Difference between revisions of "M24"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_m24_chaffee}}
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{{About
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| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other variants
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| link = M24 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=us_m24_chaffee
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
''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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When World War II started, the US Army had the [[M3_Stuart_(Family)|Stuart]] as their primary light tank. However, the old armour arrangement and anemic 37 mm gun led the US Army to desire a more powerful light tank to replace the Stuart. Starting as the Light Tank T24, Ordnance Department sought to incorporate the Stuart mobility components into a design with better armour and the firepower of the 75 mm gun. This culminated in 1943 as the '''M24''' and was nicknamed the "Chaffee". About 4,731 units were produced between 1944 and 1945 and the M24 saw its first combat service in the Battle of the Bulge. The M24 Chaffee would go on to serve throughout the rest of World War II, the Korean War, and in foreign armies elsewhere.
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The M24 Chaffee, introduced alongside the American ground tech tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], is a major improvement over the series of M3/M5 Stuart light tank that players experience beforehand. The Chaffee's mobility is on par with the M5 Stuart, being able to move forwards and backwards at swift speed. The improved sloped armour in the front can allow the Chaffee to better take a hit than its predecessors, not to mention the larger crew size. Most importantly, the 75 mm gun allows the light tank to maintain similar firepower to a medium tank. Players can make use of the superior mobility offered by the Chaffee platform and the firepower benefits of the 75 mm to not only strike enemies where they least expect it but also scout them out in order to make teammates aware of enemy positions.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules 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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The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crew members also sit very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting knocked out by a single shot. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small calibre shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected. It should also be kept in mind that the hatch on the front is weak to higher-calibre rounds, so it is important to be careful when making advances as it is often targeted.
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'''Armour type:'''
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* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
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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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|-
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| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' <br> 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' <br> 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
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|-
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| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' <br> 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
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|-
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| Cupola || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes''':
  
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
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* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
''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.'' -->
  
== Weaponry ==
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}
=== Main weaponry ===
 
''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.''
 
  
=== Additional weaponry ===
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The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short range manoeuvres.
''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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=== 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|M6 (75 mm)}}
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The tank offers the 75 mm M6 gun, which only differs from the [[M4|M4]]/[[M4A1|M4A1]] Sherman's 75 mm M3 gun with its slower reloading rate due to the smaller confines of the M24 Chaffee. The shells come in handy for certain tanks; they generally penetrate armour very well. It is rare to experience a ricochet or be to unable to penetrate any armour.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 mm M6]] || 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
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|-
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|}
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==== Ammunition ====
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{{:M6 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M64}}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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The M24 can carry 48 rounds of 75 mm ammunition in two low-set ammo racks, which reduces the chance of them being hit by enemy fire. However, the low ammo capacity can limit the M24's performance in prolonged engagements, so it is advisable to load as much ammo as possible. Loading only 25 shells may not improve the M24's survivability much, but it may leave it without ammo in a critical situation, for the small benefit of having a slightly smaller ammo rack profile.
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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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| '''48''' || 25&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+47)'' || No
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|-
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|}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
''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|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
  
== Usage in the battles ==
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The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal has great depression & elevation, posing a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24, but it can only traverse 60 degrees left and right. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31 mm at 10 m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.
''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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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Pintle || 400 (200) || 575 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
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|-
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|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Coaxial || 3,750 (250) || 500 || - || -
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|-
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|}
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== 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 instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
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The M24 Chaffee is a very good tank with a fairly interesting playstyle. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive manoeuvrability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking manoeuvres. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.
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An extension of this "peek-a-boo" tactic is to also use the tank's mobility for "scoot-and-shoot" tactics by firing and then moving to another firing location so as to prevent enemy tanks and tank destroyers from accurately guessing range. This can be difficult, however, as you must be very versed in your own tank's ballistics to make shots as you will have to estimate range on the fly. Don't think this means firing on the move - if you are going faster than 16 km/h (10 mph), the stabilizer will not allow for accurate shots, and it is only a vertical stabilizer.
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Do not continuously shoot at a tank without backing up/moving. The vehicle's armour is very thin and will most likely be destroyed if it stays in one position and does not stop changing positions. Always try to get the first shot off in a head-on attack. The best shell to use is the M61 shell as its penetration and explosive filler make it better in almost every aspect than the M72 shell. You can try loading under 20 shells and you will be more survivable than players expect.
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Another way to go around is to flank the enemy. Go from to the side of the map and then go to an already captured point. They won't expect you to come from the back, note that other light tanks may be using this tactic so be aware of your surroundings. If attacking with a more direct approach, keep hidden behind a building or boulder and pop out every now and then to take a shot at the enemy. Also, prioritize targets who are busy fighting others and cannot retaliate. Usually, after the first shot, it may disable their tank depending on what it is. Disabling the enemy tank's crew, tracks, engine, etc. allows for retaliation without the risk of any incoming enemy shells.
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'''Enemies worth noting''':
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* [[Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)]]: The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense melee fight, you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
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* [[T-34 (1940)]] - The T-34 is a formidable opponent at this tier. The T-34 is a fast, agile and most formidably almost impossible to knock out with the M24. The T-34's 76 mm can take the M24 out with one good shot, make sure to never let the T-34 flank you or surprise you. Some good strategies to kill the T-34 include  flanking or outmanoeuvring the T-34, making sure to hit it from the sides and back or aiming for the cheeks of the turret.
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* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KW I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KW I C 756 (r)]] - The famous KV-series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104 mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90 mm. For the KV-1B, do not try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105 mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KW I C 756, aim for the cupola (50 m) or the gun mantlet (50 mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.
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* [[Churchill (Family)|Churchill]] tanks: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
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* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]] - these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock-out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. If you see an M4 infront of you, get behind and cover like a building or rocks and go around it. They won't be expecting you to do that but some might have suspicion and would turn around a again, be aware of your surroundings.
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* [[StuG III G]], [[StuH 42 G]], [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]] - These German tank destroyers are deadly ambushers as well as well-defended frontline vehicles. They have low profiles which make them significantly less noticeable on the battlefield. They also have very thick or sloped armour. In particular, the StuG and StuH can have a maximum frontal thickness of 100 mm with additional armour, making them tough enough for the M24's 75 mm short cannon. Thus the M24 should avoid direct combat with them as they are difficult to penetrate and can easily knock out the M24. Fortunately, all 3 do not have a turret and were poorly protected on their sides, so flanking become a great tactic to finish them off. However, be aware that StuG and StuH can turn their hulls very quickly, so take that into account.
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* [[E.B.R. (1954)]] - this wheeled vehicle, just like the Sd.Kfz.234 series, is able to reach a remarkably high speed, especially on road. It is equipped with a deadly 75 mm cannon with autoloader, dealing more fragmentation damage than the Sd.Kfz.234's and can therefore easily knock out the M24 with a single shot most of the times. The tactics vary a bit, as the E.B.R also has way faster turret traverse, therefore you do not want to "dogfight" it like how you deal with a Puma. You need to be more careful and try to ambush it. Utilise your advantages well, you have superior gun depression, explosive-packed shells, lots of smoke grenades and, most importantly, a vertical stabiliser. But, if you ever see a tank you don't want to fight, you can awlays run away as the M24 has decent speed compared to the medium tanks like the M4s
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
''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:'''
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* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
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* Uses the same gun as the 75 mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can easily knock out common medium tanks with a single shot
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* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
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* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
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* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
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* Pintle-mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (e.g. Marder III, Sd.Kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc)
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* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
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* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
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* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
*
 
  
== Historical part ==
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* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 76 mm F-34 and 75 mm KwK40
''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.''
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* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially when stock or on soft terrains
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* On-road top speed is inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] and other light tanks at its BR
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* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
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* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
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* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches but not so low that ammo rack detonations are rare
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== History ==
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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===
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As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 Stuart]] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|Shermans]]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a Stuart was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.
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In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated Light Tank T24. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 Stuart were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the Light Tank M24 and as the Chaffee by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.
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===Combat usage===
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The first batch of M24s reached the battlefields of Europe in November of 1944 and first assigned to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group in France. The M24 gradually entered widespread use by December 1944, some Chaffees went to the British to replace their Stuart tanks as well. The M24s were first used in the Battle of the Bulge with the 2nd and 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron sent to support the southern sector of the battle. The Chaffees were slow to enter use in the front-lines as even by the end of the war, some armoured division did not have the M24 light tanks. Despite that, the reception of the Chaffee was positive even though it may not have the firepower to fight the better German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther tanks]]. The 75 mm gun gave the crew much more firepower than the earlier 37 mm. The light armour, though allowing the tank to pick up speed, was penetrable by most anti-tank weapons in service by Germany. The effect of the M24 Chaffee in World War II was deemed insignificant as it was not used in great numbers in comparison to the Stuarts in service since the start of the war.
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The M24 Chaffee served a greater role in the Korean War and were sent in large numbers to combat the North Korean Armoured Forces, however, they were severely under-gunned with their 75 mm cannon and the light armour was easily destroyed by the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] tanks. Plus, the deficiency in crew training also contributed to the poor performance of the M24 against the North Koreans. Due to their inferiority, they were used as a delaying measure until better tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 Sherman]] and [[M26|M26 Pershing]] could be brought in. Once with supports with these better tanks, the Chaffees were relegated to reconnaissance roles, where they served with better results.
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The M24, after being replaced in America by the [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]], was sent to many other countries for use. The French Army deployed the M24s during their fighting in Indochina and famously in the Battle for Dien Bien Phu. Some M24s went to the hands of the ARVN in South Vietnam to support the troops during the Vietnam War. The Pakistani Army used them as well in 1971 against India during the Indo-Pakistani War. The M24 Chaffee was also adapted in different roles by using the chassis for different designs, such as the [[M19|M19 TGMC anti-air gun]] and self-propelled guns with the M37 105 mm HMC and M41 155 mm HMC.
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The Chaffee had turned out to be one of the greatest light tanks the Allies developed during World War II. Though arriving too late to be a main turning factor for the war, the design has turned out to be so reliable that some countries like Uruguay still operate modernized versions. Austria has since retired its M24 fleet, but their turrets still serve on as bunkers.
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{{break}}
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{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
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The experience of the M3 and M5 light tanks in the western desert proved that the era of light tanks with angular bodies and vertical suspension had come to a close. In 1943 work began on a completely new tank with the popular Hydromatic transmission and a carburetor engine made by Cadillac. The assignment, outside of strengthening the armament, was to keep the maximum weight below 18 short tons. As a result, a new hull with heavily sloped armour plates was developed. The turret gained a streamlined look with 37 mm armour.
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The running gear was made up of five rubber-coated weight-bearing wheels and three supporting rollers in addition to forward, leading, and rear guiding wheels. The tank's main gun was a 75 mm M6 cannon with anti-recoil mechanisms around the barrel, something that made it much smaller. The tanks were fitted with coaxial and bow-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.
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The first T24 light tank prototype entered trials in October 1943. It turned out to be such a success that 1,000 units were quickly ordered, a number that later jumped to 5,000. Production took place at Cadillac and Massay-Harris factories, where 4,415 tanks were assembled between March 1944 and October 1945. The T24 was officially accepted two months after full-scale production began, receiving a new M24 designation. It entered combat in fall 1944 and was the American army's primary light tank through the end of the war.
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The tanks sent to the UK via Lend-Lease were referred to as Chaffees.
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The successful tank had a long career, fighting in the Korean, First Indochina, Vietnam, and Third Indo-Pakistani wars.
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{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m24_chaffee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
== Read also ==
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;Videos
''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|OwVN5bFIzaM|'''A Perfect Starter Light Tank - {{PAGENAME}} Chaffee''' - ''Virus''|vwrFDhWX1gg|'''Tank Chats #140 <nowiki>| M24 Chaffee |</nowiki> The Tank Museum''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}
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== See also ==
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<!-- ''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.''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
''ETC.''
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;<nowiki>Other vehicles of similar configuration and role:</nowiki>
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* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]
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Vehicles developed with the M24 turret:
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* [[AMX-13-M24]]
  
== Sources ==
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Vehicles developed with the M24 hull:
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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* [[M19A1]]
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== External links ==
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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;''
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
* ''other literature.''
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* [[wt:en/news/2936--en|[Vehicle Profile] M24 Chaffee]]
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{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
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{{TankManufacturer Cadillac}}
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{{USA light tanks}}

Latest revision as of 20:15, 3 July 2024

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the American light tank M24. For other variants, see M24 (Family).
us_m24_chaffee.png
GarageImage M24.jpg
ArtImage M24.png
M24
AB RB SB
3.3 3.7 3.7
Class:
Research:11 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:22 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

When World War II started, the US Army had the Stuart as their primary light tank. However, the old armour arrangement and anemic 37 mm gun led the US Army to desire a more powerful light tank to replace the Stuart. Starting as the Light Tank T24, Ordnance Department sought to incorporate the Stuart mobility components into a design with better armour and the firepower of the 75 mm gun. This culminated in 1943 as the M24 and was nicknamed the "Chaffee". About 4,731 units were produced between 1944 and 1945 and the M24 saw its first combat service in the Battle of the Bulge. The M24 Chaffee would go on to serve throughout the rest of World War II, the Korean War, and in foreign armies elsewhere.

The M24 Chaffee, introduced alongside the American ground tech tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals", is a major improvement over the series of M3/M5 Stuart light tank that players experience beforehand. The Chaffee's mobility is on par with the M5 Stuart, being able to move forwards and backwards at swift speed. The improved sloped armour in the front can allow the Chaffee to better take a hit than its predecessors, not to mention the larger crew size. Most importantly, the 75 mm gun allows the light tank to maintain similar firepower to a medium tank. Players can make use of the superior mobility offered by the Chaffee platform and the firepower benefits of the 75 mm to not only strike enemies where they least expect it but also scout them out in order to make teammates aware of enemy positions.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull25 / 25 / 19
Turret25 / 25 / 25
Crew5 people
Visibility97 %

The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crew members also sit very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting knocked out by a single shot. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small calibre shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected. It should also be kept in mind that the hatch on the front is weak to higher-calibre rounds, so it is important to be careful when making advances as it is often targeted.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 25.4 mm (60°) Front glacis
25.4 mm (44°) Lower glacis
25.4 mm (13°) Front
12.7 mm (13°) Rear
12.7 mm (71-74°) Top
19 mm (1-43°) Bottom
12.7 mm
Turret 38.1 mm (8-40°) Turret front
38.1 mm (1-45°) Gun mantlet
25.4 mm (17-26°) 25.4 mm 12.7 mm
Cupola 38.1 mm 38.1 mm 38.1 mm 38.1 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB63 / 26 km/h
RB and SB57 / 24 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
4 back
Weight18.4 t
Engine power
AB565 hp
RB and SB296 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB30.7 hp/t
RB and SB16.1 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 63 26 18.4 459 565 24.95 30.71
Realistic 57 24 262 296 14.24 16.09

The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short range manoeuvres.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB594 → 853 Sl icon.png
RB691 → 992 Sl icon.png
SB812 → 1 166 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications10 410 Rp icon.png
13 790 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost750 Ge icon.png
Crew training6 300 Sl icon.png
Experts22 000 Sl icon.png
Aces210 Ge icon.png
Research Aces220 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
40 / 60 / 80 % Sl icon.png
124 / 124 / 124 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
910 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
390 Rp icon.png
Cost:
520 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
390 Rp icon.png
Cost:
520 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
650 Rp icon.png
Cost:
860 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
910 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
390 Rp icon.png
Cost:
520 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
650 Rp icon.png
Cost:
860 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
910 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
390 Rp icon.png
Cost:
520 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
390 Rp icon.png
Cost:
520 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_usa_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
390 Rp icon.png
Cost:
520 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
650 Rp icon.png
Cost:
860 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
650 Rp icon.png
Cost:
860 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_us_M89_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

Vertical stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition48 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.4 → 6.5 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 15°
Main article: M6 (75 mm)

The tank offers the 75 mm M6 gun, which only differs from the M4/M4A1 Sherman's 75 mm M3 gun with its slower reloading rate due to the smaller confines of the M24 Chaffee. The shells come in handy for certain tanks; they generally penetrate armour very well. It is rare to experience a ricochet or be to unable to penetrate any armour.

75 mm M6 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 48 -10°/+15° ±180° Vertical 22.85 31.62 38.40 42.47 45.18 8.45 7.47 6.89 6.50
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.56 24.00

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
M72 shot AP 91 88 78 67 57 49
M48 shell HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
M61 shot APCBC 104 102 93 84 75 68
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%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0.2 0.1 666 79° 80° 81°
M61 shot APCBC 618 6.79 1.2 14 63.7 48° 63° 71°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen deploy
time (s)
Screen hold
time (s)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M64 603 6.9 9 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M24

The M24 can carry 48 rounds of 75 mm ammunition in two low-set ammo racks, which reduces the chance of them being hit by enemy fire. However, the low ammo capacity can limit the M24's performance in prolonged engagements, so it is advisable to load as much ammo as possible. Loading only 25 shells may not improve the M24's survivability much, but it may leave it without ammo in a critical situation, for the small benefit of having a slightly smaller ammo rack profile.

Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
48 25 (+23) (+47) No

Machine guns

Ammunition400 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 70°
Horizontal guidance-60° / 60°
Ammunition3 750 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min

The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the .50 cal M2HB and the 7.62 mm M1919A4. The roof-mounted .50 cal has great depression & elevation, posing a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24, but it can only traverse 60 degrees left and right. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31 mm at 10 m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 400 (200) 575 -10°/+70° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,750 (250) 500 - -

Usage in battles

The M24 Chaffee is a very good tank with a fairly interesting playstyle. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive manoeuvrability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking manoeuvres. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.

An extension of this "peek-a-boo" tactic is to also use the tank's mobility for "scoot-and-shoot" tactics by firing and then moving to another firing location so as to prevent enemy tanks and tank destroyers from accurately guessing range. This can be difficult, however, as you must be very versed in your own tank's ballistics to make shots as you will have to estimate range on the fly. Don't think this means firing on the move - if you are going faster than 16 km/h (10 mph), the stabilizer will not allow for accurate shots, and it is only a vertical stabilizer.

Do not continuously shoot at a tank without backing up/moving. The vehicle's armour is very thin and will most likely be destroyed if it stays in one position and does not stop changing positions. Always try to get the first shot off in a head-on attack. The best shell to use is the M61 shell as its penetration and explosive filler make it better in almost every aspect than the M72 shell. You can try loading under 20 shells and you will be more survivable than players expect.

Another way to go around is to flank the enemy. Go from to the side of the map and then go to an already captured point. They won't expect you to come from the back, note that other light tanks may be using this tactic so be aware of your surroundings. If attacking with a more direct approach, keep hidden behind a building or boulder and pop out every now and then to take a shot at the enemy. Also, prioritize targets who are busy fighting others and cannot retaliate. Usually, after the first shot, it may disable their tank depending on what it is. Disabling the enemy tank's crew, tracks, engine, etc. allows for retaliation without the risk of any incoming enemy shells.

Enemies worth noting:

  • Sd.Kfz.234 (Family): The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense melee fight, you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The Sd.Kfz.234/3 and Sd.Kfz.234/4, although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
  • T-34 (1940) - The T-34 is a formidable opponent at this tier. The T-34 is a fast, agile and most formidably almost impossible to knock out with the M24. The T-34's 76 mm can take the M24 out with one good shot, make sure to never let the T-34 flank you or surprise you. Some good strategies to kill the T-34 include flanking or outmanoeuvring the T-34, making sure to hit it from the sides and back or aiming for the cheeks of the turret.
  • KV-1, KV-IB, KW I C 756 (r) - The famous KV-series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104 mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90 mm. For the KV-1B, do not try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105 mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KW I C 756, aim for the cupola (50 m) or the gun mantlet (50 mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.
  • Churchill tanks: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
  • M4A2 / M4A4 (1st PTG) - these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock-out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. If you see an M4 infront of you, get behind and cover like a building or rocks and go around it. They won't be expecting you to do that but some might have suspicion and would turn around a again, be aware of your surroundings.
  • StuG III G, StuH 42 G, Jagdpanzer 38(t) - These German tank destroyers are deadly ambushers as well as well-defended frontline vehicles. They have low profiles which make them significantly less noticeable on the battlefield. They also have very thick or sloped armour. In particular, the StuG and StuH can have a maximum frontal thickness of 100 mm with additional armour, making them tough enough for the M24's 75 mm short cannon. Thus the M24 should avoid direct combat with them as they are difficult to penetrate and can easily knock out the M24. Fortunately, all 3 do not have a turret and were poorly protected on their sides, so flanking become a great tactic to finish them off. However, be aware that StuG and StuH can turn their hulls very quickly, so take that into account.
  • E.B.R. (1954) - this wheeled vehicle, just like the Sd.Kfz.234 series, is able to reach a remarkably high speed, especially on road. It is equipped with a deadly 75 mm cannon with autoloader, dealing more fragmentation damage than the Sd.Kfz.234's and can therefore easily knock out the M24 with a single shot most of the times. The tactics vary a bit, as the E.B.R also has way faster turret traverse, therefore you do not want to "dogfight" it like how you deal with a Puma. You need to be more careful and try to ambush it. Utilise your advantages well, you have superior gun depression, explosive-packed shells, lots of smoke grenades and, most importantly, a vertical stabiliser. But, if you ever see a tank you don't want to fight, you can awlays run away as the M24 has decent speed compared to the medium tanks like the M4s

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
  • Uses the same gun as the 75 mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can easily knock out common medium tanks with a single shot
  • Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
  • Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
  • Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
  • Pintle-mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (e.g. Marder III, Sd.Kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc)
  • 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
  • Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
  • Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly

Cons:

  • Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 76 mm F-34 and 75 mm KwK40
  • Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially when stock or on soft terrains
  • On-road top speed is inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the Sd.Kfz.234/2 and other light tanks at its BR
  • Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
  • Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
  • Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches but not so low that ammo rack detonations are rare

History

Development

As early as 1942, the light tanks M3 and M5 Stuart have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the 37 mm gun was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the Panzer III and Panzer IV. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the 75 mm gun seen on the Shermans. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a Stuart was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated Light Tank T24. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 Stuart were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the B-25 Mitchell bomber without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the Light Tank M24 and as the Chaffee by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

Combat usage

The first batch of M24s reached the battlefields of Europe in November of 1944 and first assigned to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group in France. The M24 gradually entered widespread use by December 1944, some Chaffees went to the British to replace their Stuart tanks as well. The M24s were first used in the Battle of the Bulge with the 2nd and 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron sent to support the southern sector of the battle. The Chaffees were slow to enter use in the front-lines as even by the end of the war, some armoured division did not have the M24 light tanks. Despite that, the reception of the Chaffee was positive even though it may not have the firepower to fight the better German tanks like the Panther tanks. The 75 mm gun gave the crew much more firepower than the earlier 37 mm. The light armour, though allowing the tank to pick up speed, was penetrable by most anti-tank weapons in service by Germany. The effect of the M24 Chaffee in World War II was deemed insignificant as it was not used in great numbers in comparison to the Stuarts in service since the start of the war.

The M24 Chaffee served a greater role in the Korean War and were sent in large numbers to combat the North Korean Armoured Forces, however, they were severely under-gunned with their 75 mm cannon and the light armour was easily destroyed by the Soviet-supplied T-34-85 tanks. Plus, the deficiency in crew training also contributed to the poor performance of the M24 against the North Koreans. Due to their inferiority, they were used as a delaying measure until better tanks like the M4A3E8 Sherman and M26 Pershing could be brought in. Once with supports with these better tanks, the Chaffees were relegated to reconnaissance roles, where they served with better results.

The M24, after being replaced in America by the M41 Walker Bulldog, was sent to many other countries for use. The French Army deployed the M24s during their fighting in Indochina and famously in the Battle for Dien Bien Phu. Some M24s went to the hands of the ARVN in South Vietnam to support the troops during the Vietnam War. The Pakistani Army used them as well in 1971 against India during the Indo-Pakistani War. The M24 Chaffee was also adapted in different roles by using the chassis for different designs, such as the M19 TGMC anti-air gun and self-propelled guns with the M37 105 mm HMC and M41 155 mm HMC.

The Chaffee had turned out to be one of the greatest light tanks the Allies developed during World War II. Though arriving too late to be a main turning factor for the war, the design has turned out to be so reliable that some countries like Uruguay still operate modernized versions. Austria has since retired its M24 fleet, but their turrets still serve on as bunkers.


Archive of the in-game description

The experience of the M3 and M5 light tanks in the western desert proved that the era of light tanks with angular bodies and vertical suspension had come to a close. In 1943 work began on a completely new tank with the popular Hydromatic transmission and a carburetor engine made by Cadillac. The assignment, outside of strengthening the armament, was to keep the maximum weight below 18 short tons. As a result, a new hull with heavily sloped armour plates was developed. The turret gained a streamlined look with 37 mm armour.

The running gear was made up of five rubber-coated weight-bearing wheels and three supporting rollers in addition to forward, leading, and rear guiding wheels. The tank's main gun was a 75 mm M6 cannon with anti-recoil mechanisms around the barrel, something that made it much smaller. The tanks were fitted with coaxial and bow-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.

The first T24 light tank prototype entered trials in October 1943. It turned out to be such a success that 1,000 units were quickly ordered, a number that later jumped to 5,000. Production took place at Cadillac and Massay-Harris factories, where 4,415 tanks were assembled between March 1944 and October 1945. The T24 was officially accepted two months after full-scale production began, receiving a new M24 designation. It entered combat in fall 1944 and was the American army's primary light tank through the end of the war.

The tanks sent to the UK via Lend-Lease were referred to as Chaffees.

The successful tank had a long career, fighting in the Korean, First Indochina, Vietnam, and Third Indo-Pakistani wars.


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See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role:

Vehicles developed with the M24 turret:

Vehicles developed with the M24 hull:

External links


U.S. Army Ordnance Department/Corps*
Light tanks  T18E2 · M24 (Designed in collaboration with Cadillac)
M3 Stuart  M3 · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC)
M5 Stuart  M5A1
Medium tanks  M3 Lee
M4 Sherman  M4 · M4A1 · M4A2 · M4A3 (105) · Calliope
  M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (76) W
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26E1 · M26 T99
Patton Series  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47
Prototypes  T54E1 · T95E1
Heavy tanks  M103
M4 Jumbo  M4A3E2 · Cobra King · M4A3E2 (76) W
M6 Heavy  M6A1 · M6A2E1 · T1E1
M26 Pershing  T26E1-1 · T26E5
Prototypes  T14
T29  T29 · T30 · T34
T-32  T32 · T32E1
Tank destroyers  M3 GMC · M10 GMC · M56
M8 GMC  M8 HMC · M8A1 GMC
M36 GMC  M36 GMC · M36B2
Prototypes  T28 · T95
SPAAGs 
Production  M19 MGMC · M42
Export/Captured  ␗M8 HMC · SU-57
Stuart  Stuart I · Stuart III · ␗M3A3 Stuart · ␗M3A3 (1st PTG) · ▄M3A3 · ▄M3A3 Stuart · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · ␗M5A1
Lee/Grant  ▂M3 Medium · ▃Grant I · Grant I
M4 Sherman  Sherman II · ▄M4A1 · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▂M4A2 · ▄M4A3 (105) · ▅M4A3 (76) W · ▄M4A3E2
  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ▄Sherman V · ▄M4A4 · ▄Sherman I Composito
M26 Pershing  M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1
M47 Patton  mKPz M47 G · ▅M47
M10 GMC  ␗M10 GMC · ▄M10 GMC
M36 GMC  ␗M36 GMC · M36B1 · ▅M36 · ▄M36B2
M19 MGMC  ▅M19A1
M42 MGMC  ▅M42 · ␗M42
  *The Ordnance Department was renamed to the Ordnance Corps after the Army Reorganization Act of 1950.

Cadillac Division of General Motors
Light Tanks 
M24 Chaffee*  M24
M551 Sheridan  M551
  *Designed in collaboration with U.S. Army Ordnance Department.
Export  ▅M24 · ␗M24 · ▄M24
Note  Cadillac is a division of General Motors (GM).

USA light tanks
LVT  LVT(A)(1) · ○LVT(A)(1) · LVT(A)(4)
M2  M2A2 · M2A4 · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)
M3/M5 Stuart  M3 Stuart · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC) · M5A1 · M5A1 TD · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD)
M22 Locust  M22
M24 Chaffee  M24 · M24 (TL)
M18 Hellcat  M18 GMC · M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat
M41 Walker Bulldog  M41A1
M551 Sheridan  M551 · M551(76)
M3 Bradley  M3 Bradley · M3A3 Bradley
Wheeled  M8 LAC · T18E2 · M1128 · M1128 Wolfpack
Other  M8A1 GMC · T92 · T114 · HSTV-L · CCVL · XM8 · XM800T · AGS