Note to Future Self

[Kerensky]

When we get to 1945 or some maps in Germany, make a bonus objective to hide a Panther tank in somebody's basement.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57965260

[PaxusZero]

Clearly, Slitherine needs to purchase the chassis and set it up in their studio with consoles inside. On-site QA teams would have reps sit at stations to test for bugs.

[scorehouse]

a real criminal I'll bet everyone in Germany is afraid. damn tank didn't even have treads.

[Tassadar]

No that's a real hidden cache. In fact feels a bit nostalgic.

[Magni]

Oh hey, I remember having a good laugh back when this story broke.

a real criminal I'll bet everyone in Germany is afraid. damn tank didn't even have treads.

I'd say the live torpedo he had sitting around in his basement collection was/is more of a problem, even if we overlook the artillery pieces.

[CaesarCzech]

When we get to 1945 or some maps in Germany, make a bonus objective to hide a Panther tank in somebody's basement.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57965260

i think i just got idea how to get Panther II prototype as i suggested. Just have it be hidden during retreat in a barb and you have to get to the prototype before soviets realize what they are looking at.

[brumleek]

Not the best conclusion imho...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58077039

... but I'm not an expert on German law and I don't know the details of the case.

I bet museums and private collectors smell blood in the water like sharks already. How many working Panthers are out there? Less than 10?

[George_Parr]

That's a rather lenient punishment. Especially since he can still sell the material and thus get all the money he needs to pay the fine. Even an average punishment would have seen actual jail-time instead of a suspended one, and the material being taken from entirely without possibility for him to sell it.

[brumleek]

I guess Panther's ammo racks were empty when authorities showed up, but they force him to sell the best garden playground any grandchild can hope for.

[Wolfenguard]

Nah its not online depends of the weapon rack aso.
If the barrel of the main gun in a usable condition, the tank is automatically a war weapon. If the tank gets repaired or modified to an ent military version he should be able to use it again as a collection item aso.
In the German law if you collect weapons aso the weapons must be in a condition, where you can't use it anymore and need a lot of work to use it again. Some parts of the weapons are enough that they say it a war weapon and you have Problems.
In my village they found some years ago I a house only some parts of a machine gun. But this where enough for bringing the person to a law.

It's the same with paintball markierer. You can use them for plating but when you transport them to the playground you can't lay it open in your back of the car. You need a bag with a zipperand a key lock for the transport. Paints and co2 bottle needed to be in an other bag so you need 3 or more steps to use the markierer

[scorehouse]

come to Texas for some vintage Military fun. drivetanks.com. hell I got a shootin club down the street nicer than most Country Clubs

[Magni]

I guess Panther's ammo racks were empty when authorities showed up, but they force him to sell the best garden playground any grandchild can hope for.

They were. What's pissed off everyone most was that his collection included a freakin' torpedo that still had a live warhead.

The artillery pieces (IIRC he also had a flak gun sitting in that basement) are still all kinds of illegal if not licensed or demilled, but that's by itself more or less going to get only a small slap on the wrist. Unlicensed storage of live explosives is where you get the big fines.

As it is, judges and sentence guidelines are flexible enough that something like this will by itself not get the collector into too much trouble beyond losing his collection, while still driving home that no, having unlicensed heavy weaponry and explosives lying around is absolutely no bueno.

[adiekmann]

I guess Panther's ammo racks were empty when authorities showed up, but they force him to sell the best garden playground any grandchild can hope for.

They were. What's pissed off everyone most was that his collection included a freakin' torpedo that still had a live warhead.

The artillery pieces (IIRC he also had a flak gun sitting in that basement) are still all kinds of illegal if not licensed or demilled, but that's by itself more or less going to get only a small slap on the wrist. Unlicensed storage of live explosives is where you get the big fines.

As it is, judges and sentence guidelines are flexible enough that something like this will by itself not get the collector into too much trouble beyond losing his collection, while still driving home that no, having unlicensed heavy weaponry and explosives lying around is absolutely no bueno.

Like Scorehouse mentioned above, people in states like Texas will read this and scratch their heads saying, "And what's wrong with that????"

I remember many years ago seeing a classified ad in a car magazine for an M3 Lee tank in total working condition. I still remember part of the description: "Goes anywhere - who's going to stop you?"

Can you imagine the fun you'd have playing "soldier" and your uncle has a genuine freakin' Panther tank?!?

But a live torpedo!?! That's actually kind of scary. If it was the 21" size then that's 1,600 lbs. (726 kg) of explosives in its warhead!

I remember when I was a kid, the neighbor boy showed me one day his older brother's ammo collection that included a live grenade! Then a couple months later we all woke to the sound of fire truck sirens in the middle of the night as there was a fire in that same brother's bedroom. I remember thinking, "Oh shit! Shouldn't somebody inform the firefighters that there is a live grenade in that room!?!? Nothing happened though so I don't know if it was no longer there or if it wasn't in fact a live grenade like he told me.

[Kerensky]

I remember when I was a kid, the neighbor boy showed me one day his older brother's ammo collection that included a live grenade! Then a couple months later we all woke to the sound of fire truck sirens in the middle of the night as there was a fire in that same brother's bedroom. I remember thinking, "Oh shit! Shouldn't somebody inform the firefighters that there is a live grenade in that room!?!? Nothing happened though so I don't know if it was no longer there or if it wasn't in fact a live grenade like he told me.

Or...
Or...

Hear me out.

Maybe the live grenade was the cause of said fire to begin with.

[Magni]

Like Scorehouse mentioned above, people in states like Texas will read this and scratch their heads saying, "And what's wrong with that????"

I remember many years ago seeing a classified ad in a car magazine for an M3 Lee tank in total working condition. I still remember part of the description: "Goes anywhere - who's going to stop you?"

Can you imagine the fun you'd have playing "soldier" and your uncle has a genuine freakin' Panther tank?!?

But a live torpedo!?! That's actually kind of scary. If it was the 21" size then that's 1,600 lbs. (726 kg) of explosives in its warhead!

I remember when I was a kid, the neighbor boy showed me one day his older brother's ammo collection that included a live grenade! Then a couple months later we all woke to the sound of fire truck sirens in the middle of the night as there was a fire in that same brother's bedroom. I remember thinking, "Oh shit! Shouldn't somebody inform the firefighters that there is a live grenade in that room!?!? Nothing happened though so I don't know if it was no longer there or if it wasn't in fact a live grenade like he told me.

Preeeeeetty sure the state of Texas does in fact have laws and regulations concerning the ownership and storage of explosive material. Including anything to do with artillery.

To say nothign of US federal laws. Sure, you can theoretically have your grenade launcher. If you have a bunch of expensive licenses, built a proper heavy-duty storage bunker for it and its ammo (subject to unannounced inspection at any time) and paid the relevant taxes. IIRC, any singular grenade is classed as a "destructive device" and needs its own individual tax stamp, which cost several hundred dollars per to obtain by themselves. By the time you got all that stuff, you're easily five digits in the hole and on several government watchlists, over something much cheaper than an actual artillery piece.