Vickers Mk.7 - Revision history

U44629479: Edits

2024-05-14T17:13:59Z

Edits

U28580205 at 21:07, 23 March 2024

2024-03-23T21:07:14Z

U42773747: While i don't think i'm capable of rewriting this thing completely, i'll at least complete parts that i understand well.

2024-02-19T12:24:42Z

While i don't think i'm capable of rewriting this thing completely, i'll at least complete parts that i understand well.

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-01-22T18:36:19Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U9202753: New Specs-Card-Image added

2022-10-29T20:20:21Z

New Specs-Card-Image added

U38088265: /* Ammo racks */

2022-10-12T18:30:49Z

‎Ammo racks

U38088265: /* Ammo racks */

2022-10-12T17:16:13Z

‎Ammo racks

U44629479: /* Ammo racks */ Fixed formatting

2022-10-12T14:31:23Z

‎Ammo racks: Fixed formatting

U120664986: Removal of defunct second ammo rack image

2022-10-12T14:24:16Z

Removal of defunct second ammo rack image

U120664986: correcting spelling and mistyping

2022-10-12T14:15:48Z

correcting spelling and mistyping

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 Vickers' prototype got fitted with the L11 120 mm gun, the same gun as the contemporary Challenger 1. After these modifications, the Mark 7 went under trials in Egypt, September of the same year. In 1986, using some technologies of the defunct MBT-80 project,  the Mark 7 received even greater upgrades: 2nd generation thermal sights with increased resolution, improved stabilization systems for the main gun, reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures and a new telescopic laser sight. Effectively reworking on the IFCS (Improved Fire Control System) for the 120 mm L11A5 cannon. Equally formidable, the Leopard 2 chassis matched perfectly this gunnery refits; turning the Mark 7 in a very steady tank while firing on the move.
-Bittersweet experiences on the CAT 87 (Canadian Army Trophy) with the Army's Challengers 1 pitted against [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards 2/1]] and [[M1 Abrams]], made some interest on the Vickers Mk.7 project. Therefore, in October 1987, a comparison test on the Lulworth Gunnery Ranges was performed between a Challenger 1 and a Vickers Mark 7. CHIP (Challenger/Chieftain Improvement Programme) was looking for projects and new technologies to integrate into the serving Challengers 1. At the firing range, Challenger 1 hit seven out of the 8 targets in an engagement time of approximately 21.7 seconds. While the Vickers Mark 7 achieved successful hits to all 8 targets in only 12.5 seconds. This is likely due to old Chieftain's cannon and gunnery systems being fitted into the newer Challenger 1, with only slightly major gunnery improvements aside from TOGS - unlike the modernized Vickers Universal turret.
+Bittersweet experiences on the CAT 87 (Canadian Army Trophy) with the Army's Challengers 1 pitted against [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopards 1]] & [[Leopard 2 (Family)|2]] and [[M1 Abrams]], made some interest on the Vickers Mk.7 project. Therefore, in October 1987, a comparison test on the Lulworth Gunnery Ranges was performed between a Challenger 1 and a Vickers Mark 7. CHIP (Challenger/Chieftain Improvement Programme) was looking for projects and new technologies to integrate into the serving Challengers 1. At the firing range, Challenger 1 hit seven out of the 8 targets in an engagement time of approximately 21.7 seconds. While the Vickers Mark 7 achieved successful hits to all 8 targets in only 12.5 seconds. This is likely due to old Chieftain's cannon and gunnery systems being fitted into the newer Challenger 1, with only slightly major gunnery improvements aside from TOGS - unlike the modernized Vickers Universal turret.
-This universal turret also made possible not only the installation of an IFCS but the modification for different gun mounts such as the Royal Ordnance's L7 105mm gun. The turret was made in this universal configuration since it was hoped this would suit any potential exportation customers needs, or at least, grow in interest for the British Army. While the army did recount experience in the Vickers Mk 7 and the technologies improvement on gunnery and target requisitioning, in the end, they not procured any contract for it. All the technology research and tests made between the Challenger 1 and the Mk.7 instead lead Vickers and the MOD to develop what was to be known as; the [[Challenger 2]].
+This universal turret also made possible not only the installation of an IFCS but the modification for different gun mounts such as the Royal Ordnance's L7 105 mm gun. The turret was made in this universal configuration since it was hoped this would suit any potential exportation customers needs, or at least, grow in interest for the British Army. While the army did recount experience in the Vickers Mk 7 and the technologies improvement on gunnery and target requisitioning, in the end, they not procured any contract for it. All the technology research and tests made between the Challenger 1 and the Mk.7 instead lead Vickers and the MOD to develop what was to be known as; the [[Challenger 2]].
 Without the interest of the British Army, high productions costs, international political situations and the dependency on a German-made hull, the Vickers Mk.7 did not succeed on the exportation market. Any further research was then halted and the project cancelled, with a single prototype built.

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 <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 [[File:Vickers 7 surviving but crippled.jpg|thumb|right|In good position Vickers 7 is near immortal, but remember that enemy can simply break the tank instead. Call friends!]]
-Protection against chemical ammunition is also very high, although not perfect, turret and UFP being almost always capable to deflect even superior USSR HEAT-FS (only really reliably penetrable at the bottom portion) and completely blocking the rest.
+The tank has hardened RHA panels behind the front exterior and a lot of composite lists sandwiched between them. Even the gun mantlet has at least 250 mm RHA protection, UFP has at least 300 mm RHA and the turret has anywhere between 350 to 480 mm RHA against kinetic shells. While it isn't perfect, it will often deflect low quality APFSDS.
-Armour profile is not perfect, so it is possible to fire at the hull roof from tall tank or high ground (200 mm RHA overall, but no chemical shielding), the turret neck (exposed weakspot with only 6 RHA, vulnerable to any overpressure and autocannons), optics (weird black square on top-left when looking at the tank from the front, 50-90 RHA), or simply fire any heavy chemical shell/ATGM at the very top (windows have poor overpressure shielding and are likely to give in to any amount of damage, at best having 35 RHA). The turret back is also poorly protected, with only 20 mm RHA and side fake panels shielding it, allowing any sufficiently strong HE or autocannon shell to obliterate turret crew. Although the ammo rack is easy to hit, it consists of inert part of the shells (darts), so it won't do much damage, if any, to the crew itself when hit.
+Protection against chemical ammunition is also very high, although not perfect, turret and UFP being almost always capable to deflect even superior USSR HEAT-FS (only really reliably penetrable at the bottom portion) and completely blocking the rest.
 What makes {{PAGENAME}} really dangerous, is the ability to abuse high ground to become semi-indestructible. At 60 degrees, and especially at long range (above kilometer), the only places on the turret that are guaranteed to be penetrated by medium quality APFSDS like DM23 are the gun mantlet and the optics. It may even block weak ATGM at this point. Combined with high movement speed of this particular tank make it actually able to take a good position in time, unlike Challenger 1, making it a more worthy successor to the Chieftain 10, even if it's armour profile is less reliable.

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 {{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 62: / Line 72: @@
 {{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}
 === Modifications and economy ===
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 {{main|L11A5 (120 mm)}}
-The Mk.7 uses the same 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun as the [[Challenger Mk.3]]. Shell loadout is identical and works well for mid-Cold War era tanks such as the [[Type 90]], [[Leopard 2A4]], [[T-64B]]/[[T-72A]]/[[T-80B]], etc., but may struggle when fighting more modern vehicles such as the [[Leopard 2A5]], [[T-80U]], [[Leclerc]], etc.
+The Mk.7 uses the same 120 mm L11A5 rifled gun as the [[Challenger Mk.3]].
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
@@ Line 156: / Line 174: @@
 ''Sniper:''
-Thanks to the high velocity stock ammunition, the Vickers Mk.7 is able play as a sniper in long range maps. This, with the addition of the laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sights, makes the Vickers Mk.7 a fearful sniper as only certain tanks will be able to pierce your turret past 500 m. Be aware as, despite having a strong hull, always try to get in hulldown position in order to hide the frontal weakspots of your tank (lower frontal plate, turret ring). At longer ranges, enemies will take more time in order to hit and damage the Vickers Mk.7 if hulldown.
+Thanks to the high velocity stock ammunition, the Vickers Mk.7 is able play as a sniper in long range maps. This, with the addition of the laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sights, makes the Vickers Mk.7 a fearful sniper as only certain tanks will be able to pierce your turret past 500 m. Be aware and despite having a strong hull always try to get in hulldown position in order to hide the frontal weakspots of your tank (lower frontal plate, turret ring). At longer ranges, enemies will take even more time in order to hit and damage the Vickers Mk.7 when it is hulldown.
 ''Flanking:''
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 * Accurate main gun with HESH and smoke as support rounds
 * Excellent mobility in all directions, also effective off-road mobility
-* Respectable turret armour compared to some tanks at the battle rating; fearful when in downtier
+* Respectable turret armour compared to some tanks at the battle rating; extremely powerful on high ground; fearful when in downtier
 * Decent stock APFSDS shell (394 mm at 100 m at 0°)
 * Powerful gun optics (4.0x - 12.0x FOV: 18-6), gun depression, TOGS and laser range finder: excellent tank hunting capabilities
 * Two-piece ammunition is stored separately; reduced risk of detonation
 '''Cons:'''
-* Large and tall profile; difficult to conceal from tanks, aircraft or helicopters
+* Large and tall profile; difficult to conceal from tanks, aircraft or helicopters, no ESS to evade guided missiles
 * Difficulties when fighting sloped armour at long distances, chiefly Soviet [[T-72 (Family)]] or [[Leopard 2A6]]
-* Ammo rack behind the turret with no blowout panels
+* Even turret armour will not block modern APFSDS of the similar BR (like DM23 or DM33) unless angled, tanks that have shells with over 250 mm penetration at 60° like [[T-64B]] with 3BM42 and [[PTZ89]] with DYW1 will penetrate even at long range anyway
-* Armour protection nearly useless against high velocity FIN-shells (e.g., [[Leopard 2A4|DM13]], [[T-64B|3BM42]], [[PTZ89|DYW1]])
+* Weak spots in hull and turret: gun mantlet, turret back, driver position and armourless sides and weak LFP inherent from [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]
-* Weak spots in hull and turret: gun mantlet, driver position and armourless sides and weak LFP inherent from [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]
+** Poor insulation against overpressure damage, can even be overpressured from behind through the ammo rack on top of "normal" weak spots
 == History ==

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 ==== Ammunition ====
-{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+{{:L11A5 (120 mm)/Ammunition|Shot L23A1, Shell L31A7, L26, L34}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 {{Specs-Card
 |code=uk_vickers_mk7
-|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 }}

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 ! 4th<br>rack empty
 ! 5th<br>rack empty
 ! Visual<br>discrepancy
 |-
-| '''50''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 18&nbsp;''(+32)''<br>18&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+38)''<br>15&nbsp;''(+35)'' || 7&nbsp;''(+43)''<br>10&nbsp;''(+40)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+46)''<br>4&nbsp;''(+46)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+49)''<br>1&nbsp;''(+49)'' || No
+| '''50''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 18&nbsp;''(+32)''<br>48&nbsp;''(+2)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+38)''<br>18&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 7&nbsp;''(+43)''<br>15&nbsp;''(+35)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+46)''<br>10&nbsp;''(+40)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+49)''<br>4&nbsp;''(+46)'' || N/A<br>1&nbsp;''(+49)'' || No
 |-
 |}

@@ Line 145: / Line 145: @@
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
-[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
+[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 <!-- '''Last updated: 2.19.0.76''' -->
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
@@ Line 154: / Line 154: @@
 ! 2nd<br>rack empty
 ! 3rd<br>rack empty
 ! 4th<br>rack empty
 ! 5th<br>rack empty
 ! Visual<br>discrepancy
 |-
-| 3&nbsp;''(+47)'' <br> 3&nbsp;''(+47)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+49)'' <br> 1&nbsp;''(+49)'' || N/A <br> N/A || No
+| '''50''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 18&nbsp;''(+32)''<br>18&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+38)''<br>15&nbsp;''(+35)'' || 7&nbsp;''(+43)''<br>10&nbsp;''(+40)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+46)''<br>4&nbsp;''(+46)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+49)''<br>1&nbsp;''(+49)'' || No
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 170: / Line 164: @@
 '''Notes:'''
-* In the case of projectiles racks 4 and 5: the rack is shared but the outer half of the ammunition is used as the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load order.
+* In the case of projectile racks 4 and 5: the rack is shared but the outer half of the ammunition is used as the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load order.
 === Machine guns ===

@@ Line 167: / Line 167: @@
 * First stage ammo racks (ready racks) are denoted with *.
-* In the case of projectiles racks 4 and 5*. The rack is share but the outer half of the ammunition is used as a the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load.
+* In the case of projectiles racks 4 and 5*. The rack is shared but the outer half of the ammunition is used as the ready rack and the inner half is stored ammo and thus considered as rack 4 for the purposes of determining load order.
 === Machine guns ===