Difference between revisions of "M8 LAC"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_m8_greyhound}}
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{{About
 +
| about = American gift light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|other
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|usage-1 = other versions
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|link-1 = M8 Greyhound (Family)
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|usage-2 = other uses
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|link-2 = M8 (Disambiguation)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=us_m8_greyhound
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_M8 Greyhound.jpg|ArtImage_M8 Greyhound.png}}
 +
|market=M8
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to 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 the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it 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.'' -->
 +
Developed in 1941 as a candidate for the role of a mobile tank destroyer vehicle, the M8 was found to be more ideal in the reconnaissance role for the US armored force, cavalry, and tank destroyer branches. Initially designated as the T22, the car was accepted into service on June 22, 1942 as the "Light Armored Car, M8", and would have the nickname "Greyhound" from the British. It would begin production in March 1943 that would continue until June 1945, with more than 8,000 M8 light armored cars produced. It would see combat in World War II in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific Theater of Operations. After World War II, the M8 continued its service in the US Army in the Korean War. Though it was retired soon after the Korean War, the M8 continued seeing use by foreign operators as a military aid item.
 +
 
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]] as part of War Thunder's [[wt:en/news/5066-special-war-thunder-5-years-en|5th anniversary event]]. It was also a reward of the "10 rare vehicles" event during [[wt:en/news/7945-special-happy-anniversary-war-thunder-en|War Thunder's 10th Anniversary]] in 2022. It is one of the few armoured cars available in the early ranks of the United States tech tree. Despite that, it is one of the more capable armoured cars, possessing a 37 mm cannon that is competitive against its opponents as well as a .50 cal machine gun on top that can be effectively used against low-flying aircraft and even the thinner armor of light tanks. The armor of the M8 is less thin than the [[M2A4]] but is still thick enough to provide a small chance of resisting autocannon-caliber shells and the occasional cannon shots at ideal ricochet angles. Finally, the wheel chassis provides the M8 armored car great mobility on solid grounds like roads, though this makes the M8's mobility poorer on rougher cross-country terrain.
  
 
== 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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{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 M8 Greyhound has next to no armour protection. Its armour can stop rifle-calibre machine gun fire, but nothing more. Even then, the vehicle's turret has an open roof and very thin armour on the sides and the rear, so it is still possible for a few unlucky machine gun bullets to find their way inside. The Greyhound is also vulnerable to overpressure. In addition, the modules are lined up and the crew is close together when looking straight at the front of the vehicle. From the side, however, this is not the case - there is a small area behind the two crew members in the turret but in front of the fuel tank with no modules in it and an even larger area of empty space between the turret crew and the driver/machine gunner.
 +
 
 +
Thanks to the thin armour, it is very possible for rounds to over-penetrate and passes through without dealing any significant damage. The vehicles size, or lack thereof, should also be taken into account. The M8 Greyhound is very small and short, making it easy to exploit hiding spots and hills for protection. It can stay out of sight and use stealth to its advantage with little trouble. The .50 calibre machine gun on the roof is raised up, but there are no critical modules surrounding it and it is relatively small so it can be used to shoot over obstacles without risking damage to the armoured car. While the raw armour and protection on the M8 Greyhound are lacking, where it shines is in its ability to hide and use its good top speed to get around quickly and avoid being hit.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet)
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 12.7 mm (59°) ''Upper Glacis'' <br> 15.9 mm (29°) ''Lower Glacis'' <br> 19.1 mm (44°) ''Upper Plate'' || 9.5 mm || 5 - 9.5 mm || 6.35 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 19.1 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 25.4 mm ''Gun mantlet'' <br> 19 mm (Additional to mantlet) ''Gun Aperture'' || 19.1 mm || 19.1 mm || 6.35
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* The turret is mostly open-topped, but the very front portion is covered by 6.35 mm
 +
* Wheels - 10 mm
 +
* Suspension - 5 mm
 +
* 4 mm fenders cover most of the hull sides in addition to the base 9.5 mm
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{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.'' -->
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 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 129|rbMinHp= 97}}
 +
 
 +
While it has poor armour and survivability, the {{PAGENAME}} excels in terms of mobility. As a wheeled vehicle it reaches 60 km/h on road in arcade with stock modules and 40 km/h off road. In realistic it reaches 38 km/h off road, and 55 km/h on road with 7 gears, it also has -12 km/h reverse speed on two reverse gears.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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''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 flexibilty 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.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
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{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}
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The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with an 37 mm M6 cannon as its main armament. This is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1 shell), being able to penetrate almost all the opponents it will ever face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to knock out most enemy vehicles with a single shot, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drop significantly beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] || 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" | 80 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 4.55 || rowspan="2" | 4.03 || rowspan="2" | 3.71 || rowspan="2" | 3.50
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:M6 (37 mm)/Ammunition|M74B1, M51B1}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.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
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''80''' || 73&nbsp;''(+7)'' || 65&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+47)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+79)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
* As they are modeled by rows of 4, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired all shells in the row.
−
''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 how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
* Turret empty of shells (racks 1 & 2 emptied): 65&nbsp;''(+15)'' shells.
 +
* Right side empty: 33&nbsp;''(+47)'' shells.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''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.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The two machine guns on the {{PAGENAME}} are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M8. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
''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 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).''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Commander pintle || 400 (200) || 575 || -10°/+40° || ±180°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 1,500 (250) || 500 || - || -
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
=== Pros and cons ===
+
== Usage in battles ==
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
When using this vehicle keep in mind that you are virtually naked to every main gun, that means you should not expose yourself unnecessarily and not give the opponents a chance to shoot at you, coupled with the fact that the main gun can penetrate every other vehicle in its rank. Its excellent mobility gives this vehicle a very viable hit-and-run tactic. Ambush your opponent on your terms. After you destroy him, change your position again, find concealment or cover, use your fast reverse speed to your advantage, avoid one on one fights, and fair fights.
  
−
'''Pros:'''
+
At the start of the match, the M8 is best used as a point-capturing vehicle. Find a road connecting to a point to unleash its scary 90 km/h on-road top speed, and it is likely to get to the point before the enemy can. Once the point is captured, quickly move away as there are likely to be artillery strikes, which can critically damage the M8.
  
−
.50 caliber secondary at BR 1.3
+
After capturing a point, there are two good options (just examples, the player is free to play in their way). One is to hide at the side of the point, waiting for the enemy to recapture it. Use its small profile to set up a good ambush, and flank the enemy unexpectedly. The fast-firing gun will genuinely shine when attacking several enemies from the side or rear, allowing the player to knock out a surprising amount of enemies. Once the enemies are wiped out, quickly retake the point and ambush again. Note that the player might want to change their position as some enemies might try and revenge.
  
−
Very fast on road speed
+
Another playstyle is the hit-n-run tactic, thanks to its great mobility and small profile. If careful enough, it can travel between points like a ghost without being noticed and flank the enemies. The stabilizer will help a lot as it gives the player the ability to fire first. If the first shell missed or didn't penetrate, it can even finish off the enemy with the .50 cal alone!
  
−
High turret traverse
+
'''Enemies worth noting''':
  
−
*
+
[[LVT (Family)]] - These amphibious tanks are well known for their huge hull size. Indeed, there is a huge space between the driving compartment and the fighting compartment that will absorb almost any incoming shells, and unfortunately, the M8's solid AP can't cope with this. If an M8 doesn't know where are the crew is located on an LVT, they will die due to not being able to knock out the crew effectively. Remember their crew location, and the M8 can easily take them out.
  
−
'''Cons:'''
+
The driver is at the foremost part of the hull. Behind him, there is absolutely nothing, so you must avoid shooting there. Behind the empty space, the turret houses 2-3 crew. Shoot there to disable its gun. And don't forget, at the very rear of the LVT, the two exposed machine gunners can be taken out with the .50 cal. Memorize those three main locations of the crew, and you can effectively destroy any LVT out there with your rapid reload. Also, if the angle isn't too large, the .50 can penetrate the LVT's weak armour.
  
−
No neutral steer
+
=== 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".'' -->
  
−
Slow off road speeds compared to tracked vehicles
+
'''Pros:'''
  
−
Low main gun ammo storage
+
* The M51 shell has enough power to penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Family)|Pz.II]], [[Pz.III B]] or [[Ha-Go (Family)|Ha-Go]], and the fast reload helps to precisely knock out the crew one by one
 +
* Pintle-mounted heavy machine gun is very lethal against other similarly armoured vehicles (e.g. [[AS 42]], [[L3/33 CC]]) and slow biplanes
 +
* One of the fastest vehicles on road with a max speed of 90 km/h allows it to get to positions quickly
 +
* Reverse speed allows it to retreat from danger quickly
 +
* Small profile makes ambushing/hiding easy
  
−
Low armor
+
'''Cons:'''
  
−
*
+
* Wheeled vehicle, performs poorly off-road and cannot turn in place, and especially slow in desert maps like [[Sinai]] and snowy maps like [[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]]
 +
* Virtually no armour, tight crew and open top make this vehicle very vulnerable to rapid-firing tanks like the [[Pz.II (Family)|Pz.II]], [[M13 MGMC|M13]] or strafing planes
 +
* M6 cannon requires precision shots, as post-penetration effects are weak especially against the [[LVT(A)(1)|LVT(A)]] series which are super spacious
 +
* Turret traverse is rather sluggish, might not get the gun on target sometimes
 +
* Looks very similar to the Chinese [[M8 LAC (China)|M8 LAC]], the lighter coloured camouflage can be hard to distinguish in [[Simulator Battles]]
 +
* The open-topped design makes it vulnerable to overpressure from explosive shells
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The M8 replaced the M3A1 Scout Car and M2 Halftrack as the main armoured vehicle of the US mechanized cavalry starting in late 1943. 8,500 were built. The vehicle's lightweight and 6x6 drive gave it the excellent speed and cross-country mobility. It was well-liked by the crews but was still thin-skinned and under-gunned when compared to the opposition.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m8_greyhound Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Videos
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
{{Youtube-gallery|RGeu2yLGeTU|'''Best armoured cars''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:32 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|HT8ErolJO2k|'''M8 Light Armoured Car "Greyhound", American Tier-1, Armoured Car / Light Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''}}
  
 +
== 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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
  
−
''ETC.''
+
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
  
−
== Sources ==
+
* [[Daimler Mk II]]
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
* [[AB 41]]
 +
* [[AMD.35]]
  
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/5058-special-m8-light-armoured-car-long-legged-canine-en|[Development] M8 Light Armoured Car: Long Legged Canine]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:M8_Greyhound|[Wikipedia] M8 Greyhound]]
 +
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.php?armor_id=65 <nowiki>[Military Factory] M8 Greyhound (Light Armored Car M8)</nowiki>]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer Ford}}
 +
{{USA light tanks}}
 +
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}
 +
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Latest revision as of 00:43, 30 September 2024

This page is about the American gift light tank M8 LAC. For other versions, see M8 Greyhound (Family). For other uses, see M8 (Disambiguation).
M8 LAC
us_m8_greyhound.png
GarageImage M8 Greyhound.jpg
ArtImage M8 Greyhound.png
M8 LAC
USA flag.png USA
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
MARKET

Description

Developed in 1941 as a candidate for the role of a mobile tank destroyer vehicle, the M8 was found to be more ideal in the reconnaissance role for the US armored force, cavalry, and tank destroyer branches. Initially designated as the T22, the car was accepted into service on June 22, 1942 as the "Light Armored Car, M8", and would have the nickname "Greyhound" from the British. It would begin production in March 1943 that would continue until June 1945, with more than 8,000 M8 light armored cars produced. It would see combat in World War II in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific Theater of Operations. After World War II, the M8 continued its service in the US Army in the Korean War. Though it was retired soon after the Korean War, the M8 continued seeing use by foreign operators as a military aid item.

The Light Armored Car M8 was introduced in Update 1.73 "Vive la France" as part of War Thunder's 5th anniversary event. It was also a reward of the "10 rare vehicles" event during War Thunder's 10th Anniversary in 2022. It is one of the few armoured cars available in the early ranks of the United States tech tree. Despite that, it is one of the more capable armoured cars, possessing a 37 mm cannon that is competitive against its opponents as well as a .50 cal machine gun on top that can be effectively used against low-flying aircraft and even the thinner armor of light tanks. The armor of the M8 is less thin than the M2A4 but is still thick enough to provide a small chance of resisting autocannon-caliber shells and the occasional cannon shots at ideal ricochet angles. Finally, the wheel chassis provides the M8 armored car great mobility on solid grounds like roads, though this makes the M8's mobility poorer on rougher cross-country terrain.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull19 / 9 / 5
Turret19 / 19 / 19
Crew4 people
Visibility80 %

The M8 Greyhound has next to no armour protection. Its armour can stop rifle-calibre machine gun fire, but nothing more. Even then, the vehicle's turret has an open roof and very thin armour on the sides and the rear, so it is still possible for a few unlucky machine gun bullets to find their way inside. The Greyhound is also vulnerable to overpressure. In addition, the modules are lined up and the crew is close together when looking straight at the front of the vehicle. From the side, however, this is not the case - there is a small area behind the two crew members in the turret but in front of the fuel tank with no modules in it and an even larger area of empty space between the turret crew and the driver/machine gunner.

Thanks to the thin armour, it is very possible for rounds to over-penetrate and passes through without dealing any significant damage. The vehicles size, or lack thereof, should also be taken into account. The M8 Greyhound is very small and short, making it easy to exploit hiding spots and hills for protection. It can stay out of sight and use stealth to its advantage with little trouble. The .50 calibre machine gun on the roof is raised up, but there are no critical modules surrounding it and it is relatively small so it can be used to shoot over obstacles without risking damage to the armoured car. While the raw armour and protection on the M8 Greyhound are lacking, where it shines is in its ability to hide and use its good top speed to get around quickly and avoid being hit.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 12.7 mm (59°) Upper Glacis
15.9 mm (29°) Lower Glacis
19.1 mm (44°) Upper Plate 		9.5 mm 5 - 9.5 mm 6.35 mm
Turret 19.1 mm Turret front
25.4 mm Gun mantlet
19 mm (Additional to mantlet) Gun Aperture 		19.1 mm 19.1 mm 6.35

Notes:

  • The turret is mostly open-topped, but the very front portion is covered by 6.35 mm
  • Wheels - 10 mm
  • Suspension - 5 mm
  • 4 mm fenders cover most of the hull sides in addition to the base 9.5 mm

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB101 / 15 km/h
RB and SB91 / 13 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight7.9 t
Engine power
AB210 hp
RB and SB110 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB26.6 hp/t
RB and SB13.9 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 101 15 7.9 129 210 16.33 26.58
Realistic 91 13 97 110 12.28 13.92

While it has poor armour and survivability, the M8 LAC excels in terms of mobility. As a wheeled vehicle it reaches 60 km/h on road in arcade with stock modules and 40 km/h off road. In realistic it reaches 38 km/h off road, and 55 km/h on road with 7 gears, it also has -12 km/h reverse speed on two reverse gears.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB409 Sl icon.png
RB214 Sl icon.png
SB144 Sl icon.png
Crew training450 Sl icon.png
Experts3 000 Sl icon.png
Aces45 Ge icon.png
Research Aces220 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 20 / 20 / 20 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new wheels.png
Tires
Mods new car suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
37mm_usa_m3_APC_ammo_pack
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm M6 cannon
Ammunition80 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
4.6 → 3.5 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: M6 (37 mm)

The M8 LAC is armed with an 37 mm M6 cannon as its main armament. This is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1 shell), being able to penetrate almost all the opponents it will ever face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to knock out most enemy vehicles with a single shot, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drop significantly beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h.

37 mm M6 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 80 -10°/+20° ±180° - 19.0 26.4 32.0 35.4 37.6 4.55 4.03 3.71 3.50
Realistic 11.9 14.0 17.0 18.8 20.0

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
M74B1 AP 79 76 65 54 45 37
M51B1 APCBC 87 84 73 60 50 41
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%
M74B1 AP 883 0.87 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M51B1 APCBC 883 0.87 - - - 48° 63° 71°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M8 LAC
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
80 73 (+7) 65 (+15) 33 (+47) 1 (+79) No

Notes:

  • As they are modeled by rows of 4, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired all shells in the row.
  • Turret empty of shells (racks 1 & 2 emptied): 65 (+15) shells.
  • Right side empty: 33 (+47) shells.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition400 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 40°
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition1 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), M1919A4 (7.62 mm)

The two machine guns on the M8 LAC are the good old .50 cal M2HB and the 7.62 mm M1919A4. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M8. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Commander pintle 400 (200) 575 -10°/+40° ±180°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 1,500 (250) 500 - -

Usage in battles

When using this vehicle keep in mind that you are virtually naked to every main gun, that means you should not expose yourself unnecessarily and not give the opponents a chance to shoot at you, coupled with the fact that the main gun can penetrate every other vehicle in its rank. Its excellent mobility gives this vehicle a very viable hit-and-run tactic. Ambush your opponent on your terms. After you destroy him, change your position again, find concealment or cover, use your fast reverse speed to your advantage, avoid one on one fights, and fair fights.

At the start of the match, the M8 is best used as a point-capturing vehicle. Find a road connecting to a point to unleash its scary 90 km/h on-road top speed, and it is likely to get to the point before the enemy can. Once the point is captured, quickly move away as there are likely to be artillery strikes, which can critically damage the M8.

After capturing a point, there are two good options (just examples, the player is free to play in their way). One is to hide at the side of the point, waiting for the enemy to recapture it. Use its small profile to set up a good ambush, and flank the enemy unexpectedly. The fast-firing gun will genuinely shine when attacking several enemies from the side or rear, allowing the player to knock out a surprising amount of enemies. Once the enemies are wiped out, quickly retake the point and ambush again. Note that the player might want to change their position as some enemies might try and revenge.

Another playstyle is the hit-n-run tactic, thanks to its great mobility and small profile. If careful enough, it can travel between points like a ghost without being noticed and flank the enemies. The stabilizer will help a lot as it gives the player the ability to fire first. If the first shell missed or didn't penetrate, it can even finish off the enemy with the .50 cal alone!

Enemies worth noting:

LVT (Family) - These amphibious tanks are well known for their huge hull size. Indeed, there is a huge space between the driving compartment and the fighting compartment that will absorb almost any incoming shells, and unfortunately, the M8's solid AP can't cope with this. If an M8 doesn't know where are the crew is located on an LVT, they will die due to not being able to knock out the crew effectively. Remember their crew location, and the M8 can easily take them out.

The driver is at the foremost part of the hull. Behind him, there is absolutely nothing, so you must avoid shooting there. Behind the empty space, the turret houses 2-3 crew. Shoot there to disable its gun. And don't forget, at the very rear of the LVT, the two exposed machine gunners can be taken out with the .50 cal. Memorize those three main locations of the crew, and you can effectively destroy any LVT out there with your rapid reload. Also, if the angle isn't too large, the .50 can penetrate the LVT's weak armour.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • The M51 shell has enough power to penetrate common opponents like the Pz.II, Pz.III B or Ha-Go, and the fast reload helps to precisely knock out the crew one by one
  • Pintle-mounted heavy machine gun is very lethal against other similarly armoured vehicles (e.g. AS 42, L3/33 CC) and slow biplanes
  • One of the fastest vehicles on road with a max speed of 90 km/h allows it to get to positions quickly
  • Reverse speed allows it to retreat from danger quickly
  • Small profile makes ambushing/hiding easy

Cons:

  • Wheeled vehicle, performs poorly off-road and cannot turn in place, and especially slow in desert maps like Sinai and snowy maps like Frozen Pass
  • Virtually no armour, tight crew and open top make this vehicle very vulnerable to rapid-firing tanks like the Pz.II, M13 or strafing planes
  • M6 cannon requires precision shots, as post-penetration effects are weak especially against the LVT(A) series which are super spacious
  • Turret traverse is rather sluggish, might not get the gun on target sometimes
  • Looks very similar to the Chinese M8 LAC, the lighter coloured camouflage can be hard to distinguish in Simulator Battles
  • The open-topped design makes it vulnerable to overpressure from explosive shells

History

The M8 replaced the M3A1 Scout Car and M2 Halftrack as the main armoured vehicle of the US mechanized cavalry starting in late 1943. 8,500 were built. The vehicle's lightweight and 6x6 drive gave it the excellent speed and cross-country mobility. It was well-liked by the crews but was still thin-skinned and under-gunned when compared to the opposition.

Media

Skins
Videos
Best armoured cars discusses the M8 LAC at 0:32 - War Thunder Official Channel
M8 Light Armoured Car "Greyhound", American Tier-1, Armoured Car / Light Tank - Angry Nerd Gaming

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


Ford Motor Company
Armoured cars  M8 Greyhound
SPAAGs  M247 Sergeant York
Export  ␗M8 LAC

USA light tanks
LVT  LVT(A)(1) · ○LVT(A)(1) · LVT(A)(4)
M2  M2A2 · M2A4 · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)
M3/M5 Stuart  M3 Stuart · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC) · M5A1 · M5A1 TD · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD)
M22 Locust  M22
M24 Chaffee  M24 · M24 (TL)
M18 Hellcat  M18 GMC · M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat
M41 Walker Bulldog  M41A1
M551 Sheridan  M551 · M551(76)
M3 Bradley  M3 Bradley · M3A3 Bradley
Wheeled  M8 LAC · T18E2 · M1128 · M1128 Wolfpack
Other  M8A1 GMC · T92 · T114 · HSTV-L · CCVL · XM8 · XM800T · AGS

USA premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  LVT(A)(4) · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) · M3A1 (USMC) · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · M8 LAC · M8A1 GMC
  M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat · T18E2 · M551(76) · T114 · M1128 Wolfpack
Medium tanks  ▃Grant I · M4A5 · Calliope · T20 · M26 T99 · M26E1 · M46 "Tiger" · T54E1 · T54E2 · ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · M728 CEV
  XM1 (GM) · XM1 (Chrysler) · M1 KVT · M1A1 Click-Bait
Heavy tanks  T14 · Cobra King · M6A2E1 · T29 · T30
Tank destroyers  T28 · T55E1

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