- Yes
- No
- Prototype (No radar or tracking module)
- Production (Radar and tracking)
- Both (Consecutive Rank V SPAAs)
- Neither (I voted no)
Introduction:
The AMX-13 DCA is a line of self-propelled anti-air vehicles designed in the 1960’s for the defense of French armored units. Its original design conceived in the 1950’s was equipped with an open-top turret, housing a single 40mm Bofors cannon. Despite its effectiveness on paper, the increasing speed of aircraft, with jet engines becoming commonplace, left it obsolete. By the end of the 1950’s, French designers were looking for a more modern anti-aircraft concept. They looked to mitigate the issues of the DCA by incorporating smaller, faster firing dual mounted 30mm cannons.
Design:
The turret designed to replace the prior 40mm Bofors housing boasts far superior protection for the crew, completely enclosed and manned by two crew members. It also managed to match the gun elevation of the 40mm DCA. A prototype was built to test the efficacy of the new turret and guns on the AMX-13 chassis, and was generally a success. It lacked any tracking or radar modules in this stage, however it did still have the 4 smoke grenade dischargers on the rear of its turret.
Later the production model of the vehicle would be finalized by AMX, with the only major addition being the attachment of the “Oeil Noir 1” DR-VC-1A combined detection/tracking radar. According to records, 60 of these production AMX-13 DCAs were made.
By 1969 the final model of the 30mm turret would be used on the AMX-30 chassis for a new DCA that would go into production by 1975. However, the AMX-13 DCA would remain in use particularly as a training vehicle until the end of the Cold War.
Gameplay:
The majority of players who reach Rank V for the French Ground Forces tech-tree likely notice the lack of any anti-air options to research at that rank, leaving the nation’s first truly large lineup (7.7/8.0) unequipped to deal with enemy planes and helicopters alike. The AMX-13 DCA 30 would be an intermediate between the later AMX-30 variant at Rank VI, and the AMX-10P IFV at Rank IV.
The statistics for the AMX-13 DCA 30 would retain the characteristics of the other vehicles on the AMX-13 chassis, but with the turret of the AMX-30 DCA. Theoretical stats would look as follows:
This vehicle could be implemented in two different ways, and is reflected as such in the accompanying poll.
- It could be added as the prototype variant, without any tracking or radar system, and essentially be a French equivalent to the Kugelblitz (The German Panzer IV with an enclosed turret and dual 30mm cannons at a 7.0 battle rating).
- Alternatively, it could be added in its full form as a weaker edition of the AMX-30 DCA, equipped with the same detection/tracking radar, or potentially even a detection-only or tracking-only module of an older design. (I’ve found conflicting details online whether or not it was initially given the same DR-VC-1A model radar the AMX-30 DCA has in-game currently. Some info I’ve found suggests the first of the 60 produced models had only detection radars with no tracking.) Nevertheless, implementing the vehicle this way would certainly range it from 7.3 up to 8.0 right beneath its AMX-30 successor.
- Additionally, due to the incredible leap in battle capabilities between a variant without any fire-control assistance and one with a full radar system, I believe it could be beneficial to implement both at two different battle ratings, giving much more flexibility for those playing France at Rank V.
- Note, both of these designs would likely lack the Laser-Rangefinder present on the AMX-30 DCA in-game. All references to Battle Rating in this post are also as per Realistic Battles.
Please let me know any thoughts or criticism! Thank you for your time.
