Imperial Armoury 'Year 15' Tank

The Imperial Armoury 'Year 15' Tank was the first and only tank to be commissioned into service by the Imperial Conoilithian Army. Introduced in 2915, it first saw action at the Battle of Einanen (2915), where, despite being intended for the Imperial Army, the first models had been captured by Arjentrian revolutionaries, and were used to repel the Conoilithian army.

DEVELOPMENT
Despite being officially referred to as a 'tank', the Year 15 Tank in terms of design and function was more like what would now be called an assault gun instead of a proper battle tank. Seeking a way to break through Mittelrijkian fortifications and provide protection for infantry, the Imperial Conoilithian Army put out a bid for a heavily armoured vehicle capable of resisting machine-gun fire, and carrying heavy weaponry. It had to be capable of traversing the rugged terrain of the battlefield, and keep up with infantry charges. A few proposals were presented, however in the end only Prototype Model 03 was accepted; the other models proved to either be too weak in terms of armour and armament, or too cumbersome for use at the front. The Prototype Model 03 was a relatively modern design that fascinated its assessors, carrying a 75mm mountain gun as its main armament in a rotating gunshield at its front, surrounded by riveted steel armour plates.

Officers liked it, but with the arrival of Mittelrijkian tanks on the war front, it was decided the current design had to be improved. The Prototype Model 03 underwent further trials and modifications to its design, which delayed its entry into the war by months; having reflected on the Conoilithian Empire's extremely humbling experiences in the war so far, the newer officers of the Imperial Conoilithian High Command were taking no chances. In the end, when the design was at last finalised and satisfied Conoilithian officers, the result of all this constant redesigning was arguably the best armoured fighting vehicle of its age.

DESIGN
The Year 15's armament was a converted 100mm field gun that had a shortened barrel, mounted in a casemate at the front of the hull (there was no turret). Intended for smashing enemy machine-gun nests, pillboxes and vehicles, it far outclassed the armament (and armour) available to its Mittelrijkian counterparts, even though it could only fire conventional high-explosive artillery rounds. The Year 15 had well-sloped riveted steel armour, that had a maximum thickness of 30mm on the front glacis plate, and the casemate armour was 15mm thick; it was equipped with side skirts. It also boasted a maximum speed of 7km/h cross-country, impressive for a vehicle of its weight, and had excellent trench-crossing capabilities. It was manned by a crew of 4; a driver, gunner, loader and commander. As an armoured roof covered a third of the casemate, the gunner had a periscope to see out of, while the driver had to make do with a simple vision port. Ammunition was stowed at the rear of the vehicle, and a pair of hatches on the side of the tank allowed for the crew to easily bring extra ammunition into the vehicle during resupply.

SPECIFICATIONS
Main Armament: 100mm gun (155mm gun on Mk II)

Maximum Speed: 7km/h cross-country

Armour Thickness: 30mm front, 15mm casemate, 6mm side skirts.

Weight: 28 tons

HISTORY
The finalised version of the assault gun delighted assessors during trials in the spring of 2915, and it was quickly put into production shortly after. Production of the Year 15 Tank was handed over to the armament works at Einanen, the main industrial city of the Conoilithian Empire, and 16 vehicles were soon completed and sent by train to the front lines for combat trials.

However, the day after this first batch left the city, Arjentrian Revolutionary Army forces captured Einanen, and the entire production line with it. The Arjentrians captured the assault guns, and after learning how to operate them, used them in combat against the Imperial Conoilithian Army contingent sent to retake Einanen; ironically, the Year 15 would first see action against the army which had commissioned it, crewed by its enemies. The Year 15 proved itself as a potent and extremely capable weapon, wreaking havoc and heavy losses among the Conoilithian troops besieging the new Arjentrian stronghold, and eventually completely routing them.

Conoilithian High Command was horrified by the devestatingly effective use of the Year 15 at the Battle of Einanen, but at the same were in awe at how powerful it made them, given that they had it. Production of the Year 15 was moved to another industrial city, closer to the front lines, and 3 days after the Battle of Einanen, the Year 15 saw action against its intended enemy, the Mittelrijkian Royal Army, for the first time. Spearheading a major Conoilithian counteroffensive, they, according to one Conoilithian captain, 'veritably steamrolled' through the Mittelrijkian lines, easily destroying enemy emplacements in their intended role as infantry support, and 'turning Mittelrijkian tanks confident enough to oppose them into scrap metal'. However, this offensive would be the last time the Year 15 would ever see battle during the Conoilithian-Virgandian War, as an armistice was signed shortly after.

Almost as soon as it was accepted into service, at the request of Imperial Army higher-ups a new version was also developed, accommodating a 155mm siege gun as its main armament instead, intended for directly assaulting Mittelrijkian fortifications; this would be designated the Year 15 Tank Mk II. However, it never saw action as the war ended too early, only appearing at testing grounds and parades.