War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

M50

2024-01-26T14:37:21Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m50_ontos
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', also known by the nickname '''Ontos''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]].

The M50 "Ontos" is pretty much a bulky carrier of recoilless rifles, carrying a payload of six shells of devastating HEAT and HESH shells. With six launchers pointing forwards, a well-emplaced M50 can point itself downrange and once a target comes into its sights, unleash all shells until the target is annihilated.

A stealthy and pouncing game style is needed to make the most of the hard-hitting guns and the thin armour of the Ontos.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 10-13 (70°) ''Front glacis'' 13 mm (45-66°) ''Lower glacis'' || 13 mm (43°) ''Top'' 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 13 mm (36°) ''Top'' 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 13 mm
|-
| Cupola || 13 mm || 13 mm || 13 mm || 13 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=206|rbMinHp=128}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M40A1C (106 mm)}}

The turret displacement is limited without being a huge handicap as it allows to cover a wide area (±40°) without having to reposition the hull. And in the case your guns reach a stop, repositioning the hull is quickly done.

The targeting process is manual and in average twice slower than tanks with turrets at the same tier or battle rating. However, the recoilless nature of the guns eliminates the need for retargetting between shots as the recoil is minimal. The short delay between shots eliminates the need for repositioning as it does not leave the target any time to retaliate.

An aspect to consider is the offset of the guns from the central target sight: at close range its impact is minimal but becomes noticeable when firing at specific weak spots on targets at a distance. Using the scouting MGs can help you assess the off-set but will reveal your position. Given the rifles layout of the Ontos, it is recommended to fire by salvos of 3 shells to guarantee a good balance between rate of fire and accuracy.

Like for a SPAA belt, you have to fire all 6 rifles before being allowed to start the reloading process. Your ammo capacity of 18 shells total (or 3 belts of 6) is limited, which will impact your combat performance as you're very likely to have to disengage in order to restock during a battle.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M40A1C (106 mm)|106 mm M40A1C]] (x6) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 18 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±40° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 15.9 || 21.9 || 26.6 || 29.5 || 31.3 || rowspan="2" | 16.90 || rowspan="2" | 14.95 || rowspan="2" | 13.78 || rowspan="2" | 13.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M40A1C (106 mm)/Ammunition|M344A1, M361A1}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''18''' || 14 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+18)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Individual tube reload is not possible. You have to empty all 6 rifles first in order to reload 6 new projectiles.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M80 (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M80 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M80]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -5°/+50° || ±70°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.jpg|thumb|310x310px|M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps]]

Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin armour even Reserve units are a threat. Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is learn how to operate it. Define a separate keybind for the trigger of the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence. There is nothing worse than sighting a perfect target, but firing the gun into a rock because it is on the wrong side. Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (±40°), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other anti-tank guns this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds. Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Six recoilless 106 mm rifles
* The guns can be fired within 0.5 seconds of each other, allowing rapid fire on one helpless target
* Stock shells of HEAT and HESH
* The HEAT shell is really effective, literally point and shoot
* Four heavy machine guns coaxial to guns - can be used for spotting to adjust aim and estimate ranges
* Nice 53 km/h (33 mph) speed, can get to ambush or sniping positions early game or rush capture point
* Quite effective in urban fighting since low-velocity shells do not matter in close quarter combat

'''Cons:'''

* No armour whatsoever (can be easily destroyed by heavy MG rounds or via air strafing)
* Only 18 rounds - can't miss and be wasteful
* Only 2 crew members - one shot is most likely to put you out of action
* Spotting machine guns are hard to utilize, firing only in unison with the guns as default or separately with key bindings
* Pintle mounted machine gun is quite ineffective against even aircraft found at this rank
* Use of spotting gun and main gun needs practice to be proficient and successful
* Guns are very loud and will bring the enemy's notice to your location
* Extremely hard to use for new players, not user friendly

== History ==

It was such a strange "tank" the only word the US Army could think of for this strange thing was, well, "Thing", except someone was clever and used the Greek word, '''ὄντος''' (really, truly [exists]). Due to mountainous and difficult terrain of Korea brought the US Army revisited the idea of a light tank. It was quite an ingenious design made very quickly. The prototype was based on an M56 Scorpion ATG chassis, used a common truck engine, and mounted six very powerful M40A1C recoilless rifle guns and be light enough for air transport. The prototype was finished in 1952 and by 1955 completed its testing where it fulfilled its design requirements, but the Army simply did not like this monstrosity and decided against it. The US Marines on the other hand was not as picky and loved this highly mobile light tank with a huge punch, so ordered 297 in 1955. The design was reworked with a new chassis, new running gear with wide thread (ditching the M56 design), better internal layout, and other minor improvements that made the Ontos a unique one off design. While it had a few flaws, it was reliable enough to accomplish its mission.

The key to the M50's offensive power is the 106 mm M40A1C recoilless rifle firing devastating HEAT or HESH (later an anti-infantry "beehive") rounds with its integrated M8C .50 cal spotting rifle using a 10 or 20 round magazine. It should be noted the M8C is a shorter round (12.7x77 mm, M48A2 Spotter-Tracer (S) bullets only) that the better known .50 AN/M2 BMG (12.7x99 mm). Every M40 produced had the M8C, but on the M50 the lowest 2 barrels have this spotting rifle removed leaving an empty mounting post. If wanted (but not recommended) all 6 guns can be fired at once delivering far more destructive offensive load than any tank then or today. The nature of recoilless rifles is a powerful blow back, during a test firing all 6 simultaneously it knocked bricks out of a building and shattered a few car windows. In between is mounted a single pintle-mounted .30 calibre M1919A4 machine gun for anti-infantry use.

The first combat use of the Ontos occurred in 1964 Dominican Republic Civil War where it reported destroyed an AMX-13 and an old Swedish L-60 (the only time it was used for purpose built, destroying tanks). But it was the following year when it was deployed to Vietnam did it shine.

Vietnam was extremely hostile to tanks not due to enemies but the environment. Jungle, swamp, rice fields, mountains, rivers, a limited road network with small bridges; it was a nightmare for regular tanks but the Ontos could glide over them with ease. Enemy Vietnamese troops rarely used tanks and few anti-tank guns so there was little threat from them, the paper thin armour was more than enough to resist small arms and heavy MG fire most often encountered. The significant vulnerability of reloading the 6 guns was largely moot as the fearsome reputation of this 6 shooter beast often cleared out enemy positions soon after it started shooting. Unfortunately its age was its greatest enemy. Over 10 years old and long out of production breakdowns became more frequent, some were cannibalized for parts and the turrets where mounted to fixed positions as point defence. Despite its unprecedented success in Vietnam its limited numbers, scattered deployment, breakdowns, and frequent rotation, it did not gain as much fame as it could have. More of footnote today, this unusual tank was the perfect vehicle for very difficult conflict.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m50_ontos Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|VFEv4q3G5Us|'''Most unusual vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|YuBjyMQLRy0|'''Airmobile tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:44 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T114]]
* [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]]
* [[FIAT 6614]]
* [[R3 T106 FA]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4905-gamescom-m50-ontos-something-out-of-the-ordinary-en|[Devblog] M50 Ontos - Something Out of The Ordinary]]

{{TankManufacturer Allis-Chalmers}}
{{USA tank destroyers}}

P-38E

2024-01-23T10:30:36Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = P-38 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=p-38e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_p-38e.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]].

The P-38E is the first of the P-38 vehicles available in-game and is a very good plane. It gets an interceptor airspawn on most maps, which allows the P-38 to very often find itself above or at an equal altitude to its opponents. The main strength of the P-38E is its speed and energy retention, so it should be used accordingly - play it as an energy fighter or Boom 'n' Zoomer. The P-38E is also surprisingly manoeuvrable for such a large plane - while it can't outmanoeuvre single-engine fighters, it can put up a good fight.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 7,012 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 612 || 594 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.1 || 25.0 || 10.5 || 10.5 || rowspan="2" | 380
|-
! Upgraded
| 661 || 635 || 21.9 || 23.0 || 17.2 || 13.5
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 565 || 495 || 250 || ~9 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 380 || < 460 || < 500 || > 420
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 6,800 m || 1,050 hp || 1,176 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 7 mm steel - in front of cockpit
* 7 mm steel - pilot seat
* 10 mm steel behind pilot head
* 38 mm bulletproof glass - behind windscreen

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|AN/M2 (20 mm)|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm AN/M2 cannon, nose-mounted (150 rpg)
* 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 2,000 total)

== Usage in battles ==


'''Air Realistic Battles'''

While fast at its BR, the P-38 is slower than most planes it will face at 3.7 and 4.0, more specifically the Fw 190 A-1 and the Bf 109 F-4 and F-4/trop, although it does have an airspawn, which can be used to have the advantage on these enemies. Attempt to pick out planes at its BR and/or planes that are slower than it, then target them.

When dealing with faster opponents, evade and use teammates. If the direction it is caught going in is opposite to the team's side of the map, a handy trick is rolling over and pulling 180 degrees until the plane comes out the other direction, a manoeuvre known as a split S. It gains speed (instead of a horizontal turn, which loses it) and exposes the plane to the minimum amount of enemy fire while doing so, which is important, as the P-38 is very broad in the wings and prone to catching fire due to the fuel tanks.

In terms of ammunition, Air Targets is preferential for the cannon and Universal for the MGs, if stealth is not used. There are other options, most notably Ground Targets for the cannon and Tracers or Ground Targets for the .50 cals, but the tracers on the .50 cals are weak, unlike the M20 API-T on the P-51s and P-47s, and ground pounding should be reserved for later parts of the game in case a bomber is climbing to space, as the plane is an interceptor and cannot carry suspended armaments.

Ammo conservation on the cannon is not very important; it has a low fire rate and does not jam easily once the 'New 20 mm Cannon' modification is unlocked; moreover, each shell has a high damage output, especially on stealth. The .50 cals can be sprayed indiscriminately.

As a bomber-hunter, the P-38E is superb. Its nose-mounted armaments allow it to sit a kilometer behind enemy bombers such as He 111s, outside of effective range of their guns but still able to hit hard with its 20 mm cannon.

Being given an airspawn is a useful advantage that allows you to either climb up to higher targets, or dive to the deck for ground targets. As an interceptor, your first targets are usually bombers and other heavy/less manoeuvrable aircraft. Your straight line speed can be used to keep up with targets, and your 20 mm and decent energy retention to destroy them. Your speed in a dive can also outrun any aircraft you may want to avoid.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Nose-mounted armaments give great long-range accuracy: no need to worry about convergence
* 500 rpg on 4 x .50 cal MGs allow for sustained fire
* 20 mm cannon can destroy most planes effectively, even in just a few shots
* Above average speed on the deck
* Decent at head-ons in a tight spot, due to the 20 mm cannon and nose-mounted .50 cals
* Can always get home with one engine left
* Very good flaps (flower flaps) can be used in dog fights

'''Cons:'''

* Very large airframe is easy to hit and burns quite easily
* Easy target when flying slow
* Subpar energy recovery after a dive or when turning
* Can't fight with one engine
* The tail is prone to snapping off when hit by cannon shells, even at long ranges

== History ==


Construction of the P-38 (XP-38) began in 1938 with a radically new type of fighter aircraft. Tasked with a twin-engine high-altitude interceptor, Lockheed Corporation built this aircraft to intercept and attack hostile aircraft at high altitudes. While the P-38D variants began to roll out with armoured windshields and self-sealing fuel tanks, it wasn't until October 1941 that the first combat-ready P-38E variants became available. The significant difference between the D and E variants came down to improved electrical and hydraulic systems, enhanced cockpit instruments and rearrangement of the nose-mounted machine guns. Due to the machine gun mounting configuration in the P-38D, they tended to jam frequently; however, with the off-set machine guns in the P-38E, ammunition belts had a straight feed into the guns.

Sent to Western Europe at the beginning of the war, P-38s operated with mixed results. While flying as bomber escorts, P-38s were often required to maintain formation with the bombers and not attack an enemy unless fired upon them first. German fighters realised this and would fly in high and from behind and would shoot the fighters and bombers without much recourse, downing many P-38s in this fashion. US military planners realised this error and allowed P-38s to leave formations to attack enemy aircraft when spotted.

P-38s spent time in North Africa and Italy, flying throughout the Mediterranean Theater; however, it was not until the P-38s started flying in the Pacific that this aircraft shined. Japanese aircraft had an advantage over the P-38 in their ability to turn. Still, the P-38s had a speed advantage that allowed them to build up energy in a dive, make an attack and then zoom away to a safe distance where they could turn around and make another attack run. With the centre-mounted machine guns on the P-38, they could begin shooting at a farther distance than the Japanese aircraft with wing-mounted machine guns configured for a specific convergence zone. Many missions required the tasking of P-38s, where large distances were needed to cover that many other US fighters did not have the fuel capacity for that type of assignment.

Over 10,000 P-38s were built throughout the war, seeing several upgrades and modifications, including cooling systems, propellers, engines and rocket tubes. The P-38 proved to be a valuable interceptor aircraft shooting down more Japanese aircraft than any other fighter employed during the war.

=== Notable pilots ===
[[File:Richard_Bong_portrait.jpg|thumb|none|300px|link=User:U64962917#Bong,_Richard_I.|Major [[User:U64962917#Bong, Richard I.|Richard Bong]] began military flight training in the {{PAGENAME}} after graduating from basic flight school in the single engine AT-6 Texan.]]

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=p-38e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|cHakCK96pjA|'''The Shooting Range #155''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:53 discusses the P-38 Lightning.}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Northrop [[P-61C-1|P-61]] Black Widow
* Savoia-Marchetti [[SM.92]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/272425-lockheed-p-38e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/PilotTrainingManualP38/page/n1/mode/2up/ AAF Manual 51-127-1 - Pilot Training Manual for the Lightning P-38]

{{AirManufacturer Lockheed}}
{{USA twin-engine fighters}}

AMX-13 (FL11)

2024-01-14T10:27:43Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about= French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= other variants
|link= AMX-13 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_13_fl_11
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-13/75 FL-11''' is the first subvariant of the [[AMX-13|AMX-13/75 FL-10]], which is the first variant of the [[AMX-13 (Family)|AMX-13 light tank family]]. France had been fighting in the First Indochina War for six years by February 1952. Jean Letourneau, French Minister of State for Relations with Associated States, requested that the most advanced light tank, the AMX-13/75 FL-10, be delivered to cavalry units fighting the Viet Minh. However, the massive FL-10 turret and its long, high-velocity 75 mm SA 50 L/57 tank gun were simply unsuitable for Vietnam. To meet such demands, it was decided that the AMX-13/75 FL-10 would need to be modified to be suited for confined environments within the jungle while also being light enough that it could be transported by air. This was accomplished by equipping the AMX-13/75 FL-10 hull with the new FL-11 turret, primarily designed for the [[E.B.R. (1951)|Panhard Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance (E.B.R.) Modèle 1951]]; it was smaller and lighter, and had a shorter gun that was more suited to the dense jungle environment, being able to more effectively use its high-explosive shell to provide infantry support. The new tank was designated AMX-13/75 FL-11. While it was a successful modification that saved 1.5 tonnes of weight, the vehicle still had to be completely disassembled to be air-transported, and the eventual end of the war meant that the tank would never enter mass-production. The initial batch of 5 units was ultimately sold to Morocco.

Introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]], the AMX-13/75 FL-11, like other light tanks, excels as a flanker and scout due to its extremely thin armour. The sloped upper glacis plate and turret front may deflect some rounds from weaker enemy tanks, but everything else will easily penetrate the AMX-13/75 FL-11 armour. Frontal assaults against the adversary should not be carried out with the AMX-13/75 FL-11. Furthermore, due to its sluggish reverse speed, it is difficult to return to cover after being detected; therefore, vigilant awareness of the surroundings is required in combat.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


This light tank actually has decent armour at its battle rating, especially in the turret front area where 40 mm sloped at ~60° will defeat some small calibre guns. However, although the turret's front armour is good, this does not mean you can just go hull down and be safe, it will only provide you a chance to survive a shot and reposition (a useful tactic to learn when playing the AMX-13). Everywhere else has only 20 mm of flat armour. The upper front plate is sloped at 66°, which may ricochet long-range shots. With only 10 mm of roof armour, stay away from low-flying aircraft as your own armament does not enable you to engage aerial threats.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof - rear, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret base, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm (38-40°) ''Turret base'' 20 mm (66°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission carter'' 20 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (32-34°) ''Turret base'' 20 mm Sides || 20 mm (32-34°) ''Turret base'' 15 mm (1°) ''Top'' 15 mm (44°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (24°) ''Front glacis'' 10 mm ''Centre'' 10 mm (5°) ''Rear'' 5 mm ''Vents''
|-
| Turret || 40 mm (spherical) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (spherical) ''Gun mantlet'' || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (cylindrical) || 40 mm (spherical) ''Turret front'' 10 (18°) ''Rear half''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (conical) ''Base'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || 20 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
* Storage boxes and mudguards are 4 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=418|rbMinHp=239}}

With a power ratio of 26.97 HP/ton in AB, or 15.42 HP/ton in RB ('''stock!'''), the {{PAGENAME}} chassis offers mobility that leave almost nothing to be desired (reverse speed is kind of slow with only -6 km/h). With its wide tracks, even soft terrain is not that hard to cross. The only thing to consider while driving this light tank is obstacles as they can significantly reduce your speed, thus making you vulnerable and/or less effective. One could make very good use of such a fast and small vehicle by avoiding contact while making a large flanking manoeuvre, scouting enemies and popping out sometimes to take down enemies from unexpected angles.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|SA49 (75 mm)}}

The 75 mm SA49 cannon is quite decent at the BR. Its only flaw being a bad firing arc (shell drops fast with distance), which makes long-range engagements inadvisable. Penetration rates are comparable to those of the Russian [[F-34 (76 mm)|F-34]] cannon or those of the British [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.V (57 mm)|QF 6-pounder]]'s stock shot. While not being the best gun at the BR, it certainly provides enough firepower to destroy any enemy's flank. Horizontal drive is fast, allowing for fast reaction shots in close range engagements. As for elevation angles, -6° of depression feels a bit lacking while 13° of elevation is clearly the worst thing about this configuration: you cannot engage air targets. One last thing to consider about your main gun: it is mounted on an oscillating turret, which makes stop-and-shoot tactics ineffective. Coaxial armament is the classic French MAC 31 with 100 rounds loaded and ready to turn those soft targets to shreds. A sweet addition to this tank is 4 smoke launchers located on the lower turret part's back, these can be used either to shield you and your allies from incoming fire, to cover your retreat or to hide your team's movements from enemy sight. Smoke launchers at this low BR prepares players to higher-ranking battlefields and tactic opportunities, make sure to master them.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA49 (75 mm)|75 mm SA49]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 24.8 || 34.3 || 41.6 || 46.0 || 48.9 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 15.5 || 18.2 || 22.1 || 24.4 || 26.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA49 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M89}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || 32 ''(+5)'' || 21 ''(+16)'' || 13 ''(+24)'' || 5 ''(+32)'' || 1 ''(+36)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

The AMX-13 (FL11), in line with most light tanks, shines best as a flanker and scout, due to its almost non-existent armour. Some shots against lower tiers can be bounced off by the sloped upper glacis plate and turret front, but anywhere else will get penetrated with ease. A sub-par gun without APHE ammunition means frontal engagements are mostly out of the question.

Scout and flank, as any other light tank should. The AMX-13 (FL11) cannot stand up to direct assaults from the enemy; it has irrelevant armour, decent speed, a useable gun with lacking depression (especially facing forward), and only 3 crew. The bad reverse speed also makes it unable to retreat behind cover once discovered, so caution in engagements is advised. It is also worth noting that the low velocity and high drop rate of its shells allow the FL11 to engage from behind slopes without having to reveal itself.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent penetration
* Fairly small and has a low profile: easy to hide, helps scouting
* Good mobility
* Has smoke launchers
* Poorly aimed shots may bounce off the 40 mm sloped turret
* Unlike most light tanks, impervious to HMG from the front
* Engine in the front protects crew in head on engagements
* Has access to the same APCBC shot with HE filler as the [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Shermans]]

'''Cons:'''

* Very bad gun handling
* Long reload time
* Low velocity cannon: long-range shots are hard to land
* Unstable cannon pitch up when firing, makes it difficult to stay on target
* Unstable cannon pitch up when braking, makes it difficult and slow to acquire targets right after stopping
* Mediocre gun depression (especially facing forward)
* Bad reverse
* Bad elevation and no top-mounted MG makes it vulnerable to aircraft
* Turret area is filled with ammo
* Missing stabilizer and .50 cal hmg compared to the m24 chaffee which has a somehow lower BR at 3.7
* Lamps on the hull will stop you from aiming from specific angles

== History ==

{{main|AMX-13#History|l1=History of the AMX-13}}

===Development===
In 1952, the First Indochina War had been raging for six years. The French Army was facing a better and better armed enemy and their cavalry units were still equipped with WW2 tanks like the M24 or the M5A1. The French government decided to send the latest developed French tank, the AMX-13, in Indochina. However, the AMX-13 needed to undergo modifications for the South-Eastern theater. The large FL-10 autoloader turret and the long 75 mm gun made the AMX-13 unadapted for the logistical constraints of the colonial conflict (limited air transport capabilities and combat in constricted urban environments).

That's why a new turret was installed (the FL-11 equipping the Panhard EBR reconnaissance armoured car) which was smaller, lighter and sporting a shorter 75 mm gun. The new turret made the tank less tall and shorter in overall length. However, the new turret was cramped, which was detrimental to the manual reloading of the gun. No major modification was brought to the hull: the only noticeable difference was the shift from 4 track return rollers to 2.

The production started in 1954 with an order for 20 units but only 5 were produced. By that time, the First Indochina War had come to an end and the need for such an urban combat vehicle had disappeared.

===Combat usage===
The 5 {{PAGENAME}} were allocated to the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment in Oujda, Morocco. They never saw combat action and were sold in 1956 to the Moroccan Army following the country's independence. The light tanks stayed in the Moroccan arsenal until 1973. It is unclear if they ever saw combat under Moroccan flag.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_13_fl_11 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|G-sMfeWsEq0|'''The Shooting Range #148''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:38 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|uhgodizubC4|'''The Shooting Range #77''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:19 discusses the AMX-13.}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[AMX-13 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M24 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-13|[Wikipedia] AMX-13]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar-france-amx-13-avec-tourelle-fl-11/ <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-13 Avec Tourelle FL-11]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France light tanks}}

Yak-1

2024-01-01T11:33:11Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Soviet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Yak-1 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=yak-1_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Yakovlev Yak-1''' is the first variant of the [[Yak-1 (Family)|Yak-1 fighter aircraft family]]. Early-production Yakovlev fighter aircraft were among the greatest piston-engine fighters created during World War II, despite often being overshadowed by their Western counterparts in media (especially the [[Spitfire (Family)|Supermarine Spitfire]], [[P-51 (Family)|P-51 Mustang]], [[Bf 109 (Family)|Messerschmitt Bf 109]], and [[Fw 190 (Family)|Focke-Wulf Fw 190]]). Across all of the Yak fighter aircraft families combined, it is easily the most produced fighter aircraft of World War II, with around 37,000 total aircraft produced. The Yakovlev bureau created the Yak-1 in response to a Soviet government request in 1938 for a fighter made mostly of wood for ease of maintenance, repair, and, most importantly, mass production. The initial design was named "Ya-26 Krasavec" and first flew in March 1939. The aircraft was given the designation "I-26" after the Soviet Air Force approved its mass production. However, once production began, the aircraft's designation changed to the more common "Yak-1" naming system. The success of the Yak-1 inspired several other successful designs, pushing Yakovlev to the top tier of Soviet fighter aircraft engineering for decades to come. Ultimately, the Yak-1 brought the Soviet Air Force on par with competing German designs during World War II (Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters), significantly improving aerial combat tactics that went beyond what the old Russian Empire had to offer.

Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Yak-1 is a capable turn-fighter, with high energy retention and a fast dive speed. It also provides considerable firepower in the early ranks, armed with a single 20 mm ShVAK cannon and two 7.62 mm ShVAK light machine guns. This aircraft performs excellently at medium-low altitudes; however, due to its thin wings and poor rate of climb at higher altitudes, it falls short of a high-altitude fighter. The aircraft can be used as a horizontal turn fighter against most monoplane fighters, but keep a watch out for high-altitude boom and zoom fighters. If the situation worsens, a possible escape could be to fly low and fast. The Yak-1 has minimal armour protection; in particular, head-on hits from an opponent risk knocking the pilot out or damaging the water-cooling radiator, which will cause the engine to quickly overheat, and the wings are also rather fragile. While the Yak-1 should not be utilized for ground attacks, it can be employed as a last resort to destroy unarmoured ground targets if the final flying opponent happens to be fleeing.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 555 || 538 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.0 || 19.6 || 13.1 || 13.1 || rowspan="2" | 320
|-
! Upgraded
| 601 || 577 || 17.1 || 18.0 || 19.6 || 16.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 675 || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 280 || ~11 || ~8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 380 || < 420 || < 490 || > 340
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,300 m || 1,081 hp || 1,211 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,200 m || 1,015 hp || N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 8 mm steel behind the pilot
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in each wing)
* Oil cooling system located underneath engine
* Liquid cooling system located behind and under the pilot

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, nose-mounted (110 rpg)
* 2 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, nose-mounted (620 rpg = 1,240 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|FAB-100 (100 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (100 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (200 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

Due to the Yak-1's manoeuvrability and armament, the main role will be employed as a fighter in the game. The Yak-1 can be used as a turn fighter (see next section for aircraft to avoid while turn fighting), boom & zoomer or energy fighter. The Yak-1 performs well in the mid to lower altitudes but loses mobility in the higher altitudes.

* '''Ground attack:''' This should be avoided due to low speeds needed allowing the Yak-1 to become an easy target for enemy aircraft (especially biplanes).

* '''Bomber hunting:''' This is a risky option as bombers typically fly in the higher altitudes where the Yak-1 starts losing its manoeuvrability. The lack of armour on the Yak-1 makes it vulnerable to turret gunners and it is very easy to lose the pilot, engine or a wing to them. When hunting bombers, the Yak-1 can utilise a head-on approach going for the pilots (pilot sniping) or the engines; otherwise employ the speed of the Yak-1 by diving from a higher altitude towards the front of the bomber aiming for the cockpit, engine or wings. If failing to destroy the bomber on the first pass, exercise patience and set up for another diving pass, any other way the Yak-1 risks bleeding crucial speed in making a quick turn in an attempt to finish off the bomber. Here, quick turns will expose the Yak-1 to any turrets on the plane which would otherwise have a very difficult time acquiring a firing solution on a zooming fighter which is quickly out of their range.

====Specific enemies worth noting====


* '''Spitfires:''' The Spitfire's superior turning ability gives it an edge over the Yak-1's manoeuvrability. Turn fighting against a Spitfire is very difficult in a Yak-1, usually resulting in the Yak-1 being unable to shake or outrun the Spitfire. Baring any mistakes made by the Spitfire pilot, the Yak-1 will have a very difficult time gaining an advantage or escaping.

* '''A6M Zeroes:''' Much like the Spitfires, the A6M Zeros are superior turn fighters and have the added bonus of being armed with 20 mm auto cannons giving the Japanese fighter a firepower boost against the Yak-1.
* '''Bf 109 Friedrichs:''' The Bf 109 F1 is at the same br as the Yak-1, the Bf 109 F is faster, climbs better, has better energy retention, and better all around high altitude performance than the Yak-1. The Yak-1 should attempt to lure the Bf 109 into a low altitude (below 3000m) turnfight where the Yak has the advantage.

====Counter-tactics====

'''When attacking a Yak-1, specific areas to exploit:'''

* When attacking in a Spitfire or A6M Zero, engage in a turn fight, bait the Yak-1 into tight turns to bleed its speed.
* Bait the Yak-1 to higher altitudes, the higher it goes, the less manoeuvrable it becomes and the more limited their options become.
* The Yak-1 does not have any armour plates in the front and is susceptible to pilot sniping, wing snapping, engine/fuel tank fires and overheating with a few well-placed shots from cannons or machine guns.
* Non-turn fighting aircraft should rely on Boom & Zoom tactics in an attempt to take out a Yak-1.

'''If there's a Yak-1 on the tail:'''

* If your plane has similar or better turn compare to the Yak-1 drastically reduce speed and turn in hopes of an overshoot.
* If your plane is faster or has better high speed performance than the Yak-1, dive at a high angle and make evasive maneuvers, the Yak-1 has a low rip speed and compresses at high speed.
* Keep moving around, try to keep your cockpit at an 180 degree angle to the Yak-1, so the Yak-1 cannot get acquire a firing solution with its cannon, causing the Yak-1 to expend all of its rounds (in AB this then gives a ~40-second window to attempt to get away or reverse roles before the Yak-1 cannon has reloaded).
* Drag the Yak-1 back towards teammates and set the Yak-1 up to be an easy target for comrades/teammate to take out.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Highly manoeuvrable.
* Good acceleration and top speed at low altitudes.
* Even though its frame is constructed of wood, the Yak can take a lot of punishment and still perform well.
* Powerful cannon with limited ammo/dual machine guns with an adequate amount of ammo.
* Neutral gas pressurization makes hits to fuel tanks harder to set it on fire.

'''Cons:'''

* Engine overheats quite easily, forcing the pilot to slow down or return to base to allow it to cool (engine is notorious for overheating and ceasing to work mid-dogfight if run at 100% or WEP). Operating the engine at 97% reduces chances for engine overheating while maintaining very good aircraft performance.
* Elevator compresses at high speeds, so turning or pulling up in a dive can be a struggle.
* No armour to protect the pilot from the front, engine or fuel tanks, almost doomed if set on fire.
* Wings are an easy target when trying to loop in a dogfight, and they almost always get hit.
* Cannon ammo runs out very quickly if not carefully monitored (in AB, reloading at every opportunity is advised).
* Single powerful gun requires good aim and knowledge of aircraft weak spots to be used effectively ("spray and pray" causes ammo to deplete very quickly).

== History ==

In 1939 the Soviet Command was looking for a replacement for their outdated [[I-153 M-62|I-153 Chaikas]] and [[I-16 type 10|I-16 Ishaks]]. Yakovlev was part of a Soviet delegation on a visit to the German aviation industry in October 1939. His interest was in aerodynamic design and during a visit at Heinkel, their new radiator lacking He 100 fighter was shown to them. Three (''or ten'') vehicles were bought by the CCCP. While the He 100 was producing record level top speeds, the surface cooling technology and other handling characteristics tainted the aircraft with the Soviets and were marked unsuitable, like in Germany.<ref name="Main Source">[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakowlew_Jak-1#Entwicklung German Wikipedia, figuratively translated], From the German Wikipedia Yak-1 article. The text was figuratively translated.</ref>

Already by January 1940 a first prototype was ready for taking off. Baptized I-26 (Istrebitel -> Fighter), the test flights were marked by a horrible accident as Julian I. Piontkowski, a test pilot for every Yakovlev plane, crashed and died. Fortunately for the plane's designers, the aircraft's construction was not found to be the cause of the accident and state supervised tests continued until November 1940. Serial production subsequently started in December 1940 under the new designation "''Yak-1''".<ref name="Main Source" />

By the time of the German invasion, all of the new fighters were delegated to the defence of Moscow, as was the [[MiG-3-15|MiG-3]].<ref name="Main Source" />

=== Notable pilots ===
[[File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.| While Soviet male pilots were being upgraded with newer Lavochkin fighters, women fighter pilots such as [[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] were supplied with the older '''Yak-1''' fighters.]]

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=yak-1_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
Image:Cockpit Yak-1.jpg|Cockpit of the Yak-1 explained
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|pqIEFBoiv3I|'''The Shooting Range #332''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:59 relates a nighttime interception with a Yak-1.|y0_BqznV4Rc|'''Community Choice, Yak-1. From a loss to a win.''' - ''Joseph 2000''|1zlt_uBS6KE|'''The Shooting Range #157''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:02 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|fTrx84KhtkM|'''Yak-1: 2 types of overshooting - Defensive flying''' - ''Green Fury''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/668|[Devblog] Yak-1]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/179339-yakovlev-yak-1/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wikipedia:Yakovlev_Yak-1|[Wikipedia] Yakovlev Yak-1]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{AirManufacturer Yakovlev}}
{{USSR fighters}}

Strv 103C

2023-12-30T14:34:50Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About|about=Swedish medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''|usage=other versions|link=Strv 103 (Family)}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_strv_103c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the final production variant of the S-tank family. In defense decision 1982, it was planned to withhold acquiring new tanks, which meant the existing tanks and the [[Strv 103 (Family)|Strv 103]]s had to undergo renovations. The vehicles were improved with a better Detroit Diesel engine for better manoeuvrability, a laser rangefinder integrated with the gunner sight for better distance accuracy, and built-in dozer blade on all Strv 103Cs for better protection of the lower front of the hull, as well as side skirt protection to improve the overall survivability of the vehicle.

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. An improved version over the [[Strv 103A]] with better manoeuvrability, better and modern shells, and lastly improved survivability with a fence at the front to protect the hull from HEAT and HEAT-FS rounds, side skirts were added to improve side protection as well. Being a hull-aim based vehicle makes its low silhouette easy to hide behind low cover, also able to use the hydraulics to peek over small hills without exposing too much of itself and take a quick shot then go back into hiding and either manoeuvre to a new position or hope the enemy vehicle did not notice from where the {{PAGENAME}} fired from so it can take another peek and fire again. The {{PAGENAME}}, like the preceding [[Strv 103A]], has a fast reloading 105 mm gun and can fire every four seconds to hit with a rapid devastating fire on unaware enemies.

== General info ==
The {{PAGENAME}} is a Swedish MBT with a unique design compared to all other tanks of the same era. The S-tank, as it is more commonly known, makes use of the hull to direct fire at various targets. This feature requires the unique "Enable Hull aiming" key, which turns the tank from its regular cruising mode, into a fixed turret, capable of aiming wherever the player points their cursor. The reason the {{PAGENAME}} made use of hull-aimed weaponry becomes apparent when looking at the armour. The {{PAGENAME}} has armour sloped back more than 75 degrees, giving it strong frontal protection, with a high likelihood of causing enemy shells to ricochet. Another luxury a hull-fixed gun offers is the use of an automatic loading system. The {{PAGENAME}} can fire its main 105 mm cannon every four seconds, no matter the amount of crewmen left. Paired with high mobility, and the {{PAGENAME}} becomes one of the most unique main-battle tanks in the game. With a bit of ingenuity and patience, the {{PAGENAME}} works at all ranges, in almost all conditions imaginable.

This isn't to say the {{PAGENAME}} is without flaws. The tank is incredibly vulnerable to flanking manoeuvres, as the side and rear have a thickness of 30 mm. It usually doesn't matter what kind of vehicle gets behind the {{PAGENAME}}, as even SPAA has no issues penetrating the tank. The gun is also filled with drawbacks, especially relating to the aiming. Due to hull-aiming relying on the ground below it, aiming becomes increasingly difficult on uneven terrain as the tank tries to compensate for things in the way. This results in shaky, and highly inaccurate aiming at longer ranges. The tracking is also bad, as the tank finds it difficult to adjust the speed at which it steers neutrally. This requires a {{PAGENAME}} tanker to wait for the target to cross its line of sight, instead of following it along its path. The armour is incredibly weak against APFSDS rounds and ATGM missiles. These usually have enough penetration to knock the tank out in a single blow, exploding the ammunition in the rear as a final touch. As these types of munitions are quite common at this tier, the {{PAGENAME}} can't rely on armour against most opponents on the battlefield. A positive is that weaker types of munitions usually can't reach the crew compartment, resulting in the {{PAGENAME}} surviving 3-5 shells before dying from engine fires.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''External survivability'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is outfitted with incredible frontal protection. This strong impenetrability isn't thanks to composite, but rather sloping. The {{PAGENAME}} has an incredible frontal slope of over 75 degrees. This results in a lot of ricochets from outdated types of munition, which lack significant velocity to damage the tank. Chemical rounds, which penetrate high amounts independent of velocity, have a higher likelihood of penetrating the vehicle. These shells don't bounce off as easily, while still carrying large penetration values. In order to counter this, the {{PAGENAME}} was outfitted with a unique external armour package. Commonly referred to as a "HEAT fence", the {{PAGENAME}} is able to counter upper-plate detonations by fusing them ahead of the armour itself. This hinders chemical rounds from causing heavy post-penetration damages, which increases frontal impenetrability. The lower plate has also been strengthened by the introduction of a dozer blade. This adds an extra 20 mm of angled armour, which comes handy against stronger types of munition. The sides have also been slightly enhanced by the introduction of 5mm fuel-canisters acting as side skirts.

'''Internal survivability'''

Once a shell penetrates the vehicle, the {{PAGENAME}} has to rely on its layout. Since the S-tank is entirely hull-designed, everything is incredibly compact to accommodate its varying features. The engine is placed at the front of the vehicle, followed by the crew compartment and lastly ammunition storage. When a frontal penetration occurs, a tanker can consider these compartments as varying grades of damage. Engine penetrations are usually fine, as the only way to take the tank out is by igniting it several times. Shells reaching the crew compartment can be severe, as the tank only has 3 members. Thanks to the last-stand feature, only one member needs to be alive. This can result in a lot of tanked hits, since it's difficult for the enemy to locate which member is still left. Finally, the {{PAGENAME}} is usually destroyed in a single hit if the post-penetration is strong enough to reach the rear ammunition storage. A tanker can still luck out if the shell penetrates the left-side when carrying 26 rounds, as only the right side will be filled.

A universal strength is the upper ribbed armour package. Previously introduced on the [[Strv 103A]], this package allows the {{PAGENAME}} to "shred" incoming projectiles. Thanks to the introduction of volumetric shells, no subcalibre round can currently sneak through this package. Due to heavy angling, and being placed behind the fence itself, it reaches thickness levels of between 500 and 1200mm, making it one of the strongest armour layouts in the game.

A universal weakness is slightly above and below the sharp edge where the upper and lower plate meets. This area can be easily penetrated by both chemical and conventional rounds. With varying damage depending on post-penetration effect. Aiming below the gun-barrel can also knock it out in the process, leaving the {{PAGENAME}} incredibly vulnerable.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* High hardness rolled armour - Slat

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm (77°) ''Upper Glacis'' 40 mm (74°) + 20 mm ''Lower Glacis'' || 30 mm +10-20 mm ''Upper'' 30 mm ''Lower'' || 30 mm || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 35 mm || 35 mm || 35 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Tracks are 20 mm thick while the suspension is 15 mm thick.
* Slat armour is 50 mm thick.
* Sideskirts are 4 mm thick.
* The crew compartment is lined with 10 mm RHA.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1057|rbMinHp= 690}}

When glancing over the stat-card of the {{PAGENAME}}, it can be easy to assume the tank has inferior mobility to the earlier variants. But thanks to the tank utilizing the turbine in tandem with the more powerful diesel engine, it ends up being one of the most powerful engines at its BR. This catches a lot of opponents off-guard, as they generally don't expect the {{PAGENAME}} to be able to change positions quickly. This can also surprise wounded opponents, as they usually think they're safe hiding behind smaller obstacles without the {{PAGENAME}} coming towards them. And when facing opponents lacking any form of subcalibre munitions to deal with the {{PAGENAME}}, a tanker can find enjoyment scaring them by simply charging at their position.

The {{PAGENAME}} suffers from a severe lack of turrets, which makes it vulnerable to bad positioning. Turreted tanks can easily deal with enemies coming from the sides, without exposing a lot of weak spots. The {{PAGENAME}} needs to turn the entire vehicle, which often proves fatal. To avoid this, it's important to practice driving in reverse. The {{PAGENAME}} goes almost top-speed in both directions, making it viable to drive in reverse if the tank requires immediate repositioning. Combining this with smoke-grenades makes it impossible for the enemy to predict where the vehicle currently is.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L74 (105 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is outfitted with the Bofors L74 105 mm cannon. This cannon is identical to the earlier versions of the S-tank. There is some slight visual differences, as the cannon is now welded to the chassis, rather than just drilled through on the earlier variants. But the main difference lies in the ammunition. The {{PAGENAME}} gets access to the DM23 subcalibre shell. This is a treat at its BR, as not all tanks get access to it. The {{PAGENAME}} benefits greatly from this upgrade, as shots don't require the same amount of precision as before to land a devastating hit. This makes it more forgiving to aim, which is especially helpful with the sometimes janky hull-aiming a tanker may experience. But to compensate even further, the {{PAGENAME}} features the same autoloader as any other S-tank, allowing it to fire up to 50 shells with a mere 4-second interval between each round. This makes the {{PAGENAME}} the fastest firing DM23 tank in the game, allowing for some incredible killing sprees when positioned correctly.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L74 (105 mm)|105 mm L74]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+12° || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || 33.6 || 33.6 || 40.8 || 45.1 || 48.0 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.0 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:L74 (105 mm)/Ammunition|slpprj m/62, slpprj m/80, slsgr m/61A, rökgr m/61, Shell L35}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
|-
| '''50''' || 46 ''(+4)'' || 41 ''(+9)'' || 36 ''(+14)'' || 31 ''(+19)'' || 26 ''(+24)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 21 ''(+29)'' || 16 ''(+34)'' || 11 ''(+39)'' || 6 ''(+44)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|ksp 58 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ksp 58 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm ksp 58]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 500 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 500 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 1,500 (250) || 600 || -10°/+30° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Long-range Maps'''

A natural fit for the {{PAGENAME}} is long distance engagements. With its high fire-rate and fast shell, paired with unmatched optics and laser rangefinder, it has all the tools to dominate opponents at longer distances. The {{PAGENAME}} should be spawned as early as possible, swiftly positioned far ahead of the team, with plentiful amounts of cover to compensate for its lacklustre survivability against subcalibre munitions. Since the tank has incredible mobility, and almost impenetrable frontal protection in hull-down positions, the S-tank creates hell for the enemy team, forcing them to strategically flank the vehicle, or attack it with guided missiles. The gun barrel can still get knocked out, forcing the {{PAGENAME}} to back away for a few seconds to repair. This can prove costly however, as this window of opportunity can be wide enough to allow a flanking manoeuvre by the enemy team.

Having teammates substantially increases the tank's survivability against flanking opponents, as a turreted teammate can easily engage enemies trying to sneak a final shot in.

'''Close-range Maps.'''

Realizing the upsides and downsides of the {{PAGENAME}} makes it clear the vehicle was never designed for close-range engagements. This downside does show its truth as the vehicle can't fire on the move effectively, and is forced to take it slow in order to not get blasted from the side in a single shot. Either way, these maps can't be ignored when spading the vehicle, or when trying to research its more conventional brother, the [[Strv 104]]. Despite its flaws, the many upsides still have a lot of usage in closer engagements, and can result in high kill games, despite the uncomfortable surroundings. At the start of a match, the mobility should still be used to its limits. The {{PAGENAME}} only really gets to move freely without any form of danger at the beginning of the match where opponents haven't yet secured any areas of the map, so it's important to take a good position as early as possible. Hiding behind buildings and corners is highly effective, as getting flanked won't occur as often. The tank can very effectively fight off one enemy at a time, but struggles to focus on several opponents at once, due to the lack of a conventional turret. This forces the {{PAGENAME}} to pick off targets when they're busy with something else. Alternatively, if the {{PAGENAME}} sees opponents incapable of effectively penetrating its frontal protection, it can calmly peek out of cover to attack, without any danger, as even if the barrel gets damaged, the tank can swiftly reverse back at max speed.

Having a coordinated teammate can prove devastating for the enemy team, as a turreted teammate can easily fend off opponents from directions the {{PAGENAME}} can't handle. Thanks to the tanks amazing survivability, the {{PAGENAME}} can coordinate with a lesser armoured teammate, to work as a spearhead against incoming shells. As soon as the {{PAGENAME}} gets crippled, a teammate can easily jump in to deal with the distracted opponents. Since the {{PAGENAME}} needs to repair a lot due to commonly sustaining damage, having a teammate that can lower repair times is incredibly helpful.

{{Notice
|Always smoke when you get immobilized in the {{PAGENAME}}! After smoking you can angle the tank vertically with the use of hull-aiming, making it difficult for the enemy to deal more damage.|!
}}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High penetration shells - Access to Swedish DM23 rounds
* High survivability - Able to tank most rounds from the front
* New HEAT "fence" - Counters most Chemical rounds
* Strong turbine engine - Gives the tank high mobility & good off-road performance
* Low silhouette - Capable of hiding behind walls and small hills
* Can be alive with only 1 crew

'''Cons:'''

* Weak to subcalibre shells - Compact design results in high post-penetration damage
* Weak side & rear protection - Unable to survive against any high-calibre round
* Unable to fire while moving
* Poor stock performance - Weak stock rounds and slow acceleration
* Loud turbine & diesel engine - Difficult to silently hide
* Hull aiming is hard to use

== History ==


Strv 103C is the last official series of the S tank, in the army decision 1972 and 1982 it was decided that getting a new tank for the army was going to be postponed to the 1990s and the Swedish army at time would focus on lighter combat vehicles. So to modernize the S tanks, the Strv 103Bs had to go through a renovation with upgrading the systems and improve the vehicles in a so called REMO (Renovation and Modification) process and it was not until 1986 the first Strv 103B got its REMO done and was designated Strv 103C.

In the Renovation and Modification process the Strv 103Bs got upgraded from a Rolls Royce piston engine to a Detroit Diesel engine, dozer blade on all "S" Tanks that used to be only 1 of 3 Strv 103s equipped with that, new tracks, new external fuel tanks in the form of 22 litre jerry cans that were attached on the sides that also worked as extra protection to the side armour, laser rangefinder that was integrated with the aimsight for the gunner, Lyran 71mm illuminating mortar and new gearbox.

It was not until 1988 that all 290 Strv 103Bs had been renovated to Strv 103C where they stayed in service until 1997 the Strv 103 saw the last of its service in the armed forces.

=== [[wt:en/news/6505-development-strv-103-0-last-man-standing-en|Devblog]] ===
In the immediate postwar years, Sweden began looking for a replacement to the Centurion tanks, then in service with its army. The most straightforward solution was to once again look into the export market for potential candidates, although engineers were already working on a domestic design - the Kranvagn. While this process was ongoing, an engineer by the name of Sven Berge came up with a radical new tank design in 1956.

This new vehicle featured a turretless design with a cannon fixed to the hull, which would be trained onto its targets with the precise use of an adjustable suspension system. The design was based on results from a study on tank crew casualties during WWII and the Korean War, which showed a correlation between tank height and hit probability. As such, the 'S-Tank' was kept very small in dimensions and low in profile, while also utilizing some innovative new engineering solutions, such as a mixed power plant consisting of a diesel engine and a gas turbine.

In 1959, the Swedish government approved the construction and testing of two prototypes. In 1960, a pre-production batch of 10 vehicles of the '0-serie' was ordered for field trials, which went on into the mid '60s. Generating more than favorable test results, the vehicle was formally ordered into production and procured as the 'Stridsvagn 103'.

Despite its original purpose being to replace the Centurion tanks in the Swedish Army, the Strv 103 ended up serving alongside it for a number of decades, until it was ultimately decommissioned in the late 1990s. By that time, 290 Strv 103s were built, spanning over five variants.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_strv_103c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200px">
File:Strv 103C 1.png|thumb|Strv 103C after firing main gun
File:Strv 103C 2.png|thumb|Strv 103C in forest
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|5PAkCJChYNI|'''Maximum Swedish Frustration - Strv 103c''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|uQVze1fZYw4|'''The {{PAGENAME}} Main Battle Tank''' - ''Orangefan''|C7cb7GlOnSY|'''Tank Chats #117 - Stridsvagn 103''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/Sweden/Stridsvagn-103.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Strivsvagn-103 (1956)]

{{TankManufacturer AB Bofors}}
{{Sweden medium tanks}}

Sherman III/IV

2023-12-30T14:20:58Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Swedish medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M4 Sherman (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_sherman_3_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Sherman_III-IV.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The Sherman III/IV has a similar armour profile to the M4A2, but without the additional side armour squares, and also due to the lack of a hull machine gun, it loses the MG-port weak spot. It still has the spot of thinner armour on the front of the turret (area ground out to fit the stabilizer) that most of the other 75 Shermans have.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (46°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5-108 mm (2-55°) ''Transmission area'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (23-43°)|| 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8-76.2 mm (10-41°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (4-32°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 51 mm || 51 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
| Cupola || 51 mm || 51 mm || 51 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Upper front plate has consistent thickness due to lack of MG port weak spot
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (51 mm) than the rest (76 mm).
* Driver and Machine gunner hatches are 25.4 mm thick

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

Even though the Sherman III/IV is on the slower side in terms of Shermans, its mobility is still good, with a quick acceleration and a high top speed. Due to a lack of neutral steering, turning in this tank can be slow from stationary.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

75 mm M3 gun is a competent, well-handling gun for a medium tank. Even without any modifications, its ability to fulfil its role, though where it begins to shine is with the M61 shot. Default, M72, suffers from issues typical to US and British solid shots - poor post-penetration effects. This means it's preferable to take down enemy gunner first, usually by hitting the right side of the turret.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 66 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M3 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M89}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Sherman_III-IV.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''66''' || 57 ''(+9)'' || 45 ''(+21)'' || 24 ''(+42)'' || 1 ''(+65)'' ||No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* First stage ammunition is 23 rounds.
* To enter battle with the sponsons empty bring 45 ''(+21)'' shells (1st and 2nd racks empty).

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun on this tank is a general-purpose 7.62 mm M1919A4 Browning machine gun mounted in the coaxial position. A typical machine gun not too unlike on many other vehicles, the machine gun is just average. You will not be able to damage much besides sniping crew in open top vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75 mm gun and with good handling characteristics, this tank can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the Sherman performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the Sherman is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the Sherman immediately. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the chances of success on the battlefield.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

M4A2/[[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For an M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock out most of the time. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's an M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenceless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1 and variants]] - A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is the KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick frontal armour. If this heavy tank is encountered, try to shoot it in its sides and rear, where its armour is thinner and unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill (Family)|Churchill]] heavy tanks - The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]] - The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]] - Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to incapacitate the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly knock out this vehicle with a single shot. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

[[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]] - This German half-track is armed with a potent 88 mm gun that can easily knock you out in one shot. However, the gun has a long reload and the half-track has literally no armour to speak of. Also, its crew members are spread out so you're going to need multiple shots to put it down. The shell you should use while dealing with this is of course your HE shell, packed with over 600 g of explosive. First, you take out the gun. The HE shell will also knock out most of the crew members around it too, as an added bonus. Then, take out the two crew members in front of the Flak 37. This may require some more careful aiming, but if you manage to get a good shot, it will likely destroy the vehicle immediately.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great firepower: adequate penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and knock out most opponents
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Well angled frontal hull provides protection against small calibre / low-penetration guns (e.g. 75 mm M3, 50 mm KwK39), and even large calibre guns when angled correctly.
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics
* Missing the average Sherman MG weak spot

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get penetrated and knocked out by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]]/G, [[StuG III F]]/G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]] by a single shot
* The M61 shell struggle to penetrate angled targets like [[StuG III G]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used MG151 15/20 mm
* Lack of M2 Browning machine gun seen on most other Shermans means anti-aircraft defense is weak and removes the extra option for taking out lighter vehicles or shooting off tracks without having to use your main gun.

== History ==

After World War II, Sweden purchased a few surplus Sherman tanks from Britain for evaluation and to learn about foreign tank design. They were tested in field conditions. All of the Shermans did quite well in the tests and were praised for their reliability and ease of use even with inexperienced drivers, and while not being made for the winter conditions they were testing in. Even though the tank was viewed favourably, Swedish never fully adopted the Sherman nor did the examples they did obtain see combat service. Inability to purchase more with sufficient spare parts, and other better vehicles being available may be some of the reasons for this decision. The tallness of the Sherman, and the weaknesses brought with that height were a partial inspiration for the future [[Strv 103 (Family)|Strv 103]] which was focused on minimizing height.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_sherman_3_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

* Swedish Evaluation of the Sherman: http://tanks.mod16.org/2016/09/30/swedish-impressions-of-the-sherman/

{{Sweden medium tanks}}
{{Sweden premium ground vehicles}}

Cromwell V

2023-12-29T05:23:08Z

U142055152: remove useless sentences and added new stuffs in Pros and Cons section

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Cromwell (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_a27m_cromwell_5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]. An adequately armoured cruiser tank that is armed with a rather inadequate [[Ordnance QF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm cannon]] due to poor post-penetration performance. However, the Cromwell V's speed makes it a very good flag runner akin to the [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]].

The Cromwell V, despite being a later and more modern version than the Mk I, has a slightly lower (3.0-3.3) BR than the [[Cromwell I|Mk.I]] and arrives first in the tech tree. This is due to its 75 mm gun, which offers less penetration than the [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)|57 mm]] in the Mk. I, and thus makes many higher BR tanks effectively invulnerable to it. Those few points of BR make little the difference; in its match-ups the Cromwell V is an average opponent, but will easily outrun anything on the map to take up effective positions for the first shot, and then doling out some of the worst damage in the game at its BR from its 75 before running off to another location.

This tank is not a beginner-friendly vehicle. Though fast, the vehicle's gun does not provide reliable victories against enemy tanks. Skill is required to maximize the vehicle's speed, rectangular armour, and firepower against enemy vehicles with AP rounds with HE fillers. Excellent aim is very important to get the job done.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (1°) ''Front plate'' 25.4 mm (71°) ''Front glacis'' 57 mm (18°) ''Joint plate'' 25.4 mm (65°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 32 mm || 14 mm
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (1°) ''Turret front'' 63.5 (1°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm || 57.1 mm (1°) || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=930|rbMinHp=531}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|OQF Mk.V (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm OQF Mk.V]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 23.8 || 32.9 || 40.0 || 44.2 || 47.1 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.9 || 17.5 || 21.3 || 23.5 || 25.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:OQF Mk.V (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M61 shot, M48 shell, M89}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || 50 ''(+14)'' || 45 ''(+19)'' || 31 ''(+33)'' || 17 ''(+47)'' || 12 ''(+52)'' || 0 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}

==== Optics ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! Which ones
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| x1.85 || x3.5
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | [[Pz.III L]]
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Cromwell fighting prowess is due to its manoeuvrability and gun rotation. This is thanks to the combination of the Rover Meteor engine, essentially a Rolls-Royce Merlin of Spitfire fame with the supercharger removed, and its Merrit-Brown triple-differential transmission. This gives the Cromwell power even while it manoeuvres so it maintains speed much better than those tanks using traditional clutch-and-brake systems like practically everything in this BR. This not only allows it to spin in place and easily run around obstacles, but it can also out-climb almost every tank in the game, allowing it to go places the enemy might not expect to find you. But mostly this gives it unmatched speed, allowing you to reach the good sniping spots before anyone else in the match. But there is a down side to the Cromwell's amazing speed, going in reverse will only let you go up to 3 km/h, and rarely will you be able to damage a tank enough to get a similarly effective second shot; either the tanks was still drivable and retreated to cover, angled to best bounce your next shot, or 1 shot you in return with APHE.

Once upgraded, the Cromwell's turret rotation is one of the best for the rank, only beaten by the [[T-34 (1940)|T-34]] that has a rotation speed of 29°/s (fully aced crew). This allows an upgraded Cromwell to quickly engage targets in different angles, important for close-quarter fighting. German tanks will come close to you but not be able to catch up with you in some situations, but this being said; '''do not''' go into the hell of battle thinking "My turret rotation is fast enough to beat all of youse!" because that will get the Cromwell destroyed by a tank who only needs to hit your turret from the front to disable you. And as said before your reverse speed isn't that fast so if you are in this situation all you can do is pray and hope that your team mates come up to help you out or in worst case scenario you get taken out straight away from a side on hit. But instead help out the team from a distance of around 0-550m or if you feel like sniping from a distance your max range is 850m.

The downside to this tank is its thin hull armour, especially on the sides. Everything on the map can penetrate the Cromwell hull, even from the front. This includes SPAAs, who will easily tear the Cromwell apart, especially the [[Wirbelwind]] that will do so at almost all ranges typically encountered and any angle. The Cromwell's turret is somewhat better off, with just over 60 mm on the front and sides, but the flat plates are easily penetrated by any type of shell. The closely packed interior means it's a one-hit-to-burn design for anything with a 75 mm, and at 3.3 BR these will be on almost all tanks you face. Keep moving! If you take a shot or get shot at, re-position, don't ever try to fight it out. You're so much faster and more manoeuvrable than anything you meet that you can almost always find a better location to go after any target. Just don't try to reverse; it's single reverse gear gets you 2 mph (3 km/h), meaning you're likely better off spinning in place and then driving away.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -12°.
* Very fast acceleration.
* Very sensitive brakes enables Cromwell to land shots almost immediately after stopping.
* Decent front turret armour of 64 mm, with overlapping plates adding up to around 150mm of armour
* Exceptional speed for a medium tank.
* Acceptable reload for 75 mm gun that allows a steady rate of fire.
* Armour can be compounded angled to the sides for extra effectiveness.
* Very good flanker and rushing caps at early game.
* Has neutral steering.
* Performs exceptionally well when working with other allied tanks with different role.
* Excellent manoeuvrability.
* Standard 5 crew members allow a margin of crew casualties before a decrease in combat performance.
* Low profile.
* Excellent climbing ability (both in reverse and forwards).
* Great turret rotation for a Rank 2 medium tank (beaten only by the T-34).
* Quite survivable with the interior plates

'''Cons:'''

* Only solid shot ammunition for armour-piercing shells with is not very amazing compared to APHE other tanks have
* 75 mm gun only average in anti-tank capabilities.
* The sensitive brakes can throw aim off in the instance, letting a prepared enemy fire first.
* Armour is only supported by raw thickness due to its flat, boxy construction. Requires manual compound angling to improve effectiveness.
* Using the Cromwell for frontal engagements is not advised, should use flanking tactics instead and let heavier allies like the Matildas and Churchills to take frontal assault.
* Weak side armour.
* Ammunition racks litter all around the hull center.
* Prone to fishtailing or breaking out, A and D keys can be merely tapped, effectively uncontrollable at high speeds.
* Very poor reverse speed, just 3 km/h (1.8 mph).
* Unlockable M61 APCBC shell with acceptable ricochet characteristics loses extra penetration the stock M72 shell has.
* Lacks any sort of gun stabilization.
* Gun elevation speed is extremely poor.
* Neutral steering only works on flat terrain.

== History ==

===Development===
Development for the tank started back in 1940, just around the time the [[Crusader Mk II|Crusader cruiser tank]] was being put into service in the British Army. The development of a stronger cruiser tank was initiated due to the belief that that the Crusader would become obsolete in the face of more advanced German tanks as the time pass. The initial plans was for the tank to mount the OQF 6-pounder gun and was to be completed in 1942. The project was taken up by three companies who submitted their designs. Vauxhall developed the ''A23'', a scaled down [[Churchill Mk III|Churchill tank]] with 75 mm of armour and a 12-cylinder Bedford engine. Nuffield developed the ''A24'' based off the Crusader that was powered by the Liberty engine and had an advantage of being put into production quickly. Leyland and Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon developed a design that was similar to Nuffield's, but with different suspension and track designs. All these designs were examined in January 1941 and it was decided that Nuffield's A24 would become the vehicle of choice for the project. Six prototypes of the vehicle, now called ''Cromwell I'' were ordered for delivery in the Spring of 1942, but arrived four months late, with current events making the tank designs outdated. Despite that, the tank was put into production and experienced an unsatisfactory performance history as being an under-powered tank. The lack of available tanks led to the demands for more 6-pounders on the battlefield, which were used to be mounted on the older tank designs.

When Britain entered the war, Rolls-Royce stopped producing cars and set up a team to find ways to use their production lines. The team was made under Roy Robotham at Clan Foundry near the city of Belper. Meeting with Henry Spurrier of Leyland, they talked tank designs and a project began of fitting a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine onto a tank. A Leyland-built Crusader was used for the test, removing the supercharger from the engine before installing it in the tank. The result was an absurdly fast tank, able to reach a speed of 80 km/h, estimated since timing the speed runs was difficult. The impressive performance had Leyland organize a production for 1,000 units of the engine, renamed as the ''Meteor''. This plan was changed after concerns of the engine's cooling was raised, Leyland decides to produce their own version of Meteor which was weaker (350 hp) compared to the Rolls design (500 hp). Thus, the Tank Board decided to just order the engine straight from Rolls-Royce for the Meteor engine. The A24 tank design with the Meteor engine was redesignated as the A27. During the development, Leyland suggested that the tank should be made to fit both the Meteor and the American-designed Liberty engine, thus the designation expanded to A27M (Meteor) and the A27L (Liberty) and were called ''Cromwell III'' and ''Cromwell II'' respectively. Leyland's attempt at building their own engine was abandoned. The A27M tank was made into a prototype and delivered on January 1942, it proved extremely mobile with its 600 hp engine and orders were placed for both engine versions. This proved difficult due to production difficulties with the Meteor and soon Leyland took over production of both versions. Production lines for the Meteor engine continued to be strained until late 1942, where Ernest Hives of Rolls met with Spencer Wilks of the company Rover made a deal in January 1943 to exchange factories, with Rolls establishing a Meteor engine factory at Barnoldswick, Lancashire.

Production of the tank began in November 1942 with new names given out the tanks. The original A24 Cromwell I from Nuffield was renamed the ''Cavalier'', the Liberty powered Cromwell II became the ''Centaur'', and the Meteor powered Cromwell III retained the name as the '''Cromwell'''. The actual Cromwell tank production was delayed until January 1943 due to low supply of Meteor engines until the Rover factory began producing it. With more Meteor engines being produced, the Centaur tanks were often converted to use the Meteor engine, turning them into Cromwells. Field tests with the tanks took place in August to September in 1943 alongside the [[M4A2|M4A2]] and M4A4 Shermans. The tests proved the Shermans to be more reliable than the Cromwell and Centaurs, needing only about 0.03 hours of mechanical attention every mile compared to the Cromwell's 0.07 hours per mile and the Centaur's 0.08 hours per mile. The two tanks were thus given time to iron out these deficiencies, the Cromwell suffered from oil leaks along with brake and clutch failures. While the tank suffered from these defects, the crews expressed their satisfaction of the designs for their speed and handling, but the Centaur was not given the same attention as the Cromwell. A second test in November had the Cromwell perform with improved results while the Centaur was still experiencing the same problems. The production model was finalized on February 2, 1944 after a specifications for a "Battle Cromwell" came in from Leyland, which included some design changes, an increase of 6 mm on the bottom of the tank, seam welding the joints, and the standard usage of the Meteor engine and the Merritt Brown transmission. The Centaur was relegated to training roles or modified for specialist roles such as anti-aircraft guns or engineering vehicles. Total production for the A27 tank series is 4,016 tanks, of which 950 are Centaurs and 3,066 are Cromwells.

===Design===
The Cromwell's frame used a riveted construction in its initial production models, but this later changed to welding. The frame was strengthened with bolted armour plates. Companies involved in the A27 production were LMS Railway, Morris Motors, Metro-Cammell, Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, and English Electric. Some of these models were not consistent in construction, such as some variants built with 360 mm wide tracks and some with 393 mm tracks. Suspension was the Christie suspension derived from the earlier cruiser tank designs. Four of the tanks's road wheels have shock absorbers, and no return rollers are available, the tracks are supported on the top of the large road wheels. The gearbox has five forward and one reverse gear, with the first forward gear made for confined areas and sharp turns. While the Meteor engine is capable of going faster, it is restricted to 540 hp output with a governor to avoid straining the engine and suspension. The Cromwell's armaments changed over a few times, it's initial model [[Cromwell I|mounted the 6-pounder gun]], but the later models mounted the 75 mm gun. The adaption was easy due to the 75 mm gun being a 6-pounder bored for the larger calibre. A 7.92 mm BESA machine gun was available for coaxial firing on the turret. The armour on the Cromwell started as a 76 mm plate, which increased gradually to 83 mm and 100 mm over time for additional protection.

The '''A27M Cromwell V''' was Cromwell variant that used the 75 mm gun and a welded construction, no riveting was used in the frame.

===Combat usage===
The British, at the time of Operation Overlord, primarily service the [[M4|M4 Sherman]] as the main tank of their armoured units, only the armoured brigades of the 7th Armoured Division were equipped with the Cromwell tanks. Although the Cromwell also saw use as armoured reconnaissance regiments in other British divisions such as the Guards Armoured Division and the 11th Armoured Division. Compared to the Sherman, the Cromwell was much faster, so fast that it earned the title as the fastest British tank in World War II. The Cromwell also presented a smaller profile, making it a lower target, and has a thicker frontal armour plate. However, the Cromwell's armour was not sloping, was not as reliable in comparison to the Sherman, and a slightly smaller crew space inside the tank. Nevertheless, the Cromwell proved very mobile and effective on the battlefield alongside the Sherman, often outflanking German armour with their superior speed to hit the tanks on their sides or rear. Since the Cromwells are not able to mount the larger and more powerful 17-pounder and a derivative, the [[Challenger|A30 Challenger]], met with production issues, Cromwell units were equipped with [[Sherman Firefly|Sherman Fireflies]] in order to supplement the firepower of the 17-pounder. Later in the war, these units began to be succeeded by the [[Comet I|Comet tank]] which had more armour and a more powerful 77 mm gun derived from the 17-pounder.

During the war, the Cromwell chassis was used in various specialized roles on the battlefield. The ''A30 Challenger'' is a tank design that attempted to mount the 17-pounder on a lengthened Cromwell chassis, the ''[[Avenger|A30 SP Avenger]]'' was another attempt to equip the 17-pounder, but used a lighter turret instead. Some were made into observation posts or command tanks. The Centaur saw a wider conversion with some becoming engineering vehicles, armoured recovery vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers. After the war, the British attempted to up-gun the Cromwell into the ''[[Charioteer Mk VII|Charioteer]]'', which was designed in the 1950s to supplement tank units before the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] was mass-issued.

The Cromwells were also given out to Allied units such as the 1st Polish Armoured Division and the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade. These units served in the northern Europe with the Allies as they breakthrough deeper into Europe. After World War II, some Cromwell stayed in service and saw service in the Korean War with the 7th Royal Tank Regiment and the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars. The Cromwells also were given to Greece, where it had the distinction of being the first tank put into service by the Greek Army. 52 Centaurs were given to Greece in 1946 to fight in the Greek Civil War, but these were stored due to lack of crews with adequate training. Formal training began in Greece began in 1947 with the return of trained officers from Britain. The Centaur saw limited service in the Greek Armoured Corps, fighting in the Greek mountains. These units kept the Centaurs up until 1963 where it was replaced by the American [[M47|M47 Pattons]].

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a27m_cromwell_5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HhXW8pe1Flk|'''Cromwell V - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Cromwell (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Cromwell V

2023-12-25T05:49:06Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Cromwell (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_a27m_cromwell_5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]. An adequately armoured cruiser tank that is armed with a rather inadequate [[Ordnance QF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm cannon]] due to poor post-penetration performance. However, the Cromwell V's speed makes it a very good flag runner akin to the [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]].

The Cromwell V, despite being a later and more modern version than the Mk I, has a slightly lower (3.0-3.3) BR than the [[Cromwell I|Mk.I]] and arrives first in the tech tree. This is due to its 75 mm gun, which offers less penetration than the [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)|57 mm]] in the Mk. I, and thus makes many higher BR tanks effectively invulnerable to it. Those few points of BR make little the difference; in its match-ups the Cromwell V is an average opponent, but will easily outrun anything on the map to take up effective positions for the first shot, and then doling out some of the worst damage in the game at its BR from its 75 before running off to another location.

This tank is not a beginner-friendly vehicle. Though fast, the vehicle's gun does not provide reliable victories against enemy tanks. Skill is required to maximize the vehicle's speed, rectangular armour, and firepower against enemy vehicles with AP rounds with HE fillers. Excellent aim is very important to get the job done.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (1°) ''Front plate'' 25.4 mm (71°) ''Front glacis'' 57 mm (18°) ''Joint plate'' 25.4 mm (65°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 32 mm || 14 mm
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (1°) ''Turret front'' 63.5 (1°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm || 57.1 mm (1°) || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=930|rbMinHp=531}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|OQF Mk.V (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm OQF Mk.V]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 23.8 || 32.9 || 40.0 || 44.2 || 47.1 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.9 || 17.5 || 21.3 || 23.5 || 25.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:OQF Mk.V (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M61 shot, M48 shell, M89}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || 50 ''(+14)'' || 45 ''(+19)'' || 31 ''(+33)'' || 17 ''(+47)'' || 12 ''(+52)'' || 0 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}

==== Optics ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! Which ones
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| x1.85 || x3.5
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | [[Pz.III L]]
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Cromwell fighting prowess is due to its manoeuvrability and gun rotation. This is thanks to the combination of the Rover Meteor engine, essentially a Rolls-Royce Merlin of Spitfire fame with the supercharger removed, and its Merrit-Brown triple-differential transmission. This gives the Cromwell power even while it manoeuvres so it maintains speed much better than those tanks using traditional clutch-and-brake systems like practically everything in this BR. This not only allows it to spin in place and easily run around obstacles, but it can also out-climb almost every tank in the game, allowing it to go places the enemy might not expect to find you. But mostly this gives it unmatched speed, allowing you to reach the good sniping spots before anyone else in the match. But there is a down side to the Cromwell's amazing speed, going in reverse will only let you go up to 3 km/h, and rarely will you be able to damage a tank enough to get a similarly effective second shot; either the tanks was still drivable and retreated to cover, angled to best bounce your next shot, or 1 shot you in return with APHE.

Once upgraded, the Cromwell's turret rotation is one of the best for the rank, only beaten by the [[T-34 (1940)|T-34]] that has a rotation speed of 29°/s (fully aced crew). This allows an upgraded Cromwell to quickly engage targets in different angles, important for close-quarter fighting. German tanks will come close to you but not be able to catch up with you in some situations, but this being said; '''do not''' go into the hell of battle thinking "My turret rotation is fast enough to beat all of youse!" because that will get the Cromwell destroyed by a tank who only needs to hit your turret from the front to disable you. And as said before your reverse speed isn't that fast so if you are in this situation all you can do is pray and hope that your team mates come up to help you out or in worst case scenario you get taken out straight away from a side on hit. But instead help out the team from a distance of around 0-550m or if you feel like sniping from a distance your max range is 850m.

The downside to this tank is its thin hull armour, especially on the sides. Everything on the map can penetrate the Cromwell hull, even from the front. This includes SPAAs, who will easily tear the Cromwell apart, especially the [[Wirbelwind]] that will do so at almost all ranges typically encountered and any angle. The Cromwell's turret is somewhat better off, with just over 60 mm on the front and sides, but the flat plates are easily penetrated by any type of shell. The closely packed interior means it's a one-hit-to-burn design for anything with a 75 mm, and at 3.3 BR these will be on almost all tanks you face. Keep moving! If you take a shot or get shot at, re-position, don't ever try to fight it out. You're so much faster and more manoeuvrable than anything you meet that you can almost always find a better location to go after any target. Just don't try to reverse; it's single reverse gear gets you 2 mph (3 km/h), meaning you're likely better off spinning in place and then driving away.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -12°.
* Very sensitive brakes enables Cromwell to land shots almost immediately after stopping.
* Decent front turret armour of 64 mm, with volumetric to absorb most shells
* Exceptional speed for a medium tank.
* Acceptable reload for 75 mm gun that allows a steady rate of fire
* Very good flanker and rushing caps at early game.
* Has neutral steering.
* Performs exceptionally well when working with other allied tanks with different role.
* Excellent manoeuvrability.
* Standard 5 crew members allow a margin of crew casualties before a decrease in combat performance.
* Low profile.
* Excellent climbing ability (both in reverse and forwards).
* Still gains speed while climbing even the steepest of slopes.
* Great turret rotation for a Rank 2 medium tank (beaten only by the T-34).

'''Cons:'''

* The sensitive brakes can throw aim off in the instance, letting a prepared enemy fire first.
* Bad shell with bad velocity and mass
* Armour is only supported by raw thickness due to its flat, boxy construction. Requires manual compound angling to improve effectiveness.
* Using the Cromwell for frontal engagements is not advised, should use flanking tactics instead and let heavier allies like the Matildas and Churchills to take frontal assault.
* Weak side armour.
* Ammunition racks litter all around the hull center.
* Prone to fishtailing or breaking out, A and D keys can be merely tapped, effectively uncontrollable at high speeds.
* Extremely bad reverse speed, just 3 km/h (1.8 mph).
* Unlockable M61 APCBC shell with acceptable ricochet characteristics loses extra penetration the stock M72 shell has.
* Lacks any sort of gun stabilization.
* Gun elevation speed is extremely poor.
* Neutral steering only works on flat terrain.

== History ==

===Development===
Development for the tank started back in 1940, just around the time the [[Crusader Mk II|Crusader cruiser tank]] was being put into service in the British Army. The development of a stronger cruiser tank was initiated due to the belief that that the Crusader would become obsolete in the face of more advanced German tanks as the time pass. The initial plans was for the tank to mount the OQF 6-pounder gun and was to be completed in 1942. The project was taken up by three companies who submitted their designs. Vauxhall developed the ''A23'', a scaled down [[Churchill Mk III|Churchill tank]] with 75 mm of armour and a 12-cylinder Bedford engine. Nuffield developed the ''A24'' based off the Crusader that was powered by the Liberty engine and had an advantage of being put into production quickly. Leyland and Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon developed a design that was similar to Nuffield's, but with different suspension and track designs. All these designs were examined in January 1941 and it was decided that Nuffield's A24 would become the vehicle of choice for the project. Six prototypes of the vehicle, now called ''Cromwell I'' were ordered for delivery in the Spring of 1942, but arrived four months late, with current events making the tank designs outdated. Despite that, the tank was put into production and experienced an unsatisfactory performance history as being an under-powered tank. The lack of available tanks led to the demands for more 6-pounders on the battlefield, which were used to be mounted on the older tank designs.

When Britain entered the war, Rolls-Royce stopped producing cars and set up a team to find ways to use their production lines. The team was made under Roy Robotham at Clan Foundry near the city of Belper. Meeting with Henry Spurrier of Leyland, they talked tank designs and a project began of fitting a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine onto a tank. A Leyland-built Crusader was used for the test, removing the supercharger from the engine before installing it in the tank. The result was an absurdly fast tank, able to reach a speed of 80 km/h, estimated since timing the speed runs was difficult. The impressive performance had Leyland organize a production for 1,000 units of the engine, renamed as the ''Meteor''. This plan was changed after concerns of the engine's cooling was raised, Leyland decides to produce their own version of Meteor which was weaker (350 hp) compared to the Rolls design (500 hp). Thus, the Tank Board decided to just order the engine straight from Rolls-Royce for the Meteor engine. The A24 tank design with the Meteor engine was redesignated as the A27. During the development, Leyland suggested that the tank should be made to fit both the Meteor and the American-designed Liberty engine, thus the designation expanded to A27M (Meteor) and the A27L (Liberty) and were called ''Cromwell III'' and ''Cromwell II'' respectively. Leyland's attempt at building their own engine was abandoned. The A27M tank was made into a prototype and delivered on January 1942, it proved extremely mobile with its 600 hp engine and orders were placed for both engine versions. This proved difficult due to production difficulties with the Meteor and soon Leyland took over production of both versions. Production lines for the Meteor engine continued to be strained until late 1942, where Ernest Hives of Rolls met with Spencer Wilks of the company Rover made a deal in January 1943 to exchange factories, with Rolls establishing a Meteor engine factory at Barnoldswick, Lancashire.

Production of the tank began in November 1942 with new names given out the tanks. The original A24 Cromwell I from Nuffield was renamed the ''Cavalier'', the Liberty powered Cromwell II became the ''Centaur'', and the Meteor powered Cromwell III retained the name as the '''Cromwell'''. The actual Cromwell tank production was delayed until January 1943 due to low supply of Meteor engines until the Rover factory began producing it. With more Meteor engines being produced, the Centaur tanks were often converted to use the Meteor engine, turning them into Cromwells. Field tests with the tanks took place in August to September in 1943 alongside the [[M4A2|M4A2]] and M4A4 Shermans. The tests proved the Shermans to be more reliable than the Cromwell and Centaurs, needing only about 0.03 hours of mechanical attention every mile compared to the Cromwell's 0.07 hours per mile and the Centaur's 0.08 hours per mile. The two tanks were thus given time to iron out these deficiencies, the Cromwell suffered from oil leaks along with brake and clutch failures. While the tank suffered from these defects, the crews expressed their satisfaction of the designs for their speed and handling, but the Centaur was not given the same attention as the Cromwell. A second test in November had the Cromwell perform with improved results while the Centaur was still experiencing the same problems. The production model was finalized on February 2, 1944 after a specifications for a "Battle Cromwell" came in from Leyland, which included some design changes, an increase of 6 mm on the bottom of the tank, seam welding the joints, and the standard usage of the Meteor engine and the Merritt Brown transmission. The Centaur was relegated to training roles or modified for specialist roles such as anti-aircraft guns or engineering vehicles. Total production for the A27 tank series is 4,016 tanks, of which 950 are Centaurs and 3,066 are Cromwells.

===Design===
The Cromwell's frame used a riveted construction in its initial production models, but this later changed to welding. The frame was strengthened with bolted armour plates. Companies involved in the A27 production were LMS Railway, Morris Motors, Metro-Cammell, Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, and English Electric. Some of these models were not consistent in construction, such as some variants built with 360 mm wide tracks and some with 393 mm tracks. Suspension was the Christie suspension derived from the earlier cruiser tank designs. Four of the tanks's road wheels have shock absorbers, and no return rollers are available, the tracks are supported on the top of the large road wheels. The gearbox has five forward and one reverse gear, with the first forward gear made for confined areas and sharp turns. While the Meteor engine is capable of going faster, it is restricted to 540 hp output with a governor to avoid straining the engine and suspension. The Cromwell's armaments changed over a few times, it's initial model [[Cromwell I|mounted the 6-pounder gun]], but the later models mounted the 75 mm gun. The adaption was easy due to the 75 mm gun being a 6-pounder bored for the larger calibre. A 7.92 mm BESA machine gun was available for coaxial firing on the turret. The armour on the Cromwell started as a 76 mm plate, which increased gradually to 83 mm and 100 mm over time for additional protection.

The '''A27M Cromwell V''' was Cromwell variant that used the 75 mm gun and a welded construction, no riveting was used in the frame.

===Combat usage===
The British, at the time of Operation Overlord, primarily service the [[M4|M4 Sherman]] as the main tank of their armoured units, only the armoured brigades of the 7th Armoured Division were equipped with the Cromwell tanks. Although the Cromwell also saw use as armoured reconnaissance regiments in other British divisions such as the Guards Armoured Division and the 11th Armoured Division. Compared to the Sherman, the Cromwell was much faster, so fast that it earned the title as the fastest British tank in World War II. The Cromwell also presented a smaller profile, making it a lower target, and has a thicker frontal armour plate. However, the Cromwell's armour was not sloping, was not as reliable in comparison to the Sherman, and a slightly smaller crew space inside the tank. Nevertheless, the Cromwell proved very mobile and effective on the battlefield alongside the Sherman, often outflanking German armour with their superior speed to hit the tanks on their sides or rear. Since the Cromwells are not able to mount the larger and more powerful 17-pounder and a derivative, the [[Challenger|A30 Challenger]], met with production issues, Cromwell units were equipped with [[Sherman Firefly|Sherman Fireflies]] in order to supplement the firepower of the 17-pounder. Later in the war, these units began to be succeeded by the [[Comet I|Comet tank]] which had more armour and a more powerful 77 mm gun derived from the 17-pounder.

During the war, the Cromwell chassis was used in various specialized roles on the battlefield. The ''A30 Challenger'' is a tank design that attempted to mount the 17-pounder on a lengthened Cromwell chassis, the ''[[Avenger|A30 SP Avenger]]'' was another attempt to equip the 17-pounder, but used a lighter turret instead. Some were made into observation posts or command tanks. The Centaur saw a wider conversion with some becoming engineering vehicles, armoured recovery vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers. After the war, the British attempted to up-gun the Cromwell into the ''[[Charioteer Mk VII|Charioteer]]'', which was designed in the 1950s to supplement tank units before the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] was mass-issued.

The Cromwells were also given out to Allied units such as the 1st Polish Armoured Division and the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade. These units served in the northern Europe with the Allies as they breakthrough deeper into Europe. After World War II, some Cromwell stayed in service and saw service in the Korean War with the 7th Royal Tank Regiment and the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars. The Cromwells also were given to Greece, where it had the distinction of being the first tank put into service by the Greek Army. 52 Centaurs were given to Greece in 1946 to fight in the Greek Civil War, but these were stored due to lack of crews with adequate training. Formal training began in Greece began in 1947 with the return of trained officers from Britain. The Centaur saw limited service in the Greek Armoured Corps, fighting in the Greek mountains. These units kept the Centaurs up until 1963 where it was replaced by the American [[M47|M47 Pattons]].

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a27m_cromwell_5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HhXW8pe1Flk|'''Cromwell V - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Cromwell (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Panther D

2023-12-20T11:39:27Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other versions
|link-1 = Panzer V Panther (Family)
|usage-2 = other uses
|link-2 = Panther (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_d_panther
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Panzerkampfwagen V Ausführung D (Panther D)''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29 Sd.Kfz. Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 171''') is the first production variant of the iconic [[Panzer V Panther (Family)|Panzerkampfwagen V Panther medium tank family]]. M.A.N. produced the first production series Panther D variant tank in January 1943. The initial [[VK 3002 (M)]] prototype was improved in several ways, including increasing the hull upper front armour plate thickness from 60 mm to 80 mm and inclined at 55 degrees. Due to the angle of the hull upper front armour plate, an enemy shell firing directly at the Panther from a head-on position would have to penetrate roughly 140 mm of armour plate. On the other hand, despite having a thicker hull upper front armour plate of 100 mm, the [[Tiger I (Family)|Tiger I]] tank only possessed 100 mm of effective armour. This is primarily because Tiger I's hull upper front armour plate is placed perpendicular to the shell impact angle. The inclusion of Panzerschürzen (side shirt armour) is another improvement. To protect the visible 40 mm chassis side armour between the top of the track and below the pannier, the German designers incorporated protective skirt armour constructed of 5 mm soft steel to protect against close-range penetration by Soviet anti-tank weaponry.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Panther D is the next generation of medium tanks that formally superseded the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank family]] in the latter stages of World War II. Due to its massive, sloped upper front armour plate, the Panther D can easily knock out any opponent tank with its ranks while staying immune to most enemy return fire. However, since the turret is still rotated by hand, the traverse speed is slow, and close-range confrontations with adversaries in towns are not encouraged. Despite its large size in comparison to other tanks in its class, the Panther D is remarkably mobile and can reach the majority of strategic zones early in the battle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 40 mm (40°) ''Top'' 40 + 5 mm ''Lower'' || 40 mm (29-31°) || 16 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm (11-12°) ''Turret front'' 60-100 (7-80°) + 10 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 45 mm (0-25°) || 45 mm (20-30°) || 16 mm
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 16 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. The interleaved suspension wheels means that there are places where it will be a cumulative 20 + 20 mm extra armour.
* Belly armour is 16 mm thick.
* A 30 mm RHA plate separates the engine compartment from the crew compartment.
* Tracks and lower side of the hull are covered by 5 mm thick armour plate, protecting them from HEAT and HE shells.
* Rear parts of the upper side hull armour have tracks attached to it, adding additional 20 mm of armour.
* The gun mantlet ring around the gun barrel is 300 mm thick.
* [[Add-on Armor|Add-on armour]] adds tracks around the turret side and rear.
* Never try to angle the Panther, its side is too vulnerable, especially above the tracks

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,007|rbMinHp=575|AoAweight=0.45}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK42 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK42 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 79 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 5.7 || 7.9 || 9.6 || 10.6 || 11.3 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 3.6 || 4.2 || 5.1 || 5.6 || 6.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK42 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39/42, Sprgr. 42}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
|-
| '''79''' || 77 ''(+2)'' || 71 ''(+8)'' || 62 ''(+17)'' || 53 ''(+26)'' || 44 ''(+35)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 35 ''(+44)'' || 31 ''(+48)'' || 16 ''(+63)'' || 4 ''(+75)'' || 1 ''(+78)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret and large sides empty: 31 ''(+48)'' shells

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,700 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Panther has a much stronger front glacis armour than its heavy tank companion [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]], with ~140 mm effective thickness with sloping compared to the Tiger's 100 mm armour. However, only the frontal glacis is nigh impenetrable, the side armour and turret are very vulnerable and care must be taken to keep this safe.

One method is to exploit the Panther's long gun range with distance. Fight from a long distance from 800 m to 2,000 m away. At this range, the enemy's gun shells will lose most of their penetrative potential compared to the Panther's gun and will (hopefully) not be able to penetrate the Panther's weak point on the turret, plus you have the benefit of their lower aim accuracy due to distance. Of course, this scenario is very unlikely given the more close-oriented maps and games in War Thunder, so let's get to the alternative tactic...

In a more close-range tactic, stay with your allies. Allies will help you by covering your weak points on your sides. If you advance too far from your allies, the likelihood of your tank ending in a fiery ammunition explosion increases exponentially. Even in a close-range battle, try to maintain distance between you and the enemy tank to prevent them from easily flanking you and keep a range advantage to keep your weak points as hard to hit as possible. The slow turret traverse will also be a lower drawback at a longer range as you will not need to turn your turret as much to aim at different targets. Stay near the rear of the line while more mobile and aggressive allies charge forward and attract the enemy's attention so you can get the jump on them.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannon has a range of ammo for any type of enemy: great stock APCBC for common targets and HE for light vehicles
* Radio station positioned in the centre is prone to absorb spalls, protecting turret crews
* Great accuracy and velocity allows easy long-range sniping.
* Heavily armoured frontal hull is immune to most guns at its battle rating, e.g. the 85 mm D-5T or 76 mm M1
* Fast top speed, good hull traverse. Can get to positions in time
* Adequate gun depression of -8° adapts most terrains well
* Has a wide range of effective camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain/map
* Gun mantlet tends to sometimes absorb shells

'''Cons:'''

* Gun mantlet is only 100 mm thick, a huge and well-known weak spot to shoot at
* Very poor turret traverse making it hard to respond to flankers or to get the gun on target. For close-quarter combat, great situational awareness and fast reaction is required which isn't beginner friendly
* Side ammo racks are prone to detonation when hit
* Terrible reverse speed, not enough to get out of bad situations
* Weak side armour gets penetrated easily by Soviet APHEBC shells (e.g. BR-365A, BR-471). Cannot angle too much
* Lower glacis penetrations often start fires or break the transmission, leaving the tank immobile and vulnerable
* High profile for a medium tank makes it harder to hide
* Thin roof armour is vulnerable to [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Brownings]] which are widely seen on American planes
* Although heavily armoured, its hull can easily get penetrated frontally by Soviet 122 mm guns ([[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]], etc.), resulting in a knock-out out with a single shot
* The small calibre of the gun means the main APCBC shell has rather small amounts of explosive filler, resulting in it often being unable to one shot enemies
* The curved gun mantlet is a shot trap: it will deflect rounds into the weak hull roof armour

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Panther''' development started as far back as 1938 as a replacement to the [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IVs]]. The program was called ''VK 20'' and it called for a 20 ton tracked vehicle design by Krupp, Daimler-Benz, and MAN. Krupp dropped out when the requirements changed to 30 tones in 1941 when the German encounters the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks where the Panzer III and Panzer IV's performance have little effect due to its superior armour, mobility, and armament. The ''VK 20'' was abandoned for the ''VK 30.02'' in April 1942. Daimler-Benz design for this project looks similar to the T-34 with the turret far forward in the hull, plus the use of a diesel engine and external leaf spring suspension. MAN's design had a twin torsion bar, the interleaved suspension system (like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]) with the turret situated in the middle of the hull, plus had a petrol Maybach engine. Hitler was reported to believe that the DB design was superior to the MAN design, and in a review between January to March 1942, Fritz Todt and Albert Speer also recommended the DB design. Then MAN revised their design, and a special commission by Hitler decided on the MAN design in May 1942, to which Hitler approved after reviewing it. One of the reasons the MAN was approved was that its turret was already in production while the DB used a completely new design. However, despite being built for a 30-ton design, Hitler decided to increase the armour on the MAN design and the weight went from 30 tons to 45 tons.

The MAN design was made into a prototype in September 1942, when it was officially accepted after testing and named the '''Panzerkampfwagen V Panther'''. Where it remained so until 1944, where Hitler removed the '''V''' in the designation for the name '''Panther'''. Production started in December 1942, though the early models suffered from reliability issues. The production plants expanded from MAN to Daimler-Benz, MNH, and Henschel for increased output. Despite that, production was often delayed due to Allied air bombing, which targeted the Maybach engine plant and DB, MAN, and MNH tank factories. Nevertheless, the total number of Panther tanks produced was 6,706, making the Panther the third most produced armoured fighting vehicle in Germany behind the Panzer IV and the StuG III.

===Design===
The MAN design for the Panther featured a heavily sloped armour design, with the front glacis plate being 80 mm thick (from the original 60 mm before the weight increase) and when sloped at 55 degrees, it was 140 mm effective in thickness. This made the Panther one of the best-armoured vehicle in World War II. The side armour of the Panther was way thinner at 40 mm that could be pierced very easily. Additional side armour in the form of Schürzen could be placed on the sides hanging to cover the suspension and hull side from being penetrated by Soviet anti-tank rifle fire. The Panther used the same engine as the Tiger I, the Mayback HL 210 P30 engine, and had a similar suspension system, the ''Schachtellaufwerk'' interleaved wheel system, which complicated maintenance issues. The tank used the formidable 7.5 cm Kwk 42 cannon, which could destroy most of the allied tanks in service, though only possess a mediocre HE shell.

The '''Ausf. D''' variant was the first variant designed for the Panther, easily distinguishable by its drum-shaped commander cupola. The Ausf. D can also be distinguished by a unique machine gun port with a shape of a vertical "letterbox" flap from where the machine gun was fired (this was replaced by a standard ball mount in later variants). The Ausf. D also had the initial turret curved gun mantlet that was introduced to the Panther, though there were faults with the design as explained below. 842 Panther Ausf. D was produced from January to September 1943.

The Panther's rushed development and commitment into battle caused the design to have many flaws inhibiting its full potential. The most prominent flaw that lasted throughout the war was the weak final drive due to using a double spur system that made it more prone to failure from the Panther's torque requirements, which is averaged at around 150 km before failing. The curved gun mantlet design had an unfortunate tendency to ricochet deflected rounds into the roof, it was, however, not fixed until a new gun mantlet design with a flat "chin" shape was introduced on the [[Panther G|Panther G]]. The ''Schachtellaufwerk'' suspension system, like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], suffered from over-engineering and complicating maintenance of the tank. Smaller problems in the tank included not having a dedicated periscope for the gunner, lack of ventilation to the engine due to waterproofing, maintenance-heavy, fuel-hungry, and deteriorating armour quality as metal alloys in Germany began to run out.

Despite its heavier weight and slightly complex design, the cost of each Panther tank was not very high in relative to tanks with a price at 117,100 Reichmarks, compared to the 103,462 RM of Panzer IVs and 250,800 RM of the Tiger I. This made the tank rather economic for its fighting purposes despite being over-engineered.

===Combat usage===
The Panther was first issued to the Eastern Front, arming the 51st and 52nd Tank Battalions. Their usage presented mechanical problems of the Panther, forcing many of the early Panthers to be returned for rebuilding. Despite these issues, the Panther was deemed critical in the Battle of Kursk in ''Operation Citadel'', Hitler delayed the operation so more Panthers can reach the front. 200 Panthers were ready in June 1943, but its combat debut was disappointing. The Panthers, which arrived last minute before the operation started, meant that the crew serving the tanks had little time to train with the new tanks. Two tanks were lost to motor fires right after disembarking from the trains at the front lines. 184 were operational at the start of the operation on July 5, this dropped to 40 within two days. According to Heinz Guderian, five days into the offensive, only 10 operation Panthers were available with 25 completely lost, 100 in need of repairs, and 60 per cent of those mechanical breakdowns were easily repaired. Those that did work during the campaign were able to cause heavy casualties on the Soviet tank forces, but the Panther's lethality was mitigated by its low number available. When the operation turned and the Soviet counteroffensive pushed the Germans away from Kursk, the Panther loss rose to 156 on August 11, with many more lost as the Soviet kept gaining ground. Perhaps the Panther's biggest role in Operation Citadel was delaying the start of the operation by two months to allow the Soviet defences to be bolstered beyond the German's expectations, causing the failure of the offensive.

After the failure at Kursk, improvements on the Panther helped its reliability rate. By March 1944, Guderian reported that most of the Panther's flaws were ironed out, but the final drive and other mechanical issues were still a major issue to front-line units. The Panthers served the rest of the war as quick-reaction forces to fight off Allied offensives on both fronts. On the Eastern Front, some 700 Panthers were committed to the battle at all times, though the number of operational vehicles varies depending on the situation. The Panthers were also sent to suppress the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. Two were captured by the Polish forces, who used them against the German forces. The captured Panthers were used until they became immobilized and were destroyed to prevent recapture by the Germans.

On the Western Front, the Panthers began being present in large numbers after the Invasion of Normandy. 156 Panthers were initially present between two Panzer regiments, but this increased by seven regiments after the Allied invasion, boosting the strength to 432 tanks. The high number of Panther situated in France, mostly around Caen, and their performance against the Allied armour caused many Allied tankers to fear it as much as the Tiger tanks. However, the Panther's reliability problem was still evident as many Panthers were left abandoned by the crew when they broke down. The mechanical breakdown, partly from the flaws in the machine, can also be attributed to the poor crew training given, which showed by crew overburdening the transmission or lacking regular maintenance on the tank. The Allied assessment of the Panther was that its mobility on soft grounds was superior due to its wider tracks giving more flotation over the ground, and armour and firepower value was superior to anything they had, though it was inferior in the bocage terrain of France due to the constrained nature of the environment. The Panther participated in the famed Battle of Arracourt, where a total of 262 German tanks were committed to battle. The battle, against the mostly [[M4|M4 Sherman]], equipped 4th Armored Division, routed the Germans after they suffered heavy casualties, while the Allies only losing 32 armoured fighting vehicles, a testament on how crew training and tactical advantage have a big impact on tank warfare. The highest concentration of Panthers on the Western Front was 471 Panthers (336 operational) in the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge), where it showed its prowess in open terrain due to its superior gun. The Panthers also took place in Operation Grief, being disguised as [[M10 GMC|M10 tank destroyers]] to trick American soldiers. All of these mocked up Panthers were destroyed in battle or scrapped after it. After the Ardennes Offensive, eight Panzer division with 271 Panthers were transferred to the Eastern Front to beat back the Soviet offensive. Only five Panther battalions, 96 Panthers for each battalion, remained on the Western Front to fight the Allies.

After the war, Panther still saw a use for some time in various countries. Bulgaria and Romania received Panthers from the Soviets as aid, which they used until the 1950s. France was the most notable user of the Panther tanks after World War II due to the large quantities of operable vehicles left behind by the Germans during the Normandy invasion. The French raised a regiment of 50 Panthers from 1944 to 1947, when they were replaced by the new ARL 44 tanks. The Panther also influenced the French AMX 50 tank design, and its gun was derived onto the AMX 13 light tank. In 1947, an evaluation was written by the French War Ministry on the Panthers which even made their own assessment of the Panther that pointed out most of the flaws of the Panthers, especially the mechanical failure and the deficiency of the armour later in the war due to alloy shortages.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
This combat vehicle was developed by the company MAN in 1941 and 1942 and was intended to become the Wehrmacht's primary tank. According to German classification, the Panther was considered a medium tank.

After the outbreak of war with the Soviet Union, German troops encountered the new Soviet T-34 and KV tanks, which were superior to all of the Wehrmacht's available models.

After examining the strengths and weaknesses of the Soviet tanks, German engineers added sloping armour and a new chassis with large rollers and wide treads to the project.

In the spring of 1942, MAN's prototype was approved and entered military service. This combat vehicle embodied the spirit of German tank construction: a front-mounted transmission compartment, rear engine compartment, and an individual, staggered torsion suspension designed by the engineer G. Kniepkamp. The tank's main armament was a 75 mm 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70 tank gun produced by the company Rheinmetall-Borsig, with a long 70-calibre barrel.

The main advantage of this weapon was its high muzzle velocity, which gave it high accuracy and good penetration power. Its ability to knock tanks out was better than that of the majority of Soviet, American, and British tank guns. In this way, it even surpassed the famous 8,8 cm KwK 36 installed on the Tiger I.

Full-scale production of the tank began in January 1943. By September 1943, the companies Daimler-Benz AG, Henschel, and MAN had produced 850 Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. D tanks.

The vehicle's combat debut was the Battle of Kursk, where the variant exhibited low technical reliability. For this reason, the tank's losses were very high. Hasty development and adoption of tanks featuring a new design contributed to numerous minor flaws.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_d_panther Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|E9574a7h9is|'''Panther D at BR 5.3 - Rewarding But Exhausting''' - ''Napalmratte''|y1S7jHyFxdA|'''The Shooting Range #34''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:36 discusses the Panther I.|9rUocSj2dHc|'''Tank Chats #16 Panther''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Panther_tank|[Wikipedia] Panther tank]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer-V_Panther.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Panzer V Panther]

{{TankManufacturer MAN AG}}
{{Germany medium tanks}}

Crusader II

2023-12-16T02:34:35Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Crusader (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_crusader_mk_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Tank, Cruiser Mark VIA, Crusader II (A15)''' is the second variant of the [[Crusader (Family)|A15 Crusader cruiser tank family]]. The Crusader light tanks were one of the major British cruiser tank families during World War II. Over 5,000 Crusader tanks of all variants were produced, and they contributed significantly to British triumphs in the North Africa campaign. The chassis of this light tank was modified in order to produce anti-aircraft, fire support, observation, communication, bulldozer, and recovery vehicle variants, although it would not see active action outside of Africa. The first Crusader I tanks entered service in 1941, and while manoeuvrable, they were severely lacking in armour and firepower. The Crusader II followed with thicker armour but the same armament as the Crusader I: a 40 mm Ordnance QF 2-pounder tank gun.

Introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]], the Crusader II is a capable short-range light tank. It is armed with a fast-firing 40 mm Ordnance QF 2-pounder tank gun, which is ideal for knocking out tanks with a cramped interior and crew members that are close to each other. It is an enjoyable light tank to play with because of its quick reload, primitive vertical gun stabilizer, and strong handling. Handling is substantially improved over the [[A13 (Family)|A13 cruiser tanks]] since cross-country performance is much better and the vehicle does not slide during abrupt breaking. Given its low profile and lack of armour, driving and fighting in the open field should be avoided whenever possible, unless there is enough cover or the terrain is shaped in such a way that the hull-down tactics, which this tank excels at, can be used. The tank also boasts good gun depression and a difficult to hit turret design.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour on the Crusader II is the typical light tank armour. The frontal hull's thickest part is the 20 mm glacis which can only bounce reserve level vehicles' shells (e.g. [[H.35]]), while anything better (e.g. [[Chi-Ha Kai]], [[BT-7]], [[M5A1]]) will penetrate it with ease. The turret front is not much better, being 30 mm. However, the curved cylindrical gun mantlet has some chances of bouncing poorly aimed shells if you are lucky. The heavily angled turret sides might also deflect some. The MG turret, being enclosed on the back side, can act as spaced armour and stop some penetrating rounds from entering the hull with its 30 mm rear armour. Still, normal cannons at this BR will have no problem penetrating the Crusader II's frontal armour. The sides (~14 mm) are even weaker and will only stop rifle-calibre bullets.

Penetrating solid rounds or small calibre shells tend to knock out 1-2 crew normally, as there is a fair gap between the driving compartment and the fighting compartment. Thus, vehicles with low-calibre guns (e.g. [[M5A1]], [[M22]]) will need a few shots to destroy you. However, against explosive or larger calibre shells, the shrapnel will easily travel through the gap and hurt any crew behind. The 3 turret crew are packed very closely and are prone to be all knocked out by a single explosive shell. Overall, the survivability of the Crusader II is low, like every other light tank.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Machine gun mantlet, Driver's port)
* Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (33°) ''Front plate'' 9 mm (78-85°), 20 mm (61°) ''Front glacis'' 20 mm (27-64°) ''Lower glacis'' 18 mm (1°) ''Driver's port'' || 14 + 4 mm || 14 mm (44-51°) ''Top'' (14-51°) 14 mm ''Bottom''|| 7 mm
|-
| Main Turret || 30 mm (11°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (6-58°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14 mm (40-49°) || 17 + 12.7 mm (36°) ''Top'' 9 mm (66°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Secondary Turret || 30 mm (1-32°) ''Turret front'' 20 mm (3-67°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (1-3°) || 30 mm (5-6°) || 9 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The Crusader II's mobility is decent. It has a power-to-weight ratio of ~20, giving it adequate acceleration on all terrains. It can reach an average speed of ~40 km/h on hard surfaces, and ~30 km/h on soft surfaces in a reasonable amount of time. It also has great hull traverse and can turn the hull rather easily without moving forward/backward first. This gives the Crusader II the ability to quickly relocate tactically, which is useful if you need to flank any enemy, for example a [[Valentine I|Valentine]].

However, as one might expect, the reverse speed is only -7 km/h which is far from enough to get the Crusader out of a dangerous situation in time. A lot of the times the Crusader can only turn the hull around to retreat. When turning on the move, the Crusader will lose quite some speed. Its top speed is also somewhat limited, capped at 43 km/h - it will not get as fast as some other light tanks like [[BT-7]], [[M22]], and the [[M5 Stuart (Family)|M5 Stuarts]] who can go over 50+ km/h. This can be dangerous if the Crusader wants to cap a point in the middle of the map at the start of the match: either faster teammates will get there first, or faster enemies will.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=527|rbMinHp=301}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|QF 2-pounder (40 mm)}}

The Crusader is armed with a 40 mm QF 2pdr cannon, which is rather capable, even for the battle rating. It reloads very fast, at ~3 seconds, similar to the American 37 mm and the Soviet 45 mm guns, allowing the Crusader to quickly fire off multiple shots at a target. It has an amazing gun depression of -15° meaning the Crusader will be able to press its gun down over the majority of hills, giving it great map adaptability. Its turret also rotates quickly at around 25°/s, thus the Crusader can deal with surprise attacks effectively. Lastly, a shoulder stabiliser will help speeding up the targeting process once the tank is moving below ~7 km/h which is beneficial for quick stop-and-shoot scenarios and CQC especially against non-stabilised tanks, like the [[Pz.III B|Pz.IIIs]]. All these aspects give the Crusader admirable versatility on the battlefield.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|40 mm QF 2-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 110 || rowspan="2" | -15°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 34.27 || 47.44 || 57.60 || 63.69 || 67.76 || rowspan="2" | 3.64 || rowspan="2" | 3.22 || rowspan="2" | 2.97 || rowspan="2" | 2.80
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.42 || 25.20 || 30.60 || 33.84 || 36.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The player might already be familiar with the ammo types. The stock Shot Mk.1 AP/T has average penetration so it is best to ignore it as soon as access to alternative shells is obtained.

Against lighter opponents, the best ammo is the Shell Mk.1 AP/T APHE which has a 20 g explosive filler and a maximum penetration of 66 mm. This shell can usually one-shot compact light vehicles (e.g. [[BT-5]], [[M22]]) in one shot. But for spacious vehicles like the [[LVT (Family)|LVT]] series the explosives will struggle a lot.

However, you may also face better armoured foes like the early [[M4]], [[T-80]], [[Panzer III (Family)|Pz.III]], [[M3 Lee]], etc. Now the Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T can become handy. With a max penetration of 89 mm, it will go through almost all tanks' weak spots as well as the parts where your other ammo types will not penetrate (e.g. M4 turret side (76 mm), [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] hull side (75 mm)). With careful aiming and its fast reload rate, the Crusader can quickly punch multiple holes on the enemy. Note that you must know the weak spots as well as crew locations of common tanks since this APCBC is a solid shell without any explosives.

The Shot Mk.1 APHV/T only offers a slightly faster velocity but not better penetration or explosive filler, making it pretty much useless when comparing to the above shell types.

{{:QF 2-pounder (40 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.1 AP/T, Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T, Shot Mk.1 APHV/T, Shell Mk.1 AP/T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''110''' || 89 ''(+21)'' || 67 ''(+43)'' || 45 ''(+65)'' || 23 ''(+87)'' || 1 ''(+109)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks disappear after all shells in the rack have been shot or loaded.
* Turret & center empty: 45 ''(+65)'' shells.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

There are 2 x 7.92 mm BESA machine guns on the Crusader II, one being coaxial and the other inside a small turret at the front of the hull. MGs of this calibre only have less than 20 mm penetration at most, meaning they are only good against non-armoured vehicles. Vehicles with open fighting compartment and exposed crew (e.g. [[GAZ-AAA (DShK)|GAZ-AAA (DshK)]], [[ZiS-30]], [[Sd.Kfz. 6/2|Sd.Kfz 6/2]], etc) are most vulnerable to such MG fire. These 2 MGs can also be useful to clear obstacles like fences, trees, etc so the tank will not slow down driving over them. On super rare occasions you might see planes flying very low, within the Crusader II's elevation angle. The 2 MGs can get some hits or even critical hits if aimed carefully.

Note that the smaller MG turret rotates very very slowly, at around 10°/s.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 4,950 (225) || 600 || ±10° || ±50°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,375 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Crusader Mk II is a quite effective low-range light tank, it is equipped with a fast firing 40 mm cannon, which is excellent at taking out tanks with a cramped interior and the crew close to each other, very fast reload, gun stabilization and its good handling makes up for shell doing not so much damage.

Since it is a light tank it does not have much armour, driving and fighting in the open field should be avoided whatever it is possible, unless there is enough of cover or the terrain shaped in a way so it is possible to use the hull down tactics at which this tank excels at because of its very low profile. The tank also has excellent gun depression and the turret shape makes it hard to hit.

The combination of manoeuvrability, a great high speed, and good acceleration makes it good at flanking and rushing the enemy positions. Although its max speed may be lacking compared to other fast tanks such as the Stuarts or BTs, it is compensated by its acceleration. It can get to max speed very fast and the turning ability is very good at any speed, except for moving in the same place. Other than that tank is very stable and pleasant to drive.

Any frontal engagement with enemy SPAA units should be avoided, try engaging them only at a long distance, when flanking them, or with the Artillery upgrade (most SPAAs at the rank would have an open cabin so it is easy for artillery to kill their crews). Dealing with other light tanks should not be an issue. Although the 40 mm cannon lacks accuracy, its reload speed is fast and it should not be an issue hitting targets at a close distance. However, fighting against medium tanks and other bigger vehicles could be a problem, as its highly recommended to know the crew position in the enemy tank and where to aim for them. As for shell choice it is recommended to use the last unlockable shell, the Shell Mk. 1 AP/T, as it has more explosive filling that would help take out enemy crews more easily.

=== Enemies worth noting: ===

* [[M4A3 (105)]]: this M4 Sherman is equipped with a deadly 105 mm howitzer firing HE and HEAT shells, the former having no problem destroying the Crusader II with overpressure while the latter can easily penetrate the Crusader. Thus, the Crusader must avoid getting hit by the M4. The Crusader II cannot penetrate the frontal armour of the M4A3 (105), so flanking becomes a good tactic. Use your speed and agility to get to the side/rear of the M4. If shooting at the hull side, the APHE will be enough. If shooting at turret side, you will need the Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T to penetrate the turret. Try disabling the M4's engine, transmission or driver first, then take your time to finish it because it has an extremely low turret rotation speed so it will not get its gun on you quickly once it cannot traverse its hull.
* [[B1 ter]]: this is an upgraded model of the [[B1 bis]] heavy tank, featuring thicker armour. Its hull sides have additional armour plates that is slightly sloped, and the Crusader II's 40 mm gun will struggle to penetrate it. The hull front is ~70 mm sloped, which can also resist the Crusader II's shells. The frontal turret and the gun mantlet can be bouncy but other areas like the cupola and turret ring are weakspots. Targeting there will take out the B1's 47 mm gunner who is also the commander. The turret sides/rear are of course easier to penetrate, if you get the chance. The hull rear can also be penetrated, but multiple shots will be required to destroy its transmission or engine due to your small calibre. Do not get hit by the B1, it will be fatal.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 5-man crew increases survivability. More unlikely to get taken by a single shot from small-calibre guns (e.g. from [[M2A4]])
* Spherical gun mantlet and sloped turret sides may bounce shells from certain angles
* 2-pdr cannon can frontally penetrate almost all tanks it will face, like [[M3A1 Stuart]], [[Chi-He]]
* Low profile, harder to get spotted and shot at
* Very good acceleration with good handling
* Strong protection against chemical shells
* Useful smokes

'''Cons:'''

* Overall weak armour, anyone (including SPAAs) can penetrate it
* Inaccurate gun is bad for sniping
* The only shell with an explosive filler drastically lacks penetration power
* Crew is packed together, can be knocked out easily with a single shot by large-calibre shells, notably the early Pz.IV models
* Reverse speed of -7 km/h is slow
* Strongest AP shell only have about 1.4kg of mass, dealing little spall

== History ==

===Development===
In 1938, the General Staff of the British Army requested for a cruiser tank that was lighter and more affordable than the heavier A16 cruiser design developed by Nuffield Mechanizations & Aero. One of these designs was the designation ''Tank, Cruiser Mk.V'' based off the [[A13 Mk I|A13 cruiser tanks]], named the "Covenanter", and Nuffield was invited to become part of its development team, but they refused due to interest in developing their own cruiser tank. Their tank was designated the '''Tank, Cruiser Mk.VI Crusader''' and fell under the General Staff specification of ''A15''. The Crusader was a parallel design to the Covenanter, but was ready six weeks earlier than the Covenanter despite starting at a later time. The Crusader was adopted into service with the British Army in 1941 and the 5,300 units were manufactured between 1940 to 1943.

===Design===
The Crusader features a new design that differs from its cruiser tank predecessors. The Christie suspension system on the Crusader had five road wheels for it instead of the usual four, which improves weight distribution of the increased 20 ton weight of the Crusader compared to the 14 tons of the A13 cruisers. The engine, steering system, and cooling system on the Crusader was different as well, but the Covenanter and Crusader use the same main turret. The polygonal shape of the turret gives the crew inside more room for the turret ring diameter.

The Crusader Mk.I and '''Mk.II''' were equipped with the 2-pounder, which was aimed by the gunner inside with a padded shaft that allows them to elevate the gun by simply adjusting his own height. Later in the war where an up-gun of the tank armament was necessary and newer tanks such as the [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]] was delayed, the Crusader was upgraded into the ''[[Crusader Mk III]]'' variant with a 6-pounder instead, which restricted turret space, requiring the turret crew to be reduced from three to two. These saw first action the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942.

===Combat Usage===
The Crusader first saw action at North Africa, right after the British had been pushed back to the Egyptian border by Axis forces. The Crusaders were part of the huge shipment in the Malta Convoys to reequip the British forces there. Enough Crusaders arrive that the entire 6th Royal Tank Regiment was refitted with them, which joined up with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment to form the 7th Armoured Brigade "Desert Rats". The brigade's first action was in Operation Battleaxe, though it was delayed due to adapting the tanks for the desert environment. The operation, which called for the relieve of the siege of Tobruk in June, was initiated in June to which 11 Crusader tanks were lost to anti-tank guns, plus many more to mechanical faults. While more Crusader tanks came in to reinforce the cruiser tank forces, there were never enough to supply the continuously expanding armoured units as 7th Brigade was combine with the 7th Hussars, the 2nd Armoured Brigade was added to the 7th Armoured Division, and the 8th Hussars was combined with the 4th Armoured Brigade. Overall, the Crusaders proved effective in the North African Campaign, the Crusader was faster than any tanks on the opposing side and the 2-pounder was lethal to the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]], but the tank suffered from its thin armour, mechanical problems in the desert, and the growing deficiency of the 2-pounder, which didn't have enough range to destroy farther tanks. The Crusader design also caused the ammo racks on the tank to easily ignite due to unprotected racks and shot traps on the turret design. Anti-tank guns continue to be the main reason the Crusader units suffer losses, rather than to enemy tanks.

By the end of 1941, only the 2nd Armoured Brigade retained the Crusaders, the rest of the other tank units were being refitted with better tanks, such as the [[Grant I|M3 Grant medium tank]] from the American Lend-Lease. Crusader units were also refitted with the more powerful Crusader Mk.III with the 6-pounder, which improved the Crusader's ability to destroy the gradually stronger German tanks. After General Bernard Montgomery took command of the British Army in 1942, more British tank units were reequipped with the Grant and [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tanks while the Crusaders were relegated from the front-lines to "light squadrons" meant to flank the enemy and attacked at its exposed sides. When the British 1st Army engaged the Axis at Tunisia, some tank regiments still use Crusaders mixed in with [[Valentine Mk I|Valentine tanks]]. These units in the 26th Armoured Brigade, code named "Blade Force", worked alongside the 78th Infantry Division as an independent armoured column. During Tunisia, the 1st Army was already converting the tank regiments into Shermans, but the 8th Army continued to use the Crusaders for much longer, which would see use at the Battle of Wadi Akarit and Mareth Line.

After the North African Campaign, the Crusaders no longer saw any use in the front-lines and were used in other roles such as gun tractors with 17-pounders or anti-aircraft mounts such as the ''[[Crusader AA Mk I|Crusader AA Mk I]]'' and ''[[Crusader AA Mk II|Mk II]]'' Some Crusader tanks equipped the tank regiments that stayed back at the British Homelands such as the 11th Armoured Division.

===Survivors===
About 21 Crusaders still exist intact in various parts of the world. The most notable places with the Crusaders are South Africa with 8 known survivors, a running [[Crusader Mk III]] at Bovington Tank Museum at England, and an anti-aircraft version at Musée des Blindés in France.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_crusader_mk_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|4_cJ1CpEatw|'''Best gun depression''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:33 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{TankManufacturer Nuffield}}
{{Britain light tanks}}

M10 GMC

2023-12-11T05:09:37Z

U142055152: /* Enemies worth noting*/

{{About
| about = American tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other versions
|link-1 = M10 (Family)
|usage-2 = other uses
|link-2 = M10 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or the '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''', unofficially the ''Wolverine'') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]].

The M10 GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) takes much from the [[M4A2]] Sherman which it was derived from. The drivetrain is identical with the drive shaft running from the engine in the rear to the front transmission and sprockets. The hull is sloped to a larger degree. The [[M7 (76 mm)|3-inch (76 mm) cannon]] originally mounted on the experimental M6 Heavy Tank lacks the muzzle brake of the 76 mm M1A2 gun used on the later Rank III Sherman's and the M18 Hellcat. The turret is a pentagonal shaped M5 Mount type. It has a powerful 76 mm gun; however it is held back due to the sluggish turret traverse speed. this severely limits the ability to quickly react and engage opponents when fired upon, a problem that can prove costly in high intensity matches.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Transmission area)
*Structural steel (Counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (55°) 50.8 mm (7-55°) ''Transmission area'' || 19.05 mm (38°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm ''Bottom'' || 19.05 mm (28°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (7-52°) ''Bottom'' || 19.05 mm ''Front'' 9.5 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm (68-89°) ''Turret front'' 57.15 mm (0-47°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (24-47°) || 25.4 mm (30-47°) ''Turret rear'' 50 mm (0-50°) ''Counterweight'' || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels are 20 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Hull rear sides are protected by attached grousers that give 20 mm of extra armour.

The armour of the M10 is quite decent for the rank and can make shells ricochet when angled properly, but nonetheless, the armour is not thick enough to resist the stronger tank weapons of Rank II. The thickest part of the front hull is the 51 mm lower plate and the upper plate is 38 mm, though both are sloped at 55 degrees from vertical. The sides and back are only 19 mm, which is slightly angled and thus can be penetrated by most weapons stronger than a 12.7 mm machine gun. This fact is made worse by the positioning of ammo racks on the sides, making it easy to knock out the M10 in one hit with a side penetration. The turret has slightly better armour with the gun mantlet having 57 mm of armour angled at 45 degrees on the front, but it is still very weak on the sides and back. The front of the turret can often eat shells as the shell will fragment on the initial armour, and the massive breach of the 76 mm cannon will often absorb most if not all of the spalling, leaving the turret crew untouched. This will take the M10 out of combat, but when backed up by teammates it is possible to reverse away to repair. The turrets top is exposed and because of that artillery barrages and HE shells are much more lethal to the crew. One should avoid angling the armour a great degree as it may expose the weaker side armour at a more perpendicular angle.

For those fighting the M10 from the front, firing towards the upper left side of the hull glacis (towards the right from the firing perspective) will be able to knock out both the driver and/or gunner if the shot penetrates at the right angle. If this does not completely destroy the tank, it certainly has crippled it and the follow-up shot should go towards the opposite side to knock out the rest of the crew. Repeat if necessary in cases where the crews are still active inside the tank. It is also a good idea to shoot the bottom of the hull to disable the transmission if the M10 is trying to flee. Since the M10 is an open-topped tank destroyer, overpressure from HE rounds will have no problem dealing with the entire crew in a single shot, as long as the round hits the M10. When using HE against the front of the M10, aim center mass, as that will give you the strongest possibility of hitting it.

The M10's side is lined with ammo racks and it's extremely easy to knock out the tank with a single shot. Simply aim below the turret, shoot the side and the ammo should explode in a blaze of glory. If the ammo does not explode the first time, then try shooting the same spot again or aim more to the front of the hull to knock out any remaining crew. It is possible to blow up the fuel tanks or set it on fire by shooting the rear of the M10, the worse case at least the engine will be disabled.

There are not a lot of places to shoot at the back of the M10, though a shot at the turret can knock out the turret crew or a shot in the hull can cripple the engine. Two ammo racks are present at the rear of the turret, but these racks are most likely empty as 1) They are the first two to run dry and 2) Players will usually keep this empty with reduced ammo load. The best place to shoot in the rear would be the engine to immobilize the M10 and potentially set it on fire.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


The M10 has roughly the same mobility characteristics as the M4 Sherman. Spaded, the tank moves surprisingly fast in a straight line, but the turning speed is a bit sluggish as well as the reverse speed. The M10 struggles while driving on inclines due to its narrow tracks. All in all the M10's mobility is moderate and it can get to its location reasonably fast.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=582|rbMinHp=363|AoAweight=0.5}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

First off, get all protection modifications: Parts and FPE. The M62 shell should be a top priority since it is superior to the stock M79 AP shot in all aspects. After that move on to research modifications from the Firepower tree: Horizontal Drive, Adjustment of Fire, and the Elevation Mechanism. Lastly research the Mobility tree: Tracks, Filters, Engine, Transmission, Suspension, Brake System.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M7 (76 mm)}}

The 3-inch (76 mm) cannon is a wonderful and powerful gun. APCBC ammo can penetrate any tank on the battlefield even from long range. It is not a bad idea to carry a few HE shells as well to fight lightly armoured and open top tanks like the [[M16 MGMC]]. The powerful gun and potent ammunition make the M10 a good sniper vehicle at its battle rating, especially with its -10° gun depression, giving the M10 the ability to maximize a hull-down position. Unfortunately, even though this tank destroyer does feature a turret, its turret rotation speed is extremely slow (< 4.0°/s) due to its historic configuration of only possessing a hand crank for the turret traverse. It is possible to crest a ridge and watch as the enemy rotates their turret, takes aim, and shoots the M10, all while the latter is rotating its turret into position. Thus, it is better to see it as a regular fragile SPG instead of a turreted SPG and fight from a distance and in possible concealment. Take warning that the gun's excellent penetration is too much for lower rank tanks and can lead to over-penetration, thus dealing less or even no damage to the enemy. Also, start each round with at least six missing shells (as detailed in the [[#Ammo_racks|Ammo Racks]] section) to remove the ammo racks on the rear of the turret, reducing turret penetration vulnerability to an instant cook-off.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M7 (76 mm)|76 mm M7]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 54 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+30° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 4.0 || 5.5 || 6.7 || 7.4 || 7.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.15 || rowspan="2" | 6.32 || rowspan="2" | 5.83 || rowspan="2" | 5.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 2.7 || 3.2 || 3.8 || 4.2 || 4.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M7 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M79 shot, M42A1 shell, M62 shell}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''54''' || 49 ''(+5)'' || 37 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+29)'' || 13 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+53)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 400 (200) || 575 || -10°/+28° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M10 is a support vehicle. Find a good sniping position and lay behind the team taking out enemy tanks from a distance. Try to stay away from enemy tanks to avoid getting destroyed quickly. To make full use of its decent sniping capacity, find a spot that:

* overlooks key passageway / street / battle area
* is not too close to the frontline
* has slopes, hard covers or bushes
* is not too hard to get to

With a location like that, the M10 can utilise its -10° gun depression and use hull down. Its turret front and mantlet can consistently cause ricochets especially in a downtier. Looming behind bushes, an M10's well aimed shots should be able to knock out most enemy tanks at the battle rating range from long range. Even if you get spotted, any slope or hard covers will provide protection for you.

If fighting in a close quarters environment, do not try to push forward without support. Stay behind friendly tanks in order to support them without being shot at. If in an urban scenario on maps like [[Poland_(Ground_Forces)|Poland]] or [[Normandy (Ground Forces)|Normandy]], utilize the tank's turning speed to rotate the turret to the right angle. But, the best option is still to find a hull down location. For example, in [[Normandy (Ground Forces)|Normandy]], during arcade, the best location is towards the C point, where there are hills and dips that can be used to hide the hull, while giving a good view of the battlefield.

The M10 has a very slow turret rotation speed, but the M10 can traverse faster than it can rotate its turret and use its high speed when at high gear to produce some interesting skids via the physics engine to swerve the M10 and angle its gun at an enemy tank around the corner. It is recommended to understand and get a good feel of the M10's mobility and horsepower on dirt and paved roads before attempting this stunt. The low turret rotation speed means that a M10 player must always be aware of where the enemy tanks are, because they will not be able to turn the turret quickly if the enemy is able to flank the M10. In addition, the M10's side armour is weak, and the ammunition storage is in the hull sides, so if the enemy is able to shoot the M10 at that location, it is very likely to explode the ammo rack and destroy the tank with one shot.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]: also known as the "flak truck" or "flak bus", it is rather hard to knock out with armour-piercing shells because its armour is so thin that almost every shell will overpenetrate, dealing almost no critical damage. Additionally, this vehicle faces the side to aim the cannon, making it even harder to knock it out as the crew are all far apart. The flak truck can take quite a few hits and retaliate by taking out attackers one by one. Aim for the left side of its turret to disable its gunner first, then knock out the rest of its crew (right side of the turret & driving compartment). Do not rely on the M2 HB to knock out the crew: while it can penetrate the gun armour, the vehicle crew will be safe behind armour too thick to penetrate.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main cannon penetration and damage is very good for the rank, can knock out many tanks (e.g. T-34, KV-1 or even the [[Tiger H1]]) in one hit
* Mantlet sometimes absorbs shots with its sloped armour
* Good gun depression of -10°, perfect for hull-down positions
* Frontal glacis is somewhat bouncy due to a steep angle. Also the huge, V-shaped gun mantlet can often bounce / absorb shells (e.g. 75 mm M3 and 76 mm F-34 / ZiS-5), as well as the large gun breech behind it further protecting the turret crew
* 5 crew members increase survivability
* Turreted purpose-built tank destroyer allows for a wide field of fire compared to casemate designs
* Powerful roof-mounted .50 cal M2 Browning can damage lightly-armoured vehicles or low-flying aircraft
* Access to modification "[[Add-on Armor|Add-on Armour]]", that increases hull protection significantly on the sides and front
* Has relatively no problem when getting uptiered
* Over-all, high survivability, good maneuverability and very amazing firepower

'''Cons:'''

* Mediocre turret traverse speed combined with its rather sluggish hull traverse "locks" it as a long range sniper for most players. Close quarters combat is difficult, as it often cannot get its gun on target in time
* Base armour is quite thin, can get easily penetrated by common opponents
* Open-topped, vulnerable to aircraft strafing and artillery strikes
* Poor reverse speed won't save you from a dangerous encounter
* Only x3.5 gunsight zoom making it hard to shoot distant targets

== History ==

{{main|M10_GMC/History|l1=History of the M10 GMC}}

===Development===
Conceived after the Battle of France, the US Army employed a doctrine to fight against the expected massed armoured attack the Germans had employed with their Panzer Divisions.<ref name="MoranTDHistory">Moran 2016</ref> The doctrine called for a Tank Destroyer Branch that would be held in reserve to be deployed against an armoured attack. The first few vehicles produced on this concept was the 37 mm GMC M6 and the [[M3 GMC|75 mm GMC M3]]. While adequate, these were only seen as a stop-gap measure until better tank destroyers could be developed.<ref name="ZalogaM10">Zaloga 2002</ref><ref name="ZalogaM18">Zaloga 2004</ref> With requests being sent for a 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage (GMC), a proposal was made in November 1941 for a turreted tank destroyer that would use the chassis of [[M4A2]] Sherman and armed with the 3-inch gun from the [[M6A1|M6 heavy tank]]. The resulting prototype was standardized in June 1942 as the '''3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10''' in June 1942.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

Production started on the M10s in September 1942 at Fisher Tank Arsenal at Grand Blanc, Michigan with a production priority rating much higher than even the new M4 medium tank. Due to the concerns of not meeting production demands, a separate variant developed on the [[M4A3_(76)_W|M4A3]] chassis as the ''M10A1''. Production of these two vehicles would run until December 1943 (M10) and January 1944 (M10A1) for a total production number of 6,706 vehicle produced, 4,993 M10s and 1,713 M10A1s.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

Today, the M10 is often referred to as the "Wolverine". However, the origin of this nickname is unknown. Some have contested that it was a British nickname, but it is unlikely as they gave it the designation [[Achilles|"Achilles"]]. It also is not an American nickname as well as all official documents referred to the M10s by their designation or "TD". It is widely accepted that "Wolverine" is a post-war nickname similar to the "Hetzer" nickname on the [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]].<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

===Combat usage===
The M10 received their baptism of fire in Tunisia, with the Tank Destroyer putting their doctrine into practice at the Battle of El Guettar on 23 March 1943 against the 10th Panzer Division. Afterwards, the Allies found themselves on the offensive while large-scale German armoured punches became sporadic and scarce. Discontent with valuable guns and vehicles being left in reserves, a tactic was devised by Lt.Col. James Barney of the 776th to use the M10 in an artillery role with their 3-inch guns, a role the M10 found itself in during the fighting in Italy.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

The M10 was also deployed as the standard equipment in 11 Tank Destroyer battalions during Operation Overlord, serving alongside [[M18 GMC]] ''Hellcats'' and towed guns in the same tank destroyer role. Due to once again the armour engagements in Normandy and the rest of France to being scarce, the M10 found themselves supporting infantry advances into German territory. In July, encounters with [[Panther G|Panther tanks]] shocked the tank destroyer crew as there was a belief the armaments were capable of easily dealing with the new German tanks, and complaints were made for the fielding of a better gun on the field. The solution came in the form of the [[M36 GMC]] ''Jackson'' with a 90 mm cannon and the T4 HVAP ammo for the 3-inch gun.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

Towards the end of 1944, the German Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) caused the M10 and the other employed tank destroyers to face off once again against a dedicated armoured punch of Panthers and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] tanks. During this campaign, a deception mission was launched by the Germans named Operation Grief, which had ten [[Ersatz M10|Panther tanks dressed up to look like M10s]] externally to fool Americans.<ref name="HartPanther">Hart 2003</ref> All of these mock-ups were destroyed by battle or scrapped after it. After the Battle of the Bulge, the majority of German armoured forces have dwindled and armour engagements largely declined in the final months of the war in Europe.<ref name="ZalogaM10" /> One of the M10's most notable action in 1945 was done on January 26 in the Colmar Pocket when the most decorated soldier of World War II, Audie Murphy, used a knocked out M10's M2 Browning machine gun to hold off a German counterattack of six tanks plus infantry while calling in artillery. He held for an hour and killed about 50 German soldiers from behind the burning M10 wreck, forcing the tank units to retreat due to loss of infantry support. Audie Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.<ref name="USOMurphy">Walker 2015</ref><ref name="MoHMurphy">Smithsonian Institution. "The Price of Freedom: Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation."</ref>

The M10s were a part of the American Lend-Lease program to the Allies and as such many M10s found their ways into British, Free French, and Soviet hands. In all, 1,855 M10s were sent in the Lend-Lease program, of which 1,648 were to Great Britain. The British designated the M10s as the 3" SPM (Self-Propelled Mount) M10. The most famous of the British usage of the M10 was the conversion of the armament into the 17-pounder gun. These converted M10s were designated ''M10C'' or ''M10 17-pdr'' under British nomenclature, though they did issue a name [[Achilles]] to designate all forms of M10 under British service.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

After the end of World War II, most M10s were scrapped or given away as part of the Military Assistance Program to other allies.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
A self-propelled artillery/anti-tank mount based on the Sherman tank. A new open turret featuring a more powerful gun, but only manual targeting, was installed on it. It was released from September 1942 to January 1944 and proved to be quite effective in combat against German medium tanks. However, it was not powerful enough to stand up to the Tiger or Panther. And also... Due to its open turret it was vulnerable to artillery barrages and in battles in populated areas. It was frequently used as a standard linear tank.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m10 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|trEB3qmyePk|'''Giving Advice on the M10 GMC Tank Destroyer''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M10 (Family)]]
* [[M36 Jackson (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/772/|[Devblog] Attacker FB.1 and M10 & M36 Slugger]]
* [[wikipedia:M10_tank_destroyer|[Wikipedia] M10 tank destroyer]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M10_Wolverine.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> 3in GMC M10 Wolverine]
* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/671566/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (M76 & M71C & M71D) for M4 Shermans with 76 mm cannon, M10, M36, T25 and M26 Pershings]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Hart, Stephen A. ''Panther Medium Tank 1942-45.'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003
* Moran, Nicholas. "US Tank Destroyer History." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Aug. 2016. Web. 08 Feb. 2017. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ho8TU_JpoI Video]
* Smithsonian Institution. "The Price of Freedom: Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation." The Price of Freedom: Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2017. [http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=421 Website]
* Walker, Dale L. "Audie Murphy: To Hell and Back." United Service Organizations. N.p., 20 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2017. [https://www.uso.org/stories/183-audie-murphy-to-hell-and-back Website]
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers 1942-53'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2002
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer 1943-97'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2004

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA tank destroyers}}

M10 GMC

2023-12-11T05:07:55Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other versions
|link-1 = M10 (Family)
|usage-2 = other uses
|link-2 = M10 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or the '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''', unofficially the ''Wolverine'') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]].

The M10 GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) takes much from the [[M4A2]] Sherman which it was derived from. The drivetrain is identical with the drive shaft running from the engine in the rear to the front transmission and sprockets. The hull is sloped to a larger degree. The [[M7 (76 mm)|3-inch (76 mm) cannon]] originally mounted on the experimental M6 Heavy Tank lacks the muzzle brake of the 76 mm M1A2 gun used on the later Rank III Sherman's and the M18 Hellcat. The turret is a pentagonal shaped M5 Mount type. It has a powerful 76 mm gun; however it is held back due to the sluggish turret traverse speed. this severely limits the ability to quickly react and engage opponents when fired upon, a problem that can prove costly in high intensity matches.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Transmission area)
*Structural steel (Counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (55°) 50.8 mm (7-55°) ''Transmission area'' || 19.05 mm (38°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm ''Bottom'' || 19.05 mm (28°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (7-52°) ''Bottom'' || 19.05 mm ''Front'' 9.5 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm (68-89°) ''Turret front'' 57.15 mm (0-47°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (24-47°) || 25.4 mm (30-47°) ''Turret rear'' 50 mm (0-50°) ''Counterweight'' || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels are 20 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Hull rear sides are protected by attached grousers that give 20 mm of extra armour.

The armour of the M10 is quite decent for the rank and can make shells ricochet when angled properly, but nonetheless, the armour is not thick enough to resist the stronger tank weapons of Rank II. The thickest part of the front hull is the 51 mm lower plate and the upper plate is 38 mm, though both are sloped at 55 degrees from vertical. The sides and back are only 19 mm, which is slightly angled and thus can be penetrated by most weapons stronger than a 12.7 mm machine gun. This fact is made worse by the positioning of ammo racks on the sides, making it easy to knock out the M10 in one hit with a side penetration. The turret has slightly better armour with the gun mantlet having 57 mm of armour angled at 45 degrees on the front, but it is still very weak on the sides and back. The front of the turret can often eat shells as the shell will fragment on the initial armour, and the massive breach of the 76 mm cannon will often absorb most if not all of the spalling, leaving the turret crew untouched. This will take the M10 out of combat, but when backed up by teammates it is possible to reverse away to repair. The turrets top is exposed and because of that artillery barrages and HE shells are much more lethal to the crew. One should avoid angling the armour a great degree as it may expose the weaker side armour at a more perpendicular angle.

For those fighting the M10 from the front, firing towards the upper left side of the hull glacis (towards the right from the firing perspective) will be able to knock out both the driver and/or gunner if the shot penetrates at the right angle. If this does not completely destroy the tank, it certainly has crippled it and the follow-up shot should go towards the opposite side to knock out the rest of the crew. Repeat if necessary in cases where the crews are still active inside the tank. It is also a good idea to shoot the bottom of the hull to disable the transmission if the M10 is trying to flee. Since the M10 is an open-topped tank destroyer, overpressure from HE rounds will have no problem dealing with the entire crew in a single shot, as long as the round hits the M10. When using HE against the front of the M10, aim center mass, as that will give you the strongest possibility of hitting it.

The M10's side is lined with ammo racks and it's extremely easy to knock out the tank with a single shot. Simply aim below the turret, shoot the side and the ammo should explode in a blaze of glory. If the ammo does not explode the first time, then try shooting the same spot again or aim more to the front of the hull to knock out any remaining crew. It is possible to blow up the fuel tanks or set it on fire by shooting the rear of the M10, the worse case at least the engine will be disabled.

There are not a lot of places to shoot at the back of the M10, though a shot at the turret can knock out the turret crew or a shot in the hull can cripple the engine. Two ammo racks are present at the rear of the turret, but these racks are most likely empty as 1) They are the first two to run dry and 2) Players will usually keep this empty with reduced ammo load. The best place to shoot in the rear would be the engine to immobilize the M10 and potentially set it on fire.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


The M10 has roughly the same mobility characteristics as the M4 Sherman. Spaded, the tank moves surprisingly fast in a straight line, but the turning speed is a bit sluggish as well as the reverse speed. The M10 struggles while driving on inclines due to its narrow tracks. All in all the M10's mobility is moderate and it can get to its location reasonably fast.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=582|rbMinHp=363|AoAweight=0.5}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

First off, get all protection modifications: Parts and FPE. The M62 shell should be a top priority since it is superior to the stock M79 AP shot in all aspects. After that move on to research modifications from the Firepower tree: Horizontal Drive, Adjustment of Fire, and the Elevation Mechanism. Lastly research the Mobility tree: Tracks, Filters, Engine, Transmission, Suspension, Brake System.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M7 (76 mm)}}

The 3-inch (76 mm) cannon is a wonderful and powerful gun. APCBC ammo can penetrate any tank on the battlefield even from long range. It is not a bad idea to carry a few HE shells as well to fight lightly armoured and open top tanks like the [[M16 MGMC]]. The powerful gun and potent ammunition make the M10 a good sniper vehicle at its battle rating, especially with its -10° gun depression, giving the M10 the ability to maximize a hull-down position. Unfortunately, even though this tank destroyer does feature a turret, its turret rotation speed is extremely slow (< 4.0°/s) due to its historic configuration of only possessing a hand crank for the turret traverse. It is possible to crest a ridge and watch as the enemy rotates their turret, takes aim, and shoots the M10, all while the latter is rotating its turret into position. Thus, it is better to see it as a regular fragile SPG instead of a turreted SPG and fight from a distance and in possible concealment. Take warning that the gun's excellent penetration is too much for lower rank tanks and can lead to over-penetration, thus dealing less or even no damage to the enemy. Also, start each round with at least six missing shells (as detailed in the [[#Ammo_racks|Ammo Racks]] section) to remove the ammo racks on the rear of the turret, reducing turret penetration vulnerability to an instant cook-off.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M7 (76 mm)|76 mm M7]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 54 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+30° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 4.0 || 5.5 || 6.7 || 7.4 || 7.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.15 || rowspan="2" | 6.32 || rowspan="2" | 5.83 || rowspan="2" | 5.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 2.7 || 3.2 || 3.8 || 4.2 || 4.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M7 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M79 shot, M42A1 shell, M62 shell}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''54''' || 49 ''(+5)'' || 37 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+29)'' || 13 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+53)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 400 (200) || 575 || -10°/+28° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M10 is a support vehicle. Find a good sniping position and lay behind the team taking out enemy tanks from a distance. Try to stay away from enemy tanks to avoid getting destroyed quickly. To make full use of its decent sniping capacity, find a spot that:

* overlooks key passageway / street / battle area
* is not too close to the frontline
* has slopes, hard covers or bushes
* is not too hard to get to

With a location like that, the M10 can utilise its -10° gun depression and use hull down. Its turret front and mantlet can consistently cause ricochets especially in a downtier. Looming behind bushes, an M10's well aimed shots should be able to knock out most enemy tanks at the battle rating range from long range. Even if you get spotted, any slope or hard covers will provide protection for you.

If fighting in a close quarters environment, do not try to push forward without support. Stay behind friendly tanks in order to support them without being shot at. If in an urban scenario on maps like [[Poland_(Ground_Forces)|Poland]] or [[Normandy (Ground Forces)|Normandy]], utilize the tank's turning speed to rotate the turret to the right angle. But, the best option is still to find a hull down location. For example, in [[Normandy (Ground Forces)|Normandy]], during arcade, the best location is towards the C point, where there are hills and dips that can be used to hide the hull, while giving a good view of the battlefield.

The M10 has a very slow turret rotation speed, but the M10 can traverse faster than it can rotate its turret and use its high speed when at high gear to produce some interesting skids via the physics engine to swerve the M10 and angle its gun at an enemy tank around the corner. It is recommended to understand and get a good feel of the M10's mobility and horsepower on dirt and paved roads before attempting this stunt. The low turret rotation speed means that a M10 player must always be aware of where the enemy tanks are, because they will not be able to turn the turret quickly if the enemy is able to flank the M10. In addition, the M10's side armour is weak, and the ammunition storage is in the hull sides, so if the enemy is able to shoot the M10 at that location, it is very likely to explode the ammo rack and destroy the tank with one shot.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[R3 T20 FA-HS]]: this vehicle is the exact opposite tank when comparing to an M10: extremely high topspeed, great traverse and fast gun rotation. A well-manoeuvred R3 can easily circle around the M10 and shoot AP shells through the thin side, while the M10 struggles to get the gun on target even when traversing the hull with the gun. If you know an R3 is around, you should turn your hull towards the possible direction and be ready to engage. Move the hull with the gun to target quicker. Even if you miss, the M2 Browning can still penetrate the R3 and knock out its crews. Note that a side shot on the R3 does not guarantee a kill as the fuse might not get triggered, and the crew are pretty separated. The R3 can run away and repair for another attack. A frontal shot, however, is likely to one shot it as the crew are all lined up.

[[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]: also known as the "flak truck" or "flak bus", it is rather hard to knock out with armour-piercing shells because its armour is so thin that almost every shell will overpenetrate, dealing almost no critical damage. Additionally, this vehicle faces the side to aim the cannon, making it even harder to knock it out as the crew are all far apart. The flak truck can take quite a few hits and retaliate by taking out attackers one by one. Aim for the left side of its turret to disable its gunner first, then knock out the rest of its crew (right side of the turret & driving compartment). Do not rely on the M2 HB to knock out the crew: while it can penetrate the gun armour, the vehicle crew will be safe behind armour too thick to penetrate.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main cannon penetration and damage is very good for the rank, can knock out many tanks (e.g. T-34, KV-1 or even the [[Tiger H1]]) in one hit
* Mantlet sometimes absorbs shots with its sloped armour
* Good gun depression of -10°, perfect for hull-down positions
* Frontal glacis is somewhat bouncy due to a steep angle. Also the huge, V-shaped gun mantlet can often bounce / absorb shells (e.g. 75 mm M3 and 76 mm F-34 / ZiS-5), as well as the large gun breech behind it further protecting the turret crew
* 5 crew members increase survivability
* Turreted purpose-built tank destroyer allows for a wide field of fire compared to casemate designs
* Powerful roof-mounted .50 cal M2 Browning can damage lightly-armoured vehicles or low-flying aircraft
* Access to modification "[[Add-on Armor|Add-on Armour]]", that increases hull protection significantly on the sides and front
* Has relatively no problem when getting uptiered
* Over-all, high survivability, good maneuverability and very amazing firepower

'''Cons:'''

* Mediocre turret traverse speed combined with its rather sluggish hull traverse "locks" it as a long range sniper for most players. Close quarters combat is difficult, as it often cannot get its gun on target in time
* Base armour is quite thin, can get easily penetrated by common opponents
* Open-topped, vulnerable to aircraft strafing and artillery strikes
* Poor reverse speed won't save you from a dangerous encounter
* Only x3.5 gunsight zoom making it hard to shoot distant targets

== History ==

{{main|M10_GMC/History|l1=History of the M10 GMC}}

===Development===
Conceived after the Battle of France, the US Army employed a doctrine to fight against the expected massed armoured attack the Germans had employed with their Panzer Divisions.<ref name="MoranTDHistory">Moran 2016</ref> The doctrine called for a Tank Destroyer Branch that would be held in reserve to be deployed against an armoured attack. The first few vehicles produced on this concept was the 37 mm GMC M6 and the [[M3 GMC|75 mm GMC M3]]. While adequate, these were only seen as a stop-gap measure until better tank destroyers could be developed.<ref name="ZalogaM10">Zaloga 2002</ref><ref name="ZalogaM18">Zaloga 2004</ref> With requests being sent for a 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage (GMC), a proposal was made in November 1941 for a turreted tank destroyer that would use the chassis of [[M4A2]] Sherman and armed with the 3-inch gun from the [[M6A1|M6 heavy tank]]. The resulting prototype was standardized in June 1942 as the '''3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10''' in June 1942.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

Production started on the M10s in September 1942 at Fisher Tank Arsenal at Grand Blanc, Michigan with a production priority rating much higher than even the new M4 medium tank. Due to the concerns of not meeting production demands, a separate variant developed on the [[M4A3_(76)_W|M4A3]] chassis as the ''M10A1''. Production of these two vehicles would run until December 1943 (M10) and January 1944 (M10A1) for a total production number of 6,706 vehicle produced, 4,993 M10s and 1,713 M10A1s.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

Today, the M10 is often referred to as the "Wolverine". However, the origin of this nickname is unknown. Some have contested that it was a British nickname, but it is unlikely as they gave it the designation [[Achilles|"Achilles"]]. It also is not an American nickname as well as all official documents referred to the M10s by their designation or "TD". It is widely accepted that "Wolverine" is a post-war nickname similar to the "Hetzer" nickname on the [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]].<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

===Combat usage===
The M10 received their baptism of fire in Tunisia, with the Tank Destroyer putting their doctrine into practice at the Battle of El Guettar on 23 March 1943 against the 10th Panzer Division. Afterwards, the Allies found themselves on the offensive while large-scale German armoured punches became sporadic and scarce. Discontent with valuable guns and vehicles being left in reserves, a tactic was devised by Lt.Col. James Barney of the 776th to use the M10 in an artillery role with their 3-inch guns, a role the M10 found itself in during the fighting in Italy.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

The M10 was also deployed as the standard equipment in 11 Tank Destroyer battalions during Operation Overlord, serving alongside [[M18 GMC]] ''Hellcats'' and towed guns in the same tank destroyer role. Due to once again the armour engagements in Normandy and the rest of France to being scarce, the M10 found themselves supporting infantry advances into German territory. In July, encounters with [[Panther G|Panther tanks]] shocked the tank destroyer crew as there was a belief the armaments were capable of easily dealing with the new German tanks, and complaints were made for the fielding of a better gun on the field. The solution came in the form of the [[M36 GMC]] ''Jackson'' with a 90 mm cannon and the T4 HVAP ammo for the 3-inch gun.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

Towards the end of 1944, the German Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) caused the M10 and the other employed tank destroyers to face off once again against a dedicated armoured punch of Panthers and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] tanks. During this campaign, a deception mission was launched by the Germans named Operation Grief, which had ten [[Ersatz M10|Panther tanks dressed up to look like M10s]] externally to fool Americans.<ref name="HartPanther">Hart 2003</ref> All of these mock-ups were destroyed by battle or scrapped after it. After the Battle of the Bulge, the majority of German armoured forces have dwindled and armour engagements largely declined in the final months of the war in Europe.<ref name="ZalogaM10" /> One of the M10's most notable action in 1945 was done on January 26 in the Colmar Pocket when the most decorated soldier of World War II, Audie Murphy, used a knocked out M10's M2 Browning machine gun to hold off a German counterattack of six tanks plus infantry while calling in artillery. He held for an hour and killed about 50 German soldiers from behind the burning M10 wreck, forcing the tank units to retreat due to loss of infantry support. Audie Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.<ref name="USOMurphy">Walker 2015</ref><ref name="MoHMurphy">Smithsonian Institution. "The Price of Freedom: Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation."</ref>

The M10s were a part of the American Lend-Lease program to the Allies and as such many M10s found their ways into British, Free French, and Soviet hands. In all, 1,855 M10s were sent in the Lend-Lease program, of which 1,648 were to Great Britain. The British designated the M10s as the 3" SPM (Self-Propelled Mount) M10. The most famous of the British usage of the M10 was the conversion of the armament into the 17-pounder gun. These converted M10s were designated ''M10C'' or ''M10 17-pdr'' under British nomenclature, though they did issue a name [[Achilles]] to designate all forms of M10 under British service.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

After the end of World War II, most M10s were scrapped or given away as part of the Military Assistance Program to other allies.<ref name="ZalogaM10" />

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
A self-propelled artillery/anti-tank mount based on the Sherman tank. A new open turret featuring a more powerful gun, but only manual targeting, was installed on it. It was released from September 1942 to January 1944 and proved to be quite effective in combat against German medium tanks. However, it was not powerful enough to stand up to the Tiger or Panther. And also... Due to its open turret it was vulnerable to artillery barrages and in battles in populated areas. It was frequently used as a standard linear tank.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m10 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|trEB3qmyePk|'''Giving Advice on the M10 GMC Tank Destroyer''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M10 (Family)]]
* [[M36 Jackson (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/772/|[Devblog] Attacker FB.1 and M10 & M36 Slugger]]
* [[wikipedia:M10_tank_destroyer|[Wikipedia] M10 tank destroyer]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M10_Wolverine.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> 3in GMC M10 Wolverine]
* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/671566/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (M76 & M71C & M71D) for M4 Shermans with 76 mm cannon, M10, M36, T25 and M26 Pershings]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Hart, Stephen A. ''Panther Medium Tank 1942-45.'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003
* Moran, Nicholas. "US Tank Destroyer History." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Aug. 2016. Web. 08 Feb. 2017. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ho8TU_JpoI Video]
* Smithsonian Institution. "The Price of Freedom: Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation." The Price of Freedom: Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2017. [http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=421 Website]
* Walker, Dale L. "Audie Murphy: To Hell and Back." United Service Organizations. N.p., 20 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2017. [https://www.uso.org/stories/183-audie-murphy-to-hell-and-back Website]
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers 1942-53'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2002
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer 1943-97'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2004

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA tank destroyers}}

Pz.III J1

2023-11-28T10:37:57Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Panzer III (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Panzerkampfwagen III Ausführung J1 (Panzer III J1)''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 141/1''') is an up-gunned modification of the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III J]], which is the ninth variant of the [[Pz.III (Family)|Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank family]] (the "I" variant was skipped). From December 1941, some existing units of the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III J]] variants were modified with the 50 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 39 L/60 tank gun to replace the earlier 50 mm KwK38 L/42 tank gun. They were originally known as the Panzer III J1 before being renamed the Panzer III L. Armoured vents were installed on the rear engine deck of tanks going to North Africa. This is somewhat comparable to when the Germans started modifying some of their older Panzer IV Fs with longer KwK40 L/43 guns in early 1942. The new improved Panzer IV F was initially known as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2]], before being redesignated as the [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV G]]. The original Panzer IV F was then renamed [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV F1]].

Introduced in [[Update 1.43]], the Panzer III J1 is an improved variant of the Panzer III J. Armed with the long-barrelled 50 mm KwK39 L/60 tank gun, players will notice a significant increase in firepower over the standard Panzer III J. Dealing with heavier armoured adversaries is much easier, and engagement range is greatly increased. However, with the appearance of early [[T-34 (Family)|Soviet T-34 medium tanks]] and early [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1 heavy tanks]] in battle, players must be cautious, as these tanks pose a severe threat to the Panzer III J1. Since the long-barrelled 50 mm KwK39 L/60 tank gun will struggle to penetrate Soviet early T-34 medium tanks and early KV-1 heavy tanks beyond close ranges, engagement must be much closer. Finally, the long-awaited electric power traverse system has arrived, addressing the fundamental weakness of the Panzer IIIs that has remained for the previous eight variants.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Barrel shroud, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (12°) ''Front plate'' 25 mm (86°), 50 mm (53°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (23-69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 50 mm (15-41°) ''Top'' 50 mm (11-66°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (12-25°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (12-46°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (22-25°) || 30 mm (13-16°) || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || 50 mm || 10 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK39 (50 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK39 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK39]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 84 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.33 || 18.45 || 22.40 || 24.77 || 26.35 || rowspan="2" | 4.81 || rowspan="2" | 4.25 || rowspan="2" | 3.92 || rowspan="2" | 3.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''PzGr 39''' - Armour Piercing Capped shell - This is your main ammo type, use it whenever you think it has enough penetration to penetrate your target. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
* '''PzGr 40/1''' - Armour Piercing Composite Rigid shell - This type of ammo should be used if you are having trouble penetrating your opponent, or trying to hit a fast-moving tank at some distance. However, its damaging potential is much lower, because it has no explosive filler to further enhance damage after the penetration.
* '''PzGr 40''' - Armour Piercing Composite Rigid shell - this variation of APCR is lighter, slightly faster and offers the best penetration (up to 150 mm). Use it against heavily armoured beasts like the [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]] (If you can't flank them). However, don't expect it to cause any real damage upon penetration, it is even worse than that of PzGr 40/1. It basically only deals damage to modules/crew straight in its path. It is therefore almost useless to fire them at things like turret cupolas, as it will usually just fly right through them.
* '''Sprgr. 38''' - High Explosive ammo - You should carry only very few of these. They are completely useless against anything other than unarmoured AA vehicles, to which it is lethal.

{{:KwK39 (50 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, PzGr 40/1, PzGr 40, Sprgr. 38}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Pz.IIIJ1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''84''' || 70 ''(+14)'' || 62 ''(+22)'' || 34 ''(+50)'' || 1 ''(+83)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret empty: 62 ''(+22)'' shells.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,750 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Offensive'''

Optimal combat distance for this vehicle is somewhere between medium to close range. But don't be mistaken, the Panzer III J1 is not an frontline tank. You should be always on the move and harass the enemy without rest as any return fire will be lethal. Don't trust your armour and instead rely on your mobility. Flanking is the best option for J1 as you can use the high rate of fire for good effect and hopefully avoid the incoming retribution. You don't have the best mobility for a medium tank, but you definitely remain competitive against most enemy tanks you may encounter. Always try to find some good firing positions, with available cover, and if necessary, pull back and relocate. Always avoid direct close range confrontations with main enemy force; never try to fight more than 1 enemy at the time. However - playing purely as support/sniper tank isn't optimal either, because of your lower armour penetration.

With this tank, you have essentially a "jack of all trades, somewhat good at all of them" kind of options set. You can stick with friendly tanks, and use the cannon's high rate-of-fire and excellent stats with APCR to nab scores from either destroying the enemy or getting team assists. Another way to go on the offensive is to go for a flanking move since at practical distances (400-1,000 m) the gun's penetration statistics are far less than the maximum advertised. However, the cannon still has enough power at those ranges to at least immobilize particularly important enemy tanks like a [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] or [[Churchill Mk I|Churchill]] with a drivetrain shot. You can attempt multiple shots to destroy enemies, but by that point, you will begin receiving "responsive fire", and your tank's armour is not good enough to withstand more than 1-2 hits before being taken out.

A possible solution is to use "shoot and scoot" manoeuvres, popping out to fire and then scurrying to a different spot, but this poses issues if the terrain won't allow you to have a consistent cover (which may result in a downed tank between cover) or if there simply isn't much of any cover (like on the [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]] map's outer capture points).

'''Defensive'''

When on the defense, you have a number of advantages and some severe disadvantages - being able to hunker down and hammer in shots with the long 5 cm cannon away from the immediate frontlines mean that most tanks that you will face will likely be more focused on more offensive-oriented players in your team, which may cause them to unintentionally show their hull sides towards the Panzer III J1's position. This scenario, combined with your excellent rate of fire and penetration statistics, means you can make quick work of an unsuspecting light or medium tank, assuming you can find cover in a location the enemy will not be looking at.

If detected or ranged by a tank or tank destroyer (assuming they have an angle that negates your cover's protection), your armour will not protect you from very much, as even 20 mm AP rounds can penetrate the armour plates if close enough. If you simply find yourself stuck behind cover because the enemy has your position, it is advised to pop smoke (as you have multiple use smoke-grenade launchers) and use the smoke to full effect, making it as difficult as possible for enemy tanks to get an exact bearing on your position as you try to move to better or another cover in general.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower: high rate of fire, high penetration, and explosive filler
* Quite mobile and fast with 10km/h reverse speed to be more versatile
* Excellent -10° gun depression
* APCR is great against moving or heavy targets like Matildas
* Boxy armour construction is great when angling

'''Cons:'''

* APCR has poor damage against modules and crew, and low penetration at range
* Gun lacks penetration at range, is likely to bounce on armour slopes
* Overall weak armour, can be penetrated by common enemies like T-34, T-50, M3 Lee
* Turret rotates slowly, fatal if being flanked

== History ==


===Development===
The '''Panzerkampfwagen III''' medium tank, or the '''Panzer III''' was developed in the 1930s. Starting in early 1934, Heinz Guderian set down some specifications for a new tank, which the Army Weapons Department took up to design the tank to weigh no more than 24,000 kg with a top speed of 35 km/h. This tank's role was to be the main tank of the German army and was expected to destroy opposing tanks, as opposed to a tank made to destroy anti-tank guns and opposing infantrymen, which the [[Pz.IV C|Panzer IV]] served as.

Daimler-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall produced prototypes meeting the specifications and the Daimler-Benz model was chosen after testing in 1936-1937. The Panzer III model used a leaf-spring suspension in its early models (Ausf. A - Ausf. D) before utilizing a six-wheeled torsion-bar suspension in the [[Pz.III E|Ausf. E]] and beyond. The Panzer III had a crew of five men, the commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver. The best feature of the Panzer III during its introduction that is the most overlooked was the three-man turret, which was not as common at the time. This frees the commander to be able to effectively command the tank while maintaining situational awareness, rather than be burdened by the role of a loader or gunner, improving combat effectiveness of the tank. The 37 mm (later 50 mm) anti-tank gun was also very effective against contemporary tanks. Despite this rather advanced design, the turret did not have a turret basket for the crew. It was a proven design and production began in May 1937. The total number of Panzer III tanks constructed in its production life was 5,774 units (excluding the far more produced [[StuG III F|StuG III]] variant).

===Design===
The '''Panzer III Ausf. J1''' features a much better 50 mm gun compared to its predecessors, the 50 mm KwK39, which is an improvement over the 50 mm KwK38 by its longer barrel that provided additional accuracy. Longer cartridges with more propellant charge were used, providing extra velocity and penetration. This new 50 mm gun gives the Panzer III a fighting edge against [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]]s and [[M4|M4 Shermans]], which the older 50 mm KwK38 had trouble fighting against. The Panzer III Ausf. J1 still featured the 50 mm armour thickness on the front and rear originally from the [[Pz.III J|Ausf. J]] variant, but later models had new offset armour on the front of the hull and turret that provide 20 mm of effective protection These armour also apply as spaced armour due to not being attached to the hull or turret mantlet. The spaced armour on the front helped defend the tank against Soviet anti-tank rounds or HEAT rounds fired at it on those plates, as it dissipates the penetration power before striking the hull.

===Combat usage===
The Panzer III J1 was only a stopgap design to integrate the 50 mm KwK39 into service as fast as possible. The final designs in its later models were later redesignated the [[Pz.III L|Panzer III Ausf. L]] and [[Pz.III M|Panzer III Ausf. M]]. It saw service on the eastern front, where it performed poorly against superior [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]] tanks. However, it also saw service in North Africa, where it would easily defeat allied light tanks such as the [[M3 Stuart]] and the [[Crusader Mk III|Crusader]], even when outnumbered. However, the introduction of more medium tanks by the allies in the African theater would prove to be problematic for the Panzer III. Those that survived the defeat in Africa would try to defend Sicily from the allied invasion of Italy.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The next modification to the Pz.Kpfw.III medium tank after Ausf. J, featuring an enhanced armament.

These tanks, which were armed with KwK38 L/42 cannons, were unable to fight successfully against Soviet T-34 and KB tanks, whose armour could withstand the impact of projectiles fired by the short-barreled cannon. The tank's armament had to be enhanced. The new weapon selected was the long-barreled KwK39 L/60, which featured high ballistic characteristics. However, despite these enhanced characteristics, fighting Soviet tanks remained extremely difficult. Tanks with the new armament began to be released in December, 1941. A total of 1,067 tanks with the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J modification and KwK39 L/60 cannon were produced.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

M109G

2023-11-27T11:25:03Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_m109g
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Kings of Battle"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

Similar to all other vehicles in the [[M109 (Family)|M109 family]], the M109G lacks for armour whatsoever, and will only stop light machine gun rounds. Although, on paper, the vehicle is protected by ~30 mm of armour frontally, it being made of aluminium reduces its effectiveness. Strafing aircraft, even those with only .50 cals, will be deadly to the M109.

The SPH has a generous 6 crew member count, five in the turret and one in the hull. Thanks to the gigantic gun breech, the turret crew sits far apart, with the gunner sitting on the left (from rear POV). Thus, a penetrating hit from AP/APHE shells will rarely one-shot you. They will most likely take out the large breech or destroy the gun barrel instead, far worse than losing a few crew members. Thankfully, the driver and engine sit away from the turret, oftentimes allowing you to escape after suffering a hit. Other HE/HEAT slingers, though (e.g. [[M109A1]], [[2S1]]), will perforate your vehicle no matter what. Overall, try not to be hit, and break cover only to fire.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility}}

The M109G is sufficiently fast to allow it to be able to get to a position in time, without being flanked immediately by other, faster tanks. The M109G does feature neutral steering, which allows it to turn in place which helps its agility when turning. The M109G's turning is also decent enough for the job.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Like with all ground vehicles, always research parts first. Proceed, then, to mitigate the terrible turret traverse with "Horizontal Drive" and (if you so desire) "Tracks". An improved "Brake System" and "Suspension" will help the gun stabilize faster. At Tier III, prioritize "Elevation Mechanism" for even better gun controls. Then, research smoke screen, or skip to engine upgrades.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M126 (155 mm)}}

What makes the M109G so lethal is its gun: a huge 155 mm howitzer. Being a cold-war invention, the gun can fire HE rounds with 9 kilograms of TNT equivalent. When properly aimed, it will take out any tank, up to top-tier MBTs. To do so, aim at either the lower turret face or turret top to destroy the weak roof armour on tanks. Refrain from shooting the hull, as tracks will frequently absorb the round, or pure armour will prevent it from dealing damage. The stock HE shell should be your main choice.

There is an unlockable HE-VT round that can be utilized against planes, but its mere 3 metre trigger radius and low velocity discourages an AA play style. Another option, the M110 shell, will deploy a smoke screen wherever it lands. On other tanks, this may be useful in certain situations, but the long reload time, and the fact that HE shells do not lose penetration over range, makes firing smoke questionable at best.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M126 (155 mm)|155 mm M126]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+75° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 9.7 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 17.3 || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 6.5 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M126 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M107 (PF), M110}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''28''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

A main feature that separates the M109G from most others in the [[M109 (Family)|M109 family]] is the lack of a .50 cal defensive MG. Instead, a low-calibre 7 mm is present, offering little protection against planes. Never rely on this gun, and certainly do not fire at planes with this (unless they are diving at you), since it will attract their attention to a juicy target.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Originally designed to provide heavy fire support for armoured forces by the United States Army, the M109G should be played in a similar role in War Thunder. Stick close to allies, and act as manually-aimed artillery, engaging enemies while they are distracted.

It is advised not to engage in a sniping engagement with other tanks, especially if you have the high ground. Due to the poor gun depression and difficult to master shell arc, it is extremely difficult to hit enemies at range. Instead, attempt to target enemies at medium to short range, preferably with immediate cover available after firing. Utilize the reverse speed to back away from cover, exposing only your turret, and fire. Never attempt to brawl on this vehicle; an inadequate turret traverse, coupled with painfully long reload speed, reduces your ability to quickly react.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Quite mobile with good reverse speed
* Smoke grenades can cover you whilst reloading
* Survivable against AP derivatives
* Powerful armament, can one-shot anything
* Neutral steering
* Thin armour won't fuse most APHE shells

'''Cons:'''

* Only -3° gun depression
* Slow turret traverse speed
* Almost nonexistent armour
* Long reload
* Slow shell velocity and average optics zoom making it bad for sniping
* No .50 cal HMG

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* [[M109G (Italy)]]

* [[M109 (Israel)]]
* [[M109A1 (Great Britain)]]
* [[M109A1]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8537-development-m109-the-king-of-battle-en|[Devblog] M109: The King of Battle]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

M41A1

2023-11-19T06:03:49Z

U142055152: /* Machine guns */

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m41_walker_bulldog
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced at the same time as the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A large improvement over its predecessor, the [[M24|M24 Chaffee]], it features a gun that can more adequately fight the tanks at its tier with an APDS round and has very good mobility and low profile to move quickly against the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 4 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear turret.

There aren't any specific targets worth noting as the M41A1 will be hurt by pretty much anything. Be extra careful with [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAAs]] as they can knock out the Walker Bulldog's components with ease and even destroy the tank.

If at all possible, try only to expose the turret. If using the terrain to the M41A1's advantage, it'll usually be able to fire one to three shots, then start moving forwards and backwards, thus making it a lot harder for the enemy to hit the tank. Generally, the M41A1 be able to get in two shots on most targets before they can fire back, and the M41A1 accelerates from 0 to 30 km/h fast enough to become a hard target to hit if only the turret is exposed!

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M32 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M32 (76 mm)|76 mm M32]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M32 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M339 shot, M352 shell, M319 shot, M331A2 shot, M361}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''65''' || 45 ''(+20)'' || 12 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
* If you pack 25 ''(+40)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 3. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-3 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,200 (200) || 575 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (250) || 500 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Like the tanks that come before it, the Bulldog should be used as a rapid-deployment support vehicle in conjunction with heavier vehicles like the [[T32|T32]]. It is best used to run rapid insertion and flanking operations while allowing the heavier tanks to absorb the brunt of the enemy attack. The Walker Bulldog works well with [[M26|M26 Medium tanks]] as the M26 has a harder hitting gun to support the light tank's advance, but the M41A1 maintains a much better climb rate for hills and a much faster acceleration. The Bulldog's top speed does cap off-road, requiring good knowledge of the map to make the most of the terrain.

Always remember that the Bulldog lacks any effective armour. In a frontal attack, it will be easily penetrated by almost anything the enemy throws at it. Try to use the terrain to hide the tank and relocate after shots. Also, attempt to engage targets who are busy or already engaged with teammates. The Bulldog's 76 mm gun has great penetration, but due to the solid shot armour-piercing rounds it has it is necessary to make each shot count by hitting either ammo racks or fuel tanks/engines to disable and or destroy an enemy vehicle. Equipping HVAP rounds, later on, makes it easier to destroy vehicles with better side armour such as the [[IS-3]] which has a fairly strong side profile. Finally, avoid using the APCR rounds unless the APDS module has not yet been unlocked.

===Tactics===
The Bulldog is best playing a mobile role; trail the outskirts of the map and take shots at the enemy from a distance and keep relocating. Don't stand still for too long as one or two hits are usually enough to completely disable the tank.

While playing this tank, the biggest concern should be not to get hit by anything. Given its thin armour, anything that the Bulldog is facing will be able to deal heavy damage. In summary, the Bulldog is a very manoeuvrable tank and with practice is a very potent threat to enemies. In this sense, it plays a similar role to the previous M18 and M24 light tanks but with a much faster turret traverse and access to APDS.

If up against heavy tanks, such as the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II H]], don't bother trying to hit its front chassis armour even with APDS. The chances to penetrate this tank's upper glacis are very low. It is better to try and either ignoring him or aiming for his lower glacis and turret. Should the round penetrate the lower glacis, the transmission is likely to catch on fire. When attacking the turret, aim for the gunner on the left (player's right) of the gun. After that, disengage as the gunner will be replaced faster than the M41A1 can reload. Fighting off heavily armoured targets takes a lot of practice, but the gun's accuracy and good penetration can be used to the M41A1's advantage. Ambushing tanks as such as the Panther V series which many variants have slow slew rates will be highly effective as you can get two-three shots off and disable the gunner when you get a flank.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely agile and responsive tank with quick acceleration, neutral steering, and reverse
* Good top speed of 72 km/h (average speed is more around 35-40 km/h)
* Fast turret traverse and reload rate
* Respectable firepower:
** AP is highly lethal to most tanks of all-tiers post pen
** APDS has high muzzle velocity, easy-to-hit targets at longer ranges & more heavily armoured targets
* Good suspension; can drive away from steep downhills and jumps
* .50 cal AA machine gun with good coverage
* Has access to night vision devices (NVD) for the driver (while in third-person view or driver view)
* Has access to duplicate commander fire control and sights, allowing the commander to fire the gun even when the gunner is knocked out

'''Cons:'''

* Cannot reach speeds 50 km/h unless moving downhill
* Thin armour is still thick enough to trigger most APHE/APCBC shell fuses
* NVD is not available for the gunner or commander
* Ammo storage in the front, next to the driver
** This can be mitigated by not taking more than 15 rounds
* No APHE shells that can be quite handy at times
* Lackluster post-pen damage with APDS
* Large size for a light tank
* Lacks a stabilizer

== History ==

===Development===
The U.S. Army light tank in the later part of World War II, the [[M24|M24 Chaffee]], was a promising design but was deemed not effective for the future of armour encounters. Though its role as a scout was seen as needing the 75 mm gun, the army wanted a tank with a better gun to have a more equal chance against tanks. The project began as the T37 program in 1947 with the focus of being air-transportable with an anti-tank capability in the form of a 76 mm gun and a rangefinder. The adoption of a simplified rangefinder had the project designation changed to the T41. After testings and evaluations, the T41 model was accepted into service as the M41 Little Bulldog, with production starting at Cadillac Cleveland Tank Plant in 1951. The name Little Bulldog stayed until General Walton Walker, the first commander of the 8th US Army in Korea, died in a car accident, so the tank was renamed into the '''M41 Walker Bulldog''' in remembrance. Production went from 1953 to somewhere in the late 1960s with about 3,728 units produced.

The M41 light tank would go on to replace the M24 Chaffees by 1953. The M41 had a crew of four, commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The tank had a profile of under 9 feet and 19 feet long. The tank was lightweight at 23.5 tons and thus had rather thin armour, with the front armour only 25.4 mm thick (sloped at 60 degrees for about 50 mm effective). However, the tank was very agile with its torsion bar suspension and Continental AOS 895-3 series 6-cylinder gasoline engine of 500 hp which could deliver a road speed of 45 mph with a 100 miles operating range. Unfortunately, the tank was criticized for being noisy, a fuel-guzzler, rather heavy, and the American crewman found the Bulldog's interior to be quite cramped. Despite that, it delivered speed, firepower, and reliability in a light tank format. Several upgrades were made on the M41 with better technology, the M41A1 had a hydraulic turret traverse with more ammo storage, the M41A2 had a new fuel system, and the M41A3 are old M41A1 tanks with the new fuel system from the M41A2.

===Combat usage===
The M41 Walker Bulldog first saw use in Korea in a limited combat run. The tanks, still labelled their experimental designation T41, were sent for field testing on design deficiencies. It is unknown what other purposes they served there except for the tests. Their first major conflict once adopted by the U.S. Army was in Vietnam, mainly by replacing the M24 Chaffees in service with the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) at the time. The M41A3 tanks arrived in January 1965 and were instantly popular; not only for their advantages, but the previously cramped interior for American crews were actually a perfect fit for the smaller Vietnamese armour crewman. The Bulldog went on to fight in the Vietnam War as a reliable war machine. The Bulldog had an advantage due to its lightweight in manoeuvring in the jungle terrain of the region. In 1971, Operation Lam Son 719, the disruption of the North Vietnamese Army supply lines had the M41 Bulldogs play a major role, accompanied by two airborne battalions and two cavalry regiments. Penetrating deep into enemy lines, the 17 M41 tanks engaged and destroyed six Soviet-designed [[T-54 (1951)|T-54 tanks]] and other lighter armoured vehicles. This engagement came at a loss of 5 M41 and 25 armoured personnel carriers. By 1973, the ARVN still used about 200 M41 tanks while the transition of the American unit over to the M48A3 Patton tanks in Europe and Stateside. The M41 light tanks were also exported to various other countries. Today, Guatemala, Somalia, Taiwan, Uruguay, and Vietnam still use the M41 Walker Bulldog, some via upgrading the tanks to extend their service life.

The M41 Walker Bulldog design was advanced for the time, giving a relatively lightweight tank the firepower to take on other tanks of its time period. The chassis was even used on the [[M42|M42 Duster]] Anti-Air gun and the M75 Armored Personnel Carrier. The drive, engine, transmission, and auxiliary engine also were used in the M44/M52 155 howitzer. By 1969, the US Army began replacing the M41 with the newer [[M551|M551 Sheridan Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle]] (officially not a "light tank") which had a [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm cannon]] that could fire shells and [[Anti-tank_guided_missiles|anti-tank missiles]]. The M551 Sheridan could be used in roles that the M41 Walker Bulldog couldn't do, such as be air-dropped and amphibious but was rather unreliable. This made the M41 Walker Bulldog to be the last American "light tank" produced and the last made before the classification between tank classes based on weight and role ended.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
In 1946 the Americans began looking for a replacement for the M24 Chaffee. The design for the new tank was to lean on experiences drawn from the Second World War.

In 1953 deliveries of the M41 Walker Bulldog to the US army began, with 5,500 units ultimately released.

The M41 Walker Bulldog featured a traditional layout with a welded hull and rationally sloped frontal plates. The turret was welded from cast and rolled armor elements. The running gear on each side was made up of five road wheels and three track return rollers in addition to guiding and leading wheels. The road wheels were independent of the torsion bar suspension, while the suspension for the first, second, and fifth rollers was equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. The 500 hp air-cooled Continental AOS-895-3 engine featured a fire extinguishing system.

The tank's armament consisted of a 76 mm M32 cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm Browning M1919A4E1 machine gun, and a turret-mounted 12.7 mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft gun. The weapon was not stabilized and was equipped with a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. The battle compartment featured 24 rounds for fast reloading, along with 33 more in the tank hull that were only accessible when the turret was rotated hard to the rear.

Practice showed that the new tanks were poorly suited for reconnaissance, and their heavy weight and large dimensions made them just as difficult to transport as medium tanks. Those removed from active duty were quickly handed over and sold to allies and dependent governments.

M41 Walker Bulldogs saw combat in Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, the UK, North (captured) and South Vietnam, Guatemala, and Greece.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m41_walker_bulldog Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3018/current/|[Vehicle Profile] M41 Walker Bulldog [Decal Included]]]

{{USA light tanks}}

Panther A

2023-11-05T08:56:44Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other versions
|link-1 = Panther tank (Family)
|usage-2 = other uses
|link-2 = Panther (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_a_panther
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Panzerkampfwagen V Ausführung A (Panther A)''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29 Sd.Kfz. Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 171''') is the second production variant of the iconic [[Panther tank (Family)|Panzerkampfwagen V Panther medium tank family]]. Many [[Panther D]] characteristics, such as the small rectangular 'letterbox' hull machine gun opening, remained on the early production Panther A manufactured between July and December 1943. The Panther A turret has received significant modifications. For starters, the gun mantlet on the Panther A turret was larger than the one on the previous Panther D. The design of the cast turret side directly behind the gun mantlet was modified to a dish-shaped protrusion to fit the new gun mantlet. In addition, a new dome-shaped cast-armour commander's cupola was designed, and a ring was mounted on the commander's cupola to allow for the mounting of an anti-aircraft light machine gun. A single-speed turret power traverse system was also introduced, allowing Panther A to react to adversary tanks considerably faster than before. Finally, the German Army put a unique coating called Zimmerit on the tank's outside surface, anticipating that the Soviets and Allies would deploy magnetic mines to destroy the tank. The Zimmerit aims to minimize the effectiveness of magnets adhering to the metal hull.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Panther A was part of the next generation of medium tanks that officially superseded the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IVs]] in World War II. The Panther A is widely regarded as one of the best medium tanks of World War II, combining mobility, protection, and firepower. After the Soviet [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], it was one of the most influential tank designs and served as the foundation for many later medium tank designs in other countries. The turret traverse speed is much faster than the previous Panther D model, lowering reaction time to unexpected spotting of enemies at close quarters significantly. Players can also use the commander's cupola-mounted MG34 light machine gun as a deterrence to hostile low-flying aircraft.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


The Panther A has excellent frontal armour, which can protect the crew from many of the kinetic shells found in this battle rating range (with the exception of chemical shells and large calibre kinetic shells). Panther A's survivability is excellent when played to its strengths in long-range engagement; avoid brawling with enemy tanks unless absolutely necessary. Although the turret cheek of all Panther medium tanks is a well-known weak spot, engaging the enemy from a mid- to long-distance can greatly mitigate this weakness because the enemy will struggle to effectively penetrate the weak spot as engagement distance increases. Furthermore, due to the unique curvature of the turret armour layout, the turret cheek can bounce many kinetic shells from the enemy as distance increases. Keep in mind that powerful kinetic shells like that of the 122 mm D-25 cannon and APDS shells from British and Swedish tanks will easily penetrate the frontal armour, necessitating greater caution when engaging such foes.

The Panther A armour is not very different from the Panther D, retaining the curved gun mantlet that could potentially bounce a kinetic round down into the vulnerable hull roof. While this phenomenon is relatively rare, the risk is present and should be considered when fighting any enemy even if they don't have a gun that can reliably penetrate the Panther's turret front armour.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 40 mm (40°) ''Top'' 40 + 5 mm ''Lower'' || 40 mm (29°) || 16 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm ''Turret front'' 65 -100 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 45 mm || 45 mm || 16 mm
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 16 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Tracks and lower side of the hull are covered by 5 mm thick armour plate, protecting them from HEAT and HE shells.
* Rear parts of the upper side hull armour have tracks attached to it, adding additional 20 mm of armour.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=930|rbMinHp=531|AoAweight=0.45}}

The mobility of the Panther A is greatly improved over that of the previous Panther D, and it can be considered one of the best medium tanks in Germany's mid-BR range during WWII. The Panther A combines great mobility with excellent firepower thanks to its high top speed and neutral steering. However, mobility is still lacking when compared to its contemporary era tanks, particularly the Soviet T-34-85. Most Panther enemies, such as Sherman and T-34-85, will have no trouble firing the first shot when they come face-to-face with Panthers unexpectedly. Maps with lots of cover should be played with caution as US M18 light tanks frequently appear in unexpected areas of the map at the start of a match. Overall, the Panther A should be played as a fast medium tank, taking advantage of its excellent frontal armour while not overly relying on it to take hits, and engaging the enemy from a distance with its excellent cannon.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK42 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK42 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 79 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK42 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39/42, PzGr 40/42, Sprgr. 42}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
|-
| '''79''' || 77 ''(+2)'' || 71 ''(+8)'' || 62 ''(+17)'' || 53 ''(+26)'' || 44 ''(+35)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 35 ''(+44)'' || 31 ''(+48)'' || 16 ''(+63)'' || 4 ''(+75)'' || 1 ''(+78)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret and large sides empty: 31 ''(+48)'' shells.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,700 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (150) || 900 || -10°/+25° || -60°/+160°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Playing as Panther A:'''

As with all other Panther-series medium tanks, it is best played in a supporting role or as a front-line offensive tank due to its agility. The cannon mounted is more than forgiving and powerful enough to destroy any potential target, so use it to an advantage; long-range shooting is effective as the muzzle velocity is extremely high, owing to the long-barreled 75 mm, the penetration values are more than capable of punching through any opposing armour, and the shell weight will, if the shell penetrates, consistently deal decent amounts of crew and module damage, if not immediately make the target on combat ineffective.

Sniping may be a fun and tempting strategy but you can get outmatched at those longer ranges where your fast turret reload and turret traverse no longer matter. A good strategy is to push objectives with the panther A considering it has the improved turret traverse and thus is able to fight in both the city and the plains, but it prefers the plains. Do not attempt to use the panther like a tiger, and that is being a meatshield breakthrough tank. Instead, Spearhead assaults on objectives and flank the enemy. Your gun will be able to take care of most targets medium to close range and your armour should do its job. If you move methodically behind cover or on flanking routes you should be able to destroy many tanks. You can brawl quite well if you watch your flanks and flank others.

Another viable strategy is ambushes. The good camouflage for the tank can hide you if you hide behind a bush. Hide near a choke point and hope an enemy tank comes by.

Because Panthers have relatively weak side armour that even 20 mm autocannons can penetrate it, most enemies would make it their goal to flank around and penetrate the Panther's side armour (it does not help that the Panther's target profile is much larger from the side compared to the front as well). The Panther A's significantly improve turret traverse speed makes it better able to counter this trick than the Panther D, but it can still struggle against enemies that are moving at high speed like Shermans and T-34-85 at close ranges.

As the Panther's suspension rocks violently during the start and stop of the tank movement, it is recommended to not drive too fast when enemies are expected to be close by in order to reduce the gun sway and gun sight stabilization.

'''Playing against Panther A:'''

Like when fighting the previous Panther D variant head-on, fight the Panther A by firing into the right turret cheek. This is one of its weak points and can also knock out the gunner to provide some breathing room for a follow-up shot. Keep in mind that as the range increases, the shell may bounce. At short ranges, high-velocity guns like the 17-pounder can penetrate the lower glacis, and any large calibre (100 mm and up) can penetrate the upper glacis. Any British tank equipped with APDS can easily penetrate the upper glacis.

'''Light tank''': Light tanks can use their high speed to flank the Panther A tank, often more successfully than medium tanks due to their smaller profile and swift mobility. Most light tanks also carry sufficiently powerful cannons to penetrate the Panther A side armour from even a fair distance away as the Panther A's side armour is only 50 mm thick. Ensure that the Panther's firepower or mobility is taken out with the first shot, or else the Panther A would be able to quickly respond to a flanking threat by either their turret traverse or hull neutral steering turn to point directly at the light tank's position, protecting themselves while allowing them to handle the light tank threat.

'''Medium tank''': The Panther series medium tanks' greatest strengths are long-range engagements with its high-velocity 75 mm cannon and thick frontal armour. Their mobility also allow the Panther tank to reach most places an up-tiered medium tank may not reach in time. Try to minimize this disadvantage by closing the combat distance to minimize the firepower and armour disparity. Take care to make use of all map terrain and cover in order to avoid getting into the Panther's gun sights. Closing the distance also enable better targeting of weak points like the turret cheeks that is only 100 mm thick to quickly incapacitate the Panther A's turret crew, allowing for an opportunity to advance as the gunner is being replaced by another crew member. Tanks like the M4 Shermans can take advantage of their gun stabilizers to quickly move up and briefly pause and take a well-aimed shot at the Panther weak point as they get closer to take out the Panther A without needing to flank all the way around. Tanks like the T-34-85 can often instantly take out the Panther A with one well-placed APCBC round into the side and letting the post-penetration damage devastate the interior, often taking out all the crew members or igniting the ammunition.

'''Heavy tank/tank destroyer''': While heavy tanks are more well-armoured, caution is still needed as the Panther's high-velocity cannon can easily penetrate tanks like the IS-2 from a distance. Continue to approach the Panther A as one would with a medium tank, making the most of existing cover and terrain to avoid staying in the Panther's gun sights for very long. That said, heavy tanks and tank destroyers often have cannon armament more than able to penetrate the Panther's front armour without relying on weak points. With this attribute, heavy tanks and tank destroyers should take on the "Panther-destroyer" role by having allies attempt to expose the Panther tank in the open and keep it in placed for the heavy tank/tank destroyer to aim at the Panther tank and penetrate their armour with ease.

=== Notable Enemies ===

* '''M18 Hellcat or any hellcat variation:''' These guys are super annoying and will flank shot you by sneaking into a bush. Honestly a waste of ammo to shoot. Just watch your flanks because if you shoot it, it will crumple like a tin can and the crew will simply cease to exist.
* '''M4 Sherman 76 variants:''' These guys are dangerous for a different reason. Never underestimate how petty a m4 is. They will shoot your gun and then take your tracks with their 50 cals. Then they will flank shot you as you flail around helplessly. Best way to brawl them is to wiggle your turret while reloading causing them to miss.
* '''Jumbo sherman variants:''' These are a bit different because they will play like m4 and remove your gun and tracks and flank you, but they have super tough armor combined with godawful mobility. Shoot the hull mg port and wiggle your turret while reloading. It might seem like a small target but it is impossible to miss in a close range slugfest. Do not even think about shooting the turret anywhere because it is extremely heavily armoured. Any side shot is possible but in a face to face brawl a clean shot to the hull mg port will cause the jumbo's entire crew to flatline.
* '''M-51 Super Sherman:''' Despite its name, the only thing super about it is its gun. The HEAT shell will penetrate you easily but struggles to spall and will likely take two shots to kill you. Despite this meaning you can easily kill them with just a single shot in retaliation still be weary. If you find it pointing its gun at you, take cover immediately.
* '''PT-76B:''' Like the super sherman, this tank is deadly for its HEAT shell. Thankfully it is not particularly fast and has paper thin armour. There isn't much of a strategy for these guys. All you have to do is shoot first and that will be easy considering it takes about 2 shots for them to finish you off because of the bad spalling from the HEAT shell. It is possible that you will need 2 shots as well because the hollow insides of the tank, but always go for the turret crew first unless they are facing hull towards you, then, shoot the front hull plate and watch the 75mm round take out all 3 crew members.
* '''IS-2:''' The best and most spectacular way to kill an IS-2 is to ammorack it. Frontally, shoot the drivers vision port unless it is a mod 1944 variant. Other weak spots include the (your right, their left) turret cheek to take out the gunner and commander and pray that the 17 grams of RDX finish the job. The last an most surprising weak spot is the lower front plate which is poorly angled. This might sound risky but will likely result in a 1 shot because of the shrapnel bouncing off the floor of the tank. The IS-2 has a gun capable of penetrating you anywhere frontally but the chances are about 50/50. However, it is devastating if it does penetrate you. Bait the IS-2 into shooting because you have a 3× faster reload. they you can toy around with them as they scream for help. Treat any soviet tank with an abnormally long gun(ISU-122S, SU-100Y, KV-2(ZiS 6))with caution. Fear not, for big soviet guns have slow reloads. (If you want to be extra cheeky when you have a side or rear shot of the IS-2 turret, do not aim for the crew, aim for the turret rear for a guaranteed beautiful ammorack.)
* '''M26 Pershing and variants:''' Not all that common of a threat but still notable for being hard to kill. Shoot the hull or turret mg ports and aim for the lower and upper glacis joining point all the way up to the middle of the upper glacis. The gun of the normal pershing is potentially dangerous but nothing to be worried about only worry about the guns of the super pershing or the M26E1.
* '''Super Pershing:''' Super rare but possible. Best idea is to get a side shot perhaps by ambushing. The frontal weak points are the exposed(your right their left)turret cheek to ammorack it or go for the hull mg port. You can also shoot the tubes above the turret to disable the vertical drive and then scramble up to high or low ground and flank shot it.
* '''T-44:''' Also a rare sight. Shoot the(your right their left)turret cheek for a clean instant kill.
* '''T-34-85:''' This tank is mostly a nuisance. Do not fear the gun of the T-34. The T-34's biggest strengths are mobility and turret traverse. Flanking is your only weakness.
* '''M41A1:''' Small tank with an impressive APDS shell, but the spalling effects of this round is laughable. They will try to ammorack you because of this and will take 2-3 shots to kill you. You can kill them easily but the luck and the skill of their ammoracking is uncanny.
* '''Strv 74:''' Again, poorly armoured HEAT shell user. Extremely high HEAT penetration but this time with a easy to spot tall profile.
* '''FV4005:''' Possible to meet but very rare if not impossible. Never get hit by this thing. It is literally the size of a refrigerator there is no missing this thing. You can ammorack by going to the sides of the turret.
* '''R3 T20 FA-HS:''' We have all grown to hate this thing and it can side shot you but it is very rare. Most used by players trying to be funny. Machine gun into oblivion on sight.
* '''2S3M:''' Getting more and more common these days. It has a super dangerous HE shell and will snipe you. Also very easy to kill.
* '''Ratel 90/20:''' Supposedly called 90/20 because that is the chance you will penetrate it. It has super thin armor but is very fast. Contrary to popular belief the 17 pounders are not anything to worry about except for luck front shots or side shots.
* '''Any ISU or SU series tank destroyer 100mm gun and up:''' Shoot anywhere except gun mantlet. Be aware of the slow reload for the 122mm ones as well as their tall profile unless it is a SU-100. Impossible to miss.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannon has a range of ammo for any type of enemy: great stock AP for common targets (eg. [[T-34-85]], [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Sherman]] or even the [[M4A3E2]]), piercing APCR for early cold war tanks (e.g. [[M26 (Family)|M26]], [[T-44]], early [[Centurion (Family)|Centurions]]) and HE for light vehicles. Great accuracy and velocity allows easy long-range sniping. Plenty of ammo capacity allows flexible ammo setups
* Heavily armoured frontal hull is immune to most guns at 5.7 like the 85 mm D-5T and 76 mm M1
* Almost 300% faster turret rotation than the previous D model. Is more responsive to flankers
* Fast top speed, good hull traverse. Can get to positions in time
* Engine has 50 more horsepower compared to the D variant, acceleration is noticeably faster and is on par, if not slightly faster, than T-34s
* Adequate gun depression of -8° adapts most terrains well
* Reasonably cheap repair cost
* Has a wide range of good-looking camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain
* 2 machine guns to get rid of airplanes or light tanks.
* Radio can sometimes block shrapnel

'''Cons:'''

* Gun mantlet is only 100 mm thick, a huge and well-known weak spot to shoot at
*
* Terrible reverse speed of only -4 km/h, can get the player killed
* Weak side armour gets penetrated easily by Soviet APHEBC. Cannot angle too much
* Lower glacis often catches fire or breaks transmission when penetrated, leaving the tank immobile and vulnerable
* High profile for a medium tank makes it harder to hide
* Roof armour of 16 mm is vulnerable to [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Brownings]] which are widely seen on American planes
* Although heavily armoured, it can still get frontally penetrated easily by a rather common heavy tank: [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]
* Gun mantlet traps shots (shells may deflect into the hull roof weak armour). This is incredibly rare.

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Panther''' development started as far back as 1938 as a replacement to the [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IVs]]. The program was called VK 20 and it called for a 20 ton tracked vehicle design by Krupp, Daimler-Benz, and MAN. Krupp dropped out when the requirements changed to 30 tones in 1941 when the German encounters the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks where the Panzer III and Panzer IV's performance have little effect due to its superior armour, mobility, and armament. The VK 20 was abandoned for the VK 30.02 in April 1942. Daimler-Benz design for this project looks similar to the T-34 with the turret far forward in the hull, plus the use of a diesel engine and external leaf spring suspension. MAN's design had a twin torsion bar, the interleaved suspension system (like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]) with the turret situated in the middle of the hull, plus had a petrol Maybach engine. Hitler was reported to believe that the DB design was superior to the MAN design, and in a review between January to March 1942, Fritz Todt and Albert Speer also recommended the DB design. Then MAN revised their design, and a special commission by Hitler decided on the MAN design in May 1942, to which Hitler approved after reviewing it. One of the reasons the MAN was approved was that its turret was already in production while the DB used a completely new design. However, despite being built for a 30-ton design, Hitler decided to increase the armour on the MAN design and the weight went from 30 tons to 45 tons.

The MAN design was made into a prototype in September 1942, when it was officially accepted after testing and named the '''Panzerkampfwagen V Panther'''. Where it remained so until 1944, where Hitler removed the '''V''' in the designation for the name '''Panther'''. Production started in December 1942, though the early models suffered from reliability issues. The production plants expanded from MAN to Daimler-Benz, MNH, and Henschel for increased output. Despite that, production was often delayed due to Allied air bombing, which targeted the Maybach engine plant and DB, MAN, and MNH tank factories. Nevertheless, the total number of Panther tanks produced was 6,706, making the Panther the third most produced armoured fighting vehicle in Germany behind the Panzer IV and the StuG III.

===Design===
The MAN design for the Panther featured a heavily sloped armour design, with the front glacis plate being 80 mm thick (from the original 60 mm before the weight increase) and when sloped at 55 degrees, it was 140 mm effective in thickness. This made the Panther one of the best-armoured vehicle in World War II. The side armour of the Panther was way thinner at 40 mm that could be pierced very easily. Additional side armour in the form of Schürzen could be placed on the sides hanging to cover the suspension and hull side from being penetrated by Soviet anti-tank rifle fire. The Panther used the same engine as the Tiger I, the Mayback HL 210 P30 engine, and had a similar suspension system, the Schachtellaufwerk interleaved wheel system, which complicated maintenance issues. The tank used the formidable 7.5 cm Kwk 42 cannon, which could destroy most of the allied tanks in service, only possess a mediocre HE shell.

The '''Ausf. A''' variant was the second variant designed for the Panther, The old drum-shaped cupola on the [[Panther D|Ausf. D]] had been replaced by a side-swinging hatch that didn't require the commander to expose himself to open or close the hatch. The Ausf. A introduced the standard ball mount for the assistant driver's machine gun, replacing the "letterbox" flap design on the Ausf. D. The Ausf. A also had the initial turret curved gun mantlet that was introduced to the Panther, though there were faults with the design as explained below. Other small improvements of the Ausf. A over the Ausf. D was improved reliability by ironing out several mechanical issues. 2,192 Panther Ausf. A was produced from August 1943 to June 1944.

The Panther's rushed development and commitment into battle caused the design to have many flaws inhibiting its full potential. The most prominent flaw that lasted throughout the war was the weak final drive due to using a double spur system that made it more prone to failure from the Panther's torque requirements, which is averaged at around 150 km before failing. The curved gun mantlet design had an unfortunate tendency to ricochet deflected rounds into the roof, it was, however, not fixed until a new gun mantlet design with a flat "chin" shape was introduced on the [[Panther G|Panther G]]. The Schachtellaufwerk suspension system, like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], suffered from over-engineering and complicating maintenance of the tank. Smaller problems in the tank included not having a dedicated periscope for the gunner, maintenance-heavy, fuel-hungry, and deteriorating armour quality as metal alloys in Germany began to run out.

Despite its heavier weight and slightly complex design, the cost of each Panther tank was not very high in relative to tanks with a price at 117,100 Reichmarks, compared to the 103,462 RM of Panzer IVs and 250,800 RM of the Tiger I. This made the tank rather economic for its fighting purposes despite being over-engineered.

===Combat usage===
The Panther was first issued to the Eastern Front, arming the 51st and 52nd Tank Battalions. Their usage presented mechanical problems of the Panther, forcing many of the early Panthers to be returned for rebuilding. Despite these issues, the Panther was deemed critical in the Battle of Kursk in Operation Citadel, Hitler delayed the operation so more Panthers can reach the front. 200 Panthers were ready in June 1943, but its combat debut was disappointing. The Panthers, which arrived last minute before the operation started, meant that the crew serving the tanks had little time to train with the new tanks. Two tanks were lost to motor fires right after disembarking from the trains at the front lines. 184 were operational at the start of the operation on July 5, this dropped to 40 within two days. According to Heinz Guderian, five days into the offensive, only 10 operation Panthers were available with 25 completely lost, 100 in need of repairs, and 60 per cent of those mechanical breakdowns were easily repaired. Those that did work during the campaign were able to cause heavy casualties on the Soviet tank forces, but the Panther's lethality was mitigated by its low number available. When the operation turned and the Soviet counteroffensive pushed the Germans away from Kursk, the Panther loss rose to 156 on August 11, with many more lost as the Soviet kept gaining ground. Perhaps the Panther's biggest role in Operation Citadel was delaying the start of the operation by two months to allow the Soviet defences to be bolstered beyond the German's expectations, causing the failure of the offensive.

After the failure at Kursk, improvements on the Panther helped its reliability rate. By March 1944, Guderian reported that most of the Panther's flaws were ironed out, but the final drive and other mechanical issues were still a major issue to front-line units. The Panthers served the rest of the war as quick-reaction forces to fight off Allied offensives on both fronts. On the Eastern Front, some 700 Panthers were committed to the battle at all times, though the number of operational vehicles varies depending on the situation. The Panthers were also sent to suppress the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. Two were captured by the Polish forces, who used them against the German forces. The captured Panthers were used until they became immobilized and were destroyed to prevent recapture by the Germans.

On the Western Front, the Panthers began being present in large numbers after the Invasion of Normandy. 156 Panthers were initially present between two Panzer regiments, but this increased by seven regiments after the Allied invasion, boosting the strength to 432 tanks. The high number of Panther situated in France, mostly around Caen, and their performance against the Allied armour caused many Allied tankers to fear it as much as the Tiger tanks. However, the Panther's reliability problem was still evident as many Panthers were left abandoned by the crew when they broke down. The mechanical breakdown, partly from the flaws in the machine, can also be attributed to the poor crew training given, which showed by crew overburdening the transmission or lacking regular maintenance on the tank. The Allied assessment of the Panther was that its mobility on soft grounds was superior due to its wider tracks giving more flotation over the ground, and armour and firepower value was superior to anything they had, though it was inferior in the bocage terrain of France due to the constrained nature of the environment. The Panther participated in the famed Battle of Arracourt, where a total of 262 German tanks were committed to battle. The battle, against the mostly [[M4|M4 Sherman]], equipped 4th Armored Division, routed the Germans after they suffered heavy casualties, while the Allies only losing 32 armoured fighting vehicles, a testament on how crew training and tactical advantage have a big impact on tank warfare. The highest concentration of Panthers on the Western Front was 471 Panthers (336 operational) in the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge), where it showed its prowess in open terrain due to its superior gun. The Panthers also took place in Operation Grief, being disguised as [[M10 GMC|M10 tank destroyers]] to trick American soldiers. All of these mocked up Panthers were destroyed in battle or scrapped after it. After the Ardennes Offensive, eight Panzer division with 271 Panthers were transferred to the Eastern Front to beat back the Soviet offensive. Only five Panther battalions, 96 Panthers for each battalion, remained on the Western Front to fight the Allies.

After the war, Panther still saw a use for some time in various countries. Bulgaria and Romania received Panthers from the Soviets as aid, which they used until the 1950s. France was the most notable user of the Panther tanks after World War II due to the large quantities of operable vehicles left behind by the Germans during the Normandy invasion. The French raised a regiment of 50 Panthers from 1944 to 1947, when they were replaced by the new ARL 44 tanks. The Panther also influenced the French AMX 50 tank design, and its gun was derived onto the AMX 13 light tank. In 1947, an evaluation was written by the French War Ministry on the Panthers which even made their own assessment of the Panther that pointed out most of the flaws of the Panthers, especially the mechanical failure and the deficiency of the armour later in the war due to alloy shortages.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
In the fall of 1943, production of the Ausf.A variant of the Pz.Kpfw. V tank began. The Verstandigungsoeffnung hatch, which allowed for communication with infantry and for pistol fire from inside, was removed from the new turret. Vehicles of this variant were given the simpler monocular TZF-12А sight, as well as the commander's cupola used by the Tiger I tank. The hull's front plate was equipped with a traditional ball-mount directional machine gun instead of the inefficient letterbox flap gun used earlier. To strengthen the chassis, the road wheels received an increased number of bolts. The engine and transmission cooling systems were improved. A viewport was installed on the roof of the turret, along with a close-combat device (antipersonnel fragmentation grenade launchers). Tanks released at a later date had a modified exhaust system. Some Panther Ausf. A tanks were equipped with experimental infrared night vision devices. All of the tanks of this variant had their vertical surfaces coated with Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste.

From August 1943 to May 1944, about 2,000 of these tanks were released.

Beginning in 1943, the Red Army captured a small number of Panther tanks (of several variants). These tanks were then used by several of the USSR's armoured divisions, including, for example, Lieutenant Sotnikov's division. This tank was known as a dangerous enemy to Soviet tank forces, and captured vehicles were considered a thing of great luck. They were given to the most experienced and effective crews as recognition of their incredible merit. To keep the German tanks in good condition, Soviet tank divisions used captured German mechanics. In 1944, a technical manual for the Panther was published in Russian, for distribution to the crews.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_a_panther Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y1S7jHyFxdA|'''The Shooting Range #34''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:36 discusses the Panther I.|Bf1YWYfD_qk|'''The Shooting Range #135''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 01:12 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|oa26g25qqP4|'''Best medium tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:34 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9rUocSj2dHc|'''Tank Chats #16 Panther''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{TankManufacturer MAN AG}}
{{Germany medium tanks}}

M109G

2023-11-05T08:51:44Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_m109g
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Kings of Battle"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M126 (155 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M126 (155 mm)|155 mm M126]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+75° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M126 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M107 (PF), M110}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''28''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

- smoke grenades can sometimes help you get behind cover after a shot

*

'''Cons:'''

- slow turret traverse speed

- low survivability due to thin armour

- long reload

- slow shell velocity and bad optics zoom making it bad for sniping in long distance

*

== History ==
=== Devblog History===
Development of the M109 began in the early 1950s under a U.S. program to develop a common chassis for a number of different SPH designs. Upon entering service, the M109 was immediately deployed to the Vietnam War. However, its operational service during the conflict was cut short due to serious mechanical malfunctions which rendered the fleet inoperable. Nonetheless, after being addressed and receiving its first upgrade to the A1 standard, the M109 would continue service with U.S. forces for decades to come, taking part in virtually all military conflicts where U.S. forces were deployed in. Once its design eventually matured, the M109 successfully resisted replacement on multiple occasions and continuously received upgrades until the present day.
== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8537-development-m109-the-king-of-battle-en|[Devblog] M109: The King of Battle]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Sd.Kfz.234/2

2023-07-07T05:55:49Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_sdkfz_234_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.234_2.jpg|ArtImage_Sd.Kfz.234-2.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is the first production variant and most well-known version of the [[Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)|Sd.Kfz.234 family]]. It was a heavy armoured car reconnaissance vehicle featuring the turret of the prototype VK 16.02 Leopard housing a [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 39]] cannon next to an MG42 machine gun. The Sd.Kfz 234 series were primarily built as a further improvement to Germany's reconnaissance vehicles after learning of the effectiveness of said type of vehicle with combat reports of the Sd.Kfz. series 231/232/233.

It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]]. A respectable armoured car, the {{PAGENAME}} presents great speed and a significant 50 mm KwK39 cannon. Due to its status as a light tank, and thus having the ability to scout, it should put more emphasis on its speed to put itself in an advantageous position to sight targets for allies, with its gun only for emergencies should an enemy vehicle try to get an upper hand on the vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Vision ports)
* Wheel (Tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (40°) ''Front plate'' 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (34-35°) ''Top'' 8 (10-35°) + 4 mm || 10 mm (21°) ''Upper glacis'' 10 mm + 10 mm (46°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 (20°) ''Driver compartment'' 5 mm ''Crew & engine compartments''
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (20°) ''Turret front'' 30 + 50 mm (conical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm (24-25°) || 14.5 mm (25°) 8 mm (22°) ''Pistol port'' || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''
Kwk

* Torsion bars and wheels are 10 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.
* Vision ports on car body are 10 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=325|rbMinHp=186}}

The Puma can reach a speed of around 45 km/h on flat terrain. Thanks to its transmission, it can drive in reverse with the same speed and manoeuvrability. Due to its wheeled design, it struggles in sand, snow and mud. It is also hard to keep going straight in a line at high speeds. The game does offer some degree of compensation for this via the "Activate Cruise Mode" control binding under the "Tank Driving" subsection. When using Cruise Mode, hold down the desired key you bound its activation to, and steer with mouse movements, allowing pinpoint steering while retaining speed. However, you cannot shoot while using Cruise Mode, so use it wisely.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK.39/1 (50 mm)}}

The Puma fields the 50 mm KwK39 cannon, a similar cannon to that seen in the late Panzer III models, as well as the same ammunition. The cannon was designed for a, anti-tank role and it does its job well. It can select from an APC shell penetrating 106 mm, which should be your main round, two APCR shells with 130 mm and 137 mm penetration respectively (you should carry a few of the better ones, especially if you uptier the Puma so it might see KV-1s, as well for long range sniping), and an HE shell which can be used against AA trucks. As the APC shell has no ballistic cap, it might struggle against angled armour, so it is best to go for side shots. With a reload of 4.1 seconds and high velocity shells, this tank can do the job both in close-quarters and at long range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK.39/1 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK.39/1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.3 || 18.4 || 22.4 || 24.8 || 26.4 || rowspan="2" | 4.81 || rowspan="2" | 4.25 || rowspan="2" | 3.92 || rowspan="2" | 3.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || 14.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK.39/1 (50 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, PzGr 40/1, PzGr 40, Sprgr. 38}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''55''' || 33 ''(+22)'' || 29 ''(+26)'' || 25 ''(+30)'' || 21 ''(+34)'' || 17 ''(+38)'' || 13 ''(+42)'' || 9 ''(+46)'' || 5 ''(+50)'' || 1 ''(+54)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_Sd.Kfz.234-2.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

The Puma has a coaxial MG42 that is only useful against exposed crew members.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,950 (150) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Puma adopts a lot of typical light tank tactics. To play this vehicle well, you must shoot and scoot. Your fast reload times in combination with a very fast reverse speed makes it ideal for firing around a corner then backing up and flanking. The tank is very fast on road, however it has poor performance off-road so it is not recommended on desert maps and muddy maps where you can get slowed down by the terrain. Due to the fact that you have weak armour and a compact crew module, penetrative shots typically result in your destruction. It is advised to not brawl with tanks and to flank whenever possible, using your speed and mobility versus enemy tanks as your armour. Use the terrain to your advantage, firing over hills and making good use of your gun depression. Sidescrape corners and do not hold angles, as you will most likely be destroyed.

The tank's speed in combination with its low spawn cost in RB as a light tank makes it ideal to spawn in at the start of the game and capture the objective in 2 or 3 point domination. This guarantees you spawn points for a respawn and gives you opportunities to flank the enemy.

The real beauty of the Puma is its ability to flank around different parts of the map very quickly. It is extremely manoeuvrable and can traverse most types of terrain very quickly (avoid mud). You should take up a covert playstyle with this vehicle. Even if you see an enemy, you should only fire at the perfect moment, where you are guaranteed a score. This especially applies to T-34s and KV-1's, where hits to the side or rear are far more effective. This being said, the 5 cm gun is a great gun. It is easy to use, high velocity, accurate and has a good range of ammunition.

Notable enemies you will meet are the [[T-34 (1942)]] and [[M4]] Sherman, along with armoured tanks like the [[Churchill I]], [[Matilda III]], [[Valentine XI]], and the [[KV-1 (L-11)]] These tanks are difficult to penetrate and require advanced knowledge of weak spots, so it is advised to avoid these where possible. Medium tanks are easier to combat if flanked, however it is not always reliable due to the weak penetration of the PzGr 39 and the poor penetration to sloped armour for PzGr 40.

Out of all the enemies you will meet, the T-34s are probably the biggest threat. The sloped armour is difficult to penetrate and they have excellent mobility, meaning you will meet them often. The gun is also utterly devastating for the Puma. The high explosive filler and range of shells will make short work of your vehicle. If you encounter an T-34 (any variant), aim for the turret cheeks and take out the gunner. Aiming at the frontal hull armour is unreliable and often results in a ricochet. T-34s are also very, very mobile, so it is best to go for side shots on them if you insist on engaging them.

Shermans also present the problem of sloped frontal armour. The M4A1 isn't as much of a problem, but the M4/M4A2/M4A3 variants are more difficult to penetrate. From the side, Shermans have flat armour and tall profiles. They are easy to destroy when flanked, but they too have exceptionally good mobility, especially cross-country, so they can prove to be even more of a pain to deal with than T-34s. They also have short-stop stabilizers and .50 cals which make them even more of a threat.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The gun is powerful, fast to reload, and can effectively penetrate armour on the M4's front at 200m. Its APCR has a penetration of up to 128 mm, which is effective against KV-1
* Extremely high forward and reverse speed makes it the fastest vehicle on road; can get to positions quickly or retreat fast
* Small and narrow frontal profile allows it to hide behind small bushes or rocks; it's also harder to get hit
* Can be a great scout vehicle in higher ranks due to its fast speed. Even the [[M18 GMC]] cannot easily outrun it
* Only 8 mm side armour meaning some shells will go straight through without being detonated
* Has a wide range of good-looking camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain/map
* Has 6 smoke grenades that create a wide frontal screen when launched; very useful when trying to cover up a general area
* Surprisingly durable at times, due to inexperienced players shooting at the front, ignoring the crew member lying in the back
* Gun mantlet is thick and covers most of the turret, which makes the turret surprisingly durable

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour overall, can get killed by almost anything including artillery strikes, strafing planes and [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2 Browning]]
* Relatively slow turret rotation, combined with the sharp turns at high speed, it is hard to aim
* Relatively low calibre shells tend to bounce off angled armour, angled hull of the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] is almost impossible to penetrate
* Compact crew compartment, will be easily destroyed in one shot
* Starts to snake around at high speeds making it hard to control, needing counter-steering.
* Sluggish mobility on snowy and desert maps, which takes away its mobility advantage
* Cannot turn in place due to wheels
* Smoke grenades can only be launched all at once which limits its effectiveness
* Vulnerable to overpressure (HE shells, artillery strikes, bombs and rockets)
* Hard to control at top speed

== History ==

{{:Sd.Kfz.234/2/History}}
== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_sdkfz_234_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI] (Sd.Kfz.234/2 included)

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="250">
File:Sdkfz. 2342 media 1.png|A Sd.Kfz.234/2 engaging an M4A1 Sherman
File:Sdkfz.2342 media 2.png|A Sd.Kfz.234/2 and a T-50 performing a flanking attack on an M4A1 Sherman
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T18E2]]
* [[AEC Mk II]]
* [[SARC MkVI (2pdr)]]
* [[SARC MkVI (6pdr)]]
* [[AB 43|AB43]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4713-development-sd-kfz-234-2-puma-the-nimble-feline-predator-en|[Devblog] Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma: The Nimble Feline Predator]]

{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Crew skills

2023-06-29T04:31:34Z

U142055152: /* General */

<center>[[File:Crew skills.jpg|class=dynamic_image]]</center>

'''Crew Skills''' are a way to improve crew performance and effectiveness, being for pilots, gunners, drivers, tank gunners, ship captains, radiomen, airfield/hangar/port mechanics, and more.

==Basics==
Crew skills are War Thunder's way of simulating the experience and skill gained by air, ground, and naval crews through combat missions, allowing them to perform/endure tasks more efficiently and effectively as they increase in skill over time. These can be how quickly aircraft are repaired by ground crew on the airfield, how fast the tank's loader can fit shells into the gun breech, how accurate bombers' gunners' fire is, the amount of g-force that can be sustained by a pilot begins blacking out, or how efficiently a ship's crew can put out a fire.

Crew experience is gained in the form of "Crew XP Points", earned by participating in battles. The number of points accrued for crew experience depends on the research points {{rp}} obtained in a battle, as well as the game mode of the battle. In Realistic and Simulator battles, for every 100 {{rp}} the player will receive 1 crew XP point which can be distributed to the crew of the vehicle used in that battle. In Arcade battles, every 100 {{rp}} will grant the player 3 crew XP points, but this higher rate also has the crew experience spread out among multiple available crews. Another way to obtain crew XP points is by purchasing them with Golden Eagles {{ge}} via the "Accelerated Training" tab on the top right corner of the Crew Training window.

During lulls in between matches in the hangar, look at the bottom left corner of the crew slots. This has a numerical value representing the crew level. The colour of this text indicates crew XP point accumulation: a regular silver font shows a regular amount of unused crew XP points and a glowing gold font shows a large amount of unused crew XP points.

Crew XP points can be used by either clicking the "Crew Training" button on the Crew tab of the infocard on the left-side of the Hangar UI, or by selecting the desired crew and clicking the "Crew" button. Both methods will open a window where crew XP points can be spent by pressing the "+" button next to desired skills. The more points invested, the more skilled the crew is, and the more points will be needed to upgrade to the next level.

==Shared crew skills==
===Logistical services===

* '''Repair Speed''' - Affects the speed at which vehicles are repaired. Repair time can be shortened up to three times when fully researched.
** For example, the base repair time of the [[Bf 109 F-4/trop]] in AB is 7 hours and 50 minutes, while with Repair Speed it is reduced to 2 hours and 36 minutes. This skill also affects the repair time of aircraft that have landed on a friendly airfield during a battle.
* '''Repair Rank''' - Determines the maximum aircraft rank to which the "Repair Speed" skill is applied. Has a total of five stages corresponding with the number of vehicle ranks in the game.
** For instance, the [[Bf 109 F-4/trop]] requires Repair Rank 3, because the plane is situated at Rank III in the [[:Category:Germany aircraft|German Air tech tree]]. If the Repair Rank is lower than Rank 3, the repair time will remain at 7 hours and 50 minutes no matter how high the repair speed skill is. This skill is one of the few not affected by crew qualification levels.

These two crew skills do not affect in-game combat, but rather allow you to repair your vehicles for free over time, if you uncheck "automatic repair" on the right of your line-up bar. This function is mostly used by players who play many nations at once and don't mind waiting in order to save some precious Silver Lions {{sl}}.

These skills are shared between crew types, which means that points in these skills will affect a crewed vehicle no matter what type of vehicle it is.

==Air vehicle crew skills ==
===General===

* '''G-Tolerance''' - Influences the tolerance of the pilot to acceleration in manoeuvres (g-forces), increasing the critical amount of "G's" that the pilot can sustain without the player's vision being darkened/reddened and losing control of the plane after a certain period of time, representing the pilot's loss of consciousness (also known as G-LOC). In "Mouse Aim" mode, this skill also affects the control accuracy of the aircraft.
* '''Stamina''' - Allows the crew to resist fatigue for a longer period of time. Accuracy and G-Tolerance gradually decrease, depending on the time spent in the session and the amount of g-forces sustained, representing fatigue and its effect on aircrew's performance. In addition, this skill has an effect on aiming accuracy in Mouse Aim mode.
* '''Vitality''' - Reduces the likelihood of the pilot receiving a mortal wound. For the beginner pilot with no points attributed to Vitality, a second .303 bullet hit (from [[MG 15 (7.92 mm)|MG 15]] or similar), or comparable shrapnel impact, is usually fatal, while a pilot with their Vitality maxed out can, with a measure of luck, can survive one direct hit from a .50 (12.7 mm) [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]] machine gun.

===Pilot===

* '''Keen Vision''' - Enhances the detection range when spotting enemies, i.e. the maximum distance at which the target indicator may appear. This ranges between 4 km (untrained) to 8 km (maxed) (3-5 km in RB/SB). Detection is only made if the enemy is in a cone in the direction of view of the player. Maximum detection distance is also dependent on the size of the target, lighting conditions, cloud cover, weather, and other factors.
* '''Awareness''' - Enhances the detection range of enemy targets between 400 m (untrained) to 800 m (maxed) (300-500 m in RB/SB). Detection is carried out in a sphere (all directions) around the aircraft, regardless of the direction that the player is observing.

=== Defensive armament ===

* '''Number of Experienced Gunners''' - All skills with gunners are reduced proportionally to the difference between the amount of gunners on the selected aircraft and the number of experienced gunners in the crew. For example, an [[He 111 H-6]] bomber has 5 gunner positions. If there is only two experienced gunners in the crew, the gunner's average skill will be reduced by 60%, with four - 20%. With all five experienced positions filled, their skills will be fully effective.
* '''Fire Accuracy''' - This skill only applies when the gunner is controlled by AI (when the player is not manually controlling them). Increases the traverse speed of a turret, the maximum burst length by up to 3 times, the distance at which gunners can start firing at a target by up to 275% (55% in RB/SB), the distance at which the targets direction can be anticipated, the chance of simultaneous fire and "leading" the target, and reduces miscalculation in "leading" the target (decreased by 7 times for RB/SB when maxed out).
* '''Fire Precision''' - This skill only applies when the gunner is controlled by AI (when the player is not manually controlling them). Reduces the scatter of the gun by 2.5 times (2 times in RB/SB), increases the burst length by up to a third, increases the distance at which the gunners open fire in arcade battles by a marginal amount (up to 8%), and increases the chance of simultaneous fire and "leading" the target just like fire accuracy\.

=== Logistical services ===

* '''Reload Speed''' - Increases the rate at which the weapons are reloaded in the air and on the airfield. Reduces the rearming time by three times for cannons & machine guns, two times for bombs, rockets and torpedoes, and four times for turrets when fully researched. For example, fully leveling up a [[La-5FN]] crew's Reload Speed skill will cause the rearmament time of cannons to go down from 40 seconds to 13.3; bombs will be reloaded in 20 seconds instead of 40.
* '''Weapon Maintenance''' - Increases the efficiency of vehicle's weaponry. Reduces the overheating speed of primary weapons, as well as spread of bombs and rockets for aircraft, reduces the chance of weapon jamming due to overheating by up to 3 times and reduces the angular velocity of bombs, rockets and torpedoes by up to 3 times, thereby significantly improving their accuracy.

==Ground vehicle crew skills ==
===General===

* '''Keen Vision''' - Determines at what distance the player can see an enemy ground vehicle, as well as the ability to see ones that are behind cover. The game server only sends information of a vehicle that's concealed to the client when the player is at a minimal distance from the enemy. This distance is around 563 m if the player is looking directly at them, with a non-maxed out crew. The distance of direct vision spotting is tripled when the player uses binoculars or fire control view, but vision becomes narrower. Players can also use the third person camera to spot enemies within 235 m of the hull's front and 97m around the vehicle. Leveling up keen vision to the maximum level on all of the crew members adds bonus vision up to 63% from the base. The crew can be "Aced" for another 63% to get a total of 222% vision effectiveness.
** Vehicles with [[Scouting]] have access to the modification "Improved Optics", that multiplies the skill's base power by 30%, helping them to scout and notice danger earlier than anyone else (at best, 1621 m without binoculars).
**In Arcade mode it also affects the distance at which a player can see markers on the enemy (through non-solid obstacles), affects how much it tells you about enemy (if enemy is too far it simply says class of enemy's vehicle without displaying the full vehicle name), and affects how much of an enemy vehicle must be exposed to notice and mark them. When maxed out, this skill even allows the player to see enemies through solid walls, although at very close range, and only when looking directly at them. Note that in Arcade "absolute detection" doesn't mark everything in a 360 degree radius around the player. Only line-of-sight and line-of-movement spots work, so it is recommended for players to keep turning the camera around when driving in towns and mountains.
* '''Field repair''' - Increases the basic rate at which damaged parts are repaired (by up to 50%). It most strongly affects track repair. The average level of this skill of all crew members is taken into account when calculating the total multiplier.
* '''Agility''' - Determines the speed with which a crew member can replace another fallen one. The average value of agility in the crew is what counts - spending all of the points on one disposable crew member won't benefit the player any more than distributing the points across all of them would.
* '''Vitality''' - Reduces the likelihood of a crew member receiving a mortal wound.

===Driver===

* '''Tank Driving''' - Affects the rate at which the driver automatically switches gears and applies the brake, thus improving the acceleration and responsiveness when turning. The default gear switching time of drivers is 1 second, the skill itself can reduce pause by 0.36 sec, and together with other factors it can be reduced to 0.1 sec. Braking time reaction is 0.14 sec, reduced by skill to 0.11 sec, and together with other factors it can go down to 0.07 sec.

===Gunner===

* '''Targeting''' - Influences the speed and precision of the gun's traverse and elevation. An experienced gunner aims horizontally and vertically at the same time. An inexperienced gunner does this one axis at a time. An experienced gunner can also improve turret traverse speed. In the case of ATGM carriers, the skill may affect the responsiveness of missiles to control inputs.
* '''Rangefinding''' - Affects how accurate and precise the gunner's estimate of distance is upon using the "Rangefinder" function.

===Tank Commander===

* '''Leadership''' - Improves all crew member's skills by up to 10%. This skill isn't affected by the qualification level of crew with the vehicle in question, and is one of the most expensive to train.

[[File:CrewSkills Tank reloading 0skill.jpg|right|thumb|Demonstrating the way the "reloading" skill affects the selected crew - with skill level 0]]
===Loader===

* '''Weapon Reloading''' - Decrease the time required for loading the weapon by up to 23%. Full skill level shortens reloading time by roughly 11% on it's own. This skill has no effect on [[:Category:Ground vehicles with autoloader|Ground vehicles with autoloader systems]] as an autoloader relies on a set mechanical action over manual personnel work in lifting and loading rounds.

[[File:CrewSkills Tank reloading upgradedskill.jpg|thumb|right|Demonstrating the way the "reloading" skill affects the selected crew - with upgraded skill]]

===Radio Operator Gunner===

* '''Artillery Strike Calling Time''' - Decreases the time between calling an artillery strike and the shells being fired (from a base level of 13 seconds to a minimum of 10 seconds).
* '''Artillery Targeting Accuracy''' - Increases the targeting accuracy of artillery by reducing the shells' scattering (from a base level of 57 m to a minimum of 45 m).
* '''Radio Communication''' - In Arcade mode, it highlights all enemies around the player on the minimap, if any allied vehicle sees them (including aircraft), with default range of 500 m, which is very helpful during and against flank attacks. In Realistic mode, it increases the range at which the enemy players detected by the allied team are displayed (through red arrows pointing downward on the borders of the screen). Either effect can be increased up to 1,000 m.

==Naval vehicle crew skills ==
===Ship commander===

* '''Leadership''' - Improves all crew member's skills by up to 5%. This skill isn't affected by the qualification level of a crew with the vehicle in question, and is one of the most expensive to train.
* '''Crew interchangeability''' - Lowers the required number of crew for your vessel to remain seaworthy.
* '''Radio Communication''' - In Arcade mode, it highlights all enemies around the player on the minimap. This happens if any allied vehicle sees them (including aircraft), with a default range of 250 m. This is very helpful during and against flank attacks. In Realistic mode, it increases the range at which the enemy players detected by the allied team are displayed (through red arrows pointing downward on the borders of the screen). Either effect can be increased up to 500 m.

===Observers===

* '''Air targets detection distance''' - Increases the distance at which aircraft will be outlined by a marker.
* '''Surface targets detection distance''' - Increases the distance at which ground and naval vehicles will be outlined by a marker. This skill also increases the distance at which the full vehicle name is displayed (otherwise, simply the class of the vehicle is displayed instead).
* '''Enemy torpedoes detection distance''' - Increases the distance at which torpedoes and their trails are marked.

===Engine room===

* '''Ship control''' - Reduces the time between sending a command for engine speed mode or rudder turn and applying the change.
* '''Fire prevention''' - Reduces the chances of a fire in the engine room, engine compartment, or transmission house.

===Gunners===

* '''Main caliber reload speed''' - Reduces the reload time of the main guns.
* '''Auxiliary caliber reload speed''' - Reduces the reload time of the auxiliary guns.
* '''AAA caliber reload speed''' - Reduces the reload time of the AAA guns.
* '''AAA gunner accuracy''' - Improves the accuracy of the AI gunners when firing the AAA guns. This skill has no effect when the AAA guns are being manually aimed.
* '''Auxiliary gunner accuracy''' - Improves the accuracy of the AI gunners when firing the auxiliary guns. This skill has no effect when the auxiliary guns are being manually aimed.
* '''Distance fuse set accuracy''' - Improves the accuracy of the distance fuse when using an airburst-capable shell.

===Damage control===

* '''Unwatering time''' - Reduces the time required to remove water from the vessel.
* '''Fire extinguishing''' - Reduces the time taken to extinguish a fire, reducing the damage received from a fire.
* '''Breach repair''' - Reduces the time required to repair the hull of the vessel.
* '''Survival leadership''' - Reduces the penalty gained for attempting to unwater, extinguish fires, and repair the vehicle simultaneously.

== Qualification Levels ==
Players can level up their crews' skills through two ways - spending the aforementioned crew XP points and investing in '''crew qualification''' through Silver Lions {{sl}}.

Unlike skills, qualification levels (beyond '''"Basic"''' - the training achieved by spending crew points) are acquired only for a specific vehicle. Qualification is an exceptional skill for a crew in control of this particular vehicle. To learn it, a certain crew level needs to be achieved. Crew level is the sum of the levels of all skills learned by the crew. For example, a level 5 crew will not be able to be Qualified for an [[M6A1]], which is Rank III, and will have to be leveled up higher to have this option available.

===Air vehicles===
Spending crew points in aircraft crews accounts for 50% of the attainable skill levels. There are three levels of qualification altogether before one can reach the full 100% of the crew: "Basic", "Expert" and "Ace".

[[File:CrewSkills Aircraft training.png|thumb|none|x500px|Diagram of the distribution of skill levels through the levels of qualification in Air crews.]]

The first level of qualification, "Expert," increases all skills by 3 levels, meaning a full 30% increase in efficiency. The second level afterwards, "Ace," increases these skills by another 2 levels, adding up to a total 50% increase with a jump of 5 levels.

In order to use these skills at their maximum level, a pilot needs to research them up to level 5 and obtain two qualifications to reach up to level 10. For instance, a pilot who leveled the "Keen Vision" skill up to 5 will detect targets approximately 6 km away; after getting the "Expert" qualification he will then see enemy targets at 7.2 km; finally, reaching "Ace" qualification will increase this detection distance to the maximum of 8 km.

===Ground and Naval vehicles===
In the case of ground crews, "Current skill level" accounts for 40% of the required qualification to reach the maximum skill level, the "Top" level. The remaining 60% are delegated to the two qualification levels - "Expert", and "Ace", as well as the bonus provided by the Tank/Ship Commander's "Leadership" skill.

[[File:CrewSkills Tank training.png|thumb|none|x500px|Diagram of the distribution of skill levels through the levels of qualification in Ground and Naval crews]]

==Crew points to level==
The following charts should be used to gauge the amount of crew XP points needed to level up a skill. Every skill with the exception of the "Repair Rank" skill is increased by increments of 0.5 levels.

The maximum achievable crew level for aviation crews is '''75'''. For tank crews, the maximum is '''150'''. For naval crews, the maximum is '''100'''.

Highlighted skills - the unique skills of a specific crew member

===Air crew===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width="80%"
! width="165px" | Skill !! colspan="2" | 1 !! colspan="2" | 2 !! colspan="2" | 3 !! colspan="2" | 4 !! colspan="2" | 5 !! Total
|-
! colspan="12" | Pilot
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Keen Vision || 15 || 50 || 90 || 145 || 195 || 270 || 340 || 415 || 500 || 600 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 2,620
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Awareness || 15 || 50 || 90 || 145 || 195 || 270 || 340 || 415 || 500 || 600 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 2,620
|-
| G-Tolerance || 22 || 64 || 110 || 160 || 215 || 275 || 330 || 395 || 470 || 530 || 2,571
|-
| Stamina || 22 || 64 || 110 || 160 || 215 || 275 || 330 || 395 || 470 || 530 || 2,571
|-
| Vitality || 27 || 80 || 150 || 225 || 320 || 415 || 520 || 640 || 760 || 890 || 4,027
|-
! colspan="12" | Defensive armament
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Number of Experienced Gunners || 0 || 170 || 230 || 300 || 360 || 430 || 490 || 560 || 630 || 690 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 3,860
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Fire Accuracy || 12 || 29 || 55 || 80 || 110 || 135 || 165 || 195 || 235 || 265 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 1,281
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Fire Precision || 12 || 29 || 55 || 80 || 110 || 135 || 165 || 195 || 235 || 265 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 1,281
|-
| G-Tolerance || 17 || 40 || 60 || 100 || 110 || 150 || 160 || 200 || 215 || 250 || 1,302
|-
| Stamina || 17 || 40 || 60 || 100 || 110 || 150 || 160 || 200 || 215 || 250 || 1,302
|-
| Vitality || 17 || 40 || 60 || 100 || 110 || 150 || 160 || 200 || 215 || 250 || 1,302
|-
! colspan="12" | Logistical services
|-
| Repair Speed || 12 || 35 || 55 || 80 || 110 || 140 || 170 || 205 || 240 || 275 || 1,322
|-
| Repair Rank || colspan="2" | 0 || colspan="2" | 120 || colspan="2" | 240 || colspan="2" | 390 || colspan="2" | 590 || 1,340
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Reload Speed || 16 || 60 || 120 || 190 || 285 || 385 || 505 || 640 || 780 || 930 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 3,911
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Weapon Maintenance || 22 || 64 || 110 || 160 || 215 || 275 || 330 || 395 || 470 || 530 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 2,571
|-
| colspan="10" | || '''Total''' || '''33,881'''
|}

=== Ground crew ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width="80%"
! width="165px" | Skill !! colspan="2" | 1 !! colspan="2" | 2 !! colspan="2" | 3 !! colspan="2" | 4 !! colspan="2" | 5 !! Total
|-
! colspan="12" | Driver
|-
| Keen Vision || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Field Repair || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Agility || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Vitality || 23 || 70 || 125 || 185 || 255 || 325 || 400 || 480 || 570 || 660 || 3,093
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Tank Driving || 11 || 24 || 50 || 70 || 85 || 110 || 130 || 155 || 180 || 205 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 1,020
|-
! colspan="12" | Gunner
|-
| Keen Vision || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Field Repair || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Agility || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Vitality || 23 || 70 || 125 || 185 || 255 || 325 || 400 || 480 || 570 || 660 || 3,093
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Targeting || 11 || 24 || 50 || 70 || 85 || 110 || 130 || 155 || 180 || 205 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 1,020
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Rangefinding || 11 || 24 || 50 || 70 || 85 || 110 || 130 || 155 || 180 || 205 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 1,020
|-
! colspan="12" | Tank Commander
|-
| Keen Vision || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Field Repair || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Agility || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Vitality || 23 || 70 || 125 || 185 || 255 || 325 || 400 || 480 || 570 || 660 || 3,093
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Leadership || 16 || 60 || 120 || 200 || 290 || 400 || 515 || 650 || 800 || 970 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 4,021
|-
! colspan="12" | Tank Loader
|-
| Keen Vision || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Field Repair || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Agility || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Vitality || 23 || 70 || 125 || 185 || 255 || 325 || 400 || 480 || 570 || 660 || 3,093
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Weapon Reloading || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 3,060
|-
! colspan="12" | Radio Operator Gunner
|-
| Keen Vision || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Field Repair || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Agility || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Vitality || 23 || 70 || 125 || 185 || 255 || 325 || 400 || 480 || 570 || 660 || 3,093
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Artillery Targeting Accuracy || 8 || 18 || 25 || 45 || 50 || 55 || 75 || 75 || 90 || 100 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 541
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Artillery Strike Calling Time || 8 || 18 || 25 || 45 || 50 || 55 || 75 || 75 || 90 || 100 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 541
|-
| style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | Radio Communication || 11 || 24 || 50 || 70 || 85 || 110 || 130 || 155 || 180 || 205 || style="background-color:#DBE0E2;" | 1,020
|-
! colspan="12" | Logistical services
|-
| Repair Speed || 12 || 35 || 55 || 80 || 110 || 140 || 170 || 205 || 240 || 275 || 1,322
|-
| Repair Rank || colspan="2" | 0 || colspan="2" | 120 || colspan="2" | 240 || colspan="2" | 390 || colspan="2" | 590 || 1,340
|-
| colspan="10" | || '''Total''' || '''71,130'''
|}

=== Naval crew ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width="80%"
! width="165px" | Skill !! colspan="2" | 1 !! colspan="2" | 2 !! colspan="2" | 3 !! colspan="2" | 4 !! colspan="2" | 5 !! Total
|-
! colspan="12" | Ship commander
|-
| Leadership || 16 || 60 || 120 || 200 || 290 || 400 || 515 || 650 || 800 || 970 || 4,021
|-
| Crew interchangeability || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Radio Communication || 12 || 29 || 55 || 80 || 110 || 135 || 165 || 195 || 235 || 265 || 1,281
|-
! colspan="12" | Observers
|-
| Air targets detection distance || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Surface targets detection distance || 16 || 60 || 120 || 200 || 290 || 400 || 515 || 650 || 800 || 970 || 4,021
|-
| Enemy torpedoes detection distance || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
! colspan="12" | Engine room
|-
| Ship control || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Fire prevention || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
! colspan="12" | Gunners
|-
| Main caliber reload speed || 16 || 60 || 120 || 200 || 290 || 400 || 515 || 650 || 800 || 970 || 4,021
|-
| Auxiliary caliber reload speed || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| AAA caliber reload speed || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| AAA gunner accuracy || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Auxiliary gunner accuracy || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Distance fuse set accuracy || 11 || 24 || 50 || 70 || 85 || 110 || 130 || 155 || 180 || 205 || 1,020
|-
! colspan="12" | Damage control
|-
| Unwatering time || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
| Fire extinguishing || 15 || 50 || 100 || 155 || 230 || 310 || 395 || 495 || 600 || 710 || 3,060
|-
| Breach repair || 16 || 60 || 120 || 200 || 290 || 400 || 515 || 650 || 800 || 970 || 4,021
|-
| Survive leadership || 20 || 47 || 100 || 135 || 175 || 215 || 260 || 310 || 360 || 410 || 2,032
|-
! colspan="12" | Logistical services
|-
| Repair Speed || 12 || 35 || 55 || 80 || 110 || 140 || 170 || 205 || 240 || 275 || 1,322
|-
| Repair Rank || colspan="2" | 0 || colspan="2" | 120 || colspan="2" | 240 || colspan="2" | 390 || colspan="2" | 590 || 1,340
|-
| colspan="10" | || '''Total''' || '''50,571'''
|}

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|bTNLb4WT_g4|'''The Shooting Range #312''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 07:47 discusses naval crew skills.|bVoBUcq25gg|'''The Shooting Range #305''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 07:50 discusses aircraft crew skills.|d27p2Kg06MA|'''The Shooting Range #302''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 08:10 discusses tank crew skills.|6lOL6wSZVtY|'''Tank Crew Skills Guide''' - ''skDoger''|iG5yHEgCpk8|'''Plane Crew Skills Guide''' - ''skDoger''|No7JtRPaHM0|'''Naval Crew Skills Guide - Comprehensive Guide For Naval Crews''' - ''Tankenstein''}}

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/697--en|[Special] All you need to know about aircraft crews]]
* [[wt:en/devblog/current/839|[Devblog] Improved Crew Skills with Update 1.53]]

[[Category:Game mechanics]]

38 cm Sturmmörser

2023-06-29T04:28:11Z

U142055152: /* History */

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_sturmmorser_sturmtiger
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (also known as the '''Sturmtiger''') is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Fire and Ice"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/7946-event-dreams-come-true-sturmtiger-en|"Dreams come true" 10th Anniversary event]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The survivability and armour of this vehicle can vary quite a lot depending on what type of vehicle you are facing. When engaging in combat with a vehicle which is in front of you, your frontal armour may at times actually be able to withstand hits. The issue is you have a big profile so hiding isn't exactly an option. Your armour is effective against low caliber rounds, and can protect you against some autocannon fire. The problem is that whenever an enemy with a high-performing round is on the battlefield, which is able to penetrate your frontal armour, you wont' be able to survive much. The reasoning is due to how ammo is stored, which really hinders you. This is especially highlighted whenever an enemy, even if it's a light tank, manages to flank you and shoot you from the side. Your armour is at its weakest there and the only thing on the other side is the rest of your very explosive munitions. In conclusion, to fully make the most out of your armour do not push into the frontlines, stay well hidden from danger.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100 mm (27°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm ''Top'' 60 mm ''Bottom'' || 80 mm || 40 mm
|-
| Casemate || 150 mm (45°) 100 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 80 mm || 80 mm || 25 mm 10 mm ''Radiators''
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=994|rbMinHp=619}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|RW61 (380 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[RW61 (380 mm)|380 mm RW61]] mortar || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 14 || rowspan="2" | 0°/+72° || rowspan="2" | ±11° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.8 || 12.2 || 14.8 || 16.4 || 17.4 || rowspan="2" | 52.00 || rowspan="2" | 46.00 || rowspan="2" | 42.40 || rowspan="2" | 40.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 6.0 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:RW61 (380 mm)/Ammunition|38 cm R Spgr.4581}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''14''' || 13 ''(+1)'' || 9 ''(+5)'' || 7 ''(+7)'' || 3 ''(+11)'' || 1 ''(+13)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Racks 2 and 3 have a shell set in common, as do 4 and 5

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (150) || 900 || -5°/+10° || -10°/+5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

This vehicle can be used in a wide variety of ways, from short range urban combat to long range artillery fire from behind cover.

Right after spawning, it's usually a good idea to set the gun sight's elevation to 100 or 200 m, to avoid having to aim upwards too much when shooting at a relatively distant target and to know easily if your shell will fly over a close obstacle or not.

Due to the extremely long reload, staying close to your teammates is strongly recommended if playing near the contact line, as you will need backup in short range engagements; after you've reloaded, bear in mind that there is a live rocket in your barrel that is vulnerable to pretty much any gun the enemy has, so try to shoot as soon as you've reloaded if you're being targeted or angle your gun away from the enemy if you don't intend to fire yet.

When shooting from a distance, try to get the tank on flat terrain, as inclines tend to somewhat throw off your sight's range indicators and, due to the very steep impact angles of your rockets, getting the aiming distance wrong by just a dozen meters could mean that your shell will fly over your target or hit the ground too far to damage it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Massive 380 mm rocket ammunition, able to knock out any vehicle in a direct hit, or multiple vehicles within the explosion radius
* Adequate frontal armour can negate common tanks like [[T-34-85 Gai|T-34-85]], [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 (76)]], [[Comet I]]
* Due to its curvy trajectory, it can lob the rocket past sloped terrain or cover
* Decent mobility (~30 km/h on average) for its size, can keep up with even some medium tanks
* The smoke grenade mortar has 30 charges

'''Cons:'''

* Hard to aim due to curved trajectory, narrow gun traverse arc, and slow rocket velocity
* No gun depression, impossible to use in mountainous terrains
* Huge ammo racks essentially act as a gigantic fatal weakspot
* Very long reload time at 40 seconds (ace crew)
* Rockets can be destroyed mid-flight by MG fire
* If the launcher is loaded, the rocket inside of it can be shot, resulting in an ammo detonation
* No impact indicator in Arcade, you'll have to rely entirely on the elevation notches in your scope

== History ==

The Sturmtiger was a assault gun used by the Germans during World War II, it was built to support troops fighting in towns and cities. They were effective in close combat with armored vehicles and infantry, and provided heavy firepower.

It was mounted on a Tiger I tank and armed with a 380 mm rocket launcher and a 1 MG34 machine gun. There was also a 1000mm grenade launcher on the rear of the loading hatch that could move 360 degrees. It carried 14 rounds of ammunition. The rounds could weigh up to 367kg and could be fired at a range of 6000 metres.

The Sturmtiger went into production in 1944. Only 19 were built. They fought in the Warsaw Rising, the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of the Reichswald. They were in combat mostly on the Western Front, in defense of Germany. Seven saw action in the battle for the bridge at Remagen, where they bombarded the town.

There are only 3 of the 19 Sturmtigers left. One of them was captured by the Red (Soviet) Army in April 1945 and is on display in the Kubinka Tank Museum in Russia. The Deutsches Panzermuseum in Munster has one, and the last is in the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_sturmmorser_sturmtiger Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|EEdjVf5IDOM|'''The Shooting Range #336''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:09 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|kbjbdcxBcYw|'''The Shooting Range #330''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|J0IacE_b3SY|'''Sturmtiger / Sturmmorser: Better Than Expected!''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7942-development-38-cm-sturmmörser-sturmtiger-spg-en|[Devblog] 38 cm Sturmmörser ("Sturmtiger") SPG]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}