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Challenger 2

2020-02-21T06:48:05Z

U27946537: /* Main armament */ added upgraded turret rotation speeds

{{Specs-Card|code=uk_challenger_II}}
{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Challenger (Disambiguation)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened to '''CR2''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. This tank was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
[[File:Challenger 2 Density Visualisation.png|thumb|CR2 Frontal [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]
The Challenger 2 (abbreviation CR2) reinforces the strengths of the Challenger 1 Mk.2/Mk.3, with extremely well protected turret cheeks and better UFP protection, while suffering from similar weaknesses - a particularly weak lower front plate and negligible side protection. The Challenger 2 has a defined gun mantlet that is far larger in area compared to previous Challenger models. This mantlet is very weak in comparison to the rest of the turret, providing roughly 300 mm of RHAe protection, making it a glaring weakspot that easily results in the destruction of the gun breech and loss of turret crew. Additionally, the taller turret design exposes a weak frontal roof slope - while this is a somewhat small vulnerability, penetration may result in the gunner or commander's incapacitation. Similarly to the Challenger 1s, the driver's hatch on the Challenger 2 is a significant weakness that compromises the well protected UFP. The hatch has no composite behind it and provides at best 100 mm of RHA protection. As such, the Challenger 2 thrives in hull-down positions where minimal vulnerabilities are exposed and it can retreat into further cover if one of the few weak spots are penetrated. In situations where protective positioning is not an option, the Challenger 2 should be used conservatively and carefully, avoiding direct confrontation wherever possible.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristics
! colspan="2" | Engine power (horsepower)
! colspan="2" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! {{Annotation|Max Speed|Maximum Speed (km/h)}}
! {{Annotation|Weight|Vehicle Weight (tons)}}
! {{Annotation|AoA Weight|Add on Armour Weight (tons)}}
! Stock
! Upgraded
! Stock
! Upgraded
|-
! Arcade
| 66 || rowspan="2" | 62.5 || rowspan="2" | 1.1 || 1,886 || 2,290 || 30.18 || 36.00
|-
! {{Annotation|Realistic|Simulator uses Realistic FMs}}
| 59 || 1,076 || 1,200 || 17.22 || 18.87
|}
The Challenger 2 is fitted with a similar twin turbo V12 diesel engine to the Challenger 1, producing a maximum of 1,200 horsepower. The CR2 can reach a maximum forward speed of 66 km/h (41 mph) in AB and 59 km/h (37 mph) in RB. The vehicle's stock performance is lacklustre, with acceleration and manoeuvrability suffering due to the CR2's 62.5 tonne total weight. However, once all upgrades are researched, the Challenger 2 performs acceptably, despite being generally out-classed by competitor vehicles like the M1A2 and T-80U. The CR2 also utilises a fully functional neutral steering system, and even when stock the vehicle's neutral steering ability is admirable - easiest used with manual gear selection to avoid shifting during traverse. Notably, the CR2's reverse speed is quite comfortable, with the vehicle capable of up to 36 km/h (RB/SB) backwards thanks to the two reverse gears.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|L30A1 (120 mm)}}

The Challenger 2's primary armament is the 120mm L30A1 cannon. Unlike most modern MBT cannons, the L30A1 is rifled as opposed to smoothbore. This is primarily due to the British preference for HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) ammunition availability, the design of which requires a rifled cannon for accurate fire. The rifled design has some positive attributes: it's extremely accurate with both HESH and APFSDS rounds, including at long range; however the downside is a limited selection of ammunition: the CR2 only has the L23A1 and L26 APFSDS rounds, the L31A7 HESH round and the L34 Smoke round available to it.

The L30A1 has a base reload time of 6.5 seconds, improving to 5 seconds with an aced crew. As a result, the Challenger 2 sports the fastest reloading 120mm cannon in-game along with the [[Type 90]]'s autoloaded 120mm (as of the time of writing). In addition, the Challenger 2 allows the L30A1 a comfortable 10° of gun depression and a reasonable turret traverse speed.

The characteristics of the CR2 in combination with the L30A1 weight the vehicle towards a long-range sniping playstyle, something the vehicle generally feels very comfortable doing as it minimises the inferior mobility of the vehicle by having it stay in the back, providing long range fire support and exploiting unaware enemies.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[L30A1 (120 mm)|120 mm L30A1]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 50 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || Two-plane
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 29.50 || 40.85 || 47.85 || 56.60 || 58.35
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 18.40 || 21.70 || 25.42 || 30.03 || 31.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 6.50 || 5.75 || 5.30 || 5.00
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 396 || 394 || 387 || 376 || 367 || 357
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152 || 152
|-
| Shot L26 || APFSDS || 471 || 469 || 464 || 457 || 450 || 443
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Shot L23A1 || APFSDS || 1,535 || 3.89 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Shell L31A7 || HESH || 670 || 17.10 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4,100 || +0° || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| Shot L26 || APFSDS || 1,550 || 4.10 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| L34 || 670 || 17.1 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|L94A1 (7.62 mm)|L37A2 (7.62 mm)}}

The Challenger 2 possesses one pintle-mounted 7.62 machine gun and one coaxial 7.62 machine gun. While these aren't particularly effective against aircraft, they can be used as a deterrent, and lucky shots may result in critical damage or pilot snipes. Besides anti-aircraft fire, they're useful for clearing light obstacles and the crew of open-top vehicles.

== Usage in battles ==
The Challenger 2 excels as a sniper or a support tank, and should be played as such whenever possible. As such, it's important to try to find reasonable cover, regardless of the situation, with the ideal position being hull-down, preferably with some degree of angling available to maximise the bouncing capability of the frontal turret roof section. The Challenger 2 is the slowest of the top rank MBTs - a fact which is extremely important to keep in mind when using it - and as such should never be expected to rush points or used for quick flanks.

'''Rural Combat'''

The CR2 is most comfortable in rural combat, where cover is generally plentiful and targets will often open themselves to fire when moving forward. This is particularly perceptible on maps such as [[Maginot Line (Ground Forces)|Maginot Line]], where, in most configurations, the main routes to capture points are open to snipers on hills throughout the landscape. In these situations the CR2 excels, able to hold a defensive position while protecting team members in faster MBTs and covering capture points.

'''Urban Combat'''

The Challenger 2 is less agreeable in urban situations, where proper cover is more rare and its fatal weak points are often more exposed. In some situations, such as [[Alaska]], the opportunity may arise to flank around the side roads and pick a somewhat protected position behind the ridges lining them. However, in other maps like [[American Desert]] or [[Cargo Port]] proper hull-down cover is sparse and the vehicle can only be utilised without proper protection. In situations such as this, the Challenger 2 is best played defensively holding angles and slowly pushing forward with careful attention to the local surroundings and where opposing vehicles may appear from.

'''Notable Targets'''

[[Leopard 2A5]]: The 2A5 should be engaged with care: it has better overall protection than the Challenger 2, and in many situations can appear near-impossible to destroy at range. Aim for the gun mantlet with at least the intention of disabling the weapon; some rounds may make it past and knock crew out. If the frontal hull is presented, aim for the left side of the hull as usually the driver, gunner and commander are all lined up so they can be knocked out all at the same time, resulting in the Leopard's destruction.

[[Leclerc]]: The Leclerc is in possession of one of the few rounds capable of penetrating the Challenger 2 UFP reliably. When in combat with the Leclerc, it's important to expose as little of the CR2 as possible - if the Leclerc is able to destroy your weapon, it will often be able to use its high speed to get close enough to finish you off.

[[Ariete|C1 Ariete]]/[[Ariete PSO]]: The C1 Ariete and Ariete PSO with the CL1343 shell can penetrate nearly anywhere on the Challenger 2, with the exception of the outer turret cheeks (and even then, at close ranges and particular angles, it can even punch through those). As such, it's a potent sniper and should be handled with care. Fortunately, the Ariete MBTs have somewhat sub-par protection characteristics, and the Challenger 2 will often prove itself capable of quickly dispatching an Ariete at range.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely accurate main cannon
* Good gunner optics
* 10° of gun depression
* Fast reload, particularly for a 120mm
* Extremely good turret cheek protection
* Good UFP protection
* 36 km/h reverse speed
* Has ESS, smoke shells and smoke grenades

'''Cons:'''

* A CR2 with an exposed hull is extremely vulnerable
* Negligible LFP armour
* Cannon surround has negligible armour
* The frontal turret roof is somewhat vulnerable to chemical rounds
* Ammunition is strewn throughout the vehicle, penetration often results in ammo detonation
* Sub-par acceleration and top speed relative to many other MBTs
* Prior to mobility upgrades being researched, manual neutral gear selection is required for reasonable hull traverse

== History ==

Work on developing a successor to the Challenger 1 began only a short time after the vehicle entered service with the British armed forces. Already by the mid-1980s, the Vickers company had developed a new MBT as part of a private venture. After requirements for a next-generation MBT have been issued, Vickers immediately submitted their design on the new Challenger 2 to the Ministry of Defence. Having briefly considered the adoption of the M1 Abrams, the Ministry decided to proceed with the Vickers design by ordering the construction of a prototype Challenger 2 for testing and evaluation. The Challenger 2 passed the evaluation and met expectations even when put through comparative testing against contemporary MBTs of other nations, such as the American M1 Abrams and German Leopard 2. Satisfied with the test results, the Ministry of Defence adopted the Challenger 2 and placed the first production order in 1993, with the initial batch consisting of 127 tanks in addition to 13 trainer vehicles. The first Challenger 2 tanks were delivered to the tank regiments by 1994. The Challenger 2 participated in several operations during the ‘90s and into the 2000s, ranging from peacekeeping missions on the Balkans to military interventions in Iraq. A number of Challenger 2 MBTs have also been exported to Oman, with this nation being the only operator of the Challenger 2, besides the UK. Production of Challenger 2 tanks seized in 2002 after all pending production orders were fulfilled, with close to 440 vehicles being produced. Since 2008, Challenger 2 tanks have constantly been undergoing modernization work, with a number of upgrade packages being developed. Thanks to these upgrades, the Challenger 2 MBT is expected to serve with the British Army well into the future.

''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6035-development-challenger-2-and-rank-vii-armored-vehicles-en Devblog]''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== 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 ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6035-development-challenger-2-and-rank-vii-armored-vehicles-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Challenger 2 and rank VII armored vehicles]

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Stormer HVM

2020-02-21T06:33:41Z

U27946537: /* Mobility */ added engine power when upgraded

{{Specs-Card|code=uk_stormer_hvm}}

== Description ==


[[File:GarageImage Stormer HVM.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


This tank uses the chassis of Scorpion, which you might be familiar with since [[Striker]]. As before, it can only take punishment from the front and it's best to avoid anything more serious than autocannon armed light tanks or [[KPz-70]], since most 9.0+ tanks have at least 100 mm gun along with their coaxial weapons. It is easy to "hull break" the hull by hitting it with 105 mm chemicals, artillery direct hits and 120 mm kinetic shells.

The launcher on the back was replaced with a turret carrying Starstreak HVM and search optics. The usually small camera next to commander cupola now has heavy optics and is much bigger as a result. The turret is much higher than the old launcher and is very hard to hide.

The missiles do not have any protection this time around and you should avoid being bombed and shot by artillery '''at any cost'''. Even a 7.62 mm machine gun can ignite missiles on a good hit. Even close artillery or HE miss might set off Starstreaks and cause your entire rack to explode, annihilating your carrier and probably taking your allies nearby with you in process.

As such, you should avoid fighting anything directly, if possible. To ensure not a single aircraft knows about your presence, an IRST system is used instead of radar - not even best helicopters around can detect you. In arcade mode, they can still see the Stormer, but you can be assured that optronic system will allow you to destroy them before they have even a chance to aim at it.

=== Mobility ===


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristics
! colspan="2" | Engine power (horsepower)
! colspan="2" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! {{Annotation|Max Speed|Maximum Speed (km/h)}}
! {{Annotation|Weight|Vehicle Weight (tons)}}
! {{Annotation|AoA Weight|Add on Armour Weight (tons)}}
! Stock
! Upgraded
! Stock
! Upgraded
|-
! Arcade
| 87 || rowspan="2" | 13.5 || rowspan="2" | N/A || 355 || 395 || 26.30 || 29.26
|-
! {{Annotation|Realistic|Simulator uses Realistic FMs}}
| 80 || 221 || 235 || 16.37 || 17.41
|}

As with [[Striker]], the tank is capable of driving both forward and backwards relatively fast even with no upgrades. The ability to drive forward and turn around at same time still relies on driver being maxed out, so your crew must be very high level.

The more you upgrade the chassis and engine, the more obscure position you can climb and take over in order to avoid being spotted and destroyed by other tanks.

Do not race against Japanese [[Type 90]] and Italian scout tank [[Centauro ROMOR]], they are much faster.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


Main article: [[Starstreak HVM]]

Stormer HVM is using surface-to-air [[Starstreak HVM]] missiles and their unique properties make it hard to use them for anything else. There are 8 of them mounted on the turret and there are 8 more spares in the back of the tank.

When first launched, the carrier missile drags the actual missiles away from Stormer at a speed of about 800 m/s and unleashes them at about ~580 m range. Until that point, the missile can be used as a weak form of HE ATGM and if it hits enemy light tank or SPG weak spot or suspension wheel it can do catastrophic damage.

Carrier missile does shrapnel-like damage and it will deteriorate after hitting '''any''' obstacles, so it is necessary for explosion to hit the target directly, almost like with HESH. The explosion range also seems to be halved compared to HE. '''Anything''', including simplest forms of side skirts will block SAM from destroying enemy tank. Most of BR 9-10 medium tanks have not just side skirts but either ERA or NERA screens all over them and will not take any damage from single missile and hitting those randomly is going to only damage machine guns and the screens.

The only weak spots on medium tanks that always seem to work are: a bottom of the tank, suspension wheels on the bottom of the chassis, sometimes the engine decks. Since many tanks have side skirts, it is best to just aim at inner sides of the tracks (fire under the tank itself to hit the track from below it), as this allows explosion not just to explode next to their weakspot, but also to bypass the tracks, which would otherwise reduce damage taken. Luckily, at 400-550 m range you can use your X40 optics to aim even at the smallest dents on hostile tanks, so all the operator needs to do is to forget about luck and focus on attacking the chassis wheels until it gives in.

To destroy an unprotected medium tank, like [[KPz-70]] in downtier, simply firing at suspension wheel is enough. Be aware, that the very first and the very last suspension wheels will absorb the missile, so only the wheels that touch the ground count. Sometimes in full downtier there are still tanks with exposed non-sealed optics, which can be expoited to destroy the tank, but they are too hard to hit in time.

Overall, firing multiple missiles into medium tank weak spots might take too much time and attracts their attention, resulting in inevitable Stormer HVM destruction. For this reason, fighting medium tanks of proper BR shouldn't be your priority even with this knowledge.

At short ranges other SPAA, SPG and light tanks are fair game and you should try to destroy them via hull break if they try to attack Stormer HVM, as simply running away from them is rather difficult.

After ~580 m, three missiles disassemble from carrier missile and start increasing their speed to the extreme. To not lose control over their movement due to speed, they constantly spiral. Each one of them can be approximately counted as 105 mm HE with reduced shrapnel amount.

They have minimal penetration and, mostly due to their spiraling nature, aiming them at ground forces is practically pointless, unless you try to disintegrate tanks which have little to no armour, like [[Object 685]] - in the case of such tanks, if you somehow hit their weak spot, they still can hull break even from smaller missiles.

Against medium tanks, they may achieve a penetration '''only''' at a completely flat angle side shot. If tank is angled more than 5-7 degrees it's not worth risking your SPAA. One missile will be likely absorbed by ERA screen, and many more may miss due to missile spinning nature, but a volley aimed like this might actually penetrate tanks like [[T-64B]], as long as the target does not move.

To helicopters, the missiles usually are fatal, as they are almost bound to get hit by at least one of Starstreaks, and explosion either tears off the tail or knocks out the pilot. However, even in the case of this missile, there are cases when Support helicopters somehow survived a direct hit, so you might want to launch another one if you aren't sure that they are done for.

To use the missiles properly, you need to lock on to an aerial target. The IRST system cannot tell you where the targets really are, just the direction they're in. Instead of wasting time while looking for them manually, simply lock onto any target on your "radar" display via hotkeys like with [[Chieftain Marksman]] and turret will near instantaneously turn towards them by itself.

[[File:Stormer HMV passive system lock on.jpg|none|thumb|500x400px|Make sure there aren't any trees around or the lock will become unstable.]]

As could be seen on the screenshot above, in full IRST mode sniper crosshair tries to imitate the drag of missile as it tracks the aircraft, and by keeping sniper crosshairs on plane or helicopter you can guide your missiles towards an aircraft. Keeping '''an actual missile''' on target is more important, however, as system accuracy is generally far from stellar and it shouldn't be trusted too much.

{{Notice| "Targeting" and "leadership" on your crew should be maxed out. This SPAA cannot track targets properly without it and should not be used by a level 1 crew. You have been warned.|!}}

Do note, that a plane approaching at a sharp angle will mess with turret automatic guidance, due to it passing by too fast.

[[File:Stormer HVM hit with weird lock-on data.jpg|none|thumb|500x400px]]

Stormer HVM has huge gaps in optics: 10-40X optics, which can be manually adjusted during AA duty, simply hitting "maximum zoom" will probably result in a miss at some angles of attack.

Since it is extremely inconvenient to toggle zoom level every time, one can remain in sniper seat and use radar display to lock-on to targets around. To toggle between targets on radar display use button "Select radar target to lock on" (default ALT+T) and then press "lock on" to lock onto it without looking for it manually or going out of sniper seat and messing up with your preferred zoom level. This also makes the inability to tell the range towards enemy aircraft more tolerable.

===Optics and night vision===


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic
! rowspan="3" |Magnification
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]
|-
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! rowspan="2" |Notes
|-
! {{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! {{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}
! {{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}
|-
! Gunner's Sight
| X10 - X40 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 500X300 || Only useable with tier 3 upgrade
|-
! Commander's View
| X6 || 1600X1200 || ? || High || Not fitted || Only useable with tier 3 upgrade
|-
! Driver's View
| X1 / 3PV || 800X600 || ? || High || Not fitted || Only useable with tier 3 upgrade
|-
|}

*Zoom specified in X-ray. Strongest optics in the game so far.

Optics are pivotal for this tank's gameplay. Current zoom level affects the tracking quality of the turret. The player's role in this is to find optimal zoom levels for tracking the current target and to check if the sensor system is keeping the missile on target properly. If it does not, just correct missiles yourself.

In case of the enemy plane escaping your system's grasp, you still can hit the "maximum zoom" button and try to chase it with missiles manually.

Due to half-manual aim of the tank, unlocking Night Vision Devices is a priority - If you cannot see your target during the night, it will be '''extremely''' hard for you to compensate for system errors.

In case of <600 m tank duels, maximum zoom can be exploited to aim missile straight into the enemy tank weak spot. Do not shake the scope after the missile launch, or it will miss.

===Sensor System===

Stormer HMV uses special infrared search devices to detect targets. While they have a significantly shorter range than radar and cannot tell the range towards target until specifically locked onto it, they can tell which targets are friendly and do not target them, or at least specifically mark them as "friendly". They also scan Stormer HVM surroundings approximately 3 times a second even when locked on, which makes bypassing it next to impossible.

Infrared detectors are invisible to "radar detectors" and will not alert helicopters or sonic jets of your presence or lock-on. There is no benefit in powering it down as of now.

Trees can completely block IRST system - if you cannot see your opponent yourself through thick forest, neither will the system.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | Thales ADAD - Passive Infared Search
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| ~7,000? m || N/A || 360° || ??? || N/A
|-
! colspan="5" | Thales ADAD - Passive Infared Track
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum target speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| ~6,000? m || N/A || 360° || ??? || N/A
|-
|}

==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).''

It is best to hide from sight of others when using this SPAA - move around battlefield and use terrain and caves as a hiding spot for yourself. Exploit mobility upgrades to stand on mountain edges, if necessary.

Avoid participating in direct combat with medium tanks at any cost, as you definitely will not help in winning the fight directly and they might use the gigantic ammo rack as a way to destroy your allies. The only logical exception is if you are supporting allied ATGM tank by removing hostile tank ERA and turning their attention towards you, then immediately retreat. Any attempts to do sneaky shots on medium tanks should only be done if you are sure it's worth it.

In case if you managed to spot hostile SAM, you can try to remove them by igniting their missiles to help your team achieve air superiority, however, remember that you cannot fire on move, so if they will notice you and have actual guns, the tables will turn immediately.

Using forests as cover is less reliable than just using terrain, as IRST will likely fail to detect your opponents through trees, unlike radar which only get its signal halved in power.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
|
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
|
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Smoke grenade
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| Artillery Support
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===


'''Pros:'''

* Invisible to anti-radar (helicopters)
* Unique anti-air missiles - triple missile with one of the highest speeds in-game
* Missile acts as a form of HE ATGM at up to about 600 m range, can be used as a last resort to attack enemy light tanks, medium tank weak spots and chassis, or to create a huge dust cloud in RB
* Good speed of chassis
* X10-40 optics allow it to track enemy until the very end

'''Cons:'''

* High profile of ammo rack, which is also a weak spot, which can be ignited even by 7.62 MG
* On top of high profile, ammo racks visually remind players of [[ADATS]] and will likely make ground forces drop everything and immediately attack it - stealth approach is required at all times
* Hull defences are inadequate against tanks and aircraft with weapons bigger than 20 mm autocannon, even if your ammo rack happened to be empty
* Lock-on does not provide a 100% accurate targeting solution
* Lock-on can become unstable around trees and breaks if visual contact is lost
* Turret and the optical system sometimes fail to track planes properly, relying on the crew and operator skills to compensate, especially noticeable when the inappropriate zoom level is used
* Due to a huge gap in optics zoom levels, the operator is often required to manually adjust scope, instead of just hitting "maximum zoom" button, and to lock on different aircrafts without leaving the sniper seat
* After dispersing, triple missiles constantly spiral, making precise long-range aiming at ground forces pointless, not to mention that most tanks in its natural BR range are immune to triple missile attack unless hit at a perfectly flat angle and they can only hull break light tanks or other SPAA when hit them in a weak spot

== History ==

In the mid-1980’s it became clear that supersonic aircraft and strike helicopters proved to be dangerous against ground troops. To counter these threats back in 1986, the British Ministry of Defence began development of the “Starstreak HVM” (High-Velocity Missile) anti-aircraft missile system. The production was done by the Shorts Missile Systems company. On the 1st of September in 1997, the famous Starstreak anti-aircraft missile system had been put into service by the British Army. Initially, it was developed in 3 different variants: portable, stationary and mobile, although later they additionally developed an air version but it didn’t find a practical application.

The armoured personnel carrier Stormer was created by using the propulsion system, the transmission and chassis of the light scouting FV101 Scorpion tank for the mobile version of the system. In 1975 on the base of this armoured personnel carrier, the self-propelled anti-tank missile system FV102 Striker was created. Since the vehicle proved itself well, it was decided to additionally create the self-propelled anti-aircraft system Alvis Stormer HVM on its platform.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6208-development-alvis-stormer-hvm-control-of-the-skies-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== 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/6208-development-alvis-stormer-hvm-control-of-the-skies-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Alvis Stormer HVM: Control of the skies!]]

{{Britain anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Stormer HVM

2020-02-21T06:31:59Z

U27946537: /* Mobility */ added upgraded engine HP

{{Specs-Card|code=uk_stormer_hvm}}

== Description ==


[[File:GarageImage Stormer HVM.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


This tank uses the chassis of Scorpion, which you might be familiar with since [[Striker]]. As before, it can only take punishment from the front and it's best to avoid anything more serious than autocannon armed light tanks or [[KPz-70]], since most 9.0+ tanks have at least 100 mm gun along with their coaxial weapons. It is easy to "hull break" the hull by hitting it with 105 mm chemicals, artillery direct hits and 120 mm kinetic shells.

The launcher on the back was replaced with a turret carrying Starstreak HVM and search optics. The usually small camera next to commander cupola now has heavy optics and is much bigger as a result. The turret is much higher than the old launcher and is very hard to hide.

The missiles do not have any protection this time around and you should avoid being bombed and shot by artillery '''at any cost'''. Even a 7.62 mm machine gun can ignite missiles on a good hit. Even close artillery or HE miss might set off Starstreaks and cause your entire rack to explode, annihilating your carrier and probably taking your allies nearby with you in process.

As such, you should avoid fighting anything directly, if possible. To ensure not a single aircraft knows about your presence, an IRST system is used instead of radar - not even best helicopters around can detect you. In arcade mode, they can still see the Stormer, but you can be assured that optronic system will allow you to destroy them before they have even a chance to aim at it.

=== Mobility ===


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristics
! colspan="2" | Engine power (horsepower)
! colspan="2" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! {{Annotation|Max Speed|Maximum Speed (km/h)}}
! {{Annotation|Weight|Vehicle Weight (tons)}}
! {{Annotation|AoA Weight|Add on Armour Weight (tons)}}
! Stock
! Upgraded
! Stock
! Upgraded
|-
! Arcade
| 87 || rowspan="2" | 13.5 || rowspan="2" | N/A || 355 || ____ || 26.30 || __.__
|-
! {{Annotation|Realistic|Simulator uses Realistic FMs}}
| 80 || 221 || 235 || 16.37 || 17.41
|}

As with [[Striker]], the tank is capable of driving both forward and backwards relatively fast even with no upgrades. The ability to drive forward and turn around at same time still relies on driver being maxed out, so your crew must be very high level.

The more you upgrade the chassis and engine, the more obscure position you can climb and take over in order to avoid being spotted and destroyed by other tanks.

Do not race against Japanese [[Type 90]] and Italian scout tank [[Centauro ROMOR]], they are much faster.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


Main article: [[Starstreak HVM]]

Stormer HVM is using surface-to-air [[Starstreak HVM]] missiles and their unique properties make it hard to use them for anything else. There are 8 of them mounted on the turret and there are 8 more spares in the back of the tank.

When first launched, the carrier missile drags the actual missiles away from Stormer at a speed of about 800 m/s and unleashes them at about ~580 m range. Until that point, the missile can be used as a weak form of HE ATGM and if it hits enemy light tank or SPG weak spot or suspension wheel it can do catastrophic damage.

Carrier missile does shrapnel-like damage and it will deteriorate after hitting '''any''' obstacles, so it is necessary for explosion to hit the target directly, almost like with HESH. The explosion range also seems to be halved compared to HE. '''Anything''', including simplest forms of side skirts will block SAM from destroying enemy tank. Most of BR 9-10 medium tanks have not just side skirts but either ERA or NERA screens all over them and will not take any damage from single missile and hitting those randomly is going to only damage machine guns and the screens.

The only weak spots on medium tanks that always seem to work are: a bottom of the tank, suspension wheels on the bottom of the chassis, sometimes the engine decks. Since many tanks have side skirts, it is best to just aim at inner sides of the tracks (fire under the tank itself to hit the track from below it), as this allows explosion not just to explode next to their weakspot, but also to bypass the tracks, which would otherwise reduce damage taken. Luckily, at 400-550 m range you can use your X40 optics to aim even at the smallest dents on hostile tanks, so all the operator needs to do is to forget about luck and focus on attacking the chassis wheels until it gives in.

To destroy an unprotected medium tank, like [[KPz-70]] in downtier, simply firing at suspension wheel is enough. Be aware, that the very first and the very last suspension wheels will absorb the missile, so only the wheels that touch the ground count. Sometimes in full downtier there are still tanks with exposed non-sealed optics, which can be expoited to destroy the tank, but they are too hard to hit in time.

Overall, firing multiple missiles into medium tank weak spots might take too much time and attracts their attention, resulting in inevitable Stormer HVM destruction. For this reason, fighting medium tanks of proper BR shouldn't be your priority even with this knowledge.

At short ranges other SPAA, SPG and light tanks are fair game and you should try to destroy them via hull break if they try to attack Stormer HVM, as simply running away from them is rather difficult.

After ~580 m, three missiles disassemble from carrier missile and start increasing their speed to the extreme. To not lose control over their movement due to speed, they constantly spiral. Each one of them can be approximately counted as 105 mm HE with reduced shrapnel amount.

They have minimal penetration and, mostly due to their spiraling nature, aiming them at ground forces is practically pointless, unless you try to disintegrate tanks which have little to no armour, like [[Object 685]] - in the case of such tanks, if you somehow hit their weak spot, they still can hull break even from smaller missiles.

Against medium tanks, they may achieve a penetration '''only''' at a completely flat angle side shot. If tank is angled more than 5-7 degrees it's not worth risking your SPAA. One missile will be likely absorbed by ERA screen, and many more may miss due to missile spinning nature, but a volley aimed like this might actually penetrate tanks like [[T-64B]], as long as the target does not move.

To helicopters, the missiles usually are fatal, as they are almost bound to get hit by at least one of Starstreaks, and explosion either tears off the tail or knocks out the pilot. However, even in the case of this missile, there are cases when Support helicopters somehow survived a direct hit, so you might want to launch another one if you aren't sure that they are done for.

To use the missiles properly, you need to lock on to an aerial target. The IRST system cannot tell you where the targets really are, just the direction they're in. Instead of wasting time while looking for them manually, simply lock onto any target on your "radar" display via hotkeys like with [[Chieftain Marksman]] and turret will near instantaneously turn towards them by itself.

[[File:Stormer HMV passive system lock on.jpg|none|thumb|500x400px|Make sure there aren't any trees around or the lock will become unstable.]]

As could be seen on the screenshot above, in full IRST mode sniper crosshair tries to imitate the drag of missile as it tracks the aircraft, and by keeping sniper crosshairs on plane or helicopter you can guide your missiles towards an aircraft. Keeping '''an actual missile''' on target is more important, however, as system accuracy is generally far from stellar and it shouldn't be trusted too much.

{{Notice| "Targeting" and "leadership" on your crew should be maxed out. This SPAA cannot track targets properly without it and should not be used by a level 1 crew. You have been warned.|!}}

Do note, that a plane approaching at a sharp angle will mess with turret automatic guidance, due to it passing by too fast.

[[File:Stormer HVM hit with weird lock-on data.jpg|none|thumb|500x400px]]

Stormer HVM has huge gaps in optics: 10-40X optics, which can be manually adjusted during AA duty, simply hitting "maximum zoom" will probably result in a miss at some angles of attack.

Since it is extremely inconvenient to toggle zoom level every time, one can remain in sniper seat and use radar display to lock-on to targets around. To toggle between targets on radar display use button "Select radar target to lock on" (default ALT+T) and then press "lock on" to lock onto it without looking for it manually or going out of sniper seat and messing up with your preferred zoom level. This also makes the inability to tell the range towards enemy aircraft more tolerable.

===Optics and night vision===


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic
! rowspan="3" |Magnification
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]
|-
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! rowspan="2" |Notes
|-
! {{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! {{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}
! {{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}
|-
! Gunner's Sight
| X10 - X40 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 500X300 || Only useable with tier 3 upgrade
|-
! Commander's View
| X6 || 1600X1200 || ? || High || Not fitted || Only useable with tier 3 upgrade
|-
! Driver's View
| X1 / 3PV || 800X600 || ? || High || Not fitted || Only useable with tier 3 upgrade
|-
|}

*Zoom specified in X-ray. Strongest optics in the game so far.

Optics are pivotal for this tank's gameplay. Current zoom level affects the tracking quality of the turret. The player's role in this is to find optimal zoom levels for tracking the current target and to check if the sensor system is keeping the missile on target properly. If it does not, just correct missiles yourself.

In case of the enemy plane escaping your system's grasp, you still can hit the "maximum zoom" button and try to chase it with missiles manually.

Due to half-manual aim of the tank, unlocking Night Vision Devices is a priority - If you cannot see your target during the night, it will be '''extremely''' hard for you to compensate for system errors.

In case of <600 m tank duels, maximum zoom can be exploited to aim missile straight into the enemy tank weak spot. Do not shake the scope after the missile launch, or it will miss.

===Sensor System===

Stormer HMV uses special infrared search devices to detect targets. While they have a significantly shorter range than radar and cannot tell the range towards target until specifically locked onto it, they can tell which targets are friendly and do not target them, or at least specifically mark them as "friendly". They also scan Stormer HVM surroundings approximately 3 times a second even when locked on, which makes bypassing it next to impossible.

Infrared detectors are invisible to "radar detectors" and will not alert helicopters or sonic jets of your presence or lock-on. There is no benefit in powering it down as of now.

Trees can completely block IRST system - if you cannot see your opponent yourself through thick forest, neither will the system.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | Thales ADAD - Passive Infared Search
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| ~7,000? m || N/A || 360° || ??? || N/A
|-
! colspan="5" | Thales ADAD - Passive Infared Track
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum target speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| ~6,000? m || N/A || 360° || ??? || N/A
|-
|}

==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).''

It is best to hide from sight of others when using this SPAA - move around battlefield and use terrain and caves as a hiding spot for yourself. Exploit mobility upgrades to stand on mountain edges, if necessary.

Avoid participating in direct combat with medium tanks at any cost, as you definitely will not help in winning the fight directly and they might use the gigantic ammo rack as a way to destroy your allies. The only logical exception is if you are supporting allied ATGM tank by removing hostile tank ERA and turning their attention towards you, then immediately retreat. Any attempts to do sneaky shots on medium tanks should only be done if you are sure it's worth it.

In case if you managed to spot hostile SAM, you can try to remove them by igniting their missiles to help your team achieve air superiority, however, remember that you cannot fire on move, so if they will notice you and have actual guns, the tables will turn immediately.

Using forests as cover is less reliable than just using terrain, as IRST will likely fail to detect your opponents through trees, unlike radar which only get its signal halved in power.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
|
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
|
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Smoke grenade
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| Artillery Support
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===


'''Pros:'''

* Invisible to anti-radar (helicopters)
* Unique anti-air missiles - triple missile with one of the highest speeds in-game
* Missile acts as a form of HE ATGM at up to about 600 m range, can be used as a last resort to attack enemy light tanks, medium tank weak spots and chassis, or to create a huge dust cloud in RB
* Good speed of chassis
* X10-40 optics allow it to track enemy until the very end

'''Cons:'''

* High profile of ammo rack, which is also a weak spot, which can be ignited even by 7.62 MG
* On top of high profile, ammo racks visually remind players of [[ADATS]] and will likely make ground forces drop everything and immediately attack it - stealth approach is required at all times
* Hull defences are inadequate against tanks and aircraft with weapons bigger than 20 mm autocannon, even if your ammo rack happened to be empty
* Lock-on does not provide a 100% accurate targeting solution
* Lock-on can become unstable around trees and breaks if visual contact is lost
* Turret and the optical system sometimes fail to track planes properly, relying on the crew and operator skills to compensate, especially noticeable when the inappropriate zoom level is used
* Due to a huge gap in optics zoom levels, the operator is often required to manually adjust scope, instead of just hitting "maximum zoom" button, and to lock on different aircrafts without leaving the sniper seat
* After dispersing, triple missiles constantly spiral, making precise long-range aiming at ground forces pointless, not to mention that most tanks in its natural BR range are immune to triple missile attack unless hit at a perfectly flat angle and they can only hull break light tanks or other SPAA when hit them in a weak spot

== History ==

In the mid-1980’s it became clear that supersonic aircraft and strike helicopters proved to be dangerous against ground troops. To counter these threats back in 1986, the British Ministry of Defence began development of the “Starstreak HVM” (High-Velocity Missile) anti-aircraft missile system. The production was done by the Shorts Missile Systems company. On the 1st of September in 1997, the famous Starstreak anti-aircraft missile system had been put into service by the British Army. Initially, it was developed in 3 different variants: portable, stationary and mobile, although later they additionally developed an air version but it didn’t find a practical application.

The armoured personnel carrier Stormer was created by using the propulsion system, the transmission and chassis of the light scouting FV101 Scorpion tank for the mobile version of the system. In 1975 on the base of this armoured personnel carrier, the self-propelled anti-tank missile system FV102 Striker was created. Since the vehicle proved itself well, it was decided to additionally create the self-propelled anti-aircraft system Alvis Stormer HVM on its platform.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6208-development-alvis-stormer-hvm-control-of-the-skies-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== 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/6208-development-alvis-stormer-hvm-control-of-the-skies-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Alvis Stormer HVM: Control of the skies!]]

{{Britain anti-aircraft vehicles}}