Do you like this?

[cthulhu77]

I'll post the kit overview when it is published, as well as the build up.  Looks to be rather fantastic kit.  I love all of the squabbling online over the "accuracy" issues...it just has to make you laugh.  Look up Type 61 Gundam and see what I mean...

[John Howling Mouse]

Would pick it up in a heartbeat...if it was $65 USD.

[Weaver]

And what is that "Semovente" supposed to mean?  Apparently, semovente is Italian for self-propelled. Self-propelled MBT? Umm, yes, of course. What good would a towed MBT be?   

Well maybe it's more of a self-propelled artillery piece (battery?) than a tank as such. Then again, the Japanese seem to just run Western words together according to how good they sound.......

I always wonder what the point of these twin-gun sci-fi tanks is, apart from looking cool. If the round will penetrate the target it'll destroy it, so what's the point of making your vehicle huge in order to destroy it twice? On the other hand, if the round won't penetrate the target, then what's the point of failing twice? It would be better to use the space and weight for a single bigger gun with different, better characteristics.

It makes rather more sense in an SP artillery piece since you could argue it's getting more rounds on target, but then a single large vehicle is less mobile than two smaller ones. It makes most sense if a high rate of fire is required and the two barrels are linked as an autocannon (like a giant GSh-23 or an AMOS mortar), but they rarely look like that's the case.

***Politically sensitive terminology regarding country of origin has been removed from this comment***

[NARSES2]

[I always wonder what the point of these twin-gun sci-fi tanks is, apart from looking cool. If the round will penetrate the target it'll destroy it, so what's the point of making your vehicle huge in order to destroy it twice? On the other hand, if the round won't penetrate the target, then what's the point of failing twice? It would be better to use the space and weight for a single bigger gun with different, better characteristics.

Not quite the same principal in 1939 the Polish 20mm AT gun was supposed to be fired twice in quick succession at the same target in order to penetrate armour. I have know idea if this actually worked in September 39

[Weaver]

[I always wonder what the point of these twin-gun sci-fi tanks is, apart from looking cool. If the round will penetrate the target it'll destroy it, so what's the point of making your vehicle huge in order to destroy it twice? On the other hand, if the round won't penetrate the target, then what's the point of failing twice? It would be better to use the space and weight for a single bigger gun with different, better characteristics.

Not quite the same principal in 1939 the Polish 20mm AT gun was supposed to be fired twice in quick succession at the same target in order to penetrate armour. I have know idea if this actually worked in September 39

Yes, the ARES automatic 75mm cannon was supposed to work on the same principle, hitting the same spot twice to "jackhammer" through the armour. Thing  is, that's theoretically possible with a single-barrelled fast-firing gun, but out of the question with two separsate guns side-by-side.

[Mossie]

There could be a few reasons for it.  First, you're doubling the amount of damage you're doing to the target, also making it more likely that at least one shell will hit something critical.  Second, the Mobile Suits in Gundam are well, mobile, so if one shell gets a near miss the other might well hit.

Third, & the most important one.  It looks cool!!!

[cthulhu77]

According to the Gundam geeks (no offense, i consider myself a battlemech geek), the tank was only successful in the role of hull-down ambush or massive multi-tank offenses...so the twin barrels actually make sense. More rounds down the pipe, and anything bigger than a 150mm is better off done with artillery, as the shock just knocks the bejesus out of sensors.
The problem with artillery is that, as noted above, the mobile suits just move to bloody fast to make it really usable, unless you use a tactical nuke.

[ChernayaAkula]

Ah, so they're more "suit hunters" than MBTs? In case of which the "semovente" makes a bit more sense.

[Weaver]

So it's a "spray-and-pray" situation against fleeting targets then? A bit like firing machine guns at an aircraft, where hit probability is partly a function of the number of rounds going down range?

In that case, how much ammo does it carry and how fast does it rip through it? It doesn't look that big....

Also, are there no missiles in this hi-tech future?

[Mossie]

Wikipedia blurb.  Pretty much as Greg says, the Type 61 is obsolete against Mobile Suits, but effective against ground forces & dropships.  They're useful in sheer weight of numbers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MA-08_Big_Zam#Type_61_Tank

It seems to have a large hull compared to the turret, so there could be plenty of ammo storage in there, but then we're trying to rationalise a sci-fi concept!

[pyro-manic]

Also, are there no missiles in this hi-tech future?

There are missiles in the Gundam universe, but they're not very powerful, particularly against mobile suits. This is due to something called Minovsky particles, which create an electro-magnetic effect that disrupts radar, radioo communications and all em waves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minovsky_physics#Minovsky_Physics

A handy device to allow giant robots with swords to be used as effective weapons.

[cthulhu77]

Just got back from the post:

[Weaver]

Pyro/Mossie: thanks for the background stuff. Interesting, although I can't say it makes me any more of a fan: I'm afraid that my suspension of disbelief goes twang fairly early when it comes to giant robots.....

One point though: according to the blurb, the Type 61 pre-dates the invention of Mobile Suits and was, in fact, made obsolete by them. That means that at the time it was designed, "conventional" vehicle-to-vehicle combat was the order of the day, which makes all my criticisms of it's twin-gun concept snap right back into relevence.....

[nev]

If its "rounds down the range" that is its function, how about going the whole hog and casting a couple of extra guns giving it 4 barrels a la the German Flakvierling?

[Radish]

Can anyone remember my twin-barrelled T-72?