UNIT REQUEST: Merkava Mk. 4 Tank

Ladies, Gentlement and Unit Creators:
I have a puny request

For my MOD, which I will distibute when Finished and Tested, I need a UU for my Israeli Civ.

First of all, an explanation for my choice:
During history, the Israeli civilizations was never whole.
In ancient history, in about 1200BC, it was in it's territorial top when the 12 Tribes, larging to the kingdoms of Judea and Israel, spreaded on almost all of what is known today as Israel and some more of Trans-jordan, etc.

After that period, it was conquered by many empires and after some time Hebrews were either forced to be assimiliated, or were exiled, etc.

During their exilation they assimiliated with other cultures, married with non-Jews (all hebrews were Jews if I am not mistaken), etc.

For the Purpose of my MOD, I consider the ancient Kingdom of Israel and Judea united, and to be the same as the Israeli country of today.

Meaning in my MOD, the state of Israel is actually a reincarnation of those kingdoms.

To choose a UU for the Israeli civ, I needed a Unit from the Golden age. I figured that since in my MOD the kingdoms reincarnated in our time, our time must be the Golden age.

So, I chose Modern times as the overall golden age for the Civ of Israel.

The unit I chose to be the UU is the innovative Merkava Mk. 4 tank for a few reasons:

1. It is innovative and completely Israeli by design
2. It's most important parts (other than the engine) are made in Israel.
3. It has unique features other tanks do not have

Here are the unique features I am talking about:

1. The LAHAV missiles that can be fired from it, has a range of 5KM and it is completely laser guided. It is more precise than any weapon any tank anywhere in the world has. It is also used by the USA, but not in Tanks. Here is a little snipplet I found about it:

Lahat Laser Guided Missile
LAHAT was designed by IAI subsidiary MBT to meet the requirements of the armoured corps. Utilizing the semi-active laser homing guidance method, LAHAT can be designated by the firing tank or by an indirect designation, by another tank, helicopter or forward observers. Firing the LAHAT requires minimal exposure in the firing position, (commander’s sight only) as the designating tank (not necessarily the firing tank) has to maintain line of sight to the target throughout the flight of the missile. With a low launch signature, the firing position is very difficult to detect, from all ranges. The missile’s trajectory can be set to match either tank (top attack) or helicopter (direct attack) engagement. Finally, the missile uses a tandem warhead which can defeat modern armour and reactive panels. The main warhead has a high penetration capability, defeating all known armoured vehicles at high impact angles typical of top attack trajectories. The introduction of LAHAT to conventional tanks requires minimal modifications, including the introduction of a laser designator in the gun sight, and inclusion of LAHAT programming in the fire control computer. The LAHAT is stowed like other rounds in the ammunition rack, and handled just like any other type of ammunition.

LAHAT is designed to match all types of 105 and 120mm guns, including low recoil guns, including those arming light attack vehicles such as Centauro, AMX-10RC or LAV-III. Unlike other tank rounds, LAHAT does not need a tank gun for operation, in fact, LAHAT modifications are already considered with 106mm recoilless rifles, BMP-2 APCs, Hummer all terrain utility vehicles and as self protection for air defense elements, on the M-163 Vulcans. According to Aviation Week, Employing LAHAT missiles from Hunter UAVs are also planned by the US Army.
Relevant news:
US Army Plans Testing of Lahat Laser Guided missiles on Hunter UAVs

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Image:


2. The Merkava tank can carry additional troops acting as a small APC. Here is a snipplet about that feature I found:

Unique among the main battle tanks of the world, the Merkava design features a front-mounted power pack, which presents a heavy mass in the forward area, which protects the crew from enemy attack. This configuration also cleared room at the rear section for a safe exit and enough space to carry a few fully armed infantrymen, in addition to the crew. The rear access hatch allows for the quick and safe exit of injured crewmen or pickup of wounded soldiers for evacuation.

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For a complete article about the Merkava Mk. 4. go here:
http://www.defense-update.com/directory/merkava4.htm


Straight and to the point:

I want the Israeli UU, Merkava Mk. 4, to replace the Modern Armour for Israel in the game.
It's special features will be:

1. Can carry an extra unit
2. Can have lethal-to-land small-range bombardment (LAHAT)
3. Have a slightly better protection (due to power pack at front).

If you think this is too much, please tell me which of those I should keep and which of those I should drop, but please understand That since it is a unit that comes very late in the game it better have an advantage

Further Trivia: I will make the Israeli civ religious and scientific. Anyone who disagrees feel free to comment.


Here are pictures of the Merkava Mk. 4 for the modelers:









Please, my only plea is that someone will make this unit for my MOD, my graphical abilities in 3d are Zero.

So, anyone talented up-to it?

Bah! Pleeeaaaaaaaase, someone?
This is my only request ever!

Further Trivia: I will make the Israeli civ religious and scientific. Anyone who disagrees feel free to comment.

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I think there are serious reasons to say that the Israeli civ is militaristic. In the modern times they have fought several wars against numeric more powerful enemies but they did win those wars. Quite a great achievement.

Because religious and scientific are also reasonable, one has to drop one of religious, scientific and militaristic.

I think religious should be dropped. First of all only a minority of the Israelian people is orthodox-Jewish. And I believe they are following traditional faith. If I check the other religious civs almost all the people of those civs shared the same religion.

My conclusion : The Israelian civ should be militaristic, scientific.

Just my 2 cents.

I still think it should be religious and scientific.

First of all, in anceitn times all hebrews were Jews. that is a religious aspect.

Also, in modern times Israel was created as a jewish country, and holds some jewish values. It also focuses itself as the "center of jews" by giving free citizenships to all jews.

By the way, almost all jews on Israel are orthodox jews. I am an orthodox jew. But secular.

Question is if you are secular or not, since orthodoxy judaism is the main stream judaism.


Also, Israel was forced wars of Existence, it's not imperialistic nor does it use the full power of it's army.

Militaristic armies chose wars and chose to use their full wrath of their army.

By the way, I gave israel 2 starting techs:

1. alphabet, because of the bible
2. ceremoniel borial, because of the great temple, etc.

I thought I would mention a quick something. Though Israel is predominantly Jewish, it was created with no particular religion in mind.

I would also agree with AVN on Militaristic. While Israel doesn't go around conquoring nations (though I suppose that depends on who you ask ), Israel is one of the strongest military powers in the world. Both it's mechanized forces and it's air force are some of the most technologically advanced and powerful ever. Just because a civ is labelled 'Militaristic' doesn't mean that it goes around pounding on everyond... it just means that's one aspect of their culture that stands out more than others. And I would have to say that its military is one of the things I associate most with Israel.

P.S. Those Merkavas are nasty mofos, I feel sorry for anyone having to go up against them. A pity I'm no good with complex animation and graphics like unit creation requires.

IceBlaZe,
It's your mod, so you make the decisions.

Well last time I made Israel Militaristic and Sceintific everyone jumped on me saying I should make it religious and possibly commercial.



I don't know what to do

I should repeat my previous post, but that doesn't make much sense. (=spam).

I believe most Jewish are secular and for that reason being Jewish is more a matter of race then of faith (No offense intended !). For that reason I still believe that the Israelian civ should be militaristic and scientific.

That's probably only because they fail to look beyond the whole "Isreal VS the Arabs, my goodness this is a religious struggle and Israel should be religious too!"
Whatever traits you pick though, one of them needs to be Militaristic.

Maybe suck try sucking up to Smoking Mirror. He rules at making tanks.

For the record, Israel's UU should be the F-4.

The Americans already have the F-15. It won't be a UU.

And besides, the F4 is American anyways.

But, forgive me for my ignorance, it was airpower that enabled Israel to beat the crap out of the Arabs, led by the F-4. I think that's more important than where it was made. And it doesn't matter if Americans already have the F-15: Look at how many units replace the knight, for instance.

But whatever. Tanks are fine, too. I just think UU's should reflect the decisive periods of their civs, and the Merkava mk.4 is a new model which maybe gets a lot of use, but hasn't decided the course of Israeli history, at least not yet.

And finally, everyone has an opinion on the subject, and I know you get a ton of flak from everyoneon this subject, because I remember when you first made the Israeli civilization, and I'm not saying your idea sucks or anything.

Merkava mk.4 is a new model which maybe gets a lot of use, but hasn't decided the course of Israeli history, at least not yet.

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The former merkava's were very helpful, but I didn't want to create and Old tank since the Germans already have the Panzer as a UU.

But one thing is sure, maybe the F-4 was very important and you are right about that, I won't make it the israeli UU since it is an american unit. I insist that the Israeli UU will be Israeli developed.

BTW - The F-15 didn't really decide America's fate either.

I am working on some modern tanks for a post war scenario, the biggest problem I'm facing right now is that the Merkava looks a lot like many other modern tanks- they all look very similar.
During WWII you could see any tank and know imediately what that tank was, cos they all had a unique design; the T34 is imediatly recogisable, as is the tiger and panther tanks- the panzer III and IV are similar, but usualy you can tell them apart. But with most moden MBTs the turrt is in the same place, it is roughly the same shape (the Merkava turret looks a little more like a cross between the Leopard II and the T72.

I'm going to do a T72, and a leopard II but I have heard a lot of different requests for the Merkava, so if you can find me some blue print style drawings (so I can actualy make the model; making it from pictures is so difficult !) I could be convinced to make it instead of one of the others, they all look fairly similar.

This is the sort of drawing I need, as posteed by plumbean in his request for a t72;

You're right SM. I could tell any tank from WWII (aside from Japanese ones ) immediately, but nowadays they really pretty much all look the same. Most of the Soviet post-WWII tanks look nearly identical too... only slight changes in the shape of the turret.

What do you think the Civ 3 "Panzer" unit is supposed to represent? It kind of looks like a mix between a Pz Kpfw III ausf E and a Czech Pz Kpfw 38(t).

Well I think the Merkavah is more unique at design since the turret is placed completely backwards and the powerpack is upfront.

It also has completely modular armour, no other tank has that

Anyway, finding some blueprints will be hard since Merkavah info si deemed top secret even today.

but I have some that I've got with my Model-construction set.

They are Merkavah Mk. 3 but it's almost completely the same. Only the turret is more modular and round. I think you will be able to spout the difference and change it accordingly.

If you make a merkavah unit you are my god!

Well, here goes.

I think these real pictures from angles would also help:

Another Merkava 3 blueprint: