MK.II "Matilda"

  Unit Properties of  General Information
 * Nation:     United Kingdom
 * Category:   Tank
 * Class:      Medium Tank
 * Role:       Infantry Tank
 * Primary Armament: 40mm (1.57 inch) L/52 Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun
 * Secondary Armament: 1 x 7.92mm BESA Machine gun (Co-axel)
 * Armor:     78-20mm
 * Crew:       4


 * MP price:   18
 * Speed:      20
 * Fuel:       210

The second in the British Infantry Tank bloodline, the '''Infantry Tank Mk. II Matilda (Also known as the A12''') was arguably the most successful. The first tank to be called "Matilda", the '''Infantry Tank Mk. I (A11)''' was a cheap design built by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. It had very heavy armor for its time but was extremely slow and armed only with a machine gun. It looked like a duck, and was dubbed the "Matilda", after a cartoon duck. Clearly, something better was needed and so the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich designed the Mk. II to replace it. It had the same heavy armor, but featured a 2-pounder gun in addition to a BESA machine gun. It was just as slow, managing only a rather stately 26 km/h (16 mph) on a road, but, being an infantry tank, this was seen to be acceptable. It still some what resembled a duck and, thus, kept the name "Matilda".

It first saw service in France in 1940 and lead the counter-attack at Arras. They proved to be immune to German 37 mm tank and anti-tank guns and created a huge panic amongst German infantry and panzer crews alike. At Arras, they very nearly succeeded in saving France and stopping the German Blitzkrieg and were only successfully stopped themselves by 88mm Flak guns. In North Africa, the Matilda again proved itself to be invulnerable to nearly all Italian anti-tank weapons and, as with the Germans at Arras, sowed panic amongst the Italian ranks. It earned the nickname "Queen of the Battlefield" due to its clear superiority over the Italian and German designs of the time. It would, however, soon be outclassed by the up gunned PzKpfw IIIs & IVs that began to enter service in 1942. The Matilda also saw service in the Pacific when used by the Australians and on the Eastern Front with the Russians. It was the only British tank to see service throughout the entire war (1939-1945) in all theaters. It also proved useful base for modification.

In-Game
The Matilda has very thick armor and is best used in frontal attacks against enemy tanks. It is invulnerable to all enemy tanks of 1940-41, but one should be on the lookout for 88mm Flak guns or heavy artillery. The 2-pounder gun also has rather a weak armor-piercing capability, which necessitates closing the range on German tanks. It also has a very weak HE shell.

If playing as the Germans in 1940-41, the Matilda is one of 2 tanks that one should be looking out for, whilst the other being the KV-1. If possible, try to immobilize the Matilda before using the superior mobility of the Panzers to flank them at the side/rear.

Note: The 2-pounder gun was not issued with a HE shell in World War II, except in the Pacific theater.