Not Your Typical French Heavy: AMX M4 Mle. 49 Liberté

Mobile and powerful, French heavy tanks and the support role were made for each other, like mimes and invisible windows. However, gameplay (of the tank not the mime) pretty much boils down to the same scenario and can test your patience at times: you connect a few shots, hide, and then connect some more until you reload. That’s when that little voice in your head starts begging for a bold breakthrough or just as brave a defense maneuver. You take a glance at the French heavy line, bid it “au revoir”, and choose another nation.

If that scenario sounds way too familiar, we’ve got just the prescription for your blues: a new French Premium vehicle, the AMX M4 mle. 49 Liberté. “Avante-garde”, it is designed to disrupt the regular, monotonous course of events with some trademark heavy tank tactics. This natural born brawler has enough frontal armor to stop vehicles of a similar tier in their tracks, and enough firepower to wreak havoc on enemy forces up close and from afar.

Master Its Strengths

• Thick-skinned. 180mm hull armor with an impressive 250mm in its upper and 266 mm in its lower parts. Its thick turret (250mm) lets you withstand a beating from the majority of tanks if you’re at the top of the list.
• Hull-down master. The elevation arc of −10/+20 is another boon to the tank’s overall survivability. It’s a perfect vehicle to fight from behind hills; keep the well-protected front of the tank pointed at incoming fire, shrugging off almost anything they can throw at you.
• Hard-hitter. Equipped with 100mm SA 47 gun, this French newcomer can tear through 232mm with armor piercing rounds. Although it comes with no autoloader, the gun has retained all of its other strengths: nice depression, decent accuracy and aim time.
• Light-footed. The AMX M4 mle. 49 Liberté’s good power to ton ratio, decent acceleration, and a cruiser speed of 35–38 km/h, mean you’ll have time to secure your position.
• Credit maker. Great penetration with AP shells makes for impressive DPM and will have the credits rolling in. You’ll only have to switch to Premium shells in extreme cases.

Know Its Weaknesses

• Stay along a linear axis where the chances of getting flanked are small
• The AMX M4 mle. 49 Liberté side armor pales in comparison to its practically impenetrable front armor. So, steer away from corner maneuvers and side scrapping, and use hull-down positioning to maximize your survivability while the battle rages
• Keep your front pointing towards the enemy; it can soak up a lot of damage
• Exercise extreme caution when angling to avoid exposing your vulnerable sides to enemy fire
• Watch out for arty: HE shells coming from a top-tier SPG can leave you flatter than a crêpe

Play Style

The AMX M4 mle. 49 Liberté is a true universal soldier when at the top of the list. It can excel in leading the charge toward enemy controlled territory. Or, if hanging back is more your style, you can pick off opponents from afar and in mid-ranged combat. As always, analyze the line-up, choose what would work best for you and your team, and tailor your battle plan to the situation.

It’s important that you don’t engage in close-range combat with no support from the group. The tank has a rather long hull and isn’t quite fit for a deadlock. In the words of the Fab Four it’s always nicer to get by with a little help from your friends, which is especially true when you decide to get up close and personal.

If you find yourself around the middle of the list or in a battle with Tier X tanks, don’t rush into the open. Instead, sneak behind indestructible cover like hills and cliffs to protect the hull from enemy fire. Avoid going too far into enemy ranks while the battle is in full swing. Stay at the second or the third line of fire, depending on what kind of heat the enemy team is packing. Find a decent position and provide much-needed support to your comrades from the rear. You’ve got a powerful enough gun to really shake up the battlefield.

If you’re into angling and get your kicks from powerful guns, don’t miss adding the AMX M4 mle. 49 Liberté to your collection.

The following offers will be available in the Premium Shop from 11 November at 06:00 until 1 December at 06:00 CET (UTC+1).

Roll out, Commanders!