tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post5160608809945723490..comments2023-06-01T05:47:16.765-04:00Comments on beyond the creased spine: Tsar TankMoskatoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07422250958672981901noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post-40878296623300549712017-04-24T17:06:14.368-04:002017-04-24T17:06:14.368-04:00BootyBootyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post-7759870036096631002009-07-03T10:56:11.974-04:002009-07-03T10:56:11.974-04:00However, in frontier battles, often times the infa...However, in frontier battles, often times the infantry would completely outrun artillery support. At battles such as Guise and Sambre, it was more of a infantry v. infantry battle. The French could have used the unwieldy tanks as artillery pieces much more effectively than their horse drawn ones, especially when they had to retreat.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13505831806911876532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post-64560201970842041072009-07-01T20:23:06.655-04:002009-07-01T20:23:06.655-04:00From what I understand, the forts of Leige were on...From what I understand, the forts of Leige were only reduced after the Germans brought in their large siege artillery.<br /><br />Had the French had a successful Levavasseur tank, i don't think it would change the outcome of the Battle of the Frontiers, since it is likely the slow-moving tanks would have been subject to the same artillery massacre the Germans inflicted on the French infantry. Artillery, not machine-guns, was the real weapon of WWI, and tanks were built only to withstand small-arms fireMoskatoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07422250958672981901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post-985059502129735702009-07-01T15:37:19.464-04:002009-07-01T15:37:19.464-04:00Plan 17, despite being about mobilization, also fe...Plan 17, despite being about mobilization, also featured a plan for an offensive in Alsace-Lorraine, a region that ended up being essentially static through out the war. Essentially the Levavasseur project would have yielded a tank similar to the British Marks, except prior to the war. The Belgian forts actually held on for a longer time that expected, allowing the French some extra mobilizing time. Much of the German offensive was a result of the quick cavalry actions in front of the lines, with foot soldiers following. For example, the takeover of Liege was only accomplished due to a cavalry charge and some bluffing. Cavalry would have stood no chance against a tank or even a self-propelled artillery piece, for that matter.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13505831806911876532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post-18229447798363806442009-07-01T14:54:58.179-04:002009-07-01T14:54:58.179-04:00From what I understand, the Levavasseur was less o...From what I understand, the Levavasseur was less of a tank and more of a self-propelled artillery piece (it was to hold a French 75mm). Its focus was not overcoming the static nature of trench warfare, as such a situation was not yet apparent in 1903. Plan 17, too, was less of an operational plan than a plan of mobilization, and my opinion is that the Levavasseur would not have contributed significantly to the French side. While the French relied on the 75mm, the real innovation was the German usage of heavy artillery to reduce the Belgian forts and portable infantry mortars for tactical situations.Moskatoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07422250958672981901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7752947278751261947.post-55173702522960265732009-06-25T18:59:59.455-04:002009-06-25T18:59:59.455-04:00How about the French Levavasseur project? The Leva...How about the French Levavasseur project? The Levavasseur project was running around 1903, prior to the war. Imagine how the war would have been if the French had tanks. The German advance would have been shredded, and the French Plan 17 might have even worked.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13505831806911876532noreply@blogger.com