The M551A1 TTS - The Super Sheridan

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[Would you like to see this in-game?]
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M551A1 TTS
M551A1 TTS1271×839 173 KB

Background: The M551A1 TTS (Tank, Thermal Sight) was developed from the M551 Sheridan, an air-droppable light tank which originally entered US Army service in 1969. This vehicle was designed to act in a scouting role in American airborne units, and was very light, capable of landing by parachute and supporting infantry that had arrived in a similar manner. It quickly became clear that the original optics and fire control systems were rather dated. The 1971 M551A1 upgrade added a laser rangefinder to improve the vehicle’s first hit accuracy.

Development of the M551A1 TTS continued through the 80s, which sought to improve scouting capability and acquisition of the vehicle by adding a FLIR optic for the gunner. The thermal sight on the M551A1 TTS was the same as the thermal sight on the M60A3 TTS. The first TTS Sheridans were accepted in 1989, and participated in the Panama and Gulf War conflicts. TTS Sheridans served actively in the US Army until 1996, and these vehicles would continue to perform in the OPFOR role until 2003, when the remaining vehicles were scrapped or sent to museums. None were ever exported.

Specs: (largely the same as the M551 currently in-game)
Nation of origin and operator: USA
Role: Light Tank
Automotive performance: 69 km/h max road speed, 14 km/h max reverse speed, 300 hp engine
Weight, combat: 15 metric tons, 20/1 HP/T ratio (if using gross horsepower), 17 net
Armament, main: 152mm gun, 29 rounds (HEAT, HE, MGM-51C missile)
Armament, secondary: 50 caliber commander’s machinegun, 1000 rounds, M240 coaxial machinegun, 3000 rounds.
2x4 smoke grenade launchers
Optics: 8x, A/N VSG-2 Generation 1 thermal sight
Laser rangefinder (A/N VVG-1) installed
Armor: Aluminum hull, RHA turret (thickness varies)

Reasons to add: This vehicle (upgrade package, really) would be a massively improved version of the M551 Sheridan we already have in War Thunder, with improved scouting capability thanks to its gen 1 thermal sight and far better first-hit probability thanks to its laser rangefinder. In most other respects, it is the same as the M551 light tank already present in War Thunder. It would still need to be careful in its engagements - the tank is very poorly armored, and the HEAT shells are unreliable with regards to damage. The user may find the HE shells or missiles more reliable.

Adding this vehicle would also would mean the US tech tree would have a “bridge” between the 1960s production M551 Sheridans and the more modern light tanks like the XM8 and HSTV-L, which have thermal sights, laser rangefinders and modern APFSDS-T ammunition.

Sources:
http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m551.html#M551A1TTS
Hunnicutt, Richard Pearce (1995). Sheridan: A History of the American Light Tank Volume 2
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/cv/tank/M551.html
Zaloga, Steven J. (2009). M551 Sheridan, US Airmobile Tanks 1941–2001

16 Likes
2

Now that this thread is approved, I would like to put here my hopes for this vehicle in WT.
The Sheridan is not a particularly easy vehicle to balance, as it has technologies and weapons that are very powerful in downtiers, but struggle immensely in uptiers. That said, I do think the current M551 is a higher BR than it should be, as it is, in almost all respects except mobility, a downgrade from the M60A2 it shares 8.3 with. The M60A2 has better armor, a laser rangefinder, better survivability, and a faster reload. There is very little reason to take the Sheridan right now.

Whether or not the M551 is moved down in BR, and the M551A1 TTS is added at or near 8.3, or the TTS package is added as an upgrade for the base Sheridan, or however Gaijin chooses to address this problem, I feel that the US tech tree is in need of a vehicle that tries to bridge the tech and capability gap between the Vietnam-era Sheridan (which uses HEAT primarily, has no rangefinder, and no thermal sight) and the next true Light Tank in the tree, the HSTV-L, which is 3 BRs higher and fires APFSDS, has a laser rangefinder, and a thermal sight.

Thanks all.

9 Likes
3

I think the M551A1 TTS (LRF, Smoke Launcher Configuration, and Thermals) and all would fit at 8.7. While the armor is weak, it has a lot more capability with a LRF for its HEAT round and with Thermals can be a solid/light ambush or point capture vehicle.

Nice suggestion though! Glad to see it. +1

5 Likes
4

Why 8.7? There is no lineup there, and it will likely be placed in 9.0 lineups, where it will fight 2S38s, BMP-2Ms, and VCC-80/30s - vehicles with far superior sights, weapons and armor.

3 Likes
5

The base one is already 8.3 (RB). There’s no way the upgraded version will be 8.3 (RB) with it. While I agree with the sentiment, it just doesn’t seem likely. For the time being there’s a lack of 8.7, but BR’s change and vehicles can be shifted upward by a hair. BR’s are pretty dynamic. If the base one gets moved to 8.0, I would support 8.3 for it but I would think it’s pretty rare considering they moved the base one up to 8.3 from 8.0.

This version of the Sheridan knocks out a decent amount of the weak parts of the base version which (at least imo) would be grounds to shift it to 8.7.

4 Likes
6

This should just be added to the Sheridan as a modification, or turn the normal Sheridan into the A1 - the BR should be kept the same as the vehicle overall is not well suited to the WT gameplay.

1 Like
7

The Sheridan was only moved up to 8.3 as part of the decompression patch, and it’s not doing so well there.

1 Like
8

Tbh if even it was just made into the A1 version and maybe have a TTS in a folder that be great, the only problem I have with the Sheridan is the heat round being a pain to aim and a LR would solve all those issue…

1 Like
9

+1, but given the past track record, it will end up as event vehicle anyway.

10

Like I said, if the base is moved to 8.0, I am a-ok in having the TTS foldered with it at 8.3 however, I just don’t see how the TTS can be foldered with it at the same BR right now considering the LRF solves a major issue and it gets thermals. I support your idea for BR placement lol, but I’m trying to be logical based on what is currently in-game (with the current base at 8.3). Again BR’s are very dynamic.

11

I don’t exactly want the tank to be terrorizing 6.7, but consider this: It’s an 8.3 tank with no rangefinder, no thermals, and HEAT. Compare it to the VIDAR at 8.0, or the Vickers mk7 at 8.7, or just the M60A2 at 8.3, it’s just not a very good pick. Now, you might be onto something with the idea of adding an LRF to the M551 (M551A1) at 8.0 and putting the TTS at 8.3.

12

I don’t think they’ll introduce the M551A1 and create a separate tank for the M551A1 TTS with the only major difference being one has just the AN/VVG-1 LRF while the TTS has both the AN/VSG-2B Thermals and AN/VVG-1 LRF (as well as the small things here and there). Idk if there’s enough to constitute a .3 BR difference between both vehicles. I would only see that difference between the base M551 and the M551A1 TTS as drastic enough.

Personally I see either the M551A1 TTS being added and foldered with the M551, sitting at 8.7 along with the M60A1 RISE (P) with the only other option (imo less likely) being the M551 gets moved to 8.0 and the M551A1 TTS getting added at 8.3 and foldered with it. You never know though, I could be wrong. Gaijin acts in mysterious/irritating ways lol.

1 Like
13

I think your way sounds the best.
Again, 7.7 would be a terror in a full downtier, but the severe BR compression means that you can’t go much higher at all before you’re fighting things that will not only destroy you with ease but are better in every respect. See the BMP-3 at 9.0…

1 Like
14

152mm thermal, laser, Derp-flinger… YES PLEASE!

15

The thermals should be added to the current version in game. It’s at 8.3 and plenty of other tanks at even 7.7 have thermals. Any argument against this is null and void.

1 Like
16

Why do we even bother with this kind of post? Just vote yes to every vehicle suggested. Every poll the same answer.

17

Yea the majority of the old American 8.0 got moved up to 8.3 with decompression which was weird as none of the vehicles did particularly well at 8.0 to begin with and was a good opportunity to soft buff them by not moving them up

18

Beside the 20mm wiesel, what vehicles have thermals around 7.7???

19

not him but
VIDAR (8.0)
M41D (also 8.0)
Marder 1A3 (8.0)
Warrior (8.3)
Bradley (8.3)
M901 (8.3)
ZT3A2 (8.3)
Striker (8.3)
PGZ09 (8.3)

thats just within .3-.7 br of 7.7, so a 7.7 vehicle would encounter thermal equipped AFVs with some regularity.

2 Likes
20

So no vehicle beside wiesel thats at 7.7?

Edit: technically not even wiesel cuz its at 7.3.