Among the greatest accomplishments of the Defender series of tanks was that they did their job: there isn’t anyone out there who doesn’t know of the IS-3 Defender or T28 Defender. Even though they were classified, the technology used in them as well as their combat capabilities have inspired and caught the attention of many. And it’s not just idle curiosity…
Recently, Elona Muskonskaya, head of the largest technology corporation Hybrid Nation, announced that in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the start of global tank competitions, three Premium vehicles will be available, along with attachments for each. Moreover, these new vehicles will be among the prizes for drawings, so any of the celebration’s guests will be able to acquire them!
The Lineup
Elona took a sly peek into the folder that contained all the plans for the next day’s presentation. She will utter the words, “Everyone needs a Defender!”, and the lights will go out on stage. When the lights are turned back on, people will see three magnificent tanks, all with the latest tech, a formidable look, and almost silent electric drives. Welcome the Hybrid Nation’s Y5 Series tanks!
These three vehicles are united by the light hull taken from the speedy Cromwell, a powerful electric engine, a high power-to-weight ratio, and a “nuclear reactor” kit in an expanded configuration.
Y5 T-34—the entry-level model, which is equipped with a T-34 turret. It features a powerful cannon with a mix of quick aiming time and high damage per shot, but a low rate of fire. The penetration is good enough to hit targets in any high-maneuver battle. Plus, the gun offers 10 degrees of gun depression, so you can take advantage of the terrain. The cherry on top is its small turret, making it hard for enemies to hit it!
Y5 Firefly—the mid-range model of the Y5 Series. You’ll find a modified Sherman Firefly turret mounted. This vehicle can reach speeds of up to 55 km/h, is highly maneuverable, and wields a fast-firing weapon capable of dealing significant damage per minute. The gun also has a great angle of depression, which comes in handy when trying to preserve your precious hit points!
Y5 ELC bis—the top model with a reinforced turret taken right from the AMX ELC bis. The most dynamic and speedy vehicle in the series. According to the stats, it’s (almost) a light tank. Its near-instant acceleration, easy handling, and a quick-turning turret allow commanders to always keep enemy vehicles in their sights. Its cannon fires every 4 seconds and boasts one of the best DPMs. Combine everything above with decent accuracy and you’re guaranteed hurricane-like battles, flanking maneuvers, stealthy captures of key points, and whirling around slow opponents with deadly consequences (for them).
The “Nuclear Reactor” attachment is one of the corporation’s unique developments. A compact device that is added to the engine and increases the operational range of tanks to no end.
A variety of tiers, high mobility, good maneuverability, and impressive firepower make the Y5 Series tanks the perfectly flexible and precise set of tools to help you achieve your goals. The first Y5 vehicles you can get for free by just completing the tasks during the upcoming celebration!
CELEBRATE AND WIN TANKS!
https://steamcommunity.com/games/444200/announcements/detail/1617270764196171481
The announcement caused a stir, especially behind the doors of the secret labs and special services in charge of the production and combat usage of the “Defenders”. It’s safe to say questioning went on and on. It seemed to be never-ending. How did the Hybrid Nation make such a technological breakthrough? Why are these vehicles so similar to the “Defenders”? How did they manage to build a tank with both an electric drive and a nuclear reactor? Most importantly, who leaked the information? There’s no information as of yet. Someone covered their tracks very well…
The Stolen Secrets of the “Defenders”
Underneath the skyscraper that serves as the headquarters of Hybrid Nation lies a huge bunker. A deafening roar emanates from within, and the air is bluish with powder gases. If it weren’t for the high ceiling and electric lighting, this huge indoor military polygon would have looked like a real battlefield.
Elona watched in satisfaction as the final tests were conducted on the Y5 tanks. They say that nothing ever goes according to plan. Well, this might be the exception that proves the rule. Behind armored glass, the witnesses of the final tests could see these tanks effortlessly destroying real tank targets! But it’s not to say that it’s been easy. After all, she invested much into getting hold of the “Defenders” secrets.
One Chassis, Various Turrets
It was unexpectedly easy to get the basic parts: a batch of Cromwell chassis and the various turrets from different tanks were allegedly acquired to be smelted.
The armor of the chassis isn’t the strongest. It’s possible for almost any enemy to penetrate the 65 mm of frontal armor. But thanks to it being lightweight, the engine can reach high speeds and the chassis allows for decent maneuverability. For both the customers and Hybrid Nation itself, mobility often means much more than armor. After all, who said “Defenders” were only meant to defend?
The acquired turrets were divided into tiers depending on their mass and the weapon mounting options. The tank of the lowest tier got a small T-34 turret with a slow, but powerful weapon. The Tier VI tank housed the Sherman Firefly turret, known for its balanced defense and weaponry. And finally, the top-tier vehicle got the reinforced AMX ELC bis turret—light, low-silhouetted, and boasting a gun with a supersonic rate of fire!
“Defender” Technology
Collecting all the parts, photos, and blueprints of the “Defenders” was no small feat, causing a real headache. Many methods were tried and tested: bribery, espionage, eavesdropping, and even borrowing without permission.
If you knew something about the “Defenders”, no matter how big or small, you could earn a decent living because, in the end, all the screws, fragments of armor, hatch valves, and more had to be known. The most important and valuable parts were fetched by the rusty Scavengers. Taking advantage of the turmoil of battle, these vehicles crewed by madmen dismantled wrecked tanks during the fight and went about unnoticed.
The Electric Motor
The Scavengers managed to dig up enough parts to help out, and even an engine made it to Hybrid Nation’s labs in one piece. However, just because the corporation’s employees had the holy grail of engineering in their hands didn’t mean they could replicate it. Their production line wasn’t able to work with such complex tech. But they persevered and thanks to an insider, they could finally go full steam ahead! No wonder so much effort was made to pull that engineer right out the special services’ grasp.
Soon after, the first batch of smaller electric engines left the assembly line. The technical documentation indicated an output of 520 horsepower, enough for the Y5 tanks to be swift and agile. The maneuverability also seemed to peak. The advanced motor allowed these vehicles to turn very quickly and sharply, a trait especially useful in urban environments. Of course, the age-old issue of losing speed when rounding corners still exists, but now the electric power allows for near-instantaneous acceleration.
The Nuclear Reactor
Copying your rivals completely isn’t the way of business for most corporations, and the same is true for Hybrid Nation. Developing and refining the best ideas is the backbone of this company, and simply replicating the “Defender” electric motor wasn’t enough. They added their own spin: a mini-reactor that greatly enlarged the operational range of any vehicle it was installed in.
The first lucky owners drove their vehicles into theirs garages right after the announcement, but soon the Y5 series will be available to everyone! Meanwhile, there’s talk of even more going on underneath Hybrid Nation HQ. We’ve heard rumors of sounds reminiscent of shots and coil whine, but that’s a report for another day…
GO FOR THE Y5 TANKS!
https://steamcommunity.com/games/444200/announcements/detail/1617270764196171481