Briefing
Greetings, Special Agent.
Our friends over at the South Africa National Defense Force have reached out for help. Recently, one of their patrols in the north of their country, came under fire from an armored vehicle. At first they thought this to be friendly fire, however no other units were in the area.
They sent a drone to inspect the vehicle and managed to take a photo, before being forced to retreat. Six out of the twenty-four strong platoon were injured, all survived after being evacuated by helicopter. As they are unfamiliar with the model of the tank, which has since vanished. Therefor they call for our help in identifying the vehicle. That is where you come in, identify the tank so we can track the origins and maybe get further in this investigation.
As always, Special Agent. The Contract is yours, if you choose to accept.
Materials
Answer Instruction
Use the answer to unlock the flagfile, this will reward you with your badge.
Find the model and country of origin of the tank
Answer sample: indonesia-cougar-mk-8c
Flagfile
Be advised, the flagfile is an encrypted ZIP. Make sure your OS supports the ZIP format. Ensure the password contains no hidden characters or formatting, paste in Notepad first if the password doesn’t seem to work.
PS: Don’t forget to claim your Coins and XP, by posting your card in the #card-brag channel in Discord.
Official Write-up
Provided here is the official write-up, it does contain the answer. Use this if you’re stuck, or want to verify if you got the answer correct.
⚠️ SPOILER: Official Write-up
Friendly Fire
The challenge involves identifying a tank that attacked South African forces near their border. A drone captured an image of the vehicle before forces had to retreat, and the task is to identify the specific model of the tank.
Available Materials
- Drone photograph of the unidentified tank
- Context of the incident location (northern South Africa)
- Information about the tank’s aggressive behavior
- Context that the tank was potentially disguised as a South African vehicle
Solution Path
Step 1: Visual Analysis
When analyzing the tank photo, focus on:
- Hull design and shape
- Turret configuration
- Gun barrel characteristics
- Armor layout and design
- Distinctive features unique to specific manufacturers
Step 2: Identifying the Tank
Key characteristics point to the Merkava Mk 4M:
- Distinctive sloped turret design
- Unique front hull configuration
- Characteristic Israeli armor layout
- Specific engine compartment placement
- Modern combat tank features
Step 3: Answer Format
The answer must be submitted in this format:
israel-merkava-mk-4mKey formatting rules:
- All lowercase
- Hyphens between words
- No spaces
- Include manufacturer country
- Exact model designation
Tips for Solvers
- Study distinctive Merkava design features
- Compare with other modern main battle tanks
- Pay attention to specific Mk 4M variant features
- Look for Israeli tank design characteristics
- Verify exact model designation spelling
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Confusing with earlier Merkava variants
- Incorrect spelling of “merkava”
- Wrong case (must be all lowercase)
- Missing or extra hyphens
- Incorrect model number format
- Forgetting to include country name
Research Resources
- Modern military vehicle databases
- Tank recognition guides
- Israeli Defense Force equipment catalogs
- Military technology websites
- Tank comparison resources
Verification Steps
To confirm you have the correct tank, verify:
- Matches modern Merkava design
- Features specific to Mk 4M variant
- Fits timeline of deployment
- Size and capabilities match reported encounter
- All components of answer format are correct
Key Identification Features
- Front-engine design
- Sloped turret armor
- Distinctive commander’s cupola
- Unique hull shape
- Specific armor panel layout
Remember: The Merkava Mk 4M is Israel’s most advanced main battle tank, and its unique design features make it distinctly identifiable once you know what to look for.
Creator: Frank Diepmaat