MT-LB

The  APC is a Fire Support Vehicle that was added to Squad in update A9. The MT-LB was adopted as the standard multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armored tracked vehicle of the Soviet Army in the late 1960s and used up to the 1990s, replacing the AT-P tracked vehicle. The Soviet Army's successor, the Russian Ground Forces (RGF), continued to use the MT-LB and eventually developed a modern variant, the MT-LBM, using the upgraded version as its own standard multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armored tracked vehicle. The MT-LBM is still in service with the Russian Ground Forces (RGF) today.

General Information
The MT-LB is a Soviet Russian multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armored tracked vehicle as well as an armored personnel carrier (APC) and infantry carrier vehicle (ICV). The MT-LB started out as the MT-L, which was designed by the Soviet Central Auto and Tractor Directorate in the late 1960s. A variant was created out of the MT-L by adding armor to it, creating the first MT-LB. The MT-LB was then adopted by the Soviet Army as the standard multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armored tracked vehicle alongside with the BMP-1 (another Russian amphibious tracked APC) in the same year.

The MT-LB weighs 11.9 tonnes (13.1 short tons; 11.7 long tons), is 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in) long, 2.86 m (9 ft 5 in) wide, and 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) tall. The MT-LB can hold one driver, one gunner, and the rest, 16 passengers. The vehicle has 14 mm of armor, a heavy machine gun (either a PKT or a NSVT) as its armament, and a YaMZ 238 v-8 diesel engine with 240 hp at 2,100 rpm. It can reach a top speed of 73 km/h (45.36 mph).

Gameplay
The MT-LB is used by the Middle Eastern Alliance and both rebel factions: the Insurgents and the Irregular Militia. It is a relatively cheap infantry transport vehicle, with basic armour and armament.


 * The armour is strong enough to protect the infantry inside from all small arms fire, and it can hold out a limited amount of time against .50 weapons and anti-vehicle weaponry. Anything stronger than that will quickly destroy it.
 * The MT-LB's machine gun (varies by each faction) can mow down enemy infantry that are relatively close to the vehicle.
 * The MT-LB is slow, unwieldy, and very loud. The machine-gun only variants should really only be used as battle taxis.
 * The ZSU-23-2 variant gives basic mobile air defense against enemy helicopters.

MT-LB PKT Variant
(Named "MT-LB APC" in-game)

The Insurgent MT-LB variant uses a PKT machine gun as its armament which, although being much weaker than the NSVT machine gun of the Militia variant, can hold up 200 more rounds than the NSVT. The PKT is incapable of destroying armored vehicles, even with sustained fire. It is, however, very reliable at providing suppressive fire towards enemy infantry due to how many rounds each magazine can hold.



MT-LB ZU-23-2 Variant
(Named "MT-LB ZU-23 ANTI AIR APC" in-game)

Armed with the ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, this MT-LB can inflict harsh damage on approaching enemy aircraft as well as nearby infantrymen. This vehicle is available to both Insurgents and the Irregular Militia. Its secondary armament consists of a PKT general purpose machine gun for infantry suppression. The gunner is very exposed to enemy fire, so you should try and keep back from the front and attempt to engage enemy aircraft/infantry at range instead.



MT-LB NSVT Variant
(Named "MT-LB VMK APC" in-game)

The variant shown below as portrayed in the game is the MT-LB VMK APC which replaces the turret mounted machine gun with a remotely operated NSVT heavy machine gun and entered service with Russia in 2011. They primarily use the vehicle as an armored personnel carrier in mountain brigades and in at least one naval infantry (arctic) brigade. An additional 1,600 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition can be transported between the benches in the troop compartment.

The MT-LB VMK APC is used by the Russian Ground Forces, the MEA, and the Militia factions. It utilizes the NSVT heavy machine gun, which is excellent for dealing with infantry threats and can destroy Technicals, logistics and transport trucks, and other light vehicles with enough sustained fire.



Trivia

 * MT-LB stands for Mnogotselevoy Tyagach Legky Bronirovanny (Многоцелевой Тягач Лёгкий Бронированный) which means from Russian to English, "Multi-Purpose Towing Vehicle Light Armored".
 * The MT-LB VMK APC is supposed to be a variant of the MT-LBM series, not the MT-LB series. The modernization upgrade in the 1990s removed the turret and allowed for remote weapon system capability, which is exactly what the MT-LB VMK APC uses for its NSVT armament.