THE RED GAMBIT SERIES

Will the Soviets still make the older 85mm armed T-34s? I was thinking maybe, even if only to arm their East European aliies, because they wouldn't want to give them their the latest designs. Also, what about the M4 Sherman series? Wouldn't they still be made to arm some of the "lesser" Allied nations, like the South Americans? If so, would they still be armed with the 76 mm gun, or would they be upgraded in some manner?

*Contains spoilers* I see M4 development as an issue. the standard 75mm gun has no place on the RG battlefield without a decent shell with which to kill tanks. The hull wont take anything bigger than the 76mm without serious mod. The Pershing and Super Pershing are in production, with the M46 coming along. I suspect phasing out of the M4 production, retaining some facilities for the E8, in favour of M46 and M26. The Soviets would see things much more clearly. They enever throw away anything, with the possible exception of lives. If a factory can only produce an outdated tank, then they would produce it rather than produce nothing. That being said, the chassis could be teh basis for a number of valuable things. The Su100 is still useful as a tank killer, and easier to produce. The T34m45 has a 100mm in a turret. WHilst the tank is vulnerable comparatively, the gun can still kill. Bear in mind that another factor MIGHT come into play. The one of fuel. Having a load of low quality tanks is one thing, but they consume equal amounts of fuel, something the Soviets have in short supply. That might change their thinking... then again...

gee_colin@yahoo.co.uk at October 24, 2015 at 3:23 AM

*Contains spoilers* I see M4 development as an issue. the standard 75mm gun has no place on the RG battlefield without a decent shell with which to kill tanks. The hull wont take anything bigger than the 76mm without serious mod. The Pershing and Super Pershing are in production, with the M46 coming along. I suspect phasing out of the M4 production, retaining some facilities for the E8, in favour of M46 and M26. The Soviets would see things much more clearly. They enever throw away anything, with the possible exception of lives. If a factory can only produce an outdated tank, then they would produce it rather than produce nothing. That being said, the chassis could be teh basis for a number of valuable things. The Su100 is still useful as a tank killer, and easier to produce. The T34m45 has a 100mm in a turret. WHilst the tank is vulnerable comparatively, the gun can still kill. Bear in mind that another factor MIGHT come into play. The one of fuel. Having a load of low quality tanks is one thing, but they consume equal amounts of fuel, something the Soviets have in short supply. That might change their thinking... then again...

Didn't the Soviets continue to manufacture the T-34/85 into the fifties?

gee_colin@yahoo.co.uk at January 9, 2017 at 4:35 AM

In real life, you may be right, but they weren't in a hot war like RG that pushed developments along. If looking at the RG environment, T34 hulls as SPAA and SPs possibly, but I suspect the T54 would get priority.

Wouldn't the Soviets still be interested in making the T-34/85 even for just export, like to the Polish Army units loyal to them? Or to the Yugoslavs, or Hungarians or Romanians?