After returning to the game following a break of more than a year, I’ve noticed a recurring issue with the M1A2 Abrams: the turret ring gets damaged or destroyed by almost any penetrating hit. It doesn’t matter whether the shot comes from the front or from a slight side angle near the driver’s position—if an internal module is damaged, the turret ring is usually disabled as well. This happens with extreme frequency and effectively knocks the tank out of combat instantly.
I don’t remember the Abrams behaving like this in the past, which raises an important question:
Has the M1A2 been significantly nerfed, or is there an issue with its current modeling?
The M1A2 Abrams is a modern MBT weighing over 60 tons, equipped with Chobham composite armor and, in its later variants (M1A1HA / M1A2), depleted uranium layers integrated into the frontal armor of both the turret and the hull. This armor was specifically designed to counter modern APFSDS ammunition and is a core element of the Abrams’ real-life survivability.
In War Thunder, however, this depleted uranium armor does not appear to be properly represented. In practice, the Abrams behaves as if it only had generic composite armor, effectively losing one of its most important real-world advantages over other MBTs.
At the same time, Russian T-80 and T-90 series tanks have access to very powerful 125 mm APFSDS rounds in-game (such as 3BM42, 3BM60, and similar ammunition depending on the vehicle). These rounds are able to penetrate frontal areas of the Abrams with relative ease—areas that should theoretically offer much higher resistance—often resulting in internal module destruction and immediate turret ring failure.
Additionally, the Abrams does not accurately reflect its real-life survivability doctrine, which emphasizes internal compartmentalization, strong frontal protection, and the ability to remain combat-effective after sustaining hits. In the current state of the game, almost any penetration leads to a near-total loss of combat capability.
This issue is further amplified by vehicles such as the BMPT, 2S38, and BMP, whose 20–30 mm autocannons can inflict disproportionate damage on a modern MBT, even from frontal aspects—something that is difficult to justify from a technical standpoint.
From a personal perspective, after playing the Russian tech tree again this week, I’ve achieved a significantly higher KDA compared to playing U.S. vehicles, even at top tier. This reinforces the feeling that, at present, playing non-Russian nations comes with a noticeable disadvantage.
This post is not just about frustration, but about a perceived balance and modeling inconsistency between the real-world performance of the M1A2 Abrams and its in-game representation.
Are there any plans to review the Abrams’ armor modeling—particularly the depleted uranium layers—or the current behavior of the turret ring?
