Difference between revisions of "Leopard 2A6"
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]]. | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]]. | ||
− | The succeeding variant of the [[Leopard 2A5]], the {{PAGENAME}} is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the | + | The succeeding variant of the [[Leopard 2A5]], the {{PAGENAME}} is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the 120 mm Rh120 L/55, a 55 calibre (6.6 m) long gun, 11 calibres (1.32 m) longer than its predecessor. |
− | |||
== 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? | + | <!-- ''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.'' --> |
− | + | [[File:Leopard 2A5 armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal KE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against 3BM42 at 500 m.]] | |
− | If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->[[File:Leopard 2A5 armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal KE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against 3BM42 at 500 m.]] | ||
The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the already impenetrable turret cheeks have more protection on the side of the turret. Add-on armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early ADFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. The gunners optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank. | The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the already impenetrable turret cheeks have more protection on the side of the turret. Add-on armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early ADFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. The gunners optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank. | ||
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{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | !Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof | + | !Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof |
|- | |- | ||
|Hull | |Hull | ||
Line 68: | Line 66: | ||
<!-- ''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=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}} |
The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the {{PAGENAME}} remains relatively slow and relatively unmanoeuvrable like the [[Leopard 2A5]], but it can still keep up with the other nations MBTs. | The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the {{PAGENAME}} remains relatively slow and relatively unmanoeuvrable like the [[Leopard 2A5]], but it can still keep up with the other nations MBTs. | ||
The engine remains the same MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM. | The engine remains the same MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
== Armaments == | == 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.--> | + | <!-- ''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|Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)}} | {{main|Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)}} | ||
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|- | |- | ||
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer | ||
− | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full | + | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced |
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
|- | |- | ||
! ''Arcade'' | ! ''Arcade'' | ||
− | | rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38. | + | | rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00 |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Realistic'' | ! ''Realistic'' | ||
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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: 2.1.0.46''' | + | <!-- '''Last updated: 2.1.0.46''' --> |
− | {| class="wikitable | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! Full<br>ammo |
− | ! | + | ! 1st<br>rack empty |
− | ! | + | ! 2nd<br>rack empty |
− | ! | + | ! Visual<br>discrepancy |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | | '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No | |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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== Usage in 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 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).--> | + | <!-- ''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}} remains as slow, but as well armoured, as its predecessor, but it has access to the DM53 round. With the new shell, the playstyle remains similar: | The {{PAGENAME}} remains as slow, but as well armoured, as its predecessor, but it has access to the DM53 round. With the new shell, the playstyle remains similar: | ||
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* ''Hull down'': In the 2A6, the turret is well armoured thanks to the add-on wedge armour, so a hull-down position can now leave the {{PAGENAME}} invulnerable. Even then try to find cover, so then the armour package can last longer throughout the battle. | * ''Hull down'': In the 2A6, the turret is well armoured thanks to the add-on wedge armour, so a hull-down position can now leave the {{PAGENAME}} invulnerable. Even then try to find cover, so then the armour package can last longer throughout the battle. | ||
* ''Sniping'': With the DM53 APFSDS round, the {{PAGENAME}} has an incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, therefore it can now make use of the great distance in combat to deal damage while tanking incoming shots. Making use of hull-down positions whilst sniping is recommended. | * ''Sniping'': With the DM53 APFSDS round, the {{PAGENAME}} has an incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, therefore it can now make use of the great distance in combat to deal damage while tanking incoming shots. Making use of hull-down positions whilst sniping is recommended. | ||
− | * ''Flanking'': Due to the {{PAGENAME}} inheriting the relatively slow mobility compared to the other vehicles sharing the same battle rating, it is better to stick to more stationary tactics like ''hull-down'' and ''sniping''. However, with a little bit of caution, flanking can still be successful. | + | * ''Flanking'': Due to the {{PAGENAME}} inheriting the relatively slow mobility compared to the other vehicles sharing the same battle rating, it is better to stick to more stationary tactics like ''hull-down'' and ''sniping''. However, with a little bit of caution, flanking can still be successful. |
− | * ''Staying with nearby teammates:'' Try and stick to nearby teammates as this can improve your lifespan throughout the game. | + | * ''Staying with nearby teammates:'' Try and stick to nearby teammates as this can improve your lifespan throughout the game. |
=== Modules === | === Modules === | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| I | | I | ||
− | |Tracks | + | | Tracks |
| | | | ||
− | |Parts | + | | Parts |
− | |Horizontal Drive | + | | Horizontal Drive |
− | |DM33 | + | | DM33 |
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| II | | II | ||
− | |Suspension | + | | Suspension |
− | |Brake System | + | | Brake System |
− | |FPE | + | | FPE |
− | |Adjustment of Fire | + | | Adjustment of Fire |
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
| III | | III | ||
− | |Filters | + | | Filters |
| | | | ||
− | |Crew Replenishment | + | | Crew Replenishment |
− | |Elevation Mechanism | + | | Elevation Mechanism |
− | |Smoke | + | | Smoke grenade |
− | |NVD | + | | NVD |
|- | |- | ||
| IV | | IV | ||
− | | | + | | Transmission |
− | |Engine | + | | Engine |
| | | | ||
− | |Artillery Support | + | | Artillery Support |
− | |DM53 | + | | DM53 |
− | |Laser | + | | Laser rangefinder |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
− | * Incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, | + | * Incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, the DM53 with 650 mm of penetration at 100 m |
* Impenetrable turret cheeks, the add-on wedge armour makes the turret immune from every shell in the game (average of 850 mm against long rod APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT) | * Impenetrable turret cheeks, the add-on wedge armour makes the turret immune from every shell in the game (average of 850 mm against long rod APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT) | ||
− | * Extremely good armour on the UFP ( | + | * Extremely good armour on the UFP (430 mm against long rod APFSDS), immune to every shell in the game except DM33, M829, L26, OFL 120 G1, 3BM42 and CL3143 |
* Great gun handling: 40°/s turret rotation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of vertical guidance | * Great gun handling: 40°/s turret rotation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of vertical guidance | ||
* Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells | * Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells | ||
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== 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).'' --> |
Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower. | Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower. | ||
− | This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard | + | This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard 2A6's firing range was extended in addition to other ballistic properties being improved. |
Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portugese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use. | Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portugese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use. | ||
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The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr. | The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr. | ||
− | ''- From [ | + | ''- From [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|Devblog]]'' |
== 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.'' --> | ||
− | {{Youtube-gallery|mY0pM-fLZbs|'''650MM PEN APFSDS LOL PEN: ULTIMATE LEOPARD 2A6 | + | {{Youtube-gallery|mY0pM-fLZbs|'''650MM PEN APFSDS LOL PEN: ULTIMATE LEOPARD 2A6''' - ''PhlyDaily''}} |
== 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.'' --> |
* [[Leopard 2A5]] - Preceding vehicle | * [[Leopard 2A5]] - Preceding vehicle |
Revision as of 18:56, 22 November 2020
Contents
Description
The Leopard 2A6 is a rank VIII German medium tank
with a battle rating of 12.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "New Power".
The succeeding variant of the Leopard 2A5, the Leopard 2A6 is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the 120 mm Rh120 L/55, a 55 calibre (6.6 m) long gun, 11 calibres (1.32 m) longer than its predecessor.
General info
Survivability and armour
The Leopard 2A6 retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the already impenetrable turret cheeks have more protection on the side of the turret. Add-on armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early ADFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. The gunners optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank.
Be aware of Soviet tanks though! Most of them will carry their HE rounds that can easily destroy you anywhere they hit. A hit directly to the turret will most likely send fragments into your hull, penetrate and lets your fuel tank explode or at least set a fire and knock out the gun barrel.
Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hull | 35 mm (53-82°) Upper glacis 40 mm (50-51°) Lower glacis |
10 mm (5°) Upper hull 35 mm (0°) Lower forward hull 20 mm (0°) Lower rear hull |
20 mm (12-50°) All rear | 20 mm (0-8°) Hull roof incl. engine deck |
Turret | 80 mm (57-59°) Right cheek add-on 80 mm (55-58°) Left cheek add-on 30 mm (63°) Upper mantlet add-on 400 mm (1°) Mantlet armour 250 mm (9°) Mantlet shroud |
80 mm (20-22°) Right add-on 80 mm (22°) Left add-on 35 mm (0°) Forward 15 mm (0°) Rear |
20 mm (10°) Basket 20 mm (70°) Turret underside |
35 - 40 mm (80-89°) Forehead Armour 14 mm (68-82°) Forward sides 20 mm (89°) Rear turret 20 mm (83°) Basket |
Composite armour | Front | Sides | ||
Hull | Upper+Lower glacis 400 mm Kinetic 600 mm Chemical |
N/A | ||
Turret | turret cheeks 800 mm Kinetic 1200 mm Chemical Gun mantlet (Center) Gun mantlet (Outer) |
Side armour 260 mm Kinetic 230 - 285 mm Chemical |
Notes:
- Upper hull and Lower rear hull overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
- Upper mantlet add-on and Mantlet armour overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
- Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh
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 | 76 | 35 | 59.9 | 2,032 | 2,862 | 33.92 | 47.78 |
Realistic | 69 | 31 | 1,327 | 1,500 | 22.15 | 25.04 |
The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the Leopard 2A6's mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the Leopard 2A6 remains relatively slow and relatively unmanoeuvrable like the Leopard 2A5, but it can still keep up with the other nations MBTs. The engine remains the same MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM.
Armaments
Main armament
The Leopard 2A6 has access to the DM53 APFSDS shells, the APFSDS shell with the highest penetration as of Version 2.1.0.46. Such shell is able to penetrate M1A2 Abrams, Challenger 2 and T-80U more easily than its predecessor.
120 mm Rh120 L/55 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
Arcade | 42 | -9°/+20° | ±180° | Two-plane | 38.1 | 52.7 | 64.0 | 70.8 | 75.3 | 7.80 | 6.90 | 6.36 | 6.00 |
Realistic | 23.8 | 28.0 | 34.0 | 37.6 | 40.0 |
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 | ||
DM12A1 | HEATFS | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 |
DM33 | APFSDS | 496 | 494 | 486 | 476 | 466 | 456 |
DM53 | APFSDS | 652 | 650 | 640 | 628 | 616 | 604 |
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% | |||||||
DM12A1 | HEATFS | 1,190 | 13.5 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 2,150 | 65° | 72° | 77° |
DM33 | APFSDS | 1,690 | 4.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 78° | 80° | 81° |
DM53 | APFSDS | 1,750 | 5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 78° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
---|---|---|---|
42 | 16 (+26) | 1 (+41) | No |
Notes:
- The 2nd Rack serves as First-Stage ammo stowage.
Machine guns
7.62 mm MG3A1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
Coaxial | 4,500 (1,000) | 1,200 | N/A | N/A |
Pintle | 2,000 (1,000) | 1,200 | -8°/+20° | ±120° |
Usage in battles
The Leopard 2A6 remains as slow, but as well armoured, as its predecessor, but it has access to the DM53 round. With the new shell, the playstyle remains similar:
- Hull down: In the 2A6, the turret is well armoured thanks to the add-on wedge armour, so a hull-down position can now leave the Leopard 2A6 invulnerable. Even then try to find cover, so then the armour package can last longer throughout the battle.
- Sniping: With the DM53 APFSDS round, the Leopard 2A6 has an incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, therefore it can now make use of the great distance in combat to deal damage while tanking incoming shots. Making use of hull-down positions whilst sniping is recommended.
- Flanking: Due to the Leopard 2A6 inheriting the relatively slow mobility compared to the other vehicles sharing the same battle rating, it is better to stick to more stationary tactics like hull-down and sniping. However, with a little bit of caution, flanking can still be successful.
- Staying with nearby teammates: Try and stick to nearby teammates as this can improve your lifespan throughout the game.
Modules
Tier | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I | Tracks | Parts | Horizontal Drive | DM33 | ||
II | Suspension | Brake System | FPE | Adjustment of Fire | ||
III | Filters | Crew Replenishment | Elevation Mechanism | Smoke grenade | NVD | |
IV | Transmission | Engine | Artillery Support | DM53 | Laser rangefinder |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, the DM53 with 650 mm of penetration at 100 m
- Impenetrable turret cheeks, the add-on wedge armour makes the turret immune from every shell in the game (average of 850 mm against long rod APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT)
- Extremely good armour on the UFP (430 mm against long rod APFSDS), immune to every shell in the game except DM33, M829, L26, OFL 120 G1, 3BM42 and CL3143
- Great gun handling: 40°/s turret rotation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of vertical guidance
- Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells
- Gunner optics are now mounted on top of the turret, removing the annoying weak spot present on the Leopard 2A4
- Cannon barrel and cannon breech absorbs impact rounds which may otherwise penetrate the turret and injure crews
- Very good thermal imaging quality (Generation 2 for Binoculars, 800 x 600, and Generation 1 for Gunner's view, 500 x 300)
Cons:
- Lower glacis can still be penetrated by most shells (but is expected for most MBTs)
- 16 shells in the ready-rack may be insufficient when playing in Arcade Battles
- Huge hull ammo-rack if more than 16 shells are carried consequently making the tank extremely vulnerable to HE shells
- A penetrating shot on the left side of the hull will most likely knock out the driver, gunner and commander, thus destroying the tank
- A penetrating shell on the right side of the hull will most likely hit the ammo-rack, destroying the tank
- The wedges can be shot off with several hits, though the turret cheeks alone provide 650 mm against KE
- Despite all the added armour, the turret ring and driver's hatch are both easily penetrated, and the enemy will most likely aim at these two spots to disable or destroy the tank
History
Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower.
This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard 2A6's firing range was extended in addition to other ballistic properties being improved.
Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portugese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use.
The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr.
- From Devblog
Media
See also
- Leopard 2A5 - Preceding vehicle
External links
Germany medium tanks | |
---|---|
Pz.III | Pz.III B · Pz.III E · Pz.III F · Pz.III J · Pz.III J1 · Pz.III J1 TD · Pz.III L · Pz.III M · Pz.III N |
Pz.IV | Pz.IV C · Pz.IV E · Pz.IV F1 · Pz.IV F2 · Pz.IV G · Pz.IV H · Pz.IV J · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J |
Pz.V | VK 3002 (M) · Panther A · Panther D · Panther F · Panther G · Ersatz M10 · Panther II |
M48 upgrades | M48A2 G A2 · M48 Super |
Leopard 1 | Leopard I · Leopard A1A1 · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 1A5 · C2A1 · Turm III |
Leopard 2 | PT-16/T14 mod. · Leopard 2K · Leopard 2AV |
Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M · Leopard 2 PL · Leopard 2A5 · Leopard 2 PSO · Leopard 2A6 · Leopard 2A7V | |
Trophies | ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) |
Other | Nb.Fz. · KPz-70 |
USA | mKPz M47 G · M48A2 C |
USSR | ◊T-72M1 |