Difference between revisions of "Leopard A1A1 (L/44)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_leopard_a1a1_120}}
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{{About
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| about = gift German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other variants
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| link = Leopard 1 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_leopard_a1a1_120
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Leopard_A1A1_(L_44).jpg|ArtImage_Leopard_A1A1_(L-44).png}}
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|store=6384
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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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[[File:GarageImage Leopard A1A1 (L 44).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].
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{{break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].
 
  
 
== 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 helpful 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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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
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Players who have purchased the Leopard A1A1 L/44 should be familiar with the armour of non-premium Leopard 1s. If not, the Leopard may not be what people expect a tank to be. It was developed before composite materials were discovered at a time where HEAT shells were so effective that in order for armour to be effective, it would be so thick that it would not be practical. Hence, the designers of Leopard 1s, knowing that there was no possible way of stopping HEAT rounds, removed the concept of armour. In essence, the Leopard A1A1 has no armour. The front hull, accounting slope, is only some 130 mm thick. The turret and gun mantlet are some 100 mm depending on the angle. The [[BMP-2]]'s autocannon, for instance, loaded with APDS, will penetrate your turret and will cause major damage. Any HEAT projectile impacting the tank will likely result in instantly being destroyed. However, the engine block can at times reliably save the crew from HEAT shells. APDS and APFSDS are a different story. The armour on the Leopard A1A1 is so thin that most non-explosive-filled shells will seldom cause spalling upon penetrating the side of the tank. Frontal penetrations will cause much more damage, as the armour is just enough to cause spalling.
  
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Players who have purchased the Leopard A1A1 L44 should be familiar with the armor of non-premium Leopard 1s. If not, the Leopard may not be what people expect a tank to be. It was developed before composite materials were discovered at a time where HEAT shells were so effective that in order for armour to be effective, it would be so thick that it would not be practical. Hence, the designers of Leopard 1s, knowing that there was no possible way of stopping HEAT rounds, removed the concept of armor. In essence, the Leopard A1A1 has no armor. The front hull, accounting slope, is only some 130mm thick. The turret and gun mantle is some 100mm depending on angle. [[BMP-2]]'s auto-cannon, racked with APDS, will penetrate your turret and will cause major damage. Any HEAT projectile impacting the tank will likely result in instantly being destroyed. However, the engine block can at times reliably save the crew from HEAT shells. APDS and APFSDS are a different story. The armor on the Leopard A1A1 is so thin that most non-explosive-filled shells will seldom cause spalling upon penetrating the side of the tank. Frontal penetrations will cause much more damage, as the armor is just enough to cause spalling.  
+
The ready rack ammo is stored vertically within your turret to the left side of the tank. So AP penetrations to the right side of your tank may not set off the ammo. But, 3/4 of your crew are seated in a single file on the right side. So a penetration will knock you out nonetheless. Try to take no more than 18 shells, as it will increase the likelihood of ammo cook-off. The point is not to get hit, because if anything hits you, it will go through, and it will cause damage.
  
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The ready rack ammo is stored vertically within your turret to the left side of the tank. So AP penetrations to the right side of your tank may not set off the ammo. But, 3/4 of your crew are sited in a single file on the right side. So a penetration will knock you out nonetheless. Try to take no more than 20 shells, as it will increase the likelihood of ammo cook-off. The point is not to get hit, because if anything hits you, it will go through, and it will cause damage.  
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In some cases, you could operate the tank backwards and use your engine block as a shield, as most HEAT shells will be absorbed by your transmission, radiator and engine, although in this position you have limited depression as the engine block forces the gun upwards. Despite these limitations, the tank can be surprisingly survivable, provided it is played carefully rather than relying on the armour. Also, it will usually take 2 hits to kill this tank, so if you are hit, pop smoke, retreat, repair, and re-appear somewhere else on the map.
  
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In some cases, you could operate the tank backwards and use your engine block as shield, as most HEAT shells will be absorbed by your transmission, radiator and engine.
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'''Armour type:'''
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 +
*Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
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*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
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|-
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| Hull || 70 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 50 mm (50°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 35 (39-41°) mm ''Top hull side'' <br> 30 + 5 mm ''Bottom hull side'' || 25 mm (8-48°) || 30 mm ''Front area'' <br> 15-25 mm ''Rear area''
 +
|-
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| Turret || 45-200 mm (0-60°) ''Turret front/Gun mantlet'' || 37-45 (21-49°)+ 10-20 (0-34°) mm || 38-52 (22-54°) + 10 (9-10°) mm <br> 25 mm (65°) ''Bustle belly''|| 25-35 mm ''Turret roof'' <br> 20-25 mm ''Cupola area''
 +
|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
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 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
 +
* The turret mantlet has a varying thickness of 45 - 200 mm thick. It is thickest near the center.
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* 10 mm of track armour added onto front hull glacis
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== 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 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=1,286|rbMinHp=734}}
  
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The mobility of the Leopard A1A1 is between the [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] and [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM-1]]. Forward speed off road, expect some 40-50km/h. Reverse is about 15km/h off road. The neutral steering is absolutely amazing, you are able to swivel your tank easily. The suspensions are also great, very soft with great dampening effects, so expect a smooth drive. 
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The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is between the [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] and [[T-55AM-1]]. Forward speed off-road, expect some 40-50 km/h. The reverse is about -15 km/h off-road. The neutral steering is absolutely amazing, you are able to swivel your tank easily. The suspensions are also great, very soft with great dampening effects, so expect a smooth drive. Overall, manoeuvrability is excellent, and should be used to your advantage since the tank has limited armour.
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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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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{{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|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}
  
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The legendary 120mm Rheinmetall L44 cannon does not fall short of its name. You get access to only two types of shells, APFSDS and HEAT-FS. Although the APFSDS sounds like a decent option, it actually isn’t. Apart from the fact that it cost SL to use, it also isn't very good at destroying your greatest threats: BMPs. Most times, the APFSDS will fly right through lightly armored vehicles with its 390mm penetration. The HEAT-FS, on the other hand, will result in hull-breaks on lightly armored targets while also being free of cost. The 120 mm HEAT with its 650mm penetration is able hull-break [[Object 120]]s and [[Object 906|906]]s, and anything that's not a MBT. For example, you can hit the tracks of an anti-aircraft vehicle, and it will hull-break. As such, the HEAT-FS has some more favorable characteristics than the APFSDS, while also retaining the fast velocity of 1100m/s, so it is quite easy to aim.  
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The legendary 120 mm Rheinmetall L44 cannon does not fall short of its name. You get access to only two types of shells, DM13 APFSDS and DM12 HEATFS, with both being highly competitive and effective at its battle rating. The DM13 APFSDS round has a whopping 390 mm of penetration and is capable of defeating any armour of any tank this tank may potentially face, bar the [[T-64B]]. The round also travels extremely fast at 1,650 m/s, making long-range shooting and hitting moving targets exceptionally easy. The HEATFS, on the other hand, will overpressurize lightly-armoured targets while also being free of cost. The 120 mm HEAT with its 480 mm penetration is able to destroy [[Object 120]] and [[Object 906|906]] and anything that's not a main battle tank. The 1,140 m/s velocity may, however, make long-range engagements more difficult, especially when dealing with moving targets.
  
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Note that the "Stabilized" gun is only really stable when travelling under 30km/h. 
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The L44 also features a decent reload time of 8.7 seconds stock and 6.7 seconds spaded, which is comparable to its 105 mm armed counterpart. The gun also features a stabiliser, making firing on the move a definite capability. However, it only works up to around 30 to 40 km/h. Beyond that, the gun becomes quite jittery and hard to aim.
  
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=== Additional armament ===
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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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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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | 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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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
 +
|-
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! ''Realistic''
 +
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
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 +
==== Ammunition ====
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{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM13, DM12}}
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 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_Leopard A1A1_(L_44).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
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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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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''41''' || 12&nbsp;''(+29)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+40)'' || No
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|-
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|}
  
 
=== 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.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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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|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}
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The {{PAGENAME}} mounts one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and one pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. These both have particularly high rates of fire, while these are more of deterrents to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, as the small calibre bullets will rarely cause critical damage to aircraft, they can also be useful to clear light obstacles and crew in open-top vehicles.
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
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| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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''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).''
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
==== Arcade battles ====
 +
The Leopard A1A1 (L/44) sports an excellent 120 mm L/44 cannon which can make short work of any vehicle that it sees without any issues. However, its armour is extremely lacking and the mobility while good is not as good as an OF-40 (MTCA) or AMX-30 Super. Playing in Arcade battles, it's best to make sure that you are always the first to fire, ensuring you get the jump on your enemies first. What's best done is to hull down and take advantage of the rather good 9 degrees of gun depression and ensuring that you are currently covering a relatively active zone of combat. With its cannon, it can be a very effective sniper or defensive vehicle as those both styles usually involves getting the jump on the enemy while remaining stationary in a concealed position. If done right, the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) can be an extremely effective weapon in Arcade Battles. It's still best to prioritize targets by targeting the most dangerous ones first in order to be of most help to your team. The tank's mobility does allow for flanking however avoid direct confrontation as much as possible.
 +
 
 +
==== Realistic battles ====
 +
The primary role of the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) should be that of a long-range sniper and flanker. Its incredible firepower with its 120 mm gun makes it easy to engage and destroy any tank from long distances while remaining concealed and thus protected from enemy fire. The good mobility on this vehicle allows you to reach good positions to snipe from and the laser rangefinder makes long-range targeting easy. The lack of armour on this tank makes direct engagements very risky and often nonviable so keeping at a distance maximizes your chances of survival and opportunity to inflict damage. Alternatively, the Leopard can be employed in flanking manoeuvres, using its good mobility to encircle the enemy and destroy them while they are unaware, again removing the danger of enemy fire destroying your tank. If you want to take a risk, you could rush a cap circle at the beginning of a match, if you tag along with other, better armed MBTs. However, this will almost always result in being destroyed, especially since the vehicle is vulnerable to artillery.
 +
 
 +
=====Up-tiered Gameplay=====
 +
When using the {{PAGENAME}} in uptiers, the tank can still exceed if played like a light tank or IFV, as the A1A1 platform behaves very similarly to IFVs with decent (although comparatively lacking) mobility. Since most in-game IFVs also have less mobility than the top-rank MBTs, learning how to make the most out of this disadvantage would be beneficial skill transfer to the {{PAGENAME}} gameplay. The DM13 APFSDS round would serve the {{PAGENAME}} well even in an uptier provided it hits top-rank MBTs in their weak spots, though this knowledge would still be important to know even when using other higher-ranked MBTs like the [[Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123)]].
 +
 
 +
Flanking is still very strong, especially when your enemy is caught by surprise or is otherwise occupied. Rushing can also be a viable strategy when working alongside teammates, however you would be well-advised to use this strategy sparingly, as many of the tanks in this BR range are superior to you in every way possible, so timing will be crucial to ensure the enemy is inclined to engage a more significant threat first, thus allowing you to achieve good positioning on him before he can engage you. For the most part, playing this tank in the 10.0 bracket will require you to stay near teammates and play a support role, or flank the enemy and snipe those who are engaging your teammates. Remember that your tank is worse than those of your teammates, so they are unlikely to prioritize helping you, should you be left in need of repairs or firefighting. As such, flanking to snipe will require good instincts, so the enemy doesn't engage you.
  
 
=== 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. Try not to 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".'' -->
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'''Pros:'''
 
  
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* Good mobility
+
'''Pros:'''
−
* Effective gun with well-performing HEATFS
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−
* Good reverse speed
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* Good mobility with excellent hull traverse and reverse speeds
 +
* Effective gun with powerful ammunition able to defeat any opponent at its battle rating
 +
* The reload speed hasn't changed despite its new 120 mm cannon
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* Laser rangefinder
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* Keeps the same good mobility, despite the 0.3 tons weight increase
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* Thermal sight for gunner
 +
* Excels at long-range engagements
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
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* Inadequate armor
+
* Armour does not reliably protect against even autocannons
−
* Engine prone to fire
+
* No available heavy machine gun, often helpless against helicopter attacks
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* Ammunition exposed
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* Huge ammo rack in hull, any penetrating shot at the area will destroy the tank
 +
* Only generation 1 thermals and no CITV
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!--''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 "/ 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''-->
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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Development of a Leopard 1 fitted with the 120mm L44 cannon began as a private venture of the Rheinmetall company, hoping that such a Leopard 1 variant would be of interest, not just to the German army due to logistical commonalities with the Leopard 2 and higher performance of the gun, but also to international customers seeking third generation MBT features on older machines.
+
==== Leopard 1A6 Project ====
 +
The Leopard A1A1 (L/44), also known as the "Leopard 1A6" was a testbed which utilized the Leopard A1A1 hull along with a modified Leopard 1 turret, featuring supplemental armor and a modified mantlet created to accept the Rhenmetall L/44 120mm smoothbore cannon. The project was cancelled in 1987 after it was determined the Leopard 1A5 upgrade package was comparable in effectiveness at a fraction of the cost, and the Leopard 2 had been in widespread service by then, so an expensive upgrade package to bring the Leopard 1 up to the same level as more modern MBTs was seen as unnecessary.
 +
==== [[wt:en/news/5724-development-leopard-1-with-the-rheinmetall-120mm-l44-en|Devblog]] ====
 +
Development of a Leopard 1 fitted with the 120 mm L44 cannon began as a private venture of the Rheinmetall company, hoping that such a Leopard 1 variant would be of interest, not just to the German army due to logistical commonalities with the Leopard 2 and higher performance of the gun, but also to international customers seeking third generation MBT features on older machines.
 +
 
 +
In the early 1980s, a Leopard 1A1A1 was modified with a thicker cast steel mantlet, suitable for mounting the Rheinmetall 120 mm cannon, and additional interior changes to hold the respective ammunition. Further changes were applied in early 1985, with the installation of the EMES 18 fire control system from the Leopard 1A5.
 +
 
 +
Although there were several different prototypes based on Leopard 1 outfitted with the 120 mm Rheinmetall cannon, none of them managed to justify a costly large scale upgrade effort of existing Leopard 1s. The upgrade was largely considered redundant due to the already more advanced Leopard 2 being in service.
  
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In the early 1980s, a Leopard 1A1A1 was modified with a thicker cast steel mantlet, suitable for mounting the Rheinmetall 120mm cannon, and additional interior changes to hold the respective ammunition. Further changes were applied in early 1985, with the installation of the EMES 18 fire control system from the Leopard 1A5.
+
== Media ==
 +
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
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Although there were several different prototypes based on Leopard 1 outfitted with the 120mm Rheinmetall cannon, none of them managed to justify a costly large scale upgrade effort of existing Leopard 1s. The upgrade was largely considered redundant due to the already more advanced Leopard 2 being in service.
+
;Skins
  
−
''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5724-development-leopard-1-with-the-rheinmetall-120mm-l44-en Devblog]''
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_a1a1_120 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
−
== Media ==
+
;Videos
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
{{Youtube-gallery|Gta_R82mUXg|'''Premium Vehicles: Leopard 1A1A1 mit L/44''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''|Vm0waTJnLrM|'''Downtiered and More Competitive - Leopard A1A1 L/44 - RB Gameplay''' - ''Jim Chamberlin''|VSCwCJOW4-Q|'''The Shooting Range #117''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:53 discusses the Leopard A1A1 (L/44).|nwskQP2t5Io|'''Leo A1A1 (L/44) - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!--''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;''
 +
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
  
−
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
;[[Leopard 1 (Family)|Related development]]
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
 
 +
* [[Leopard 1A5]] - Base model of the L/44 installation
 +
 
 +
;Similar vehicles of the era that were up-gunned
 +
 
 +
* [[M60 AMBT]] - Upgunned [[M60A3 TTS|M60A3]] with a 120 mm
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5724-development-leopard-1-with-the-rheinmetall-120mm-l44-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leopard 1 with the Rheinmetall 120mm L44]
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* [[wt:en/news/5724-development-leopard-1-with-the-rheinmetall-120mm-l44-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leopard 1 with the Rheinmetall 120mm L44]]
  
 
{{Germany medium tanks}}
 
{{Germany medium tanks}}
 
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}
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Latest revision as of 09:45, 18 October 2024

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the gift German medium tank Leopard A1A1 (L/44). For other variants, see Leopard 1 (Family).
Leopard A1A1 (L/44)
germ_leopard_a1a1_120.png
GarageImage Leopard A1A1 (L 44).jpg
ArtImage Leopard A1A1 (L-44).png
Leopard A1A1 (L/44)
Germany flag.png Germany
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
9.3 9.3 9.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game
STORE

Description

The Leopard A1A1 (L/44) is a premium gift rank VI German medium tank with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.81 "The Valkyries".

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull70 / 35 / 25
Turret65 / 45 / 52
Crew4 people
Visibility95 %

Players who have purchased the Leopard A1A1 L/44 should be familiar with the armour of non-premium Leopard 1s. If not, the Leopard may not be what people expect a tank to be. It was developed before composite materials were discovered at a time where HEAT shells were so effective that in order for armour to be effective, it would be so thick that it would not be practical. Hence, the designers of Leopard 1s, knowing that there was no possible way of stopping HEAT rounds, removed the concept of armour. In essence, the Leopard A1A1 has no armour. The front hull, accounting slope, is only some 130 mm thick. The turret and gun mantlet are some 100 mm depending on the angle. The BMP-2's autocannon, for instance, loaded with APDS, will penetrate your turret and will cause major damage. Any HEAT projectile impacting the tank will likely result in instantly being destroyed. However, the engine block can at times reliably save the crew from HEAT shells. APDS and APFSDS are a different story. The armour on the Leopard A1A1 is so thin that most non-explosive-filled shells will seldom cause spalling upon penetrating the side of the tank. Frontal penetrations will cause much more damage, as the armour is just enough to cause spalling.

The ready rack ammo is stored vertically within your turret to the left side of the tank. So AP penetrations to the right side of your tank may not set off the ammo. But, 3/4 of your crew are seated in a single file on the right side. So a penetration will knock you out nonetheless. Try to take no more than 18 shells, as it will increase the likelihood of ammo cook-off. The point is not to get hit, because if anything hits you, it will go through, and it will cause damage.

In some cases, you could operate the tank backwards and use your engine block as a shield, as most HEAT shells will be absorbed by your transmission, radiator and engine, although in this position you have limited depression as the engine block forces the gun upwards. Despite these limitations, the tank can be surprisingly survivable, provided it is played carefully rather than relying on the armour. Also, it will usually take 2 hits to kill this tank, so if you are hit, pop smoke, retreat, repair, and re-appear somewhere else on the map.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides (Slope angle) Rear Roof
Hull 70 mm (60°) Front glacis
50 mm (50°) Bottom glacis 		35 (39-41°) mm Top hull side
30 + 5 mm Bottom hull side 		25 mm (8-48°) 30 mm Front area
15-25 mm Rear area
Turret 45-200 mm (0-60°) Turret front/Gun mantlet 37-45 (21-49°)+ 10-20 (0-34°) mm 38-52 (22-54°) + 10 (9-10°) mm
25 mm (65°) Bustle belly		 25-35 mm Turret roof
20-25 mm Cupola area

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • The turret mantlet has a varying thickness of 45 - 200 mm thick. It is thickest near the center.
  • 10 mm of track armour added onto front hull glacis

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB73 / 28 km/h
RB and SB66 / 26 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
4 back
Weight43.0 t
Engine power
AB1 584 hp
RB and SB830 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB36.8 hp/t
RB and SB19.3 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 73 28 43 1,286 1,584 29.91 36.84
Realistic 66 26 734 830 17.07 19.3

The mobility of the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) is between the XM-1 and T-55AM-1. Forward speed off-road, expect some 40-50 km/h. The reverse is about -15 km/h off-road. The neutral steering is absolutely amazing, you are able to swivel your tank easily. The suspensions are also great, very soft with great dampening effects, so expect a smooth drive. Overall, manoeuvrability is excellent, and should be used to your advantage since the tank has limited armour.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB3 145 Sl icon.png
RB3 217 Sl icon.png
SB3 976 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts1 010 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 100 Ge icon.png
Research Aces2 020 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 150 / 200 / 240 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 226 / 226 / 226 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_NATO_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

120 mm Rh120 L/44 cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Ammunition41 rounds
First-order11 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.7 → 6.7 s
Vertical guidance-9° / 20°
Main article: Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)

The legendary 120 mm Rheinmetall L44 cannon does not fall short of its name. You get access to only two types of shells, DM13 APFSDS and DM12 HEATFS, with both being highly competitive and effective at its battle rating. The DM13 APFSDS round has a whopping 390 mm of penetration and is capable of defeating any armour of any tank this tank may potentially face, bar the T-64B. The round also travels extremely fast at 1,650 m/s, making long-range shooting and hitting moving targets exceptionally easy. The HEATFS, on the other hand, will overpressurize lightly-armoured targets while also being free of cost. The 120 mm HEAT with its 480 mm penetration is able to destroy Object 120 and 906 and anything that's not a main battle tank. The 1,140 m/s velocity may, however, make long-range engagements more difficult, especially when dealing with moving targets.

The L44 also features a decent reload time of 8.7 seconds stock and 6.7 seconds spaded, which is comparable to its 105 mm armed counterpart. The gun also features a stabiliser, making firing on the move a definite capability. However, it only works up to around 30 to 40 km/h. Beyond that, the gun becomes quite jittery and hard to aim.

120 mm Rh120 L/44 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 41 -9°/+20° ±180° Two-plane 22.8 31.6 38.4 42.5 45.2 8.71 7.70 7.10 6.70
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
DM13 APFSDS 393 390 384 376 367 359
DM12 HEATFS 480 480 480 480 480 480
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
DM13 APFSDS 1,650 4.44 - - - 78° 80° 81°
DM12 HEATFS 1,140 13.5 0.05 0.1 2.15 65° 72° 77°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Leopard A1A1 (L/44)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
41 12 (+29) 1 (+40) No

Machine guns

7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition4 400 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 200 shots/min
7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate1 200 shots/min
Main article: MG3A1 (7.62 mm)

The Leopard A1A1 (L/44) mounts one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and one pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. These both have particularly high rates of fire, while these are more of deterrents to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, as the small calibre bullets will rarely cause critical damage to aircraft, they can also be useful to clear light obstacles and crew in open-top vehicles.

7.62 mm MG3A1
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 4,500 (1,000) 1,200 N/A N/A
Pintle 2,000 (1,000) 1,200 -8°/+20° ±120°

Usage in battles

Arcade battles

The Leopard A1A1 (L/44) sports an excellent 120 mm L/44 cannon which can make short work of any vehicle that it sees without any issues. However, its armour is extremely lacking and the mobility while good is not as good as an OF-40 (MTCA) or AMX-30 Super. Playing in Arcade battles, it's best to make sure that you are always the first to fire, ensuring you get the jump on your enemies first. What's best done is to hull down and take advantage of the rather good 9 degrees of gun depression and ensuring that you are currently covering a relatively active zone of combat. With its cannon, it can be a very effective sniper or defensive vehicle as those both styles usually involves getting the jump on the enemy while remaining stationary in a concealed position. If done right, the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) can be an extremely effective weapon in Arcade Battles. It's still best to prioritize targets by targeting the most dangerous ones first in order to be of most help to your team. The tank's mobility does allow for flanking however avoid direct confrontation as much as possible.

Realistic battles

The primary role of the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) should be that of a long-range sniper and flanker. Its incredible firepower with its 120 mm gun makes it easy to engage and destroy any tank from long distances while remaining concealed and thus protected from enemy fire. The good mobility on this vehicle allows you to reach good positions to snipe from and the laser rangefinder makes long-range targeting easy. The lack of armour on this tank makes direct engagements very risky and often nonviable so keeping at a distance maximizes your chances of survival and opportunity to inflict damage. Alternatively, the Leopard can be employed in flanking manoeuvres, using its good mobility to encircle the enemy and destroy them while they are unaware, again removing the danger of enemy fire destroying your tank. If you want to take a risk, you could rush a cap circle at the beginning of a match, if you tag along with other, better armed MBTs. However, this will almost always result in being destroyed, especially since the vehicle is vulnerable to artillery.

Up-tiered Gameplay

When using the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) in uptiers, the tank can still exceed if played like a light tank or IFV, as the A1A1 platform behaves very similarly to IFVs with decent (although comparatively lacking) mobility. Since most in-game IFVs also have less mobility than the top-rank MBTs, learning how to make the most out of this disadvantage would be beneficial skill transfer to the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) gameplay. The DM13 APFSDS round would serve the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) well even in an uptier provided it hits top-rank MBTs in their weak spots, though this knowledge would still be important to know even when using other higher-ranked MBTs like the Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123).

Flanking is still very strong, especially when your enemy is caught by surprise or is otherwise occupied. Rushing can also be a viable strategy when working alongside teammates, however you would be well-advised to use this strategy sparingly, as many of the tanks in this BR range are superior to you in every way possible, so timing will be crucial to ensure the enemy is inclined to engage a more significant threat first, thus allowing you to achieve good positioning on him before he can engage you. For the most part, playing this tank in the 10.0 bracket will require you to stay near teammates and play a support role, or flank the enemy and snipe those who are engaging your teammates. Remember that your tank is worse than those of your teammates, so they are unlikely to prioritize helping you, should you be left in need of repairs or firefighting. As such, flanking to snipe will require good instincts, so the enemy doesn't engage you.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good mobility with excellent hull traverse and reverse speeds
  • Effective gun with powerful ammunition able to defeat any opponent at its battle rating
  • The reload speed hasn't changed despite its new 120 mm cannon
  • Laser rangefinder
  • Keeps the same good mobility, despite the 0.3 tons weight increase
  • Thermal sight for gunner
  • Excels at long-range engagements

Cons:

  • Armour does not reliably protect against even autocannons
  • No available heavy machine gun, often helpless against helicopter attacks
  • Huge ammo rack in hull, any penetrating shot at the area will destroy the tank
  • Only generation 1 thermals and no CITV

History

Leopard 1A6 Project

The Leopard A1A1 (L/44), also known as the "Leopard 1A6" was a testbed which utilized the Leopard A1A1 hull along with a modified Leopard 1 turret, featuring supplemental armor and a modified mantlet created to accept the Rhenmetall L/44 120mm smoothbore cannon. The project was cancelled in 1987 after it was determined the Leopard 1A5 upgrade package was comparable in effectiveness at a fraction of the cost, and the Leopard 2 had been in widespread service by then, so an expensive upgrade package to bring the Leopard 1 up to the same level as more modern MBTs was seen as unnecessary.

Devblog

Development of a Leopard 1 fitted with the 120 mm L44 cannon began as a private venture of the Rheinmetall company, hoping that such a Leopard 1 variant would be of interest, not just to the German army due to logistical commonalities with the Leopard 2 and higher performance of the gun, but also to international customers seeking third generation MBT features on older machines.

In the early 1980s, a Leopard 1A1A1 was modified with a thicker cast steel mantlet, suitable for mounting the Rheinmetall 120 mm cannon, and additional interior changes to hold the respective ammunition. Further changes were applied in early 1985, with the installation of the EMES 18 fire control system from the Leopard 1A5.

Although there were several different prototypes based on Leopard 1 outfitted with the 120 mm Rheinmetall cannon, none of them managed to justify a costly large scale upgrade effort of existing Leopard 1s. The upgrade was largely considered redundant due to the already more advanced Leopard 2 being in service.

Media

Skins
Videos
Premium Vehicles: Leopard 1A1A1 mit L/44 - War Thunder Wiki
Downtiered and More Competitive - Leopard A1A1 L/44 - RB Gameplay - Jim Chamberlin
The Shooting Range #117 - Metal Beasts section at 00:53 discusses the Leopard A1A1 (L/44).
Leo A1A1 (L/44) - Tank Review - Napalmratte

See also

Related development
Similar vehicles of the era that were up-gunned

External links


Germany medium tanks
Pz.III  Pz.III B · Pz.III E · Pz.III F · Pz.III J · Pz.III J1 · Pz.III J1 TD · Pz.III L · Pz.III M · Pz.III N
Pz.IV  Pz.IV C · Pz.IV E · Pz.IV F1 · Pz.IV F2 · Pz.IV G · Pz.IV H · Pz.IV J · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J
Pz.V  VK 3002 (M) · Panther A · Panther D · Panther F · Panther G · Ersatz M10 · Panther II
M48 upgrades  M48A2 G A2 · M48 Super
Leopard 1  Leopard I · Leopard A1A1 · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 1A5 · C2A1 · Turm III
Leopard 2  PT-16/T14 mod. · Leopard 2K · Leopard 2AV
  Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M · Leopard 2 PL · Leopard 2A5 · Leopard 2 PSO · Leopard 2A6 · Leopard 2A7V
Trophies  ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r)
Other  Nb.Fz. · KPz-70
USA  mKPz M47 G · M48A2 C
USSR  ◊T-72M1

Germany premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.Sfl.Ic · Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK · Sd.Kfz. 140/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS · TAM 2IP
Medium tanks  Nb.Fz. · Pz.III N · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) · Ersatz M10
  mKPz M47 G · Turm III · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M
Heavy tanks  ▀Pz.Kpfw. Churchill · ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r)
  VK 45.01 (P) · ␠Tiger · Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P · Tiger II (H) Sla.16
Tank destroyers  Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · 15 cm Pz.W.42
  Brummbär · Panzer IV/70(A) · VFW · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1 · Elefant · 38 cm Sturmmörser

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