Difference between revisions of "2S38"
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{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=ussr_2s38 | |code=ussr_2s38 | ||
| − | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}} | + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{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.'' --> | ||
| − | The | + | Originally designed as a technology demonstrator, the 2S38 was chosen as a possible replacement for the 2S6 Tunguska adopted in the 1980s. The vehicle was based on the [[BMP-3]] platform, but fitted with the equipment and armament to lock and engage low-flying aircraft like helicopters, CAS, or even large calibre rockets/missiles. The vehicle is operated by 3 crewmembers, in a single compartment, since it uses a remote-controlled turret for its 57 mm cannon. As of 2020, the vehicle is still in very low numbers and slowly being adopted into the military. |
| − | Built on the [[BMP-3]] platform, the 2S38 was an attempt to transform the platform into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a 57 mm autocannon and a tracking system capable of fighting low-flying aircraft. In the game, the rapid-firing 57 mm autocannon allows the 2S38 to engage a wide range of enemies from tanks to fighter jets while maintaining the same profile and mobility of the original BMP-3. | + | It was introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]]. Built on the [[BMP-3]] platform, the 2S38 was an attempt to transform the platform into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a 57 mm autocannon and a tracking system capable of fighting low-flying aircraft. In the game, the rapid-firing 57 mm autocannon allows the 2S38 to engage a wide range of enemies from tanks to fighter jets while maintaining the same profile and mobility of the original BMP-3. The 57 mm autocannon of the 2S38, paired with both APFSDS and APHE ammunition, can prove extremely deadly in good flanking manoeuvres, even the APHE shells can penetrate lightly armoured targets from the front like the Leopard 1, and several IFVs. Also, its good fire rate and accuracy makes the 2S38 a very deadly light tank; however, as with all light tanks, the armour is not enough to stop high calibre projectiles, but it's still enough to stop up to 14.5 mm shots from all sides. |
== General info == | == General info == | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
Overall, the 2S38 is favored comparatively to the BMP-3 in terms of being able to survive the first shot while also retaining the ability to fire back at the offending opponent. | Overall, the 2S38 is favored comparatively to the BMP-3 in terms of being able to survive the first shot while also retaining the ability to fire back at the offending opponent. | ||
| − | '''Armour type:''' | + | '''Armour type:''' |
* ABT-102 alloy - Hull and turret | * ABT-102 alloy - Hull and turret | ||
| Line 41: | Line 41: | ||
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of --> | '''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of --> | ||
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. --> | <!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. --> | ||
| + | |||
* Tracks are 15 mm thick, suspention and it's wheels are both 10 mm thick. | * Tracks are 15 mm thick, suspention and it's wheels are both 10 mm thick. | ||
| − | * Hatches are 18 | + | * Hatches are 18 + 20 mm (81°) thick. |
| − | * At the rear there is a 100 mm thick log | + | * At the rear there is a 100 mm thick log, but it does not provide any real protection |
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| Line 51: | Line 52: | ||
The {{PAGENAME}} drives like the BMP-3. Namely, it is fast and accelerates well even in cross-country terrain. Travelling on long-distance maps will not be an issue for the {{PAGENAME}}. The only significant difference is that the {{PAGENAME}} weights about 2.8 t more than the BMP-3, and so the small weight difference may affect the fine acceleration and forward momentum, but not by much. | The {{PAGENAME}} drives like the BMP-3. Namely, it is fast and accelerates well even in cross-country terrain. Travelling on long-distance maps will not be an issue for the {{PAGENAME}}. The only significant difference is that the {{PAGENAME}} weights about 2.8 t more than the BMP-3, and so the small weight difference may affect the fine acceleration and forward momentum, but not by much. | ||
| − | {{tankMobility}} | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}} |
=== Modifications and economy === | === Modifications and economy === | ||
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The 57 mm 2A90 is a dual-purpose autocannon and can allow players to use it in both an anti-tank and anti-aircraft gun. While its top penetration for the anti-tank role is not ideal, with a point-blank penetration of 225 mm with the ''3UBM22'' APFSDS rounds, the rapid fire nature of the 57 mm gun means that quick follow-up shot from the first successful penetration can cripple, if not destroy, the enemy tank. | The 57 mm 2A90 is a dual-purpose autocannon and can allow players to use it in both an anti-tank and anti-aircraft gun. While its top penetration for the anti-tank role is not ideal, with a point-blank penetration of 225 mm with the ''3UBM22'' APFSDS rounds, the rapid fire nature of the 57 mm gun means that quick follow-up shot from the first successful penetration can cripple, if not destroy, the enemy tank. | ||
| − | If firing at a tank's side armour, firing the ''BR- | + | If firing at a tank's side armour, firing the ''BR-281U'' APCBC round with explosive filler can be considered to absolutely devastate the enemy interior with fewer shots and can destroy enemy units by aiming at weak, external spots (cupolas). It would trade maximum penetration of the round for destructive power, so it is up to player preference on which ammunition to use aiming at tank side armour. |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! colspan="6" | [[2A90 (57 mm)|57 mm 2A90]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | | + | ! colspan="6" | [[2A90 (57 mm)|57 mm 2A90]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds) |
|- | |- | ||
! Mode !! Capacity !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer | ||
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Autoloader |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Arcade'' | ! ''Arcade'' | ||
| − | | rowspan="2" | 148 || rowspan="2" | 120 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+75° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 113.0 | + | | rowspan="2" | 148 || rowspan="2" | 120 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+75° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 113.0 || rowspan="2" | 0.50 |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Realistic'' | ! ''Realistic'' | ||
| Line 84: | Line 85: | ||
==== Ammunition ==== | ==== Ammunition ==== | ||
| − | { | + | {{:2A90 (57 mm)/Ammunition|BR-281U, OR-281U, 3UBM22, 3UO8}} |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | [[File:2S38AmmoRack.png|thumb|The sole and mechanized ammo rack for the autoloader.]] | |
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
| − | + | <!-- '''Last updated: 2.37.0.22'' --> | |
| − | <!-- '''Last updated: 2. | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Full<br>ammo | ! Full<br>ammo | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
! Visual<br>discrepancy | ! Visual<br>discrepancy | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | '''148''' || | + | | '''148''' || Y/N (See note 1) |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 160: | Line 102: | ||
* As they are modeled by sets of 2 or 3, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired all shells in the set. | * As they are modeled by sets of 2 or 3, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired all shells in the set. | ||
| − | + | * As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible. | |
| − | + | * The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing. | |
| − | + | * There is only 1 ammo rack, which is the mechanized ammo rack. Thus, all ammo is ready to be loaded. | |
| − | + | * A damaged or destroyed power system increases the time to reloading rate (around 1 second when destroyed), but can be restored to full function | |
| − | + | * Destruction of the autoloader disables reloading of the cannon until it is repaired | |
| − | |||
| − | * | ||
=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| Line 179: | Line 119: | ||
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal | ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Coaxial || 750 (250) || 700 || | + | | Coaxial || 750 (250) || 700 || - || - |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 185: | Line 125: | ||
== 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 2S38 is played like a standard light tank: use your mobility and speed to flank enemies, and your gun is powerful enough to penetrate most tank's side and back armour. The gun has a very short reload time | + | The 2S38 is played like a standard light tank: use your mobility and speed to flank enemies, and your gun is powerful enough to penetrate most tank's side and back armour. The gun has a very short reload time for its class (57mm) at an astounding 0.5s, letting you fire a few shots before the enemy can turn around and counterattack, that is if they aren't already heavily damaged or crippled. The 2S38 also has proximity-fused HE shells, allowing it to fire at helicopters and other aircraft to great effect because of its firerate, but also has an IRST system that can track air targets with a lead circle, turning the 2S38 into a jack-of-all-trades light tank. Because of the only and autoloaded ammo rack, you can fire many shots with the only consequence of overheating. The 2S38 also has great optics for its with gunner and commander thermals coupled with decent sight zoom. The decently high gun with the slim turret profile can help greatly when shooting over cover. All of these factors can make the 2S38 one of the best multirole ground vehicles in War Thunder. A shot to the rear is still going to damage the vehicle modules, but atleast the engine is low enough it can be damaged little. |
| + | |||
| + | However, it is not without its problems. Unlike some light tanks around its battle rating, it lacks the ability to reliably tank a shot or two. This is because of how many modules are scattered in the 2S38. As some light tanks can absorb shots because of empty space, such as in the rear, or engines taking the brute of damage, the same shots will cause crippling damage and often destruction to the 2S38, with the only relatively tanky area being between the engine and autoloader, but that should never be relied on. Shots into the front plate spell immediate doom for the 2S38 if it penetrates past the fuel tanks. Not only that, unlike a few light tanks, it doesn't have any meaningful armor and can be destroyed by 12.7mm machine guns to the side at close range, let alone autocannons, or even HE(AT) rounds hitting the upper roof plate or turret. If a shot doesn't knock out the three crew members lined up side by side at the front, it's almost guaranteed it'll take out the aiming drives and autoloader, not to mention the almost completely ammo-filled center, leading to ammo detonation and at best a powerless vehicle. The plentiful amount of modules means that even in the possibility of tanking a shot, does not mean you are always without crippling damage. Almost every aspect of the tank can be disabled: the stabilizer, IRST and autotracker, driving controls, autoloader, LWS/LR and thermals. | ||
| + | |||
| + | So, the 2S38 is the one of the best examples of a glass cannon in War Thunder: Powerful cannon, impressive mobility, strong optics, but armor as fragile as paper and internal survivability being near non existent. | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| Line 192: | Line 136: | ||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * Extremely fast reload | + | * Extremely fast reload at 0.5 seconds for the 57mm |
* High mobility | * High mobility | ||
* IRST target tracking system and HE-VT round allow for good anti-air capability | * IRST target tracking system and HE-VT round allow for good anti-air capability | ||
* Unmanned turret means it can get hit and not suffer crew losses | * Unmanned turret means it can get hit and not suffer crew losses | ||
* APCBC is great for other IFVs, SPAAs, MBT sides, and APFSDS is good for almost all frontal armour for MBTs | * APCBC is great for other IFVs, SPAAs, MBT sides, and APFSDS is good for almost all frontal armour for MBTs | ||
| + | * Large ammo rack at 148 pieces ensure you won't be running out of ammo soon | ||
| + | * Ammo variety lets it become one of the best multi-role vehicles, and is also amphibious + has a digging blade | ||
| + | * Modules can still be repaired to full function | ||
| + | * Great optics with thermals for gunner and commander, with decent zoom | ||
| + | * Relatively empty rear section, can tank a few shots, but not towards the center of mass | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * Weak armour | + | * Weak armour, can be 12.7mm'd to the sides at close range |
| − | * | + | * Terrible post-penetration survivability, almost every aspect of the 2S38 can be disabled if lucky enough to even survive the shot. Plus, no reliable cover (engine, RHA) for the crew, only protected by fuel tanks that are prone to exploding or catching fire. |
| − | * All crew in the front so knock-outs are common | + | * Can overheat the cannon at prolonged periods of fire, but easily avoidable |
| + | * All crew in the front, lined up, so knock-outs are common | ||
| + | * Fuel tank explodes very easily | ||
| + | * Ammo near the turret means ammo detonations are incredibly easy when shooting at the turret, even when hull-down | ||
| + | * Crammed cannon section modules make multiple module destructions common, making it easy to cripple | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| Line 218: | Line 171: | ||
;Videos | ;Videos | ||
| − | {{Youtube-gallery|n1VVzWsVeKs|'''The Shooting Range #328''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}} | + | {{Youtube-gallery|y2Ph0rmD5sU|'''Unmanned Turret Tanks: Showcasing New Tech''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 01:56 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|n1VVzWsVeKs|'''The Shooting Range #328''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}} |
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Latest revision as of 16:14, 18 November 2024
Contents
Description
Originally designed as a technology demonstrator, the 2S38 was chosen as a possible replacement for the 2S6 Tunguska adopted in the 1980s. The vehicle was based on the BMP-3 platform, but fitted with the equipment and armament to lock and engage low-flying aircraft like helicopters, CAS, or even large calibre rockets/missiles. The vehicle is operated by 3 crewmembers, in a single compartment, since it uses a remote-controlled turret for its 57 mm cannon. As of 2020, the vehicle is still in very low numbers and slowly being adopted into the military.
It was introduced in Update "Fire and Ice". Built on the BMP-3 platform, the 2S38 was an attempt to transform the platform into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a 57 mm autocannon and a tracking system capable of fighting low-flying aircraft. In the game, the rapid-firing 57 mm autocannon allows the 2S38 to engage a wide range of enemies from tanks to fighter jets while maintaining the same profile and mobility of the original BMP-3. The 57 mm autocannon of the 2S38, paired with both APFSDS and APHE ammunition, can prove extremely deadly in good flanking manoeuvres, even the APHE shells can penetrate lightly armoured targets from the front like the Leopard 1, and several IFVs. Also, its good fire rate and accuracy makes the 2S38 a very deadly light tank; however, as with all light tanks, the armour is not enough to stop high calibre projectiles, but it's still enough to stop up to 14.5 mm shots from all sides.
General info
Survivability and armour
The 2S38 armour is essentially non-existent for the rank it is in. While the front array may be resistant to some autocannons from a long-distance, it isn't really reliable.
The rearranged modules within the 2S38 does improve the vehicle's overall survivability compared to the BMP-3 however. Firstly, the ammunition is a lot smaller and harder to hit, and they are all stored in the center so can be harder to hit if not precisely targetted. There are more empty space within the 2S38 as well, increasing the chances of a shot penetrating the armour, but not causing any critical damages to the components.
The crew are all arranged in the front, three in a row. This improves crew survivability in hull-down position as there is no crew in the turret anymore. This also marginally improves survivability to shots from the front, as there is a small chance a shot from the front does not knock out two or all the crew members in one shot. Given both the gunner and commander can fire the main gun, enemies would need to knock out both of them at the same time to disable the 2S38's armaments.
Overall, the 2S38 is favored comparatively to the BMP-3 in terms of being able to survive the first shot while also retaining the ability to fire back at the offending opponent.
Armour type:
- ABT-102 alloy - Hull and turret
- Rolled homogeneous armour - Gun mask
- Structural steel - Add-ons on the sides
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 18 mm (81°) Front glacis 60 mm (25°) + 12 mm + 10 mm Lower Glacis (Upper) 60 mm (45°) + 10 mm Lower Glacis (Lower) 60 mm Turret ring |
60 mm + 4 mm Top Front 43 mm + 4 mm Top & Bottom |
43 mm Upper Glacis 43 mm (22°) Lower Glacis |
15 - 18 mm Hull 20 mm Turret ring |
| Turret | 43 mm (0°-23°-43°) Front 20 mm (0°-45°) Gun mantlet |
43 mm | 43 mm | 20 - 43 mm |
Notes:
- Tracks are 15 mm thick, suspention and it's wheels are both 10 mm thick.
- Hatches are 18 + 20 mm (81°) thick.
- At the rear there is a 100 mm thick log, but it does not provide any real protection
Mobility
The 2S38 drives like the BMP-3. Namely, it is fast and accelerates well even in cross-country terrain. Travelling on long-distance maps will not be an issue for the 2S38. The only significant difference is that the 2S38 weights about 2.8 t more than the BMP-3, and so the small weight difference may affect the fine acceleration and forward momentum, but not by much.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 78 | 23 | 21.5 | 775 | 954 | 36.05 | 44.37 |
| Realistic | 71 | 21 | 442 | 500 | 20.56 | 23.26 | |
Modifications and economy
2 × 140 / 170 / 220 % 2 × 232 / 232 / 232 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
The 57 mm 2A90 is a dual-purpose autocannon and can allow players to use it in both an anti-tank and anti-aircraft gun. While its top penetration for the anti-tank role is not ideal, with a point-blank penetration of 225 mm with the 3UBM22 APFSDS rounds, the rapid fire nature of the 57 mm gun means that quick follow-up shot from the first successful penetration can cripple, if not destroy, the enemy tank.
If firing at a tank's side armour, firing the BR-281U APCBC round with explosive filler can be considered to absolutely devastate the enemy interior with fewer shots and can destroy enemy units by aiming at weak, external spots (cupolas). It would trade maximum penetration of the round for destructive power, so it is up to player preference on which ammunition to use aiming at tank side armour.
| 57 mm 2A90 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Autoloader |
| Arcade | 148 | 120 | -5°/+75° | ±180° | Two-plane | 57.1 | 79.1 | 96.0 | 106.2 | 113.0 | 0.50 |
| Realistic | 35.7 | 42.0 | 51.0 | 56.4 | 60.0 | ||||||
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 | ||
| BR-281U | APCBC | 151 | 147 | 132 | 114 | 100 | 87 |
| OR-281U | HE* | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| 3UBM22 | APFSDS | 225 | 221 | 209 | 193 | 177 | 161 |
| 3UO8 | HE-VT* | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| 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% | ||||||||||
| BR-281U | APCBC | 1,000 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 9 | 20.02 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| OR-281U | HE* | 1,000 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 235.62 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| 3UBM22 | APFSDS | 1,500 | 0.95 | - | - | - | 78° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Proximity-fused shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| 3UO8 | HE-VT* | 1,000 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 500 | 6 | 231 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|
| 148 | Y/N (See note 1) |
Notes:
- As they are modeled by sets of 2 or 3, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired all shells in the set.
- As the 2S38 is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
- The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
- There is only 1 ammo rack, which is the mechanized ammo rack. Thus, all ammo is ready to be loaded.
- A damaged or destroyed power system increases the time to reloading rate (around 1 second when destroyed), but can be restored to full function
- Destruction of the autoloader disables reloading of the cannon until it is repaired
Machine guns
| 7.62 mm PKTM | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 750 (250) | 700 | - | - |
Usage in battles
The 2S38 is played like a standard light tank: use your mobility and speed to flank enemies, and your gun is powerful enough to penetrate most tank's side and back armour. The gun has a very short reload time for its class (57mm) at an astounding 0.5s, letting you fire a few shots before the enemy can turn around and counterattack, that is if they aren't already heavily damaged or crippled. The 2S38 also has proximity-fused HE shells, allowing it to fire at helicopters and other aircraft to great effect because of its firerate, but also has an IRST system that can track air targets with a lead circle, turning the 2S38 into a jack-of-all-trades light tank. Because of the only and autoloaded ammo rack, you can fire many shots with the only consequence of overheating. The 2S38 also has great optics for its with gunner and commander thermals coupled with decent sight zoom. The decently high gun with the slim turret profile can help greatly when shooting over cover. All of these factors can make the 2S38 one of the best multirole ground vehicles in War Thunder. A shot to the rear is still going to damage the vehicle modules, but atleast the engine is low enough it can be damaged little.
However, it is not without its problems. Unlike some light tanks around its battle rating, it lacks the ability to reliably tank a shot or two. This is because of how many modules are scattered in the 2S38. As some light tanks can absorb shots because of empty space, such as in the rear, or engines taking the brute of damage, the same shots will cause crippling damage and often destruction to the 2S38, with the only relatively tanky area being between the engine and autoloader, but that should never be relied on. Shots into the front plate spell immediate doom for the 2S38 if it penetrates past the fuel tanks. Not only that, unlike a few light tanks, it doesn't have any meaningful armor and can be destroyed by 12.7mm machine guns to the side at close range, let alone autocannons, or even HE(AT) rounds hitting the upper roof plate or turret. If a shot doesn't knock out the three crew members lined up side by side at the front, it's almost guaranteed it'll take out the aiming drives and autoloader, not to mention the almost completely ammo-filled center, leading to ammo detonation and at best a powerless vehicle. The plentiful amount of modules means that even in the possibility of tanking a shot, does not mean you are always without crippling damage. Almost every aspect of the tank can be disabled: the stabilizer, IRST and autotracker, driving controls, autoloader, LWS/LR and thermals.
So, the 2S38 is the one of the best examples of a glass cannon in War Thunder: Powerful cannon, impressive mobility, strong optics, but armor as fragile as paper and internal survivability being near non existent.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Extremely fast reload at 0.5 seconds for the 57mm
- High mobility
- IRST target tracking system and HE-VT round allow for good anti-air capability
- Unmanned turret means it can get hit and not suffer crew losses
- APCBC is great for other IFVs, SPAAs, MBT sides, and APFSDS is good for almost all frontal armour for MBTs
- Large ammo rack at 148 pieces ensure you won't be running out of ammo soon
- Ammo variety lets it become one of the best multi-role vehicles, and is also amphibious + has a digging blade
- Modules can still be repaired to full function
- Great optics with thermals for gunner and commander, with decent zoom
- Relatively empty rear section, can tank a few shots, but not towards the center of mass
Cons:
- Weak armour, can be 12.7mm'd to the sides at close range
- Terrible post-penetration survivability, almost every aspect of the 2S38 can be disabled if lucky enough to even survive the shot. Plus, no reliable cover (engine, RHA) for the crew, only protected by fuel tanks that are prone to exploding or catching fire.
- Can overheat the cannon at prolonged periods of fire, but easily avoidable
- All crew in the front, lined up, so knock-outs are common
- Fuel tank explodes very easily
- Ammo near the turret means ammo detonations are incredibly easy when shooting at the turret, even when hull-down
- Crammed cannon section modules make multiple module destructions common, making it easy to cripple
History
In the mid 2010s, the Central Scientific Research Institute Burevestnik in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, developed an artillery turret with a 57mm cannon, designed for ships and armored vehicles. A little later, the module was upgraded for installation on the 2S38 platform (a modified version of the BMP-3 AFV chassis). The first prototype was demonstrated to the public in 2018, in 2020 2S38s took part in the Victory Day parade on Red Square in Moscow. At the moment, the vehicle is being commissioned for service with the Russian army.
- From Devblog
Media
- Skins
- Videos
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
| USSR light tanks | |
|---|---|
| T-26 | T-26 · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26-4 · T-26E |
| BT | BT-5 · RBT-5 · BT-7 · BT-7 TD · BT-7M · BT-7A (F-32) |
| T-50 | T-126 · T-50 |
| T-70 | T-70 · T-80 |
| PT-76 | PT-76B · PT-76-57 · Object 906 |
| BMP | BMP-1 · BMP-2 · BMP-2M · BMP-3 |
| BMD | BMD-4 |
| 2S25 | 2S25 · 2S25M |
| Wheeled | BA-11 · BTR-80A |
| Other | T-60 · Object 685 · 2S38 |
| China | ▂Type 62 |
| USSR premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | BA-11 · RBT-5 · BT-7A (F-32) · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-126 · PT-76-57 · 2S38 |
| Medium tanks | T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34E · T-34-57 (1943) · T-34-85E · T-34-100 · T-44-122 · TO-55 · T-55AM-1 · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-80UD · Т-80U-Е1 |
| ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2 · ▂T-III · ▂T-V · ▂МК-IX "Valentine" | |
| Heavy tanks | SMK · T-35 · ▂MK-II "Matilda" · KV-1E · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) · KV-122 · KV-220 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 · IS-6 · T-10A |
| Tank destroyers | BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12 |
| SU-57 · SU-76D · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A · SU-100Y · SU-122P · Object 120 | |
| SPAA | ▂Phòng không T-34 · ZUT-37 |
- Ground vehicles
- USSR ground vehicles
- Seventh rank ground vehicles
- Premium ground vehicles
- Light tanks
- Ground vehicles with smoke grenades
- Ground vehicles with engine smoke generating system
- Ground vehicles with dozer blade
- Amphibious ground vehicles
- Ground vehicles with night vision device
- Ground vehicles with thermal sight
- Ground vehicles with autoloader
- Ground vehicles with gun stabilizer
