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The VCAC Mephisto is a Tier 8 progression Tank Destroyer under Francine De Laroche's dealership.

History[ | ]

Class: Tank Destroyer
Developed: 1980s
Service: 1990+
Vehicles Built: 177
Operators: France, Qatar, Cyprus, Lebanon

The Mephisto name officially stands for “Module Elévateur Panoramique HOT Installé Sur Tourelle Orientable” but let’s face it; in reality, someone just really wanted to have a vehicle called Mephisto and had to justify it somehow. Either way, it is an anti-tank version of the ubiquitous French VAB AFV.

The AFV itself is a rather unremarkable product of the 1970s but its roots lie deep in the 1960s when the French decided that their infantry units would be equipped with both tracked APCs (resulting in the AMX-10P) and wheeled ones. Two companies competed for the future light wheeled AFV project, now called VAB (“Vehicule de l’Avant Blindé”), Panhard and Renault. Between 1972 and 1973, several prototypes of 4-wheeled and 6-wheeled vehicles were built by both companies and in May 1974, the 4x4 version by Renault was officially accepted in service under the designation VAB. Its mass-production started in 1976. Several thousand of them were built between 1976 and 1993 both for France (3.975 vehicles in various configurations) and for export, which included a 6-wheel variant.

One of the variants produced both for France and for Export was called VCAC (“Véhicule de Combat Anti-Char” – Anti-Tank Combat Vehicle) and was fitted with the Euromissile Mephisto turret armed with four HOT missiles. This was a dedicated tank killer, replacing the troop-carrying capacity with a massive loading system.

It is unclear as to when the production of this vehicle started, when it ended and how many were made. Various sources suggest that the vehicle is still in service in France (scheduled to be replaced by another platform in the next decade) with some 135 made for the French. Qatar allegedly operates 24 of these, Cyprus has 18 and around a dozen originally French vehicles were sold recently to Lebanon. The VAB itself participated in a large number of peacekeeping missions (wherever the French were involved) and the Mephisto allegedly participated in Operation Desert Storm.

Vehicle Traits[ | ]

  • Unmanned Turret: This vehicle features a remotely-controlled or low-profile turret that receives reduced damage.
  • Missiles Only: This vehicle is only armed with anti-tank guided missiles or unguided rockets, making it only viable in mid-to-long-range combat, since both are often difficult to aim at short distances.
  • Missile Salvo: This vehicle may fire multiple ATGMs or unguided rockets in a short period of time, potentially overwhelming enemy defenses such as the APS.
  • Stealthy: This vehicle does not lose any camouflage when moving at any speed, which is handy primarily for scouting.
  • Complete Smoke Cover: This vehicle fires its smoke launchers in all directions to provide complete concealment.

Ammunition[ | ]

# Ammo
Name
Ammo
Type
XP Cost Damage Penetration Velocity Reload
Time
More
Info
1 HOT-2 ATGM ATGM Stock 900[note 1] 1000 mm 250 m/s 20.00 s
Toggle
  • Magazine Type: Clip
  • Magazine Size: 4
  • Reload within Magazine: 3.00 s
  • Fire Chance Bonus: 300 %
  • Damage Randomization: ± 10 %
  • Penetration Randomization: ± 5 %
  • Bonus Module Damage: 25 %
  • Flight Agility: 25.00 deg/s
  • Self-Guided: Yes
2 HOT-2MP ATGM ATGM Experience 25,000 950[note 2] 900 mm 250 m/s 20.00 s
Toggle
  • Magazine Type: Clip
  • Magazine Size: 4
  • Reload within Magazine: 3.00 s
  • Fire Chance Bonus: 300 %
  • Damage Randomization: ± 10 %
  • Penetration Randomization: ± 5 %
  • Bonus Module Damage: 35 %
  • Flight Agility: 25.00 deg/s
  • Self-Guided: Yes
3 HOT-3 ATGM-TH ATGM Experience 120,000[note 3] 900[note 4] 1200 mm 250 m/s 20.00 s
Toggle
  • Magazine Type: Clip
  • Magazine Size: 4
  • Reload within Magazine: 3.00 s
  • Fire Chance Bonus: 300 %
  • Damage Randomization: ± 10 %
  • Penetration Randomization: ± 5 %
  • Bonus Module Damage: 25 %
  • Flight Agility: 25.00 deg/s
  • Self-Guided: Yes

Upgrades[ | ]

Armor[ | ]

VCAC Mephisto Stock Armor
XP Cost Credit Cost Hull
Armor
Hull
Composition
Turret
Armor
Turret
Composition
ERA Name ERA
Penetration
Reduction
Stock Stock 10 mm (vs AP)
10 mm (vs HEAT)
Steel N/A vs AP
N/A vs HEAT
N/A N/A N/A vs AP
N/A vs HEAT
This vehicle's light armor offers basic protection from autocannons and machineguns.

Weapon[ | ]

# Name XP Cost Credit Cost Aim Time Reload Time More Info
Weapon1 HOT ATGM Launcher Stock Stock N/A 20.00 s
Toggle

Stats:

  • Magazine Type: Clip
  • Magazine Size: 4
  • Reload within Magazine: 3.00 s
  • Burst Fire Rate: 20.00 rd/min
  • Depression/Elevation: -5.0° / 5.0°
Ammo:
HOT-2 ATGM
HOT-2MP ATGM
HOT-3 ATGM-TH

Engine[ | ]

Name XP Cost Credit Cost Max Speed Reverse Speed Forward
Acceleration
Hull Traverse Fire Chance
Renault MIDS 06-20-45 220 hp Diesel Engine Stock Stock 100 km/h 40 km/h 3.30 s (0 to 32 km/h)
31.14 s (0 to Max Speed)
54.90° 6 %
Renault DXi 320 hp Diesel Engine Experience 17,000 Credits 172,000 110 km/h 44 km/h 2.60 s (0 to 32 km/h)
31.20 s (0 to Max Speed)
54.90° 6 %

Parts[ | ]

Name XP Cost Credit Cost Description Notes
Spallliner
Spall Liner
Experience 7,000 Credits 87,100 Hit points are increased by 150
Smokegrenades
GALIX 13 Smoke Grenades
Stock Stock Comes with 4 charges
Takes 35s to recharge
Duration: 10s
Smokegrenades
GALIX 17 Smoke Grenades
Experience 6,000 Credits 86,000 Comes with 6 charges in total
Magazine capacity: 2 charges
Takes 3s to recharge
Duration: 10s
Magazine reload time: 25s
Spallliner
Improved Liner
Experience 32,000 Credits 345,000 Hit points are increased by 300 [note 5]
Smokegrenades
Experimental Smoke Grenades
Experience 30,000 Credits 344,000 Comes with 8 charges in total
Magazine capacity: 2 charges
Takes 3s to recharge
Duration: 15s
Magazine reload time: 25s
[note 5]
Turretdrive
Enhanced Turret Drive
Experience 40,000 Credits 515,000 Increases turret traverse speed by 20%
Hardkillaps
SHARK Hard Kill APS
Experience 75,000 Credits 775,000 Automatic Hard Kill APS
Target Acquisition Range: 50m
Charges: 12
Cooldown: 15s
Angle of Effect 360°
[note 6]
Tcmissilewarning
IR Targeting System
Experience 70,000 Credits 774,000 Spotting through foliage is improved by 30%
ATGM control is improved by 10%
[note 6]
Navsystem
Semi-Automatic ATGM Targeting System
Experience 115,000 Credits 1,375,000 Launches two ATGMs simultaneously
Rate of fire is decreased by 25%
Launcher reload speed is decreased by 20%
[note 3]
Thermalsight
Improved Thermal Imager
Experience 60,000 Credits 690,000 Ability to spot targets behind foliage improved by 30%
Vision range is increased by 25 m
[note 7]
Enhancedcooling
Improved Cooling System
Experience 62,000 Credits 688,000 Camouflage factor is increased by 5%
Enemy Thermal Sights effectiveness is reduced by 30%
[note 7]
Tcspotduration
Silent ATGM Launch System
Experience 90,000 Credits 1,032,000 Camo penalty from shooting is reduced by 50% [note 8]
Electricalgenerator
IR Camouflage System
Experience 95,000 Credits 1,034,000 No camo penalty when moving. [note 8]
Wheels01
Stock Wheels
Stock Stock Mobility (Light Terrain): 91.7%
Mobility (Heavy Terrain): 76.9%
Wheels02
Central Tire Inflation System
Experience 15,000 Credits 171,000 Off-road mobility is increase by 20%
Wheel repair speed is improved by 20%

Other unlocks[ | ]

Name Cost Description Notes
Battleharden
Battle Hardened
Golds 4,500 The Battle-Hardened status allows you to earn more Experience and Credits
and also grants preferential matchmaking to the vehicle.
Stingray 1 d camo
Stingray 1
Experience 50,000 Unlocks Stingray 1 Desert Camo.
Retrombwheeledterrainresistance v2
Improved Reduction Drives
Experience 65,000 Unlocks Improved Reduction Drives.
Currencyrep
16,850 Reputation
Experience 67,520 Provides an injection of 16,850 Reputation.
Currencyrep
16,850 Reputation
Experience 67,520 Provides an injection of 16,850 Reputation.
Currencyrep
16,850 Reputation
Experience 67,520 Provides an injection of 16,850 Reputation.
Currencyrep
16,850 Reputation
Experience 67,520 Provides an injection of 16,850 Reputation.

Abilities[ | ]

# Name XP Cost Stats Activation
Time
Duration Cooldown More
Info
TopSpeed Ability Override
Top Speed
Stock Acceleration: +200%
Max Speed: +5%
Hull Traverse Rate: +50%
Camo Penalty from Motion: +50%
N/A 20 s 60 s
Toggle

Description:
Temporarily improves your vehicle's acceleration, maximum speed and hull traverse values at the cost of increased camouflage penalty for movement. In other words, activating this ability makes your vehicle easier to spot when moving.

Conditions:
No conditions bound to this ability.
Retreat Ability Retreat
Retreat
Stock Camouflage Factor: +10%
Acceleration: +50%
Vision Range: -25.0037%
Rate of Fire: -10.71%
N/A 20 s 60 s
Toggle

Description:
This ability allows you to fall back quickly by temporarily improving your camouflage factor and acceleration. However, it also reduces your vision range and reload speed.

Conditions:
No conditions bound to this ability.

Footnotes[]

  1. 180 for Non-Penetrating Hits
  2. 380 for Non-Penetrating Hits
  3. 3.0 3.1 HOT-3 ATGM and Semi-Automatic ATGM Targeting System are mutually exclusive; equipping one upgrade will unequip the other.
  4. 180 for Non-Penetrating Hits
  5. 5.0 5.1 Improved Liner and Experimental Smoke Grenades are mutually exclusive; equipping one upgrade will unequip the other.
  6. 6.0 6.1 SHARK Hard Kill APS and IR Targeting System are mutually exclusive; equipping one upgrade will unequip the other.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Improved Thermal Imager and Improved Cooling System are mutually exclusive; equipping one upgrade will unequip the other.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Silent ATGM Launch System and IR Camouflage System are mutually exclusive; equipping one upgrade will unequip the other.
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