M12 reviews. Wild cats, separate tank brigade
If, when playing an ART SAU, they wrote to you in the chat that you need to change positions more often and you are a bad artillery guide, then when riding an M12 you can relax and say: “The Art doesn’t drive, it shoots.” Of course, changing your position always brings benefits, and you need to ride more often. And although the maximum speed of 36 km/h is not so low, the M12's agility is its weakest side. 20 degrees per second discourages all desire to go anywhere.
General information.
Although many will rightly note that as a tank the M12 is not very good, as a self-propelled gun it is quite successful. After all, the main attraction of a self-propelled gun is its gun, and it is quite accurate, with fast aiming, a sufficient rate of fire and good one-time damage. The parabolic nature of the projectile’s flight should also not be missed. Of course, this can be seen as a disadvantage. At long distances, the projectile flies for a long time, and it is more difficult to hit moving targets. But it’s always more important to see the plus and take advantage of it. The M12 can throw shells behind most obstacles and cover.
Detailed main characteristics:
Weapon:
. One-time average damage - 1250 units.
. Rate of fire - 1.6 rounds per minute.
. Aiming time -7.5 seconds.
. Accuracy spread - 0.72 m.
Recommended equipment.
The rammer and aiming drives are not even worth commenting on. If you have reached level 7, then this will be clear to you. But the 3rd slot can cause a lot of controversy. Let's look at the main options below.
. Howitzer gun rammer.
. Information drives.
. Coated optics (a good option, especially at the end of the battle, when you need to change position and drag). Stereo tube (also helps to drag out fights, especially important when you are the only one left on the team). Camouflage Net (increases survivability in most battles).
Equipment, as usual. But it’s better to put a box of cola in the 3rd slot so that there is at least some sense. If there is no money for a cola, then you can leave it completely empty.
. Repair kit.
. First aid kit.
. A box of cola.
Crew.
The entire crew, together with the returning radio operator, is rocking the camouflage. The only exception is the commander; he first learns the 6th sense, and begins to learn the secrets of camouflage by studying the second perk. Loaders will further upgrade their intuition and non-contact ammunition rack. For the gunner, we take a smooth turn of the turret - this is an important combat skill. One of the few that will give a tangible advantage in battle. Mechvodu is the king of off-road. In fact, I’d really like to upgrade the virtuoso, but we’ll put him off to 4th place no sooner, since the M12 practically doesn’t move at all on bad soils. For the radio operator, we’ll study the only thing that might be useful - radio interception. In any case, an extra review never hurts. The third perk, as usual, is to study the military brotherhood.
The resulting skills are:
. Commander: 6th sense, camouflage, Brotherhood of Battle.
. Driver: disguise, Virtuoso, Brotherhood of Battle, Virtuoso.
. Gunner: camouflage, smooth turret rotation, Combat Brotherhood.
. Radio operator: camouflage, radio interception, Combat brotherhood.
. Loader: camouflage, intuition, brotherhood.
. Loader: camouflage, non-contact ammo rack, brotherhood.
Weaknesses of M12.
Let us repeat once again and note the poor mobility and low turning speed of the chassis. In addition, the M12 has rather large dimensions, especially the length of the tank. Due to these factors, it becomes an easy target for enemy artillery.
Strengths of the M12.
Despite any shortcomings, the M12 is an ART self-propelled gun and it fulfills its role with a 5+. An excellent weapon is the main plus. Good one-time damage, excellent accuracy and aiming speed, and quite comfortable reloading make our vehicle a useful ally on the battlefield, capable of providing significant support.
Combat tactics on the M12.
There is no point in inventing something new. We position ourselves in the bushes not far from the base and conduct aimed fire at the thickest enemy tanks. At the beginning of the battle, you should choose the slowest opponents with the most hits. One accurate M12 shot can radically change the outcome of a skirmish between heavy tanks. Only towards the end of the battle, when the standstill begins, do you need to think about changing positions and changing the angle of fire.
27-01-2017, 23:04
Hello everyone and welcome to the site! Friends, today we will talk about a rather popular and strong vehicle in its class at its level, the American Art SPG of the seventh level, in front of you M12 guide.
Of course, this device will stand out greatly for its armament, but often it is not enough just to have a big gun and it is worth saying that, based on the totality of its Performance characteristics of M12 World of Tanks It looks very profitable, as you can now see.
TTX M12
Let's start the review of this unit with the simplest parameters and first I would like to say that we have at our disposal a frankly small, but at the same time standard safety margin for this type of equipment and the same poor visibility, only 270 meters.
Regarding survivability, our American has two opposite sides of the coin, good and bad. If you look at what M12 characteristics booking, it immediately becomes clear where the bad side is. The vehicle penetrates through any projection, even the smallest enemy will be able to inflict damage on us, and landmines will penetrate completely.
The good side of the coin is the invisibility of our device. The fact is that American tank M12 although it has a long body, our silhouette is low, and we do not stand out in terms of overall shed size, that is, the camouflage coefficient is good.
In addition, this self-propelled gun has really decent driving characteristics. Despite the fact that the maneuverability at our disposal is poor, and the maximum speed is not the best (but still very good), but the dynamics Art-SAU M12 World of Tanks definitely not deprived, which allows you to quickly take a position, move or run away from the enemy.
gun
As already mentioned at the very beginning, our American has very dangerous weapons, this is not surprising, with a gun caliber of 155 millimeters.
Of course, first of all, we are talking about the fact that M12 gun has a powerful alpha strike, which allows you to send even some level seven vehicles into the hangar with one shot, provided they are completely penetrated.
Of course, SAU M12 WoT both types of projectiles are land mines, which in our case initially have mediocre penetrating ability. In battle, you will mainly shoot ordinary land mines, but due to the increased radius of scattering fragments of the gold version of shells, you also need to carry them with you, preferably at least 5 pieces, especially since after patch 0.9.18 all the equipment up to which If you reach it with fragments of your landmine, you will be stunned.
As for the accuracy parameters, if we compare them with other artillery at the level Art-SAU M12 World of Tanks these parameters are average. But still, the spread is large, the convergence speed is slow, and there is no point in talking about stabilization in the case of this type of equipment.
But there is another important indicator that greatly influences the comfort of firing - horizontal aiming angles. Fortunately, M12 art received excellent UGN, since the gun is capable of moving 12 degrees to the left and right.
Advantages and disadvantages
Since we have already examined the main tactical and technical characteristics of this artillery and discussed the parameters of its gun, we can draw intermediate results. For greater clarity, we highlight the main advantages and disadvantages M12 WoT and put them on the shelves.
Pros:
Good camouflage performance;
Decent mobility (maximum speed and maneuverability);
Powerful alphastrike;
Good accuracy compared to classmates;
Comfortable vertical aiming angles.
Minuses:
Small margin of safety and visibility;
Cardboard armor;
Poor maneuverability;
Mediocre accuracy and convergence.
Equipment for M12
Installing additional modules for artillery in our game is a long-resolved issue. There are very few truly worthwhile options, and given the lack of a closed cabin in our case, there are even fewer of them. Thus, on tank M12 equipment the following should be installed:
1. – whatever the rate of fire of the artillery, such a choice is always necessary, because reloading in any case takes a lot of time.
2. – the same applies to the speed of mixing. Although in our case it is not bad, the faster we converge, the easier it will be to hit the target.
3. – even with small dimensions and good camouflage, it is very important to strengthen the camouflage, since only live artillery poses a danger to the enemy.
Crew training
In terms of mastering skills and leveling up the crew, everything is also clear, but it’s still important not to make mistakes, so as not to waste time and nerves on correcting them later. Of course, first of all it is important to improve the stealth of the vehicle, but increasing the shooting comfort and general parameters are no less important. In general, for Art-SAU M12 perks It's better to learn in this order:
Commander - , , , .
Gunner – , , , .
Driver mechanic - , , , .
Radio operator - , , , .
Loader – , , , .
Loader – , , , .
Equipment for M12
The topic of choosing and purchasing consumables, both in the case of artillery and other equipment, remains completely standard. If you don't have extra silver, you can travel with a budget set of,,,. But for those who are used to playing reliably and do not need silver, it is better to carry M12 equipment as , , . In addition, for artillery it is much better to choose instead of a fire extinguisher, since we get a bonus to characteristics.
M12 game tactics
The artillery in our hands is good, comfortable and powerful, that is, capable of inflicting more damage, as required. At the same time, thanks to good mobility, camouflage, balanced aiming parameters, and most importantly, comfortable UGN, play on Art-SAU M12 WoT Even beginners can do it; the period of adaptation will not take much time.
As for the gameplay on this American, as with any other art, you need to learn how to take the right positions, and for this you need to know the cards. In case of M12 tactics is not just about standing in a large bush, where you will not be visible, and you can fire in a wide sector.
It is important that there are as few obstacles as possible in the firing sector. Thus, taking advantage of the excellent horizontal aiming angles, it will be possible to simply move the gun, aim it and immediately inflict damage. However, standing at one point all the time Sau M12 World of Tanks You can’t, after each shot you need to at least change your position a little so that you won’t be found by the tracers.
In addition, we have at our disposal a good radius of scattering of fragments, that is, with a successful combination of circumstances and proper dexterity, M12 art capable of hitting several nearby targets or finishing off wounded enemies hidden behind an obstacle; gold landmines are especially helpful for such purposes. A particularly good splash is needed if you decide to eliminate enemy artillerymen using tracers, since even if it hits close to the target, the damage may be enough to send the enemy to the hangar.
Otherwise, all actions are standard: we constantly monitor the mini-map, and under no circumstances let opponents get close to us, because the reservation American tank M12 has a very weak one, and we also try to shoot at the most dangerous targets in order to quickly take them out of the game.
In this article we will talk about the heavy American M-12 self-propelled artillery unit, nicknamed the “door knocker”. This is a level 6 self-propelled gun, which we receive immediately after the wonderful M-41 in all respects. In addition, this self-propelled gun precedes one of the best ART-SAUs in the game “World of Tanks” - “M-40/M-43”. This article will be useful to all fans of artillery in the “World of Tanks” and all tankers in the game who want to “know the enemy by sight”, that is, what to expect from this self-propelled gun, what to be afraid of and what to use in order not to get a “Door Knocker” from heaven
Figure 1. “M-12” in combat in France
A little history
It was June 1941, a time of peace for the United States, but the smell of imminent war was in the air and the most acute fears lay in the plane of the aggressive policy of Imperial Japan in the Pacific direction. Still not fully believing in the possibility of an imminent war with Japan (and even less believing that it would attack first), the country's military leadership foresaw that a future war with Japan would take place over the islands and coastal territories. It was assumed that the unique ability of the Japanese to quickly erect powerful and well-designed engineering fortifications could cause many problems in the future, in particular, when storming fortified coasts. Based on intelligence data and analyzing possible problems, it was assumed that self-propelled artillery units would play one of the leading roles in breaking through and destroying such fortifications, reducing losses in assault equipment and manpower, and providing mobile fire support. To solve the problems of destroying the powerful long-term fortifications for which the Japanese were famous, the possibilities of arming ART-SAUs with large-caliber guns (155 mm and more) were studied; the potential of the ART-SAUs in service, armed primarily with 75-mm and 105-mm guns, was considered insufficient .
Figure 2. “M-12” in position (the photo shows that the commander is clarifying the coordinates of the targets, speaking on the radio, and the crew froze in anticipation)
Based on these conclusions, the Artillery Department reports to the Adjutant General on the successful study of installing the M1917 155-mm gun on the chassis of the M-3 medium tank and requests permission to create an experimental model. Considering the proximity of an imminent war and the urgent need for this kind of artillery, permission to launch this project was received in record time. Just a few weeks passed and Rock Island Arsenal (one of the largest weapons developers in the United States, began working in 1880) took over this project. The model under development was named “T-6”, and in addition to the declared M1917 gun, the M1918M1 and M1917A1 guns were tested. To install the gun, the engine had to be moved forward, while the driver and commander were located in front in a closed compartment. The model was ready for testing in February 1942 (very little time had passed since the disaster at Pearl Harbor) and was sent for testing to the Aberdeen Proving Ground.
As a result of the tests, it was decided to make a number of minor changes to the model, and it was then sent for subsequent testing at Paul Bragg at the request of the Field Artillery Directorate. During field tests, the T-6 was pitted against a 155 mm field gun towed by a tractor. During the test, the T-6 managed to fire several shots, after which it changed position, covering a distance of 6 miles, and opened fire again. Everything took no more than 35 minutes, although for a towed gun it took more than 3 hours to complete similar tasks. The test result was successful for the T-6 and soon an order was placed for the production of 50 T-6 artillery self-propelled guns and another 50 auxiliary vehicles of the Cargo Carrier T-14 type (later renamed M -30") for servicing this artillery (supplying fuel and ammunition). However, despite such successful results, there was resistance from the Department of Supply, which demanded full testing. Due to this bureaucratic red tape, the release of the self-propelled guns was delayed by more than six months, and only in August 1942 the T-6 was standardized by the Artillery Department as the M-12 Gun Motor Carriage. The Pressed Steel Car Company completed the order in March 1943.
Figure 3. “M-12” top view at an angle
But the ordeal of the M-12 did not end there - the conservatism and outright stupidity of the generals of the Army Ground Forces (AGF) led to the decision to refuse to arm these self-propelled guns, as a result of which they were sent to a warehouse and only a few pieces were left for purely educational purposes. However, time put everything in its place - based on data about the problems encountered during the assault on the fortifications of a number of Pacific islands, during the planning of the landing in Europe, a decision was made to return the M-12 to battle. It was assumed that Allied forces in Europe would face a well-entrenched and fortified enemy that would be capable of lightning-fast tank counterattacks. Under these conditions, the powerful but mobile M-12 stood head and shoulders above all its competitors.
Figure 4. “T-19” - 105-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (“T-19”, “T-30”, “M-8” made up the bulk of the Americans’ self-propelled artillery, but they sometimes lacked the power to break through long-term fortifications and required heavy-duty self-propelled guns of the M-12 type)
As a result of an analysis of the situation and the decisions made, Baldwin Locomotive Works was entrusted with the restoration of these machines, as a result of which 74 cars were restored from February to May 1944. The war dictated new conditions, and the need for vehicles of this class increased greatly, as a result of which, simultaneously with the restoration and assembly of the M-12, a new line for the creation of artillery self-propelled guns "M-40 Long Tom" was launched. presented in the game as “M-40/M43”). In June 1944, the M-12 batch was sent to the European theater of operations, but as a result of delays, they entered battle only in August of this year. The M-12 was very labor-intensive to maintain - in addition to the crew, 12 more people participated in its maintenance. At the same time, each “M-12” was assigned one “M-30” supply vehicle, which was essentially the same “M12” only without a gun. The tasks of the supply vehicle included: delivery of the crew, delivery of fuel and ammunition, delivery of equipment and towing in case of engine failure or damage to the chassis.
Advantages and disadvantages of "M-12"
Chassis
The first and main drawback of the M-12 is its chassis. In stock the car generally turns very slowly, but with the new chassis the situation improves a little. In this case, the turning speed is already 20 degrees, but this is not enough to meet the ST in close combat. Therefore, we are a little more difficult prey for ST and LT in close combat than, say, the same “Kholod” (Su-14) or “Buratino” (S-51), although our speed is still much better, which allows you to easily escape from such “nimble guys” as “Tiger” or “IS”. True, we will not be able to deftly weave through the streets, so in cities, with their countless turns, it is especially difficult for us to retreat.
Figure 5. M-12 chassis
Therefore, we have to pretend to be a hero, meeting the enemy with a well-aimed shot, since we have almost no chance to quickly turn around and leave. Therefore, unlike the more maneuverable M-41, it is best for us to avoid fighting in the PT style; it is very difficult for us there. At the same time, I would like to note that thanks to the long and stable chassis, even though we often lack the angle of rotation of the gun, we can turn and quickly aim at the target without any significant losses. Moreover, our weapon is one of the most accurate for its level and is quickly reduced, and therefore it is more than possible for us to stun a cholericly maneuvering enemy with a new hit.
gun
Speaking about the gun, it is worth noting its rate of fire, accuracy and fast aiming. For similar weapons in its class, it is one of the best, although the “splash” is sometimes lacking. Basically, after patch 0.6.7. It’s quite comfortable to fight with this self-propelled gun, although until you go through the stock version, you will scold it in vain - especially after the fast and maneuverable M-41. But having access to the M1A1 155-mm gun, you can feel confident in almost any battle, with the exception of urban ones (although there are “fishing spots” there too).
As seen in Figure 3, we have a gun that is the fastest to aim among all similar guns (for 6th level ART-SAU), the aiming speed is 5 seconds, this is even better than that of the Gw Panther (5.5 sec). True, our damage is not as powerful as that of the Buratino or Su-14, which are armed with the 203-mm B-4 gun - 1250 units of damage versus 1850 (nothing, then we will catch up with them and overtake them, having received the most powerful ART- Self-propelled gun "T-92" with damage for 2 thousand units), but we are clearly more accurate - 0.41 versus 0.49 (on average) spread, although "Gw Panther" is even more accurate. Its gun has a dispersion of only 0.38 and is the most accurate and is slightly behind us in the rate of fire of 2.92 versus our 2.82. True, the German’s gun weighs only 2.7 tons versus our 7.5 tons and gives it the ability to quickly drive and maneuver, which is even more effective with its chassis. But we converge perfectly, have a good spread and practically do not shake after a shot, which allows us to very quickly converge on the area that was previously fired upon. In general, the main disadvantages of the gun are its somewhat average area damage and the high weight of the gun, but otherwise the gun is no worse than its analogues and even surpasses them in a number of indicators. Thanks to the same excellent aiming, we can avoid installing a module for accelerated aiming (reinforced aiming drives), replacing it, for example, with an anti-fragmentation lining, which often saves us from enemy artillery shells falling nearby. This is especially relevant now, because with the return of tracers to the game, there are a lot of people who like to shoot fellow tracers. At the same time, the lining gives you a chance to preserve the entire chassis and “get away” in time and even catch a direct hit in the chassis and survive or even get away with only damage to the caterpillar.
Figure 6. The M1A1 gun for the M-12 and its rivals
Low profile and stealth
Another advantage of the M-12 is its low profile, which, in combination with a reticle and a style of patient waiting, allows you to let opponents come within range of an accurate shot or even let them near you, and then attack from the rear with impunity. If you have a mesh and the crew is trained to maximum camouflage, choose a good bush and there will be very little chance that you will be detected. To see you, the enemy tank will need to drive up to a distance of a couple of tens of meters. Use this feature if you need to “survive” an already lost round, just remember – a shot will reveal even the most well-hidden tank, so save the shells for the next round.
Damage radius and counter-battery fire
After the latest updates, area damage has become acceptable for the M-12; now you will no longer hear complaints about the simply terrible “splash” and stories that it is easier to hit enemy artillery with the frankly inaccurate Buratino than with the M12. Believe me, this information is long outdated. Moreover, thanks to excellent straight line speed, fast aiming and a special “long” suspension, we can lure out enemy artillery. To do this, do the following:
- Switch to self-propelled gun mode and converge on the possible location of enemy artillery (just note the approximate location of the tracer exit);
- Hold down the right mouse button to save the reduction at this point;
- Fire one salvo, and accuracy is not important, our task is to lure the enemy out;
- After the shot, you quickly move back or forward to avoid being hit by enemy artillery shells. “M-12” drives very quickly in a straight line and catching it “on the tracer” is very difficult, the main thing is not to hesitate;
- After your shot, there should be a response from the enemy - you just lit up. But the enemy does not know that you have driven away and are also reduced and have already noticed his tracer, so he will calmly stand and wait for reloading and think that he, at least, damaged you and you are standing with knocked out tracks and a couple of damaged modules . But that was not the case - wait a couple of seconds until the information circle narrows and hit the place where the enemy tracer exits - the probability of destroying the opponent is 60-70%, the probability of damage is 90%
Thus, you can calmly kill all enemy artillery or, at a minimum, make them lose interest in you, as a self-propelled gun that is almost impossible to hit with a tracer. This is all we need, because we can safely work on enemy tanks.
Unlike the clumsy chassis, we have good powerful engines that allow us to overtake even some STs in a straight line, not to mention heavy vehicles. When climbing uphill, we traditionally have an advantage and we need to take advantage of this by climbing to advantageous heights. For example, if you are playing with a company on Himmelsdorf, ask your comrades to quickly block the exit of enemy tanks onto the mountain (this is especially convenient when attacking from the left, where there is only one uphill), and stand under the cover of the castle and hit the enemy trying to advance along the railway. Then you can calmly work on the enemy’s art, standing on the base or in the right corner on the hardware.
Figure 7. Engines for M-12
Thanks to speed, we can quickly take up convenient positions on flat terrain, for example in “Prokhorovka” or “Komarin” we can quickly take the required position and fire at the enemy, who is trying to take the required positions and breaks trees, fences and houses in order to quickly get to point “X” and does not at all expect that you have already taken positions and converged and are just waiting for a hint in the form of falling trees. This way you can not only “kick” impatient attack aircraft, but also generally discourage the desire to advance further - after all, the enemy gets the feeling that someone has already “exposed” him and that’s why the artillery is hitting him so accurately.
Artillery, like light reconnaissance tanks, requires the best available means of communication, and therefore you should not spare money on buying a top-end radio, because this way you will be able to see almost the entire battlefield and make more accurate decisions.
Figure 8. Radio stations for M-12
The SCR 619 radio provides a communication range of 850 m, that is, it practically allows you to see almost the entire map, even in the case of the largest maps, and therefore costs as much as 54,000. But with its installation, you will forget what an insufficiently informative map is, especially Moreover, the same radio is installed in all the following American ART-SAUs.
Research tree
Before the next ART-SAU “M-40/M-43” we will need to accumulate almost 150 thousand experience, not counting experience points for the chassis, gun and other modules. But when you reach the finish line, you will not only love this artillery, but also gain invaluable experience, which on the M-40/M-43 will allow you to work real miracles, even in PT mode. So don’t listen to negative reviews and other dissatisfied people, it’s better to spend time and energy gaining experience and developing your own unique fighting style and finding the most effective places to fire.
Figure 9. Research tree for M-12
Despite the statements of a number of players that it is almost impossible to farm on this self-propelled gun, I can only answer that thanks to the efforts of the developers, who for some reason are constantly short of money, after the seventh patch you can make money on tanks of the 7th level and higher and artillery of the 6th level and higher it became much more difficult. Simply put, they cut the overall level of credits in order to “I don’t want” to force you to buy a premium package for a game that was declared to be absolutely free (but you and I know what’s going on). So in terms of income, taking into account the high cost of shells, without premium you will earn about 6 thousand per battle - not a lot, but not at a loss either. If you lose and make frequent mistakes, you can easily go into the red. If you want to make good money on this art, first, shoot only with full aim, this way you can avoid unnecessary misses, and second, buy a premium package, then you can earn 10-20 thousand net per battle. Considering that to fully upgrade this self-propelled gun you will need to spend about 250-300 battles, then in total you can earn about 3 million in-game silver during battles, which in itself is very good.
Table 1. Profitability and experience table for M-12 (without premium package)
Based on the results of 10 battles on the M-12, 6457 units of experience were earned, the total income was almost 200 thousand, which means that on average we earn 20 thousand in-game silver per battle. At the same time, judging by the number of victories, good art in battle is almost always a victory, which can only be prevented by the stupidly insane actions of the allies or a “terrible flare”, or a very successful counterattack on the tracer. The amount of repairs turned out to be insignificant - 17,737, yet we rarely come under fire, and we ourselves almost always inflict significant damage. The cost of equipment is even less, only 6000, but the ammunition cost us more than 100 thousand (101920), which means that you need to shoot as accurately as possible; the shell costs 1120 units of in-game “silver”. In general, this allows us to conclude that, adjusted for repair costs, we earn almost twice as much as we spend and this is the most compelling counter-argument for those who complain that it is almost impossible to make money on the M-12 , to their greatest regret, this is far from the case and the results speak about this. So it’s a matter of skill, not the angularity of this self-propelled gun. In addition, all the given data is taken into account without using the premium package, as a result we have a net income of 196629-17737-6000-101920=70972, that is, more than 6 thousand experience and more than 70 thousand silver in just 10 battles, quite good result. If we calculate net income and experience taking into account the premium package, we get 196629*1.5-(17737+6000+101920)=169287, that is, almost 170,000 silver(!) and 6457*1.5=9685, then there are almost 10,000 experience, that is, a thousand for each battle - you agree, the results are more than good. In general, in capable hands, and even with a premium package, this ART-SAU will bring a lot of experience, money and good emotions.
Conclusion
By selecting the necessary modules, studying the most effective positions, and upgrading the tank to top condition, you can develop the most appropriate combat tactics for this self-propelled gun. The main thing is to listen less to the negative reviews from the so-called “veterans” of art - listen only to yourself and your car. As a reward, you will receive a lot of effective battles, positive emotions, discover the “thunderstorm of mice” - “M-40/M-43” and even make good money.
27-01-2017, 23:04
Hello everyone and welcome to the site! Friends, today we will talk about a rather popular and strong vehicle in its class at its level, the American Art SPG of the seventh level, in front of you M12 guide.
Of course, this device will stand out greatly for its armament, but often it is not enough just to have a big gun and it is worth saying that, based on the totality of its Performance characteristics of M12 World of Tanks It looks very profitable, as you can now see.
TTX M12
Let's start the review of this unit with the simplest parameters and first I would like to say that we have at our disposal a frankly small, but at the same time standard safety margin for this type of equipment and the same poor visibility, only 270 meters.
Regarding survivability, our American has two opposite sides of the coin, good and bad. If you look at what M12 characteristics booking, it immediately becomes clear where the bad side is. The vehicle penetrates through any projection, even the smallest enemy will be able to inflict damage on us, and landmines will penetrate completely.
The good side of the coin is the invisibility of our device. The fact is that American tank M12 although it has a long body, our silhouette is low, and we do not stand out in terms of overall shed size, that is, the camouflage coefficient is good.
In addition, this self-propelled gun has really decent driving characteristics. Despite the fact that the maneuverability at our disposal is poor, and the maximum speed is not the best (but still very good), but the dynamics Art-SAU M12 World of Tanks definitely not deprived, which allows you to quickly take a position, move or run away from the enemy.
gun
As already mentioned at the very beginning, our American has very dangerous weapons, this is not surprising, with a gun caliber of 155 millimeters.
Of course, first of all, we are talking about the fact that M12 gun has a powerful alpha strike, which allows you to send even some level seven vehicles into the hangar with one shot, provided they are completely penetrated.
Of course, SAU M12 WoT both types of projectiles are land mines, which in our case initially have mediocre penetrating ability. In battle, you will mainly shoot ordinary land mines, but due to the increased radius of scattering fragments of the gold version of shells, you also need to carry them with you, preferably at least 5 pieces, especially since after patch 0.9.18 all the equipment up to which If you reach it with fragments of your landmine, you will be stunned.
As for the accuracy parameters, if we compare them with other artillery at the level Art-SAU M12 World of Tanks these parameters are average. But still, the spread is large, the convergence speed is slow, and there is no point in talking about stabilization in the case of this type of equipment.
But there is another important indicator that greatly influences the comfort of firing - horizontal aiming angles. Fortunately, M12 art received excellent UGN, since the gun is capable of moving 12 degrees to the left and right.
Advantages and disadvantages
Since we have already examined the main tactical and technical characteristics of this artillery and discussed the parameters of its gun, we can draw intermediate results. For greater clarity, we highlight the main advantages and disadvantages M12 WoT and put them on the shelves.
Pros:
Good camouflage performance;
Decent mobility (maximum speed and maneuverability);
Powerful alphastrike;
Good accuracy compared to classmates;
Comfortable vertical aiming angles.
Minuses:
Small margin of safety and visibility;
Cardboard armor;
Poor maneuverability;
Mediocre accuracy and convergence.
Equipment for M12
Installing additional modules for artillery in our game is a long-resolved issue. There are very few truly worthwhile options, and given the lack of a closed cabin in our case, there are even fewer of them. Thus, on tank M12 equipment the following should be installed:
1. – whatever the rate of fire of the artillery, such a choice is always necessary, because reloading in any case takes a lot of time.
2. – the same applies to the speed of mixing. Although in our case it is not bad, the faster we converge, the easier it will be to hit the target.
3. – even with small dimensions and good camouflage, it is very important to strengthen the camouflage, since only live artillery poses a danger to the enemy.
Crew training
In terms of mastering skills and leveling up the crew, everything is also clear, but it’s still important not to make mistakes, so as not to waste time and nerves on correcting them later. Of course, first of all it is important to improve the stealth of the vehicle, but increasing the shooting comfort and general parameters are no less important. In general, for Art-SAU M12 perks It's better to learn in this order:
Commander - , , , .
Gunner – , , , .
Driver mechanic - , , , .
Radio operator - , , , .
Loader – , , , .
Loader – , , , .
Equipment for M12
The topic of choosing and purchasing consumables, both in the case of artillery and other equipment, remains completely standard. If you don't have extra silver, you can travel with a budget set of,,,. But for those who are used to playing reliably and do not need silver, it is better to carry M12 equipment as , , . In addition, for artillery it is much better to choose instead of a fire extinguisher, since we get a bonus to characteristics.
M12 game tactics
The artillery in our hands is good, comfortable and powerful, that is, capable of inflicting more damage, as required. At the same time, thanks to good mobility, camouflage, balanced aiming parameters, and most importantly, comfortable UGN, play on Art-SAU M12 WoT Even beginners can do it; the period of adaptation will not take much time.
As for the gameplay on this American, as with any other art, you need to learn how to take the right positions, and for this you need to know the cards. In case of M12 tactics is not just about standing in a large bush, where you will not be visible, and you can fire in a wide sector.
It is important that there are as few obstacles as possible in the firing sector. Thus, taking advantage of the excellent horizontal aiming angles, it will be possible to simply move the gun, aim it and immediately inflict damage. However, standing at one point all the time Sau M12 World of Tanks You can’t, after each shot you need to at least change your position a little so that you won’t be found by the tracers.
In addition, we have at our disposal a good radius of scattering of fragments, that is, with a successful combination of circumstances and proper dexterity, M12 art capable of hitting several nearby targets or finishing off wounded enemies hidden behind an obstacle; gold landmines are especially helpful for such purposes. A particularly good splash is needed if you decide to eliminate enemy artillerymen using tracers, since even if it hits close to the target, the damage may be enough to send the enemy to the hangar.
Otherwise, all actions are standard: we constantly monitor the mini-map, and under no circumstances let opponents get close to us, because the reservation American tank M12 has a very weak one, and we also try to shoot at the most dangerous targets in order to quickly take them out of the game.
After the outbreak of World War II, designers from the United States had to intensify work on creating new weapons systems and military equipment. In connection with the outbreak of war in Europe and the subsequent involvement of the United States in the conflict, many new types of military equipment appeared, one of which was the M12 Gun Motor Carriage self-propelled artillery mount. This combat vehicle is of some interest from both a technical and historical point of view. The creation of the M12 self-propelled guns actually put an end to a long epic that began during the First World War.
Even at the final stage of the First World War, American engineers created self-propelled guns based on the French 155-mm GPF cannon designed by Captain Philois (US Army designation M1917/18) and one of the available tracked tractors. This development made it possible to slightly increase the mobility of artillery on the battlefield, but still did not solve the entire range of assigned tasks. In the twenties and thirties, work in this direction continued, but was also not crowned with much success. Technical difficulties were often combined with administrative problems. As a result, the concept of a 155-mm gun on a self-propelled chassis was not developed, and artillery formations continued to use towed guns and horse-drawn vehicles.
The situation changed only in 1940. from Europe forced the American military to change its views on the material part of the troops. Successful German operations in Poland and France showed the importance of mechanized troops and self-propelled vehicles. In this regard, the American military department decided to begin modernizing artillery formations, the goal of which was to abandon horse-drawn traction and gradually transition to tractors and self-propelled artillery units. In particular, it was proposed to use the existing 155-mm M1917/18 cannons as part of self-propelled guns.
First prototype, 1941. Photo: Alternathistory.com
In 1940, the United States developed a new tank, the M3 Lee, which featured a fairly successful tracked chassis and powerful armament, including two cannons and machine guns. This development interested the artillery command, which resulted in a proposal concerning the technical appearance of a promising self-propelled gun with a 155-mm gun. According to the new proposal, the new armored vehicle was to have an M3 tank chassis and be equipped with an M1917/18 cannon. This made it possible to simplify the development of self-propelled guns, as well as find use for old guns that had good characteristics, but were not highly mobile.
The new project was designated T6 Gun Motor Carriage (T6 GMC) and retained this name until it was put into service. Design work started at the end of 1940 and continued until the summer of 1941. In June 1941, the U.S. Department of Defense ordered the Rock Island Arsenal to produce a prototype of a promising self-propelled gun. Due to the presence of other orders and the utilization of existing capacities, the order was completed only in the winter of next year. The T6 GMC prototype rolled out of the assembly shop in February '42.
The T6 self-propelled gun project was of great interest to the army, but its development and fine-tuning was associated with some difficulties. Despite the use of a ready-made chassis, some components and assemblies had to be developed from scratch. Later, some new details did not show their best side. In particular, problems with hydraulics could deprive the car of movement. However, work continued until all problems were completely resolved.
The stern of the prototype. Photo: Alternathistory.com
The chassis of the M3 Lee tank was taken as the basis for the promising self-propelled gun, which had to be significantly redesigned. The base tank had a part of the transmission units in the front part, connected to the aft engine-transmission compartment using a driveshaft. The fighting compartment was located above the rampart. Due to the need to free up space in the rear part of the hull, which was proposed to be used for installing a 155-mm gun, the engine had to be moved to the middle part of the hull. In this regard, the driveshaft was shortened and located at a different angle to the horizontal. Along with the engine, several aft fuel tanks were moved to the middle part of the hull.
The upper part of the hull, located above the tracks, has undergone fundamental changes. Due to the relocation of the engine and the need to reduce the line of fire as much as possible, a new upper hull was designed. The original inclined front sheet was replaced with a smaller part located at a slight angle to the horizontal. Behind it was an inclined sheet with inspection hatches for the control compartment. The middle part of the body was made in the form of a box-shaped structure with a horizontal roof and ventilation grilles.
On the sides of the main part of the hull, boxes for transporting ammunition and other property were placed on the fenders. In the rear of the vehicle, on the site of the former engine and transmission compartment, there was a large niche, the floor of which was located below the level of the fenders. On the sides it was covered with several panels with additional drawers.
Engine compartment with radial engine. Photo Afvdb.50megs.com
It was proposed to assemble the body from armor plates with a thickness of 12.7 to 50 mm. The thickest parts were located in the frontal part of the hull and were supposed to protect the vehicle from fire from the front.
The power plant and transmission of the T6 self-propelled guns were almost no different from the corresponding units of the base M3 Lee tank. A Wright (Continental) R975 EC2 radial gasoline engine with a power of 350 hp was placed in the middle part of the hull. Using a driveshaft passing through the control compartment, the engine was connected to transmission units that ensured the rotation of the front drive wheels. With the exception of a shortened driveshaft, the transmission was unified with the base tank.
The T6 GMC chassis retained six road wheels on each side. The rollers were interlocked in pairs and equipped with a spring suspension. Supporting rollers were provided at the top of the carts. The lantern gear drive wheels were located in the front part of the hull, and the guides were located in the stern.
Calculations showed that the existing chassis would not be able to hold the self-propelled gun in place when fired from a powerful 155 mm caliber gun. Because of this, it was supplemented with a set of special tools. At the rear of the hull there is a coulter with hydraulic cylinders for lifting and lowering. In addition, before firing, it was proposed to place special shoes under the front part of the tracks.
Diagram of the modernized M12, modified according to the 1943 project. Drawing Alternathistory.com
On the aft platform of the hull there was a pedestal installation with U-shaped mounts for the gun. The design of the installation made it possible to aim the gun within a horizontal sector with a width of 28°. Vertical aiming angles – from -5° to +30°. The artillery mount used an M1917/18 cannon with an M4 type cradle. For aiming the gun, the M53 telescopic sight, the M6 panoramic sight, and the M1918A1 artillery quadrant were offered.
The guns of the M1917 family were equipped with a 155 mm barrel with a length of 36.4 calibers. The total length of the gun exceeded 6 m. The gun was equipped with a screw bolt that moved to the right when opened. Separate loading was used. The ammunition included three types of ammunition: high-explosive fragmentation M101 weighing 42.96 kg, armor-piercing with an additional explosive charge M112B1 weighing 42.36 kg and smoke M104 weighing 44.5 kg. The projectiles were used with a standardized cartridge case with a propellant charge. The fighting compartment of the T6 self-propelled gun could accommodate only 10 separate-loading rounds. Some of the ammunition was fixed on the floor of the fighting compartment, the rest was located in the side boxes.
The M1917/18 gun had fairly high performance. At the optimal elevation angle, a high-explosive projectile flew at a distance of up to 18.4 km, and an armor-piercing projectile from a distance of 1000 yards (914 m) at an impact angle of 60° penetrated up to 119 mm of homogeneous armor. Such characteristics of the weapon, in theory, made it possible to destroy enemy armored vehicles and fortifications with direct fire from a distance of about 1-1.5 km. In practice, fire was often fired from long distances.
General view of the updated fighting compartment. Figure Alternathistory.com
The crew of the self-propelled gun consisted of six people. The driver and his assistant were to be located in the control compartment inside the hull. Four more crew members were in the fighting compartment in combat and on the march. Their task was to maintain the gun and fire at the enemy. The T6 project did not provide for additional weapons for self-defense. For these purposes, the crew had to use their own M1 carbines, as well as hand and rifle grenades.
The means of internal and external communication had an unusual composition. There was no radio or intercom for the crew. At the same time, however, there was a telephone and a set of signal flags for communication with other crews at the firing position during joint combat work.
Due to the use of the original opener and the old gun, the promising T6 self-propelled gun differed from the M3 tank both in size and weight. Its total length was 6.77 m, width – 2.68 m, height – 2.88 m. Combat weight reached 26,786 kg. The available power plant made it possible to reach speeds of up to 38 km/h on the highway, and the fuel supply was enough for 192 km of travel.
Prototype of the T14/M30 conveyor. Photo Afvdb.50megs.com
The first prototype of the T6 self-propelled gun was built in February 1942. Soon its tests began, the site for which was the Aberdeen Proving Ground. The first checks did not reveal any noticeable problems with the power plant, chassis or weapons. However, shortcomings of the opener and its hydraulic drive appeared. After one of the shots, the hydraulic cylinders failed, causing the opener, which had crashed into the ground, to be locked in the lower position. The self-propelled gun lost the ability to move. For this reason, the design of the entire thrust device, both the coulter and its drives, had to be redesigned. Subsequently, this unit again underwent modifications aimed at simplifying the design and increasing reliability.
Correcting the opener's deficiencies allowed us to continue testing, which ended in success. Soon the second stage of inspections was to begin, during which disputes began about the future fate of the new self-propelled guns. The Armament Department proposed ordering fifty new combat vehicles without waiting for the end of their testing, but the leadership of the military department demanded that all the necessary checks be carried out and only after that a final decision be made.
Until May 1942, American specialists were engaged in additional checks of the promising self-propelled guns, with emphasis placed on the operation of the power plant and chassis. In terms of mobility, the T6 GMC differed little from the M3 Lee tank. At the same time, there were significant advantages over towed artillery. During one of the checks, the T6 crew “took off” and moved to another position 6 miles from the original one, spending 35 minutes on all operations. The M1917/18 tracked tractor with towed gun was able to complete a similar task in only three hours.
Layout of the aft compartment of the conveyor. Figure Alternathistory.com
Based on the results of the second stage of testing, it was recommended to again refine the design of the opener, improve the aiming systems, optimize the ergonomics of the fighting compartment and make some other small changes. Eliminating the last shortcomings took literally a couple of months, thanks to which the T6 self-propelled guns were recommended for adoption in July 1942. At the end of August it was put into service under the designation 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12. By this time, the Pressed Steel Car company was already fulfilling the first order for serial construction of the T6/M12.
Simultaneously with the adoption of self-propelled guns, it was recommended to develop a special ammunition transport on a similar chassis. This machine received the working designation T14. The ammunition transporter was made based on the original T6 project. Moreover, the prototype of this vehicle was made from the first prototype of a self-propelled gun. The gun was removed from her fighting compartment and replaced with an ammunition rack. The dimensions of the fighting compartment made it possible to accommodate 40 shells and the same number of cartridges with a propellant charge. On the sides of the T14 stern a ring turret was installed for the M2 machine gun, proposed for self-defense. Instead of a coulter, a folding side with a winch for lifting was installed at the stern of the conveyor body. The T14 was slightly shorter than the base T6 and had a lower combat weight - 20.7 tons.
The first order for the construction of 50 M12 self-propelled guns, placed in the mid-summer of 1942, was completed by mid-autumn. By this time, Pressed Steel Car had already begun production of T14 transporters, which were put into service under the designation M30 (according to some sources, this index appeared only in 1944). In August, a second order for 50 self-propelled guns appeared, which was fulfilled until the spring of 1943. Production of ammunition transporters ended during the same period, but their exact number is unknown. According to various sources, from 70-75 to 90-100 cars were manufactured. In the latter case, each self-propelled gun could receive its own conveyor.
The M12 GMC self-propelled gun is firing. France, 1944. Photo Militaryfactory.com
The start of service for the M12 self-propelled guns was unusual. Several production vehicles were sent to the Erie and Fort Bragg training grounds, where additional testing and training of future crews was carried out. Only a few self-propelled guns managed to get to the test site. Others were less fortunate: in accordance with the order of the command, they were sent straight from the factory to storage. This decision was officially explained by the need for additional training of personnel.
The M12 GMC self-propelled artillery mounts were remembered only at the end of 1943. By this time, the American command had received detailed information about the use of large-caliber artillery on the battlefields of Europe, which influenced its plans. It was decided to use the M12 in the upcoming Normandy landings. Additional checks began to establish the condition and prospects of the equipment.
It turned out that the newest self-propelled guns were already outdated. The army was in full swing mastering the M4 Sherman medium tanks and gradually abandoning the M3 Lee. The Lee tanks, in turn, were not supposed to fight in Europe, which could cause problems with supplying self-propelled guns with the necessary spare parts. After analyzing the pros and cons of existing equipment, as well as its prospects in future battles, it was decided to modify the M12 in order to improve performance and provide some unification with combat equipment.
Shooting using an inclined ramp. Photo: Alternathistory.com
The conversion of the self-propelled guns started at the very end of 1943. The openers of the machines lost their hydraulic drive: they could be raised and lowered using a simple and reliable manual winch. For greater convenience, the coulter support beams were connected by a metal ladder. The bogies with dual road wheels of the M3 tank were replaced with similar units of the new Sherman. A 19-mm armor shield appeared in front of the sighting devices. The types of some additional equipment were also changed, which in some cases led to the rearrangement of units. Finally, the car received U-shaped mounts for the awning.
The upcoming Normandy landings were to involve six divisions armed with M12 GMCs. For their armament, 75 production vehicles were ordered to be modernized: four for each of the division’s three batteries, plus three reserve ones. Work started in February 1944 and ended in May. For some reason, 74 vehicles underwent modernization, which, however, made it possible to complete all units. By the end of July, self-propelled guns were transported to Europe.
72 M12 self-propelled guns with M30 ammunition transporters were consolidated into six separate divisions, which were attached to the corps if necessary. The firepower and mobility of the vehicles allowed these formations to participate in both offensive and defensive operations. It was possible to directly support troops with direct fire and indirect fire, including counter-battery fire. Often artillerymen had to destroy long-term enemy firing points. Concrete structures were effectively destroyed from a distance of no more than 1800 m.
One of the surviving examples of the M12 self-propelled gun. U.S. Army Ordnance Training and Heritage Centre, Aberdeen. Photo Afvdb.50megs.com
Six separate divisions fought primarily in France. Over several months of fighting, the crews of self-propelled guns managed to practice the effective combat use of equipment, as well as develop some new techniques. For example, to increase the range of fire, special wooden inclined ramps were made in military workshops. By riding on such a structure, the M12 GMC increased the actual elevation angle of the barrel and, thanks to this, was able to attack targets at a greater range than the gun guidance mechanisms allowed.
After it began participating in battles, the M12 self-propelled gun, like many other types of equipment, received an unofficial nickname. Due to the high power of the gun, it was nicknamed “King Kong”, in honor of the famous movie character, distinguished by his gigantic size and enormous strength.
M12 self-propelled artillery mounts with M1917/18 guns were used with varying degrees of success in the Western European theater of operations until the very end of World War II. Soon after the victory over Germany, the career of these vehicles ended, which was facilitated by the moral and physical obsolescence of equipment and weapons. In May 1945, the command recognized the M12 self-propelled gun as being of limited use, and at the end of the summer it was called completely obsolete. The basic chassis and power plant of the M3 Lee tank, even after the introduction of individual elements of the M4 tank, did not meet modern requirements. The guns from the First World War had similar problems.
Despite its fairly high combat characteristics, the M12 GMC self-propelled gun no longer met the requirements of the military and could not solve the assigned tasks. Already at the beginning of 1945, the T83 self-propelled gun was developed on the basis of the Sherman tank with the M2 gun, which was based on the same ideas as in the case of the T6/M12. A little later it was put into service under the name M40 GMC. The M12s, no longer needed, were taken out of service, scrapped and scrapped. Only a few examples have survived, which are now museum exhibits.
Based on materials from sites:
http://militaryfactory.com/
http://afvdb.50megs.com/
http://alternathistory.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/
http://historyofwar.org/