Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Bushmaster Tank

"Engines working and armed for battle!"

-Bushmaster Tank

The Bushmaster Tank is the primary medium tank for the Community of Cantha's Wolf Clan, which replaces the standard Cadillac Stingray for that subfaction. This unit is planned to be voiced by Michael Cusack

Tactical analysis

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History
"C'mon mate, show me that juicy, tasty heel that I can munch on..."

-Bushmaster pilot, taking aim at an Encantadia tank

Tanks were something the Community forces lacked in the Cantha-Encantadia War. While the forces on the islands did have tanks of course, mainly the recent Cadilac Stingray, the others were typically dated 1950s V.C.-1970s V.C. designs that were probably better used in the hands of the Minuteman, Horde, and/or Insurgents, with the Wolf Clan having a particular distaste for the Cadilac as it was too light for their preference of head-on combat mixed with them taking the brunt of the Encantadian offensives. Calling them tanks was a generous mercy to the crews for their morale, and by the war's end, they were being used as particularly mobile bunkers in the closing days of the war. Lacking tanks and desperate for more, the Community dove headfirst into the abandoned prototypes and experimental systems left behind.

One of the most promising was an upgrade to the Guardian. The most obvious benefit was the rounded design, based on the Voshkod tanks that utilized similar engineering properties to survive direct hits from dozens of HE rounds. The system also had an advanced main gun, capable of mounting more powerful ammunition than the standard Guardian MBT. Originally the tank was codenamed "GRIZZLY", but the Wolf Clan shook off the cobwebs and dust to give it a new title: the Bushmaster. Testing made the tank look promising indeed, and a hastily formed company was sent to try and break through the lines at Grofheim.

The battle at first was a triumph for the tank. The Bushmaster's rounded armor and powerful main cannon made scrap out of many Aristocracy tanks until the AMX-30B started moving into position. This was the first evidence of flaws with the design. To start, powering the transmission and turret took power away from both, meaning the tanks couldn't turn fast enough to face a threat in time, and powering the turret, while increasing its rate of fire, basically turns the tank into a turret. Then there was the failure of many tanks’ rear armor, sacrificed to focus on the front and main gun. Though the battle was eventually won, the losses to the tank corps were too great. That's when command suddenly realized they'd put in for hundreds more.

Crews of the design do appreciate the tank's rugged handling of all-terrain, watching news reports of other more "advanced" tanks getting trapped in mud and jungle. Of course, these crews know their tank's own weaknesses, but like professionals, they focus on the positives. To start, no other tank has as powerful a main gun, thanks primarily to the depleted uranium SABOT rounds that are used. The frontal armor is also effective, thanks primarily to the lack of any sharp angles. Still, the power division between the turret and transmission is troubling, and a more powerful engine has also been put into production. Still, the Bushmaster crew are professionals (Especially when compared to the Minutemen), and are willing to go through the teething problems their system will have before it's perfected. The other clans begged to differ, and prefer the maneuverability of their Cadilac over the brute force of the Bushmaster.

Guardians of the Tacitus

 * Crusader/Laser Crusader (Aquila)
 * Coyote/Stryker MGS
 * Centurion Hovertank/Enforcer Hovertank
 * Grizzly Tank (Alliance)
 * Cavalier Tank
 * Liberty Tank
 * M1 Predator (ADI)
 * Type 74 MBT/Tsunami Tank (Protectorate)
 * Leopard 3 (Andora)
 * Guardian Tank
 * Panther
 * Battlemaster Tank (Empire)
 * Nuclearmaster
 * Cadillac Stingray (Community)
 * Bushmaster Tank (Wolf Clan)

Destroyers of Balthazar

 * Kodiak Tank (Voshkod)
 * T-64 Rhino
 * Ursa II Tank
 * Tick Tank (Brotherhood)
 * T-62
 * Type 59 (Horde)
 * Looted Lemia Russ Tank
 * T-72 "Scarab" (MLA)
 * Lasher Tank (Collective)
 * T-55 (Encantadia)
 * Ch'onma-Ho (Hathoria)
 * M15/42 (Lireo)
 * Devourer Tank (Scrin)

Neutrals

 * Predator Destructor (Coalition)
 * Sicaran Tank (Heralds)
 * Cleric Track (Order)
 * M48 Patton "Mastiff" (Survivors)
 * Talos AFV (Syndicate)
 * BMPT Terminator (Conglomerate)
 * Lemia Russ Tank (Legion)

Bonus Faction

 * MBT-52 Kuma (ASA)
 * OF-40 "Takhar" (Bastion)
 * MBT Creep (Rangers)
 * AAV-7 (Pirates)
 * PT-76
 * KPz T-62 "Hammer" (Ascalia)
 * White Shock Rhino Tank (Alfheimr Shock Corps)
 * Rama Tank (Elona)
 * Lion of Babylon
 * Predator Walker (Dominion)
 * M60 Sabra (Security)
 * Dandelin Armoured Rover (Ascendancy)

DLC

 * Bison (Federation)
 * Qilin Tank (Corona)
 * ... (Party)
 * AAT (Skynet)
 * Sd. KS 78 "Isegrim" (Elemental)
 * 2-M (Autocracy)
 * 59-Patton (League)
 * ... (Swarm)
 * TAM Tank (Confederation)
 * Oaxaca Tank
 * Tyrian Leopard 1D
 * Strv 103B (Kingdom)
 * Strider (Goo)
 * Panzerwagen (Imperium)
 * ... (Dynasty)
 * T-44 (Warlords)
 * Abomination (Cult)
 * Bison Combat Tank (Raiders)
 * Mark V (Theocracy)
 * Panzer IV (Reiksgard)
 * T-55AMV (Insurgents)
 * Conqueror (Guardians)
 * Phase Tank (Hierarchy)
 * ... (Sundered)
 * T-62M (Ecumene)
 * Centurion (Concordat)
 * Cromwell
 * Cantha-Panzer
 * M60-2000 (Contingent)
 * PL-01 (Eden)
 * Edenfire Crusader (InGen)
 * ... (Hallows)
 * M47-Mod (Commune)
 * Type 61 (The Uncorrupted)
 * Vickers (Clique)
 * Chi-Ha (Guild)
 * Spike Bug (Threat)
 * Gallagher Outlaw Mk. II (Traders)
 * CS-63 (Entente)
 * Mancubus (Oblivion)
 * T-103 (Corporation)
 * Eklon'Dal Workshop Marauder (Covenant)
 * H.I.S.S. Tank (Institute)
 * TT77 Nosorog (Eremite)
 * ... (Nimbus)
 * Parasol Tank (Carnival)
 * Chrono Chieftain (Wraiths)
 * ... (Chronophage)
 * Tiger Armoured Car (Privateers)
 * Predator Apex (Foundation)
 * Panzerwanderer (Spartacus)