AMG-34

The AMG-34, also commonly known as the Type 34 'Whitegill' (Fhs. Geolbhgeal), was a tank designed in Yonderre and operated by the Yonderian Armed Forces and National Army of Faneria for the majority of the Second Great War. The AMG-34 was designed and produced by the Atelier de Mechanique de Gabion as part of a contract by the Fhainnin government to provide a large variant of the Cíochbhratach tankette to circumvent native medium tank development at the time, which was still suffering significant setbacks, particularly with track designs unsuited to both handle the weight of a larger vehicle and manage a high speed simultaneously. In response, AMG designed the AMG-34, which was accepted. This contract brought attention from Yonderre's own Army Procurement Command, who sought a light tank to replace the CdC mle 1930 in the role of armoured recon and deep operations.

Design and Production

The AMG-34 project fielded an operating prototype in 1933, and competed in trials against the Department of Tank Designs' bid, DCC-2, as well as the Urcean SAV-5. The DCC-2 was discarded early on in the trials, citing the one-man turret as a major deficiency and the tank's tendency to throw its track when halting suddenly. Despite some noted concerns about its reliability the SAV-5 performed admirably in testing. Ultimately the choice fell on the AMG bid despite some kinks in the prototype, the conclusion of the final report on the light tank adoption program citing uncertainty about the ability to procure sufficient numbers of the SAV-5 from the Urceans, as well as the AMG vehicle's thicker armor and better overall maneuverability.

Following further development the tank was adopted by Faneria in March of 1934 as the Type 34 and Yonderre in May as the AMG-34. The vehicle was received well by its crews from both nations, with Yonderine crews stating that although it was a bit slower than its predecessor, the addition of thicker armor and a cannon was a welcome one. The Yonderine variants were equipped with the 47mm Carneaux mle 1932 gun, whereas Fhainnin variants were built with a slightly longer 2" cannon. Each was fitted with a machine gun from their countries of purchase.

Fhainnin production grants allowed for separate production lines to be constructed, resolving diplomating issues related to fighting over procurement numbers between the two countries. In addition, Faneria paid a large, undisclosed sum to both the Yonderine government and AMG to purchase finished schematics. Deliveries of the Type 34 were supplemented by production in Faneria, with AMG specialists overseeing setup and production until 1939. Exports from Yonderre made up the large majority of Fhainnin Type 34 tanks until 1938, and Faneria would go on to independently create a variant with a heavier cannon and additional armor, the Type 34t, in 1937 to act as a tank destroyer variant, which eventually was reclassed as a direct upgrade as armor improved throughout the war.

Between 1934 and 1939, a total of 678 AMG-34s and 1,836 Type 34s were delivered from AMG's factory in Gabion. A large order of spare parts was produced in 1944 to prolong the service life of the AMGs. A further 1,480 Type 34 and 4,780 Type 43t systems were produced in Faneria from 1937-1942.

Service

During the early Second Great War, the Type 34 was the best tank in Fhainnin service, with most of its armor being markedly slower and the native-production light tanks available being unable to combat heavier armor imported from Urcea and Burgundie. As a result, Yonderre faced significant diplomatic pressure to cut supply of the Type 34 to Faneria, and Faneria was forced to maintain a constant blockade of the Kestrel Isles throughout the war to protect shipping despite Yonderine flagging. AMG eventually ceased building the tank in 1939 as it became outdated, opting to collect royalties from the 34t production line until the Treaty of Loughlin ended Faneria's participation in the war in 1942.

Surviving Examples and Legacy

Numerous examples of the AMG-34 and Type 34t survive to this day. In Yonderre, seven are located in the Ducal War Museum. Two AMG-34s act as gate guards at AMG's factory in Gabion where the vehicle was produced from 1934-1939. One is mounted on a plinth in central Gabion, overlooking the town hall. One is also mounted on a plinth in central Willing. Faneria owns several in various museums, including the National Military History Museum, while Fiannria keeps two on plinths in Brídhavn. Several operable Type 34 and 34t tanks are maintained by the Fhainnin military, typically for lease as movie props.

The Type 34 is a quintessential part of the historic image of Faneria in the Second Great War, and is the go-to armored vehicle associated with Fhainnin armored formations of the period. The Type 34 additionally significantly improved the most severe design issues faced by Fhainnin tank designers, who were more experienced with tracked artillery platforms and light armor due to the influence of tank enthusiast and engineering flop Gregory Felway.