The Tankbuster


Designation: Anti-armour Infantry
Training Headquarters: Genbu Barracks, Abashiri
Country of origin: Japan
Trained at: Imperial Dojo
Motto: "There is no metal we cannot melt"

Key features:

• MX-19 plasma cutting cannon
• Armoured headgear in the colours of the Empire
• Rations for extended stays underground
• Autonomous plasma fuel cell
• Harness equipment for mobility



There is only one question on the lips of military strategists around the world: How did the Empire of the Rising Sun manage to assemble such an army in secret? There is no way the Empire could have access to the same resources – whether in raw materials or manpower – as the Soviet Union and the Allied Nations, which are now reeling from the Empire’s ambitious plot. The answer remains unknown. What is painfully obvious, however, is that the Empire commands enormous military forces built from scratch to more than compensate for virtually everything the Soviets and the Allies have in their modern arsenals. One such example is the Imperial Tankbuster Division, the anti-armour infantry of the Empire of the Rising Sun. Still somewhat unorthodox but undeniably effective, the Tankbusters represent one of the most formidable threats the modern main battle tank has ever faced.


It is said that Imperial Tankbusters bear such a heavy burden in Japanese society that they are never ridiculed to their faces.

Tankbuster divisions appear to be made up of men chosen for their stocky build, strength, courage and keen insight. They appear to be trained in the use of a variety of unique and powerful equipment, particularly their state-of-the-art MX-19 “Muramasa” personal plasma cutters – which can melt the thickest steel in a matter of seconds. What’s more, these extremely dangerous weapons are only half the kit, as the Tankbusters are also fitted with a special protective headgear designed for a single purpose: plasma beams from the brims of these wide-brimmed hats can be fired directly onto the ground to cut a man-sized hole in any surface, effectively allowing the Tankbusters to dig a burrow on a whim and with just a twist of their torsos.

This armoured headgear also serves as a manhole cover until the Tankbuster chooses to leave the burrow. The purpose of this burrow became abundantly clear the first time a Tankbuster division gained prominence: When an unfortunate column of armoured vehicles unexpectedly stumbled upon a Tankbuster Sleeper Ambush, the vehicles manoeuvred in a desperate attempt to crush these men, even as the Tankbusters began to destroy them. But the Tankbusters simply burrowed underground before a single man had even been overrun. As soon as the armoured division had passed through them, they emerged abruptly from their spider-like holes, finishing the job with almost merciful speed.


Whilst the use of spider holes is generally considered dishonourable, it is regarded as an acceptable tactic against Soviet and Allied forces, who are themselves viewed as dishonourable.

Culturally, the Tankbusters are misunderstood, even amongst the mysteries of the Empire of the Rising Sun. There is reason to believe that burying oneself in spider holes is considered a dishonourable and shameful act amongst Imperial military forces. Furthermore, the Tankbusters’ heavy equipment may be a source of some derision amongst other Imperial forces, if translations of certain intercepted Imperial transmissions are to be taken at face value. However, it seems clear that the Tankbusters are ultimately well regarded for their skill and resolve, and the increasing frequency with which these men are seen in direct combat with armoured divisions means that the Empire of the Rising Sun must train such forces in greater numbers.


Reconnaissance on the battlefield has at least revealed the following facts about the Tankbusters:

• Enemy of armour- The plasma-cutting cannons are exceptionally effective against vehicles or anything made of metal and must have been created solely for this purpose. The weapons are set to a special frequency that causes only minor burns to unprotected skin, presumably for the Tankbusters’ own protection.

-Life in a spider’s hole– The ability to burrow underground is almost immediately what makes the Tankbusters so dangerous, as a tank cannot easily crush one of these men whilst he is underground. Once underground, the Tankbusters are well protected against most weapons, although they are unable to retaliate.

-A Heavy Burden- Most of the Tankbusters’ equipment, including their wide-brimmed hats, means that their firepower can only be directed straight ahead. This was evident when the very same reconnaissance aircraft that first spotted the Tankbusters managed to escape unscathed. Consequently, and ironically, standard front-line infantry prove to be the most capable of neutralising these threats.

-Sleeper Ambush - Somehow, at some point, the Empire of the Rising Sun must have planted dormant Tankbuster groups in militarised zones along the Soviet and Allied borders. How else can one explain the rare instances of Tankbuster teams suddenly bursting from the ground to attack without warning?