M6

M6

USA | Heavy Tank | Tier VI

Battle Tier

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Overview
Mouse over "

▲

Well, the ones further down, of course.

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[Client Values; Actual values in

▲

Specifically, the mismatch in crew values caused by commander's 10% crew skill bonus. Outside of a crew of 1 commander only, 100% crew is a fiction. The client values, given for 100% crew, will normally be taken into battle with 110% crew skill members aside from specific functions, causing their actual performance to deviate from the expected client value. These differences are taken into account in tooltip boxes.

]

885,000   Cost

1000214 HP Hit Points

57.41/57.626.41/61 t Weight Limit

Crew

1. Commander
2. Gunner
3. Gunner
4. Driver
5. Radio Operator
6. Loader

Mobility

825960 hp Engine Power

35/14 km/h Speed Limit

2125 deg/s Traverse

14.3736.35 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio

NoNo Pivot

Armor

// mm Hull Armor

101.6/82.5/82.5190.5/82.5/82.5 mm Turret Armor

Armament

{{#ifeq:ARMOR_PIERCING_CR|ARMOR_PIERCING|| {{#ifeq:HIGH_EXPLOSIVE|ARMOR_PIERCING|| AP/APCR/HE {{#ifeq:ARMOR_PIERCING_CR|ARMOR_PIERCING|| {{#ifeq:HIGH_EXPLOSIVE|ARMOR_PIERCING|| AP/APCR/HE Shells

56/2800/56 255/4400/255 Shell Cost

110/110/175240/240/320 HP Damage

101/157/38160/243/45 mm Penetration

| |}} | |}} 13.95 r/m  ▲ Standard Gun Reload Times Nominal: 4.3 s 50% Crew: 5.33 s 75% Crew: 4.65 s 100% Crew: 4.12 s Rammer: 3.71 s Vents: 4.03 s Both: 3.63 s Both and BiA: 3.55 s Both and Max Crew %: 3.4 s See Crew, Consumables, or Equipment for more information. | |}} | |}} 8.57 r/m  ▲ Standard Gun Reload Times Nominal: 7 s 50% Crew: 8.67 s 75% Crew: 7.57 s 100% Crew: 6.71 s Rammer: 6.04 s Vents: 6.56 s Both: 5.91 s Both and BiA: 5.78 s Both and Max Crew %: 5.54 s See Crew, Consumables, or Equipment for more information. Rate of Fire

| |}} | |}} 1534.5 ▲ Standard Gun Using Shell Type 1 (110 Damage): Theoretical Damage Per Minute Nominal DPM: 1534.5 50% Crew: 1238.6 75% Crew: 1419 100% Crew: 1600.5 100% Crew Vents: 1636.8 Rammer: 1778.7 Both: 1818.3 Both and BiA: 1859 Both and Max Crew %: 1939.3 Advantageous Damage Per Minute First-shot DPM: 1644.5 50% Crew: 1348.6 75% Crew: 1529 100% Crew: 1710.5 100% Crew Rammer: 1888.7 Vents: 1746.8 Both: 1928.3 Both and BiA: 1969 Both and Max Crew %: 2049.3 See here, here, or here for more information. ▼ Standard Gun Using Shell Type 2 (110 Damage): Theoretical Damage Per Minute Nominal DPM: 1534.5 50% Crew: 1238.6 75% Crew: 1419 100% Crew: 1600.5 100% Crew Vents: 1636.8 Rammer: 1778.7 Both: 1818.3 Both and BiA: 1859 Both and Max Crew %: 1939.3 Advantageous Damage Per Minute First-shot DPM: 1644.5 50% Crew: 1348.6 75% Crew: 1529 100% Crew: 1710.5 100% Crew Rammer: 1888.7 Vents: 1746.8 Both: 1928.3 Both and BiA: 1969 Both and Max Crew %: 2049.3 See here, here, or here for more information. ▲ Standard Gun Using Shell Type 3 (175 Damage): With wholly penetrating hits Theoretical Damage Per Minute Nominal DPM: 2441.25 50% Crew: 1970.5 75% Crew: 2257.5 100% Crew: 2546.25 100% Crew Vents: 2604 Rammer: 2829.75 Both: 2892.75 Both and BiA: 2957.5 Both and Max Crew %: 3085.25 Advantageous Damage Per Minute First-shot DPM: 2616.25 50% Crew: 2145.5 75% Crew: 2432.5 100% Crew: 2721.25 100% Crew Rammer: 3004.75 Vents: 2779 Both: 3067.75 Both and BiA: 3132.5 Both and Max Crew %: 3260.25 See here, here, or here for more information. | |}} | |}} 2056.8 ▲ Standard Gun Using Shell Type 1 (240 Damage): Theoretical Damage Per Minute Nominal DPM: 2056.8 50% Crew: 1660.8 75% Crew: 1900.8 100% Crew: 2145.6 100% Crew Vents: 2193.6 Rammer: 2383.2 Both: 2438.4 Both and BiA: 2491.2 Both and Max Crew %: 2599.2 Advantageous Damage Per Minute First-shot DPM: 2296.8 50% Crew: 1900.8 75% Crew: 2140.8 100% Crew: 2385.6 100% Crew Rammer: 2623.2 Vents: 2433.6 Both: 2678.4 Both and BiA: 2731.2 Both and Max Crew %: 2839.2 See here, here, or here for more information. ▼ Standard Gun Using Shell Type 2 (240 Damage): Theoretical Damage Per Minute Nominal DPM: 2056.8 50% Crew: 1660.8 75% Crew: 1900.8 100% Crew: 2145.6 100% Crew Vents: 2193.6 Rammer: 2383.2 Both: 2438.4 Both and BiA: 2491.2 Both and Max Crew %: 2599.2 Advantageous Damage Per Minute First-shot DPM: 2296.8 50% Crew: 1900.8 75% Crew: 2140.8 100% Crew: 2385.6 100% Crew Rammer: 2623.2 Vents: 2433.6 Both: 2678.4 Both and BiA: 2731.2 Both and Max Crew %: 2839.2 See here, here, or here for more information. ▲ Standard Gun Using Shell Type 3 (320 Damage): With wholly penetrating hits Theoretical Damage Per Minute Nominal DPM: 2742.4 50% Crew: 2214.4 75% Crew: 2534.4 100% Crew: 2860.8 100% Crew Vents: 2924.8 Rammer: 3177.6 Both: 3251.2 Both and BiA: 3321.6 Both and Max Crew %: 3465.6 Advantageous Damage Per Minute First-shot DPM: 3062.4 50% Crew: 2534.4 75% Crew: 2854.4 100% Crew: 3180.8 100% Crew Rammer: 3497.6 Vents: 3244.8 Both: 3571.2 Both and BiA: 3641.6 Both and Max Crew %: 3785.6 See here, here, or here for more information. Damage Per Minute

| |}} 0.46 m  ▲ With 50% Crew: 0.57 m With 75% Crew: 0.498 m With 100% Crew: 0.441 m With BiA: 0.431 m With BiA and Vents: 0.422 m Maximum possible: 0.404 m For more details, see Crew | |}} 0.38 m  ▲ With 50% Crew: 0.471 m With 75% Crew: 0.411 m With 100% Crew: 0.364 m With BiA: 0.356 m With BiA and Vents: 0.349 m Maximum possible: 0.334 m For more details, see Crew Accuracy

| |}} 2 s  ▲ With 50% Crew: 2.478 s With 75% Crew: 2.163 s With 100% Crew: 1.918 s With GLD: 1.743 s With BiA: 1.875 s With BiA and Vents: 1.835 s With both and GLD: 1.668 s Maximum possible: 1.599 s For more details, see Crew or Equipment | |}} 2 s  ▲ With 50% Crew: 2.478 s With 75% Crew: 2.163 s With 100% Crew: 1.918 s With GLD: 1.743 s With BiA: 1.875 s With BiA and Vents: 1.835 s With both and GLD: 1.668 s Maximum possible: 1.599 s For more details, see Crew or Equipment Aim time

2528 deg/s Turret Traverse

360° Gun Arc

-10°/+30°-10°/+30° Elevation Arc

9052 rounds Ammo Capacity

General

2020 % Chance of Fire

330 m  ▲ With 50% Crew: 259.3 m With 75% Crew: 294.7 m With 100% Crew: 330 m With Recon and Situational Awareness: 346.7 m With Coated Optics: 363 m With Binocular Telescope: 412.5 m Maximum possible: 472.4 m For more details, see Skills or Equipment 360 m  ▲ With 50% Crew: 282.8 m With 75% Crew: 321.5 m With 100% Crew: 360 m With Recon and Situational Awareness: 378.2 m With Coated Optics: 396 m With Binocular Telescope: 450 m Maximum possible: 515.4 m For more details, see Skills or Equipment View Range

| |}} 395 m  ▲ With 50% Crew: 318.9 m With 75% Crew: 365.2 m With 100% Crew: 412 m With 100% Signal Boost: 474 m When affected by 100% Relaying: 434.5 m Maximum possible: 593 m For more details, see Skills or Equipment | |}} 480 m  ▲ With 50% Crew: 387.5 m With 75% Crew: 443.8 m With 100% Crew: 500.6 m With 100% Signal Boost: 576 m When affected by 100% Relaying: 528 m Maximum possible: 720.6 m For more details, see Skills or Equipment Signal Range

Values are Stock - click for TopValues are Top - click for Stock

T1 Heavy Tank

M6

T29

Additional Statistics
(Top Configuration)

Camouflage

• Stationary: 4.9%
• When Moving: 2%
• When Firing: 1.4%

Terrain Resistance

• On Hard Ground: 1.06
• On Medium Ground: 1.34
• On Soft Ground: 2.21

Dispersion Change Values

• Turret Contribution
• Rotation: 0.12
• Shot Recoil: 3.36
• Suspension Contribution
• Acceleration: 0.2
• Turning: 0.2

With 100% Crew

VI

885000

The M6 is an American tier 6 heavy tank.

A variant of the heavy tank developed in the U.S. from May 1940, this vehicle featured a cast hull and hydromechanical suspension with a two-disc hydraulic converter. The vehicle was standardized on May 26, 1942. A total of 9 vehicles were manufactured (8 serial and 1 experimental), but never saw action.

Coming out of the T1 Heavy Tank, you should feel right at home with the M6, as they look and play very similarly. It starts off with 3 rather underpowered 76mm cannons that can make short work of medium and light tanks of its tier but are inadequate for penetrating and damaging other heavy tanks and tank destroyers. The 90mm gun, however, is an excellent gun and is much more suited for the the M6. The M6 has surprisingly good engine power and great speed for a heavy of its tier, which helps to make up for its lack of side armor. In all, the M6 is very similar to the T1 Heavy in both size and gameplay.

The M6 leads to the T29.

Modules / Available Equipment and Consumables

Modules

Guns

Tier	Gun	Penetration (mm)	Damage (HP)	Rate of fire (rounds/minute)	Dispersion (m/100m)	Aiming time (s)		Weight (kg)	Price ()
V	3-inch Gun M7	101/157/38	110/110/175	13.95	0.46	2		1450	33500
VI	76 mm Gun M1A1	128/177/38	115/115/185	16.67	0.43	2		1567	50330
VI	76 mm Gun M1A2	128/177/38	115/115/185	16.67	0.38	2		1590	62000
VII	90 mm Gun M3	160/243/45	240/240/320	8.57	0.38	2		2050	81000

Engines

Tier	Engine	Engine Power (hp)	Chance of Fire on Impact (%)		Weight (kg)	Price ()
VI	Wright G2X M781C9GC1	825	20		612	30000
VII	Wright G200 M781C9GC1	960	20		612	47600

Suspensions

Tier	Suspension	Load Limit (т)	Traverse Speed (gr/sec)	Rmin		Weight (kg)	Price ()
V	HVS1	57.6	21	B/2		15000	9700
VI	HVS2	61	25	B/2		15000	15900

Radios

Tier	Radio	Signal Range (m)		Weight (kg)	Price ()
VII	SCR 538	480		100	22800
VI	SCR 508	395		100	21600

Compatible Equipment

                   

Compatible Consumables

                       

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• 35 km/h top speed can be achieved fairly quick due to high horsepower albeit sluggish hull traverse
• 90 mm gun is excellent with ridiculous APCR penetration, decent handling, and devastating RoF
• Turret front is well armored and well rounded; can bounce many shots at its tier
• Solid HP pool
• Great gun depression can be used to hide mediocre hull armor, also has relatively absurd gun elevation.

Cons:

• Extremely tall; massive profile
• HE Shells and arty are this tank's worst enemy due to terrible side & rear armor; takes enormous damage from KV-2
• All 3 76mm guns are near useless beyond tier VI
• Hull movement dispersion is a little high

Performance

While it effectively starts out as a slower T1 HT, it is able to equip a marginally upgraded 76mm gun, the M1A2, and later the 90mm M3. Upgrading the engine will bring it on par with an upgraded T1's speed. The M6 does have the best horsepower-to-weight ratio of any heavy tank in its tier, thus the outstanding speed, and you can use the quick acceleration to quickly retreat from a risky firefight with more powerful tanks. It is a good rammer, since many vehicles even at Tier VIII are lighter. However, do not expect KV-5 ramming power, especially at higher levels or against at-tier heavy tanks.

Like the T1, the M6 has two gunners, this allows you to take more gunner-related skills and perks if you decide to keep the tank and train your crew up. Many strategies that work with the T1 Heavy Tank carry over to the M6, making you feel right at home.

The armor has not drastically improved (aside from the 'belly') from the T1 Heavy, and the hull simply will not hold against same tier and higher guns. As such, care should be taken to avoid overexposure when playing at the front line. You can still lead pushes when top tier due to your HP pool and (for a heavy) mobility, but don't expect to bounce much incoming fire on flat ground from other tier 6s.

With the T1 Heavy's guns, the M6 should be played very much the same as its predecessor, only taking shots of opportunity and heavily relying on cover. However they will have considerable difficulty against tier 7s and will be near impossible to use against tier 8s, let alone pointless, as 100 damage per shot is considered anemic against most tier 8s. Play with very cautiously, and try to get shots into the sides and rear of enemy vehicles whenever possible, if unable to, try weak spots as best as you can with the accuracy given to you.

Once the 90mm is acquired this tank is virtually transformed. Although its reload time is almost double that of the 76mm guns, its penetration is greatly improved, with a little over double the alpha. With its outstanding combination of DPM, penetration, alpha, and gun handling, the M6 can wreck other tier 6s with ease and even outgun some of the weaker tier 8s. Remember that you have slightly more HP with the top turret than a fully upgraded KV-85, so you can get away with being hit a few times, even by higher tier tanks, just not too much.

Early Research

• The M1A2 gun does not get a RoF boost like every other US tank that has it, you will be undergunned until the 90mm is mounted.
• The SCR 538 radio, the Wright G200 Engine, and the 76 mm Gun M1A1 gun carry over from the T1 HT, so those should be equipped immediately upon purchasing this tank.
• Start out by researching either the suspension or the M1A2 gun.
• Then research the other followed by the 90mm M3 which is required for the T29 otherwise the 76 will cause the T29 to be a liability to the team.

Suggested Equipment

   

Gallery

• 

  M6 front left view

• 

  M6 front right view

• 

  M6 rear left view

• 

  M6 rear right view

• 

  M6_001

• 

  M6_003

• 

  M6_004

Historical Info

The Heavy Tank M6 was an American heavy tank designed during World War II. The tank was produced in small numbers and never saw combat.

Because of limited budgets for tank development in the interwar years, at the outbreak of World War II, the US Army possessed few tanks, though it had been keeping track of armor use in Europe and Asia. Successful employment of armored units in 1939 - 1940, mostly by the Germans, gave momentum to a number of US tank programs, including a heavy tank program. The United States possessed a massive industrial infrastructure and large numbers of engineers that would allow for mass production of tanks.

Following the Chief of Infantry's recommendation from 20 May 1940, the US Army Ordnance Corps started to work on a 50-ton heavy tank. Initially, a multi-turreted design was proposed, with two main turrets armed with low-velocity T6 75mm (2.95") guns, one secondary turret with a 37 mm gun, a coaxial .30 caliber (7.62mm) machinegun, another secondary turret with a 20 mm gun, and a coaxial .30 caliber machine gun. Four .30 caliber machine guns were to be installed in ball mounts, two in the glacis plate and two in the rear corners of the hull. The project was approved on 11 June 1940, and the vehicle received the designation Heavy Tank T1. The design was somewhat similar in concept to multi-turreted breakthrough tanks developed in Europe in the 1920s and throughout the 1930s, such as the British Vickers A1E1 Independent or the Soviet T-35. Disadvantages of these "land dreadnoughts", namely their excessive size, difficulty in coordinating actions of the crew, and high production costs, led to abandonment of the concept in Europe.

By October, the US developers reached the same conclusion as their European counterparts. The armament was changed to a single vertically-stabilized 3 inch (76.2 mm) gun and a coaxial 37 mm gun in a single three-man turret with both manual and electric traverse. The turret had a commander's cupola identical to that of the M3 Medium Tank. Additional armament consisted of two .50 caliber machine guns in a bow mount (operated by the assistant driver), two .30 caliber MGs in the front plate (fired electrically by the driver), one .30 caliber in the commander's cupola, and one .50 caliber in a rotor mount in the right rear of the turret roof (operated by the loader). The crew consisted of a commander (turret left), gunner (turret right), loader (turret), driver (hull left front), assistant driver (hull right front), and ammunition passer (hull). One of the main challenges was developing a powerpack for such a heavy vehicle. The Wright G-200 air-cooled radial gasoline engine was selected by a committee formed by the Society of Automotive Engineers, but no suitable transmission was available. The committee recommended developing a hydramatic transmission, while the possibility of using a torque converter or an electric transmission was also to be checked.

In 1941-1942, three prototypes were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, one with an electric transmission and two with torque converter transmissions. Variants with hydramatic transmission were never completed. The prototypes also differed in hull assembly method; one had a welded hull and the other two cast hulls. On 26 May 1942, two variants with torque converter transmissions were standardized as the M6 and M6A1. Standardization of the electric transmission equipped T1E1 as M6A2 was never approved, but manufacturing of the vehicle was nevertheless recommended. It was proposed by the Ordnance Corps that 115 T1E1s would be built for the US Army and 115 M6s and M6A1s for US allies. The production started in December 1942. Some minor changes were introduced in the production vehicles: the cupola was replaced by a double-door hatch with a ring mount, and the machine gun in a rotor mount and the left front machine gun were also removed.

However, by the time the M6 was ready for production, the Armored Corps had lost interest in the project. The advantages the M6 offered over medium tanks - it's much thicker armor and slightly more powerful gun, were offset partly by the shortcomings of the design; a very high silhouette, awkward internal layout, reliability problems, and partly by logistical concerns. By the end of 1942, the Armored Corps were sure that the new M4 Sherman gave adequate solutions for the present and near future, while being reliable, cheap, and much easier to transport.

Work on M6 didn't stop at once. The T1E1 prototype was tested with a T7 90 mm gun and was found to be a satisfactory gun platform, although poor turret layout was again noted. In August 1944, the Ordnance Corps recommended using the T1E1s produced to build 15 77-ton vehicles designated M6A2E1, with thicker (up to 7.5 inch vertical protection) glacis armor and a turret developed for the T29 Heavy Tank and armed with a T5E1 105 mm gun. The proposal was rejected by General Eisenhower. However, by late 1942, main development efforts shifted to other projects, one of which eventually resulted in the M26 Pershing.

On 14 December 1944, the M6 was declared obsolete. Only forty units were produced and they never left US soil. Several toured the United States for propaganda purposes, where they gave performance displays (such as car crushing) at War Bond drives and the like. All were eventually scrapped, except for a single T1E1 on display at the United States Army Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen, Maryland.

American Heavy tank comparision

	Mk.VII	M6	T28	T29	T30	T32	T34	M103A2
Crew	8	6	4	6	6	5	6	5
Length	10,43m	8,43m	11,12m	11,56m	10,9m	10,83m	11,77m	11,23m
Width	3,66m	3,12m	4,54m	3,8m	3,8m	3,76m	3,8m	3,63m
Height	3,12m	3,00m	2,86m	3,22m	3,22m	2,81m	3,22m	3,56m
Weight	39,5t	57,4t	86,3t	64,25t	64,74t	54,5t	65,2t	58,1t
Engine power	Liberty 338hp	G-200 960hp	GAF 500hp	GAC 770hp	AV1790 810hp	GAC 770hp	AV1790 810hp	AV1790 750hp
Max. speed	8,8km/h	35km/h	12,8km/h	35km/h	35km/h	35km/h	35km/h	37km/h
hull armour (angle)	12mm (28)	83mm (30)	305mm	102mm (54)	102mm (54)	127mm (54)	102mm (54)	127mm (60)
side armour	12mm	70mm	152mm	76mm	76mm	76mm	76mm	51mm
Turret armour (mantlet)	16mm	83mm (102mm)	-	178mm (279mm)	178mm (279mm)	298mm (298mm)	178mm (279mm)	127mm (254mm)
top armour	6-10mm	25mm	38mm	38mm	38mm	38mm	38mm	38mm
bottom armour	6-8mm	25mm	25mm	25mm	25mm	25mm	25mm	38mm
Gun	2x57mm Hotchkiss	75mm M7 37mm MB	105mm T5E1	105mm T5E2	155mm T7	90mm T15E2	120mm T53	120mm M58
Secondary armament	5x7,62mm Hotchkiss	2x12,7mm HB M2 2x7,62mm M1919A4	12,7mm HB M2	3x12,7mm HB M2 7.62mm M1919M4	2x12,7mm HB M2 7.62mm M1919M4	12,7mm HB M2 2x7.62mm M1919M4	3x12,7mm HB M2 7.62mm M1919M4	3x12,7mm HB M2 7.62mm M37

Variants

• T1 - Cast hull, hydramatic transmission. Never built.
• T1E1 - Cast hull, electric transmission. Often unofficially referred to as M6A2. 20 units built.
• T1E2 / M6 - Cast hull, torque converter transmission. 8 units built.
• T1E3 / M6A1 - Welded hull, torque converter transmission. 12 units built.
• T1E4 - Welded hull, hydramatic transmission. Never built.
• M6A2E1 - Uparmored T1E1 with a new turret armed with a T5E1 105 mm gun. Never built.

click to read more...

Historical Gallery

• 

  T1E2 (M6A2)

• 

  Front view of the T1E2 (M6A2), with several early M3 light tanks in the background.

• 

  T1E2 (M6A2) side view

• dy7lad38ss431.jpg

  M6 with 90 mm gun T7.

Historical Accuracy Errata

The following are consensus errors or inconsistencies which have been identified with the configuration of the vehicle in question and conflict with information available on the public record. The causes for these divergences in the game are normally not disclosed and may be rooted in game balance.

*The 3-inch M7 gun was the M6's only main armament. 76 mm gun configurations are fake.

• 90 mm M3 gun is incorrect. Only 90 mm gun what was used in T1/M6 project was 90 mm Gun T7. However, this gun is missing
• Historical 37 mm M6 gun is missing. The barrel is visible beside the main gun, but due to the lack of multi-turret controls in World of Tanks, the 37 mm gun is unusable.
• Uses the same 3-inch M7 gun as the French M10 RBFM, yet the penetration and damage values are inconsistent.

click to read more...

Sources and External Links

Sources

• R.P. Hunnicutt - Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank, 1988 Presidio Press, ISBN 0-89141-304-9.

External Links

• T1 to M6 Heavy Tank Series Photos & history.
• [M6 / M6A1 technical manual]
• [Wikipedia]
• [WWII vehicles]
• [AFV database]
• M6 at ww2photo.mimerswell.com
• Historia del carro de combate

USA

Heavy Tanks

ja:Tank:A10 M6