Archer
Archer
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[Client Values; Actual values in
395,000  Cost |
| 47094 HP Hit Points |
| 15.88/165.41/17.5 t Weight Limit |
- Commander
- Driver
- Gunner
- Loader (Radio Operator)
| 165192 hp Engine Power |
| 12/32 km/h Speed Limit |
| 4046 deg/s Traverse |
| 10.3935.49 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio |
| YesYes Pivot |
| // mm Hull Armor |
AP/APCR/HE
AP/APCR/HE Shells |
45/2400/32
175/3200/75 Shell Cost |
| 75/75/100150/150/190 HP Damage |
| 110/180/30171/239/38 mm Penetration |
|
24 r/m ▲
12.77 r/m Standard Gun ▲ Rate of Fire Standard Gun |
|
1800 ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲
1915.5 Standard Gun ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲ Damage Per Minute Standard Gun |
|
0.37 m ▲
0.36 m With 50% Crew: 0.458 m ▲ Accuracy With 50% Crew: 0.446 m |
| 1.9 s 2.3 s Aim time |
| 3232 deg/s Gun Traverse Speed |
| 46° Gun Arc |
| -7°/+15°-7°/+15° Elevation Arc |
| 8047 rounds Ammo Capacity |
| 1515 % Chance of Fire |
| 360 m 360 m View Range |
| 400 m 550 m Signal Range |
V
395000
The Archer is a British tier 5 tank destroyer.
This powerful, lightly-armored tank destroyer was capable of engaging enemy tanks of any type at distances up to 1,000 meters. Top speed was relatively low because of the underpowered engine and weak suspension. Nonetheless, the Archer was a successful reuse of the outdated Valentine chassis. A total of 665 vehicles were built from 1943 through 1945.
This unique tank shares the interesting trait with the Crusader SP for mounting the gun backwards on a Valentine chassis, which its reverse speed much higher than its forward speed (12/35 KM). This means that for traveling you more or less have to drive backwards, which requires a certain degree of attention and setup time when reaching a new firing position. However this gun placement can turn from awkward to life-saving when retreating or being flanked (especially because it's thinly armored). It can mount a deadly 17-pdr gun (aka nightmare) in Tier V.
The Archer previously was a development of the once-Tier IV Valentine in 0.9.18 and lead onwards to the Achilles, but has since been transferred to become a collector's vehicle and there is now only one Tier V British tech tree tank destroyer, the AT2.
The Archer marks the end of its British tank destroyer 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 (  )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VII | OQF 17-pdr AT Gun Mk. VII | 171/239/38 | 150/150/190 | 12.77 | 0.36 | 2.3 | 826 | 65000 | |
| IV | QF 6-pdr AT Gun Mk. IV | 110/180/30 | 75/75/100 | 24 | 0.37 | 1.9 | 450 | 27000 | |
| VI | OQF 17-pdr AT Gun Mk. II | 143/171/38 | 150/150/190 | 12.24 | 0.37 | 2.7 | 826 | 52000 |
Engines
| Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | GMC 6004 6-71A | 165 | 15 | 991 | 11000 | |
| V | GM 6062 6-71M | 192 | 15 | 991 | 12200 |
Suspensions
| Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | Archer early | 16 | 40 | 0 | 3200 | 4500 | |
| V | Archer late | 17.5 | 46 | 0 | 3200 | 8700 |
Radios
| Tier | Radio | Signal Range (m) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VII | WS No. 19 Mk. II | 450 | 40 | 21000 | |
| VI | WS No. 19 Mk. I | 400 | 40 | 15000 | |
| VIII | WS No. 19 Mk. III | 550 | 40 | 22000 |
Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Can mount the 17-pdr gun, boasting phenomenal penetration against all but the toughest of targets
- Very good traverse; low flanking risk
- Very wide gun arc compared to the AT 2
- Good view range for a Tier V vehicle in general
- Very fast reverse speed, allows to reposition quickly and doesn't need to turn in order to retreat into another position
- High rate of fire on top gun plus aforementioned hitting power can tear most enemies to shreds with ease at long ranges
Cons:
- Awkward gun placement means you have to go backwards to reach its top speed (32 kmh)
- Awful forward speed (12 kmh, even worse than the TOG II!), and its reverse speed isn't impressive either
- The tank is a glass cannon with virtually no armor, any large-caliber howitzer will decimate you
- Loses accuracy very badly when turning
- Poor shell velocity, often misses long-range targets
Performance
The Archer is an unusual vehicle in many respects, while also being rather typical in others. Because the gun was placed backwards on the chassis the reverse speed is faster than the forward speed. This trait makes it a perfect ambush vehicle: after opponents at range get too close or you are spotted it will reverse safely back into cover. Practicing backwards driving will be of great benefit in this vehicle.
Aside from the unusually high reverse speed relative to the forward speed, it is a fairly typical open-topped thinly-shielded tank destroyer. Do not get shot at at all: while derived from the Valentine chassis it does not share its armor (due to the rear armor now being the frontal armor), and will be destroyed quickly if cover it not sought.
However the appalling speed driving forwards combined with the good backwards speed means that the Archer should not participate in pushes. The top speed of 12 kph means you are too slow to participate properly (and be very vulnerable if caught in the open), and driving backwards is not recommend if at risk at engaging enemies. This means that when playing the Archer you should pick a good spot to hide and snipe, and only relocate within a short distance.
The powerful top gun and fast turning radius make the Archer an excellent artillery guard, as it can engage both heavily armored targets at a distance as well as fast moving lights relatively close up. But as always with the Archer don't get into attrition-based firefights.
(As a side note, when playing the Archer be prepared to take the reactions of other players graciously. The Archer seem to attract a lot of ire from teammates, as there seems to be more than a few players which don't understand the limitations and playing style of the Archer, i.e.: that you need to camp and can't very well participate in pushes.)
Early Research
Stock suspension is very close to load limit and upgraded suspension or Enhanced Coil Springs Class 1 equipment (20 000 credits) is required is mount even both camo net and Binocular Telescope. Stock gun is totally inadequate too and should be upgraded immediately.
You may already have the top 17-pounder gun, since it's shared with the AT 8 and Challenger. You still have to research the first 17-pounder since its required to advance to next tank.
Radios are shared with many British tanks and can be installed immediately. The upgraded engine is not used anywhere else and gives only minor buff to mobility, but is very cheap to research.
Suggested Equipment
Gallery
Historical Info
The Self Propelled 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer was a British Tank Destroyer of the Second World War based on the Valentine infantry tank chassis fitted with an Ordnance QF 17 pounder gun.
Design and development
The 17 pounder anti-tank gun was a very powerful gun but also very large, heavy, and could only be moved about the battlefield by a vehicle, which made the gun more effective in defence than in the attack. A version of the Churchill tank had been tested as a self-propelled gun; the "3-inch Gun Carrier" and the US was expected to be able to provide the M10 Wolverine through Lend-lease. Other projects were considered using obsolete tank chassis; possible vehicles included the Valentine for its reliability and low profile; and the Crusader for its good power-to-weight ratio. In development were tank designs using the 17-pdr, which led to the Challenger (and its post-war variant the Avenger) derived from the Cromwell cruiser tank, and the Sherman Firefly conversion of Sherman tanks.
The Valentine chassis was soon chosen, as it was in production but obsolescent as a tank in British use and was also one of the few chassis that could accommodate such a large gun.Template:Citation neededThe engine in the Archer had a higher power rating than in the Valentine.[1] The Valentine had a small hull and it was not possible to use a turret, the gun was mounted in a simple, low, open-topped armoured box, very much like the early Panzerjäger German self-propelled guns in appearance, with the gun facing to the rear which kept the length of the Archer short. The mounting allowed for 11 degrees of traverse to either side with elevation from -7.5 to +15 degrees.[2]
On firing, the gun breech recoiled into the driver's space, with the driver staying in position, in case the vehicle needed to move quickly. The rear mounting had the advantage that combined with its low silhouette, the Archer made an excellent ambush weapon, allowing its crew to fire then drive away without turning around.
The first prototype was completed in 1943, with firing trials carried out in April 1943. Vickers was given orders for 800 vehicles.
Service
Production started in mid-1943 and the Archer entered service in October 1944. It was used in North-West Europe and (in 1945[3]) in Italy. By the end of the war 655 of them had been produced. The Archer was classified as a self-propelled anti-tank gun and as such was operated by the Royal Artillery (RA) rather than by Royal Armoured Corps units -- as were British 3in SP, Wolverine and 17pdr SP. Achilles -- during the war.
Post-war the Archer served with the Egyptian Army. Surviving vehicles are preserved at the Yad La-Shiryon museum in Latrun, National War and Resistance Museum, Overloon in the Netherlands, and the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK. The Archer served with some units of the Royal Armoured Corps in the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in the early 1950's.
Historical Gallery
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Historical Accuracy Errata
- SCC No. 15 Olive Drab paint scheme is missing. This was the base color on all British AFV's in Europe from April 1944. - Allied star identification marking is missing. The Royal Armoured Corps recognition mark (or flash) was only used until mid-1942; the Archer entered service in September 1944.
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