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BT-2

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BT-2 (Stock)

AnnoBT-2.png
Totals
3500 Price
140 Hit Points
10.21 / 11.5 kgWeight
Crew
  1. Commander
Armor
15/13/10Hull Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
26/13/13Turret Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
Maneuver
400 h.p.Engine Power
55 km/hSpeed Limit
43 deg/secTraverse Speed
Firepower
30 Standard Shell Damage
34 mmStandard Shell Penetration
2.5 Time for Complete Loading
37 deg/secTurret Traverse Speed
Communication
240 mView Range
265 mSignal Range
II
BT-2
3500
Developed on the basis of the Christie tank M1931. Produced at the Kharkiv Komintern Locomotive Factory (KhPZ), with 650 BT-2 tanks and 1,884 BT-5 tanks manufactured from 1932 through 1935.

Long and low to the ground, it is as sleek and fast as it looks. While the BT-2 is extremely fast and has a decent selection of guns, its armor is paper thin. In the first few tiers this is not such a huge drawback, but as firepower increases, it is vital to get into good habits for light tanking early. The first lesson is to keep moving and use cover as much as possible. Long charges across open terrain are suicide, no matter what speed you're going. Instead, dash between all available cover, use your agility to throw in some evasive maneuvers, and above all, keep your speed high. If BT-2 is used correctly, then it can achieve record-breaking kill and damage records as compared to other recruit match tanks. It's relatively powerful, even with the thin armor.

BDR G1 B late

Stock

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret I BT-2 700 26/13/13 37 240
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun I 37 mm Hotchkiss 104 34/44/19 30/30/36 24 0.54 2.5
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV M-5-400 410 400 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis II BT-2 3300 11.5 43
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio II 71-TK-1 0 265

BDR G1 B late

Attack

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret I BT-2 700 26/13/13 37 240
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun I 37 mm B-3 77 40/64/19 36/36/40 24 0.46 2.5
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV M-5-400 410 400 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis II BT-2 3300 11.5 43
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio III 71-TK-3 0 300

BDR G1 R (75)

Attack

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret II BT-5 800 26/13/13 39 280
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun I 20 mm TNSh 68 28/39/19 10/10/36 121.21 0.53 1.7
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV M-5-400 410 400 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis II BT-5 3300 11.8 46
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio III 71-TK-3 0 300
Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret II BT-5 800 26/13/13 39 280
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun II 23 mm VJa 71 30/42/19 12/12/36 116.13 0.54 1.7
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV M-17L 610 450 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis II BT-5 3300 11.8 46
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio III 71-TK-3 0 300

D.W. II Versuchsturm

Speed

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret II BT-5 800 26/13/13 39 280
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun II 45 mm 20K 250 51/88/23 47/47/62 26.09 0.46 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV M-17L 610 450 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis II BT-5 3300 11.8 46
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio III 71-TK-3 0 300

D.W. II Versuchsturm

Attack

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret II BT-5 800 26/13/13 39 280
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun III 37 mm ZiS-19 200 58/92/19 40/40/50 26.09 0.39 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV M-17L 610 450 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis II BT-5 3300 11.8 46
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio III 71-TK-3 0 300

Compatible Equipment

Small Spall Liner
Camouflage Net
Coated Optics
Enhanced Gun Laying Drive
Enhanced Christie Suspension
Cyclone Filter
Improved Ventilation Class 1
Binocular Telescope
Toolbox

Compatible Consumables

Automatic Fire Extinguisher
Manual Fire Extinguisher
Large First Aid Kit
Large Repair Kit
Lend-Lease Oil
Extra Combat Rations
Removed Speed Governor
Small First Aid Kit
Small Repair Kit

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:


  • Excellent acceleration and top speed
  • Good guns


Cons:


  • Terrible armor
  • Poor signal range


Performance

While the German tier 2 light tanks are more general purpose in nature, the Soviet BT-2 was designed for speed. With this tank you will begin learning tactics that will apply to all light tanks at higher tiers. In combat, you want to attack enemy flanks, preferably while they're busy fighting one of your allies. Use your speed to get in fast and then get out again. This is a great way to take out enemy artillery. The BT-2 provides a great platform for getting the auto-cannon into range fast where it's the most effective. Once more or less fully upgraded, the 45 mm 20K and 37 mm ZiS-19 are also good weapons at this tier. This tank also serves well in a scouting role, but the limited signal range can be an issue if there are no friendlies between you and the main group to relay your signal.

Another possible use for the BT-2 that is overlooked by other players is its ability to be a sniper and support tank. The BT-2 offers a very high penetration gun that can wreck tier 2's and 3's alike, and given its small size and fast speed the tank is allowed to reach these positions quickly and efficiently. Once the enemy team has been greatly weakened, you can then go ahead and take the task of an assault tank, wiping out any stragglers and erasing the enemy team from the map.


Early Research

  • The only thing that carries over from the MS-1 is the 23 mm VJa auto-cannon. It's an upgrade worthy of immediate installation.
  • The upgraded suspension is a good place to start researching, as it adds 4 deg/s to traverse speed.
  • Next upgrade engine and the turret in either order.
  • Upgrade the radio.
  • Go from there.


Historical Info

BT-2 Fast Tank

The BT-2 was a part of a Soviet light tank series produced from 1932 to 1935. The BT tanks (Russian, Bystrokhodny tank, light "fast tank" or "high-speed tank") were a series of Soviet cavalry tanks produced in large numbers between 1932 and 1941. They were lightly armoured, but reasonably well-armed for their time, and had much better mobility than the rest of the world's contemporary tank designs. The BT tanks were known by the nickname Betka from the acronym, or its diminutive Betushka. The direct successor of the BT tanks would be the famous T-34 medium tank, introduced in 1940, which would replace all of the Soviet fast tanks, infantry tanks, and medium tanks in service.

Design

The BT tanks were "convertible tanks". This was a feature designed by J. Walter Christie to reduce wear of the unreliable tank tracks of the 1930s. In about thirty minutes, the crew could remove the tracks and engage a chain drive to the rear-most road wheel on each side, allowing the tank to travel at very high speeds on roads. In wheeled mode, the tank was steered by pivoting the front road wheels. However, Soviet tank forces soon found the convertible option of little practical use in a country with few paved roads, and it consumed space and added needless complexity and weight. The feature was dropped from later Soviet designs.

Christie, a race car mechanic from New Jersey, had tried unsuccessfully to convince the U.S. Army Ordnance Bureau to adopt his Christie tank design.
BT-2 Training turret at the Stalin Military Academy
In 1930, Soviet agents at Amtorg, ostensibly a Soviet trade organization, used their New York political contacts to persuade U.S. military and civilian officials to provide plans and specifications of the Christie tank to the Soviet Union. At least two of Christie's M1931 tanks (without turrets) were later purchased in the United States and sent to the Soviet Union under false documentation, in which they were described as "agricultural tractors". Both tanks were successfully delivered to the Kharkov Komintern Locomotive Plant (KhPZ). The original Christie tanks were designated fast tanks by the Soviets, abbreviated BT (later referred to as BT-1). Based both on them and on previously obtained plans, three unarmed BT-2 prototypes were completed in October 1931 and mass production began in 1932. Most BT-2s were equipped with a 37 mm gun and a machine gun, but shortages of 37 mm guns led to some early examples being fitted with three machine guns. The sloping front hull (glacis plate) armor design of the Christie M1931 prototype was retained in later Soviet tank hull designs, and later adopted for side armor as well. The BT-5 and later models were equipped with a 45 mm gun.

Combat History

BT tanks saw service in the Spanish Civil War, Battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan), the Winter War in Finland, the Polish campaign, and in the entire World War II. They first saw action in the Spanish Civil War. A battalion of BT-5s fought on the Republican side, and their 45 mm guns could easily knock out the opposing German and Italian light tanks.

Battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan)

BT-2

During the Battles of Khalkhin Gol (also known as the Nomonhan Incident), which lasted from May to September in 1939, BT tanks were easily attacked by Japanese "close quarter" teams (tank killer squads) which were armed with petrol bottles (later called "Molotov Cocktails"). The Soviet BT-5 and BT-7 light tanks, which had been operating in temperatures greater than 100F on the Mongolian plains, easily caught fire when a molotov cocktail ignited their gasoline engines. General Georgy Zhukov made it one of his "points" when briefing Joseph Stalin, that his "...BT tanks were a bit fireprone...." Conversely, many Japanese tankers held the Soviet 45mm anti-tank/tank guns in high esteem, noting, "...no sooner did they see the flash from a Russian gun, then they'd notice a hole in their tank, adding that the Soviet gunners were accurate too!" After the Khalkhin Gol War in 1939, the Soviet military had broken into two camps; one side was represented by Spanish Civil War veterans General P. V. Rychagov of the Soviet Air Force, Soviet armour expert General Dimitry Pavlov, and Stalin's favorite, Marshal Grigory Kulik, Chief of Artillery Administration. The other side consisted of the Khalkhin Gol veterans led by Generals Zhukov and G.P. Kravchenko of the Soviet Air Force. Under this cloud of division, the lessons of Russia's "first real war on a massive scale using tanks, artillery, and airplanes" at Nomonhan (Khalkhin Gol) went unheeded. Consequently, during the Finland War (Winter War), the BT-2 and BT-5 tanks were less successful, and it took the Soviet Union three and a half months, and over a million men, to do what Zhukov did in just ten days at Nomonhan. After the German war broke out, the Spanish Civil War faction fell in disfavor, with Marshal Kulik in particular being court-martialed and demoted. Gen. Zhukov and the majority of his surviving Nomonhan veterans were appointed to commands throughout European Russia, in time to engage the German armies.

During the Second World War, BT-5 and BT-7 tanks were used in the 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland, and in large numbers in the battles of 1941: during which thousands were abandoned or destroyed. A few remained in use in 1942, but were rare after that time. The Red Army planned to replace the BT tank series with the T-34, and had just begun doing so when the German invasion (Operation Barbarossa) took place. During the final weeks of World War II, a significant number of BT-7 tanks took part in the invasion of Japanese-occupied Manchuria in August, 1945. This was the last combat action of BT tanks.

Technical legacy

BT-5 Tank extracted from the bottom of the lake after 60 years

The BT tank series was numerous, forming the cavalry tank arm of the Red Army in the 1930s, and had much better mobility than other contemporary tank designs. For these reasons, there were many experiments and derivatives of the design, mostly conducted at the KhPZ factory in Kharkov. The most important legacy of the BT tank was the T-34 medium tank, arguably the most important tank of the entire World War II. In 1937, a new design team was formed at the KhPZ to create the next generation of BT tanks. Initially, the chief designer was Mikhail Koshkin and, after his death, Morozov. The team built two prototypes. The light one was called the A-20. The more heavily armed and armoured BT derivative, theA-32, was a "universal tank" to replace all the T-26 infantry tank, BT cavalry tanks, and the T-28 medium tanks. Such a plan was controversial, but concerns about tank performance under the threat of German blitzkrieg led to the approval for production of a still more heavily-armoured version, the T-34 medium tank. Along the way, an important technical development was the BT-IS and BT-SW-2 test-bed vehicles, concentrating on sloped armour. This proof-of-concept led directly to the armour layout of the T-34. BT tank chassis' were also used as the basis for engineering support vehicles and mobility test-beds. A bridgelayer variant had a T-38 turret and launched a bridge across small gaps. Standard tanks were fitted as fascine carriers. The RBT-5 hosted a pair of large artillery rocket launchers, one on each side of the turret. Several designs for extremely wide tracks, including, oddly, wooden 'snowshoes' were tried on BT tanks. The KBT-7 was a thoroughly modern armoured command vehicle that was in the prototype stage when World War II broke out. The design was not pursued during the war. In the Kiev maneuvers of 1936, foreign military observers were shown hundreds of BT tanks rolling by a reviewing stand. In the audience were British Army representatives, who returned home to advocate use of the Christie suspension on British cruiser tanks, which they incorporated from the Cruiser Mk III onwards. Interestingly, the pointed shape of the hull front armor on the BT tank also influenced the design of the British Matilda tank.


Comparison of the BT-2, BT-5, BT-7, BT-7A, and BT-8
BT-2 BT-5 BT-7 BT-7A BT-7M (BT-8)
Number built 620 2,108 4,965 154 790
crew 3 3 3 3 3
weight 10.2 t 11.5 t 14 t 14.5 t 14.7 t
length 5.58 m 5.58 m 5.66 m 5.66 m 5.66 m
width 2.23 m 2.23 m 2.29 m 2.29 m 2.29 m
height 2.20 m 2.25 m 2.42 m 2.52 m 2.42 m
armour 6–13 mm 6–13 mm 6–13 mm 6–13 mm 6–22 mm
main gun 37 mm
Model 30
45 mm
Model 32
45 mm
Model 35
76.2mm
Model 27/32
45 mm
Model 38
main gun
ammunition
96 rounds 115 rouds 146 rounds 50 rounds 146 rounds
machine guns DT DT DT 2×DT 3×DT
engine power
model
400 hp
Liberty
400 hp
M-5
500 hp
M-17T
500 hp
M-17T
450 hp
V-2
fuel 400 l
gasoline
360 l
gasoline
620 l
gasoline
620 l
gasoline
620+170 l
diesel
road speed 100 km/h (62 mph) 72 km/h (45 mph) 86 km/h (53 mph) 86 km/h (53 mph) 86 km/h (53 mph)
power:weight 39 hp/t 35 hp/t 36 hp/t 34 hp/t 31 hp/t
road range 300 km 200 km 250 ;km 250 km 700 km
tactical range 100 km 90 km 120 km 120 km 400 km

Variants

- BT-1: Christie prototype with no turret.

- BT-2 Model 1932: M-5-400 engine (copy of U.S. Liberty engine), three modifications of turret produced: with single 37 mm gun; 37 mm gun and one DT machine gun; twin DP machine guns mount and a single machine gun. In late 1932 modified to BT-3 but produced under same designation.

- BT-3: same as BT-2, produced according to metric system (instead of Imperial system as used for BT-2). In official documentation referred to as BT-2.

- BT-4: was a design with welded hull and minor changes in the suspension. 3 prototypes produced (with partially riveted hull)

- BT-5: larger cylindrical turret, 45 mm gun, coaxial DT machine gun.

- BT-5 Model 1933: new turret with twin hatches and larger bustle.

- BT-5PKh: snorkelling variant (prototypes only).

- BT-5A: artillery support version with 76.2 mm howitzer (few made).

- BT-5 flamethrower tank: (prototypes only).

- PT-1A: amphibious variant with new hull (few made).

- BT-7 Model 1935: welded hull, redesigned hull front, new Mikulin M-17T engine (licensed copy of a BMW engine), enclosed muffler.

- BT-7 Model 1937: new turret with sloping armour.

- BT-7TU: command version, with whip antenna instead of earlier frame antenna.

- BT-7A: artillery support version with 76.2 mm howitzer.

- OP-7: flame-thrower version with external fuel panniers (prototype only).

- BT-7M (1938, prototypes designated A-8; sometimes referred to as BT-8): new V-2 diesel engine replacing earlier gasoline engines, three DT machine guns: coaxial, in P-40 AA mount on roof and in a ball-mount on turret rear.

- BT-42: Finnish assault gun; captured BT-7s were equipped with British 114 mm howitzers.

- BT-IS: Prototype/proof-of-concept platform with heavily sloped armor; forerunner of the armor design on the T-34.

- BT-SW-2 Cherepakha ("turtle"): Another prototype, which took the armour sloping to an extreme.

- A-20: Prototype for a new BT tank, with 20 mm armour, 45mm gun, model V-2 diesel engine, and 8×6-wheel convertible drive. Lost out in trials to the A-32, which was further improved and produced as the T-34 medium tank.

- TTBT-5, TTBT-7: teletanks, remote-controlled tanks.


Historical Gallery

Sources and External Links

USSR
Light Tanks IMS-1 IIBT-2 IIT-26 IIT-60 IITetrarch IIIBT-7 IIIBT-SV IIIM3 Light IIIT-127 IIIT-46 IIIT-70 IVA-20 IVT-50 IVT-80 IVValentine II VIMT-25 VIILTTB VIIIT-54 ltwt.
Medium Tanks IVT-28 VMatilda IV VT-34 VIA-43 VIT-34-85 VISpectre VIT-34-88 VIIA-44 VIIKV-13 VIIT-43 VIIT-44-122 VIIIObject 416 VIIIT-44 IXObject 430 Version II IXT-54 XObject 140 XObject 430 XT-62A
Heavy Tanks VChurchill III VKV-1S VKV-220 VKV-1 VIKV-2 VIKV-85 VIT-150 VIIIS VIIKV-3 VIIIIS-3 VIIIIS-6 VIIIKV-5 VIIIKV-4 IXIS-8 IXST-I XIS-4 XIS-7
Tank Destroyers IIAT-1 IIISU-76 IIISU-76I IVSU-85B VSU-85 VSU-85I VISU-100 VISU-100Y VIISU-152 VIISU-100M1 VIISU-122-44 VIIIISU-152 VIIISU-101 IXObject 704 IXSU-122-54 XObject 263 XObject 268
Self-Propelled Artillery IISU-18 IIISU-26 IVSU-5 VSU-122A VISU-8 VIIS-51 VIISU-14-1 VIIISU-14-2 IX212A XObject 261
Light Tanks
USA IT1 Cunningham IIM2 Light Tank IIT1E6-X IIT1E6-X1 IIT2 Light Tank IIT7 Combat Car IIIM22 Locust IIIM3 Stuart IIIMTLS-1G14 IVM5 Stuart VM24 Chaffee VIT21 VIT37 VIIM41 Walker Bulldog VIIT71 VIIIM41B Brazilian Bulldog VIIIT49
UK IICruiser Mk. I IICruiser Mk. III IIICruiser Mk. IV IIICruiser Mk. II IVValentine IVCovenanter VCrusader
Germany ILeichttraktor IIPz.Kpfw. 38H 735 (f) IIPz.Kpfw. 35 (t) IIPz.Kpfw. I IIPz.Kpfw. II IIIPz.Kpfw. 38 (t) IIIPz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A IIIPz.Kpfw. II Ausf. J IIIPz.Kpfw. I Ausf. C IIIPz.Kpfw. II Ausf. G IIIT-15 IVPz.Kpfw. 38 (t) n.A. IVPz.Kpfw. II Luchs VVK 16.02 Leopard VIVK 28.01 VIIAufklärungspanzer Panther VIIISpähpanzer Ru 251
France IRenault FT IID1 IIHotchkiss H35 IIIAMX 38 IVAMX 40 VELC AMX VIAMX 12 t VIF224 AMX Chaffee VIIAMX 13 75 VIIIAMX 13 90
USSR IMS-1 IIBT-2 IIT-26 IIT-60 IITetrarch IIIBT-7 IIIBT-SV IIIM3 Light IIIT-127 IIIT-46 IIIT-70 IVA-20 IVT-50 IVT-80 IVValentine II VIMT-25 VIILTTB VIIIT-54 ltwt.
China IRenault NC-31 IIVickers Mk. E Type B IIIType 2597 Chi-Ha IVM5A1 Stuart VI59-16 VIType 64 VIIWZ-131 VIIIWZ-132
Japan IRenault Otsu IIType 95 Ha-Go IIIType 98 Ke-Ni IVType 5 Ke-Ho
Czechoslovakia
Sweden
ja:XBOX:BT-2