IDW #53: Main Battle Tank

**yoitisi** · December 13th, 2007, 07:22 PM

Topic: Main Battle Tank

Background: I think this needs very little background

Basically, design a vehicle that fulfills the role of main battle tank in modern armies. Anything goes, as long as you come up with a good explanation why it is a main battle tank and not a support vehicle, APC or scout. Might need some research about what a main battle tank actually means and what its role actually is.

Brief:
1. Design and draw a Main Battle Tank.
2. Make sure you explain its role on the battlefield (whichever battlefield you choose to put it on -past, present, future, science fiction, whatnot-) and why it is a Main Battle Tank.
3. That's it... now draw!

Deadline: Saturday December 22 2007

**yoitisi** · December 13th, 2007, 07:23 PM

Actually, come to think of it, it's almost Christmas isn't it? Should we do something special for that?

**Lynus** · December 13th, 2007, 07:34 PM

Battle tank! oh hell yes, verry noice!

**gene0i1mortal** · December 13th, 2007, 10:16 PM

There are some rough deliveries this season...perhaps santa's sleigh comes with treads this year.

**form2function** · December 13th, 2007, 11:25 PM

You know... A sleigh might be a fun choice come to think of it. Left open to interpretation as to period, style, function, and so forth. And a touch more, ah... original, let's say, than a tank?

I'm up for either, but it might be nice to go seasonal.

**grenogs** · December 14th, 2007, 12:10 AM

design santas tank, the one he uses in the war against jack pumpkin head

**AntiMatty** · December 14th, 2007, 02:22 AM

oh hell yes! i keep starting these things and never finishing these or finishing too late. but i am all over this! like white on rice.

does it have to be specifically a MAIN battle tank?
cause i was thinking of making it air mobile and im not sure it would qualify then.

can i include support vehicles
in the illustration?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_ba...eth_century.29

The term "Main Battle Tank" is applied to tanks designed to function as the backbone of modern ground forces. It is all-around armed and armoured to face as many kinds of threats as possible, but especially direct hits from other tanks and lighter infantry anti-tank weapons. However, the threats to MBTs on a modern battlefield are numerous.

**Legato** · December 14th, 2007, 04:40 AM

so is this a topic suggestion thread? i think i won by default last year doing santa's sleigh... because nobody else submitted anything \o/

i think other than that, i think "main battle tank" is actually a little bit on the boring side imho :/

**yoitisi** · December 14th, 2007, 05:08 AM

Hmm I'd hoped people would know where to go and suggest it all... Also, the Christmas topic will start next week, so for now focus on something more serious I suggest

.

AntiMatty: Yep, Main Battle Tank it is, as is stated in the topic

There may be different kinds of tanks, but I want to see the real deal here. You can include support vehicles if you wish, but I'd rather have you make a great tank without any extra stuff than a mediocre tank with lots of background and detail surrounding it, so take care not to spend too much time on the fancy stuff and focus on the tank itself.

Legato: I thought a military topic would make you all happy, though I agree it could be a bit boring in a way. Still, give the topic a twist and make it cool then

As said in the last round, it is this kind of topics that get me fired up to make something interesting out of.

**Dekus** · December 14th, 2007, 05:59 AM

A big, scary main battle tank of a powerful colony sounds very cool.. ^^
grenogs haha... i see, Santa on a red tank firing Christmas presents haha!

hmm.. im gonna do a bit more futuristic tank..

**Hideyoshi** · December 14th, 2007, 08:24 AM

yoitisi: Main Battle Tank sounds more than X-Mas to me!

**Legato** · December 14th, 2007, 09:13 AM

haha, nah, im not disappointed, i'll have fun with it

**grenogs** · December 14th, 2007, 09:33 AM

i dont think its as boring as you think, just an idea of the type of thing you could have would be the double barreled chinese battle tanks in c&C generals. And then if you think future, would it neseceraly have to fire normal rounds, you could have heat generated tanks, flame turrets, or even use sound as your main weapon. And thats just weaponry, think how does it move, how many tracks has it? Is it manned or unmanned, if its unmanned, then the whole shape can change, no need for excess room, it could just simply be a big gun on wheels, imagine how tanks would be in a turminator type world. Or am i going in a totaly wrong direction here yoitisi?

**Dekus** · December 14th, 2007, 10:03 AM

Heres my first ideas.. to inspire you guys as well.. but dont copy them.. xD

**Legato** · December 14th, 2007, 12:11 PM

linky linky

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007...ks-part-2.html

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007...nge-tanks.html

*edit* i'm almost afraid to ask due to mass hover tank stuff, but are hybrid drive systems ok, as long as it includes tracks?

**oDaYWaLKeRo** · December 14th, 2007, 04:06 PM

Main Battle Tank

You can also google for Abrams or Leopard. I wish you all luck

**form2function** · December 14th, 2007, 04:32 PM

Well, I'm in. I'll start whipping up some sketches tonight.

**yoitisi** · December 14th, 2007, 05:58 PM

AntiMatty: That is a very usefull link, it really describes the role of a Main Battle tank, as well as its history and its possible future.

Legato: Those are some whacky tanks. I recognized a couple of them, but saw some new ones as well. Don't think they all count as MBT's though, but they're certainly a good source of inspiration

oDaYWaLKeRo For some reason the link didn't work for me, but I think you're refering to the same link as AntiMatty.

Dekus: in my experience it is always usefull to keep using the rules for perspective and stuff even in my thumbs, as this often prevents nasty surprises when you try to work out something that was a bit wobbly to begin with. The tank in the lower right corner looks a bit twisted and at an angle for instance.

**Johnnyhorse** · December 14th, 2007, 06:20 PM

Awesome, I'm in.
PS. does it have to have treads, as long is it fulfills the role of a MBT?

**LORD M** · December 14th, 2007, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by yoitisi

Actually, come to think of it, it's almost Christmas isn't it? Should we do something special for that?

A Christmas themed tank? Kinda like this?

(I didn't make it.)

**form2function** · December 14th, 2007, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by LORD M

A Christmas themed tank? Kinda like this?

Bastards! They stole my gingerbread-armored, high-caliber candy cane artillery design!

**yoitisi** · December 14th, 2007, 06:38 PM

Jonnyhorse: It doesn't necessarily need treads as a means of driving around on, as long as it still is able to act as a MBT it's fine.

LORD M: Hehe I really like the candy-machine gun with the gnome behind it

I'm wondering what caliber and rounds it uses...by the way, as I said, next week will be the christmas flavoured round so keep the wacky gingerbread designs untill then m'kay?

**oDaYWaLKeRo** · December 15th, 2007, 06:55 PM

Just a bunch of simple and traditional tank sketches:

**form2function** · December 15th, 2007, 07:32 PM

Cool stuff, Daywalker. One word of caution, consider how the turret rotates.. Especially on the first design, it would be rotating at an angle. And on number five, it might need more space between the hull and turret so that it doesn't snag when it turns. Just food for thought.

**oDaYWaLKeRo** · December 15th, 2007, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by form2function

Cool stuff, Daywalker. One word of caution, consider how the turret rotates.. Especially on the first design, it would be rotating at an angle. And on number five, it might need more space between the hull and turret so that it doesn't snag when it turns. Just food for thought.

Thanks for the tips f2f

**oDaYWaLKeRo** · December 15th, 2007, 07:49 PM

And 2 more referance designs from Edward Lee who is a former concept artist of CRYSIS video game.

**JCai** · December 16th, 2007, 09:58 AM

hello ppl
mind if i join the fun
major LOL at the battlefield christmas image where did u find that?!?
it made my day

i believe Hideyoshi often wonder these grounds whom i see often on DA

here are some fun sketches! critiques welcome!

**Dekus** · December 16th, 2007, 11:31 AM

Yeah, the Battlefield Christmas is hilarious! I love Santa's expression!

JCai that Long Range Railgun MBT sketch from above is awesome.

heres some more sketches from my sketchbook.. to inspire you guys as well..

Edit: whoa.. the Crysis tank pics are soo cool.. so detailed..

**oDaYWaLKeRo** · December 17th, 2007, 11:28 AM

A new, developed sketch of mine. Hope you'll like it.

**form2function** · December 17th, 2007, 04:26 PM

Dekus, JCai, Daywalker... Looking good!

I'm still kinda stuck at the sketching phase and I haven't really found a design I'm happy with. This always tends to happen when I'm working on a clear-cut direction. It's a tank, you pretty much know what to expect, you know?

Anyway, we'll see. I might just go with a very traditional and possibly historical design. Or I might go nuts. Gonna do a few more sketches today and see what happens.