Difference between revisions of "Centurion Mk 1"

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{{Specs-Card|code=uk_centurion_mk_1}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| usage = other versions
 
| usage = other versions
 
| link = Centurion (Family)
 
| link = Centurion (Family)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=uk_centurion_mk_1
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== 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.''-->
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
−
[[File:GarageImage_Centurion Mk 1.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''Centurion Mk 1''' was the first variant of the [[Centurion (Family)|Centurion medium tank family]]. Despite being classified as a medium tank by World War II standards, it can also be regarded as an early precursor to the Main Battle Tank, a designation established after the Second World War. The Centurion family is largely regarded as one of the most successful post-war tank designs, with manufacture continuing into the 1960s and combat continuing into the 1980s. The chassis was altered for a variety of various functions, and some of these modifications are still in use. It was a widespread tank with good armour, good mobility, and a powerful main tank gun. The Centurion was designed to fulfil a request for a 45-tonne tank with a 650-horsepower engine, strongly sloped frontal armour, and the new and powerful 76 mm Ordnance QF 17-pounder tank gun in October 1943. This would effectively result in a vehicle comparable to the German Panther tank. When the first production variant, the Centurion Mk 1 had been built, World War II in Europe was almost over. With some fighting still going on there, there was a hurry to bring this brand-new tank to Germany, possibly in the hopes of seeing some action. Even if it was unable to, the tank would be operational, and the experience acquired in a conflict zone would be invaluable in furthering its development. The Centurion Mk 1 swiftly grew into a wide tank family with as many as 13 distinct variants, each featuring multiple major modifications that may be considered a sub-family in and of themselves.
−
{{break}}
 
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]]. It is equipped with the well-known British [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|QF 17-pounder]] mounted on a new hull that definitively makes the Cromwell chassis outdated.
 
  
−
This tank does not play like any of the preceding British vehicles: while its mobility is below average for a rank IV medium, it compensates with armour, meaning that you will actually be able to withstand frontal combat and return fire, even if you get hit. It is the first medium to feature the late-game British armour pattern: a strong turret, thick and well-angled upper-glacis, weak lower glacis and thin sides. British tankers must get used to this configuration since it is found on every following medium tank.
+
Introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]], the Centurion Mk 1 is a ground-breaking design that combines strong armour, superb mobility, and a potent main tank gun. It is also one of the first British Army ground forces vehicles to have its transmission overhauled, resulting in much enhanced reverse speed. Players will undoubtedly value the new ability to effectively retreat back to cover after firing in order to avoid enemy retaliation. The renowned 76 mm Ordnance QF 17-pounder tank gun should be familiar to players of British Army ground forces.
−
 
 
−
The Centurion Mk.1 moves away from the familiar Cromwell chassis. While not being as fast or manoeuvrable, It does have sloped frontal armour, a strongly armoured turret, and a good QF 17-pounder gun with access to APDS.
 
−
 
 
−
''Mobility''<br>
 
−
The Centurion easily reaches its top speed of 39 km/h on almost any ground, due to its wide tracks and a good engine, even at stock performances. It also has a refreshingly good reverse speed (~13 km/h) (compared to the dreadful reverse speed of tanks on the Cromwell chassis) and can turn on the spot quite fast.
 
−
 
 
−
''Armour''<br>
 
−
The main improvement from previous British mediums is its thick and sloped armour. Reaching 152 mm on the turret and a good 76 mm angled at 58° on the front hull, this tanks can actually block point-blank shots from most cannons it will face like the Russian [[D-5T (85 mm)|D-5T]], the Japanese [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|Type II 75 mm]] and even some German guns at 500 m. This tank can actually expose its upper glacis since it will bounce most shots. This tank still has weak spots though: gun and MG mantlet are "only" 127 mm thick, barely angled and lower glacis are 76 mm at 44°, meaning close-range shots will eventually penetrate. It also has thin side armour, meaning that the tank is vulnerable to flank attacks and compound angling cannot be done effectively without exposing the sides. These traits mean that the Centurion Mk.1 can happily stand up most frontal shots at this rank.
 
−
 
 
−
''Firepower''<br>
 
−
The gun does not fire any shells with explosive filler, meaning that pinpoint accuracy is needed to get reliable kills (aiming for important modules, crew, or ammo racks). This canon's reload rate is faster than average at this BR, meaning you will be able to land 2 shots before your enemy can even fire. As any other tanks equipped with the [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|QF 17-pounder]], you will have to grind through subpar AP, APBC and APCBC shells before getting APDS. This last type of shell helps make accuracy quite easy and remains effective at long ranges while not being too costly in terms of silver lions.
 
−
 
 
−
A minor issue to notice is that the machine gun has very poor elevation and is loader-controlled, meaning that it cannot target even low flying aircraft and that it will be disabled once you lose two or more crew members.
 
  
 
== 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 helpful for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-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 helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->The Centurion Mk 1 is the first tank players will encounter in the British tech tree that sports a sloped hull front similar to the Panther, which with a thickness of 76.2 mm provides great protection for its battle rating, especially when the hull is angled slightly.  Turret armour features 127 mm thickness throughout the front but features many flat areas that cannons of sufficient power will exploit to destroy the tank, especially since 3 out of the 4 crew members are located in the turret.  Side armour can withstand auto-cannon fire with exceptions for HVAP rounds, so don't rely on it outside of that.  If the situation becomes sticky and a tactical retreat is required, a single wide volley of smoke grenades launched from the turret can cover you from the line-of-sight.
 
−
 
 
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
Line 38: Line 24:
 
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front, Gun mantlet, Cupola)
 
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front, Gun mantlet, Cupola)
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable"
−
| colspan="6" align="center" | '''Tank Armour Table'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || 76.2 mm (58°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 76.2 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 51 (12°) + 6 mm  || 38 mm (7°) ''Top'' <br> 38 mm (18°) ''Bottom'' || 29 mm <br> 8-14 mm ''Engine deck''
+
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Turret || 127 mm (2-58°) ''Turret front'' <br> 127 mm (6-40°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76 mm (9-11°) || 76 mm (1°) <br> 38 mm (89°) ''Turret underside'' || 25 mm  
+
| Hull || 76.2 mm (58°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 76.2 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 51 (12°) + 6 mm || 38 mm (7°) ''Top'' <br> 38 mm (18°) ''Bottom'' || 29 mm <br> 8-14 mm ''Engine deck''
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
+
| Turret || 127 mm (2-58°) ''Turret front'' <br> 127 mm (6-40°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76 mm (9-11°) || 76 mm (1°) <br> 38 mm (89°) ''Turret underside'' || 25 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Cupola || 90 mm || 19 mm
+
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 90 mm || 25 mm ''Outer ring'' <br> 19 mm ''Centre''
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 57: Line 40:
 
*The steel boxes around the turret and hull give a 4 mm additional protection, though this seems to be a negligible addition.
 
*The steel boxes around the turret and hull give a 4 mm additional protection, though this seems to be a negligible addition.
 
*Skirting are placed on the sides of the Centurion, giving an additional 6 mm of side protection and can act as spaced armour.
 
*Skirting are placed on the sides of the Centurion, giving an additional 6 mm of side protection and can act as spaced armour.
−
*An internal structural plate of 17mm thickness separates the forward ammo rack from the driver as seen in X-ray mode.
+
*An internal structural plate of 17 mm thickness separates the forward ammo rack from the driver as seen in X-ray mode.
−
*Another internal 17mm structural plate with large openings separates the driving compartment from the fighting compartment.
+
*Another internal 17 mm structural plate with large openings separates the driving compartment from the fighting compartment.
 +
*Angle for maximum effectiveness, even though most guns at the battle rating have trouble penetrating the Upper Frontal Plate even at close range. Namely the Tiger, Panther, T-34-85, and M4A2 (76).
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} is the first tank players will encounter in the British tech tree that sports a sloped hull front similar to the Panther and Soviet tanks, which with a thickness of 76.2 mm provides decent protection for its battle rating, especially when the hull is angled slightly.
 +
 
 +
Turret armour features 127 mm thickness throughout the front but features many flat areas that cannons of sufficient power will exploit to destroy the tank, especially since 3 out of the 4 crew members are located in the turret. Side armour can withstand autocannon fire with exceptions for HVAP rounds, so don't rely on it outside of that. If the situation becomes sticky and a tactical retreat is required, a single wide volley of smoke grenades launched from the turret can cover you from the line of sight.
 +
 
 +
The roof armour is mostly around 25 mm thick, which will protect from poorly aimed aircraft attack or HE fired by medium tanks, but will not stop artillery tanks or Soviet heavy tanks. The engine deck armour is only 8 mm thick, which is an even bigger weak spot than the familiar weakness of Churchill tanks.
 +
 
 +
All in all, its thick and sloped hull armour is the biggest upgrade from previous British medium tanks. Reaching 152 mm on the turret and a good 76 mm angled at 58° on the front hull, this tank can actually deflect shots from a lot of cannons it will face like the Soviet [[D-5T (85 mm)|D-5T]], the Japanese [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|Type II 75 mm]] and even some older German guns (if aimed poorly). This only gets better when the tank is further angled to the side.
 +
 
 +
This means, that at 500 m range the tank can actually cut into corners or simply expose its upper glacis because it will just bounce inaccurate shots from medium tanks or even weak short SPGs. This tank still has weak spots though: gun and MG mantlet, which are "only" 127 mm thick and barely angled, and lower glacis, which are 76 mm thick at 44°, meaning close-range shots will eventually penetrate, even in full down-tier. It also has thin side armour, meaning that the tank is vulnerable to flank attacks and compound angling cannot be done effectively without exposing the sides.
 +
 
 +
These traits mean that with some care the {{PAGENAME}} can happily stand on the front against most nations (with major exception being Germany).
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 984|rbMinHp= 562}}
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=984|rbMinHp=562}}
  
−
Compared to the many Cromwell based tanks before the Centurion, it does lose out on a great forward speed, only being able to reach 41 km/h (AB) / 37 km/h (RB) maximum, but in return it does receive great reverse speed of 13.4 km/h (AB)/12.1 km/h (RB), allowing for tactics that would not be recommended with the Cromwell like "Peek-a-boos". It also retains good maneuverability, effective neutral steering, and a very acceptable acceleration due to good power-to-weight ratio.
+
The Centurion easily reaches its top speed of 39 km/h on almost any ground, due to its wide tracks and a good engine, even at stock performances. It also has a refreshingly good reverse speed (~13 km/h) (compared to the dreadful reverse speed of tanks on the Cromwell chassis) and can turn on the spot quite fast.
 +
 
 +
Compared to the many Cromwell based tanks before the Centurion, it does lose out on a great forward speed, only being able to reach 41 km/h (AB) / 37 km/h (RB) maximum, but in return it does receive great reverse speed of 13.4 km/h (AB) / 12.1 km/h (RB), allowing for tactics that would not be recommended with the Cromwell like "Peek-a-boos". It also retains good manoeuvrability, effective neutral steering, and a very acceptable acceleration due to good power-to-weight ratio.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
<!--''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.''-->
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
−
{{main|Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)}}
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
{{main|QF 17-pounder (76 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The gun does not fire any shells with explosive filler, meaning that pinpoint accuracy is needed to get reliable kills (aiming for important modules, crew, or ammo racks). This cannon's reload rate is faster than average at its BR, meaning if enemy loader is down, it will be able to land 2 shots before enemy can fire again. After having depleted the ready rack of 5 shells, the reload time increases so be mindful when advancing.
 +
 
 +
As any other tanks equipped with the [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|QF 17-pounder]], you will have to grind through subpar AP, APC and APCBC shells before getting APDS. This last type of shell helps make aiming quite easy and remains effective at long ranges while not being too costly in terms of Silver Lions {{sl}}.
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|76 mm OQF 17-pounder]]
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 
−
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 
−
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
−
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 
−
|-
 
−
| colspan="3" | 74 || -12°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 
−
|-
 
−
! style="width:4em" |Mode
 
−
! style="width:4em" |Stock
 
−
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
 
−
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 
−
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 
−
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
−
|-
 
−
| ''Arcade'' || 17.14 || 23.72 || 28.80 || 31.84 || 33.88
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| ''Realistic'' || 10.70 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.92 || 18.00
+
! colspan="5" | [[QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|76 mm QF 17-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
+
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
+
! ''Arcade''
−
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
+
| rowspan="2" | 75 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 17.14 || 23.72 || 28.80 || 31.84 || 33.88 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
−
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 
−
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 7.67 || 6.79 || 6.25 || 5.90
+
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.92 || 18.00
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
===== Ammunition =====
+
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:QF 17-pounder (76 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.6, Shell Mk.1, Shot Mk.4, Shot Mk.8, Shot SV Mk.1, 17pdr Shell SS Mk.1}}
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10m
 
−
! 100m
 
−
! 500m
 
−
! 1000m
 
−
! 1500m
 
−
! 2000m
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.6 || AP || 171 || 168 || 155 || 139 || 126 || 113
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.4 || APC || 171 || 168 || 155 || 139 || 126 || 113
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.8 || APCBC || 190 || 187 || 172 || 155 || 140 || 126
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot SV Mk.1 || APDS || 228 || 226 || 207 || 189 || 159 || 134
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="11" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 
−
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 
−
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
 
−
''in m:''
 
−
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
 
−
''in mm:''
 
−
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 
−
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''
 
−
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0%
 
−
! 50%
 
−
! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.6 || AP || 883 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 883 || 6.98 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 883 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.4 || APC || 883 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.8 || APCBC || 883 || 7.71 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot SV Mk.1 || APDS || 1203 || 1.73 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
 
−
|-
 
−
! Ammunition
 
−
! Velocity <br /> in m/s
 
−
! Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 
−
! ''Screen radius <br /> in m''
 
−
! ''Screen time <br /> in s''
 
−
! ''Screen hold time <br /> in s:''
 
−
! ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 
−
|-
 
−
| 17pdr Shell SS Mk.1 || 754 || 8.4 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
−
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
+
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
[[File:Ammoracks_Centurion Mk 1.png|right|x250px|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Centurion Mk.1]]The QF 17-pounder cannon fires single-piece ammunition stored in stowage racks in the hull floor and the hull front next to the driver.  There are 11 rounds stored in 3 small ready racks located in the turret basket inside the hull for quick reloading by the loader.  The time it takes the loader to load one round into the ready rack from the stowage racks is about 17 seconds.
+
<!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.0.109''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br />ammo
+
! Full<br>ammo
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br /> rack empty
+
! 1st<br>rack empty
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br /> rack empty
+
! 2nd<br>rack empty
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd<br /> rack empty
+
! 3rd<br>rack empty
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br /> rack empty
+
! 4th<br>rack empty
−
!5th
+
! 5th<br>rack empty
−
rack empty
+
! 6th<br>rack empty
−
!6th rack empty
+
! 7th<br>rack empty
−
!7th rack empty
+
! 8th<br>rack empty
−
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
+
! 9th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
|| '''74''' || 71&nbsp;''(+3)'' || 67&nbsp;''(+7)'' || 64&nbsp;''(+10)'' || 62&nbsp;''(+12)''  
+
| '''75''' || 74&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 73&nbsp;''(+2)'' || 68&nbsp;''(+7)'' || 38&nbsp;''(+37)'' || 30&nbsp;''(+45)'' || 22&nbsp;''(+53)'' || 14&nbsp;''(+61)'' || 6&nbsp;''(+69)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+74)'' || No
−
|46&nbsp;''(+28)''
 
−
|30&nbsp;''(+44)''
 
−
|1&nbsp;''(+73)''|| style="text-align:left" | Yes
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
'''Notes''':
  
−
Notes:
+
* The QF 17-pounder cannon fires single-piece ammunition stored in stowage racks in the hull floor and the hull front next to the driver.
−
 
+
* Recommended ammo load is 38 to remove the large ammo rack at the front of the hull.
−
* Recommended ammo load is 30 to remove from ammo from the hull floor and half of rack 7.
+
* Ammo rack 9 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle.
−
* Ammo rack 1, 2, and 3 are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 7 through 4.
+
* After the first order ammo rack is depleted, the reload time is longer, at around 10 seconds.
−
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready racks.  If all three ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
 
−
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 4-7 into rack 3, 2, and 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 4-7.  Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.
 
  
 
=== 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.''-->
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
 
{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
  
−
Unlike many turret-mounted machine guns that are co-axial, this machine gun is mounted in pintle mount similar to hull-mounted machine guns, so it is able to independently traverse on its own to a degree, a trait that is shared with the Soviet T-28. This can provide a slight advantage when the turret ring is disabled, as it can allow more accurate fire without the need to move the turret/hull.
+
Unlike many turret-mounted machine guns that are co-axial, this machine gun is mounted in pintle mount similar to hull-mounted machine guns, so it is able to independently traverse on its own to a degree, a trait that is shared with the Soviet T-28. This can provide a slight advantage when the turret ring is disabled, as it can allow more accurate fire without the need to move the turret/hull.
 +
 
 +
A minor issue to notice is that the machine gun has very poor elevation and is loader-controlled, meaning that it cannot target even low flying aircraft and that it will be disabled once the tank has lost two or more crew members.
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="7" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
+
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
+
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
−
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
 
−
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 
−
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| colspan="4" | 3,375 (225) || 600 || ±7° || ±7°
+
| Coaxial || 3,375 (225) || 600 || ±7° || ±7°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
This tank is a good Jack-of-all-trades, meaning it can effectively deal with any situation with good effectiveness, so one can play it as you like, as long as you follow a few specific guidelines and patterns, in order not to get shot down too easily.
+
'''Overview:'''
 +
 
 +
The Centurion Mk 1 is widely considered as the first Main Battle Tank (MBT), and plays in the role of a medium/heavy. The armour is more than satisfactory against most enemy weapons, although it should not be relied upon. The 17-pounder cannon is very effective against enemy armour, although its post-penetration damage is lacklustre. The tank is not particularly fast, but is mobile, especially in reverse.
  
−
'''Hide LFP''': In any engagement, this is the weakest part of your frontal armour, behind it there is your main ammo rack and driver, avoid showing this part of the tank to the enemy.
+
'''Strategies:'''
  
−
'''Stay on the move''': This tank has good mobility, use it to make it harder to target your weak spots at close ranges and avoid shots at long ranges.
+
Centurion tank commanders should use cover and be careful for the majority of the time. When the opportunity arises, the Centurion can help lead the charge against enemy medium and heavy tanks. Centurion commanders should keep in mind that the APDS ammunition is unlikely to destroy enemy vehicles in one shot, so they may need to expose themselves to enemy fire for extended periods of time in order to secure a kill. Generally, the Centurion plays similarly to other medium tanks of the tier. It is best practice to angle the turret, but the hull should not be angled due to the thin side armour.
  
−
'''No hull angling''': Since your sides are weak, do not try angling since it will only allow the enemy to get an easy kill. Use your good hull traverse (turning on the spot) to always face directly your foe. When turning corners, take a ''large turn'' in order to show only your frontal armour to anything that can be waiting around the corner.
+
In terms of engagement ranges, the Centurion works well at both long and short ranges. The issue with sniping in the centurion is that it is very difficult to secure kills with the lacklustre post-penetration damage. Because of this, medium and short range engagements are preferable.
  
−
'''Angle turret between shots''': While your hull sides are not that thick, your turret's side armour is much more forgiving at 89 mm, nod your turret ~ 10° to the right in order to maximise frontal LOS thickness.
+
'''Notable Enemies:'''
  
−
'''Compensate parallax''': Your gun and optics are very far apart from each order meaning that your shells will always fall 1 meter left of your crosshair at ''any range'' (no convergence). This is particularly important in RB/SB battle since there is no aiming assistance to help you.
+
At its BR, the Centurion faces many iconic German big cats like the Tiger I, the Panther and even the Tiger II. The Centurion is capable of going head to head with the big cats. The APDS rounds will slice through the Tiger I at most angles but one must be cautious of facing Tiger II, and can even penetrate the upper front plate of a Panther at close ranges or at range when using APDS. This round can even penetrate the Jagdpanther. It can also easily penetrate the hull of the IS-1 and early IS-2. Generally when firing at enemies, be careful to aim for the flat parts of the armour. APDS ammunition doesn't handle angled armour very well most of the time.
  
 
=== 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".''-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 +
 
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
 
* Fast firing 17-pounder armament with APDS rounds
 
* Fast firing 17-pounder armament with APDS rounds
 
* Good gun depression of -12°
 
* Good gun depression of -12°
−
* Decent front sloping armour for hull and turret that is quite resistant to the 85mm, 76mm and even the German 88 mm (KwK 36) guns at medium/long range
+
* Tough round and sloped armour that is quite resistant to the 85 mm, 76 mm and even the German 88 mm (KwK36) guns at medium/long range
−
* Tough round sloping turret front, which can be angled for a much more effective armour thickness
+
* Turret's top armour is thick, can resist most aircraft guns and some HE shells
−
* Turret's top armour is thick, can resist most aircraft guns
 
 
* Average mobility and decent manoeuvrability
 
* Average mobility and decent manoeuvrability
−
* Good stock mobility
+
* Good reverse speed and neutral steering
−
* Good reverse speed
 
−
* Neutral steering
 
−
* Access to smoke grenades
 
 
* Benefits greatly from the learning curve of the Comet I and Challenger, their players will find themselves at home when playing the Centurion
 
* Benefits greatly from the learning curve of the Comet I and Challenger, their players will find themselves at home when playing the Centurion
 
* Mastering this tank will provide a good learning curve for the next Centurion variants
 
* Mastering this tank will provide a good learning curve for the next Centurion variants
Line 261: Line 177:
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* No APHE rounds available, precision and knowledge of enemy tanks are required
+
* Precision and knowledge of enemy tanks are required, because of the APDS localized damage
−
* Large tank size, especially length
 
 
* Weak side armour, angling the armour too much will result in the side armour being penetrated
 
* Weak side armour, angling the armour too much will result in the side armour being penetrated
−
* Front ammo rack to the left of the driver, penetration to the lower glacis will likely ignite or destroy it
+
* Vulnerable to high ground and tall tanks due to reliance on angled armour
−
* Centurion Mk 1 is slow for a medium tank
+
* The Centurion Mk has a slow top speed for a medium tank
 
* Unlike its later iterations, no [[Gun stabilizer|gun stabilizer]]
 
* Unlike its later iterations, no [[Gun stabilizer|gun stabilizer]]
−
* Difficult to destroy enemies with stock shells
+
* Some-what weak lower frontal plate (LFP); ammo rack also present there, a weakness carried over to all British tanks onward
−
* Weak Lower Frontal Plate (LFP), a weakness carried over to all British tanks onward
 
−
* Subpar turret armour (127 mm)
 
 
* Top armour covering the engine is poor, only 8 mm
 
* Top armour covering the engine is poor, only 8 mm
 +
* Only 6 shells available before the first order ammo rack is depleted, leading to a longer reload time
 +
* Frontal turret cheek armour is flat
 +
* Many angles and faces on the turret can yield various results when shot, armour is ultimately unreliable
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/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.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
 
 +
===Design===
 +
In 1943, the British War Office mandated the Directorate of Tank Design to start working on a new heavy cruiser tank. The requirements stated that the new tank should be capable of withstanding a direct hit from the infamous German 88 mm gun, while providing greater protection against mines as well as staying under the 40-ton limit imposed by logistical constraints. The tank also had to offer a good cross-country capability when offroad, a high reverse speed was required but not a high forward top speed. The new project, called A41, had to surpass the Comet tank in all areas except the main armament for which the 17-pdr gun was still deemed effective enough to deal with enemy tanks.
 +
 
 +
===Development===
 +
Early in the development, it became clear that the 40-tons limit imposed by logistical constraints (transport trailers, Bailey truss bridge, etc.) could not be held if the other requirements were to stay the same (armour and turret size). The limit was raised to 50 tons and the tank's maximal size for railway bridges and tunnels was also scrapped.
 +
The hull was designed larger, welded and with sloped armour. The turret was made of thick cast armour, with the sides sloped and overall wider than previous tanks to fit the 17-pdr gun and 3 crew members.
 +
The tank was designed and fitted with a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine, the same engine found in the Comet and Cromwell tanks.
 +
The suspension was changed to a Horstmann suspension to reduce its size and encroachment while allowing for modular maintenance in the field.
 +
Prototypes for evaluation arrived in Belgium less than a month after the end of WW2 in Europe and manufacturing began later in 1945.
 +
The new A41 tank was subsequently designated the Centurion. During its test phase, it demonstrated better performance than the Comet in all areas and was adopted by the British Army.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
The Centurion Mk 1 never saw combat and was quickly upgraded to Mk 2 and 3 with the introduction of the 20-pdr gun.
 +
The first Centurions to see combat were British and Canadian Centurions Mk 3 in Korea in the 1950s where the tank gained its laurels and became a major export success.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_centurion_mk_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|XThuUn_3u30|'''Centurion Mk 1 Tank Review - APDS Only''' - ''Napalmratte''|HsiYQG4dKaQ|'''British Blitzkrieg - Centurion Mk 1 Review''' - ''MikeGoesBoom''}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 +
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 +
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Vehicles equipped with the same gun and ammunition
−
[https://warthunder.com/en/news/4515-development-centurion-mk-i-a-tank-for-a-new-era-en/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Centurion Mk I: A Tank for a New Era]
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
* [[Challenger]]
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
* [[Black Prince]]
  
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/4515-development-centurion-mk-i-a-tank-for-a-new-era-en|[Devblog] Centurion Mk I: A Tank for a New Era]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:Centurion (tank)|[Wikipedia] Centurion]]
 +
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/UK/FV-4200_Centurion <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> FV4007 Centurion]
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
 
{{Britain medium tanks}}
 
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 06:30, 12 October 2023

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the British medium tank Centurion Mk 1. For other versions, see Centurion (Family).
Centurion Mk 1
uk_centurion_mk_1.png
GarageImage Centurion Mk 1.jpg
ArtImage Centurion Mk 1.png
Centurion Mk 1
Britain flag.png Britain
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.0 6.0 6.0
Class:
Research:46 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:155 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Centurion Mk 1 was the first variant of the Centurion medium tank family. Despite being classified as a medium tank by World War II standards, it can also be regarded as an early precursor to the Main Battle Tank, a designation established after the Second World War. The Centurion family is largely regarded as one of the most successful post-war tank designs, with manufacture continuing into the 1960s and combat continuing into the 1980s. The chassis was altered for a variety of various functions, and some of these modifications are still in use. It was a widespread tank with good armour, good mobility, and a powerful main tank gun. The Centurion was designed to fulfil a request for a 45-tonne tank with a 650-horsepower engine, strongly sloped frontal armour, and the new and powerful 76 mm Ordnance QF 17-pounder tank gun in October 1943. This would effectively result in a vehicle comparable to the German Panther tank. When the first production variant, the Centurion Mk 1 had been built, World War II in Europe was almost over. With some fighting still going on there, there was a hurry to bring this brand-new tank to Germany, possibly in the hopes of seeing some action. Even if it was unable to, the tank would be operational, and the experience acquired in a conflict zone would be invaluable in furthering its development. The Centurion Mk 1 swiftly grew into a wide tank family with as many as 13 distinct variants, each featuring multiple major modifications that may be considered a sub-family in and of themselves.

Introduced in Update 1.67 "Assault", the Centurion Mk 1 is a ground-breaking design that combines strong armour, superb mobility, and a potent main tank gun. It is also one of the first British Army ground forces vehicles to have its transmission overhauled, resulting in much enhanced reverse speed. Players will undoubtedly value the new ability to effectively retreat back to cover after firing in order to avoid enemy retaliation. The renowned 76 mm Ordnance QF 17-pounder tank gun should be familiar to players of British Army ground forces.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull76 / 51 / 38
Turret127 / 76 / 76
Crew4 people
Visibility119 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret sides, Turret roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front, Gun mantlet, Cupola)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 76.2 mm (58°) Front glacis
76.2 mm (44°) Lower glacis 		51 (12°) + 6 mm 38 mm (7°) Top
38 mm (18°) Bottom 		29 mm
8-14 mm Engine deck
Turret 127 mm (2-58°) Turret front
127 mm (6-40°) Gun mantlet 		76 mm (9-11°) 76 mm (1°)
38 mm (89°) Turret underside 		25 mm
Cupola 90 mm 25 mm Outer ring
19 mm Centre

Notes:

  • Tracks and suspension wheels are both 20 mm thick.
  • The steel boxes around the turret and hull give a 4 mm additional protection, though this seems to be a negligible addition.
  • Skirting are placed on the sides of the Centurion, giving an additional 6 mm of side protection and can act as spaced armour.
  • An internal structural plate of 17 mm thickness separates the forward ammo rack from the driver as seen in X-ray mode.
  • Another internal 17 mm structural plate with large openings separates the driving compartment from the fighting compartment.
  • Angle for maximum effectiveness, even though most guns at the battle rating have trouble penetrating the Upper Frontal Plate even at close range. Namely the Tiger, Panther, T-34-85, and M4A2 (76).

The Centurion Mk 1 is the first tank players will encounter in the British tech tree that sports a sloped hull front similar to the Panther and Soviet tanks, which with a thickness of 76.2 mm provides decent protection for its battle rating, especially when the hull is angled slightly.

Turret armour features 127 mm thickness throughout the front but features many flat areas that cannons of sufficient power will exploit to destroy the tank, especially since 3 out of the 4 crew members are located in the turret. Side armour can withstand autocannon fire with exceptions for HVAP rounds, so don't rely on it outside of that. If the situation becomes sticky and a tactical retreat is required, a single wide volley of smoke grenades launched from the turret can cover you from the line of sight.

The roof armour is mostly around 25 mm thick, which will protect from poorly aimed aircraft attack or HE fired by medium tanks, but will not stop artillery tanks or Soviet heavy tanks. The engine deck armour is only 8 mm thick, which is an even bigger weak spot than the familiar weakness of Churchill tanks.

All in all, its thick and sloped hull armour is the biggest upgrade from previous British medium tanks. Reaching 152 mm on the turret and a good 76 mm angled at 58° on the front hull, this tank can actually deflect shots from a lot of cannons it will face like the Soviet D-5T, the Japanese Type II 75 mm and even some older German guns (if aimed poorly). This only gets better when the tank is further angled to the side.

This means, that at 500 m range the tank can actually cut into corners or simply expose its upper glacis because it will just bounce inaccurate shots from medium tanks or even weak short SPGs. This tank still has weak spots though: gun and MG mantlet, which are "only" 127 mm thick and barely angled, and lower glacis, which are 76 mm thick at 44°, meaning close-range shots will eventually penetrate, even in full down-tier. It also has thin side armour, meaning that the tank is vulnerable to flank attacks and compound angling cannot be done effectively without exposing the sides.

These traits mean that with some care the Centurion Mk 1 can happily stand on the front against most nations (with major exception being Germany).

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB43 / 15 km/h
RB and SB39 / 13 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
2 back
Weight46.9 t
Engine power
AB1 221 hp
RB and SB640 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB26.0 hp/t
RB and SB13.6 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 43 15 46.9 984 1,221 20.98 26.03
Realistic 39 13 562 640 11.98 13.65

The Centurion easily reaches its top speed of 39 km/h on almost any ground, due to its wide tracks and a good engine, even at stock performances. It also has a refreshingly good reverse speed (~13 km/h) (compared to the dreadful reverse speed of tanks on the Cromwell chassis) and can turn on the spot quite fast.

Compared to the many Cromwell based tanks before the Centurion, it does lose out on a great forward speed, only being able to reach 41 km/h (AB) / 37 km/h (RB) maximum, but in return it does receive great reverse speed of 13.4 km/h (AB) / 12.1 km/h (RB), allowing for tactics that would not be recommended with the Cromwell like "Peek-a-boos". It also retains good manoeuvrability, effective neutral steering, and a very acceptable acceleration due to good power-to-weight ratio.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 152 → 2 911 Sl icon.png
RB2 568 → 3 474 Sl icon.png
SB3 275 → 4 431 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications40 200 Rp icon.png
78 200 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 400 Ge icon.png
Crew training45 000 Sl icon.png
Experts155 000 Sl icon.png
Aces630 Ge icon.png
Research Aces440 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
100 / 150 / 180 % Sl icon.png
160 / 160 / 160 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 400 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 400 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement uk.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_britain_17pdr_APC_ammo_pack
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_britain_17pdr_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_britain_17pdr_APDS_ammo_pack
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 400 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_britain_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 400 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

76 mm QF 17-pounder cannon
Ammunition75 rounds
First-order5 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-12° / 20°
Main article: QF 17-pounder (76 mm)

The gun does not fire any shells with explosive filler, meaning that pinpoint accuracy is needed to get reliable kills (aiming for important modules, crew, or ammo racks). This cannon's reload rate is faster than average at its BR, meaning if enemy loader is down, it will be able to land 2 shots before enemy can fire again. After having depleted the ready rack of 5 shells, the reload time increases so be mindful when advancing.

As any other tanks equipped with the QF 17-pounder, you will have to grind through subpar AP, APC and APCBC shells before getting APDS. This last type of shell helps make aiming quite easy and remains effective at long ranges while not being too costly in terms of Silver Lions Sl icon.png.

76 mm QF 17-pounder Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 75 -12°/+20° ±180° N/A 17.14 23.72 28.80 31.84 33.88 7.67 6.79 6.25 5.90
Realistic 10.71 12.60 15.30 16.92 18.00

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
Shot Mk.6 AP 171 168 155 139 126 113
Shell Mk.1 HE 20 20 18 16 15 13
Shot Mk.4 APC 171 168 155 139 126 113
Shot Mk.8 APCBC 190 187 172 155 140 126
Shot SV Mk.1 APDS 269 264 246 226 207 189
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%
Shot Mk.6 AP 883 7.71 - - - 47° 60° 65°
Shell Mk.1 HE 883 6.98 0.2 0.1 580 79° 80° 81°
Shot Mk.4 APC 883 7.71 - - - 48° 63° 71°
Shot Mk.8 APCBC 883 7.71 - - - 48° 63° 71°
Shot SV Mk.1 APDS 1,204 2.48 - - - 75° 78° 80°
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)
17pdr Shell SS Mk.1 229 8.44 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
75 74 (+1) 73 (+2) 68 (+7) 38 (+37) 30 (+45) 22 (+53) 14 (+61) 6 (+69) 1 (+74) No
Ammo racks of the Centurion Mk 1

Notes:

  • The QF 17-pounder cannon fires single-piece ammunition stored in stowage racks in the hull floor and the hull front next to the driver.
  • Recommended ammo load is 38 to remove the large ammo rack at the front of the hull.
  • Ammo rack 9 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle.
  • After the first order ammo rack is depleted, the reload time is longer, at around 10 seconds.

Machine guns

7.92 mm BESA machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 375 rounds
Belt capacity225 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: BESA (7.92 mm)

Unlike many turret-mounted machine guns that are co-axial, this machine gun is mounted in pintle mount similar to hull-mounted machine guns, so it is able to independently traverse on its own to a degree, a trait that is shared with the Soviet T-28. This can provide a slight advantage when the turret ring is disabled, as it can allow more accurate fire without the need to move the turret/hull.

A minor issue to notice is that the machine gun has very poor elevation and is loader-controlled, meaning that it cannot target even low flying aircraft and that it will be disabled once the tank has lost two or more crew members.

7.92 mm BESA
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,375 (225) 600 ±7° ±7°

Usage in battles

Overview:

The Centurion Mk 1 is widely considered as the first Main Battle Tank (MBT), and plays in the role of a medium/heavy. The armour is more than satisfactory against most enemy weapons, although it should not be relied upon. The 17-pounder cannon is very effective against enemy armour, although its post-penetration damage is lacklustre. The tank is not particularly fast, but is mobile, especially in reverse.

Strategies:

Centurion tank commanders should use cover and be careful for the majority of the time. When the opportunity arises, the Centurion can help lead the charge against enemy medium and heavy tanks. Centurion commanders should keep in mind that the APDS ammunition is unlikely to destroy enemy vehicles in one shot, so they may need to expose themselves to enemy fire for extended periods of time in order to secure a kill. Generally, the Centurion plays similarly to other medium tanks of the tier. It is best practice to angle the turret, but the hull should not be angled due to the thin side armour.

In terms of engagement ranges, the Centurion works well at both long and short ranges. The issue with sniping in the centurion is that it is very difficult to secure kills with the lacklustre post-penetration damage. Because of this, medium and short range engagements are preferable.

Notable Enemies:

At its BR, the Centurion faces many iconic German big cats like the Tiger I, the Panther and even the Tiger II. The Centurion is capable of going head to head with the big cats. The APDS rounds will slice through the Tiger I at most angles but one must be cautious of facing Tiger II, and can even penetrate the upper front plate of a Panther at close ranges or at range when using APDS. This round can even penetrate the Jagdpanther. It can also easily penetrate the hull of the IS-1 and early IS-2. Generally when firing at enemies, be careful to aim for the flat parts of the armour. APDS ammunition doesn't handle angled armour very well most of the time.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Fast firing 17-pounder armament with APDS rounds
  • Good gun depression of -12°
  • Tough round and sloped armour that is quite resistant to the 85 mm, 76 mm and even the German 88 mm (KwK36) guns at medium/long range
  • Turret's top armour is thick, can resist most aircraft guns and some HE shells
  • Average mobility and decent manoeuvrability
  • Good reverse speed and neutral steering
  • Benefits greatly from the learning curve of the Comet I and Challenger, their players will find themselves at home when playing the Centurion
  • Mastering this tank will provide a good learning curve for the next Centurion variants

Cons:

  • Precision and knowledge of enemy tanks are required, because of the APDS localized damage
  • Weak side armour, angling the armour too much will result in the side armour being penetrated
  • Vulnerable to high ground and tall tanks due to reliance on angled armour
  • The Centurion Mk has a slow top speed for a medium tank
  • Unlike its later iterations, no gun stabilizer
  • Some-what weak lower frontal plate (LFP); ammo rack also present there, a weakness carried over to all British tanks onward
  • Top armour covering the engine is poor, only 8 mm
  • Only 6 shells available before the first order ammo rack is depleted, leading to a longer reload time
  • Frontal turret cheek armour is flat
  • Many angles and faces on the turret can yield various results when shot, armour is ultimately unreliable

History

Design

In 1943, the British War Office mandated the Directorate of Tank Design to start working on a new heavy cruiser tank. The requirements stated that the new tank should be capable of withstanding a direct hit from the infamous German 88 mm gun, while providing greater protection against mines as well as staying under the 40-ton limit imposed by logistical constraints. The tank also had to offer a good cross-country capability when offroad, a high reverse speed was required but not a high forward top speed. The new project, called A41, had to surpass the Comet tank in all areas except the main armament for which the 17-pdr gun was still deemed effective enough to deal with enemy tanks.

Development

Early in the development, it became clear that the 40-tons limit imposed by logistical constraints (transport trailers, Bailey truss bridge, etc.) could not be held if the other requirements were to stay the same (armour and turret size). The limit was raised to 50 tons and the tank's maximal size for railway bridges and tunnels was also scrapped. The hull was designed larger, welded and with sloped armour. The turret was made of thick cast armour, with the sides sloped and overall wider than previous tanks to fit the 17-pdr gun and 3 crew members. The tank was designed and fitted with a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine, the same engine found in the Comet and Cromwell tanks. The suspension was changed to a Horstmann suspension to reduce its size and encroachment while allowing for modular maintenance in the field. Prototypes for evaluation arrived in Belgium less than a month after the end of WW2 in Europe and manufacturing began later in 1945. The new A41 tank was subsequently designated the Centurion. During its test phase, it demonstrated better performance than the Comet in all areas and was adopted by the British Army.

Combat usage

The Centurion Mk 1 never saw combat and was quickly upgraded to Mk 2 and 3 with the introduction of the 20-pdr gun. The first Centurions to see combat were British and Canadian Centurions Mk 3 in Korea in the 1950s where the tank gained its laurels and became a major export success.

Media

Skins
Videos
Centurion Mk 1 Tank Review - APDS Only - Napalmratte
British Blitzkrieg - Centurion Mk 1 Review - MikeGoesBoom

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same gun and ammunition

External links


Department of Tank Design
Medium Tanks 
Sherman Firefly  Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec"
MBTs 
Centurion  Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Action X · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10
Challenger*  Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS
Tank Destroyers 
Achilles  Achilles · Achilles (65 Rg.)
Centurion-based  Conway · FV4005
Export 
Sherman Firefly  Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc
Centurion  Centurion Mk.5/1 · Strv 81 · Strv 81 (RB 52) · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Strv 101 · Strv 104** · Strv 105** · Sho't
See also  US Ordnance Department · Israeli Ordnance Corps · Vickers-Armstrongs Limited
  *By successor, the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment
  **Swedish modernizations incorporating innovations from the Israeli Sho't Kals.

Britain medium tanks
Valentine  Valentine I · Valentine IX · Valentine XI
Cromwell  Cromwell I · Cromwell V · Cromwell V (RP-3)
Cromwell derivatives  Challenger · Avenger · Comet I · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" · Charioteer Mk VII
Centurion  Centurion Mk 1 · Centurion Mk.2 · Centurion Mk 3 · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk 10 · Centurion Action X · FV4202
Vickers MBT  Vickers Mk.1 · Vickers Mk.3 · Vickers Mk.7
Chieftain  Chieftain Mk 3 · Chieftain Mk 5 · Chieftain Mk 10
Challenger 1  Challenger Mk.2 · Challenger Mk.3 · Challenger DS
Challenger 2  Challenger 2 · Challenger 2 (2F) · Challenger 2 TES · Challenger 2 OES · Challenger 2E · Challenger 2 Black Night
Challenger 3  Challenger 3 TD
Australia  A.C.I · A.C.IV · Centurion Mk.5/1
South Africa  Olifant Mk.1A · Olifant Mk.2 · TTD
India  Vijayanta · Bhishma TWMP
Israel  ▄Sho't Kal Dalet
Jordan  Khalid
Sweden  ▄Strv 81 (RB 52)
USA  Grant I · Sherman II · Sherman Firefly · Sherman IC "Trzyniec"

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