XM1 (GM)

Description

The Tank, Combat, Full-Tracked, 105-mm Gun XM1 (GM) is a premium gift rank American medium tank with a battle rating of (AB), (RB), and (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.79 "Project X".

The XM-1 (GM) feels like an M1 Abrams, being a prototype of that very vehicle. However, its specifications encourage anything but an M1 Abrams playstyle. You want to play the XM-1 (GM) like you would play a Leopard or a Ru 251. Use your speed, mobility, and gun to hit the weak spots on enemy tanks armour.

One thing to note with the XM-1 (GM) is its extremely loud tracks, in some cases louder than the engine. This can be annoying, to say the least.

Unless it has all skins unlocked, it is either going to be OD Green or on desert maps a sandy yellow/brown colour. Other distinctive features on the vehicle include the combined Gunner/Commander sight as well as the angled hull very reminiscent of the Leopards in-game. The vehicle also employs a hydropneumatic suspension and comes with night vision for the commander and driver; and thermal sights for the gunner.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Spaced armour (Hull front)
• Composite armour (Turret front)
• Rolled homogeneous armour

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
• 6 mm RHA plate separates the fighting compartment from the engine.
• Front composite side skirts are 50.8 mm thick.
• Rear RHA side skirts are 6.35 mm thick.

Mobility

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition

Notes:

• Generally, the ammunition you want to be using is the M735 APFSDS round
• You can use the M456 HEATFS round as well for certain scenarios

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the XM1 (GM)

Notes:

• Since there are no blowout panels for the first two ammo racks, but there are blowout panels for the last two ammo racks if you carry only 25 rounds a shot that hits ammo will not instantly destroy the tank, but will just set it on fire
• If you carried more than 25 rounds, there would be more ammo racks (making them an easier target), and if the racks in the hull are hit, you can instantly be destroyed

Machine guns

Usage in battles

This vehicle is best used as a support tank and not as a "brawler". Flanking is where this tank succeeds, using its speed and manoeuvrability to get to the rear or sides of the enemy. Another good tactic is to shoot-and-scoot to maximize the manoeuvrability and gun over an opponent. This tank can also be used to devastating effect in urban combat. In urban combat, it is advised that you never go alone, stay with or behind friendly tanks, and do not rush forward. If you play an ambush and defensive style of combat, at least at the beginning of the match, it is likely you will be able to get multiple kills/assists and should be able to stop the enemy push. If your team is winning, and the enemy is outnumbered, it may be possible to push forward quickly but cautiously, in order to flank and catch enemies off guard, hopefully securing victory for your team.

A note about the survivability of the XM-1 (GM): The XM-1 has relatively weak armour, but it is oddly survivable. It is somewhat rare to get killed by a single shot when playing the XM-1. Usually, it takes two or more shots to take it out, thanks to the spacey interior, and the blowout ammo racks in the turret. Sometimes it takes up to 10 badly aimed or unlucky shots to take out the XM-1, this is especially true for long-range shots.

Some enemies to be concerned about:

• T-64B(V): Aim for the drivers hatch if you are facing it frontally. If possible, get around to its side and hit it directly under the turret, you will detonate its ammo racks this way.
• Leopard 2K: The Leo 2K is extremely potent against XM-1's seeing as their speed and mobility is similar but the Leo has a better gun. The 2K, however, lacks sufficient armour to defeat your ammunition so hit the lower front plate or turret with M735.
• Leopard 2A4/Type 90: The hull and gun mantlets are weak spots and can be penetrated with M735. The Type 90 also has a glaring turret ring that can easily be targeted and penetrated.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent speed, manoeuvrability and acceleration
• Fast turret traverse
• The gun with the M735 APFSDS round is sufficient against most targets it will face
• Has hydropneumatic suspension control
• Three secondary machine guns
• Blow out panels in the turret prevents ammo detonation from destroying the tank immediately

Cons:

• Has weak overall armour, even on the turret
• The M735 APFSDS round has trouble penetrating Soviet tanks from the front
• Front plate is made up of spaced armour, which doesn't provide the protection comparable to composite
• Has a huge ammo rack in the hull
• Tracks are very noisy
• Possess two very tall antennas on the back of the turret, which makes spotting the vehicle easy, even if it is behind cover
• Lacks smoke grenade launchers

History

It started in the early 1970s, at the height of the Cold War and the arms race. After the joint German-American project to create the MBT-70 main battle tank was closed, and the new all-American XM803 project was deemed an insufficient and too expensive response to the newest Soviet developments, the US Department of Defense developed a new list of requirements for the future American main battle tank. Two engineering giants joined the contest: the Chrysler and General Motors companies. Both contestants decided to use the developments for the MBT-70 and XM803 to design a new tank. Many corrections and additions were made to the tactical and technical requirements of the American government, first and foremost, on the defensive characteristics of the future main battle tank. The requirements for the tank's armour and survivability increased, along with its maintainability in the field. In addition, the Arab-Israeli conflict showed that a modern tank must have the ability to effectively destroy armoured targets at long distances, including with kinetic shells, and also have a sufficiently large complement of shells. In spite of the changes and additions to the technical specification, the contestants managed to achieve their goals, and by 1976, they presented their developments, the experimental prototypes of the XM-1 tank, for testing. Both vehicles were outwardly very similar, with practically identical dimensions. They were alike in their layouts and used the same 105 mm M68 rifled cannon. Both tanks turned out very well. Which prototype did the military choose, and why?

The XM-1 (GM), the contest model from General Motors, became a further development of ideas and technological solutions for the MBT-70 and XM803 projects, including the diesel powertrain and mixed undercarriage with six roller wheels per side, three with hydraulic suspension and three with torsion bar suspension. The competitor to General Motors, the Chrysler company, used their XM-1 (C) model to present not only a progressive gas-turbine engine but also a new undercarriage with seven independent roller wheels on each side with individual torsion bar suspension. In addition, the Chrysler engineers were able to save funds on constructing the tank by optimizing the components of the aiming equipment and the gun stabilization system. These details played a decisive role in the selection of the contractor to make the XM-1 project a reality. In spite of the fact that numerous flaws and "teething problems" arose during the project, the prototype for the USA's next-generation main battle tank was confirmed. After several cycles of correcting issues and modernizing the prototype XM-1 (C), the first vehicles began to be deployed under the designation M1 Abrams.

-From Devblog

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the XM1 (GM) from live.warthunder.com.

Images

• 

  Comparison between a XM-1 (GM) and a XM-1 (Chrysler), side by side

Videos

See also

• XM-1 (Chrysler) - Xbox One exclusive vehicle featuring the competing XM-1 model

External links

• [Devblog] XM-1 (C) and XM-1 (GM): Ancestors of the Abrams