Shagohod

The Shagohod (Russian: Шагоход, "Walker") was a hybrid screw propelled vehicle designed by Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov to serve as a mobile nuclear ballistic missile system.

Technical data

The forward module contained the driver's cab, main propulsion systems, and most of the Shagohod's weapons. It was a completely autonomous vehicle that could function without the rear module attached, though in this configuration the rocket boosters were lost and the module had no nuclear launch capacity. The main means of propulsion was a pair of augers (or screws) fixed to runners mounted on hydraulic-actuated arms, sometimes incorrectly referred to as treads. At high speeds, these were locked in line with the rear and used to pull the Shagohod along. The arms could also be brought down diagonally and used to drag the rear section; it was presumably the latter movement mode that gave the Shagohod its name, though the vehicle crawled rather than walked.

Unlike Metal Gear, the Shagohod was not a bipedal tank; while it could "walk" in a limited fashion on the tips of the runners carrying the two augers, it mainly drove with them flat. The complete Shagohod prototype was articulated, consisting of a front module with engine, drive systems, driver's cab as well as most of the armament, and a rear module, which formed the bulk of the vehicle, carrying not only the ballistic missile but also the rocket engines. The rear module was an air cushion vehicle towed by the front section, and could be jettisoned from the front module if required.

The Shagohod1 — Front view of the Shagohod.

The rear module carried the missile launch tube on its right upper surface, with a large fire control radar on the left and the rocket booster units mounted on the sides; the rear sloped surface consisted mostly of a large grille, probably the air inlet for the engines and air cushion. In speculation, much of the internal space was taken up by fuel for the boosters and whatever systems were used to produce the air cushion the rear body runs on. However, it's unknown if it provided any additional support to the front module in terms of fuel or power generation. Despite this, the augers were notably more susceptible to damage when the front module was jettisoned from the rear than in any other situation; being immobilised rather than slowed, suggesting the rear module was indeed linked to the forward module's drive systems. The rear module did not appear autonomous; it lacked any visible control station or method of steering.

The vehicle weaponry included two 12.7 mm DShKM heavy machine guns (300 rounds) and one additional turret mount for anti-aircraft work with 360 rounds. In addition, it mounted six 9K112 Kobra surface-to-air guided missiles, a 100 barrel volley gun, and a single SS-20 "Sabre" IRBM (Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile).

The Shagohod2 — Side view of the Shagohod.

Though the Shagohod appeared to be a precursor to the Metal Gear line, the development of Shagohod was in fact distinctly separate from the development of the initial Metal Gear design. Both were developed independently of one another at approximately the same time, with the simpler Shagohod design reaching fruition before the more complex and technologically advanced Metal Gear.

When complete, the Shagohod weighted 152.5 tons, was 75 feet (22.8 meters) long by 27 feet (8.2 meters) high by 21 feet (6.4 meters) wide, had a maximum road speed (without the rocket engines being activated) of 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour) and a range of 400 miles (650 kilometers). The rocket fuel used was highly volatile unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH). A crew complement of two was usual, though one could drive it if necessary.

History

Background

Though the Shagohod had similar capabilities to the Metal Gear series of mecha, it was not a precursor but a parallel development; it was developed by Dr. Sokolov at a secret base located three miles west of Tselinoyarsk under Nikita Khrushchev's orders. His peer and self-proclaimed rival Director Granin conceived the Metal Gear concept at approximately the same time, but Colonel Volgin favored Sokolov's design over Granin's after the latter idea failed to produce immediate results, and secretly planned to steal the prototype as well as capture Sokolov. This is possibly due to the fact that, though a walker like Metal Gear would ultimately prove to be a far more versatile system, the Shagohod was only an unusual combination of technologies that already existed at the time (tanks, ground effect craft, IRBMs, and booster rockets), as opposed to an unrealized idea requiring years or even decades of research (as well as large amounts of money) to produce.

Sokolov referred to the Shagohod as the "Treading Behemoth," though a more accurate translation of the name is "Step Walker" or "Great Step." It was originally built as a nuclear-equipped tank that could launch nuclear missiles from any type of terrain. However, a major problem developed when it became apparent that the Soviet Union's ICBMs during the 1960s were too big for the Shagohod to carry. The Soviet military didn't wish to hear of it, as they wanted a weapon that could launch an ICBM directly into the American homeland. Sokolov was the one who came up with the idea for it to utilize his Vostok cluster rocket design to accelerate the Shagohod enough to launch an IRBM to lauch at the same speed as an ICBM, dubbed "Phase 2."

Though it was originally intended to be a theatre- to intermediate-range nuclear weapons platform, operable from any type of terrain, the final "Phase 2" design of the Shagohod used rocket boosters to propel the behemoth to a speed of over 300 miles per hour (480 kilometers per hour) before launching its nuclear missile, essentially acting as an additional stage, increasing the range to ICBM levels. Upon launching a nuclear missile, it would then release three parachutes as a means of braking the Shagohod.^[2] The main disadvantage was that the Shagohod required 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) of flat, even land, such as a long road or runway, to get up to speed and decelerate safely.

The perceived advantage of Shagohod over traditional silos was its mobility and thus relative stealth. As a mobile weapon, it was also suited to more aggressive posturing, leading to the threat of a nuclear first strike with the new system. Nuclear submarines carrying ballistic missiles represent almost the same capability; the reason the Shagohod was considered such a threat was that it represented an ability that the U.S. did not have. Its armor was also thick and strong enough to withstand even the blast of an RPG-7's round without a scratch.^[3]

According to Sokolov, the Shagohod could not be detected by spy planes or satellites; this presumably was in comparison to large ICBM silo complexes, as the Shagohod could potentially be housed in any suitable hangar any time it was not engaged in launch activities. It could be transported over long distances via helicopter.^[4]

The Shagohod did have weaknesses; its augers were susceptible to damage by explosives which slowed down the assembled vehicle or immobilize the disconnected front module. In addition, if the rear module ended up being forcibly ejected or removed, the rear armor of the front module was damaged due to the forceful disconnection of the rear module to the point that it was vulnerable to RPG fire. The volley gun, directly before and after firing (before it closed), also provided a "hole" in the Shagohod's armor.

Sokolov eventually became fearful of its development, and attempted to defect to the United States with his family, knowing that his absence would force the Shagohod project to be discontinued. However, around the time of his attempted defection, the Cuban Missile Crisis happened, which nearly resulted in nuclear war. Because of the high importance of the Shagohod project, Khrushchev was willing to even forego development of a missile silo at Cuba as long as the West at least allowed him to have Sokolov back. America agreed, not knowing about the Shagohod development at the time and not willing to risk a nuclear war. Nearly two years later, enough details of the Shagohod's development were later leaked to have the West realize that the reason Khrushchev wanted Sokolov back related to the development of a secret weapon, although not much was known other than it involving missile technology.

Operation Snake Eater

See also: Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater

By the time of the Virtuous Mission, Colonel Volgin of GRU used the Philosophers' Legacy to help complete the Shagohod prototype that he had stolen from the Sokolov Design Bureau. Sokolov's Shagohod was chosen for development because Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin's Metal Gear concept was considered (at the time) to be impractical. He planned to mass-produce the Shogohod and deploy them all over the Soviet Union and throughout all the countries of the Eastern Bloc. He also intended to use the Shagohod as bait to foment armed uprisings against dictators, ethnic insurgents, and revolutionary groups throughout the Third World.

A week later during Operation Snake Eater, the Shagohod was almost destroyed in Groznyj Grad by FOX operative Naked Snake, using C3, before the weapon's mass-production could begin. According to Major Zero, the Shagohod would have been used solely as a deterrent by the Soviet Union, had its data been delivered to Khrushchev. However, the prototype survived the explosion due to the base's EOD personnel having removed the fuel from the tanks. Volgin personally piloted the Shagohod, using the rocket tank to pursue Snake and EVA on their motorcycle, laying waste to his own fortress in the process; he managed to destroy two aircraft (a WiG and a Hind), killed several of his own soldiers, almost injuring Ocelot in the backwash from the Shagohod's rocket boosters, as the chase proceeded onto Groznyj Grad's runway.

Managing to stay ahead of the pursuing Shagohod, Snake and EVA lured Volgin onto a C3-laden bridge, which was detonated as the tank attempted to cross. However, the Shagohod narrowly avoided destruction, though its main rear module was lost in the explosion. Exploiting the weakened armor, the tank was severely damaged by Snake's RPG-7, which was used to great effect thanks to EVA's motorcycle skills. Volgin then utilized his own powers of electricity to power up the damaged Shagohod and proceeded to chase EVA on her bike, while Snake opened fire on him from the ground while he was distracted. After Volgin was defeated, he attempted to again use his powers, only to be struck by a bolt of lightning during a sudden thunderstorm, destroying the Shagohod and killing Volgin.

Following the Shagohod's destruction, EVA gave the weapons's missile launch data to her true employers of the People's Liberation Army, so that the Chinese government would have the chance to develop its own nuclear weapons technology later that year.

Legacy

Overall, the Soviet Union decided to abandon further development of the Shagohod, due to both EVA's theft of the Shagohod data during her mission to Tselinoyarsk and because the miniaturization of their ICBMs made the concept of the Shagohod redundant anyhow. However, the concept itself lived on as the Pupa AI weapon of the Peace Walker Project during the Peace Walker Incident bore heavy similarities to the Shagohod. During one of the briefing files, Huey Emmerich said that he based Pupa on designs specs for the Shagohod that Granin acquired himself and planned to submit to Huey with some of his commentary before it ended up intercepted by Ocelot for the CIA.

Behind the scenes

Shagohod E3 1 — Shagohod Cardboard mockup model at E3 2004.

When Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was first announced at E3 2004, there was a cardboard mockup of the Shagohod. The model included actual treads, indicating that it was originally going to possess treads instead of augers.

During the development of Metal Gear Solid 3, the Shagohod's second phase had various ideas going about, one idea being that it was to have a transformer-type combination with a WIG where it will then launch the nuke. The idea of it accelerating its speed with rocket boosters and hovercraft technology was decided mid-production.^[5] Also, the Shagohod's cockpit was originally supposed to fall from the smoke of the destroyed bridge and reveal that it survived. Scenes of it going back up the bridge's remains were added in later. The Shagohod also was originally supposed to transform further by having the cockpit and a small portion of its "legs" eject as an escape vehicle that was fast and light in movement. However, it was cut from the final version, and replaced with Volgin connecting himself with its wiring to revive the Shagohod.^[6]

In the limited edition Premium Package bundle for the first Japanese release of Metal Gear Solid 3, a 1/144 scale painted model of the Shagohod as well as a booklet dedicated to the Shagohod was included.

In the Secret Theater film DieHard, the Shagohod chase was re-enacted, although this time it was exaggeratedly weaker than in the actual plot, as it ended up flipping over when attempting to run into the WIG.

Defeating the Shagohod in the HD version will result in the player unlocking the trophy/achievement "Shagadelic", a reference to one of the catchphrases of the titular protagonist of the comedy franchise Austin Powers, a series of films that frequently parody spy flicks such as the James Bond franchise.

A briefing tape in Peace Walker mentioned that, in addition to sending Huey Emmerich the blueprints and research notes for Metal Gear, Granin also sent a copy of Sokolov's Shagohod blueprints and notes with his own commentary on them. Earlier in Metal Gear Solid 3, the Shagohod blueprints were briefly seen in an R1 scene (specifically the same scene where one can find the photo of Dr. Emmerich and Granin), although the director's commentary mentioned that their presence was meant to imply that Granin's Metal Gear technology, the one he leaked, was developed from the blueprints, similar to how the V2 missile technology became nuclear missiles, while noting that weapons defect from development, and not a direct reference to the Shagohod's development.^[7]

The player could build Shagohods as their Metal Gears in the Mother Base game on the Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes app for Android/iPhone tablets and smartphones. It is unlocked by completing at least 15 missions, while the game and app are connected.

Other appearances

An unlockable Shagohod trophy exists in Super Smash Bros. Brawl with the following description:

A massive, nuclear-capable tank developed by the Soviet weapons specialist Nikolai Sokolov. In parallel development with the Metal Gear, the Shagohod is selected for military deployment over its rival. The body is made up of two front and two rear sections. The front uses a pair of drills on hydraulic legs to pull the bulky rear section which houses its ballistic missile.

Similarly, the Shagohod also was a sticker in the same game, which lessens any dizzy side effects on a player by 150.

The Shagohod also appeared in Versus Battle, where it fought against the Pupa.

"STRENGTHS:
Big, Fast, Naughty, & Nuclear
WEAKNESSES:
Runway Room Required to Nuke
FEATURED FACT:
Rough, rapid, & ready, Shagohod is a Volgin favorite that powers through harsh terrain via augers and blazes on to 300mph via rockets
FEATURED GAME:
METAL GEAR SOLID: THE LEGACY COLLECTION"

―Shagohod on Versus Battle