AEC Mk II
Contents
Description
The AEC Armoured Cars were a series of vehicles developed during World War 2. After the British experience against Italian armoured cars in the Western Sahara, AEC decided to develop their own vehicle while the Daimler Armoured Car was still in development. A total of 629 units were built and entered service in 1941. Early versions tried to have the same firepower and armour as other British cruiser tanks but they failed. The Mk.II version used a larger turret for a three-man crew with a 6-pounder gun, redesigned front hull, and a 158 hp (118 kW) diesel engine.
It was introduced during Update 1.75 "La Résistance" in the 2017 "Festive Quest" that took place between 22 December 2017 to 22 January 2018. The AEC Mk II is similar to the AEC AA, with a different turret housing a 57 mm 6-pounder cannon rather than two synchronized Oerlikon 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons. As such, the vehicle has a lower profile than its predecessor, which grants it more stealth capabilities. In addition, there is a 7.62 mm BESA machine gun for use, which is nice for dealing with lightly armoured targets such as open-topped anti-aircraft vehicles and SPGs.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
- Structural steel (Sand skirts)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 25 mm (63-78°) Front glacis 10 mm (41°) Lower glacis 5 mm (49°) + 57 mm Joint plate |
16 mm (0-1°) | 16 mm (58°) Top 16 mm (13-14°) Bottom |
16 mm |
| Turret | 57 mm (0-1°) Turret front 31 mm (0-45°) Gun mantlet |
25 mm (0-1°) | 25 mm (0-60°) | 16 mm |
Notes:
- Wheels are 2 mm thick.
- Chassis is 5 mm thick.
Being very thinly armoured, the AEC Mk II is very vulnerable to heavy machine gun strafings, artillery strikes and even ammo rack detonations from nearby vehicles.
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 76 | 10 | 12.8 | 256 | 315 | 20 | 24.61 |
| Realistic | 68 | 9 | 146 | 165 | 11.41 | 12.89 | |
Being an armoured car, the AEC Mk II is a light vehicle. It accelerates quickly and has a good cruise speed on hard surfaces (solid ground, roads). While your top speed is high, your cruise speed will be around 50 km/h. As it is equipped with tires, the AEC Mk II struggles on soft terrain (sand, mud, snow). The reverse speed is also poor for a light armoured car. The AEC Mk II is average at fording: 17 km/h and loses quickly speed when driving uphill. Another important point to take into account is the turn radius: like all WW2 wheeled vehicles, you can not turn on the spot and always need space to change direction. The bigger the speed, the bigger the turn radius. You will also need more distance to come to a full stop and braking while turning will cause your vehicle to go into an uncontrolled skid.
Modifications and economy
2 × 50 / 60 / 60 % 2 × 124 / 124 / 124 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
| 57 mm 6pdr OQF Mk.V | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 60 | -10°/+20° | ±180° | Shoulder | 22.8 | 31.6 | 38.4 | 42.5 | 45.2 | 5.20 | 4.60 | 4.24 | 4.00 |
| Realistic | 14.3 | 16.8 | 20.4 | 22.6 | 24.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| Shot Mk.8 | APC | 116 | 111 | 94 | 76 | 62 | 50 |
| Shot Mk.5 HV | AP | 115 | 111 | 93 | 75 | 60 | 49 |
| Shot Mk.9 | APCBC | 132 | 127 | 110 | 91 | 75 | 63 |
| Shell Mk.10 | HE | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay | Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| Shot Mk.8 | APC | 883 | 2.87 | - | - | - | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Shot Mk.5 HV | AP | 891 | 2.8 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | |||
| Shot Mk.9 | APCBC | 847 | 3.23 | - | - | - | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Shell Mk.10 | HE | 655 | 2.72 | 0 | 0.1 | 590 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 45 (+15) | 39 (+21) | 31 (+29) | 23 (+37) | 10 (+50) | 1 (+59) | No |
Notes:
- To go into battle with the turret empty of ammo, pack 31 (+29) shells (racks 1 & 2 emptied).
- As they are modeled by sets of 2 or 3, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire all shells in the set.
Optics
| AEC Mk II Optics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Which ones | Default magnification | Maximum magnification |
| Main Gun optics | x1.85 | x3.5 |
| Comparable optics | M10 GMC | |
Machine guns
| 7.92 mm BESA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 3,375 (225) | 600 | N/A | N/A |
The small calibre of the BESA machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help.
Usage in battles
The AEC Mk. II is to play mainly in the role of flanking and reconnaissance. Due to the high speed and thin armour, it is ill-advised to use this vehicle in frontal assaults. Added to the new mechanic of active scouting for light tanks, it is rewarding to be an effective scout by highlighting targets for allies, thus farming SP and experience from their assistance. However, the AEC isn't as small as a scout-like the American M22 Locust, so scouting and flanking can be risky if done incorrectly. The AEC is equipped with the 57 mm 6pdr OQF Mk.V which has higher velocity and penetration values compared to the MK.III found on other British vehicles. Here are some methods for maximizing not only combat effectiveness but also the chances of surviving.
The first method of using this vehicle is for reconnaissance. Since the addition of the "active scouting" mechanic, light tanks have the ability to report the position of enemy vehicles to allies. When fulfilling the role of scouting in this vehicle, find a position that is concealed, but that gives a clear view sight of the battlefield. This is most helpful for farming Spawn Points and experience given that when an allied vehicle destroys an enemy player being actively scouted, granting a 50% reward of what the allied player was awarded. This can work best when paired with allied tank destroyers for dislodging stubborn enemy defenders holding down key positions.
The second method of using this vehicle is flanking. When using this as a flanker, try to use the terrain for the advantage and end up on the enemy's flank. Coupled with the AEC's fast speed, it shouldn't be too difficult to get up to speed if the terrain is favourable, as muddy terrain will severely inhibit the ability to manoeuvre. After all, the AEC is still a wheeled vehicle, so don't expect to speed overall terrains as in a tank. Nonetheless, when on the enemy's flank, ensure that it is a spot that isn't as exposed as others. Then, start pumping shots into the sides of the enemy tanks. It is highly recommended to fire a few shots then relocate, thus preventing the enemy from triangulating the AEC's firing location. It doesn't hurt to use "active scouting" as well, to notify allies of an incoming enemy armour movement.
With very light armour, this renders the AEC vehicle highly exposed to any form of enemy fire except machine gunfire. However, at its BR, there are some adversaries that deserve special note.
German Vehicles - The AEC's greatest adversary is most likely the Panzer IV F2, due to its long-barreled 75 mm cannon, which can punch right through the armour- even from long range. In addition, any later model of the Panzer III is going to give severe problems due to their long-barreled 50 mm cannon, which has a rapid rate of fire. As laughable as it sounds, the Flakpanzer I and the Flakpanzer 38 "Gepard" will also shred the AEC, as a result of their ability to use the HVAP-T round for their 20 mm cannons, which have a murderous rate of fire. In uptier matches, stay away from a Flakpanzer Wirbelwind at all costs, as the sheer volume of their fire will utterly obliterate the AEC, even if they do not have the HVAP-T round. The most dangerous opponent in respect to the AEC is the Sd.Kfz.234/2 "Puma" due to its amazing speed and a high-velocity 50 mm cannon. The Marder III and Marder III H will also give issues, due to their high-velocity cannons.
Soviet Vehicles - The Soviets have the most tanks with heavy armour, which can make it difficult for even for the 6-Pounder to punch through. That being said, a KV-1 is going to give a lot of problems, even at close ranges. In addition to that, the most abundant Soviet threat is going to be the T-34, due to its fast speed and sloping armour, which has the chances to bounce a shell, even at close range, if the tank is angled well enough. The most dangerous opponent is the SU-122, due to the 122 mm howitzer it carries, which doesn't need to make a direct hit if firing High-Explosive shells. In addition, the YaG-10 (29-K) boasts a high-velocity 76 mm cannon, which will tear through the AEC's armour even at long ranges.
Japanese Vehicles - Japanese vehicles may not have the strongest armour for their tanks, but their guns will make anyone think twice. Most notable of these is the Chi-Nu and the Ho-Ni III, which have high-velocity 75 mm cannons, which will rip through most armour at medium to long-range. The So-Ki SPAA can also rip through the AEC due to the twin 25 mm cannons. In addition, the M24 Chaffee (Self-Defense Force) boasts a 75 mm cannon and a .50 cal machine gun, which can bore through the thin armour.
French Vehicles - The French also have some vehicles that are heavily armoured. Most notable of them being the Char B1 bis and the Char B1 ter. The Char B1 ter is probably most notable of them, due to the ridiculous amount of armour from the front. The SAu 40 is a viable threat, thanks to its 75 mm cannon. It is also plausible to face the French M4A1 Sherman, which not only has enough armour to possibly bounce the 6-pdr shells but a 75 mm cannon and a .50 cal machine gun, which is notorious for tearing through just about any lightly-armoured vehicle. It is also important to note that the 40 mm Bofors CCKW 353 AA truck is a major threat to the AEC, due to the Bofors 40 mm heavy Anti-Aircraft cannon it wields.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Stabilized 57 mm with fast reload and excellent spalling damage; also 12 degrees of gun depression
- Very mobile in all directions, especially over solid surfaces. At 87km/h it is one of the fastest vehicles in low ranked battles
- Turret has decent armour for an armoured car, can take some hits from autocannons and low-rank guns
- 7.92 mm BESA machine gun has a superb rate of fire and is effective against open-topped vehicles
- Smoke screen and scouting abilities; a great option at low rank for cooperative playstyle
Cons:
- Off-road performance is not on par with tracked vehicles (wheels bog down easily in mud, sand or snow)
- Cannot turn on the spot because of the wheels
- Only three crew members. A well-aimed APHE will take the AEC out instantly
- Aircraft, autocannons and artillery are a threat because of the low hull and rooftop armour
History
The Associated Equipment Co. (AEC) Ltd. company, which made London's double-decker buses, put forth an unsolicited design for a heavy armoured car, based on their Matador MAT (medium artillery tractor). The army was disinclined at first, but Prime Minister Churchill intervened in AEC's favour. The Mark I model carried a 2-pounder in a Valentine tank turret. Some of these were sent for use in North Africa. The Mark II, which had increased horsepower and a new three-man turret with the 6-pounder, was only produced in small numbers. Approximately 24 were given to Yugoslavian partisans in late 1944.
This would be followed by the Mark III, mounting the British 75 mm gun, making it the most powerful armoured car of the war, and used in Western Europe alongside the 75 mm armed US M3 GMC half-track in the heavy troop of British armoured car squadrons. A total of 122 Mark Is and 507 Mark IIs/IIIs were built. Sometimes referred to as "Junies" or "Matadors."
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
| Associated Equipment Company (AEC) | |
|---|---|
| Armoured Cars | AEC Mk II |
| SPAAs | AEC AA |
| Britain light tanks | |
|---|---|
| A13 | A13 Mk I · A13 Mk I (3rd R.T.R.) · A13 Mk II · A13 Mk II 1939 |
| A15 | Crusader II · Crusader "The Saint" · Crusader III |
| A17 | Tetrarch I |
| IFV | Warrior · Desert Warrior (Kuwait) |
| Wheeled | Daimler Mk II · AEC Mk II · Fox · Vickers Mk.11 |
| Other | VFM5 |
| South Africa | |
| SARC | SARC MkIVa · SARC MkVI (2pdr) · SARC MkVI (6pdr) |
| Ratel | Ratel 90 · Ratel 20 |
| Rooikat | Rooikat Mk.1D · Rooikat 105 · Rooikat MTTD |
| Other | Concept 3 · Eland 90 Mk.7 |
| USA | Stuart I · Stuart III |
| Britain premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | A13 Mk I (3rd R.T.R.) · A13 Mk II 1939 · AEC Mk II · Crusader "The Saint" · Rooikat 105 |
| Medium tanks | A.C.I · Grant I · Cromwell V (RP-3) · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" · A.C.IV · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" |
| Centurion Mk.2 · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk.5/1 · ▄Sho't Kal Dalet · Centurion Action X | |
| Vijayanta · Khalid · Challenger DS · Challenger 2 OES | |
| Heavy tanks | Independent · Matilda Hedgehog · Excelsior · TOG II · Churchill Crocodile · Black Prince |
| Tank destroyers | Alecto I · Achilles (65 Rg.) · QF 3.7 Ram |
