Difference between revisions of "Wiesel 1A4"

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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=germ_wiesel_1_mk20
 
|code=germ_wiesel_1_mk20
−
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || 8 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 8 mm (10°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 8 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (33°) ''Top'' <br> 8 mm ''Bottom'' <br> 8 mm (34°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (47°) ''Upper plate'' <br> 8 mm (29°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 8 mm (29°-55°) ''Fuel Tank'' || 8 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 8 mm (29°) ''Driver compartment'' <br> 6 mm ''Fighting compartment'' <br> 5 mm ''Engine vents''
+
| Hull || 8 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 8 mm (10°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 8 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (33°) ''Top'' <br> 8 mm ''Bottom'' <br> 8 mm (34°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (47°) ''Upper plate'' <br> 8 mm (29°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 8 mm (29°-55°) ''Fuel Tank'' || 8 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 8 mm (29°) ''Driver compartment'' <br> 6 mm ''Fighting compartment'' <br> 5 mm ''Engine vents''
 
|-
 
|-
 
| Turret || 8 mm (51°) ''Turret front'' <br> 6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo || 8 mm (21-40°) Turret || 8 mm (27°) || 6 mm
 
| Turret || 8 mm (51°) ''Turret front'' <br> 6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo || 8 mm (21-40°) Turret || 8 mm (27°) || 6 mm
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* '''DM63:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 
* '''DM63:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
  
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:Rh202 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T, APDS}}
−
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belt
 
−
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| Default || 57 || 52 || 37 || 24 || 15 || 10
 
−
|-
 
−
| DM51A1 || 57 || 52 || 37 || 24 || 15 || 10
 
−
|-
 
−
| DM43 || 57 || 52 || 37 || 24 || 15 || 10
 
−
|-
 
−
| DM63 || 66 || 61 || 45 || 31 || 21 || 14
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
Line 121: Line 105:
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''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).'' -->
−
Given the size and speed of the Wiesel, it is very competent at flanking or rushing objectives. With the ability to spot and use thermals, the Wiesel can help its team by spotting enemies when flanking, or help its team by assisting with repairs and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Because of the minimal armour though, the Wiesel will almost always die from a single shot because of this, being alone in open areas or near enemies is not a good idea.
+
The Wiesel 1A4 is small, light and thus has great acceleration, which can help you to get to positions early and to arrive at capture points before the enemies. Given its very low profile, it can hide behind almost everything and can provide support for the team. The Wiesel 1A4 is very lightly armoured, thus it should not be used to attack enemies head-on but instead act as an intelligence vehicle for the team, scouting and marking enemies on the minimap for your teammates. The Rh202 20 mm is effective against lightly armored vehicles, but it has low post-penetration damage, meaning you may need to aim for specific components to do significant damage. It is very effective if used as a spotter because it has Generation 3 thermals, something essentially no other vehicle at its BR can boast, and with its low profile and high mobility it gets around the map extremely effectively. As for anti-aircraft purposes, its limited elevation of 45 degrees can hinder its performance, but the gun makes quick work of any low flying aircraft that fly within your elevation range. With this much scouting, the Wiesel 1A4 can also work as an effective segway into an aircraft, as you can scout enemies constantly while hiding in unorthodox spots and lead your teammates to the unsuspecting enemies in front of you. It is especially effective in uptiers, as you may feel that your other vehicles may not handle opponents of a higher BR bracket, and thus want to support the team via aircraft or helicopters instead.
 +
 
 +
Another useful ability is the fact that the Wiesel 1A4 is equipped with a Laser Rangefinder (LRF). This allows the Wiesel to precisely determine the range to a target and automatically elevate its gun barrel, letting your shots connect with very little margin for error. This has two main uses - the first, to hit light targets such as enemy SPAAs ([[ZSU-23-4]]s, [[ZSU-37-2]]s, [[ZSU-57-2]]s and [[M163]]s among many others) or IFVs ([[M3]], [[BMP-1]]s and [[BMP-2]]s) with pinpoint accuracy at range, to reduce the chance of enemy return fire. The second is in a squad, where you may team up with vehicles such as the [[Centurion Mk.5 AVRE]] to gauge the precise distance to a target using your LRF, allowing your squadmate to lob a shell with lethal accuracy with your help. This, however, may require some pre-planning between the two users before the match and will only come into play with careful coordination.  
  
 +
In conclusion, the Wiesel 1A4 has a rather passive playstyle, with very limited anti-tank options. You can rush a capture point early on with your mobility, find a well-protected hiding spot and scout enemy targets for your team before getting into an aircraft after dying, or try and support your teammates more directly by flanking aggressively with the APDS belt to shred enemy IFVs and light tanks, disable the barrels, tracks and engines of heavier armor and shoot down the occasional aircraft or helicopter (the latter of which can be LRFed for better precision). In premade squads it can also be an effective battle coordinator for the squad with its good thermal vision sights, small size, scouting and laser rangefinder.
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 
<!-- ''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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* Good anti-air capability
 
* Good anti-air capability
 
* Low profile, can hide in small areas
 
* Low profile, can hide in small areas
−
* Its 20 mm has a high rate of fire
+
* High rate of fire on the Rh202 20mm
−
* Access to 2nd generation thermals, night vision and a laser rangefinder
+
* Access to 3rd generation thermals, the DM63 APDS belt and a laser rangefinder
 +
* Can scout enemy targets
 +
* Effective firepower against lighter enemy targets
 +
*High utility
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Almost no armour
+
* Paper-thin armour
−
* Can't penetrate tanks reliably
+
* Lacks consistent anti-tank abilities against contemporary enemies
−
* Turret can't rotate a full 360°
+
* Low post-penetration damage
−
* Its gun heats up quite quickly
+
* Non-360° turret
−
* Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAA
+
* Gun overheats relatively quickly
 +
* Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAAs
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
=== Development ===
 +
Initially developed in 1979 by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr as an airborne light armoured vehicle, the Wiesel was equipped with Rheinmetall's own Mk 20 RH-202 20 mm autocannon and designed to be small enough to fit inside standard NATO transport aircraft and even the CH53G Sea Stallion helicopter. The Wiesel was supposedly capable of being air dropped alongside airborne elements and was meant to act as armoured support for airborne troops though this idea was abandoned due to many failed tests. The Wiesel 1A4 was designed to combat infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, and even aircraft. The Wiesel program was temporarily shut down in 1978 due to a lack of adequate funding though continued development later after interest was heard from other countries. The Bundeswehr eventually ordered 343 Wiesels in 1985.
 +
 
 +
=== Combat usage ===
 +
The Wiesel 1A4 first saw service in 1993 as a part of the UN mission to Somalia ([[wikipedia:United_Nations_Operation_in_Somalia_II|UNOSOM II]]) as part of the German peacekeeping force. Soon after, the Wiesel participated in NATO's Implementation Force ([[wikipedia:Implementation_Force|IFOR]]) which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995-1996. Continuing after was NATO's Stabilization Force ([[wikipedia:Stabilisation_Force_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina|SFOR]]) also taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-2004. It participated in yet another NATO mission in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force ([[wikipedia:Kosovo_Force|KFOR]]) from 1999-Present (2022). The Wiesel then was a part of [[wikipedia:Operation_Essential_Harvest|Operation Essential Harvest]] taking place in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 to combat insurgencies. Lastly, Wiesel took part in the International Security Assistance Force ([[wikipedia:International_Security_Assistance_Force|ISAF]]) in Afghanistan from 2001-2014.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 +
;Skins
 +
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_wiesel_1_mk20 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
;Videos
 
;Videos
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* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
  
−
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
; [[Wiesel (Family)]]
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
 
 +
* [[Wiesel 1A2]]
 +
* [[Ozelot]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 11:31, 22 December 2023

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
This page is about the German SPAA Wiesel 1A4. For other versions, see Wiesel (Family).
Wiesel 1A4
germ_wiesel_1_mk20.png
GarageImage Wiesel 1A4.jpg
ArtImage Wiesel 1A4.png
Wiesel 1A4
Germany flag.png Germany
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
7.3 7.3 7.3
Class:
Research:82 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:240 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Waffenträger Wiesel 1A4 MK is a rank V German SPAA with a battle rating of 7.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Ground Breaking".

The Wiesel 1A4, while very weak in both armour and armament, is very small and fast compared to most other vehicles at its BR. Given the ability to spot, use thermals, and help teammates with repairs, the Wiesel handles a lot closer to a light tank than an SPAA as it has very limited gun elevation at 45°. Even with its poor elevation, the Rh202 is capable of taking down aircraft found at its BR such as the Su-9 as well as lightly-armoured vehicles like the U-SH 405.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull8 / 8 / 8
Turret8 / 8 / 8
Crew2 people
Visibility62 %

The armour is very thin throughout the vehicle, only able to protect from shrapnel and rifle-calibre machine gun fire. Anything with a calibre of 12.7 mm or larger will penetrate. The external fuel tank provides a minor increase in protection, but is still able to be penetrated by large-calibre machine guns. The interior armour provides minor protection to spalling and small shells, but isn't guaranteed to stop anything above 12.7 mm upon penetration. Two vents can be found on the tank with 5 mm of armour, one on the top above the radiator and the other in the middle of the left side, while not much of a difference, if shot at the right angle rifle-calibre machine gun fire can penetrate. The driver and gunner are sitting in a line if looking directly from the front or at a slight angle, which increases the likelihood of getting both knocked out with a single shot. Moreover, as there are only 2 crew members, losing even 1 man will knock out the vehicle unless on a point with crew replenishment.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, side, rear, roof, turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 8 mm (61°) Upper glacis
8 mm (10°) Lower plate
8 mm (67°) Lower glacis 		8 mm (33°) Top
8 mm Bottom
8 mm (34°) Lower glacis 		8 mm (47°) Upper plate
8 mm (29°) Lower plate
8 mm (29°-55°) Fuel Tank 		8 mm (29°) Front glacis
8 mm (29°) Driver compartment
6 mm Fighting compartment
5 mm Engine vents
Turret 8 mm (51°) Turret front
6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo 		8 mm (21-40°) Turret 8 mm (27°) 6 mm

Notes:

  • There is a 5 mm RHA internal plate separating the engine compartment from the crew.
  • Tracks, suspension wheels, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
  • Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick, mud flaps are 2 mm thick.
  • The gun breech is 150 mm thick and the gun mount is 6 mm thick (including ammo boxes).

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB87 / 32 km/h
RB and SB81 / 30 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight2.9 t
Engine power
AB166 hp
RB and SB87 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB57.2 hp/t
RB and SB30.0 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 87 32 2.9 124 166 42.76 57.24
Realistic 81 30 77 87 26.55 30

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 245 → 4 883 Sl icon.png
RB3 076 → 4 629 Sl icon.png
SB4 652 → 7 001 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications69 500 Rp icon.png
116 200 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training68 000 Sl icon.png
Experts240 000 Sl icon.png
Aces990 Ge icon.png
Research Aces620 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
140 / 180 / 250 % Sl icon.png
184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
20mm_rh202_AP_ammo_pack
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
20mm_rh202_APDS_ammo_pack
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png

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

20 mm Rh202 cannon
Ammunition400 rounds
Belt capacity100 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate801 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 45°
Horizontal guidance-110° / 110°
Main article: Rh202 (20 mm)
20 mm Rh202 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 400 (100) 800 -10°/+45° ±110° N/A 52.8 73.1 88.8 98.2 104.5 10.40 9.20 8.48 8.00
Realistic 35.7 42.0 51.0 56.4 60.0

Ammunition

  • Default: HVAP-T · HEFI-T
  • DM51A1: HEFI-T · HEFI-T · HEFI-T · HVAP-T
  • DM43: HVAP-T · HVAP-T · HVAP-T · HEFI-T
  • DM63: APDS · APDS · APDS · HEFI-T

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
HVAP-T 57 52 37 24 15 10
HEFI-T 7 6 5 3 2 2
APDS 66 61 45 31 21 14
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
HVAP-T 1,100 0.11 - - - 66° 70° 72°
HEFI-T 1,100 0.13 0.1 0.1 11.05 79° 80° 81°
APDS 1,150 0.13 - - - 75° 78° 80°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Wiesel 1A4
Full
ammo 		Ammo
type 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
4
400 		Magazines
Rounds 		3 (+1)
300 (+100) 		2 (+2)
200 (+200) 		1 (+3)
100 (+300) 		0 (+4)
0 (+400) 		No

Notes:

  • The ammunition is modeled as 4 magazines of 100 rounds.
  • Even though racks 3 & 4 both are fed into the gun, the gun still reloads when switching from rack 3 to 4.

Usage in battles

The Wiesel 1A4 is small, light and thus has great acceleration, which can help you to get to positions early and to arrive at capture points before the enemies. Given its very low profile, it can hide behind almost everything and can provide support for the team. The Wiesel 1A4 is very lightly armoured, thus it should not be used to attack enemies head-on but instead act as an intelligence vehicle for the team, scouting and marking enemies on the minimap for your teammates. The Rh202 20 mm is effective against lightly armored vehicles, but it has low post-penetration damage, meaning you may need to aim for specific components to do significant damage. It is very effective if used as a spotter because it has Generation 3 thermals, something essentially no other vehicle at its BR can boast, and with its low profile and high mobility it gets around the map extremely effectively. As for anti-aircraft purposes, its limited elevation of 45 degrees can hinder its performance, but the gun makes quick work of any low flying aircraft that fly within your elevation range. With this much scouting, the Wiesel 1A4 can also work as an effective segway into an aircraft, as you can scout enemies constantly while hiding in unorthodox spots and lead your teammates to the unsuspecting enemies in front of you. It is especially effective in uptiers, as you may feel that your other vehicles may not handle opponents of a higher BR bracket, and thus want to support the team via aircraft or helicopters instead.

Another useful ability is the fact that the Wiesel 1A4 is equipped with a Laser Rangefinder (LRF). This allows the Wiesel to precisely determine the range to a target and automatically elevate its gun barrel, letting your shots connect with very little margin for error. This has two main uses - the first, to hit light targets such as enemy SPAAs (ZSU-23-4s, ZSU-37-2s, ZSU-57-2s and M163s among many others) or IFVs (M3, BMP-1s and BMP-2s) with pinpoint accuracy at range, to reduce the chance of enemy return fire. The second is in a squad, where you may team up with vehicles such as the Centurion Mk.5 AVRE to gauge the precise distance to a target using your LRF, allowing your squadmate to lob a shell with lethal accuracy with your help. This, however, may require some pre-planning between the two users before the match and will only come into play with careful coordination.

In conclusion, the Wiesel 1A4 has a rather passive playstyle, with very limited anti-tank options. You can rush a capture point early on with your mobility, find a well-protected hiding spot and scout enemy targets for your team before getting into an aircraft after dying, or try and support your teammates more directly by flanking aggressively with the APDS belt to shred enemy IFVs and light tanks, disable the barrels, tracks and engines of heavier armor and shoot down the occasional aircraft or helicopter (the latter of which can be LRFed for better precision). In premade squads it can also be an effective battle coordinator for the squad with its good thermal vision sights, small size, scouting and laser rangefinder.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent acceleration and mobility
  • Good anti-air capability
  • Low profile, can hide in small areas
  • High rate of fire on the Rh202 20mm
  • Access to 3rd generation thermals, the DM63 APDS belt and a laser rangefinder
  • Can scout enemy targets
  • Effective firepower against lighter enemy targets
  • High utility

Cons:

  • Paper-thin armour
  • Lacks consistent anti-tank abilities against contemporary enemies
  • Low post-penetration damage
  • Non-360° turret
  • Gun overheats relatively quickly
  • Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAAs

History

Development

Initially developed in 1979 by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr as an airborne light armoured vehicle, the Wiesel was equipped with Rheinmetall's own Mk 20 RH-202 20 mm autocannon and designed to be small enough to fit inside standard NATO transport aircraft and even the CH53G Sea Stallion helicopter. The Wiesel was supposedly capable of being air dropped alongside airborne elements and was meant to act as armoured support for airborne troops though this idea was abandoned due to many failed tests. The Wiesel 1A4 was designed to combat infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, and even aircraft. The Wiesel program was temporarily shut down in 1978 due to a lack of adequate funding though continued development later after interest was heard from other countries. The Bundeswehr eventually ordered 343 Wiesels in 1985.

Combat usage

The Wiesel 1A4 first saw service in 1993 as a part of the UN mission to Somalia (UNOSOM II) as part of the German peacekeeping force. Soon after, the Wiesel participated in NATO's Implementation Force (IFOR) which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995-1996. Continuing after was NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) also taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-2004. It participated in yet another NATO mission in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) from 1999-Present (2022). The Wiesel then was a part of Operation Essential Harvest taking place in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 to combat insurgencies. Lastly, Wiesel took part in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from 2001-2014.

Media

Skins
Videos
Wiesel 1: Firepower for the Fallschirmjäger - Military History Visualized

See also

Wiesel (Family)

External links


Germany anti-aircraft vehicles
Wheeled  Sd.Kfz.222
Half-track  Sd.Kfz.251/21 · Sd.Kfz. 6/2
Flakpanzer IV  Wirbelwind · Ostwind · Ostwind II · Kugelblitz · Zerstörer 45
Other Flakpanzers  Flakpanzer I · Flakpanzer 38 · Flakpanzer 341
Wiesel AWC  Wiesel 1A4 · Ozelot
Radar SPAAG  Gepard · Gepard 1A2
Missile SPAA  FlaRakPz 1 · FlaRakRad

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