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American Unit Guide - M18 Hellcat

By warhawks - 2nd June 2009 - 13:39 PM

Sjceran proudly brings you the last review of the American ToV units: The M18 Hellcat. The M18 is a superb anti armor vehicle that replaces the M10 Wolverine.

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IPB Image

The Hellcat loses some of the M10’s frontal penetration for slightly heavier armor and camouflage. This tank also has the option of upgrading the tank with a .50 cal for only seventy-five munitions. Considering it is the same price as the M10, the decision to choose between these two tank killers is difficult.

The M18 has a few significant advantages over the M10, but it also lacks a few offensive features which makes the M10 so powerful. First off, the M18 has the unbelievably awesome ability to camouflage, making it completely undetectable. Plus, the first strike of the M18 gets a damage boost which takes about a third of a Panzer IV’s health. It is a very useful ability to master. After your first strike, quickly switch out of camouflage and charge the tank if it is unsupported to get a few rear shots for a quick kill. On top of great camouflage ability, the Hellcat is upgradable with a .50 cal machine gun for seventy five munitions. This is equivalent to the Sherman .50 cal, but it does make it a bit better against infantry than its counterpart. Finally, the M18 has more health, which allows it to take a hit or two more while in combat. But just like the M10, this unit is better in a group of two or more.

On the other hand, the M18 has a lower frontal armor penetration rate, which is very noticeable. Due to this factor, a Panzer IV will easily beat a Hellcat in a head-on-head battle. Due to this fact, the M18 has the slightly higher armor, but it doesn’t make a real difference if you don’t circle strafe. Another offensive flaw of the Hellcat is that it is actually slower than the M10, which makes it less effective in certain situations. The M10 was great for running down half dead vehicles, and even crushing infantry, but the M18 has a hard time doing those agility attacks. Therefore, the M18 relies on its camouflage and good rear penetration to take down an enemy tank, and the .50 cal to defend against infantry.

Basically, the M18 is a defense oriented tank, while the M10 is a run-and-gun Nazi smasher. However, the Hellcat caters to both defensive and offensive play styles. The M18 gets a bit more armor (The health is the same, but it has ticker armor) and a .50 cal, but loses speed and firepower. But in order to fully understand the capabilities of this tank, you need to master the camouflage ability. The bonus received during its initial ambush strike penetrates the armor of a King Tiger without a problem, taking away about an eighth of health. The M18 is not a mirror of the M10; it is a whole different tank that requires different strategies. Use the M18 as a stealth fighter; hide, attack, flank, and repeat, but do not get reckless. These guys are cheap but if you lose two or three at a time, it will cost you.

Written by sjceran, edited by BDNY

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