The M1 Abrams in reality.
The M1 Abrams is a main battle tank produced in the United States, which replaced the aging M60 Patton in 1980. It was designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems). The M1 Abrams is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces during the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. It is armed with a 120mm smoothbore cannon, two M240 Medium Machine Guns, and a .50 Cal M2 Browning.
Battlefield 2
The M1A2 is the main battle tank of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy SEALs in Battlefield 2. It is the counterpart to the MEC T-90, the PLA Type 98, as well as the EU Leopard 2 and Challenger 2. The differences between the M1A2 Abrams and the other main battle tanks in the game are almost purely aesthetic.
The MBTs are the heaviest land vehicles available to any of the factions. Its main role is ground vehicular superiority on the map, and is the spearhead of land warfare. Armed with an M256A1 cannon as its primary weapon, the M1A2 is capable of doing significant damage to all manners of vehicle and infantry, although its slow rate of fire and inability to aim at a particularly steep angle make it unsuited to combat against aerial vehicles. However, it can still engage low-and-slow-flying helicopters effectively, especially if the gunner is skilled enough, and the helicopter is caught off guard. The shells fired by the cannon are devastating, as it is capable of destroying light vehicles outright, while armored vehicles take 2-4 shots, depeding on where the shot landed. The shells also have a good blast radius at 5 m, which is the same as those of TV missiles fired by the gunner of an attack helicopter. This stat is shared across all other MBTs in the game. As a secondary weapon, the M1A2 is armed with a coaxial M240C which is capable of killing an infantryman in just two rounds under most conditions, but lacks the punch of the main cannon and has no explosive filling. The M256A1 is equipped with only forty rounds to start, while the secondary weapon has infinite ammunition. However, the main cannon is limited only by the speed of the reload and the limited reserve ammunition, while the coaxial machinegun has an overheat threshold where it will temporarily cease to be usable once overheated.
The passenger is armed with an M2HB, this one cupola-mounted, identical to the M2HB mounted on the HMMWV and DPV, whose damage is higher than the coaxial MG's - at 100 damage, making it a one-hit kill under the right conditions - but whose rate of fire is noticeably lower than the M240C's.
As with the other MBTs, the M1A2 has smoke grenade dischargers which can be launched by the driver to break line of sight, should the player need to retreat or get around the enemy.
The M1A2 has one major advantage over its counterparts, as the weak spot below the Abrams' turret is only visible when the cannon is pointing upwards, whereas on the other tanks the weak spot is also accesible under normal conditions.
Battlefield 2: Special Forces
In Special Forces the M1A2 Abrams is issued to the British SAS and US Navy SEALs as their main battle tank. It appears on:
- Warlord (32 and 64 player variant only)
- Ghost Town
- Leviathan
Oddly, the Special Forces version has a different code in the files, being xpak_m1a2 instead of the usual ustnk_m1a2. The only difference, however, is the texture, and all other statistics are the same.
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Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
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The M1A2 is a vehicle featured in Battlefield 2: Modern Combat.
Singleplayer
The M1A2 only appears in the single player missions Big Bang and Flying the Flag(NATO). It is the US main battle tank.
Multiplayer
The M1A2 serves as the USMC main battle tank. It has two positions: the driver and the turret gunner. The driver operates the vehicle and its main gun with 100 rounds while the turret gunner has a Browning M2 HMG with 1000 rounds.
The M1A2 can easily take out armored vehicles such as the Akrep, the BMD-3, or even the BK-1990 with ease, but it can be countered by engineers with rocket launchers or an Attack Helicopters.
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Battlefield: Bad Company
The M1A2 Abrams is a vehicle featured in Battlefield: Bad Company. It is the Main Battle Tank of the US Army 222nd Army Battalion in Battlefield: Bad Company. It is identical to the one featured in Battlefield 2, apart from the addition of a TUSK (Tank Urban Survival Kit) and the CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station) for the M2 Browning of the secondary gunner.
Singleplayer
The vehicle appears in almost every missions featuring the US Army, obviously, apart from the unit the player is serving in. Its first physical and only interactable appearance is the second mission, Acta Non Verba, as the player can get into any one of them and use the M2 Browning to provide suppressive fire against Russian AT gunners that appear along the way to Zabograd. It second physical appearance is Ghost Town, where they are spearheading the US attack into Sadiz. The main gunner position of the M1A2 Abrams is never available to the player in singleplayer mode.
Multiplayer
The M1A2 Abrams spawns regularly on multiple vehicle-based Conquest and Gold Rush maps. It is statistically identical to its Russian and MEC counterpart, the T-90 and Black Eagle, respectively. The cannon is one of the most powerful weapon in the game, capable of doing significant damage to all forms of vehicle, infantry, and buildings alike. The M2 Browning of the secondary gunner can help engaging infantry and light vehicles, and since it is controlled remotely from inside the tank through the CROWS, the secondary gunner is mostly protected and can only be shot at from the top.
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Battlefield: Bad Company 2
— In-game description
The M1A2 Abrams is a vehicle featured in Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
Singleplayer
Several friendly non-controllable M1A2s are seen and one is driven by the player during level Heavy Metal. This particular M1A2 possesses extremely thick armor, long range optics and a very fast loader which can reload the main gun in just over 1.5 seconds.
Multiplayer
The M1A2 is the standard US main battle tank. The HUD for the M1A2 is colored green and can sometimes be hard to distinguish from the background due to lack of contrast. It features a clear sight but the lack of range markers and defined sights make the main gun harder to aim at range than the T-90's.
Like the T-90, the M1A2 can be upgraded with any of the vehicle specializations that the driver has equipped: Active Armor Upgrade (25% more health), Quick Reload Package (-15% reload time on main cannon), Improved Warheads Package (25% more damage per shot), Alternate Weapon Package (adds a driver controlled 7.62mm LMG), Smoke Countermeasures Package (driver controlled smoke launchers, does not remove tracer darts), High Power Optics Package (gives the main gun 10X zoom) and the Electronic Warfare Package (gives the tank the ability to act as a motion sensor). Unlike Battlefield: Bad Company, the gunner of the tank can zoom in.
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Battlefield Play4Free
The M1A2 Abrams is the a vehicle featured in Battlefield Play4Free as the USMC's main battle tank, and the equivalent to the Russian Army's T-90A. Its main cannon is an effective anti-tank weapon and a co-axial machine gun can be equipped spending at least one point in the Tank Coaxial Machinegun training option; the passenger's weapon is a M2 Browning.
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Battlefield 3
— Battlelog description
The M1 Abrams is a vehicle featured in Battlefield 3 and was first seen at the end of the Fault Line Gameplay Trailer. It is capable of firing M829 APFSDS-T rounds, and has a coaxial M240C and a top-mounted M2 Browning.
Singleplayer
The mission Thunder Run features Jonathan "Jono" Miller of the 1st Tank Battalion assaulting a PLR compound while commanding an M1 Abrams. In the mission, the player is able to zoom-in with the main gun's sight. The player also has a coaxial machine gun at their disposal, though they must first switch to the secondary weapon, meaning that they cannot use the main cannon and the coaxial machine gun at the same time.
Multiplayer
The M1 Abrams is initially equipped with the smoothbore cannon for the gunner and a remote-controlled machine gun for the passenger. The driver can sprint to increase the speed of the vehicle, though increasing the turning radius. Sprinting also allows the tank to ascend inclines that it couldn't normally manage.
The M1A2 has a few advantages and disadvantages to the RGF counterpart, the T-90. It has better handling when using the sprint function and its hull shape allows it to get under the T-90 during ramming, while the T-90 has a hard time doing the same to the M1A2. The main disadvantage is that is much taller, and therefore easier to detect and engage than the T-90.
The CITV Station specialization allows a third teammate to enter the vehicle as long as they have unlocked it. Other unlocks include different types of ammunition for the main gun, coaxial machine guns, and other vehicle improvements.
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Battlefield 4
The M1 Abrams is a vehicle featured in Battlefield 4 and is the Main Battle Tank for the USMC.
Singleplayer
In Singapore, an Abrams with callsign Anvil 2 supports Tombstone in advancing toward Changi Airport. It is a great force multiplier and lifesaver in that mission, especially on Hard difficulty. The player can designate targets for Anvil 2 to engage, and there are certain vehicles that can only be destroyed by the Abrams like the PGZ-95. Recker is able to man and drive the tank after the crew is injured by an airburst grenade. Two more Abrams then arrive via landing craft to support the player as they advance through the city, but both are destroyed in fighting shortly after by the PLA's BMP-2Ms and Type 99s. It is equipped with AP Shells, Coaxial HMG, Zoom Optics, and Fire Extinguisher. The player cannot control the secondary gunner's M2 Browning in this mission.
Multiplayer
The M1A2 serves as the USMC Main Battle Tank. It is the American counterpart to the PLA Type 99 and the RGF's T-90A.
The M1A2's role is vehicular superiority over a map. Having a powerful 120mm cannon, the tank can take out light vehicles with relative ease, and other vehicles such as IFV and Mobile AA in just a few rounds. The tank can also be equipped with a secondary weapon, varying from anti-personnel machine guns (7.62 LMG to .50 cal MG) to lock-on Guided Shells and smart weapons such as STAFF Shells. The passenger is equipped with a .50 caliber machine gun, which is effective against infantry and light vehicles.
As with most land vehicles, the Main Battle Tanks in Battlefield 4 tend to be more susceptible to damage when struck from either the sides or the rear. It is therefore more effective to attack from an angle than head-on.
The driver seat is armed with two weapons, depending on specializations. Unlike Battlefield 3, MBTs now have separate slots for countermeasures, optics and upgrades.
For the primary weapon, the default shell the tank fires is the AP shell. AP shells have a higher splash damage than the other three shells. However, the splash damage difference between the AP shells and the other shells is small. Additionally, the AP shells also have the second flattest trajectory. The second unlock for the Main Battle Tank shells is the HE Shells, dealing a wider and more powerful splash damage against infantry but weakest against armored targets out of all the existing primary shells whilst also having a much more pronounced arc in its trajectory, making it less effective at medium and long ranges, but more effective at closer ranges. The last shell unlocked are Sabot shells. These do the same damage as the AP shells (with the exception of RHIB boats where the AP shells do slightly more damage), but travel at a much greater velocity, giving it a less pronounced arc in its trajectory, and by extension a greater effective range.
The first secondary weapon to be unlocked is the Coaxial LMG, which can be used to greater effect against infantry compared to shells, which are limited in ammunition and reload time. It takes between 5-7 rounds at bare minimum to kill infantry, though it cannot damage light vehicles or aircraft. The following unlock is the Guided Shells, which functions similarly to the FGM-148 Javelin in that the operator must maintain a lock on the target vehicle until the missile hits. Air vehicles must be laser designated. Laser-designated targets will receive more damage and weapon lock does not need to be maintained as long as the target has been designated. The Coaxial HMG is the next unlock and does significantly more damage than the coaxial LMG, with the ability to kill infantry in just 2-4 shots. It additionally has a longer firing time before overheating than the LMG and can also damage lightly armored vehicles such as ITVs, armored cars and air vehicles, unlike its LMG counterpart. The fourth unlock is the Canister Shell, functioning similarly to its counterpart in Battlefield 3. Once fired, 16 pellets will be fired like a shotgun, each with a maximum damage of 35, and a minimum of 25 making it a potent anti-infantry and aircraft munition. Lastly is the STAFF Shell, which functions similarly to the MBT-LAW in that the missile will guide itself towards a target in close proximity to it, adjusting itself for a high-angle attack.
Countermeasures for MBTs are IR Smoke which thwarts weapon lock-on as well as any inbound guided weaponry; Smokescreen does not remove weapon lock, but instead prevents such weaponry from scoring a critical hit; the Extinguisher can be used to recover a vehicle from a critical state as well as impeded mobility; Active Protection destroys incoming projectiles mid-flight for a short time before having to recharge.
There are a number of optics available to the driver and gunner. Zoom optics assists with long range engagements; Thermal optics switches the display to a monotone colour output; all players, explosives and vehicles have a thermal signature and thus are highlighted white while everything else is black. It is useful in environments where high contrast or detail prevents easy visibility of hostiles; IRNV optics are a combination of thermal and night vision, highlighting the heat signatures of vehicles up to 70 meters away and infantry up to 50 meters, while increasing brightness in darker environments.
Upgrades are passive abilities - that is, they require no activation by the user and are active in all seats, save for the Autoloader and Reactive Armor upgrades: Maintenance increases armor regeneration; Thermal Camo increases lock-on time of guided munitions, buying time for the user to vacate the area or search and destroy the hostile whilst also appearing much darker and difficult to spot under Thermal and Night-vision based optics; the Autoloader decreases the time between shots; Proximity Scan detects explosives and personnel within thirty meters of the vehicle, useful when traversing tight urban environments and ambush territory; finally, Reactive Armor protects against mobility damage, preventing any shots that would normally stop a vehicle moving at all from doing so with the exception of 90 degree rocket strikes to the rear.
Comparison
After 2015 Fall update, M1 Abrams has the highest maximum speed among three MBTs, but it takes the longest time to accelerate/decelerate in class. M1 Abrams suffers disadvantage in tank combat because its bulkier shape. Also, the higher engine compartment obstructs the gun when aiming to the rear, giving enemies an advantage from behind and low. However, the M1's angular shape allows it to ram other tanks and end up underneath them, allowing the American vehicle to damage its opponent with impunity.
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Battlefield Hardline
The M1 Abrams appears in the singleplayer campaign of Battlefield Hardline in the episode Sovereign Land. Under assault from Tony Alperts forces, Nick Mendoza enters one of the many old M1 Abrams tanks that Alpert had stockpiled over the years due to funding from selling "Hot Shot" cocaine across the country. Nick then engages Alpert, who had also entered another tank, and his remaining forces in combat and is eventually successful in eliminating them. He then abandons the tank and escapes via air plane.
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Trivia
General
- In real life, only the US Army use the M1A2 Abrams, the USMC only use the A1 variants of the Abrams. However, the A1 variant the Marines uses are also upgraded, just like the Army's SEP Abrams, hence they both have similar capabilities, and are far different from the very first production M1A1.
Battlefield: Bad Company
- While the in-game HMMWVs and the 222nd Army Battalion use the XM312 as their .50 HMG, the M1A2 Abrams use the M2 Browning as its .50 HMG.
- The M1A2 Abrams is the second-most encountered MBT in the game, and is the only MBT whose main gunner position is not available for the player to use in the singleplayer mode.
- Oddly, being armed with a powerful M256A1 120mm main gun, it takes 3 shells to reliably take out an another M1A2 Abrams/other MBTs, while the RPG-7/M136 AT4/M2CG only needs 3/2 grenades/rockets/84mm shells to take out an MBT, depends on where the projectiles hit. This trait also presents on the T-90 and the Black Eagle, since they are statistically identical.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- In Battlefield: Bad Company 2, if the player goes into third person cam, lowers the gun as low as possible, and spins it 360°, they can see that it clips through the back of the tank.
Battlefield 3
- The gunner's turret in Battlefield 3 singleplayer campaign for the M1A2 is a shielded M2 Browning that is directly manned, while in multiplayer the M2 is instead remote-controlled.
- In Battlefield 3, the M1A2 receives "decoration" in the form of spare Jerrycans, rolls of equipment, and other equipment strapped to the turret as the user unlocks more upgrades for the vehicle. This also occurs with the LAV-25, BMP-2, and T-90A.
- In Battlefield 3, the words "Crunch Time" are written on the main cannon however, some of the letters are scratched out.
- It's possible to launch a teammate to a very far distance using the Abrams' main cannon. The same can be done with the T-90 as well.
- The M1A2 appears on Operation 925 although not as a drivable vehicle. It traverses a scripted path on a road outside the map near A Flag.
- The HUD display is different in campaign and multiplayer.
Battlefield 4
- The "Crunch Time" phrase on the M1A2's main cannon appears again in Battlefield 4. However, it appears on the right side of the cannon instead of the left like in Battlefield 3, making it not visible from the first-person view.
- In the Fall Patch, changes to vehicles were made, making the M1 Abrams the fastest MBT in the game, its said speed is 51 MPH, giving it a slight edge over the others.
- The rear of the M1 Abrams is slanted, giving it a bit of a disadvantage when a target is behind the tank, leading to the players death in some cases.
Battlefield Hardline
- The HUD used for the M1 Abrams is the exact same HUD used for the M1 Abrams's driver seat in Battlefield 4, albeit with a different font for the ammo and warning information.
- The M1 Abrams model is the Abrams from Battlefield 4 with slight adjustments, such as removed .50 Cal and less equipment attached to the turret.