M103

The last heavy tank the United States fielded.

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Specifications

Crew: 5
Combat weight: 65 t
Engine: 810 hp
hp / tonne: 12.5
Road speed: 34 km/h
Range: 130 km
Main gun: 120 mm M58 rifled
In service: 1957–1974

Continental AV-1790, 810 hp, later diesel in M103A2

Armor: Cast turret up to 180 mm, heavy glacis — last U.S. heavy

Secondary: .50 cal, 7.62 mm coaxial

Briefing scores

Relative 1–10 for teaching, not a wargame rating.

Firepower: 8/10
Protection: 8/10
Mobility: 2/10
Awareness: 4/10
Logistics: 3/10

Ammunition natures

APHEATHE

History

Only 300 built. The Army lost interest as the MBT idea won; the Marine Corps kept them in reserve for a European-style fight that never came. Retired as the M60 and then Abrams made dedicated heavies pointless.

Doctrine

A Marine and Army answer to Soviet heavies and the IS-3 scare. Two loaders served a huge 120 mm. The tank existed to overmatch at long range from prepared positions, not to dash.

Strengths

Devastating 120 mm
Heavy frontal protection

Limits

Slow, thirsty, hard to recover
Two-loader crew
Strategic lift nightmare

Related hulls

M60A3

United States

IS-2

Soviet Union

Tiger I

Germany

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