Difference between revisions of "M8 LAC"
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{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
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|code=us_m8_greyhound | |code=us_m8_greyhound | ||
| + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}} | ||
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|market=M8 | |market=M8 | ||
}} | }} | ||
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== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
| + | {{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.'' --> | <!-- ''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.'' --> | ||
The M8 Greyhound has next to no armour protection. Its armour can stop rifle-calibre machine gun fire, but nothing more. Even then, the vehicle's turret has an open roof and very thin armour on the sides and the rear, so it is still possible for a few unlucky machine gun bullets to find their way inside. The Greyhound also has hull-break, however, generally speaking, losing all your crew members is a greater concern especially given that most vehicles at its battle rating do not have very powerful cannons. In addition, the modules are lined up and the crew is close together when looking straight at the front of the vehicle. From the side, however, this is not the case - there is a small area behind the two crew members in the turret but in front of the fuel tank with no modules in it and an even larger area of empty space between the turret crew and the driver/machine gunner. | The M8 Greyhound has next to no armour protection. Its armour can stop rifle-calibre machine gun fire, but nothing more. Even then, the vehicle's turret has an open roof and very thin armour on the sides and the rear, so it is still possible for a few unlucky machine gun bullets to find their way inside. The Greyhound also has hull-break, however, generally speaking, losing all your crew members is a greater concern especially given that most vehicles at its battle rating do not have very powerful cannons. In addition, the modules are lined up and the crew is close together when looking straight at the front of the vehicle. From the side, however, this is not the case - there is a small area behind the two crew members in the turret but in front of the fuel tank with no modules in it and an even larger area of empty space between the turret crew and the driver/machine gunner. | ||
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=== 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.'' --> | ||
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In realistic it reaches 38 km/h off road, and 55 km/h on road with 7 gears, it also has -12 km/h reverse speed on two reverse gears. | In realistic it reaches 38 km/h off road, and 55 km/h on road with 7 gears, it also has -12 km/h reverse speed on two reverse gears. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Modifications and economy === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
| + | {{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. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> | <!-- ''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. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> | ||
{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with an [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] cannon as its main armament. This is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1/B2 shell), being able to penetrate almost all the opponents it will ever face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to one-shot most enemy vehicles, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drop significantly beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h. | {{main|M6 (37 mm)}}The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with an [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] cannon as its main armament. This is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1/B2 shell), being able to penetrate almost all the opponents it will ever face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to one-shot most enemy vehicles, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drop significantly beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h. | ||
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=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}} | ||
| + | {{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.'' --> | <!-- ''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)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}The two machine guns on the {{PAGENAME}} are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M8. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some medium tanks. The 7.62mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration. | {{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}The two machine guns on the {{PAGENAME}} are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M8. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some medium tanks. The 7.62mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration. | ||
Revision as of 09:34, 28 December 2020
Contents
| This page is about the American gift light tank M8 LAC. For other uses, see M8 (Disambiguation). For other vehicles of the family, see M8 Greyhound (Family). |
Description
The Light Armored Car M8 is a gift rank I American light tank
with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during Update 1.73 "Vive la France" as part of a vehicle giveaway on War Thunder's 5th anniversary.
General info
Survivability and armour
The M8 Greyhound has next to no armour protection. Its armour can stop rifle-calibre machine gun fire, but nothing more. Even then, the vehicle's turret has an open roof and very thin armour on the sides and the rear, so it is still possible for a few unlucky machine gun bullets to find their way inside. The Greyhound also has hull-break, however, generally speaking, losing all your crew members is a greater concern especially given that most vehicles at its battle rating do not have very powerful cannons. In addition, the modules are lined up and the crew is close together when looking straight at the front of the vehicle. From the side, however, this is not the case - there is a small area behind the two crew members in the turret but in front of the fuel tank with no modules in it and an even larger area of empty space between the turret crew and the driver/machine gunner.
Thanks to the thin armour, it is very possible for rounds to over-penetrate and passes through without dealing any significant damage. The vehicles size, or lack thereof, should also be taken into account. The M8 Greyhound is very small and short, making it easy to exploit hiding spots and hills for protection. It can stay out of sight and use stealth to its advantage with little trouble. The .50 calibre machine gun on the roof is raised up, but there are no critical modules surrounding it and it is relatively small so it can be used to shoot over obstacles without risking damage to the armoured car. While the raw armour and protection on the M8 Greyhound are lacking, where it shines is in its ability to hide and use its good top speed to get around quickly and avoid being hit.
Armor Composition:
- Rolled Homogeneous Armor
- Cast Homogeneous Armor
- Structural Steel - Fenders, Cannon breech
- Gun Steel - Main Gun, MGs
- Wheels
- Structural Steel of Chassis - Suspension
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 12.7 mm (59) Upper Glacis
15.9 mm (29) Lower Glacis 19.1 mm (44) Upper Plate |
9.5 mm | 5 - 9.5 mm | 6.35 mm |
| Turret | 19.1 mm Turret front
25.4 mm Gun mantlet 19 mm (Additional to Mantlet) Gun Aperture |
19.1 mm | 19.1 mm | 0 - 6.35 |
Notes:
- The turret is mostly open-topped, but the very front portion is covered by 6.35 mm
- Wheels - 10 mm
- Suspension - 5 mm
- Gun Sheath - 16 mm
- Gun Breech - 150 mm
- Cannon - 10 mm
- MG - 5 mm
- 4 mm fenders cover most of the hull sides in addition to the base 9.5 mm
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 101 | 15 | 7.9 | 129 | 210 | 16.33 | 26.58 |
| Realistic | 91 | 13 | 97 | 110 | 12.28 | 13.92 | |
While it has poor armour and survivability, the M8 LAC excels in terms of mobility. As a wheeled vehicle it reaches 60 km/h on road in arcade with stock modules and 40 km/h off road.
In realistic it reaches 38 km/h off road, and 55 km/h on road with 7 gears, it also has -12 km/h reverse speed on two reverse gears.
Modifications and economy
2 × 20 / 20 / 20 % 2 × 100 / 100 / 100 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
| 37 mm M6 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 80 | -10°/+20° | ±180° | Vertical | 19.0 | 26.4 | 32.0 | 35.4 | 37.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| Realistic | 11.0 | 14.0 | 17.0 | 18.8 | 20.0 | ||||||||
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 | ||
| M51B1/B2 | APCBC | 87 | 84 | 73 | 60 | 50 | 41 |
| M63 shell | HE | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| M74B1 | AP | 78 | 76 | 65 | 54 | 45 | 37 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile Mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Normalisation at 30° from horizontal |
Ricochet | ||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||
| M51B1/B2 | APCBC | 883 | 0.87 | N/A | N/A | N/A | +4.0° | 48° | 63° | 71° |
| M63 shell | HE | 807 | 0.73 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 38 | +0.0° | 79° | 80° | 81° |
| M74B1 | AP | 883 | 0.87 | N/A | N/A | N/A | -1.0° | 47° | 60° | 65° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 73 (+7) | 65 (+15) | 33 (+47) | 1 (+79) | No |
Notes:
- Turret empty of shells (racks 1 & 2 emptied): 65 (+15).
- As they are modeled by rows of 4, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired all shells in the row.
Machine guns
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt capacity) |
Fire rate (shots/minute) |
Vertical guidance |
Horizontal guidance |
| Commander pintle | 400 (200) | 576 | -10°/+40° | ±180° |
| 7.62 mm M1919A4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt capacity) |
Fire rate (shots/minute) |
Vertical guidance |
Horizontal guidance |
| Coaxial | 1,500 (250) | 500 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
When using this vehicle keep in mind that you are virtually naked to every main gun, that means you should not expose yourself unnecessarily and not give the opponents a chance to shoot at you, coupled with the fact that the main gun can penetrate every other vehicle in its rank. Its excellent mobility gives this vehicle a very viable hit-and-run tactic. Ambush your opponent on your terms. After you destroy him, change your position again, find concealment or cover, use your fast reverse speed to your advantage, avoid one on one fights, and fair fights.
At the start of the match, the M8 is best used for a point-capping vehicle. Find a road connecting to a point to unleash its scary 90 km/h on-road top speed, and it is likely to get to the point before the enemy can. Once the point is capped, quickly move away as there are likely to be artillery strikes, which can critically damage the M8.
After capping a point, there are two good options (just examples, the player is free to play in their way). One is to hide at the side of the point, waiting for the enemy to re-cap it. Use its small profile to set up a good ambush, and flank the enemy unexpectedly. The fast-firing gun will genuinely shine when attacking several enemies from the side or rear, allowing the player to knock out a surprising amount of enemies. Once the enemies are wiped out, quickly re-cap the point and ambush again. Note that the player might want to change their position as some enemies might try and revenge.
Another playstyle is the hit-n-run tactic, thanks to its great mobility and small profile. If careful enough, it can travel between points like a ghost without being noticed and flank the enemies. The stabilizer will help a lot as it gives the player the ability to fire first. If the first shell missed or didn't penetrate, it can even finish off the enemy with the .50 cal alone!
Enemies worth noting:
LVT series (mixed battle/against Chinese LVT):
These amphibious tanks are well known for their huge hull size. Indeed, there is a huge space between the driving compartment and the fighting compartment that will absorb almost any incoming shells, and unfortunately, the M8's solid AP can't cope with this. If an M8 doesn't know where are the crew is located on an LVT, they will die due to not being able to knock out the crew effectively. Remember their crew location, and the M8 can easily take them out.
The driver is at the foremost part of the hull. Behind him, there is absolutely nothing, so you must avoid shooting there. Behind the empty space, the turret houses 2-3 crew. Shoot there to disable its gun. And don't forget, at the very rear of the LVT, the two exposed machine gunners can be taken out with the .50 cal. Memorize those three main locations of the crew, and you can effectively destroy any LVT out there with your rapid reload. Also, if the angle isn't too large, the .50 can penetrate the LVT's weak armour.
Modules
| Tier | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Tires | Parts | Horizontal Drive | M51B1/B2 | |
| II | Suspension | Brake System | FPE | Adjustment of Fire | |
| III | Filters | Crew Replenishment | Elevation Mechanism | ||
| IV | Transmission | Engine | Artillery Support | ||
| This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase | |||||
Pros and cons
Pros:
- The M51 shell has 84 mm penetration at 100 m, enough to penetrate common opponents like the Pz.II, Pz.III B or Ha-Go, and the fast reload helps to precisely knock out the crew one by one
- Pintle mounted heavy machine gun is very lethal against other similarly armoured vehicles (eg. AS 42, L3/33) and slow biplanes
- One of the fastest vehicles on road with a max speed of 90 km/h allows it to get to positions quickly
- Reverse speed of 12 km/h allows it to retreat from danger quickly
- Small profile makes ambushing/hiding easy
Cons:
- Wheeled vehicle, performs poorly off-road and cannot turn in place, and especially slow in desert maps like Sinai and snowy maps like Frozen Pass
- Virtually no armor, tight crew and open top make this vehicle very vulnerable to rapid-firing tanks like the Pz.II, M13 or strafing planes
- M6 cannon requires precision shots, as post penetration effects are weak especially against the LVT(A) series which are super spacious
- Turret traverse is rather sluggish, might not get the gun on target sometimes
- Looks very similar to the Chinese M8 LAC, the lighter coloured camouflage can be hard to distinguish in Simulator Battles
History
The M8 replaced the M3A1 Scout Car and M2 Halftrack as the main armoured vehicle of the US mechanized cavalry starting in late 1943. 8,500 were built. The vehicle's lightweight and 6x6 drive gave it the excellent speed and cross-country mobility. It was well-liked by the crews but was still thin-skinned and under-gunned when compared to the opposition.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
| Ford Motor Company | |
|---|---|
| Armoured cars | M8 Greyhound |
| SPAAGs | M247 Sergeant York |
| Export | ␗M8 LAC |
| USA light tanks | |
|---|---|
| LVT | LVT(A)(1) · ○LVT(A)(1) · LVT(A)(4) |
| M2 | M2A2 · M2A4 · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) |
| M3/M5 Stuart | M3 Stuart · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC) · M5A1 · M5A1 TD · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) |
| M22 Locust | M22 |
| M24 Chaffee | M24 · M24 (TL) |
| M18 Hellcat | M18 GMC · M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat |
| M41 Walker Bulldog | M41A1 |
| M551 Sheridan | M551 · M551(76) |
| M3 Bradley | M3 Bradley · M3A3 Bradley |
| Wheeled | M8 LAC · T18E2 · M1128 · M1128 Wolfpack |
| Other | M8A1 GMC · T92 · T114 · HSTV-L · CCVL · XM8 · XM800T · AGS |
| 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 |
