Q&A ยท 4:21:16-4:28:58

A Land Raider at the Somme and the limits of copying advanced weapons

A fictional tank's immediate battlefield power would not give First World War armies the materials, fuel, or knowledge needed to reproduce it.

Question

How pleased would the Allies be if a Land Raider appeared at the Battle of the Somme?

Short answer

Its immediate power could be enormous, but unknown fuel and materials would obstruct operation and copying, while its weapons could encourage misleading technical lessons.

Notes

A Warhammer 40,000 Land Raider appearing at the Somme would create immediate questions about its crew, fuel, and maintenance. Its weapons and protection would give it an enormous advantage within the fictional scenario, but contemporary forces could not readily identify its alloys or reproduce its fuel. Copying the appearance of its weapons could also encourage unsuitable development paths, such as pursuing rocket-propelled small projectiles without the technology that makes the fictional weapons work. Its capacity to carry troops under armor offers a more recognizable idea for contemporary armies. Those fictional capabilities do not give First World War industry the means to reproduce the vehicle.