Difference between revisions of "2C bis"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]]. Often called a "super heavy" tank, the 2C bis is a modification of the FCM 2C. It differs from the standard 2C primarily in that it mounts a cast turret housing a 155 mm howitzer. It also lacks the machine gun mounts on the sides of the vehicle. Only one FCM 2C was modified in this way: No. 99 "Champagne".
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].
 +
 
 +
Often called a "super heavy" tank, the 2C bis is a modification of the FCM 2C. It differs from the standard 2C primarily in that it mounts a cast turret housing a 155 mm howitzer. It also lacks the machine gun mounts on the sides of the vehicle. Only one FCM 2C was modified in this way: No. 99 "Champagne".
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-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.'' -->Being comprised of large, flat, vertical armor plates, the 2C bis does not have a revolutionary armor scheme. Many dedicated anti-tank guns such as the Soviet 45 mm 45K, the US 37 mm M5/M6 guns, and the British 40 mm 2-pounder can penetrate this tank frontally from medium to short range without any problem. Larger cannons will have no issue dealing with the 2C bis. Autocannons can also be a threat, especially from the thinly armored sides. However, some slight angling can somewhat mitigate this issue. The large tracks of the 2C bis can obscure the front plate and make it harder to penetrate.
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
  
The 2C bis' true survivability lies in it's crew count. 12 crew members are place throughout the vehicle, meaning that even if the crew up front is entirely knocked out with an APHE shell, there are a number of aft-facing members ready to replace them. This can give the 2C bis a near comical amount of survivability as it can be continuously penetrated, seemingly disabled, and suddenly it can return to battle.
+
Being comprised of large, flat, vertical armour plates, the 2C bis does not have a revolutionary armour scheme. Many dedicated anti-tank guns such as the Soviet 45 mm 45-K, the US 37 mm M5/M6 guns, and the British 40 mm 2-pounder can penetrate this tank frontally from medium to short range without any problem. Larger cannons will have no issue dealing with the 2C bis. Autocannons can also be a threat, especially from the thinly armoured sides. However, some slight angling can somewhat mitigate this issue. The large tracks of the 2C bis can obscure the front plate and make it harder to penetrate.
 +
 
 +
The 2C bis' true survivability lies in its crew count. 12 crew members are place throughout the vehicle, meaning that even if the crew up front is entirely knocked out with an APHE shell, there are a number of aft-facing members ready to replace them. This can give the 2C bis a near comical amount of survivability as it can be continuously penetrated, seemingly disabled, and suddenly it can return to battle.
  
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
Line 39: Line 43:
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
The 2C bis utilizes a diesel-electric hybrid drive system. Two Sautter-Harlé inline 6 diesel engines power electric generators which then engage with electric motors at the rear sprocket. Like the Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P, this means that the 2C bis can neutral steer and theoretically go just as fast in reverse. In addition, the 2C bis accelerates to it's top speed quickly, but this is only 15 km/h. The 2C will certainly be the last tank to the fight, but on the other hand the quick reverse acceleration can prove helpful in close quarters.
+
The 2C bis utilizes a diesel-electric hybrid drive system. Two Sautter-Harlé inline 6 diesel engines power electric generators which then engage with electric motors at the rear sprocket. Like the Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P, this means that the 2C bis can neutral steer and theoretically go just as fast in reverse. In addition, the 2C bis accelerates to its top speed quickly, but this is only 15 km/h. The 2C will certainly be the last tank to the fight, but on the other hand the quick reverse acceleration can prove helpful in close quarters.
  
 
{{tankMobility}}
 
{{tankMobility}}
Line 51: Line 55:
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
<!-- ''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|Schneider 155 C (155 mm)}}The 2C bis has a 155 mm Schneider howitzer in it's two man cast turret. It's velocity is extremely low and it's reload rate is abysmal. The armament takes time and practice to utilize effectively, especially with it's limited elevation and depression angles. However, with 58 mm of HE penetration, the Mle1915 shell will obliterate whatever it touches at the BR of the 2C bis. As long as the shell makes contact anywhere, it is almost guaranteed to knock a vehicle out. Open topped vehicles can even be knocked out by splash damage, as this is basically a ln artillery piece on tracks.
+
{{main|Schneider 155 C (155 mm)}}
  
''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.''
+
The 2C bis has a 155 mm Schneider howitzer in its two man cast turret. Its velocity is extremely low and its reload rate is abysmal. The armament takes time and practice to utilize effectively, especially with its limited elevation and depression angles. However, with 58 mm of HE penetration, the Mle1915 shell will obliterate whatever it touches at the BR of the 2C bis. As long as the shell makes contact anywhere, it is almost guaranteed to knock a vehicle out. Open-topped vehicles can even be knocked out by splash damage, as this is basically an artillery piece on tracks.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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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).'' -->
As stated before, slight angling at longer ranges can increase survivability and make the armor somewhat useful. If you are not sure about how far a target is, use the rangefinder, even at close range. It is actually rather fast in the 2C bis, and a miss will have you waiting a long time to reload. The dreadful top speed will sometimes work in your favor, being that the "first wave" of enemy vehicles has already been dealt with. The 2C bis does not do well against multiple vehicles. The quick reverse acceleration can work in your favor in urban environments.
+
As stated before, slight angling at longer ranges can increase survivability and make the armour somewhat useful. If you are not sure about how far a target is, use the rangefinder, even at close range. It is actually rather fast in the 2C bis, and a miss will have you waiting a long time to reload. The dreadful top speed will sometimes work in your favour, being that the first "wave" of enemy vehicles has already been dealt with. The 2C bis does not do well against multiple vehicles. The quick reverse acceleration can work in your favour in urban environments.
  
Sitting in the rear and lobbing artillery at the enemy is a possible strategy, but the low velocity and high arc of the rounds make this difficult. Eventually, a dedicated anti-tank SPG will likely disable or knock out the vehicle. The 2C bis performs better at mid-range encounters where tracking targets can be easier. Surprisingly despite it's size, getting "Shadow Strikes" is possible in urban areas. Use your machine guns to clear obstacles that may trigger the HE fuse.
+
Sitting in the rear and lobbing artillery at the enemy is a possible strategy, but the low velocity and high arc of the rounds make this difficult. Eventually, a dedicated anti-tank SPG will likely disable or knock out the vehicle. The 2C bis performs better at mid-range encounters where tracking targets can be easier. Surprisingly, despite its size, getting "Shadow Strikes" is possible in urban areas. Use your machine guns to clear obstacles that may trigger the HE shell's fuse prematurely.
 
 
''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).''
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''Summarise 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 - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 
<!-- ''Summarise 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 - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
''Summarise 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 - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* Has a dozen of crew members, highly survivable
+
* Has a dozen crew members, highly survivable
 
* 155 mm howitzer will decimate anything even above its BR
 
* 155 mm howitzer will decimate anything even above its BR
 
* Neutral steering gives the tank decent reflex mobility
 
* Neutral steering gives the tank decent reflex mobility
Line 167: Line 168:
 
* Limited turret traverse, very prone to flanking
 
* Limited turret traverse, very prone to flanking
 
* Poor elevation and depression angles
 
* Poor elevation and depression angles
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 
<!-- ''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).'' -->
<nowiki><ref>The FCM 2C was a French "super heavy" tank designed to conquer the "no man's land" of WW1. It was the dimensionally largest tank ever produced, and for a time the heaviest. Ready for production by February 1918, the war ended before any of the vehicles were completed, and so the order of 300 was eventually reduced to just 10, finished in 1921. The standard 2C mounted a 75 mm APX 1897 field gun, similar to the cannon which would be mounted on the M3 GMC tank destroyer. The 2C had many innovative design features for the time, including a hybrid drive, leaf spring suspension, the world's first three man turret, and stroboscopic cupolas. All of the 2C's were named after ancient regions of France.</nowiki>
+
The FCM 2C was a French "super heavy" tank designed to conquer the "no man's land" of WW1. It was dimensionally the largest tank ever produced, and for a time the heaviest. Ready for production by February 1918, the war ended before any of the vehicles were completed, and so the order of 300 was eventually reduced to just 10, finished in 1921. The standard 2C mounted a 75 mm APX 1897 field gun, similar to the cannon which would be mounted on the [[M3 GMC]] tank destroyer. The 2C had many innovative design features for the time, including a hybrid drive, leaf spring suspension, the world's first three-man turret, and stroboscopic cupolas. All of the 2Cs were named after ancient regions of France.
  
One 2C, No. 99 "Champagne" was given a new two man cast turret with a 155 mm howitzer. The commander was given his own compartment behind the turret. The side machine gun ports were also removed. This variant would be known as the 2C bis. Eventually, Champagne would be returned to it's original configuration and it's turret would be used as a makeshift static emplacement in the Mareth Line. Champagne would be the only 2C to survive the invasion of France, with the other nine tanks either being scuttled by their own crew to prevent capture, or breaking down.<nowiki></ref></nowiki>
+
One 2C, No. 99 "Champagne", was given a new two-man cast turret with a 155 mm howitzer. The commander was given his own compartment behind the turret. The side machine gun ports were also removed. This variant would be known as the 2C bis. Eventually, Champagne would be returned to its original configuration and its turret would be used as a makeshift static emplacement in the Mareth Line. Champagne would be the only 2C to survive the invasion of France, with the other nine tanks either being scuttled by their own crew to prevent capture, or breaking down.
<references /><nowiki>https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/france/fcm-2c.php</nowiki>
 
  
 
== 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.'' -->
<nowiki>https://youtu.be/QmaE2bomv14</nowiki>
 
  
https://warthunder.com/en/news/8033-development-char-2bis-the-beast-of-champagne-en
+
{{Youtube-gallery|QmaE2bomv14|'''GIANT DERP LAND BATTLESHIP {{!}} 155mm 70 TON MONSTER''' - ''PhlyDaily''|'''Trenchwarmer {{!}} Char 2C''' - ''Tank Encyclopedia''}}
 
 
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 197: Line 193:
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
[https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/france/fcm-2c.php#index11 https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/france/fcm-2c.php]
 
  
<nowiki>https://youtu.be/vdHmTGTPa20</nowiki>
+
* [[wt:en/news/8033-development-char-2bis-the-beast-of-champagne-en|[Devblog] Char 2bis: the Beast of Champagne]]
 
+
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/france/fcm-2c.php <nowiki>[Tank Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Char 2C]
 
 
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
 
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
  
 
{{France heavy tanks}}
 
{{France heavy tanks}}
 
{{France premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{France premium ground vehicles}}

Revision as of 20:30, 27 December 2022

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
2C bis
fr_char_2c_bis.png
GarageImage 2C bis.jpg
2C bis
AB RB SB
1.7 1.7 1.7
Purchase:2 100 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The Char FCM 2C bis is a premium rank I French heavy tank with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Apex Predators".

Often called a "super heavy" tank, the 2C bis is a modification of the FCM 2C. It differs from the standard 2C primarily in that it mounts a cast turret housing a 155 mm howitzer. It also lacks the machine gun mounts on the sides of the vehicle. Only one FCM 2C was modified in this way: No. 99 "Champagne".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull45 / 22 / 22
Turret35 / 35 / 35
Crew12 people
Visibility750 %

Being comprised of large, flat, vertical armour plates, the 2C bis does not have a revolutionary armour scheme. Many dedicated anti-tank guns such as the Soviet 45 mm 45-K, the US 37 mm M5/M6 guns, and the British 40 mm 2-pounder can penetrate this tank frontally from medium to short range without any problem. Larger cannons will have no issue dealing with the 2C bis. Autocannons can also be a threat, especially from the thinly armoured sides. However, some slight angling can somewhat mitigate this issue. The large tracks of the 2C bis can obscure the front plate and make it harder to penetrate.

The 2C bis' true survivability lies in its crew count. 12 crew members are place throughout the vehicle, meaning that even if the crew up front is entirely knocked out with an APHE shell, there are a number of aft-facing members ready to replace them. This can give the 2C bis a near comical amount of survivability as it can be continuously penetrated, seemingly disabled, and suddenly it can return to battle.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, side, side skirts, roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret, 155 mm gun mantlet, cupola)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 49 mm (0°) Front plate
22 mm (69°) Front glacis 15 mm (73°) Lower glacis
22 mm (0°) 15 mm (62°) Top
22 mm (0°) Bottom
13 mm (0°)
Turret 35 mm Turret front
35 mm Gun mantlet
35 mm 35 mm 35 mm
Cupola 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm

Notes:

Mobility

Reverse gearbox
Forward and backward movement is possible at the same maximum speed
Speedforward / back
AB16 / 16 km/h
RB and SB16 / 16 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
5 back
Weight70.0 t
Engine power
AB954 hp
RB and SB500 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB13.6 hp/t
RB and SB7.1 hp/t

The 2C bis utilizes a diesel-electric hybrid drive system. Two Sautter-Harlé inline 6 diesel engines power electric generators which then engage with electric motors at the rear sprocket. Like the Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P, this means that the 2C bis can neutral steer and theoretically go just as fast in reverse. In addition, the 2C bis accelerates to its top speed quickly, but this is only 15 km/h. The 2C will certainly be the last tank to the fight, but on the other hand the quick reverse acceleration can prove helpful in close quarters.

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 16 16 70 _,___ 954 __.__ 13.63
Realistic 16 16 _,___ 500 __.__ 7.14

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB2 086 Sl icon.png
RB328 Sl icon.png
SB406 Sl icon.png
Crew training1 400 Sl icon.png
Experts9 000 Sl icon.png
Aces75 Ge icon.png
Research Aces270 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 30 / 30 / 40 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 106 / 106 / 106 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement fr.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism

Armaments

Main armament

155 mm Schneider 155 C howitzer
Ammunition24 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
22.4 → 17.2 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 10°
Horizontal guidance-100° / 100°

The 2C bis has a 155 mm Schneider howitzer in its two man cast turret. Its velocity is extremely low and its reload rate is abysmal. The armament takes time and practice to utilize effectively, especially with its limited elevation and depression angles. However, with 58 mm of HE penetration, the Mle1915 shell will obliterate whatever it touches at the BR of the 2C bis. As long as the shell makes contact anywhere, it is almost guaranteed to knock a vehicle out. Open-topped vehicles can even be knocked out by splash damage, as this is basically an artillery piece on tracks.

155 mm Schneider 155 C Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 24 ±10° ±100° N/A __._ __._ __._ __._ __._ _.__ _.__ _.__ _.__
Realistic __._ __._ __._ __._ __._

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
Mle1915 HE 58 58 58 58 58 58
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Mle1915 HE 240 43.2 0 0.1 7.65 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
24 __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __

Machine guns

2 x 8 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun
Ammunition6 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Fire rate450 shots/min

The rear turret has decent horizontal arcs but suffers from rather poor vertical arcs and slow rotation speed, making this turret very situational. The frontal machine gun can be used to knock small obstacles out of the way as to prevent the HE shell from detonating on them.

8 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1914
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Hull 5,000 (250) 450 __° __°
Rear 5,000 (250) 450 __° -130°/+120°

Usage in battles

As stated before, slight angling at longer ranges can increase survivability and make the armour somewhat useful. If you are not sure about how far a target is, use the rangefinder, even at close range. It is actually rather fast in the 2C bis, and a miss will have you waiting a long time to reload. The dreadful top speed will sometimes work in your favour, being that the first "wave" of enemy vehicles has already been dealt with. The 2C bis does not do well against multiple vehicles. The quick reverse acceleration can work in your favour in urban environments.

Sitting in the rear and lobbing artillery at the enemy is a possible strategy, but the low velocity and high arc of the rounds make this difficult. Eventually, a dedicated anti-tank SPG will likely disable or knock out the vehicle. The 2C bis performs better at mid-range encounters where tracking targets can be easier. Surprisingly, despite its size, getting "Shadow Strikes" is possible in urban areas. Use your machine guns to clear obstacles that may trigger the HE shell's fuse prematurely.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Has a dozen crew members, highly survivable
  • 155 mm howitzer will decimate anything even above its BR
  • Neutral steering gives the tank decent reflex mobility
  • Can climb over rough terrain with ease due to its World War I design

Cons:

  • Extremely huge, easily spotted and targeted by any enemy
  • 155 mm howitzer has very long reload time and awful shell velocity
  • Awfully slow top speed
  • Armour is mediocre at best
  • Limited turret traverse, very prone to flanking
  • Poor elevation and depression angles

History

The FCM 2C was a French "super heavy" tank designed to conquer the "no man's land" of WW1. It was dimensionally the largest tank ever produced, and for a time the heaviest. Ready for production by February 1918, the war ended before any of the vehicles were completed, and so the order of 300 was eventually reduced to just 10, finished in 1921. The standard 2C mounted a 75 mm APX 1897 field gun, similar to the cannon which would be mounted on the M3 GMC tank destroyer. The 2C had many innovative design features for the time, including a hybrid drive, leaf spring suspension, the world's first three-man turret, and stroboscopic cupolas. All of the 2Cs were named after ancient regions of France.

One 2C, No. 99 "Champagne", was given a new two-man cast turret with a 155 mm howitzer. The commander was given his own compartment behind the turret. The side machine gun ports were also removed. This variant would be known as the 2C bis. Eventually, Champagne would be returned to its original configuration and its turret would be used as a makeshift static emplacement in the Mareth Line. Champagne would be the only 2C to survive the invasion of France, with the other nine tanks either being scuttled by their own crew to prevent capture, or breaking down.

Media

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


France heavy tanks
B1  B1 bis · B1 ter
2C  2C · 2C bis
ARL-44  ARL-44 (ACL-1)
AMX-50  Somua SM · AMX-50 Surbaissé · AMX-50 Surblindé
USA  ▄M4A3E2

France premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  AMD.35 (SA35) · H.39 "Cambronne" · LVT-4/40 · AMX-13 (SS.11) · AMX-13-M24 · E.B.R. (1954) · E.B.R. (1963) · VBCI-2 (MCT30)
Medium tanks  M4A1 (FL10) · Panther "Dauphiné" · AMX-30 · AMX-30 Super · AMX-50 (TO90/930)
Heavy tanks  B1 ter · 2C bis · Somua SM
Tank destroyers  Lorraine 155 Mle.50