Difference between revisions of "M113A1 (TOW)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=it_m113a1_tow}}
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{{About
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| about = Italian tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = M113 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=it_m113a1_tow
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].This vehicle is based on the M113A1 made by OTO Melara, which was fitted with a wide array of armaments. The TOW ATGM which is the main armament of this vehicle can prove to be extremely potent on the right map. There's many ways of playing with this vehicle, for example due to how the TOW is placed, on certain maps a player may be able to find a place to cover the platform whilst only the TOW ATGM sticks out, meaning it can be used to pick off enemies from afar. If you are lucky enough to have bushes, it would be useful to place some on this vehicle. It has no armour, most machine guns will go right through you and since the crewmember which mans the ATGM is exposed it means that enemy aircraft and enemy artillery barages pose a very big threat to you. It is quite mobile despite its size, you should be able to reach spots or even stick with your team without too much of a difference in speed.  
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{{break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Italy tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].  
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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<!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
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The M113 chassis is a reliable chassis for what it was designed for, armoured to withstand the firepower seen on the battlefield while deploying troops. It is able to withstand all machine gun fire (5.56 mm to 14.5 mm) and is able to withstand autocannon fire at moderate ranges from the front (more than 500 m with AP belts). It is far from being able to withstand calibres higher than 30 mm cannons and all chemical rounds (HEAT, ATGM, HESH, etc) will hull-break it instantly regardless of where it is hit.
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
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'''Armour type:'''
  
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The vehicle profile is a basic rectangle with a slightly sloped front which increases protection from machine gun fire. The main areas of the vehicle to target when attacking is the missile launcher, machine gun to disable its attack capability or a main vehicle shot.
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* Aluminium alloy 5083 (hull, cupola)
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* Structural steel (missile launcher, side skirts)
  
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The M1113A1 is meant to be a stand-off vehicle, which is due to its role on the battlefield, it is not built to be on the front line. The aluminium alloy armour will not stand up to much and as is will barely stop 12 mm machine gun fire. Anything of higher calibre are almost guaranteed to penetrate.
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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 || 38 mm (45°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 29 mm (40°) ''Engine access panel'' <br> 38 mm (25°) ''Lower glacis'' || 44 mm ''Top'' <br> 32 mm ''Bottom'' || 38 mm (10°) || 38 mm <br> 5 mm ''Engine vents''
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|-
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| Driver cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 25 mm (cylindrical) || 38 mm
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|-
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| Commander cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 38 mm (cylindrical) || 38 mm
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|-
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|}
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[[File:M113A1 gunner is hit.jpg|220px|thumb|right|Try to hide as best as you can, or not only the gunner will suffer consequences, but the entirety of the crew as well.]]
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'''Notes:'''
  
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The gunner is exposed outside of the vehicle when directing the launcher and can be hit. Be aware, accidentally initiating rangefinder (near to launcher) with APHE, it may detonate right into the gunner's face.
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* Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
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* The missile launcher is a 30-50 mm thick pylon (structural steel).
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* The belly armour is 29 mm thick.
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* Side skirts are 4 mm thick.
  
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Since the vehicle's armour is very thin it often does not detonate shells while armour-ripping shells cause less than fatal damage. However, only '''very''' high calibre shells won't detonate, the main key here is to avoid being hit at all. Vehicle also seems to not have hull break, one example is when an ATGM hits to the side of the vehicle in arcade mode will only set it on fire.
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The vehicle profile is a basic rectangle with a slightly sloped front which increases protection from machine gun fire. Front has a hatch, which works as HESH screen. The main areas of the vehicle to target when attacking is the missile launcher, machine gun to disable its attack capability or a main vehicle shot.
  
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All in all, it's best to just get out of the way of other tanks and sneak around, this is a vehicle of strategy, not brute force.
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The gunner is exposed outside of the vehicle when directing the launcher and can be hit. Be aware, as the launcher's base and sometimes even the rangefinder, located next to the launcher, can trigger APHE fuse and cause it to explode in front of the gunner's face, then the shrapnel flies back and shreds the virtually non-existent roof armour, taking out everyone in the middle of the vehicle. Also, since the gunner stands within the opened roof hatch, if a chemical warhead hits rangefinder, then payload can enter vehicle through it and take out loader as well.
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Since the vehicle's armour is very thin, it sometimes does not detonate shells so armour-ripping shells causes less than fatal damage. However, only '''very''' high calibre shells with fuses of about 20-22 mm won't detonate, which are very rare at BR 8.3 battles, as almost everyone use 15 mm fuses at this point. The main key here is to avoid being hit at all, as if your tank will be angled during attack, the fuses would detonate anyway.
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All in all, it's best to just get out of the way of other tanks and sneak around; this is a vehicle of strategy, not brute force.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability as well as the maximum speed forward and backwards.''-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
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While game stats state the top speed of this vehicle is about 64-71 km/h, in reality, it seems to manage around 30-40 km/h, which compared to other vehicles in its rank is rather slow. The turn rate of the vehicle also isn't that amazing, which can be a problem in an ambush or an immediate change of direction is needed.
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 305|rbMinHp= 190}}
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While game stats state the top speed of the {{PAGENAME}} is about 64-71 km/h, in reality it seems to manage around 30-40 km/h, which compared to other vehicles in its rank is rather slow. The turn rate of the vehicle also isn't that amazing, which can be a problem in an ambush or an immediate change of direction is needed.
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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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|BGM-71B TOW|BGM-71C I-TOW}}
  
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The M113A1 is a specialized vehicle which has a TOW missile launcher mounted onto the top of the vehicle. The firing tubes plus storage only contain 10 rockets to use before it needs to reload or resupply.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[BGM-71B TOW]] or [[BGM-71C I-TOW]] missile || 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" | 10 || rowspan="2" | -20°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±45° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 26.4 || 36.6 || 44.3 || 49.0 || 52.1 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
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|-
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|}
  
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Anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) loaded in the launcher have two purposes: Be extremely fast and attack at from range across the battlefield much like artillery cannons. As such, of all ATGMs at its battle rating, the M113A1 is probably one of the fastest with both launch and a top speed of 300 m/s. Be aware, this vehicle can easily be beaten by hybrid tank ATGMs, however, they're typically found at battle rating IX, aside from [[M551]] and [[T-55AM-1]], which are premium vehicles.
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The {{PAGENAME}} is a specialized vehicle which has a TOW missile launcher mounted onto the top of the vehicle. Ten missiles are onboard and can be fired before it needs to reload or resupply.
  
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When initially using the M113A1, the standard ATGM is available for use, which is a TOW which when fired can travel for approximately 3 km and has a 430 mm of penetration at 0 degrees or 214 mm of penetration at 60 degrees.
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Anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) loaded in TOW launcher have two purposes: be extremely fast and attack at range across the battlefield, much like artillery cannons. As such, of all ATGMs at its battle rating, the {{PAGENAME}} is probably one of the fastest with both launch and a top speed of 300 m/s. Be aware, this vehicle can easily be beaten by hybrid tank ATGMs, however, they're typically found at battle rating 9.0, aside from US light tank [[M551]] and Soviet medium tank [[T-55AM-1]], which is also a premium vehicle.
  
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The first-tier ammunition upgrade unleashes the "I-TOW" which provides 630 mm of penetration at 0 degrees and 314 mm of penetration at 60 degrees with a range of approximately 3.75 km. The drawback to using this rocket is that it does slightly less damage in realistic battle mode.
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When initially using the {{PAGENAME}}, the standard ATGM is available for use, which is a TOW which when fired can travel for approximately 3 km and has a 430 mm of penetration at 0 degrees or 214 mm of penetration at 60 degrees.
  
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The placement of weapon is high enough to fire over cover, however, advantages also at time spawn disadvantages and in this case with the vehicle gunner standing tall outside of the vehicle, he has no protection and can easily be hit.
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The first-tier ammunition upgrade unleashes the "I-TOW" which provides 630 mm of penetration at 0 degrees and 314 mm of penetration at 60 degrees with a range of approximately 3.75 km. The drawback to using this missile is that it does slightly less damage in realistic battle mode.
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The placement of weapon is high enough to fire over cover, however, advantages also at times spawn disadvantages and in this case, with the vehicle gunner standing tall outside of the vehicle, he has no protection and can easily be hit, despite the rest of vehicle being concealed.
  
 
The launcher has a rather limited arc of fire - 45 degrees in either direction, which isn't compensated by missile's characteristics like in case of [[Swingfire]] or armour like in case of [[IT-1]]. If you want to fire over cover best bet is to stand far away from the enemy and cover, or right in front of the cover, however, this still probably won't protect the gunner.
 
The launcher has a rather limited arc of fire - 45 degrees in either direction, which isn't compensated by missile's characteristics like in case of [[Swingfire]] or armour like in case of [[IT-1]]. If you want to fire over cover best bet is to stand far away from the enemy and cover, or right in front of the cover, however, this still probably won't protect the gunner.
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==== Ammunition ====
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{{:BGM-71B TOW/Ammunition|TOW}}
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{{:BGM-71C I-TOW/Ammunition|I-TOW}}
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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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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.5.0.39''' -->
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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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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''10''' || No
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
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* The player is unable to select the amount of ammo the {{PAGENAME}} can spawn with, as such the vehicle always spawns with full ammo and all its ammo racks filled.
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* The vehicle has no ready rack: both reload speed and ammo placement remain unchanged throughout the use of the missiles.
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* On the picture is shown in which order the missiles deplete.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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<!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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The single 12.7 mm machine gun can be effective when fighting against open-topped vehicles or to cause some confusion/distraction to the enemy vehicles as the M113A1 reloads.  
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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)}}
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The single 12.7 mm machine gun can be effective when fighting against open-topped vehicles or to cause some confusion/distraction to the enemy vehicles as the M113A1 reloads.
  
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At this battle rating, this vehicle is limited to keeping helicopters from getting too comfy since they too have thin to no armour, the rest should be left to the designated anti-air vehicles. As a last resort, the AGTM can be used.
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At this battle rating, this vehicle is limited to keeping helicopters from getting too comfy, since they too have thin to no armour, other aircraft should be left to the designated anti-air vehicles. As a last resort, the ATGM can be also be used against air targets.
  
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== Usage in the battles ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
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|-
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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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
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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 M113A1 TOW is best used as a surprise sniper and support vehicle, for this it is heavily recommended that you play in Ground Realistic battles, as in Arcade battles you'll be at a major disadvantage, due to enemies being able to spot you easier (as your name will be visible) and you'll mostly be seen on the mini-map which means that any form of surprise attack or ambush is nearly impossible. In Realistic battles however, the M113A1 TOW shines, the best way to play this vehicle is to hide in places where you're able to shoot from far away, whilst having a great view of the battlefield. Maps such as fields of Poland are really good if you position yourself somewhere were you have cover, a great view which you can easily take advantage of and turn the tide of battle into your teams favour.
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The M113A1 TOW is not very fast, so keep that in mind when disengaging from enemies or moving to a new spot, as once you've gotten a kill or two from the spot you're shooting from, it is likely the enemy team knows of your presence. Due to this not only is it good to move as enemies will either not expose themselves to you anymore, or you'll be targeted by air targets who will easily take you out due to you not being armoured, and open top. The M113A1 TOW also has a very sluggish reload rate, the best way to prevail is to pick your targets tactically, as once you have shot your missile you are basically defenceless, your machine-gun can only really deal with lightly armoured vehicles and helicopters. You cannot fire on the move with the M113A1 TOW so there is no sense in moving with your team, it is always better if you stay away from the action, keep your distance and take out flanking enemies. One good upside about the M113A1 TOW is that it can traverse bodies of water, it is very slow and you're pretty much a sitting duck, but it is good to keep in mind if you get overrun and need somewhere to hide where most enemies might not check from. It is also good on certain maps where you can reach spots quicker by going on water, which is recommended as you need to suprise your enemy to be effective in this vehicle. The M113A1 does have access to night vision, so this will help greatly on night maps, it does not get access to thermals. Last but not least, one of its low tier modifications is the I-TOW missile, make sure to research this as it will give you a higher chance in one shotting enemies, or at least rendering them defenceless for enough time for you or a teammate to take them out.
 +
 
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'''Enemies worth noting:'''
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* [[Helicopters]] eg. AH-1, UH-1, etc: helicopters are always a great threat to you. Although at the start of the match they cannot equip ATGMs, they are still able to carry lots of deadly rockets, posing a great threat to the M113's weak hull. When an enemy helicopter is roaming nearby and showering the ground with rockets, the safest option is to stay in cover or be stationary, to make it harder for the helicopter to see you. Your only effective defensive weapon against them is the 12.7 mm MG (unless you are very skilled and can manually guide the ATGM to hit them). Only open fire when the helicopter is extremely near, for example within 400 m. Your MG can only damage light helicopters like the UH-1 but not armoured ones. Continuously spray bullets at it until it starts to turn towards you, and quickly retreat back into cover as any helicopter can easily destroy you with a few rockets.
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* [[M60A1 RISE (P)]], [[M60A3 TTS]]: these tanks are covered with ERA which are pretty much designed to counter chemical warheads like your TOW missiles. When the M113's TOW missile hits them, their ERA always detonate, leaving the tanks themselves unharmed, so it is not recommended to shoot them when their ERA are still present. If they are quite far away, you can choose to break their gun barrels or tracks to make them defenceless or immobile. If they are close enough, you can use your 12.7 mm MG to destroy their ERA first. Do not spray, fire in quick bursts and focus on a few ERA, as the bullets seem to spread out a lot in a continuous fire which will decrease the damage to the ERA you want to destroy. The MG is rather effective at destroying these modules. Once those ERA are gone use the TOW to hit the uncovered areas. The most straightforward method is to just fire a missile at them, destroying a bunch of ERA and fire another one at the uncovered area. However this method will give them more than 10 seconds of reaction time so make sure that you are well concealed and will not get spotted before the next missile.
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* [[M901]]: this is a similar vehicle based on the M113 hull, with an interesting and unique TOW launcher. The launcher has 360 degrees horizontal rotation and 30 degrees gun depression meaning it adapts terrains better than the M113A1 (TOW). Furthermore, its gunner is not exposed which increases its fighting capacity, so you must deal with the M901 carefully. In a battle, your M113A1 (TOW) and the M901 might be at similar spots which is kind of a sniper vs sniper scenario. Do not get hit by it, as your gunner/launcher will detonate its missile and the shrapnel will splash down, knocking out all the crew or causing a hull break. Try to fire first or hide until his attention shifts.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
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* The M113A1 is a mobile artillery platform with the power to stop tank
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* Amazing 20 degrees depression of the missile allows the M113 to adapt to any rough terrain with ease
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* Fast, can get to covered locations and set up for ambushes
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* Adequate mobility (64 km/h top speed) allows it to get to positions in time, not much slower than common MBTs like the [[T-54 (1947)|T-54]], [[M48 Patton (Family)|M48]], etc
 +
* Stock ATGM penetrates up to 430 mm and can score kills at a very long range, up to 3 km
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* Researchable I-TOW ATGM improves penetration to 630 mm, and range to 3.75 km
 +
* Heavy MG can take out lightly armoured vehicles (eg. [[WZ305]]) and low-flying planes/helicopters
  
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'''Cons:'''  
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'''Cons:'''
  
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* Extremely light armour - not suited for frontline duty
+
* Fully exposed gunner is very vulnerable to everything, like MG fire, artillery strikes, and strafing planes
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* Rather slow at turning
+
* Weak armour protection reduces survivability, especially against rapid-firing SPAAs like the [[Gepard]], [[M163]], [[Chieftain Marksman]], etc
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* Gunner is exposed, can easily be knocked out
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* While not so slow, it can still get out-ran by lots of opponents like the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]]s, [[Centauro]]s, etc.
 +
* Is a big and soft target for strike aircraft, even for WW2 planes
 +
* Cannot fire ATGM on the move, which can prove fatal in a sudden close quarters encounter
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* Not so fast in a turn
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* Gun depression is very limited above the MG
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
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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).'' -->[[File:Italian M113A1 Back.jpg|thumb|239x239px|Italian M113A1 from the back]]
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[[File:Italian M113A1 Mounts.jpg|thumb|237x237px|Italian M113A1 mounts]]
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[[File:Italian M113A1 from the Front.jpg|left|thumb|246x246px|Italian M113A1 from the front]]
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At the end of the 1970's, Italy was able to acquire straight from their American allies the BGM TOW Anti-Tank Guided Missile launchers. This allowed Italy to equip itself with a potent long range weapon that would oppose the heavy armoured formations of the Warsaw Pact. The TOW had proven to be a wide success in the export market, and had several different versions that could be fired depending on the need. The TOW is still being used today in several countries and has been upgraded heavily which overall makes it a powerful weapon to be afraid of. After they had bought them, they would gradually be assigned to different parts of the armed forces. The Italian mechanized battalions were one of the main users and ended up installing the TOW system on several different vehicles, such as Land Rovers or in this case, the M113A1. These versions of the M113 differed from normal variants, due to the roof being able to be opened (to allow the TOW system to actually be installed) and a new GM 6V Diesel engine that produced up to 215 hp. This however turned out to be very dangerous for the crew, this variant had neither protection against ballistic threats, nor against the NBC ones. One of the many upsides was the ease at which the M113 was able to traverse through its environment and through bodies of water if needed.
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In terms of service, It was used all the way through the Cold War, and partook in several peacekeeping missions, such as in the Balkans and in Afghanistan. Overall, it was used in the majority of regiments of the Italian army, such as the Bersaglieri, who to this day apparently still have a few amount in service.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_m113a1_tow Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Images
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
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File:M113A1 (TOW).png
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File:M113A1 (TOW) - Front View.png
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</gallery>
  
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== Read also ==
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;Videos
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
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{{Youtube-gallery|WD7LGLhHbAk|'''Having crew members outside of the vehicle is actually pretty useful. M113A1 (TOW)''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|4_cJ1CpEatw|'''Best gun depression''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:43 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:11 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
  
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* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
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== See also ==
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
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''ETC.''
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* [[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]
 +
* [[SIDAM 25]]
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* [[CM25]]
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* [[M901]]
  
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== Sources ==
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== External links ==
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
  
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* https://museomilitarevidotto.it Museum in italy, one of many italian M113A1
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* ''other literature.''
 
  
 
{{Italy tank destroyers}}
 
{{Italy tank destroyers}}
  
 
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]
 
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Latest revision as of 12:31, 5 May 2023

Rank 7 USA
F-5C Pack
This page is about the Italian tank destroyer M113A1 (TOW). For other versions, see M113 (Family).
M113A1 (TOW)
it_m113a1_tow.png
GarageImage M113A1 (TOW).jpg
M113A1 (TOW)
Italy flag.png Italy
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.3 8.3 8.3
Class:
Research:135 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:380 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The OTO Melara VTC M113A1 TOW is a rank VI Italian tank destroyer with a battle rating of 8.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic".This vehicle is based on the M113A1 made by OTO Melara, which was fitted with a wide array of armaments. The TOW ATGM which is the main armament of this vehicle can prove to be extremely potent on the right map. There's many ways of playing with this vehicle, for example due to how the TOW is placed, on certain maps a player may be able to find a place to cover the platform whilst only the TOW ATGM sticks out, meaning it can be used to pick off enemies from afar. If you are lucky enough to have bushes, it would be useful to place some on this vehicle. It has no armour, most machine guns will go right through you and since the crewmember which mans the ATGM is exposed it means that enemy aircraft and enemy artillery barages pose a very big threat to you. It is quite mobile despite its size, you should be able to reach spots or even stick with your team without too much of a difference in speed.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull38 / 44 / 38
Turret0 / 0 / 0
Crew5 people
Visibility68 %

The M113 chassis is a reliable chassis for what it was designed for, armoured to withstand the firepower seen on the battlefield while deploying troops. It is able to withstand all machine gun fire (5.56 mm to 14.5 mm) and is able to withstand autocannon fire at moderate ranges from the front (more than 500 m with AP belts). It is far from being able to withstand calibres higher than 30 mm cannons and all chemical rounds (HEAT, ATGM, HESH, etc) will hull-break it instantly regardless of where it is hit.

Armour type:

  • Aluminium alloy 5083 (hull, cupola)
  • Structural steel (missile launcher, side skirts)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 38 mm (45°) Upper glacis
29 mm (40°) Engine access panel
38 mm (25°) Lower glacis 		44 mm Top
32 mm Bottom 		38 mm (10°) 38 mm
5 mm Engine vents
Driver cupola 25 mm (cylindrical) 38 mm
Commander cupola 38 mm (cylindrical) 38 mm
Try to hide as best as you can, or not only the gunner will suffer consequences, but the entirety of the crew as well.

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
  • The missile launcher is a 30-50 mm thick pylon (structural steel).
  • The belly armour is 29 mm thick.
  • Side skirts are 4 mm thick.

The vehicle profile is a basic rectangle with a slightly sloped front which increases protection from machine gun fire. Front has a hatch, which works as HESH screen. The main areas of the vehicle to target when attacking is the missile launcher, machine gun to disable its attack capability or a main vehicle shot.

The gunner is exposed outside of the vehicle when directing the launcher and can be hit. Be aware, as the launcher's base and sometimes even the rangefinder, located next to the launcher, can trigger APHE fuse and cause it to explode in front of the gunner's face, then the shrapnel flies back and shreds the virtually non-existent roof armour, taking out everyone in the middle of the vehicle. Also, since the gunner stands within the opened roof hatch, if a chemical warhead hits rangefinder, then payload can enter vehicle through it and take out loader as well.

Since the vehicle's armour is very thin, it sometimes does not detonate shells so armour-ripping shells causes less than fatal damage. However, only very high calibre shells with fuses of about 20-22 mm won't detonate, which are very rare at BR 8.3 battles, as almost everyone use 15 mm fuses at this point. The main key here is to avoid being hit at all, as if your tank will be angled during attack, the fuses would detonate anyway.

All in all, it's best to just get out of the way of other tanks and sneak around; this is a vehicle of strategy, not brute force.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB70 / 17 km/h
RB and SB65 / 15 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight11.2 t
Engine power
AB410 hp
RB and SB215 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB36.6 hp/t
RB and SB19.2 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 70 17 11.2 305 410 27.23 36.61
Realistic 65 15 190 215 16.96 19.2

While game stats state the top speed of the M113A1 (TOW) is about 64-71 km/h, in reality it seems to manage around 30-40 km/h, which compared to other vehicles in its rank is rather slow. The turn rate of the vehicle also isn't that amazing, which can be a problem in an ambush or an immediate change of direction is needed.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 641 → 6 135 Sl icon.png
RB5 085 → 6 722 Sl icon.png
SB6 352 → 8 397 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications110 700 Rp icon.png
192 400 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 300 Ge icon.png
Crew training110 000 Sl icon.png
Experts380 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces830 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
160 / 210 / 250 % Sl icon.png
208 / 208 / 208 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
32 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
32 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
I-TOW
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Setup 1:BGM-71B TOW ATGM
12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Setup 2:BGM-71C I-TOW ATGM
12.7 mm M2HB machine gun

Main armament

BGM-71B TOW ATGM
Ammunition10 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
13.0 → 10.0 s
Vertical guidance-20° / 25°
Horizontal guidance-45° / 45°
Flight speed299 m/s
Range3 000 m
Fire on the moveup to 5 km/h
BGM-71C I-TOW ATGM
Ammunition10 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
13.0 → 10.0 s
Vertical guidance-20° / 25°
Horizontal guidance-45° / 45°
Flight speed296 m/s
Range3 750 m
Fire on the moveup to 5 km/h
Main articles: BGM-71B TOW, BGM-71C I-TOW
BGM-71B TOW or BGM-71C I-TOW missile Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 10 -20°/+25° ±45° N/A 26.4 36.6 44.3 49.0 52.1 13.00 11.50 10.60 10.00
Realistic 17.9 21.0 25.5 28.2 30.0

The M113A1 (TOW) is a specialized vehicle which has a TOW missile launcher mounted onto the top of the vehicle. Ten missiles are onboard and can be fired before it needs to reload or resupply.

Anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) loaded in TOW launcher have two purposes: be extremely fast and attack at range across the battlefield, much like artillery cannons. As such, of all ATGMs at its battle rating, the M113A1 (TOW) is probably one of the fastest with both launch and a top speed of 300 m/s. Be aware, this vehicle can easily be beaten by hybrid tank ATGMs, however, they're typically found at battle rating 9.0, aside from US light tank M551 and Soviet medium tank T-55AM-1, which is also a premium vehicle.

When initially using the M113A1 (TOW), the standard ATGM is available for use, which is a TOW which when fired can travel for approximately 3 km and has a 430 mm of penetration at 0 degrees or 214 mm of penetration at 60 degrees.

The first-tier ammunition upgrade unleashes the "I-TOW" which provides 630 mm of penetration at 0 degrees and 314 mm of penetration at 60 degrees with a range of approximately 3.75 km. The drawback to using this missile is that it does slightly less damage in realistic battle mode.

The placement of weapon is high enough to fire over cover, however, advantages also at times spawn disadvantages and in this case, with the vehicle gunner standing tall outside of the vehicle, he has no protection and can easily be hit, despite the rest of vehicle being concealed.

The launcher has a rather limited arc of fire - 45 degrees in either direction, which isn't compensated by missile's characteristics like in case of Swingfire or armour like in case of IT-1. If you want to fire over cover best bet is to stand far away from the enemy and cover, or right in front of the cover, however, this still probably won't protect the gunner.

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
TOW ATGM 430 430 430 430 430 430
Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
TOW ATGM 299 3,000 18.82 0.05 0.1 3.75 80° 82° 90°

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
I-TOW ATGM 630 630 630 630 630 630
Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
I-TOW ATGM 296 3,750 19.05 0.05 0.1 2.88 80° 82° 90°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M113A1 (TOW)
Full
ammo 		Visual
discrepancy
10 No

Notes:

  • The player is unable to select the amount of ammo the M113A1 (TOW) can spawn with, as such the vehicle always spawns with full ammo and all its ammo racks filled.
  • The vehicle has no ready rack: both reload speed and ammo placement remain unchanged throughout the use of the missiles.
  • On the picture is shown in which order the missiles deplete.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 50°
Horizontal guidance-120° / 120°
Main article: M2HB (12.7 mm)

The single 12.7 mm machine gun can be effective when fighting against open-topped vehicles or to cause some confusion/distraction to the enemy vehicles as the M113A1 reloads.

At this battle rating, this vehicle is limited to keeping helicopters from getting too comfy, since they too have thin to no armour, other aircraft should be left to the designated anti-air vehicles. As a last resort, the ATGM can be also be used against air targets.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 1,000 (200) 577 -10°/+50° ±120°

Usage in battles

The M113A1 TOW is best used as a surprise sniper and support vehicle, for this it is heavily recommended that you play in Ground Realistic battles, as in Arcade battles you'll be at a major disadvantage, due to enemies being able to spot you easier (as your name will be visible) and you'll mostly be seen on the mini-map which means that any form of surprise attack or ambush is nearly impossible. In Realistic battles however, the M113A1 TOW shines, the best way to play this vehicle is to hide in places where you're able to shoot from far away, whilst having a great view of the battlefield. Maps such as fields of Poland are really good if you position yourself somewhere were you have cover, a great view which you can easily take advantage of and turn the tide of battle into your teams favour.

The M113A1 TOW is not very fast, so keep that in mind when disengaging from enemies or moving to a new spot, as once you've gotten a kill or two from the spot you're shooting from, it is likely the enemy team knows of your presence. Due to this not only is it good to move as enemies will either not expose themselves to you anymore, or you'll be targeted by air targets who will easily take you out due to you not being armoured, and open top. The M113A1 TOW also has a very sluggish reload rate, the best way to prevail is to pick your targets tactically, as once you have shot your missile you are basically defenceless, your machine-gun can only really deal with lightly armoured vehicles and helicopters. You cannot fire on the move with the M113A1 TOW so there is no sense in moving with your team, it is always better if you stay away from the action, keep your distance and take out flanking enemies. One good upside about the M113A1 TOW is that it can traverse bodies of water, it is very slow and you're pretty much a sitting duck, but it is good to keep in mind if you get overrun and need somewhere to hide where most enemies might not check from. It is also good on certain maps where you can reach spots quicker by going on water, which is recommended as you need to suprise your enemy to be effective in this vehicle. The M113A1 does have access to night vision, so this will help greatly on night maps, it does not get access to thermals. Last but not least, one of its low tier modifications is the I-TOW missile, make sure to research this as it will give you a higher chance in one shotting enemies, or at least rendering them defenceless for enough time for you or a teammate to take them out.

Enemies worth noting:

  • Helicopters eg. AH-1, UH-1, etc: helicopters are always a great threat to you. Although at the start of the match they cannot equip ATGMs, they are still able to carry lots of deadly rockets, posing a great threat to the M113's weak hull. When an enemy helicopter is roaming nearby and showering the ground with rockets, the safest option is to stay in cover or be stationary, to make it harder for the helicopter to see you. Your only effective defensive weapon against them is the 12.7 mm MG (unless you are very skilled and can manually guide the ATGM to hit them). Only open fire when the helicopter is extremely near, for example within 400 m. Your MG can only damage light helicopters like the UH-1 but not armoured ones. Continuously spray bullets at it until it starts to turn towards you, and quickly retreat back into cover as any helicopter can easily destroy you with a few rockets.
  • M60A1 RISE (P), M60A3 TTS: these tanks are covered with ERA which are pretty much designed to counter chemical warheads like your TOW missiles. When the M113's TOW missile hits them, their ERA always detonate, leaving the tanks themselves unharmed, so it is not recommended to shoot them when their ERA are still present. If they are quite far away, you can choose to break their gun barrels or tracks to make them defenceless or immobile. If they are close enough, you can use your 12.7 mm MG to destroy their ERA first. Do not spray, fire in quick bursts and focus on a few ERA, as the bullets seem to spread out a lot in a continuous fire which will decrease the damage to the ERA you want to destroy. The MG is rather effective at destroying these modules. Once those ERA are gone use the TOW to hit the uncovered areas. The most straightforward method is to just fire a missile at them, destroying a bunch of ERA and fire another one at the uncovered area. However this method will give them more than 10 seconds of reaction time so make sure that you are well concealed and will not get spotted before the next missile.
  • M901: this is a similar vehicle based on the M113 hull, with an interesting and unique TOW launcher. The launcher has 360 degrees horizontal rotation and 30 degrees gun depression meaning it adapts terrains better than the M113A1 (TOW). Furthermore, its gunner is not exposed which increases its fighting capacity, so you must deal with the M901 carefully. In a battle, your M113A1 (TOW) and the M901 might be at similar spots which is kind of a sniper vs sniper scenario. Do not get hit by it, as your gunner/launcher will detonate its missile and the shrapnel will splash down, knocking out all the crew or causing a hull break. Try to fire first or hide until his attention shifts.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Amazing 20 degrees depression of the missile allows the M113 to adapt to any rough terrain with ease
  • Adequate mobility (64 km/h top speed) allows it to get to positions in time, not much slower than common MBTs like the T-54, M48, etc
  • Stock ATGM penetrates up to 430 mm and can score kills at a very long range, up to 3 km
  • Researchable I-TOW ATGM improves penetration to 630 mm, and range to 3.75 km
  • Heavy MG can take out lightly armoured vehicles (eg. WZ305) and low-flying planes/helicopters

Cons:

  • Fully exposed gunner is very vulnerable to everything, like MG fire, artillery strikes, and strafing planes
  • Weak armour protection reduces survivability, especially against rapid-firing SPAAs like the Gepard, M163, Chieftain Marksman, etc
  • While not so slow, it can still get out-ran by lots of opponents like the Leopard 1s, Centauros, etc.
  • Is a big and soft target for strike aircraft, even for WW2 planes
  • Cannot fire ATGM on the move, which can prove fatal in a sudden close quarters encounter
  • Not so fast in a turn
  • Gun depression is very limited above the MG

History

Italian M113A1 from the back
Italian M113A1 mounts
Italian M113A1 from the front

At the end of the 1970's, Italy was able to acquire straight from their American allies the BGM TOW Anti-Tank Guided Missile launchers. This allowed Italy to equip itself with a potent long range weapon that would oppose the heavy armoured formations of the Warsaw Pact. The TOW had proven to be a wide success in the export market, and had several different versions that could be fired depending on the need. The TOW is still being used today in several countries and has been upgraded heavily which overall makes it a powerful weapon to be afraid of. After they had bought them, they would gradually be assigned to different parts of the armed forces. The Italian mechanized battalions were one of the main users and ended up installing the TOW system on several different vehicles, such as Land Rovers or in this case, the M113A1. These versions of the M113 differed from normal variants, due to the roof being able to be opened (to allow the TOW system to actually be installed) and a new GM 6V Diesel engine that produced up to 215 hp. This however turned out to be very dangerous for the crew, this variant had neither protection against ballistic threats, nor against the NBC ones. One of the many upsides was the ease at which the M113 was able to traverse through its environment and through bodies of water if needed.

In terms of service, It was used all the way through the Cold War, and partook in several peacekeeping missions, such as in the Balkans and in Afghanistan. Overall, it was used in the majority of regiments of the Italian army, such as the Bersaglieri, who to this day apparently still have a few amount in service.

Media

Skins
Images
  • M113A1 (TOW).png
  • M113A1 (TOW) - Front View.png
Videos
Having crew members outside of the vehicle is actually pretty useful. M113A1 (TOW) - HowToPlay1337
Best gun depression discusses the M113A1 (TOW) at 3:43 - War Thunder Official Channel
Amphibious tanks discusses the M113A1 (TOW) at 2:11 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

External links


Italy tank destroyers
  Italy
M41  75/18 M41 · 75/32 M41 · 90/53 M41M
M42  75/34 M42
M43  105/25 M43 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · 75/34 M43 · 75/46 M43
Wheeled  Lancia 3Ro (100/17) · AS 42/47 · Breda 90/53 · Breda 501
Other  L3/33 CC · 47/32 L40
Germany  ▄StuG III G
USA  M36B1 · ▄M109G · M113A1 (TOW)
  Hungary
Zrínyi  Zrinyi I · Zrinyi II
USSR  ◔2S1

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