Implementing a realistic neutral gear? (i.e., rolling while in neutral)

[organophosphate]

So I driving my tank atop a hill, chillin', then I saw some enemies and backed up onto a very steep incline. But I got hit before I could get to cover, and my driver was knocked out and I couldn't move.

So I'm sitting there now, in neutral, in like a fifty degree incline, and my tank is stuck. I would think, being in neutral, it would roll backwards down the incline. Neutral right now functions like a parking break. I could be wrong, but I think with a significant even angle, even a heavy ass tank would roll a bit if it was in neutral.

What do you guys think? Would it be realistic? If so, would it be a good idea or would it be annoying to see the tank you just penned slowly roll out of your way after you knocked his/her driver out?

[Illusionyary]

It seems realistic enough for a tank to roll under no power, the M26 would go down steep hills in reverse gear afterall to slow the tank down.
https://youtu.be/zWkoy5hP858?t=4m5s

[Azi]

In a realistic Approach: Your driver was dead, meaning that if he had the break activated you won't go far... The neutral thing works when transmission/engine dies, but nt when driver does...

[organophosphate]

Well, I know modern tanks have a traditional break and then something similiar to a parking brake. So, if the tank was in neutral and the driver was knocked out AND the parking-like brake wasn't applied, the dead driver wouldn't keep pressing on the break.

Especially with the German tanks, which at least since the Tiger 1 drove a lot like cars, so I'd imagine they worked a lot like them. They even had steering wheels instead of levers for each track.

[Katokevin]

Originally posted by organophosphate:

Well, I know modern tanks have a traditional break and then something similiar to a parking brake. So, if the tank was in neutral and the driver was knocked out AND the parking-like brake wasn't applied, the dead driver wouldn't keep pressing on the break.

Especially with the German tanks, which at least since the Tiger 1 drove a lot like cars, so I'd imagine they worked a lot like them. They even had steering wheels instead of levers for each track.

With most that used levers, once pulled back all the way, they would be internally held in place and hold the brakes on to prevent it from rolling. The foot break was there to assist as well, but not to hold the tank on an incline.

Action of the steering Control:
When the steering lever is in the extreme forward position, the force of the compensating springs is transferred through the rollers to the bracket. On pulling the steering lever backwards the spring pulls the forked lever forwards and disengages the steering clutch. When the roller reaches the end of the ramp of the hook the disengagement of the clutch is completed and the force of the clutch spring is transferred to the bracket. All the force exerted by the driver is now used to operate the brake. A fixing device is provided to hold the brakes on. - T-34 service manual on the steering levers.

As for the Tigers and Panthers, I would have to look that up some time. I'm not quite sure what they had in terms of breaks, but I know they did also have steering levers as well as the wheel as backup.