"Well, the class gave us a few more sci-fi tanks to look into." Izuku says tiredly as he reenters the computer lab after a long lunch.
"They all seemed so confident that their favorite tanks were perfect." Ochako comments, placing Eri on the floor with her tank coloring book.
"I severely doubt that they will be." Izuku says as he sits down in front of a computer
"Might as well get started." Momo says, pulling out a piece of paper. "First on the list is something called a Bolo from Kaminari."
"Alright, image search time." Ochako says with some anticipation.
"Looks alright." Momo comments as she looks at the first image. She examines the large tank like vehicle with many turrets of all different sizes.
"What is this!?" Izuku shouts after expanding the image. "What the F-fruit is this!"
"Is something wrong?" Ochako asks.
"It's gigantic!" Izuku shouts, "Look at the M1 added for scale. This isn't a tank, it's a moving fortress."
"Is that good?" Ochako asks.
"Could be, the size means that the issue with multiple guns can be offset but a proper command staff and firing computers." Momo observes.
"It's also so big, any civilization that could build it can also fly in space. That makes this nothing more that a big target. Doesn't matter how strong shields and armor are, eventually it will fall to orbital bombardment." Izuku argues.
"Let's have a quick read first. It might make sense in the universe." Momo offers.
After taking a moment to read a wiki page Izuku sighs. "It's almost entirely AI controlled."
"That sounds efficient." Ochako says.
"But if it goes out of control, which this wiki says they do, this kind of monstrosity could wipe out life on a planet." Momo explains.
"Not good." Izuku agrees.
"Could be worse though. In the end it isn't a tank so Izuku can't summon it." Ochako says.
"Let us hope." Izuku says.
"Moving on, next on the list is SCP-516. Suggested by Sato" Momo reads.
"It's just a T-55." Izuku says as the image results appear, it just looks like a modern Russian tank, flat and relatively boxy hull with dome like turret.
"Are you sure? It could be a T-54." Momo argues.
"Maybe, they are hard to distinguish after decades of upgrades, but usually T-54s don't have fume extractors on the barrel." Izuku explains.
"That strange increase in diameter near the end?" Ochako asks, always interested in learning more about cannons.
"That's it." Izuku confirms. "Let us read the wiki and see if anything is special about it."
After a few minutes to let everyone read Momo sighs. "It's just a sentient tank."
"I don't really know what this SCP foundation is? Are the tanks haunted or is it some kind of tech spirit?" Ochako asks.
"I don't know." Izuku says. "It's fine I guess, T-55 is a solid tank, it isn't in production anymore, but upgrade kits and spare parts are still made."
"After all these years?" Ochako asks.
"Tanks aren't that useful for villain capture without my quirk. Honestly, wheeled armor is faster and doesn't destroy the road." Izuku admits.
"Less maintenance as well." Momo adds.
"So since no one has designed new tanks since quirks arrived and the T-55 works well enough it's still in use?" Ochako confirms.
"That's it, yes." Izuku says.
"If it works." Ochako says with a sigh.
"Anyway, let's move on." Momo says, taking a look at her list. "Oh, another Star Wars tank, the TX-130. Suggested by Nejire. She says it's a better hover tank."
"Well, let's take a look." Izuku says, typing into the image search.
"It's sleek." Ochako comments with some disappointment at the lack of a big gun. The vehicle is aerodynamic, with two prongs extending form the hull and a utilitarian looking cockpit with viewports and an exposed turret on top.
"It's probably a scout or cruiser style tank." Izuku says thoughtfully.
"Indeed, it looks fast and the exposed gunner on top has a good field of view." Momo says.
"Or it's just this faction's lack of care for its soldiers. The walker had an exposed turret as well." Izuku argues.
"It did, didn't it." Momo says.
"Let's have a quick read." Izuku says, clicking on a wiki link.
"You were right Izuku, says it excels at getting into a fight, doing damage then escaping." Ochako reads.
"Sure, until you read the section on roles. Clearly the author wants it to do everything, where it would be better to just do what it's good at. As bad as walkers are, they do well enough at infantry support, as long as the pilot avoids stepping on anyone. This thing is way too fast to stick to an infantry division. Let it be free to strike at openings." Izuku complains.
"Other than that it's a good vehicle." Momo says calmly. "Fixed weapons for easy maintenance, a light turret to protect against flanking infantry and cover a retreat."
"Indeed, fits the role of a cruiser tank like a Cromwell or Crusader." Izuku agrees. "Is there another Star Wars vehicle? Might as well get it out of the way."
"All we have is the CIS super tank, not a very creative name." Momo reads. "Suggested by Mineta."
"Doesn't even look like a tank." Izuku adds once the image results pop up. The vehicle is worm like with small weapons on the very bottom of the front and a long bulky body.
"It's a slug." Ochako says, once again disappointed at the apparent lack of giant cannon.
"Looks more like some kind of assault gun." Izuku observes. "A lot of armor and low range, but powerful guns."
"Might as well read about it." Ochako says, her disappointment obvious.
"It's tough as we thought, but in a universe where orbital bombardment can occur, that's kind of useless." Izuku says, "somehow a floating tank is slow, which doesn't make sense, if it doesn't have to worry about friction, it should at least be fast in a straight line. Though steering and braking would be terrible unless it has a system to just drop itself on the ground and let friction steer and brake."
"Looks like it's just a one-off plot vehicle for a single short story." Momo says after some thought.
"Disappointing, this universe had been going so well." Izuku says with a sigh.
"Can't win them all, I'm sure they get worse than that." Momo says reassuringly.
"I can see digitigrade walkers, overly tall designs and all other types of monstrosities." Izuku says sadly.
"Let's move on before we get too depressed." Ochako offers, taking the list from Momo, "Type 36 Gallian Light Tank, from a series called Valkyria chronicles. Suggested by Mina of all people."
Once the image search completed a rather standard, if old fashioned, looking tank appeared, with a turret and a radio antenna.
"Looks like an interwar tank." Momo says.
"It does, has a bit of French and German design aspects. German early war large wheel tracks, on a compact French style hull with a German turret." Izuku observes.
"Sort of Panzer 3 turret, but with the gun on the side." Momo adds.
"Probably to make it fit, looks like a rather large gun for its size." Izuku concludes.
"It looks like it has late war German upgrades, side skirts and all that." Ochako says.
"Shurtzen? Yeah it does have them." Izuku says, taking a second look. "Interesting, whoever designed this did at least take some time looking at tanks."
"Let's read the information and ruin the good mood." Momo says, not confident in a writer's ability to make sensible tank design choices.
"Well, if you ignore the doctrine it's supposed to be following, it does make sense." Izuku says after reading.
"Indeed, a heavily armed light tank designed to use its mobility." Momo agrees.
"But defensive? What was this writer smoking!? It says they expected a EW1 fight, which I assume is WW1 equivalent. But they went for mobility in defense?" Izuku rants. "If they expected that kind of war they would have built the French tanks of the time, like the B1, R35, and FCM 36. Perhaps even the British Matilda 2. But this? This is a Blitzkrieg tank, or a tank for defense in depth or some other maneuver based defense. Something no one had really considered except the Soviets until well into WW2."
Izuku quickly follows a few links to learn more about the nation. "It's tiny! No rational military strategist, let alone an old by gone from a past war, would consider something like this to be a good plan!"
"Alright, we get it, great tank but terrible doctrine as per usual." Momo says firmly, ending Izuku's rant.
"I like the tank, fast but with a big gun is always a good time." Ochako says.
"It is." Izuku admits, controlling his breathing as he slowly clams down.
"I think that's enough for one day." Ochako says, turning to see Eri half asleep while coloring a Churchill bright orange.
"Indeed." Izuku agrees, login off the computer. "We can come back to this another time."
AN: And that's a wrap. I probably won't do another one of these for a while since I don't want this to become some kind of react story, but I will return eventually. Sci-fi and fantasy tanks won't criticize themselves after all.
Some answers: I don't see how walking vertically makes walkers better, sure wheeled/tracked tanks can't do it. But floating tanks could. Not to mention they are too slow to make it a surprise attack.
I will gladly insult mechas as a combat unit. But they are fine as a story thing. Have fun, its not like people watch anime for its realism.
I will eventually write how Izuku got a tank driving license, but TLDR will be quirk laws are as BS as the quirks they regulate.
I also notice this is almost a year old. really didn't expect this would be anything more than a handful of chapters when I started. I credit all the ideas from the reviews for keeping this alive and moving. Even as the almost nonexistent plot became a complete lack of plot.