Difference between revisions of "AMX M4"

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{{Specs-Card|code=fr_amx_m4}}
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{{About
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| about = French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other uses
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| link = M4 (Disambiguation)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=fr_amx_m4
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''In the description, the first part needs to 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 the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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In the late 1940s, the French Army sought to replace its aging medium tanks with a new 50-ton medium tank that would serve as the main asset in armoured divisions. The French company AMX initially proposed an under-armoured version of the Tiger II tank with 30 mm plates, but after feedback from the army, the armour was enhanced to 80 mm in the front and 40 mm on the sides. Changes were made to reduce weight in other aspects of the tank, such as introducing a new oscillating turret and redesigning the suspension wheels. The first prototype, named M4, featured a 90 mm SA47 gun and was slightly over 50 tons. A second prototype with a 100 mm SA 47 L/50 gun led to the development of the AMX-50 tank.
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It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. It uses an improved 90 mm SA47 cannon over the [[ARL-44]] and has a 7-round autoloader and a better armour layout while being more mobile. Marking a new generation of French tanks, the AMX M4 is the prototype of what to expect from French tank development moving forward. The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is the sturdiest representative of French rank IV vehicles, from which it shares some common features: good mobility, an oscillating turret (fitted with an autoloader), sloped armour in front and back, high hull, high gun placement, good gun depression, 4 crew members, a coaxial MAC 31 machine gun and large tracks. What distinguishes the AMX M4 is its [[Panther D|Panther]]-like hull, its efficient 90 mm SA47 gun developed from the [[ARL-44]] and the thickest armour pattern of all French ground forces with 80 mm sloped at ~55° in the frontal area.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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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:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret rear)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola)
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
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| Hull || 80 mm (54°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 35 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> 60 mm (38°) ''Front cheeks'' || 60 mm (38°) ''Top - Front cheeks'' <br> 40 mm (24°) ''Top - Centre & rear'' <br> 40 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm (1°) ''Upper plate'' <br> 40 mm (29°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm <br> 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
 +
|-
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| Turret || 85 mm (60°) ''Turret front - Upper glacis'' <br> 40+85 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret front - Base'' <br> 60 mm (56-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 85+100 mm ''Barrel shroud'' || 60 mm (0-61°) ''Turret'' <br> 40 mm (0-27°) ''Turret base'' || 40 mm (0-60°) ''Turret bustle'' <br> 25 mm (16-25°) ''Pivot ball'' <br> 20 mm ''Turret underside'' || 20 mm
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|-
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| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 60 mm (spherical) || 60 mm ''Outer ring'' <br> 20 mm ''Centre''
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|}
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 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. Suspension wheels are interleaved and thus overlap in some areas.
 +
* The turret and the base overlap in some areas, leading to cumulative armour.
 +
* The internal armour plate separating the crew compartment and the engine bay is 5 mm thick.
 +
* Floor armour is 20 mm thick, with the underside of the sponsons also being 20 mm thick.
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 +
The AMX M4, a post-war French tank, is a remarkable fusion of German tank design elements, drawing inspiration from the [[Panther tank (Family)|Panther]] for its robust armour, the [[Tiger (Disambiguation)|Tiger I/II]] for its mobility and firepower, and integrating French innovation with an oscillating turret and autoloader.
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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The armour profile is a notable feature, featuring an 80 mm angled front glacis and 60 mm pre-angled front cheeks, rendering it somewhat resilient in frontal engagements. Against WW2 tanks like the T-34-85 and M4A3E2, the AMX M4's frontal armour is quite resilient, being able to take shots confidently (unless the shot strikes a weakspot on the oscillating turret). It can even bounce shots from a Tiger I if angled properly! However, against its Cold War counterparts such as the M41, T29, etc, the armour will get easily penetrated. Moreover, the side and rear armour are thin, only being able to shrug off small calibre rounds when angled, underscoring the significance of strategic positioning during combat scenarios.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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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.'' -->
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,550|rbMinHp=884}}
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Post-war French designs are all very good at moving around: they have good engines, wide tracks and can easily achieve ~40 km/h offroad. The {{PAGENAME}} may be the worst of them all, on par with the [[AMX-50 (TOA100)]] as they share a very similar hull; but they still have above average mobility, when compared to other medium tanks at the same BR.
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With a speed of 50 km/h and nice acceleration, the AMX M4 can quickly relocate to anywhere on the map, giving it an advantage over most other tanks. The player should favour straight routes and/or minimal uphills when moving, to maximise speed throughout the manoeuvre.
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The reverse speed of -20 km/h is fast enough for short range retreats and relocating, but for long range it is still best to turn the hull around.
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 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
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== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
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=== Main armament ===
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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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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{{main|SA47 (90 mm)}}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[SA47 (90 mm)|90 mm SA47]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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!Autoloader
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 49 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
 +
|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
 +
|-
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|}
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 +
The gun has exceptionally good armour penetration for its rank, exceeding even that of the [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun]] used on the [[Tiger II (Family)|Tiger II]], allowing the AMX M4 to effortlessly penetrate the front of the toughest nuts around this BR, such as the Tiger II, [[T29]], and even the [[Maus]] at close range! This firepower advantage is further exaggerated by its autoloader, providing a fast reload of 6.7 seconds until the 7-shot magazine is empty, a very good rate of fire for the BR. All French medium rank IV tanks share this good reload rate, this is their most prominent selling point.
 +
 
 +
The 90 mm only fires solid-shot armour-piercing rounds like most French tanks of this period. However, the fragmentation effect of these larger shells is much greater than the long 75 mm gun of the [[AMX-13]] and is sufficient for one-shot kills on most enemy vehicles with careful aiming. It is also recommended to bring a few rounds of high-explosive shells to deal with lightly armoured vehicles (e.g. [[Pbv 501]], [[M53/59]], [[M50]], etc), especially since the autoloader speeds up the ammo-switching process.
 +
 
 +
The oscillating turret design also allows a high gun placement, which means you can fire over hills by exposing only the strong top portion of your tank, even more so with its good -10° depression angle. When it comes to elevation, there is a problem: this tank can only lift its gun 15°, which makes defending against planes impossible and an uphill battle a bit challenging. Lastly, the fast turret rotation of around 25°/s is great for the AMX M4 to deal with threats from multiple directions with ease.
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:SA47 (90 mm)/Ammunition|PCO-50, 90 mm Obus explosif}}
  
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== Weaponry ==
+
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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=== Main weaponry ===
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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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 flexibilty 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.''
+
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.3.0.27''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
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! 6th<br>rack empty
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! 7th<br>rack empty
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! 8th<br>rack empty
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! 9th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''49''' || 45&nbsp;''(+4)'' || 43&nbsp;''(+6)'' || 36&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+20)'' || 22&nbsp;''(+27)'' || 15&nbsp;''(+34)'' || 11&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 8&nbsp;''(+41)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+48)'' || No
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|-
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|}
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Notes:
  
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=== Additional weaponry ===
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* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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* Rack 9 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 7 shells.
 +
** This racks gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
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** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
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** Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun (about 15 seconds). Take this into account when playing.
 +
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 5 into rack 7* then 6*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
 +
** The depletion order at full capacity is: 9 - 1 - 2 up to 8.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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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.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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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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{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
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| Coaxial || 5,100 (150) || 551 || - || -
 +
|-
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|}
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 +
The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
At its BR, 80 mm of sloped frontal armour might be sufficient to endure close range fights (as long as it is facing the correct enemy with its frontal armour). But what this tank is really good at is, as any other French rank IV, sniping: a very good gun, great depression and fire rate make it very deadly.
 +
 
 +
Beyond its armour head-on, the oscillating turret and autoloader on top of its mobility provide a tactical edge in engagements, ensuring rapid and precise responses. This technological enhancement transforms the tank into a formidable force during flanking manoeuvres, allowing for a rapid succession of shots followed by a tactical withdrawal. While this dynamic manoeuvre adds a layer of unpredictability to its tactics, it introduces the vulnerability of exposing the tank's comparatively weaker side armour.
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
This tank can be used in almost all roles on the battlefield, as long as the context is on its side. Here are some roles this tank is the most efficient at:
−
''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 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).''
+
 
 +
'''Sniper:'''
 +
 
 +
This is clearly this tank's intended role: at all BR placements, it provides the best results for this tank. There is only a few things that can defeat such tactic: drastically better firepower and thick frontal armour faced towards it. This gun's performance is not the best at its rank, in that way, the AMX M4 may have to rely on surprise attacks to its foes' sides in order to disable them. Use this tank's great mobility to get into a good spot and reposition whenever it is needed do not allow approaching targets as they increase their chances to take you out. Plan you escape in advance: your reverse speed won't allow for hasty retreats.
 +
 
 +
'''Frontline fights:'''
 +
 
 +
When facing lower BR tanks, the AMX can easily be used in the same role as Panther tanks: breakthrough... but with reserve, your side armour won't allow even the slightest side shot. Use your good reload speed and turret rate to their best: fast reaction times and multi-target engagements are possible.
 +
 
 +
'''Flanking:'''
 +
 
 +
Use your speed and firepower to outpace the enemy advance. All considerations from the sniper role can be taken into consideration when flanking, the only difference being a more consistent usage of this tank's mobility.
 +
 
 +
'''Support:'''
 +
 
 +
The AMX M4 will not be fit for brawling against more advanced tanks. However, there is still a place for it in the Frontline if its commander is ever so daring. The supporting tank follows closely behind the heavy tanks, using them as shields. When an enemy fires at the heavy tank, the support tank should momentarily get out of cover, fire into the soft part of their frontal armour, cannon barrel, and/or the enemy's tracks. The support tank then comes back behind cover, readying itself for attacking again.
 +
 
 +
The AMX M4 wields this role well, as it has good manoeuvrability, good acceleration, and a quick-firing cannon. It is however, a tall tank, so be wary of seeking cover behind any low-profile heavy tank and it has a below average reverse speed.
 +
 
 +
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
 +
 
 +
* [[M109 (Family)|M109]]: this is a commonly seen self-propelled howitzer armed with a 155 mm cannon, firing HE shells. This plus its good speed means that it can easily over-pressure the AMX M4 at any distance and angle, making it a huge threat. Luckily, it has thin armour, so a shot to the hull or turret will be deadly to the M109.
 +
* [[Maus]]: this moving fortress can seem very formidable. Indeed, one AMX M4 alone usually isn't enough to destroy a Maus, but the player can still utilise the tank's good speed, agility, and penetration to weaken the Maus until reinforcements arrive. Firstly, do not peek out to fire if the Maus is aiming at your general direction. If it's not or it's reloading, target the tracks first, then the main gun barrel. Then if the turret or hull is at a good flat angle to you, target the flat armour. Try to maintain a rough distance of 150-400 m, as any closer makes it very easy for the Maus to angle and render the AMX M4's shots useless, and too far the penetration of the 90 mm SA47 gun will drop below the point where it can go through the Maus' frontal turret. Lastly, call an artillery strike on a disabled Maus, and mark it on the minimap for your teammates.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
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<!-- ''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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Fast 51 km/h speed and good agility (-20 km/h reverse, neutral steering)
 +
* Frontal armour is tough against WW2 tanks like [[T-34-85]], [[M18 Hellcat (Family)|M18]]
 +
* Potent 90 mm gun (same as [[ARL-44]] or [[Char 25t]]: easy learning curve)
 +
* Good gun depression and turret rotation
 +
* Fast reload between 7 shots due to autoloader
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
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== Historical part ==
+
* Overall thin armour and low survivability against Cold War opponents
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''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Bad gun elevation angles
 +
* Long reload time after 7 autoloader shots
 +
* Ammo always held in reload mechanism makes it easy ammo rack targets
 +
* Large hull, hard to hide
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
===Design===
 +
In the late 1940s, the French Army was looking to replace the medium tanks Panther and ARL 44 that were becoming obsolete with a new 50t medium tank. The new tank was to be the future spearhead of French armoured divisions. The French company AMX started working on a proposal which was essentially an improved Tiger II on the drawing board. The project evolved and later resulted in the AMX-50 tank. The AMX M4 present in the game is the first prototype of the project.
 +
 
 +
===Development===
 +
In order to save weight from the Tiger II's initial weight of 70 tons, the first AMX proposal was an underarmoured version of the Tiger II with only 30 mm armour plates. The French Army quickly indicated that such a thickness was too weak for the intended purpose. The armour of the hull was increased to 80 mm frontally and 40 mm for the sides and the weight-saving measures were then applied to other components. The original turret was changed for an oscillating turret whose design was already available and the suspension wheels were redesigned to get rid of the interleaving wheels. The new version was approved and a first prototype was produced at the end of 1949. It sported the already available 90 mm SA 45 gun from the ARL 44, whose performance was equal to the 88 mm KwK43 equipping the Tiger II. The first prototype was dubbed M4 and had a weight slightly above 50 tons. The second prototype was produced 1 year later with the 100 mm SA 47 L/50 gun and a slightly modified turret, and resulted in the AMX-50 tank.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
The AMX M4 was the first prototype of what would be the AMX-50 and never saw either service or combat action with the French Army.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''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=fr_amx_m4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
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== Read also ==
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;Videos
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
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{{Youtube-gallery|3aCHooDoyCI|'''AMX M4, French, Tier-4, Medium Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''|zUDt1Fhrjpk|'''AMX M4 - Last Man Running - Don't Be This Guy!''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
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 +
== See also ==
 +
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''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.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
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== Sources ==
+
;Related development
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
 
 +
* [[AMX-50 (Family)]]
 +
 
 +
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
 +
 
 +
* [[Panther II]]
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''
+
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/5265-vehicle-amx-m4-en|[News] AMX M4]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:AMX-50|[Wikipedia] AMX-50]]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
 +
{{France medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 01:59, 5 October 2024

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the French medium tank AMX M4. For other uses, see M4 (Disambiguation).
AMX M4
fr_amx_m4.png
GarageImage AMX M4.jpg
ArtImage AMX M4.png
AMX M4
France flag.png France
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.7 6.7 6.7
Class:
Research:71 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:210 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

In the late 1940s, the French Army sought to replace its aging medium tanks with a new 50-ton medium tank that would serve as the main asset in armoured divisions. The French company AMX initially proposed an under-armoured version of the Tiger II tank with 30 mm plates, but after feedback from the army, the armour was enhanced to 80 mm in the front and 40 mm on the sides. Changes were made to reduce weight in other aspects of the tank, such as introducing a new oscillating turret and redesigning the suspension wheels. The first prototype, named M4, featured a 90 mm SA47 gun and was slightly over 50 tons. A second prototype with a 100 mm SA 47 L/50 gun led to the development of the AMX-50 tank.

It was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance". It uses an improved 90 mm SA47 cannon over the ARL-44 and has a 7-round autoloader and a better armour layout while being more mobile. Marking a new generation of French tanks, the AMX M4 is the prototype of what to expect from French tank development moving forward. The AMX M4 is the sturdiest representative of French rank IV vehicles, from which it shares some common features: good mobility, an oscillating turret (fitted with an autoloader), sloped armour in front and back, high hull, high gun placement, good gun depression, 4 crew members, a coaxial MAC 31 machine gun and large tracks. What distinguishes the AMX M4 is its Panther-like hull, its efficient 90 mm SA47 gun developed from the ARL-44 and the thickest armour pattern of all French ground forces with 80 mm sloped at ~55° in the frontal area.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 40 / 40
Turret85 / 60 / 40
Crew5 people
Visibility120 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret rear)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 80 mm (54°) Front glacis
35 mm (61°) Lower glacis
60 mm (38°) Front cheeks 		60 mm (38°) Top - Front cheeks
40 mm (24°) Top - Centre & rear
40 mm Bottom 		40 mm (1°) Upper plate
40 mm (29°) Lower glacis 		20 mm
5 mm Radiator vents
Turret 85 mm (60°) Turret front - Upper glacis
40+85 mm (cylindrical) Turret front - Base
60 mm (56-60°) Gun mantlet
85+100 mm Barrel shroud 		60 mm (0-61°) Turret
40 mm (0-27°) Turret base 		40 mm (0-60°) Turret bustle
25 mm (16-25°) Pivot ball
20 mm Turret underside 		20 mm
Cupola 60 mm (spherical) 60 mm Outer ring
20 mm Centre

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. Suspension wheels are interleaved and thus overlap in some areas.
  • The turret and the base overlap in some areas, leading to cumulative armour.
  • The internal armour plate separating the crew compartment and the engine bay is 5 mm thick.
  • Floor armour is 20 mm thick, with the underside of the sponsons also being 20 mm thick.

The AMX M4, a post-war French tank, is a remarkable fusion of German tank design elements, drawing inspiration from the Panther for its robust armour, the Tiger I/II for its mobility and firepower, and integrating French innovation with an oscillating turret and autoloader.

The armour profile is a notable feature, featuring an 80 mm angled front glacis and 60 mm pre-angled front cheeks, rendering it somewhat resilient in frontal engagements. Against WW2 tanks like the T-34-85 and M4A3E2, the AMX M4's frontal armour is quite resilient, being able to take shots confidently (unless the shot strikes a weakspot on the oscillating turret). It can even bounce shots from a Tiger I if angled properly! However, against its Cold War counterparts such as the M41, T29, etc, the armour will get easily penetrated. Moreover, the side and rear armour are thin, only being able to shrug off small calibre rounds when angled, underscoring the significance of strategic positioning during combat scenarios.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB58 / 22 km/h
RB and SB52 / 20 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
2 back
Weight52.0 t
Engine power
AB1 908 hp
RB and SB1 000 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB36.7 hp/t
RB and SB19.2 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 58 22 52 1,550 1,908 29.81 36.69
Realistic 52 20 884 1,000 17 19.23

Post-war French designs are all very good at moving around: they have good engines, wide tracks and can easily achieve ~40 km/h offroad. The AMX M4 may be the worst of them all, on par with the AMX-50 (TOA100) as they share a very similar hull; but they still have above average mobility, when compared to other medium tanks at the same BR.

With a speed of 50 km/h and nice acceleration, the AMX M4 can quickly relocate to anywhere on the map, giving it an advantage over most other tanks. The player should favour straight routes and/or minimal uphills when moving, to maximise speed throughout the manoeuvre.

The reverse speed of -20 km/h is fast enough for short range retreats and relocating, but for long range it is still best to turn the hull around.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 583 → 4 611 Sl icon.png
RB4 192 → 5 395 Sl icon.png
SB5 456 → 7 021 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications61 400 Rp icon.png
102 100 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 800 Ge icon.png
Crew training61 000 Sl icon.png
Experts210 000 Sl icon.png
Aces890 Ge icon.png
Research Aces570 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
120 / 180 / 210 % Sl icon.png
178 / 178 / 178 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 800 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 800 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 800 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 500 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
6 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
6 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 800 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 800 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement fr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 500 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 800 Sl icon.png
170 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
3 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 800 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 500 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
6 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

90 mm SA47 cannon
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition49 rounds
First-order7 rounds
Reload6.7 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 15°
Main article: SA47 (90 mm)
90 mm SA47 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Autoloader
Arcade 49 -10°/+15° ±180° N/A 28.6 39.5 48.0 53.1 56.5 6.70
Realistic 17.9 21.0 25.5 28.2 30.0

The gun has exceptionally good armour penetration for its rank, exceeding even that of the 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun used on the Tiger II, allowing the AMX M4 to effortlessly penetrate the front of the toughest nuts around this BR, such as the Tiger II, T29, and even the Maus at close range! This firepower advantage is further exaggerated by its autoloader, providing a fast reload of 6.7 seconds until the 7-shot magazine is empty, a very good rate of fire for the BR. All French medium rank IV tanks share this good reload rate, this is their most prominent selling point.

The 90 mm only fires solid-shot armour-piercing rounds like most French tanks of this period. However, the fragmentation effect of these larger shells is much greater than the long 75 mm gun of the AMX-13 and is sufficient for one-shot kills on most enemy vehicles with careful aiming. It is also recommended to bring a few rounds of high-explosive shells to deal with lightly armoured vehicles (e.g. Pbv 501, M53/59, M50, etc), especially since the autoloader speeds up the ammo-switching process.

The oscillating turret design also allows a high gun placement, which means you can fire over hills by exposing only the strong top portion of your tank, even more so with its good -10° depression angle. When it comes to elevation, there is a problem: this tank can only lift its gun 15°, which makes defending against planes impossible and an uphill battle a bit challenging. Lastly, the fast turret rotation of around 25°/s is great for the AMX M4 to deal with threats from multiple directions with ease.

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
PCO-50 APCBC 259 256 243 228 213 200
Obus explosif HE 17 17 15 14 13 13
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%
PCO-50 APCBC 1,030 11.2 - - - 48° 63° 71°
Obus explosif HE 700 11.3 0.2 0.1 945 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the AMX M4
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
49 45 (+4) 43 (+6) 36 (+13) 29 (+20) 22 (+27) 15 (+34) 11 (+38) 8 (+41) 1 (+48) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • Rack 9 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 7 shells.
    • This racks gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
    • As the AMX M4 is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
    • Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun (about 15 seconds). Take this into account when playing.
    • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 5 into rack 7* then 6*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
    • The depletion order at full capacity is: 9 - 1 - 2 up to 8.

Machine guns

7.5 mm MAC 31 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition5 100 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reload5.0 s
Fire rate551 shots/min
Main article: MAC 31 (7.5 mm)
7.5 mm MAC 31
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 5,100 (150) 551 - -

The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Usage in battles

At its BR, 80 mm of sloped frontal armour might be sufficient to endure close range fights (as long as it is facing the correct enemy with its frontal armour). But what this tank is really good at is, as any other French rank IV, sniping: a very good gun, great depression and fire rate make it very deadly.

Beyond its armour head-on, the oscillating turret and autoloader on top of its mobility provide a tactical edge in engagements, ensuring rapid and precise responses. This technological enhancement transforms the tank into a formidable force during flanking manoeuvres, allowing for a rapid succession of shots followed by a tactical withdrawal. While this dynamic manoeuvre adds a layer of unpredictability to its tactics, it introduces the vulnerability of exposing the tank's comparatively weaker side armour.

This tank can be used in almost all roles on the battlefield, as long as the context is on its side. Here are some roles this tank is the most efficient at:

Sniper:

This is clearly this tank's intended role: at all BR placements, it provides the best results for this tank. There is only a few things that can defeat such tactic: drastically better firepower and thick frontal armour faced towards it. This gun's performance is not the best at its rank, in that way, the AMX M4 may have to rely on surprise attacks to its foes' sides in order to disable them. Use this tank's great mobility to get into a good spot and reposition whenever it is needed do not allow approaching targets as they increase their chances to take you out. Plan you escape in advance: your reverse speed won't allow for hasty retreats.

Frontline fights:

When facing lower BR tanks, the AMX can easily be used in the same role as Panther tanks: breakthrough... but with reserve, your side armour won't allow even the slightest side shot. Use your good reload speed and turret rate to their best: fast reaction times and multi-target engagements are possible.

Flanking:

Use your speed and firepower to outpace the enemy advance. All considerations from the sniper role can be taken into consideration when flanking, the only difference being a more consistent usage of this tank's mobility.

Support:

The AMX M4 will not be fit for brawling against more advanced tanks. However, there is still a place for it in the Frontline if its commander is ever so daring. The supporting tank follows closely behind the heavy tanks, using them as shields. When an enemy fires at the heavy tank, the support tank should momentarily get out of cover, fire into the soft part of their frontal armour, cannon barrel, and/or the enemy's tracks. The support tank then comes back behind cover, readying itself for attacking again.

The AMX M4 wields this role well, as it has good manoeuvrability, good acceleration, and a quick-firing cannon. It is however, a tall tank, so be wary of seeking cover behind any low-profile heavy tank and it has a below average reverse speed.

Enemies worth noting:

  • M109: this is a commonly seen self-propelled howitzer armed with a 155 mm cannon, firing HE shells. This plus its good speed means that it can easily over-pressure the AMX M4 at any distance and angle, making it a huge threat. Luckily, it has thin armour, so a shot to the hull or turret will be deadly to the M109.
  • Maus: this moving fortress can seem very formidable. Indeed, one AMX M4 alone usually isn't enough to destroy a Maus, but the player can still utilise the tank's good speed, agility, and penetration to weaken the Maus until reinforcements arrive. Firstly, do not peek out to fire if the Maus is aiming at your general direction. If it's not or it's reloading, target the tracks first, then the main gun barrel. Then if the turret or hull is at a good flat angle to you, target the flat armour. Try to maintain a rough distance of 150-400 m, as any closer makes it very easy for the Maus to angle and render the AMX M4's shots useless, and too far the penetration of the 90 mm SA47 gun will drop below the point where it can go through the Maus' frontal turret. Lastly, call an artillery strike on a disabled Maus, and mark it on the minimap for your teammates.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Fast 51 km/h speed and good agility (-20 km/h reverse, neutral steering)
  • Frontal armour is tough against WW2 tanks like T-34-85, M18
  • Potent 90 mm gun (same as ARL-44 or Char 25t: easy learning curve)
  • Good gun depression and turret rotation
  • Fast reload between 7 shots due to autoloader

Cons:

  • Overall thin armour and low survivability against Cold War opponents
  • Bad gun elevation angles
  • Long reload time after 7 autoloader shots
  • Ammo always held in reload mechanism makes it easy ammo rack targets
  • Large hull, hard to hide

History

Design

In the late 1940s, the French Army was looking to replace the medium tanks Panther and ARL 44 that were becoming obsolete with a new 50t medium tank. The new tank was to be the future spearhead of French armoured divisions. The French company AMX started working on a proposal which was essentially an improved Tiger II on the drawing board. The project evolved and later resulted in the AMX-50 tank. The AMX M4 present in the game is the first prototype of the project.

Development

In order to save weight from the Tiger II's initial weight of 70 tons, the first AMX proposal was an underarmoured version of the Tiger II with only 30 mm armour plates. The French Army quickly indicated that such a thickness was too weak for the intended purpose. The armour of the hull was increased to 80 mm frontally and 40 mm for the sides and the weight-saving measures were then applied to other components. The original turret was changed for an oscillating turret whose design was already available and the suspension wheels were redesigned to get rid of the interleaving wheels. The new version was approved and a first prototype was produced at the end of 1949. It sported the already available 90 mm SA 45 gun from the ARL 44, whose performance was equal to the 88 mm KwK43 equipping the Tiger II. The first prototype was dubbed M4 and had a weight slightly above 50 tons. The second prototype was produced 1 year later with the 100 mm SA 47 L/50 gun and a slightly modified turret, and resulted in the AMX-50 tank.

Combat usage

The AMX M4 was the first prototype of what would be the AMX-50 and never saw either service or combat action with the French Army.

Media

Skins
Videos
AMX M4, French, Tier-4, Medium Tank - Angry Nerd Gaming
AMX M4 - Last Man Running - Don't Be This Guy! - Napalmratte

See also

Related development
Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


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

France medium tanks
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

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