The OF-40 MTCA is an Italian main battle tank (MBT) manufactured by OTO Melara. It was intended to be a future MBT for the Italian army, but it was later marketed for the Middle Eastern export market due to the Italians already having the Leopard 1. In-game, the OF-40 relies on its stellar mobility and consistent main armament to compensate for its lack of armor. Players who enjoy fast MBTs that rely on speed and versatility instead of armor will find the OF-40 to be very enjoyable.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent mobility and power-to-weight ratio | Ineffective armor |
| 105 mm cannon and DM33 round are consistent and can penetrate most enemies | Poor survivability due to the crew placement and exposed ammo stowage locations |
| Good gun handling and depression angle | No thermal sights for the gunner/commander |
| Pintle-mounted M2 Browning HMG for attacking low-flying aircraft and light vehicles | |
| Very potent lineup to pair with at 9.3 - 9.7 BR |
Armor
The OF-40 has fairly inadequate armor in all areas. While thick enough to resist machine guns and some autocannon fire, HEAT shells and APFSDS penetrators can easily penetrate the armor in all areas. Large-caliber HE shells from the PzH 2000 or other SPG/SPHs will instantly overpressure the crew.
The upper frontal plate (UFP) is thick enough to resist all machine gun fire and non-APDS autocannon rounds. Unfortunately, the lower frontal plate (LFP) is thin enough and some autocannons will be able to penetrate it and hit the ammo rack or crew.
The 35 mm thick side armor is also inadequate and nearly all enemy fire (except machine guns) can reliably go through the side and rear armor.
Note: The interior of the OF-40's turret has spaced armor, which reduces the effectiveness of HEAT weaponry.
However, the OF-40's lack of armor provides a significant advantage: the tank has excellent mobility due to its relatively light weight (for an MBT) and a powerful engine.
Survivability
Like its armor, the survivability of the OF-40 is also poor. While the interior of the tank is not too cramped, the large ammo rack next to the driver and the first-stage ammo rounds are easy to hit and detonate. This issue is compounded by the fact that 3 of the 4 crew are lined up on the left of the tank, so shots to the UFP will either detonate the ammo or eliminate the crew.
Due to the thin roof armor, the OF-40 is also quite susceptible to CAS attacks and explosives. Artillery and bombs can overpressure the crew very easily.
The OF-40 is average in terms of its size and does not have an extremely noticeable or tall profile. Most enemies will be able to spot the OF-40, but it can be concealed easily at distance or when in dense brush.
Smoke grenades
The OF-40 has 8 smoke grenades mounted on the turret, which can be used to provide near-instantaneous cover and hide the tank when necessary. These smoke grenades are also quite useful for blocking sightlines.
Mobility
Thanks to a powerful Fiat MTCA V-12 engine providing 1,000 hp and a relatively modest weight of 43 tons, the OF-40 has exceptional mobility, which makes it one of the fastest MBTs in the game. Only wheeled vehicles, light tanks, and other highly mobile MBTs like the Leopard 1A5 and AMX-30 Super will keep up with the OF-40.
The OF-40 can struggle when climbing steep inclines due to a lack of traction, but it performs consistently on nearly all types of terrain due to its 23.3 hp/ton power-to-weight ratio.
Armaments
105 mm OTO Melara 105/52
The OTO Melara 105/52 cannon is the main armament of the OF-40 and is very similar to other 105 mm cannons found on European MBTs. Its primary anti-tank round, the DM33 APFSDS penetrator, has more than enough penetration to deal with nearly all enemies the OF-40 faces. The OF-40 is also equipped with a laser rangefinder to automatically range find targets and set the required vertical lead.
The cannon has a respectable reload time of 6.7 seconds with an ace crew, and can depress up to 9°, which is sufficient for engaging in reverse-hill or hull down combat. The turret also traverses at 40°/s horizontally and is equipped with a two-plane stabilizer.
| Name | Type | Max penetration @ 10 m | What do I use it against? |
|---|---|---|---|
| M392A2 | APDS | 350 mm | Avoid using this round and use DM33 instead. |
| M393A2 | HESH | 127 mm | Against light vehicles and the thinner armored areas of MBTs. |
| M456 | HEAT | 400 mm | Against lighter vehicles (may perform inconsistently). |
| M416 | Smoke shell | 3 mm | Only useful for blinding enemies with smoke (do not use this as an anti-tank round). |
| DM23 | APFSDS | 337 mm | Avoid using this round and use DM33 instead. |
| DM33 | APFSDS | 408 mm | Everything, but M393A2 and M456 may perform better against light vehicles. |
The DM33 and M393A2 rounds are the most useful rounds out of all the rounds mentioned above. DM33 should be used against MBTs and other vehicles, and M393A2 specializes in overpressuring light vehicles.
The M416 smoke shell can be used as a long-range smoke grenade of sorts to blind enemies that are camping or holding a strategic point.
12.7 mm M2HB
The OF-40 also has the ubiquitous M2HB heavy machine gun, which is pintle-mounted and controlled by the commander. With its excellent versatility, the M2HB can cripple low-flying aircraft, destroy lightly armored tanks, and mow down obstacles such as brick walls and shrubbery.
7.62 mm FN-MAG
A smaller FN-MAG machine gun is also mounted coaxially next to the OTO Melara 105/52 cannon. The FN-MAG is only useful for destroying small obstacles due to its low armor penetration.
Recommended loadout
- Ammo: 25 rounds of DM33 APFSDS, 3 rounds of M393A2 HESH, 2 rounds of M416 smoke shell.
- Camouflage: Tricolor/Summer camouflage for urban and forest combat, Default/Desert camouflage for desert areas, and Winter camouflage for snowy and winter terrain.
Usage in battles
The OF-40 should generally make the most of its two key strengths (mobility and armament/gun handling) to be the most effective in ground battles. However, the OF-40 can be successful in nearly all situations when in the hands of an experienced tanker.
Warning: Regardless of how you use the OF-40, avoid getting shot at all costs.
Long-range sniper
The OF-40 can perform well as a sniper thanks to its good gun depression and laser rangefinder. Using DM33 over the other selection of rounds is recommended due to its high velocity. Players will also be one of the first vehicles to get to strategic points on the map due to the OF-40's great mobility.
Unfortunately, players will have to rely on their eyesight to spot enemy targets since the OF-40 does not have thermals. This can make spotting targets in dense brush or extremely long distances difficult. Using the binoculars or commander sight may help with spotting targets.
Urban brawler
The OF-40 arguably performs the best in close-quarter environments where it can utilize its mobility to flank and outmaneuver opponents. Flanking to catch opponents off guard is one of the most effective strategies. However, be cautious of being counter-flanked and caught off-guard yourself.
Head-to-head confrontations can be dangerous due to the OF-40's poor armor and survivability, so be careful in these types of engagements.
The usual tips for ground battles always apply: stay aware, always keep listening and looking for enemies, and pay attention to the map.
