Difference between revisions of "Light AA Mk I"

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{{Specs-Card|code=uk_vickers_mk_6_aa_mk_1}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=uk_vickers_mk_6_aa_mk_1
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
The '''Tank, Light, Anti-Air Mark I''' is a special modification of the first variant of the Tank, Light, Mark VI family. The Tank, Light, Mark VI was the sixth in the families of light tanks constructed by Vickers-Armstrongs for the British Army between World Wars I and II. The Tank, Light, Anti-Air Mark I was built in the aftermath of the Battle of France to counterattack air raids by German aircraft and dive bombers. It has a power-operated one-crew turret with four 7.92 mm BESA light machine guns.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]], the Tank, Light, Anti-Air Mark I is an extremely vulnerable vehicle, players must take care not to expose themselves to hostile fire. Take care to position yourself so that you are not observed by enemy ground vehicles, and keep an eye out for enemy aircraft. Due to the low velocity of the ammunition, players need to wait until the enemy plane is reasonably close before opening fire. Be cautious if there is more than one enemy plane, since they may alternately strafe you. Despite being armed with four 7.92 mm BESA light machine guns, the damage is still insignificant, and players may need to score numerous hits to bring down an enemy plane.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
{{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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
!Armour!!Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
 +
|-
 +
|Hull || 14 mm ''Front plate'' <br> 14 mm (0-73°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 14 mm (22-69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 14 mm || 14 mm (0-52°) ''Upper''<br> 4 mm (53-75°) ''Lower'' || 4 mm
 +
|-
 +
|Turret || 14 mm (0-64°) ''Turret front'' || 14 mm || 14 mm || N/A
 +
|}
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
The {{PAGENAME}} has very little armour. Most of the hull has 14 mm of armour, which is sufficient only against rifle-calibre rounds. The gunner is exposed to machine gun fire, and if he dies the entire vehicle is destroyed. This leaves you vulnerable to even enemy machine guns can kill you if they hit your gunner. You may be able to somewhat protect the gunner by aiming upwards with the machine guns as a last resort. The {{PAGENAME}} is vulnerable to any vehicle in the game.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
+
{{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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=125|rbMinHp=78}}
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} is decently quick and manoeuvrable, and its small size allows it to fit into areas many other vehicles cannot. It can easily get around the map, and can quickly take cover from aircraft or other tanks when necessary. However, it is too light to drive through many obstacles easily, such as walls and small trees, and its suspension is too bouncy to allow it to fire with much accuracy while moving.
 +
 
 +
=== 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 flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''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|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 3,600 (225) || rowspan="2" | 600 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+65° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
The four BESA machine guns the {{PAGENAME}} is armed with can be devastating to open-topped vehicles thanks to their high rate of fire, but they are completely ineffective against anything with armour. They are also less effective and less accurate over distance against planes than the cannons or heavy machine guns most other anti-aircraft vehicles are armed with, although a well-placed burst will still do serious damage to the biplanes you are likely to face. Each belt is large enough to enable sustained fire, allowing you to compensate for your poor accuracy through sheer volume of bullets.
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
 
 +
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|Ball|Omni-purpose}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IT|Incendiary tracer}} - The worst option, due to the highest quantity of poorly damaging ball and tracer rounds.
 +
* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IT|Incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|Ball|Omni-purpose}} - Better than default, but still has regular tracers and ball rounds which hurt damage output.
 +
* '''API-T:''' {{Annotation|IT|Incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IT|Incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}} - Contains a substantial amount of incendiary tracer rounds, which have a higher chance of starting fires in aircraft.
 +
* '''AP-T:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IT|Incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}} - AP rounds are still ineffective against ground armour,  but deal substantial damage to aircraft components. With good aim, this belt can tear wings off, destroy engines, and penetrate cockpits glass armour.
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
{{:BESA (7.92 mm)/Ammunition|T, Ball, IT, AP}}
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
=== Machine guns ===
+
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
''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.''
+
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''16''' || 4&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+12)'' || Yes
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
* The ammunition is divided into 16 belts of 225 bullets.
−
''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).''
+
* However, ammunition is modeled as 50 boxes, grouped in 4 racks (rack 1: 12 boxes, rack 2: 13, rack 3: 13 and rack 4: 12)
 +
* Racks 1, 2 & 3 will disappear only if you have 4 belts left.
 +
* If you pack 16, 12 or 8 belts the 4 racks will be displayed as full.
 +
* Racks will successively disappear if you pack 16 belts and shoot them until depletion.
 +
* Pack the maximum amount of ammo to go into battle as you are a SPAA.
 +
 
 +
==== Optics ====
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
 +
|-
 +
! Which ones
 +
! Default magnification
 +
! Maximum magnification
 +
|-
 +
! Main Gun optics
 +
| x2.1 || x3.7
 +
|-
 +
! Comparable optics
 +
| colspan="2" | [[M13 MGMC]]
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} is a very vulnerable vehicle, so commanders should be careful not to expose themselves to enemy fire. Take care to find a position where you will not be seen by enemy ground vehicles, and watch the sky. Due to the low velocity of the machine guns, the {{PAGENAME}} should not open fire until the enemy plane is very close, probably within 1 km. If you begin to fire while the enemy plane is out of range, they will likely change course and stay away from your position. Also be wary if there is more than one enemy plane up, as you can easily be strafed to death by machine gun fire. Once you have a good shot on the enemy plane, the 4 machine guns are capable of dealing more damage than one might expect. You can down most aircraft quite quickly, although twin-engine fighters and bombers will take longer to destroy.
 +
 
 +
It is advisable to fire off your artillery as quickly as possible, since it is the only realistic way you can possibly damage enemy tanks.
  
 
=== 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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* 4 BESA machine guns have a high ammo load and a good rate of fire
 +
* 4 machine guns means that you have a high hit probability
 +
* Can be used against low tier SPAA and open-top tank destroyers,
 +
* Small and mobile
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Cannot defend itself from most ground attacks, as none of its belts can penetrate tank armour
 +
* Damage output is nowhere near comparable to SPAA armed with 12.7 mm machine guns or 20 mm autocannons at this tier
 +
* The gunner is exposed to machine gun fire from above and the front
 +
* The armour will not protect you from 12.7 mm rounds and above
 +
* Vulnerable to artillery and aircraft
  
 
== 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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The machine-gun armed Mark VI light tank formed the bulk of British tank strength in 1939. They were intended for colonial duties and reconnaissance but would see front-line combat as late as the British defeats in Java in early 1942. In 1940 they were in use in the light tank squadrons of armoured regiments and the main body of the divisional cavalry regiments. They carried a .50 calibre or 15 mm machine gun as the main armament. They were also used in the early war as command vehicles for armoured units.
 +
 
 +
As they were withdrawn from service, some Mark VI's were converted to anti-aircraft vehicles, raising the superstructure and replacing the turret. In practice the commander also being the gunner was ineffective. British armoured regiments and tank battalions were supposed to have 4-8 of these vehicles each in mid-1942. By mid-1943 they were taken out of service, replaced for this purpose by the significantly more versatile 20 mm-armed Crusader AA Mk II tank.
  
 
== 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_vickers_mk_6_aa_mk_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
−
== Read 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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''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.''
 +
 +
{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
 +
{{Britain anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 07:53, 25 October 2023

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
Light AA Mk I
uk_vickers_mk_6_aa_mk_1.png
GarageImage Light AA Mk I.jpg
ArtImage Light AA Mk I.png
Light AA Mk I
Britain flag.png Britain
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
Research:4 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:2 100 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Tank, Light, Anti-Air Mark I is a special modification of the first variant of the Tank, Light, Mark VI family. The Tank, Light, Mark VI was the sixth in the families of light tanks constructed by Vickers-Armstrongs for the British Army between World Wars I and II. The Tank, Light, Anti-Air Mark I was built in the aftermath of the Battle of France to counterattack air raids by German aircraft and dive bombers. It has a power-operated one-crew turret with four 7.92 mm BESA light machine guns.

Introduced in Update 1.79 "Project X", the Tank, Light, Anti-Air Mark I is an extremely vulnerable vehicle, players must take care not to expose themselves to hostile fire. Take care to position yourself so that you are not observed by enemy ground vehicles, and keep an eye out for enemy aircraft. Due to the low velocity of the ammunition, players need to wait until the enemy plane is reasonably close before opening fire. Be cautious if there is more than one enemy plane, since they may alternately strafe you. Despite being armed with four 7.92 mm BESA light machine guns, the damage is still insignificant, and players may need to score numerous hits to bring down an enemy plane.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull14 / 14 / 14
Turret14 / 14 / 14
Crew2 people
Visibility108 %
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 14 mm Front plate
14 mm (0-73°) Upper glacis
14 mm (22-69°) Lower glacis 		14 mm 14 mm (0-52°) Upper
4 mm (53-75°) Lower 		4 mm
Turret 14 mm (0-64°) Turret front 14 mm 14 mm N/A

The Light AA Mk I has very little armour. Most of the hull has 14 mm of armour, which is sufficient only against rifle-calibre rounds. The gunner is exposed to machine gun fire, and if he dies the entire vehicle is destroyed. This leaves you vulnerable to even enemy machine guns can kill you if they hit your gunner. You may be able to somewhat protect the gunner by aiming upwards with the machine guns as a last resort. The Light AA Mk I is vulnerable to any vehicle in the game.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB55 / 7 km/h
RB and SB51 / 7 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight4.9 t
Engine power
AB168 hp
RB and SB88 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB34.3 hp/t
RB and SB18.0 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 55 7 4.9 125 168 25.51 34.29
Realistic 51 7 78 88 15.92 17.96

The Light AA Mk I is decently quick and manoeuvrable, and its small size allows it to fit into areas many other vehicles cannot. It can easily get around the map, and can quickly take cover from aircraft or other tanks when necessary. However, it is too light to drive through many obstacles easily, such as walls and small trees, and its suspension is too bouncy to allow it to fire with much accuracy while moving.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB200 → 257 Sl icon.png
RB181 → 232 Sl icon.png
SB264 → 339 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications4 440 Rp icon.png
2 690 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost300 Ge icon.png
Crew training600 Sl icon.png
Experts2 100 Sl icon.png
Aces45 Ge icon.png
Research Aces110 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
20 / 20 / 20 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
480 Rp icon.png
Cost:
290 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
480 Rp icon.png
Cost:
290 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement uk.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
7_92mm_BESA_universal_ammo_pack
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
7_92mm_BESA_API_ammo_pack
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
7_92mm_BESA_AP_ammo_pack
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
480 Rp icon.png
Cost:
290 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

4 x 7.92 mm BESA machine gun
Ammunition3 600 rounds
Belt capacity225 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: BESA (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm BESA (x4) Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 3,600 (225) 600 -10°/+65° ±180° N/A 52.8 73.1 88.8 98.2 104.5 7.80 6.90 6.36 6.00
Realistic 35.7 42.0 51.0 56.4 60.0

The four BESA machine guns the Light AA Mk I is armed with can be devastating to open-topped vehicles thanks to their high rate of fire, but they are completely ineffective against anything with armour. They are also less effective and less accurate over distance against planes than the cannons or heavy machine guns most other anti-aircraft vehicles are armed with, although a well-placed burst will still do serious damage to the biplanes you are likely to face. Each belt is large enough to enable sustained fire, allowing you to compensate for your poor accuracy through sheer volume of bullets.

Ammunition

  • Default: Ball · T · IT - The worst option, due to the highest quantity of poorly damaging ball and tracer rounds.
  • Universal: AP · T · IT · Ball - Better than default, but still has regular tracers and ball rounds which hurt damage output.
  • API-T: IT · IT · AP · T - Contains a substantial amount of incendiary tracer rounds, which have a higher chance of starting fires in aircraft.
  • AP-T: AP · AP · IT · T - AP rounds are still ineffective against ground armour, but deal substantial damage to aircraft components. With good aim, this belt can tear wings off, destroy engines, and penetrate cockpits glass armour.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
T 5 4 2 1 0 0
Ball 5 4 2 1 0 0
IT 3 3 3 3 3 3
AP 13 12 7 3 2 0
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
T 847 0.01 - - - 47° 56° 65°
Ball 847 0.01 - - - 47° 56° 65°
IT 771 0.01 0 3 0 47° 56° 65°
AP 783 0.01 - - - 47° 56° 65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Light AA Mk I
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
16 4 (+12) 4 (+12) 4 (+12) 4 (+12) Yes

Notes:

  • The ammunition is divided into 16 belts of 225 bullets.
  • However, ammunition is modeled as 50 boxes, grouped in 4 racks (rack 1: 12 boxes, rack 2: 13, rack 3: 13 and rack 4: 12)
  • Racks 1, 2 & 3 will disappear only if you have 4 belts left.
  • If you pack 16, 12 or 8 belts the 4 racks will be displayed as full.
  • Racks will successively disappear if you pack 16 belts and shoot them until depletion.
  • Pack the maximum amount of ammo to go into battle as you are a SPAA.

Optics

Light AA Mk I Optics
Which ones Default magnification Maximum magnification
Main Gun optics x2.1 x3.7
Comparable optics M13 MGMC

Usage in battles

The Light AA Mk I is a very vulnerable vehicle, so commanders should be careful not to expose themselves to enemy fire. Take care to find a position where you will not be seen by enemy ground vehicles, and watch the sky. Due to the low velocity of the machine guns, the Light AA Mk I should not open fire until the enemy plane is very close, probably within 1 km. If you begin to fire while the enemy plane is out of range, they will likely change course and stay away from your position. Also be wary if there is more than one enemy plane up, as you can easily be strafed to death by machine gun fire. Once you have a good shot on the enemy plane, the 4 machine guns are capable of dealing more damage than one might expect. You can down most aircraft quite quickly, although twin-engine fighters and bombers will take longer to destroy.

It is advisable to fire off your artillery as quickly as possible, since it is the only realistic way you can possibly damage enemy tanks.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 4 BESA machine guns have a high ammo load and a good rate of fire
  • 4 machine guns means that you have a high hit probability
  • Can be used against low tier SPAA and open-top tank destroyers,
  • Small and mobile

Cons:

  • Cannot defend itself from most ground attacks, as none of its belts can penetrate tank armour
  • Damage output is nowhere near comparable to SPAA armed with 12.7 mm machine guns or 20 mm autocannons at this tier
  • The gunner is exposed to machine gun fire from above and the front
  • The armour will not protect you from 12.7 mm rounds and above
  • Vulnerable to artillery and aircraft

History

The machine-gun armed Mark VI light tank formed the bulk of British tank strength in 1939. They were intended for colonial duties and reconnaissance but would see front-line combat as late as the British defeats in Java in early 1942. In 1940 they were in use in the light tank squadrons of armoured regiments and the main body of the divisional cavalry regiments. They carried a .50 calibre or 15 mm machine gun as the main armament. They were also used in the early war as command vehicles for armoured units.

As they were withdrawn from service, some Mark VI's were converted to anti-aircraft vehicles, raising the superstructure and replacing the turret. In practice the commander also being the gunner was ineffective. British armoured regiments and tank battalions were supposed to have 4-8 of these vehicles each in mid-1942. By mid-1943 they were taken out of service, replaced for this purpose by the significantly more versatile 20 mm-armed Crusader AA Mk II tank.

Media

Skins

See also

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  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
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Vickers-Armstrongs Limited
Ships 
Tribal-class  HMS Eskimo · HMCS Haida
Invincible-class  HMS Invincible*
Kongō-class  IJN Kongo**
Tanks 
Light Tanks  VFM5*** · Vickers Mk.11***
Light Tank Mk VI  Light AA Mk I
Light Tank Mk VII  Tetrarch I
Light Tank Mk VIII  Alecto I
Tank, Infantry, Valentine  Valentine I · Valentine IX · Valentine XI · Archer
Vickers MBT  Vickers Mk.1 · Vickers Mk.3 · Vickers Mk.7***
Heavy Tanks  Independent****
Export  ▂МК-IX "Valentine" · Vickers Mk.E****
See also  Vickers-Armstrongs Aircraft Limited
  *Previously Armstrong Whitworth
  **Built for Japan
  ***Vickers Defence Systems
  ****Previously Vickers Limited

Britain anti-aircraft vehicles
Crusader AA  Crusader AA Mk I · Crusader AA Mk II
Wheeled  Staghound AA · AEC AA
Radar SPAAG  Chieftain Marksman
Missile SPAA  Stormer AD · Stormer HVM
Other  Light AA Mk I · Falcon
Canada  Skink · ADATS (M113)
South Africa  Ystervark · Bosvark · ZA-35

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