- Yes
- No
General Description:
The armament of the A9 Mk I consists of a main turret with a two-pounder gun and coaxial Vickers machine gun, together with two small Vickers machine gun turrets, one on each side of the driver.
A six cylinder AEC petrol engine, giving 150bhp, drives through a clutch and five-speed crash gearbox to a bevel box and final drive. The final drive on each side consists of a steering clutch, epicycle reduction gear, sprocket, and brake drum. Steering is effected in the usual manner by two steering levers but these have actually to be pushed into the fully forward positions to engage the steering clutches.
History:
The Mk I entered service in 1937 and was initially deployed with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) at the beginning of World War II. Though only around 125 units were produced, it was among the first British tanks to feature a 2-pounder gun. Its debut in combat came during the Battle of France, where its speed and firepower made it effective in roles that required swift maneuvering. However, its thin armor left it particularly vulnerable to German anti-tank weaponry and artillery, resulting in many Mk I tanks being either destroyed or abandoned in the retreat to Dunkirk.
Some Mk I units were also sent to North Africa, where they participated in the early phases of the desert campaign. In this environment, the tank’s mobility was beneficial for operations across open terrain, though its light armour again proved a disadvantage when facing German Panzer III and IV tanks, which were heavily armoured and posed a significant threat.
Vehicle Specifications:
Role in game:
Personally I believe this and the A10 should become Britain’s new reserve tanks. Over the last year the A13 tanks have received numerous buffs via historical bug reports and the Tetrarch will be receiving similar ones once Gaijin implement them.
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