Author Topic: Panzer + Tree = BOOM! (Read 629 times)

pbirmingham · « **on:** March 01, 2002, 12:19:26 AM »

I was at Border's today, looking through one of those Osprey books on the PzKW IV that shows you everything, EVEN PARTS OF THE COMMANDER'S ANATOMY THAT SHOULD FOREVER REMAIN PRIVATE, and there were no straps or seatbelts.

I suspect that a panzer that hit a tree at any apperciable velocity, would find its crew severely fux0red.

So, I dispute any claim that, on the face of it, it is absurd to have tanks blow up when they hit trees. It is likely if a tank hit a tree at speed, most of its crew would be, as they say, hors de combat, if not dead outright.

Glasses · « **Reply #1 on:** March 01, 2002, 12:49:02 AM »

at 25mph? ooh those must be mined then.

tshred · « **Reply #2 on:** March 01, 2002, 01:25:59 AM »

LOL, I run over tree's in my '72 Chevy (7" lift and homemade 3" tube bumper) regularly. Ususally try to keep the size about 6" diameter or under, but it will easily run over bigger trees with a little speed!

By the way, it don't go boom when I do it. Neither should our GV's. Sudden stoppage sure, but not boom.

Also, I'm not usually wearing my seat belt (unless it's serious 4X4'in). Tree's aren't brick walls you know.

ts

pbirmingham · « **Reply #3 on:** March 01, 2002, 01:27:01 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Glasses
at 25mph? ooh those must be mined then.

Think of it this way:

When the tank hits the tree, it stops, and you keep going at 25 MPH.

25 MPH equals 11 m/s. This is how fast you'd be going after a fall of 6.37 meters, or roughly 21 feet.

I don't think it is a ridiculous notion to say that if you fell 21 feet onto whatever would be in front of you in a tank, you would likely be hurt very badly.

Planes blow up in AH when the pilot dies -- shouldn't tanks blow up when critical crew members die?

pbirmingham · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2002, 01:30:38 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by tshred
LOL, I run over tree's in my '72 Chevy (7" lift and homemade 3" tube bumper) regularly. Ususally try to keep the size about 6" diameter or under, but it will easily run over bigger trees with a little speed!

By the way, it don't go boom when I do it. Neither should our GV's. Sudden stoppage sure, but not boom.

Also, I'm not usually wearing my seat belt (unless it's serious 4X4'in). Tree's aren't brick walls you know.

ts

How fast are we talking here? I don't doubt that you can hit trees, but hitting trees *fast* would be dangerous, I think. Granted, most of my driving involves *avoiding* trees, so what do I know, eh?

Glasses · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2002, 02:00:03 AM »

Yes m8 but also position manners inside a tank these people are not floating around inside a tank or sitting upright as we are in our cars if you hit a tree at 25 MPH the guys inside the tank might be shaken but defenetly not dead it's a tank it won't absorb the main blunt the tree will but the tank and its contens won't.

Pepe · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2002, 02:01:30 AM »

I doubt trees, except VERY big ones (and then, not sure) would have any effect over a 26 ton steel vehicle...

I don't have any data to back my doubts, but It's hard for me to see how a tree would make a tank stop, instead of being tore off, or cracked.

Cheers,

Pepe

Hortlund · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2002, 02:42:11 AM »

I cant believe we are actually debating this.
Take a 60 ton tank. Drive it at 30 mph. What is the kinetic energy of said tank?

Take a tree. Put it in the way of said tank. How big do you think that tree must be to stop the tank dead in its tracks?

MANDOBLE · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2002, 03:04:56 AM »

Panzer + Tree = no more tree.

mrsid2 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 01, 2002, 03:19:53 AM »

Haven't anyone seen wartime documents of panzers?

They eat trees for lunch, they just drive over them and the trees fall under.

Hitting a full sized tree at full speed however should at least shake the panzer, maybe even create a little damage.

There are some big-ass trees you know

At any rate the panzer should not die from the collision though.

illo · « **Reply #10 on:** March 01, 2002, 05:13:24 AM »

In worst case running over tree would cause thrown off track and immobilization.

Seeker · « **Reply #11 on:** March 01, 2002, 05:25:29 AM »

I can see some people have problems believing trees and hedges can stop tanks.

They should read up a bit on the Allied experience post D Day in the Boccage region.

All sorts of modifications were tried, from merely ramming the hedgerows at full speed, to welding giant hedging shears and clippers to the front of the tanks.

All failed.

Now, in gaming terms; which, longterm, gives the least frustration?

A clear and present danger :
(tree = boom);
or a hazy and undefined annoyance:
(land scape features = stuck tank, and you can't get out to see why)

Having said that, it would be nice to see some open treeless plains for the tank armadas to play on, but then boy, wouldn't the Tiffs and Shturmis have fun then......

Hortlund · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2002, 06:05:45 AM »

Now what's the difference between a tree and bocage agaion...hmmm

The analogy is about as good as comparing a tree with a large boulder.

tofri at work · « **Reply #13 on:** March 01, 2002, 06:31:54 AM »

A panzer, that can be killed by hispanos,
MUST explode by touching a tree.

Staga · « **Reply #14 on:** March 01, 2002, 06:51:40 AM »

Long time ago I made toothpicks from a telephone pole with a Datsun 180B 2D HT SSS in a side slide in a rain. Even that lightweight rise-burner was drivable after that crash