Tsunami Tank

The Tsunami Tank is the MBT of the Empire of the Rising Sun. Although light and small, it is far more technologically advanced than both the Soviet and Allied standard tanks, and is also amphibious. It's armed with a cannon that fires some kind of blue darts, which can be seen if one looks closely. The Tsunami tank also has the Kagami Armour that, when triggered, activates an invisible army of nano machines which sacrifice themselves to repel the next attack against the Tsunami, compensating for its light armor somewhat.

The Tsunami Tank is a very typical Imperial unit: extremely versatile, fast and agile but lightly armored. The high rate of fire of the cannon makes up for the light damage it does, but its fragile armor makes it unsuited for direct engagement.

In When the Cold Breeze Blows Away,

History
When the Soviet Army first faced the armored divisions of the Empire of the Rising Sun, rumors quickly spread of strange, gleaming, amphibious tanks that were invulnerable to enemy fire. Some even believed that this invulnerability came from the Rising Sun-emblazoned banners mounted on the rear tread assemblies, and there were stories of brave but misguided conscripts managing to actually get within arm's length of the banners before being ruthlessly slaughtered.

As the war raged on, it became clear that Tsunami Tanks were protected not by any supernatural powers but rather by an innovative new armor system. The highly trained Tsunami crews are adept at using this shield technology in both offensive and defensive encounters. By diverting nano machines from operation of the main gun, the Tsunami is capable of producing an impact shield that manifests as a cloud of nano machines surrounding the hull of the unit. When even a moderate-intensity energy field is applied to the nano-relays, an energy web forms, which can effectively lessen the impact of ballistics on the hull of the Tsunami. The downside, of course, is that the field takes both power and nano machine resources required to operate the main cannon, rendering the tank unable to fire while the field was activated. In addition, the powerful energy field degrades the nano-relays over time, limiting the protection to short bursts to avoid complete collapse of the nano machine system.

While not invulnerable as once thought, the Tsunami is still a potent weapon. More than just a typical amphibious vehicle, which stay waterborne only long enough to get to dry land, Tsunamis are as capable on water as they are on land, often escorting ships and assaulting naval targets. The extent to which the Imperial military views them as naval vehicles is aptly demonstrated by the lines of Tsunami tanks often seen emerging from the Imperial Naval Yards and deploying directly into naval combat. Like their namesake, they are also able to wash ashore and leave a trail of destruction far inland.

All of this technology and versatility comes at a price. The Tsunami is the lightest main battle tank in any inventory and has difficulty standing against Guardian or Hammer Tanks in a toe-to-toe fight. This fact, and the complexity of the Tsunami's other features, make it a difficult weapon to master - to meet its demands crews go through a rigorous training regimen modeled on traditional Japanese warrior training. Putative tank pilots spend long hours in isolated training facilities studying tactics and weapon systems. In direct contrast to most Soviet and Allied training doctrines, Tsunami crews also study philosophy, poetry, and traditional calligraphy, dedicating themselves to an almost monastic life of warfare and scholarship.

The arduous, continuous training and isolationist culture of the Tsunami crews builds a strong esprit de corps among crews and members of this elite force seldom leave of their own choosing. There are even unconfirmed reports of Tsunami crew members committing seppuku rather than being transferred to another branch of the Imperial military. Whether these reports are true is unknown. What is known is that the Tsunami tanks and their crews form the very backbone of the Imperial war machine.