M6A2E1 - Revision history

U44629479: Added About template

2024-11-07T21:21:55Z

Added About template

U12017485: Swapped the link to direct to the family, rather than a single specific model

2024-11-07T14:53:51Z

Swapped the link to direct to the family, rather than a single specific model

U44982996 at 12:51, 15 September 2024

2024-09-15T12:51:15Z

U44982996 at 08:09, 1 September 2024

2024-09-01T08:09:26Z

U44982996 at 21:43, 31 August 2024

2024-08-31T21:43:55Z

U44982996: added the bit about engine block

2024-08-31T21:39:31Z

added the bit about engine block

U44982996 at 21:30, 31 August 2024

2024-08-31T21:30:06Z

U28580205 at 03:53, 29 August 2024

2024-08-29T03:53:39Z

U29083086: /* Usage in battles */ Slight changes to my prior edit.

2024-08-25T05:14:56Z

‎Usage in battles: Slight changes to my prior edit.

U29083086: I've added some more information about the survivability and notable enemies of the M6A2E1.

2024-08-25T05:06:15Z

I've added some more information about the survivability and notable enemies of the M6A2E1.

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:21, 7 November 2024
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		+	{{About
		+	\| about = American heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
		+	\| usage = other versions
		+	\| link = M6 Heavy (Family)
		+	}}
	{{Specs-Card		{{Specs-Card
	\|code=us_m6a2e1		\|code=us_m6a2e1

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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.'' -->
-America's primary heavy tank for the majority of World War II was the [[M6A1|Heavy Tank M6]] that saw production in 1942. However, the US Armored Force saw no need for a heavy tank and so the M6 heavy tank production was cancelled after 40 vehicles were produced. Despite that, Ordnance Department continued to envision new utilities for the heavy tank and developed an upgunned '''M6A2E1''' with a [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1 gun]] in anticipation of fighting fortifications in Europe. Planning to convert their existing heavy tanks with a new gun and uparmoured front hull for this role, it was ultimately rejected by General Eisenhower in August 1944 as impractical for the European theater. Only two M6A2E1s without the uparmoured front hull were constructed in order to test components for the [[T29]] heavy tank.
+America's primary heavy tank for the majority of World War II was the [[M6 Heavy (Family)|Heavy Tank M6]] that saw production in 1942. However, the US Armored Force saw no need for a heavy tank and so the M6 heavy tank production was cancelled after 40 vehicles were produced. Despite that, Ordnance Department continued to envision new utilities for the heavy tank and developed an upgunned '''M6A2E1''' with a [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1 gun]] in anticipation of fighting fortifications in Europe. Planning to convert their existing heavy tanks with a new gun and uparmoured front hull for this role, it was ultimately rejected by General Eisenhower in August 1944 as impractical for the European theater. Only two M6A2E1s without the uparmoured front hull were constructed in order to test components for the [[T29]] heavy tank.
 The '''{{Specs|name}}''' in War Thunder, a premium vehicle introduced during [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season III, "Strength athletics"]], presents itself in its full might with the 105 mm gun and a stronger front hull glacis. The profile of the tank is large, with the gun and turret being gigantic compared to the size of the hull. The 105 mm can handle the majority of the enemy the {{Specs|name}} will encounter, though this is balanced by the fact that the hull is very vulnerable.The only respectable armour plate of the M6A2E1 is the hull and turret front, but the former can be rather easily penetrated by other heavy tank armament except in very long ranges. The best armour on the {{Specs|name}} is the turret front, which pairs well with a hull-down gameplay and the turret's -10 degree gun depression for fighting the enemy. The main complication then for players is to find a suitable enough terrain that can hide the majority of the vulnerable hull while giving the turret the clearance needed to attack the enemy.

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 However, several weak spots are easy to penetrate. The angled hull cheeks of the frontal hull armour prevent effective angling and are so thinly armoured that even low tier tank destroyers can penetrate. The turret ring itself is a weak spot easy to target from any direction, most likely immobilizing the tank if the penetration is successful. The left upper front part of the turret, while small and thus difficult to target, is also a weak spot (thin and flat).
-Ironically, despite the addition of frontal armour, the M6A2E1 can absorb ''much'' more rounds by facing the rear towards the enemy rather than its front, not dissimilar to the Soviet [[IS-2]]. This is due to the huge and thick the engine and transmission act as a thick volumetric armour that would dissipate most rounds on impact. This is especially true when facing an enemy with HEAT shell, as the engine block will absorb all the fragments, leaving the crew unharmed. While your engine will be most likely disabled when hit and immobilizing the tank, the extra protection granted by this unorthodox tactic is often more than enough to bide the time for repair and counter-firing at the enemy. When combined with the electric drive that allows the M6A2E1 to be as fast in reverse as in forwards, one may chose to drive the tank in reverse at all times to exploit the extra protection given by the engine block.
+Ironically, despite the addition of frontal armour, the M6A2E1 can absorb ''much'' more rounds by facing the rear towards the enemy rather than its front, not dissimilar to the Soviet [[IS-2]]. This is due to the huge and thick engine and transmission act as a thick volumetric armour that would dissipate most rounds on impact. This is especially true when facing an enemy with HEAT shell, as the engine block will absorb all the fragments, leaving the crew unharmed. While your engine will be most likely disabled when hit and immobilizing the tank, the extra protection granted by this unorthodox tactic is often more than enough to bide the time for repair and counter-firing at the enemy. When combined with the electric drive that allows the M6A2E1 to be as fast in reverse as in forwards, one may chose to drive the tank in reverse at all times to exploit the extra protection given by the engine block.
 '''Armour type:'''

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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.'' -->
-America's primary heavy tank for the majority of World War II was the [[M6A1|Heavy Tank M6]] that saw production in 1942. However, the US Armored Force saw no need for a heavy tank and so the M6 heavy tank production was cancelled after 40 vehicles were produced.
+America's primary heavy tank for the majority of World War II was the [[M6A1|Heavy Tank M6]] that saw production in 1942. However, the US Armored Force saw no need for a heavy tank and so the M6 heavy tank production was cancelled after 40 vehicles were produced. Despite that, Ordnance Department continued to envision new utilities for the heavy tank and developed an upgunned '''M6A2E1''' with a [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1 gun]] in anticipation of fighting fortifications in Europe. Planning to convert their existing heavy tanks with a new gun and uparmoured front hull for this role, it was ultimately rejected by General Eisenhower in August 1944 as impractical for the European theater. Only two M6A2E1s without the uparmoured front hull were constructed in order to test components for the [[T29]] heavy tank.
-Despite that, Ordnance Department continued to envision new utilities for the heavy tank and developed an upgunned '''M6A2E1''' with a [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1 gun]] in anticipation of fighting fortifications in Europe. Planning to convert their existing heavy tanks with a new gun and uparmoured front hull for this role, it was ultimately rejected by General Eisenhower in August 1944 as impractical for the European theater. Only two M6A2E1s without the uparmoured front hull were constructed in order to test components for the [[T29]] heavy tank.
+The '''{{Specs|name}}''' in War Thunder, a premium vehicle introduced during [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season III, "Strength athletics"]], presents itself in its full might with the 105 mm gun and a stronger front hull glacis. The profile of the tank is large, with the gun and turret being gigantic compared to the size of the hull. The 105 mm can handle the majority of the enemy the {{Specs|name}} will encounter, though this is balanced by the fact that the hull is very vulnerable.The only respectable armour plate of the M6A2E1 is the hull and turret front, but the former can be rather easily penetrated by other heavy tank armament except in very long ranges. The best armour on the {{Specs|name}} is the turret front, which pairs well with a hull-down gameplay and the turret's -10 degree gun depression for fighting the enemy. The main complication then for players is to find a suitable enough terrain that can hide the majority of the vulnerable hull while giving the turret the clearance needed to attack the enemy.
 However, one may chose to forgo the "traditional" hull armour of the M6A2E1 entirely by using the huge engine block as a crude yet effective form of protection. This is because engine block is so large and thick that it can dissipate most rounds before it could harm the vulnerable crews. Because of this, the engine block be further exploited by driving the tank in reverse and facing your engine towards the enemy at all times, with a comparatively minor downside of increasing the chance of being immobilized.

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 One method of increasing your chance of surviving a penetrating round in the M6A2E1 is to only load 13 rounds of ammunition. This empties the hull of its ammunition stores, leaving the only possibility for an ammo rack in your extremely armored turret. In this configuration, a large margin of the tank's hull is empty space. However, it is important to note that 13 rounds may be a limiting factor to some strategies such as sniping far from a capture point. Another defensive possibility is provided by the transmission - the M6A2E1 can drive in reverse at 31/29 km/h (AB/RB), which means using the engine to soak up damage is a viable strategy.
-Some of the most dangerous enemies to the M6A2E1 are the Russian tanks equipped with 122 mm caliber weaponry and the German vehicles equipped with the 128 mm gun. Both of these guns will easily outmatch the overlapping front armor plates of your upper glacis and result in a penetration. On top of this, these guns will frequently crew wipe your tank due to the high HE filler of their APHE rounds. The German long 88 mm is also dangerous at close and medium ranges, but may bounce at longer ranges due to the smaller caliber and may not entirely knock out the crew of the M6A2E1. Any tank firing HEAT or HEAT-FS will have little difficulty penetrating the M6A2E1's hull or turret, but the large size and spaced crew of the tank allows for some level of survivability against rounds without explosive filler. The tank is very well-suited to handle fire from anti-aircraft and machine guns, and frequently takes little damage from high-caliber HE due to the overall armor profile being over 50mm over most of the tank.
+Some of the most dangerous enemies to the M6A2E1 are the Russian tanks equipped with 122 mm caliber weaponry and the German vehicles equipped with the 128 mm gun. Both of these guns will easily outmatch the overlapping front armor plates of your upper glacis and result in a penetration. On top of this, these guns will frequently crew wipe your tank due to the high HE filler of their APHE rounds. The German long 88 mm is also dangerous at close and medium ranges, but may bounce at longer ranges due to the smaller caliber and may not entirely knock out the crew of the M6A2E1. Any tank firing HEAT or HEAT-FS will have little difficulty penetrating the M6A2E1's hull or turret, but the large size and spaced crew of the tank allows for some level of survivability against rounds without explosive filler, especially when facing the rear towards the enemy. The tank is very well-suited to handle fire from anti-aircraft and machine guns, and frequently takes little damage from high-caliber HE due to the overall armor profile being over 50mm over most of the tank.
 === Pros and cons ===
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 * Powerful 105 mm gun with access to APCBC, both with and without explosive filler, and APCR shells
 * Extremely thick armour in some places
-* Huge engine block can absorb large amount of enemy rounds and protecting the crew
+* Huge engine block can absorb large amount of rounds, which can be exploited by facing the rear towards the enemy instead of the front
 * Has a reverse gearbox, can go same speed backwards as forwards
 * Good gun depression allows for hull down tactics

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 The M6A2E1 has overall a good armour: the round turret is extremely thick, stops most shells, with the exception of APDS and HEATFS projectiles.
 Taller than the M6A1, the M6A2E1 will be easily spotted and targeted by enemy players with its huge turret.
 The reinforced front hull armour can bounce a shot: the UFP lower section is surprisingly thick (thanks to the hull's shape) and can absorb the common 88 mm Tiger II shells when hit there, making hull down tactics even more effective. Being a large vehicle, a hit to the hull will usually mean only losing one crew member as the crew sits well spaced. The M6A2E1 has a thick turret rear that makes destroying this tank from behind a tough task, leaving the player a chance to respond to the attack. The engine and the transmission are all positioned in the back, absorbing shells from the rear and making frontal shots unable to immobilize the tank.
 However, several weak spots are easy to penetrate. The angled hull cheeks of the frontal hull armour prevent effective angling and are so thinly armoured that even low tier tank destroyers can penetrate. The turret ring itself is a weak spot easy to target from any direction, most likely immobilizing the tank if the penetration is successful. The left upper front part of the turret, while small and thus difficult to target, is also a weak spot (thin and flat).
 '''Armour type:'''
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 {{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,033|rbMinHp=708}}
 === Modifications and economy ===
 {{Specs-Economy}}
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 With this tank, one of the most suitable strategies is to snipe. You have two ammunition options, APCBC with extra penetration or APCBC with explosive filler, both being devastating (105 mm shells create a lot of spalling). Find a suitable spot, try to expose only the turret, and deal with enemies coming at you. Most enemies will hopelessly shoot at your mantlet, some players will exploit your weak spots on the turret or may have high penetration HEATFS or APDS (uptiers are very dangerous for this tank and should play much more defensively). Your reload time is considerably long, so staying behind cover is the best thing possible when reloading. Your reverse speed thankfully lets you get away from a lot of dangerous situations faster than other tanks. The quick reverse gear also allows for decently responsive corner peeking and ambushing, but it is essential to keep in mind that the lengthy T5E1 barrel and muzzle brake are an easy target if you aren't mindful of enemy sight lines.
-Despite having imperfect armour and notable weak spots, a lot of enemies in a downtier won't know how to penetrate with such a big target (only 4 weak spots presented, both hull cheeks, turret ring and turret upper front, with the trap shot being a matter of luck) and planes won't have an easy time damaging the M6A2E1 with their cannons. Use that to your advantage should it come to close quarters combat, aim the gun at them, facing your hull towards them, and whatever you do, don't stay still, wiggle your hull left and right to increase chances of ricochet to ensure survival. However, be careful not to angle yourself too much as the hull has beveled edges that aren't covered by the applique hull plate.
+Despite having imperfect armour and notable weak spots, a lot of enemies in a downtier won't know how to penetrate with such a big target (only 4 weak spots presented, both hull cheeks, turret ring and turret upper front, with the trap shot being a matter of luck) and planes won't have an easy time damaging the M6A2E1 with their cannons. Use that to your advantage should it come to close quarters combat, aim the gun at them, facing your rear hull towards them, and whatever you do, don't stay still, wiggle your hull left and right to increase chances of ricochet to ensure survival. However, be careful not to angle yourself too much as the hull has beveled edges that aren't covered by the applique hull plate.
 In downtiers your armour (even the hull) begins to shine, but so does the fact most enemies at that BR use way more explosive filler APCBC shells preventing angling of any sort, making you way tougher at distances beyond 500 m, where hitting your weak spots is way harder. In case you can't hide your hull, attempt to make it face straight at your enemy, most common guns won't be able to get through your hull, let alone your turret, don't push it though, only rely on your armour if there's no alternative, because despite distances, weak spots are still a thing, and so is the trap shot to your mantlet.
 It could be said that the M6A2E1's role is similar to that of its younger brother the [[M6A1]], with the exception that the turret is stronger, is slightly slower and, although with fewer guns, it has a really hard hitting one on the turret, it can take a few lucky hits and punish those who cross its path from long ranges.
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 * Powerful 105 mm gun with access to APCBC, both with and without explosive filler, and APCR shells
 * Extremely thick armour in some places
 * Has a reverse gearbox, can go same speed backwards as forwards
 * Good gun depression allows for hull down tactics

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 It could be said that the M6A2E1's role is similar to that of its younger brother the [[M6A1]], with the exception that the turret is stronger, is slightly slower and, although with fewer guns, it has a really hard hitting one on the turret, it can take a few lucky hits and punish those who cross its path from long ranges.
 === Pros and cons ===
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 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m6a2e1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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 ;Related development
 * [[T1E1]] / M6A2 - Heavy tank prototype that was the basis of the {{PAGENAME}}.
 * T1E3 / [[M6A1]] - Heavy tank production variant