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- Confederate siege tank in action during the Battle of Tarsonis(src)
The siege tank is a terran vehicle that can be configured to fulfill both the armored support and the long-range artillery support roles.[1]
Overview[]
- Siege tank pilot(src)
An Arclite siege tank
The dual-mode siege tank concept was a Terran Confederacy response to the flexibility of the goliath. Prior to the Guild Wars, work had progressed on a static "final defense" cannon. However, the conflict demonstrated the need for mobility and as a result an effort was made to make the cannon more mobile. The solution was creative. An existing tank design was modified so that it could operate as a conventional tank in addition to being able to deploy the cannon and become a static artillery emplacement at will.[1] Mobile siege tanks were in existence by 2480, several years before the official beginning of the Guild Wars. These tanks were able to be fueled by oil.[2] An artillery version of the siege tank was in use by the Confederacy during the Guild Wars.[3]
Siege tanks function in two modes. First is the "tank" or "assault mode" in which the vehicle may be used in the familiar armored support role using relatively light weapons. The second is the more radical "siege mode" in which the vehicle becomes a static emplacement able to deploy a much more powerful and longer ranged weapon.[1]
A mercenary siege tank
By the Defenders of Man Insurgency the Umojan Protectorate appeared to be using siege tanks, a number of which were infested by the zerg on Jarban Minor.[4] Mercenary groups are known for the modifications they make to their siege tanks, both to increase their functionality and make them more visually intimidating, some modifying them to be better at demolition events. Tyrador IX utilized platinum-alloy siege tanks to give ten-round salutes to visiting dignitaries above a certain rank.[5]
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This article or section contains information derived from Co-op Missions, and should not be considered part of the official StarCraft storyline.
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During the End War, Nova Terra deployed advanced heavy siege tanks against Amon's Forces.[6]
Types[]
AAV-5 Arclite[]
A modified Arclite tank
The AAV-5[7] was in service by 2491,[8] renowned throughout the Confederacy for its heavy firepower and stalwart emplacement/advance tactics.[1] It had a crew of three: gunner, driver, and commander/navigator,[7] though could still be crewed by a single operator.[8][9] The crew compartment could get hot enough to be uncomfortable.[10]
In addition, the Arclite could serve as an APC of sorts, carrying personnel into a hot zone and deploying them via side/rear hatches.[8] Use of a gravity accelerator allowed the Arclite to remain stable in low or zero gravity environments by utilizing artificial gravity.[11] Hydraulic actuators meanwhile allow the Arclite to remain stable in tank for even when targeted by explosives. The gyros on the Arclite allowed them to navigate inclines of up to 65 degrees.[12]
The Arclite made navigation easy via its interior viewscreen, although a top hatch still existed should a crew member wish to survey the area personally and/or signal fellow soldiers.[8] The tank also provided a targeting computer, which not only keyed in on heat sources, but also identified their range, notably whether they were in range or not via visual and audio indications.[8] The viewscreen was able to display a 3D representation of topography surrounding the siege tank.[12]
Schematics of the upgraded AAV-5
Arclite armament consisted of twin 80mm PPG-7 plasma cannons[13] when mobile and the 120mm Shock Cannon when in siege mode.[1] Later on this was upgraded to the 120mm Mjolnir Artillery Cannon, which fired plasma shells in contrast to the standard explosives of the Shock Cannon.[13] Such weapons were sometimes used for "scorched earth" operations.[14]
By the aftermath of the Brood War however, the AAV-5's "tank/assault mode" left much to be desired. Its armament and armor was too light to either advance, or hold a firebase from close-quarters assault, without significant support. The Crucio was developed to address these shortcomings.[15]
Crucio[]
- Raynor's Raiders blurb(src)
The Crucio siege tank
The Crucio was designed as the AAV-5's replacement,[15] and had entered Dominion service by 2502.[9][16] By the Defenders of Man Insurgency, the Umojan Protectorate had acquired access to Crucios.[17]
Design[]
Crucio schematics
The Crucio features superior protection and armament compared to its predecessor. The Crucio was designed for increased survivability, with an enlarged, reinforced turret and hull. The turret layout also features an upgraded Tank-Mode armament package, allowing the Crucio to defend itself more successfully in open battlefields. The Crucio is costlier than its predecessor, but its increased versatility justifies the expenses.[18] The treads of the Crucio are made out of modular, heavy-duty neosteel plates. Unlike standard tracked vehicles, the Crucio boasts a multi-track configuration with two extra tracks for added stability. Historically, tracked vehicles have a drawback, for the loss of a single tread segment results in immobilization. To prevent this, engineers have added a series of tubes in the chassis and bogies of the tank that pump a fast-drying gel onto the affected area. Said gel replaces lost tread segments, and allows the Crucio to remain operational after suffering damage that would cripple vehicles lacking this technology. In siege mode, the Crucio's main tracks turn outwards and the secondary tracks slide into the hull, while thick hydraulic outriggers (also called legs) deploy from the sides of the tank. Once the legs are locked in, they push against the ground for added stability. The base of the outrigger, known as the pad or foot, is similar to a large claw. It comes with retractable talons that activate on rough terrain, and microscopic weep holes which secrete a rubbery substance for greater grip on metal and pavement. While the system is generally reliable, the legs stick from time to time.[10] In total the Crucio weighs around 60 tons.[19]
A Dominion Special Forces siege tank
Like the Arclite, temperatures of the Crucio's crew compartment can become uncomfortable. To offset this, all Crucios come equipped with a set of heavy compressors that regulate the air inside the cabin, taxing the engine in the process. Some veteran tank operators, and a few borderline obsessive rookies, opt to modify the climate control system, paying out of their own pocket for additional performance.[10]
Initially, Crucio siege tanks requires further modifications outside of the factory line in order to deploy into siege mode. However the research of Redell Quinton of Project Blackstone did away with the latrines of factories, allowing further space for the assembly of "siege tech" on siege tanks right out of the factory without the need for further research from a tech lab.[20]
During the reign of Valerian Mengsk, the Dominion made improvements to the Crucio siege tank model, adding reinforced plating and heftier cannons. These tanks were used by the Dominion Special Forces.[21] The Defenders of Man experimented with utilizing cloaking devices on siege tanks in Davis's compound.[22]
Ordnance[]
A group of Crucio tanks advancing
By way of armament, the Crucio's turret has a dual-mode weapon system. In assault/tank mode,[15][10] the Crucio utilizes twin 90mm[15] plasma[23] cannons.[15] These are the Crucio's main line of defense, and are effective against enemy armor. Yet, the true might of the Crucio lies in its siege mode. On activation, the twin plasma cannons become the dreaded 180mm Shock Cannon, and just the roar of this weapon has been known to send enemies of the Dominion into full retreat.[10] The shock cannon fires super-heated tungsten in an area larger than the 120mm version.[24] The weapon can fire a diverse range of munitions, like armor-piercing Maelstrom shells.[10]
Dominion infantry soldiers are universally convinced that Crucio operators inflict more damage on friendly forces than on the enemy. Consequently, Crucio operators stick together during shore leave.[24] LarsCorp addressed this issue by developing a "smart shell" for the Crucio that scans for allies on impact and adjusts its detonation to minimize damage to friendly units. Field tests have shown that this shell reduces friendly fire fatalities by 75%, though due caution is still recommended when walking into a fire zone.[25] Siege tanks can be outfitted with spider mines.[26]
The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm that is ambiguously canonical.
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The Crucio features a targeting and radar (or similar) system.[27]
Imperio[]
The Imperio siege tank
The Imperio siege tank was created by the Umojan Protectorate. A recent invention, they already rivaled their Dominion counterparts in early combat tests (which was precisely their goal).[21]
Other Information[]
The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm that is ambiguously canonical.
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Some advanced models of siege tanks can be outfitted with the ability to fire napalm shells, as well as utilize a massive blunt force gun.[28]
Game Unit[]
StarCraft[]
- For StarCraft gameplay information see: Siege tank (StarCraft).
- For StarCraft in-game quotations see: StarCraft Siege Tank Quotations.
StarCraft: Ghost[]
Plasma rounds being fired
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This article or section contains information about StarCraft: Ghost, which has been declared non-canon. Elements may be taken as 'flavor lore' however.
The content may be significantly out of date. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details. |
In StarCraft: Ghost, Nova was able to call down artillery support from siege tanks by identifying targets.[29][30] Siege tanks were player drivable in multiplayer, and were able to run over and crush other players and vehicles.[13]
They were present as early as one of the earliest builds of the game.[31]
StarCraft: Ghost siege tank portrait
StarCraft II[]
- For StarCraft II gameplay information see: Siege tank (StarCraft II).
- For StarCraft II in-game quotations see: StarCraft II Siege Tank Quotations.
The siege tank in StarCraft II represents the Crucio type.[15]
Heroes of the Storm[]
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The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm and is not canon to StarCraft continuity
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Sgt. Hammer appears as a playable siege tank in Heroes of the Storm.[28]
Known Siege Tanks[]
An Arclite tank
Variants[]
Companies[]
Commanders and Crewmen[]
A Crucio siege tank operator
- General Edmund Duke
- General Martin
- Captain Marius Blackwood
- Sergeant Forest Keel
- Sergeant Bama Kowalski
- Sergeant Wendell Sovens
- Private Armstrong
- Garth
- Murphy
Notes[]
An Arclite siege tank
- Artwork from StarCraft: Ghost Academy: Volume 2 depicts Crucios being in use during the Fall of Tarsonis.[32] This contradicts all other sources of information and is likely an artistic error.
Cultural References[]
The Crucio siege tank development design
- The 120mm Mjolnir cannon may be a reference to the hammer of the Norse god of thunder, Thor.
- Crucio is a Latin word which means "I torture." Imperio is a Latin word that roughly translates as "government," "power," or "sovereignty."
- An arcade game named Siege Mode 3 cameos in Overwatch. Per its namesake, it features a siege tank as an apparent antagonist to the player's character (a marine).[33] A siege tank likewise features in the Blizzard World map in the game.
- "Indiscriminate justice" is the name of an achievement in Bolt: The Video Game, alongside "power overwhelming" (a reference to the archon).
- The Artillery mech in Stormgate (made by ex-Blizzard developers) bears resemblance to the siege tank, possessing both a "tank mode" and "deployed mode."
References[]
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