Tanks That Sort Of Were: the Char 2C

 

The Char 2C is a bit of a “what-if” tank for the Vespers War, since the development program for it was initiated in 1916 but the vehicles weren’t completed until 1921 (or 1923, depending on if one includes the immediate modifications of the tanks after initial delivery). Part of the delay was intentional; General Petain wanted them canceled until Colonel Estienne, head of tank development, reminded him that the delivery of Anglo-American Liberty tanks to the French was contingent on them developing their own heavy tank. In order to comply with the letter of that agreement, development was deliberately stretched out as long as possible. Once the war ended, 10 were completed to use up excess capacity in heavy manufacturing factories.

The Char 2C introduced the 3-crew turret, with a gunner, loader, and commander all in the main turret, which was fitted with a shortened 75mm Mle 1897, although not nearly as short as the stubby Blockhaus Schneider. A second turret at the rear of the tank held a Hotchkiss machinegun. Three more machineguns were fitted in the hull in ball mountings, one at the bow and the others at the front corners of the tank in angled faceplates, allowing fire forward or to the side. A pair of petrol engines powered electric motors, all in the middle of the tank with a passageway between them linking the two fighting compartments.

A path to an alternate history where this sees service in the First World War is a little harder than usual, since the French high command wanted to cancel it and only pressure from the UK and US kept it in development long enough to be produced after the war. The easiest way is likely for someone other than Petain to be in charge, for the war to last into 1919, and for there to be an apparent need for a tank that can assault heavy defenses. That’s a pretty hefty set of requirements.

FCM Char 2C
Fire Control: 0
Armament: Canone de 75 Mle 1897 (shortened to L/30) in forward turret, Hotchkiss M-1914 forward, Hotchkiss M-1914 forward-left, Hotchkiss M-1914 forward-right, Hotchkiss M-1914 rear turret
Ammo: 124x75mm, 9504x8mm
Fuel Type: G, A
Veh Wt: 69 tonnes
Crew: 12 (driver, commander, gunner, loader, 4 machine-gunners, radio operator, mechanic, electrician, assistant mechanic/electrician)
Mnt: 35
Night Vision: None
Tr Mov: 24/12
Com Mv: 6/3
Fuel Cap: 1260
Fuel Cons: 800
Config: Veh
Susp: T:4
HF 5
HS 4
HR 4
TF 6/4
TS 6/4
TR 6/4

Turret numbers before the slash are for the forward (75mm) turret, those after the slash are for the rear (8mm) turret.


75mm L/30

Rld: 1 Rng: 290
HE: C:4 B:14 Pen: 4C
KE: Dam: 17 Pen: 15/13/11/7

Note: only HE was available during the Great War.