AM 39 Gendron-Somua
AM 39 Gendron-Somua
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[Client Values; Actual values in
500  Cost |
| 28056 HP Hit Points |
| 6.3/82.77/8 t Weight Limit |
- Commander (Gunner, Radio Operator, Loader)
- Driver
| 200200 hp Engine Power |
| 50/30 km/h Speed Limit |
| 034 deg/s Traverse |
| 31.7572.2 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio |
| NoNo Pivot |
| // mm Hull Armor |
| 15/15/1515/15/15 mm Turret Armor |
AP/APCR
AP/APCR Shells |
5/800
5/800 Shell Cost |
| 27/27/27/27/ HP Damage |
| 46/68/46/68/ mm Penetration |
|
28.57 r/m ▲
28.57 r/m Standard Gun ▲ Rate of Fire Standard Gun |
|
771.39 ▲
Standard Gun
▼
771.39 Standard Gun
▲
Standard Gun
▼ Damage Per Minute Standard Gun
|
|
0.42 m ▲
0.42 m With 50% Crew: 0.535 m ▲ Accuracy With 50% Crew: 0.535 m |
| 1.8 s 1.8 s Aim time |
| 4242 deg/s Turret Traverse |
| 360° Gun Arc |
| -12°/+15°-12°/+15° Elevation Arc |
| 300300 rounds Ammo Capacity |
| 2020 % Chance of Fire |
| 280 m 280 m View Range |
| 360 m 360 m Signal Range |
II
500
The AM 39 Gendron-Somua is a French tier 2 premium light tank.
The first prototype of the armored vehicle was in development from 1932 through 1934 under the supervision of engineer Gendron. The second prototype of 1935 successfully passed trials. The project was almost canceled due to insufficient funds, but the SOMUA company continued its development. An improved prototype was produced in 1938 and successfully underwent trials from 1938 through 1939. It saw service but never entered mass production due to delays with turret supplies.
The AM 39 Gendron-Somua is a French Tier II premium light tank (and wheeled vehicle) that could be obtained through opening Large Boxes during the Holiday Ops 2020 event, and available for purchase during the French Oui'kend! Bastille Day event in Summer 2024. It features a good main gun, very good concealment, and great mobility, but like a lot of lights suffers from poor protection.
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 (  )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | 25 mm SA35 | 46/68 | 27/27 | 28.57 | 0.42 | 1.8 | 71 | 3000 |
Engines
| Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | Somua V4 | 200 | 20 | 350 | 2000 |
Suspensions
| Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | AM 39 Gendron-Somua | 8 | 34 | B/2 | 1300 | 500 |
Radios
| Tier | Radio | Signal Range (m) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | ER 29 bis | 360 | 50 | 3650 |
Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- High rate of fire
- Accurate gun
- Aiming guide (easier to click autoaim)
- Relatively fast, both forwards and in reverse, excellent ground resistances
- Exempt from the matchmaker requirement that another wheeled vehicle start on the enemy team, so less waiting to get into battle and you're almost always the only wheelie present
Cons:
- No HE rounds available
- Very thin armor and low health pool, relies on concealment and mobility to survive
- Extremely prone to ramming due to low weight
- Only two crew members, a "crew kill" is very possible
- Unlike tracked vehicles it cannot turn on the spot
- Unable to perform a handbrake turn to quickly change direction
Performance
One of only three premium wheeled vehicles currently in the game, the AM Gendron-Somua 39 features a main gun shared with the AMR 35 (the other premium French Tier II light), the 25mm SA35. The Gendron's has a lower rate of fire and thus less DPM, and is significantly less accurate, but the AM 39 has the "aiming guide" found on all French wheelies, making it much easier to auto-aim when you and/or your target are maneuvering quickly.
Turret traverse speed is also very good, within the top 10. The gun's aim time is better than its cyclical rate -- little or no holding your fire until fully aimed in on repeat shots on the same target. And the gun's AP rounds have enough penetration to reliably hurt other Tier II's, and with APCR the better-armored Tier III's.
The Gendron has poor health compared to other Tier II lights, and overall armor is mediocre: perhaps good enough to only attenuate HE and machine gun rounds and for the occasional lucky deflection. Depending on your play style armor increases its effective health about 4%.
It must rely on its speed and concealment to avoid damage, fortunately it's rather stealthy: when counting stationary-while-firing concealment it comes in at 6th place amongst 36 lights at Tier II.
The AM 39 also shines in mobility: 10th on top speed, the top dog on reverse speed, and 3rd on power-to-weight ratio, allowing it to quickly maneuver, reverse behind hard cover, and flex across the battle area to where it's most needed. It also has excellent brakes/engine-braking, allowing it to very quickly come to a complete stop in a distance well within the length of its own hull -- let up on your W key and briefly hold down S for a quick stop. And of course it's a wheeled vehicle, a single lost tire only slows it down.
Hull traverse speed is one of the worst at tier, but doesn't preclude circle-strafing tank destroyers and those enemies with poor hull/turret traverse.
The AM 39 suffers in view range, like all wheelies, and this especially hurts because it gets only one equipment slot, making Recon and Situational Awareness good perks to have. And this is Tier II, all the lights around you have no better than 330 meters of view range anyway.
Signal range is a strength, tied for 8th-best with (again) the AMR 35 at a 360-meter base; Brothers in Arms and Signal Boosting can get this up to a more-than-respectable 444m -- just one meter short of the detection range cap, which is insignificant.
The AM Gendron's (and AMR 35's) crew setups -- Commander (Gunner, Radio Operator, Loader), Driver -- matches five other French lights: the AMX 38, FCM 36, FT, H35, and R35, making both premiums good crew trainers for these non-premium tanks and each other.
Good, but not perfect . . . except for the bottom-tiered FT all of these non-premiums are "pocket heavies" and don't share the same tactics and skill sets as these two premiums, but one other tank fits the bill perfectly: the AMX ELC bis -- one crew works perfectly for all three tanks, including their need for BIA, Concealment, and other classic light/scout tank perks (and the Gendron and ELC also share a liking for Signal Boosting). It's recommended that if you don't already have the ELC then get it, create/convert a crew for it, and use that same crew in both the AM Gendron and AMR 35; with a 70% experience bonus on both you can quickly "skill-up" your ELC crew.
Generally tactics are to snipe from a distance, use bush cover/go hull down if possible, and use your excellent mobility to dodge, relocate, and run if needed. It's not a good scout -- it lacks view range and is far too fragile -- but overall the AM 39 Gendron-Somua is a fun little tank.
Early Research
Premium vehicle, comes elite in stock configuration. Don't forget to turn on Accelerate Crew Training.
Suggested Equipment
Documented Tank and Crew Builds
With only one available equipment slot it's a tough choice what to put in the AM 39, but a Camouflage Net is probably not a good choice -- it might be too tempting to stay in one place rather than taking advantage of its excellent mobility.
One interesting option is Improved Hardening for the increase to suspension durability, which might keep one from being tracked, which in turn might be enough to take a First Aid Kit instead of a Repair Kit.
Gallery
Historical Info
In 1932 Mr. Gendron, an independent inventor, obtained a prototype order on the basis of his AMR project. Panhard, Renault, and Peugeot were clear favorites due to their extensive design experience, but Gendron decided to optimize the price-quality as much as possible, mainly because he knew perfectly well the French army wouldn’t be able to purchase and operate expensive equipment.
Historical Gallery
