While I am not a fan of the Polaris vehicle, zoo does have a point. This was designed as a utility vehicle. Utility vehicles are designed for all-purpose utility roles, not an assault vehicle, amphibious vehicle, etc. The Willys jeeps and M151s fit this role to a T. They are supposed to be relatively cheap, can go pretty much anywhere, can be used in a variety of terrain and conditions, small and lightweight to allow for ease of transport, and should be simple to operate.
The Willys MB, for example, was very reminiscent of these traits, but it was not designed for actual front-line combat. While it could be said that guns could be added to the Jeeps to make them more offensive, or armor to make them more defensive, these mods were not reflective of the original intent of the jeep's creation, or that of any utility military vehicle.
Armor, while useful in protecting modern combat troops from incoming fire and shrapnel, inflicts a heavy cost on the operation, maintenance, and maneuverability of the vehicle. The cost of armor attached to a vehicle include:
- weight and subsequent loss of speed
- additional wear on the vehicle due to weight
- reduced visibility
- added size of the vehicle from armor
- decreased interior conditions of the vehicle for riders
- cost to manufacture or modify original vehicle for armor
In World War II, a half-track or scout car would be a good example of something designed for armor, the jeep is not. In today's desert battlefront, the M-RAP is a purpose built armored vehicle for what it was designed for. The HMMWV, designed initially as a utility vehicle, is modified into the armored M1114, a role it is shoehorned into, but not well-designed for.
Not to mention, armor is a hindrance to an army under the right conditions, not a help. For instance, in the tight confines of a forest, armor (whether wheeled or tracked) would have a hard time moving quickly through the small back logging roads of say, Appalachia or Eastern Europe. Add bridge weight limit factors, the possibility of guerilla operations which could make armor paralyzed (blow the trees down and you've created an instant roadblock), and the demoralization of the troops in the armored vehicles who do not want to get out of them, or risk a sniper popping his brains out. Not to mention, while being inside armored vehicles significantly decrease your chances of getting shot, the introduction of flame weapons and warfare will easily turn your armored vehicle into an oven. Get out and get shot. Stay in and get baked.
I've digressed a bit, but back to the subject - utility vehicles are non-armored for reasons, and the Polaris, while not my idea of a good candidate, does fit that description. Armor and heavy weapons are for other vehicles to carry.
I still think the Polaris is good only for around the base, not outside in the boonies. Need something a little bigger, like a Jeep CJ-sized vehicle.