BGM-71 TOW

Cartridge
 Fire Mode

The **BGM-71 TOW** is an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) featured in Squad. Introduced in Alpha 11, TOW is the guided missile emplacement for all Bluefor factions in-game.

## General information

The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided") is an American anti-tank missile. The operator fires the missiles and controls them after firing via a wire attached to the launcher.

## Statistics

* BGM-71 TOW
* Bradley TOW

**BGM-71 TOW**

**Bradley TOW-2A**

## Variants

* The TOW missile is available to Australian Army, British Army, Canadian Army, U.S. Army, and United States Marine Corps as a stationary emplacement that can be placed within the build radius of a Forward Operating Base.
* The TOW missile is equipped on several vehicles:
	+ Two of the US Army vehicles: the M-ATV TOW variant and the M2A3 IFV.

## Gameplay

* The BGM-71 TOW is a tripod-mounted wire-guided anti-tank guided-missile system.
* The BGM-71 TOW generates a back blast that can injure or kill anybody standing nearby behind the weapon when it's being fired.
* Minimum arming range for the BGM-71 TOW is 35 meters.
	+ If you are too close to your target, the rocket will not detonate or deal any damage.
* Only one BGM-71 TOW can be placed per FOB as emplacements.
	+ This is one less compared to the SPG-9 of unconventional armies.
* The BGM-71 TOW is fitted with an optical tracking device and laser rangefinder.
	+ The operator can press the `Q` button to change the zoom level. The BGM-71 TOW has two stages of zoom levels, with a larger zoom power than HJ-8 and 9M133 Kornet.
	+ Once the operator has acquired a target, there is a slight delay between pressing the trigger and when the missile is fired. Once the missile has been fired, the operator must keep the reticle on the target to guide it.
* The emplaced BGM-71 TOW comes with a semi-high-profile tripod, which could be protected behind two layers of sandbags.
	+ The high-profile tripod allows a 360° traverse. But beware, the tripod height leaves the operator exposed to enemy fire. The TOW operator sits higher than the Russian 9M133 Kornet, with the head position at the same place at the launch tub.
		- This means the enemy can effectively return fire at you once they spot your position.
* The vehicle-mounted TOW variant can fire six missiles before needing to rearm. The TOW is mounted on top of the M-ATV and is protected by open-top armor plates. However, the operator is still quite exposed to enemy fire.
	+ The TOW-2A on the M2A3 is available to the gunner and has two missiles.
* The maximum effective range for the BGM-71 TOW is 1750 meters; beyond this range, the missile will stop guidance and drop to the ground.
	+ When shooting at targets beyond the rocket-engine range, the operator can aim quite a bit above the target so the TOW will go ballistic after the engine burnout and still hit the target.
* Firing multiple missiles in a quick session, making them airborne simultaneously, will cause the previous few missiles to lose track and fly aimlessly.
* The BGM-71 TOW missile is a very powerful anti-vehicle weapon, extremely effective against stationary or slow-moving vehicles. It will deal critical damage to most vehicles, regardless of where you hit it. The player can effectively steer the missile while in flight onto the target.
	+ Hitting the weakest part of the armor is still advised to ensure maximum damage. At some angles, your guided missile may fail to penetrate heavy vehicles frontally such as main battle tanks.
	+ The BGM-71 TOW missile can also be used to target enemy fortifications like bunkers and HESCOs. However, due to the limited supply and high ammo cost of rearming, it is recommended that the TOW only be used to target high-value vehicles.
	+ It is highly inefficient at engaging infantry due to low splash damage and blast radius. Do not waste ammo on infantry.
* Armour calculation involves many factors that are not limited to simple base damage and penetration. The slope of the armor, its thickness, the angle of hit, all of that matter when the game engine decides if damage has been dealt to the target. Examine the vehicle armor models on Jensen's Range to learn where your shots will do damage.
	+ Prioritizing areas such as flat armor angles, turret, tracks, engine compartments, ammo racks, and rear areas where you could disable enemy mobility and effectively penetrate through armor and deal damage.
* Hitting moving targets such as helicopters is difficult but not impossible. Remember that whilst you can move the reticle very quickly, the missile requires time to "catch-up" with whatever you are aiming at. Many shots at moving vehicles are missed as a result of the operator not accounting for the fact that the missile itself is already out and moving. Make sure to lead your targets.
* The BGM-71 TOW largely shares its damage models with other missile emplacements, such as HJ-8 and 9M133 Kornet. They all have 1800 base damage, 153 splash damage, and 900 mm penetration.
	+ They all have marginal differences in range, optic types, trigger delay, muzzle velocity, and missile acceleration speed. But these gameplay differences are barely noticeable in combat.
* The BGM-71 TOW missile has the longest reload time of all missile emplacements in-game. It reloads slightly slower than 9M133 Kornet and more than twice as slow as the HJ-8 due to the latter having a missile tube auto-ejection function.
	+ If you have multiple targets in sight, disable their gun or tracks first to ensure they don't get a chance to reposition or leave the scene during the long reload process.

## Gallery

* TOW
* HUD icon for the BGM-71's projectile

## Trivia

* TOW means "Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided"

## See Also

* Deployables
* M2A3
* Weapons