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Steam tank concept - mod 1881

This is the first attempt to put a large, powerful steam engine inside of an armoured (somewhat) chassis. Built by the Copper Metallurgy Company, they fitted the large and, at the time, powerful 20 horse power Phoenix Steam Works steam engine in the rear of their armoured chassis. The rear of the tank has nothing special, just a simple cast copper rear slope held on by two large copper hinges riveted on. The main bulk of the tank houses the engine in a partly open engine bay. The company was so impressed with their current progress that they forgot to add somewhere for the boiler, so it was added on top with a ladder to climb up and stoke it! The front of the tank is open topped, with space for a driver (who controls the steam pressures), a steersman (who drives it) and a loader to load in the large, tungsten spikes which the gun fires. The gun works by siphoning steam pressure from the engine and directing it to the breach and fires out the spike at quite a speed. Due to a lack of tank design knowledge by the Copper Company, the steersman also has to aim the gun. The front armour is held on in the same way as the rear slope armour.

During field trials, the tank performed well, with its long chassis providing stability and good control for the steersman while the powerful engine gave it surprisingly good torque for getting up hills! It was easily able to climb hills, traverse railroad tracks and rough ground while the gun performed adequately. However, it was ultimately rejected as the front and rear armoured slopes were easily destroyed by the rivets and hinges breaking under stress, while the tank itself was too large a target, as well as the boiler being very exposed.

Top speed: 28 mph with good speed retention up hills.

Crew: seats for 3 but technically a lot more - a steersman/gunner, a loader and driver at the rear. Then there would be one or two firemen for the boiler, a commander on top and possibly a standing aimer.

Controls:
WSAD to drive.
Action 1 to shoot.

Hope you enjoy this concept steam tank as I know it doesn't look the best, but I've made some interesting stories around it if you read this description!