Commanders,
After a long hiatus, the Top of the Tree specials are back in business! To make this return a memorable one, we decided to proceed with something big – REALLY big! During the upcoming two weeks, the focus will be on one of the most feared and respected vehicles to roam the battlefields. Follow the research line leading to the FV215b (183) and enjoy great discounts and credit income bonuses.
30 % discount on purchase and 30% more credits earned on the following British vehicles:
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Use this opportunity to earn extra credits while driving these unique tank destroyers, or get them for 70% of their normal value!
These bonuses will be available from 1st February 06:10 until 15th February 06:00 CET (GMT +1). That’s two full weeks to show your enemies who’s boss!
FV215b (183)
“All right, lads – only 3 months left until we’ve reloaded!”
In-Game Performance
As we have said, the FV215b (183) is a vehicle that nobody wants to see on the enemy team in battle. The main reason for this is the almost apocalypse-like gun that this tank destroyer is equipped with. As if the 1,150 points of average AP shell damage output per shot wasn’t enough, the vehicle can also load HESH shells, which in turn have the potential to inflict an astonishing 1,750 points of damage with every single successful shot! That’s quite often more than enough to instantly obliterate any medium tank it may face. In fact, depending on the damage calculation, even some heavy tanks may not survive the first exchange of fire with this British beast. Add to that a sturdy turret that is capable of turning in an impressively wide arc and you get yourself a recipe for annihilation.
The FV215b (183) is not the ultimate weapon, however, and its amazing destructive potential comes at a very high price. First of all, the gun itself is cursed by rather mediocre accuracy and a long aiming time, and there is also the terribly sluggish reload time. In addition, the shells themselves are quite expensive (especially the HESH type) and to make matters worse, the vehicle can store only 12 of them at a time. Despite the sturdy turret, this destroyer does not sport good values in terms of hull armour and mobility. Even though the frontal plate may bounce some shells, relying on it is risky at best. Last but not least, the reputation of the vehicle is a double-edged sword for its driver. On the one hand, the fear it induces may discourage your enemies from engaging you directly, but on the other, more often than not you will be regarded as the number one threat that needs to be neutralised as soon as possible. This means that as soon as you’re spotted, all fire will be directed at you – especially by enemy artillery.
Tactics
In order to make the best use out of this vehicle, you need to remember this:
- You are very slow;
- Your armour is unreliable;
- Reloading your gun takes ages; and
- Your ammo rack is extremely limited.
As a result, you are a force to be reckoned with for only as long as your gun is loaded. Therefore it is crucial that you always have a place to retreat to while reloading, and there is at least one team member with you to protect you from being flanked. Rest assured that once you’ve fired, you are a sitting duck and every single enemy in the area will use your temporary vulnerability to either fire a couple of shells at you or attack you from behind. That is why providing fire support from the second line is what you want to do.
Player Tip: Please note that even though HESH shells can be very destructive, their penetration values are noticeably lower than those of AP shells. Sometimes you may fail to penetrate the enemy armour and do but a mere fraction of the damage you intended (HESH shells can also cause explosive damage upon impact, just like HE). Even though your ammo-carrying capabilities are limited, it’s always good to carry a couple of standard AP shells with you – if not for the sake of effectiveness, then simply to reduce gargantuan restocking costs after each battle.
In order to maximise your performance on the battlefield, we suggest mounting the following equipment:
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| Enhanced Gun Laying Drive | Large Caliber Tank Gun Rammer | Improved Ventilation Class 3 |
In addition, your crew members should learn the following skills and perks:
| Commander/Radio Operator |  |
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| Gunner |  |
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| Driver |  |
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| First Loader |  |
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| Second Loader |  |
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This setup is meant first and foremost to improve your reloading time and survivability. You can also experiment with Camouflage, but the vehicle is simply too big for that skill to be truly effective. If you don’t know what to pick next, Firefighting seems also to be a good option – your engine has a 20% chance of catching fire when damaged and we all know that is something you don’t want to take you out of the battle.
History
The story of this tank destroyer begins with the FV 214 – also known as the Conqueror. This vehicle was designed by post-war British Army engineers to be a counterpart to the Centurion tank. At this time in history, the main enemy was perceived to be the Soviet Union. The British and their allies were desperate for heavy tanks that could combat the power of the USSR’s IS series. The new Conqueror was intended to be used as long-range support for the Centurions.
Alas, the design was never particularly successful. The finished vehicle ended up being extremely heavy, which made it slow and cumbersome, particularly on the Eastern European terrain that it was intended for.
Designs were produced for several variants of the Conqueror, and the FV215B was one of these. The intention was to turn the original tank into a tank destroyer by sticking a huge 183mm gun on the front, perfect for blowing apart those huge Soviet vehicles.
Ultimately, the problems with the heavy weight and low manoeuvrability of the tank meant that it was never a success, especially when considered alongside the far more versatile Centurion. As a result, only 185 Conquerors were ever built, while the FV215B never progressed beyond a wooden mock-up.
Tally-ho, Commanders!
