MG144-RE01 Gladrusc Main Battle Tank

Royal Elven Kingdoms

144th (10 or 12mm)

Gladrusc Main Battle Tank

The Gladrusc (lit. “forest fox”) Main Battle Tank was introduced in 2232. It was itself an overhaul and upgrade to the older Aeior (named for a polearm weapon of the halberd type) MBT. The Aeior had served well during the closing period of turmoil before the Strayvian Empire’s collapse, but had reached beyond its service life. With the general elven populace believing that the galaxy was entering a new time of peace and prosperity, there was strong resistance to military expenditure. The Gladrusc project was only initiated at all due to being funded primarily by the Sylmiatis Wood Elf Kingdom, traditionally the most independent and martial of the kingdoms.


      The similarities between the Aeior and Gladrusc are apparent. Both are fully gravitic, and thus capable of both low grav and full flight and have a relative small, uncrewed turret. In essence, the Gladrusc was an upgraded version of the Aeior with contemporary technology, but no new innovation. Even the Sylmiatis government struggled to gain the approval and resources to manage even this much.


      The Gladrusc was, at the time, cutting edge for performances. It has armour rated at Tier 20 to the front, though the sides armour is lower, and the rear is notably rated lower due to the presence of the engines.


      The turret is lightweight, and controlled from a crew station within the hull, rather than within the turret itself. On the one hand, this gives it a much smaller profile against fire when hull down and means that destruction of the turret causes not loss of life. On the other, it means that any actual hits are far more likely to strike the hull than the turret in the first place, which somewhat reduces overall survivability outside of a hull-down firing position.

      The turret’s main gun is a long-barrel lazer cannon, rated at Tier 21 with excellent range. This is supplemented by four smoke dischargers and a Point-Defence lazer weapon, rated at Tier 6. Advanced ECM and a full sensor suite completed the loadout.


      A century’s advancement has rendered this performance down to merely adequate. Aside from a few incremental upgrades – the most notable was a power-plant and engine upgrade in the 2270s – the Gladrusc has little been altered. Only the full-grav drive and sensor system mark it out from a contemporary tank fielded by the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic.


      The military push instigated in the last couple of decades means that, finally, work has begun on a successor, or at least a significant upgrade. This would very likely include hybrid technology from the Saiyvalyss Alliance and Aotrs intelligence expects that, at the very least, the next generation of elven battle tank will be equipped with Saiyvali shield generators.