Difference between revisions of "C13 T90"

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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.'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
 
<!-- ''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 text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]].
+
The OTO Melara C-13 was developed as a replacement for the ageing M113 and similar vehicles used by armies worldwide. The platform was designed to allow multiple different armaments to be installed and be easily modified to suit various roles. OTO Melara produced several prototypes, some of which mounted the TUA (TOW under armour) or the OTO TC-25 turret. Although several countries expressed interest, it did not gain popularity due to the saturation of the market with light tanks. The variant represented in the game is equipped with a 90 mm Cockerill cannon capable of firing HEAT and HESH munitions, and was designed to support infantry and main battle tanks.
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 +
Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], the C-13 is a decent light tank at its battle rating due to its superior mobility and low profile. It can keep up with tracked and wheeled peers and, at times, even surpass them. This makes the C-13 a perfect scouting or flanking vehicle. Like many vehicles in the Italian tech tree, it lacks proper armour, but it may occasionally deflect certain shells and is somewhat resistant to overpressure and machine guns frontally. The C-13 has a lot of empty space, so sometimes rounds may hit nothing or fail to detonate. The vehicle is vulnerable to enemy aircraft and artillery, so players should remain vigilant and use the mobility to avoid dangerous situations. The C-13 has significantly better turret handling than the AUBL, but the cannon is still inaccurate and isn't stabilized, making firing on the move slightly risky. The C-13 is a great light tank that, once spaded, can be quite effective in the right hands.
  
 
== 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.'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
 
<!-- ''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 text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
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''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.''
 
  
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'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
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The C13's armour on the front of the hull can stop 12.7 mm MG fire and together with internal screens is able to prevent HESH and HEAT overpressure damage, but will likely fail against proper HE. It is only truly effective against enemy machine gun fire, and in lucky cases can bounce a few bigger shells if hit at a specific angle.
−
<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
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[[File:С13 T90 side with marked empty space .jpg|thumb|right|The yellow mark on tank rear displays the empty space that enemy can hit without damaging the tank. It is not recommended to literally paint over that area as it draws suspicion, but rather paint a thin line for yourself.]]
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* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
+
The turret front isn't as armoured as the hull, so technically the C13's hull armour is irrelevant in most encounters as enemies can just hit the turret instead.
 +
 
 +
Generally speaking, the C13 can get taken out easily from all sides by overpressure damage and 12.7 HMG, but the back of the tank is empty and doesn't have any engine related modules unlike with the other Italian light tanks. This makes the rear a perfect bait for tanks that do not carry HE/HESH/HEAT by default, as at a flat angle APHE might fail to explode and APDS will simply hit nothing. Refer to the picture for more details.
 +
 
 +
To survive in a fight, tank should be angled and move as fast as possible, as otherwise any incoming shell will likely hit 2 crew members at once, resulting in instant K.O. in RB and very unpleasant consequences in AB.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Aluminium alloy 5083 (hull)
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' <br> ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Hull || 38 + 6 mm (73°) ''Upper''<br>50 + 13 mm (40°) ''Lower'' || 38 + 6 mm (37°) ''Top'' <br> 50 + 6 mm ''Middle'' <br> 32 + 6 mm ''Bottom'' || 38 mm (10-11°) || 38 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' <br> ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Turret || 8 mm (12-23°) ''Turret front''<br>8 mm (6-50°) ''Gun mantlet''
 +
| 8 mm (33°)<br>8 mm (68-72°) ''Turret underside''
 +
| 8 mm (11°) || 8 mm (85-90°)
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
+
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 8 mm (cylindrial) || 8 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
  
−
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
+
* Tracks are 15 mm thick, suspension wheels are 20 mm thick
−
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
 
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
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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.''
 
  
−
{{tankMobility}}
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=558|rbMinHp=318}}
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 +
On average, the {PAGENAME} moves at similar average speeds to the AUBL despite being a tracked tank while its maximum speed is lower being 78 km/h forward and -16 km/h reverse in AB and 70 km/h forward and -14 km/h in RB. It has neutral steering like regular tanks, so it can turn around without exposing itself.
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 +
The chassis is much more stable and doesn't drift when turning around, nor does it have a tendency to fly off the road like other Italian light tanks.
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 +
The tank cannot swim unlike other Italian automobiles.
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{main|Cockerill Mk.3 (90 mm)}}
 
{{main|Cockerill Mk.3 (90 mm)}}
  
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''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.''
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Armed with the same gun as on the AUBL, the C13 T90 suffers from its inaccuracy all the same, but due to the improved turret and chassis the tank has better gun handling and can fire on the move while driving over flat terrain.
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 +
Although the gun doesn't have an autoloader, fires and crew incapacitation do not prevent reload.
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 +
While firing on the move, the gun will actually become more accurate, with a significant caveat. This can be done via the [[C13_T90#Machine_guns|machine guns tracers]].
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 +
The shells are identical to the ones used by the AUBL. While there is a slight difference in BR between these vehicles, it's not drastic enough to make a difference. HEAT is still a main shell, while HESH is mainly used as a finisher or against light vehicles, with smoke being used to block sniper fire.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+27° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 8.7 || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
+
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+27° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 8.7 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
−
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
+
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{:Cockerill Mk.3 (90 mm)/Ammunition|M620A1, M625A1, M618A1}}
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| M620A1 || HEATFS || 250 || 250 ||250||250||250||250
 
−
|-
 
−
| M625A1 || HESH || 102 || 102 || 102 || 102 || 102 || 102
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| M620A1 || HEATFS || 890 || 4.1 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 890.4 || 65° || 72° || 77°
 
−
|-
 
−
| M625A1 || HESH || 800 || 4.5 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 1,730 || 73° || 77° || 80°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
 
−
|-
 
−
! Ammunition
 
−
! Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! Screen radius<br>(m)
 
−
! Screen deploy time<br>(s)
 
−
! Screen hold time<br>(s)
 
−
! Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
|-
 
−
| M618A1 || 714 || 5.3 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.13.0.131''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 
! 3rd<br>rack empty
−
! 4th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 5th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 6th<br>rack empty
 
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''__''' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __
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| '''28''' || 21&nbsp;''(+7)'' || 13&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+27)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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'''Notes''':
 +
 +
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 12 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
 +
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
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* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 then 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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{{main|FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)}}
  
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''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
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The tank is armed with 2 machine guns which can deal significant damage to aircraft if they both focus on it. They also can shoot down hostile ATGM, although relying solely on them is risky.
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Secondary use for the machine guns is aiming of the main gun while driving, which is feasible at ranges up to 600 m. Simply fire machine guns at the tank that needs to be destroyed, the commander (top) machine gun shows where the turret is trying to aim, while gunner machine gun (bottom) is showing where the shell will actually go. Once both bullet streams converge, which is the cue to fire main weapon, the shell from the cannon has a high chance to land exactly there despite cannon's normally random behaviour. This only really works when the tank is moving at speeds above 20 km/h.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Coaxial || 2000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
+
| Coaxial || 2,000 (200) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Pintle || 2000 (200) || 600 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
+
| Pintle || 2,000 (200) || 600 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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== Usage in battles ==
 
== 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).'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
 
<!-- ''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).'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
−
''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).''
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The C13 T90 is an amazing light tank, mainly due to its great mobility. At first glance one might not expect much from such a big vehicle, but in reality the C13 T90 is able to easily race ahead of other tanks in the majority of environments. The main reason is due to the power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle, paired up with the adequate engine means the C13 T90 has nearly no problem mobility-wise. The only terrain that the C13 T90 may struggle in is mud, but most tanks will suffer the same fate.
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Due to this, a player should put this advantage to use by playing the vehicle as a support/flanker. For example, early in the match the C13's speed makes it possible to scout enemies and take potshots if the opportunity arises in places the enemy might not expect you to be at. In terms of flanking, this vehicle will be mainly directed towards spotting and setting up opportunistic medium-ranged ambushes, whilst sniping is a last resort. The rather small calibre HEAT rounds and the ballistics might not perform as desired at long distances and could just reveal your location to enemies. To practice (if you didn't already have enough experience with the AUBL), make sure to utilize the rangefinder, as the gun is normally very random and might throw off your muscle memory.
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 +
The C13 T90 has access to the HESH 90 mm round, although the HEAT usually does the trick, it might be useful to bring a few HESH rounds in case you encounter enemies that HEAT simply cannot deal with.
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One of the many upsides of the C13 T90 also include the scouting ability, which can be extremely useful for you and your team, if the player also brings a multi-purpose aircraft in the lineup to provide air support, you can really make the best out of this ability, as aircraft spawn costs are reduced every time an enemy you scouted is destroyed by a teammate.
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If flanking in a tree-covered map, keep in mind the sensitivity of the HEAT fuse as even the smallest of bushes can detonate the warhead and jeopardize the position. It's best to either move to a spot with less foliage, or stick to scouting the enemy.
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Unlike the AUBL/74, the C13 does not posses any sort of amphibious abilities, so do not try to traverse deep sections of water, as you'll just drown inside your vehicle.
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The C13 T90 is also capable of brawling due to its high speed, which can go hand-in-hand with the support role. Much like AUBL, the C13 T90 can often outrun tracking of enemy turrets, but also can reliably hit enemies in RB due to a more stable chassis and the machine guns allowing it to practically see the shell trajectory and hit things without stabilizer. Machine guns can annoy the enemy and will almost certainly remind them to use their own 12.7 mm machine gun, but it might not hit the turret (which is vulnerable to HMG even from the front) before the shell lands into their critical weak spot, rendering them crippled.
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As long as you're able to find a spot which can cover most of your vehicle, a player can remain close to the front-lines to perform a range of tasks, such as repairing allied vehicles and helping in capturing points. Intelligent use of tank's strengths and enemy impatience should allow you to come out on top even in AB. For example, one of the few downsides of the C13 T90 is it not being very survivable, your armour is only really effective against enemy machine gun fire, and in some lucky cases you may survive an artillery barrage coming your way. Enemies will usually take this tank in one shot, so they sometimes won't think twice if you pull out your empty back side out of cover and pretend that you did this on accident. Once they fire and the enemy shell goes straight through the empty area of the hull, you can punish them by firing at them once or even twice. To avoid accidentally pushing out too much of a tank, one tactic that can be done is paint a faint line on a tank using the in-game decals or a custom skin.
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Good situational awareness is also recommended when playing this vehicle. After a few minutes into a match, enemy air will start to make its presence known. Enemy aircraft can easily take you out, even weaker rockets will seriously damage your vehicle if not outright take you out. It's advised that you either keep moving or stay hidden in one spot where you won't be at risk of getting spotted. To maximize your survivability, it's best to take refuge inside a building, and hopefully wait for a friendly SPAA to take the air threat out for you.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
−
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
*
+
* 90 mm HEATFS comes stock - HESH and smoke shells are unlockable later
 +
* Rather good gun traverse and elevation rates, allowing for quick reaction to incoming enemies
 +
* Amazing mobility
 +
* Has options to hit tanks while moving at a high speed despite not having a stabiliser
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
*
+
* Abysmal gun performance past 200 m if not firing on a move, which is difficult
 +
* The shells sometimes don't deal enough damage, particularly against heavy tanks
 +
* Armour is weak to anything besides LMG
 +
** Frontal hull armour is not very effective and can only block weak overpressure effects and HMG, pretty much pointless due to the turret not having the same treatment
 +
* Not as fast as other italian tanks on a road, sometimes has to fight light tanks before executing a flank
 +
* [[Cockerill Mk.3 (90 mm)|90 mm Cockerill Mk.3]] has very bad accuracy, even you set the distance right
  
 
== 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).'' -->
−
''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).''
+
[[File:C13 T90 During tests.png|thumb|C13 T90 during tests]]
 +
The OTO Melara C13 family of vehicles would begin development during the early 1980s. First officially announced in 1981 in many Italian military magazines, the C13 was specifically developed in the hopes for the Italian army to replace the several American M113 APCs they had in service. It was presented publicly in its basic version in 1982 as the first prototype armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun. This APC version would be able to carry 11 infantrymen and the driver, and would be powered by a Isotta-Fraschini supercharged diesel engine which produced 330 hp, it would also have a considerable top speed (60 km/h) for a vehicle of the era. It would also have a range of 500 km, which made it a very desirable vehicle for many nations that operated the M113 APC. Technically speaking, it could also be amphibious but to make it work, no form of turret was able to be installed so only the APC variant could cross bodies of water, it would be propelled similarly to the M113. It wouldn't be very armoured, but when compared to the M113 APC it did offer an improvement.
 +
[[File:C13 T90 (1) Trials.png|thumb|C13 T90 during trials]]
 +
More testing of the first prototype lead to around 5 more prototypes to be made, some with some quite unique armaments. The OTO C13 would be able to be configured in many variants, which included the TC-20, either armed with a 20 mm RH202 auto-cannon or 25 mm Oerlikon auto-cannon. Another version would be the TUA (TOW under armour) version which would use the M901 ATGM system. In the anti-air sector, there were plans to create the C13 25x4, which utilized the SIDAM-25 turret, although all the parts were constructed, due to political reasons the anti-air version never actually would be fully put together. Lastly, but certainly not least, there was the CKL T90 version, which would be armed with a Cockerill Mk3 90 mm cannon. This version specifically would utilize the same turret and armament that was previously installed on the Fiat 6616 / AUBL/74. Unfortunately, none of these models would actually be picked up by the Italian army.
 +
[[File:C13 T90 Testing Fire.png|thumb|C13 T90 during test firing]]
 +
In the export market, it did generate some interest, a model of the C13 had been evaluated in Iraq at one point. However, the economic and political situations of the 1991 Gulf War would seriously impact the commercial success of this family of tracked vehicles, similarly to the OF-40. Another nation that showed some interest was Germany, more specifically Mak System Gesellschaft which wanted to cooperate with Italy to create a more advanced family of vehicles based on the OTO C13, this would lead to the OTO AV-90 (armoured vehicle 90) which would be based on the C13 but incorporated a series of improvements. The AV-90 program would likely have its funding cut by Germany so the program was shut down, thus putting an end to any sort of potential buyers of the vehicle.
 +
 
 +
Overall this project had shown great potential, and despite the C13 and later on the AV-90 both proving to be vast improvements of the M113, due to political reasons the project did not ever go past the prototype stage. Currently a few prototypes of the C13 remain inside of the OTO Melara factory in La Spezia, awaiting restoration for the eventual musealization of the vehicle at the Museo Della Melara in Italy.
 +
 
 +
=== [[wt:en/news/7319-development-c13-t90-senior-scout-en|Devblog]] ===
 +
 
 +
In 1978, the OTO Melara company initiated a private venture to develop a new IFV design which would fill the gap between the widely used M113 APC in service with Italian forces at the time, the Dardo IFV which was still under development and the British FV510 Warrior. As the project's development progressed, it was increasingly being promoted as the prospective successor to the dated M113.
 +
 
 +
In 1982, the first prototype of the vehicle was constructed, followed by two further prototypes in 1984. While undergoing testing, several differently armed versions of the vehicle were created in order to make the vehicle more versatile. Among these various armament options, a version with a 90 mm low-pressure gun was also tested.
 +
 
 +
However, outright succeeding the M113 proved increasingly challenging to OTO Melara as testing continued throughout the 1980s. Among the many reasons was the sheer widespread and cost-effective availability of the M113 worldwide, especially following the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s. Despite work on the vehicle continuing throughout the 1990s, no orders ended up being placed. As a result, OTO Melara cancelled further work on the vehicle and the project was made dormant altogether. In the end, only three prototypes of the C13 were ever constructed.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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 +
;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_c13_t90 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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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.'' -->
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
  
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* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
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* [[AUBL/74]]
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* [[Dardo]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
  
−
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
+
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/440651-oto-c13-light-tanks-and-variants/ <nowiki>[Forum]</nowiki> OTO C13 light tanks and variants]
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/492298-oto-melara-av-90-armoured-vehicle-90/ <nowiki>[Forum]</nowiki> OTO Melara AV-90 (Armoured Vehicle 90)]
 +
* [[wt:en/news/7319-development-c13-t90-senior-scout-en|[Devblog] C13 T90: Senior Scout]]
  
 
{{Italy light tanks}}
 
{{Italy light tanks}}
−
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]
 

Latest revision as of 19:57, 31 July 2024

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
C13 T90
it_c13_t90.png
GarageImage C13 T90.jpg
C13 T90
Italy flag.png Italy
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
7.0 7.0 7.0
Class:
Research:82 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:240 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The OTO Melara C-13 was developed as a replacement for the ageing M113 and similar vehicles used by armies worldwide. The platform was designed to allow multiple different armaments to be installed and be easily modified to suit various roles. OTO Melara produced several prototypes, some of which mounted the TUA (TOW under armour) or the OTO TC-25 turret. Although several countries expressed interest, it did not gain popularity due to the saturation of the market with light tanks. The variant represented in the game is equipped with a 90 mm Cockerill cannon capable of firing HEAT and HESH munitions, and was designed to support infantry and main battle tanks.

Introduced in Update "Direct Hit", the C-13 is a decent light tank at its battle rating due to its superior mobility and low profile. It can keep up with tracked and wheeled peers and, at times, even surpass them. This makes the C-13 a perfect scouting or flanking vehicle. Like many vehicles in the Italian tech tree, it lacks proper armour, but it may occasionally deflect certain shells and is somewhat resistant to overpressure and machine guns frontally. The C-13 has a lot of empty space, so sometimes rounds may hit nothing or fail to detonate. The vehicle is vulnerable to enemy aircraft and artillery, so players should remain vigilant and use the mobility to avoid dangerous situations. The C-13 has significantly better turret handling than the AUBL, but the cannon is still inaccurate and isn't stabilized, making firing on the move slightly risky. The C-13 is a great light tank that, once spaded, can be quite effective in the right hands.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull50 / 38 / 38
Turret8 / 8 / 8
Crew3 people
Visibility88 %

The C13's armour on the front of the hull can stop 12.7 mm MG fire and together with internal screens is able to prevent HESH and HEAT overpressure damage, but will likely fail against proper HE. It is only truly effective against enemy machine gun fire, and in lucky cases can bounce a few bigger shells if hit at a specific angle.

The yellow mark on tank rear displays the empty space that enemy can hit without damaging the tank. It is not recommended to literally paint over that area as it draws suspicion, but rather paint a thin line for yourself.

The turret front isn't as armoured as the hull, so technically the C13's hull armour is irrelevant in most encounters as enemies can just hit the turret instead.

Generally speaking, the C13 can get taken out easily from all sides by overpressure damage and 12.7 HMG, but the back of the tank is empty and doesn't have any engine related modules unlike with the other Italian light tanks. This makes the rear a perfect bait for tanks that do not carry HE/HESH/HEAT by default, as at a flat angle APHE might fail to explode and APDS will simply hit nothing. Refer to the picture for more details.

To survive in a fight, tank should be angled and move as fast as possible, as otherwise any incoming shell will likely hit 2 crew members at once, resulting in instant K.O. in RB and very unpleasant consequences in AB.

Armour type:

  • Aluminium alloy 5083 (hull)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 38 + 6 mm (73°) Upper
50 + 13 mm (40°) Lower 		38 + 6 mm (37°) Top
50 + 6 mm Middle
32 + 6 mm Bottom 		38 mm (10-11°) 38 mm
Turret 8 mm (12-23°) Turret front
8 mm (6-50°) Gun mantlet 		8 mm (33°)
8 mm (68-72°) Turret underside 		8 mm (11°) 8 mm (85-90°)
Cupola 8 mm (cylindrial) 8 mm

Notes:

  • Tracks are 15 mm thick, suspension wheels are 20 mm thick

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB78 / 16 km/h
RB and SB71 / 15 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
1 back
Weight14.3 t
Engine power
AB687 hp
RB and SB360 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB48.0 hp/t
RB and SB25.2 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 78 16 14.3 558 687 39.02 48.04
Realistic 71 15 318 360 22.24 25.17

On average, the {PAGENAME} moves at similar average speeds to the AUBL despite being a tracked tank while its maximum speed is lower being 78 km/h forward and -16 km/h reverse in AB and 70 km/h forward and -14 km/h in RB. It has neutral steering like regular tanks, so it can turn around without exposing itself.

The chassis is much more stable and doesn't drift when turning around, nor does it have a tendency to fly off the road like other Italian light tanks.

The tank cannot swim unlike other Italian automobiles.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 867 → 4 119 Sl icon.png
RB3 496 → 5 023 Sl icon.png
SB4 674 → 6 716 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications69 000 Rp icon.png
116 300 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training68 000 Sl icon.png
Experts240 000 Sl icon.png
Aces990 Ge icon.png
Research Aces620 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
110 / 160 / 200 % Sl icon.png
184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_cockerill_HESH_ammo_pack
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_cockerill_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

90 mm Cockerill Mk.3 cannon
Ammunition28 rounds
First-order12 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.7 → 6.7 s
Vertical guidance-9° / 27°
Main article: Cockerill Mk.3 (90 mm)

Armed with the same gun as on the AUBL, the C13 T90 suffers from its inaccuracy all the same, but due to the improved turret and chassis the tank has better gun handling and can fire on the move while driving over flat terrain.

Although the gun doesn't have an autoloader, fires and crew incapacitation do not prevent reload.

While firing on the move, the gun will actually become more accurate, with a significant caveat. This can be done via the machine guns tracers.

The shells are identical to the ones used by the AUBL. While there is a slight difference in BR between these vehicles, it's not drastic enough to make a difference. HEAT is still a main shell, while HESH is mainly used as a finisher or against light vehicles, with smoke being used to block sniper fire.

90 mm Cockerill Mk.3 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 28 -9°/+27° ±180° N/A 28.6 39.5 48.0 53.1 56.5 8.7 7.70 7.10 6.70
Realistic 17.9 21.0 25.5 28.2 30.0

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
M620A1 HEATFS 250 250 250 250 250 250
M625A1 HESH 102 102 102 102 102 102
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M620A1 HEATFS 890 4.1 0.05 0.1 890.4 65° 72° 77°
M625A1 HESH 800 4.5 0.1 4 1,730 73° 77° 80°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Screen radius
(m) 		Screen deploy
time (s) 		Screen hold
time (s) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M618A1 714 5.3 20 5 25 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the C13 T90
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
28 21 (+7) 13 (+15) 1 (+27) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 12 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
  • This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
  • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 then 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

Machine guns

7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 001 shots/min
7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 001 shots/min
Main article: FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)

The tank is armed with 2 machine guns which can deal significant damage to aircraft if they both focus on it. They also can shoot down hostile ATGM, although relying solely on them is risky.

Secondary use for the machine guns is aiming of the main gun while driving, which is feasible at ranges up to 600 m. Simply fire machine guns at the tank that needs to be destroyed, the commander (top) machine gun shows where the turret is trying to aim, while gunner machine gun (bottom) is showing where the shell will actually go. Once both bullet streams converge, which is the cue to fire main weapon, the shell from the cannon has a high chance to land exactly there despite cannon's normally random behaviour. This only really works when the tank is moving at speeds above 20 km/h.

7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,000 (200) 600 N/A N/A
Pintle 2,000 (200) 600 -10°/+50° ±120°

Usage in battles

The C13 T90 is an amazing light tank, mainly due to its great mobility. At first glance one might not expect much from such a big vehicle, but in reality the C13 T90 is able to easily race ahead of other tanks in the majority of environments. The main reason is due to the power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle, paired up with the adequate engine means the C13 T90 has nearly no problem mobility-wise. The only terrain that the C13 T90 may struggle in is mud, but most tanks will suffer the same fate.

Due to this, a player should put this advantage to use by playing the vehicle as a support/flanker. For example, early in the match the C13's speed makes it possible to scout enemies and take potshots if the opportunity arises in places the enemy might not expect you to be at. In terms of flanking, this vehicle will be mainly directed towards spotting and setting up opportunistic medium-ranged ambushes, whilst sniping is a last resort. The rather small calibre HEAT rounds and the ballistics might not perform as desired at long distances and could just reveal your location to enemies. To practice (if you didn't already have enough experience with the AUBL), make sure to utilize the rangefinder, as the gun is normally very random and might throw off your muscle memory.

The C13 T90 has access to the HESH 90 mm round, although the HEAT usually does the trick, it might be useful to bring a few HESH rounds in case you encounter enemies that HEAT simply cannot deal with.

One of the many upsides of the C13 T90 also include the scouting ability, which can be extremely useful for you and your team, if the player also brings a multi-purpose aircraft in the lineup to provide air support, you can really make the best out of this ability, as aircraft spawn costs are reduced every time an enemy you scouted is destroyed by a teammate.

If flanking in a tree-covered map, keep in mind the sensitivity of the HEAT fuse as even the smallest of bushes can detonate the warhead and jeopardize the position. It's best to either move to a spot with less foliage, or stick to scouting the enemy.

Unlike the AUBL/74, the C13 does not posses any sort of amphibious abilities, so do not try to traverse deep sections of water, as you'll just drown inside your vehicle.

The C13 T90 is also capable of brawling due to its high speed, which can go hand-in-hand with the support role. Much like AUBL, the C13 T90 can often outrun tracking of enemy turrets, but also can reliably hit enemies in RB due to a more stable chassis and the machine guns allowing it to practically see the shell trajectory and hit things without stabilizer. Machine guns can annoy the enemy and will almost certainly remind them to use their own 12.7 mm machine gun, but it might not hit the turret (which is vulnerable to HMG even from the front) before the shell lands into their critical weak spot, rendering them crippled.

As long as you're able to find a spot which can cover most of your vehicle, a player can remain close to the front-lines to perform a range of tasks, such as repairing allied vehicles and helping in capturing points. Intelligent use of tank's strengths and enemy impatience should allow you to come out on top even in AB. For example, one of the few downsides of the C13 T90 is it not being very survivable, your armour is only really effective against enemy machine gun fire, and in some lucky cases you may survive an artillery barrage coming your way. Enemies will usually take this tank in one shot, so they sometimes won't think twice if you pull out your empty back side out of cover and pretend that you did this on accident. Once they fire and the enemy shell goes straight through the empty area of the hull, you can punish them by firing at them once or even twice. To avoid accidentally pushing out too much of a tank, one tactic that can be done is paint a faint line on a tank using the in-game decals or a custom skin.

Good situational awareness is also recommended when playing this vehicle. After a few minutes into a match, enemy air will start to make its presence known. Enemy aircraft can easily take you out, even weaker rockets will seriously damage your vehicle if not outright take you out. It's advised that you either keep moving or stay hidden in one spot where you won't be at risk of getting spotted. To maximize your survivability, it's best to take refuge inside a building, and hopefully wait for a friendly SPAA to take the air threat out for you.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 90 mm HEATFS comes stock - HESH and smoke shells are unlockable later
  • Rather good gun traverse and elevation rates, allowing for quick reaction to incoming enemies
  • Amazing mobility
  • Has options to hit tanks while moving at a high speed despite not having a stabiliser

Cons:

  • Abysmal gun performance past 200 m if not firing on a move, which is difficult
  • The shells sometimes don't deal enough damage, particularly against heavy tanks
  • Armour is weak to anything besides LMG
    • Frontal hull armour is not very effective and can only block weak overpressure effects and HMG, pretty much pointless due to the turret not having the same treatment
  • Not as fast as other italian tanks on a road, sometimes has to fight light tanks before executing a flank
  • 90 mm Cockerill Mk.3 has very bad accuracy, even you set the distance right

History

C13 T90 during tests

The OTO Melara C13 family of vehicles would begin development during the early 1980s. First officially announced in 1981 in many Italian military magazines, the C13 was specifically developed in the hopes for the Italian army to replace the several American M113 APCs they had in service. It was presented publicly in its basic version in 1982 as the first prototype armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun. This APC version would be able to carry 11 infantrymen and the driver, and would be powered by a Isotta-Fraschini supercharged diesel engine which produced 330 hp, it would also have a considerable top speed (60 km/h) for a vehicle of the era. It would also have a range of 500 km, which made it a very desirable vehicle for many nations that operated the M113 APC. Technically speaking, it could also be amphibious but to make it work, no form of turret was able to be installed so only the APC variant could cross bodies of water, it would be propelled similarly to the M113. It wouldn't be very armoured, but when compared to the M113 APC it did offer an improvement.

C13 T90 during trials

More testing of the first prototype lead to around 5 more prototypes to be made, some with some quite unique armaments. The OTO C13 would be able to be configured in many variants, which included the TC-20, either armed with a 20 mm RH202 auto-cannon or 25 mm Oerlikon auto-cannon. Another version would be the TUA (TOW under armour) version which would use the M901 ATGM system. In the anti-air sector, there were plans to create the C13 25x4, which utilized the SIDAM-25 turret, although all the parts were constructed, due to political reasons the anti-air version never actually would be fully put together. Lastly, but certainly not least, there was the CKL T90 version, which would be armed with a Cockerill Mk3 90 mm cannon. This version specifically would utilize the same turret and armament that was previously installed on the Fiat 6616 / AUBL/74. Unfortunately, none of these models would actually be picked up by the Italian army.

C13 T90 during test firing

In the export market, it did generate some interest, a model of the C13 had been evaluated in Iraq at one point. However, the economic and political situations of the 1991 Gulf War would seriously impact the commercial success of this family of tracked vehicles, similarly to the OF-40. Another nation that showed some interest was Germany, more specifically Mak System Gesellschaft which wanted to cooperate with Italy to create a more advanced family of vehicles based on the OTO C13, this would lead to the OTO AV-90 (armoured vehicle 90) which would be based on the C13 but incorporated a series of improvements. The AV-90 program would likely have its funding cut by Germany so the program was shut down, thus putting an end to any sort of potential buyers of the vehicle.

Overall this project had shown great potential, and despite the C13 and later on the AV-90 both proving to be vast improvements of the M113, due to political reasons the project did not ever go past the prototype stage. Currently a few prototypes of the C13 remain inside of the OTO Melara factory in La Spezia, awaiting restoration for the eventual musealization of the vehicle at the Museo Della Melara in Italy.

Devblog

In 1978, the OTO Melara company initiated a private venture to develop a new IFV design which would fill the gap between the widely used M113 APC in service with Italian forces at the time, the Dardo IFV which was still under development and the British FV510 Warrior. As the project's development progressed, it was increasingly being promoted as the prospective successor to the dated M113.

In 1982, the first prototype of the vehicle was constructed, followed by two further prototypes in 1984. While undergoing testing, several differently armed versions of the vehicle were created in order to make the vehicle more versatile. Among these various armament options, a version with a 90 mm low-pressure gun was also tested.

However, outright succeeding the M113 proved increasingly challenging to OTO Melara as testing continued throughout the 1980s. Among the many reasons was the sheer widespread and cost-effective availability of the M113 worldwide, especially following the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s. Despite work on the vehicle continuing throughout the 1990s, no orders ended up being placed. As a result, OTO Melara cancelled further work on the vehicle and the project was made dormant altogether. In the end, only three prototypes of the C13 were ever constructed.

Media

Skins

See also

External links


Italy light tanks
  Italy
L6/40  L6/40 · L6/40 (31 Rgt.)
M11/39  M11/39
Autoblindo  AB 41 · AB 43
Fiat 6614/6616  FIAT 6614 · AUBL/74 · AUBL/74 HVG
R3 Capraia  R3 T106 FA
Centauro  Centauro I 105 · Centauro I 105 R · Centauro I 120 · Centauro RGO · VRCC
Freccia  VBC (PT2) · Freccia
Dardo  Dardo · VCC-80/60 · VCC-80/30
Other  C13 T90
USA  ▄M3A3 · ▄M24 · ▄M18
  Hungary
WWII  Csaba · Toldi IIA
Post  ◔BTR-80A · KF41

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