This article is considered accurate for the current version (1.60) of Foxhole.
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The Acheron is an armoured amphibious vehicle designed for carrying troops across large bodies of water to aid in coordinated beach landings and flanking assaults.
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— In-game description
The AB-8 “Acheron” is the standard ColonialLanding APC, an amphibious armored vehicle with open space in the back for passengers. The passengers in the back are able to fire Small Arms out the sides of the vehicle. It has a deployable ramp.
The AB-8 “Acheron” holds seven passengers and houses a crew of one soldier:
Driver (Seat 1)
Controls the movement of the vehicle
Can open/close the rear ramp by pressing F.
Can open/close Drawbridge (when next to it) - press E
Passenger (Seat 2)
Can't do anything
Vehicle Bay:
The large open space in the back has enough room to fit up to 6 people. The rear passengers can get inside through the lowered ramp. If the APC is on water they can vault in it. The rear passengers can vault out of the vehicle when it's not moving.
The vehicle cannot move if there are more than 6 passengers or if any of them is encumbered but it can still rotate.
It has 6 inventory slots, which can be accessed by the rear passengers.
Items can be dropped on the rear bay. The vehicle can still move with dropped items on it. If not picked up for 5 minutes they are automatically submitted to the vehicle's inventory or deleted if no space is available.
Cannot ram Field Bridges when traveling on water, unlike most ships
Cannot move or turn while the ramp is down
Cannot move if there are more than 6 passengers in the rear, or if any of them is encumbered but can still rotate
Health & Armor
The AB-8 “Acheron” has 2000 HP and is disabled under 50% health. It has "Light Armor" resistance: it can soak small arms fire and shrapnel, and it is immune to Flamethrowers. It can soak 12.7mm machine gun fire but not for long. Heavy explosives and anti-tank weaponry are a real threat to it. It has subsystems that have a chance to be disabled by heavy explosives and anti-tank weaponry if hit specifically: Tracks: 25% (Anti-Tank Mines always disable them). It has Tank Armor. With it, in best case scenario, penetrating projectiles only have a 55% chance of penetrating and doing damage. That chance goes up quickly if the armor is worn or if it is shot from up close, or on the side or rear from a direct angle,or with ammo that has penetration bonuses. It takes 140 Basic Materials to fully repair it from 1% to 100% health with a Hammer. Its health, subsystems, and Tank Armor can be instantly repaired at a Garage for 100 Basic Materials.
The AB-8 “Acheron” is best utilized as a troop transport vehicle, infantry support, small assault platform against defenses, and naval landing support. It should always be used with friendly soldiers in its rear bay. Its amphibious capability and large inventory (for an armored vehicle) makes it versatile.
Anti-structure role:
It can be an effective tool for destroying enemy defenses using a variety of weapons. Thrown weapons (like the Mammon 91-b grenade) and Flamethrowers can be used by the rear passengers from the safety of the APC. Heavier weapons can also be used but they'll require for the ramp to be lowered first to fire. The rear passengers can load their inventory with lots of anti-structure equipment without having to worry about their mobility. That and the decent inventory of the APC gives the crew a lot of firepower. A well supplied and organized APC crew can make quick work of most light defenses.
It is very important for the rear passengers to never over-encumber themselves as this immobilizes the APC.
Anti-infantry role:
The APC can also be used as an anti-infantry platform. The rear passengers have a slightly elevated position and cover making it a strong mobile firing position to fight enemy infantry. However they are only partially protected from incoming fire from the sides and rear unless they crouch. It is strongly recommended that at least one passenger is equipped with a First Aid Kit and Trauma Kit to increase the passengers' survivability. Since the passengers cannot shoot over the APC's front cabin, the vehicle is often used with its rear towards the enemy to give the passengers a wider firing arc. This method also allows for a quicker retreat by driving forwards.
Naval Invasion support:
The APC is useful prior to a naval invasion. It can transport and protect friendly troops to clear the light defenses on Beaches.
During the naval invasion, the APC can be retrieved from a Storage Ship at sea and immediately sent off to attack the enemy beach due to its amphibious capability, when other armored land vehicles would require to be deposited on a Landing Ship with a crane and would have to wait until landing to fire a shot. Unlike Landing Ship, the APC's passengers can fire over the sides and rear (front if driven backwards) and remain in a mobile cover after reaching the beach.
Vulnerabilties:
The rear passengers needs to actively defend the APC against enemy infantry with anti-tank weapons (mostly Anti-Tank Sticky Bombs), and enemies with 12.7mm machine guns to a lesser extent. Longer range explosive weapons can be a hard counter to the APC since its passengers cannot effectively engage them.
Gas Grenades are one of the biggest threats to APCs, able to fully wipe the entire crew out if they are not equipped with Gas Masks. As with all vehicles it is strongly advised all crew members and passengers are equipped with gas masks and additional Filters.
The rear passenger cannot spot enemy mines off-road despite not being technically inside the vehicle.
Trivia
The AB-8 “Acheron” bears a close resemblance to the American LVT-1 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked).
“Acheron” is the name of a river in northwestern Greece. In Greek mythology, Charon ferried the souls of the dead across the river Acheron to the underworld.
Gallery
The AB-8 “Acheron” from the front
The AB-8 “Acheron” from the back
The AB-8 “Acheron” with its ramp down
A manned AB-8 “Acheron” with two armed soldiers in the rear
