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M26 Pershing

2022-08-13T09:53:43Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F:

{{America}}
[[File:M26 Pershing.jpg|thumb|You can't spell "perish" without "Pershing"]]
{{Topquote|We came American. We shall remain American and go into battle with Old Glory over our heads.|John J. Pershing}}

The '''M26 Pershing''' was a medium/heavy tank in the arsenal of the United States during WW2. The Pershing, though behind the [[Tiger II]] in areas of firepower and armor, was more than capable of slugging it out with any of the lesser tanks of the Germans and come out on top. Intended to replace the [[M4 Sherman]], the long development process of the Pershing meant only a relative few made it to Europe and fewer still saw combat. However, the Pershing provided a strong base for the further development of tanks, such as the M46 and the Patton series including the [[M60 Patton]].
==Late War==
[[File:M26 Pershing Statcard.jpg|thumb|left|The stats.]]

===Pershing===

===Super Pershing===

==IRL==
The Development of the M26 was so delayed by a variety of factors. One was logistics, in that the Pershing was a new chassis that cargo ships would have to make room for, which sat unwell with logistics planners. The second deciding factor was that the Shermans in service were performing perfectly fine, and could easily be upgraded to 76mm cannons that made them more than a match for anything on the field at the time. The third that it was seen as an unneeded investment due to US tank destroyer doctrine, which to make a long story short means that US tanks would push with the infantry and give them firepower, and when a heavier enemy tank was spotted, the light and powerful US tank destroyers would quickly respond and send the Fascist scum straight to hell. Thus the project was delayed right up until the end of the war until the increasing number of Panther and Tiger tanks caused these commanders to collectively shit bricks, after which they relented and limited numbers were sent.

Long development aside, the ultimate conclusion of the T20 series of experimental tanks to replace the Sherman, the M26 was equipped with a 90mm M3 cannon, about 2mm larger than on the Tiger tanks, as well a hull mounted BMG, coaxial BMG, and a .50 cal pintle mounted BMG for shredding infantry and shooing away aircraft.

The tank was a decent design but ran into some of the same problems the German heavy tanks of the war: It was slow, tended to be mechanically unreliable, and its greatest enemy was slopes (it used the same engine as the Sherman, but weighed more than ten tons more. This problem would be fixed by the later M46 Patton). In spite of this, the Pershing proved perfectly capable of taking on the Tiger and Panther tanks it encountered. It was later used in Korea, but withdrawn as the issues with climbing hills made it pretty much useless, even though it could roflstomp most of the Communist tanks during that war.

The most notable variant of the Pershing was the "Super Pershing", an experimental version that put an even higher velocity gun on the thing along with some additional armor. It never saw combat, but one model was shipped to Europe. The Pershing series served as a baseline for later tanks such as the M46s and M60s introduced during the cold war.

{{US Forces in Flames of War}}
[[Category:Flames Of War]]

M26 Pershing

2022-08-13T09:53:13Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840367 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

[[File:M26 Pershing.jpg|thumb|You can't spell "perish" without "Pershing"]]
{{America}}
{{Topquote|We came American. We shall remain American and go into battle with Old Glory over our heads.|John J. Pershing}}

The '''M26 Pershing''' was a medium/heavy tank in the arsenal of the United States during WW2. The Pershing, though behind the [[Tiger II]] in areas of firepower and armor, was more than capable of slugging it out with any of the lesser tanks of the Germans and come out on top. Intended to replace the [[M4 Sherman]], the long development process of the Pershing meant only a relative few made it to Europe and fewer still saw combat. However, the Pershing provided a strong base for the further development of tanks, such as the M46 and the Patton series including the [[M60 Patton]].
==Late War==
[[File:M26 Pershing Statcard.jpg|thumb|left|The stats.]]

===Pershing===

===Super Pershing===

==IRL==
The Development of the M26 was so delayed by a variety of factors. One was logistics, in that the Pershing was a new chassis that cargo ships would have to make room for, which sat unwell with logistics planners. The second deciding factor was that the Shermans in service were performing perfectly fine, and could easily be upgraded to 76mm cannons that made them more than a match for anything on the field at the time. The third that it was seen as an unneeded investment due to US tank destroyer doctrine, which to make a long story short means that US tanks would push with the infantry and give them firepower, and when a heavier enemy tank was spotted, the light and powerful US tank destroyers would quickly respond and send the Fascist scum straight to hell. Thus the project was delayed right up until the end of the war until the increasing number of Panther and Tiger tanks caused these commanders to collectively shit bricks, after which they relented and limited numbers were sent.

Long development aside, the ultimate conclusion of the T20 series of experimental tanks to replace the Sherman, the M26 was equipped with a 90mm M3 cannon, about 2mm larger than on the Tiger tanks, as well a hull mounted BMG, coaxial BMG, and a .50 cal pintle mounted BMG for shredding infantry and shooing away aircraft.

The tank was a decent design but ran into some of the same problems the German heavy tanks of the war: It was slow, tended to be mechanically unreliable, and its greatest enemy was slopes (it used the same engine as the Sherman, but weighed more than ten tons more. This problem would be fixed by the later M46 Patton). In spite of this, the Pershing proved perfectly capable of taking on the Tiger and Panther tanks it encountered. It was later used in Korea, but withdrawn as the issues with climbing hills made it pretty much useless, even though it could roflstomp most of the Communist tanks during that war.

The most notable variant of the Pershing was the "Super Pershing", an experimental version that put an even higher velocity gun on the thing along with some additional armor. It never saw combat, but one model was shipped to Europe. The Pershing series served as a baseline for later tanks such as the M46s and M60s introduced during the cold war.

{{US Forces in Flames of War}}
[[Category:Flames Of War]]

M18 Hellcat

2022-08-13T09:52:46Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840366 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

{{America}}
{{Topquote|What is of greatest importance in war is [[Eldar|extraordinary]] [[Slaanesh|speed]]; One cannot afford to neglect opportunity.|Sun Tzu}}
[[File:M18 Hellcat.png|thumb|Avast your [[FATAL|ass]] Krauts!]]

The GMC M18 Tank 76mm Gun Motor Carriage, known much more famously (and [[Awesome|awesomer]]) as the '''M18 Hellcat''' was a late war tank destroyer used by the Allies during WW2 and perhaps was the fastest tank destroyer of the conflict in the US arsenal. It performed successfully against most enemy armor it encountered with a 2.3 to 1 ratio of kills obtaining more than 500 in it's wartime service. The M18 owes all this to it's speed and it's XBAWKS HUEG gun. It was the fastest armoured vehicle on treads in the United States armored corps and was able to flank and outmaneuver many of it's opponents.
==Late War==
[[File:M18 Hellcat Statcard.jpg|thumb|left|[[Meme|"Do you know, just how fast I am?]]]]
The M18 is a glass cannon that excels in being used in strategic ways. Using Seek, Strike, and Destroy allows you to use '''[[Awesome|Two]]''' movement orders in a single turn, Blitz Move and Shoot and Scoot. This allows for some tricky maneuvers and maximizes playing to the Hellcat's strength as a fast-moving tank destroyer. With a '''32"''' road dash, greater than most tanks, it can be anywhere, at any time.

==Real Life==
[[File:M18-Hellcat.jpg|thumb|"Here [[Panther|kitty]] [[Tiger|kitty]] [[Tiger II|kitty]]."]]
The Hellcat's life started as an Army Ordnance request for a fast moving Tank Destroyer with a puny 37mm gun and Wright/Continental Engine. It was innovative for its time, and could achieve speeds of 55 MPH (~89 KPH) on the road, and was even given some badass aesthetic elements, such as a big cat biting on treads and the words "Seek, Strike, Destroy".

The 76mm cannon was largely a post Africa innovation that was brought on by the larger size and innovations of German Tanks. Additionally, it was fitted with an M2 Browning MG to protect itself from Infantry and Aircraft attack.

American operators of the vehicle loved them, finding that they were easy to maintain and their speed was perfect for flanking German Panzers, and served very well as Assault guns in the latter stages of the war. The only complaints were the lack of armor that was needed to maintain the high speed it held, and that the engine, being air cooled, turned the interior of the vehicle into little better than a refrigerator during operation. Despite these shortcomings, the vehicle tended to perform very well against its opponents. Chinese operators tended to use them more as assault guns, due to the fact that Japanese tanks blew up if you so much as sneezed at them the right way.

The M18 is still in service today with the Venezualen military as a reserve vehicle and was only phased out of service in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, which should speak volumes for how well the design holds up.

{{US Forces in Flames of War}}

M270 MLRS

2022-08-13T09:52:26Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840363 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

{{America}}
[[File:MLRSMODEL.jpg|300px|right|thumb|See that grid square? I don't want to. ]]

The lovechild between an American engineer and a Soviet lady named Katyusha, the M270 combines the raw firepower of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) with the laser guidance systems of modern artillery warheads. Despite its Yankee heritage, the M270 is used around the world by NATO countries looking for a long-ranged artillery system that can hit harder than any other weapon on the battlefield, short of dropping bombs and nukes.

A strategic weapon, these units were almost always classed at the division level thanks to the logistical strain, and the immense range one of these systems can fire up to. As with other Battlefront artillery pieces, this thing that should be sitting beyond 25km from the battlefield is here to support your forces half a mile away from the front.

==In Team Yankee==
===USA===
[[File:MLRSUSA.jpg|300px|thumb|left|See how they like freedom via steel rain.]]
Finally, the US gets a cheap anti-infantry Salvo template that doesn't come strapped to a pair of wings, either fixed or rotary.

The M270 Multiple-Launch Rocket System is a multiple rocket launcher platform able to launch 12 rockets up to 20 miles (or more, depending on the version and munitions). It utilizes a crew of three and was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1983, so the system has only been in service for two years by the time the Cold War finally goes hot in August 1985. The M270 is tracked, unlike standard wheeled platforms on the Soviet side, like the BM-21, but similar to them its armour is only meant for protection against small arms fire at best; anything much heavier and the M270, which is supposed to be literally miles to the rear of the line of battle, is in big trouble. Seriously. With 0 on the front, 0 on the side, and just 1 point of armour on top, the M270 is about as heavily armoured as a civilian's car. Protect it, or Ivan will make it disappear.

The defining feature of the M270 is that each vehicle counts as 2 guns firing, which means a platoon of 3 drops as much firepower as a unit twice its size. Enjoy your rerolls and extra minefields! While it can drop some serious firepower, the paltry FP 5+ means you'll mostly be pinning or bailing stuff until your main force hits.

Deployment of the M270 is straightforward. Keep it firing as far from the enemy as possible, and deny enemy air power and artillery any opportunity to reach it. Like its Warsaw Pact counterparts, the M270's rockets explode above the target area rather than impacting the ground to shower their enemy in shrapnel, popularly known as "steel rain" for the M270. This means that the system can do some pretty serious damage to infantry and lightly-armored targets, but heavily-armored units like the T-55 and T-72 main battle tank will be largely unaffected.
{{clear}}

===UK===
[[File:MLRSUK.jpg|300px|thumb|left|The Royal Artillery declare this an infantry-free zone in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.]]
The M270 MLRS is an artillery system that uses a variety of warheads to pulverize enemy positions of all sorts. Coming in at 3 points apiece (more than the Abbot and M109), this unit is the British answer to infantry and BMP hordes when the M109 just won’t do.

When using the M270, make sure you screen it with some troops. Units like the Abbot and the M109 can fire directly if needed, but the M270 literally has no other weapons to speak of. Its designers intended for it to be miles to the rear, firing toward the battlefield from a long distance.
{{Clear}}

===Deutschland===
[[File:MARSGER.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Gotta be special with the name, eh Germany?]] The M270 Mittleres Artillerieraketensystem (MARS) is the Bundeswehr's version of the American M270 MLRS; the name MARS more or less means Main Rocket Artillery System, although "Mittlerer" literally means "Middle," as in medium or middle between a heavier and a lighter weapon. The M270 MARS is essentially identical to the original American version, depicted here in Team Yankee as being part of the artillery formations of the West German Army's 1st Panzer Division.

Apart from being 1 point more skilled than their American counterparts, the West German M270 crews are also the most determined, with a morale check of only 3 needed for them to pass. Their tracked MARS are just as helpless if attacked up close as the American and British versions, so keep these rocket-throwers well to the rear, where they can rain steel on the Reds like they were meant to do.
{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:MLRSIRL.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Some one is about to have a very bad day]]
[[File:Jericho_Test.gif|right|thumb]]
The M270 multiple launch rocket system is relatively new as far as Team Yankee is concerned, coming into service during 1983. It is used not only by NATO countries but Japan and Israel, the latter giving it the name "Smasher" in Hebrew.

The main loadout for the M270 is the M26 rocket, carrying between 500 and 650 submunitions depending on the size of the rocket motor. Each submunition is a multi-purpose antitank/antipersonnel/incendiary device with a cute teeny tiny little shaped charges in the bottom side that are capable of punching through 2" of rolled homogeneous armor, which is more than enough for most of the world's AFVs, even MBTs. Fully loaded with 12 rockets, an M270 can pick a square kilometer somewhere 30 to 40 kilometers away and [[awesome|make about 7,000 grenades drop out of the sky]] there.

The powers that be don't look to kindly on nonprecision area denial weaponry though, so the M270 had to reinvent itself for the post cold war era. The first development was the GPS guided MGM-140, although its size meant that one missile took the space of six rockets. Eventually the M30/31 guided rockets were developed, the M31 having a uniary warhead instead of bomblets. These fit in the same racks as the M26.

Its performance against Iraqis in 1991 and 2003 suggests that in the game it's kind of nerfed. Then again, IRL, a full battery volley of eight M270s ripple-firing twelve rockets each in a few seconds results in over sixty thousand bomblets raining down on an area a kilometer across. That is a time-on-target barrage that gives the unfortunate fellows occupying that grid square an average of one bomblet for every seventeen square meters. Reports from the battlefield suggest that this inflicts 40-50% casualties on units of AFVs in that area that aren't parked under substantial overhead cover, approaching the (estimated) effectiveness of a tactical nuclear weapon in the two kiloton range, only without the fallout--radioactive or political. In '91 MRLS fire made the recipients' shit all retarded, if not literally pushing their shit in.

Given the scale of battles and size of battlefields in Team Yankee it is probably appropriate either to deny the US player this "I Win" button entirely, by saying "yes, it EXISTS, but that's corps artillery, it's not available to your single mechanized heavy combat team in a blocking position, it's being used for other purposes/held in reserve for counterbattery fire/whatever." It'd be not much different from breaking out the nukes, or letting the American player call in B52s for ARC LIGHT strikes. In my opinion that would be more satisfying than making it available but nerfing it this badly and making it all but unrecognizable.

{{British Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{West German Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

Marine Rifle Platoon

2022-08-13T09:50:25Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F:

{{America}}
{{Topquote|They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me. Like clay I shall [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Recruit_Depot_Parris_Island mould]them, and in the furnace of war forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interceptor_Body_Armor armour] shall I clad them and with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M16_rifle mightiest guns] will they be armed. They will be untouched by [http://theconversation.com/how-world-war-ii-spurred-vaccine-innovation-39903 plague or disease], no sickness will blight them. They will have [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_unit_tactics tactics], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leapfrogging_(strategy) strategies] and [[AAVP7|mac]][[M1 Abrams|hin]][[UH-1 Huey|es]] so that no foe can best them in battle. They are my bulwark against [[Communism|the Menace]]. They are the Defenders of Freedom. They are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Nicholas The Marines] and they shall know no fear.|[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington George Washington]}}

[[File:Rifle Platoon.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Semper Fi!]]
The United States Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy along with "the" Navy and the C̶o̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶G̶u̶a̶r̶d̶ (Currently part of the Department of Homeland Security), though in practice they are very much treated as their own separate branch of the military. The United States Marines Corps is one of the largest marine forces in the world, and the until recently was the only one with combined arms, possessing its own armor, artillery, recon, and air capabilities for performing amphibious and deep-strike missions far from naval bases. Whether you need to fight a campaign against a [[Japan|sprawling sea empire]] or send a [[Raven Guard|well-equipped reconnaissance team deep behind enemy lines]], accept no substitutes. Oorah!

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:Marine Rifle Stats.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stats]]
The less mobile option for marine forces operating from AAV7 landing craft and Hueys (for fluff players). They also pack more punch than most other infantry platoons, capable of tackling anything on the ground (given the right tools). The options for the marines focus heavily on fire support weapons and can include M60 LMG teams, two SMAW teams and one 60mm Mortar team.

Due to the different organizational structure of the Marines having less artillery with an average of 2 mortars per company, the rifle platoon serves a different purpose as well. Unlike the mechanized platoon whose typical role is to protect armor or hold positions (due to their dragon ATGMs and smaller size), the Marines have WAY larger unit sizes which rival smaller Soviet companies. This means your troops can go on the offensive rather reliably, with the numbers to take MG fire if your defensive smokes fail.

Their primary counterpart is the US Airborne, who serve a similar role as shock troops with the numbers and 5+ rifle fire to reliably close in and destroy the enemy. However, they have access to SMAW teams which allow them to have a legitimate chance to actually hurt tanks at close range.

In terms of options, you may purchase an additional weapon team for a point each. M60 teams are swapped with rifle teams instead. While players may consider purchasing all of them (which isn't necessarily a bad choice), those who wish to use their platoons for a specific purpose may choose to adapt their unit composition instead.

As a rule of thumb, platoons in an offensive role would take the 9 rifle team for sustaining casualties and adding on 2 SMAWs. Conversely, the M60 and Dragon excel in a defensive role due to their range increases and stationary requirements. Taking a 6 team platoon is ideal, as the 3 cost for 3 additional rifle teams would be somewhat unnecessary. Note that Marine infantry mortars do NOT have smoke(<s>THE ONLY SMOKE WE NEED IS FROM THE CORPSE OF THE COMMIES WE KILL</s>) We need to do something about this R. Lee Ermey ghost.

A solid infantry unit which may replace the British hordes as the meta NATO army, due to their superior numbers and options.

==IRL==
[[File:Marine Rifle IRL.png|300px|right|thumb|Does anyone know where my sunscreen is?]]
Marines have a bit of a reputation to be had, and act like they're a step between regular army soldiers and Special Operations Forces like Rangers or Force Reconnaissance. In reality, marines are VERY well trained infantry but a far cry from any special operations forces. They might not have better training or equipment than their Army counterparts, but determination and bravery decide firefights more than equipment. Given however that they are the primary force used to perform amphibious landings, which are often done in the face of enemy aggression, and expeditionary warfare which involves fighting away from supply's base, it is not hard to see where the Marines' (in)famous esprit-de-corp comes from. Most assuredly, the Germans, who dubbed them the "''Teufel Hunde''" or "''Devil Dogs,''" or the Japanese who had islands after islands clawed away from them, would not be one to dispute their right to have their attitude.

The root of the Marines' tough reputation lies in their history of shoestring budgeting. As a department of the Navy, Marines get the scraps of whatever is left after spending on fancy warships and missiles. Historically their equipment has lagged behind whatever the army was using by years if not decades. This created a culture of making more with less: the Marines had to perform as well as the Army despite fewer resources. With a focus on an exceedingly strong esprit-de-corps that some would consider cult-like, no one denies that the Marines are a force that works.

Today as with much of the Cold War, the Marines are an expeditionary unit expected to be the first frontline combat troops deployed to any hotspots around the world, with expeditionary units in various regions worldwide. Doctrinally, expeditionary warfare focuses on infantry tactics due to tanks on beaches being science fiction for the moment and incredibly silly thanks to the power of ATGMs. As many marines would tell you, the core of the Corps is the riflemen.

The coming changes for the Corps indicate that the Marines are being redesigned for the purposes of Urban warfare and island defense, and are losing their Abrams and some of their shorter range artillery systems. The rationale is that Marines will act as rapid response light infantry and specialize for these roles due to a [[China|certain country]] having wrong opinions on Formosa.

{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}

AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter

2022-08-13T09:43:46Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840361 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

{{America}}
[[File:TUBX21-03.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Apache gunships in the sky, SF Rangers flying high! -Yusha Thomas]]
[[File:TUBX21-10.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Longbow]]

{{topquote|Now if there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that nothing is more powerful than a young boy's wish. Except an Apache helicopter. An Apache helicopter has a chaingun, rocket pods AND some of the most modern missiles of the time. It is an unbelievably impressive complement of weaponry, an absolute death machine.|Sir Patrick Stewart from the film Ted.}}

You know it, you love it. Whether you're a gamer, have ever seen a few modern war films, or are just a military buff, you should already know what it is. It's the fucking Apache helicopter in service of American (Boeing), British (AgustaWestland), Dutch, and Israeli armed forces - although Israel adopted them in 1990, the Dutch in 1995, and the Brits in 2004. It is currently fielded by at least seventeen nations. Obviously, no Apache for anyone except America in Team Yankee. Nor anyone else who bought them long after 1986 for that matter. Unless Battlefront Miniatures wants to go full crazy for their alternate history game or wants some extra cash.

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:TUBX21-19.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Stats]]

As helicopters go, the Apache is a frightening beast. Along with Thermal Imaging, it has a 'take-all-comers' loadout of:
* Hellfire ATGMs and their AT25 that will make short work of any tank it can get its sights on while it hovers well out of the range of AA.
* for infantry or soft vehicles (or if another helo tries to get rowdy), there's your M230 with ROF 6 AP 8 if you hover. I pity the non-armored fool that thing is pointed at...
* In case of artillery parking lot, once per game you can drop an AT4 Salvo onto their top armor of mostly zero. Not a sure kill, but it certainly will hurt a lot.

Like all NATO helos it has the Hunter Killer special rule: use terrain as concealment and unless you fire, you're concealed and only being hit on a roll of 6+.

As is mostly the case with such units, the downside is cost: two Apaches will hurt you for 12, the full platoon of four for 24. They're expensive, but just like the [[AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter|Cobra]], in the right conditions they'll murder the hell out of any Soviet that has the misfortune of being in front of them.

==IRL==
[[File:XTuRieTnpjFpEk9TLTDKDGdM 2IsnouZtvvRKfKL8hE.jpg|300px|right|thumb| *insert your favorite early to mid 90s metal song here*]]

The Boeing AH-64 Apache strangely enough, shares its origins with the [[A-10 Warthog]] - because USAF flyboys like to play fast and loose with the CAS mission [[derp|and believe every problem on the ground can be solved with strategic bombing.]] In the 1970s, Lockheed's compound helicopter the AH-56 Cheyenne made chair force generals shit their collective panties. The Cheyenne was to be the god of CAS incarnate, a helicopter that could push 250 mph with more weapons than the Cobra and maneuverability that would make the Red Baron sick with envy; this was a helicopter that could credibly take on conventional aircraft in low altitude air-to-air with at least a chance of coming out on top. Allowing the Army to have such a chopper would make the flyboys completely irrelevant for CAS missions, and pile on their growing track record of bad decisions (see Century Series fighters, F-111, and lack of a gun on the F-4). The Cheyenne forced Air Force brass to stop thumbing their noses at the Fighter Mafia's CAS proposal and adopt the Warthog in order to force the Army into canceling the AH-56.

In the end, the Army got what it wanted, then issued an RFP for a conventional Attack Helicopter. In 1975, Boeing's YAH-64 won the contract over Bell's YAH-63. The first combat mission was George HW Bush's illegal invasion of Panama, while the true test of the Apache's effectiveness came during the Gulf War. Out of 277, only one AH-64 was shot down during Desert Storm via close-range RPG: the only real issues the Army experienced were logistics and workload. During Operation Allied Force in 1999, other problems also cropped up, which are obviously due to the inferior tools, technology and training of the day; post-2000 variants don't have those issues. The Apache's biggest successes were during the Afghan and Iraq Wars. Many of the choppers that were shot down were eventually restored to working order.

The typical armament of the AH-64 is the M230 30mm Chaingun. A huge pain in the ass to reload. The rockets it mounts are either Hydra 70s, CRV7s or APKWS. Missile options consist of AGM-114 Hellfire, AIM-92 Stingers (the A2A version of the Stinger), Israeli Spikes, and hilariously, the AIM-9 Sidewinder (mostly for its anti-radar brother, the AGM-122 Sidearm, so it can serve as a discount low-altitude wild weasel). The AH-64D Longbow variant has 2 additional stations on the wingtips for missiles.

The most significant upgrade is the AH-64E Guardian, which allows the gunner to control RQ-7 Shadow or MQ-1C Grey Eagle drones for recon or additional firepower.

Proposed upgrades for the Apache are a laser weapon system (a likely upgrade from the M230 because again, reloading it sucks ass) and replacing the tail fan with a pusher propeller. The latter will increase its speed to 185 knots and range to 460 NMI, from 158 knots and 257 NMI, respectively. It also extends the wings, adding two hardpoints for a total number of six. Since the Cheyenne the USAF whined about was one of the earliest compound helicopters, if the AH-64E Block 2 Compound were ever to happen, it would be the ultimate irony as it would look like the Army metaphorically poking the flyboys in the eye with one hand while flipping the bird with the other.

The Apache will mostly likely serve alongside and eventually be replaced by the US Army with a derivative of the Sikorsky–Boeing SB1-Defiant in the 2030s. Another Compound Helicopter like the Cheyenne, the Defiant is the contract winner of the Future Vertical Lift program alongside the Bell V-280 Valor, a tiltrotor aircraft more advanced than the V-22 Osprey.

It is also a [[meme|gender]] for people who haven't made an original joke since 2013.

{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}

M1 Abrams

2022-08-13T09:43:11Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840360 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

{{America}}
[[File:M1 Abrams Picture.jpg|300px|right|thumb|70 Tons of Pure American FREEDOM!]]
[[File:IMP1 Abrams.png|300px|right|thumb|The IPM1 version; with Neon camo upgrades.]]
[[File:M1A1Abramsmini.jpg|300px|right|thumb|And you thought it couldn't get any better.]]
{{topquote|It is never very crowded at the front.|General Abrams}}
{{topquote|Crunchie: Term used by a Tank Crewman to describe a dismounted infantry Soldier, derived from the sound that they make when the tank rolls over them.|US Army Slang}}
The M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank is the premier armored fighting vehicle in the United States Arsenal. The first totally new tank developed by the United States after the end of the Second World War, the Abrams is a force to be reckoned with by those who wish to tear down democracy and oppress those who are weaker than they. It is armed with:
*A stabilized M68 - an American license-built version of the British L7 - 105mm rifled cannon,
*A single pintle mounted .50, aka .50 BMG or 12.7x99mm, M2 Browning heavy machine gun for the Commander,
*And a pair of M240 light machine guns chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, one for the loader and one mounted coaxially with the main gun.

While the Abrams' primary mission is to destroy enemy armor, the protection of the crew has not been neglected in the design. The M1 Abrams is protected by Chobham Armour plating on the turret cheek, mantlet, and lower glacis, as well as the turret sides.
Chobham is said to be as difficult to penetrate as 2 meters of solid steel (against HEAT rounds at any rate), constructed of panels of high hardness ceramic, steel, and textiles such as Kevlar and Spectra, interspliced with air. The consensus is that against KE, the M1 had 400mm of protection, and 700mm of protection v. HEAT. Some areas were different, but eh.
The ready-use ammunition is mounted in the rear of the turret in a specially designed compartment. If the ammunition is hit, purpose-built blowout panels direct the explosion up and away from the crew compartment, ensuring the survival of the crew even if the ammo begins to cook off. It is worth noting that if said ammunition compartment's hydraulic blast doors are open upon detonation... Not much of a difference.

If you don't have a raging freedom boner right now, something is seriously wrong. Either that or you’re an Iraqi still living in your POS Lion of Babylon aka a worse T-72M knockoff and you still fap to a portrait of Saddam Hussein.

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:Abrams Card with IMP1 Stats.png|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card]]
The M1 Abrams is an excellent tank in ''Team Yankee'', even if the overall real-world hype about it is somewhat exaggerated. It offers some of the best armor, firepower and mobility of any main battle tank in the game, and is the best MBT the U.S. Army of 1985 had to offer. Caught in the midst of phasing out the much older M60 Patton in favor of this all-new tank, the Army is sending all its armored forces in Europe into the fight with whatever they are currently using. The Abrams is a worthy foe for the Warsaw Pact's cheap but numerous T-series tanks and then some.

The M1's Front Armor is tied with the Leopard 2 and the Chieftain Stillbrew as the second-strongest in the game at 18, and the side armor is an impressive 8. In addition, with the release of the ''Stripes'' Book, you may now upgrade any and all of the Abrams in a platoon the IPM1 Abrams (the IP standing for "Improved Performance") for +1pt each. The IPM1 boasts an extra point of armor all around, with <s>''the'' strongest frontal armor</s> ([[Leopard 2|not any more]]) one of the strongest frontal armor values in the game at a value of 19 and a side armor of 10. The Chobham Armor package also bumps the side armor up to 16 against HEAT weapons, ie. most guided missiles and man portable Anti-Tank weapons. Have fun running over Soviets in the Assault Phase when there's practically nothing they can do to hurt you! Against 120mm shells from enemy tanks above 16", you need a 2 to test for bailing which makes it preeetty good against Ruskie tanks, never mind Leopard 1s or T-72Ms.

Take note that the additional armour will not help against top-end ATGMs from the Hind, Frogfoot or the Storm ATGM carrier. Also, for those historically-inclined gamers, take note that the Abrams was only in use with the active-duty U.S. Army in 1985; Marine, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard heavy armor units were all using the M60 Patton at the time.

Abrams enthusiasts will note that this is the 1980s Abrams, the original M1, meaning it retains the exact same 105mm M68 cannon used in the M60 Patton. The 120mm gun adopted from the Leopard 2 was not installed until the M1A1 version, only a 150 of these tanks existed in 1985. That said, that 105mm cannon is a pretty decent damage dealer, with a ROF of 2 both while halted and moving, meaning that no matter what, you will always have 2 dice to roll. The M68 is improved by an Advanced Stabilizer, so you can haul ass both toward and away from the foe at full Tactical Speed and suffer no penalties. As well as the M68, the Abrams carries a trio of machine guns; a .50-caliber M2 Browning is mounted on the roof alongside a 7.62mm-caliber M240 and can be used for AA work, while another coaxial-mounted M240 enables the Abrams to deal with infantry and lightly-armored targets without using its tank round.

You can take the Abrams in platoons of up to four tanks, with a minimum of two tanks in a platoon. Each standard Abrams costs 8 points; the IPM1 costs 9 points.

===IPM1 VS. M1===
For those who are a little in the dark on the difference between an M1 and an IPM1 Abrams, the M1 Abrams is the first model of the Abrams to see service, while the IPM1 is a slightly up-armoured version made to bridge the gap between the M1 and the M1A1 Abrams, having the armour of the latter but the Firepower of the Former. Does this mean that someday we will see a M1A1 in game with the armour of the IPM1 and the firepower of the Leopard 2? No one really knows (well, we do now), even though the model package has all the parts for an M1A1! Hell, by 1985 the US had deployed half of all M1A1s to Western Europe. In any event, the IP had a slightly longer turret from extra armor. Also, the M1A1 would probably be a very expensive tank due to the sheer power, especially in the era of Team Yankee.

Now, I bet that you are wondering why you would ever take a plain M1 now that the IPM1 is available (besides the fact that you bought them before ''Stripes'' came out and didn't know it was possible to have any other Abrams variant. <s>Screw you too Battlefront</s>). Like a lot of things in wargaming, it all comes down to numbers. If you are running a force with a lot of Abrams, the extra point per vehicle is going to add up quickly. For example, let's say you are running a maxed out Abrams Combat Team. Starting off you have 2 tanks in your command squad. Well, an extra two points aren't too bad, so let's add more. The requisite two Abrams platoons have 4 tanks each, so now we're at an additional 10 points, and the final platoon tacks on an extra 4 points, for a grand total of 14 points.

For reference, that is two whole [[US Mech Platoon|Mechanized Platoons]] that you could have taken instead. Also, since the IPM1 does not have an increase in firepower over the M1 you haven't gotten any better at dealing with the enemy, just better at tanking (heh) their fire, which isn't even that great of an issue since the M1 is already pretty fantastic at taking fire with its Front armour of 18, and if you lose a tank you have 17 more to avenge its loss.

Instead, you should take the IMP1 in lists where you are limited to small numbers of tanks like the Mechanized Team. Since you have fewer tanks, it becomes imperative that you do everything in your power to keep them in the fight for as long as possible, and the cost increase of, at max, 4 is significantly more manageable.

TL;DR:

M1 ===> Good when you have tanks to spare, or in large point cap games because edge in spamminess.

IPM1 ===> Good when you don't have numbers or smaller point cap games, and you need every tank to survive attack.

Sneak peak from previous livestream leaks in the American forces book coming out soon.
==M1A1==
[[File:M1A1Abramscard.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Ba-Bam!]]
Clocking in at a whopping 14 points per vehicle, the M1A1 is one of the most powerful tanks that can roll across your table. Its M256 120mm smoothbore cannon is capable of punching clean through the front of a [[T-64]] and out the other side with its AT of 23 only matched by the heaviest of dedicated Anti-Tank Missiles. Combined with its lovely front armor rating of 19, just like the IPM1 before it, the M1A1 can stands a decent chance of defeating most dedicated Anti-Tank munitions it will face. When the inherent awesomeness is combined with good placement and moment orders, this thing becomes an embodiment of the American will to stand against the red menace. Just make sure you don't get flanked. In truth its greatest weakness is its truly ridiculously high price. If you thought that the [[Leopard 2]] was hamstrung by its points costs, son you ain't seen nothing yet.

If for some reason you looked at the M1A1 and thought that it simply wasn't kick ass enough, or if you laugh in the face of point inefficiency the M1A1HC is what you need. It's got the same weapons and therefore the same unit crushing potential as its base model counterpart. Where it differs is that the front armor goes up to a damn near impervious 21 (<s>only matched by the ROMOR package [[Challenger 1]] at time of writing</s> Beaten by the Bundeswehr's own Leopard 2A5 at FA22 <s>fukken krauts</s>) and the side armor goes up to an impressive 11. That's right, you can flat out ignore most autocannons as they cannon penetrate you from any angle (Bad pun). The cost? 18 points per tank. A 72 fucking point 4 tank platoon ?!?! <s>Jesus Fucking Christ!!!</s> ''World's largest defense budget, baby!''

Thanks to being the most expensive tanks in the game, the chances that you will see formations of these things in games of less than 200 or so points is slim to none, but they still have a use for both the competitive player and the casual pickup gamer alike! The M1A1 comes integral to any US Mech infantry company, making it a powerful resource to support your formation, especially since US mech infantry formations tend to play defensive and thus need to figure out reserves. The Abrams fills this role nicely, having the speed and firepower to make an impact the moment it enters the board, and the points cost to take up the entirety of your reserve pool in a single unit. The synergy with infantry formations in particular is strong, since US Mech infantry can bring a shitload of ATGMs to help deal with BMP and tank swarms, as well as the general durability of infantry letting them hold the line while waiting for your tanks to arrive like the Rohirrim at Pelennor Fields or body blocking enemy tank swarms that want to flank your Abrams. If you play smart, focusing your fire on eliminating one tank company at a time and opening up the maneuver space for your tanks with smoke and your superior tactical speed, the Warsaw Pact tank swarms can be dissected in detail, all while your Abrams are perfectly safe behind their heavy armor and screening infantry, carving swathes in the Red Horde. If you play dumb, your gorgeous 72 point tank platoon is gonna go up in capitalist smoke before you can say "Damn Commie!"

{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:DA-ST-88-04607.jpeg|300px|right|thumb|Heard ya talkin' bout freedom!]]
In the 1960s the US Army began to search for a replacement for the [[M60 Patton]]. In this effort, they joined forces with West Germany in development of the MBT-70, an innovative design which featured the entire crew situated in the Turret and sporting a 152mm Gun/missile launcher similar to that of the [[M551 Sheridan]]. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you ask) the MBT-70 Program was canceled before the vehicle was ready for production due to excessive costs. It was not a total failure, however, as the West Germans took the lessons learned from the project and created the [[Leopard 2]] and the Americans took their data and created the M1 Abrams.

The M1 Abrams and its subsequent variants have been in service with the US Military for close to 40 Years. First introduced in 1980, the Abrams has gone through several updates to keep pace with the requirements of the modern battlefield. The first major update was in 1985 the M1A1 which swapped out the 105mm rifled L7 gun for a 120mm Smoothbore (which by the way is included in the Abrams kit and as of 1985 150 M1A1 tanks were in Germany waiting for the war to go hot seriously Team Yankee wikipedia doesn't get this wrong). The latest iteration is the M1A2, which has been upgraded with more advanced targeting equipment and improved defense systems from lessons learned fighting insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's also gotten better armor to stop the new shiny guns and missiles. However, please note: The original M1 Abrams had practically no armor whatsoever versing KE, as most APFSDS rounds went straight through turret, hull, mantlet, anything, below 1500 meters. This kind of makes sense because the M1 was built around the assumption that the T-72 (which the Americans were expecting the Abrams to engage with) would be equipped with the same 115mm smoothbore gun as the T-62, but it turned out that the T-72 used a much more powerful 125mm gun. The new intel about the larger and more powerful Soviet tank gun was part of the reason that the Abrams eventually received DU (Depleted Uranium) armour and a 120mm L44 cannon for the M1A1HA version onwards.

The M1A2C, renamed SEP v3 (System enhancement package) is currently in the process of deployment to US Army units in the field due to the Factory getting done ahead of schedule, containing all the wonders of modern technology including but not limited to:
* More powerful shells like the M859A3 and A4, designed to penetrate the heavy reactive armor instead of brute forcing and setting off ERA panels.
* Improved view sights that are in color, so no more B&W guesswork.
* Better computer networks, data links, improved laser range finders, danger indicators, and improved meteorological sensors. Just better electronics in general.
* A shiny new Active Protection System to stop rocket weapons.
* Earlier SEP v1 and SEP v2 upgrades also present, namely infantry-tank telephone, ERA plating, commander 50cal being remotely controlled and an optional second fifty call remotely controlled placed over the barrel.

The Abrams is a terrifyingly effective battering ram as well. Mostly due to its absurd speed and weight. And how does it achieve that speed? Why with its engine of course. Specifically its gas turbine engine. Seeing Sweden play around with turbines in the Strv-103 and hearing rumors that Russia was doing the same with the T-80, America got a little envious. The Strv-103 weighs 40 tons with a 300 HP Boeing turbine designed for drones. The M1 weighs 60 tons and has a '''1500''' HP Lyncoming (now produced by Honeywell) which was also marketed for heavy cargo helicopters. For context, this is the sort of horsepower you'd expect to see on a small freight train. The tradeoff is that its a logistics nightmare, measuring its fuel consumption in gallons per mile and can only drive about 6 hours before needing to refuel. This is mitigated somewhat by two things. First one is that the Abrams is able to use just about any type of fuel available. Jet fuel is standard issue but it can also take gasoline, diesel and marine diesel.(yes, that means fuel for sea vessels.) All very common among the military forces of NATO. The second is that the M1 Abrams is being fielded by a nation that has 753.5 '''billion''' in defense spending, if the M1 could burn Pennies for fuel it would barely make a dent in that budget.

A M1A3 variant is currently in development to design a lighter tank that may one day be more air transportable, as the M1A2's fat ass weighs in at 68 tons (the upgrade to fibre cabling alone shaved 2 tons!) meaning something like the C-5 Galaxy, one of the largest planes in the world, can only take off with two on board rather than the three that can physically fit in the cargo hold. This will be difficult as apparently politics make upgrades more affordable than new-ish tanks. Eventually, though, the mainframe of the tank will wear out and new ones will have to be manufactured. This may take some time, given that the Marines have ditched the Abrams. So all those tanks have gone to the Army,[[derp| due to the USMC brass being idiots that don't realize China has their own light Tanks for island hopping.]] While the Army has just adopted their own light tank the Griffin (based on the ASCOD). [[Herp|So far none of the Marine brass showing any interest despite both of these known facts.]]

The one noteworthy addition will be the long overdue Active Protection System (Trophy System), basically a system that shoots incoming projectiles like RPGs out of the air before they make contact with the tank proper. They bought the Trophy system from Israel because it's a more battle-tested system than the Quick Kill system (US development). The US's own Quick Kill system, similar to Trophy, accomplishes the same job. The US armed forces plans to use both in the latest versions of the Abrams by 2020.

The US Army plans to field the M1A1 until the 2040s and the M1A2 until the 2060s. They also want the M1A3 to be upgraded to a [[Tau|railgun]]. Which is in the realm of possibility because the Abrams is already a modular platform. A new engine may even be able to power two downsized variants of the laser weapon System installed on the USS Ponce. Obviously replacing the M240s and M2 Brownings. Therefore, many Abrams now in service or not yet acquired would eventually be turned into drones after 2050. Renamed the QM1A3, QM1A4 and so forth down the line. Said M1 Abrams drones would serve alongside a future tank. Gotta do something with that military budget larger than most countries GDPs.

{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

A-10 Warthog

2022-08-13T09:40:13Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840359 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

{{America}}
[[File:A-10.jpg|300px|right|thumb|If you hear the sound of it, you're either on the right side, or you're next.]]
{{Topquote|You can shoot down every MiG the Soviets employ, but if you return to base and the lead Soviet tank commander is eating breakfast in your snack bar, Jack, you've lost the war.|Anonymous A-10 Pilot, USAF}}

Officially called the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the Warthog is a brutal ground attack aircraft used by the US military. The A-10 was designed with one purpose in mind: destroying anything and everything that could possibly stand between the US and total victory. [[Dakka|This thing was basically built around the GAU-8 30mm Avenger Gatling Cannon, which fires depleted uranium rounds at up to 4,200 RPM.]] The recoil from which is so powerful that it basically [[Awesome|halves the forward thrust of the two engines while firing.]] If the seven barrels of GAU-8 weren't enough for you, the A-10 also can mount a staggering amount of ordnance on its wing rails, ranging from the devastating Maverick missile, to CBU-52 cluster bombs, to AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for dealing with Helicopters.

The A-10 is also extraordinarily tough. Almost every system has a back up, and the A-10 is quite capable of flight with only one engine and half its tail. [[METAL BOXES|The pilot is protected with a "Titanium Bathtub" that encompasses the cockpit and shields against all but the heaviest ground fire.]]

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:A-10 Stat Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card]]
Whoo boy, this thing is epic, if ludicrously expensive. 5 points each, for something on the board only 50% of the time! The A-10 is the tankiest ground attack aircraft in the game, offset by its extreme cost. The GAU-8 Avenger makes it superior to the SU-25 for marginally more versatility. With a Rate of fire of 4, you can BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR at exposed infantry and APCs like an airborne [[M163 VADS|VADs]] firing on the move, with pretty strong chances of mass-bailing lightly armoured units to death.. With an AT value of 11, the Avenger Cannon is suitable for destroying cheap tanks like the T-55AM2 from the side; and is simply overkill for transports. Also, since the GAU-8 Avenger doesn't have the HEAT Special rule, BDD armor and Bazooka Skirts don't affect the armor value you are rolling against. Sadly, the mediocre 5+ FP also makes it a rather unreliable choice for killing, but a decent option to force bails. As an added bonus, its also anti-helicopter, so those Hinds the Soviets like to spam are suddenly looking a lot less secure.

For dealing with more robust things like Main battle tanks, the A-10 packs the Maverick missile. An AT 27(!) firepower 2+ tank buster, the Maverick is ridiculously good at tearing armoured vehicles a new one. Its also got the special rule ''Brutal'' which means successful unarmoured saves must be re-rolled (sweet). The other two rules, ''Guided'' and ''HEAT'' are great as shooting at targets with the Maverick basically ignoring the penalties for firing at long range, so you can snipe things from well outside AA range. However, there are some downsides, like the 8-inch dead zone, BDD armour affecting your rolls (wow, side armour 13 sure is tough!), and the fact that it cannot shoot infantry if they're not twiddling their thumbs in slit trenches (but then again, ''why'' would you use a Maverick on infantry?).

Speaking of infantry you also get a one-use Template in the form of the CBU-52 cluster bomb, though the range is even shorter than that of the Avenger. With a 6+ Firepower, this bomb will devastate infantry in the open but is next to worthless against entrenched infantry.

The A-10's legendary durability is reflected in-game as its 3+ aircraft save is the strongest of any strike aircraft.

You can buy a Squadron of 2 A-10s for your American army for 10 points, and a squadron of 4 for 20.

Any competitive player wondering why they haven't seen Warthogs being spammed in games despite it being "the best ground attack aircraft"? It is overcosted and has a very specific role: engaging armour with its missiles, or isolated support units like artillery. Much like the Leopard 2, units in Team Yankee become competitive on their cost efficiency and NOT being the 'best'. Your A-10 might be pretty, but a company of mechanized infantry will outperform it every time. While its 3+ save is undeniably its best trait, it cannot make its point cost back if your opponent can simply whittle your ground forces down. Ground-attack aircraft in Team Yankee are typically geared towards the anti-tank role, but the meta favours large infantry blobs, rendering the Frogfoot and A-10 virtually worthless for any form of serious play. Combined with the fact that Warthogs need to be called in on a 4+, and you get a unit which disappears half the time (or every single time you need it).

For the role of sniping or forcing AA to spread, Cobras are the superior choice due to the fact that you control when they engage, not the dice. You could purchase a flight of 4 Cobras for 14 points, with almost the same level of firepower. Should the enemy forget their anti-air or have it wiped, your Cobras' ROF 6 can actually make their points back, unlike the Warthog.

HOWEVER, the Warthog is a key part of an American air-cavalry list spamming helicopters. Used as the tip of the spear to pop enemy air-defence, their durability allows them to trade points for tempo, while your Cobras provide the killing power. Apart from that, it remains rather unusable until expensive tanks re-enter the meta (looking at you, T-80s and M1A1s).

==IRL==
[[File:A-10 irl.jpg|300px|right|thumb|BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT]]
The A-10 was first developed by the US Air Force as a response the US Army's development of the AH 56 Cheyenne. The Army had come to the conclusion that nuclear-armed tactical aircraft aren't all that helpful in a conventional war and had begun to come up with its ground support airframes. The Air Force took one look at the Army's plan and immediately had visions of the Army dominating the close air support niche (and subsequent control of the air support budget), and that would just not do, no sir. When the A-10 was rolled out, the general consensus from the Army was, "This is just what we wanted! That wasn't so hard now was it?" The Air Force brass then had to grit its teeth and spent nearly the next 5 decades trying to get rid of the A-10 at every opportunity, though that [[Fail|didn't quite turn out the way they wanted]].

The Warthog has served in multiple conflicts, like the Gulf War, the Balkans Conflict, The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and most recently in the War on Terror. Originally, there was a plan to retire the A-10 by the year 2022 and replace it with the F-35. However, the defense committee in Congress eventually got tired of the USAF's hateboner for the A-10, and so put the kibosh on their attempts to retire it, effectively telling them to cut that shit out. They concluded that while the F-35 MIGHT be nice enough (in theory), in the ground attack role and even though the GAU-8 is no longer ''quite'' the ultimate tank killer gun, there really isn't any substitute for the A-10 in many situations. So the A-10 is now slated to remain a part of the US Inventory "for the foreseeable future," alongside other mainstay platforms like the B-52 and F-15. Also, whenever the Air Force tries to retire it the Army casually mentions that it wants to buy and refit them and GEE GOLLY WE CAN'T HAVE THAT!

Ultimately, the reason that the A-10 exists in the first place is because it can loiter around the battlefield for a long time, it is resistant to return fire, can take off from and land on roughly-prepared air strips, and it also has the capability to accurately deliver a lot of ordnance. And while it's not particularly fast the A-10 is highly maneuverable. You can find videos of them training by flying through a forest, nailing targets. Not "flying ''over''", flying ''through the damn forest, '''dodging trees'''''. Not that it has to, though. The A-10 was designed to fly with one engine, one stabilizer, and half of one wing '''GONE'''. Not any one of those, ALL OF THOSE, at the same time. The engines are reversible, one side being mounted upside down. The hydraulic controls have mechanical backups. The landing gear stick out when retracted so it can belly flop. The cockpit is armored to resist 23 mm autocannon rounds [[ZSU 23-4 Shilka|(gee we wonder why)]]. It also hard counters enemy attack helicopters, being the airplane with the most chopper kills by a large margin.

The A-10 is the source of multiple [[memes]], whether it's the sound it makes (BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT) or the fact that "it's not a plane with a gun strapped to it, it's a gun with a plane strapped to it." It is more than just a joke, though: the GAU-8 is so [[awesome]] a weapon that the A-10 frame had to be specifically designed around it. The engines are so far at the back to act as counterweight, the frontal landing wheel is slightly off-center as to allow the huge gun to be perfectly centre-line and the recoil must be taken into account by the pilot when the gun is fired. There is a lot of truth to 'it is not a plane with a big gun strapped to it, it's a big gun with a plane strapped to it'.

With re-winging complete, the A-10 will likely serve until the late 2030s. Although a number of different replacements have been proposed from time to time, none are in the pipeline. There were some plans to mod A-10s to be remote controlled/optionally piloted drones, but those programs appear to have been canned.

{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

M4 Sherman

2022-08-13T09:39:43Z

2607:FB90:39BC:4D77:92A3:885B:423A:304F: Undo revision 840358 by 47.5.179.247 (talk)

{{America}}

{{topquote|War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want.|General William Tecumseh Sherman}}

{{topquote|Someone call the cavalry?|M4 Sherman, Company of Heroes}}

[[File:M4 Sherman.png|thumb|I can be whatever you want me to be baby.]]
The M4 Sherman is the poster child of freedom, the Freeaboo's ideal body type, and the backbone of the Western allies' armored forces. It was mass produced at a higher rate than even the Russian [[T-34]], and came out as the 2nd most produced tank of the war. It came in a dizzying number of variants, with a wide variety of weapons, engines, and even suspensions and hull types. It is one of only a few tanks to be deployed on all theaters of the war, including the Eastern Front, China, and the Pacific. It's one of the first tanks to enter service with stabilization for the main gun. It's reliable, easy to fix, ergonomic, and extremely versatile, both in Flames of War and in real life.

For all this, the Sherman tends to get a bad rep. Most of this focuses on it's armor and firepower, which is weaker than [[Panther|German]] [[Tiger|tanks]] of the later war period. We won't get into this debate here more than to say that you will have to find ways to compensate for your weaker armor and cannon when going up against German and Soviet heavy tanks as a Late War Flames of War player. However, with effective combined arms, mobile tactics, and a little bit of luck the M4 will serve you just as reliably as it served the allies in World War 2.

==In Mid War==
===American===
===British===
==In Late War==
==='''American'''===
The M4 Medium Tank is just as it was in Mid War, but this time with far better crews! The Americans get the option of "trained" M4 crews that are hit on a 3+ and have a 3+ last stand, or "Veteran" M4 crews that trade all that in for a 4+ to hit and a 3+ tactics. What really makes the M4 stand out in the American force is its 'Stabilizer' special rule. This lets the M4 maintain it's rate of fire of 2 on the move, though it suffers a -1 to hit. This gives you a higher chance of hitting a shot in almost all situations, making the American M4 the king of mobile warfare and exceptionally flexible. A second point in the Sherman's favor is the sheer number of machineguns it brings, pumping out 5 shots per tank stationary and making it very capable at pinning enemy infantry and blocking enemy infantry assaults.

The US has a few different platoons to bring their M4s in late war. The first is the Dday formations, which bring M4 Sherman and Sherman 76 platoons. Compared to the bulge platoons, the 76mm platoons are more expensive and the 75mm platoons are slightly cheaper for their value. That being said, the Dday formations are less flexible than the Bulge formations, with homogenous platoons and fewer M4 variants available.

The Bulge formations is where the Sherman really blossoms into its full potential. The US unlocks access to the Late 75mm M4, the Easy Eight, the Jumbo, HVAP ammo, and up armored M4 variants. The coolest part though is that you can mix and match any of these variants freely within a platoon, letting you essentially customize your force completely ''down to the individual tank'' (with the exception being that you can only bring one jumbo per unit, including the HQ). Do you want something to hunt heavy tanks? Boom, E8s with HVAP, maybe a jumbo. You want something a bit more durable to maybe duel with enemy heavies and mediums? Slap a Jumbo 76mm on with some 76mm M4s and add some 75mm M4s with smoke. Need something cheaper to support and flank? Bring base M4s and tack on a jumbo for some good survivability. The possibilities are truly as endless as your imagination.

First off, we'll go over some of the command card options available in the Bulge: American book. The first is HVAP. This card costs half a point per tank and boosts all your 76mm cannons to pen 13. This is practically a must take, taking your 76mm M4s from scary medium tank hunters to capable heavy tank hunters as well for a relatively trivial rise in points.

Second is the uparmored sherman. This can be added to M4 (late), M4 (76mm), and E8s on an individual tank basis. This costs a point and boosts the front and side armor by one in exchange for a -1 on its cross rating. This can really help deal with medium tanks like the Stug and Panzer IV, but still leaves you rather vulnerable to heavy AT and limits your ability to take cover from them. As such, it really depends on your local meta if you take these: if PaK 40s and stugs or other medium tanks are the thing where you're at, or if you just really like the look, then take them! If not, it's not really worth it.

====M4 Sherman====
This is the generic stat card for the M4, M4A1, and early M4A2s in US service. The base M4 Sherman is a cheap middle of the road tank with a cannon that can deal with enemy medium tanks and armor that keeps it safe against light and medium antitank guns. That said, AT10 will struggle against the side armor of 8 on heavy tanks like the Tiger and IS-2, meaning that while the 75mm is a capable vehicle in most situations, it struggles against heavy tanks. Use the maneuverability provided by the stabilizer and artillery smoke to avoid enemy heavy tanks and heavy antitank guns and focus on breaking through and exploiting enemy light vehicles and medium tanks. This is where the M4 truly shines, being cheap and mobile. In addition, it has direct fire smoke, meaning that this tank can act in support to help smoke out enemy tanks and cover your own infantry and tanks from enemy infantry and antitank guns.
====M4 Calliope====
[[File:M4 Sherman Calliope Statcard.jpeg|thumb|left|The stats]]
Rocket's on a armored platform, and before you ask, the gun is [[pretend|fake]].
====M4 (Late)====
This is the stat card for the later model M4A2s and M4A3s in US service. These models had their frontal armor increased to 65mm and wet stowage installed, but retained the reliable 75mm cannon. In game this gives them bonuses to frontal armor and remount, something that can really help in duels with German panzers. This tank is just as versatile and capable as the base vehicle, though without improved penetration it will still struggle to deal with heavier enemy armor.

====M4 (105)====
The M4 (105) is the odd one out here, being essentially an artillery/assault gun variant on the Sherman. It's got an AT9, FP2+, Brutal and Slow-Firing 105mm gun as well as the FA7 of the 76mm Sherman. All in all, it's kinda hard to find a place for, trying to fill a niche that doesn't really exist. It's got the armor to go toe to toe with enemy mediums, but not the penetration. It's helpless against heavies. It's job as artillery is done better by the cheaper priest and 105mm towed artillery. It lacks the volume of fire to deal with enemy infantry platoons in direct fire. It may find a place hunting enemy light and medium AT guns, but it will get slaughtered by enemy heavy AT. It might be useful as an integrated artillery asset in an M4 tank company, but you have so many other units you can put in there, why bother. If someone comes up with a use for this thing, let me know!

====M4 (76)W====
This stat card represents the M4 (76)W, M4A1 (76)W, M4A2 (76)W, and M4A3 (76)W fielded by the US. The M4 (76) is a capable enough antitank vehicle, with a 76mm high velocity gun that bumps the antitank up to 12, wet stowage that gives it a 3+ remount, and a front armor of 7 thanks to the up armored T23 turret. This, combined with the stabilizer, makes it a capable QRF vehicle for dealing with heavy tank breakthroughs as well as the king of dueling with enemy medium tanks. It also makes it a relatively pricy vehicle, with a full veteran platoon coming in at 28 points for 5. Nevertheless, this is currently ''the'' final word in American antitank and will serve you well if used properly. Consider escorting them with some form of infantry to help assault and capture enemy tanks, because FP3+ always bails when you need it to kill and chances are you really can't afford to lose these tanks. Something worth noting is the "No HE" rule on the main gun, meaning it suffers against infantry, but if you were looking for an infantry killer you shoulda just gone with the cheaper 75mm anyway.

====M4A3E8 Easy Eight====
[[File:Sherman Ez8 Statcard.jpeg|thumb|left|[[wikipedia:Easy (Commodores Song)#Im Easy/Be Aggressive|"Cause I'm eaaaasssaayyy~!"]]]]
The E8 takes everything the 76mm does and does it better. For a point boost, it gets 2 major bonuses: a 2+ cross and smooth ride, which essentially says that as long as it moves less than 4" it fires as if it was stationary. This is essentially a '''free''' blitz move that lacks some of the major drawbacks of an actual blitz move: you can assault following it (lmao you better be desperate to assault with M4s) and you can stack it with a regular blitz move to get an 8" blitz. This makes them the unparalleled masters of terrain and reserves, with their ability to reliably traverse all kinds of terrain and shoot at full rate of fire on their first turn on the table. That said, these things come with a hefty price tag: 7 points per tank for the elite variant, as much as a Soviet IS-2 heavy tank, and its not very tough for that cost. Be careful with them, use terrain and smoke to keep them alive so they can do their job. You aren't a brainlet Soviet or German player that can just push his tanks forward and suck up shots, you're a US player, be smart about it. It's generally smart to take this variant by itself, since the other variants will often slow it down, particularly the Jumbo.

====M4A3E2 Jumbo====
One tank in each Sherman platoon may be upgraded to one of the heaviest armored tanks in the game, the M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo. This thicc boi has front armor 11 and side armor 8 and comes in 2 variants, the 75mm and 76mm. Paired with the target allocation rules and smart use of terrain and distance, this tank can effectively halve the number of casualties you take to AT14 cannons ''at least.'' This does come with a massive drawback though: 4+ cross. This really limits your options when it comes to using terrain and advancing through walled fields, though its armor reduces your need for such cover. Consider pairing it with a lucky card to help with the occasional failed armor or target reallocation.

==='''British'''===
The US provided the British with 17,184 Sherman Tanks of all models throughout the war.

A notable British variant was the Firefly, which carried a QF 17-pounder 76.2mm cannon. Introduced in early 1944, Sherman Fireflies could pierce the armor of Panther and Tiger Tanks.

As a notable aside, it was the Brits who decided to give the M4 medium tank the official designation of Sherman.

==='''Soviet'''===
Some 4,102 Sherman Tanks were sent to the USSR as part of Lend Lease. These were notably equipped with Diesel Engines so they could use the same fuel that T-34s used. Fun fact: the Soviets that got to ride into lend-lease Shermans were full of praise about it, rating it as equal or even better than their own T-34; unlike the M3 which they called the "grave for seven brothers". The higher level of quality control also played a factor in it's success on the battlefield, with the survival rate of M4 crews being 4% higher than that of T-34 crews.

==In Real Life==
[[File:M4 Sherman IRL.jpg|thumb|"This American tub's not half bad wot?"]]

The M4 epitomizes the US Government's commitment to supplying its soldiers with massive quantities of almost good enough equipment. From the onset, the M4 was designed to maximize easy of repair and part longevity over all other concerns since the damn thing had to serve an ocean way from the factory making the parts for them. Mechanically, it was largely a continuation of the ''definitely not good enough'' M3, minimizing the amount of factory changes needed to produce it. Ultimately M4's would be churned out by a dozen companies with half a dozen different engine setups, ranging from V8's to twin diesels to repurposed aircraft engines (this was originally designated by the "Able" suffix; the Army's preferred V8 Sherman was the M4A3. Meanwhile Great Britain used Roman numerals and proper names, so their preferred multi-bank engine M4A4 instead became the Sherman V). Its slab-sided high profile was a consequence of a secondary requirement that it be easily transportable by existing railroads, which initially limited its overall width to 103 inches. It is ironic then that all these considerations in mind, most of which were pragmatic consideration for logistics of waging an overseas war, that the vehicle would be named after one of the United States' most infamously pragmatic Generals.

Contrary to popular belief, the Sherman was very much intended to fight other tanks; its original 75mm gun M3 (the same as the M3's sponson gun, but more sensibly mounted in the turret) was the best possible tank gun the Americans had at the start of the war, and projects to find a replacement began as early as 1942. The 75mm was adequate against Panzer IIIs and IVs and could perform surprisingly well against the big cats as battles like Arracourt demonstrate. 75mm HE ammo was also highly regarded for its ability to kill enemy infantry, and the Marine Corps retained the older Shermans for this reason.

Early attempts to add a more powerful gun (at first the 3-inch gun from the M10 tank destroyer, and later purpose-built 76mm tank guns) resulted in extremely cramped turrets, significantly compromising the ability to lay guns and make follow-on shots. The British decided the added anti-tank ability was worth the compromises, resulting in the Ic and Vc "Firefly" tanks incorporating their massive 17 pdr gun; these were effectively ambush vehicles, and would always be incorporated into larger units with 75mm Shermans. The US would finally adapt the T23 turret (with 76mm gun M1) from the Pershing prototypes in the "easy six" conversion, although very few of these tanks arrived in Europe in time for D-Day.

Like most prewar US tanks, the Sherman incorporated a bogie suspension system, with its initial incarnation using a vertical volute spring for each bogie. This made replacement of suspension elements very easy in the field, compared to a Christie or torsion bar system. However, the Sherman had more limited roadwheels, narrower tracks and a correspondingly higher ground pressure, making it a more difficult tank to operate in rough terrain. The US Army would attempt to mitigate this through "duckbill" end connecters, giving a somewhat wider track (the tank pictured has both a VVSS suspension and duckbills). Later, the "easy eight" modification introduced a new suspension bogie, with dual road wheels and a horizontal volute spring. The HVSS would make the Sherman more of an off-road contender, and its smoother travel allowed tanks to more effectively shoot on the move.

Despite it's shortcomings as a combat vehicle, the Sherman can easily be considered one of the "greatest tanks of WW2". Sure, it didn't fire [[Tiger|88mm shells of death over 2km]], or [[T-34|shrug off dozens of 40mm AT shells]], but no one can deny that it fulfilled one goal that almost no other tank fielded in that conflict could: That it was everywhere that it was needed and did its job well enough, and could do just about anything you needed it to, from the Deserts of North Africa to the Jungles of Burma, the Mountain Passes of Italy, the Beaches of the Pacific, the Rice Fields of China, the Steppes of Russia, the Hedgerows of Normandy, and finally the Streets of Berlin. The Sherman was everywhere.

Shermans, being one of the most modular chassis/platforms in the entire war, had tons of variants that we won't waste your time with. Instead, we'll just focus on the two cool ones: The "105 Sherman" and the Flame variant.

Officially called the M4A3(105), the Sherman 105 is what happens when you look at the [[M8 Scott|Scott]], decide that its a good start, then proceed to shove a 105mm howitzer in the turret of a larger tank. 500 were built, and they were used in much the same role as the Scott, though probably in a more frontline role due to the heavier armor and having more glorious M1919 Machine guns.

The U.S. Marine Corps, somewhat fed up with dealing with people with Katanas and bayonets at close range with flamethrowers, decided to yank out the cannon and shove a heavy flamethrower, creating an "M4 Zippo". It gave up its anti-tank capability and shared the same overall shortcomings as the conventional M4, but Marines loved this thing, because torching the enemy in their caves and bunkers with a MEHTUL BAWK was vastly better than going in after them. Officially called the M4A3R3 because technical designations.

{{US Forces in Flames of War}}
{{British Forces in Flames of War}}
{{Soviet Forces in Flames of War}}