M109G (Italy)
| This page is about the tank destroyer M109G (Italy). For other versions, see M109 (Family). |
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Contents
Description
The M109, an American-designed self-propelled howitzer, replaced the M44 in the US army in 1961. Italy received M44s post-war as US aid, however with further negotiations Italy later acquired M109s, upgrading some to the M109L standard with OTO Melara 155mm cannons and adding rammer devices. While not heavily armored, the M109 could withstand small arms fire and some shell splinters. It reached speeds of 35 km/h and had a range of 216 miles. The Italian army used M109s in peacekeeping operations but phased them out in the early 2000s for the PzH 2000 artillery piece. Leonardo also created an upgrade for the M109 with a longer-range cannon and Italian Vulcano guided munitions.
It was introduced in Update "Kings of Battle". The ▄Obice da 155/23 Semovente M109G has little to no armour being able to be penetrated from low calibre autocannon fire, including 14.5mm HMGs. This does not mean that the M109 is bad, with a powerful 155mm cannon, its HE shells are enough to overpressure or even penetrate the armour of most tanks. The tank does have a very long reload rate and a poor turret traverse speed, it is recommended using the M109 for ambushes, flanking with allies, launching a HE shell at a weakspot and then retreat to safety to reload, since it will take you almost half a minute. For heavy tanks, it is recommended aiming for the top of the turret or below the chassis if possible.
General info
Survivability and armour
The armour on the M109 is nearly non-existent, being surrounded by 32 mm thick aluminium alloy 5083, which effectively comes down to 13-20 mm RHA. This leaves the vehicle vulnerable to even light machine gun fire from any angle. The weakness of the armour turns into a strong-suit against AP shells that will pass straight through, unable to fuse or create enough spall to inflict major damage. Direct hits from HE and other chemical shells will most likely leave the M109 a burning wreck. The 6 crew members are pretty spaced apart in the turret, giving a plus to crew survivability.
Armour type:
- Aluminium alloy 5083 (Hull, turret)
- Rolled homogeneous armor (Radiator covers)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 32 mm (27-74°) Upper Glacis 32 mm (0-49°) Lower Glacis |
32 mm Top 32 mm Bottom |
32 mm | 32 mm Hull Roof 10 mm Radiator Covers |
| Turret | 32 mm (28-73°) Turret front 32 mm (4-56°) Gun mantlet |
32 mm (23-50°) | 32 mm | 32 mm |
| Cupola | 32 mm | 32 mm | ||
Notes:
- Suspension wheels - 20 mm (Structural steel of chassis)
- Tracks - 15 mm
Mobility
Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 62 | 13 | 24.5 | 575 | 773 | 23.47 | 31.55 |
| Realistic | 57 | 12 | 358 | 405 | 14.61 | 16.53 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
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: {{main|Name of the weapon}}. 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.
| 155 mm M126E1 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 28 | -3°/+70° | ±180° | - | 9.7 | 13.4 | 16.3 | 18.0 | 19.1 | 17.29 | 15.30 | 14.10 | 13.30 |
| Realistic | 6.5 | 7.7 | 9.4 | 10.3 | 11.0 | ||||||||
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 | ||
| M107 | HE | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| M107 (PF) | HE-VT | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M107 | HE | 684 | 43.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 9.14 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Proximity-fused shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M107 (PF) | HE-VT | 684 | 43.1 | 0 | 0 | 300 | 3 | 9.14 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |
| 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 | 684 | 44.63 | 21 | 5 | 30 | 50 |
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Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
Ammo part | 1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Projectiles Propellants |
24 (+4) 23 (+5) |
19 (+9) 17 (+11) |
17 (+11) 1 (+27) |
1 (+27) N/A |
No |
Notes:
- M109G (Italy) uses two-piece ammunition, composed of propellant bags (orange) and projectiles (yellow). Both have separate racks.
- Projectiles and propellant bags are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
- 4th rack (for the projectiles) and 3rd rack (for the propellants) are first stage ammo rack. It totals 16 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
- Loading 17 (+11) shells will keep the hull floor and part of both sides empty of ammo.
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.
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 600 (200) | 575 | -10°/+45° | ±180° |
Usage in battles
The M109G features a very powerful armament at its BR, paired with a mediocre platform, chassis and powerplant. But in other to be used effectively, it needs to be played with caution in mind or you might be send back to the menu.
The M109G has a reload rate of around 30 sec, depending on crew skill, but it is very low, and the armour can be penetrated even by 14.5mm HMGs, so in order to avoid that, a recommended tactic is flanking with allies, launching a HE shell, preferribly to a high value target like a heavy tank, and lather retreat.
The tank can be used as a brawler but can be quickly overwhelmed by superior enemy numbers, for such tactics, it is recommended going with coordinated squad of other M109s or even better, a mix of heavy and light vehicles, combining destructive firepower, with armour and speed. The M109G is overall, a very team dependent vehicle, it requires you and your team to do well in order to succeed, that is why it should be played in a more passive playstyle than other vehicles. Avoid rushing capture points since they could be ambushed, and avoid brawling alone, when playing solo, flanking and sniping is your best bet.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Powerful 155 mm cannon, can take out heavy tanks rather effortlessly
- Great elevation angles
- Access to proxy munitions
- (RB) Slightly faster shell velocity than other short-barrelled artillery tanks, may be easier to aim
Cons:
- Slow turret traverse speed
- Low survivability due to thin armour and munition placement, cannot sustain even 12.7 mm HMG
- Long reload when compared to normal tanks
- (mostly AB) Shell velocity does not let the tank to fire over a hill at short to medium range
- (RB) Bad optics zoom, inadequate for sniping at long distances
History
The story of the M109 begins during the late stages of the Cold War, it would be designed due to a need from the American army to completely replace their aging fleet of M44 self-propelled howitzer. The main objectives for the new and improved replacement were for it to be somewhat mobile and have a bigger calibre. Initial prototypes for the M109 would see it armed with a 105 mm cannon, but would later be changed to a 155 mm. It was also chosen to equip the vehicle with a diesel engine which, although it would prove to give less output, was much more reliable so breaking down would not become a common occurrence. It would first officially enter service in the American army by 1961, and would prove to be quite effective on the battlefield.
Italy comes into play also, post-war they were lacking in a lot of sectors, so America would be generous enough to supply the Italian army with M44 self-propelled howitzers. However, they also soon desired a heavy SPH that would be mobile enough and be able to be operated in multiple types of environments. Eventually after a lot of discussions, the first batches of M109 is would be acquired by the Italian army in 1962. Initially, part of the deal with Italy included 221 M109s equipped with 155 mm cannons. Other part of the deal saw Italy purchase up to 62 versions of the M109A1B. Some of the original M109s were later upgraded by OTO Melara to the M109L standard which had been modified to utilize the 155 mm cannon made by OTO Melara. Italy improved the combat effectiveness of their M109s by adding a "rammer" which heavily reduced operator fatigue while also increasing the rate of fire of the vehicle.
In terms of survivability, the M109 is not the most armoured vehicle there is, but it is said that it could withstand the majority of small arms fire and shell splinters that may happen to hit the vehicle when an enemy performs a counter artillery attack. However, that said, even the weakest HE or HEAT rounds would make short work of the M109, the platform houses its munitions at the back of the turret, so it is safe to say that it would not be able to hold its own against most ground vehicle threats if shot there. In terms of mobility, depending on the version, most M109s can reach speeds of up to 35 km/h, with an overall range of 216 miles. It is powered by a Detroit Diesel 8V71T engine which produces 450 hp.
The M109 has been combat proven in many theatres of war all around the world. The Italian army would mostly use the M109 for various missions and peacekeeping operations, for example during the Kosovo War, where it provided much needed artillery fire for the troops on the ground. Most sources however state that the majority if not all M109s that the Italian army had used, have been phased out during the early 2000s for the more modern and stronger PzH 2000 artillery piece.
Besides the upgrades done by the Italian army, Leonardo created an upgrade for the M109 which added a new cannon able to fire projectiles at a longer range, alongside with the integration of the new Italian-made guided Vulcano munitions.
Media
- Skins
See also
- Related development
External links
| Italy tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Italy | |
| M41 | 75/18 M41 · 75/32 M41 · 90/53 M41M |
| M42 | 75/34 M42 |
| M43 | 105/25 M43 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · 75/34 M43 · 75/46 M43 |
| Wheeled | Lancia 3Ro (100/17) · AS 42/47 · Breda 90/53 · Breda 501 |
| Other | L3/33 CC · 47/32 L40 |
| Germany | ▄StuG III G |
| USA | M36B1 · ▄M109G · M113A1 (TOW) |
| Hungary | |
| Zrínyi | Zrinyi I · Zrinyi II |
| USSR | ◔2S1 |
