Difference between revisions of "T30"
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{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=us_t30 | |code=us_t30 | ||
| + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}} | ||
|market=Heavy Tank T30 (USA) | |market=Heavy Tank T30 (USA) | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
| − | <!--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.--> | + | <!-- ''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 '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] in the 2018 "Festive Quest" that took place between 21 December 2018 to 14 January 2019. It was obtainable via completing 10 Christmas Toys for tankers. It could also be purchased on the Gaijin market after the event was over. | |
| − | |||
| − | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. | ||
| − | The {{Specs|pseudonym}} was a World War II American tank project developed to counter new German tanks, such as Tiger I, Tiger II, and tank destroyers, such as the | + | The {{Specs|pseudonym}} was a World War II American tank project developed to counter new German tanks, such as Tiger I, Tiger II, and tank destroyers, such as the Jagdtiger, or Soviet heavy tanks, such as IS-1 or IS-2. The T30 was designed at the same time as the T29 Heavy Tank. However, it had a 155 mm gun mounted on the same hull and turret as the T29 and T34 heavy tanks. |
== 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.'' --> | |
| + | |||
| + | '''Armour type:''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Rolled homogeneous armour (hull roof, sides & rear - engine bay, hull bottom) | ||
| + | * Cast homogeneous armour (hull front, sides & roof - fighting compartment, turret, gun mantlet, cupola) | ||
| + | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 22: | Line 27: | ||
| Hull || 102 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 70.25 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis - centre'' <br> 70.25 mm (40°) ''Lower glacis - sides'' <br> 102.5 mm (5°) ''MG housing''<br> 88 mm (sphere) ''MG port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front half'' <br> 51 mm ''Rear half'' || 51 mm (5°) ''Top'' <br> 51 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (57°-81°) ''Front'' <br> 38.1 mm ''Rear'' | | Hull || 102 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 70.25 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis - centre'' <br> 70.25 mm (40°) ''Lower glacis - sides'' <br> 102.5 mm (5°) ''MG housing''<br> 88 mm (sphere) ''MG port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front half'' <br> 51 mm ''Rear half'' || 51 mm (5°) ''Top'' <br> 51 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (57°-81°) ''Front'' <br> 38.1 mm ''Rear'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Turret || 203 mm ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 158.7 mm ''Gun mantlet frame'' || 158.7 mm || 102 mm || 38.1 mm (79°) | + | | Turret || 203 mm ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 158.7 mm ''Gun mantlet frame'' || 158.7 mm || 102 mm ''Vertical part'' <br> 50 mm (71°) ''Turret ring area'' || 38.1 mm (79°) |
|- | |- | ||
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 152.45 mm (45°) || 38.1 mm (79°) | | Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 152.45 mm (45°) || 38.1 mm (79°) | ||
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'''Notes:''' | '''Notes:''' | ||
| + | |||
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick. | * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick. | ||
* Mudguards are 4 mm thick. | * Mudguards are 4 mm thick. | ||
| − | * Frontally, the MG housing (around the MG port) as well as the lower glacis are weak spots on the | + | * Frontally, the MG housing (around the MG port) as well as the lower glacis are weak spots on the {{PAGENAME}}. |
* The bottom of the hull is only 25.4 mm thick, making it vulnerable to powerful HE shells shot under the belly. | * The bottom of the hull is only 25.4 mm thick, making it vulnerable to powerful HE shells shot under the belly. | ||
=== 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= | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,046|rbMinHp=716}} |
| + | |||
| + | The {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility is good for the role it fulfils. Its acceleration and maximum speed are good for a heavy tank. | ||
| + | While the reverse speed is average, it isn't a handicap. And the {{PAGENAME}} can brake quickly in spite of its weight. | ||
| + | Neutral steering allows you to turn your hull towards flanking enemies relatively quickly on the spot. | ||
| + | The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} can reach 15 km/h when climbing uphill from idling and 21 km/h when fording. Due to its weight, the tank's mobility is unhindered by obstacles. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === 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}} |
| + | <!-- ''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|T7 (155 mm)}} | {{main|T7 (155 mm)}} | ||
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| − | | | + | ! colspan="5" | [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm T7]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds) |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer |
| + | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
| + | ! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! ''Arcade'' |
| − | + | | rowspan="2" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 14.6 || 20.2 || 24.5 || 27.1 || 28.8 || rowspan="2" | 38.9 || rowspan="2" | 34.4 || rowspan="2" | 31.7 || rowspan="2" | 29.9 | |
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| − | | | + | ! ''Realistic'' |
| + | | 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | + | ==== Ammunition ==== | |
| − | + | The available choice of ammunition focuses on heavily armoured targets: | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | * '''M112B1''': APBC; an armour-piercing ballistic capped shell with high explosive mass and good penetration power that will knock out any tank in one hit. | |
| − | + | * '''T29E1''': APCBC; an armour-piercing capped shell with a ballistic cap offering an increased penetration compared to the M112B1. | |
| − | + | * '''M107''': HE; a powerful high-explosive shell useful to destroy all enemy vehicles and even open and lightly armoured vehicles indirectly with the blast. | |
| − | + | * '''M110''': Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | {{:T7 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M112B1, M107, M110, T29E1}} | |
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| − | | M110 | ||
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | ||
| + | <!-- '''Last updated:''' --> | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Full<br>ammo | ! Full<br>ammo | ||
| − | ! Ammo<br | + | ! Ammo<br>part |
! 1st<br>rack empty | ! 1st<br>rack empty | ||
! 2nd<br>rack empty | ! 2nd<br>rack empty | ||
| Line 153: | Line 100: | ||
! Visual<br>discrepancy | ! Visual<br>discrepancy | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | '''34''' || ''Projectiles''<br | + | | '''34''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 30 ''(+4)''<br> 21 ''(+13)'' || 8 ''(+26)'' <br> 7 ''(+27)'' || 3 ''(+31)''<br> 3 ''(+31)'' || 1 ''(+33)''<br> 1 ''(+33)'' || No |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| − | <!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.--> | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}} |
| − | {{main| | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}} |
| − | + | <!-- ''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|M2HB (12.7 mm)}} | |
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| − | + | These heavy machine guns can be extremely useful for gauging distance measurements (coaxial), engaging lightly armoured vehicles or shooting down enemy aircraft (pintle). | |
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| − | | | + | ! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]] |
| − | |||
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|- | |- | ||
| − | + | ! Mount | |
| − | + | ! Capacity (Belt) | |
| − | + | ! Fire rate | |
| − | + | ! Vertical | |
| + | ! Horizontal | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | | Coaxial || 1,200 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120° | |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | == 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).'' --> | ||
| + | Despite its labeling as a heavy tank, the {{PAGENAME}} is better used as a tank destroyer and being more of a supportive role than a breakthrough role that most heavy tanks were designed to do. With its long reload for the 155 mm makes its gameplay a bit similar to the [[KV-2]] than tanks like [[T29]] or [[T34]]. The T30 can handle itself on its own if in a one on one encounter but will be at a disadvantage if it is facing more than one due to the long reload time. So to fully utilize that heavy gun, it might be best to be a supportive role tank for the medium tanks or the MBTs that have a faster reload but not the same destructive power as the T30's 155 mm has. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The T30 share similarities with the armour as the [[T29]] and [[T34]], having a thick heavily armoured turret has its advantages. Since its most heavily armoured part is the front turret it can be a key factor on how to make plans where to best utilize the tank, keep in mind even if having the turret only exposed it's not a 100% guaranteed safety from shells like APDS that will with ease be able to penetrate turret. But shells like HEATFS will mostly not do same amount of damage but can take out the gunner or in worst case scenario the gun's breech. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Contrary to most American heavy tanks in its series like the T29 and T34, The 155 mm APCBC shells the T30 uses have abysmal penetration for a heavy tank at its BR, and will often struggle to penetrate most foes. However these shells have extremely high post-penetration damage so using it isn't entirely off the table. Due to its 155mm cannon, the T30 gains access to the extremely powerful M107 HE shell also found on howitzers like the VIDAR, and M109. This shell compensates for the tank's abysmal penetration from its APCBC shell via an absurd amount of explosive filler and overpressure potential. Combined with the good armour-layout, this lets you attack more-armored tanks from the front with relative ease. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Enemy tanks to be aware of are mostly MBTs like [[Leopard 1]], [[M60]], [[Vickers MBT]], [[T-54 (1951)]], [[STB-1]], [[OF-40]], [[Strv 101]]. But that is not the only threat there is also ATGM Vehicles and large calibre tanks that can have enough Power to disable the T30's turret when hull down and out flank the slow T30's position. | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| Line 212: | Line 148: | ||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * | + | * Great armour layout |
| − | + | * The M107 HE shell is one of the most powerful high-explosive shells in the game. Great at taking out heavily armoured tanks if the explosion occurs on the turret cheeks, over the turret, or under the hull, thanks to the overpressure damage mechanic | |
| − | * HE shell is | + | * Both of the APCBC shells have an amazing amount damage potential. Any shot that enters an enemy's crew compartment will almost certainly lead to a knock-out |
| − | * Because of the slow shell velocity, this is one of the few tanks that's really good at hitting targets behind cover | + | * Because of the slow shell velocity, this is one of the few tanks in the game that's really good at hitting targets behind cover |
| − | * Despite the massive breech, the tank still | + | * Despite the massive breech, the tank still retains 10 degrees of gun depression |
| − | * Has two .50 cal machine guns that can | + | * Has a set of optics that give magnification levels of 4.0x - 8.0x. Excellent for both close and long range target acquisition |
| + | * Has two .50 cal machine guns that can easily damage lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels | ||
| + | * Fast reverse speed for a heavy tank at -14 km/h | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * | + | * Very long reload time. Even an ace crew using the 6-rounds first stage ammo rack will take around 30 seconds to reload the gun |
| − | * Despite the | + | * Despite the great armour, the gun's terrible reload rate renders you helpless if 2 or more enemy tanks attack you at the same time |
| − | * | + | * Despite being armed with a 155 mm gun, even the top APCBC shell has abysmal penetration against angled armour like the Panther's front plate |
| − | * | + | * The top APCBC shell only has 199 mm of penetration at point blank range |
| − | + | * The advantage of having incredible optics is negated by the bad shell velocity and accuracy of the 155 mm shells. Hitting a moving target is difficult, and hitting anything past 1,000 m is basically impossible | |
| − | * | + | * Despite the 6-man crew, the sheer size of 155 mm shells and cases means that any enemy APHE shell that enters the T30's hull or turret will likely end in an ammo explosion |
| + | * Carrying games is difficult due to the horrendous rate of fire, the {{PAGENAME}} is heavily reliant and friendly vehicle support | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| − | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the | + | <!-- ''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).'' --> |
In 1944, the Army requested 4 prototypes for heavy tanks, two armed with a 105 mm gun and two armed with a 155 mm gun. The intention was to create vehicles that could face enemy heavy tanks on even terms, or even advantageous terms. The vehicles armed with the 105 mm gun were designated [[T29]], and the two armed with a 155 mm gun were designated [[T30]]. | In 1944, the Army requested 4 prototypes for heavy tanks, two armed with a 105 mm gun and two armed with a 155 mm gun. The intention was to create vehicles that could face enemy heavy tanks on even terms, or even advantageous terms. The vehicles armed with the 105 mm gun were designated [[T29]], and the two armed with a 155 mm gun were designated [[T30]]. | ||
| − | The armament of the T30, a 155 mm T7 L/40 gun, was one of the largest guns ever fitted to an | + | The armament of the T30, a 155 mm T7 L/40 gun, was one of the largest guns ever fitted to an armoured fighting vehicle made in the United States. The gun was carried in a tall, long turret with rounded edges. The height of the turret was quite necessary, as the size of the gun and its ammunition required a standing loader. The hull of the T30 was the same as the T29. It was a lengthened version of the [[M26|T26E3 chassis]]. The armour of the T30 was quite thick, and the hull was also well angled, as one of the requirements for the design was protection from the German [[KwK43 (88 mm)|long 88 mm anti-tank gun]]. The T30 carried a crew of six men. These were the driver, commander, bow machine gunner, gunner, and two loaders. One loader moved the crane that placed the shell, and the other used the rammer that put the shell into the breech. The gun could only be loaded at certain angles. The T30 saw an upgrade, called the T30E1, which added an automatic loading system, which moved the gun to the correct position, loaded the shell, and moved the gun back to the firing position. A hatch was added to the rear of the turret to allow the ejection of shell casings after firing. |
World War 2 ended before the heavy tank designs ([[T28]], [[T29]], T30, [[T32]], [[T34]]) could enter service, and the development of these vehicles ended, but the development of these heavy tank designs provided experience that proved useful when designing the [[M103|M103 heavy tank]] during the Cold War. | World War 2 ended before the heavy tank designs ([[T28]], [[T29]], T30, [[T32]], [[T34]]) could enter service, and the development of these vehicles ended, but the development of these heavy tank designs provided experience that proved useful when designing the [[M103|M103 heavy tank]] during the Cold War. | ||
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| − | ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | ;Skins | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_t30 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Videos | ||
| + | {{Youtube-gallery|Ucr-wFDeLRA|'''T30 Tank Review: Missing Punch''' - ''Napalmratte''}} | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| − | <!--Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example: | + | <!-- ''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.'' --> |
| − | ;Other tanks sharing the design: | + | ;Other tanks sharing the same design: |
| − | * [[T29]] | + | * [[T29 Heavy Tank (Family)]] |
| − | |||
== External links == | == 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.''--> | ||
| − | * [ | + | * [[wt:en/news/5963-development-t30-premium-heavy-tank-en|[Devblog] T30 Premium heavy tank]] |
| + | * [[wikipedia:T30_Heavy_Tank|[Wikipedia] T30 Heavy Tank]] | ||
| + | * [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=353 Military Factory - T30 (Heavy Tank T30)] | ||
{{USA heavy tanks}} | {{USA heavy tanks}} | ||
{{USA premium ground vehicles}} | {{USA premium ground vehicles}} | ||
{{Winter Event}} | {{Winter Event}} | ||
Latest revision as of 06:45, 14 December 2023
Contents
Description
The Heavy Tank T30 is a premium gift rank IV American heavy tank with a battle rating of 6.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic" in the 2018 "Festive Quest" that took place between 21 December 2018 to 14 January 2019. It was obtainable via completing 10 Christmas Toys for tankers. It could also be purchased on the Gaijin market after the event was over.
The T30 was a World War II American tank project developed to counter new German tanks, such as Tiger I, Tiger II, and tank destroyers, such as the Jagdtiger, or Soviet heavy tanks, such as IS-1 or IS-2. The T30 was designed at the same time as the T29 Heavy Tank. However, it had a 155 mm gun mounted on the same hull and turret as the T29 and T34 heavy tanks.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armourfront / side / back
Hull102 / 76 / 51
Turret203 / 158 / 102
Crew6 people
Visibility108 %
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (hull roof, sides & rear - engine bay, hull bottom)
- Cast homogeneous armour (hull front, sides & roof - fighting compartment, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 102 mm (55°) Front glacis 70.25 mm (61°) Lower glacis - centre 70.25 mm (40°) Lower glacis - sides 102.5 mm (5°) MG housing 88 mm (sphere) MG port |
76.2 mm Front half 51 mm Rear half |
51 mm (5°) Top 51 mm (60°) Bottom |
38.1 mm (57°-81°) Front 38.1 mm Rear |
| Turret | 203 mm Gun mantlet 158.7 mm Gun mantlet frame |
158.7 mm | 102 mm Vertical part 50 mm (71°) Turret ring area |
38.1 mm (79°) |
| Cupola | 152.45 mm (45°) | 38.1 mm (79°) | ||
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
- Mudguards are 4 mm thick.
- Frontally, the MG housing (around the MG port) as well as the lower glacis are weak spots on the T30.
- The bottom of the hull is only 25.4 mm thick, making it vulnerable to powerful HE shells shot under the belly.
Mobility
Speedforward / back
AB38 / 15 km/h
RB and SB36 / 14 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
2 back
Weight65.8 t
Engine power
AB1 545 hp
RB and SB810 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB23.5 hp/t
RB and SB12.3 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 | 38 | 15 | 65.8 | 1,046 | 1,545 | 15.9 | 23.48 |
| Realistic | 36 | 14 | 716 | 810 | 10.88 | 12.31 | |
The T30's mobility is good for the role it fulfils. Its acceleration and maximum speed are good for a heavy tank. While the reverse speed is average, it isn't a handicap. And the T30 can brake quickly in spite of its weight. Neutral steering allows you to turn your hull towards flanking enemies relatively quickly on the spot. The offroad mobility is good: the T30 can reach 15 km/h when climbing uphill from idling and 21 km/h when fording. Due to its weight, the tank's mobility is unhindered by obstacles.
Modifications and economy
Repair cost
AB3 725 
RB3 858
SB5 280
Crew training10 000
Experts440 000
Aces1 100 
Research Aces1 380 000 
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
2 × 150 / 210 / 240 % 2 × 196 / 196 / 196 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
Ammunition34 rounds
First-order16 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
38.9 → 29.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 15°
| 155 mm T7 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 34 | -10°/+15° | ±180° | N/A | 14.6 | 20.2 | 24.5 | 27.1 | 28.8 | 38.9 | 34.4 | 31.7 | 29.9 |
| Realistic | 10.7 | 12.6 | 15.3 | 16.9 | 18.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
The available choice of ammunition focuses on heavily armoured targets:
- M112B1: APBC; an armour-piercing ballistic capped shell with high explosive mass and good penetration power that will knock out any tank in one hit.
- T29E1: APCBC; an armour-piercing capped shell with a ballistic cap offering an increased penetration compared to the M112B1.
- M107: HE; a powerful high-explosive shell useful to destroy all enemy vehicles and even open and lightly armoured vehicles indirectly with the blast.
- M110: Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.
| 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 | ||
| M112B1 | APBC | 179 | 177 | 168 | 158 | 148 | 139 |
| M107 | HE | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| T29E1 | APCBC | 199 | 197 | 187 | 175 | 165 | 155 |
| 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% | ||||||||||
| M112B1 | APBC | 670 | 45.36 | 1.2 | 19 | 639.94 | 47° | 60° | 65° | |||
| M107 | HE | 717 | 43.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 9,120 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| T29E1 | APCBC | 670 | 45.36 | 1.2 | 19 | 639.94 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Smoke shell characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Screen radius (m) |
Screen deploy time (s) |
Screen hold time (s) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
| M110 | 717 | 44.63 | 21 | 5 | 30 | 50 |
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the T30
| Full ammo |
Ammo part |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Projectiles Propellants |
30 (+4) 21 (+13) |
8 (+26) 7 (+27) |
3 (+31) 3 (+31) |
1 (+33) 1 (+33) |
No |
Notes:
- The T30 uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
- Racks 3 and 4 are first stage ammo racks. They total 7 shells for projectiles and 6 shells for propellant bags.
- These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 3 - 1 - 2.
Machine guns
12.7 mm M2HB machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition1 200 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 50°
Horizontal guidance-120° / 120°
These heavy machine guns can be extremely useful for gauging distance measurements (coaxial), engaging lightly armoured vehicles or shooting down enemy aircraft (pintle).
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 1,200 (200) | 577 | N/A | N/A |
| Pintle | 1,000 (200) | 577 | -10°/+50° | ±120° |
Usage in battles
Despite its labeling as a heavy tank, the T30 is better used as a tank destroyer and being more of a supportive role than a breakthrough role that most heavy tanks were designed to do. With its long reload for the 155 mm makes its gameplay a bit similar to the KV-2 than tanks like T29 or T34. The T30 can handle itself on its own if in a one on one encounter but will be at a disadvantage if it is facing more than one due to the long reload time. So to fully utilize that heavy gun, it might be best to be a supportive role tank for the medium tanks or the MBTs that have a faster reload but not the same destructive power as the T30's 155 mm has.
The T30 share similarities with the armour as the T29 and T34, having a thick heavily armoured turret has its advantages. Since its most heavily armoured part is the front turret it can be a key factor on how to make plans where to best utilize the tank, keep in mind even if having the turret only exposed it's not a 100% guaranteed safety from shells like APDS that will with ease be able to penetrate turret. But shells like HEATFS will mostly not do same amount of damage but can take out the gunner or in worst case scenario the gun's breech.
Contrary to most American heavy tanks in its series like the T29 and T34, The 155 mm APCBC shells the T30 uses have abysmal penetration for a heavy tank at its BR, and will often struggle to penetrate most foes. However these shells have extremely high post-penetration damage so using it isn't entirely off the table. Due to its 155mm cannon, the T30 gains access to the extremely powerful M107 HE shell also found on howitzers like the VIDAR, and M109. This shell compensates for the tank's abysmal penetration from its APCBC shell via an absurd amount of explosive filler and overpressure potential. Combined with the good armour-layout, this lets you attack more-armored tanks from the front with relative ease.
Enemy tanks to be aware of are mostly MBTs like Leopard 1, M60, Vickers MBT, T-54 (1951), STB-1, OF-40, Strv 101. But that is not the only threat there is also ATGM Vehicles and large calibre tanks that can have enough Power to disable the T30's turret when hull down and out flank the slow T30's position.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Great armour layout
- The M107 HE shell is one of the most powerful high-explosive shells in the game. Great at taking out heavily armoured tanks if the explosion occurs on the turret cheeks, over the turret, or under the hull, thanks to the overpressure damage mechanic
- Both of the APCBC shells have an amazing amount damage potential. Any shot that enters an enemy's crew compartment will almost certainly lead to a knock-out
- Because of the slow shell velocity, this is one of the few tanks in the game that's really good at hitting targets behind cover
- Despite the massive breech, the tank still retains 10 degrees of gun depression
- Has a set of optics that give magnification levels of 4.0x - 8.0x. Excellent for both close and long range target acquisition
- Has two .50 cal machine guns that can easily damage lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels
- Fast reverse speed for a heavy tank at -14 km/h
Cons:
- Very long reload time. Even an ace crew using the 6-rounds first stage ammo rack will take around 30 seconds to reload the gun
- Despite the great armour, the gun's terrible reload rate renders you helpless if 2 or more enemy tanks attack you at the same time
- Despite being armed with a 155 mm gun, even the top APCBC shell has abysmal penetration against angled armour like the Panther's front plate
- The top APCBC shell only has 199 mm of penetration at point blank range
- The advantage of having incredible optics is negated by the bad shell velocity and accuracy of the 155 mm shells. Hitting a moving target is difficult, and hitting anything past 1,000 m is basically impossible
- Despite the 6-man crew, the sheer size of 155 mm shells and cases means that any enemy APHE shell that enters the T30's hull or turret will likely end in an ammo explosion
- Carrying games is difficult due to the horrendous rate of fire, the T30 is heavily reliant and friendly vehicle support
History
In 1944, the Army requested 4 prototypes for heavy tanks, two armed with a 105 mm gun and two armed with a 155 mm gun. The intention was to create vehicles that could face enemy heavy tanks on even terms, or even advantageous terms. The vehicles armed with the 105 mm gun were designated T29, and the two armed with a 155 mm gun were designated T30.
The armament of the T30, a 155 mm T7 L/40 gun, was one of the largest guns ever fitted to an armoured fighting vehicle made in the United States. The gun was carried in a tall, long turret with rounded edges. The height of the turret was quite necessary, as the size of the gun and its ammunition required a standing loader. The hull of the T30 was the same as the T29. It was a lengthened version of the T26E3 chassis. The armour of the T30 was quite thick, and the hull was also well angled, as one of the requirements for the design was protection from the German long 88 mm anti-tank gun. The T30 carried a crew of six men. These were the driver, commander, bow machine gunner, gunner, and two loaders. One loader moved the crane that placed the shell, and the other used the rammer that put the shell into the breech. The gun could only be loaded at certain angles. The T30 saw an upgrade, called the T30E1, which added an automatic loading system, which moved the gun to the correct position, loaded the shell, and moved the gun back to the firing position. A hatch was added to the rear of the turret to allow the ejection of shell casings after firing.
World War 2 ended before the heavy tank designs (T28, T29, T30, T32, T34) could enter service, and the development of these vehicles ended, but the development of these heavy tank designs provided experience that proved useful when designing the M103 heavy tank during the Cold War.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
T30 Tank Review: Missing Punch - Napalmratte
See also
- Other tanks sharing the same design
External links
| USA heavy tanks | |
|---|---|
| M4 Jumbo | M4A3E2 · Cobra King · M4A3E2 (76) W |
| M6 | M6A1 · T1E1 · T1E1 (90) · M6A2E1 |
| T26 | T26E1-1 · T26E5 |
| T29/30/34 | T29 · T30 · T34 |
| T32 | T32 · T32E1 |
| M103 | M103 |
| Others | T14 |
| USA premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | LVT(A)(4) · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) · M3A1 (USMC) · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · M8 LAC · M8A1 GMC |
| M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat · T18E2 · M551(76) · T114 · M1128 Wolfpack | |
| Medium tanks | ▃Grant I · M4A5 · Calliope · T20 · M26 T99 · M26E1 · M46 "Tiger" · T54E1 · T54E2 · ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · M728 CEV |
| XM1 (GM) · XM1 (Chrysler) · M1 KVT · M1A1 Click-Bait | |
| Heavy tanks | T14 · Cobra King · M6A2E1 · T29 · T30 |
| Tank destroyers | T28 · T55E1 |
