Super-heavy tank

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Super-heavy tanks were designed in response to the arms race of ever-increasing armament and armour in tanks. Although some models were built, they were impractical and saw no active service or combat. Most heavy tanks suffer from problems related to tactical mobility (soft ground, crossing bridges), strategic mobility (transporting on rail or truck), reliability of mechanical components under severe stresses, and other practical problems, like the sheer difficulty of handling extremely large ammunition. Above a certain weight threshold these problems become insurmountable.

Some extreme tank designs approved by Adolf Hitler during the Second World War were devised to be all-conquering monsters of the battlefield. A prime example of these would have to be the Maus, a German design which only reached the prototype stage. These tanks were designed by the Nazis as a possible way of winning the war and by the allies as a way of countering any advances in Enemy armour. Even a tank of 1,000 tons was considered, the Ratte, a ridiculously heavy machine.

At the time they seemed sensible as both sides could see the others tanks an anti-tank weapons improving and both required a way of countering the others superiority. Hitler was a keen advocate of super-heavy AFVs and personally agreed to the development of the Maus whereas in Britain and America the stunning effectiveness of the German 88mm's forced home the point that much thicker armour and much better armament was needed on their own tanks.

The idea of super heavy tanks saw less development after the war, except in Soviet Russia where two Super-Heavy Tank designs were created. This was again part of the arms race between NATO and the Soviet Union.

U.S.A and British super-heavy tanks

• T-28 (tank) (95 tonnes, 2 prototypes built)
• Tortoise (tank) (78 tonnes, 6 prototypes)
• TOG1 (tank) (80 tonnes, 1 prototype)
• TOG2 (tank) (80 tonnes, 1 prototype)

German super-heavy tanks

• Maus (tank) (188 tonnes, 2 prototypes)
• Panzer VII Löwe (76–90 tonnes, project only)
• Ratte (tank) (1,800 tonnes, project only)
• E-100 (tank) (140 tonnes, 1 hull completed)

Soviet super-heavy tanks

• Grotte Tank (100 tonnes, project only)
• Obyekt 279 (60 tonnes?, prototype only)