War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Matilda Hedgehog

2023-03-02T07:06:43Z

U139405026: I wrote an extensive Text about the history of this vehicle.

{{About
| about = British heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Matilda (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_matilda_hedgehog
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|market=items_Matilda Hedgehog (Britain)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "New Power"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season I]].

The Matilda Hedgehog is an Australian late-war experiment of the early but legendary Matilda infantry tank. The most notable difference from other Matildas is the presence of a new type of armament in the rear; a Spigot system fitted with Hedgehog mortars. This mortar was commonly used in naval warfare as an anti-submarine weapon and as such is very lethal weaponry if used correctly against tanks.

One of the flaws of the Matilda Hedgehog over other variants is the reduced combat readiness and versatility. This is because the Hedgehog mortar is a situational and limited weapon in tank warfare. The vehicle also loses defensive equipment as the smoke grenade launchers and receives a large weak spot in its rear, since the Hedgehog launcher acts as a large unprotected ammo rack.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The uneven and sloped armour protection is generally useful versus most low to medium calibre (40-75 mm) guns in the rank; the farther from the target makes it better for the armour. The irregular front and sloped side armour configuration on the turret makes it perfect to bounce some poorly aimed shots, yet some areas are not sloped at all and can be easily penetrated by shells of over 80 mm of penetration in close ranges. This armour has not changed drastically since the Matilda III, however, some noteworthy areas did receive an increase in protection: the turret ring received an additional armour plate of 40 mm. Extended from the front to the sides and partially reaching the back of the turret ring area. Effectively concealing a good portion of the previously vulnerable turret ring. This armour acts also as spaced armour since the shell needs to penetrate the first plate and then will likely shatter before colliding with the turret ring armour. Flanking tanks like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] will be troubled when firing at this area from the sides or the rear, yet will be easier to just penetrate the turret side armour. Anti-tank assault guns like the [[StuG III F]] will struggle equally when firing at the turret ring. The area under the gun mantlet remains only protected with a sloped armour prone to bounce shells.

The commander cupola has been lowered. This reduces effectively the previously noticeable large weak spot on the turret of the Matilda III. While the 75 mm of armour remains unchanged, the flatter cupola is difficult to penetrate.

Aside from these changes, minor structural armour has been added as fenders and the structure for the Hedgehog mortar system in the rear. This armour is barely effective in countering armour-piercing shells, and might just protect versus powerful HE shells as those on the [[15cm sIG 33 B Sfl]].

{{Notice|Increasing the "Vitality" feature of the tank crew can increase survivability against spalling and shrapnel.}}

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || 75 mm ''All-around'' 25 mm ''Base'' || 75 mm 25 mm ''Base'' || 75 mm 25 mm ''Base'' || 75 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Unlike the Matilda III, the cupola roof is 75 mm thick
* The Hedgehog launcher structure is 5 mm thick

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=294|rbMinHp=168}}
With a rounded heavyweight of over 27 tons, the Matilda isn't the fastest vehicle, but one of the heaviest. However, the tank has a double Leyland diesel powerplant that provides 190 HP and is just enough to boost the tank through regular terrain. Maps with lots of slopes and rocks will be difficult to overcome because of the outpowered engine; is best to avoid intricate shortcuts since if stuck, the Matilda won't be able to get out - Maps like [[Karelia (Ground Forces)|Karelia]] or [[Stalingrad (Ground Forces)|Stalingrad Factory]].

Fortunately because of the weight, in flat ground, the vehicle keeps a lot of traction and can reach top speed in approximately 17 seconds. This slow top speed suits Matilda's gun stabilization, effectively firing on the move while on cruise gear 1. As most British tanks on the rank, the reverse leaves a lot to desire. Still, the lack of any smoke cover means using the reverse gearbox is the only way to effectively retreat from frontal engagements without angling. The sluggish nature of the Matilda also sets up the tank for ambushes.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|QF 2-pounder (40 mm)}}
With an average reload of 3.6 seconds, the 40 mm 2-pounder remains a threat for most tanks at the rank. The also decent penetration values and ballistics make Matilda a capable heavy tank in frontal engagements. Despite the effectiveness of the gun, the small calibre will usually require a follow-up shot to knock out a tank.

The recommended ammunition is the Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T. Because of the overall better penetration values and ballistics. With the auxiliary ammo being either the Shell Mk.2 or the Shell Mk.1 AP/T to counter light targets as anti-air trucks or exposed crew, which are quite common at the rank.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|40 mm QF 2-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 93 || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | ±150° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 16.2 || 22.4 || 27.2 || 30.1 || 32.0 || rowspan="2" | 3.64 || rowspan="2" | 3.22 || rowspan="2" | 2.97 || rowspan="2" | 2.80
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:QF 2-pounder (40 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.1 AP/T, Shell Mk.2, Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T, Shot Mk.1 APHV/T, Shell Mk.1 AP/T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Matilda_III.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Matilda III (identical).]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''93''' || 86 ''(+7)'' || 78 ''(+15)'' || 63 ''(+30)'' || 52 ''(+41)'' || 40 ''(+53)'' || 28 ''(+65)'' || 14 ''(+79)'' || 0 ''(+93)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* Turret empty: 52 ''(+41)'' shells.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Hedgehog}}
Baptized by its name, the Matilda Hedgehog features an experimental spigot mortar system launching Hedgehog depth charges. These mortars can be widely found in ships like the [[Town (L45)|Town class]] because they were designed for anti-submarine warfare.

The Hedgehog mortar now placed behind the Matilda offers lethal explosive ordnance. Yet the death from above by the Hedgehog will be challenging to accomplish. Firstly, the Hedgehog is ''only effective in a default distance of 190 m or less''. The launcher can be raised by aiming upward, lowering the horizontal distance the mortar will travel from the tank. Secondly, the mortars will be launched individually from right to left. Yet they will fall quite close to each other. Depending on the intentions of the player, they might turn the hull while deploying the Hedgehog, to spread the fire. Lastly, there is available a limited number of mortars (7) and the eventual reload of more inside a capture point will be tediously slow and dangerous. This means the mortar is likely to be a piece of single-use equipment. The mortar rack is also poorly shielded and vulnerable to machine gunfire. If hit, the mortars will likely detonate and disable all of them.

In more positive regards, a single hit of the mortar atop enemy tanks will be destructive. Acting as a small bomb, the mortar will be effective versus light or unarmoured vehicles as half-tracks and open-top vehicles. Armour thickness will not be an issue, since the 80 mm of penetration are enough to take down most tanks in the rank.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Hedgehog]]
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 7 || +30°/+45° || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Hedgehog/Ammunition|Hedgehog projectile}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_secondary.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''7''' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* It is not possible to select how many mortar projectiles to bring into battle.
* Missiles are fired from right to left when looking from behind (see image).

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
Albeit relegated to obstacle clearing and last resort anti-air armament, the machine gun can be handy when fighting enemies with exposed crew members, e.g, the [[Sd.Kfz. 6/2]], [[CCKW 353 (M45)]], [[Lvtdgb m/40]] or [[ZiS-30]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,050 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Matilda should be played as a support tank. While is unlike to be the first tank in the line, Matilda Hedgehog should advance to take place in the vanguard or rearguard of the joint attacking force. Pushing slowly towards the enemy positions with support from team members; halt or reduce the speed to fire at any target that reveals itself. When moving and firing with the stabilizer, Matilda's armour weakness is not only harder to pinpoint, but more prone to bouncing shells. Additionally, players should keep in mind the importance of smart positioning and proximity to allies since if ambushed by the sides or the rear, the Matilda will likely be eliminated.

When defending, find distance away from choke points near vital areas and blast enemies as they try to enter; the excellent depression will be handy during these defensive stances. Procure to keep a safe distance from the enemy to maximise the effectiveness of the armour so Matilda will be very hard to destroy.

Close-distance fighting is ill-advised and tricky as opponents will be able to easily penetrate the front armour or find those weak points; such as the loaded Hedgehog mortar rack in the rear. Therefore, open and vast maps are the forte for Matilda's armour and main gun. Although this is contradictory to the novelty of this variant: the Hedgehog mortar.

Considering the launching range of the Hedgehog is quite limited, a possible tactic to deliver a mortar rain more effectively is to reach capture zones within 190 m away then fire the mortars if the enemy is in the vicinity or inside the perimeter of the zone. This is effective on urban maps like [[Eastern Europe (Ground Forces)|Eastern Europe]] and [[Berlin (Ground Forces)|Berlin]], but on vast areas as those on maps like [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot]], the Hedgehog becomes quite ineffective.

Players should decide depending on the map if it is reasonable and useful to load the Hedgehog mortars. Also acknowledging the very capable 40 mm QF gun remains the principal weapon.

=== Enemies worth noting ===
Opponents that deserve extra attention are the tank destroyers. Most tank destroyers at the rank were designed exactly to counter the heavy frontal armour of tanks like the Matilda.

==== Germany ▀ ====
The two German Marders carry a gun that can easily knock you out at long range, especially the [[Marder III H|Marder III (H)]], but those have thin armour, so use that to your advantage. The more armoured German TD, the StuG III, is even more dangerous. The [[StuG III A]] carry the [[KwK37 (75 mm)|short 75 mm]] that can fire high-penetrating HEAT rounds while its front armour can resist the 2-pounder's shots from a longer distance. The [[StuG III F]] is a bigger problem with its [[StuK40 L43 (75 mm)|longer 75 mm gun]] and thicker armour, but its higher battle rating should make this an uncommon sight. The Matilda will have a hard time fighting the StuGs due to the front armour and inability to manoeuvre to hit the side armour, thus it would be better to leave that to more manoeuvrable team members.

==== Medium tanks ====
Other tanks to worry about are the more common medium tanks each nation carries from the [[M4A1|M4 Shermans]], [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IVs]], and [[T-34 (1941)|T-34s]]. These medium tanks have frontal armour able to resist Matilda's 2-pounder rounds and easily outmanoeuvre it as well. The most noteworthy tank to worry about is the Panzer IV with the [[KwK40 L43 (75 mm)|long 75 mm guns]], which can easily destroy your frontal armour.

=== Counter tactics ===
Unlike Matilda III, this tank has a Hedgehog 183 mm launcher on its back. While it can be useful against clusters of unmoving vehicles, it is inaccurate and takes time or skills to get used to. It also makes the Matilda Hedgehog much more vulnerable to flanking attacks since the backwards firing arc of the 40 mm gun is now limited and blinded by the mortar structure.

The launcher can be shot easily and results in an ammo rack explosion, possibly getting the tank destroyed even by SPAA vehicles or more commonly, burning off most Hedgehog mortars. If impossible to flank, an easy area to target is the thin armour located on each extremity of the lower front glacis (on either side of the driver's position).

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Identical 40 mm gun to [[Matilda III]], meaning same excellent gun depression, rate of fire and armour penetration
* Hedgehogs are lethal versus clusters of immobile or light vehicles; such as those in close quarters battles
* Frontal armour weak spots as the commander's cupola and the turret ring have been reinforced
* An empty Hedgehog launcher doubles as rear protection for the turret

'''Cons:'''

* Poor mobility on all terrains, something retained from its predecessor, the [[Matilda III]]
* Hedgehog launcher cannot be stowed or independently aimed; this means some corrections may be needed when firing
* Tank layout is identical to the Matilda III, but rearward firing arc is limited by the Hedgehog launcher mounting
* No smoke grenades
* The launcher acts as an external ammunition rack, meaning even machine gun fire and artillery shrapnel can cause a detonation

== History ==

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_matilda_hedgehog Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
Image:Matilda Hedgehog Devblog Image 001.jpg|Matilda Hedgehog devblog image.
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yuMkZYEs1H4|'''Matilda Hedgehog - Getting Gaijined Again [War Thunder]''' - ''Napalmratte''|dxCO6tn53jY|'''Matilda Hedgehog Very Quick Mortar Tutorial''' - ''PhantomRiderWT''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6967-special-battle-pass-in-war-thunder-en|[Special] Battle Pass in War Thunder!]]

{{Britain heavy tanks}}
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}}

SA.342L Gazelle

2023-03-02T06:55:49Z

U139405026: /* History */ and /*Pros and cons*/

{{About
| about = Chinese utility helicopter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Gazelle (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sa_342l_china
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}'''(commonly known as 小羚羊 by the name Gazelle) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese utility helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

One of the earliest European purchases of Mainland China during the 1980s and their earliest "attack" helicopter that installed ATGMs, the name "gazelle" might not sound threatening, but it can still fight back with its limited payload including ATGMs and pair of rocket pods, as well as machine gun pods.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Heli-Flight}}

SA.342L is one of the Gazelle family of light helicopters from France with revised systems for carrying armaments, one of its most distinctive features over other helicopters of its era is the fenestron (covered tail rotor). Since its nature of a light helicopter, players will find the Gazelle agile while keeping sufficient top speed for scouting and assault mission. But do remember that its nature of a light helicopter - the only payload options are only 57 mm or 70 mm rocket pods, 12.7 mm gun pods and 2 pairs of HJ-8A ATGMs with low speed and relatively low range, so make use of its mobility to sneak into battlefield and delivery some blows onto enemy targets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 264 || 249 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Heli-Armour}}

Like many utility helicopters, Gazelle does not have any kind of extra protection other than its airframe and windshields, any projectile that flies onto Gazelle will very likely damage parts of the helicopter and even being pilot-sniped with relative ease; the only better news is that Gazelle has self-sealing tanks to at least giving it the chance to save itself from being a fireball in the skies.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}

{{main|HJ-8A|FS70|Type 57-1|QJK99-12.7-1 (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 36 x Type 57-1 rockets
* 14 x FS70 rockets
* 4 x HJ-8A missiles
* 2 x 12.7 mm QJK99-12.7-1 machine guns (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="20%" | 1 !! width="20%" | 2
| rowspan="5" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 12.7 mm QJK99-12.7-1 machine guns (1,000 rpg)
| 1 || 1
|-
! FS70 rockets
| 7 || 7
|-
! Type 57-1 rockets
| 18 || 18
|-
! HJ-8A missiles
| 2 || 2
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The weaponry choices of the Chinese Gazelle is rather limited compared to its French cousins. Due to the late introduction of ATGMs in PLAGF service and the small payload capability of the Gazelle, it could only carry 4 HJ-8A ATGMs at most which are the earliest "2nd generation" ATGM of the PLAGF with relatively worse performance; they are sufficient to knock-down tanks without composite armour or ERA packages, but do make sure to choose targets that are not aware of your presence since it takes around 13 seconds to hit targets at its maximum distance. Another downside to the Gazelle is that it doesn't have any form of fixed weapon for self-defense and it can only carry gunpods with other weaponries in custom loadouts at the cost of either side pylon. However, rotorcraft dogfights are rare at the tier, so in most cases, the default options are already sufficient for your use. Do remember that Gazelle has no ballistic computer and it takes some practice to utilize both rockets at maximum efficiency as their trajectory is not as easy to be handled as FFAR or Mighty Mouse.

Since its armaments have quite short range compared to other helicopters of the tier, be sure to utilize the excellent mobility of the Gazelle to enter the battlefield and leave in one piece - any vehicles with guns that can aim high enough to hit Gazelle are like predators of the Savanna, any hits could mean a quick and sometimes miserable end to Gazelle. Alternatively for a safer approach, take cover behind terrain or stay barely above tree level to conceal yourself from any "predators", only peek out and take out enemies that are in heat of battle and didn't expect your existence.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Pros:
* Versatile and flexible, capable of performing a wide range of missions including scouting, reconnaissance, transport, and attack.
* Good speed and maneuverability, making it a nimble and agile helicopter.
* Low maintenance requirements and operational costs, making it an economical choice for many.
* Easy to operate and maintain, with a relatively simple design and user-friendly controls.
* Cons:
* Limited payload and cargo capacity, which can be a drawback in some missions.
* Relatively small size, which can limit the number of crew members and equipment that can be carried.
* Limited range and endurance, which can be problematic in certain scenarios.
* Limited armor and protection, making it vulnerable to enemy fire.
*
* Limited payload and cargo capacity, which can be a drawback in some missions. Relatively small size, which can limit the number of crew members and equipment that can be carried. Limited range and endurance, which can be problematic in certain scenarios. Limited armor and protection, making it vulnerable to enemy fire. Overall, the SA.340/341/342 Gazelle is a versatile and reliable helicopter that has served many customers well. Its limitations in terms of payload, range, and protection must be considered when selecting it for a mission, but its speed, maneuverability, and low operational costs make it an attractive option for many applications.agile
* co-pilot

'''Cons:'''

* options
*

== History ==

The SA.340/341/342 Gazelle helicopter, produced by the French manufacturer Aérospatiale, has a long history of successful service around the world. Since its introduction in the 1970s, it has been exported to multiple customers and used for a wide range of missions, from scouting and reconnaissance to attack and transport. In the late 1980s, the new PLAGF Aviation Corps (陆军航空兵) of China found themselves in urgent need of new helicopters to meet their demand for increased mobility and firepower. With only Harbin Z-5 and earlier SA.311 models at their disposal, they began to search for a new solution. In a deal set in the late 1980s, they acquired eight SA.341L Gazelle helicopters for $800k USD per unit. The Gazelles quickly proved their worth during the 1989 crackdown, where they were utilized in scouting operations. Later on, during military exercises, they were converted into attack helicopters and proved their mettle as the only "dedicated" attack helicopter for PLAGF, equipped with four missiles onboard. Their performance during the heat of the 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis helped establish their reputation as a valuable asset for the PLAGF Aviation Corps. However, as newer helicopters like the Z-9 entered service with better payload and performance capabilities, the Gazelles were gradually phased out of frontline service. They were eventually repurposed as trainers for new pilots of the PLAGF Aviation Corps, where they continue to serve to this day. Despite being retired from combat roles, the SA.340/341/342 Gazelle remains a symbol of the longstanding partnership between France and China in the field of aviation. Its success in multiple roles and countries is a testament to the quality and versatility of the design, and its legacy lives on in the pilots it has trained and the missions it has flown.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sa_342l_china Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Gazelle (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Aerospatiale}}
{{China helicopters}}

Magach 3 (ERA)

2023-03-02T05:58:50Z

U139405026: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = premium Israeli medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Magach (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=il_magach_3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Israeli medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]].

First introduced in the [[Magach_3_(USA)|United States tech tree]], the Magach 3 was moved to the [[wt:en/news/7573-development-zachlam-m3-tager-half-track-abroad-en|Israeli ground tech tree]]. It is an improved [[M48A1|M48 Patton]] tank with a 105 mm M68 cannon and an [[M60]] engine installed.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Cast homogeneous armour (Front hull, Turret)
*Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 85-200 mm (59-74°) ''Front glacis'' 63-200 mm (13-60°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76 mm (0-44°) ''Front'' 51 mm (0-44°) ''Rear'' || 30 mm (0-3°) ''Top'' 25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom'' || 57 mm ''Front'' 20 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 105-128 mm (6-71°) ''Turret front'' 152 mm (3-28°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 66-97 mm (2-46°) || 45-50 mm (4-55°) 25.4 mm (70-71°) ''Turret underside'' || 24-65 mm
|-
| Cupola || 70 mm || 70 mm || 70 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Special armour* !! Kinetic !! Chemical
|-
| ERA || 5 mm || 260 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 38 mm in the front and 25 mm in the rear.
* Rangefinder device on the turret sides count as 127 mm cast armour.
* ERA can be attached on turret and front hull via modification.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,162|rbMinHp=663|AoAweight=0.876}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M68 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M68 (105 mm)|105 mm M68]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 57 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+19° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M68 (105 mm)/Ammunition|M392A2, M156, M152, M416}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Magach_3_(ERA)_(USA).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''57''' || 49 ''(+8)'' || 34 ''(+23)'' || 23 ''(+34)'' || 17 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+56)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M73 (7.62 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

Both machine guns are rifle caliber and are not much help against ground targets, even light ones. They are however somewhat useful in the role of lightly damaging enemy helicopters and aircraft.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M73 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M73]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 6,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,250 (250) || 500 || -15°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective"''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_magach_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Gal Batash]] - Most modern and upgraded Magach
* [[Magach (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{TankManufacturer Israeli Ordnance Corps}}
{{Israel medium tanks}}
{{Israel premium ground vehicles}}