L6/40
Contents
Description
The Carro Armato modello L6 (shortened to L6/40) is a rank I Italian light tank with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic".
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, gun mantlet)
- Cast homogeneous armour (hull rear: centre housing)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 30 mm (11°) Upper plate 15-20 mm (75°) Upper glacis 30 mm (6°) Lower plate 15 mm (70°) Lower glacis |
15 mm | 15 mm | 15-20 mm (15°) Upper glacis 10 mm Centre section 10 mm (20°) Rear section |
| Turret | 25 mm (cylindrical) Turret front 30 mm Gun mantlet 40 mm (12°) Turret frame |
15 mm (20°) | 25 mm (16°) Hatch 15 mm (16°) |
10 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick while bogies are 10 mm thick.
- Mudguards are 5 mm thick.
Survivability is not the L6/40's strength. Combined with the mediocre front armour thickness of 30mm, the side armour is only half as thick, making angling ineffective against most vehicles. However, not all is lost as some Rank I vehicles such as the H.39, Ha-Go, or I-Go Ko struggle or are unable to penetrate its frontal armour at a general range of 300m, but it should be noted that its own armament loses effectiveness quickly at range. Additionally, the front is immune to M2HB and DShK fire which are quite common at Rank I. Overall, while the survivability of the L6/40 is generally unimpressive, the vehicle's versatility allows for it to rely on other advantages instead.
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 | 47 | 8 | 6.8 | 105 | 130 | 15.44 | 19.12 |
| Realistic | 43 | 7 | 60 | 68 | 8.82 | 10 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
Armaments
Main armament
| 20 mm Breda Mod.35 | 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 | 280 (8) | 240 | -12°/+20° | ±180° | N/A | 22.9 | 31.6 | 38.4 | 42.5 | 45.2 | 7.80 | 6.90 | 6.36 | 6.00 |
| Realistic | 14.3 | 16.8 | 20.4 | 22.6 | 24.0 | |||||||||
Ammunition
- Default: API-T · HEFI-T* - This belt can be used for both roles: anti-aircraft and against lightly armoured vehicles to the detriment of a reduced rate of fire. Half the belt is composed of high-explosive fragmentation incendiary shells that will do negligible damage against armoured targets but will prove deadly against aircraft and vehicles with exposed crew
- Perforante mod.35: API-T - Intermediate belt to be used against light tanks and other vehicles from the rear. Decent enough until the better PzGr 40 can be used.
- PzGr 40: HVAP-T · API-T - Highest penetrating belt, designed to deal with armoured targets . However, the post-penetration damage is very poor beyond 500 m. In close combat, aiming for modules and crew member is advised. Its effects against angled armour is limited due to the nature of the HVAP shells, but the penetration power compensates such drawback.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belt | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| Default | 38 | 36 | 27 | 19 | 14 | 10 | |
| Perforante mod.35 | 38 | 36 | 27 | 19 | 14 | 10 | |
| PzGr 40 | 64 | 63 | 27 | 29 | 14 | 10 | |
| Belt details | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belt | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile Mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | |||||||
| Perforante mod.35 | API-T | 832 | 0.14 | 1.2 | 9 | 1.7 | 47° | 60° | 65° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 29 (+6) | 24 (+11) | 23 (+12) | 22 (+13) | 13 (+22) | 8 (+27) | 1 (+34) | No |
Notes:
- Ammunition is modeled as clips of 8 rounds.
- Clips disappear after having been shot/loaded.
Machine guns
| 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 1,524 (24) | 600 | N/A | N/A |
The small calibre of the Breda Mod. 38 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.
Usage in battles
- Combat tactics
As a frontline tank, you must fight in close-quarters to make the best use of your autocannon (below 300 m). Stay mobile and flank enemies. Make use of your good mobility to surprise the enemy where he does not expect you. And always be the first to shoot. Use short bursts (2-3 rounds ideally) to stay in control of your ammo and maximize the damage you inflict. If you can't get close or flank, stay hull down showing only your turret. Unlike the Pz.II, your turret rotation speed is very good, meaning that you can quickly face an enemy surprising you on your six.
You also can play as a support tank by taking disabling shots at enemies to prevent them from firing and operating normally (gun barrel, gun breech, transmission. etc.) and let your teammates with higher firepower destroy enemy tanks. This can be a precious help, especially when around a heavily contested capture point.
- Notable enemies
- Heavily armoured tanks that will shrug your rounds like the FCM.36, S.35, B1 bis and Valentine Mk I.
- Tanks with sloped armour that will make most of your bullets ricochet: Crusader II, M5A1, T-60, T-70, T-80.
- How to defeat a L6/40
Stay at distance of 500 m and above to negate its firepower. In a frontal encounter, shoot right in the middle of the front plate if the L6/40 did not angle its hull. This will knock out the gunner and the driver. If angled, aim at the turret. When flanking, aim for the spot right under the center of the turret. Use a shell with a good post-penetration effect: APHE or HEAT. The limited crew of 2 limits severely the survivability of the L6/40.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Reasonable penetration with HVAP belts
- Great turret rotation
- Good acceleration
- Adequate mobility
Cons:
- Poor suspension damping, it takes about 2 seconds to settle after stopping the vehicle
- Limited crew of 2
- Low rate of fire
- Limited magazines of 8 rounds
History
The L6/40 was designed to replace the L3 tankette in the cavalry and reconnaissance roles. It was based on a heavily modified L3 chassis, keeping the two-person crew, but with increased firepower, protection and mobility. By the time it was accepted for service in early 1940, it was already only barely adequate as a recon tank. By the time it entered general service in 1942 it was hopelessly obsolete. After 283 had been built it was cancelled in favour of the Semovente 47/32. A flamethrower version was developed but did not enter service.
L6/40 was to be used in the Raggruppamento Esplorante Corazzato (RECo); the divisional-level armoured reconnaissance task forces found in the order of battle of armoured and motorized divisions, and in several independent recon units, deployed in 4-car platoons. In total, 72 were sent to North Africa, and 55 went to Russia on March 1942, where they equipped the 67th Battaglione Motocorazzato Bersaglieri (lightly armoured battalion) in the 3rd Celere (Cavalry) Division. They were the heaviest Italian tanks used on that front. The battalion was destroyed in December 1942 during fighting on the Don River. L6/40 was also employed in Yugoslavia, by the San Guisto light armoured squadron-group of the 1st Celere Division.
Some L6/40 fought in Italy in September 1943 and were later employed by Italian Fascists and Germans. The Germans seized many on Italy's surrender; the majority were exported to Croatia but also used some themselves in the Balkans. Yugoslav partisans would press a small number of captured L6s into service.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Vehicles equipped with the same gun
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
- [Wikipedia] L6/40 tank
- [Tanks Encyclopedia] FIAT-Ansaldo L6/40
- [Military Factory] Carro Armato L6/40
| Italy light tanks | |
|---|---|
| Italy | |
| L6/40 | L6/40 · L6/40 (31 Rgt.) |
| M11/39 | M11/39 |
| Autoblindo | AB 41 · AB 43 |
| Fiat 6614/6616 | FIAT 6614 · AUBL/74 · AUBL/74 HVG |
| R3 Capraia | R3 T106 FA |
| Centauro | Centauro I 105 · Centauro I 105 R · Centauro I 120 · Centauro RGO · VRCC |
| Freccia | VBC (PT2) · Freccia |
| Dardo | Dardo · VCC-80/60 · VCC-80/30 |
| Other | C13 T90 |
| USA | ▄M3A3 · ▄M24 · ▄M18 |
| Hungary | |
| WWII | Csaba · Toldi IIA |
| Post | ◔BTR-80A · KF41 |
