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Centurion Action X - The Chiefturion

The Centurion Action X is an experimental variant of the Centurion main battle tank, developed during the early 1950s to feature the newly designed ‘mantletless’ turret. Reinforcing the higher ranks of the British ground forces tree, the Centurion Action X will soon make its way to War Thunder, arriving as part of the upcoming update 1.93!

Briefly: A modified late variant of the Centurion tank, fitted with an experimental ‘mantletless’ turret, offering improved protection.

History

Development of the Centurion Action X began in the early 1950s. The aim of the project was to improve the Centurion’s ballistic protection by fitting the vehicle with the recently developed ‘mantletless’ turret design. The turret was fitted on a Centurion Mk.7 hull and featured thick, heavily sloped surfaces which further increased its effectiveness.

Furthermore, the vehicle was tested with both the QF 20-pdr as well as the 105mm L7 cannon. In the end however, only a couple prototypes were built and tested in addition to a few turrets being used separately for ballistic trials. The Centurion Action X never passed the testing stage and was thus also not ordered into production. However, the experience gained during its development, specifically regarding the use of the mantletless turret, was later incorporated into subsequent tank designs such as the FV4202 and the well-known Chieftain main battle tank.

Centurion Action X, main battle tank, premium, Britain, IV rank.

Pros

  • Good turret protection
  • Quick-firing cannon
  • Premium bonuses

Cons

  • Average mobility
  • Limited ammunition choices
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In War Thunder, the Centurion Action X will be a new premium vehicle coming soon to rank IV of the British ground forces tree with the release of update 1.93. Unlike its premium tree neighbours, the Strv 81 and Centurion AVRE, the Centurion Action X offers another set of unique traits which makes it stand out from its peers.

The main feature which makes the Action X one of the more unique variants of the Centurion tank is undoubtedly its turret - a highly unusual one for its time. The turret on the Action X is a so-called ‘mantletless’ turret, which some tankers in War Thunder may know from the FV4202 and Chieftain tanks.

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Similarly to those vehicles, the turret on the Action X features very thick and highly sloped surfaces, giving it very decent ballistic protection. In fact, without a slope effect, the toughest parts of the Action X’s turret reach up to 240 mm in thickness. Such formidable armour protection will no doubt present itself as a tough nut to crack for most opponents and is even capable of giving some potent early Cold War ammunition a good run for its money.

Fun Fact: Though ultimately unsuccessful, experience gained in the development of the Centurion Action X was later utilised in the development of the FV4202 and Chieftain tanks.

However, still being a Centurion tank at its core, aspiring commanders of this machine should bare in mind the weaknesses typically associated with the Centurion - those being average mobility and comparably weak hull protection. In addition, being fitted with the QF 20-pdr (84mm) cannon means that commanders will only have a limited suit of ammunition types available to them. As such, good gunnery skills will be vital in defeating the opponent, especially more heavily armoured ones as every shot needs to count. Fortunately for less experienced tankers, the excellent rate of fire of the 20-pdr cannon may make up for the occasional botched shot sent down range since it allows for quick fire adjustments.

As a result, tankers will be best off utilising the Action X as a rearguard unit, further increasing its effectiveness by cleverly positioning the vehicle in a ‘hull-down’ position. That way, commanders will minimize the risk of less protected hull elements being hit, while only exposing the turret as the most effective part of their armour, thus maximising protection.

The Centurion Action X will become available for purchase to all players in the game for Golden Eagles following the release of the next major update and will not only allow them to speed up progression towards higher ranks but will also grant them ownership over a highly unique piece of British tank development history.

That’s all for today warriors! However, make sure to stay tuned to the news as we continue to reveal more information on what lies in wait for you in the upcoming update 1.93. Until then, happy hunting!


The War Thunder Team

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