Difference between revisions of "Leclerc SXXI"
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== 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.'' --> | ||
− | The ''' | + | The '''Leclerc Séries XXI''' is the third variant of the [[Leclerc (Family)|Leclerc main battle tank family]]. It has significant enhancements and improvements over its predecessor, the [[Leclerc S2|Leclerc Séries 2]]. The turret now has a new composite front armour package that includes titanium. Turret bustle composite armour has been replaced with lighter explosive reactive armour. Turret storage bins are also being redesigned to allow for potentially larger add-on armour packages, increasing versatility and adaptability. The Leclerc Séries XXI also has a hunter-killer capability thanks to the HL 120 panoramic sight, which contains a laser rangefinder and Iris thermal imaging equipment. Finally, the tank is now equipped with a friend or foe identification indicator. |
+ | |||
+ | Introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]], the Leclerc Séries XXI is well-protected overall, with an effective configuration that results in good survivability. The frontal turret of the Leclerc Séries XXI is particularly well protected by modular composite armour, which combines strong metals, semi-reactive, and ceramic layers to protect against even the most powerful tank ammunition. The modification also involves the inclusion of extra armour beneath the gunner's sight, lowering the likelihood of the gunner being knocked out during conflicts. The Leclerc Séries XXI also has a new HL 120 panoramic sight for the commander, as well as thermal imaging equipment and a laser rangefinder, bringing hunter-killer capability to the Leclerc Séries XXI. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}} | {{Specs-Tank-Armour}} | ||
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | ||
− | The Leclerc SXXI is generally well protected with a well-designed layout resulting in good survivability. It does, however, have a number of prominent weak spots which are not easily hidden - most notable of which is the gun mantlet, which is mostly unprotected and can easily be penetrated to disable the cannon breech and often the tank commander, who sits on the exposed side of the mantlet (right side, looking from the front of the vehicle). The LFP (lower front plate) and UFP (upper front plate) are both weakly protected, with only the central front plate providing sufficient protection against incoming rounds. The Leclerc's turret cheeks are extremely well protected by modular composite armour, combining hard metals, semi-reactive and ceramic layers, protecting against even the most powerful kinetic rounds and most chemical rounds. The SXXI includes the addition of extra | + | The Leclerc SXXI is generally well protected with a well-designed layout resulting in good survivability. It does, however, have a number of prominent weak spots which are not easily hidden - most notable of which is the gun mantlet, which is mostly unprotected and can easily be penetrated to disable the cannon breech and often the tank commander, who sits on the exposed side of the mantlet (right side, looking from the front of the vehicle). The LFP (lower front plate) and UFP (upper front plate) are both weakly protected, with only the central front plate providing sufficient protection against incoming rounds. The Leclerc's turret cheeks are extremely well protected by modular composite armour, combining hard metals, semi-reactive and ceramic layers, protecting against even the most powerful kinetic rounds and most chemical rounds. The SXXI includes the addition of extra armour underneath the gunner's sight as well. |
Despite only seating three crew members, the Leclerc's survivability proves to be reasonable, with spaced out crew members, a blow-out compartment for the primary ammunition storage and the turret crew placed as low as feasible. As such, even successful penetration of the Leclerc is unlikely to disable the vehicle immediately - and even a vehicle fire or crew knockout will not stop the vehicle from reloading, ready to fire back. It is possible to destroy the Leclerc with one round by hitting the two crew on the right (viewed from the front). | Despite only seating three crew members, the Leclerc's survivability proves to be reasonable, with spaced out crew members, a blow-out compartment for the primary ammunition storage and the turret crew placed as low as feasible. As such, even successful penetration of the Leclerc is unlikely to disable the vehicle immediately - and even a vehicle fire or crew knockout will not stop the vehicle from reloading, ready to fire back. It is possible to destroy the Leclerc with one round by hitting the two crew on the right (viewed from the front). | ||
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | ||
− | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=2, | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,325|rbMinHp=1,327}} |
=== Modifications and economy === | === Modifications and economy === | ||
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== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
− | |||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} | ||
<!-- ''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|GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)}} | {{main|GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)}} | ||
− | The Leclerc SXXIa mounts a 120 mm GIAT CN120-26/52 smoothbore cannon, fitted with a two-plane | + | The Leclerc SXXIa mounts a 120 mm GIAT CN120-26/52 smoothbore cannon, fitted with a two-plane stabilizer and an autoloading system. The CN120 is a competitive cannon, displaying excellent performance with the OFL 120 F1 APFSDS round, up to a maximum of 575 mm of penetration at 0°. Combined with the consistent 5-second reload (independent of crew), this 120 mm cannon is more than competitive when compared to the offerings on its contemporaries. However, it's important to note that the OFL 120 F1 round is a tier 4 modification, and as such a stock Leclerc will be required to use the OFL 120 G1 - which, while capable, is sometimes not sufficient enough to take out tanks with one shot in certain scenarios. |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! colspan="5" | [[GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)|120 mm GIAT CN120-26 F1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | | + | ! colspan="5" | [[GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)|120 mm GIAT CN120-26 F1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds) |
|- | |- | ||
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer | ||
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
− | ! | + | ! Autoloader |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Arcade'' | ! ''Arcade'' | ||
− | | rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || | + | | rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Realistic'' | ! ''Realistic'' | ||
− | | | + | | 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0 |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
==== Ammunition ==== | ==== Ammunition ==== | ||
− | { | + | {{:GIAT CN120-26 F1 (120 mm)/Ammunition|OCC 120 G1, OFL 120 G1, OFL 120 F1}} |
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− | | OCC 120 G1 | ||
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | The ready rack of the SXXI is the same as the other | + | The ready rack of the SXXI is the same as the other Leclerc, at 22, is quite substantial and does mean that bringing just the ready rack will keep you in the fight for the game. |
=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal | ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Coaxial || 800 (200) || | + | | Coaxial || 800 (200) || 575 || - || - |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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'''Rural Combat''' | '''Rural Combat''' | ||
− | The Leclerc's OFL 120 F1 round, with its 1,790 m/s muzzle velocity and high penetration values is a potent sniping round. As such, on open maps (such | + | The Leclerc's OFL 120 F1 round, with its 1,790 m/s muzzle velocity and high penetration values, is a potent sniping round. As such, on open maps (such as [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]] or [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot Line]]), it's recommended to operate the Leclerc as a sniper - this allows it to both employ these round characteristics optimally and avoid the Leclerc's large weak spots being easy targets. On maps where flanking is viable, the Leclerc's high power-to-weight ratio can be used to access and push through these routes. |
'''Urban Combat''' | '''Urban Combat''' | ||
− | The Leclerc is less comfortable in urban combat situations, although still more than capable. On maps such | + | The Leclerc is less comfortable in urban combat situations, although still more than capable. On maps such as [[Alaska]], it's preferable to take flanking routes around the edges of urban regions where possible or cap points on the outskirts of the map, avoiding close quarters. In situations where avoiding close quarters is mostly impossible, it's best to play conservatively and maintain full awareness of enemy presence (audio is extremely important information, as you can hear most vehicles). Fortunately the Leclerc has a respectable reverse speed of 38 km/h and providing your engine, transmission, and driver remain intact after a penetration it's more than capable of reversing out of trouble. |
'''Notable opponents''' | '''Notable opponents''' | ||
− | * [[Challenger 2]] - | + | * [[Challenger 2]] - The CR2's turret cheeks are essentially immune to even OFL 120 F1 - and the Challenger is deadly accurate at long range. As such, sniping matches with the Challenger 2 should be avoided at all costs, instead attempt to flank it where possible. If there is no opportunity to get closer, move around between shots and try to land a shot on the gun mantlet or the UFP/LFP. |
− | * [[M1A1 Abrams|M1A1]]/[[M1A2 Abrams]] - | + | * [[M1A1 Abrams|M1A1]]/[[M1A2 Abrams]] - The Abrams is a deadly opponent, and thanks to the crew and module spacing will often survive multiple shots. In any engagement, first try to disable the cannon breech - this avoids the Abrams firing back and with your quick reload you'll frequently have time to disable its mobility entirely. |
− | * [[Leopard 2A5]]/[[Leopard 2A6|2A6]] - | + | * [[Leopard 2A5]]/[[Leopard 2A6|2A6]] - The Leopard 2A5 and 2A6 is a dangerous opponent, with a small gun mantlet weak spot and impenetrable turret cheeks. Fortunately, the OFL 120 F1 round can punch straight through the hull. If the opportunity for a hull shot does not arise, try to shoot through the gun mantlet or turret ring where possible. |
− | * [[Ariete (Family)|Ariete]] -Although its armour protection won't stop your APFSDS, almost all the tank is vulnerable to Ariete's firepower, in fact its rounds can easily penetrate most of the frontal section of the Leclerc even at | + | * [[Ariete (Family)|Ariete]] -Although its armour protection won't stop your APFSDS, almost all the tank is vulnerable to Ariete's firepower, in fact its rounds can easily penetrate most of the frontal section of the Leclerc even at 2,000 m. It is better to disable its gun before trying to destroy the tank, or just shooting at the left turret cheek, killing the gunner and the commander leaving the target harmless. |
− | * [[Type 10]] / [[Type 90]] - The Type 10 and Type 90 are the only other autoloaded tanks currently in the game that can load faster than you, with reload of 4.0 seconds compared to your | + | * [[Type 10]] / [[Type 90]] - The Type 10 and Type 90 are the only other autoloaded tanks currently in the game that can load faster than you, with reload of 4.0 seconds compared to your 5.0 seconds. Getting your first shot off and disabling this tank is top priority as they will out load you. |
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
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* Has access to a CITV with 2nd generation thermals | * Has access to a CITV with 2nd generation thermals | ||
− | * Slightly improved | + | * Slightly improved armour around the area of the gunner's sight |
− | * Autoloader allows for consistent reloads | + | * Autoloader allows for consistent reloads |
− | * | + | * Large first-stage ammo stowage |
* Blow-out panel in turret bustle | * Blow-out panel in turret bustle | ||
− | * | + | * The OFL 120 F1 APFSDS round is effective |
− | |||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
− | * Slower than average turret traverse rate | + | * Slower than average turret traverse rate |
* Only three crew members | * Only three crew members | ||
* Numerous large vulnerabilities | * Numerous large vulnerabilities | ||
− | |||
== History == | == History == | ||
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the 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></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. 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 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></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. 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).'' --> | ||
− | Leclerc S2 main battle tanks were produced in France from 1997 to 2003. The vehicles in the second series were distinguished by improved | + | Leclerc S2 main battle tanks were produced in France from 1997 to 2003. The vehicles in the second series were distinguished by improved armour in the hull and turret, new air conditioning and anti-nuclear protection systems, a modified transmission, and updated electronic and optical systems. The Leclerc SXXI is the third production series of the modern main battle tank that was produced from 2003 to 2006. The main features of the series were improved turret protection at frontal angles, as well as a new panoramic HL 120 sight for the commander with a thermal imaging channel and a laser rangefinder. All tanks in the SXXI series were later upgraded by the ICONE tactical control system under the 2007 program. |
''-From [[wt:en/news/7440-development-leclerc-sxxi-knight-s-helm-en|Devblog]]'' | ''-From [[wt:en/news/7440-development-leclerc-sxxi-knight-s-helm-en|Devblog]]'' | ||
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* ''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.'' --> | ||
− | |||
− | + | ;Related development | |
− | * | + | |
+ | * [[Leclerc (Family)]] | ||
== External links == | == External links == |
Latest revision as of 09:24, 13 July 2024
This page is about the French medium tank Leclerc SXXI. For other versions, see Leclerc (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Leclerc Séries XXI is the third variant of the Leclerc main battle tank family. It has significant enhancements and improvements over its predecessor, the Leclerc Séries 2. The turret now has a new composite front armour package that includes titanium. Turret bustle composite armour has been replaced with lighter explosive reactive armour. Turret storage bins are also being redesigned to allow for potentially larger add-on armour packages, increasing versatility and adaptability. The Leclerc Séries XXI also has a hunter-killer capability thanks to the HL 120 panoramic sight, which contains a laser rangefinder and Iris thermal imaging equipment. Finally, the tank is now equipped with a friend or foe identification indicator.
Introduced in Update "Winged Lions", the Leclerc Séries XXI is well-protected overall, with an effective configuration that results in good survivability. The frontal turret of the Leclerc Séries XXI is particularly well protected by modular composite armour, which combines strong metals, semi-reactive, and ceramic layers to protect against even the most powerful tank ammunition. The modification also involves the inclusion of extra armour beneath the gunner's sight, lowering the likelihood of the gunner being knocked out during conflicts. The Leclerc Séries XXI also has a new HL 120 panoramic sight for the commander, as well as thermal imaging equipment and a laser rangefinder, bringing hunter-killer capability to the Leclerc Séries XXI.
General info
Survivability and armour
The Leclerc SXXI is generally well protected with a well-designed layout resulting in good survivability. It does, however, have a number of prominent weak spots which are not easily hidden - most notable of which is the gun mantlet, which is mostly unprotected and can easily be penetrated to disable the cannon breech and often the tank commander, who sits on the exposed side of the mantlet (right side, looking from the front of the vehicle). The LFP (lower front plate) and UFP (upper front plate) are both weakly protected, with only the central front plate providing sufficient protection against incoming rounds. The Leclerc's turret cheeks are extremely well protected by modular composite armour, combining hard metals, semi-reactive and ceramic layers, protecting against even the most powerful kinetic rounds and most chemical rounds. The SXXI includes the addition of extra armour underneath the gunner's sight as well.
Despite only seating three crew members, the Leclerc's survivability proves to be reasonable, with spaced out crew members, a blow-out compartment for the primary ammunition storage and the turret crew placed as low as feasible. As such, even successful penetration of the Leclerc is unlikely to disable the vehicle immediately - and even a vehicle fire or crew knockout will not stop the vehicle from reloading, ready to fire back. It is possible to destroy the Leclerc with one round by hitting the two crew on the right (viewed from the front).
Armour type:
Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hull | ___ mm | ___ mm Top ___ mm Bottom |
___ mm | ___ - ___ mm |
Turret | ___ - ___ mm Turret front ___ mm Gun mantlet |
___ - ___ mm | ___ - ___ mm | ___ - ___ mm |
Cupola | ___ mm | ___ mm | ___ mm | ___ mm |
Notes:
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 | 80 | 42 | 56.2 | 2,325 | 2,862 | 41.37 | 50.93 |
Realistic | 72 | 38 | 1,327 | 1,500 | 23.61 | 26.69 |
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Main armament
The Leclerc SXXIa mounts a 120 mm GIAT CN120-26/52 smoothbore cannon, fitted with a two-plane stabilizer and an autoloading system. The CN120 is a competitive cannon, displaying excellent performance with the OFL 120 F1 APFSDS round, up to a maximum of 575 mm of penetration at 0°. Combined with the consistent 5-second reload (independent of crew), this 120 mm cannon is more than competitive when compared to the offerings on its contemporaries. However, it's important to note that the OFL 120 F1 round is a tier 4 modification, and as such a stock Leclerc will be required to use the OFL 120 G1 - which, while capable, is sometimes not sufficient enough to take out tanks with one shot in certain scenarios.
120 mm GIAT CN120-26 F1 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Autoloader |
Arcade | 40 | -8°/+20° | ±180° | Two-plane | 38.1 | 52.7 | 64.0 | 70.8 | 75.3 | 5.00 |
Realistic | 23.8 | 28.0 | 34.0 | 37.6 | 40.0 |
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 | ||
OCC 120 G1 | HEATFS | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 |
OFL 120 G1 | APFSDS | 425 | 423 | 417 | 410 | 404 | 396 |
OFL 120 F1 | APFSDS | 575 | 573 | 565 | 557 | 547 | 537 |
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% | ||||||||||
OCC 120 G1 | HEATFS | 1,100 | 14.4 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 2.15 | 65° | 72° | 77° | |||
OFL 120 G1 | APFSDS | 1,780 | 3.8 | - | - | - | 78° | 80° | 81° | |||
OFL 120 F1 | APFSDS | 1,790 | 3.8 | - | - | - | 78° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
---|---|---|---|
40 | 23 (+17) | 1 (+39) | No |
The ready rack of the SXXI is the same as the other Leclerc, at 22, is quite substantial and does mean that bringing just the ready rack will keep you in the fight for the game.
Machine guns
12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
Coaxial | 800 (200) | 575 | - | - |
The Leclerc mounts a single coaxial 12.7 mm machine gun. While this coaxial mount limits it to +20° of elevation, if it can be placed on target it can prove effective against low-flying aircraft. Besides this, it can be useful for clearing out light obstacles, knocking out crew on open-top vehicles, and marking targets.
Usage in battles
The Leclerc is an extremely capable MBT. It can prove somewhat vulnerable in close-range engagements, where its numerous weak points are easily targeted, and as such it's preferable to make use of its high round velocity to snipe, or its excellent mobility to flank enemies.
Rural Combat
The Leclerc's OFL 120 F1 round, with its 1,790 m/s muzzle velocity and high penetration values, is a potent sniping round. As such, on open maps (such as Kursk or Maginot Line), it's recommended to operate the Leclerc as a sniper - this allows it to both employ these round characteristics optimally and avoid the Leclerc's large weak spots being easy targets. On maps where flanking is viable, the Leclerc's high power-to-weight ratio can be used to access and push through these routes.
Urban Combat
The Leclerc is less comfortable in urban combat situations, although still more than capable. On maps such as Alaska, it's preferable to take flanking routes around the edges of urban regions where possible or cap points on the outskirts of the map, avoiding close quarters. In situations where avoiding close quarters is mostly impossible, it's best to play conservatively and maintain full awareness of enemy presence (audio is extremely important information, as you can hear most vehicles). Fortunately the Leclerc has a respectable reverse speed of 38 km/h and providing your engine, transmission, and driver remain intact after a penetration it's more than capable of reversing out of trouble.
Notable opponents
- Challenger 2 - The CR2's turret cheeks are essentially immune to even OFL 120 F1 - and the Challenger is deadly accurate at long range. As such, sniping matches with the Challenger 2 should be avoided at all costs, instead attempt to flank it where possible. If there is no opportunity to get closer, move around between shots and try to land a shot on the gun mantlet or the UFP/LFP.
- M1A1/M1A2 Abrams - The Abrams is a deadly opponent, and thanks to the crew and module spacing will often survive multiple shots. In any engagement, first try to disable the cannon breech - this avoids the Abrams firing back and with your quick reload you'll frequently have time to disable its mobility entirely.
- Leopard 2A5/2A6 - The Leopard 2A5 and 2A6 is a dangerous opponent, with a small gun mantlet weak spot and impenetrable turret cheeks. Fortunately, the OFL 120 F1 round can punch straight through the hull. If the opportunity for a hull shot does not arise, try to shoot through the gun mantlet or turret ring where possible.
- Ariete -Although its armour protection won't stop your APFSDS, almost all the tank is vulnerable to Ariete's firepower, in fact its rounds can easily penetrate most of the frontal section of the Leclerc even at 2,000 m. It is better to disable its gun before trying to destroy the tank, or just shooting at the left turret cheek, killing the gunner and the commander leaving the target harmless.
- Type 10 / Type 90 - The Type 10 and Type 90 are the only other autoloaded tanks currently in the game that can load faster than you, with reload of 4.0 seconds compared to your 5.0 seconds. Getting your first shot off and disabling this tank is top priority as they will out load you.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Has access to a CITV with 2nd generation thermals
- Slightly improved armour around the area of the gunner's sight
- Autoloader allows for consistent reloads
- Large first-stage ammo stowage
- Blow-out panel in turret bustle
- The OFL 120 F1 APFSDS round is effective
Cons:
- Slower than average turret traverse rate
- Only three crew members
- Numerous large vulnerabilities
History
Leclerc S2 main battle tanks were produced in France from 1997 to 2003. The vehicles in the second series were distinguished by improved armour in the hull and turret, new air conditioning and anti-nuclear protection systems, a modified transmission, and updated electronic and optical systems. The Leclerc SXXI is the third production series of the modern main battle tank that was produced from 2003 to 2006. The main features of the series were improved turret protection at frontal angles, as well as a new panoramic HL 120 sight for the commander with a thermal imaging channel and a laser rangefinder. All tanks in the SXXI series were later upgraded by the ICONE tactical control system under the 2007 program.
-From Devblog
Media
- Skins
See also
- Related development
External links
Nexter Systems* | |
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MBTs | Leclerc · Leclerc S2 · Leclerc SXXI |
*GIAT Industries became Nexter Systems in 2006 |
France medium tanks | |
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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 |
- Ground vehicles
- France ground vehicles
- Eighth rank ground vehicles
- Medium tanks
- Ground vehicles with explosive reactive armour
- Ground vehicles with composite armour
- Ground vehicles with smoke grenades
- Ground vehicles with night vision device
- Ground vehicles with thermal sight
- Ground vehicles with autoloader
- Ground vehicles with gun stabilizer