Why prewar landships would converge on practical tanks

What if Germany or Austria-Hungary adopted landships before the First World War?

Early reliable vehicles could affect battles and start an armour race, but weight and terrain would force them toward practical tank designs.

Reliable German landships available before the First World War could add protected direct fire at battles such as Mons and might trigger a British, French, and German armour race. Practical limits would push the designs toward tanks rather than giant naval-style vehicles because very heavy machines risk sinking into the ground. The later German Maus illustrates the same weight problem, while the A7V shows the boxy form that early technology could sustain. An Austro-Hungarian version would have little useful terrain against Serbia or Italy, leaving Germany or the eastern front as more plausible employment.