Difference between revisions of "Super Hellcat"

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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 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.''-->
 +
[[File:GarageImage M18SuperHellcat.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 +
{{break}}
 +
The '''M18 90-mm Gun Motor Carriage''' (or the '''M18 ''Super Hellcat''''') is a premium Rank IV American tank destroyer with the battle rating of 6.3. It was introduced in [[Update 1.51 "Cold Steel"]]. It is similar to the Rank III [[M18 Gun Motor Carriage|M18 Hellcat]], only using the [[M36 Jackson|M36 GMC]] turret to mount the 90 mm gun with a minimal decrease in top speed.
  
 
== 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?''
+
<!--''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?''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 12.7 mm (63°)|| 12.7 mm || 12.7 mm || 8.0 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 31.75 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 76.2 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 31.75 mm || 25.4 mm || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
  
 
=== 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.''
+
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''-->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
 +
|-
 +
! Weight (tons)
 +
!colspan="1" | Add-on Armor<br>weight (tons)
 +
!colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="2" | 22.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 79 (AB)
 +
|-
 +
|72 (RB/SB)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|653
 +
|804
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|407
 +
|460
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|29.68
 +
|36.54
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|18.50
 +
|20.91
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
''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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
{{main|M3 (90 mm)}}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
''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.''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm M3]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="3" | 45 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 +
|-
 +
! style="width:4em" |Mode
 +
! style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| ''Arcade'' || 14.28 || 19.80 || 24.00 || 26.60 || 28.20
 +
|-
 +
| ''Realistic'' || 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.60 || 24.00
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| 11.05 || 9.78 || 9.00 || 8.50
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===== Ammunition =====
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10m
 +
! 100m
 +
! 500m
 +
! 1000m
 +
! 1500m
 +
! 2000m
 +
|-
 +
| T33 shot || AP || 189 || 188 || 163 || 137 || 115 || 96
 +
|-
 +
| M71 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
 +
|-
 +
| M82 shot || APCBC || 165 || 164 || 150 || 137 || 125 || 114
 +
|-
 +
| M304 shot || APCR || 264 || 260 || 245 || 226 || 210 || 191
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 +
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
 +
''in m:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
 +
''in mm:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''
 +
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
 +
|-
 +
! 0%
 +
! 50%
 +
! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| T33 shot ||  AP || 822 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 +
|-
 +
| M71 shell || HE || 823 || 11 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 925 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
 +
| M82 shot || APCBC || 807 || 11 || 1.2 || 20 || 137.2 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 +
|-
 +
| M304 shot || APCR || 1021 || 7.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===== [[Ammo Racks|Ammo racks]] =====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_M18SuperHellcat.png|right|thumbnail|300px|Ammo racks of the Super Hellcat.]]
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br />ammo
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th<br />rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''45''' || 40&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 34&nbsp;''(+11)'' || 28&nbsp;''(+17)'' || 22&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 16&nbsp;''(+29)'' || 11&nbsp;''(+34)'' || 6&nbsp;''(+39)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+44)'' || style="text-align:center" |Yes
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Turret empty: 34 ''(+11)''
  
 
=== 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.''
+
<!--''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|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="4" | 800 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in the battles ==
 
== Usage in the 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 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 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 M18 "Super Hellcat" should be very familiar to those who play the [[M18 Gun Motor Carriage|M18 Hellcat]]. It is very fast, equipped with a hard-hitting cannon, but at a cost of armour. Thus, the M18 Super Hellcat is a mobile hit-and-run vehicle, popping out from behind a cover and blasting the enemy with a shot before retreating. Change up the firing location often to avoid being hit if someone has your previous firing location targeted. The Hellcat won't hold the line by standing and absorbing shots, but it can if you pick off each attacker one by one like a sniper.
 +
 
 +
The main focus of gaining the Super Hellcat is the 90mm upgrade; and it is absolutely beautiful. The main round you are recommended to use well be the M82 APCBC round, the reason being well get you one shot kill quite often. The M82 has enough penetration to penetrate a [[Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. H1|Tiger I]] through the front plate.
 +
 
 +
In an offensive and defensive position, the Hellcat should still remain behind cover and be constantly changing firing positions. Once you fire a shot, retreat back to cover and wait out until you fully reload the next round. In an offense, pop out from the cover occasionally and snipe at your enemy. In a defense, remain behind cover and catch the enemy off guard as they approach by letting them shoot a different target first and hit them while they are reloading. Another way is to let them move right into your line of sight, which should at best expose their sides to you, allowing for a one shot kill if you can land a M82 APCBC round into them.
 +
 
 +
A more aggressive play style is as a flanker and a point-capturer. The Hellcat's great speed can allow it to get around an enemy concentration and shoot them on the sides while they are focused at your allies in front of them. They may eventually catch on to Hellcat's presence, and the Hellcat should take a more conservative action by returning back to the shoot-and-scoot tactic behind cover. The Hellcat's speed can also be used to rush towards the point. Though not recommended due to exposing the Hellcat's to enemy fire, the speed can ensure the Hellcat will be the first on the point, with a 90mm gun to defend itself. If lucky, the enemy team is too slow and the Hellcat will capture the point. If unlucky, the enemy will swarm the point, outnumber and constrict the Hellcat and destroy it. Thus it is not recommended to play as a point-capturer.
 +
 
 +
With good shots, you can hit the cheeks of a [[Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. B (P)|Tiger II (P)]]. Penetrating the [[Panther]] series (up to the [[Panther II]]) will require a clean shot to the mantlet and for the Panther II, a hit the flat of the turret. Same principles apply on Soviet mediums like the [[T-44]], hit the cheeks and turret ring. For Soviet heavy tanks, hit the lower glacis or the turret cheeks. Using the standard AP shot as a primary round isn't recommended as the fragmentation is minimal, same goes for APCR, which should be used only on the toughest enemies. Despite that, AP is useful against some enemies like the [[Tiger II (H)]] as the regular APCBC can penetrate the flat sides of the turret front. Use AP if you have a flat shot on the flat part of Tiger 2H turret as it cant be penned by APCBC but if the turret is angled even a little AP well bounce so then use APCR same on Russian heavy tanks. Little hint when using AP or APCR on German/ Russian heavy tanks aim for the right side to hit the Aimer and commander give you those precious seconds to escape. AP and APCR isn't recommended to shoot the angled front plates of the German panther and tiger 2's as the angle is steep enough to absorb the shot unless your hugging the front of a panther. The reload with a max reloading skill is 9.5 seconds which gives it a decent rate of fire.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''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".''
+
<!--''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".''-->
−
 
 
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
* Fantastic 90 mm gun with a very lethal M82 APCBC round.
−
 
+
* Pintle .50 cal machine gun is effective for anti-air purposes.
 +
* Fast Hellcat speed, forward and backward.
 +
* Great mobility
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
* Paper-thin armour.
 +
* Hull-breakable vehicle.
 +
* Exposed crew, watch out for machine gun and artillery.
 +
* A penetrating round, even if inflicting minimum crew damages, have high chance of disabling the transmission or engine.
 +
* Ammunition always stored in hull sides.
  
 
== 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 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.''-->
 +
===Development===
 +
During World War II, the [[M18 Gun Motor Carriage|M18 "Hellcat"]] tank destroyer was very effective in its role in American service. Despite that, an attempt to upgrade the vehicle with a better gun took effect around 1944. Instead of the 76 mm gun that it originally had, it would take the 90 mm gun that was going into service at the time.
 +
 
 +
The attempt to construct this focused on the turret to mount the heavier and larger gun. The M18's turret was then replaced with the turret from the [[90-mm Gun Motor Carriage M36|M36 GMC]] to mount the 90 mm gun. Testings with this variant showed that the installment of the new turret did not hinder the speed performance of the M18, but the recoil of the 90 mm gun would cause the tank to bounce back heavily when fired, going back by at least 2 feet even with the muzzle brake attached on the 90 mm gun. The recoil force would also shake the entire tank hull and crew inside. The modified M18 mounting the 90 mm gun was nicknamed the '''"Super" Hellcat'''
 +
 
 +
===Testing and cancellation===
 +
Despite the drawbacks, it was deemed an acceptable vehicle to use in the battlefield. The 90 mm gun would provide a very large firepower advantage over the 76 mm gun the M18 had originally, which could not penetrate the front of the [[Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. G|Panther tank]] unless in close range with HVAP ammo. The 90 mm could take out most of the late war German tank designs with ease. However, the war ended before the "Super" Hellcat could be deployed for combat use, and the project was cancelled along with the disbanding of the tank destroyer doctrine.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 42: Line 244:
  
 
== Read also ==
 
== Read also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!--''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.''
+
''ETC.''-->
 +
[https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/791/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T-34-100 and SuperHellcat]<br/>
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
Line 51: Line 254:
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{USA tank destroyers}}
 +
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

Revision as of 05:32, 20 October 2018

Super Hellcat
us_m18_super_hellcat.png
Super Hellcat
USA flag.png USA
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.3 6.3 6.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:6 090 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage Super Hellcat.jpg


The M18 90-mm Gun Motor Carriage (or the M18 Super Hellcat) is a premium Rank IV American tank destroyer with the battle rating of 6.3. It was introduced in Update 1.51 "Cold Steel". It is similar to the Rank III M18 Hellcat, only using the M36 GMC turret to mount the 90 mm gun with a minimal decrease in top speed.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 12.7 mm (63°) 12.7 mm 12.7 mm 8.0 mm
Turret 31.75 mm Turret front
76.2 mm Gun mantlet		 31.75 mm 25.4 mm N/A

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons) Add-on Armor
weight (tons) 		Max speed (km/h)
22.0 N/A 79 (AB)
72 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 653 804
Realistic/Simulator 407 460
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 29.68 36.54
Realistic/Simulator 18.50 20.91

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: M3 (90 mm)
90 mm M3
Capacity Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance 		Stabilizer
45 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 14.28 19.80 24.00 26.60 28.20
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.60 24.00
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
11.05 9.78 9.00 8.50
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration in mm @ 90°
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
T33 shot AP 189 188 163 137 115 96
M71 shell HE 13 13 13 13 13 13
M82 shot APCBC 165 164 150 137 125 114
M304 shot APCR 264 260 245 226 210 191
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
in m/s 		Projectile
Mass in kg 		Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent): 		Normalization At 30°
from horizontal: 		Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
T33 shot AP 822 11 N/A N/A N/A -1° 47° 60° 65°
M71 shell HE 823 11 0.1 0.5 925 +0° 79° 80° 81°
M82 shot APCBC 807 11 1.2 20 137.2 +4° 48° 63° 71°
M304 shot APCR 1021 7.6 N/A N/A N/A +1.5° 66° 70° 72°
Ammo racks
File:Ammoracks M18SuperHellcat.png
Ammo racks of the Super Hellcat.
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
45 40 (+5) 34 (+11) 28 (+17) 22 (+23) 16 (+29) 11 (+34) 6 (+39) 1 (+44) Yes

Turret empty: 34 (+11)

Machine guns

Main article: Browning M2 (12.7 mm)
12.7 mm M2HB
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
800 (200) 577 -10°/+70° ±60°

Usage in the battles

The M18 "Super Hellcat" should be very familiar to those who play the M18 Hellcat. It is very fast, equipped with a hard-hitting cannon, but at a cost of armour. Thus, the M18 Super Hellcat is a mobile hit-and-run vehicle, popping out from behind a cover and blasting the enemy with a shot before retreating. Change up the firing location often to avoid being hit if someone has your previous firing location targeted. The Hellcat won't hold the line by standing and absorbing shots, but it can if you pick off each attacker one by one like a sniper.

The main focus of gaining the Super Hellcat is the 90mm upgrade; and it is absolutely beautiful. The main round you are recommended to use well be the M82 APCBC round, the reason being well get you one shot kill quite often. The M82 has enough penetration to penetrate a Tiger I through the front plate.

In an offensive and defensive position, the Hellcat should still remain behind cover and be constantly changing firing positions. Once you fire a shot, retreat back to cover and wait out until you fully reload the next round. In an offense, pop out from the cover occasionally and snipe at your enemy. In a defense, remain behind cover and catch the enemy off guard as they approach by letting them shoot a different target first and hit them while they are reloading. Another way is to let them move right into your line of sight, which should at best expose their sides to you, allowing for a one shot kill if you can land a M82 APCBC round into them.

A more aggressive play style is as a flanker and a point-capturer. The Hellcat's great speed can allow it to get around an enemy concentration and shoot them on the sides while they are focused at your allies in front of them. They may eventually catch on to Hellcat's presence, and the Hellcat should take a more conservative action by returning back to the shoot-and-scoot tactic behind cover. The Hellcat's speed can also be used to rush towards the point. Though not recommended due to exposing the Hellcat's to enemy fire, the speed can ensure the Hellcat will be the first on the point, with a 90mm gun to defend itself. If lucky, the enemy team is too slow and the Hellcat will capture the point. If unlucky, the enemy will swarm the point, outnumber and constrict the Hellcat and destroy it. Thus it is not recommended to play as a point-capturer.

With good shots, you can hit the cheeks of a Tiger II (P). Penetrating the Panther series (up to the Panther II) will require a clean shot to the mantlet and for the Panther II, a hit the flat of the turret. Same principles apply on Soviet mediums like the T-44, hit the cheeks and turret ring. For Soviet heavy tanks, hit the lower glacis or the turret cheeks. Using the standard AP shot as a primary round isn't recommended as the fragmentation is minimal, same goes for APCR, which should be used only on the toughest enemies. Despite that, AP is useful against some enemies like the Tiger II (H) as the regular APCBC can penetrate the flat sides of the turret front. Use AP if you have a flat shot on the flat part of Tiger 2H turret as it cant be penned by APCBC but if the turret is angled even a little AP well bounce so then use APCR same on Russian heavy tanks. Little hint when using AP or APCR on German/ Russian heavy tanks aim for the right side to hit the Aimer and commander give you those precious seconds to escape. AP and APCR isn't recommended to shoot the angled front plates of the German panther and tiger 2's as the angle is steep enough to absorb the shot unless your hugging the front of a panther. The reload with a max reloading skill is 9.5 seconds which gives it a decent rate of fire.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Fantastic 90 mm gun with a very lethal M82 APCBC round.
  • Pintle .50 cal machine gun is effective for anti-air purposes.
  • Fast Hellcat speed, forward and backward.
  • Great mobility

Cons:

  • Paper-thin armour.
  • Hull-breakable vehicle.
  • Exposed crew, watch out for machine gun and artillery.
  • A penetrating round, even if inflicting minimum crew damages, have high chance of disabling the transmission or engine.
  • Ammunition always stored in hull sides.

History

Development

During World War II, the M18 "Hellcat" tank destroyer was very effective in its role in American service. Despite that, an attempt to upgrade the vehicle with a better gun took effect around 1944. Instead of the 76 mm gun that it originally had, it would take the 90 mm gun that was going into service at the time.

The attempt to construct this focused on the turret to mount the heavier and larger gun. The M18's turret was then replaced with the turret from the M36 GMC to mount the 90 mm gun. Testings with this variant showed that the installment of the new turret did not hinder the speed performance of the M18, but the recoil of the 90 mm gun would cause the tank to bounce back heavily when fired, going back by at least 2 feet even with the muzzle brake attached on the 90 mm gun. The recoil force would also shake the entire tank hull and crew inside. The modified M18 mounting the 90 mm gun was nicknamed the "Super" Hellcat

Testing and cancellation

Despite the drawbacks, it was deemed an acceptable vehicle to use in the battlefield. The 90 mm gun would provide a very large firepower advantage over the 76 mm gun the M18 had originally, which could not penetrate the front of the Panther tank unless in close range with HVAP ammo. The 90 mm could take out most of the late war German tank designs with ease. However, the war ended before the "Super" Hellcat could be deployed for combat use, and the project was cancelled along with the disbanding of the tank destroyer doctrine.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read also

[Devblog] T-34-100 and SuperHellcat

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


USA tank destroyers
M10  M10 GMC
M36  M36 GMC · M36B2
T95  T28 · T95
M109  M109A1
ATGM  LOSAT · M901
Wheeled  M3 GMC · T55E1
Other  M8 HMC · M50 · M56
China  ▃LVT(A)(4) (ZIS-2)

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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