CM-34: The Clouded Leopard!

Today we’re taking a look at a new tank coming to the higher ranks of Chinese tech tree: the fast and wheeled CM-34 IFV with a 30 mm Bushmaster cannon!

Vehicle History

In 1985, a joint project with Irish company Timoney Technology was launched to develop the CM-31 mechanized IFV vehicle. Due to its failure to meet requirements, the project was canceled, but in 2002 it was revised, resulting in the development of the CM-32 “Clouded Leopard” prototype.

The vehicle was tested with various types of armament, and in 2017 the project was revealed to the public in an expo in Taipei with the American Mk44 Bushmaster II 30 mm automatic cannon, designated the CM-34. After upgrading its armor protection and electronics, the vehicle entered serial production in 2019 and became the backbone of the motorized infantry.

Introducing the CM-34!

The CM-34 Yunbao, or “Clouded Leopard”, is coming to China’s ground forces tree at rank VI. This is a light and wheeled reconnaissance vehicle with a good top speed, excellent electronics and an effective 30 mm Bushmaster cannon. Let’s take a look at this vehicle in today’s dev blog!

Firstly, let’s dive into the armament of this light tank. It features the 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II automatic cannon, which many of you will already be familiar with from other light combat vehicles in other nations. The rate of fire of this cannon isn’t the highest in the world, but the available belts are excellent! Right from the get go, you’ll have access to an APDS belt, with the first researchable belt being the HEI-T, which is good for destroying vehicles with no armor, and also aircraft. The final and best one against enemy tanks that you can research is the APFSDS belt, which can penetrate the sides and rear of any ground vehicle at its rank. The cannon has a stabilizer and another great modification to get is the laser warning system and laser rangefinder (LWS/LR) and thermal imager for all three crew members.

The CM-34 is built on an 8x8 wheeled chassis, and the suspension has a reduced turning radius compared to its prototype. You’ll also be able to speed around in this light vehicle thanks to its top speed of 100 km/h going forward on paved roads, and up to 40 km/h in reverse. Its power-to-weight ratio is quite good, so there shouldn’t be any performance issues, although you should avoid deep mud, snow and sand if possible.

The first concept of this vehicle had little armor, so the CM-34 had some refinements in this area. The production variant featured add-on armor made of composite materials, however overall this vehicle not capable of withstanding most tank rounds. There are also just three crew, leaving less chance of surviving any significant hit.

That’s it for this one! The CM-34 will fit perfectly into the mid to late rank VI vehicle lineups and will become a key vehicle in fast-paced play while capturing points, fighting in urban battles and scouting in open locations. Stay tuned for more exciting news about the upcoming major, and see you in the next dev blog!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.