Tanks That Almost Were - Peugeot Char 1918

As French Army orders for the Renault FT increased, other builders began designing armored vehicles as well. Peugeot worked on a request from an artillery captain for a vehicle with a high-caliber gun but no turret.


The resulting vehicle weighed 8000 kilograms and had a crew of 2. The main armament was fixed forward on the left side of an armored casemate and consisted of the 75mm Blockhaus Schneider that was also fitted into the Schneider CA and the FT 75 BS. An 8mm Hotchkiss machine gun was available to the driver, who sat on the right side of the casemate. Compared to the FT, it had an improved suspension and slightly thicker frontal armor, but the lack of a turret reduced its flexibility.

Why didn't it serve: Two reasons. First, the cannon was able to be mounted in the FT's turret, giving a more flexible vehicle with essentially the same armament. Second (and more important), the war ended. If it had continued into 1919, it's likely at least some of these would have seen service as assault guns.

Char 1918 (Peugeot)
Fire Control: 0
Stabilization: None
Armament: 75mm L/9.5 Blockhaus Schneider forward, Hotchkiss M1914 forward
Ammo: 30x75mm, 2000x8mm
Fuel Type: G, A
Veh Wt: 8 tonnes
Crew: 2 (commander, driver)
Mnt: 4
Night Vision: None
Tr Mov:7/4
Com Mv: 3/2
Fuel Cap: 95
Fuel Cons: 10
Config: Veh
Susp: T: 2
HF 5
HS 3
HR 3