E.B.R. (1963)

Description

The Panhard Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance (E.B.R.) Modèle 1963 Revalorisé is a heavy modification of the Panhard Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance (E.B.R.) Modèle 1951, which is the first variant of the Panhard E.B.R. armoured car family. Between 1964 and 1968, 650 units of the Panhard E.B.R. Modèle 1951 variant were modernized, with the original 75 mm SA 49 tank gun replaced by a bigger, low-pressure 90 mm CN 90 F2 tank gun. It was developed to compensate for the lack of anti-tank capabilities within the French Army at the time.

Introduced in Update "Ground Breaking" as a reward for Battle Pass: Season IV, "Fearless Voltigeur", the Panhard E.B.R. Modèle 1963 Revalorisé is an excellent scout and flanking vehicle due to its good speed and excellent handling. The Panhard E.B.R. Modèle 1963 Revalorisé is difficult to operate at range compared to the low muzzle velocity and lack of an autoloader. To perform efficiently on this vehicle, it is necessary to target weak places, ammunition racks, and crew members, as well as retain active awareness of the surroundings and excellent map knowledge. Finally, threats from hostile aircraft become more prevalent as aircraft weaponry improves; therefore, strafing from enemy aircraft will frequently result in vehicle damage or destruction.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, turret bustle)
• Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, turret front)

Notes:

• Wheels are 10 mm thick and suspension bars are 5 mm thick.
• Mudguards are 4 mm thick.

Mobility

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the E.B.R. (1963)

Notes:

• Shells are modelled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Rack 7 and 8 are first stage ammo racks. They total 17 shells.

Machine guns

Usage in battles

The E.B.R. (1963), similarly to its 1954 variant, is an excellent scout and flanking vehicle due to its good speed and gun handling.

Compared to its older brother, it becomes harder to use at range due to the lower gun muzzle velocity (750 m/s) alongside the higher drop rate, it also is unable to engage multiple enemies simultaneously due to the lack of autoloader, meaning that if the loader gets hurt or incapacitated the reload time will be longer. To compensate from these setbacks, it gets access to a HEATFS round capable of penetrating the great majority of enemy vehicles it will face from the front, reducing the chances of running into a vehicle that you are unable to penetrate. It is worth noting that the 90 mm HEATFS has comparably less post pen damage than the 75 mm solid shot shells, even though its a bigger caliber shell, so aiming for weak spots, ammo racks and crew members becomes even more important, as well as the need to take in mind foliage, spaced armour and the chances of the shell being caught by external parts of the tank such as sprockets and tracks, which will detonate the shell prematurely diminishing or eliminating any potential damage dealt to the enemy.

Due to the change in muzzle velocity, post-penetration damage and shell type, the EBR 1963 is best used in close quarters, hit-and-run tactics, and as a scout vehicle similar to a more manoeuvrable AML-90. Staying on the sidelines of the enemies is highly advised.

Enemies worth keeping:

• Marder A1-/1A3: Armed with an automatic 20 mm autocannon with high fire rate, this IFV can easily mow down the EBR if caught off guard, the later variant armed with APDS capable of going through its turret with ease. The Milan ATGMs will easily overpressure the EBR, sending you to the hangar screen
• BMP-1/SPz BMP-1: The ATGM will overpressure the EBR, and the 73 mm cannon has a shorter reload rate, meaning that it can shoot you twice before you complete the reload.
• Eland 90: Virtually the same as the allied AML-90, you might encounter this vehicle on the same flanks you would want to be due to similar playstyles, armed with the same gun as you, being on the lookout for these sneaky vehicles is advised.
• Centurions: Fully stabilized, being caught in the move against such vehicles will most likely result in losing the battle.
• SPAA vehicles: Any SPAA vehicle armed with 20 mm autocannons and higher caliber are to be dealt with caution, since they will be able to mow you down before you even set your sights on target. Special caution is to be placed to SPAAs wielding 40 mm Bofors and the ZSU-57-2, since they have short reload rates and can remove the EBR in a couple of shots.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Fast and very mobile vehicle
• HEATFS round has high penetration power
• Both the front and back wheels steer, resulting in a pretty small turning radius.
• The hull armour, in the front (and back), is enough to stop .50 cal AP fire, as well as 14.5 mm AP-I(c) from 200 me or more; the turret front may be even able to stop some autocannon fire.
• Access to scouting due to being a light vehicle

Cons:

• Due to its shape, a penetration in the front (or back) by any actual tank cannon will mean losing the vehicle.
• The massive radio antennas will make you visible even when the rest of the vehicle is hidden behind a hill or small building.
• Very easy to spot and recognize from the side due to its size and shape; in addition, the side armour won't really stop anything more than small calibre machine gun fire.
• The roof of the turret is thin, making it vulnerable to airborne attacks.
• Very slow when moving in soft terrain (mud, snow, sand).
• High risk of ammunition explosion if the hull is penetrated, thanks to the large ammo rack in the middle of the vehicle.
• Below average post-penetration damage due to the low-calibre HEATFS round

History

Devblog

Before the outbreak of World War II, Panhard created a prototype of an 8x8 army wheeled all-terrain vehicle, with the first and last swivel wheel pairs having rubber tires, the middle pairs were metal and not swivel. The army placed an order for the production of 600 of these vehicles, but the outbreak of the war and the occupation of France did not allow the vehicle to be put into production. They returned to an interesting project after the war - the wheelbase received an oscillating turret with a 75 mm gun, which turned the all-terrain vehicle into a light wheeled tank. Later, the base of this vehicle became the basis for several curious army vehicles. It is interesting that it was the Panhard all-terrain vehicle that served as a carriage for the farewell ceremony for the President of the Fifth Republic, General Charles de Gaulle.

The 75 mm APC rounds had problems with the penetration of particularly tough targets from the front, and the Soviet heavy tanks or German self-propelled guns of the late period of the war remained a difficult target for the French car. The Model E.B.R. (1963) retains most of the the positive features of the earlier version and offers the commanders a new, more powerful 90 mm gun with HEATFS shells as the main means of destruction of armoured vehicles.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the E.B.R. (1963) from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

See also

• Eland 90 Mk.7
• AML-90

External links

• [Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: E.B.R. (1963)