AMX ELC bis
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[Client Values; Actual values in
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| ammo Ammo Capacity |
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The ELC AMX represents a rather dramatic reversal in French tank design philosophy. While the AMX 40 and prior tanks were slow, with weak guns, and heavily armored, the ELC is fast, well armed, and lightly armored. While it has laughable armor its mobility is mediocre after 9.18, but with its 90mm gun it still has high damage and good penetration for a Tier V light tank. Unlike most lights, however, it does not have a fully rotating turret with the 90mm mounted, making circling enemies much more difficult. When using either of the 75mm cannons the turret becomes fully rotational making circling the slower tanks easier, albeit now having lower penetration and accuracy. The AMX ELC is very light and has an okay engine, giving it acceptable acceleration with 26.63hp/t. It usually has no problem reaching its top speed of 60km/h (however water and rubble significantly slow the AMX ELC down) and maintaining it on hard terrain (albeit ground resistances are terrible). Use your maneuverability to your advantage -- even if your turret can`t traverse all the way when using the 90mm you can still perform flanking maneuvers. Even if you survive a shot from an enemy tank your tracks and engine are easily damaged, so your duty as a scout can end very quickly if you get caught in the open.
The AMX ELC bis is preceded by the AMX 40.
The <value_unset_error> marks the end of its line.
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 (  )
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Engines
| Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
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Suspensions
| Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
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Radios
| Tier | Radio | Signal Range (m) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
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Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Strong weapon hard-stats -- very high damage, respectable penetration, and decent fully-aimed accuracy
- Very low silhouette, can stay below the enemy's guns right beside them and use smaller terrain features as cover
- Excellent camouflage for a light tank; virtually identical to the ELC EVEN 90
- Often underestimated; good bait potential
- Best-in-class view range (tied with four other Tier V lights)
Cons:
- Very poor protection and hit points, it takes little effort to destroy a vulnerable ELC
- Cannot fully traverse with the top gun, along with an extremely limited gun elevation/depression
- Top 75mm gun doesn't perform as well as the similar 75mm gun on the M24 Chaffee
- Poor signal range
- Just two crew members also means it is easy to lose them before the tank itself
- Low sustained damage output, very poor accuracy while on the move and poor aim time, and it's very hard to flip right side up when overturned
- Very light weight at only eight tons, ramming is ill-advised
- Weak acceleration. The engine is often being overloaded, struggling to maintain top speed even with Additional Grousers and Turbocharger equipped
Performance
Everything you've come to know about French tanks changes with this vehicle. You'll have to forget about the armor of the AMX 40, but for the first time you'll be able to move at high speed and use a great gun.
Its ability to flank depends on your choice of gun. Both 75mm's can fully rotate as of Patch 9.18, though low penetration seriously limits their potential and requires premium ammo and/or side shots. The powerful derp of the 90mm gun is also limited by the excruciating aim time and slow reload. It also has a typically French poor gun depression and elevation, limiting the value as a sniping gun. The 90mm cannon in its pseudo-turret can't challenge most heavy tanks from the front as it used to, but also means that the ELC is ill-suited to challenging other light tanks in anything less than ideal conditions due to the fact the turret has worse traverse than many non-turreted TD's and even some artillery. In addition your poor radio range means you are more dependent on allies to be closer to spot, something not always possible in many of the situations an ELC gets itself into.
In all tiers active scouting is not recommended due to the extremely low durability and some of the worst mobility among scout tanks since 9.18. However, scouting could still be done in a passive way: just utilize dense flora and the outstanding camo value well. In fact the size, weight, and play style of this tank are comparable to the French Renault UE 57 tank destroyer. Keep in mind of how hard it is to hit you, as it could be useful in many situations. Be prepared to help teammates out by scouting, flanking, or drawing an enemy's attention away for an "easy kill". This tank must be coordinated with allies, let them know what you're trying to do before you do it, although you can proceed to what you need to do in hurry cases. Help allies out and the battlefield would technically be your team's turf.
Avoid opposing fast mediums or same-tier light tanks -- they have enough performance to challenge your small stature and speed, and your pseudo-turret will be of no benefit. Vehicles such as the Chaffee and the VK 16.02 Leopard will have sufficient performance to catch, chase, and destroy you. In these cases you can easily expect to get rammed and killed and -- since 9.18 -- even fast mediums like the Cromwell can now gain on you (but at least the Cromwell can't hit you easily with its gun).
Some of the most epic battles are when two ELC drivers find themselves face to face. You could compare this to a medieval jousting competition. Skill and luck are of the essence, however mounted equipment and experienced crew are welcome. Always try to get the first damaging shot; if you do, stay on the enemy’s tail and finish him; if you don’t, hit him, then try to break line of sight and finish him off after you reload. Remember, an ELC can almost always two-shot another ELC (RNG can, however, be trollish). And if you are a confident ELC driver, use your handbrake! Not only in duels but overall -- an ELC driver who is confident in their handbrake turns is extremely deadly.
tl;dr: The AMX ELC bis functions mostly like a mobile and stealthy tank destroyer with the 90mm -- high penetration, alpha damage, and shell velocity make it have excellent hard stats, while limited by very poor DPM, aim time, and gun handling. The mobility, view range and camouflage also complement it well. The 75mm presents an alternate way to play -- far better gun handling, DPM, and a full turret make it more reliable -- however it loses the sheer punch, penetration, and velocity that the 90mm gains, leaving the 75mm as a way to have a somewhat inferior Chaffee.
The mobility of the ELC was horrendously nerfed in 9.18 -- it lost 5kph top speed, 3 reverse, and around 10-11 hp/t. This means it is significantly slower than it used to be; however there is a way to get it to almost its old mobility. While not the most practical setup, thanks to Equipment 2.0 the ELC can mount a Turbocharger and Grousers, which, respectively, increase the top speed/horsepower and ground resistances/traverse speed. When combined with a good crew (Brothers in Arms, Off-Road Driving) and 100/105 Octane Oil, the AMX ELC bis can almost have its old mobility back. Rammer/Vertical Stabilizer/Coated Optics is still the most competitive setup, but since it has a slow reload already, Turbo or Grousers may be better than a rammer.
With a crew of just Commander and Gunner only the AM 39 Gendron-Somua may serve as a perfect trainer for an AMX ELC bis crew.
INTERESTING FACT: In reality the AMX ELC bis was classed as a tank destroyer, not a light tank. If you install binoculars with a camo net and/or low-noise exhaust system then you can play this tank like a fast, stealthy TD. Move quickly from place to place, take a sniping shot before disappearing, only to reappear and take a shot again. You are practically forced to do this after 9.18!
Early Research
- The ER 53 radio carries over from the AMX 40, so it's available immediately
- First research the SOFAM de 180 cv engine for a significant increase in acceleration
- Research the 75 mm SA44L for a much-needed penetration increase
- Research the 90 mm D.915, which is easily the best gun for this vehicle
- Upgrade the suspension last, as the added weight capacity is unnecessary, but gives a bit more traverse speed. As of 9.18, this is necessary for equipping camo nets and binos, as well as improving your now-mediocre maneuverability
- Now research the AMX 12t, and prepare for another radical change in play style
Suggested Equipment
Low Noise Exhaust System
Documented Tank and Crew Builds
Passive Scout: Binocular Telescope, Improved Ventilation, Camouflage Net. Also have your Commander learn Situational Awareness (for greater view range/attenuation of enemy concealment) and Signal Boosting (increasing your mediocre radio range to a more useful level to share targeting information with your team's tank destroyers and other interested parties). With enough Concealment you'll enjoy a massive detection advantage over some enemy tanks -- such as KV-1's and Hetzers -- to the point of being able to make long range shots at them (while you're not behind a bush) and them still not detecting you. If you do use a Camouflage Net consider also going with the 75mm SA44L main gun so while passive spotting and looking around you won't have to remember to hold down your Shift key to keep your turret from hitting its stops and making your hull turn, breaking your net's camo bonus.
Sniper: Binocular Telescope, Improved Ventilation, Low Noise Exhaust. This is playing the AMX ELC bis like it was intended in real life as a tank destroyer. Since you're keeping your distance you'll probably want to go with the 90mm for greater accuracy, penetration, and damage. A Binocular Telescope is a must -- you don't want to be caught in a situation with no spotters on your team left and having to get closer to the enemy and/or being forced into risky peek-a-boom tactics. You might want to consider replacing your low noise exhaust with an Enhanced Gun Laying Drive to cut down on your long aim time, letting you react quicker to new targets. Also consider replacing Signal Boosting with Snap Shot (which helps more with aim time) or Deadeye.
Gallery
Historical Info
The first attempt at an airborne tank was made right after the war. In November of 1946 a 12 ton tank project was completed, armed with a 75mm gun. The tank never got its wings, but further evolution of this design culminated with the AMX 13, the first truly mass produced French post-war tank, which is still in service in some countries.
The next attempt at an airborne tank came almost 10 years later. In 1954 the Engin Léger de Combat (light fighting machine) program was launched to create a six ton tank, or rather a tank destroyer. Two companies made a bid for the ELC tender -- Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX), a part of the DEFA conglomerate (later GIAT, now Nexter) and Brunon-Vallette (EVEN) from Rive-de-Gier, a small town south-west of Lyon. Both companies made unusual vehicles worthy of their own articles.
AMX's engineers used the Hotchkiss CC-2 APC as their base, making their tank a relative of the German Spahpanzer SP 1C, created on the same basis. Indexed Chenillette 4–120SR, the AMX project was initially envisioned as a rather unusual design, similar to the American M50 Ontos. Presented in March of 1954, it was a two-seater vehicle armed with four 120mm recoilless rifles. AMX engineers didn't move this idea past paper, unlike EVEN ones, who made a similar vehicle.
Another project was proposed in July of 1954, the Chenillette 6–105SR. The vehicle was radically redesigned and the armament was changed to six 105mm recoilless rifles. In both projects the driver was positioned forward and the turret rotated fully. This design also did not progress further than paper.
The hero of this piece was first drawn on April 27th, 1954. The project was first called Chenillette biplace avec casemate tournante de 90 (two-seater tankette, 90mm gun in a casemate turret) and had both crew members in the turret. On one hand this simplified the layout. The engine was placed in the front, which made the vehicle very compact.
On the other hand this created a ton of problems. The turret could only rotate fully if the vehicle was still. The turret could not rotate on the move, as the driver would lose access to his controls and observation devices. In an attempt to solve this problem the driver was moved to a cockpit to the right of the tank's center. To achieve this the engine and transmission were moved to the rear, and the turret moved to the front.
The driver would only inhabit his cockpit during battle; on the march he remained in the turret. However the battle conditions were so inhumane that AMX returned to their original idea. Interestingly enough, EVEN engineers managed to house their driver in this fashion.
The first AMX ELC 90 prototype started trials in 1955. Instead of a tank destroyer, it was a tank . . . a curious tank, but a tank nonetheless. The vehicle received a 90mm D915 gun in a two-seater TC 910 turret developed by FAHM (Forges et Aciéries de la Marine et d'Homécourt). After two years of trials the AMX ELC 90 bis came to be.
The vehicle differed noticeably from the prototype. The tank was equipped with roof-mounted smoke grenade launchers. The observation devices were redesigned, and the gun mantlet changed. The engine compartment roof and upper front plate changed, as well as the fenders and the equipment mounted on them. The number of road wheels per side grew to five.
Trials continued until 1961 when the Engin Léger de Combat program was cancelled. The French army never received its airborne tank, even though the AMX ELC 90 bis was far from the worst tank for the role. Of course it had its problems, mainly with maneuverability of fire and convenience for the driver, but it was very appropriate for certain tasks. Finally, the even weirder M50 Ontos was not only produced, but actually fought.
Both AMX ELC 90 prototypes survive to this day, but the fate of the first one is shaky. It was last seen in the forested storage yard of the Saumur tank museum in the mid-1980's. It is most likely still there, but there are no photos confirming the fact. As for the AMX ELC 90 bis it was much luckier. It currently resides in the Musée des Blindés ("Museum of Armoured Vehicles") in Saumur, France as one of the central exhibits in a room dedicated to unusual post-war designs.
Historical Gallery
Historical Accuracy Errata
- The 90mm gun was the ELC's only available primary armament, which the surviving prototype still carries today. The 75mm configurations are fictitious
- The ELC AMX's actual top speed is 80km/h
- The turret could only fully traverse 360° while stationary. In-game the 75mm guns can turn 360° even on the move
- Originally designed as a tank destroyer, not a light tank
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