Leopard 2AV

The Leopard 2AV is a tier 6 Main Battle Tank originating from Germany, and is sold by Sophie Wölfli. It can be unlocked from the Leopard 1A5, and leads to the Leopard 2.

Features

 * Heavy armor : this vehicle's armor bounces more shots and takes more hits
 * High caliber: the high caliber weaponry deals an increased damage.
 * HESH: can even penetrate armor with large hit angles
 * Weapon selection: vehicle has several weapon options that you can switch between during battle
 * Gas Turbine : provide a smoother acceleration, compared to an ordinary diesel

Player Recommendations
The Leopard 2AV is the vanguard of the second generation of vehicles in the Leopard Variant tree in Armored Warfare. The highly mobile, poorly armored, and well-armed Leopard 1 is replaced by a more heavily armored, slower series that still features accurate firepower and a powerful gun. This means that the Leopard 2AV is more of a front-line MBT, capable of tanking damage and acting as an offensive spearhead or defensive lynchpin. Tier 6 represents the best tier to play the Leopard line at, combined with a 120mm cannon capable of penetrating just about anything and thick enough armor to withstand many things below Tier 7, it's the first and last in the line for enjoying high risk high reward gameplay in PvE. Subsequent tanks down the line may be upgunned and uparmored, but the series severely falls behind other MBT lines in terms of firepower and armor.

Pros

 * Excellent gun depression.
 * The most accurate Tier 6 MBT.
 * Highly mobile for an MBT.
 * Powerful cannon for Tier 6 in PvE.

Cons

 * Weakspot under the gun mantlet usually causes the turret to jam, especially against ATGM fire, however, most ATGMs will generally not be aimed at the turret ring.
 * Somewhat weak hull armor, a Leopard 2AV can penetrate another through the frontal lower glacis.

Upgrade Suggestions
As the vehicle emphasizes firepower, early research should focus on this. Upgrading to the Improved Gunner Sight, EMES-18 ATTICA Fire Control System, and Improved Gun Breech, along with better ammunition, will improve firepower against enemy targets while minimizing exposure to return fire. Mobility is also another important upgrade, as researching and purchasing the Honeywell AGT-1500 Gas Turbine Engine offers a large performance increase for very little reputation and credits.

Retrofit Suggestions

 * Advanced Muzzle Reference System
 * Improved Telescopic Lens
 * Improved Gun Breech
 * Improved Pioneer Tool Kit

Commander and Crew Skill Suggestions

 * Commander: Juan Carlos, to improve the aim speed and crew stats.
 * Driver: Spin to Win, Off-Road Driving
 * Gunner: Sharpshooter, Do the Twist
 * Loader: Rapid Fire, Explosive Shells/Preparation

History
Class: Main Battle Tank (Prototype) Developed: 1974-1976 Service: N/A Vehicles Built: 1 Operators: N/A The Leopard 2AV (Austere Version, sometimes incorrectly written as American Version) was a Leopard 2 prototype, built for comparative trials in the United States with the XM1 Abrams prototypes. The groundwork for it was laid on December 11 1974, when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Germany and the United States regarding armor development in the 1980s. The XM1 prototypes were not tested head to head with the Leopard 2AV – the 2AV production took longer than expected and the Americans didn&#39;t want to wait. The prototype only got to the United States in August 1976. The tests were conducted on the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland and lasted until December. The result was that while mobility and firepower were comparable, the XM1 was better protected than the Leopard 2AV. The XM1 was declared the winner after combining the trial results, despite the fact that the Leopard 2AV completed more individual test criteria. Germany contested the results, but to no avail. The ultimate goal of the earlier memorandum – to agree on a number of components the vehicles of both sides would share – failed almost completely. As a direct result of these tests, the Germans decided to adopt the 120mm L/44 smoothbore while the Americans stuck with the 105mm M68 rifled cannon. Interestingly enough, a number of technologies and ideas from the Leopard 2 prototype were copied in the XM1 development, much to the dismay of Krauss-Maffei.

Variants

 * Leopard 2AV ICE
 * Leopard 2AV China/Predator