Hold the line with six all-new French super heavy tanks in World War II mode!

The battlefield is about to get a whole lot heavier. Starting November 4, you will be able to research the new super heavies line in the French Tech Tree! France’s super heavy tank designs were bold, experimental, and built to dominate in head-on engagements—and now six of them are joining the fight in World War II mode.

With some of the largest hulls and thickest armor in their tiers, these super heavies are perfect for players who thrive on pushing the front line and anchoring a defense. Just remember, they’re not built for speed! These tanks are slow but heavily armored and often feature multiple turrets, giving you extra tools to control the battlefield and outlast your enemies.

This new branch starts at Tier II and merges with the existing heavy tank line at Tier VIII.

• Tier II: FCM 1A
• Tier III: FCM 2C
• Tier IV: FCM F4
• Tier V: AMX Tracteur C mle. 39
• Tier VI: AMX Tracteur C mle. 40
• Tier VII: FCM F1

Read on to learn more about each vehicle, available in the game starting November 4!

Tank: FCM 1A

• Tier: II
• Class: Heavy
• XP Cost: 1,780
• Silver Cost: 4,000

Background Information:

The performance of British Mark I tanks during 1916’s Battle of the Somme inspired France to explore domestic production of its own heavy tank. From October 1916 through most of 1917, the naval firm Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM) developed a prototype from an initial design that called for a 105mm gun, 30mm of armor protection, and a 200-hp engine. The prototype entered trials in December 1917 and performed impressively. However, FCM’s own subsequent designs gained interest instead, and the 1A prototype was ultimately stationed outside the tank school in Versailles.

Tank: FCM 2C

• Tier: III
• Class: Heavy
• XP Cost: 1,715
• Silver Cost: 46,500

Background Information:

Even while developing its 1A heavy tank prototype, the French naval firm FCM was working on additional heavy tank designs using insights gleaned from the 1A. Of these designs, the heaviest one, designated the 2C, gained the endorsement of Jean-Baptiste Estienne. Its 75mm main gun was complemented by four machine guns, including one mounted on a separate turret, making the 2C the first multi-turret tank. Although 300 2C units were ordered, the end of World War I led to only ten being produced and accepted for service.

Tank: FCM F4

• Tier: IV
• Class: Heavy
• XP Cost: 5,710
• Silver Cost: 185,000

Background Information:

In the late 1930s, while Germany was erecting the system of defensive structures that would be known as the Siegfried Line, France was reassessing its heavy tank doctrine to account for such fortifications. It issued a request for a heavily armored tank weighing no more than 45 metric tons and, in 1937, received proposals from the firms ARL, AMX, and FCM. FCM’s initial design included a 75mm gun housed in the turret and 47mm gun mounted on the hull; a later variant added another turret with machine guns. All three firms’ designs were rejected for exceeding either the weight limit or allotted budget.

Tank: AMX Tracteur C mle. 39

• Tier: V
• Class: Heavy
• XP Cost: 20,460
• Silver Cost: 400,000

Background Information:

While French firm FCM was developing the F1 superheavy tank, rival firm AMX was working on its own response to the French Army’s request for updated “fortress tank” designs: a design it called the Tracteur C. Unlike the FCM F1, the Tracteur C mounted its primary 105mm gun on the main turret toward the front and its secondary 47mm gun on the rear turret. The French Army selected the F1 for further development in December 1939, but AMX continued refining its design the following year.

Tank: AMX Tracteur C mle. 40

• Tier: VI
• Class: Heavy
• XP Cost: 56,600
• Silver Cost: 925,000

Background Information:

After its proposal for a superheavy tank was rejected in 1939, engineering firm AMX quickly went to work revising its design. By January 1940, it had already prepared an updated proposal for the Tracteur C. The new design called for a 90mm in place of the 105mm armament; it also moved the main turret to the center of the hull and the smaller turret (with its 47mm gun) to the front. AMX was unable to produce a prototype of its design, however, causing its second submission to be rejected as well.

Tank: FCM F1

• Tier: VII
• Class: Heavy
• XP Cost: 136,590
• Silver Cost: 1,395,000

Background Information:

By the 1930s, France realized the limitations of its aging 2C heavy tanks. It requested proposals for new designs, and after initially rejecting entries from AMX, ARL, and FCM in 1937, it accepted a design from FCM that met updated specifications. FCM’s tank, dubbed the F1, would have two turrets: a rear turret with a 75mm gun and a secondary front turret with a 47mm gun. Despite the design’s promise, the project ended with the armistice signed by Germany and France in 1940.