WesWorld

This I've fictionalized and pulled together from all over as an attempt to rationalize the RTA in Wesworld within the confines of Thailand as a former Danish colony.

Changes, criticisms, and comments are welcome.

I know that the British tanks are going to get some comment but frankly I think its what Siam could afford and what it would buy given the current markets. Both the Vickers six ton and the Carden Loyds are the best you could buy I thinik as a third tier power.

Anyway, here is the current lineup as of 1935.

Tanks
Vickers 6 ton: [approximately 30 of type]
machine gun version


Specifications (Model A)
Crew 3
Weight 7 tons
Length 15'
Width 7' 11"
Height 6' 10"
Armor 5 - 14mm
Powerplant Armstrong Siddeley 80hp 4cyl
Armament 1 x Vickers .303 MG, 1 x Vickers .5 MG[replaced locally with two Madsen 8 mm MGs.]
Performance 22mph
Range ?

cannon version [approximately 30 of type]


Specifications
Weight 7.3 tonnes
Length 4.88 m
Width 2.41 m
Height 2.16 m
Crew 3
Armor 13 mm
Primary armament 47 mm gun (Type B only)
50 rounds
Secondary armament 1 or 2 machine guns
Engine gasoline 80–98 hp (60–70 kW)
Power/weight 11–13 hp/tonne
Suspension leaf spring bogie
Operational range 160 km
Speed 35 km/h

Carden Loyd tankette: [Approximately 60 of type]


Specifications
Weight 1.5 tonnes
Length 2.46 m
Width 1.75 m
Height 1.22 m
Crew 2
Armour 6 mm - 9 mm
Primary armament 0.303 inch Vickers machine gun (replaced locally with the Madsen 8 mm.)
Engine Ford Model T petrol 4 cylinder40 hp
Suspension Bogie
Operational range 144 km
Speed 40 km/h (road)
Artillery: {supplied by Denmark)
77 mm howitzer Model 1901 QF

Production history
Designer Heinrich Ehrhardt
Manufacturer Rheinische Metallwáaren und Maschinenfabriek
Number built 108
Specifications
Weight Barrel & breech 737 pounds (334 kg); Total 2,272 pounds (1,031 kg)[2]
Barrel length Bore 86 inches (2.184 m);
Total 90 inches (2.286 m)[2] Crew 10[2]
Shell separate loading QF. Shrapnel, 14 pounds (6.35 kg)
Calibre 3-inch (77 mm)
Breech single motion, tapered block with interrupted collars
Recoil hydro-spring, constant, 48 inches (1.22 m)[2]
Carriage wheeled, pole trail
Elevation -5° - 16°
Traverse 3° L & R
Rate of fire 20 rds/min
Muzzle velocity 1,674 feet per second (510 m/s)
Maximum range 7,000 yards (6,400 m) s (percussion fuze) 6,600 yards (6,040 m) (time fuze)

77 mm gun Model 1916 Krupp.

Used by German Empire World War I
Specifications Caliber 77 mm
Carriage fixed trail Elevation -10° to +40°
Maximum range 9.1 km
100 obtained post WW I as allied surplus discards at scrappage rates.

7.7 cm mortar Model 1916 Krupp.

Specifications
Weight 147 kg
Barrel length 5.2 calibres (359 mm)
Shell 4.6 kg (10.14 lbs)
Caliber 76 mm (2.99 in)
Elevation +45 to + 78 degrees
Traverse 360 degrees
Rate of fire 6 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity 90 m/s (98 yd/s)
Effective range 300 (328 yds) to 1,300 m (1,421 yds)
Another post WW 1 bargain picked up by the RTA at scrappage rates. Some 200 were purchased through Denmark.

End of part 1.

Service machine gun

Madsen Model 1898 [1923] 8 mm



Specifications
Weight 9.07 kg (20 lb)
Length 1,143 mm (45 in)
Barrel length 584 mm (23.0 in)
Cartridge 6.5x55mm
7.92x57mm Mauser
7.62x54mmR
Action Long recoil operated
Rate of fire 450 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 870 m/s (2,854 ft/s) (6.5x55mm)
Feed system 25, 30, 40-round detachable box magazine
Sights V-notch and front post
Approximately 400 of type are in service.


Service rifle:
Model 1894 Krag-Jorgensen rifle.[long]

Specifications
Weight 3.375 kg / 7.5 lb to 5.157 kg / 11.46 lb depending on model
Length 986 mm / 38.8 in to 1328 mm / 52.28 in depending on model
Barrel length 520 mm / 20.5 in to 832 mm / 32.78 in depending on model
Cartridge 8x58R rimmed (Danish Krags)
.30-40 Krag (US Krags)
6.5 x 55 rimless (Norwegian Krags)
Action Bolt action
Rate of fire N/A
Muzzle velocity 580 m/s (1900 ft/s) to 870 m/s (2854 ft/s) depending on ammunition
Effective range 900 m (3,000 ft)
Feed system 5 round magazine
Sights V-notch and front post

Service carbine
Model 1897 Krag Jorgensen [short]

Same ammunition and general operating characteristics but effective range is about 2/3. This is the current preferred Siamese service rifle due to weight and length issues.[The average Siamese soldier is shorter than the European soldier]. The rifle is better suited for the close combat type conditions the Royal Siamese Army faces in its terrain.

Service pistol:
Model 1906 Bergman Bayard automatic pistol

Weapon Dimensions:
Length: 254 mm
Barrel: 102 mm
Caliber: Bergmann 9mmx23mm
Weight: 1020 g
Rifling: 6 grooves, rh
Capacity: 6 or 10 rounds
Effective range : 50 meters?
Unusual feature of this pistol is that it came with a shoulder stock that also included space for a spare magazine as well as the cleaning kit. The Royal Siamese Army purchased over 10,000 of these curiosities making it by far the largest foreign customer for this pistol.

To replace the odd lot of commercial trucks and horses that drew Siamese artillery and to motorize the army somewhat, the RTA purchased some 400 gun tractors and trucks from Krupp in 1933.

Type Artillery tractor / Utility truck


Place of origin Germany
Service history
Used by Germany, Siam
Production history
Designer Krupp
Manufacturer Krupp
Produced 1933 to 1942
Number built 7000
Specifications
Weight 2450 kg
Length 5.10 m
Width 1.93 m
Height 1.96 m
Crew 2 + passengers
Armor None
Engine Krupp Boxer motor, 3.3 liters 60 hp
Fuel capacity 110 liters
Operational
range 450 km
Speed 70 km/h [road]

RTA armored cars

Morris Motors Armored Car Model 1930



Specifications Crew 4
Weight 4.2 tons
Length 15' 6"
Height 7'
Width 6' 9"
Range 240 miles
Armor 7mm
Armament 1x 8 mm Madsen MG, 1x 20 mm Madsen AT Rifle
Engine Morris 6cyl 96hp
Performance 45 mph
In keeping with the tradition of finding the cheapest and best armored vehicles they can, the RTA purchased 50 of these armored cars for their ISP formations.


Dutch Armored Car DAF K-39.
Specifications
Weight 5800 kg
Length 4,75 m
Width 2,08 m
Height 2,16 m
Crew 5
Armor 10 mm
Primary
armament 37 mm anti-tank cannon
Secondary
armament three 7.92 mm modified Lewis machineguns[replaced locally with 8mm Madsen machine guns]
Engine Ford Mercury V8
95 hp
Power/weight 16.4
Ground clearance 43 cm
Fuel capacity 100 liters
Operational
range 300 km
Speed 75 km/h

Just entering production this armored car is an unusually advanced vehicle for the RTA. Current orders are for 50 armored cars to replace the rather unsuccessful Morris Armored Car in the RTA/ISP. Another presumably larger order for the RTA itself could be pending.

H.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
Picking up older German artillery makes a fair amount of sense, though the minenwerfer are a little bit of a surprise (the various Stokes-Brandt type mortars would likely be cheap enough that even Siam could afford new ones, and they are easier to transport away from a road or in soft ground).

Now you see why Siam is modernizing.

I'm guessing for now that the old artillery is going to be re-carriaged on modern limbers, or at least the old artillery is going to get rubber tired wheels and high speed axles and hitches.

The Carden Loyds were surprisingly decent gun tractors: certainly better at that than as tankettes; so I don't see them leaving Siamese service soon.. In fact Siam could purchase more of the little obsolete tanks at scrappage, for just that reason; to serve as gun tractors for their current artillery.

History lesson
The Vickers 6 ton tank was something of a disaster in Siam. The tank just loved to bog down. The motor was unreliable, and it seems to have shed tracks if you looked at it funny. As Chunun told that Hungarian staff officer recently: "Siam is not Europe." Conditions are radically different
---------------------------
No disagreement about the mortars, but in keeping with the bargain basement 1920s RTA artillery rearmament the minenwerfer just seemed to fit-cheap and plentiful as opposed to effective. Siam needs a modern mortar desperately.

H.

Quoted

Originally posted by Commodore Green

Quoted

Originally posted by Vukovlad
Just a nit pick the Lynx is Swedish/Nordmark, see Landsverk

Yeah, Denmark uses Italian Breda 4x4 / 4x6 designs
and German 8x8 heavy armoured cars

Bredas were bolted together deathtraps, and the German SK series were pieces of unreliable mechanical crap. I'll pick through that list, pick the best I can find and do an edit.

H.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
If you wait until after the South American war is over Argentina will have some surplus T-1M31 light tanks for sale. They are copies of the Vickers 6-ton with new diesel engines and better tracks and a 37mm gun too! Not the best tank in the world but better than the original.

Doubtless SAE will have some hand-me-downs too.

Siam will certainly be in the market for "scrappage".

H