Difference between revisions of "M163"

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(See also)
(Added a gameplay and armor description, as well as added an in game image of the M163 in combat.)
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== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== 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?''
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Armor is not on your side in the M163, as it is thin enough to be killed by 12.7s from the sides and rear, and any cannon sized armament from the front. The turret is partially open, leaving you vulnerable to enemy light arms fire. If attacked, your best bet for taking a hit is to point your engine towards the enemy and hope it absorbs the shot.
 
 
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
 
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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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 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).''
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The M163 has an amazing rate of fire, thus it has amazing damage output. In an anti-aircraft role it is best used as a point defense SPAA, defending a group of allies/ cap zone from air attack. It's range isn't as good as the M247, so it's best to keep in mind the approximate 1km killzone of the M163.
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The M163 wields about 60MM of penetration, and at 8.0 battle rating that's enough to mortally wound/destroy many axis vehicles such as the Leopard, AUBL, and Centauro.  
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 +
The high rate of fire also allows the M163 a sort of CIWS(close in weapons system) type of role, as it can easily spray in the direction of an incoming bomb, thus destroying it and saving nearby allies. This is especially easy against the infamous FAB-5000 bomb from the russian PE-8, as the bomb is large and easy to track.
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The M163 cannot lock on to aircraft in a third person view as it lacks search radar. You must line up the plane in sniper mode to lock on to the aircraft.
  
 
===Radars===
 
===Radars===
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! {{Annotation|Minimum<br/>target speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
 
! {{Annotation|Minimum<br/>target speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
 
|-
 
|-
| 7,000 m || 100 m || 360° || -20°/+85°<br/>(lock between -20°/+20°) || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
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| 7,000 m || 100 m || 360° || -20°/+85°<br />(lock between -20°/+20°) || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
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[[File:CIWS M163.jpg|thumb|An M163 firing at a FAB-5000, right before the bomb is hit and destroyed.]]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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Other vehicles based off the M113 platform:
 
Other vehicles based off the M113 platform:
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* [[M113A1 (TOW)]]
 
* [[M113A1 (TOW)]]
 
* [[M901]]
 
* [[M901]]
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
  
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''topic on the official game forum''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
* ''other literature.''
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* https://weaponsystems.net/weaponsystem/EE03%20-%20M163%20Vulcan.html
  
 
{{USA anti-aircraft vehicles}}
 
{{USA anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Revision as of 14:09, 7 September 2019

RANK 6 BRITAIN
Rooikat 105 PACK
M163
us_m163_vulcan.png
M163
AB RB SB
7.7 7.7 7.7
Class:
Research:95 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:270 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Gun, Air Defence Artillery, Self-Propelled: 20-mm, M163 is a rank V American self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a battle rating of 7.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armor is not on your side in the M163, as it is thin enough to be killed by 12.7s from the sides and rear, and any cannon sized armament from the front. The turret is partially open, leaving you vulnerable to enemy light arms fire. If attacked, your best bet for taking a hit is to point your engine towards the enemy and hope it absorbs the shot.

Mobility

Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: M168 (20 mm)

A 20 mm VADS, or Vulcan air defence system. Used initially during the Vietnam war, it was a 20 mm air-cooled minigun attached to a small turret on the M163. Dangerous to anything in the sky, it will lock on and rip through anything in its path.

Usage in battles

The M163 has an amazing rate of fire, thus it has amazing damage output. In an anti-aircraft role it is best used as a point defense SPAA, defending a group of allies/ cap zone from air attack. It's range isn't as good as the M247, so it's best to keep in mind the approximate 1km killzone of the M163.

The M163 wields about 60MM of penetration, and at 8.0 battle rating that's enough to mortally wound/destroy many axis vehicles such as the Leopard, AUBL, and Centauro.

The high rate of fire also allows the M163 a sort of CIWS(close in weapons system) type of role, as it can easily spray in the direction of an incoming bomb, thus destroying it and saving nearby allies. This is especially easy against the infamous FAB-5000 bomb from the russian PE-8, as the bomb is large and easy to track.

The M163 cannot lock on to aircraft in a third person view as it lacks search radar. You must line up the plane in sniper mode to lock on to the aircraft.

Radars

Main article: AN/VPS-2

The M163 is equipped with an AN/VPS-2 tracking radar, with no search radar. The radar is fitted to the side of the turret.

Msg-info.png In order to lock on you must be looking through your sight, position the crosshair over a target (within 7 km) and press the lock on key. The target must be within a 2° cone from the centre of the crosshair.
AN/VPS-2 - Tracking Radar
Maximum
Tracking
Range
Minimum
Tracking
Range
Azimuth Tracking
Angle
Elevation Tracking
Angle
Minimum
target speed
7,000 m 100 m 360° -20°/+85°
(lock between -20°/+20°)
15 m/s (54 km/h)

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Amphibious
  • Quick acceleration
  • Good traverse, especially when fully upgraded
  • Insane rate of fire of 3000 rpm; can literally shred incoming enemy aircraft.
  • Has a tracking radar

Cons:

  • Light armour
  • Not keen to climbing hills until performance modules are equipped
  • Relatively slow for the rank
  • Slow in water
  • Inaccurate/wobbly in water
  • One of the longest rearm/reload times in the game
  • No search radar

History

The VADS was used during the Vietnam war and onwards and was based on the chassis of the M113 armoured personnel carrier. NATO used it as an anti-aircraft gun platform.

Media

An M163 firing at a FAB-5000, right before the bomb is hit and destroyed.

See also

Other vehicles based off the M113 platform:

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:


USA anti-aircraft vehicles
M3 Half-track derivatives  M13 MGMC · M15 CGMC · M16 MGMC
M24 derivative  M19A1
M41 derivative  M42
Radar SPAAG  M163 · M247
Missile SPAA  Imp.Chaparral · LAV-AD · XM975