Tier 5 French Light Tank Review: Creation History, Game Stats, Tactical Tips
” A Christmas tree was born in the forest, so let it live there … ” (c) Folk wisdom
Introduction
The AMX ELC bis is a Tier 5 French light tank. Most World of Tanks playersuse LT for reconnaissance. This kind of gameplay is full of fun and adrenaline. However, there is one machine that can not only do reconnaissance, but also give out very real damage. The Yolka is not only the most popular French tank, but also the most common Tier 5 firefly. Let’s consider why it turned out this way.
Historical reference
In the post-war years, the French focused on the development of the landing troops, which urgently needed an air transportable fire support vehicle with a mass of up to 7 tons. Many companies participated in the tender, but AMX engineers did the best with the task , who took the chassis of a small ammunition carrier and installed a turret developed in a hurry on it.
The resulting technique was recorded in tank destroyers. The crew was supposed to consist of two people, and the driver was located in the turret, which made it impossible to turn it on the go. After minor modifications to the chassis and reinforcement of the armor, the Yolka received the bis prefix . And a place in the dustbin of history. The tank did not go into production, the prototypes were handed over to the museum.
Museum exhibit of French ingenuity
Game characteristics
Protection
In fact, the Yolka has no armor – 25 mm in the forehead and 10-15 mm around the perimeter do not even protect against small-caliber assault rifles. Caterpillars can sometimes eat damage from the flanks, but an immobilized Firefly is a dead Firefly. Sliding ricochets happen – because of the beveled profile – but you shouldn’t count on them. It is better to avoid hits altogether, otherwise 400 HP will melt like smoke under the enemy’s high-explosive hail.
Firepower
Our cardboard armor is compensated by the Yolki’s top gun, the 90mm D. 915 . Armor penetration with a basic projectile (170 mm) and damage (240 units) will upset many at the level and even higher. The sub-caliber generally sews 248 mm, but for the fifth level, such high rates are even unnecessary.
Cons of the gun – slow reloading and decent unmasking when fired with a muzzle brake. For this reason, careful players often often choose predtopovoe gun 75mm SA44 , which is an order of magnitude worse, but scribbling out of the bushes like a machine gun.
The vertical guidance angles are standard – ± 15 degrees. But you will hardly use them. The low silhouette will not allow shooting due to obstacles: terrain folds, stones and hills.
Dynamics
But the SOFAM 8 Gxb engine with 250 hp. for a 7-ton car – a clear overkill. Sometimes the “Yolka” develops such a speed that it becomes difficult to control. Inexperienced drivers often crash when bouncing on hills, or roll over on tight bends. Thanks to the new game engine!
The top tracks inherited from the bis modification give a slight increase in maneuverability: from 36 to 38 deg / s. But that’s not even the main thing. The increase in carrying capacity by more than half a ton will be very useful when you have to install a new 90 mm gun.
Discovery and communication
Our communication is not very good. The stock radio station ER 52 provides communication at a distance of only 300 m, and the improved ER 53 – at 360 meters. The view coincides with the top radio, so you can’t shoot far.
The only thing that saves the ELC AMX is the lowest detection rate in the game, which makes the Christmas tree one of the best active fireflies in the game. With top camouflage, you can drive around almost in front of the enemy’s nose.
Bleeding and equipment
The path to the Yolka lies through the French AMX 40 tank . This is a rather slow technique and it is inconvenient to change from it to the high-speed ELC AMX bis . But if you played it diligently and pumped all the modules, then a surprise awaits you – the top radio station ER 53 !
As soon as the “Christmas tree” got into the hangar, pump out the top tracks and the engine. All the same, you will earn the first credits and experience with “light”. And only after that you can gradually improve the guns.
The crew is pumped into a hybrid LT and tank destroyer. Remember that there are only two crew members on the ELC, so the commander is both a gunner and a loader. First of all, open “Sixth Sense” to him, and “Disguise” to the mechanic. Then the commander finishes the disguise, and the mechanic improves driving skills. Further – “Combat Brotherhood”.
The choice of special equipment depends on the style in which you are going to play on the “Yolka”. The assault version provides for the “Rammer”, “Enhanced aiming drives” and “Enlightened optics”. Ambush gravitates towards “Camouflage Net”, “Raider” and “Stereotube”. For fans of both tactics, crossed setups are possible.
From consumables, be sure to take the “First Aid Kit” (to heal an irreplaceable commander) and “Small repair kit” (sometimes it saves). They rarely set you on fire, so put either “Strong Coffee” or “105-octane gasoline” in the third slot.
You can save money on the top radio station ER 53!
Tactics tips
The ELC AMX bis is the most flexible tank in tier 5. In the same battle, he can be both a “firefly” and a tank destroyer. Often there are situations when you rush along the front line, dodging stray projectiles, although a few seconds before that you were intently peering into the sight from the forest plantation.
Due to its invisibility and low profile, the Christmas tree is the best passive light. The only thing that spoils it is the lack of a rotating tower. Therefore, turn to where the enemy is most likely to appear. Keep in mind that any careless movement of the body will reset the effects of the camouflage net and the stereo tube, which are essential attributes of good passive illumination.
But not all maps are adapted for observation from the bushes. Therefore, sometimes you will rely on the speed of the ELC. When dissecting across the field at the crosshairs, try to frequently change the trajectory of movement. Never move parallel to the fire – this will make it harder for the enemy to hit.
If the safety margin is running out, go to the second line. Living tank destroyers will benefit your team more than a dead reconnaissance hero. Never try to work as a killer of “fireflies” – most of them have rotating turrets and automatic cannons. On the contrary, your gun takes a long time to come down and the sight takes up half of the screen on the move due to poor stabilization.
Oddly enough, but in the fight against heavy and clumsy tanks, you have a better chance of winning. Remember two tricky tricks. The first – at speed, go heavy to the rear, shoot and make a loop to get away from retaliation. Repeat the maneuver until the enemy’s engine ignites. The second is to get used to the enemy’s tank close and shoot with impunity in the NLD. This is possible because many cars at the level have lousy HVDs. The main thing is that your opponent does not climb on top of you and crush you.
You can’t see anything, the wind is in your ears – you are on the “Christmas tree”, sir
An overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the tank. Outcomes
Pros :
- Best stealth in the game
- Low silhouette
- A penetrating top gun
- Good top speed
- Tactical flexibility on the battlefield
Minuses:
- Lack of armor
- Insufficient visibility and radio communication
- Only two crew members
ELC AMX bis is by far the most fun and interesting firefly in World of Tanks . The gameplay on this tank is so bright and unpredictable that it doesn’t get bored even after thousands of battles.
Good luck on the battlefields!
