Leclerc S2

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Rank 6 USA
F-5C Pack
Leclerc S2
fr_leclerc_s2.png
GarageImage Leclerc S2.jpg
Leclerc S2
AB RB SB
11.7 11.7 11.7
Class:
Research:175 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:950 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Leclerc Serie 2 is a rank VII French medium tank with a battle rating of 11.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "New Power".

General info

Survivability and armour

ERA
Effective action against the cumulative ammunition
Composite armour
Balanced protection against all types of ammunition
Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 35 / 20
Turret90 / 90 / 20
Crew3 people
Visibility90 %

The Leclerc S2 is virtually the same inside as the S1, excluding a few upgrades not functional in-game such as a new NBC protection system and air conditioner. The turret cheeks (>600 mm KE) are well protected, with the middle glacis plate providing 720 mm chemical and 550 mm kinetic protection. The flat plate below the gunner's thermal optic provides 500 mm of protection against KE.

Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull Upper Glacis: 140-300mm APFSDS sloped at 77 degrees 30-65 mm Front
20-55 mm Back
10-20mm 5-25mm
Turret 600-800mm APFSDS Turret cheeks
500mm APFSDS / 570mm HEAT Gunner's optic
180+mm APFSDS, 230+mm HEAT Ammo storage: 45mm APFSDS, 270mm HEAT (with integrated ERA blocks)

Turret back: 20mm

20-40mm
Cannon 90-460mm against APFSDS N/A N/A N/A

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB79 / 42 km/h
RB and SB72 / 38 km/h
Number of gears10 forward
4 back
Weight56.2 t
Engine power
AB2 862 hp
RB and SB1 500 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB50.9 hp/t
RB and SB26.7 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 79 42 56.2 2,285 2,862 40.66 50.93
Realistic 72 38 1,304 1,500 23.2 26.69

The Leclerc S2 is powered by the same engine as the S1, the Wärtsilä V8X-1500. Outputting 1,475 hp and using a special gas turbine turbocharger (which can also act as the vehicle's APU, and eliminating turbo lag), the Leclerc S2 has great mobility for its class at 26.25 hp/ton. However, it weighs 2.5t more than the S1 which makes for noticeable sluggishness without engine upgrades.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 642 → 6 907 Sl icon.png
RB4 494 → 6 687 Sl icon.png
SB5 694 → 8 472 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications275 600 Rp icon.png
456 000 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
150 / 190 / 200 % Sl icon.png
244 / 244 / 244 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
17 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
17 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
430 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
430 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement fr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_DM_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
17 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
390 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
430 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
120mm_NATO_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
430 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
19 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
29 000 Sl icon.png
430 Ge icon.png

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
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition40 rounds
First-order22 rounds
Reload5.0 s
Vertical guidance-8° / 20°

Like its predecessor, the Leclerc S2 is equipped with the CN120-26 F1 L/52 cannon. It can fire three shells: a stock HEAT-FS round, and two APFSDS shells. The OFL 120 F1, which shares the same penetrator as the DM43, slices through over 550 mm of armour past 1 km. Although this isn't as competitive as some contemporaries, it still performs very well against enemy MBT's. The 120 F1 shell also has a velocity of 1,790 m/s which makes for very good ballistics and low bullet drop. Although powerful, the 120 F1 round is a Tier IV modification; like most other MBTs, the Leclerc starts out with a stock HEAT-FS shell. Although powerful against light vehicles and SPAA, the HEAT-FS is redundant against your opponents. You have an APFSDS shell as a Tier I modification, however, one must note that it penetrates only 390 mm of armour even at close range.

Unlike most of its Western contemporaries (excluding the Type 90 and the CV 90120), the Leclerc S2 is equipped with an autoloader. This gives it a flat firing rate of 6 seconds, tied with an aced crew level of the M1A2 Abrams and the Leopard 2. This gives it great follow-up shot potential out of the box without the need for crew upgrading. Also equipped with powerful thermals for gunner and commander, the Leclerc can pick off unsuspecting targets with great efficiency.

120 mm GIAT CN120-26 F1 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 40 -8°/+20° ±180° Two-plane 28.6 39.5 48.0 53.1 56.5 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00
Realistic 17.9 21.0 25.5 28.2 30.0

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
OCC 120 G1 HEATFS 480 480 480 480 480 480
OFL 120 G1 APFSDS 394 393 388 382 376 370
OFL 120 F1 APFSDS 575 573 565 557 547 537
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%
OCC 120 G1 HEATFS 1,100 14.4 0.05 0.1 2,150 65° 72° 77°
OFL 120 G1 APFSDS 1,650 3.8 N/A N/A N/A 78° 80° 81°
OFL 120 F1 APFSDS 1,790 3.8 N/A N/A N/A 78° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Leclerc S2. Bustle ammo rack is behind blast doors. Hull ammo rack is inside fuel tank.
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
40 23 (+17) 1 (+39) No

Hull stowage empty: 23 (+17)

Machine guns

Ammunition800 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Main article: M2HB (12.7 mm)
12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 800 (200) 577 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

With great mobility and an autoloading 120 mm cannon, the Leclerc can be exploited to fulfil a number of roles on the battlefield. Mobility enables it to get into competitive spots for sniping or ambushing, and the gun's performance enables quick response and follow-up shots to any enemy that appears. Its survivability is best while hull down or poking out from a hill, as most of its vulnerable areas excluding the cannon breech (and sometimes the LFP when poking out from cover) are hidden well enough. Try to avoid close quarters combat (CQC) as the Leclerc's numerous hull weak spots can be easily seen and targeted in urban environments. However, at longer ranges, the commander's thermal sight allows for "leap frog" tactics — acquiring a target, poking out of cover to take a shot, and retreating back into cover. If CQC is inevitable (i.e. Rhine, Sweden, Novorossiysk), then the Leclerc can be used to ambush distracted tanks and poke out of cover. When shot at or damaged, use your smoke grenades to retreat into cover. 14 smoke grenades give two separate discharges, or if discharged all at once, provide 360 degrees of smoke for you to retreat behind.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent gun performance, handling, and reload
  • Competitive mobility and great reverse speed
  • Thermal optics (Gen 2) for both gunner and commander
  • 22 rounds in first-stage ammo stowage — highest of any Western MBT
  • Lower profile compared to its contemporaries

Cons:

  • Noticeable weakspots at close range or when not hull down
  • Cannon breech is easy to hit at any range
  • 10 mm armour protection for the engine; 12.7 mm rounds can set afire and immobilize you
  • Three crew members like the Type 90; their survivability is worse than other tanks at its BR (excluding Russian MBT) when shot in weakspots
  • Abysmal performance when stock — researching critical modifications such as APFSDS rounds, engine upgrades and NVD/rangefinder is a priority.

History

The Leclerc Série 2 Tranche 6 was the 9th version of the Leclerc (counting prototypes) which had minor improvements compared to the previous Leclerc Série 1 Tranche 2-5. It feautred an increase on the commander's optic periscope armor to STANAG 3. Air conditioner was added as well as lockable baskets and boxes on the turret's bustle. A wave deflector was added at the frontal plate as well as addition of one piece rubber plating on side skirts. Later models of the S2, more specifically the Leclerc S2T9, were retrofitted with V5 tracks instead of V2 tracks as well as a new General Purpose Sight (gunner's optics) at the end of their life service in order to standarize them for further Leclerc Série 3 also known as SXXI.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, 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;
  • other literature.


France medium tanks
M4 Derivatives  M4A1 (FL10) · M4A4 (SA50)
AMX-50  AMX M4 · AMX-50 (TOA100) · AMX-50 (TO90/930)
AMX-30  AMX-30 · AMX-30 (1972) · AMX-30B2 · AMX-30B2 BRENUS · AMX-30 ACRA · AMX-30 Super
AMX-32/40  AMX-32 · AMX-32 (105) · AMX-40
Leclerc  Leclerc · Leclerc S2 · Leclerc SXXI · Leclerc AZUR
Other  D2 · S.35 · Lorraine 40t
Germany  Panther "Dauphiné"
USA  ▄M4A1 · ▄M4A3 (105) · ▄M4A4 · ▄M26