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TL;DR: A Chinese 6x6 truck modified to use the M101 105mm howitzer and tested by Lebanon.
History:
Getting towed howitzers from point A to point B in a timely manner has always been an issue when it comes to large militaries. One of the most well known ways of transporting these weapons was through their mounting on various self-propelled chassis, turning them into self-propelled howitzers, or SPHs. The most well known form of SPH are tracked SPHs. This type of SPH provides a robust and fairly mobile platform to transport their weapons. Modern tracked SPHs usually incorporate a 360 degree rotating turret, direct fire capabilities, and decently reliable protection for their crews. As a result, however, they are usually quite expensive to build or purchase, making them unattractive for both less-funded militaries and well-funded militaries looking to motorize large quantities of howitzers. One of the solutions to this issue was simply mounting howitzers on cheaper to produce chassis. These chassis were usually wheeled and incredibly lightly armored but also more mobile on solid ground than tracked chassis. The late 1990s to early 2000s saw a global shift in the motorization of howitzers, with more and more militaries increasing funding on wheeled SPHs that were cheaper and easier to produce in larger numbers. China, noticing the shift, also began work on their own wheeled SPHs, with NORINCO producing vehicles like the SH1 and SH2 for the growing market. The SH1 was a more conventional design that required the deployment of stabilizers to fire. The SH2, on the other hand, was seemingly more intended for use closer to the frontline. The vehicle was based on the XLW-TB 6x6 light truck and mounted a 122mm PL-96 howitzer directly on the bed, not needing any form of deployment other than the lowering of the stabilizers, the process of which could be omitted if the situation called for it. The bed mounting also meant that the gun crew could operate the gun almost entirely on the vehicle, allowing for a quick getaway. The vehicle was also direct-fire capable if needed, however, as the vehicle was an SPG first and foremost, the cannon could not depress past 0 degrees or horizontally traverse more than 30 degrees to the left or right. 24 rounds of ammunition could be carried on the vehicle, allowing it to operate independent of an ammunition carrier. Lebanon would would soon show interest in the vehicle, acquiring one standard SH2 and one unarmed XLW-TB light truck for trials. The unarmed truck would be modified to carry and fire the American 105mm M101 howitzer. It is currently unknown if this modification was local or done by NORINCO upon request. The new SPG would undergo Lebanese testing and be shown off at SMES 2011 held in Beirut, Lebanon. The fate of this SPG is currently unknown.
Place In War Thunder:
Gun trucks in War Thunder are largely considered meme vehicles with little real tactical value. This is largely due to their unarmored nature, terrible top speeds, and horrendous performance on soft terrain. The XLW-TB (M101), while still comparatively unarmored, moves significantly faster, fast enough to justify its lack of armor. It also has more modern systems to better deal with soft terrain. The M101 would perform almost exactly like the M4 howitzer on the M4A3 (105), which is a fantastic weapon on its own, however, due to the very modern nature of this vehicle, could also feature M662 HEATFS with 400mm of penetration to bump up its BR, distancing it from bullying a lot of the older vehicles. Having this weapon on an incredibly mobile chassis would make for a very deadly combination. Despite being deadly, playstyle would have to be rather reserved, at least in the first half of the game. Your crew is exposed at all times, your main weapon has a low velocity, and you have a gun depression of zero. Your speed is your main asset and you’ll need to use to pop up on your enemies’ sides. As of right now, the only appropriate way to add the XLW-TB (M101) would be as a Rank IV premium or event vehicle in the Chinese tech tree.
Specifications:
Armament: 105mm M101 howitzer
Dimensions: 8.50m, 2.50m, 2.95m (L,W,H)
Weight: 11500kg
Armor: Proof against small arms fire and artillery splinters for cabin crew. Zero armor for gun crew.
Crew: 5
Ammunition: HE, HEAT, HESH, HE-VT, HE-CP, and HEATFS
Speed: 100kph
Horsepower: 215hp
Pictures:
Wider view of first picture:Gun Close-Up:
Sources:
http://www.military-today.com/artillery/sh2.htm