Difference between revisions of "M48 Super"
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== 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 '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. Private venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann company aimed to bring obsolete M48 Patton tanks to modern standards, this tank is the ultimate evolution of M48 tanks in German tech tree. |
== General info == | == General info == | ||
| Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | '''Turret''' - Your mantlet caps at 480mm against HEAT and just 209mm against APDSFS, nothing to brag about. You are resistant to autocannons and older HEAT rounds, but that's about it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Hull''' - Being based on the M48 Patton hull from the 60s, your hull is able to stop only autocannon fire and only from the front arc, as side shots WILL get through. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Avoiding getting shot is vital to your survival. Sadly, blocky ineffective armor coupled with a tall profile makes this task difficult, if not impossible to achieve. Adopting hull down tactics is a must; on the bright side, your gun can depress to -9° and you can perform well in hilly terrain. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Armor type:''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Cast homogeneous armor on hull | ||
| + | * Cast homogeneous armor on turret coupled with add-on blocks of composite armor | ||
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| Line 29: | Line 39: | ||
<!-- ''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.'' --> | ||
| − | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,550|rbMinHp=884}} | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,550|rbMinHp=884}}M48 Supers mobility is average at best. Do not expect to rush favorable positions as most of the light tanks and wheeled combat vehicles will be there first. |
=== Modifications and economy === | === Modifications and economy === | ||
| − | {{Specs-Economy}} | + | {{Specs-Economy}}Your focus should be on firepower upgrades. After parts and FPE, go for the DM23 round, as most tanks at this rank have either composite armor, ERA or in the worst case scenario both, making your stock HEAT round '''very''' ineffective. |
| + | |||
| + | After that focus on getting thermals, those help you tremendously with finding targets and it is impossible to fight at night without them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Lastly, go for DM33 and laser rangefinder. Those make you a competent sniper and level your fighting chance against most opponents. | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
| Line 56: | Line 70: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | M48 Super mounts late-generation fully stabilised L7 cannon, which is pretty standard at this rank. It also has access to standard ammunition selection, though one thing to note is that it has the option to equip lethal DM33 rounds, which are the third best NATO rounds available for 105mm guns (after M800 and DM63). | ||
==== Ammunition ==== | ==== Ammunition ==== | ||
| Line 99: | Line 115: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | Available rounds: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * '''DM12 HEAT-FS''' - Your starting round. HEAT round does not lose penetration with distance travelled. Unlike sabots, it has one downside: given that it is a chemical round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. With the emergence of composite and reactive armor, it quickly became obsolete in anti-tank role (both in Warthunder and in reality). Requires careful aiming to properly damage newer tanks, though it can hold its own while fighting older tanks, lighter vehicles and low flying helicopters. | ||
| + | * '''DM502 HESH''' - This round was always plagued by a plethora of problems. Low velocity, low penetration, inconsistent mechanics and sensitive fuse make this round gimmicky at best. That being said, with the new overpressure mechanic, this round can be used in CQB against light vehicles with devastating effect. | ||
| + | * '''DM23 APFSDS''' - Available as a tier I upgrade, this round allows you to engage modern tanks more reliably, since it performs better against composite and reactive armor. Penetration is relatively below average when compared to rounds available to your contemporaries, so use it as a stop gap solution until a better round becomes available. | ||
| + | * '''DM33 APFSDS''' - Best round available to your tank and third best NATO round available for 105mm cannons. It allows you to engage most enemies at your BR at any range reliably. With careful aiming, even higher BR vehicles are not safe. Be of note that this round can easily over penetrate light vehicles such as BMP-2 or SPAAGs, so aiming at vital components is prefered in order to create shrapnel necessary to destroy them. | ||
==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}} | {{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.'' --> | <!-- ''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|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}} | + | {{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}The coaxially mounted 7.62 mm MG3A1 is, in most situations, not useful. While being able to "blind" opponents by shooting at their optics, as with any MG, and able to easily dispatch of vehicles with exposed crew that have uptiered themselves, such as the [[M56]], 2 factors really hold this MG back from being truly useful. These are: |
| − | + | * The MG is mounted coaxially, limiting its traverse and AA capabilities (especially against helicopters) | |
| + | * This MG has very low penetration, as almost any thin armoured plate can withstand its fire | ||
| + | Against some of the bigger and meaner helicopters such as Ka-50, it is simply better to not fire at all in order to stay hidden and not draw attention to yourself. | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" | ||
|- | |- | ||
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== 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).'' --> | ||
| − | + | While M48 Super can be played as a regular main battle tank, it works best as a sniper or support tank. | |
| + | |||
| + | As a sniper, thermals, DM33 round and laser rangefinder allow you to quickly and effectively engage enemy tanks at any range. Using uneven terrain and going hull down, entrenched M48 Super can shut down large portions of maps for the enemy team. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As a support, stabilised gun coupled with DM33 round can work wonders in CQC. Go with your allies with better armor, let them take shot, and as soon as you see enemy tank fire, lunge forward and send the enemy back to the garage. Your tall profile, which is otherwise handicap, can allow you to fire over friendly tanks without obstruction. | ||
| + | |||
| + | If you are forced to brawl, it is mandatory to make the first shot. | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
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* Unlike the M48A2-G-A2 its gun has a two-plane stabilizer so it can fire on the move | * Unlike the M48A2-G-A2 its gun has a two-plane stabilizer so it can fire on the move | ||
* Much better turret protection than the previous M48A2-G-A2 model | * Much better turret protection than the previous M48A2-G-A2 model | ||
| − | * Has a new better transmission and engine so it can go around as fast as a | + | * Has a new better transmission and engine so it can go around as fast as a Leopard tank |
| − | * Has access to thermal vision device for both gunner and commanders optics | + | * Has access to 1st gen thermal vision device for both gunner and commanders optics |
| − | * Has access to | + | * Has access to 3rd best NATO 105mm round, DM33. |
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * All the add on armor on the turret is ineffective against APFSDS | + | * All the add on armor on the turret is ineffective against APFSDS rounds and ATGMs |
* It has a high chance of getting ammo detonation due to ammo layout inside the tank | * It has a high chance of getting ammo detonation due to ammo layout inside the tank | ||
* Penetrating shots will always take out the gun breech and at least two crews | * Penetrating shots will always take out the gun breech and at least two crews | ||
Revision as of 16:45, 5 June 2021
Contents
Description
The Kampfpanzer M48 Super is a rank VI German medium tank with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Starfighters". Private venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann company aimed to bring obsolete M48 Patton tanks to modern standards, this tank is the ultimate evolution of M48 tanks in German tech tree.
General info
Survivability and armour
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 200 mm | 76 mm Top 38 mm Bottom |
35 mm | 57 - 12.7 mm |
| Turret | 400 - 210 mm Turret front 200 mm Gun mantlet |
120 - 100 mm | 75 - 50 mm | 69 - 25 mm |
| Cupola | 70 mm | 70 mm | 70 mm | 70 mm |
Turret - Your mantlet caps at 480mm against HEAT and just 209mm against APDSFS, nothing to brag about. You are resistant to autocannons and older HEAT rounds, but that's about it.
Hull - Being based on the M48 Patton hull from the 60s, your hull is able to stop only autocannon fire and only from the front arc, as side shots WILL get through.
Avoiding getting shot is vital to your survival. Sadly, blocky ineffective armor coupled with a tall profile makes this task difficult, if not impossible to achieve. Adopting hull down tactics is a must; on the bright side, your gun can depress to -9° and you can perform well in hilly terrain.
Armor type:
- Cast homogeneous armor on hull
- Cast homogeneous armor on turret coupled with add-on blocks of composite armor
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 63 | 27 | 53 | 1,550 | 1,908 | 29.25 | 36 |
| Realistic | 57 | 25 | 884 | 1,000 | 16.68 | 18.87 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
After that focus on getting thermals, those help you tremendously with finding targets and it is impossible to fight at night without them.
Lastly, go for DM33 and laser rangefinder. Those make you a competent sniper and level your fighting chance against most opponents.
Armaments
Main armament
| 105 mm L7A3 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 46 | -9°/+19° | ±180° | Two-plane | 22.8 | 31.6 | 38.4 | 42.5 | 45.2 | 8.71 | 7.70 | 7.10 | 6.70 |
| Realistic | 14.3 | 16.8 | 20.4 | 22.6 | 24.0 | ||||||||
M48 Super mounts late-generation fully stabilised L7 cannon, which is pretty standard at this rank. It also has access to standard ammunition selection, though one thing to note is that it has the option to equip lethal DM33 rounds, which are the third best NATO rounds available for 105mm guns (after M800 and DM63).
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 | ||
| DM12 | HEATFS | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| DM502 | HESH | 127 | 127 | 127 | 127 | 127 | 127 |
| DM23 | APFSDS | 337 | 335 | 330 | 322 | 314 | 306 |
| DM33 | APFSDS | 408 | 405 | 398 | 389 | 379 | 370 |
| 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% | |||||||
| DM12 | HEATFS | 1,173 | 10.5 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 1,270 | 65° | 72° | 77° |
| DM502 | HESH | 732 | 14.85 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 4,310 | 73° | 77° | 80° |
| DM23 | APFSDS | 1,455 | 3.79 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 78° | 80° | 81° |
| DM33 | APFSDS | 1,455 | 3.79 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 78° | 80° | 81° |
Available rounds:
- DM12 HEAT-FS - Your starting round. HEAT round does not lose penetration with distance travelled. Unlike sabots, it has one downside: given that it is a chemical round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. With the emergence of composite and reactive armor, it quickly became obsolete in anti-tank role (both in Warthunder and in reality). Requires careful aiming to properly damage newer tanks, though it can hold its own while fighting older tanks, lighter vehicles and low flying helicopters.
- DM502 HESH - This round was always plagued by a plethora of problems. Low velocity, low penetration, inconsistent mechanics and sensitive fuse make this round gimmicky at best. That being said, with the new overpressure mechanic, this round can be used in CQB against light vehicles with devastating effect.
- DM23 APFSDS - Available as a tier I upgrade, this round allows you to engage modern tanks more reliably, since it performs better against composite and reactive armor. Penetration is relatively below average when compared to rounds available to your contemporaries, so use it as a stop gap solution until a better round becomes available.
- DM33 APFSDS - Best round available to your tank and third best NATO round available for 105mm cannons. It allows you to engage most enemies at your BR at any range reliably. With careful aiming, even higher BR vehicles are not safe. Be of note that this round can easily over penetrate light vehicles such as BMP-2 or SPAAGs, so aiming at vital components is prefered in order to create shrapnel necessary to destroy them.
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 43 (+3) | 29 (+17) | 21 (+25) | 16 (+30) | 1 (+45) | No |
Notes:
- Racks 4 and 5 are first stage ammo racks.
- The ammunition model depletes every two rounds after most shots but this depends on how much ammo is left.
Machine guns
- The MG is mounted coaxially, limiting its traverse and AA capabilities (especially against helicopters)
- This MG has very low penetration, as almost any thin armoured plate can withstand its fire
Against some of the bigger and meaner helicopters such as Ka-50, it is simply better to not fire at all in order to stay hidden and not draw attention to yourself.
| 7.62 mm MG3A1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 2,000 (1,000) | 1,200 | __° | __° |
| Coaxial | 2,750 (1,000) | 1,200 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
While M48 Super can be played as a regular main battle tank, it works best as a sniper or support tank.
As a sniper, thermals, DM33 round and laser rangefinder allow you to quickly and effectively engage enemy tanks at any range. Using uneven terrain and going hull down, entrenched M48 Super can shut down large portions of maps for the enemy team.
As a support, stabilised gun coupled with DM33 round can work wonders in CQC. Go with your allies with better armor, let them take shot, and as soon as you see enemy tank fire, lunge forward and send the enemy back to the garage. Your tall profile, which is otherwise handicap, can allow you to fire over friendly tanks without obstruction.
If you are forced to brawl, it is mandatory to make the first shot.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Improved in all aspects compared to M48A2-G-A2
- Unlike the M48A2-G-A2 its gun has a two-plane stabilizer so it can fire on the move
- Much better turret protection than the previous M48A2-G-A2 model
- Has a new better transmission and engine so it can go around as fast as a Leopard tank
- Has access to 1st gen thermal vision device for both gunner and commanders optics
- Has access to 3rd best NATO 105mm round, DM33.
Cons:
- All the add on armor on the turret is ineffective against APFSDS rounds and ATGMs
- It has a high chance of getting ammo detonation due to ammo layout inside the tank
- Penetrating shots will always take out the gun breech and at least two crews
- It has a large profile compared to other tanks of the same rank
- Has a large engine bulge at the back so it cant fire from its back at all
History
Development
The Super M48 was a private venture offered by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann in the 1990s as a potential upgrade for the M48 Patton that was in service with a number of nations at the time. A total of 5 demonstrator vehicles were built using the M48A2GA2 as their basis. Unfortunately for the Super M48, its creation coincided with the end of the Cold War, which resulted in a surplus of newer American and Soviet tanks which were preferred over an upgraded older tank such as the M48. As such, no nation chose to procure the Super M48 upgrade solution.
Design
The Super M48 maintained the general layout and basis of the M48A2GA2, with a crew of four. It weighed a total of 53 tonnes and was 6.87 metres long, 3.63 metres wide, and 2.9 metres tall.
The old engine of the M48A2GA2 was replaced by an MTU MB 837 Ea-500 V12 diesel engine producing 1,000 hp, much more powerful than the old engine. The transmission was also replaced by a Renk RK-304 transmission with four forward and four reverse gears. The suspension was nearly unmodified other than the five return rollers being reduced to only three. The new powerpack gave the Super M48 a top speed of 56 kilometres per hour.
The protection of the Super M48 was also improved by fitting a layer of composite material around the turret front and sides. This appliqué armour was modular and could be removed when not necessary or replaced when damaged. A spall liner was fitted to the interior of the vehicle. Four smoke grenade launchers were fitted to each side of the turret for a total of eight. Additionally, new sideskirts were fitted on the hull sides.
The main gun was the L7A3 105 mm rifled gun which could fire APFSDS, HESH, HEATFS, and HE. The secondary armament consisted of a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and a pintle-mounted 7.62 machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola. 46 rounds of 105 mm ammunition and 10,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition were provided.
The tank's fire control system (FCS) was replaced by a MOLF 48 FCS built by Atlas Elektronik. It included a digital ballistic computer, a thermal sight for the gunner with an included laser rangefinder, and an optical rangefinder as a backup. The gun was fitted with a two-plane stabilization system and the gun and turret controls were replaced by an electro-hydraulic system.
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
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- encyclopedia page on the tank;
- other literature.
| Germany medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| Pz.III | Pz.III B · Pz.III E · Pz.III F · Pz.III J · Pz.III J1 · Pz.III J1 TD · Pz.III L · Pz.III M · Pz.III N |
| Pz.IV | Pz.IV C · Pz.IV E · Pz.IV F1 · Pz.IV F2 · Pz.IV G · Pz.IV H · Pz.IV J · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J |
| Pz.V | VK 3002 (M) · Panther A · Panther D · Panther F · Panther G · Ersatz M10 · Panther II |
| M48 upgrades | M48A2 G A2 · M48 Super |
| Leopard 1 | Leopard I · Leopard A1A1 · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 1A5 · C2A1 · Turm III |
| Leopard 2 | PT-16/T14 mod. · Leopard 2K · Leopard 2AV |
| Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M · Leopard 2 PL · Leopard 2A5 · Leopard 2 PSO · Leopard 2A6 · Leopard 2A7V | |
| Trophies | ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) |
| Other | Nb.Fz. · KPz-70 |
| USA | mKPz M47 G · M48A2 C |
| USSR | ◊T-72M1 |
