GAZ-MM (72-K)
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Contents
[hide]Description
The GAZ-AAA (72-K) is the third variant of the GAZ-AAA-based self-propelled anti-aircraft gun family. As more advanced enemy aircraft appear, a 25 mm 72-k autocannon is mounted on the GAZ-AAA truck to better protect ground units from enemy air raids.
Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the GAZ-AAA (72-K) received significantly better armament than the previous two variants. While this vehicle has strong firepower against both air and ground units, its primary mission is to engage enemy aircraft. However, when used correctly, it has the potential to damage or even destroy enemy tanks from the sides. Players should still exercise caution, as the platform provides little overall protection for the crews.
General info
Survivability and armour
The armour of the GAZ-MM (as seen in prior models) is non-existent even for shrapnel. Thus, the commander should always avoid or shoot to kill whatever enemy he sees. Not only for the fact that any main gun is able to destroy the SPAA in a single shot but also because even low calibre machine gun fire is able to destroy the vehicle, specially on the vehicle turret as it is open. All aircraft will be able to get easy kills with this if the commander is unaware of aircraft existence. Being an open vehicle with a few millimetres thick armour invites all enemy players to use machine guns to kill it.
Armour type:
- Structural steel
- Wood (Truck bed)
- Rolled homogeneous armour (Gun platform)
| Armour | Front | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver's cabin | 1 mm (2°) | 1 mm (1-6°) | 1 mm (2-3°) | 1 mm |
| Cargo bed | 15 mm (2°) | 15 mm | 15 mm (2°) | 15 mm |
| Gun platform | 7 mm (11-20°) | 7 mm (2°) | N/A | N/A |
Notes:
- Wheels are 2 mm thick while the chassis is 5 mm thick.
- The truck bed is 15 mm of wood, which will probably not offer as much protection as the truck cab.
- The radiator housing is unarmoured.
Mobility
The mobility of the GAZ-MM is not exactly the fastest but is not mediocre either. When used on roads, top speeds are really high and is able to reach speeds of 80 km/h. When off-road, the GAZ-MM will struggle, not much but speed will be drastically reduced compared to roads. Mud, water, sand, and snow are the worst enemies of tires, mainly for the traction for said environments. When in maps in which sand or snow are inevitable (Sands of Sinai for example) always stay on or close to a road.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 77 | 10 | 3 | 71 | 95 | 23.67 | 31.67 |
| Realistic | 71 | 9 | 44 | 50 | 14.67 | 16.67 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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It is recommended to research the OZR-132 belts as soon as possible. These give the player access to a full HE ammo belt for destroying air targets. Since this vehicle has extremely poor survivability, the Parts and FPE modules are not as important as they are for other vehicles - often the GAZ-MM will be destroyed in one hit anyways.
Armaments
Main armament
The GAZ-MM is armed with a single shielded 25 mm autocannon. The calibre and penetration is not the most fearful characteristic of this weapons, the fire rate is. At first sight this may not be seen as a threat but depending on the ammunition used, the GAZ-MM is able to either play anti-tank or anti-air role. The RPM helps not only in scaring enemy planes but also to redirect fire upon missed shots. A single hit to an aircraft with this weapon will be fatal, even with the AP belt.
| 25 mm 72-K | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 399 (7) | 240 | -10°/+85° | ±180° | N/A | 30.8 | 42.7 | 51.8 | 57.3 | 60.9 | 0.26 | 0.23 | 0.21 | 0.20 |
| Realistic | 20.8 | 24.5 | 29.8 | 32.9 | 35.0 | |||||||||
Ammunition
- Default: AP-T · FI-T* - These belts can fulfill both roles until the others are researched but with a lesser effectiveness.
- OZR-132: FI-T* - These are suited to the AA role but useless against ground vehicles.
- BR-132: AP-T - These are best against lightly armoured tanks at close range and still do good damage to planes.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| FI-T* | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| AP-T | 57 | 54 | 44 | 34 | 27 | 21 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| FI-T* | 910 | 0.29 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 13 | 47° | 56° | 65° | ||||
| AP-T | 900 | 0.3 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
Ammo racks
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| Full ammo |
Ammo type |
1st rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57 399 |
Clips Rounds |
1 (+56) 7 (+392) |
No |
Notes:
- The ammunition is modeled as 57 clips of 7 rounds
- The ammo rack is a single rack containing all clips.
Usage in battles
While it is equipped with a 25 mm cannon, playing this vehicle in an anti-tank role should be situational only and not by design. It is a SPAA and should be used as such. With a sluggish mobility off-road and a paper-thin armour, it is recommended to always stay close to cover to protect the vehicle from enemy aircraft strafing runs. Only expose the truck's platform with the gun ideally when facing aircraft and engage them with OZR-132 belt. All belts contain tracers so be aware that once you fire, enemies will know your position. Wait until the enemy aircraft is close enough to engage (below 700 m) so that it has a reduced chance to evade fire. The most difficult part is leading the target to make a successful hit, as it depends on the plane's distance and speed. The tracer bullets are helpful for that purpose. Fire short bursts of 3 to 4 rounds and correct your aim based on the visual feedback.
You can carry some armour-piercing ammunition if you risk encountering enemy ground vehicles (packing 14 AP belts should be enough). When facing ground vehicles, retreating should be the preferred course of action since your whole crew can be knocked out even with a rifle-calibre machine gun. If you can't escape in time and are forced to engage, you can hinder the enemy's mobility by targeting its tracks or wheels. Shooting the cannon barrel or the breech can be a valid tactic but is more risky since this means they already have you in their sight.
While you have a quick-firing weapon, do not waste your shots by saturating the enemy vehicle with fire. You must know where the vehicle's weak spots are (sides, rear, etc.) and target them accurately. Light tanks and open-topped tank destroyers are usually easier to take out since their protection is weaker.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good shell velocity.
- High rate of fire.
- Very short reload time.
- Decent turret rotation and elevation.
- Good acceleration, that allows it to flank slower tanks/vehicles when encountered at close-quarters.
- AP rounds with enough penetration to kill light and medium tanks that it may encounter.
Cons:
- Highly vulnerable to any HE rounds.
- Cannot shoot straight ahead due to the driver's compartment.
- No armour protection whatsoever.
- Highly vulnerable to artillery fire.
- Vulnerable to machine gun fire, aircraft strafing, and collision damage.
- Poor vehicle stability, very easy to flip upside down when driving in rough terrain.
History
The 25 mm automatic air defence gun M1940 (72-K) (Russian: 25-мм автоматическая зенитная пушка образца 1940 года (72-К)), developed in 1939-1940, was a very common anti-aircraft weapon in the Soviet Union, leading to about 4,860 units produced. It occupies an intermediate position between large-calibre anti-aircraft machine guns of the ANC and the more powerful 37 mm anti-aircraft guns of the 61-K, this vehicle was designed for an Infantry Regiment level air defence. The gun was created at the beginning of 1940 at 8th Kalinin Artillery Plant under the guidance of its Chief Designer Mikhail Loginov.
To increase mobility in the second half of 1941, the 72-K anti-aircraft machine was installed on the chassis of the GAZ-MM. GAZ–MM is a truck with a maximum usable weight of 1.5 ton. It was produced at the end of the 1930s and at the first part of the 1940s by GAZ in the Soviet Union. It is a simplified version of the Ford Model AA's Soviet licence version. At the beginning of World War II, more than 150,000 were in use by the Red Army. Tests showed the success of the design and the gun mount so it was put into serial production, called the GAZ MM (72-K). However, only 200 units were produced, as the manufacturer's factory, Kolomna Locomotive Works, was evacuated. Subsequently, the GAZ MM (72-K) was no longer produced.
| [Expand]Archive of the in-game description |
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Media
- Skins
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See also
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
| [Expand]Gorky Automobile Plant (Го́рьковский автомоби́льный заво́д) |
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| [Expand]USSR anti-aircraft vehicles |
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