With conventional weapons proving ineffective against a steady onslaught of monsters, the Japanese self defense force focused efforts on advanced weaponry. Their engineers eventually developed a Maser Beam Tank. This featured a large cannon on wheels that was pulled by a tractor on treads. The Maser Cannon was powered by a nuclear reactor, augmented by liquid oxygen contained in tanks that could be injected into the reactor.
For their first trial, the vehicles were deployed in an offensive against the monster Gaira. A Frankenstein offspring, the creature had been on a killing spree near the water before venturing into the countryside. Planning a counter strike, with the masers and Trip Wire Cannons, a concentrated assault was launched. The maser cannon proved very effective, burning tissue on the monster and leaving bloody wounds where the beams connected. The assault was a huge success, as none of the Maser Beam Tanks were destroyed while at the same time they were able to incapacitate the monster, pinning it down in an electrified lake. Unfortunately, Gaira's cries traveled and were heard by another creature. Sanda, another offspring of Frankenstein, arrived to save his "brother". Disconnecting electrodes, thereby unelectrifying the lake, the gargantua helped his brother to safety and together they escaped.
Dismayed by the setback, the military searched for the monsters to no avail. However, their whereabouts quickly became public knowledge. Being a relatively peaceful creature, Sanda was mortified by the blood lust of Gaira. This led to a violent disagreement between the monsters. As a result, Gaira fled, only to later show up in Tokyo. Followed there by Sanda, the two monsters battled. The self defense force, though, had a difficult choice. It had become apparent that Gaira was actually the offspring of Sanda, created from a piece of flesh that had grown. Consequently, attacking them could cause this to happen again, leaving more potential threats. Aware of the risk, the military pressed forward, deploying Type 66 Maser Beam Tanks anyway. However, the tanks focused their efforts on Gaira, assisting Sanda in his fight. This eventually pushed the conflict to Tokyo Bay. Moving to the docks, the Maser Beam Tanks continued to assist until the fight ventured too far out to sea. Eventually, though, the monsters would stumble on an undersea volcano, which would engulf and kill them both.
Happy with their performance, the tanks continued to be used into the 1970s. In fact, in 1973, they were deployed near Sagami Bay, south of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshu. Their target was the monster Anguirus, who had swam to the area from Monster Island. Joined by conventional weapons, the masers eventually drove the spiked monster into retreat, swimming away from Japan.
However, Anguirus had actually been drawn to the area by the broadcast plans of the Nebula M Space Hunter aliens. Those plans, unfortunately, came to fruition, summoning the monsters Gigan and King Ghidorah. As the space monsters devastated Tokyo, the self defense force deployed a large unit of Maser Beam Tanks nearby. This time, the Type 66 model was joined by the Type 70 Maser Beam Tanks. This later version had streamlined parts of the cannon, decreasing the mass and improving its targeting mobility. Together, the maser tanks unleashed their fury on the space monsters. Gigan was the first to feel their firepower, which brought the creature to its knees. The cyborg attempted to avoid fire, moving behind trees, only for the cannons to slice through the forest and hit their target. Moving on to King Ghidorah, the cannons blasted one of the monster's heads. However, the three-headed monster wasn't as easily discouraged. Unleashing its gravity beams, the attack made quick work of the contingent of maser tanks. As space demon destroyed their ranks, the extraterrestrials continued their assault on Japan.
The following year the Type 66 Maser Beam Tank was used for a final time. Once more, Japan was under siege, this time by the monster Megalon. Following the destruction of a dam, the insect-like creature ventured into the country side. There, the self defense force had deployed a large squad of machines, including various Maser Beam Tanks. Unfortunately, the giant creature proved resilient and returned firepower of its own. Using the energy from its horn, it destroyed the surrounding maser tanks, ending the military opposition. |