Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
What about track noise?
I'm yet to find a single tracked vehicle that doesn't clank and squeal every time it moves an inch. Might be able to sneak up on other vehicles with engines running, but on infantry I just can't see it....
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On a M-1, the worst noise makers are the brakes, especially when the driver slams them on. They can easily be heard 3-400 meters off. The tracks, on hard ground, can also be heard, but at less than half the distance of the brakes. On soft ground, the M-1 is like a cat (as long as the driver lays off the brakes!). Sneaking the tank took some coordination between the TC/driver, but it was done on a routine basis.
The other big contender was the Leopard II. It was coming into service during my last tour and we had fun running circles around it! Compared to a M-1, it was not as fast and not as agile. In the various "unofficial" races, a 2ACR M-1 loaded with crew, full equipment and 40 rounds of main gun would leave a Leo II, with just TC and driver, basic equipment and no ammunition, eating its mud on every bit of terrain from hard-surfaced roads to mud trails (and when the Leo II bellied out, the M-1 came back and pulled it out...LMAO!)
The M-1 has better fire control and night sights than the Leo II. The only feature that the Leo had that I would loved to have was the TC sight. Once the gunner was lased to target, the Leo TC could search for another target, lock on and lase and as soon as the gunner was finished, hit a switch and the turret would move to align with the TC's target, it shaves 2-3 seconds off during a gunnery.