M163 - The Vulcan Crusader

In the early stages of the Vietnam War, the US short-range air defense primarily consisted of the M42 “Dusters”. However, the 40mm Bofors guns were becoming less adequate due to rapid advances in aviation technology. To improve on this, the 20 mm Vulcan cannon used on American jets was utilized as the basis of a new short-range air defense gun, modified into the M168 gun. Mounted on the M113 APC chassis, the M163 VADS (Vulcan Air Defense System) is equipped with a loadout that, while insufficient compared to other long-distance tracking SPAA like the Gepard or the ZSU-23-4, is sufficient enough as a short-range SPAA that can rip and tear through aircraft with its 20mm M168 Vulcan Gun.

Despite its weak armor, lack of heavy armor-piercing belts, and weak tracking radar effectiveness, it is generally able to perform well, serving to at least critically damage and/or destroy air targets, lightly armored targets, and sometimes heavier targets.

Survivability

Armor is not on the M163's side, as it is thin enough to be destroyed by 12.7 mm machine guns from the sides and rear, and any cannon-sized armament from the front. The turret is partially open, leaving the crew vulnerable to enemy fire. On top of the light armor, it is also vulnerable to overpressure, whether it is a direct hit or proximity hit from heavy chemical rounds or artillery. The gunner sits above the second rack, the driver sits next to the engine block, and the loader and commander sit next to the first ammo rack.

Firepower

The M163 is equipped with a 20 mm M168 VADS, or Vulcan air defense system. The M168 is a variant of the M61 cannon, which can be found in-game on aircraft, including the Vietnam-era F-4 Phantom, up to the more modern F-14, F-16, and the renowned F-15 Eagle. Used initially during the Vietnam War, the M168 was a 20 mm modified air-cooled rotary cannon attached to a small turret on the M163. Dangerous to anything in the sky, it will lock on and rip through anything in its path. However, make sure not to fire for long periods, as the gun will overheat and jam, wasting precious time and leaving you vulnerable to enemy aircraft and vehicles.

The default ammunition belt of the M163 consists of AP-I (Armor-Piercing Incendiary), HEI-T (High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer), and API-T (Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer). This ammo belt is highly effective as an anti-aircraft belt thanks to the combination of wing-tearing AP bullets, but also the ability to light the aircraft on fire with the HE bullets.

The primary armor-piercing ammunition belt of the M163 consists of AP-I (Armor-Piercing Incendiary), API-T (Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer), HEF-I (High-Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary), and API-T (Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer). While also effective against air targets since it has a little bit of explosives in the bullet, this ammo belt also allows the player to effectively penetrate light targets, and with some effort, medium targets such as the Leopard 1.

The primary high-explosive ammunition belt of the M163 consists of HEFI-T (High-Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary), HEF-I (High-Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary), API-T (Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer), and HEF-I (High-Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary). This ammo belt is effective against all air targets, with the High-Explosive bullets fired that can cause fires or even destroy the aircraft entirely with ease.

The M163 is equipped with the AN/VPS tracking radar. Since it is a very early tracking radar, it will take a couple of attempts to lock on completely to the aircraft before success.

If an enemy aircraft is closing in on your vehicle below 600-700 meters, it might be better to un-lock your radar. At closer ranges, the radar can become jittery and then send your camera in a completely different direction, making it very hard to keep your gun on target.

Playstyle

Close-Range Air Defense: The M163 is at its best in the field as a short-range air defense vehicle, engaging air targets at a close distance. With its range of ammo types, if CAS or helicopters attempt to get close, you can tear through them with ease, like the IL-28 and fighter craft like the MiG-15bis. Keep in mind that you must be aware of your surroundings as well, so you don’t accidentally become a target yourself, so make sure you’re also well hidden behind rocks or shrubbery to conceal your location. Make sure that you’re also firing in bursts rather than in full-auto, as you may reveal your location through your tracers, so firing in bursts will allow you to conceal your location from air targets and conserve ammo.

Ground Target Engager: This normally isn’t your first go-to option, given your lack of a heavy-penetrating caliber and light armor. Despite that, the M163 possesses a maximum of 40mm of armor penetration (thanks to its armor-piercing belt) and can penetrate lightly armored ground targets with relative ease like Marder IFVs, BMPs, the ever-so-bothersome Raketenautomat, and SPAA of almost every kind. Interestingly enough, certain MBTs have about 30mm of side armor protection that can be penetrated by the 40mm penetrating AP ammo belt, such as the German Leopard 1, the Swedish Strv-103, and the British Vickers Mk.1. The 20mm M168 can also destroy the barrel and tracks of most of these tanks (assuming you have the element of surprise), allowing you to stall for time and allow teammates to finish them off and giving you a small amount of Silver Lions and Research Points.

Notable Enemy Vehicles

The heading here is ironic, as everything is a potential enemy, whether it be aircraft, ground vehicles, or indirect artillery fire.

A notable threat in the form of an SPAA is the Gepard, as this SPAA possesses AP belts with strong penetration that can instantly whisk away your tank, paired with a mobility to be reckoned with. To combat this, make sure you either flank the vehicle and surprise it, or fire at it first when you spot it immediately, aiming at the head since that’s where its ammo is.

If you’re not fully aware of your surroundings, aircraft can also take you down if your focus is on other aircraft. Such aircraft can be bomber aircraft such as the Ar 234 C-3, strike aircraft like the Me 262 A-1a/U1, and even strafing fighter aircraft with various attachments such as the MiG-15bis ISh with its ballistic computer paired with bombs and the G.91 R/1 with AGMs. So even if your M168 Vulcan was made to take out those aircraft, you’re not going to survive their add-on weapons if they attack you, so make sure you’re in a safe position where they can’t destroy you effectively like behind rocks and buildings, and firing in bursts as to not waste ammo unecessarily.

Conclusion:

While the M163 is sometimes lacking in firepower, with only 40mm of penetration and an unreliable radar, it is still relatively able to perform well as it can still manage to track onto aircraft and shoot them out of the sky, penetrate lightly armored vehicles, and even critically damage medium or heavy targets like taking out their barrel or tracks. 

I’d also like to add that there are two variants of the M163 in Israel, with the first being called the Hovet. The Hovet is identical to the M163 in every way, with no upgrades or changes to it, and retaining the semi-reliable AN/VPS radar.

The second variant is known as the Machbet, which is equipped with first-generation thermal vision, an IRST tracking system replacing the unreliable tracking radar and FIM-92 Stinger SAMs.

So to all aspiring readers reading this article, hope you’re well informed and enjoyed this article. And for my fellow M163 players reading this, good luck on the field out there (You’ll need it: D) and shoot them birdies down!