Difference between pages "M4A3 (76) W" and "AMX-30B2 BRENUS"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_m4a3e8_76w_sherman}}
+
{{Specs-Card|code=fr_amx_30_b2_brenus}}
 
{{About
 
{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
+
|about=medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| and
+
|usage=other uses
| usage = similar vehicles
+
|link=AMX-30 (Family)
| link-1 = M4A3 (105)
 
| link-2 = M4A3 (76) W (Japan)
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.-->
 
<!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.-->
[[File:GarageImage_M4A3(76)WSherman.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
 
 +
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{break}}
 
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (also known as the '''M4A3E8''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. This tank gives the M4 Sherman the best upgrades possible, with a new suspension and a high-penetrating [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm cannon]] with access to APCR rounds.
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].
 
+
The AMX-30B2 BRENUS, or Brennus in some sources, was a modernized French MBT which saw combat in the Gulf War.
Compared to the previous Shermans, this one presents better mobility than the last few due to the new horizontal volute suspension system (HVSS). The suspension, like in real life, also seems to give the vehicle a much smoother ride across terrain, making it easier to acquire targets while on the move due to the stability. Another feature about this Sherman is the access to the HVAP rounds (APCR) for the 76 mm gun. The HVAP rounds give the tank a much greater firepower boost to fight the tanks at its rank.
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
 
If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
 +
 +
The AMX-30B2 has a complex array of armour plates in addition of the ERA.
 +
 +
The frontal glacis is in two parts, the upper area that is 50mm RHA sloped at 76 degrees and the lower one being 79mm CHA sloped at roughly 70 degrees. The lower part of the front glacis is, in theory, able to withstand the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]] APCBC shell better than the Leopard does. However, shots contacting the upper part will often resulting the shot bouncing upward and penetrating the turret front, which is very weak (even the [[M18 GMC]] can penetrate it with ease). The lower glacis plate is not as strong since it is not sloped as much as the front plate, but penetrating this plate will often not result in a colossal damage. However, the curve joint between the upper and the lower glacis plate is very weak and often a penetration through this area will end with a one-shot.
 +
 +
Also, it is noted that there is a fuel container in the front of the tank protecting the ammo rack, which sometimes penetrating rounds will just set a fire just like the T-54 does. The difference is that AMX-30 tank's first stage ammo rack is the turret rack, so after experiencing prolonged combat, the hull ammo rack will be emptied and left defused. The hull sides and rears are very weak, they are all 30mm plates. Even anti-aircraft vehicles doing side shots will penetrate this tank fast (for example, the [[R3 T20 FA-HS]] at BR 3.7 for Italy).
 +
 +
The turret armour is not sufficient at this rank, nor at any rank from even rank IV upwards. The gun shield itself mostly offers a 60mm-100mm protection. However, some sabot shots will get absorbed by the breech, which actually offers better protection in the AMX-30B2 than the Leopard 1 does. Shooting the turret ring will damage the turret drives, and can sometimes trigger a crew knock out. The turret sides are very weak, often gives you a protection around 60mm. The rear is worse, plus the turret ammo rack is placed at the end of the turret rear, shooting this area will destroy the tank one shot.
 +
 +
The ERA is what makes this tank sit at 8.7. When sloped, the ERA at front of the UFP will offer a 400mm protection against HEAT. Mostly, this package is useless. However, since 8.0-8.7 is an actual BR in the game, you will encounter the [[M551]], [[M60A2]], [[RakJPz 2|RakJpz]], and [[KPz-70]]s that primarily fire missiles. ERA at the side of turret is at 260 mm effective in chemical protection, which is not very effective against most threats. Also, you can sometimes roll high in the chances and deflect a 700 mm penetrating missile from the [[Type 89]] IFV. However, there are multiple places in the front of the tank where no ERA blocks could be found.
 +
 +
Other weak spots that are noticeable on the tank are: drivers view port, turret front that is not the gun shield, the commander's cupola, gunner's view port,
  
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Roof)
+
* Explosive reactive armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Gun mantlet, Transmission area)
+
* Cast homogeneous armour
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Rear roof, Engine grille)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 63.5-107.9 mm (13-77°) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (22°) ''Top'' <br> 38.1 mm (13-44°) ''Bottom''|| 19.5 mm
+
| Hull || 79* mm (57-68°), 50* mm (52-76°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 79 mm (0-57°), 30 mm (75°) ''Lower glacis'' || 35-57 mm (0-35) <br> 30 mm ''Bottom'' <br> 25 mm (70°) ''Belly'' || 30 mm (10°) ''Top'' <br> 30 mm ''Center'' <br> 25 mm (70°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm <br> 8 mm ''Engine grille''
 
|-
 
|-
| Turret || 63.5 mm (10-62°) ''Turret front'' <br> 88.9 mm (1-74°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm (1-72°) || 63.5 mm (0-80°) || 25.4 mm
+
| Turret || 30-150* mm (0-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 30* mm (61-75°) ''Turret front top'' || 41.5* mm (19-47°) || 30 mm (1-64°) <br> 20 mm (54-64°) ''Turret underside'' || 20 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof  
 
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof  
 
|-
 
|-
| Cupola || 63.5 mm (55-56°) || 25.4 mm
+
| Cupola || 60 mm || 20 mm
 +
|-
 +
! Special armour* !! Kinetic !! Chemical
 +
|-
 +
| ERA || 5 mm || 400 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
'''Notes:'''
 
  
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
+
=== Mobility ===
 +
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
=== Mobility ===
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1162|rbMinHp= 663}}
<!--Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.-->
+
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
When fully upgraded, the engine offers a 750 hp output at 2400 rpm. Max speed is 65 km/h, and the tank can achieve 45-50 km/h on a map like Kursk (when driving downward, you can achieve 65 km/h). Reverse gear is 27 km/h, which is fast. The reverse gear is faster than Leopard 1's by 2 km/h. The tank feels somewhat lighter than Leopard 1 series of tanks, since it has lighter weight (note that Leopard 1 tanks have a 830 hp output engine).
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
 
|-
 
! Weight (tons)
 
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor<br>weight (tons)
 
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 
|-
 
| rowspan="2" | 33.4 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | 0.6 || colspan="1" | 46 (AB)
 
|-
 
|41 (RB/SB)
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
 
|-
 
! colspan="1" | Mode
 
!Stock
 
!Upgraded
 
|-
 
|''Arcade''
 
|775
 
|954
 
|-
 
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 
|442
 
|500
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
 
|-
 
! colspan="1" | Mode
 
!Stock
 
!Upgraded
 
|-
 
|''Arcade''
 
|23.20
 
|28.56
 
|-
 
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 
|13.23
 
|14.97
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
<!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.-->
+
<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''-->
{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}
+
{{main|CN-105-F1 (105 mm)}}
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="6" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1]]
+
! colspan="6" | [[CN-105-F1 (105 mm)|105 mm CN-105-F1]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
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! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 
|-
 
|-
| colspan="3" | 71 || -10°/+25° || ±180° || Vertical
+
| colspan="3" | 47 || -/+20° || ±180° || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Line 113: Line 88:
 
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
|-
 
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.46 || 45.18
+
| ''Arcade'' || 28.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 
|-
 
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.4 || 22.60 || 24.00
+
| ''Realistic'' || 17.9 || 22.1 || 25.7 || 28.4 || 30.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
Line 124: Line 99:
 
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
|-
 
|-
| 7.67 || 6.78 || 6.25 || 5.90
+
| 8.7 || 7.7 || 7.1 || 6.7
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! 2000m
 
! 2000m
 
|-
 
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 148 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
+
| OCC 105 F1 || HEAT || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400
|-
 
| M42A1 shell || HE || 8 || 8 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
 
|-
 
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
 
 
|-
 
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 221 || 215 || 203 || 181 || 154 || 124
+
| OE 105 F1 Mle.60 || HE || 26 || 26 || 25 || 25 || 25 || 25
 +
|-
 +
| OFL 105 F1 || APFSDS || 361 || 358 || 350 || 341 || 332 || 322
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
+
! colspan="11" | Shell details
 
|-
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
Line 170: Line 144:
 
! 100%
 
! 100%
 
|-
 
|-
| M62 shell || 792 || 7.0 || 1.2 || 20 || 63.7 || +|| 48° || 63° || 71°
+
| OCC 105 F1 || HEAT || 1,000 || 10.95 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 1,020 || +|| 62° || 69° || 73°
 
|-
 
|-
| M42A1 shell || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
+
| OE 105 F1 Mle.60 || HE || 700 || 12.1 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 2,000 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
+
|-  
| M79 shot || 792 || 6.8 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
+
| OFL 105 F1 || APFSDS || 1,525 || 3.8 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ° || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
 
| M93 shot || 1036 || 4.26 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 190: Line 162:
 
! ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 
! ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 
|-
 
|-
| M88 || 274 || 3.44 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50  
+
| OFPH 105 F1 || 700 || 11.4 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
 
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks M4A1 (76) W.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the M4A1 (76) W Sherman (Identical to M4A3 (76) W).]]
+
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|Ammo racks of the {{PAGENAME}}.]]
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th<br />  rack empty
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
|| '''71''' || 57&nbsp;''(+14)'' || 43&nbsp;''(+28)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+42)'' || 15&nbsp;''(+56)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+70)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
+
|| '''47''' || 23&nbsp;''(+24)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || &nbsp;''(+)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
<!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.-->
+
<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''-->
{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}
+
{{main|M693 (20 mm)|AAN-F1 (7.62 mm)}}
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
+
! colspan="7" | [[M693 (20 mm)|20 mm M693]]
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
+
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
 
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
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! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
|-
 
|-
| colspan="4" | 600 (200) || 576 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
+
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (500) || 740 || -/+20° || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
+
! colspan="7" | [[AAN-F1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm AAN-F1]]
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
+
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
 
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
Line 239: Line 212:
 
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
|-
 
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
+
| colspan="4" | 2,000 (100) || 900 || -10°/+45° || ±120°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
== Usage in battles ==
+
==Usage in battles==
 
<!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).-->
 
<!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).-->
Playing as the M4A3 can be tricky since it features armour that can't stop most calibers at its rank such as the German 8.8 cm or the Soviet 85 mm, including the fact that it isn't the fastest tank. The M4A3 plays more of a support role, use its' powerful 76 mm as you assist your teammates during an advance or defense. The number one rule of this tank is to never fight alone with it, always be with a teammate and use cover when available since it will give you a great advantage.  
+
The AMX 30B2 Brenus cannot withstand a frontal encounter with most opponents due to the lack of a reliable armor and a stabilizer, making the tank an easy prey for almost anyone on the battlefield. However, the tank comes with a great mobility, able to reach 65 km/h in RB (72 in AB) even in reverse, making it the ideal tank to shoot the enemy and rapidly retreat to change position. The optics are better than the ones found on the other AMX-30s, but still not sufficient to properly see targets at long ranges, unlike tanks like the Leopard I with its 16x. However, it's not something to worry about: the thermal sight will allow the player to easily spot targets from far away. Its gun is capable of punching through most of enemy tanks, but caution is a must when uptiered: tanks like the T-72 cannot be damaged in the turret even by the AMX-30B2's APFSDS, leaving only the hull as a potential target.
  
Use manual transmission, as using "Cruise Control 1" will give you a speed that is 1 km/h above the speed the stabilizer works at. A gear level of 2 will land you at 9 km/h but allows the stabilizer to do its job.  
+
The tank is not very suitable for urban combat, since most enemies will have a stabilizer and thus will be capable of landing the first shot, often knocking out the gunner, disabling the engine, the gun, or just setting the tank on fire. The best thing to do, in these cases, is to avoid the center of the map, flanking the enemy to hit him from the side and staying hidden from sight so enemies don't focus their firepower on the AMX-30B2.
  
=== Pros and cons ===
+
In larger and flat maps the tank gives its best, thanks to the high mobility and the capability to shoot the enemy from far away, although the commander cupola can be an issue since it ruin the silhouette of the tank, making it clearly visible, sometimes even when behind cover.
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
+
 
 +
===Modules===
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Tier
 +
! colspan="2" |Mobility
 +
! Protection
 +
! colspan="3" |Firepower
 +
|-
 +
| I
 +
| Tracks
 +
|
 +
| Parts
 +
| Horizontal Drive
 +
| OFPH 105 F1
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| II
 +
| Suspension
 +
| Brake System
 +
| FPE
 +
| Adjustment of Fire
 +
| OFL 105 F1
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| III
 +
| Filters
 +
|
 +
| Crew Replenishment
 +
| Elevation Mechanism
 +
| Smoke grenade
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| IV
 +
| Transmission
 +
| Engine
 +
|
 +
| Artillery Support
 +
| Laser rangefinder
 +
| NVD
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===Pros and cons===
 +
<!--Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they can be substituted with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
*Single-plane gun stabilizer.
+
*Reactive armour, good chemical protection
*Decent 76 mm gun.
+
*Good mobility
*Better maneuverability than its predecessor.
+
*Good forward and reverse speed
*Easy to use if you played the M4 Shermans before it.
+
*Low profile
*Very fast turret traverse.
+
*Effective in an ambush role
*Quick reload for the 76 mm Gun.
+
*Thermals can be unlocked
*Wet ammo storage - Which reduces greatly ammo rack chances, is indicated by the "W" in its name, this also means tightly packed ammo only placed under the turret.
+
*Laser rangefinder, high-velocity APFSDS rounds and thermal vision make for an effective sniper
*Top-mounted .50 cal useful against fighters and open topped/light vehicles.
+
*The coaxial 20mm cannon makes short work of thinly armoured vehicles and helicopters. Also works great against tracks and cannon barrels
*Access to APCR shells.
 
*Great cross terrain performances due to larger tracks, same as the [[M4A3 (105)|M4A3 (105)]].
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
*All-around armour is very weak against most cannons.
+
*Same ammunition as B2 version, random HEAT rounds effects and low APFSDS penetration
*76 mm gun, while adequate when top rank, is lacking against opponents.
+
*No composite armour, low survivability against kinetic rounds
*Doesn't like being uptiered against big tanks such as the [[Tiger II (P)|Tiger II (P)]] and [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 1944]].
+
*Some weak spots between reactive armor plates
*Tall profile.
+
*Not having a gun stabilizer greatly hampers its performance
 +
*Ammo racks in turret, high risk of explosion
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).-->
+
<!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).-->
===Development===
 
The [[M4|M4 Sherman]] has become a proven and well-respected tank design by 1944. It was highly reliable, adequately armoured, and could be produced in a very large number with a dedicated support arm to ensure that all of the ones in the field could be kept operational. It was also by 1944 that the Sherman's faults were becoming a more defining trait than its advantages, namely with the increased prevalence of German anti-tank weaponry and tanks, such as the [[Panther A|Panther]] tank. The German anti-tank abilities, ranging from rocket launchers, anti-tank guns, mines, and tank guns, all became more capable of penetrating the frontal armour or disabling the Sherman. This resulted in an increased Allied tank attrition rate of nearly double during the Normandy Campaign than that of the Allies' previous campaigns. Criticisms were raised on the Sherman's inability to destroy the heavier tanks with its [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]], the tendency of catching fire easily when a penetrating round hits an ammo stowage bin scattered in the Sherman interior, and the lack of mobility on the muddy terrain due to the track design. The first and second criticism was addressed with the [[M1 (76 mm)|high-velocity 76 mm gun]] and a "wet stowage" ammo containers, but mobility became a big issue especially once the Allied front in France reached the Siegfried Line on the border of Germany, where the ground became very muddy in the fall season. An attempt to fix this was improvising "extensions" on the tracks, but these were difficult to add and there were never enough to go around. The problem had to be addressed in the manufacturing plant and Ordnance Department set to work finding a better solution to fix the track flotation for better mobility.
 
  
The result was to be the basis of the next generation of Sherman models. Under the ''E8'' program, new suspension was trialed on the Sherman, one was the horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS) taken from the ''[[T20]]'' program. The trials showed that the new suspension gave the Sherman a ground pressure that is even less than the heavier Panther, and this model was approved for production in March 1944, beginning in August 1944. Despite the time of production, the distance of the Atlantic Ocean between the American factories and Europe cause the delivery time of the first batch of the new models to be three months, meaning they would not see service until December 1944 the soonest. Nevertheless, the new Sherman, dubbed the '''M4A3 (76) W HVSS Sherman''' on papers and shortened as the '''M4A3E8''', was considered the best overall Sherman design with its new upgrades.
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During the mid to late 1990s, AMX-30B2 tanks of the 1er/ 2e Chasseurs tank regiments, which formed France’s rapid reaction force in peacetime, underwent upgrading under the Brenus modernization program, whilst two further regiments received modifications to quickly upgrade their AMX-30s with the Brenus package if needed (2e/5e Dragons). The Brenus upgrade package (acronym for briques réactives de surblindage) most notably allowed for the installation of 112 ERA blocks developed by the GIAT company across the front portion of the hull and turret. To compensate for the additional weight of the ERA packages, an improved 8-cylinder 750 horsepower MACK E9 diesel engine was fitted. The Brenus modernization upgrade was among the last to be fitted to the original AMX-30 tank.
  
===Design===
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''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5349-development-amx-30b2-brenus-modern-ironclad-en Devblog]''
Aside from the enlarged T23 turret, the Sherman interior layout was largely unchanged from the original design. The driver and bow gunner still sat in the front, the three-man turret crew in the center, and the engine compartment in the back. The exterior was changed with the new horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS), which presented a different bogie system with larger road wheels that allow the usage of a wider track for better mobility cross-country. The new suspension system helped defeat the problems the Sherman's original tracks had with sinking in the mud from poor flotation and poor traction on slippery terrain. Another advantage the HVSS gave was the ability to change out individual road wheels on the bogie rather than replace the entire bogie, easing maintenance and repairs. The suspension was also reported to be a very smooth ride in comparison with the vertical-volute suspension system (VVSS), leading tankers to nickname the tank the ''"Easy Eight"'' from the tank's experimental designation ''M4A3E8'', with the E8 corresponding to the usage of the HVSS.
 
 
 
The M4A3(76)W HVSS ran on a gasoline Ford GAA V8 engine, which was the standard engine used in all M4A3 Sherman variants. The tank construction was welded and had a frontal armour plate sloping at a 47 degree angle. The (76) in the name indicated that the tank was armed with the more powerful 76 mm gun as a counter to the heavier German armour. The "W" designation on the Sherman indicated that the vehicle had the "wet stowage" feature in response to complaints that the Sherman can easily catch fire due to exploding ammunition. The "wet stowage" encased the ammo containers in a liquid mixture that would douse the flames when penetrated or block flaming shrapnels due to penetrating shots from hitting the ammunition. The containers also placed all the ammunition in the bottom center of the tank, reducing the likeliness of it being hit by a shell as the penetrating shell must go through every armour and obstacle to hit the tank center. This feature was only present after February 1944 and severely decreased the rate of Sherman fires. The "HVSS" indicated the usage of the horizontal-volute suspension system on the tank. The M4A3E8 started production in August 1944 and its production life ended around the end of World War II, probably September 1945. M4A3(76)W HVSS production consisted of 4,542 tanks out of the total 49,234 Shermans produced in its production life.
 
 
 
===Combat usage===
 
As a newly developed Sherman late in the war, the M4A3E8 did not see much use in the European theater until near the end of the war. Earlier deployment of such tanks did not take priority as military commanders did not take the 76 mm gun with much enthusiasm as the 75 mm gun could fire a much better high-explosive round to fight softer targets, which consists of more than half of the engagements the Shermans typically face. Another reason why these tanks did not see service earlier was the lack of battle need. The 75 mm gun was doing its job well and there were already a few [[M4A1 (76) W|76 mm Shermans]] going around fine with the older VVSS. These opinions changed with the Battle of the Bulge, where the German offensive with large numbers of their heavy tanks such as the [[Panther G|Panthers]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II's]] decimated armoured units stationed in the Ardennes. The M4A3E8 saw its first service in the Battle of the Bulge in low numbers, but their prevalence increased after December 1944 when the Battle of the Bulge urged many military commanders, even Eisenhower, to request further deliveries of Shermans to only be armed with the 76 mm cannons. The new units deploying in Europe afterwards had exclusively 76 mm Shermans and as standardization in the suspension went on, the HVSS became more and more common in the European theater.
 
 
 
When World War II ended, many tank units and their Shermans were decommissioned and put out of service, distributed out to NATO allies. Of the 10,000 Shermans the US Army had in 1945, only about 3,202 units were left by 1950 with almost half unserviceable. The need of such tanks returned with the advent of the Korean War in 1950, which had the US military scrounge up whatever tanks they had in their storage to assist the South Koreans and their troops on the ground. This allowed them to build up units with the M4A3E8 and the heavier, but better armed [[M26|M26 Pershing]], building up around five tank battalions. The 8072nd Tank Battalion was raised from Shermans from the occupational forces of Japan and were the first to be sent to Korea in July 1950. By the end of the year, 1,326 tanks were on the ground, of which half were the M4A3E8. The M26 Pershing and M4A3E8 served alongside in the tank battles ensuing from August to October 1950. The most common enemy tank the Allies faced were the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] medium tank. Between the M4A3E8 and the T-34-85, they were nearly identical in statistics as both were able to take each other out easily. Of the two, the Shermans prevailed with the better crew training and gun optics, allowing for an edge in a combat scenario. After these months, tank-vs-tank combat dropped significantly and the tank soon returned to the role of infantry support. It was this role that the Sherman won out against the M26 Pershing as the Pershing suffered from mechanical issues due to weighing ten tons more than a Sherman, but used the same engine. The Sherman was a proven design and was easier to maintain, more mobile, and reliable. It wasn't until the [[M46|M46 Patton]], an upgraded Pershing with improved reliability, that the Shermans were formally replaced in US service.
 
 
 
While the Shermans were finally replaced in American service, many other countries that received the Shermans still used them all the way to the turn of the century. The most famous is Israel, who received a large handful of Shermans from the British to fight for its war of independence in 1948. When the Soviet started aiding the Middle East countries with tanks like the [[T-34-85]], [[PT-76B|PT-76]], and even the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54s]], Israel launched a program with cooperation with France to upgrade the Shermans. The result was the implementation of the AMX-13's 75 mm gun, based off the [[Panther G|Panther]]'s [[KwK 42 (75 mm)|gun]], onto the Sherman turret. Another program in the 1960s attached the larger 105 mm Modèle F1 French gun from their AMX-30 into the Sherman. The upgraded 75 mm and 105 mm Shermans were designated the ''M-50'' and ''M-51'' respectively, both more well known as the ''"Super Sherman"'' abroad. These tanks served in the Middle East conflicts that Israel had to deal with such as the 1956 Suez Crisis, 1967 Six-Day War, and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where the "Super Shermans" proved itself as adequate against the superior and more modern Soviet tanks. These Shermans serve as a symbol of how desperate Israel's situation is with their neighbors, and also an example of how the Sherman is a proven design able to keep up with the arms race with adequate upgrades in its armaments.
 
 
 
== Media ==
 
<!--''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''-->
 
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=#m4a3 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the M4A3 series from live.warthunder.com.]
 
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 300: Line 299:
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 +
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''
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* ''other literature.''-->
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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5349-development-amx-30b2-brenus-modern-ironclad-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> AMX-30B2 Brenus: Modern Ironclad]
  
{{USA medium tanks}}
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{{France medium tanks}}

Revision as of 13:59, 26 June 2020

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
AMX-30B2 BRENUS
fr_amx_30_b2_brenus.png
AMX-30B2 BRENUS
AB RB SB
8.7 8.7 8.7
Class:
Research:94 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:520 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the medium tank AMX-30B2 BRENUS. For other uses, see AMX-30 (Family).

Description

GarageImage AMX-30B2 BRENUS.jpg


The AMX-30B2 BRENUS is a Rank VI French medium tank with a battle rating of 8.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm". The AMX-30B2 BRENUS, or Brennus in some sources, was a modernized French MBT which saw combat in the Gulf War.

General info

Survivability and armour

The AMX-30B2 has a complex array of armour plates in addition of the ERA.

The frontal glacis is in two parts, the upper area that is 50mm RHA sloped at 76 degrees and the lower one being 79mm CHA sloped at roughly 70 degrees. The lower part of the front glacis is, in theory, able to withstand the T-54 APCBC shell better than the Leopard does. However, shots contacting the upper part will often resulting the shot bouncing upward and penetrating the turret front, which is very weak (even the M18 GMC can penetrate it with ease). The lower glacis plate is not as strong since it is not sloped as much as the front plate, but penetrating this plate will often not result in a colossal damage. However, the curve joint between the upper and the lower glacis plate is very weak and often a penetration through this area will end with a one-shot.

Also, it is noted that there is a fuel container in the front of the tank protecting the ammo rack, which sometimes penetrating rounds will just set a fire just like the T-54 does. The difference is that AMX-30 tank's first stage ammo rack is the turret rack, so after experiencing prolonged combat, the hull ammo rack will be emptied and left defused. The hull sides and rears are very weak, they are all 30mm plates. Even anti-aircraft vehicles doing side shots will penetrate this tank fast (for example, the R3 T20 FA-HS at BR 3.7 for Italy).

The turret armour is not sufficient at this rank, nor at any rank from even rank IV upwards. The gun shield itself mostly offers a 60mm-100mm protection. However, some sabot shots will get absorbed by the breech, which actually offers better protection in the AMX-30B2 than the Leopard 1 does. Shooting the turret ring will damage the turret drives, and can sometimes trigger a crew knock out. The turret sides are very weak, often gives you a protection around 60mm. The rear is worse, plus the turret ammo rack is placed at the end of the turret rear, shooting this area will destroy the tank one shot.

The ERA is what makes this tank sit at 8.7. When sloped, the ERA at front of the UFP will offer a 400mm protection against HEAT. Mostly, this package is useless. However, since 8.0-8.7 is an actual BR in the game, you will encounter the M551, M60A2, RakJpz, and KPz-70s that primarily fire missiles. ERA at the side of turret is at 260 mm effective in chemical protection, which is not very effective against most threats. Also, you can sometimes roll high in the chances and deflect a 700 mm penetrating missile from the Type 89 IFV. However, there are multiple places in the front of the tank where no ERA blocks could be found.

Other weak spots that are noticeable on the tank are: drivers view port, turret front that is not the gun shield, the commander's cupola, gunner's view port,

Armour type:

  • Explosive reactive armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Rear roof, Engine grille)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 79* mm (57-68°), 50* mm (52-76°) Front glacis
79 mm (0-57°), 30 mm (75°) Lower glacis
35-57 mm (0-35)
30 mm Bottom
25 mm (70°) Belly
30 mm (10°) Top
30 mm Center
25 mm (70°) Bottom
15 mm
8 mm Engine grille
Turret 30-150* mm (0-79°) Gun mantlet
30* mm (61-75°) Turret front top
41.5* mm (19-47°) 30 mm (1-64°)
20 mm (54-64°) Turret underside
20 mm
Armour Sides Roof
Cupola 60 mm 20 mm
Special armour* Kinetic Chemical
ERA 5 mm 400 mm

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 73 73 38.2 1162 1,431 30.42 37.46
Realistic 66 66 663 750 17.36 19.63

When fully upgraded, the engine offers a 750 hp output at 2400 rpm. Max speed is 65 km/h, and the tank can achieve 45-50 km/h on a map like Kursk (when driving downward, you can achieve 65 km/h). Reverse gear is 27 km/h, which is fast. The reverse gear is faster than Leopard 1's by 2 km/h. The tank feels somewhat lighter than Leopard 1 series of tanks, since it has lighter weight (note that Leopard 1 tanks have a 830 hp output engine).

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: CN-105-F1 (105 mm)
105 mm CN-105-F1
Capacity Vertical
guidance
Horizontal
guidance
Stabilizer
47 -8°/+20° ±180° N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 28.6 __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__
Realistic 17.9 22.1 25.7 28.4 30.0
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
8.7 7.7 7.1 6.7
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration in mm @ 0° Angle of Attack
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
OCC 105 F1 HEAT 400 400 400 400 400 400
OE 105 F1 Mle.60 HE 26 26 25 25 25 25
OFL 105 F1 APFSDS 361 358 350 341 332 322
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
in m/s
Projectile
Mass in kg
Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent):
Normalization At 30°
from horizontal:
Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
OCC 105 F1 HEAT 1,000 10.95 0.0 0.1 1,020 +0° 62° 69° 73°
OE 105 F1 Mle.60 HE 700 12.1 0.1 0.1 2,000 +0° 79° 80° 81°
OFL 105 F1 APFSDS 1,525 3.8 N/A N/A N/A ° 78° 80° 81°
Smoke characteristic
Ammunition Velocity
in m/s
Projectile
Mass in kg
Screen radius
in m
Screen time
in s
Screen hold time
in s:
Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent):
OFPH 105 F1 700 11.4 20 5 25 50
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the AMX-30B2 BRENUS.
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
47 23 (+24)  (+)  (+)  (+)  (+)  (+) no

Machine guns

20 mm M693
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute)
Vertical
guidance
Horizontal
guidance
1,000 (500) 740 -0°/+20° N/A
7.62 mm AAN-F1
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute)
Vertical
guidance
Horizontal
guidance
2,000 (100) 900 -10°/+45° ±120°

Usage in battles

The AMX 30B2 Brenus cannot withstand a frontal encounter with most opponents due to the lack of a reliable armor and a stabilizer, making the tank an easy prey for almost anyone on the battlefield. However, the tank comes with a great mobility, able to reach 65 km/h in RB (72 in AB) even in reverse, making it the ideal tank to shoot the enemy and rapidly retreat to change position. The optics are better than the ones found on the other AMX-30s, but still not sufficient to properly see targets at long ranges, unlike tanks like the Leopard I with its 16x. However, it's not something to worry about: the thermal sight will allow the player to easily spot targets from far away. Its gun is capable of punching through most of enemy tanks, but caution is a must when uptiered: tanks like the T-72 cannot be damaged in the turret even by the AMX-30B2's APFSDS, leaving only the hull as a potential target.

The tank is not very suitable for urban combat, since most enemies will have a stabilizer and thus will be capable of landing the first shot, often knocking out the gunner, disabling the engine, the gun, or just setting the tank on fire. The best thing to do, in these cases, is to avoid the center of the map, flanking the enemy to hit him from the side and staying hidden from sight so enemies don't focus their firepower on the AMX-30B2.

In larger and flat maps the tank gives its best, thanks to the high mobility and the capability to shoot the enemy from far away, although the commander cupola can be an issue since it ruin the silhouette of the tank, making it clearly visible, sometimes even when behind cover.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive OFPH 105 F1
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire OFL 105 F1
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism Smoke grenade
IV Transmission Engine Artillery Support Laser rangefinder NVD

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Reactive armour, good chemical protection
  • Good mobility
  • Good forward and reverse speed
  • Low profile
  • Effective in an ambush role
  • Thermals can be unlocked
  • Laser rangefinder, high-velocity APFSDS rounds and thermal vision make for an effective sniper
  • The coaxial 20mm cannon makes short work of thinly armoured vehicles and helicopters. Also works great against tracks and cannon barrels

Cons:

  • Same ammunition as B2 version, random HEAT rounds effects and low APFSDS penetration
  • No composite armour, low survivability against kinetic rounds
  • Some weak spots between reactive armor plates
  • Not having a gun stabilizer greatly hampers its performance
  • Ammo racks in turret, high risk of explosion

History

During the mid to late 1990s, AMX-30B2 tanks of the 1er/ 2e Chasseurs tank regiments, which formed France’s rapid reaction force in peacetime, underwent upgrading under the Brenus modernization program, whilst two further regiments received modifications to quickly upgrade their AMX-30s with the Brenus package if needed (2e/5e Dragons). The Brenus upgrade package (acronym for briques réactives de surblindage) most notably allowed for the installation of 112 ERA blocks developed by the GIAT company across the front portion of the hull and turret. To compensate for the additional weight of the ERA packages, an improved 8-cylinder 750 horsepower MACK E9 diesel engine was fitted. The Brenus modernization upgrade was among the last to be fitted to the original AMX-30 tank.

- From Devblog

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


France medium tanks
M4 Derivatives  M4A1 (FL10) · M4A4 (SA50)
AMX-50  AMX M4 · AMX-50 (TOA100) · AMX-50 (TO90/930)
AMX-30  AMX-30 · AMX-30 (1972) · AMX-30B2 · AMX-30B2 BRENUS · AMX-30 ACRA · AMX-30 Super
AMX-32/40  AMX-32 · AMX-32 (105) · AMX-40
Leclerc  Leclerc · Leclerc S2 · Leclerc SXXI · Leclerc AZUR
Other  D2 · S.35 · Lorraine 40t
Germany  Panther "Dauphiné"
USA  ▄M4A1 · ▄M4A3 (105) · ▄M4A4 · ▄M26