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
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.
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 | |
Armaments
Main armament
| 20 mm Breda Mod.35 (x_) | 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 | 22.85 | 31.62 | 38.40 | 42.47 | 45.18 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 6.36 | 6.0 |
| Realistic | 14.28 | 16.80 | 20.40 | 22.56 | 24.00 | |||||||||
Ammunition
- Default: API-T · HEFI-T · API-T · HEFI-T - Half the belt is composed of HEFI-T, such shell will do negligible damage against armored targets. However against aircrafts and vehicles with exposed crew, such shell can prove deadly.
- Perforante mod.35: API-T · API-T · API-T · API-T - Intermediate usage until the better PzGr 40 can be used. Decent enough against light tanks and other vehicles from the rear.
- PzGr 40: HVAP-T · API-T · HVAP-T · API-T - Highest penetrating belt. However, the damage effects are very poor. In close combat, aiming for modules and crewmember is advised. It's effects against angled armor is limited due to the nature of the HVAP shells, however the base penetration 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 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% | |||||||
| 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 |
Machine guns
| 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 1,524 (24) | 600 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
Utilise the L6/40 like a Panzer II, as it shares similar characteristics especially with the 20 mm Breda Mod.35 autocannon. Until this APCR (PzGr 40) belt is unlocked, use the L6/40 in a support role by capturing objectives in order to obtain enough research points to unlock the necessary firepower modifications.
Once the PzGr 40 is unlocked, the L6/40 shares the same offensive power as seen on the Panzer II, as the PzGr 40 rounds are nearly identical, if not exactly so, as the German counterparts. Use the PzGr 40 rounds to meet and knock out peer enemies more readily in order to control the battlefield.
Modules
| Tier | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Tracks | Parts | Horizontal Drive | ||
| II | Suspension | Brake System | FPE | Adjustment of Fire | Perforante mod.35 |
| III | Filters | Crew Replenishment | Elevation Mechanism | ||
| IV | Transmission | Engine | Artillery Support | PzGr 40 | |
Pros and cons
Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".
Pros:
- Reasonable penetration with HVAP belts
Cons:
- Poor suspension damping, it takes about 2 seconds to settle after stopping the vehicle
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
An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.
See also
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;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- encyclopedia page on tank;
- other literature.
| 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 |
