Centauro I 120

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RANK 6 BRITAIN
Rooikat 105 PACK
This page is about the Italian light tank Centauro I 120. For other versions, see Centauro (Family).
Centauro I 120
it_centauro_mgs_120.png
GarageImage Centauro I 120.jpg
Centauro I 120
AB RB SB
11.3 11.3 11.3
Class:
Research:350 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:950 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Blindo Pesante Centauro, 120 mm is a rank VII Italian light tank with a battle rating of 11.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury". It is also known as the Centauro MGS.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
LWS
Notifies about the vehicle's exposure to laser emissions
Armourfront / side / back
Hull20 / 15 / 15
Turret20 / 20 / 20
Crew4 people
Visibility136 %

The armour of the Centauro I 120 is the same as the previous Centauros, mediocre against everything but calibres smaller than 14.5 mm HMG fire. It has additional armour plates which give it decent armour protection to shrapnel fragmentation as well as autocannons. However, it is vulnerable to overpressure. The lack of armour is however compensated by adopting a playstyle based on the increased mobility to position your vehicle in unexpected spots. This is what the Centauros excel at. Fast speed, manoeuvrability and relatively small profile helps it disguise, move and stay under cover at almost all times.

Armour type:

  • High Hardness Rolled Armour
  • Aluminium alloy 7020
  • Composite Screens
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 15 mm (80°) 15 mm Top
15 mm Bottom
15 mm 10 - 15 mm
Turret 20 mm Turret front
20-40 mm Gun mantlet
20 mm 20 mm 20 mm
Cupola 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm

Notes:

  • The wheels and suspension bars are 10 mm thick.
  • The rear of the turret is covered with 5 mm of structural steel.
Composite Appliqué Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 30 mm (80°) upper glacis
50 mm (44°) lower glacis
30 mm Top
50 mm Bottom
N/A N/A
Turret 50 mm Turret front
5 mm Gun mantlet
5-30 mm 5 mm 5 mm

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB123 / 25 km/h
RB and SB110 / 23 km/h
Number of gears10 forward
4 back
Weight25.1 t
Engine power
AB992 hp
RB and SB520 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB39.5 hp/t
RB and SB20.7 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 123 25 25.1 806 992 32.11 39.52
Realistic 110 23 460 520 18.33 20.72

Like the previous Centauros, it has one of the best mobility for wheeled vehicles. It has the same performance as the Blindo Armata B1 Centauro despite the additional armour and a heavier gun. It still lacks performance on snow and somewhat on sand. However, it has the best weight/power ratio for wheeled vehicles of similar size. It should be noted that the MGS, as previous Centauros, is not amphibious.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 467 → 5 866 Sl icon.png
RB3 509 → 5 937 Sl icon.png
SB3 697 → 6 255 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications279 900 Rp icon.png
457 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost3 000 Ge icon.png
Crew training270 000 Sl icon.png
Experts950 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 200 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 210 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
140 / 160 / 200 % Sl icon.png
244 / 244 / 244 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new wheels.png
Tires
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new car suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_NATO_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods counterMeasures.png
LWS/LR
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods scout streak.png
Scout UAV
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_DM_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png

Unlock order recommendations

The order of modifications should be well thought out. Below is a guide of which modifications to unlock first, but it is just a recommendation and can be modified or adapted depending on the tank commander's preferences.

Tier 1

One tier 1 modification needs researched before you can move on to tier 2 but there are three modifications in tier 1 that are very heavily recommended to unlock before moving on. These are parts - one of the most important overall because the tank can not be repaired without it, DM33 because as an APFSDS round it has a much higher effectiveness against well armoured tanks, and NVD because it allows access to both gunner and commander thermal sights for easier spotting of enemy tanks. Again, it is highly recommended to research these three modifications before moving on to tier 2 even though you technically only need one of them. A recommended order is DM33 then parts then NVD. After this moving on to tier 2 is recommended.

Tier 2

Three modifications from tier 2 are needed to move on to tier 3 and these should be FPE so you can put out fires and also LR/LWS because the laser rangefinder allows for taking accurate shots at long range with a better first shot hit probability. The third could be either adjustment of fire for increased accuracy or airstrike to allow spawning in a plane easier, either one is a good option but which of the two is up to the vehicle commander. After three are researched moving on to tier 3 would be a good choice.

Tier 3

Only two modifications are needed from tier 3 to move on to tier 4. Improved optics should definitely be put off for later but of the other three none of them is a bad pick. Elevation mechanism probably isn't necessary in most cases so crew replenishment to allow the replacing of a knocked out crew member and filters for increased mobility are probably the most logical picks. After two tier 3 mods are unlocked the player should move on to more useful ones in tier 4.

Tier 4

Tier 4 has a few useful modifications, particularly the CL3143 APFSDS round which is one of the very best APFSDS rounds in the game. The engine modification should also be prioritized as well as the smoke grenade modification. After these three are researched, which are recommended to be unlocked in that order, then it is time to go back and get any modifications that haven't been unlocked yet.

Finishing up

Some of the more useful modifications that likely haven't been unlocked yet include transmission, tires, artillery support, and horizontal drive. There are also less useful modifications that should be saved for last including suspension, brake system, and improved optics. Now you have a fully upgraded vehicle, good job!

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Ammunition33 rounds
First-order9 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 16°

The Centauro I 120 has access to the powerful 120 mm OTO Melara 120/45 smoothbore cannon, the same cannon mounted on the Ariete MBT. It has the same handling as it utilizes the same ammunition and has the same ballistic performance.

120 mm OTO Melara 120/45 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 33 -6°/+16° ±180° Two-plane 27.3 37.8 45.8 50.7 53.9 6.50 5.75 5.30 5.00
Realistic 17.0 20.1 24.4 26.9 28.7

Ammunition

The Centauro I 120 has access to a wide variety of ammunition which are the deadliest at the game, specially the CL3143.

  • DM12A1: this is the starter HEAT-FS round when it comes stock. It can be considered mediocre as the MBTs faced at the battle-rating are more than capable of withstanding it. However, it is specially useful when dealing at long distances and when lightly armoured vehicles are seen (SPAA for example) as they will be destroyed because of overpressure damage once hit.
  • DM33: this is a round seen in most NATO MBTs in the game (or similar to them), it has decent performance and is able to kill pretty much everything it faces with exception of Russian MBTs with CONTACT-5 ERA (unless the K5 is destroyed first).
  • CL3143: this is the best performing round. It is able to penetrate and destroy all MBTs in the game, even Russian vehicles with CONTACT-5 ERA.
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
DM12A1 HEATFS 480 480 480 480 480 480
DM33 APFSDS 481 478 470 461 450 440
CL3143 APFSDS 589 586 577 565 553 541
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%
DM12A1 HEATFS 1,140 13.5 0.05 0.1 2,150 65° 72° 77°
DM33 APFSDS 1,640 4.3 N/A N/A N/A 78° 80° 81°
CL3143 APFSDS 1,705 5.6 N/A N/A N/A 78° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Centauro I 120
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
33 21 (+12) (+24) (+33) No

Note:

  • Contrary to previous Centauros, the MGS does not have a side ready rack.

Machine guns

Ammunition1 200 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-8° / 20°
Horizontal guidance-45° / 120°
Ammunition4 600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate801 shots/min
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate801 shots/min

The MGS is armed with the already seen MG42/59 and a newly mounted M2HB. As seen in previous Centauros, the 7.62 mm are only effective against low flying aircraft and obstacle removal, they are inefficient for anything else. However, the M2HB is a nice addition to the anti-aircraft capabilities and even anti-tank capabilities. It is able to damage gun barrels and tracks upon continuous firing and able to take down SPAA like the Tunguska, Roland SAM and ADATS due to their low armour.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 1,080 (200) 577 -8°/+20° -45°/+120°
7.62 mm Beretta MG42/59
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 4,500 (200) 1,200 N/A N/A
Pintle 2,000 (200) 1,200 -8°/+20° ±120°

Usage in battles

The Centauro I 120 should be played as the rest as the Centauros but not quite. Speed, firepower and low profile should be used to perform flanking manoeuvres, get quickly into sniping positions and surprise the enemy.

As a flanker:

The role is pretty straight forward: use your speed and agility to get behind the enemy, cause confusion and engage them as fast as you can. The MGS, like the other Centauros, does not have the issue of needing to stop in order to make a successful flanking. Thanks to the two-plane stabilizer, it is able to fire while moving in order to make the enemies' life difficult when engaging you.

As a sniper:

Like previous Centauros, this is nothing new as the use of thermals, really good zoom sights, fast muzzle velocity rounds and laser rangefinder make this one of the easiest "point-and-click" vehicle in the game. It is recommended to utilize APFSDS when doing long range engagements all the times. Not only for the fact it has much better penetration than the HEATFS but also because of the muzzle velocity. The speed makes it easier to aim than the HEATFS.

Cap rusher:

This is nothing new for any of the Italian wheeled vehicles. Spawn, rush as fast as possible a cap point, capture, leave as fast as possible. This can be done really easily with this Centauro despite what looks like a "sluggish" Centauro. The MGS should not be underestimated in terms of speed.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 120 mm APFSDS offers improved penetration and damage over the 105 mm gun
  • Extremely fast and mobile on road
  • Has night vision devices and generation 1 gunner thermals
  • Good turret traverse speed
  • Smoke grenades cover player when there is danger
  • 12.7 mm MG is effective against similar light vehicles/helicopters
  • An aced crew can fire the second best APFSDS round in the game every five seconds
  • Access to the scouting ability

Cons:

  • Little to no protection against most projectiles
  • Vulnerable to overpressure damage
  • Tall and long
  • Very sluggish on soft terrain (mud, snow or sand)
  • Rearward turret placement, sometimes frontal hull is exposed while turret is still behind cover
  • Only 6 degrees of gun depression
  • Stock grind is difficult with vehicle having low manoeuvrability, thin armour and stock HEAT-FS before modifications are unlocked
  • High recoil when firing from the sides or rear of the vehicle, knocking the sights off target

History

The story of the B1 Centauro MGS starts during the late stages of the Cold War, there was a need of up gunning the B1 Centauro, already in service in the Italian army, so the Iveco-Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) would take lead. An evaluation of sorts would begin in which the B1 Centauro would have an entirely new turret applied to it. The new turret would be called "HITFACT 105-120 mm (LOW RECOIL FORCE TURRET)", the turret had almost the same weight as the 105 mm turret of the B1 Centauro series (1/2/3), but with an increase in ballistic protection. The new cannon replaced the standard 105 mm cannon with an Italian-made 120 mm one (this brought the firepower on par with the majority of MBTs).

The turret was made in such a way that it could easily be installed on pretty much anything that could support it, and since it was lightweight this really allowed it to outclass a lot of what it would face. Another reason it being lightweight helped it, was how it had little to no effect to its mobility, which meant the best of both speed and firepower could be achieved. Among other changes, the Hitfact turret would incorporate many advancement that would not be prevalent on many vehicles of its class before.

The gun would controlled by a new FCS, which included a gunner's self-stabilized day and night IR thermal camera periscope, with an integral eye-safe laser rangefinder. On the turret of the MGS, there is also numerous periscopes positioned at 360°, which can be used by both the gunner and the commander. The MGS is also capable of firing all NATO standard 120 mm munitions, and has shown it can fire rounds such as DM11, a high explosive round with a programmable fuse. One last noteworthy addition were the appliqué screens around the vehicle, which it's said can protect against low calibre autocannon fire.

The MGS would first be shown to the public in its official debut, at IDEX 2003. During the course of its development, the MGS's would enter limited production, and be used by the Italian army, mainly for testing, such as how a 120 mm version of the Centauro would be(this later on lead to the development of the B2 Centauro). Due to this, the B1 Centauro MGS would change and be offered for export, and as it was being showed in multiple expos, it ended up getting picked up by the Royal Omani Guard. It is not known how many they currently have in service, but what is known is that they decided to repaint them in a tan/brownish pattern to better suit its operational environment. Other than that, Leonardo has kept on marketing the turret system on multiple different hulls, such as one being on the Patria AMV and another being presented on top of a German Marder.

Media

Skins
Videos

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;
  • other literature.'


OTO Melara
Light Tanks/IFVs 
Centauro  Centauro I 105 · Centauro I 105 R · Centauro I 120 · VRCC
Dardo  Dardo · VCC-80/30 · VCC-80/60
Other  C13 T90 · R3 T106 FA
MBTs 
OF-40  OF-40 · OF-40 Mk.2A · OF-40 (MTCA)
Ariete  Ariete (P) · Ariete · Ariete PSO · Ariete AMV
Other  M47 (105/55)
Tank Destroyers  M113A1 (TOW)
SPAA  R3 T20 FA-HS · SIDAM 25 · SIDAM 25 (Mistral) · OTOMATIC
Patrol Boats 
Sparviero-class  Sparviero*
See Also  OTO
  *Built by OTO Melara in La Spezia under the Alinavi S.p.A. consortium

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