VCAC Mephisto

VCAC Mephisto
Tier / Class	Tier 8 TD
Type	Progression
Place of Origin	France
Dealer	Francine De Laroche
Crew
Commander Driver Gunner Loader
Vehicle Progression
◄ Previous Leclerc Proto
Next ► Leclerc
Sustained Damage
Damage	900
Penetration	1000 mm
Damage per Minute	7448 per min.
Reload Time	20 s
Defense
Hit Points	1850
Hull vs AP	10 mm
Hull vs HEAT	10 mm
Hull Composition	Steel
Mobility
Max Speed	100 km/h
Acceleration 0 to 32 km/h	3.3 s
Weight	13250 kg
Utility
Camo (Overall)	25 %
Vision Range while Moving	350 m
Targeting
Depression/Elevation	-5° / 5°
Turret Traverse	50 deg/s

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	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	25,000	950	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	120,000	900	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	17,000	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
Spall Liner	7,000	87,100	Hit points are increased by 150
GALIX 13 Smoke Grenades	Stock	Stock	Comes with 4 charges Takes 35s to recharge Duration: 10s
GALIX 17 Smoke Grenades	6,000	86,000	Comes with 6 charges in total Magazine capacity: 2 charges Takes 3s to recharge Duration: 10s Magazine reload time: 25s
Improved Liner	32,000	345,000	Hit points are increased by 300
Experimental Smoke Grenades	30,000	344,000	Comes with 8 charges in total Magazine capacity: 2 charges Takes 3s to recharge Duration: 15s Magazine reload time: 25s
Enhanced Turret Drive	40,000	515,000	Increases turret traverse speed by 20%
SHARK Hard Kill APS	75,000	775,000	Automatic Hard Kill APS Target Acquisition Range: 50m Charges: 12 Cooldown: 15s Angle of Effect 360°
IR Targeting System	70,000	774,000	Spotting through foliage is improved by 30% ATGM control is improved by 10%
Semi-Automatic ATGM Targeting System	115,000	1,375,000	Launches two ATGMs simultaneously Rate of fire is decreased by 25% Launcher reload speed is decreased by 20%
Improved Thermal Imager	60,000	690,000	Ability to spot targets behind foliage improved by 30% Vision range is increased by 25 m
Improved Cooling System	62,000	688,000	Camouflage factor is increased by 5% Enemy Thermal Sights effectiveness is reduced by 30%
Silent ATGM Launch System	90,000	1,032,000	Camo penalty from shooting is reduced by 50%
IR Camouflage System	95,000	1,034,000	No camo penalty when moving.
Stock Wheels	Stock	Stock	Mobility (Light Terrain): 91.7% Mobility (Heavy Terrain): 76.9%
Central Tire Inflation System	15,000	171,000	Off-road mobility is increase by 20% Wheel repair speed is improved by 20%

Other unlocks

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

Abilities

#	Name	XP Cost	Stats	Activation Time	Duration	Cooldown	More Info
TopSpeed	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	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.