Spartane
AMD 178
This is the first post of a little serie concerning the french light cavalery divisions (DLC)
The AMD 178 was a french armored car developped in 1933. It was meant to fulfill recon missions within the french light cavalery divisions. These divisions were made out of motorised elements and cavalery elements (50/50), in may 1940 they were sent deep into the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourgish territory to report german units, among them 5 were sent into the Ardennes. These divisions faced 4 panzer divisions and managed along, some Belgian troops that didn't receive the order to retreat from the german border, to save 3 days for the rear to prepare. They suffered terrible casualties while fighting and almost lost all their equipment, AMD 178's were very involved in these fights destroying multiple spahwagen and panzers. Unfortunately the french high command, especially Gamelin, neglected these reports and sticked to the initial plan thinking that this wasn't the main axis of attack. These division later held the french border and then the Meuse along infantry units. Afterwards AMD 178s were sent to perform different counter attacks to push the german back to the Meuse, even if some succeded it was too late.
This armored car had a 25mm anti-tank canon in a two seat turret and could reach 60km/h on road forward and backward. A plan to modify the armement was submited in may and they ended up by making a new turret with a 47mm anti-tank gun, unfortunately only one such AMD could see combat in june and ended up being destroyed after taking out two panzers.
The remaing ones were also used by the german army after the fall of France.
AMD 178
This is the first post of a little serie concerning the french light cavalery divisions (DLC)
The AMD 178 was a french armored car developped in 1933. It was meant to fulfill recon missions within the french light cavalery divisions. These divisions were made out of motorised elements and cavalery elements (50/50), in may 1940 they were sent deep into the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourgish territory to report german units, among them 5 were sent into the Ardennes. These divisions faced 4 panzer divisions and managed along, some Belgian troops that didn't receive the order to retreat from the german border, to save 3 days for the rear to prepare. They suffered terrible casualties while fighting and almost lost all their equipment, AMD 178's were very involved in these fights destroying multiple spahwagen and panzers. Unfortunately the french high command, especially Gamelin, neglected these reports and sticked to the initial plan thinking that this wasn't the main axis of attack. These division later held the french border and then the Meuse along infantry units. Afterwards AMD 178s were sent to perform different counter attacks to push the german back to the Meuse, even if some succeded it was too late.
This armored car had a 25mm anti-tank canon in a two seat turret and could reach 60km/h on road forward and backward. A plan to modify the armement was submited in may and they ended up by making a new turret with a 47mm anti-tank gun, unfortunately only one such AMD could see combat in june and ended up being destroyed after taking out two panzers.
The remaing ones were also used by the german army after the fall of France.