Big Bang Ricochet 039: Germanys HS-30 IFV (d20)
As the Cold War progressed in the 1950's¸ West Germany saw a need to get its defense industry rolling again. Through the 50's¸ political corruption and influence from the survivors of the Wehrmacht produced a number of 'educational' contracts¸ issued to help German industry relearn the art of manufacturing military goods. From one of these sprang an innovative vehicle. Armored troop carriers were a relatively new war machine¸ produced mainly in the form of lightly armored logistics vehicles or converted from medium tanks and SPGs. After the war¸ development of dedicated armored personnel carriers began in earnest. However¸ this particular German APC was substantially different. On its roof was mounted a tiny one man turret outfitted with the most ungodly weapon to be put into the hands of infantry at that time - a 20mm automatic cannon. The HS-30 was the world's first Infantry Fighting Vehicle¸ an armored vehicle that not only carted troops around as a battlefield taxi¸ but it also enabled the troops it carried to fight without leaving the vehicle¸ including the provision of some serious firepower beyond what the squad packed on its own. Though the first¸ the HS-30 was by no means the best¸ plagued by a laundry list of problems that lead to some vehicles being scrapped without ever firing a shot. However¸ though the West German military quickly replaced the HS-30¸ the vehicle is still in service as an IFV in South America¸ some 50 years after the Germans first fielded it. This issue also includes Big Bang entries for the Hispano-Suiza HS-820 20mm Automatic Cannon and the M40 106mm Recoilless Rifle.