German Teller Mine

By Crusader1307

Translated into ''Plate'' Mine, The Teller-Class of Explosives were a common anti-tank and armor vehicle mine used by Germany during World War II. The flat shaped, steel constructed ''plates'' (roughly 3-inches deep) allowed for varying amounts of shaped plastic explosives which were filled with steel shards or ball bearing pellets. A pressure activated fusing device caused The Teller to detonate. The Explosive force was channeled towards (or outward) of the plate top facing. Normally placed below ground (by 12-inches), the upper pressure trigger would not detonate with the application of foot pressure. It took a heavy armored vehicle passing over The Teller to activate such. This allowed for The Tellers to be used with maximum effectiveness against advancing Enemy armor and artillery. The device had a maximum range of less than 5-meters, which was reasoned at providing the maximum explosive force needed to either critically damage a Tank or at best – ''throw'' it's tread (thus immobilizing it). Tellers were also deployed against walls, trees and rocks – in which several devices could be linked and detonated. It these cases, clever triggering wires were installed across a road. Over (5) variants were mad between 1943 and 1945, with a total of over 3 Million such devices manufactured for The German War effort.