Independent

Independent

Independent

Britain

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.3	1.3	1.3

Class:

PREMIUM

Heavy tank

Purchase:2 100

Description

The A1E1 Independent was an experimental British multi-turreted tank. Its development began in 1922 and was heavily influenced by the experience of World War I tank design, particularly in its numerous anti-infantry armament, weak armour, and large size in order to cross trenches. It was designed with reference to the French Char 2C, but was lighter and more manoeuvrable; the multi-turret concept would go on to influence a number of other tank designs, including the Soviet T-28 and T-35, and the German Neubaufahrzeug. The first and only prototype of the A1E1 was built in 1926 and remained in service until 1935. However, at the start of World War II, the tank was returned to service and used as a static pillbox in case of German invasion of the British Isles. It survived the war and is now on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

Introduced in Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters", the Independent is relatively survivable due to its large crew complement, but limited by its thin armour and large silhouette. Despite its size, it is surprisingly mobile and responsive, though not particularly fast. Firepower-wise, the Independent only has access to an APHE shell, with rather lacklustre penetration but adequate post-penetration damage.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull28 / 13 / 13

Turret28 / 28 / 28

Crew8 people

Visibility103 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	28 mm (0-27°)	13 mm Top 13 + 10 mm Bottom	13 mm (0-58°)	8 mm
Main turret	28 mm (6-48°) Turret front 20 mm (6°) Gun mantlet	28 mm	28 mm	8 mm
Secondary turrets	13 mm (0-3°)	13 mm	13 mm	8 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 20 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB35 / 5 km/h

RB and SB32 / 4 km/h

Number of gears4 forward

1 back

Weight31.7 t

Engine power

AB706 hp

RB and SB370 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB22.3 hp/t

RB and SB11.7 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	35	5	31.7	478	706	15.08	22.27
Realistic	32	4		327	370	10.32	11.67

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB3 621

RB567

SB1 277

Crew training2 300

Experts15 000

Aces115

Research Aces320 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 40 / 40 / 60 %

2 × 112 / 112 / 112 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive Adjustment of Fire Elevation Mechanism

Armaments

Main armament

47 mm Ordnance QF 3-pounder cannon

Shoulder stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving

Ammunition201 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

3.9 → 3.0 s

Vertical guidance-4° / 20°

The QF 3-pounder is a somewhat unique weapon, being one of the few guns you will come across in the British tree capable of firing shells with explosive filler, indeed armour-piercing high explosive (APHE) is the only ammo type available for it. The explosive filler gives the QF 3-pounder somewhat better damage than that of the far more common QF 2-pounder, however this comes at the cost of significantly worse penetration. The reload rate is also slightly slower than the QF 2-pounder, however it still fairly quick with a shortest possible reload of 3.0 seconds (compared to 2.8 seconds for the QF 2-pounder).

The penetration of the QF 3-pounder is adequate although being lower than that of the QF 2-pounder you may find some targets harder to deal with than you were expecting. Although having fairly good damage the gun is often still not powerful enough to kill some larger tanks with a single shot.

47 mm Ordnance QF 3-pounder					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	201	-4°/+20°	±180°	Shoulder	8.1	11.2	13.6	15.0	16.0	3.90	3.45	3.18	3.00
Realistic					5.9	7.0	8.5	9.4	10.0

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
Shell Mk.I	APHE	49	47	38	29	22	16

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%
Shell Mk.I	APHE	563	1.65	1.2	9	16.5	47°	60°	65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Independent

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty
201	181 (+20)	166 (+35)	151 (+50)	136 (+65)	121 (+80)	106 (+95)	91 (+110)
8th rack empty	9th rack empty	10th rack empty	11th rack empty	12th rack empty	13th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
76 (+125)	61 (+140)	46 (+155)	31 (+170)	16 (+185)	1 (+200)	No

Note:

• Turret empty: 181 (+20) shells.

Optics

The Independent has poor optics, a default magnification of x1.85 is the joint worst in the game (many other tanks have x1.85 optics, but no tank has less); and the maximum magnification of x3.5 is only marginally better than the minimum possible value of x3 (for balance reasons all tanks have at least x3 maximum magnification). Although the optics are objectively poor they are somewhat typical for tanks of this era, and many of the tanks the Independent will face have the same (or very similar) magnification values.

Independent Optics
Which ones	Default magnification	Maximum magnification
Main Gun optics	x1.85	x3.5
Comparable optics	Nb.Fz.

Machine guns

4 x 7.7 mm Vickers machine gun

Ammunition16 000 rounds

Belt capacity250 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate390 shots/min

7.7 mm Vickers
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Front left	4,000 (250)	390	-10°/+15°	-130°/+40°
Front right	4,000 (250)	390	-10°/+15°	-40°/+130°
Rear left	4,000 (250)	390	-3°/+15°	0°/+130°
Rear right	4,000 (250)	390	-3°/+15°	-160°/0°

Usage in battles

Gameplay Overview:

The A1E1 Independent is a large and somewhat slow tank that has a fairly unique playstyle. The multiple turret design is rare, with only a few other vehicles having this feature. Unfortunately, the independent's turrets are only armed with machine guns, meaning they will not be useful against most enemies. However, the large size and multiple turret design allows the Independent to survive large amounts of enemy fire. This is not because it has armour capable of bouncing enemy shells, but because it is exceptionally difficult for enemies to knock out all of the crew. The crew count can be considered a sort of health bar, while on low crew the Independent will be easily destroyed. The firepower is decent, but may struggle in many scenarios. The 3 pounder cannon is one of few guns in the British tree that fires APHE, but it suffers from low velocity and an unreliable fuze. The independent is best used as a heavy tank, trying to get close to enemy tanks, and tank damage for friendly tanks.

Close Range Engagements:

At close range the Independent is at an advantage against most foes. The survivability allows it to tank multiple hits from enemies. So long as you are able to destroy the enemy tank within the first few shots, you have the advantage.

Long Range Engagements:

Long range engagements are not the strong suit of the Independent. The Independent's gun is unreliable at range, and some enemies will be able to slowly incapacitate the Independent's crew, until it is destroyed. At range, make sure to use cover and not overexpose the tank, as your crew members are your most valuable asset.The turret armour may be able to bounce shots at range.

Notable Enemies:

There are several tanks that the Independent may encounter near its BR that pose a serious threat to it. These tanks are dangerous because they are able to quickly destroy the Independents' biggest asset, the large crew count. One example is the Ho-Ro which can knock out the entire tank in a single hit due to its large artillery cannon. Similarly, the Panzer II series can quickly cut through the crew of an Independent with their KwK30 and KwK38 cannons.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• 47 mm gun is adequate
• Large ammo reserve
• It has explosives in the AP rounds, very rare in British vehicles
• Like other large tanks (e.g. T-35, T-28 and SMK) it is a very complex vehicle to destroy with plenty of turrets, big tracks and curvy/angled parts to soak up rounds and 8 crew members to boot

Cons:

• Very long tank, hard to hide side from flankers and manoeuvre in tight corners
• Only one ammo type
• Armour is quite thin
• Vulnerable to 20 mm autocannons. In many ways they are more effective than normal cannons due to their high rate of fire
• APHE is inconsistent due to vehicles the Independent will be facing in general have less than 25 mm of armour
• Crew members are near each other, making a single penetrating shot deadly
• Gun is blocked by the 4 MG turret when aiming down, reducing the angle of firing.

History

Development

During the interwar period, British General Staff requested for a heavy tank design in 1924. The project, undertaken by an engineer named Walter Gordon Wilson, was designed by the Armstrong Siddeley engineering group. The finished prototype model was delivered to War Office in 1926. The design of the tank, named "Independent", was a multi-turreted design with a total of five turrets. The one in the center held a 3-pounder 47 mm gun while the other smaller turrets at the main turret's corner held Vickers machine guns. The tank can hold 8 crew members, a driver, four machine gunners, and three in the turret. It was around 28 tons and 25 feet long, despite being only 8 feet wide. This length caused some early problems as the tracks were too thin for the width, causing the rear sprocket wheels to peel the vehicle design as it continues to turn. W.G. Wilson attempted to fix this with an epicyclic steering system, but the tracks still wore out quickly. A unique feature on the Independent was a small opening on the left side of the tank that allowed for the placement of a stretcher for wounded crew members inside the tank to be pulled out from.

During the development and testing process, the Independent design was a item of espionage by the international community. Plans of the design ended up in the Soviet Union and in Germany, with a British officer named Norman Baillie-Stewart court-martialled for supplying secrets to the Germans, including the Independent plans. This espionage influenced several tank designs from these countries, with the T-28 and T-35 in the Soviet Union and the Neubaufahrzeug in Germany.

Cancellation

The Independent was tested by War Office all the way until 1935, but it was a troublesome design. Most of the tests focused on its automotive performance, not even passing along to gunnery trials. The Independent was also used in a officer school for recommendations and examinations. The only model built, the prototype, was deemed worn out in 1935 as the War Office saw no need to spend more money on the design when other vehicles were being produced. They retired the Independent and sent the model to the Bovington Tank Museum, where it sits today for display.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Independent from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Heavyweight brits discusses the Independent at 1:14 - War Thunder Official Channel

Multi-turreted Tanks discusses the Independent at 3:37 - War Thunder Official Channel

The Shooting Range #31 - Metal Beasts section at 06:37 discusses the Independent.

Tank Chats #24 Vickers A1E1 Independent - The Tank Museum

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• 2C
• Nb.Fz.
• T-35
• Ro-Go

External links

• [Devblog] A1E1 Independent - A Land Ironclad

References

Vickers-Armstrongs Limited
Ships
Tribal-class	HMS Eskimo · HMCS Haida
Invincible-class	HMS Invincible*
Kongō-class	IJN Kongo**
Tanks
Light Tanks	VFM5*** · Vickers Mk.11***
Light Tank Mk VI	Light AA Mk I
Light Tank Mk VII	Tetrarch I
Light Tank Mk VIII	Alecto I
Tank, Infantry, Valentine	Valentine I · Valentine IX · Valentine XI · Archer
Vickers MBT	Vickers Mk.1 · Vickers Mk.3 · Vickers Mk.7***
Heavy Tanks	Independent****
Export	▂МК-IX "Valentine" · Vickers Mk.E****
See also	Vickers-Armstrongs Aircraft Limited
	*Previously Armstrong Whitworth
	**Built for Japan
	***Vickers Defence Systems
	****Previously Vickers Limited