XM8

Description

The 105 mm Armored Gun System XM8 is a gift rank American light tank with a battle rating of (AB), (RB), and (SB). It was introduced during Update "Ixwa Strike" as a reward for the Future Technology event.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Aluminium alloy 5083 (Hull, turret)

Notes:

• Tracks and wheels are 20 mm thick

Mobility

Modifications and economy

Unlock order recommendations

The order of modifications should be well thought out. Below is a guide of which modifications to unlock first, but it is just a recommendation and can be modified or adapted depending on the tank commander's preferences.

Tier 1

The highest priority modifications when beginning the stock grind are parts and the M735 APFSDS round. Both of these modifications should be unlocked before moving on to tier 2, but the order of unlocking these two is up to the discretion of the commander. Once these two modifications are unlocked, moving on to tier 2 is recommended.

Tier 2

Most tier 2 modifications are minor but three are required to move on to tier 3. The highest priority should be FPE to allow the putting out of fires, a potentially life saving ability. After that the modifications in this tier aren't essential and can be picked by the commander; adjustment of fire and airstrike are the likeliest candidates but airstrike can be replaced by another if the player does not have any aircraft in the lineup to benefit from it. Once three modifications are unlocked in this tier the player can move on to tier 3.

Tier 3

The first priority in tier 3 ought to be the NVD because it allows the use of the gunner's thermal sight. The thermal sight may be low quality but it makes spotting enemies much easier in battle. After this one more modification is needed to progress to tier 4, but the choice is up to the vehicle commander. Filters and crew replenishment are both good choices (improving mobility and survivability respectively) but elevation mechanism is also a decent choice.

Tier 4

In tier 4 there are some pressing modifications such as engine (which improves mobility) and laser rangefinder which allows for greater accuracy at long range. C76A1 and the level 3 armour package are also good choices but those depend on commander preference - for some players level 3 may never be used due to its lessening of the vehicle's mobility, while C76A1 does not have a huge advantage over M735 and could be put off for later if necessary.

Finishing up

Now that tier 4 has been unlocked and priority modifications are purchased, all that is left to do is go back through and unlock more minor modifications. Some of the more useful ones include tracks, transmission, horizontal drive, adjustment of fire, and either filters, crew replenishment, or elevation mechanism (whichever of the three wasn't previously unlocked). The less important modifications which should be saved for last are improved optics, suspension, brake system, M416, and M393A2.

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition

The C76A1 APFSDS, while not having the best normal penetration, has better penetrating characteristics at an angle than the M735.

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the XM8

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 10 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
• This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
• If you pack 22 (+8) shells or fewer, it will keep the front hull empty of ammo.
• Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

Machine guns

Usage in battles

Play the XM8 like you play the M18, sneak around, lurk, and strike when they least expect it. One thing to note is, due to your armour, survivability, and mobility, you need to get out of there fast. Another tactic is sniping but it is not recommended due to its sub-par ammunition.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• 5-second autoloader allows for quick follow-up shots
• Can equip one of two protection levels (add-on armour package), giving flexibility to the player
• Frontally immune, and well-protected on the sides against autocannons at or below 30 mm, with the level 3 armour package
• Good levels of zoom on gunner optics
• Has 16 smoke grenades, 8 launched at a time fully covering 180 degrees front

Cons:

• Sub-par ammunition compared to vehicles in the BR bracket
• Inadequate transmission results in poor acceleration
• Overall mobility is below average for a light tank despite an above-average power-to-weight ratio
• Only has low resolution gunner thermals, no CITV or high resolution thermals
• Two out of three crew members are lined up on the right side of the turret making a crew knockout easy
• Ammunition carousel making ammo detonation a common occurrence
• The tank is wobbly and hard to control at higher speed
• High silhouette

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the XM8 from live.warthunder.com.

See also

• CCVL (Family)

External links

• [Devblog] Crafting event: XM8 AGS