8 tons
Engine (ICE): 23.5 tons (4/6)
Fuel: 0.5 tons (approximately 200 km)
Armor: 2.5 tons of BAR 6 Armor
Fwd:12 Sides:10 Rear:10 Turret:10

Weapons and Equipment
Heavy Rifle, Turret, 8 tons
Turret Mechanism, 1 ton
6 rounds Ammunition, 1 ton
Basic Fire Control, 0.5 tons
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marauder648

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Re: SU-180/SU-180bis Tank Destroyer. Ancient Soviet Secrets!
« Reply #1 on: 06 January 2018, 04:45:37 »
Oh wow, I really like this! Darn good stuff and great background information too!
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