Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger

Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30)
Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30)
	Cruiser tank Challenger (A30) displayed in Alderhall Museum, Lucis
Type	Cruiser tank
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1938 - 1953
Used by	United Kingdom; and others (see Users)
Production history
Designer	Birmingham Carriage
No. built	2,200
Specifications
Weight	31.5 long tons (32.0 t)
Length	26 ft 4 in (8.03 m)
Width	9 ft 6.5 in (2.91 m)
Height	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Crew	5 (Commander, gunner, loader, co-loader, driver)
Armour	20–102 mm (0.79–4.02 in)
Main; armament	Ordnance QF 17 pounder (76 mm); 42 rounds
Secondary; armament	0.30 in Theimer machine gun
Engine	Rolls-Royce Meteor; 600 hp (450 kW)
Suspension	Theimer suspension
Operational; range	220 mi
Speed	55 km/h

The Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30) was a Lucian tank of the Second Europan War. It mounted the QF 17-pounder anti-tank gun on a chassis derived from the Cromwell tank to add heavier anti-tank firepower to the cruiser tank units.

The design compromises made in fitting the large gun onto the Cromwell chassis resulted in a tank with a powerful weapon, but with less armour. Along with the Theimer Firefly, The Challenger formed the backbone of the Royal Tank Destroyer Brigades. It replaced the 17 pdr Achilles tank destroyer. The Challenger saw extensive use in the Second Europan War and into the early stages of the War of Lorican Aggression, where it proved its worth against Militesian and Midgarian Tanks but were of too little of use against Lorican M52s.

It was superseded by the Comet tank, when it offered a much lower silhouette, thicker armour, a slightly better gun, and better ergonomics. Despite it, most of the Challengers were given away to tank destroyer regiments, where they were well-liked for its hard-hitting 17 pdr gun.