M213 Predator

The American M213 Predator tank is a light tank or tankette design that evolved due to the increased need to operate armored fighting vehicles in difficult terrain and urban theaters combined with a general decline of heavy armor in favour of lighter, more mobile and versatile combat units, at the beginning of the 21st century.

Technical Details

Due to the small size of the tank, the crew compartment is extremely cramped and allows only for a crew of two: a driver, lying at ground of the tank and receiving visual information from the sensors in the turret via a visor, and a commander/gunner, sitting in the upper compartment, operating the gun.

Upgrades

• 90mm main gun - While the first Predators left production with 90mm main guns installed, these were soon scaled back to 75mm guns due to the lower cost of the 75mm guns, which were expected to be able to engage everything a 90mm gun could have successfuly engaged, while everything they could not outgun would also be a difficult target for a 90mm gun. The doctrine of the M213 is to move fast and engage light enemy units, such as improvised combat vehicles, and infantry, and a 75mm gun was enough for this duty, plus allowing more ammunition to be carried, an important factor considering the already cramped inside of the tank, which offered little space to carry the (auto-loaded) ammunition. However, on the battlefield, tanks could still be equipped with 90mm guns via an upgrade kit that could be ordered.
• Adaptive Reactive Armor - A secret new type of armor that is supposedly supplied in additional platings for M213 tanks, though there has been no verified sighting of this armor type on tanks in combat as of yet. Supposedly, ARA is a type of reactive armor that shifts its molecular, chemical and/or mechanic properties to adapt to any adverse stimuli, thus rendering any incoming enemy fire less harmful after a few shots. It should be noted that informations on ARA are sparse and few reports have been made of encounters with this type of armor, none of which has been verified.
• Think tank

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