This is a proposal for a full branch of TOG heavy tanks for the United Kingdom tech tree, beginning at Tier IV. The early vehicles are more conventional than their high-tier counterparts, the qualities and themes of the branch becoming more pronounced with increasing tiers.
In summary, the TOG tanks are slow, large, and poorly armored. Their turrets would at best have just as much armor as their front plating. To compensate they have extremely high hit-point pools, the most of any tank in their tier. In fact, their hit points should be comparable to tanks of similar size that are one or even two tiers higher. Their guns would also have low damage. To compensate they have high penetration and high DPM. Gun accuracy and aim time should also be expected to be higher than average.
The TOG tanks should be thought of as being heavy bruisers. Their main playstyle would be to fire two or more shells for every one they recieve, doing more damage than they take in the process. Tall profiles combined with great gun depression (possibly -18 at Tier X) would allow them to shoot down at vulnerable enemy roofs and decks. Their guns would also allow them to be competent snipers, easily punishing anyone who carelessly gets in the open. But poor camo and mobility (and view range?) would make this kind of lone-wolf playstyle very dangerous. They would rely on sticking with their teammates and using their hit points to bait and absorb enemy fire.
The information presented here has been collected from the book The Tanks of TOG, by Andrew Hills. My proposal as written is highly abridged and the information herein should not be considered fully precise. For more detailed information on the presented vehicles, additional content I do not cover here, and a fascinating window into the meandering process of early war British tank design, I fully recommend reading Andrew’s book.
Regular tanks, beginning at Tier IV:
Premium tanks, Tiers V & VIII respectively:
Saw at least blueprint drawing.
In September 1939, the General Staff determined the specifications for a new heavy tank. Official consideration was given to the A.20, which was a progression of modern technologies and designs. The A.20 would soon evolve into the successful Churchill infantry tank.
Unofficially, Sir Albert Stern created a committee dubbed “The Old Gang”, composed of WWI-era tank designers. Their tank designs would draw largely from the influences of WWI, including features such as side sponsons and a long track base for crossing trenches, dismissing much of modern tank design philosophy. Nevertheless, The Old Gang (TOG) would submit an informal heavy tank design to compete with the A.20, known as the TOG-2 300G.
A 60-Pdr high-velocity cannon was initially sought for mounting in the tank’s bow, much like the French Char B1 design. But this was deemed impractical due to the bulkiness of its shells and limitations that would be put on the interior space. A 25-Pdr howitzer was also suggested, but it had too low of a shell velocity and was inadequate against concrete fortifications. A 6-Pdr would likely have been used, but work on such a gun specifically for tanks was slow in development and would not be approved before 1940.
Ultimately, the 300G would serve as the foundation for numerous design proposals by The Old Gang.
Guns: QF 2-Pdr Mk. X, QF 3-Inch Howitzer, QF 2-Pdr Mk. X-B
Engines: Paxman-Ricardo V12 (450 hp), Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (550 hp)
Speed: Not really
Weight: Around 40 tons
Suspensions: TOG-2 300G; TOG-2 300G alternative
Armor: 4” (101.6 mm) maximum, 1” (25.4 mm) minimum over “vulnerable places.”
At 4”, this tank would have the thickest armor plating of any Tier IV tank. However, this armor is extremely flat. The tank should be thought of as having strong-spots rather than weak-spots. Outside of this thick plating, the rest of the tank (including the turret) would be extremely thin by comparison.
Turrets: A.12, TOG-2 300G
The first real example of the design of the philosophies of The Old Gang, the TOG-1 is very much the WWI-era tank for the WWII-era. I think the tank should be given its side sponsons, as shown here, for a bit of added flavor. This image also shows an early TOG-1 turret, not the Matilda II turret that the prototype was fitted with.
Guns: QF 2-Pdr Mk. X, QF 3-Inch Howitzer, QF 2-Pdr Mk. X-B, QF 6-Pdr Mk. III, QF 6-Pdr Mk. V, QF 3-Inch 12-Pdr Mk. V
Engines: Paxman-Ricardo V12 (450 hp), Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (550 hp), Paxman-Ricardo TP12 (600 hp)
Speed: 14 km/h
Weight: 73.4 tons
Suspensions: TOG-1, TOG-1A
Armor: 65 mm, to a desired 4.5” maximum
Turrets: A.12, TOG-1
Prototype built, several turrets trialed. The TOG II* is the most advanced iteration of the prototype.
The TOG-2 was a further development of the TOG-1. In-game, the TOG-2 is actually slightly better armored than the Churchill VII and is better armed. However, the tank is incredibly large by comparison and significantly less mobile.
Compared to the TOG II*, this tank is marginally better armored. But it may also see a larger pool of hit points because it will lack preferential matchmaking.
Guns: QF 2-Pdr Mk. X-B, QF 6-Pdr Mk. V, QF 3-Inch 12-Pdr Mk. V, QF 17-Pdr Mk. II, QF 77 mm Gun
Engines: Paxman-Ricardo V12 (450 hp), Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (550 hp), Paxman-Ricardo TP12 (600 hp)
Speed: 14 km/h
Weight: 68-72 tons
Suspensions: TOG-2, TOG-2A
Armor: 6” (152.4 mm) maximum at the front, 4.5” (114.3 mm) along the sides and rear of the turret.
Turrets: Big Gun Turret, TOG-2 365G.A
Saw as far as wooden mockup being built.
During the development of the TOG-2, the philosophies that had so far driven its design (and that of the TOG-1) were realized to be impractical given experiences gleaned by the war. While prototyping was underway, a new design for the TOG-2 was made that removed its side sponsons and greatly reduced the vehicle’s length by over nine feet, making its hull 30’-31’ long. Noted as the TOG-2R (reduced), the vehicle was designed as a stopgap between the TOG-2 and the ever-evolving TOG-3. The vehicle would see as far as a wooden mockup.
The TOG-2R will share the same armor values as the TOG-2, even in the turret. It shares the same guns as well, with two additional options to help ease players into the unique playstyle of the rest of the branch. One is a more conventional gun, a 28-Pdr that is the very first iteration of what would become the QF 32-Pdr. as seen on the Tortoise. Compared to the 17-Pdrs, this gun would see a marginal damage and penetration increase at the expense of accuracy and rate of fire.
The second gun, and I think the preferred one, is basically a 17-Pdr. with a squeeze bore, a device that reduces the size of the fired shell, therefore increasing its velocity and penetration. This gun deals less damage than the other 17-Pdr. guns, but it would have a higher shell velocity, penetration, and accuracy.
It’s at this point that the TOG branch begins to deviate from the other British heavy tank branch. A large and slow yet relatively unarmored heavy tank with these kinds of low-caliber, high-penetration, fast-firing guns will become the norm of the branch beginning in the next tier. The turrets are especially weak, often being thinner than the front hull and at best only just as thick.
In the coming tiers, the tanks’ guns will remain relatively unchanged from the previous tiers regarding damage. However, penetration should be expected to increase, along with improvements to reload speed, accuracy, and aim time.
Guns: QF 17-Pdr Mk. II, QF 77 mm Gun, QF 17-Pdr Mk. VII, QF 3/2.25-Inch Littlejohn, QF 3.7-Inch 28-Pdr.
Engines: Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (550 hp), Paxman-Ricardo TP12 (600 hp)
Speed: 20 km/h
Weight: 65 tons
Suspensions: TOG-2R 805G, TOG-2R 823G
Armor: Same as the TOG-2.
Turrets: TOG-2R , TOG-2R 823G
Blueprints only. A second TOG-3 blueprint.
The TOG-2 prototype was ready in March 1941. During this stage of development, lessons learned and shifting requirements by General Staff necessitated a more modern design. An improved TOG-3 was drawn up, but the TOG-3 would be suspect to constant revisioning and redesign as the war progressed. No design would leave the drawing board as a result.
By October 1942, General Staff was already looking for replacements to the 17-Pdr and the TOG-2 with the A.30 turret (in-game, the TOG II*) was considered as a platform for these guns. Further consideration was given to various TOG-3 designs. Additionally, the armor, hull shape, vehicle size, turret, engine, tracks, and just about every single part of the tank was at one point or another revised or proposed for revision—often several times.
The in-game tank, as I propose it, is a combination of some of the more early to middling designs and proposals for the TOG-3. This tank is also shorter than the TOG-2R, being 29’ long. The late designs for the TOG-3 will be incorporated into the Tier IX tank.
Guns: QF 17-Pdr Mk. VII, QF 3/2.25-Inch Littlejohn, QF 3.7-Inch 28-Pdr, QF 3.45-Inch 30-Pdr, QF 3.7-Inch 32-Pdr.
Engines: Rolls-Royce Meteor (600 hp), Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (720 hp)
Speed: 24 km/h
Weight: 60 tons
Suspensions: TOG-3 698G, TOG-3 707G
Armor: 3.5” (88.9 mm) minimum of frontal protection. 5” to 6” (127 mm to 152.4 mm) of frontal protection was also considered.
Turrets: TOG-3 698G, TOG-3 Cast
One of the last redesigns of the TOG-3 by The Old Gang before the British super-heavy tank program would be terminated altogether. At this stage, the TOG-3 was closely in line with 1943 contemporary British tank design. While it offered the ability to carry the more powerful guns and armor plating being demanded by General Staff, no design could gain enough focus to be seriously considered. This final iteration of the TOG-3 is the shortest TOG yet, at 27’ long, making it about the size of the Churchill, albeit significantly taller.
Guns: QF 3.7-Inch 32-Pdr, QF 3.7/3-Inch Littlejohn, QF 3.7-Inch 37-Pdr.
This second gun is admittedly fictional; no squeeze-bore adapter for a 3.7” gun was ever designed to my knowledge. However, I believe it’s a good continuation of the weapons in use by this branch of vehicles and ultimately necessary to help the tank be more relevant at its tier.
Engines: Rolls-Royce Meteor (600 hp), Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (720 hp)
Speed: 24 km/h
Weight: 55 tons
Suspensions: TOG-3 978G, TOG-3 981G
Armor: Maximum 6” (152.4 mm) of frontal protection.
Turrets: TOG-3 978G, TOG-3 981G
No specific blueprint available.
On September 24th, 1943, General Staff outlined the specifications for a long-term super-heavy tank with at least eight inches of frontal armor. In order to achieve this, they abandoned turreted designs, and ultimately the A.32 Tortoise would be developed to meet these requirements. This was considered odd, because the TOG-3 was seen capable of easily meeting these requirements with minor changes. Although, this constant cycle of change would ultimately be responsible for the TOG-3 never gaining appreciable support.
A ‘TOG GSLT’ is admittedly a bit of a what-if design. What I propose is a combination of various designs and proposals to create the “ultimate” TOG, specifically centered around fitting the aforementioned long-term super-heavy tank requirements. I’ve gone and pulled together some of the more extreme designs and proposals from various stages of development.
Guns: QF 4.5-Inch 55-Pdr AT. Likely an anti-tank version of the QF 4.5” L/45 Mk. II gun.
Engines: Rolls-Royce Meteor Supercharged (900 hp)
Speed: 20 km/h
Weight: 65 tons
Suspensions: TOG GSLT
Armor: Frontal armor would have 8” (203.2 mm), as shown here. This could be increased up to 12” (304.8 mm) maximum front with 9” (228.6 mm) armor strip, as shown here with a different hull configuration. I think the former is more aligned with the spirit of the branch than the latter. The former is also documented as having up to -18 degrees of gun depression. I shared both images to demonstrate the wide variety of armor plating that had been considered.
Turrets: TOG GSLT
This is an early drawing of the TOG-2 showing the original turret design and the side sponsons. I think this make for a decent Tier IV premium tank that is much more similar to the TOG II* than the TOG 300G is. I would also like to include the side sponsons to give the tank a bit of a unique flair.
Guns: QF 2-Pdr. Mk. X-B
Engines: Paxman-Ricardo V12 Supercharged (550 hp)
Speed: Maybe
Weight: Yes
Suspensions: TOG-2 365G
Armor: Poor, likely the same as the TOG-2.
Turrets: TOG-2 365G
As the TOG-3 was in a constant state of redesign, there are several options for an appreciable Tier VIII premium tank. I’ve chosen one of the more distinct hull shapes and a proposed gun that’s comfortably between the QF 3.7-Inch 28-Pdr. and QF 3.7-Inch 32-Pdr. guns available to the standard Tier VIII.
Guns: QF 3.7-Inch 30-Pdr
Engines: Rolls-Royce Meteor (600 hp)
Speed: 24 km/h
Weight: 60 tons
Suspensions: TOG-3 RR
Armor: This tank would likely have the same armor profile of the regular TOG-3, but with the new hull shape. It would receive some spaced armor, making it more distinguishable.
Turrets: TOG-3 RR
What follows is some theorizing on the potential health, damage, and DPM of the vehicles proposed. My general thought process for these numbers is that a given tank should have around 125% the hit-points of the next highest-health tank in the tier.
I will also be using patch 1.9 to get my numbers. These numbers are purely speculative, mind. Parentheticals show what DPM could be brought up to using BIA, Rammer, and Food. I used the top guns for my numbers, although it is possible some of these same-caliber guns would have different damage values given the different weight of their shells (ie: 3.7-Inch guns 28-pdr, 30-pdr, 32-pdr, and 37-pdr.). In such a case the reload speeds can change the match my theorized DPM values. Some lower-caliber guns, such as the squeeze-bores, would likely have even higher DPM than those posted below.
So yeah. Thoughts? Too much of a meme?
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