Difference between revisions of "SPz BMP-1"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_bmp_1_ddr}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| other
 
| other
−
| usage-1 = the Russian version
+
| usage-1 = other versions
−
| link-1 = BMP-1
+
| link-1 = BMP-1 (Family)
 
| usage-2 = other uses
 
| usage-2 = other uses
 
| link-2 = BMP (Disambiguation)
 
| link-2 = BMP (Disambiguation)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=germ_bmp_1_ddr
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_SPz_BMP-1P.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== 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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
−
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
As part of the Cold War remilitarization, the growing East German National People's Army (NVA) began receiving BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) from both the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Throughout the Cold War, the NVA would receive a total of 1,133 BMP-1s for use in their motorized rifle regiments. Following the reunification of East and West Germany, the Bundeswehr integrated the BMP-1 into its ranks in 1991, upgrading and modifying them into the BMP-1A1 Ost variant to meet Bundeswehr standards. The BMP-1 was eventually retired from service by 1994 and either scrapped or sold to other countries.
−
{{Break}}
+
 
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]].
+
The German version of the '''{{Specs|name}}''' (''Schützenpanzer, BMP-1'') was introduced into War Thunder in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]]. As an import, the {{Specs|name}} is similar to the Soviet Union's [[BMP-1|version]] with fast mobility, an assortment of dangerous armament, but paper-thin armour. The armament of a 73 mm HEAT warhead and a missile, either the MCLOS [[9M14]] or SACLOS [[9M113_Konkurs|9M113]], means the BMP-1 has more than enough firepower to take care of any enemy it encounters if it gets the first shot off. The BMP's mobility should allow it to get into places the enemy wouldn't expect it to be early in a match, and frequent repositioning is crucial as any incoming shots, even by autocannons and heavy machine guns, have the potential to penetrate the BMP-1's armour even from the front.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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.-->
+
{{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.'' -->
  
−
The Spz BMP-1 has very little to speak of in the armour department. Minimal frontal and nearly non-existent side armour results in the vehicle being vulnerable to almost any incoming fire. As such, the vehicle's survivability stems entirely from its mobility and reasonably small profile. Where possible, utilise hills or other cover, only exposing as much of the vehicle as is necessary to engage an unaware target.
+
The SPz BMP-1 has very little to speak of in the armour department. Minimal frontal and nearly non-existent side armour results in the vehicle being vulnerable to almost any incoming fire. As such, the vehicle's survivability stems entirely from its mobility and reasonably small profile. Where possible, utilise hills or other cover, only exposing as much of the vehicle as is necessary to engage an unaware target.
  
 
Despite the lack of armour, however, the SPz BMP-1 will, on occasion, survive hits unexpectedly - the internals of the vehicle are largely non-critical and many rounds will over-penetrate.
 
Despite the lack of armour, however, the SPz BMP-1 will, on occasion, survive hits unexpectedly - the internals of the vehicle are largely non-critical and many rounds will over-penetrate.
 +
 +
'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
 +
<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
 +
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
−
!Armour
 
−
!Front (Slope angle)
 
−
!Sides
 
−
!Rear
 
−
!Roof
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Hull
+
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
−
|7-12 mm (80°) ''Front glacis'' <br>19 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis''
 
−
|16 mm (3-18°) ''Top'' <br>18 + 4 mm ''Bottom''
 
−
|16 mm (12°) ''Top'' <br>12 mm (48°) ''Bottom'' <br>12 mm (8-51°) ''Doors''
 
−
|6 mm <br>5 mm ''Engine exhausts''
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Turret
+
| Hull || 7-12 mm (80°) ''Front glacis'' <br>19 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 16 mm (3-18°) ''Top'' <br>18 + 4 mm ''Bottom'' || 16 mm (12°) ''Top'' <br>12 mm (48°) ''Bottom'' <br>12 mm (8-51°) ''Doors'' || 6 mm <br>5 mm ''Engine exhausts''
−
|23 mm (0-53°) ''Turret front'' <br>33 + 26 mm ''Gun mantlet''
 
−
|13-23 mm (24-37°)
 
−
|13 mm (23-26°)
 
−
|6 mm
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
!Armour
+
| Turret || 23 mm (0-53°) ''Turret front'' <br>33 + 26 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 13-23 mm (24-37°) || 13 mm (23-26°) || 6 mm
−
!Sides
 
−
!Roof
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Cupola
+
| Cupola || 7 mm || 7 mm || 7 mm || 7 mm
−
|7 mm
 
−
|7 mm
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}
−
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
+
 
−
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristics
+
=== Modifications and economy ===
−
! colspan="2" | Engine power (horsepower)
+
{{Specs-Economy}}
−
! colspan="2" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
+
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|2A28 (73 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The 2A28 main cannon, despite being the main armament will more often than not act more as secondary armament, at least once the BMP-1P upgrade is researched, due to the 9M113 ATGM proving significantly more controllable and effective at all engagement ranges. Despite this, the PG-9 HEAT round proves valuable in a pinch, with well-placed shots able to disable critical components on most vehicles the {{PAGENAME}} will face. Keep in mind that the {{PAGENAME}} does not feature any sort of stabilisation at all, and due to its light weight, the gun is near impossible to get on target at speed.
 +
 
 +
The main cannon's primary drawback is its mediocre ballistic performance, with the HEAT round travelling at only 665 m/s and the HE round travelling at an abysmal 290 m/s.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! {{Annotation|Max Speed|Maximum Speed (km/h)}}
+
! colspan="5" | [[2A28 (73 mm)|73 mm 2A28]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)  
−
! {{Annotation|Weight|Vehicle Weight (tons)}}
+
! Reloading rate (seconds) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate BMP-1P (seconds)
−
! {{Annotation|AoA Weight|Add on Armour Weight (tons)}}
 
−
! Stock
 
−
! Upgraded
 
−
! Stock
 
−
! Upgraded
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Arcade
+
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
−
| 72 || rowspan="2" | 13.0 || rowspan="2" | N/A || 465 || 572 || 35.77 || 44.00
+
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Autoloader
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+30° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.04 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.39 || 37.65
 +
| rowspan="2" | 6.00 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 11.90 || 14.00 || 17.00 || 18.80 || 20.00
 
|-
 
|-
−
! {{Annotation|Realistic|Simulator uses Realistic FMs}}
 
−
| 65 || 265 || 300 || 20.38 || 23.08
 
 
|}
 
|}
 +
The SPz BMP-1 will be manually loaded once the upgrade "BMP-1P" is unlocked.
  
−
== Armaments ==
+
==== Ammunition ====
−
=== Main armament ===
+
When stock, all available ammunition for the weapon are unlocked - HEAT and HE.
−
{{main|2A28 (73 mm)}}
+
 
 +
Between the two, HE should be avoided as it only has 11 mm of penetration and 290 m/sec muzzle velocity. While the HEAT round has only 670 m/sec velocity, with some training it can be shot at targets over 1 km reliably.
 +
 
 +
The HEAT round has 300 mm penetration and very good damage output, single-shot destruction can be achieved quite often when shooting center mass, although larger tanks might give you some headache as they sometimes survive multiple shots.
 +
 
 +
{{:2A28 (73 mm)/Ammunition|PG-9, OG-9}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_BMP-1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''40''' || 1 ''(+39)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
  
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
+
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
* The single ammunition rack consists of a shell barillet located around the turret basket.
  
 
=== Additional armament ===
 
=== Additional armament ===
−
{{main|9M14}}
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|9M14|9M113 Konkurs}}
 +
 
 +
'''9M14'''
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} comes with a rail-mounted manually guided ATGM as stock, initially aimed manually and with somewhat mediocre penetration and explosive mass values. While occasionally useful, generally the main gun is easier and more reliable to use. These missiles are first-generation, which means they cannot be aimed with the mouse pointer and are instead aimed with the WASD keys. However, the "BMP-1P" modification, when unlocked, will give the vehicle access to four more lethal 9M113 Konkurs missiles.
 +
 
 +
The 9M14 Malyutka ATGM steers very controllably. When fired, the 9M14 drops just slightly above your aim reticle and is not usable in the first 5 metres. After surpassing 5 metres, the ATGM will fly in a straight line without any oscillation or deviation. When using the hand aiming guidance of the ATGM, it is very accurate and flies with minimal error compared to the SACLOS (aim reticle guided) 9M113 Konkurs, that tends to be unpredictable and quite unstable in-flight. You can easily swap from target-to-target with the hand aiming guidance, as it remains steady and doesn't oscillate. If a target is too close to you, aim slightly below the point you wish to hit. The ATGM will align itself slightly above the aim reticle almost right away, allowing you to hit or eliminate the target at closer range.
 +
 
 +
'''9M113'''
 +
 
 +
Once the BMP-1P upgrade is researched, the rail-mounted 9M14 ATGM is replaced with a spindle-mounted 9M113 ATGM. This ATGM is significantly more powerful and easier to use due to its semi-automatic guiding system. Improved penetration values and significantly increased explosive mass will result in far more reliable destructive power. Keep in mind that the ATGM can only be fired when stopped or at extremely low speeds.
 +
 
 +
The 9M113 has 500 mm of penetration and do very good damage while having good speed. Only their manoeuvrability is a bit lacking, but you can quickly make a follow up shot with your cannon or use smoke if you want to retreat.
 +
 
 +
The 9M113 Konkurs ATGM steers rather unpredictably. When fired, the 9M113 drops below your aim reticle in the first 15 metres (due to being at low speed right after launch). After surpassing 15 metres, the ATGM will have accelerated enough to fly up and stabilize itself with your aim reticle. Due to this launch drop, it is suggested to aim slightly up when firing the ATGM: this will avoid having your ATGM hit the ground or any fences as sometimes that tends to happen. When the ATGM is flying, steer it gently and carefully. Instantly snapping to another target can cause it to oscillate from side-to-side and hit something on the way or miss the target entirely.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[9M14|9M14 ATGM]] / [[9M113 Konkurs|9M113 ATGM]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 4 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+10° || rowspan="2" | -15°/+37° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.04 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.39 || 37.65 || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 11.90 || 14.00 ||17.00 ||18.80 ||20.00
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Note''':
 +
 
 +
* The vertical and horizontal traverse depend on the turret position and are only relevant to the 9M113 ATGM.
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:9M14/Ammunition|9M14}}
 +
{{:9M113 Konkurs/Ammunition|9M113}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_BMP-1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''4''' || 3 ''(+1)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Note''':
  
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
* The missiles are listed from M1 to M4. M2 is the 1st rack. M3-M4 constitutes the 2nd rack.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}
 +
<!-- ''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|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
  
−
''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.''
+
The {{PAGENAME}} comes equipped with a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. This is only useful for clearing small obstacles or exposed crew in open-topped vehicles. The {{PAGENAME}} is only equipped with one PKT machine gun with an ammo reserve of 1,000 rounds.
 +
 
 +
It's not useful and cannot aim at air targets due to the coaxial mount. As such, it should only be used on vehicles with soft armour like trucks or at exposed crew members, or just annoy enemies with it. In RB and SB, it can be used to throw up dirt in front of an enemy vehicle in order to blind them temporary.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 2,000 (1,000) || 700 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== 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).''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The BMP-1 is quite distinctive due to its oddly-shaped hull. The vehicle is crewed by only three (no commander), but is very spacious, so shots from the side occasionally cause minimal or even no damage. The BMP-1 is equipped with a short-barreled 73 mm gun (an odd calibre) firing exclusively anti-tank grenades. The projectile drop is extreme, albeit not the worst in-game, and it can be used to great effect against many of the vehicles the BMP will face due to the consistent 300 mm of penetration at range. The standard PG-9 ammunition has an explosive mass of about 1.25 kg. The trade-off, in this case, is the low velocity and relatively poor slope characteristics (the penetration drops in half if more than 60 degrees of slope). Finally, as standard, the BMP-1 is equipped with the 9M14 ATGM, capable of penetrating 400 mm and carrying an explosive mass of 2.6 kg. It is WASD guided, and therefore somewhat tricky to use at first (and ''especially'' difficult to use in high packet-loss or high ping matches). An optional modification for the BMP-1 allows it to use turret-mounted smoke grenades as well as a next-generation missile, the mouse-guided 9M113. Not only is the missile nearly twice as fast as the 9M14, but it carries a notably larger explosive payload, and can penetrate up to 600 mm at 90 degrees at any range.
 +
 
 +
The BMP-1 can also research NVD, which can help during night battles to help with visibility. NVD is available in commander, gunner, driver and outside viewports. Once purchased, the NVD modification also allows the use of a Infrared Spotlight to help illuminate targets if they are hard to see. However, it is mounted to the commander's hatch on the hull; while this allows it to rotate as long as the commander is alive, it will be stuck in place if the commander is knocked out.
 +
 
 +
Due to its nearly non-existent armour, the BMP-1 shouldn't be played like anything with actual armour. It is best used in a support or ambush role, using cover to ambush opponents, then taking them out with the combination of the autocannon and ATGM. The BMP-1 is quite effective when played this way. When in close-quarters combat, it is important to note that the missile launcher has slightly faster traverse than the turret. This can save it from being killed from the flanks. It can also be used to take out opponents from medium to long range with its missiles, although this strategy will prevent the BMP-1 from using its main gun. The small projectiles lose even more of their already small penetration at long ranges, but the missiles will not be affected by gravity or air resistance until very extreme ranges. Finally, the missiles and sometimes the autocannon can be used to take out slow air targets such as the helicopters that you will start to meet at these BR's.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
−
'''Pros:'''
+
* Fairly mobile, both weapon systems are particularly effective against the lightly armoured vehicles it will encounter often such as the [[Leopard I]], [[OF-40]], etc.
−
 
+
* One of the earliest ATGM vehicles available and the earliest to receive mouse-guided (SACLOS) ATGMs (with the BMP-1P modification)
−
*
+
* Decent main gun HEAT round penetrating up to 300 mm of armour at any range, effective against last-gen heavy tanks like the [[Conqueror]], [[M103]], etc.
 +
* Amphibious ability which can allow it to reach positions that other vehicles struggle to
 +
* Functional even in uptiers, due to its piercing ATGM and HEAT
 +
* All ammunition types are default and as such have no cost
 +
* Night Vision allows effectiveness in night battles
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
*
+
* Mediocre reverse speed, particularly for a light tank
 +
* Default missiles are manually guided, upgraded missiles must be unlocked with the BMP-1P research
 +
* Chemical ammunition only, may struggle to damage vehicles with ERA like the [[M60A1 RISE (P)]]
 +
* All available ammunition is hyper-sensitive and will detonate on hitting light obstacles such as fences or bushes
 +
* Somewhat large silhouette for a light tank. Will get seen and shot at easier
 +
* Minimal gun depression makes it struggle on hills
 +
* Has no stabiliser, accurate shots on the move or in water are often not possible
 +
* Only three crew members, two of whom sit extremely close together, reducing the vehicle's survivability
 +
* Vulnerable to heavy machine gun and light cannon fire, particularly from the sides or top. SPAA like the [[Gepard]] are a big threat
 +
* Very vulnerable to aircraft and helicopters
 +
* Bombs and artillery can deal significant damage, even when at a distance
 +
* Infrared Spotlight mounted to commander's hatch, won't rotate with turret when the commander is knocked out
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
'''Development'''
 +
 
 +
In the 1950s, Soviet armoured personnel carrier (APC) tactics consisted of lightly armoured vehicles that would transport soldiers to combat zones, and then head back behind the lines to safety. During this time, the West German Bundeswehr was using the Schützenpanzer Lang and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) tactics, where the vehicles would work with the infantry and tanks in order to support them, especially against lightly armoured targets. The BMP was a Soviet IFV design created in the late 1950's. Some of the requirements were the ability for all of the infantry carried to be able to fire from within the vehicle, which was unseen before in IFV designs. It was intended to support the infantry and combat enemy light vehicles. The design placed emphasis on speed and manoeuvrability, potent armament, and sufficient armament to protect against 23 mm autocannons over the frontal arc. There was a debate over how the vehicle should be wheeled or tracked, and a number of options were explored including hybrid designs with both. The design that was chosen was a tracked vehicle with the engine in the front and the crew compartment in the rear; it was designated the Object 764. A prototype was created in 1964, and the final design was chosen in 1965 - an improved model called the Object 765. In service the production model was called the BMP-1.
 +
 
 +
'''Design'''
 +
 
 +
The BMP-1 features a fully tracked hull, with a sharply angled glacis at the front, a centrally mounted turret, and a crew compartment in the rear of the hull, with doors for the infantry to mount and dismount the vehicle. The hull layout is as follows: the engine was in the front right section of the hull. The driver sat to the front left of the vehicle, the commander sat right behind the driver, and the gunner sat in the right side of the turret. The troop compartment located at the rear of the vehicle could seat 8 infantry soldiers. The ability to fire from inside the vehicle was provided by four firing ports on each side of the hull and one in the left door. There are also four hatches in the roof. The infantry sit on two benches with padding, back-to-back, facing the outer sides of the vehicle. The armour of the frontal arc is enough to generally protect against 20 mm autocannon fire, the side armour generally protects against 12.7 mm machine gun fire, and the roof and rear armour protects against small arms fire and shell fragments. In addition, the sloped glacis on the front of the hull also increased the chances of shells bouncing, because of the extreme angles. The protection level depended somewhat on the version of the BMP-1 in question, as different nations had differing levels of armour quality. The main armament consisted of a 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore semi-automatic cannon, along with a 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). Secondary armament consisted of a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. The engine provides 300 hp and is a six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine. The suspension system used was a torsion bar suspension system. The BMP-1 is fully amphibious with little preparation. Before entering the water, a trim vane has to be raised, which provides additional frontal armour when in the lowered position. It can achieve 65 km/h (40 mph) on road and 8 km/h (5 mph) in water.
 +
 
 +
'''Production and Service'''
 +
 
 +
Over 20,000 BMP-1s were produced in the Soviet Union alone, with many more produced in China and Czechoslovakia. The BMP-1 was widely exported and saw significant combat worldwide. BMP-1s participated in the Yom Kippur War, the Angolan Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and many other conflicts. It was well liked for its manoeuvrability, but it was found that the cannon lacked effective range and the 9M14 ATGMs were hard to control. During the Gulf War it was found that the 25 mm Bushmaster cannon found on the M2/M3 Bradley could consistently penetrate the frontal armour of the BMP-1, even at range.
 +
 
 +
'''BMP-1P Upgrade'''
 +
 
 +
The BMP-1P was an upgrade to the ATGM systems of the BMP-1. It replaced the 9M14 Malyutka missiles with 9M113 Konkurs or 9M111 missile. This increased the weight of the vehicle, leading to a slight decrease in manoeuvrability.
 +
 
 +
'''German Service'''
 +
 
 +
In 1974, East Germany ordered 1,133 BMP-1, and they were delivered between 1973 and 1989. Some of those BMP-1 were produced in Czechoslovakia. About 270 of the East German BMP-1's were of the BMP-1P type, with 950 being BMP-1SP2. The East German BMP-1P were known as the Schützenpanzer BMP-1P, or SPz BMP-1P. After the German reunification in 1990, the Bundeswehr modified 851 BMP-1 to NATO standards, and they entered service with the Bundeswehr as the BMP-1A1 Ost. Most of the vehicles upgraded were of the BMP-1P variant. In 1990, 110 unmodified BMP-1/BMP-1P were sold to Finland. 501 BMP-1A1 Ost. were sold to Greece between 1993 and 1994, and 350 were sold to Sweden in the early 1990's.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_bmp_1_ddr Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks'''  discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:15  - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|2h5kFyznXKU|'''Best IFVs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:29 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* [[wikipedia:BMP-1#Variants_and_modernization|[Wikipedia] BMP-1 - Variants and modernization]]
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* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* [https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/USSR/soviet_BMP-1.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Soviet BMP-1 IFV (1965)]
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* ''other literature.''
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=== References ===
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;Bibliography
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* David B. (2015, December 1). BMP-1. Tank Encyclopedia. https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/USSR/soviet_BMP-1.php
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* BMP-1. (2020, March 25). In ''Wikipedia''. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BMP-1&oldid=947316322
  
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{{TankManufacturer ChTZ}}
 
{{Germany light tanks}}
 
{{Germany light tanks}}
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[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Latest revision as of 07:39, 20 April 2024

This page is about the German light tank SPz BMP-1. For other versions, see BMP-1 (Family). For other uses, see BMP (Disambiguation).
SPz BMP-1
germ_bmp_1_ddr.png
GarageImage SPz BMP-1.jpg
GarageImage SPz BMP-1P.jpg
ArtImage SPz BMP-1.png
ArtImage2 SPz BMP-1.png
SPz BMP-1
Germany flag.png Germany
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
7.7 8.0 8.0
Class:
Research:53 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:300 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

As part of the Cold War remilitarization, the growing East German National People's Army (NVA) began receiving BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) from both the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Throughout the Cold War, the NVA would receive a total of 1,133 BMP-1s for use in their motorized rifle regiments. Following the reunification of East and West Germany, the Bundeswehr integrated the BMP-1 into its ranks in 1991, upgrading and modifying them into the BMP-1A1 Ost variant to meet Bundeswehr standards. The BMP-1 was eventually retired from service by 1994 and either scrapped or sold to other countries.

The German version of the SPz BMP-1 (Schützenpanzer, BMP-1) was introduced into War Thunder in Update 1.93 "Shark Attack". As an import, the SPz BMP-1 is similar to the Soviet Union's version with fast mobility, an assortment of dangerous armament, but paper-thin armour. The armament of a 73 mm HEAT warhead and a missile, either the MCLOS 9M14 or SACLOS 9M113, means the BMP-1 has more than enough firepower to take care of any enemy it encounters if it gets the first shot off. The BMP's mobility should allow it to get into places the enemy wouldn't expect it to be early in a match, and frequent repositioning is crucial as any incoming shots, even by autocannons and heavy machine guns, have the potential to penetrate the BMP-1's armour even from the front.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull19 / 18 / 16
Turret23 / 19 / 13
Crew3 people
Visibility70 %

The SPz BMP-1 has very little to speak of in the armour department. Minimal frontal and nearly non-existent side armour results in the vehicle being vulnerable to almost any incoming fire. As such, the vehicle's survivability stems entirely from its mobility and reasonably small profile. Where possible, utilise hills or other cover, only exposing as much of the vehicle as is necessary to engage an unaware target.

Despite the lack of armour, however, the SPz BMP-1 will, on occasion, survive hits unexpectedly - the internals of the vehicle are largely non-critical and many rounds will over-penetrate.

Armour type:

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 7-12 mm (80°) Front glacis
19 mm (56°) Lower glacis 		16 mm (3-18°) Top
18 + 4 mm Bottom 		16 mm (12°) Top
12 mm (48°) Bottom
12 mm (8-51°) Doors 		6 mm
5 mm Engine exhausts
Turret 23 mm (0-53°) Turret front
33 + 26 mm Gun mantlet 		13-23 mm (24-37°) 13 mm (23-26°) 6 mm
Cupola 7 mm 7 mm 7 mm 7 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 10 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 6 mm thick.

Mobility

Amphibious
The design allows you to swim and control movement in the water
Speedforward / back
AB73 / 12 km/h
RB and SB66 / 11 km/h
Number of gears10 forward
2 back
Weight13.0 t
Engine power
AB572 hp
RB and SB300 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB44.0 hp/t
RB and SB23.1 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 73 12 13 465 572 35.77 44
Realistic 66 11 265 300 20.38 23.08

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 787 → 4 484 Sl icon.png
RB3 338 → 5 370 Sl icon.png
SB4 540 → 7 304 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications87 600 Rp icon.png
146 700 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 100 Ge icon.png
Crew training86 000 Sl icon.png
Experts300 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 200 Ge icon.png
Research Aces720 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
110 / 160 / 210 % Sl icon.png
196 / 196 / 196 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
6 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 800 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 500 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 500 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
4 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 800 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 500 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
6 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 800 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
4 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
BMP-1P
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 500 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 500 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Setup 1:73 mm 2A28 cannon
7.62 mm PKT machine gun
9M14 ATGM
Setup 2:73 mm 2A28 cannon
7.62 mm PKT machine gun
9M113 "Konkurs" ATGM

Main armament

73 mm 2A28 cannon
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition40 rounds
Reload6.0 s
Vertical guidance-4° / 30°
Main article: 2A28 (73 mm)

The 2A28 main cannon, despite being the main armament will more often than not act more as secondary armament, at least once the BMP-1P upgrade is researched, due to the 9M113 ATGM proving significantly more controllable and effective at all engagement ranges. Despite this, the PG-9 HEAT round proves valuable in a pinch, with well-placed shots able to disable critical components on most vehicles the SPz BMP-1 will face. Keep in mind that the SPz BMP-1 does not feature any sort of stabilisation at all, and due to its light weight, the gun is near impossible to get on target at speed.

The main cannon's primary drawback is its mediocre ballistic performance, with the HEAT round travelling at only 665 m/s and the HE round travelling at an abysmal 290 m/s.

73 mm 2A28 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds) Reloading rate BMP-1P (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Autoloader Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 40 -4°/+30° ±180° N/A 19.04 26.35 32.00 35.39 37.65 6.00 6.50 5.75 5.30 5.00
Realistic 11.90 14.00 17.00 18.80 20.00

The SPz BMP-1 will be manually loaded once the upgrade "BMP-1P" is unlocked.

Ammunition

When stock, all available ammunition for the weapon are unlocked - HEAT and HE.

Between the two, HE should be avoided as it only has 11 mm of penetration and 290 m/sec muzzle velocity. While the HEAT round has only 670 m/sec velocity, with some training it can be shot at targets over 1 km reliably.

The HEAT round has 300 mm penetration and very good damage output, single-shot destruction can be achieved quite often when shooting center mass, although larger tanks might give you some headache as they sometimes survive multiple shots.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
PG-9 HEAT 300 300 300 300 300 300
OG-9 HE 11 11 11 11 11 11
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
PG-9 HEAT 665 2.6 0 0.01 918.75 65° 72° 77°
OG-9 HE 290 3.7 0.05 0.1 735 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the SPz BMP-1
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
40 1 (+39) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • The single ammunition rack consists of a shell barillet located around the turret basket.

Additional armament

9M14 ATGM
Ammunition4 rounds
Flight speed140 m/s
Range3 500 m
Method of aiming
ABSemi-auto
RB and SBManual
Fire on the moveup to 5 km/h
9M113 "Konkurs" ATGM
Ammunition4 rounds
Vertical guidance-5° / 10°
Horizontal guidance-15° / 37°
Flight speed248 m/s
Range4 000 m
Fire on the moveup to 5 km/h
Main articles: 9M14, 9M113 Konkurs

9M14

The SPz BMP-1 comes with a rail-mounted manually guided ATGM as stock, initially aimed manually and with somewhat mediocre penetration and explosive mass values. While occasionally useful, generally the main gun is easier and more reliable to use. These missiles are first-generation, which means they cannot be aimed with the mouse pointer and are instead aimed with the WASD keys. However, the "BMP-1P" modification, when unlocked, will give the vehicle access to four more lethal 9M113 Konkurs missiles.

The 9M14 Malyutka ATGM steers very controllably. When fired, the 9M14 drops just slightly above your aim reticle and is not usable in the first 5 metres. After surpassing 5 metres, the ATGM will fly in a straight line without any oscillation or deviation. When using the hand aiming guidance of the ATGM, it is very accurate and flies with minimal error compared to the SACLOS (aim reticle guided) 9M113 Konkurs, that tends to be unpredictable and quite unstable in-flight. You can easily swap from target-to-target with the hand aiming guidance, as it remains steady and doesn't oscillate. If a target is too close to you, aim slightly below the point you wish to hit. The ATGM will align itself slightly above the aim reticle almost right away, allowing you to hit or eliminate the target at closer range.

9M113

Once the BMP-1P upgrade is researched, the rail-mounted 9M14 ATGM is replaced with a spindle-mounted 9M113 ATGM. This ATGM is significantly more powerful and easier to use due to its semi-automatic guiding system. Improved penetration values and significantly increased explosive mass will result in far more reliable destructive power. Keep in mind that the ATGM can only be fired when stopped or at extremely low speeds.

The 9M113 has 500 mm of penetration and do very good damage while having good speed. Only their manoeuvrability is a bit lacking, but you can quickly make a follow up shot with your cannon or use smoke if you want to retreat.

The 9M113 Konkurs ATGM steers rather unpredictably. When fired, the 9M113 drops below your aim reticle in the first 15 metres (due to being at low speed right after launch). After surpassing 15 metres, the ATGM will have accelerated enough to fly up and stabilize itself with your aim reticle. Due to this launch drop, it is suggested to aim slightly up when firing the ATGM: this will avoid having your ATGM hit the ground or any fences as sometimes that tends to happen. When the ATGM is flying, steer it gently and carefully. Instantly snapping to another target can cause it to oscillate from side-to-side and hit something on the way or miss the target entirely.

9M14 ATGM / 9M113 ATGM Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 4 -5°/+10° -15°/+37° N/A 19.04 26.35 32.00 35.39 37.65 _.__ _.__ _.__ _.__
Realistic 11.90 14.00 17.00 18.80 20.00

Note:

  • The vertical and horizontal traverse depend on the turret position and are only relevant to the 9M113 ATGM.

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
9M14 ATGM 400 400 400 400 400 400
Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
9M14 ATGM 140 3,000 10.9 0.05 0.1 3.25 80° 82° 90°

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
9M113 ATGM 500 500 500 500 500 500
Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
9M113 ATGM 248 3,000 14.5 0.05 0.1 4.37 80° 82° 90°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the SPz BMP-1
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
4 3 (+1) 1 (+3) No

Note:

  • The missiles are listed from M1 to M4. M2 is the 1st rack. M3-M4 constitutes the 2nd rack.

Machine guns

7.62 mm PKT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity1 000 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
Main article: PKT (7.62 mm)

The SPz BMP-1 comes equipped with a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. This is only useful for clearing small obstacles or exposed crew in open-topped vehicles. The SPz BMP-1 is only equipped with one PKT machine gun with an ammo reserve of 1,000 rounds.

It's not useful and cannot aim at air targets due to the coaxial mount. As such, it should only be used on vehicles with soft armour like trucks or at exposed crew members, or just annoy enemies with it. In RB and SB, it can be used to throw up dirt in front of an enemy vehicle in order to blind them temporary.

7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,000 (1,000) 700 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The BMP-1 is quite distinctive due to its oddly-shaped hull. The vehicle is crewed by only three (no commander), but is very spacious, so shots from the side occasionally cause minimal or even no damage. The BMP-1 is equipped with a short-barreled 73 mm gun (an odd calibre) firing exclusively anti-tank grenades. The projectile drop is extreme, albeit not the worst in-game, and it can be used to great effect against many of the vehicles the BMP will face due to the consistent 300 mm of penetration at range. The standard PG-9 ammunition has an explosive mass of about 1.25 kg. The trade-off, in this case, is the low velocity and relatively poor slope characteristics (the penetration drops in half if more than 60 degrees of slope). Finally, as standard, the BMP-1 is equipped with the 9M14 ATGM, capable of penetrating 400 mm and carrying an explosive mass of 2.6 kg. It is WASD guided, and therefore somewhat tricky to use at first (and especially difficult to use in high packet-loss or high ping matches). An optional modification for the BMP-1 allows it to use turret-mounted smoke grenades as well as a next-generation missile, the mouse-guided 9M113. Not only is the missile nearly twice as fast as the 9M14, but it carries a notably larger explosive payload, and can penetrate up to 600 mm at 90 degrees at any range.

The BMP-1 can also research NVD, which can help during night battles to help with visibility. NVD is available in commander, gunner, driver and outside viewports. Once purchased, the NVD modification also allows the use of a Infrared Spotlight to help illuminate targets if they are hard to see. However, it is mounted to the commander's hatch on the hull; while this allows it to rotate as long as the commander is alive, it will be stuck in place if the commander is knocked out.

Due to its nearly non-existent armour, the BMP-1 shouldn't be played like anything with actual armour. It is best used in a support or ambush role, using cover to ambush opponents, then taking them out with the combination of the autocannon and ATGM. The BMP-1 is quite effective when played this way. When in close-quarters combat, it is important to note that the missile launcher has slightly faster traverse than the turret. This can save it from being killed from the flanks. It can also be used to take out opponents from medium to long range with its missiles, although this strategy will prevent the BMP-1 from using its main gun. The small projectiles lose even more of their already small penetration at long ranges, but the missiles will not be affected by gravity or air resistance until very extreme ranges. Finally, the missiles and sometimes the autocannon can be used to take out slow air targets such as the helicopters that you will start to meet at these BR's.

Pros and cons

  • Fairly mobile, both weapon systems are particularly effective against the lightly armoured vehicles it will encounter often such as the Leopard I, OF-40, etc.
  • One of the earliest ATGM vehicles available and the earliest to receive mouse-guided (SACLOS) ATGMs (with the BMP-1P modification)
  • Decent main gun HEAT round penetrating up to 300 mm of armour at any range, effective against last-gen heavy tanks like the Conqueror, M103, etc.
  • Amphibious ability which can allow it to reach positions that other vehicles struggle to
  • Functional even in uptiers, due to its piercing ATGM and HEAT
  • All ammunition types are default and as such have no cost
  • Night Vision allows effectiveness in night battles

Cons:

  • Mediocre reverse speed, particularly for a light tank
  • Default missiles are manually guided, upgraded missiles must be unlocked with the BMP-1P research
  • Chemical ammunition only, may struggle to damage vehicles with ERA like the M60A1 RISE (P)
  • All available ammunition is hyper-sensitive and will detonate on hitting light obstacles such as fences or bushes
  • Somewhat large silhouette for a light tank. Will get seen and shot at easier
  • Minimal gun depression makes it struggle on hills
  • Has no stabiliser, accurate shots on the move or in water are often not possible
  • Only three crew members, two of whom sit extremely close together, reducing the vehicle's survivability
  • Vulnerable to heavy machine gun and light cannon fire, particularly from the sides or top. SPAA like the Gepard are a big threat
  • Very vulnerable to aircraft and helicopters
  • Bombs and artillery can deal significant damage, even when at a distance
  • Infrared Spotlight mounted to commander's hatch, won't rotate with turret when the commander is knocked out

History

Development

In the 1950s, Soviet armoured personnel carrier (APC) tactics consisted of lightly armoured vehicles that would transport soldiers to combat zones, and then head back behind the lines to safety. During this time, the West German Bundeswehr was using the Schützenpanzer Lang and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) tactics, where the vehicles would work with the infantry and tanks in order to support them, especially against lightly armoured targets. The BMP was a Soviet IFV design created in the late 1950's. Some of the requirements were the ability for all of the infantry carried to be able to fire from within the vehicle, which was unseen before in IFV designs. It was intended to support the infantry and combat enemy light vehicles. The design placed emphasis on speed and manoeuvrability, potent armament, and sufficient armament to protect against 23 mm autocannons over the frontal arc. There was a debate over how the vehicle should be wheeled or tracked, and a number of options were explored including hybrid designs with both. The design that was chosen was a tracked vehicle with the engine in the front and the crew compartment in the rear; it was designated the Object 764. A prototype was created in 1964, and the final design was chosen in 1965 - an improved model called the Object 765. In service the production model was called the BMP-1.

Design

The BMP-1 features a fully tracked hull, with a sharply angled glacis at the front, a centrally mounted turret, and a crew compartment in the rear of the hull, with doors for the infantry to mount and dismount the vehicle. The hull layout is as follows: the engine was in the front right section of the hull. The driver sat to the front left of the vehicle, the commander sat right behind the driver, and the gunner sat in the right side of the turret. The troop compartment located at the rear of the vehicle could seat 8 infantry soldiers. The ability to fire from inside the vehicle was provided by four firing ports on each side of the hull and one in the left door. There are also four hatches in the roof. The infantry sit on two benches with padding, back-to-back, facing the outer sides of the vehicle. The armour of the frontal arc is enough to generally protect against 20 mm autocannon fire, the side armour generally protects against 12.7 mm machine gun fire, and the roof and rear armour protects against small arms fire and shell fragments. In addition, the sloped glacis on the front of the hull also increased the chances of shells bouncing, because of the extreme angles. The protection level depended somewhat on the version of the BMP-1 in question, as different nations had differing levels of armour quality. The main armament consisted of a 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore semi-automatic cannon, along with a 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). Secondary armament consisted of a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. The engine provides 300 hp and is a six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine. The suspension system used was a torsion bar suspension system. The BMP-1 is fully amphibious with little preparation. Before entering the water, a trim vane has to be raised, which provides additional frontal armour when in the lowered position. It can achieve 65 km/h (40 mph) on road and 8 km/h (5 mph) in water.

Production and Service

Over 20,000 BMP-1s were produced in the Soviet Union alone, with many more produced in China and Czechoslovakia. The BMP-1 was widely exported and saw significant combat worldwide. BMP-1s participated in the Yom Kippur War, the Angolan Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and many other conflicts. It was well liked for its manoeuvrability, but it was found that the cannon lacked effective range and the 9M14 ATGMs were hard to control. During the Gulf War it was found that the 25 mm Bushmaster cannon found on the M2/M3 Bradley could consistently penetrate the frontal armour of the BMP-1, even at range.

BMP-1P Upgrade

The BMP-1P was an upgrade to the ATGM systems of the BMP-1. It replaced the 9M14 Malyutka missiles with 9M113 Konkurs or 9M111 missile. This increased the weight of the vehicle, leading to a slight decrease in manoeuvrability.

German Service

In 1974, East Germany ordered 1,133 BMP-1, and they were delivered between 1973 and 1989. Some of those BMP-1 were produced in Czechoslovakia. About 270 of the East German BMP-1's were of the BMP-1P type, with 950 being BMP-1SP2. The East German BMP-1P were known as the Schützenpanzer BMP-1P, or SPz BMP-1P. After the German reunification in 1990, the Bundeswehr modified 851 BMP-1 to NATO standards, and they entered service with the Bundeswehr as the BMP-1A1 Ost. Most of the vehicles upgraded were of the BMP-1P variant. In 1990, 110 unmodified BMP-1/BMP-1P were sold to Finland. 501 BMP-1A1 Ost. were sold to Greece between 1993 and 1994, and 350 were sold to Sweden in the early 1990's.

Media

Skins
Videos
Amphibious tanks discusses the SPz BMP-1 at 5:15 - War Thunder Official Channel
Best IFVs discusses the SPz BMP-1 at 0:29 - War Thunder Official Channel

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

References

Bibliography


Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (Челябинский тракторный завод)
IFVs 
BMP-1  BMP-1
Heavy Tanks 
KV  KV-85 · KV-122
IS-1/2  IS-1 · IS-2 · IS-2 (1944) · IS-2 "Revenge" · IS-2 No.321
T-10  T-10A · T-10M
Other IS Tanks  IS-3 · IS-4M
Tank Destroyers 
KV Derivatives  SU-152
IS Derivatives  ISU-152 · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · Object 268
Export 
IS-2  ␗IS-2 · IS-2 No.402 · ␗IS-2 (1944)
ISU  ␗ISU-152 · ␗ISU-122
IFVs  SPz BMP-1
See Also  Leningrad Kirov Plant

Germany light tanks
Pz.II  Pz.II C · Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.II C TD · Pz.II F · Pz.Sfl.Ic
Sd.Kfz.234  Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/2 · Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD
Marder  Marder A1- · Marder 1A3 · Begleitpanzer 57 · DF105
SPz PUMA  PUMA · PUMA VJTF
Wheeled  Sd.Kfz.221 (s.Pz.B.41) · Class 3 (P) · Radkampfwagen 90 · Boxer MGS
Other  Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS
Argentina  TAM · TAM 2C · TAM 2IP · JaPz.K A2
Czechoslovakia  Pz.35(t) · Pz.38(t) A · Pz.38(t) F · Pz.38(t) n.A. · Sd.Kfz. 140/1
France  Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK
Lithuania  Vilkas
USA  leKPz M41
USSR  SPz BMP-1

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