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IF3M3 Isfet

The IF3M3 Isfet is a heavy self propelled artillery of the Khertland army sporting a 203mm howitzer mounted on a casemate with a extremely high rate of fire of 20 rpm. The Isfet originated as the IF1 program envisioned as the primary artillery piece of the Khertland army. However due to the TD4 Squealer's success and capabilities encroaching in to GMLRS territory, it was decided the IF1 was redundant. This was combined with the fact that the IF1 performed poorly.

Half a year later and the "tube" artillery were back in the form of the IF3. The TD4 Squealer GMLRS while capable could not operate against potent air defense systems with C-RAM and SAM systems. The GMLRS were also vulnerable to decoys and electronic warfare. A artillery system that could differentiate or ignore decoys while resistant to electronic warfare was needed. The solution was the gun artillery which would not have an active guidance system that can be interfered with. Artillery shells also proved far more difficult to intercept than missiles.

However, previously the IF1 relied on the explosive and fragmentation radius to deal damage rather than a direct hit. This led to poor results and so this time around the IF3 will feature a GPS/INS (just fins spam in reality) guided round. Although GPS can be jammed, the pre-selected coordinates combined with inertial navigation system will ensure the round will land with remarkable accuracy. This provided the IF3 with good enough accuracy to strike enemy AFVs on their thin roof armor.

There were a number of advantages in favor of the IF3M3 Isfet over the TD4 Squealer. As designed, the Isfet is resistant to electronic warfare, ignores decoys, and more difficult to intercept. However, in addition to these, the Isfet had far greater firing range, up to 4.7km. This enabled Khertland commanders to employ the Isfet in counter battery operations, a unique role previous left unfulfilled (Prioritizes farther targets).
However, the Isfet also suffers from major drawbacks. Most obvious was its accuracy. For the same reasons it is immune to decoys, the lack of active terminal guidance causes it to be less accurate. Equally as debilitating was the Isfet's inability to hit moving targets. The low velocity gun meant it had to lead a significant amount and any slight deviation in target's course would throw off the aim of the round. Eventually, the Stoat was built to help provide targeting corrections, and help guide laser-guided rounds which was deemed necessary after further trials. Once again, the lack of active guidance presents itself as an obstacle. The Isfet also cost notably more than the Squealer, at nearly 6k more. Last but not least is the shells rather small warhead and thus substantially less damage than its counterpart.

While at first glance, the Squealer is more capable at taking out multiple enemy tanks in quick succession, the Isfet complements the Squealer in many areas. As designed, in environments with tough air defenses, the Isfet can come in handy providing the army needed fire support where the Squealer is ill-suited.
But rather than being just a back up solution, the Isfet can also operate together with the Squealer GMLRS. For example, the IF3 Isfet can focus on destroying opposing artillery while the Squealer provide fire support against enemy tanks at the front. This enable the Khertland army to deny enemy artillery support while still laying down highly effective artillery fire themselves. Additionally the long range capabilities of the Isfet allow it to strike enemy C-RAM and SAM systems so the Squealer can launch its missiles without being intercepted.
The next natural evolution of this is the potential close ground and air cooperation available to Khertland commanders. The Isfet can destroy enemy SPAAG and SAM systems enabling friendly air assets to fly in and destroy enemy tanks in an elegant display of combined arms warfare.

Basic specifications:
Cost: 23.8k
Blocks: 332
Weight: 15,471
Volume: 477 cubic meter
Length: 20m (Hull) 23m (gun)
Width: 7m
Height: 7m
Speed: 22 m/s

Gun:
Caliber: 203mm (406mm actual)
Barrel Length: L/32
Projectile: Frag head-frag body-8x fins-tracer-casing
Accuracy: 0.9 degrees
Rate of Fire: 20 rpm
Cone: 10 degrees
Fragments: 17
Fragment damage: 1722

Armor:
0-2m metal

Ratings:
Total firepower: 11.01
APS: 11.01
Armor: 1.3% (309 materials)

Update Compatibility: 3.5.5
-Mesh fixes