Class: Main Battle Tank
Developed: 1958-1963
Service: 1963-1995 in the United Kingdom, ongoing elsewhere
Vehicles Built: cca 2200
Operators: United Kingdom, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Kuwait
Developed by Great Britain as a successor to the Centurion, this main battle tank was created as a response to the ever-increasing penetration capability of Soviet armor-piercing rounds. With the production starting in the 1960s and ending in 1978, several hundred units were built for the British and export markets. The Chieftain remained in service until 1995 and saw combat primarily in the Middle East, albeit not in British hands. Iran made extensive use of this MBT, even though the results were debatable due to the poor training of Iranian troops. However, during its heyday, the vehicle was considered to be the world's most powerful tank until it was dethroned by the Leopard 2 during the 1980s.
The Chieftain Mk.10 was one of the last production variants, featuring additional “Stillbrew” armor to keep it relevant on the modern battlefield. It’s a tough, rugged, vehicle capable of withstanding a lot of punishment, especially when it comes to its turret.
Vehicle Traits[ | ]
Armored: This vehicle's armor can withstand a lot of punishment, allowing it to survive even serious firefights.
Heavy Weapon: This vehicle carries one of the largest weapons around with significantly increased damage per shot.
HESH Rounds: This vehicle can fire special Squash Head rounds. These are extremely effective against angled armor that is typical for Soviet tanks.
Despite focusing on firepower first and defense second, the Chieftain's armor, consisting of cast and rolled steel plates, offers excellent protection against enemy shells from the Cold War thanks to its sloping. Interestingly enough, creating this armor is a time consuming process with its various elements taking up to a year to fully cool after production.
Stillbrew Appliqué Package
XP Cost
Credit Cost
Hull Armor
Hull Composition
Turret Armor
Turret Composition
ERA Name
ERA Penetration Reduction
10,475
125,955
510 mm (vs AP) 880 mm (vs HEAT)
Composite
855 mm (vs AP) 2850 mm (vs HEAT)
Steel Layers with Air Gaps
N/A
N/A vs AP N/A vs HEAT
The Stillbrew package offers a significant upgrade in survivability for the frontal arc of the Chieftain's turret. A combination of steel and rubber composites make it highly resistant to both kinetic and HEAT shells on a modern battlefield.