M2 - Revision history

U28580205: /* Description */ Updated description format

2024-01-22T04:00:20Z

‎Description: Updated description format

U144414993: Added external link.

2023-03-06T06:34:06Z

Added external link.

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-02-08T17:31:13Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U44629479: /* Ammo racks */ Updated section

2023-01-18T11:49:55Z

‎Ammo racks: Updated section

U44629479: /* Media */ Removed dead video

2023-01-10T11:30:21Z

‎Media: Removed dead video

U38088265: /* In-game description */ Reformatted

2022-10-24T21:47:17Z

‎In-game description: Reformatted

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Updated

2022-09-18T10:40:32Z

‎Ammunition: Updated

Show changes

U44629479: Added ArtImage

2022-01-20T16:43:41Z

Added ArtImage

U44629479: Undo revision 102879 by U17514706 (talk)

2021-05-13T21:39:56Z

Undo revision 102879 by U17514706 (talk)

U17514706: /* Pros and cons */

2021-05-13T21:29:14Z

‎Pros and cons

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 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].
+On May 19, 1936, the Armaments Committee launched the Medium Tank T5 program aiming to create a medium tank for the U.S. Army. Based on the existing [[M2A4|M2 light tanks]] and its components, the tank was quickly developed and put into service by 1938 as the Medium Tank, '''M2'''. One unique characteristic of the M2 medium is the four machine gun sponsons around the hull, created due to the US Army's infantry inter-war belief in the machine gun being the main weapon to support an assault, with the 37 mm gun only meant to support the tank when facing other tanks. This extends to the point that metal flaps were installed on the rear for the purpose that the rear sponson gunners can shoot the machine gun rounds to "ricochet" the bullets downwards onto trenches as the M2 Medium crosses over them. However, the M2 medium did not see any combat as its design was becoming obsolete in the face of newer tank design. That said, the M2 medium helped lay the foundation to the future M3 and M4 medium tanks
-The M2 medium tank, as the first medium tank of the American line-up, has some features that would become staple of the American ground forces that would be great to be familiarized with. The first of which is sloping front armour which, despite the base thickness of only 28.5 mm, gives the total frontal effective armour of 40 mm. The second is the handling and mobility, which are quite comparable to its successors with its weight distribution and speed. As such, driving experience with the M2 would greatly benefit in later games once past Rank I.
+Introduced alongside the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M2 medium tank is the very first medium tank that players can experience in the US tech tree. The 37 mm gun in the turret atop as enough power to punch through enemy light tanks, and the relatively large tank size means that a single penetrating shot is unlikely to completely knock the tank out in one shot. The tank has relatively mediocre armour and slow turret rotation speed, hindering quick target acquisition. Despite these drawbacks, the M2 is quite versatile and can perform well both in offensive and defensive roles.
-The M2 Medium has the most machine guns on a tank in the game. There are nine visible machine guns, two on the turret, four in the hull sponsons, two fixed in the front hull, and the coaxial machine gun. The reason for the M2 Medium's many machine guns is due to the US Army's infantry inter-war belief in the machine gun being the main weapon to support an assault, with the 37 mm gun only meant to support the tank when facing other tanks. The priority in the machine gun can be seen with the metal flaps on the rear, which would show in-game in the armour viewer as 5 mm RHA plates. These plates were meant for the rear sponson gunners to shoot the machine gun rounds to "ricochet" the bullets downwards onto trenches as the M2 Medium crosses over them. While it isn't possible to do this in the game, it is a good indication on how important the machine guns were in the M2 Medium's design.
+{{Notice
 == General info ==

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 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m2_medium Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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 ;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 * [[M3 Medium (Family)]]
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 * [[wikipedia:M2_medium_tank|[Wikipedia] M2 medium tank]]
 * [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m2_medium_tank.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium Tanks M2, M2A1 and T5]
 {{TankManufacturer Rock Island Arsenal}}
 {{USA medium tanks}}

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 ==== Ammunition ====
-{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+{{:M3 (37 mm)/Ammunition|M74 shot, M51B1}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

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 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
-<!-- '''Last updated: 2.3.0.83''' -->
+<!-- '''Last updated: 2.23.0.67''' -->
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 |-
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 ! Visual<br>discrepancy
 |-
-| '''200''' || 101&nbsp;''(+99)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+199)'' || No
+| '''200''' || 101&nbsp;''(+99)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+199)'' || Yes
 |-
 |}
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 * Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
 === Machine guns ===

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 ;Videos
-{{Youtube-gallery|txjlJt8Xyd0|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|mie8TAOk6-0|'''{{PAGENAME}} Medium, American, Tier-1 Medium Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''|tL-4WSHTb30|'''Tank Talk: M2-A1''' - ''Fort Benning''}}
+{{Youtube-gallery|mie8TAOk6-0|'''{{PAGENAME}} Medium, American, Tier-1 Medium Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''|tL-4WSHTb30|'''Tank Talk: M2-A1''' - ''Fort Benning''}}
 == See also ==

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 Despite its obsolete status by 1940 due to the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] tanks and the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer III]] tanks, it provided useful insight in the future of American medium tank designs. The M2 was one of the first American designs to incorporate sloping armour on the glacis effectively, and revealed to the American generals that an excessive amount of machine guns on tanks were useless in battle.
-=== In-game description ===
+{{break}}
 American builders moved away from combination wheel and track vehicles to develop a new tank they termed the T5. In an attempt to save time and money, while also standardizing construction, they pulled components and units from the prototype T2 light tank (the prototype for the mass-produced M1) in addition to its layout and some chassis elements. The Rock Island Arsenal headed up the design process for the T5, which began in 1936, though the first prototype was ready for trials at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in February 1938. The experience showed that the powertrain could not cope with combat weight exceeding 15 tons and that the tank's frontal bullet-proof armour needed an upgrade. A slanted armour plate soon appeared, protecting the crew from all bullet calibres and shells up to 37-40 mm at long distance.
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 The tank's primary drawbacks were weak armour, a riveted construction, a high profile, narrow tracks, and an under-powered engine.
 == Media ==

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 {{Specs-Card
 |code=us_m2_medium
-|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 }}
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 |}
-An anti-tank weapon greater than 37 mm can often find a way through the armor. One significant weak point on the frontal glacis would be the driver's hatch, as it is lightly sloped at about 15°. Not only that, but getting hit in this location would often lead to a knock-out of both the driver and commander in the center, which would incapacitate the M2's mobility and firepower.
+An anti-tank weapon greater than 37 mm can often find a way through the armour. One significant weak point on the frontal glacis would be the driver's hatch, as it is lightly sloped at about 15°. Not only that, but getting hit in this location would often lead to a knock-out of both the driver and commander in the centre, which would incapacitate the M2's mobility and firepower.
 Though the M2 Medium seem to be cramped for six crew members, they are actual quite spaced from each other so regular AP shots would have to precisely hit each mark in a line to knock them all out. However, if an adequate APHE round penetrates from the front or side, it could incapacitate the majority of the crew in one shot. A hit between the rear 2nd and 3rd bogie suspension at the hull sides as the ammunition is stored there and a shot in this region could either remove the majority of the ammunition or blow the tank up with a rack detonation.
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 |-
 |}
-Note:
+'''Note''':
 * Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
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 {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 <!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 {{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
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 Past that, the M2 can prove forgiving with its aforementioned sloped armour and large crew size of six. Though a penetrating shell could knock out a good number of the crew in the cramped interiors, it will prove unlikely to knock out every single crew member in one shot. As such, even if shot on the side, it is possible to react against the flanking enemy if the driver or commander is still alive to align the gun onto the offending target.
-In short, the M2 is a good jack-of-all-trades vehicle for the American tree line, a common trait as one moves on into the Rank II and Rank III vehicles
+In short, the M2 is a good jack-of-all-trades vehicle for the American tree line, a common trait as one moves on into the Rank II and Rank III vehicles.
 === Pros and cons ===
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 * All the ammo are packed into neat little boxes in the bottom of hull, a shot at suspension area could set one off
 * 7 machine guns is of questionable value against all but the lightest armoured vehicles
-* Very thin roof armour of 9.5 mm
+* Very thin roof armour
 * Past the front, the overall tank surface is poorly sloped and angled
-* Tall center of gravity, resulting in very unstable turns at high speeds and at risk of tipping
+* Tall centre of gravity, resulting in very unstable turns at high speeds and at risk of tipping
 * Thin overall armour, can be penetrated by majority of guns at its rank, including autocannons such as on the Panzer II
-* Side armor can be penetrated by heavy machine guns at close range
+* Side armour can be penetrated by heavy machine guns at close range
 == History ==
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 === In-game description ===
-American builders moved away from combination wheel and track vehicles to develop a new tank they termed the T5. In an attempt to save time and money, while also standardizing construction, they pulled components and units from the prototype T2 light tank (the prototype for the mass-produced M1) in addition to its layout and some chassis elements. The Rock Island Arsenal headed up the design process for the T5, which began in 1936, though the first prototype was ready for trials at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in February 1938. The experience showed that the powertrain could not cope with combat weight exceeding 15 tons and that the tank's frontal bullet-proof armor needed an upgrade. A slanted armor plate soon appeared, protecting the crew from all bullet calibers and shells up to 37-40 mm at long distances.
+American builders moved away from combination wheel and track vehicles to develop a new tank they termed the T5. In an attempt to save time and money, while also standardizing construction, they pulled components and units from the prototype T2 light tank (the prototype for the mass-produced M1) in addition to its layout and some chassis elements. The Rock Island Arsenal headed up the design process for the T5, which began in 1936, though the first prototype was ready for trials at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in February 1938. The experience showed that the powertrain could not cope with combat weight exceeding 15 tons and that the tank's frontal bullet-proof armour needed an upgrade. A slanted armour plate soon appeared, protecting the crew from all bullet calibres and shells up to 37-40 mm at long distance.
 Later the T5 Phase II modification and its alternative powertrain appeared, and in spring of 1939 the engine was replaced with the 350 hp radial Wright R973. Other upgrades included installing the frontal hull plates at a better angle and moving a pair of machine guns to the right-hand side. The new vehicle was termed the T5 Phase III.
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 The tank headed for full-scale production and was accepted by the American army under the designation M2. The first set of 15 units got under way in August 1939 at the Rock Island Arsenal, with 18 total units featuring that particular modification eventually built.
-The tank's primary drawbacks were weak armor, a riveted construction, a high profile, narrow tracks, and an under-powered engine.
+The tank's primary drawbacks were weak armour, a riveted construction, a high profile, narrow tracks, and an under-powered engine.
 == Media ==
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 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m2_medium Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 ;Videos
@@ Line 230: / Line 225: @@
 ;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 * [[M3 Medium (Family)]]
 == External links ==