Concept 3

Concept 3

SARC MkVI (6pdr)

Ratel 90

Concept 3

SARC MkVI (6pdr)

Ratel 90

Britain

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.3	4.3	4.3

Class:

Light tank

Research:18 000

Purchase:47 000

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Description

The Concept 3, New Generation Armoured Car is a rank III British light tank with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Red Skies". The Concept 3 is the prototype of the Rooikat family. The Concept 3 introduces players to the playstyle, tactics, and pros and cons of the production Rooikats to come as it is itself a Rooikat.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull25 / 12 / 12

Turret25 / 12 / 12

Crew4 people

Visibility96 %

Like the American M18 Hellcat, the Concept 3 only has 12.7 mm (0.5 in) of armour in most areas, with some areas being only 6.5 mm. As a result, anything at this BR can penetrate this vehicle's armour. Compounding issues, the Concept 3 has ammunition storage scattered all throughout its body. In other words: while incoming fire from the sides is somewhat prone to overpenetration, this cannot be depended upon. Try to avoid being shot at in the first place.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
• Wheel (tires)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	12.7 mm (70°) Upper glacis 25.4 mm (31°) Lower glacis	12.7 mm (25°) Top 12.7 mm Bottom	12.7 mm Rear armour 5 mm Engine grille	12.7 mm
Turret	12.7 mm (19°) Turret front 25.4 mm (7-69°) Gun mantlet	12.7 mm (18-19°)	12.7 mm (21°)	12.7 mm (10°) Front 6.35 mm Rear
Cupola	25.4 mm	25.4 mm	25.4 mm	12.7 mm

Notes:

• Wheels and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 6.35 mm thick.

Mobility

Reverse gearbox

Forward and backward movement is possible at the same maximum speed

Speedforward / back

AB92 / 92 km/h

RB and SB83 / 83 km/h

Number of gears7 forward

7 back

Weight14.5 t

Engine power

AB399 hp

RB and SB209 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB27.5 hp/t

RB and SB14.4 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	92	92	14.5	324	399	22.34	27.52
Realistic	83	83		185	209	12.76	14.41

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB776 → 1 068

RB954 → 1 313

SB1 188 → 1 635

Total cost of modifications19 500

31 800

Talisman cost980

Crew training13 000

Experts47 000

Aces330

Research Aces280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

60 / 80 / 110 %

136 / 136 / 136 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tires Research: 990 Cost: 1 600 105 Suspension Research: 740 Cost: 1 200 80 Brake System Research: 740 Cost: 1 200 80 Filters Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 130 Transmission Research: 2 100 Cost: 3 400 220 Engine Research: 2 100 Cost: 3 400 220	Improved Parts Research: 990 Cost: 1 600 105 Improved FPE Research: 740 Cost: 1 200 80 Crew Replenishment Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 130	76mm_britain_17pdr_APC_ammo_pack Research: 990 Cost: 1 600 105 Horizontal Drive Research: 990 Cost: 1 600 105 76mm_britain_17pdr_APCBC_ammo_pack Research: 740 Cost: 1 200 80 Adjustment of Fire Research: 740 Cost: 1 200 80 Airstrike Research: 740 Cost: 1 200 80 Elevation Mechanism Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 130 Improved optics Research: 1 200 Cost: 2 000 130 Artillery Support Research: 2 100 Cost: 3 400 220

Armaments

Main armament

77 mm OQF Mk.II cannon

Ammunition60 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

7.6 → 5.9 s

Vertical guidance-10° / 20°

Due to highly mobile playstyle, one might try to fight on the move or to attack by driving uphill to suddenly shoot enemies. Unfortunately, the gun is not stabilized and the gun vertical traverse speed is extremely slow, which leads to the significant uncontrollable "rocking" of the gun, inevitably pushing it down into the ground. This makes fighting on the move in RB/SB very difficult to the point of impossible. Thus, one should always wait until the gun has settled, or drive over completely flat terrain and slow down before firing to try one's luck.

In AB, the rocking can be countered by maxing out "targeting" and "leadership", gaining at least "expert" crew qualification and getting all of the tank modifications. The gun will still shake a bit and fail when the car is moving over hills, but the gunner will try his best to stop this.

The gun also has a very powerful recoil, which slows the car down and can throw it around if fired broadside. It's generally not fatal, but it can be extremely annoying when firing to the side off slopes, because it will move the car and ruin the aim by pushing the car above the gun depression threshold.

Due to the low weight of the car, enemy can ram Concept 3 to prevent it from firing. Melee combat with tanks is possible, but going literally into their face is not recommended.

77 mm OQF Mk.II					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	60	-10°/+20°	±180°	N/A	14.3	19.8	24.0	26.5	28.2	7.67	6.78	6.25	5.90
Realistic					8.9	10.5	12.8	14.1	15.0

Ammunition

While lacking the APDS rounds of the Comet I, the Concept 3's rounds are pretty impressive for its BR, capable of penetrating the thickest of armour, including the dreaded KV-1 (ZiS-5). The post penetration damage won't be as good as an APHE round, but it is quite acceptable.

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
Shot Mk.6	AP	137	134	123	111	100	91
Shell Mk.1	HE	9	9	9	9	9	9
Shot Mk.4	APC	137	134	123	111	100	91
Shot Mk.8	APCBC	152	149	137	124	112	101

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%
Shot Mk.6	AP	754	7.71	N/A	N/A	N/A	47°	60°	65°
Shell Mk.1	HE	754	6.98	0	0.1	580	79°	80°	81°
Shot Mk.4	APC	754	7.71	N/A	N/A	N/A	48°	63°	71°
Shot Mk.8	APCBC	754	7.71	N/A	N/A	N/A	48°	63°	71°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Concept 3

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
60	41 (+19)	37 (+23)	33 (+27)	28 (+32)	21 (+39)	1 (+59)	No

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• If you pack 21 (+39) shells, it will keep the turret empty of ammo.

Machine guns

7.62 mm Browning MG4 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition2 500 rounds

Belt capacity250 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate500 shots/min

7.62 mm Browning MG4
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	2,500 (250)	500	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

The Concept 3 will be the first Rooikat that a player unlocks, and tactics learnt from the Concept 3 would be used again in the production models of the Rooikat. One should consider its large size. This vehicle is extremely large for a scout vehicle, beating the size of a T-34 and a Sherman to some extent. Thus, concealing the Concept 3 is not an option as it will be visible from a mile away (both figuratively and literally). Thus, a Concept 3 driver must rely on its mobility.

As with all Rooikats, the Concept 3 boasts extremely good mobility. So, the main tactic for the Concept 3 is to zoom fast to a good position, fire until you are satisfied or are under fire, before relocating to another location as quickly as possible. Rooikats are simply good at running. One should prioritize positions that allow an easy escape, such as near a large stack of rocks or a gentle hill. This is also helped by the Concept 3's decent depression angle of -10°. Use it! Apart from that, try to find positions where one can fire at the flanks of an enemy.

This extreme mobility and size comes at a very large cost. The Concept 3 has next to no armour, only being able to resist rifle calibre rounds. Everything else will penetrate it with ease, but some parts of the armour are still thick enough to activate an APHE's fuse. Thus, it is recommended to always ensure minimal risk of being shot at, let alone hit.

To sum it up: be mobile and fast, find good sniping spots, but never stay in one place. If one was to find themselves being shot at, quickly relocate or hide. As the name suggests, one must hunt like Een Afrikaan Rooikat, an African Caracal. Play it smart, play it fast.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent gun for its tier, good penetration and decent reload
• Fast with good acceleration when spaded
• Reverse speed is as good as forward speed, allowing for quick getaways
• Above average muzzle velocity

Cons:

• Solid shot ammunition only, accurate fire is needed to disable vehicles
• Suspension is quite bouncy and the gun vertical traverse speed is poor, making shots difficult
• Turning is slow when stock
• Suffers in soft terrain, sometimes speed will drop massively upon the slightest obstacle
• Negligible armour, vulnerable to artillery overpressure
• Sub-par accuracy at range when stock
• Lacks a smoke grenade launcher

History

The Concept 3 was based on the British FV603 Alvis Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier. It was designed to fulfil a new South African requirement for a "New Generation Armoured Car". The project started in 1976 and ended in 1979. 3 testbed vehicles were made, Concept 3 being one of them. The Concept 3 differed from the Alvis Saracen APCs - it had an 8-wheel configuration, giving it superior off-road characteristics and superior performance. The Concept 3 was fitted with a 77mm OQF Mk.II, identical to the one found on the A34 Comet I which, while underwhelming for the time was merely a placeholder and was later swapped for a 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7 which was a licence built version of the same gun found on the British Centurion Mk 10. The L7 variant was known as the "Bismarck". The vehicle was built by South African company Sandock-Austral (later merged into BAE Systems), the same company credited with creating and producing the Ratel family (Ratel 20 / 90) and the Eland 90 Mk.7. Several tests were conducted over the years at Potchefstroom, South Africa. The Concept 3 series was nicknamed the "Cheetah" and the vehicle was officially designated "Concept 3, Class 2B" and was built to slightly different medium specifications, raising the original weight of the vehicle from a modest 17 tonnes to a rather considerable weight of up to 23 tonnes.

When all is said and done, the Concept series deviated from the original vision of the Armoured Personnel Carrier, morphing into a light Armoured Fighting Vehicle or reconnaissance car. The original intended role of Armoured Personnel Carrier was ultimately fulfilled by the excellent Ratel family which doubled as an effective Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Therefore the South African National Defence Force ultimately cancelled the order for the Concepts, and immediate further development of the Concept programme was promptly terminated.

However, the legacy of the Concept cannot be asserted enough: the basic design of the Concept and in particular its chassis would later become that of the Rooikat family (Rooikat 105 / MTTD / Mk.1D / ZA-35) which are still used to this day. The Concept, while often forgotten, disregarded and dishonoured is perhaps one of the most - if not the most - influential military vehicle design in South African history.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Concept 3 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #260 - Metal Beasts section at 00:28 discusses the Concept 3.

See also

Related developement

• Rooikat Mk.1D
• Rooikat 105

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.