AMX-50 Surblinde

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This page is about the French heavy tank AMX-50 Surblinde. For other versions, see AMX-50 (Family).
AMX-50 Surblindé
fr_amx_50_surblinde.png
GarageImage AMX-50 Surblinde.jpg
AMX-50 Surblindé
AB RB SB
7.7 7.7 7.7
Class:
Show in game
MARKET

Description

At the end of WWII, France found itself dependant on foreign military aid, and rushed to develop its military with domestic aircraft, tanks, and other weaponry. One of these systems was a heavy tank comparable to existing tanks such as the Tiger II and IS-2, but with greater mobility and more reliability. The AMX-50 Surblindé was thus presented in 1955, a variant of the AMX-50 with increased armour. The project however was abandoned due to lack of funding and cooperation with the United States and West Germany, as well as the accelerated development of deadlier anti-tank weaponry.

It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy" as a reward for the World War Season 1: Recon under fire. As a member of the French AMX-50 family of tanks, it is very similar to the AMX-50 Surbaissé. Compared to the Surbaissé, it is lower, has a much better protected turret and hull, and a 20 mm MG 151 cannon on top, which is very efficient against aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. It is also heavier and doesn't have smoke grenade launchers compared to the Surbaissé. The tank has an armour layout comparable to that of the IS-3, and features a very powerful cannon and decent mobility for a heavy tank, however it does not have access to APHE shells which are common in most tanks around its BR.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull110 / 60 / 60
Turret105 / 60 / 20
Crew4 people
Visibility214 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, suspended part of the turret, turret roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret base and front, gun mantlet, driver's hatch, cupola, exhaust pipe cover)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 110 mm (48°) Front glacis
50 mm (71°) Driver's hatch
100 mm (59°) Lower glacis
100 mm (40°) Front cheeks
75 mm (12°) Top
60 mm Bottom
60 mm (1°) Upper plate
60 mm (31°) Lower glacis
30 mm
5 mm Radiator vents
Turret 85 mm (47-52°) Turret front
100 mm (cylindrical) Turret base
300 mm Barrel base
100 mm (cylindrical) Turret base
85 mm (cylindrical) Barrel base
60 mm Turret pivot link
40 mm (cylindrical) Turret pivot underside
40 mm Suspended part
30 mm (72°) Suspended part underside
20 mm (1-34°) Suspended part
40 mm (cylindrical) Turret pivot underside
30 mm (78°) Suspended part underside
20 mm
Commander cupola 110 mm (cylindrical) Base
40 mm (spherical) Dome
40 mm (7-12°) 40 mm (11-20°)
40 mm (spherical) Dome
MG cupola 40 mm (58-61°) 40 mm (spherical) 40 mm (2-32°)

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick. Suspension wheels are interleaved and thus overlap in some areas.
  • Hull undersides above tracks are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB55 / 7 km/h
RB and SB52 / 6 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight70.0 t
Engine power
AB1 908 hp
RB and SB1 000 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB27.3 hp/t
RB and SB14.3 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 55 7 70 1,291 1,908 18.44 27.26
Realistic 52 6 884 1,000 12.63 14.29

The AMX-50 Surblinde has a very good speed (around 40 km/h on flat land when fully upgraded) for a super heavy tank, which allows a fast deployment on the battlefield aside medium and modern tanks. The manoeuvrability is also good and allows the player to drive easily in an urban environment.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB5 743 → 7 247 Sl icon.png
RB6 082 → 7 675 Sl icon.png
SB9 678 → 12 213 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications97 300 Rp icon.png
165 400 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training98 000 Sl icon.png
Experts340 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 300 Ge icon.png
Research Aces780 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 210 / 250 % Sl icon.png
202 / 202 / 202 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 100 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 100 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
4 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 100 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement fr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 100 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank rangefinder.png
Rangefinder
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition50 rounds
First-order19 rounds
Reload6.0 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 10°
Main article: SA46 (120 mm)
120 mm SA46 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 50 -6°/+10° ±180° N/A 19.4 26.9 32.6 36.1 38.4 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
120 mm Obus de rupture APBC 301 298 286 272 258 245
120 mm Obus explosif HE 39 39 39 39 39 39
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
120 mm Obus de rupture APBC 1,067 23.1 - - - 47° 60° 65°
120 mm Obus explosif HE 762 22.84 0 0.1 4.65 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the AMX-50 Surblinde
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
7th
rack empty
8th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
50 47 (+3) 43 (+7) 39 (+11) 34 (+16) 29 (+21) 23 (+27) 19 (+31) (+49) Yes

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • The visual discrepancy concerns the crossed out shell: it is modeled but can't be fired.
  • Rack 8 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 18 shells.
    • This rack gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
    • As the AMX-50 Surblinde is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
    • Once the autoloader magazines have been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
    • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 7 into rack 8. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
    • The depletion order at full capacity is: 8 - 1 - 2 up to 7.

Machine guns

Ammunition500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload10.0 s
Fire rate701 shots/min
Vertical guidance-17° / 63°
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reload5.0 s
Fire rate551 shots/min
20 mm MG 151
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 500 (250) 700 -5°/+80° ±180°
7.5 mm MAC 31
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,000 (150) 551 N/A N/A

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).

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful 120 mm gun, a shot can penetrate a target protected by 300 mm of armour
  • Loading time is short and steady, thanks to the autoloader
  • Very mobile for a super-heavy tank, being able to reach to 51 km/h on flat terrain
  • 20 mm cannon to ward off low-flying aircraft

Cons:

  • One shot in the turret can make the tank explode: up to 18 shells are stored at the back of the turret
  • No smoke grenades
  • Shells lack explosive filler, one-hit knock-outs from the side are rare

History

Start of the project

In July 1945, in the aftermath of liberation, the general staff of the French armed forces expressed the need for a heavy tank of national design. In view of the rise of tensions with the USSR and with the balance sheets drawn from the last world conflict, the French Army presented a precise specification of what was to be the future main tank of the army. The tank was to be comparable on several points to already existing machines. Indeed, it was requested armament of a minimum power equivalent to the gun of 88 mm German Tiger II. It was also asked for a shield equivalent to that of the Panther and mobility close to that of the T-34.

The AMX-50 Surblindé

In 1955, an AMX 50 Surblindé (over-armoured) is produced, able to measure itself against the most powerful machines then in service. A variant of the AMX-50 Surbaissé with a reinforced armour, the front armour shape is inspired by Soviet tanks IS-3 or T10. The weight of this prototype reached about 60 tons.

Abandonment of the project

The tests carried out indicated a tank superior to its American and Soviet counterparts that were M26 Pershing and IS-3 respectively. But the Americans did not want to finance a project that would not be adopted. It was, therefore, necessary that the two countries, France and West Germany, adopt the tank so that its development continues. If France seemed ready to accept the project, it was not the case of West Germany which was inspired by the doctrines of the former general Heinz Guderian, a supporter of lighter and faster tanks. In addition, the development of new technologies and capabilities in the field of missiles and hollow-shell shells would render the massive tank armour obsolete and unsuitable for future large-scale conflict.

Media

Skins

See also

Related development

External links


Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX)
Light tanks 
AMX-13  AMX-13-M24 · AMX-13 (FL11) · AMX-13 · AMX-13 (SS.11) · AMX-13-90 · AMX-13 (HOT)
Armoured cars  AMX-10RC
Medium tanks  AMX M4 · AMX-50 (TOA100)
MBTs 
AMX-30  AMX-30 · AMX-30 ACRA · AMX-30 (1972) · AMX-30B2 · AMX-30B2 BRENUS · AMX-30 Super
AMX-32/40  AMX-32 (105) · AMX-32 · AMX-40
Heavy tanks  AMX-50 Surbaissé · AMX-50 Surblindé
Tank destroyers  ELC bis · AMX-50 Foch
SPAAGs  AMX-13 DCA 40 · AMX-30 DCA
Export  AMX-13

France heavy tanks
B1  B1 bis · B1 ter
2C  2C · 2C bis
ARL-44  ARL-44 (ACL-1)
AMX-50  Somua SM · AMX-50 Surbaissé · AMX-50 Surblindé
USA  ▄M4A3E2