Difference between revisions of "Add-on Armor"

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'''Add-on Armor''' is a modification in-game that allows the player to enable the addition of improvised armor onto their tanks.
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== Description ==
  
==History==
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'''Add-on Armor''' is a modification in-game that allows the player to enable the addition of armour onto their tanks. This additional armour is either improvised (for WW2 vehicles) or designed (for post-WW2 vehicles). Improvised add-on armour was most often a field modification performed by the crew by adding track links or mesh screens to the standard issue vehicle. Designed add-on armour is an upgrade tested and validated by the tank manufacturer. It comes in the form of an armour kit (addition of composite armour) or a protection package (addition of explosive reactive armour blocks). The add-on armour increases the overall weight of the vehicle, giving a lower power-to-weight ratio and thus worse mobility.
Tank warfare is a type of battle that can make the equipment involved become obsolete very quickly in terms of protection and firepower. In World War II, this is seen especially in the later half of the war when the [[M4|Shermans]] and [[T-34 (1942)|T-34s]] began being outgunned by better German tanks, and the German [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV]] also being outgunned by those tanks. In an effort to get more protection onto their tanks, crew often improvise a variety of methods to increased the armor on their tanks. Methods included welding tracks or sheet metals as appliqué armor onto the tanks, placing sand bags on the hull, hanging logs from the sides, placing mesh sheets, or simply just pour concrete on the hull for the thickness. While these protection vary in their ability to stop a penetrating round or warhead, they all increase the overall weight of the tank, often taxing the suspension and steering beyond their normal capabilities. General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during the invasion of France, heard of this effect of improvised armor on the tank's suspension and forbid his units from using the common sandbags as improvised armor to mitigate vehicle breakdowns (he was however a fan of welded metal sheets similar to the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 Jumbo]] and had many normal Shermans made into make-shift Jumbos).
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== Tanks able to use modification ==
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Results vary from the variety of improvised armor used in the war. Some armor, like the concrete, was deemed useless or impractical and were not widely used. Sandbags and logs were mostly seen as ineffective against the tank rounds and HEAT warheads used by infantry anti-tank launchers. Out of the bunch, welded metal was perhaps the most effective improvised armor one can put onto a tank. A study done by the U.S. Army on the improvised armor used by the tankers on their Shermans reveal that while the majority of improvised armor had little effect on armor protection, the best impact of improvised armor was morale, as they at least gave the worried tankers an additional bit of psychological, if not physical, protection for their tanks.
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{{Tree-End}}
  
==Effect in-game==
 
In the game, the ''Add-on Armor'' modification adds spare track links along the hull and turret of the tank being modified. The track links, when added, give an around 17 - 20 mm of additional armor to where they are attached. As the vehicle ranks increased, the type of armor added increased in complexity from simply "improvised" type additions such as tracks to integral upgrades such as explosive reactive armor.
 
  
As of 1.67, the add-on armour now adds mass to the overall vehicle weight, meaning a lower power-to-weight ratio and thus lower mobility.
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{{Notice|The [[BMP-1]], the [[SPz BMP-1]] and the [[ZBD86]] do not appear in the table because the modification increasing the weight of the vehicle is not armour-related (installation of an ATGM launcher).}}
  
== Tanks able to use modification ==
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==History==
''As of v.1.93.0.24''
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Tank warfare is a type of battle that can make the equipment involved become obsolete very quickly in terms of protection and firepower. In World War II, this is seen especially in the later half of the war when the [[M4|Shermans]] and [[T-34 (1942)|T-34s]] began being outgunned by better German tanks, and the German [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV]] also being outgunned by those tanks. In an effort to get more protection onto their tanks, crew often improvise a variety of methods to increased the armour on their tanks. Methods included welding tracks or sheet metals as appliqué armour onto the tanks, placing sand bags on the hull, hanging logs from the sides, placing mesh sheets, or simply just pour concrete on the hull for the thickness. While these protection vary in their ability to stop a penetrating round or warhead, they all increase the overall weight of the tank, often taxing the suspension and steering beyond their normal capabilities. General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during the invasion of France, heard of this effect of improvised armour on the tank's suspension and forbid his units from using the common sandbags as improvised armour to mitigate vehicle breakdowns (he was however a fan of welded metal sheets similar to the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 Jumbo]] and had many normal Shermans made into make-shift Jumbos).
{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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Results vary from the variety of improvised armour used in the war. Some armour, like the concrete, was deemed useless or impractical and were not widely used. Sandbags and logs were mostly seen as ineffective against the tank rounds and HEAT warheads used by infantry anti-tank launchers. Out of the bunch, welded metal was perhaps the most effective improvised armour one can put onto a tank. A study done by the U.S. Army on the improvised armour used by the tankers on their Shermans reveal that while the majority of improvised armour had little effect on armour protection, the best impact of improvised armour was morale, as they at least gave the worried tankers an additional bit of psychological, if not physical, protection for their tanks.
! '''[[File:USA flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:USA ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:USA ground vehicles|USA]]'''
 
! '''[[File:Germany flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:Germany ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:Germany ground vehicles|Germany]]'''
 
! '''[[File:USSR flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:USSR ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:USSR ground vehicles|USSR]]'''
 
! '''[[File:Britain flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:Britain ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:Britain ground vehicles|Britain]]'''
 
! '''[[File:Japan flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:Japan ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:Japan ground vehicles|Japan]]'''
 
! '''[[File:China flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:China ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:China ground vehicles|China]]'''
 
! '''[[File:Italy flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:Italy ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:Italy ground vehicles|Italy]]'''
 
! '''[[File:France flag.png|60px|border|link=Category:France ground vehicles]]<br>[[:Category:France ground vehicles|France]]'''
 
|-
 
| {{Specs-Link|us_m4a2_1944_germ|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|us_m4a1_76w_sherman|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|us_m4a2_sherman|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|us_m4a3e8_76w_sherman|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|us_m10|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|us_m46_patton|short}}
 
| {{Specs-Link|germ_jgdpz_IV_L48|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_a_panther|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_d_panther|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_g_panther|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pz_IV_L70_A|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pz_IV_L70|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_panzerbefelhswagen_IV_ausf_J|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_F2|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_G|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_H|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_J|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_stug_III_ausf_G|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|germ_stuh_III_ausf_G|short}}
 
| {{Specs-Link|ussr_is_2_1944|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|ussr_t_34_1941|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|ussr_t_34_1942|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|ussr_t_34_85_zis_53|short}}
 
| {{Specs-Link|uk_17_pdr_m10_achilles|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|uk_17_pdr_m10_achilles_norfolk_yeomanry|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|uk_sherman_ic_firefly|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|uk_sherman_vc_firefly|short}}
 
|
 
| {{Specs-Link|cn_t_34_1942|short}}<br>{{Specs-Link|cn_t_34_85_d_5t|short}}
 
|
 
| {{Specs-Link|fr_m10|short}}
 
|}
 
  
==Images==
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==Media==
===In-game===
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;Images
<gallery  mode=packed-hover heights=200px>
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<gallery  mode=packed-hover caption="In-game screenshots" heights=200px>
AddonArmor M4A1(76)W.jpg|The [[M4A1 (76) W|M4A1 (76) W Sherman]] with add-on armor on side of the hull and turret.
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AddonArmor M4A1(76)W.jpg|The [[M4A1 (76) W|M4A1 (76) W Sherman]] with add-on armour on side of the hull and turret.
AddonArmor PzIVH.jpg|The [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV Ausf. H]] with add-on armor on the front of the hull and turret.
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AddonArmor PzIVH.jpg|The [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV Ausf. H]] with add-on armour on the front of the hull and turret.
AddonArmor PantherD.jpg|The [[Panther D]] with add-on armor on the sides of the turret.
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AddonArmor PantherD.jpg|The [[Panther D]] with add-on armour on the sides of the turret.
AddonArmor T-34-85.jpg|The [[T-34-85]] with add-on armor on the sides of the turret and hull.
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AddonArmor T-34-85.jpg|The [[T-34-85]] with add-on armour on the sides of the turret and hull.
AddonArmor ChurchillMkVII.jpg|A [[Churchill Mk VII]] with add-on armor on front hull, front turret, and turret sides.
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AddonArmor ChurchillMkVII.jpg|A [[Churchill Mk VII]] with add-on armour on front hull, front turret, and turret sides.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 
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<gallery  mode=packed-hover caption="Historical photos" heights=200px>
===Historic===
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Sandbagged-Sherman Patton.png|A [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 Sherman]] sporting sand bag add-on armour. The man in front is George Patton, who just finished chewing out the crew for using sand bags, which he banned on tanks.
<gallery  mode=packed-hover heights=200px>
 
Sandbagged-Sherman Patton.png|A [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 Sherman]] sporting sand bag add-on armor.<br/>''Trivia: The man in front is George Patton, who just finished chewing out the crew for using sand bags, which he banned on tanks.''
 
 
T3485E_hist.jpg|A [[T-34-85E|T-34-85]] with added mesh screens as protection against HEAT rounds.
 
T3485E_hist.jpg|A [[T-34-85E|T-34-85]] with added mesh screens as protection against HEAT rounds.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
[[Category:Modules_and_modifications]]
 
[[Category:Modules_and_modifications]]

Latest revision as of 16:40, 21 June 2024

Description

Add-on Armor is a modification in-game that allows the player to enable the addition of armour onto their tanks. This additional armour is either improvised (for WW2 vehicles) or designed (for post-WW2 vehicles). Improvised add-on armour was most often a field modification performed by the crew by adding track links or mesh screens to the standard issue vehicle. Designed add-on armour is an upgrade tested and validated by the tank manufacturer. It comes in the form of an armour kit (addition of composite armour) or a protection package (addition of explosive reactive armour blocks). The add-on armour increases the overall weight of the vehicle, giving a lower power-to-weight ratio and thus worse mobility.

Tanks able to use modification

Researchable vehicles Premium vehicles
USA flag.png
Germany flag.png
USSR flag.png
Britain flag.png
Japan flag.png
China flag.png
Italy flag.png
France flag.png
Sweden flag.png
Israel flag.png
I Rank
Item prem.png
Ka-Chi
jp_type_3_ka_chi.png
II Rank
Item own.png
M4A2
us_m4a2_sherman.png
Item own.png
M10 GMC
us_m10.png
Item own.png
Pz.IV F2
germ_pzkpfw_iv_ausf_f2.png
Item own.png
Pz.IV G
germ_pzkpfw_iv_ausf_g.png
Item own.png
Pz.IV H
germ_pzkpfw_iv_ausf_h.png
Item own.png
Pz.IV J
germ_pzkpfw_iv_ausf_j.png
Item own.png
StuG III G
germ_stug_iii_ausf_g.png
Item own.png
StuH 42 G
germ_stuh_iii_ausf_g.png
Item own.png
T-34 (1941)
ussr_t_34_1941.png
Item own.png
T-34 (1942)
ussr_t_34_1942.png
Item own.png
Achilles
uk_17_pdr_m10_achilles.png
Item own.png
▄M10 GMC
fr_m10.png
III Rank
Item own.png
M4A1 (76) W
us_m4a1_76w_sherman.png
Item own.png
M4A3 (76) W
us_m4a3e8_76w_sherman.png
Item own.png
Jagdpanzer IV
germ_jgdpz_iv_l48.png
Item prem.png
▀M4 748 (a)
us_m4a2_1944_germ.png
Item own.png
Panther D
germ_pzkpfw_v_ausf_d_panther.png
Item prem.png
Panzer IV/70(A)
germ_pz_iv_l70_a.png
Item own.png
Panzer IV/70(V)
germ_pz_iv_l70.png
Item prem.png
Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J
germ_panzerbefelhswagen_iv_ausf_j.png
Item prem.png
Achilles (65 Rg.)
uk_17_pdr_m10_achilles_norfolk_yeomanry.png
Item own.png
Churchill VII
uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944.png
Item own.png
Sherman Firefly
uk_sherman_vc_firefly.png
Item prem.png
Sherman IC "Trzyniec"
uk_sherman_ic_firefly.png
Item prem.png
TOG II
uk_tog_2.png
Item own.png
␗T-34 (1943)
cn_t_34_1942.png
IV Rank
Item own.png
M46
us_m46_patton.png
Item own.png
Panther A
germ_pzkpfw_v_ausf_a_panther.png
Item own.png
Panther G
germ_pzkpfw_v_ausf_g_panther.png
Item own.png
IS-2 (1944)
ussr_is_2_1944.png
Item own.png
T-34-85
ussr_t_34_85_zis_53.png
Item own.png
␗Т-34-85 (S-53)
cn_t_34_85_d_5t.png
Item prem.png
T-34-85 No.215
cn_t_34_85_zis_53_no215.png
V Rank
Item prem.png
▃Magach 3 (ERA)
us_magach_3.png
Item own.png
Conqueror
uk_conqueror_mk_2.png
Item prem.png
Magach 3 (ERA)
il_magach_3.png
VI Rank
Item own.png
XM8
us_xm_8.png
Item own.png
BMP-2
ussr_bmp_2.png
Item own.png
T-62M-1
ussr_t_62m1.png
Item own.png
T-64B
ussr_t_64_b_1984.png
Item own.png
T-72A
ussr_t_72a.png
Item own.png
Warrior
uk_fv510_isv.png
Item prem.png
Merkava Mk.2D
il_merkava_mk_2d.png
VII Rank
Item prem.png
M1 KVT
us_m1_abrams_kvt.png
Item own.png
M1128
us_m1128_mgs.png
Item own.png
▃Merkava Mk.3D
us_merkava_mk_3d.png
Item prem.png
Leopard 2A4M
germ_leopard_2a4m_can.png
Item own.png
T-72B3
ussr_t_72b3_2011.png
Item own.png
T-80B
ussr_t_80b.png
Item own.png
Challenger 2
uk_challenger_ii.png
Item own.png
Challenger 2 (2F)
uk_challenger_2_dorchester.png
Item own.png
␙Challenger 2
uk_challenger_ii.png
Item own.png
Ariete
it_c1_ariete.png
Item own.png
Ariete PSO
it_c1_ariete_pso.png
Item prem.png
Ra'am Sagol
il_merkava_mk_3_raam_segol.png
VIII Rank
Item own.png
M1A2 SEP
us_m1a2_sep_abrams.png
Item own.png
M1A2 SEP V2
us_m1a2_sep2_abrams.png
Item own.png
Leopard 2A7V
germ_leopard_2a7v.png
Item own.png
T-80BVM
ussr_t_80bvm.png
Item own.png
T-90M
ussr_t_90m_2020.png
Item own.png
Leopard 2A7HU
it_leopard_2a7_hungary.png
Item own.png
Strv 122B PLSS
sw_strv_122b_plss.png
Item own.png
Strv 122B+
sw_strv_122b_plus.png
Item own.png
Merkava Mk.4 LIC
il_merkava_mk_4_lic.png


Msg-info.png The BMP-1, the SPz BMP-1 and the ZBD86 do not appear in the table because the modification increasing the weight of the vehicle is not armour-related (installation of an ATGM launcher).

History

Tank warfare is a type of battle that can make the equipment involved become obsolete very quickly in terms of protection and firepower. In World War II, this is seen especially in the later half of the war when the Shermans and T-34s began being outgunned by better German tanks, and the German Panzer IV also being outgunned by those tanks. In an effort to get more protection onto their tanks, crew often improvise a variety of methods to increased the armour on their tanks. Methods included welding tracks or sheet metals as appliqué armour onto the tanks, placing sand bags on the hull, hanging logs from the sides, placing mesh sheets, or simply just pour concrete on the hull for the thickness. While these protection vary in their ability to stop a penetrating round or warhead, they all increase the overall weight of the tank, often taxing the suspension and steering beyond their normal capabilities. General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during the invasion of France, heard of this effect of improvised armour on the tank's suspension and forbid his units from using the common sandbags as improvised armour to mitigate vehicle breakdowns (he was however a fan of welded metal sheets similar to the M4A3E2 Jumbo and had many normal Shermans made into make-shift Jumbos).

Results vary from the variety of improvised armour used in the war. Some armour, like the concrete, was deemed useless or impractical and were not widely used. Sandbags and logs were mostly seen as ineffective against the tank rounds and HEAT warheads used by infantry anti-tank launchers. Out of the bunch, welded metal was perhaps the most effective improvised armour one can put onto a tank. A study done by the U.S. Army on the improvised armour used by the tankers on their Shermans reveal that while the majority of improvised armour had little effect on armour protection, the best impact of improvised armour was morale, as they at least gave the worried tankers an additional bit of psychological, if not physical, protection for their tanks.

Media

Images