War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

T30

2021-04-25T02:52:54Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t30
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=Heavy Tank T30 (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] in the 2018 "Festive Quest" that took place between 21 December 2018 to 14 January 2019. It was obtainable via completing 10 Christmas Toys for tankers. It could also be purchased on the Gaijin market after the event was over.

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} was a World War II American tank project developed to counter new German tanks, such as Tiger I, Tiger II, and tank destroyers, such as the ''Jagdtiger'', or Soviet heavy tanks, such as IS-1 or IS-2. The T30 was designed at the same time as the T29 Heavy Tank. However, it had a 155mm gun mounted on the same hull and turret as the T29 and T34 heavy tanks.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull roof, sides & rear - engine bay, hull bottom)
* Cast homogeneous armour (hull front, sides & roof - fighting compartment, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 70.25 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis - centre'' 70.25 mm (40°) ''Lower glacis - sides'' 102.5 mm (5°) ''MG housing'' 88 mm (sphere) ''MG port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front half'' 51 mm ''Rear half'' || 51 mm (5°) ''Top'' 51 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (57°-81°) ''Front'' 38.1 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 203 mm ''Gun mantlet'' 158.7 mm ''Gun mantlet frame'' || 158.7 mm || 102 mm ''Vertical part'' 50 mm (71°) ''Turret ring area'' || 38.1 mm (79°)
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 152.45 mm (45°) || 38.1 mm (79°)
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Mudguards are 4 mm thick.
* Frontally, the MG housing (around the MG port) as well as the lower glacis are weak spots on the {{PAGENAME}}.
* The bottom of the hull is only 25.4 mm thick, making it vulnerable to powerful HE shells shot under the belly.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,046|rbMinHp=716}}

The {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility is good for the role it fulfils. Its acceleration and maximum speed are good for a heavy tank.
While the reverse speed is average, it isn't a handicap. And the {{PAGENAME}} can brake quickly in spite of its weight.
Neutral steering allows you to turn your hull towards flanking enemies relatively quickly on the spot.
The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} can reach 15 km/h when climbing uphill from idling and 21 km/h when fording. Due to its weight, the tank's mobility is unhindered by obstacles.

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

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

{{main|T7 (155 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm T7]] || 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" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 14.6 || 20.2 || 24.5 || 27.1 || 28.8 || rowspan="2" | 38.9 || rowspan="2" | 34.4 || rowspan="2" | 31.7 || rowspan="2" | 29.9
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The available choice of ammunition focuses on heavily armoured targets:

* '''M112B1''': APBC; an armour-piercing ballistic capped shell with high explosive mass and good penetration power that will one-shot any tank it penetrates.
* '''T29E1''': APCBC; an armour-piercing capped shell with a ballistic cap offering an increased penetration compared to the M112B1.
* '''M107''': HE; a powerful high-explosive shell useful to destroy all enemy vehicles and even open and lightly armoured vehicles indirectly with the blast.
* '''M110''': Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M112B1 || APBC || 179 || 177 || 168 || 158 || 148 || 139
|-
| M107 || HE || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54
|-
| T29E1 || APCBC || 199 || 197 || 187 || 175 || 165 || 155
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M112B1 || APBC || 670 || 45.36 || 1.2 || 20 || 639.94 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M107 || HE || 717 || 43.1 || 0 || 0.1 || 6,860 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T29E1 || APCBC || 670 || 45.36 || 1.2 || 19 || 639.94 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M110 || 717 || 44.63 || 25 || 5 || 30 || 50
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 30 ''(+4)'' 21 ''(+13)'' || 8 ''(+26)'' 7 ''(+27)'' || 3 ''(+31)'' 3 ''(+31)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
* Racks 3 and 4 are first stage ammo racks. They total 7 shells for projectiles and 6 shells for propellant bags.
* These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 3 - 1 - 2.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

These heavy machine guns can be extremely useful for gauging distance measurements (coaxial), engaging lightly armoured vehicles or shooting down enemy aircraft (pintle).

{| 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
|-
| Coaxial || 1,200 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Despite its labeling as a heavy tank, the {{PAGENAME}} is better used as a tank destroyer and being more of a supportive role than a breakthrough role that most heavy tanks were designed to do. With its long reload for the 155 mm makes its gameplay a bit similar to the [[KV-2]] than tanks like [[T29]] or [[T34]]. The T30 can handle itself on its own if in a one on one encounter but will be at a disadvantage if it is facing more than one due to the long reload time. So to fully utilize that heavy gun, it might be best to be a supportive role tank for the medium tanks or the MBTs that have a faster reload but not the same destructive power as the T30's 155 mm has.

The T30 share similarities with the armour as the [[T29]] and [[T34]], having a thick heavily armoured turret has its advantages. Since its most heavily armoured part is the front turret it can be a key factor on how to make plans where to best utilize the tank, keep in mind even if having the turret only exposed it's not a 100% guaranteed safety from shells like APDS that will with ease be able to penetrate turret. But shells like HEAT-FS will mostly not do same amount of damage but can take out the gunner or in worst case scenario the gun's breech.

Enemy tanks to be aware of are mostly MBTs like [[Leopard 1]], [[M60]], [[Vickers MBT]], [[T-54 (1951)]], [[STB-1]], [[OF-40]], [[Strv 101]]. But that is not the only threat there is also ATGM Vehicles and large calibre tanks that can have enough Power to disable the T30's turret when hull down and out flank the slow T30's position.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Inherits the great armour layout of the [[T29]].
* Since the {{PAGENAME}} is armed with a huge 155 mm gun, it can fire extremely powerful Hi-Ex round.
* The M107 shell is one of the most powerful standard HE shells in the game. Great at taking out heavily armoured tanks if the explosion occurs over the turret, or under the hull, especially since the introduction of the Over Pressure mechanic.
* Both of the APCBC shells have an amazing amount damage potential. Any shot that enters an enemy's crew compartment will almost certainly lead to a one-shot.
* The smoke shell produces a 50 meters wide cloud of smoke that lasts 30 seconds.
* Because of the slow shell velocity, this is one of the few tanks in the game that's really good at hitting targets behind cover.
* Despite the massive breech, the tank still retains 10 degrees of gun depression.
* Has a set of optics that give magnification levels of 4.0x-8.0x. Excellent for both close target acquisition and long range target identification.
* Has two .50 cal machine guns that can rip apart lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels.

'''Cons:'''

* Has one of the worst reloads in the game. Even an ace crew using the 6-rounds first stage ammo rack will take an abysmal 29.9 seconds to reload the gun.
* Despite the great armour, the gun's terrible reload rate renders you helpless if 2 or more enemy tanks attack you at the same time.
* Despite being armed with a 155mm gun, even the top APCBC shell has abysmal penetration against angled armor like the Panther's front plate.
* The bad armor penetration of the APCBC shells combined with the raw effectiveness of the new HE over pressure mechanic means that loading anything but the M107 HE shell is pointless.
* The advantage of having incredible optics is negated by the bad shell velocity and accuracy of the 155 mm shells. Hitting a moving target is difficult, and hitting anything past 1,000 meters is basically impossible.
* Despite the 6-man crew, the sheer size of the 155 mm shell and case means that any enemy APHE shell that enters the hull or turret will likely end in an ammo explosion.
* Has one less .50 cal machine gun than the T29 and [[T34]].
* Due to the horrendous rate of fire, the {{PAGENAME}} is heavily reliant and friendly vehicle support. In other words, carrying games is difficult.

== History ==


In 1944, the Army requested 4 prototypes for heavy tanks, two armed with a 105 mm gun and two armed with a 155 mm gun. The intention was to create vehicles that could face enemy heavy tanks on even terms, or even advantageous terms. The vehicles armed with the 105 mm gun were designated [[T29]], and the two armed with a 155 mm gun were designated [[T30]].

The armament of the T30, a 155 mm T7 L/40 gun, was one of the largest guns ever fitted to an armored fighting vehicle made in the United States. The gun was carried in a tall, long turret with rounded edges. The height of the turret was quite necessary, as the size of the gun and its ammunition required a standing loader. The hull of the T30 was the same as the T29. It was a lengthened version of the [[M26|T26E3 chassis]]. The armor of the T30 was quite thick, and the hull was also well angled, as one of the requirements for the design was protection from the German [[KwK43 (88 mm)|long 88 mm anti-tank gun]]. The T30 carried a crew of six men. These were the driver, commander, bow machine gunner, gunner, and two loaders. One loader moved the crane that placed the shell, and the other used the rammer that put the shell into the breech. The gun could only be loaded at certain angles. The T30 saw an upgrade, called the T30E1, which added an automatic loading system, which moved the gun to the correct position, loaded the shell, and moved the gun back to the firing position. A hatch was added to the rear of the turret to allow the ejection of shell casings after firing.

World War 2 ended before the heavy tank designs ([[T28]], [[T29]], T30, [[T32]], [[T34]]) could enter service, and the development of these vehicles ended, but the development of these heavy tank designs provided experience that proved useful when designing the [[M103|M103 heavy tank]] during the Cold War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t30 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Ucr-wFDeLRA|'''T30 Tank Review: Missing Punch''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Other tanks sharing the design:

* [[T29]] - 105 mm gun
* [[T34]] - 120 mm gun

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5963-development-t30-premium-heavy-tank-en|[Devblog] T30 Premium heavy tank]]
* [[wikipedia:T30_Heavy_Tank|[Wikipedia] T30 Heavy Tank]]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=353 Military Factory - T30 (Heavy Tank T30)]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}
{{Winter Event}}

T29

2021-04-25T02:43:25Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = us_t29
|store = 5266
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. The {{PAGENAME}} was introduced in the [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] as a gift vehicle and was available on the Gaijin store as a [[wt:en/news/3742-shop-pre-order-packs-for-update-1-59-flaming-arrows-with-exclusive-decals-en|pre-order pack]] before the update. The {{PAGENAME}} is a formidable heavy tank that introduces the 105 mm T5 cannon in a rotating turret rather than in the fixed case-mate setting like the [[T95]], with a tougher-than-average gun mantlet, and a sloped, but slightly thin hull.

The {{PAGENAME}} is perhaps one of the best performing heavy tanks at Rank IV, right up there with the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] and [[Tiger II (Family)|Tiger II]] tanks. Thanks to the 105 mm cannon, the {{PAGENAME}} can engage most enemies it faces on the battlefield from the front, often destroying an enemy tank with a single shot with the extremely powerful T13 APCBC round. With a frontal armour thick enough to block most incoming shots, The {{PAGENAME}} can act as the "damage sponge" of the team by absorbing or shrugging off most of the enemy fire. As its gun has a high muzzle velocity, it can also act as a sniping tank by positioning in the back or sides of the map and fire at any unsuspecting enemy tank. A single T13 APCBC round can destroy even the strongest tank if it penetrates the side armour. Like other heavy tanks, the {{PAGENAME}} has an average mobility but has a lower top speed than its main rivals: the IS-2 mod. 1944 and the Tiger II (H) and only better than the Caernarvon. Nonetheless, it possesses an above-average acceleration, making it more suited for dense environments.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, Hull rear)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (52-56°) ''Front Glacis'' 70.25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom Glacis'' 102 mm (6-81°) ''Machine gun port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 51 mm ''Rear'' || 51 mm (9°) ''Upper'' 19 mm (11-66°) ''Lower'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Turret || 158.7 mm (18-31°) ''Turret front'' 203 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' 305 mm (1-57°) ''Gun mantlet border'' || 158.7 mm (3-42°) || 102 mm (1-20°) ''Rear'' 50 mm (63-84°) ''Bottom of turret overhang'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 152.4 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front belly armour is 25.4 mm thick while the rear is 13 mm.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 994|rbMinHp= 681|}}

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

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

{{main|T5E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E2]] || 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" | 63 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 10.71 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20 || rowspan="2" | 16.25 || rowspan="2" | 14.38 || rowspan="2" | 13.25 || rowspan="2" | 12.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.90 || 18.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 256 || 253 || 238 || 221 || 205 || 190
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 253 || 250 || 236 || 219 || 204 || 190
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 292 || 287 || 266 || 242 || 220 || 200
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 914 || 17.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 899 || 18.59 || 1.2 || 19 || 177.38 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 1,128 || 11.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 945 || 15.2 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,550 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''63''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 58 ''(+5)'' 39 ''(+24)'' || 50 ''(+13)'' 9 ''(+54)'' || 42 ''(+21)'' 7 ''(+56)'' || 9 ''(+54)'' 1 ''(+62)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
* Projectiles and propellants are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 3*, 4* and 5* are first stage ammo racks. They total 8 projectiles and 8 propellant bags.
* These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied early.
* The projectiles' depletion order at full capacity is: 5 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4.
* The propellants' depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 4 - 1 - 2.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{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
|-
| Coaxial mount #1 || 1,200 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial mount #2 || 1,200 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle mount || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}
One of the hidden gems of this tank, the three .50cals enable a player to effectively blind enemies, shred lightly armored vehicles, and engage unsuspecting aircraft. Two of the machineguns are mounted in the turret and are controlled by the gunner. They are locked with the sight of the main gun, thus are also subjected to the limited elevation angles of the turret. The third machinegun is located at the roof of the turret and is pintle mounted. While this top gun is technically able to freely move around, its actual training speed is rather slow. It is best to use this gun to engage slower moving aircraft or those flying in a predictable path.

One spicy advantage of the .50cal is its ability to de-gun enemy vehicles in close-quarters. And with three of them, those with long reload times should beware of having their gun barrels broken by these. A keen T29 player should always be firing their .50cals at the enemy gun barrel whilst they are reloading (and taking adequate cover). This both blinds your enemies ''and'' damages their gun.

== Usage in battles ==


;Combat tactics

* In an ''offensive role'', the {{PAGENAME}} can be used in 2 main ways. The more common and safer strategy is to team up with another tank, preferably a heavy or medium tank. Move up to the frontline while covering each other, leapfrog each time so one tank snipes an enemy while the other moves to a cover position with an advantageous firing position, then keep advancing at a safe pace. The other method is to get right up in their face, only giving them shots at the {{PAGENAME}}'s tough frontal armour. As aggressive this strategy is, it leaves the {{PAGENAME}} open to attacks from the sides. This is a last-ditch strategy generally. In either offence strategy, the biggest risk is getting too far ahead from the rest of your allies, leaving the {{PAGENAME}} vulnerable and without any supporting fire.

* In a ''defensive role'', the {{PAGENAME}} truly shines in a hull down position. Frontally, its turret is tough and the cheeks are sloped enough to bounce most shots. The only real target available would be the small cupola on the turret roof and the turret ring if it is not covered. While the gun barrel is vulnerable to being broken, a moderate crew can repair it in seconds. Although the gun depression angle isn't as great as other American tanks, it still provides an advantage in hilly terrain. When in the right spot, the player can devastate the enemy team with almost no risk to themselves by exposing only the gun barrel and the top of the mantlet. Be aware that there are certain spots and ports in the mantlet that can be penetrated even by a Wirbelwind using PzGr 40 rounds. Players experienced with American heavies can find a good spot that will provide them with ample cover while they support the team. Wiggling the turret while reloading can make the enemy bounce, same tactics as seen with the IS-2. Some shots to the lower gun mantlet may also bounce downwards and penetrate the thin hull roof.

;Notables enemies

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are going to be the most common and equal enemy. While most of the {{PAGENAME}}'s front armour can take on the 88 mm APCBC round, APCR can penetrate the front mantlet of the turret. It can also aim for the lower glacis on the hull, which will knock-out the driver and can repeatedly do this until the entire crew gets knocked out. To fight the Tiger II's, aim at the "cheeks" of the turret with any ammo, preferably the right as that is where the gunner sits. Using the T32 APBC ammo, there is a chance that it can penetrate the Tiger II's front glacis at close range (less than 100 meters) and the lower glacis from even further, making the T32 round probably the most preferable round to use against the Tiger II's front. If the {{PAGENAME}} can get the Tiger's side though, a simple T13 APCBC round can turn a Tiger II into a fiery ball of fire.
* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II 10.5 cm]]: Though the same rule applies to the 88 mm Tiger II, take extreme caution as the 10.5 cm cannon can penetrates the {{PAGENAME}}'s mantlet from the front and devastate interior.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: Equipped with the same 88 mm as on the Tiger II, this tank destroyer can do some damage if it can get a good shot. However, the {{PAGENAME}}'s 105 mm cannon can easily penetrate through its front glacis, just don't shoot too close to the gun or the gun mantlet may bounce it.
* [[Ferdinand]]: The greater armour on this tank destroyer makes it harder to fight in a long-range engagement. However, if the {{PAGENAME}} can get closer, the flat armour space on the top superstructure and the hull front can prove more vulnerable. Of course, getting to the side of this tank destroyer is a guaranteed point if an APCBC round can be landed into it.
* [[ISU-152]]: While easily destroyed by one shot of the 105 mm cannon, the 152 mm howitzer still can do unspeakable damage if it hits the {{PAGENAME}}'s vulnerable turret and hull roof.

;Defeating a {{PAGENAME}}

* With 4 crewmen sitting in the turret, any penetrating shot to the turret with a good post-penetration damage means most certainly the destruction of your vehicle.
* In a frontal encounter, aim for the {{PAGENAME}}'s lower glacis or the hull MG port (small area).
* When flanking, aim for the hull section under the turret. Make sure to avoid shooting the tracks. Follow up with a shot at the driver's position if it survives.
* You can also aim at the engine compartment to immobilize the {{PAGENAME}} and then let your teammates finish it.

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Armed with an extremely good 105 mm gun that's far superior to the T32's 90mm gun.
* T13 round has both high penetration power and post-penetration damage potential. Penetrating an enemy's crew compartment is almost always a kill.
* An Ace crew will reload in an impressive 12.5 seconds when there's at least 1 shell in the 8-round first stage ammo rack.
* Has a fantastic set of optics with magnification levels of 4.0x-8.0x. Great for both quick close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* Decent APCR shells that can go through the Jagdtiger's superstructure.
* Great overall turret armor. Only guns that pen less than 200mm of armor pose very little threat.
* 10 degrees of gun depression coupled with the really strong turret makes the {{PAGENAME}} cresting ridgelines and hull down fighting.
* Armed with three .50 caliber machine guns, allowing the {{PAGENAME}} to shred exposed enemy crewmembers, lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels.
* It is superior to the T34 heavy tank in almost every respect other than penetration and rear turret armour.

'''Cons:'''

* Smart enemies will highlight the {{PAGENAME}} as a priority target, attracting a lot of enemy attention from both the ground and the sky.
* The lower glacis plate is both long and weakly armoured. Any gun packing over 165mm of pen pose a threat if the lower plate is visible.
* While tough, the gun mantlet is not impenetrable. Guns like the Tiger II's 88mm can punch right through it at ranges exceeding 500 meters.
* It is much slower than the Tiger II, IS-2, IS-3, etc.
* Tall silhouette like the Tiger II, meaning that it is very hard to hide.
* The {{PAGENAME}} has an enormous amount of ammo lining the right turret cheek and rear turret compartment.
* Unlike most tanks at the BR, the sides of the engine compartment is much weaker than the sides of the hull.
* The weak engine compartment armour coupled with the placement of the turret means that the {{PAGENAME}} isn't as good at side scraping as the Tiger II is.
* Only one of the .50 caliber machine guns can effectively engage aircraft flying higher than coaxial level.

== History ==


===Development===
Projects for a dedicated heavy tank for the U.S. Armed Forces began in March 1944 as a response to the German heavy tanks that have been popping up in Europe. While the T26E3 tank, later known as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] was slated to be the next-generation American tank, it was still considered unsuitable against the even heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. A project to increase the armour and firepower commenced countering this problem, the project titled '''Heavy Tank T29'''. Using design elements from the T26E3 with thicker armour and lengthened hull, the T29 also was equipped with the [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm Gun T5]], a gun in development alongside the heavy assault tank [[T95|T95]]. Other features included a 770 hp Ford GAC engine, armour thickness up to 279 mm effective, and a coincidence range-finder. The heavy armour and armament made the tank weigh about 64 tons, making it a close match to the Tiger II.

Though the T29 was monstrous itself, side projects involving the T29 crafted the ''[[T30|T30 Heavy Tank]]''. Itself similar to the T29 in terms of armour, but featured a monstrous [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm Gun T7]] with a more powerful engine and an extra crew member to facilitate loading the gun.

===Effect in World War II===
Throughout World War II, the T29 and the T30 stayed in development under the priority "limited procurement". Eventually, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, but the small ordered stayed in hope it may be useful in the Japan invasion in Operation Downfall. That hope was smashed as well when Japan surrendered in September 1945, ending World War II. Even if an operation commenced that used these vehicles, the Army Ground Forces objected to the use of such heavy equipment due to the lack of adequate transporters. Further production was cancelled in the post-war demilitarization.

===Post World War Effect===
The heavy tank concept didn't end with the war and a final attempt was made to remake the T29 into a more modern, lethal weapon system. This produced the ''[[T34|T34 Heavy Tank]]'', which mounted a 120 mm gun based on the M1 anti-aircraft gun. The calibre made an adequate balance of firepower and loading ease between the 105 mm and the 155 mm used in the T29 and T30. In fact, the two T34 pilot models made were a converted T29 and T30. However, the demilitarization took down the T34 program as well, but the experience in this project help engineers in the development of the ''[[M103|M103 Heavy Tank]]''.

Today, there are a few T29s still in display across the United States, most of them residing in storage at Fort Benning, Georgia where they will be used as a display in the future National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=us_t29 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|owYlJZ4LgyA|'''The Shooting Range #36''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|z_rLi-s7U2k|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Tank Review - Too Awesome : Pay-to-win?''' - ''Napalmratte''|n9KdgbSzla8|'''The Shooting Range #23''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|NLr2swmOW_w|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[T30]]
* [[T34]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3731-development-t29-the-experimental-monster-video-added-en|[Devblog] T29: The Experimental Monster]]
* [[wikipedia:T29_Heavy_Tank|[Wikipedia] T29 Heavy Tank]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2-usa-heavy-tank-t29/ <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Heavy Tank T29]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=352 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> T29 (Heavy Tank T29)]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

IS-6

2021-01-17T02:23:48Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = ussr_is_6
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store = 5560
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]]. This is one of the most dreaded tanks of its BR spread since it features a good cannon and awesome mobility packed inside a heavily sloped thick armour that most APHE shells cannot penetrate. Use this tank in any role and situation, it will surely find its place on the battlefield. Having very good mobility and a respectable reverse speed allows the IS-6 to plow through sticky situations that many other tanks would struggle with.

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

100 mm sloped at more or less 60° on all sides provide this vehicle with a reputation to be a ''ricochet master''. Firing on the hull from almost any angle will only result in a glancing shot. The only weak spot being the lower sides of the hull and turret sides and rear, the only way to reliably penetrate it is to get a shot from the side. An attentive player that never shows the sides is an invincible opponent. However, be aware of the frontal armour, as the extremely angled turret armour encasing the cannon breech can create a shot trap and ricochet the shell into the driver's area. This will likely result in your ammo exploding. Be wary when facing any opponent.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100 mm (62-65°) ''Front glacis'' 120 mm (53°) ''Lower glacis'' 100 mm (65°) ''Driver's port'' || 120 mm (45°) ''Top'' 100 + 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 60-75 mm (60°) ''Top'' 60 mm (30°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 150 mm (6-45°) ''Turret front'' 100-200 + 50 mm (1-76°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 150 mm (7-51°) || 100 mm (5-50°) || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 100 mm (cylindrical) || 100 mm ''Outer ring'' 30 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick. Torsion bar connectors by the wheels are 60 mm thick.
*Spaced armour plates are placed on the sides, giving an additional 10 mm of side armour.

From the front, only high-end rounds (HEAT-FS, HESH, APFSDS) can penetrate the IS-6. Otherwise, flank it since its lower side armour is flat behind the tracks. In a close to medium range fight, if the IS-6 is static and facing you, try to shoot its right side turret cupola, a penetrating APHE shell may knock out the commander and gunner, disabling the tank (some large calibre rounds can even knock out the loader and/or driver, resulting in an instant elimination). This strategy is not applicable with rounds that don't have HE filler.

Another weak spot is the left side of the mantlet which has the optics in it. This part of the armour is thin enough that most shells at the BR can penetrate it, and in doing do, incapacitate the commander and gunner and destroy the cannon breech. If you are lucky and the IS-6 has ammo in the back of its turret, there is a chance to detonate it as well for an instant elimination.

If you happen to flank an IS-6, take the time to aim since half of its side is covered by its dreaded armour. A missed shot will alert the IS-6 player, withdrawing with its fast speed from sight before another shot could be landed. Turret sides and back can ricochet rounds as well, so keep the hull as a priority target.

If encountering this foe from its back, keep in mind to aim for the middle of the engine deck since plates on both sides are as though as their frontal counterparts. If confident, go for it and aim at the turret back.

Any round penetrating the crew compartment leads to an ammo rack detonation most of the time since this tank's interior is filled with ammo all over the place.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=904|rbMinHp=619}}

If used well, the {{PAGENAME}} can get into position as fast as a T-54. It is certainly one of the fastest late IS-series tanks. It reaches 44.3 km/h (27.5 mph), the top speed in RB, with ease and has a reverse speed of -16.1 km/h (10 mph).

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

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

{{main|D-30T (122 mm)}}

The IS-6 features an upgraded version of the [[D-25T (122 mm)|D-25T]] gun found on other IS series variants, the D-30T. Though identical ballistically, it provides a much faster reload, with the IS-6 having a default reload rate only 0.5 seconds longer than the [[T-10M]]. The IS-6 uses the same ammo load as the [[IS-2]] with the best shell being the BR-471B, which means the tank will have trouble against some heavies it may encounter from lacking penetration. In addition, the IS-6 does not have access to the BR-471D, which is usable on the IS-3, also at 7.3 rating.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-30T (122 mm)|122 mm D-30T]] || 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" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.33 || 15.68 || 19.04 || 21.06 || 22.40 || rowspan="2" | 20.54 || rowspan="2" | 18.17 || rowspan="2" | 16.75 || rowspan="2" | 15.80
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''30''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 17 ''(+13)'' 25 ''(+5)'' || 13 ''(+17)'' 19 ''(+11)'' || 9 ''(+21)'' 13 ''(+17)'' || 7 ''(+23)'' 7 ''(+23)'' || 5 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 3 ''(+27)''   || 1 ''(+29)''   || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Turret empty: 13 (+17)

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (50) || 600 || -4°/+85° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The IS-6 brings about improved mobility characteristics compared to the [[IS-3]] in the tech tree, yet retains similar armour characteristics and firepower (though it lacks the higher-penetrating BR-471D shell). This mobility improvement should not be taken lightly as it allows the IS-6 to react faster to new threats, whether it be an offensive push, a repositioning, or a short withdrawal.

The role the IS-6 excels at is as a breakthrough vehicle. The IS-6 should take front stage when it comes to assaulting an objective. Its speed and armour can allow the heavy tank to take on enemy fire while on the move as most AP rounds will struggle to penetrate the IS-6 when its armour remains sloped towards the enemy. Make the enemies focus on the IS-6 so teammates can move up and engage the enemies from different angles. Once the enemy focuses on the teammates, move up and assist in taking out the enemy with the IS-6's 122 mm gun.

Firepower is rather lacklustre with the maximum 205 mm penetration at point-blank range, meaning most shots with the IS-6 needs to be carefully aimed towards the enemy's weak points. Combined with the lengthy reload, the first shot the IS-6 takes on an enemy is essential as it may determine the outcome of the engagement. These limiting factors mean that the ideal fighting range for the IS-6 is around 500 metres, as this allows the IS-6 to make the most of the 122 mm gun's penetration and velocity while staying far enough away that the enemy could not quickly rush the IS-6 while it is reloading. Although the reloading weakness can be mitigated by having an escape plan ready so to use the IS-6's mobility to make a tactical retreat.

These features make the IS-6 a somewhat good defender as well, taking the role after assaulting an objective. Making use of cover in a capture area, the IS-6 can lock down chokepoints and focus its 122 mm gun down the range, using its mobility to quickly withdraw after a shot. As the IS-6 would be watching in a more stationary role, the gun handling would be more stable so to be able to make longer-ranged shots against enemies attempting to (re)capture the point. Do keep in mind the gun's bad gun depression of only -3°, so the IS-6 is likely to have a good part of its armour exposed when attempting to face the enemy from a defensive position. As stated above, ensure a good escape strategy is formulated so that a bad 122 mm shot doesn't result in the enemy swarming the IS-6.

Facing enemies with HEAT-FS rounds is a dire situation for the IS-6 as the armour is not thick enough to withstand the round in any angle. Extreme caution should be taken when fighting those tanks. It would be more ideal to withdraw into a different firing position and either wait to ambush the enemy tank as it comes to pursue the IS-6 or provide teammates the opportunity to take out the enemy.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can fire the 122mm gun ever 15.8 seconds, making its fire rate considerably faster than any of the other IS tanks armed with the 122.
* The top 122mm shell is still dangerous at this BR. Has good overmatching mechanics and still has tremendous post penetration damage potential.
* 100mm's of frontal armor sloped at a very steep angle. The front of the hull is basically immune to anything that isn't APDS or HEAT.
* Like the IS3, the lower plate isn't a weak spot.
* Very good as side scraping due to the high levels of side armor.
* The turret is both small, well armored, and rounded.
* The weak spot on the turret front is smaller than the Tiger II's. Hitting it at ranges exceeding 500 meters is very difficult.
* Very low profile for a heavy. Can actually hide in places that the Tiger II simply can't.
* Is very fast and maneuverable for a heavy tank.
* Due to the armor, fire rate, and reverse speed, the IS6 is very good at shoot-and-scoot tactics as well as brawling.
* Has a 12.7mm HMG on the roof.
* Premium vehicle bonuses.
* Due to the top speed, high levels of armor, and firepower, the IS6 is a more versatile tank than the IS3.

'''Cons:'''

* Can't take the top 122mm shell that the IS3 can. Meaning that tanks like the Jagdtiger, M103, and Maus, are very difficult to kill from the front.
* Enemies firing HEAT and APDS is very common at 7.3 and up. A lot of enemy tanks the IS6 can meet simply don't care about the IS6's armor.
* The IS6 is still very capable of getting the turret front penetrated by tanks like the Tiger II, T29, and Centurion Mk 3.
* Like most Russian heavies, has an abysmal 3 degrees of gun depression. Finding proper hull down locations is hard.
* The 4-man crew is crammed in a small crew compartment that's full of ammo. Any APHE shell that enters the tank will likely kill every one in the turret, or set off an ammo explosion.
* While more versatile than the IS3 due to the higher top speed and fire rate, the IS3 is superior when it comes to being an actual heavy tank. It has better frontal armor, a stronger turret with a much small weak spot, and fires a much better round top 122mm shell than the IS6.

== History ==


The Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant Work (ChKZ) began drafting the designs of a new heavy tank on 02 May 1944<ref name="TankArchivesElectric" /> with an electrotransmission, a drive system that was used on the German [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand/Elefant]]. The plant was officially ordered to begin work on June 08<ref name="KinnearT10" /> for two versions of the heavy tank, with emphasis of having significant advantages over the current [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 heavy tank]]. The heavy tank was designated as the '''IS-6''' and the two versions were the ''Object 252'' with a mechanical transmission and the ''Object 253'' with a electric transmission.<ref name="TankArchivesLaunch" /> Both prototypes were produced in the Fall of 1944 and were sent to be tested at the NIIBT testing grounds at Kubinka.

The two prototypes differed in more ways than just the transmission. Object 252 used the mechanical transmission from the [[IS-3]], with large road wheels and no track rollers for its torsion bar suspension.<ref name="BoldyrevTank" /> Object 253 used an electric transmission with a suspension that looked similarly to previous IS iterations with smaller road wheels and track rollers. The IS-6 prototypes failed to stay under the weight of the IS-2, being around 51.5 tons.<ref name="TankArchives257" /> The 122 mm gun arming the IS-6 was the D-30, compared to the D-25T on the predecessors. The D-30 implemented features such as the D-25's monobloc design, the 100 mm D-10's breech and gas block, a two-spring balancing mechanism, a lengthened D-25 mount, and a fume extractor. This gun was installed onto the IS-6 prototypes in December 1944.<ref name="TankArchivesD-30" />

The IS-6 prototypes were tested alongside the ''Object 701'' (the prototype of the [[IS-4M|IS-4]]).<ref name="TankArchives257" /> The two IS-6 prototypes proved disappointing, with the Object 253's electric transmission being too complex, expensive, and unreliable.<ref name="KinnearT10" /> The Object 252's mechanical transmission also suffered from reliability issues. Suspension problems also impacted the IS-6, with its speed dropping below the heavier Object 701. It was hoped that the electric transmission would help make the tank more maneuverable, but the heavy weight prohibited any vast improvements.<ref name="BoldyrevTank" /> Overall, the IS-6 armour was deemed to not provide any improvements over existing designs, having only comparable armour, firepower, and mobility to the IS-2 and IS-3. In 1945, all work on the IS-6 ceased as work continued on the Object 701.<ref name="TankArchives257" />

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|N6PVSequHlM|'''The Shooting Range #37''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the IS-6.|JGxJqegdhac|'''War Thunder''' - How to destroy the IS-6.}}

== 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/4564-development-is-6-the-soviet-hammer-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-6: the Soviet Hammer]]

=== References ===
<references>
<ref name="BoldyrevTank">Boldyrev, Eugeni. "Last Heavy Tanks of the USSR." The Russian Battlefield. N.p., 18 Sept. 2011. Web. 08 Jan. 2018. [http://english.battlefield.ru/tanks/10-heavy-tanks/21-last-heavy-tanks.html Website]</ref>
<ref name="KinnearT10">Kinnear, James, and Stephen L. Sewell. ''Soviet T-10 Heavy Tank and Variants''. N.p.: Osprey Pub, 2017. Print</ref>
<ref name="TankArchivesD-30">TankArchives. "D-30 Gun for the IS-6." Tank Archives. N.p., 19 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 Jan. 2018. [http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-30-gun-for-is-6.html Website]</ref>
<ref name="TankArchivesElectric">TankArchives. "Electrical Transmission." Tank Archives. N.p., 02 June 2014. Web. 08 Jan. 2018. [http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2014/06/electrical-transmission.html Website]</ref>
<ref name="TankArchives257">TankArchives. "Object 257: The First IS-7." Tank Archives. N.p., 12 June 2016. Web. 08 Jan. 2018. [http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2016/06/object-257-first-is-7.html Website]</ref>
<ref name="TankArchivesLaunch">TankArchives. "Launch of the IS-6." Tank Archives. N.p., 20 Dec. 2016. Web. 08 Jan. 2018. [http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2016/12/launch-of-is-6.html Website]</ref>
</references>

{{USSR heavy tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

FlaRakRad

2020-11-26T13:46:08Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_flarakrad}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
[[File:FlaRakRad internal armor.png|thumb|Internal armor of the FlaRakRad (5 mm)]]
''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.''

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull ||5 mm||5 mm||5 mm||5 mm
|-
| Turret ||15 mm||15 mm||15 mm||10 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* The chassis is 30 mm thick.
* The windows in the cab have no armor.
* The tracking radar is 15 mm thick.
* There are 5 mm plates inside the rear compartment (see image).


=== Mobility ===
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=511|rbMinHp=318}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Roland}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Roland|Roland SAM]] (x2) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 10 (2) || rowspan="2" | 145 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+80° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Roland 3 || SAM || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54
|-
| VT1 || SAM || 59 || 59 || 59 || 59 || 59 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! Type of warhead
! Velocity (m/s)
! Range (m)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Fuse delay (m)
! Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| Roland 3 || SAM || 900 || 8,500 || 77 || 0 || 0.1 || 6,810
|-
| VT1 || SAM || 1,250 || 12,000 || 73 || 0 || N/A || 7,860
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''5''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== 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).''

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="3" | Firepower
|-
| I
|Tires
|
|Parts
|Horizontal Drive
|
|
|-
| II
|Suspension
|Brake System
|FPE
|VT1
|Airstrike
|
|-
| III
|Filters
|
|Crew Replenishment
|Elevation Mechanism
|Improved Optics
|NVD
|-
| IV
|Transmission
|Engine
|Smoke Grenade
|Artillery Support
|Laser Rangefinder
|
|-
|}

=== 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:'''

* Good Speed and mobility; easy to move around on larger maps
* High speed missile with long range

'''Cons:'''

* The single biggest ground vehicle in the game. Is longer and taller than a Maus. Finding proper concealment is nigh impossible.
* Every single gun in the game; MG’s included, posses a threat.
* No defense against any ground vehicles
* Lack of guns means it cannot defend itself from close aircraft
* No survivability from attacks from the ground or air

== 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:''

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6902-development-flarakrad-protective-sphere-en|[Devblog] FlaRakRad: Protective Sphere]]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Somua SM

2020-11-26T13:35:42Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_somua_sm
|store=9313
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Raining Fire"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The upper glacis of the hull and the upper part of the turret are the only well-protected areas, which will give you good protection against most conventional rounds, especially from far ranges. However, the rest of the armour is very weak and can be easily penetrated by pretty much everything, and you will still be vulnerable against HEAT-FS, ATGMs, APFSDS and such. Your best bet is to flank the enemy and take them out with your auto-loading gun before they can get a hit on you. If an enemy spots you, face them so they can only hit the front of the tank, and hope that they don't hit the very weak bottom portion of your turret. Try not to angle your tank as the sides can easily be penetrated. Since you have 5 crew members, with 2 in the front of the hull and 3 in the turret, and come equipped with a handy autoloader, you can take a few hits and lose a couple of crew members without having to worry too much.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 150 mm (55°) ''Front glacis''
60 mm (55°) ''Lower glacis''
| 40 mm (25°) ''Top'' 40 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm (30°) || 5 - 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 40 - 120 mm ''Turret front'' 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 40 - 60 mm || 40 mm || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===

Although heavier and not as mobile as the AMX 50 or Lorraine 40t, the SOMUA SM is still pretty mobile for a heavy tank. You will still want to flank the enemy as much as possible and take them out quickly with your auto-loading gun, but don’t be afraid to take a few hits from the front. However, your reverse speed is pretty slow and will not save you, so watch out for that.

{{tankMobility}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SA47 L/58 (100 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" | [[SA47 L/58 (100 mm)|100 mm SA47 L/58]] || 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" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || 273 || 270 || 257 || 242 || 228 || 215
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || 1,000 || 15.0 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || 1,000 || 14.8 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,400 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''50''' || 46 ''(+4)'' || 39 ''(+11)'' || 32 ''(+18)'' || 25 ''(+25)'' || 18 ''(+32)'' || 14 ''(+36)'' || 10 ''(+40)'' || 9 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* Shells are modelled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 9* (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 9 shells.
* This racks get filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
* As it is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
* Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 8 into rack 9*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 9 - 1 - 2 - up to 8.

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 4800 (150) || 1350 || 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.

== 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).''

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! Firepower
|-
| I
|Tracks
|
|Parts
|Horizontal drive
|-
| II
|Suspension
|Brake System
|FPE
|Adjustment of Fire
|-
| III
|Filters
|
|Crew Replenishment
|Elevation Mechanism
|-
| IV
|Transmission
|Engine
|
|
|-
! colspan="5" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Same great gun that's found on the AMX-50 and Lorraine
* Equipped with a huge 9-shell autoloader, making this one of the best tanks to attack multiple enemies at once
*Unlike most French tanks, the SOMUA has good frontal armour; the upper turret and upper plate are basically immune to all conventional rounds
* Due to the frontal armour and nine shot autoloader, the tank is not only great at flanking and ambushing, but also very good at brawling
* The strong upper turret coupled with the eight degrees of gun depression makes this tank great at hull-down fighting and cresting ridgelines
* Due to how tall this tank is and how high the gun is placed, it can shoot over obstacles that many tanks have trouble seeing over
* Quick and manoeuvrable for a heavy tank
* This tank has a high level of survivability thanks to the spacious crew compartment and a five-man crew
* Good set of optics with 6x magnification

'''Cons:'''

* Absolutely huge tank. Longer, wider, and taller than a Tiger II. Finding proper concealment is difficult
* The neck of the turret a prime weak spot that's hard to effectively hide
* The lower plate is as weak as British lower plates. Any APHE shell that enters here will likely knock out the whole crew
* Will face a lot of enemies that fire APDS and HEAT, the upper turret and upper plate just can't absorb those kinds of shells
* Terrible side armour, side-scraping or angling the tank is extremely hazardous
* Is much slower than the Lorraine and AMX-50
* Mediocre elevation angles thanks to the inherent nature of oscillating turrets
* The 100 mm gun is surprisingly inaccurate past 500 meters. Sniping can only be done thanks to the massive autoloader
* Once the autoloader is expended, reloading the magazine takes a considerable amount of time

== History ==

At the end of WW2, the French army realized that they needed a new modern heavy tank. The SOMUA Company competed with AMX to design a new heavy tank for France, and they were given the order to build a prototype in 1946. The hull of the tank was based off the German Tiger II, and the tank used an oscillating turret armed with an auto-loading 100 mm gun. Because the two companies were forced to make a new design with the same requirements, the Somua SM design looked similar to the AMX 50, and both tanks had equipped the 100 mm gun. The prototype was delivered in October of 1951 but was still lacking an engine and some other parts. Due to delays, the prototype was not tested until 1953, but it was already too late. The SOMUA’s design was rejected in favour of the AMX 50.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=fr_somua_sm Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|cj5yjwMfmAM|'''The Shooting Range #217''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:30 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== 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/6825-development-somua-sm-heavy-weight-fighter-en|[Devblog] SOMUA SM: Heavy Weight Fighter]]

{{France heavy tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}

M4A4 (SA50)

2020-11-26T09:36:04Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=fr_m4a4_cn_75_50}}
{{About
| about = French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_M4A4(SA50).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. This tank is the equivalent to the British [[Sherman Firefly]], it trades its top-mounted HMG and additional armour for a better main gun: the SA50 L/57 cannon, which is the same gun as the [[AMX-13]], providing an interesting perspective to what's coming next in terms of firepower. That being said, the rest of this tank is 100% Sherman, with all its good and bad. As of [[Update 1.77]], it is one of two vehicles based on the M4A4 Sherman, the other being the Sherman VC Firefly.

As with any Sherman design, this tank is quite iconic of this vehicle's family: tall profile, sloped frontal armour, front-mounted transmission, plane radial engine power station, rounded turret with complex gun mantlet, it has got it all. the only difference from purely American Sherman is its long gun featuring a muzzle-break.

'''Firepower:'''

The Sherman's turret was not made for such a huge gun. this is why this tank has an elongated mantlet: to provide space for the long SA50 L/57 cannon. Originally, this tank was provided with a vertical stabiliser but it was disabled with this new gun mount as the strain was too great for this piece. Thus, unlike most Sherman, the French M4A4 SA50 does not have a stabilized gun, but what a gun it is ! This main armament performs a bit better than its British counter part, the [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|QF 17-pounder]] as it has superior penetration rates at all ranges. With such a gun, sniping is an easy task as only [[Panther D|early Panthers]] will be able to defeat it (they still have weak spots, thought).

With such firepower, there is also concerns: as said above, this gun is not stabilized, which makes target acquisition quite slow. This specific Sherman's main weakness being its lack of top-mounted MG, leaving it mostly vulnerable to strafing planes.

'''Armour:'''

With its sloped frontal armour, many low calibre shells will just bounce off the Sherman, any actual antitank gun you will face at this BR will easily go through this relatively thin armour at average combat ranges. Keep in mind not to linger too long is front of SPAAs as there is two very convenient flat plates in front of the driver and machine gunner. As for the turret, some angles may deflect shots but don't count on it. side and rear armour are vulnerable to anything bigger than HMG rounds since they are only 38 mm thick. In sum, this armour is there to provide occasional protection from poorly aimed shots and auto-cannon fire, but nothing more.

'''Mobility:'''

The Sherman chassis, with all its good and bad takes this tank around the battlefield. It will carry its user wherever it likes but it takes some time to do so. Don't count on it for hasty retreats as both reverse speed and hull turning are slow when this tank is stopped. As long as it is not required to do back-flips and drifting, this chassis does the job.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Transmission housing, Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (0-64°) ''Transmission housing'' 50.8 mm (3-19°) ''Driver's hoods'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (21°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 25.4 mm 19.5 mm ''Borders''
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (7-65°) ''Turret front'' 63-100 mm (0-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' 51 mm (0-80°) ''Protruding gun mantlet'' || 51 mm (0-68°) || 51 mm (3-68°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Patches on the side hull are added armour of 25.4 mm thickness.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=713|rbMinHp=407}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SA50 L/57 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA50 L/57 (75 mm)|75 mm SA50 L/57]] || 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" | 62 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.85 || 31.63 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.62 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| POT-51A || APC || 182 || 178 || 162 || 143 || 127 || 113
|-
| 75 mm HE || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| PCOT-51P || APCBC || 202 || 198 || 180 || 159 || 141 || 125
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| POT-51A || APC || 1,000 || 6.4 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 75 mm HE || HE || 753 || 6.2 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 675 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| PCOT-51P || APCBC || 1,000 || 6.4 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A4(SA50).jpg|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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''62''' || 57 ''(+5)'' || 51 ''(+11)'' || 42 ''(+20)'' || 33 ''(+29)'' || 13 ''(+49)'' || 9 ''(+53)'' || 5 ''(+57)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No
|-
|}

Upper Hull Empty: 33 (+29)

=== Machine guns ===

{{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
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Experienced Sherman commanders will like this tank as it drastically increases this old boy's lethality. This tank is a very good representative of the medium tanks line, with average mobility, sufficient armour and enjoyable firepower. Get into position, manage to avoid shots doing so and ensure any role an average tank could do: sniper, brawler, flanker, etc.

With good overall characteristics, this vehicle can play many roles on the battlefield, here is some of them:

'''Brawler:'''

This tank has bad armour for the BR and you assume it. Using its good turret turning speed and close-quarter penetration rates, it should blast through almost anything it looks at. This tactic is very efficient in urban combat, where long range precision shots are not required, only reaction time and situation awareness can save you. Make sure to surprise your enemies while avoiding being targeted yourself can grant you with a few points. The most important thing about this tactic is to know when to pull off, as enemies will be aware of a rampaging Sherman in the area and will take advantage of it as soon as they got the opportunity. This is a high risk/high stakes game-play.

'''Sniper:'''

To be used in open maps, preferably against lower BR vehicles. Keeping a good distance from your enemie's gun, use your own cannon to penetrate them from any range. Even if your armour is not the best, it should block most incoming round, which have lost most of their energy from traveling for so long. Make sure to reposition every 2-3 shots as you may get spotted by a big gun. This tactic is even more effective when hulled-down: this tank has -10° of depression, make good use of them.

Use your imagination: any tactic that do not rely too much on armour is a good one when using this tank. Want to follow the team? No problem. Want to find a good ambush spot? Go for it.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| PCOT-51P
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent 75mm gun. Arguably better than the legendary 17-pounder due to the penetration and accuracy of the gun.
* Outstanding penetration on the default APCBC at all ranges. Better than the 17-pounder's top APCBC shell, and does just as much damage when it penetrates.
* Unlike the Sherman Fireflies, the SA50 gets 10 degrees of gun depression. Makes cresting ridgelines a good tactic.
* Fantastic set of optics. 7.5x magnification.
* The gun mantlet is both large and V-shaped. Can reliably eat or bounce incoming fire.
* Due to all the pros listed above, the SA50 is one of the best pound-for-pound snipers and ridgeline shooters in the game.
* Plays very similarly to the M4 76 variants, but faces vehicles which are at a lower BR.

'''Cons:'''

* Bad overall armor layout. Doesn't have any tracks lining the sides like the Fireflies do.
* Doesn't have access to any APHE shells.
* Sub-par fire rate for the BR.
* No roof mounted .50cal like on the other Sherman's and Fireflies.

== History ==

===Israeli M4 Shermans===
During the Cold War, the Israelis received stocks of [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tanks to equip their armoured force. They were obtained from the British, French, and scrap yards across Europe.<ref name="ZalogaIsraeli">Zaloga 2008, "Chapter 11: Cold War Sherman"</ref> Their designations on the Shermans were based on their armaments, leading to names such as the ''Sherman M-1'' with the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1 gun]], the ''Sherman M-3'' with the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3 gun]], and the ''Sherman M-4'' with the [[M4 (105 mm)|105 mm M4 howitzer]], regardless of Sherman hull and engine model types. Sherman tanks equipped with the horizontal volute suspension system (HVSS) were given the added name "Super" in the designation.<ref name="ShermanTankIsraeli">Jeeps_Guns_Tanks 2015, ''#34''</ref>

The M4 Shermans were seen as adequate in the early 1950s conflicts, but the Soviet arms trade with the neighboring Arab countries in the 1950s caused the Israelis to focus on uparming their existing Sherman inventory. Their program was a 1954 joint venture with France to arm the Sherman with the 75 mm SA50 gun from the [[AMX-13]] light tank. The modifications to hold the 75 mm SA50 gun required the extension of the Sherman turret front and rear to make room for the gun and add a counterweight for the heavier front weight. With the success of this modification, the Israelis chose the 75 mm SA50 gun to be the new armament for the M4 Sherman inventory. The first fifty tanks with the 75 mm SA50 guns were added into a M4A4 Sherman hull converted to use a R975 radial engine by the French, these tanks designated as the '''M-50 Sherman''' by Israel. These used a vertical-volute suspension system (VVSS), but the added weight of the gun inhibited the M-50's flotation and mobility, so this was shifted to use the HVSS and the Cummins diesel engine. These two variants are distinguished by engine type as the ''M-50 Continental'' and the ''M-50 Cummins.'' Other hulls outside the M4A4 were also used in the conversions.<ref name="ShermanTankIsraeli" />

===Combat usage===
The M-50 Sherman was used by Israeli during the 1956 Suez Crisis and the 1967 Six-Day War. The 1956 Suez Crisis against Egypt was a curious case as the Egyptians also send their M4 Sherman inventory through a similar uparm program by adding the [[M4A1 (FL10)|AMX-13 turret onto their M4 Shermans]], giving them their own usage of the 75 mm SA50 gun on the M4 Sherman tanks.<ref name="ZalogaIsraeli" />

Its use in the 1967 war was interleaved with the more powerful M-51 Sherman, a similar upgun program with the French 105 mm Modèle F1 from the [[AMX-30 (1972)|AMX-30]] tank.<ref name="ShermanTankIsraeli" /> Though the early M-50 Continentals were retired by 1972, the
the M-50 Cummins and M-51 served together up until the early 1980s, having to fight more modern Soviet tanks such as the [[T-55A|T-54/55]] tanks in the 1973 Yom-Kippur War. The Israeli gave away several of the M-50 Shermans to Lebanon to aid supporting militia groups in the Lebanese Civil War, in this conflict two were captured by Palestine, which they used against during the 1982 Lebanon War.<ref name="ChadM-50">Chad 2011</ref> About 50 M-50 were given to Chile in late 1980s, rearmed with an IMI-OTO 60 mm Hyper Velocity Medium Support gun, which they used until 1999 when they replaced them with the [[Leopard I|Leopard 1]] tanks. The Israelis cleared their stocks of M-50 and M-51 by this time, sold to collections, used as range targets, or repurposed to other usage such as engineer vehicles.

== 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/5186-development-m4a4-sa50-the-desert-warrior-en|[Devblog] M4A4 (SA50) - The Desert Warrior]]

===References===
'''Citations:'''
<references />

'''Bibliography:'''

* Chad. "Palestinian Armor." Military In the Middle East. WordPress, 12 Jan. 2011. Web. 30 Dec. 2017. [https://milinme.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/palestinian-armor/ Website].
* Jeeps_Guns_Tanks. "#34 Israeli Shermans: The Most Powerful Shermans Ever To See Action." The Sherman Tank Site. WordPress, 20 Dec. 2015. Web. 30 Dec. 2017. [http://www.theshermantank.com/m50/israeli-shermans-the-most-powerful-shermans-ever-to-see-action/ Website].
* Zaloga Steven. Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II Stackpole Books, 2008

{{France medium tanks}}

Lorraine 40t

2020-11-20T05:21:13Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=fr_lorraine_40t}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (40 tons battle tank), also known as the '''{{specs|pseudonym}}''' (Lorraine is both a region of France and the company that made this tank), is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. Introducing tremendous firepower at its BR with its 100 mm SA46 L/58 gun on a highly mobile chassis. Unfortunately, it is plagued with poor armour, which encourages a battle role more similar to that of a light tank.

The Lorraine is one of the best representative of rank IV French medium tanks: it has good mobility, an oscillating turret (fitted with an autoloader), sloped armour in front and back, high hull, high gun placement, good gun depression, 4 crew member, a coaxial MAC 31 machinegun and large tracks. Specifically, the Lorraine distinguishes itself by having a pike nose, similar to that of an [[IS-3]], road wheels instead of metal ones ''and'' it is the first French vehicle to be able to consistently pierce ''more than 200 mm of armour'' at standard combat ranges and it can do it seven times a minute.

Even if its armour pattern is very efficient, with strong and well-designed angles, it is only at most 40 mm thick, meaning it will only bounce HMG fire. The best way to protect this tank is staying away from the action and taking down its foes as far as possible.

This "medium" tank actually behaves as a light one: high top speed and acceleration, good turning rate (neutral steering) and awesome hill climbing capacity. Use its mobility to follow light tanks into large flanking manoeuvres, providing them an extra punch for scouted targets. In a more "static" usage (i.e. once in good position), its good reverse speed should get it fast enough into cover and out of bad situations if required.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Casemate hull)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Driver's hatch)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm (57-69°) ''Front glacis'' 35 mm (59°) ''Lower glacis'' 40 mm (69°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 30 mm (30°) ''Top'' 30 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (31°) || 20 mm 8 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 45 mm (52-64°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (20-53°) ''Turret base'' 50 mm (9-83°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 30 mm (0-56°) ''Turret'' 30 mm (0-28°) ''Turret base'' || 30 mm (1-29°) ''Turret bustle'' 30 mm (6-22°) ''Pivot ball'' 20 mm (72-89°) ''Turret underside'' || 20 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,317|rbMinHp=752}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SA47 L/58 (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA47 L/58 (100 mm)|100 mm SA47 L/58]] || 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" | 49 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || 273 || 270 || 257 || 242 || 228 || 215
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || 1,000 || 15 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || 1,000 || 14.8 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,400 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''49''' || 46 ''(+3)'' || 41 ''(+8)'' || 35 ''(+14)'' || 29 ''(+20)'' || 24 ''(+25)'' || 19 ''(+30)'' || 14 ''(+35)'' || 7 ''(+42)'' || 1 ''(+48)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 4,800 (150) || 1,350 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Lorraine 40t can be used in a lot of combat roles as it has great mobility, weapon, silhouette and has an autoloader. When it comes to medium tanks at the battle rating, it is one of the tanks which has a relative low armour penetration, but this does not stop the Lorraine from performing excellently at some roles.

'''When in urban combat:'''

The Lorraine just lacks stabilizer to be one of the best tanks in urban combat. It is capable of doing everything but being an assault tank when it comes to urban maps. The Lorraine should be used as a support vehicle for heavier vehicles, flanker or sniper (in maps like Eastern Europe). Thanks to the 4.0 second reload with autoloader, the Lorraine is able of engaging multiple targets at a time with its turret rotation speed of 21.0°/s, be aware that the autoloader is a revolver autoloader, meaning the barrel has to be replenished after all the rounds have been fired. You can also use your quick reload as bait, meaning you can fire a single round at the air to make enemies push as they will think you will be reloading slowly but by the time they have sight on you you will be able to fire them multiple times and incapacitate or destroy them. It also should be noted that the autoloader will reload regardless of if you are on fire or the loader is has been knocked, only 1 crew member needs to be alive in the turret in order to reload. Thanks to its speed and agility, the Lorraine is able to "Hit N' Run" when flanking and engaging multiple targets at a time.

'''When in rural combat:'''

The Lorraine has almost the mobility of an M18 but with greater firepower. The relatively high muzzle velocity of the gun makes the Lorraine capable of doing sniping attacks and hit them continiously thanks to the autoloader. Thanks to its mobility, it is able to travel with great speed to one side of the map to another in little time. When sniping, always stay on the move after firing. Fire and move, hence and repeat. This is to maintain the Lorraine's reduced profile when enemy players try to take revenge with tanks or aircraft. Do not stray too far from friendly tanks as they will be your main line of defence as you do not have great armour. Always stay aware of your surroundings.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* One of the fastest and most agile medium tank in the game. Can legitimately out run and out maneuver many of the light tanks at the BR.
* Excellent 100mm gun that has great penetration and damage potential.
* Equipped with an 8-shot autoloader, giving this tank an outstanding 4 second reload.
* The excellent speed and maneuverability coupled with the 8-shot autoloader makes the Lorraine one of the most dangerous flankers/ambushers in the game. Can single handedly decimate half a dozen enemy's in seconds.
* The high reverse speed coupled with the 8 degrees of gun depression makes cresting ridgelines a viable tactic.
* 6x magnification on the gunners optics. Good for both close and long range engagements.

'''Cons:'''

* Abysmal levels of frontal armor and absolutely terrible side armor. Tanking shots will lead to a quick death.
* Bad roof armor too. Attackers and artillery is extremely hazardous to the Lorraine.
* The Lorraine has a rather large and long silhouette. Not that easy to find proper concealment.
* Like most French tanks, doesn't have access to any APHE shells.
* Conical fragmentation makes side shots less effective.
* Extremely high repair cost.
* Due the the nature of oscillating turrets, the tank has bad turret elevation.
* Despite the length of the barrel, the 100mm gun has sub-par levels of accuracy. Sniping at weak points past 500 meters is not that easy.

== History ==

At the end of the 1940s, during development of the AMX-50 heavy tank project, French engineers also decided to try creating a lighter tank that could serve the same role as the AMX-50.

The project was initially designated "40 ton battle tank" with an oscillating turret on the Cannon D'assaut Lorraine's chassis. Later, the vehicle was called the Lorraine 40t, based upon the name of the region in which the experimental prototypes of it were built. The tank used many of the same technological developments of the experimental, specially the CA Lorraine but sharing also technology with the AMX-50 prototype, specifically the revolver autoloader.

With armour plating at a maximum thickness of 45mm, the Lorraine 40t isn't as well armoured as the AMX-50. The designers, however, set the armour plates on the Lorraine 40t at clever angles and implemented a chevron shape for the front of the hull (for which the tank is known). This effectively armoured the most vulnerable parts of the front projection and effectively exceeded the equivalent of 90 mm armour.

In addition, the Lorraine 40t's lighter armour significantly reduced its weight, thereby increasing its speed and allowing the use of steel paired roller wheels with bulletproof tires. Combined with the 850 horsepower German Maybach engine, the Lorraine 40t could reach 60 km/h, move smoothly and fire effectively at low speeds.<ref>From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5181-development-lorraine-40t-sports-heavy-en Devblog]</ref>

Two prototypes of the Lorraine 40t were completed in 1952. But the tank never reached production due to the creation of NATO, France invitation to NATO and the US supplying M47 Patton to France due to the Korean War outbreak.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=fr_lorraine_40t Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:51 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|l86ZcvMuihQ|'''What defines repair cost? The most expensive tank to play: {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|oa26g25qqP4|'''Best medium tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:01 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|p6cWlyUnJQA|'''Top 7 off-road beasts''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:31 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|HreZgJwCMzM|'''The Shooting Range #79''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:42 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|vfedsFh4iNU|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|B1t4LwEWxy4|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Feels Rigged''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[AMX-50]]
* [[CA Lorraine]]
* [[Somua SM]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX M4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5181-development-lorraine-40t-sports-heavy-en|[Devblog] Lorraine 40t: Sports Heavy]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/lorraine-40t <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Lorraine 40t]

===References===
<references />

{{France medium tanks}}

Somua SM

2020-11-19T20:31:02Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_somua_sm
|store=9313
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Raining Fire"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The upper glacis of the hull and the upper part of the turret are the only well protected areas, which will give you good protection against most conventional rounds, especially from far ranges. However, the rest of the armor is very weak and can be easily penetrated by pretty much everything, and you will still be vulnerable against HEAT-FS, ATGMs, APFSDS and such. Your best bet is to flank the enemy and take them out with your auto loading gun before they can get a hit on you. If an enemy spots you, face them so they can only hit the front of the tank, and hope that they don't hit the very weak bottom portion of your turret. Try not to angle your tank as the sides can easily be penetrated. Since you have 5 crew members, with 2 in the front of the hull and 3 in the turret, and come equipped with a handy auto loader, you can take a few hits and lose a couple of crew members without having to worry too much.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 150 mm (55°) ''Front glacis''
60 mm (55°) ''Lower glacis''
| 40 mm (25°) ''Top'' 40 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm (30°) || 5 - 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 40 - 120 mm ''Turret front'' 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 40 - 60 mm || 40 mm || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===

Although heaver and not as mobile as the AMX 50 or Lorraine 40t, the SOMUA SM is still pretty mobile for a heavy tank. You will still want to flank the enemy as much as possible and take them out quickly with your auto loading gun, but don’t be afraid to take a few hits from the front. However, your reverse speed is pretty slow and will not save you, so watch out for that.

{{tankMobility}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SA47 L/58 (100 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" | [[SA47 L/58 (100 mm)|100 mm SA47 L/58]] || 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" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || 273 || 270 || 257 || 242 || 228 || 215
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18 || 18
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || 1,000 || 15.0 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || 1,000 || 14.8 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,400 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''50''' || 46 ''(+4)'' || 39 ''(+11)'' || 32 ''(+18)'' || 25 ''(+25)'' || 18 ''(+32)'' || 14 ''(+36)'' || 10 ''(+40)'' || 9 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 9* (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 9 shells.
* This racks get filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
* As it is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
* Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 8 into rack 9*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 9 - 1 - 2 - up to 8.

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 4800 (150) || 1350 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small caliber 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.

== 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).''

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! Firepower
|-
| I
|Tracks
|
|Parts
|Horizontal drive
|-
| II
|Suspension
|Brake System
|FPE
|Adjustment of Fire
|-
| III
|Filters
|
|Crew Replenishment
|Elevation Mechanism
|-
| IV
|Transmission
|Engine
|
|
|-
! colspan="5" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Same great gun that's found on the AMX-50 and Lorraine.
* Equipped with a huge 9-shell auto loader, making this one of the best tanks to attack multiple enemies at once.
* Unlike most French tanks, the SOMUA has good frontal armor. The upper turret and upper plate are basically immune to all conventional rounds.
* Due to the frontal armor and 9 shot autoloader, the tank is not only great at flanking and ambushing, but also very good at brawling.
* The strong upper turret coupled with the 8 degrees of gun depression makes this tank great at hull-down fighting and cresting ridge lines.
* Due to how tall this tank is and how high the gun is placed, it can shoot over obstacles that many tanks have trouble seeing over.
* Quick and maneuverable for a heavy tank.
* This tank has a high level of survivability thanks to the spacious crew compartment and 5 man crew.
* Good set of optics with 6x magnification.

'''Cons:'''

* Absolutely huge tank, is longer, wider, and taller than a Tiger II. Finding proper concealment is difficult.
* The neck of the turret a prime weak spot that's hard to effectively hide.
* The lower plate is as weak as British lower plates. Any APHE shell that enters here will likely knock out the whole crew.
* Will face a lot of enemies that fire APDS and HEAT, the upper turret and upper plate just can't absorb those kind of shells.
* Terrible side armour, side-scraping or angling the tank is extremely hazardous.
* Is much slower than the Lorraine and AMX-50.
* Mediocre elevation angles thanks to the inherent nature of oscillating turrets.
* The 100mm gun is surprisingly inaccurate past 500 meters. Sniping can only be done thanks to the massive autoloader.
* Once the autoloader is expended, reloading the magazine takes a considerable amount of time.

== History ==

At the end of WW2, the French army realized that they needed a new modern heavy tank. The SOMUA Company competed with AMX to design a new heavy tank for France, and they were given the order to build a prototype in 1946. The hull of the tank was based off the German Tiger II, and the tank used an oscillating turret armed with an auto loading 100mm gun. Because the two companies were forced to make a new design with the same requirements, the Somua SM design looked similar to the AMX 50, and both tanks had equipped the 100mm gun. The prototype was delivered in October of 1951 but was still lacking an engine and some other parts. Due to delays, the prototype was not tested until 1953, but it was already too late. The SOMUA’s design was rejected in favor of the AMX 50.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=fr_somua_sm Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|cj5yjwMfmAM|'''The Shooting Range #217''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:30 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== 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/6825-development-somua-sm-heavy-weight-fighter-en|[Devblog] SOMUA SM: Heavy Weight Fighter]]

{{France heavy tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}

Somua SM

2020-09-04T18:05:15Z

U41199901:

{{Specs-Card|code=fr_somua_sm}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Raining Fire"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and 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.''

{| 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 ===

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

{{tankMobility}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SA47 L/58 (100 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" | [[SA47 L/58 (100 mm)|100 mm SA47 L/58]] || 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" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || __ || __ || __ || __ || __ || __
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || __ || __ || __ || __ || __ || __
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 100 mm Obus de rupture || APCBC || ___ || _.__ || __ || _._ || ___ || __° || __° || __°
|-
| 100 mm Obus explosif || HE || ___ || _.__ || __ || _._ || ___ || __° || __° || __°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''50''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 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" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! 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).''

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| II
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| III
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| IV
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="6" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== 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:'''

Same great gun that's found on the AMX-50 and Lorraine.

Equipped with a huge 9-shell auto loader, making this one of the best tanks to attack multiple enemies at once.

Due to the immense auto loader, this tanks is just as deadly as the AMX-50 and Lorraine when it flanks or ambushes unsuspecting enemies.

Good overall frontal armor. The upper turret and upper plate are basically immune to all conventional rounds.

The strong upper turret coupled with the 8 degrees of gun depression makes this tank great at hull down fighting and cresting ridge lines.

Quick and maneuverable for a heavy tank.

5 Man crew makes this tank highly survivable.

Despite being a fantastic flanker and ambusher, the Somua SM is still a jack-of-all-trades tank. Can effectively brawl and snipe when necessary.

*

'''Cons:'''

Absolutely huge tank. Is longer, wider, and taller than the Tiger II. Very hard to find proper concealment.

The neck of the turret is weakly armored. A prime weak spot that's hard to effectively hide.

The lower plate is as weak as British lower plates. Any APHE shell that enters here will likely kill the whole crew.

Will face a lot of enemy's that fire APDS and HEAT. The upper turret and upper plate just can't absorb those kind of shells.

Terrible side armor. Side scraping or angeling the tank is extremely hazardous.

Like most other French tanks, there is now HE filled shell.

Is much slower than the Lorraine and AMX-50.

Mediocre elevation angles thanks to the inherent nature of oscillating turrets.

*

== 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:''

* ''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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{France heavy tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}

FV4005

2020-08-13T18:26:17Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=uk_fv4005}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]].

The FV4005 holds the distinction of being the single largest cannon available in War Thunder Ground Forces at 183mm, as well as having the longest reload with a stock time of 43.3 seconds. It can only fire HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) and has a limited turret rotation of +/- 45°.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The FV4005 Stage II has essentially negligible armour, the turret providing 14mm of protection from any given angle. Due to this and the vehicle's crew being largely based in the turret, the 4005 is extremely vulnerable to even .50 calibre machine guns. The only redeeming trait in regards to survivability is that the crew may survive some side-on attacks due to the sheer size of the gun breech. Regardless, an FV4005 player should not rely on surviving anything bar the lightest of machine gun fire.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 76.2 mm (61°) ''Front glacis'' 76.2 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 (12°) + 6 mm || 38 mm (6°) ''Top'' 38 mm (13°) ''Bottom'' || 38 mm 29 mm ''Engine deck''
|-
| Turret || 14 mm (10°) ''Turret front'' 14 mm (12-61°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14 mm (0-8°) || 14 mm (1°) || 14 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Tracks and suspension wheels are both 20 mm thick.
*Spaced armour plates are placed on the side of the Centurion chassis, giving an additional 6 mm of side armour.
*The rear has a steel rack providing an additional 15 mm of protection.

==== Crew ====

* Commander
* Gunner
* Loader x2
* Driver

Total: 5 crew members

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 923|rbMinHp= 575}}

The {{PAGENAME}} doesn't represent anything special in terms of mobility; the vehicle utilises a Centurion hull and retains most of the same characteristics, including the somewhat sub-par reverse speed. Hull traverse times are reasonable, but not exceptional, and maximum forwards speed is a limited 28 km/h in RB/SB.

Due to the vehicle's limited mobility, players should play conservatively, avoiding flanking routes and any areas where there is no immediate escape route available. The Tracks upgrade is particularly valuable on the {{PAGENAME}}, as due to its limited turret traverse distance the improved hull traverse will on occasion be a saving grace.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Ordnance QF L4 (183 mm)}}The FV4005 Stage II sports the largest cannon available in War Thunder Ground Forces, the 183mm QF L4A1, with the longest base reload time of any vehicle at 43.3 seconds. The L4A1 is restricted to the use of HESH only, due to the weapon originally being envisaged as an anti-emplacement howitzer. Despite this, HESH can be used to great effect against almost any possible target, provided shots are placed well - ideally on angled side armour (while ensuring the armour isn't angled enough to bounce). Despite the size and weight of the round, it has reasonable ballistics at 716 m/s velocity.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF L4 (183 mm)|183 mm QF L4A1]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 12 || -7°/+15° || ±45° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 15.9 || 21.94 || 26.64 || 29.46 || 31.34
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.92 || 18.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 43.3 || 34.38 || 31.69 || 29.9
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Shell L1 || HESH || 228 || 228 || 228 || 228 || 228 || 228
|-
|}
'''Important note:''' HESH round performance improves, within reason, when targets are angled. This is due to the 'squash head' the rounds are tipped by - on larger angles the head will 'squash' further and result in more internal damage. However, the improvements with angling are limited once the rounds reach their ricochet angles - past 73° of angling the rounds have a chance to bounce. As such it's best to limit rounds to less than 70° where possible.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Shell L1 || HESH || 716 || 72 || 0.4 || 2.0 ||28,900|| +0° || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
|}
'''Important note:''' This particular HESH shell has a slow fuse, which does not react to literally every obstacle it hits, unlike with the normal HEAT, HE or HESH, sometimes allowing FV4005 to fire through some foliage, flimsy fences and the likes. While it does not look very useful at first, it can be especially beneficial in Arcade mode or in some specific sniper setup, as AB players are often extremely uncomfortable with firing without aim assist confirmation, which is easily prevented by obstacles such as a weak metal fence built around a capture point, while you can learn the gun ballistics and train yourself to fire by using distance indicators and tank profile (use "select" hotkey, which is by default set to mouse wheel, to see hostile tank overall size and position) instead, to surprise them and thus avoid return fire.

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the FV4005.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''12''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 7 ''(+5)'' 11 ''(+1)'' || 1 ''(+11)'' 9 ''(+3)'' ||   5 ''(+7)'' ||   1 ''(+11)'' || style="text-align:left" | yes
|-
|}
The FV4005 has extremely limited ammunition, with a maximum of 12 rounds. Despite this, it's no mean feat to run out of ammo due to the extended reload time.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|L3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The FV4005's coaxial machine gun is of limited value; it should be used to clear small obstacles or if possible crew members in open-top vehicles. It can be used as a ranging machine gun while keeping in mind that the main weapon's ballistics do not follow the machine gun's trajectory exactly as the MG has a slightly higher round velocity.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[L3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L3A1]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,600 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The main in-game use of this tank is the elimination of hull-down tanks (similar to [[T30]]), super-armoured heavy tanks in general (similar to [[IS-7]]), well-armoured SPG's (similar to [[Ho-Ri_Production|Ho-Ri]]) and the likes of them. Meanwhile, you still can help your team by hiding around and eliminating reckless rushers in 1 hit, when they aren't looking.

Your main goal in between your hunts is to survive and stay hidden, as you only have enough armour to stop 7.64 mm machineguns, and your reloading time is exceptionally long, especially if you lose either of the loaders. Contrary to popular belief, if you aim poorly with FV4005 it '''does not''' one-shot anything out of existence anyway. You should first get out of your cover (or wait for the enemy to get into your firing lines), then take aim at the enemy, and '''only then''' fire. HESH shell will do the rest for you if your aim and weak spot suggestion was correct.

Weak spots depend on the mode you play in. As an example, for most Soviet Union tanks, the frontal weak spot is the left side of the hull (for you - right side). It's also possible to target the back of their turrets in Realistic battle. However, if you fire at back of the turret of IS-2 in arcade mode, it may '''still''' survive with just 1 crew member (driver with very high "vitality" level), go into "last stand" mode, turn it's turret and fire back at you. As such, try to aim at places, from which spalling can definitely hit every last crew member.

likewise, in arcade mode, it's not enough to just eliminate crew in your turret, and your driver is hidden in the decently armoured hull. However, if your gun breech got damaged, there is a chance, that the shell in it will also be destroyed, and you won't be able to avenge yourself.

Going into sniper duels without preparations, like rangefinding and adjusting the gun beforehand, with this tank is ill-advised, as any sniper tank needs significantly less time to aim at you, due to fact that your turret cannot turn freely, your enormous profile and different ammunition type. They also can destroy you in 1 hit as well, by hitting your ammo.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! Mobility
! Protection
! Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
| Parts
| Horizontal drive
|-
| II
| Suspension, Brake system
| FPE
| Adjustment of fire
|-
| III
| Filters
| Crew replenishment
| Elevation mechanism
|-
| IV
| Transmission, Engine
|
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the gigantic 183mm cannon. This is the biggest gun mounted on any tank in the game.
* 183 mm HESH will cause the spalling of enemy armour that is 254 mm thick or less. Devastating to even the most heavily armored tanks.
* Has the hull of a centurion. So the upper plate is actually strong.
* Large gun breech can potentially protect some of the turret crew from incoming fire and shrapnel.
* The co-axial machine gun has a very similar trajectory to the 183 mm gun, making it ideal for ranging.

'''Cons:'''

* Huge turret with only 14mm of armor all around. Can be shredded by .50 cal machine guns and auto cannons.
* Lots of ammo lining the entire turret which can be detonated with little effort.
* 4 of the 5 crew are in turret. An APHE penetration or high calibre HE shells hit will likely one-shot the tank.
* HESH is inherently unreliable, a hit to a wrong spot on certain enemy tank chassis or armour may do no damage at all despite shell's potential, while a close miss might annihilate enemy tank regardless
* Carries only 12 shells.
* Due to the little turret armor and sheer size of the tanks, is a prime target for AA guns and all aircraft at the BR.

== History ==


Work started on a 180 mm self-propelled gun in 1950 by Nuffield Mechanizations & Aero. Designated the ''FV215B'', the plan was to mount the gun onto the Conqueror hull.<ref name="Ware pg79">Ware 2012a, p. 79</ref> It was intended for the three trial vehicles to be built from the span of 1951-1955. The project was cancelled in early 1957 with no prototypes produced.<ref name="Ware pg80">Ware 2012a, p. 80</ref>

During the development phase of the FV215B, another project was done on the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]].<ref name="Ware pg80" /> Labeled the '''FV4005''', it was an attempt to mount the 180 mm on the Centurion hull. The design phase is distinctive in two parts, Stage I and II. Stage I had the gun mounted on an open-topped hull. The gun had a concentric recoil system and an auto-loader. '''Stage II''' had the gun encased in a lightly armoured, splinter-proof turret with a conventional recoil system and manual loading.<ref name="Ware pg78">Ware 2012a, p. 78</ref><ref name="Ware pg109">Ware 2012b, p. 109</ref>

In December 1952, the 180 mm gun was increased into a 183 mm gun mounting. Though a single prototype was made for testing, the project never passed basic feasibility. In August 1957, the project was abandoned as well.<ref name="Ware pg78" /><ref name="Ware pg109" /> The lone prototype is currently stationed outside at Bovington Tank Museum.

== Media ==

Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=britain&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=uk_fv4005 FV4005 Stage II] in Warthunder Live.

==References==
'''Citations'''
<references />

'''Bibliography'''

* Ware Pat. ''Images of War: British Tanks: 1945 to the Present Day'' Great Britain: Pen & Sword Military, 2012a
* Ware Pat. ''Images of War Special: The Centurion Tank'' Great Britain: Pen & Sword Military, 2012b

== See also ==


* [[Conway]] - A vehicle built under a similar principle of a large gun on a Centurion chassis.

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/4540-development-fv4005-big-box-surprise-en/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> FV4005 - Big Box Surprise]
* [[Wikipedia:Centurion_(tank)#Fighting_Vehicle_numbers|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Centurion (tank) - Fighting Vehicle numbers]]

{{Britain tank destroyers}}

Tiger II (H) Sla.16

2020-08-09T19:07:30Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla
|store = 5185
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. As a purchasable bundle vehicle, this variant comes with premium bonuses and the experimental installation of a diesel power engine, increasing its mobility vastly. But the vehicle functions near identically to the in-tree regular variant. It fits into the 6.7 line-up very well and can be utilised greatly in battle because of its enhanced combat capabilities.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


The frontal armour of the Tiger II is very strong and can only be penetrated by a select few tanks at its battle rating and even less when fighting in a down-tier. The side and back armour, however, are pitiful with only 100 mm at its thickest, some SPAA at the rank can penetrate the sides so it is advised to never show your back or sides to an enemy lest you want to go back to the hanger/garage. It is slightly more armored then its non-premium counterpart with added tracks on the sides on the turret, adding an extra 30mm of armor to the very weak sides.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 968|rbMinHp= 663|}}

The top speed on-road forwards is around 42-44 km/h, and the reverse speed is surprisingly good at -11 km/h (RB). These speeds combined with neutral steering mean the {{PAGENAME}} is quite agile despite its heavy tank status. The engine has a lot of horsepower and climbing hills is surprisingly easy with this variant of the famed King Tiger.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


The main gun this Panzer beholds is the KwK/43 88mm long-barreled gun. This gun performs astoundingly well for this BR, offering high muzzle velocity with more than enough post-penetration damage. The muzzle velocity of this gun sits at around 1000m/s for APCBC and 1400m/s for the APCR round, and also has HEAT shells, making it an exceptional sniper and brawler alike. The APCBC stock shell gets a fair amount of explosive filler with a wide one-shot capability upon penetration. This shell exceeds in ammo-racking enemy tanks, so aim for ammo stowage on the enemy vehicle. The APCR should only really be used for engagements on enemies you cannot punch through with APCBC alone, since it offers significantly higher penetration at the expense of post-pen damage, making it a very situational round. The same can be applied to the HEAT shell for long-range, as penetration dropoff does not matter on angled armour layouts, but instead offers poorer penetration values.

{{main|KwK 43 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 43]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" |70|| -8°/+15° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' ||17.0||23.6||25.8||28.6||30.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' ||12.5||14.7||16.1||17.9||19.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|9.7||8.6||7.9||7.5
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC ||237||234||222||207||194||181
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 ||14||14||14
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1,000 || 10.16 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1000 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 1100 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR ||1,130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Tiger II (H).png|thumb|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Tiger II (H). Note that racks 7 and 8 are ready racks.]]
Thanks to the ready rack feature found on this tank, the first and second ammo racks found in the back of the turret will always be full of ammo, making it the prime target for enemy tankers who are looking to detonate your ammo rack. Even solid shots like APCR and APDS that commonly pierce your front turret can make their way to the rear of the turret, potentially hitting the ready racks and can cause a critical hit to become a deadly one.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''70''' || 65 ''(+17)'' || 59 ''(+28)'' || 48 ''(+39)'' || 37 ''(+50)'' || 30 ''(+57)'' || 23 ''(+64)'' || 12 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+76)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}
Both side empty: 23 ''(+47)''
'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 23 to keep the hull empty and both ready racks full.
* 7th and 8th ammo racks are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills 1 through 6 in that order.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in either ready rack. If both ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing the main gun when it is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-6 into 8 then 7, as long as there is ammo in racks 1-6. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

This tank, unlike the standard version, receives an additional top mount MG34 7.62mm machine gun located atop the commander's cupola with a wide arc of fire, designed for anti-aircraft purposes. However, this extra gun proves inadequate at efficiently dealing damage to aircraft and so should be used more prominently as a spotting tool or a light armour remedy.

== Usage in battles ==


Considering most of the players who use this vehicle will be using it in RB/SB, this section will cater to them. This vehicle can be used as a brawler and a sniper equally. With its potent gun and reliable armour layout, this tank can take a fair few shots before expiring. Try not to let your flanks become exposed if playing in urban maps. On open maps, you should stick to towns or hills and remain hull down to utilize your thick turret cheeks well. Aim for noticeable weak spots on enemies, ie. lower glacis shots or ammo rack shots will more often than not result in a reliable way to destroy them. The gun has a solid rate of fire, not too slow, so you can follow up with a return shot fairly quickly.

You will adapt over time and learn where the weak spots of most opposing vehicles. At times, this tank will act more as a support tank when considering the typical opponents will more than likely have stabilizers and sufficient suspension dampening, putting you at a disadvantage if you can't train your gun onto the target first. American heavy tanks such as the [[T29]], [[T34]], [[T32]] and [[M103]] will sometimes give you trouble. The trick to dealing with these tough, heavily armoured foes is to aim for the lower glacis. When engaging these vehicles, if you are not confident in being able to penetrate on your first shot, try and shoot the gun barrel to prevent your foes from firing back at you.

It is best used at mid to long ranges, where its' small weak spots are hardest to hit. It can, however, be put to work on the front lines, protecting medium tanks and tank destroyers - just be aware of your limited mobility, and ensure you have options should you get advanced upon by multiple enemies.

When used as a sniper, it is best that you find a position with a good overview of the battlefield. Keep your tank positioned directly towards the enemy and keep an eye out for any medium tanks trying to flank you (Tiger II has great frontal armour, do not be afraid to use it. However, keep in mind that the lower plate offers less protection and penetrations can easily cause fires due to the positioning of mechanical parts). It is best that you find cover behind a solid object and slightly rotate your vehicle e.g.: rotate your tank about 10-15 degrees from the enemy (your turret too). Positioning, combined with distance, can easily give you effective armour greater than 300 mm. When "sniping" it is best to wait for the enemy to expose their weak points, fire a steady, accurate shot and retreat to a safe position. Wait for your reload to be completed and slowly show your frontal plate (most of the players will engage even though the chances of penetration are low); once the enemy has fired, you can take your time and engage the tank while they reload.

Using the Tiger II to advance and to support the front line can be rather tricky. While this tank offers great firepower and superior frontal armour, you'll notice that it is hard to fight in urban areas. In situations like this, you will quickly realize that the high weight and sheer size of the tank can cause major problems. Almost any tank that is faster will easily outmanoeuvre the Tiger II and destroy it. To avoid this, it is best to stay in the back (not too far from your team), keeping your tank positioned at an angle and using "peek-a-boo" techniques. You should always look for a position that can protect you during the assault of small tanks, such as "U" shaped buildings where you can easily retreat and protect your weak points.

====Counter-tactics====

[[File:Tiger II Shooting Guide.jpg|500px|left|thumb|Colour-frames showing the viability of targets on the Königstiger.]]

A Tiger II is a formidable enemy when it's used correctly by its operator, but it's by no means indestructible under any conditions.

The first thing you want to do is deny the Tiger II of the advantage of its gun by getting as close as possible while keeping clear of its cannon (the closer you get, the better the penetration values for you and the Tiger II) most Tiger II operators will avoid getting flanked at all costs so you might find yourself forced to face one from the front. The biggest weak spot is the lower frontal hull plate, its slopped but only 100mm thick and behind it lies the transmission that likes to catch fires and create nasty shrapnel when destroyed, the shrapnel will fly inwards and if your shell is large enough they will take out the entire crew. However, this shot will most likely only leave the Tiger II unable to move for a minute and make his operator quite angry (at you) while his gun remains perfectly operational and before you have a chance reload you will most likely receive a very accurate shot from an irritated Tiger II operator.

The lower frontal plate is a good place to hit but it should be a second option, with this tank, you need to disable that gun as soon as possible, the turret is a very reliable target at close range, even with HEAT ammo you should be able to deliver a shot that will disable its firing capability for long enough for you to reload and shoot again. Using your best AP round for this is recommended since the frontal turret has a fairly thick (but flat) plate if nothing else works try APCR.

Using high calibre HE rounds is also effective. The cupola is probably the best place to hit with a HE shell since the explosion will deflect into the thin upper plate and destroy everything inside. It is not easy to hit, but if you manage to hit the cupola it's very unlikely it survives.

The Tiger II is very vulnerable to "Circling attacks", that means, running around it in circles and harass it with side shots. Its turret can turn quite fast (especially in arcade mode) but most medium tanks are fast enough to outrun it.

If you somehow manage to see an enemy Tiger II from the side, try to land a shot in the middle of the hull, near of the turret (not on the turret, the upper part of the hull), there's a good chance there will be ammo there, and if there isn't, you will either knock out the tank by taking out many crew members or cripple it heavily

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the 88 mm KwK 43, arguably the best pound-for-pound gun in the game.
* The default APCBC round has very high shell velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* Optics have magnification levels of 2.5x-5.0x. Really good for close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* 22 shells in the first stage ammo rack, giving this tank an impressive 7.5 seconds reload rate when equipped with an ace crew.
* Astounding frontal armour. The upper front plate is virtually impervious to anything but APDS and HEAT rounds.
* Enemy shells that penetrate the lower plate will likely have all of its damage absorbed by the transmission.
* Same small turret as the Tiger II H, but has 20 mm of track armour covering the entire exterior of the turret sides.
* Turret front is a small target, and the gun mantlet is both large and utterly impenetrable.
* Due to the placement of the turret and how thick the side armor is, side scraping is an extremely effective tactic in this tank.
* Armed with 12-rounds, semi-automatic smoke grenade launcher.
* Thanks to its diesel engine, this tank has better acceleration and hill-climbing speed than the standard Tiger II H.
* Though a heavy tank, it is a very fast and highly manoeuvrable when running at full power.
* Decent reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are easy to perform.
* Unlike the other Tiger II's, there's a roof mounted MG-34.
* Jack of all trades tank against its competitors. Can effectively snipe, ambush, flank, and brawl.

'''Cons:'''

* While being a small target, the turret front is weakly armoured when facing tanks at BR 6.7 and above.
* All 22 rounds in the first stage ammo rack are located in the back of the turret. Enemy shells entering the back of the turret will likely lead to an ammo explosion.
* Both of the upper hull sides are lined with ammo. Any Enemy shells penetrating these areas almost always mean certain death.
* The APCR shells are lackluster and inferior to most of the contemporary US APCR rounds.
* Terrible HEAT and HE shells. Don't bother even loading anything but the default APCBC round.
* Though the transmission will routinely eat enemy shells, that doesn't change the fact that the tank can still be immobilized from both front and rear shots.
* Still a heavy tank, most mediums will have no problems catching up/flanking the tank if the player is not paying attention.
* The roof mounted MG34 has a high rate of fire, but still only fires 8 mm bullets. Critically damaging enemy planes is unlikely.
* When up-tiered, the {{PAGENAME}} will routinely fight vehicles that were literally designed to kill tanks like the Tiger II.

== History ==

The Sla.16 diesel engine developed by Simmering-Graz-Pauker from Vienna. With a power output of around 750 hp, it was considerably more powerful than Maybach engine used by the [[Tiger E|Tiger I]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[Panther A|Panther]] tanks that had 690 hp. The Sla.16 was also proposed as the power unit for the infamous super-heavy [[Maus|Maus]] tank. According to various of sources such as ''Military Engineer'' and ''Amazing Porsche and Volkswagen Story'', the engines were tested with positive results. The recommendation was that these diesel engines were to be attached to the heavy tanks and tank destroyers currently in production for increased efficiency of the vehicles. A diesel engine was mounted onto a Tiger II as a prototype built by Nibelungen Werke and went through testings, though results have not been found from this test. Further proposals also wanted the engine to be mounted in the Panther and Jagdtiger vehicles for increased power, but the war's constraint on supplies and Nazi Germany's capitulation resulted in the cancellation of these programs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Tiger II (H) Sla.16 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|N5YJmEcfLxQ|'''The Shooting Range #5''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:12 discusses the Tiger II (H) Sla.16.}}

== See also ==


* [[Tiger II (H)]]
* [[Tiger II (P)]]

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/875/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Tiger II Sla.16: the diesel-engined “King Tiger”]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Sd.Kfz. 140/1

2020-08-09T07:39:32Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = germ_pzkpfw_38t_Aufklarungspanzer
|store = 8168
}}
{{About
| about = premium German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = LT-38 (Family)
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_SdKfz140-1.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} premium German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


This vehicle is all-around better than the Flakpanzer I at the same BR in the tech tree. It has a 50mm front plate, a 30mm sloped turret, and four crew spaced out nicely.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 248|rbMinHp= 142|}}

The speed and power-to-weight ratio of the {{PAGENAME}} are both superior to the [[Flakpanzer I]], being 58 km/h forward, -6 km/h backwards, and a power-to-weight ratio of 15.45 hp/ton.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 38 (20 mm)}}

This tank is equipped with the [[KwK 38 (20 mm)|FlaK 38 (20 mm)]], which is one of the better low-rank guns. It has good HE for taking out planes, 46 mm pen AP-I, and 64 mm pen APCR. Unlike the Flakpanzer I, the APCR belt is full APCR instead of half.

=== Machine Guns ===

{{main|MG 42 (7.92 mm)}}
This tank has a coaxial 7.92 mm MG 42 machine gun that is a sufficient fallback to the FlaK 38. The MG42 is unlikely to be of help against other ground vehicles but is best used between reloads to maintain a semi-constant rate of fire on enemy aircraft.

== Usage in battles ==


The Sd.Kfz.140/1 is simply better than the Flakpanzer I. Faster, more mobile, better-armoured, not hull-breakable, better APCR belt, less wobbly suspension, and better survivability. It does the same job as its main tree brethren, flanking and taking out specific targets of opportunity with the HVAP. Like the other two flankers, it cannot deal with B1 bis, B1 ter, or Valentine Mk I at all, but otherwise, it can shred everything it encounters.

The only cons it has versus the Flakpanzer I are gun depression of just -4 degrees (''Flakpanzer's -10 degrees'') and slower turret traverse of 12.4 degrees/sec (''Flakpanzer's 24.5 degrees/sec''). Also, the reload rate is half what the Flakpanzer I or Gepard have, 7.6 seconds vs their 3.9 seconds.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
!Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
|I
|Tracks
|
|Parts
|Horizontal Drive
|Sprgr
|-
|II
|Suspension
|Brake System
|FPE
|Adjustment of Fire
|PzGr
|-
|III
|Filters
|
|Crew Replenishment
|Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
|IV
|Transmission
|Engine
|
|Artillery Support
|PzGr 40
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with a powerful 20 mm cannon that has a really high rate of fire.
* The 20 mm HVAP magazine has incredible close range penetration and damage potential thanks to all the spalling. Hitting an enemy with all 10 rounds will either kill crew, or leave the vehicle severely damaged.
* Can carry twice the amount of ammo that the Panzer II C or F can.
* The high rate of fire coupled with the nearly 90 degrees of gun elevation makes this vehicle an effective anti-aircraft tank.
* The hull has an impressive 50 mm's of armor on the front while the turret has 30mm's of angled armor.
* Very fast and highly mobile. Can keep up with many of the armored cars at Rank 1.
* Many tanks at this BR have exposed crew members. This makes the coaxial MG-42 an excellent way of killing exposed enemy crew without having to waste any 20 mm shells.
* With this tanks being so effective at flanking, ambushing, brawling, and acting as an AA screen; the Sd.Kfz 140/1 is one of the best pound-for-pound tanks in the game.

'''Cons:'''

* There's a 15 mm plate of armour between the turret and chassis making it a massive weak spot if shot.
* Only 15 mm's of armor on the flat corners of the upper hull and hull sides. Angling is not a good tactic to employ.
* A really tall tank with a high center of gravity. Not only is this tank difficult to hide, but a really sharp turn can cause the tank to flip over.
* Only 4 degrees of gun depression. That coupled with this tanks' height makes this vehicle ill suited for cresting ridge lines.
* Longer reload time between magazine reloads. Many contemporary tanks can fire off 1 or 2 sells off before a new magazine can be loaded.
* Only performs well at close quarters combat, as both the AP and HVAP penetration drop below 30 mm past 500 meters.
* No point in ever loading an API magazine since the HVAP shells provides much more muzzle velocity, penetration, and damage potential.
* There is no roof covering the crew in the turret. All can be killed by a strafing aircraft.

== History ==

=== Development ===
In 1934, the Czechoslovak tank manufacturer ČKD developed an alternative design for the LT-35 tank. The latter was made by competitor Škoda. The LT-35 was too complex and had many shortcomings; its reliability was poor. ČKD's engineer Alexander Surin decided to use leaf spring suspension and four large wheels for the newly developed tank. The resulting type was reliable and an export success. The new running gear was first used for a light tank, the AH-IV, with only machine gun armament; it was first delivered to Iran, as the RH, of which fifty were bought in 1935; a second version, the R-1, was delivered to Romania in a number of 35 in 1936 and 1937, and a third, the AH-IV-Sv in a number of 48 to Sweden from 1937. In 1935 this enlarged running gear was combined with the hull of the light LT Vz 34 tank previously produced for the Czechoslovak army, which had a real 37mm gun. The new vehicle was called the TNH. In 1935, Iran ordered fifty vehicles. On April 17, 1936, Switzerland ordered 26 vehicles of the LTH, a modified version with 24mm gun. In 1938, 24 units of the LTP were ordered by Peru, and 21 LTL vehicles, with a more powerful engine, were ordered by Latvia, which, incidentally, were never delivered due to occupation by the Soviet Union. The United Kingdom also acquired a specimen just before the occupation of the Czech Republic and tested it between 16 and 29 March 1939. The opinion on the type was strongly dismissive: the tank was found to be too tight and the speed through rough terrain too bumpy.

In March 1937, the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Defense asked both country's tank producers to propose a new type to supplement the LT-35, which could be mass-produced as soon as possible. They indicated that they would purchase at least 400 vehicles and guaranteed an initial order of 260. Naturally, ČKD offered the TNH, which was already fully developed. In tests from January 25, 1938, the type proved superior to all counterparts. On July 22, 1938, Czechoslovakia ordered 150 vehicles of the Type Lt Vz.38, for 620,146 crowns each. The intention was to achieve a monthly production of 20. However, when the first tank left the factory in February, the land was already divided; shortly afterwards, the Czech hull state was also occupied: none of the tanks could eventually serve the army before the German occupation began.

=== In German service ===
As early as March, the factory management had contacted the Germans to continue production after the occupation. Germany had a great shortage of medium tanks and although the now LTM 38 tank was officially called a light tank, with its 37 mm gun it was no worse armed than the German medium Panzerkampfwagen III and much better than the light Panzerkampfwagen I and Panzerkampfwagen II; it was not only more reliable than the LT-35, but also than the light German tanks. Czech production capacity in the early years allowed Germany to form about a third more armored divisions and was thus critical to success during that time of the war. The production of the tank continued as Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) (the name from January 16, 1940) until June 1942 and 1411 were built; monthly production peaked in September 1941 with 76 vehicles. There was also exported to the countries on the German side: Hungary took 102, Slovakia 69, Romania 50 and Bulgaria 10. Due to the rapid technical developments during the war, the type soon became obsolete. She was too small to carry a bigger cannon in a tower; several plans to do so were rejected. From 1942, the LT-38s were replaced or assigned less important tasks.

However, Germany could not afford to leave production capacity idle; the chassis was extremely useful due to its reliability. A modified chassis of the PzKpfw 38 (t) therefore became the basis for various types of mechanized artillery, mechanized artillery and tank hunters, including the successful German Jagdpanzer 38, better known today as the "Hetzer".

=== In-game description ===
The Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) reconnaissance tank was based on the Pz.38(t) towards the end of 1943, by the BMM construction office in Prague. The order specifications required a 20 mm automatic cannon and a 75 mm regular cannon.

A Praga AE engine with 160 hp at 2600 rpm replaced the Praga AC. This required a change in the exhaust system and the introduction of a longer exhaust pipe, which, together with a muffler, was put on the tank's roof. The tank's hull received a new superstructure, with modified inclination and with riveted joints for its armor plates.

The tank's armament consisted of a 20 mm automatic KwK38 L/55 cannon paired with a 7.92 mm MG42 machine gun. The guns could be pointed anywhere between -4 and 70 degrees and so could fire at air targets. The tank's ammunition included 300 shells and 1,500 machine gun rounds.

The open-top hexahedral turret, manufactured by the company Appelt, was equipped with a metal mesh to protect against hand grenades. The tank's armor thickness ranged from 8 to 50 millimeters. Its operational weight reached 9,750 kg. At this weight, its maximum highway speed was 52 kph, and its maximum highway range was 240 kilometers.

The Aufklärungpanzer 38(t) tank was accepted into the Wehrmacht in 1944, but large-scale production of the machine was never successfully introduced. A total of 70 tanks were produced.

The tanks were used on both the West and the Eastern Fronts.

Its design was successful, reliable, and advanced. However, the rivet joints in its armor plating were a disadvantage.

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

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

{{Germany light tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Strv 81 (RB 52) (Great Britain)

2020-08-09T06:58:55Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = uk_centurion_mk_3_ss11
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Strv 81 (Rb.52).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Full name: '''Stridsvagn 81 (Rb.52)''') is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. A Swedish import of the British [[Centurion Mk 3]], it features an add-on of three SS.11 anti-tank missile on the turret. It uses the MCLOS guidance system (SACLOS in arcade mode), which means that the missiles must be manually guided by the tank movement keys to their target.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 76.2 mm (58°) ''Front glacis'' 76.2 mm (47-48°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 (12°) + 6 mm || 38 mm (8-12°) || 29 mm 8-14 mm ''Engine deck''
|-
| Turret || 152 mm (6-27°) ''Turret front'' 152 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 89 mm (5-12°) || 89 mm (1-18°) || 50.8 mm ''Border of turret'' 29 mm ''Center of turret''
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152 mm || 90 mm || 29 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are both 20 mm thick.
*The steel boxes around the turret and hull give a 4 mm additional protection, though this seems to be a negligible addition.
*ATGM attached outside the turret act as ammo racks and can be detonated
*Spaced armour plates are placed on the side of the Centurion, giving an additional 6 mm of side armour.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1007|rbMinHp= 575}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm OQF 20-pounder Mk.I]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 65 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || Two-plane
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.7 || 14.8 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.7 || 12.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 8.1 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj || APCBC || 231 || 229 || 216 || 200 || 186 || 173
|-
| 8,4 cm Slsgr m/53 || HE || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj m/54 || APDS || 285 || 283 || 262 || 239 || 218 || 198
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj || APCBC || 1,000 || 9.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 8,4 cm Slsgr m/53 || HE || 600 || 7.5 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 1,130 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj m/54 || APDS || 1,400 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| 8,4 cm Rökgr m/53 || 250 || 9.3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Strv 81 (Rb.52).png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Strv 81.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''65''' || 62 ''(+3)'' || 33 ''(+32)'' || 17 ''(+48)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

Turret empty: 62 ''(+3)'' Front empty: 33 ''(+32)''

=== Additional armament ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | 164 mm Robot-52 (SS11) ATGM
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Flight speed (m/s)
! rowspan="1" | Range (m)
|-
| colspan="3" | 3 || N/A || 150 || 6,500
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Rb.52 || ATGM || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Rb.52 || ATGM || 150 || 30 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 4,550 || +0° || 65° || 70° || 75°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''3''' || 2 ''(+1)'' || 1 ''(+2)'' || 0 ''(+3)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,600 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Stridsvagn 81 is essentially the Centurion Mk.3. It is an effective medium tank if played to its strengths.

If one wants to keep it simple, just use the powerful gun to snipe from distance.

More advanced tankers can utilize the not too impressive max speed (35kmph/22mph) to move with this medium tank into the flanks of enemy tanks (close to the border of a map) and search for positions like hills and ridges where one can make use of the amazing -10° gun depression to hide the vulnerable lower plate of this tank. Once in position, one should use the binoculars to scout for enemies without exposing the turret. If an enemy tank is spotted that could be a potential threat, pop out a little bit and start to take out the enemies gunner/cannon barrel/cannon breech to prevent him from returning fire. Now utilize the quick reload to take out one crew member after the other to finish off the opponent. If an enemy is spotted who is exposing their side or even the rear while not aiming towards the Strv 81, shoot the engine first to immobilize and possibly even ignite the enemy tank, preventing him to take cover. The next shots should again disable the gun of the enemy, now finish the prey by shooting all crew members or, if feeling lucky, shoot an ammo rack.

The best choice to pierce enemy tanks is obviously the Shot Mk.3 (APDS) although it is quite expensive in terms of Silver Lions. The Shot Mk. 1 (APCBC) works in most situation as well but lacks penetration compared to the Mk. 3 APDS shot. The amazing penetration characteristics of this APDS shot enables this gun to pierce front plates of all Panther models (apart from the Panther II) to ranges up to 2000m. T-44s and Panther IIs front plates can be penetrated to ranges up to almost 1000m. Keep in mind though that the front plate of the T-44 is angled at 60°, so it bounces even this powerful APDS shot quite often. Even the front plate of the mighty Tiger II is not able to stop this APDS shot if not angled and the range is shorter than 100m. However, aside from the gun, the Strv 81 has access to three potent [[Anti-tank guided missiles|anti-tank guided missiles]].

In a head to head situation with an enemy tank approaching try to angle the Strv 81 not more than 5° degrees to either side since the side armour is quite weak (50.8mm), try to hide the lower front plate which is a massive weak spot, while reloading turn the turret 10° to the right to maximize chances of bouncing shots (right side of the turret front has some extra armour) and keeping the gunner alive.

'''''How to use an [[Anti-tank guided missiles|ATGM]]''''' 
The addition of the ATGM means the Strv 81 has the potential to act as a long-range support vehicle from the rear lines or the flanks. Prop up the Centurion in a well fortified and safe location and use it as a base of fire and launch missiles onto the enemies' front or sides. With the high amount of penetration available on the SS.11 missiles, even a glancing hit can do massive damage to the hit enemy tank.

The SS.11 missiles attached to the right side of the Strv 81 turret provide up to 600 mm of penetration upon impact, making all but the most deflected shots potent to any targets. Three are available for immediate usage and are guided by a MCLOS system. The missile have a trajectory of going up for a distance before leveling, creating a "dead zone" of up to 200 meters that the missile cannot adequately engage in.

In arcade mode, the missile guidance system is relatively uncomplicated in aiming. Simply aim the crosshair onto the desired target and the missile will adjust to fit into the crosshair. The guidance system is sensitive as such it is not recommended to rapidly swing the crosshair around during the missile trajectory to keep it stable and on track. Once depleted, the missile will gradually reload to refill the launch racks.

In realistic and simulator mode, the missile is guided by the tank movement keys of [W], [A], [S], and [D]. [W] and [S] moves the missile vertically while [A] and [D] moves the missile horizontally. The guidance system will not activate until the missile clears its dead zone. The system is sensitive as such it is not recommended to rapidly tap the keys for movement else the missile moves out of the scope and away from the controls. Once depleted, the missile will not automatically reload and must be driven onto a captured control point for reloads.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| slpprj m/54
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| Smoke grenade
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| rökgr m/53
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Other than the inclusion of the 3 RB 52 ATGM's, the Strv 81 is identical to the Centurion Mk 3.
* Really nice 20 pounder gun that can fire high penetration APDS, or high damage AP shells at an alarming rate. The only tanks at this BR with a better rate of fire are French autoloaders.
* An ACE crew can reload the gun in an excelent 6.3 seconds when the 8-round first stage ammo rack has at least one shell in it.
* The APDS shells have both high levels of penetration and high levels of velocity. Makes getting through thick armor or hitting a moving target at range really easy.
* The APCBC shell creates a lot of shrapnel. Shells that enter the front of the enemy vehicle stand a good chance at knocking the tank out in 1 or 2 shots.
* Really good set of optics with magnification levels of 4.9x-6.0x. Great for both close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* Has 10 degrees of gun depression.
* Has 3 keyboard guided ATGM's that have an astounding 600mm of HEAT penetration. No tank at this BR can absorb that kind of penetration.
* The turret has a lot rounded angles. Will bounce some powerful shells every so often.
* There's a large 17mm steel plate sitting between the driver and the reserve ammo, reducing the likelihood of ammo explosion.
* Good engine power. Can climb hills and accelerate to its top speed rather quickly.
* Has a really good reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are really easy to pull off in this tank.
* Has 12 smoke grenades. Fires 6 off at a time that covers a wider area in front of the tank, making it easy to mask a large area or retreat in relative safety.
* Gets the usual bonuses that come with all Premium tanks.

'''Cons:'''

* The turret roof is at a bad angle. Can be penetrated by contemporary tanks rather easily, especially if they are shooting down at you.
* The turret protection is unreliable thanks to the mediocre armor. One minute the turret will bounce a point blank shot from a Tiger II, the next minute an M36's 90mm gun will penetrate the front of the turret at 500 meters.
* 3 of the 4 crew members are in the turret.
* The lower plate is a huge weak spot. Even with the 17mm steel plate, any APHE shell that penetrates the lower plate will likely destroy the tank.
* Very little engine deck armor. Susceptible to artillery and strafing aircraft.
* The hull side armor is rather weak. Side scraping is ill advised.
* The APDS shell has both mediocre accuracy and low damage potential. It's not uncommon to have to shoot an enemy 4 or more times to finally destroy them.
* The APCBC shell has both worse velocity and penetration levels than the APDS shell.
* No explosive filler in either the APDS or APCBC shell. Killing the enemy crew in one shot is difficult, especially if the shot enters the side of the enemy tank.
* The 8-round ammo rack is used up rather quickly thanks to the high fire rate. If all 8 rounds are expended, the tanks fire rate drops significantly until the loader finally puts a new shell into the first stage ammo rack.
* The ATGM's are not only mouse guided, but leave the tank at an upwards angle. Hitting targets closer than 150 meters with the ATGM's is unlikely.
* The ATGM's are really slow. Can easily be shot out of the sky by the enemy machine guns and auto cannons.
* Very slow for a medium tank. Several heavy tanks at the BR that are faster in a straight line.

== History ==

===Development===
The tank's concept was made in 1943 when the Directorate of Tank Design, under Sir Claude Gibb, was asked to produce a new heavy cruiser tank for the General Staff under the designation ''A41'', which was to become the standard of a British "Universal Tank" to replace the separated "infantry" and "cruiser" tanks currently used. As World War II progressed and the Germans unveiled their heavier tanks with an [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm cannon]] like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], War Office made a revision to their design requirements to counter this threat. The requirements now include an increased durability and reliability, with the ability to protect itself against the 88 mm gun and mines, an agility similar to the [[Comet I|Comet tank]] and with good reverse speed, all while staying under a 40 ton weight.

Responding to these requirements, the department developed a larger hulls by adapting the suspension on the Comet, lengthening with another road wheel and spacing between the wheels. The standard Christie suspension used on the previous cruiser tanks was replaced by the Horstmann suspension, which uses coil springs on two-wheel bogies on each side and is proven to be easier to maintain than the Christie suspension. The hull used a welded and sloped armour with a cast turret mounting the famous [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|17-pounder cannon]]. The speed of the tank would be established by using the Rolls Meteor engine previously used on the Comet and [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]]. Despite these changes, the department concluded that the weight restriction would not allow the tank design to withstand the 88 mm rounds. The weight restriction was done so the tank would be able to be carried around in the Mk.I and Mk.II transport trailers, which had a 40-ton load. This restriction was rescinded to allow more freedom in the tank design, which showed potential to War Ministry. The heavier tank designs developed had armour equivalent to the heaviest infantry tanks like the [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill tank]], yet with superior cross-country mobility due to improved suspension and engines.

The tank was given the name '''Centurion''' and the first mock-ups of the design was made by AEC and was presented in May 1944. After that, 20 pilot models were ordered with a various armament combinations. Ten had a 17-pounder and a 20 mm Polsten gun (5 with a machine gun in turret rear, 5 with an escape door instead), five had a 17-pounder and a BESA machine gun and an escape door, five more with the 77 mm HV gun with a driver operated hull machine gun. The prototypes of the 40-ton design, the Mk.1, had a 76 mm armour on the front glacis, which was made very powerful with the heavy sloping design on the tank. Added with a 152 mm thick turret armour, the Centurion became a very protected tank design, yet it was also very agile, outperforming the Comet tank in tests. The next Centurion model, Mk.2, featured a much thicker 118 mm front glacis armour and a thicker side armour. Production began for the Centurion Mk.2 in November 1945 for 800 tanks from Leyland Motors, Royal Ordnance Factories, and Vickers. The Mk.2 was put into service in the 5th Royal Tank Regiment in December 1946.

After the Centurion Mk.2 was put into service, Royal Ordnance developed the successor to the 17-pounder, the [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm 20-pounder]]. With this, the Centurion went through another upgrade to mount the 20-pounder. The 20 mm Polsten gun was removed and replaced by a BESA gun due to its questionable utility. The new upgrade, now the [[Centurion Mk 3]], also featured an automatic stabilization system that improved firing accuracy while on the move. The tank was first produced in 1948 and overtook the previous Mk.1 and Mk.2 in service. However, the 20-pounder also did not stay in service for long and were replaced by the more powerful [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7 gun]] from Royal Ordnance Factories. All Centurions versions after Mark 5/2 used the L7 gun, including the [[Centurion Mk 10]], which also featured additional armour with the new gun.

===Swedish import===
Sweden, a neutral power during World War II, analyzed the progress of technology and concluded they needed a replacement tank for their armoured forces. The Swedish Armed Forces right after World War II in 1945 decided that the most suitable tank for the upcoming years of the Cold War was the Centurion tank. A request was sent for the purchase of the vehicles, but Britain affirmed that their needs must be met before any exports of the Centurion tank could be made. Not eager to wait long for their tanks, Sweden started development in 1951 to create their own tank, designated "Emil", as well as seek out the AMX-13 light tank from France. However the wait ended abruptly when Britain started to export the Centurion in 1952, and Sweden swooped up an order of 80 Centurion Mk 3 in 1952, with the first delivery arriving in April 1953. The Swedish designated the adopted Centurion Mk 3 tank as the '''Stridsvagn 81'''. In 1955, Sweden imported another batch of Centurion, 160 Mk 5 variants, and employed them in the same designation as well. In the 1960, Sweden bought another batch of [[Centurion Mk 10|Mk 10]] tanks that were accepted as the ''Stridsvagn 101''. During the years in service, the Strv 81 and 101 were upgraded with newer equipments, modules, and armaments, as well as changing the designation to signal the improvements. There were also tests such as the inclusion of '''SS.11''' missile on the turret side to improve the firepower of the Centurions.

The Centurion Stridsvagn series served alongside the domestic Strv 103 design as the primary vehicle of the Swedish armoured forces. In 1990s, the Swedish military started to phase out the two tanks as they modernized their forces. After a series of tests between the Russian T-72, American M1 Abrams, and German Leopard 2, the Swedish military replaced their outdated armoured fleet with the Leopard 2, designated the ''Stridsvagn 121''.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|IJ0jYa4sRTE|'''Premium Vehicles: Strv 81 (RB 52)''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''}}

== 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/3734-development-strv-81-the-missile-centurion-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Strv-81: The Missile Centurion]]

{{Britain medium tanks}}
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

T29

2020-08-08T22:26:29Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = us_t29
|store = 5266
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T29.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. The T29 was introduced in the [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] as a gift vehicle and was available on the Gaijin store for pre-order before the update. The T29 is a formidable heavy tank that introduces the 105 mm T5 cannon in a rotating turret rather than in the fixed case-mate setting on the [[T95]], with a tougher-than-average gun mantlet, and a sloped, but slightly thin hull.

The T29 is perhaps one of the most formidable heavy tanks at Rank IV, right up there with the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]s. With the 105 mm cannon, the T29 can engage most enemies it faces on the battlefield from the front, often destroying an enemy tank with a single shot with the extremely powerful T13 APCBC rounds, and with armour thick enough to block most incoming rounds. The T29 can act as the "damage sponge" of the team by directing most of the enemy fire towards it. It can also act as a sniping tank by setting it in the back or sides and fire at any unsuspecting enemy tank. A simple APCBC round can destroy even the strongest tank if it penetrates the side armour. Another useful advantage is that the tank is well rounded, but is directed to being a heavy tank in arcade battles, making it especially powerful. It has average mobility for the heavy tank class but has a lower top speed than it's main rivals, the IS-2 mod. 1944 and the Tiger IIs, better than only that the Caernarvon. However, it possesses above average acceleration, making it more suited for dense environments. It's gun also possesses a high muzzle velocity, making sniping a viable option.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, Hull rear)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (52-56°) ''Front Glacis'' 70.25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom Glacis'' 102 mm (6-81°) ''Machine gun port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 51 mm ''Rear'' || 51 mm (9°) ''Upper'' 19 mm (11-66°) ''Lower'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Turret || 158.7 mm (18-31°) ''Turret front'' 203 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' 305 mm (1-57°) ''Gun mantlet border'' || 158.7 mm (3-42°) || 102 mm (1-20°) ''Rear'' 50 mm (63-84°) ''Bottom of turret overhang'' || 38.1 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152.4 mm || 38.1 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front belly armour is 25.4 mm thick while the rear is 13 mm.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 994|rbMinHp= 681|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E2]]
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 63 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.71 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.90 || 18.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 16.25 || 14.38 || 13.25 || 12.50
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 256 || 253 || 238 || 221 || 205 || 190
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 253 || 250 || 236 || 219 || 204 || 190
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 292 || 287 || 266 || 242 || 220 || 200
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || 914 || 17.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || 899 || 18.59 || 1.2 || 19 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || 1128 || 11.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || 945 || 15.2 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''63''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 62 ''(+1)'' 62 ''(+1)'' || 56 ''(+7)'' 56 ''(+7)'' || 48 ''(+15)'' 48 ''(+15)'' || 41 ''(+22)'' 41 ''(+22)'' || 34 ''(+29)'' 34 ''(+29)'' || 27 ''(+36)'' 27 ''(+36)'' || 17 ''(+46)'' 17 ''(+46)'' || 7 ''(+56)'' 7 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' 1 ''(+62)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #1''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #2''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


*'''Offensive:''' When playing offensively with the T29, there are two ways to do it. The more common and safer strategy in an offensive role is for the T29 to team up with another tank, preferably a heavy or medium tank. Move up to the enemy while covering each other, leapfrog each time so one tank snipes an enemy while the other moves to a cover position with an advantageous firing position, then keep advancing at a safe pace. The other is to get right up in their face, only giving them shots at the T29's tough frontal armour. As aggressive this strategy is, it leaves the T29 open to attacks from the side and rear. This is a last-ditch strategy generally. In either offence strategy, the biggest risk is getting too far ahead from the rest of the friendly team, leaving the T29 vulnerable and without any supporting fire.

*'''Defensive:''' Hull down, the T29 truly shines. Frontally, its turret is tough and the cheeks are sloped enough to bounce most shots. The only real target available would be the small cupola on the turret roof and the turret ring if it is not covered. While the gun barrel is vulnerable to being broken, a moderate crew can repair it in seconds. Although the gun depression isn't as great as other American tanks, it still provides an advantage in hilly terrain. When in the right spot, the player can devastate the enemy team with almost no risk to themselves by exposing only the gun barrel and the top of the mantlet. Do note that there are certain spots and ports in the mantlet that can be penetrated even by a Wirbelwind using Pz GR 40. Players experienced with American heavies can find a good spot that will provide them with ample cover while they support the team. Wiggling the turret while reloading can make the enemy bounce, same tactics as seen with the IS-2. Be wary that some shots to the lower gun mantlet have the potential of bouncing the shot down into the thin hull roof.

Some specific enemies to worry about:

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are going to be the most common and equal enemy in the T29. While most of the T29's front armour can take on the 88 mm APCBC round, APCR can penetrate the front mantlet of the turret. It can also aim for the lower glacis on the hull, which will knock-out the driver and can repeatedly do this until the entire crew gets knocked out. To fight the Tiger II's, aim at the "cheeks" of the turret with any ammo, preferably the right as that is where the gunner sits. Using the T32 APBC ammo, there is a chance that it can penetrate the Tiger II's front glacis at close range (less than 100 meters) and the lower glacis from even further, making the T32 round probably the most preferable round to use against the Tiger II's front. If the T29 can get the Tiger's side though, a simple T13 APCBC round can turn a Tiger II into a fiery ball of fire.
* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II 10.5 cm]]: Though the same rule applies to the 88 mm Tiger II, take extreme caution as the 10.5 cm cannon can devastate the T29's interior if it penetrates, and it can from the front.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: Equipped with the same 88 as on the Tiger II, this TD can do some damage if it can get a good shot off the T29. However, the T29's 105 mm cannon can easily penetrate through its front glacis, just don't shoot too close to the gun or the gun mantlet may bounce it.
* [[Ferdinand]]: The greater armour on this tank destroyer makes it harder to fight in a long-range engagement. However, if the T29 can get closer, the flat armour space on the top superstructure and the hull front can prove more vulnerable. Of course, getting to the side of this tank destroyer is a guaranteed point if an APCBC round can be landed into it.
* [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152|ISU-152]]: While easily destroyed by one shot of the 105 mm cannon, the 152 mm howitzer still can do unspeakable damage if it hits the T29's vulnerable turret and hull roof.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||T13
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||T29E3
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| ||
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely good 105 mm gun, arguably the best gun at Rank 4.
* T13 round has both a high level of penetration and damage potential. Penetrating an enemy's crew compartment is almost always a kill.
* An Ace crew will reload in an impressive 12.5 seconds when there's at least 1 shell in the 8-round first stage ammo rack.
* Has a fantastic set of optics with magnification levels of 4.0x-8.0x. Great for both quick close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* Decent APCR shells that can go through the Jagdtiger's superstructure.
* Great overall armour layout. The front and sides of both the hull and turret are very well armoured.
* 10 degrees of gun depression coupled with the really strong turret makes the T29 great at shooting over hills and hull down fighting.
* Armed with three .50 caliber machine guns, allowing the T29 to shred through lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels.
* Is superior to the T34 heavy tank in almost every respect other than penetration and rear turret armor.
* One of the best pound-for-pound tanks in the game.

'''Cons:'''

* Smart enemy's will highlight the T29 as a priority target, attracting a lot of enemy attention from both the ground and the sky.
* The lower glacis plate is both long and weakly armored against German 88’s and Soviet 100/122mm gun’s.
* While tough, the gun mantlet is not impenetrable. Guns like the Tiger II's 88mm can punch right through it at ranges exceeding 500 meters.
* Is much slower than the Tiger II, IS-2, IS-3, ect.
* Is comparable to the Tiger II in size, meaning that it is very hard to hide.
* The T29 has a ton of ammo in both the turret and bottom of the hull. APHE shells that penetrate either part of the tank will likely destroy the tank.
* Unlike most tanks at the BR, the sides of the engine compartment is much weaker than the sides of the hull.
* The weak engine compartment armor coupled with the placement of the turret means that the T29 is frankly not as good at side scraping as the Tiger II is.
* Only one of the .50 caliber machine guns can effectively engage aircraft flying higher than coaxial level.
* The default APCBC shell has no penetration or velocity advantage over the T13 APHE shell, meaning that there’s no point in ever using it.

== History ==


===Development===
Projects for a dedicated heavy tank for the U.S. Armed Forces began in March 1944 as a response to the German heavy tanks that have been popping up in Europe. While the T26E3 tank, later known as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] was slated to be the next-generation American tank, it was still considered unsuitable against the even heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. A project to increase the armour and firepower commenced countering this problem, the project titled '''Heavy Tank T29'''. Using design elements from the T26E3 with thicker armour and lengthened hull, the T29 also was equipped with the [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm Gun T5]], a gun in development alongside the heavy assault tank [[T95|T95]]. Other features included a 770 hp Ford GAC engine, armour thickness up to 279 mm effective, and a coincidence range-finder. The heavy armour and armament made the tank weigh about 64 tons, making it a close match to the Tiger II.

Though the T29 was monstrous itself, side projects involving the T29 crafted the ''[[T30|T30 Heavy Tank]]''. Itself similar to the T29 in terms of armour, but featured a monstrous [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm Gun T7]] with a more powerful engine and an extra crew member to facilitate loading the gun.

===Effect in World War II===
Throughout World War II, the T29 and the T30 stayed in development under the priority "limited procurement". Eventually, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, but the small ordered stayed in hope it may be useful in the Japan invasion in Operation Downfall. That hope was smashed as well when Japan surrendered in September 1945, ending World War II. Even if an operation commenced that used these vehicles, the Army Ground Forces objected to the use of such heavy equipment due to the lack of adequate transporters. Further production was cancelled in the post-war demilitarization.

===Post World War Effect===
The heavy tank concept didn't end with the war and a final attempt was made to remake the T29 into a more modern, lethal weapon system. This produced the ''[[T34|T34 Heavy Tank]]'', which mounted a 120 mm gun based on the M1 anti-aircraft gun. The calibre made an adequate balance of firepower and loading ease between the 105 mm and the 155 mm used in the T29 and T30. In fact, the two T34 pilot models made were a converted T29 and T30. However, the demilitarization took down the T34 program as well, but the experience in this project help engineers in the development of the ''[[M103|M103 Heavy Tank]]''.

Today, there are a few T29s still in display across the United States, most of them residing in storage at Fort Benning, Georgia where they will be used as a display in the future National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|n9KdgbSzla8|'''The Shooting Range #23''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:26 discusses the T29.|owYlJZ4LgyA|'''The Shooting Range #36''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:26 discusses the T29.}}

== 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/3731-development-t29-the-experimental-monster-video-added-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T29: The Experimental Monster + video added]]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

Tiger II (H) Sla.16

2020-08-08T21:54:32Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla
|store = 5185
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. As a purchasable bundle vehicle, this variant comes with premium bonuses and the experimental installation of a diesel power engine, increasing its mobility vastly. But the vehicle functions near identically to the in-tree regular variant. It fits into the 6.7 line-up very well and can be utilised greatly in battle because of its enhanced combat capabilities.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


The frontal armour of the Tiger II is very strong and can only be penetrated by a select few tanks at its battle rating and even less when fighting in a down-tier. The side and back armour, however, are pitiful with only 100 mm at its thickest, some SPAA at the rank can penetrate the sides so it is advised to never show your back or sides to an enemy lest you want to go back to the hanger/garage. It is slightly more armored then its non-premium counterpart with added tracks on the sides on the turret, adding an extra 30mm of armor to the very weak sides.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 968|rbMinHp= 663|}}

The top speed on-road forwards is around 42-44 km/h, and the reverse speed is surprisingly good at -11 km/h (RB). These speeds combined with neutral steering mean the {{PAGENAME}} is quite agile despite its heavy tank status. The engine has a lot of horsepower and climbing hills is surprisingly easy with this variant of the famed King Tiger.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


The main gun this Panzer beholds is the KwK/43 88mm long-barreled gun. This gun performs astoundingly well for this BR, offering high muzzle velocity with more than enough post-penetration damage. The muzzle velocity of this gun sits at around 1000m/s for APCBC and 1400m/s for the APCR round, and also has HEAT shells, making it an exceptional sniper and brawler alike. The APCBC stock shell gets a fair amount of explosive filler with a wide one-shot capability upon penetration. This shell exceeds in ammo-racking enemy tanks, so aim for ammo stowage on the enemy vehicle. The APCR should only really be used for engagements on enemies you cannot punch through with APCBC alone, since it offers significantly higher penetration at the expense of post-pen damage, making it a very situational round. The same can be applied to the HEAT shell for long-range, as penetration dropoff does not matter on angled armour layouts, but instead offers poorer penetration values.

{{main|KwK 43 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 43]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" |70|| -8°/+15° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' ||17.0||23.6||25.8||28.6||30.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' ||12.5||14.7||16.1||17.9||19.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|9.7||8.6||7.9||7.5
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC ||237||234||222||207||194||181
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 ||14||14||14
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1,000 || 10.16 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1000 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 1100 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR ||1,130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Tiger II (H).png|thumb|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Tiger II (H). Note that racks 7 and 8 are ready racks.]]
Thanks to the ready rack feature found on this tank, the first and second ammo racks found in the back of the turret will always be full of ammo, making it the prime target for enemy tankers who are looking to detonate your ammo rack. Even solid shots like APCR and APDS that commonly pierce your front turret can make their way to the rear of the turret, potentially hitting the ready racks and can cause a critical hit to become a deadly one.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''70''' || 65 ''(+17)'' || 59 ''(+28)'' || 48 ''(+39)'' || 37 ''(+50)'' || 30 ''(+57)'' || 23 ''(+64)'' || 12 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+76)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}
Both side empty: 23 ''(+47)''
'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 23 to keep the hull empty and both ready racks full.
* 7th and 8th ammo racks are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills 1 through 6 in that order.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in either ready rack. If both ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing the main gun when it is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-6 into 8 then 7, as long as there is ammo in racks 1-6. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

This tank, unlike the standard version, receives an additional top mount MG34 7.62mm machine gun located atop the commander's cupola with a wide arc of fire, designed for anti-aircraft purposes. However, this extra gun proves inadequate at efficiently dealing damage to aircraft and so should be used more prominently as a spotting tool or a light armour remedy.

== Usage in battles ==


Considering most of the players who use this vehicle will be using it in RB/SB, this section will cater to them. This vehicle can be used as a brawler and a sniper equally. With its potent gun and reliable armour layout, this tank can take a fair few shots before expiring. Try not to let your flanks become exposed if playing in urban maps. On open maps, you should stick to towns or hills and remain hull down to utilize your thick turret cheeks well. Aim for noticeable weak spots on enemies, ie. lower glacis shots or ammo rack shots will more often than not result in a reliable way to destroy them. The gun has a solid rate of fire, not too slow, so you can follow up with a return shot fairly quickly.

You will adapt over time and learn where the weak spots of most opposing vehicles. At times, this tank will act more as a support tank when considering the typical opponents will more than likely have stabilizers and sufficient suspension dampening, putting you at a disadvantage if you can't train your gun onto the target first. American heavy tanks such as the [[T29]], [[T34]], [[T32]] and [[M103]] will sometimes give you trouble. The trick to dealing with these tough, heavily armoured foes is to aim for the lower glacis. When engaging these vehicles, if you are not confident in being able to penetrate on your first shot, try and shoot the gun barrel to prevent your foes from firing back at you.

It is best used at mid to long ranges, where its' small weak spots are hardest to hit. It can, however, be put to work on the front lines, protecting medium tanks and tank destroyers - just be aware of your limited mobility, and ensure you have options should you get advanced upon by multiple enemies.

When used as a sniper, it is best that you find a position with a good overview of the battlefield. Keep your tank positioned directly towards the enemy and keep an eye out for any medium tanks trying to flank you (Tiger II has great frontal armour, do not be afraid to use it. However, keep in mind that the lower plate offers less protection and penetrations can easily cause fires due to the positioning of mechanical parts). It is best that you find cover behind a solid object and slightly rotate your vehicle e.g.: rotate your tank about 10-15 degrees from the enemy (your turret too). Positioning, combined with distance, can easily give you effective armour greater than 300 mm. When "sniping" it is best to wait for the enemy to expose their weak points, fire a steady, accurate shot and retreat to a safe position. Wait for your reload to be completed and slowly show your frontal plate (most of the players will engage even though the chances of penetration are low); once the enemy has fired, you can take your time and engage the tank while they reload.

Using the Tiger II to advance and to support the front line can be rather tricky. While this tank offers great firepower and superior frontal armour, you'll notice that it is hard to fight in urban areas. In situations like this, you will quickly realize that the high weight and sheer size of the tank can cause major problems. Almost any tank that is faster will easily outmanoeuvre the Tiger II and destroy it. To avoid this, it is best to stay in the back (not too far from your team), keeping your tank positioned at an angle and using "peek-a-boo" techniques. You should always look for a position that can protect you during the assault of small tanks, such as "U" shaped buildings where you can easily retreat and protect your weak points.

====Counter-tactics====

[[File:Tiger II Shooting Guide.jpg|500px|left|thumb|Colour-frames showing the viability of targets on the Königstiger.]]

A Tiger II is a formidable enemy when it's used correctly by its operator, but it's by no means indestructible under any conditions.

The first thing you want to do is deny the Tiger II of the advantage of its gun by getting as close as possible while keeping clear of its cannon (the closer you get, the better the penetration values for you and the Tiger II) most Tiger II operators will avoid getting flanked at all costs so you might find yourself forced to face one from the front. The biggest weak spot is the lower frontal hull plate, its slopped but only 100mm thick and behind it lies the transmission that likes to catch fires and create nasty shrapnel when destroyed, the shrapnel will fly inwards and if your shell is large enough they will take out the entire crew. However, this shot will most likely only leave the Tiger II unable to move for a minute and make his operator quite angry (at you) while his gun remains perfectly operational and before you have a chance reload you will most likely receive a very accurate shot from an irritated Tiger II operator.

The lower frontal plate is a good place to hit but it should be a second option, with this tank, you need to disable that gun as soon as possible, the turret is a very reliable target at close range, even with HEAT ammo you should be able to deliver a shot that will disable its firing capability for long enough for you to reload and shoot again. Using your best AP round for this is recommended since the frontal turret has a fairly thick (but flat) plate if nothing else works try APCR.

Using high calibre HE rounds is also effective. The cupola is probably the best place to hit with a HE shell since the explosion will deflect into the thin upper plate and destroy everything inside. It is not easy to hit, but if you manage to hit the cupola it's very unlikely it survives.

The Tiger II is very vulnerable to "Circling attacks", that means, running around it in circles and harass it with side shots. Its turret can turn quite fast (especially in arcade mode) but most medium tanks are fast enough to outrun it.

If you somehow manage to see an enemy Tiger II from the side, try to land a shot in the middle of the hull, near of the turret (not on the turret, the upper part of the hull), there's a good chance there will be ammo there, and if there isn't, you will either knock out the tank by taking out many crew members or cripple it heavily

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the 88 mm KwK 43, arguably the best pound-for-pound gun in the game.
* The default APCBC shell has very shell velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* Optics have magnification levels of 2.5x-5.0x. Really good for close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* 22 shells in the first stage ammo rack, giving this tank an impressive 7.5 seconds reload rate when equipped with an ace crew.
* Astounding frontal armour. The upper front plate is virtually impervious to anything but APDS and HEAT rounds.
* Enemy shells that penetrate the lower plate will likely have all of its damage absorbed by the transmission.
* Same small turret as the Tiger II H, but has 20 mm of track armour covering the entire exterior of the turret sides.
* Turret front is a small target, and the gun mantlet is both large and utterly impenetrable.
* Due to the placement of the turret and how thick the side armor is, side scraping is an extremely effective tactic in this tank.
* Armed with 12-rounds, semi-automatic smoke grenade launcher.
* Thanks to its diesel engine, this tank has better acceleration and hill-climbing speed than the standard Tiger II H.
* Though a heavy tank, it is a very fast and highly manoeuvrable when running at full power.
* Decent reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are easy to perform.
* Unlike the other Tiger II's, there's a roof mounted MG-34.
* Jack of all trades tank against its competitors. Can effectively snipe, ambush, flank, and brawl.

'''Cons:'''

* While being a small target, the turret front is weakly armoured when facing tanks at BR 6.7 and above.
* The 22-round first stage ammo rack is located in the back of the turret. Enemy shells entering the back of the turret will likely lead to an ammo explosion.
* Both of the hull sides are lined with ammo, meaning penetrating shots in the sides is almost always certain death.
* The APCR shells are lackluster and inferior to most of the contemporary US APCR rounds.
* Terrible HEAT and HE shells. Don't bother ever loading anything but the default APHE shell..
* Though the transmission will routinely eat enemy shells, that doesn't change the fact that the tank can still be immobilized by both front and rear shots.
* Still a heavy tank, most mediums will have no problems catching up or flanking the tank if the player is not paying attention.
* The roof mounted MG34 has a high rate of fire, but still only fires 8 mm bullets. Critically damaging enemy planes is unlikely.
* When up-tiered, the {{PAGENAME}} will routinely fight vehicles that were literally designed to kill tanks like the Tiger II.

== History ==

The Sla.16 diesel engine developed by Simmering-Graz-Pauker from Vienna. With a power output of around 750 hp, it was considerably more powerful than Maybach engine used by the [[Tiger E|Tiger I]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[Panther A|Panther]] tanks that had 690 hp. The Sla.16 was also proposed as the power unit for the infamous super-heavy [[Maus|Maus]] tank. According to various of sources such as ''Military Engineer'' and ''Amazing Porsche and Volkswagen Story'', the engines were tested with positive results. The recommendation was that these diesel engines were to be attached to the heavy tanks and tank destroyers currently in production for increased efficiency of the vehicles. A diesel engine was mounted onto a Tiger II as a prototype built by Nibelungen Werke and went through testings, though results have not been found from this test. Further proposals also wanted the engine to be mounted in the Panther and Jagdtiger vehicles for increased power, but the war's constraint on supplies and Nazi Germany's capitulation resulted in the cancellation of these programs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Tiger II (H) Sla.16 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|N5YJmEcfLxQ|'''The Shooting Range #5''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:12 discusses the Tiger II (H) Sla.16.}}

== See also ==


* [[Tiger II (H)]]
* [[Tiger II (P)]]

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/875/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Tiger II Sla.16: the diesel-engined “King Tiger”]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

T95

2020-08-08T08:52:25Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_t95}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T95GMC.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]].

The T95 is good at providing support and dragging enemy fire. As of [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]], the T95 shares the HE-filled APCBC T13 shells, researchable at tier 1 modifications, giving it an incredible punch that puts it on par with the [[Jagdtiger]]. It is very well known for its amazing frontal armour, hard to penetrate for the majority of guns at its rank. Experienced enemy players are aware of the T95's downsides: one hit weak spots, poor top speed, long reload and they will subsequently use it against the ''mighty Doom Turtle''.

The T95 is a very heavy and slow TD, the main purpose of which is to hold and defend a tactical position or to lead a forward push, thereby giving allied vehicles the the chance to strike at the enemy, most likely distracted by the defying task of taking down the immensely armoured T95.

Even with its great frontal armour, a few enemies can still destroy the T95 frontally by using HEAT ammo (e.g. [[M103|M103]]: 380 mm and [[SU-122-54]]: 400mm pen), or for any other tank starting with [[:Category:Third_rank_ground_vehicles|rank 3]] by hitting the two obvious weak spots.

To hide the weak spots, one should try to find a spot where the cupolas are at well hidden from the enemy, either by finding a favourable slope or a high place, thus angling the vehicle to a point where only the front armour plates are in the sights of the enemy. Staying out of range (+600 m) to deny easy hits, alternatively, is a simple yet still quite effective tactic. Whenever an object such as a pillar presents itself in a combat area, the T95 driver should cleverly place the driver's cupola behind it — as with any other vehicle, proper use of the terrain is of utmost importance.

Despite its bad top speed, the T95 has amazing traverse speed, making it quite hard for an enemy (even light tank) to flank. This is further enhanced with good lower side armour and well angled top side armour. The sides are around 210 mm total with spaced armour in the tracks, any shot that hits it using HE-filled rounds will often explode before penetration inside occurs.

Though the T95 is a walking shield (aside from the two weak spots), the tank is very situational due to its slow speed. It has advantages in smaller maps with narrow corridors, such as city-based maps, while it struggles in larger maps with hilly terrain due to its poor climbing ability.

Using the explosive-filled T13 shell (APCBC), the T95 can dispatch almost any tank it can penetrate in one go, given that the necessary conditions of detonation are present, i.e. the penetration of 20mm of armour and the total of 1.2m travelled — a lucky [[ASU-85]] could endure a hit from the side without the customary fate of disastrous explosion, but these rare moments shouldn't be expected by anyone versing the T95. Anyways, the 12.7mm machine gun does a fine job at disposing of such lightly armoured targets when the necessity arises.

The .50 calibre machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola and manned by the very same, this heavy machine gun allows for decent anti-air fire arcs. Fire arcs are ~300° with a small dead spot to the rear and ~80° upwards, or rather for how much the camera allows for. If used freely and without constraint, the ammo will drain quickly. Some moderation is advised, given the lack of a co-axial MG for clearing bushes and fences. Clearing obstacles is the secondary armaments primary usage. Mostly due to the cannons low mounting height. Even small fences can obstruct the sight.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull basic || 305 mm (0-29°) ''Front'' 133.35 mm (60°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 152 mm bottom 63.5mm top|| 50.8 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
|Cupola
|76.2 mm
|76.2 mm
|76.2 mm
|76.2 mm
|-
| Additional armour || 292.1 mm ''Mantlet'' 76.2 mm ''Cupolas'' 76.2 mm ''track guard''|| 76.2 - 101.6 mm ''lower track guard'' 63.5 mm ''upper outer track guard'' 25.4 mm ''upper inner track guard (drawer)''|| N/A || 38.1mm ''radiator cover''
|}

*Engine-crew-compartment wall is 25.4mm
*Plenty of attached ''rolled homogeneous'' accessory with 25.4mm
*25.4mm of belly armour at quite a big height off the ground. Therefore safe from 122mm cannons using HE between the tracks.
*20mm of ''structural steel'' for suspension and rollers. The track section is riddled with them

=== Mobility ===

[[File:T95 firing.jpg|thumbnail|right|In the ruins of the Berlin map this T95 wears the "Destruction" decal, unlockable for defeating 700 enemy tanks with US ground forces.]]

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=710|rbMinHp=442}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E1 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1]] || 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" | 62 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+19° || rowspan="2" | -10°/+11° || rowspan="2" | N/A ||8.8||12.2||14.8||16.4||17.4|| rowspan="2" |20.0|| rowspan="2" | 17.7 || rowspan="2" | 16.3 || rowspan="2" | 15.4
|-
! ''Realistic''
|5.9||7.0|| 8.5 ||9.4|| 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
'''T32 ''APBC''''' 
The stock shell and previously the only one ever needed, unless engaging in combat over 1,000 m distance. It features decent normalization and good penetration even at ~60°, unlike the T29E3 APCR. Only downfall is the 50% ricochet chance against ~60° angled armour plates, like the frontal plate of the [[T-54 (1947)|T-54s]], which the shell would otherwise easily penetrate up to 1,000 m range([[T-54 (1949)|mod. 1949]] & [[T-54 (1951)|mod. 1951]]). 
Post-penetration effects are meagre. No HE filler, therefore only spalling and direct impact cause damage. For ammo racks, the detonation chance is roughly 5-10%. A bit better for starting fires, though. Therefore focus on crew members and vital modules.

'''T29E3 ''APCR''''' 
+50 mm penetration on all ranges looks good on paper, but a further check reveals a great disadvantage. With greater armour angles the penetration quickly drops, even past the stock APBC shot! And as angled plates become very common in era IV, this shell can just be ignored. Exemption is on ranges '''exceeding 1,000 m.''' Pack extra for expected long-range sniper duels. 
Additionally, the post-penetration effects are small and angle normalization does not happen upon impact. Direct hits on ammo racks have a small chance to cause an explosion like the APBC. Focus fire on crewmen and important modules!

'''T30E1 ''HE''''' 
Despite the calibre the HE is worse than similar calibres found on [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|King Tiger's]] [[KwK L/68 (105 mm)|105 mm]] and [[D-10S (100 mm)|D-10 cannon]], even less than on [[M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm cannons]] on the [[M46|Patton]]'s. Damage against common [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAA]] is therefore unsatisfactory and the roof mounted [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|M2HB Browning]] heavy machine gun is the better weapon of choice.

'''T13 ''APCBC''''' 
This should be the go-to ammunition with the T95, at any range. While it sacrifices some penetration (about 40mm at many ranges when compared to the T32 APBC), it has a HE filler. This allows this shell to one-shot almost anything it penetrates. It has massive post-penetration damage, and this is why the sacrifice of raw penetration is worth it. Despite the lower penetration, with proper aiming, the T13 shot can penetrate any tank it sees. When fighting King Tigers, simply aim for the turret faces (right side preferably) and lower glacis. When fighting T-44s and T-55s, aim for the turret faces, to the left and right of the gun, or the cupola if close enough to consistently hit. When fighting another heavy TD like the Jadgtiger, simply aim for the lower glacis, while it will rarely be a one-shot like this, it will immobilize him, and allow the leisure of finishing it off at an opportune time. Tanks like the IS-3 and T-10 are one of the greatest challenges for this shot, as their pike fronts are usually strong enough to bounce it if they are facing the T95. To defeat them aim for the area right at the top of the pike and below the gun, though this can be challenging. The cupola is again a valid target for pike front soviet heavies if close enough. To destroy an IS-6 frontally, aim for turret front, cupolas, or right under the gun where the shot can bounce down into the hull. While on paper, this shot lacks the penetration to penetrate the front of the Maus turret, it can actually penetrate it due to the armour penalty that the Maus has, which makes its armour weaker. Most other tanks can simply be shot centre of mass.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 256 || 253 || 238 || 221 || 205 || 190
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 253 || 250 || 236 || 219 || 204 || 190
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 292 || 287 || 266 || 242 || 220 || 200
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 914 || 17.70 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 899 || 18.59 || 1.2 || 19.0 || 177.38 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 1,128 || 11.20 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 945 || 15.20 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 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
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''62''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 57 ''(+5)'' 52 ''(+10)'' || 47 ''(+15)'' 41 ''(+21)'' || 42 ''(+20)'' 36 ''(+26)'' || 37 ''(+25)'' 31 ''(+31)'' || 31 ''(+31)'' 25 ''(+37)'' || 25 ''(+37)'' 19 ''(+43)'' || 19 ''(+43)'' 13 ''(+49)'' || 13 ''(+49)'' 7 ''(+55)'' || 7 ''(+55)'' 1 ''(+61)'' || 1 ''(+61)''   || style="text-align:center" |Yes: Rack 2 holds 10 instead of 11 shells Right upper rear rack (x) currently never depletes
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_T28GMC.png|right|thumbnail|Ammo racks of the [[T28]] (identical to the T95).|300px]]

20 rounds are enough for [[:Category:Game_modes|AB]]

30 rounds are enough for [[:Category:Game_modes|RB]]/[[:Category:Game_modes|SB]]

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±140°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

With this in mind let us talk about the need for speed:

The Doom Turtle is slow. Very slow. To be exact the slowest vehicle in-game, if we exclude a [[F-86F-2|F-86F]] without the engines running.

For tactics, we must rather think of strategy: It may only reach one specific point through an entire match, so make sure the T95 is actually needed at that point or all that will be spent is digital gasoline.

Study the map and look for choke points, places of fierce narrow fielded conflict. Points were fighting will always take place.

There are two main playstyles: '''Support''' and '''CHARGE!!!'''. Playstyle does not really change with the game modes, they can be universally used.

=====Support=====
The biggest problem of the Doom Turtle is the weak spots, undermining the trade-off speed for armour. However, if the T95 stays beyond decent accuracy (+500 m), or gain height advantage and use gun depression, then the weak spots are no longer accessible. Do not mistake this with a sniper role! The average range should be 400m to 800m. Stay with the team, the T95 is their shield. Be a classic ''tank'' in RPG sense. If the situation is about to grind down and come to hold, change to the '''CHARGE!!!''' strategy (see below).

The main task is to provide fire assistance since the cannon is not made to take out tanks and features a long reload, disabling enemy tanks with engine hits is the priority. Further, draw the enemies attention to the T95. Force foes into sniper duels. Every shot at the T95 is one away from an ally. To enhance this sit in an exposed position and attack enemies with the machine gun. Make them shoot at the T95. Once using the T13 shell, the disabling shots the T32 made will turn into nasty shots with post-penetration damages.

Good places to go for are where the heavy tanks would rush to fight with their armour. Or spots medium tanks use but do not hide in the cover, leave it open for the allied medium tanks. Their support is essential to enhance the T95 own's slow firing rate. Playing driving cover/pillbox is also something to consider under these circumstances.

=====Charge=====
[[File:T95 - putting up pressure.jpg|thumbnail|'''CHARGE!!!''' Although going this close is ill-advised, as for enemy tanks can have better reverse speeds than the T95 can drive forwards. Not to mention the cupola weak spots becomes an easy target. '' However!'' The T95 is putting pressure on and places the opponent under stress. Psychological effects should not be underestimated. In this case, the [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Kingtiger 105]] got stuck on the rubble pile and is further blocking his allied [[IS-4M]] the sight. Reversing now allows for a free shot into the Tigers transmission, locking him in place.]]
The following tactic goes against anything one would expect with the above and described the tank's issues. While it sounds easy, there must be put a lot of thought into it to succeed.

Press and hold "W" and click "Mouse button 1" once in a while. It, in theory, will get the T95 heavily damaged or even destroyed, but in practice, a 86 tonnes vehicle is determined to steamroll everything in its path . . . and everyone gets scared, panicked even. An example can be seen in the screenshot on the right

But which place to charge through like the Light Brigade? The goal of this attack is to push the team out of camping positions and draw selected enemy's fire onto the T95. Long narrow sections with decent cover left and right is good places. Other places would be on the edge of the map and come in from an angle, limiting the foes attack front to only <100°. Having on to worry about only one side armour section allows for good angling opportunities. On Poland, the northern town's part in domination is a good example of this. The northern side is usually clear and south are only has got a few spots where fire can hit the side, make sure to turn south at those spots to further improve the south facing side armour via armour angling. 
Next step ones close enough is to capture the control point and/or keep advancing into the enemy to dig them out. 
Now, once the position is secured, the strategy can be changed to a Support role (see above), or go sneaky and hide around a corner.

Main difference to support is the change of module targets: Gun breech and gunner are to priorities, as this close up the T95's weak spots are very easy to hit. Further keep spamming the machine gun, to cloud the foe's sight and make them focus on the T95, helping the allies (who hopefully followed) to take them out.

[[File:T95 EasternEurope.jpg|thumbnail|left|Although a '''''stationary''''' tank destroyer, this does not mean to remain immobile! Keep changing position after some shots and be aware of the surroundings — otherwise, the T95 turns into one of those craters.]]

Sitting at an uneasy spot with 7.0 in AB and 6.7 in RB/SB, facing off Rank 5 vehicles and a variety of WW2 vehicles. All vehicles can penetrate the upper side armour and the weak spots. Therefore all medium vehicles are dangerous and their engines should be disabled ASAP. 
Foes able to frontally penetrate the T95 are labelled red. 
As only solid shot ammo is available, specific modules must be a target. Generally: Medium tanks - Engine; Heavy tanks - Cannon breech, crew; TDs - Crew compartment, gunner;

* Tank destroyers/☠[[SU-122-54]]: Except for the Jagdtiger all TDs should be shot at their gunner position to disable at least two crewmen.
*[[IS-3]]: Pike is difficult to get through. Try to disable the cannon, or wait for him to angle the tank wrong to shoot through the pike. Otherwise, with only 4 crewmen keep disabling them one by one.
*[[IS-4M]]: The drives hatch is hard to get through with the tiny hole behind the additional armour. More favourable is the lower plate. The same as for the IS-3 applies.
*T-54s & ☠[[T-54 (1951)|mod.51]]: All can be penetrated through the turret front (left and right of gun mantlet) from closer than 500m. Except for the [[T-54 (1947)|mod.47]], the glacis plate may also be targeted, if it is straight pointed at the T95. Target either the engine or the ammorack+fuel tank at the front (chance to set if off is slim though).
*[[T-44]]: Turret can be very trolly, but is the best way to avoid return fire. Engine and crew are again good targets.
*[[Tiger II (H)|Kingtiger]]: Right turret cheek to disable the gunner, alternatively the lower glacis to get the transmission.
*[[Maus|Maus]]: Given its height, the T95's weak spot is very easy to hit. Disable the gunner via a shot in the right turret cheek. If closer than 1000m, retreat before he can man the cannon again.
*[[Jagdtiger|Jagdtiger]]: A tough nut, plus 250mm of raw and sloped armour disables APBC and APCR shells. Thankfully the lower plate is a good place to shoot. Make sure to hit at a good flat angle, as the APBC likes to bounce.
*☠[[Leopard I|Leopard]]: Shoot anywhere at the front, but do so quickly, as a good player can shoot and very quickly destroy the T95. Yet, due to the low armour thickness, the shrapnel damage inflicted is great and may even one shot it.
*☠[[M103|M103]]: Try to shoot into the turret trap (lower gun mantlet) or the turrets cheeks. Try to disable the cannon, breech and crew men.
*[[Panther_F|Panthers]]/[[M26|Pershing]]/[[M46|M46]]: Entire front is penetrable. Shooting the upper glacis and into the engine through the fighting compartment will deal decent damage.
*☠[[M47|M47]]: Don't shoot the upper glacis, more preferably the turret. Engine and gun breech are good targets to start with
*☠[[M60|M60]]: Lots of sloped armour. Frontally, the commander's hatch can be hit quite easily, but this fight should be avoided at all costs. Basically an up-armoured Leopard.
*☠[[U-SH 405]]: Easy to destroy with one shot, but extremely fast and armed with 18 rockets with 330 mm of penetration. These rockets will cut right through your armor. Do not miss your shot when engaging one of these tanks.

==== Fighting Against the T95 ====
When facing the T95, it is very important to know the weak spots. A major weak spot is the commander's cupola on the top left (right if facing it) of the T95. This spot can be penetrated by most guns at its BR, and if APHE or HESH is used is likely to result in the death of a few crew members. Another strategy is to disable the tracks, then flank to the side. This is probably the most viable strategy when the T95 is alone. However, if it is accompanied by team members, which it should be, then this strategy will be more difficult to pull off. It is important to disable all of the tracks, as the T95 is still able to turn with only 2 or 3 tracks intact. Once you are at its flank, however, it will be easy to take it out. Like most tanks with formidable frontal armor, it has much less armor at the sides. Also, most of the crew or ammo racks are able to be hit from the side without interference from other modules. Overall, the T95, like other turretless tank destroyers, is very formidable from the front, albeit for the weak spot on the cupola, but suffers when flanked. As stated above, however, due to the 4 tracks the T95 has a very good turning speed, which makes flanking much more risky.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| T13
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| T29E3
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
|
|
|-
|}

After Parts and FPE, priority research targets for this tank should be mobility upgrades and the T13 APCBC explosive-filled shell.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:T95 vs KingTiger Comparison.jpg|thumbnail|right|T95 and [[Tiger II (H)]] height comparison. The T95 is as tall as the Tiger's chassis and with similar hull length. The Tiger II is one of the taller vehicles.]]

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely tough armour; 300 mm of frontal armour, and very strong sides thanks to the massive tracks.
* The T95's resilience to bombs, artillery, and large caliber Hi-Ex shells rivals that of the Maus and E100.
* Massive gun mantlet.
* Four sets of very strong tracks that are difficult to destroy in a single shot.
* The four sets of tracks gives this tank incredible hull traverse. The reactive mobility is so good that some light tanks simply aren't fast enough to circle the T95 with out getting shot.
* Mounts the same impressive 105 mm found on the T28 and T29, firing extremely powerful APHE shell.
* The raw frontal armor thickness coupled with the extremely powerful gun makes this tank one of the best snipers/ breakthrough tanks in the game.
* Roof-mounted .50 cal machine gun; can actually defend its self against attacking aircraft.
* Extremely intimidating tank. Many players will simply avoid fighting this tank.

'''Cons:'''

* The single slowest tank in the game, with very little potential of fleeing.
* Due to the terrible top speed, some large maps force the player to become a sniper since some games will end before you even reach the objective.
* A prime target for many enemy attackers and bombers thanks to its terrible top speed.
* The frontal armour still stands no chance against APDS and HEAT shells.
* Gun mantlet isn't as tough as the Jagdtiger's. Most HEAT shells and close-range APDS shots able to go through the mantlet and destroy the breech.
* Despite having the same gun as the T29, it has much slower rate of fire.
* The side armour above the tracks is weakly armoured and lined with ammo.
* The driver can be killed if shots enter to the top left cupola, while the commander can die if shots enter the right cupola.
* The high intimidation factor is a double edged sword. Since a portion of the enemy team will be actively trying to avoid the T95, it's not uncommon to go an entire match without firing the main gun once.

== History ==

===Development===
Years before the invasion of Normandy, there were men among the Allied planners worrying about the heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the proposed methods was to develop extremely heavily armoured vehicles capable of destroying any fortification it comes across and any resistance the German had. Britain and America both worked on this project in order to develop these super-heavy tanks.

The American solution was a vehicle that would be called the '''T28 Heavy Tank''' and work began on such vehicle in September 1943. The initial vehicle concept called for a casemate design with a [[T5E1_(105_mm)|105mm T5 gun]], which was evaluated to be "extremely effective at reducing heavy fortifications". The only other armament on the vehicle would be a .50 cal machine gun for use by the commander. The armour on the design was 203 mm at first, but in January 1945 the head of Ordnance worried about the effect of German APCR ammunition, and so the already significant armour was upped to an astounding 305mm thick frontal armour, at the increase of weight to 95 tons. The vehicle's electric drive was a carryover from the [[M6A1|M6]] and T23 tank, with the engine the same from the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] (which was the same as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 Sherman]]). The heavyweight with the underpowered engine allowed the T28 to reach a whopping 8 miles per hour speed. To carry this design, the vehicle had four sets of tracks, two on each side, 328mm wide each in order to lower ground pressure. For transport, the extra set of tracks on the sides can be removed to make the vehicle thinner (4.55m to 3.15m) for easier transport, but raising ground pressure (0.82kg/cm2 to 1.14kg/cm2) and reducing armour since the detached track sets comes with 102 mm skirt armour.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks">Estes Kenneth W. ''Super-heavy Tanks of World War II'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2014</ref>

The T28 heavy tank continued with the development and in March 1944, the U.S. Army gave it the name and also placed an order for five pilot models for testings. In March 1945, Ordnance then renamed the T28 into the '''[[T95|105 mm Gun Motor Carriage T95]]''' due to the lack of turret for a "tank" and any regular secondary armaments. Then, in June 1946, the vehicle was renamed again to the '''[[T29|Super Heavy Tank T28]]''' due to the United States construction of self-propelled guns being lightly armoured, in order to distinguish it as a radically different design than simply a "tank destroyer". Today, the T95 and T28 naming are both used to title this vehicle.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

[[File:T28 Front Quarter.jpg|thumbnail|right|Front three-quarter view of the T28 at the Patton Museum. T28 Super Heavy Tank - no longer on exhibit as it has been prepared to move to Fort Benning GA.]]

===Procurement and deployment===
The five pilot models requested by the U.S. Army had Ordnance look for a manufacturer to produce these vehicles. The war effort had made many prominent manufacturers busy with pre-existing orders. The Pacific Car and Foundry Company were then contracted to produce the design, with production starting in March 1945. The complete tank design was finished by August 1945, by this time the war had already ended in Europe three months ago. Efforts continued on the tank until the surrender of Japan in September, ending World War II. The post-war cutbacks led to the request for five tanks lowered to just two. The first T28 prototypes appeared in Aberdeen Proving Grounds on 21 December 1945, with the second arriving on 10 January 1946. These two prototype tanks went through evaluations at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds, mostly for engineering tests to check the durability of the components used. The second prototype model caught an engine fire in Yuma and had to be scrapped. The T28 project finally ended in October 1947 when development for such heavy vehicles stopped. Records on the sole T28 prototype ended afterwards, many assumed the vehicle was destroyed or scrapped.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

In 1974, the sole remaining T28/T95 prototype was found in the fields behind Fort Belvoir, Virginia by a wanderer, rumoured to be a farmer out hunting or a lieutenant conducting inventory inspection. To this day, no one is certain how the T28 tank was left abandoned in the fields or what happened during the years in absence. It was moved to the Fort Knox, Kentucky to be displayed in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor. Today, its resting place is in the National Armor and Cavalry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

===Legacy===
In the end, the super heavy tanks designs made by the Americans (T28) and the British ([[Tortoise|Tortoise]]) only proved that such needs for tanks were unnecessary. The Siegfried Line and other such fortifications were taken out by use of the standard issued medium tanks such as the [[M4|M4 Shermans]], proving that affordable, mass-produced vehicles could dominate the modern battlefield. The super heavy tanks were also a strain on battle operations, as one of the most pressing questions during the development of the super-heavy tanks were on just how to get the tanks across the ocean to Europe and supply them with the fuel and ammo. The only positive note that these heavy tanks provided was that it showed the true extent of American and British industrial capabilities, being able to produce these massive monsters.

=== In-game description ===
A heavy assault tank developed on the basis of research conducted by the armament department. It was designed to break through well-fortified positions. Two models were built and underwent testing between 1945 and 1947. A new 105mm gun was attached to the base, allowing the tank to fight against fortifications. However, the project was eventually determined to be unrealistic.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t95 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-95 from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tt_oGX4_ORg|Gameplay footage: "'''T-95 V Normandy - (1080p)'''" by DodgerRoger|3NLhMpMywKE|Overview & introduction: "'''T95 Tank Review'''" by ''CornyBros''|7AZJOj38heg|Comedy: "'''T95 vs Jagdtiger'''"(Sort of) by ''Fabulous shepArd''}}

== 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 ==


*[http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/243508-tales-of-the-doom-turtle-%E2%80%93-the-blog/ WT Forum T95 Blog: "''Astonishing and amazing 'Tales of the Doom turtle!' – The blog''"]
*[[wt:en/devblog/current/767/|[Devblog] T28 and T95]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA tank destroyers}}

T30

2020-08-08T04:31:51Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t30
|market=Heavy Tank T30 (USA)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] in the 2018 "Festive Quest" that took place between 21 December 2018 to 14 January 2019. It was obtainable via completing 10 Christmas Toys for tankers. It could also be purchased on the Gaijin market after the event was over.

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} was a World War II American tank project developed to counter new German tanks, such as Tiger I, Tiger II, and tank destroyers, such as the ''Jagdtiger'', or Soviet heavy tanks, such as IS-1 or IS-2. The T30 was designed at the same time as the T29 Heavy Tank. However, it had a 155mm gun mounted on the same hull and turret as the T29 and T34 heavy tanks.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull roof, sides & rear - engine bay, hull bottom)
* Cast homogeneous armour (hull front, sides & roof - fighting compartment, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 70.25 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis - centre'' 70.25 mm (40°) ''Lower glacis - sides'' 102.5 mm (5°) ''MG housing'' 88 mm (sphere) ''MG port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front half'' 51 mm ''Rear half'' || 51 mm (5°) ''Top'' 51 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (57°-81°) ''Front'' 38.1 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 203 mm ''Gun mantlet'' 158.7 mm ''Gun mantlet frame'' || 158.7 mm || 102 mm ''Vertical part'' 50 mm (71°) ''Turret ring area'' || 38.1 mm (79°)
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 152.45 mm (45°) || 38.1 mm (79°)
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Mudguards are 4 mm thick.
* Frontally, the MG housing (around the MG port) as well as the lower glacis are weak spots on the {{PAGENAME}}.
* The bottom of the hull is only 25.4 mm thick, making it vulnerable to powerful HE shells shot under the belly.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1046|rbMinHp= 716}}

The {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility is good for the role it fulfills. Its acceleration and maximum speed are good for a heavy tank.
While the reverse speed is average, it isn't a handicap. And the {{PAGENAME}} can brake quickly in spite of its weight.
Neutral steering allows you to turn your hull towards flanking enemies relatively quickly on the spot.
The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} can reach 15 km/h when climbing uphill from idling and 21 km/h when fording. Due to its weight, the tank's mobility is unhindered by obstacles.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T7 (155 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm T7]] || 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" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 14.5 || 20.1 ||24.5||27.1|| 28.8 || rowspan="2" | 38.9 || rowspan="2" |34.4|| rowspan="2" |31.7|| rowspan="2" | 29.9
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 ||15.3||16.9|| 18.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
The available choice of ammunition focuses on heavily armoured targets:

* '''M112B1''': APBC; an armour-piercing ballistic capped shell with high explosive mass and good penetration power that will one-shot any tank it penetrates.
* '''T29E1''': APCBC; an armour-piercing capped shell with a ballistic cap offering an increased penetration compared to the M112B1.
* '''M107''': HE; a powerful high-explosive shell useful to destroy all enemy vehicles and even open and lightly armoured vehicles indirectly with the blast.
* '''M110''': Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M112B1 || APBC || 179 || 177 || 168 || 158 || 148 || 139
|-
| M107 || HE || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54
|-
| T29E1 || APCBC || 199 || 197 || 187 || 175 || 165 || 155
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M112B1 || APBC || 670 || 45 || 1.2 || 20 || 640 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M107 || HE || 717 || 43 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 6860 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T29E1 || APCBC || 670 || 45 || 1.2 || 19 || 640 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| M110 || 717 || 45 || 25 || 5 || 30 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 30 ''(+4)'' 21 ''(+13)'' || 8 ''(+26)'' 7 ''(+27)'' || 3 ''(+31)'' 3 ''(+31)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
* Racks 3 and 4 are first stage ammo racks. They total 7 shells for projectiles and 6 shells for propellant bags.
* These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 3 - 1 - 2.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" width="50%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt)
! Fire rate
! Vertical
! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1200 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 1000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}

These heavy machineguns can be extremely useful for gauging distance measurements (coaxial), engaging lightly armoured vehicles or shooting down enemy aircraft (pintle).

== Usage in battles ==

Despite its labeling as a heavy tank, the {{PAGENAME}} is better used as a tank destroyer and being more of a supportive role than a breakthrough role that most heavy tanks were designed to do. With its long reload for the 155mm makes it's gameplay a bit similar to tank like [[KV-2]] than tank like [[T29]] or [[T34]]. The T30 can handle itself on its own if in a one on one encounter but will be at a disadvantage if it is facing more than one due to the long reload time. So to fully utilize that heavy gun it might be best to be a supportive role tank for the medium tanks or the MBTs that got a faster reload but not the same destructive power as the T30's 155mm have.

The T30 share similarities with the armour as the [[T29]] and [[T34]], having a thick heavily armored turret got it's advantages. Since it's most heavily armoured part is the front turret it can be a key factor on how to make plans where to best utilize the tank, keep in mind even if having the turret only exposed it's not a 100% guaranteed safety from shells like APDS that will with ease be able to penetrate turret. But shells like HEAT-FS will mostly not do same amount of damage but can take out the gunner or in worst case scenario the gun's breech.

Enemy tanks to be aware of is mostly MBTs like [[Leopard 1]], [[M60]], [[Vickers MBT]], [[T-54 (1951)]], [[STB-1]], [[OF-40]], [[Strv 101]]. But that is not the only threat there is also ATGM Vehicles and large caliber tanks that can have enough Power to disable the T30's turret when hull down and out flank the slow T30's position.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||M110
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| T29E1||
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Inherits the great armour layout of the [[T29]].
* Since the T30 is armed with a huge 155 mm gun, the APHE shells are good at over matching angled armor found on tanks like the Panther.
* Both of the APHE shells have an amazing amount damage potential. Any shot that enters an enemy's crew compartment will almost certainly lead to a one shot.
* The Hi-Ex shell is one of the most powerful standard HE shells in the game. Great at taking out heavily armoured tanks if the explosion occurs over the turret, or under the hull.
* The smoke shell produces an impressive 50m wide cloud of smoke that last a fantastic 30 seconds.
* Because of the slow shell velocity, this is one of the few tanks in the game that's really good at hitting targets behind cover.
* Despite the massive breech, the tank still retains 10 degrees of gun depression.
* Has a fantastic set of optics that give magnification levels of 4.0x-8.0x. Excellent for both close target acquisition and long range target identification.
* Has two .50 cal machine guns that can rip apart lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels.

'''Cons:'''

* Has one of the worst reloads in the game. Even an ACE crew using the 6-round first stage ammo rack will take an abysmal 29.9 seconds to reload the gun.
* Despite the great armor, the guns' terrible reload rate renders you helpless if 2 or more enemy tanks attack you at the same time.
* Even at point blank range, the default APHE shell just doesn't have sufficient penetration to pose a threat to contemporary heavy tanks.
* The top APHE shell still only has 199 mm of pen at point blank range.
* The advantage of having incredible optics is negated by the bad shell velocity and accuracy of the 155mm shells. Hitting a moving target is difficult, and hitting anything past 1,000 meters is basically impossible.
* Despite the 6-man crew, the shear size of the 155mm shell and case means that any enemy APHE shell that enters the hull or turret will likely end in an ammo explosion.
* Has one less .50 cal machine gun than the T29 and [[T34]].
* Due to the horrendous rate of fire, the T30 is heavily reliant and friendly vehicle support. In other words, carrying games is difficult.

== History ==


In 1944, the Army requested 4 prototypes for heavy tanks, two armed with a 105 mm gun and two armed with a 155 mm gun. The intention was to create vehicles that could face enemy heavy tanks on even terms, or even advantageous terms. The vehicles armed with the 105 mm gun were designated [[T29]], and the two armed with a 155 mm gun were designated [[T30]].

The armament of the T30, a 155 mm T7 L/40 gun, was one of the largest guns ever fitted to an armored fighting vehicle made in the United States. The gun was carried in a tall, long turret with rounded edges. The height of the turret was quite necessary, as the size of the gun and its ammunition required a standing loader. The hull of the T30 was the same as the T29. It was a lengthened version of the [[M26|T26E3 chassis]]. The armor of the T30 was quite thick, and the hull was also well angled, as one of the requirements for the design was protection from the German [[KwK43 (88 mm)|long 88 mm anti-tank gun]]. The T30 carried a crew of six men. These were the driver, commander, bow machine gunner, gunner, and two loaders. One loader moved the crane that placed the shell, and the other used the rammer that put the shell into the breech. The gun could only be loaded at certain angles. The T30 saw an upgrade, called the T30E1, which added an automatic loading system, which moved the gun to the correct position, loaded the shell, and moved the gun back to the firing position. A hatch was added to the rear of the turret to allow the ejection of shell casings after firing.

World War 2 ended before the heavy tank designs ([[T28]], [[T29]], T30, [[T32]], [[T34]]) could enter service, and the development of these vehicles ended, but the development of these heavy tank designs provided experience that proved useful when designing the [[M103|M103 heavy tank]] during the Cold War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t30 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Ucr-wFDeLRA|'''T30 Tank Review: Missing Punch''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Other tanks sharing the design:

* [[T29]] - 105 mm gun
* [[T34]] - 120 mm gun

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5963-development-t30-premium-heavy-tank-en|[Devblog] T30 Premium heavy tank]]
* [[wikipedia:T30_Heavy_Tank|[Wikipedia] T30 Heavy Tank]]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=353 Military Factory - T30 (Heavy Tank T30)]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}
{{Winter Event}}

Tiger II (H) Sla.16

2020-08-08T03:54:28Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla
|store = 5185
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update_1.57_"Battle_March"|Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. As a purchasable bundle vehicle, this variant comes with premium bonuses and the experimental installation of a diesel power engine, increasing its mobility vastly. But the vehicle functions near identically to the in-tree regular variant. It fits into the 6.7 line-up very well and can be utilised greatly in battle because of it's enhanced combat capabilities.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


The frontal armour of the Tiger II is very strong and can only be penetrated by a select few tanks at its battle rating and even less when fighting in a down-tier. The side and back armour, however, are pitiful with only 100 mm at its thickest, some SPAA at the rank can penetrate the sides so it is advised to never show your back or sides to an enemy lest you want to go back to the hanger/garage. It is slightly more armored then its non-premium counterpart with added tracks on the sides on the turret, adding an extra 30mm of armor to the very weak sides.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 968|rbMinHp= 663|}}

The top speed on-road forwards is around 42-44 km/h, and the reverse speed is surprisingly good at -11 km/h (RB). These speeds combined with neutral steering mean the {{PAGENAME}} is quite agile despite its heavy tank status. The engine has a lot of horsepower and climbing hills is surprisingly easy with this variant of the famed King Tiger.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


The main gun this Panzer beholds is the KwK/43 88mm long-barreled gun. This gun performs astoundingly well for this BR, offering high muzzle velocity with more than enough post-penetration damage. The muzzle velocity of this gun sits at around 1000m/s for APCBC and 1400m/s for the APCR round, and also has HEAT shells, making it an exceptional sniper and brawler alike. The APCBC stock shell gets a fair amount of explosive filler with a wide one-shot capability upon penetration. This shell exceeds in ammo-racking enemy tanks, so aim for ammo stowage on the enemy vehicle. The APCR should only really be used for engagements on enemies you cannot punch through with APCBC alone, since it offers significantly higher penetration at the expense of post-pen damage, making it a very situational round. The same can be applied to the HEAT shell for long-range, as penetration dropoff does not matter on angled armour layouts, but instead offers poorer penetration values.

{{main|KwK 43 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 43]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" |70|| -8°/+15° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' ||17.0||23.6||25.8||28.6||30.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' ||12.5||14.7||16.1||17.9||19.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|9.7||8.6||7.9||7.5
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC ||237||234||222||207||194||181
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 ||14||14||14
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1,000 || 10.16 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1000 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 1100 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR ||1,130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Tiger II (H).png|thumb|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Tiger II (H). Note that racks 7 and 8 are ready racks.]]
Thanks to the ready rack feature found on this tank, the first and second ammo racks found in the back of the turret will always be full of ammo, making it the prime target for enemy tankers who are looking to detonate your ammo rack. Even solid shots like APCR and APDS that commonly pierce your front turret can make their way to the rear of the turret, potentially hitting the ready racks and can cause a critical hit to become a deadly one.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''70''' || 65 ''(+17)'' || 59 ''(+28)'' || 48 ''(+39)'' || 37 ''(+50)'' || 30 ''(+57)'' || 23 ''(+64)'' || 12 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+76)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}
Both side empty: 23 ''(+47)''
'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 23 to keep the hull empty and both ready racks full.
* 7th and 8th ammo racks are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills 1 through 6 in that order.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in either ready rack. If both ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing the main gun when it is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-6 into 8 then 7, as long as there is ammo in racks 1-6. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

This tank, unlike the standard version, receives an additional top mount MG34 7.62mm machine gun located atop the commander's cupola with a wide arc of fire, designed for anti-aircraft purposes. However, this extra gun proves inadequate at efficiently dealing damage to aircraft and so should be used more prominently as a spotting tool or a light armour remedy.

== Usage in battles ==


Considering most of the players who use this vehicle will be using it in RB/SB, this section will cater to them. This vehicle can be used as a brawler and a sniper equally. With its potent gun and reliable armour layout, this tank can take a fair few shots before expiring. Try not to let your flanks become exposed if playing in urban maps. On open maps, you should stick to towns or hills and remain hull down to utilize your thick turret cheeks well. Aim for noticeable weak spots on enemies, ie. lower glacis shots or ammo rack shots will more often than not result in a reliable way to destroy them. The gun has a solid rate of fire, not too slow, so you can follow up with a return shot fairly quickly.

You will adapt over time and learn where the weak spots of most opposing vehicles. At times, this tank will act more as a support tank when considering the typical opponents will more than likely have stabilizers and sufficient suspension dampening, putting you at a disadvantage if you can't train your gun onto the target first. American heavy tanks such as the [[T29]], [[T34]], [[T32]] and [[M103]] will sometimes give you trouble. The trick to dealing with these tough, heavily armoured foes is to aim for the lower glacis. When engaging these vehicles, if you are not confident in being able to penetrate on your first shot, try and shoot the gun barrel to prevent your foes from firing back at you.

It is best used at mid to long ranges, where its' small weak spots are hardest to hit. It can, however, be put to work on the front lines, protecting medium tanks and tank destroyers - just be aware of your limited mobility, and ensure you have options should you get advanced upon by multiple enemies.

When used as a sniper, it is best that you find a position with a good overview of the battlefield. Keep your tank positioned directly towards the enemy and keep an eye out for any medium tanks trying to flank you (Tiger II has great frontal armour, do not be afraid to use it. However, keep in mind that the lower plate offers less protection and penetrations can easily cause fires due to the positioning of mechanical parts). It is best that you find cover behind a solid object and slightly rotate your vehicle e.g.: rotate your tank about 10-15 degrees from the enemy (your turret too). Positioning, combined with distance, can easily give you effective armour greater than 300 mm. When "sniping" it is best to wait for the enemy to expose their weak points, fire a steady, accurate shot and retreat to a safe position. Wait for your reload to be completed and slowly show your frontal plate (most of the players will engage even though the chances of penetration are low); once the enemy has fired, you can take your time and engage the tank while they reload.

Using the Tiger II to advance and to support the front line can be rather tricky. While this tank offers great firepower and superior frontal armour, you'll notice that it is hard to fight in urban areas. In situations like this, you will quickly realize that the high weight and sheer size of the tank can cause major problems. Almost any tank that is faster will easily outmanoeuvre the Tiger II and destroy it. To avoid this, it is best to stay in the back (not too far from your team), keeping your tank positioned at an angle and using "peek-a-boo" techniques. You should always look for a position that can protect you during the assault of small tanks, such as "U" shaped buildings where you can easily retreat and protect your weak points.

====Counter-tactics====

[[File:Tiger II Shooting Guide.jpg|500px|left|thumb|Colour-frames showing the viability of targets on the Königstiger.]]

A Tiger II is a formidable enemy when it's used correctly by its operator, but it's by no means indestructible under any conditions.

The first thing you want to do is deny the Tiger II of the advantage of its gun by getting as close as possible while keeping clear of its cannon (the closer you get, the better the penetration values for you and the Tiger II) most Tiger II operators will avoid getting flanked at all costs so you might find yourself forced to face one from the front. The biggest weak spot is the lower frontal hull plate, its slopped but only 100mm thick and behind it lies the transmission that likes to catch fires and create nasty shrapnel when destroyed, the shrapnel will fly inwards and if your shell is large enough they will take out the entire crew. However, this shot will most likely only leave the Tiger II unable to move for a minute and make his operator quite angry (at you) while his gun remains perfectly operational and before you have a chance reload you will most likely receive a very accurate shot from an irritated Tiger II operator.

The lower frontal plate is a good place to hit but it should be a second option, with this tank, you need to disable that gun as soon as possible, the turret is a very reliable target at close range, even with HEAT ammo you should be able to deliver a shot that will disable its firing capability for long enough for you to reload and shoot again. Using your best AP round for this is recommended since the frontal turret has a fairly thick (but flat) plate if nothing else works try APCR.

Using high calibre HE rounds is also effective. The cupola is probably the best place to hit with a HE shell since the explosion will deflect into the thin upper plate and destroy everything inside. It is not easy to hit, but if you manage to hit the cupola it's very unlikely it survives.

The Tiger II is very vulnerable to "Circling attacks", that means, running around it in circles and harass it with side shots. Its turret can turn quite fast (especially in arcade mode) but most medium tanks are fast enough to outrun it.

If you somehow manage to see an enemy Tiger II from the side, try to land a shot in the middle of the hull, near of the turret (not on the turret, the upper part of the hull), there's a good chance there will be ammo there, and if there isn't, you will either knock out the tank by taking out many crew members or cripple it heavily

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the fantastic KwK 43, arguably the best pound-for-pound gun in the game.
* The default APHE shell has very high accuracy, shell velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* Optics have magnification levels of 2.5x-5.0x. Really good for close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* 22 shells in the first stage ammo rack, giving this tank an impressive 7.5 second reload rate when equipped with an ACE crew.
* Astounding frontal armour. The upper front plate is virtually impervious to anything but APDS and HEAT rounds.
* Enemy shells that penetrate the lower plate will likely have all of its damage absorbed by the transmission.
* Same small turret as the Tiger II H, but has 20 mm of tracks covering the entire exterior of the turret sides.
* Turret front is a small target, and the gun mantlet is both large and utterly impenetrable.
* Due to the placement of the turret and how thick the side armor is, side scraping is an extremely effective tactic in this tank.
* Armed with 12-round, semi-automatic smoke grenade launcher.
* Thanks to its diesel engine, this tank has better acceleration and hill-climbing speed than the standard Tiger II H.
* Though a heavy tank, it is a very fast and highly maneuverable when running at full power.
* Decent reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are easy to preform.
* Unlike the other Tiger II's, there's a roof mounted MG-34.
* Jack of all trades tank against its competitors. Can effectively snipe, ambush, flank, and brawl.

'''Cons:'''

* While being a small target, the turret front is weakly armoured when facing tanks at and above 6.7.
* All 22 rounds in the first stage ammo rack is located in the back of the turret. Enemy shells entering the back of the turret will likely lead to an ammo detention.
* Both of the hull sides is lined with ammo, meaning penetrating shots in the sides is almost always certain death.
* The APCR shells are lack-luster and wildly inferior to most of the contemporary American APCR rounds.
* Hilariously bad HEAT and Hi-Ex shells. Don't bother ever loading anything but the default APHE round.
* Though the transmission will routinely eat enemy shells, that doesn't change the fact that the tank can still be immobilized from both front and rear shots.
* Still a heavy tank, most mediums will have no problems catching up/flanking the tank if the players is not paying attention.
* The roof mounted MG-34 has a high rate of fire, but still only fires 8mm bullets. Critically damaging enemy planes is unlikely.
* When up-tiered, will routinely fight vehicles that were literally designed to kill tanks like the Tiger II.

== History ==

The Sla.16 diesel engine developed by Simmering-Graz-Pauker from Vienna. With a power output of around 750 hp, it was considerably more powerful than Maybach engine used by the [[Tiger E|Tiger I]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[Panther A|Panther]] tanks that had 690 hp. The Sla.16 was also proposed as the power unit for the infamous super-heavy [[Maus|Maus]] tank. According to various of sources such as ''Military Engineer'' and ''Amazing Porsche and Volkswagen Story'', the engines were tested with positive results. The recommendation was that these diesel engines were to be attached to the heavy tanks and tank destroyers currently in production for increased efficiency of the vehicles. A diesel engine was mounted onto a Tiger II as a prototype built by Nibelungen Werke and went through testings, though results have not been found from this test. Further proposals also wanted the engine to be mounted in the Panther and Jagdtiger vehicles for increased power, but the war's constraint on supplies and Nazi Germany's capitulation resulted in the cancellation of these programs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Tiger II (H) Sla.16 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|N5YJmEcfLxQ|'''The Shooting Range #5''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:12 discusses the Tiger II (H) Sla.16.}}

== See also ==


* [[Tiger II (H)]]
* [[Tiger II (P)]]

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/875/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Tiger II Sla.16: the diesel-engined “King Tiger”]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Strv 81 (RB 52) (Great Britain)

2020-08-07T23:55:45Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = uk_centurion_mk_3_ss11
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Strv 81 (Rb.52).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Full name: '''Stridsvagn 81 (Rb.52)''') is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. A Swedish import of the British [[Centurion Mk 3]], it features an add-on of three SS.11 anti-tank missile on the turret. It uses the MCLOS guidance system (SACLOS in arcade mode), which means that the missiles must be manually guided by the tank movement keys to their target.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 76.2 mm (58°) ''Front glacis'' 76.2 mm (47-48°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 (12°) + 6 mm || 38 mm (8-12°) || 29 mm 8-14 mm ''Engine deck''
|-
| Turret || 152 mm (6-27°) ''Turret front'' 152 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 89 mm (5-12°) || 89 mm (1-18°) || 50.8 mm ''Border of turret'' 29 mm ''Center of turret''
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152 mm || 90 mm || 29 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are both 20 mm thick.
*The steel boxes around the turret and hull give a 4 mm additional protection, though this seems to be a negligible addition.
*ATGM attached outside the turret act as ammo racks and can be detonated
*Spaced armour plates are placed on the side of the Centurion, giving an additional 6 mm of side armour.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1007|rbMinHp= 575}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm OQF 20-pounder Mk.I]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 65 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || Two-plane
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.7 || 14.8 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.7 || 12.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 8.1 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj || APCBC || 231 || 229 || 216 || 200 || 186 || 173
|-
| 8,4 cm Slsgr m/53 || HE || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj m/54 || APDS || 285 || 283 || 262 || 239 || 218 || 198
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj || APCBC || 1,000 || 9.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 8,4 cm Slsgr m/53 || HE || 600 || 7.5 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 1,130 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj m/54 || APDS || 1,400 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| 8,4 cm Rökgr m/53 || 250 || 9.3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Strv 81 (Rb.52).png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Strv 81.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''65''' || 62 ''(+3)'' || 33 ''(+32)'' || 17 ''(+48)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

Turret empty: 62 ''(+3)'' Front empty: 33 ''(+32)''

=== Additional armament ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | 164 mm Robot-52 (SS11) ATGM
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Flight speed (m/s)
! rowspan="1" | Range (m)
|-
| colspan="3" | 3 || N/A || 150 || 6,500
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Rb.52 || ATGM || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Rb.52 || ATGM || 150 || 30 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 4,550 || +0° || 65° || 70° || 75°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''3''' || 2 ''(+1)'' || 1 ''(+2)'' || 0 ''(+3)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,600 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Stridsvagn 81 is essentially the Centurion Mk.3. It is an effective medium tank if played to its strengths.

If one wants to keep it simple, just use the powerful gun to snipe from distance.

More advanced tankers can utilize the not too impressive max speed (35kmph/22mph) to move with this medium tank into the flanks of enemy tanks (close to the border of a map) and search for positions like hills and ridges where one can make use of the amazing -10° gun depression to hide the vulnerable lower plate of this tank. Once in position, one should use the binoculars to scout for enemies without exposing the turret. If an enemy tank is spotted that could be a potential threat, pop out a little bit and start to take out the enemies gunner/cannon barrel/cannon breech to prevent him from returning fire. Now utilize the quick reload to take out one crew member after the other to finish off the opponent. If an enemy is spotted who is exposing their side or even the rear while not aiming towards the Strv 81, shoot the engine first to immobilize and possibly even ignite the enemy tank, preventing him to take cover. The next shots should again disable the gun of the enemy, now finish the prey by shooting all crew members or, if feeling lucky, shoot an ammo rack.

The best choice to pierce enemy tanks is obviously the Shot Mk.3 (APDS) although it is quite expensive in terms of Silver Lions. The Shot Mk. 1 (APCBC) works in most situation as well but lacks penetration compared to the Mk. 3 APDS shot. The amazing penetration characteristics of this APDS shot enables this gun to pierce front plates of all Panther models (apart from the Panther II) to ranges up to 2000m. T-44s and Panther IIs front plates can be penetrated to ranges up to almost 1000m. Keep in mind though that the front plate of the T-44 is angled at 60°, so it bounces even this powerful APDS shot quite often. Even the front plate of the mighty Tiger II is not able to stop this APDS shot if not angled and the range is shorter than 100m. However, aside from the gun, the Strv 81 has access to three potent [[Anti-tank guided missiles|anti-tank guided missiles]].

In a head to head situation with an enemy tank approaching try to angle the Strv 81 not more than 5° degrees to either side since the side armour is quite weak (50.8mm), try to hide the lower front plate which is a massive weak spot, while reloading turn the turret 10° to the right to maximize chances of bouncing shots (right side of the turret front has some extra armour) and keeping the gunner alive.

'''''How to use an [[Anti-tank guided missiles|ATGM]]''''' 
The addition of the ATGM means the Strv 81 has the potential to act as a long-range support vehicle from the rear lines or the flanks. Prop up the Centurion in a well fortified and safe location and use it as a base of fire and launch missiles onto the enemies' front or sides. With the high amount of penetration available on the SS.11 missiles, even a glancing hit can do massive damage to the hit enemy tank.

The SS.11 missiles attached to the right side of the Strv 81 turret provide up to 600 mm of penetration upon impact, making all but the most deflected shots potent to any targets. Three are available for immediate usage and are guided by a MCLOS system. The missile have a trajectory of going up for a distance before leveling, creating a "dead zone" of up to 200 meters that the missile cannot adequately engage in.

In arcade mode, the missile guidance system is relatively uncomplicated in aiming. Simply aim the crosshair onto the desired target and the missile will adjust to fit into the crosshair. The guidance system is sensitive as such it is not recommended to rapidly swing the crosshair around during the missile trajectory to keep it stable and on track. Once depleted, the missile will gradually reload to refill the launch racks.

In realistic and simulator mode, the missile is guided by the tank movement keys of [W], [A], [S], and [D]. [W] and [S] moves the missile vertically while [A] and [D] moves the missile horizontally. The guidance system will not activate until the missile clears its dead zone. The system is sensitive as such it is not recommended to rapidly tap the keys for movement else the missile moves out of the scope and away from the controls. Once depleted, the missile will not automatically reload and must be driven onto a captured control point for reloads.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| slpprj m/54
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| Smoke grenade
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| rökgr m/53
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Other than the inclusion of the 3 RB 52 ATGM's, the Strv 81 is identical to the Centurion Mk 3.
* Really nice 20 pounder gun that can fire high penetration APDS, or high damage AP shells at an alarming rate. The only tanks at this BR with a better rate of fire are French autoloaders.
* An ACE crew can reload the gun in an excelent 6.3 seconds when the 8-round first stage ammo rack has at least one shell in it.
* The APDS shells have both high levels of penetration and high levels of velocity. Makes getting through thick armor or hitting a moving target at range really easy.
* The APCBC shell creates a lot of shrapnel. Shells that enter the front of the enemy vehicle stand a good chance at knocking the tank out in 1 or 2 shots.
* Really good set of optics with magnification levels of 4.9x-6.0x. Great for both close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* Has 10 degrees of gun depression.
* Has 3 keyboard guided ATGM's that have an astounding 600mm of HEAT penetration. No tank at this BR can absorb that kind of penetration.
* The turret has a lot rounded angles. Will bounce some powerful shells every so often.
* There's a large 17mm steel plate sitting between the driver and the reserve ammo, reducing the likely hood of ammo detentions if enemy APHE shells enter on the right side of the lower glacis plate.
* Good engine power. Can climb hills and accelerate to its top speed rather quickly.
* Has a really good reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are really easy to pull off in this tank.
* Has a 12 smoke grenades. Fires 6 off at a time that covers a wider area in front of the tank, making it easy to mask a large area or retreat in relative safety.
* Gets the usual bonuses that come with all Premium tanks.

'''Cons:'''

* The turret roof is at a bad angle. Can be penetrated by contemporary tanks rather easily, especially if they are shooting down at you.
* The turret protection is unreliable thanks to the mediocre armor. One minute the turret will bounce a point blank shot from a Tiger II, the next minute an M36's 90mm gun will penetrate the front of the turret at 500 meters.
* 3 of the 4 crew members are in the turret.
* The lower plate is a huge weak spot. Even with the 17mm steel plate, any APHE shell that penetrates the lower plate will likely destroy the tank.
* The hull side armor is rather weak. Side scraping is ill advised.
* The APDS has both mediocre accuracy and low damage potential. It's not uncommon to have to shoot an enemy 4 or more times to finally destroy them.
* The APCBC has both worse velocity and penetration levels than the APDS shell.
* No explosive filler in either the APDS or APCBC shell. Killing the enemy crew in one shot is difficult, especially if the shot enters the side of the enemy tank.
* The 8-round ammo rack is used up rather quickly thanks to the high fire rate. If all 8 rounds are expended, the tanks fire rate drops significantly until the loader finally puts a new shell into the first stage ammo rack.
* The ATGM's are not only mouse guided, but leave the tank at an upwards angle. Hitting targets closer than 150 meters with the ATGM's is unlikely.
* The ATGM's are really slow. Can easily be shot out of the sky by the enemy. Especially if the vehicle you are shooting at spots the missile.
* Is very slow for a medium tank. There are several heavy tanks at the BR that are faster in a straight line.

== History ==

===Development===
The tank's concept was made in 1943 when the Directorate of Tank Design, under Sir Claude Gibb, was asked to produce a new heavy cruiser tank for the General Staff under the designation ''A41'', which was to become the standard of a British "Universal Tank" to replace the separated "infantry" and "cruiser" tanks currently used. As World War II progressed and the Germans unveiled their heavier tanks with an [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm cannon]] like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], War Office made a revision to their design requirements to counter this threat. The requirements now include an increased durability and reliability, with the ability to protect itself against the 88 mm gun and mines, an agility similar to the [[Comet I|Comet tank]] and with good reverse speed, all while staying under a 40 ton weight.

Responding to these requirements, the department developed a larger hulls by adapting the suspension on the Comet, lengthening with another road wheel and spacing between the wheels. The standard Christie suspension used on the previous cruiser tanks was replaced by the Horstmann suspension, which uses coil springs on two-wheel bogies on each side and is proven to be easier to maintain than the Christie suspension. The hull used a welded and sloped armour with a cast turret mounting the famous [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|17-pounder cannon]]. The speed of the tank would be established by using the Rolls Meteor engine previously used on the Comet and [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]]. Despite these changes, the department concluded that the weight restriction would not allow the tank design to withstand the 88 mm rounds. The weight restriction was done so the tank would be able to be carried around in the Mk.I and Mk.II transport trailers, which had a 40-ton load. This restriction was rescinded to allow more freedom in the tank design, which showed potential to War Ministry. The heavier tank designs developed had armour equivalent to the heaviest infantry tanks like the [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill tank]], yet with superior cross-country mobility due to improved suspension and engines.

The tank was given the name '''Centurion''' and the first mock-ups of the design was made by AEC and was presented in May 1944. After that, 20 pilot models were ordered with a various armament combinations. Ten had a 17-pounder and a 20 mm Polsten gun (5 with a machine gun in turret rear, 5 with an escape door instead), five had a 17-pounder and a BESA machine gun and an escape door, five more with the 77 mm HV gun with a driver operated hull machine gun. The prototypes of the 40-ton design, the Mk.1, had a 76 mm armour on the front glacis, which was made very powerful with the heavy sloping design on the tank. Added with a 152 mm thick turret armour, the Centurion became a very protected tank design, yet it was also very agile, outperforming the Comet tank in tests. The next Centurion model, Mk.2, featured a much thicker 118 mm front glacis armour and a thicker side armour. Production began for the Centurion Mk.2 in November 1945 for 800 tanks from Leyland Motors, Royal Ordnance Factories, and Vickers. The Mk.2 was put into service in the 5th Royal Tank Regiment in December 1946.

After the Centurion Mk.2 was put into service, Royal Ordnance developed the successor to the 17-pounder, the [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm 20-pounder]]. With this, the Centurion went through another upgrade to mount the 20-pounder. The 20 mm Polsten gun was removed and replaced by a BESA gun due to its questionable utility. The new upgrade, now the [[Centurion Mk 3]], also featured an automatic stabilization system that improved firing accuracy while on the move. The tank was first produced in 1948 and overtook the previous Mk.1 and Mk.2 in service. However, the 20-pounder also did not stay in service for long and were replaced by the more powerful [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7 gun]] from Royal Ordnance Factories. All Centurions versions after Mark 5/2 used the L7 gun, including the [[Centurion Mk 10]], which also featured additional armour with the new gun.

===Swedish import===
Sweden, a neutral power during World War II, analyzed the progress of technology and concluded they needed a replacement tank for their armoured forces. The Swedish Armed Forces right after World War II in 1945 decided that the most suitable tank for the upcoming years of the Cold War was the Centurion tank. A request was sent for the purchase of the vehicles, but Britain affirmed that their needs must be met before any exports of the Centurion tank could be made. Not eager to wait long for their tanks, Sweden started development in 1951 to create their own tank, designated "Emil", as well as seek out the AMX-13 light tank from France. However the wait ended abruptly when Britain started to export the Centurion in 1952, and Sweden swooped up an order of 80 Centurion Mk 3 in 1952, with the first delivery arriving in April 1953. The Swedish designated the adopted Centurion Mk 3 tank as the '''Stridsvagn 81'''. In 1955, Sweden imported another batch of Centurion, 160 Mk 5 variants, and employed them in the same designation as well. In the 1960, Sweden bought another batch of [[Centurion Mk 10|Mk 10]] tanks that were accepted as the ''Stridsvagn 101''. During the years in service, the Strv 81 and 101 were upgraded with newer equipments, modules, and armaments, as well as changing the designation to signal the improvements. There were also tests such as the inclusion of '''SS.11''' missile on the turret side to improve the firepower of the Centurions.

The Centurion Stridsvagn series served alongside the domestic Strv 103 design as the primary vehicle of the Swedish armoured forces. In 1990s, the Swedish military started to phase out the two tanks as they modernized their forces. After a series of tests between the Russian T-72, American M1 Abrams, and German Leopard 2, the Swedish military replaced their outdated armoured fleet with the Leopard 2, designated the ''Stridsvagn 121''.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|IJ0jYa4sRTE|'''Premium Vehicles: Strv 81 (RB 52)''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''}}

== 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/3734-development-strv-81-the-missile-centurion-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Strv-81: The Missile Centurion]]

{{Britain medium tanks}}
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

M26E1

2020-08-07T23:37:46Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m26e1_pershing}}
{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = M26 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]]. Aside from the base model of a [[M26|M26 Pershing]], it boasts the long L/73 [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm Gun T54]], very similar to the T15E2 on the [[T32|T32]], allowing it to compete effectively against Rank IV vehicles with the mobility of the Pershing.

The only distinctive characteristic of the M26E1 compared to the original M26 is the "T54" 90 mm cannon. The cannon has a longer barrel with a small muzzle-brake compared to its original design. The longer 90 mm cannon comes with the standard AP shot, HE shot, M82 shot (APCBC), and HVAP shot. All these rounds, except for the HE shot, have a higher pen and velocity compared to the standard 90 mm M3. The M82 shot is considered the most useful and efficient round for this tank as it has enough explosive filler (140 g of Exp. D) to "one-shot" many tanks in its battle rating while having little to no difficulty entering the enemy's vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)
* Structural steel (Exterior boxes, Rear counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 mm (12-46°) ''Front glacis'' 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (28-53°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-3°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (71°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (9-73°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (2°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 76.2 mm
|76.2 mm
|25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
* Counterweight on the turret rear is made of structural steel.

Any tactic that works with the M26 Pershing can work with the M26E1. While its gun is quite potent, it also has quite a lengthy reload time after firing, minimum 11 seconds with an ace crew. As such, an M26E1 that fired is a great opportunity to pounce on provided no other enemies are around that remains a threat.

The M26E1 has the same armour as the M26 Pershing, so any weapons that can cleave through one's armour can go through the others. The best target is for a straight-on hit on the front glacis as the direct effective thickness is 146 mm of cast armour. Side armour is also quite thin, ranging from 50 to 76 mm and can thus be easily pierced by most weapons at the BR.

=== Mobility ===


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

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T54 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54]] || 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" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 14.43 || rowspan="2" | 12.76 || rowspan="2" | 11.77 || rowspan="2" | 11.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| AP Shot || AP || 211 || 208 || 193 || 177 || 162 || 148
|-
| HE Shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 224 || 221 || 206 || 188 || 172 || 157
|-
| HVAP Shot || APCR || 336 || 330 || 304 || 274 || 248 || 223
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| AP Shot || AP || 975 || 10.90 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| HE Shell || HE || 975 || 10.60 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 975 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| HVAP Shot || APCR || 1,143 || 7.60 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}. Turret storage (1) is a 5 round ready rack. Floor storage (2) is consumed from left to right.]]
''Last Updated: 1.93.0.35''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''41''' || 5 ''(+36)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M26E1 was a post-World War II modification of the standard [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. This modification changes the barrel length to 73 calibres long with the new [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54 gun]]. The gun offers some of the most powerful penetration in-game for Rank IV and is equipped with AP, HE, APCBC and HVAP Rounds. The M26E1 suffers from a very weak side and rear amour, though this is a common weakness on every tank. The front and front part of the turret is able to bounce some enemy shots but can be penetrated by most other tanks in its 6.7 [[Battle_ratings|Battle Rating]] range so beware.

Playing the M26E1 is similar to the [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. Armour and mobility of the two tanks are the same. The only advantage sticking out is the M26E1's more powerful gun due to the longer length. Though more powerful, the reload time is also longer than the normal M26 Pershing, so the playstyle should be more conservative to avoid being caught in an attack while reloading.

Though equipped with a very powerful gun, the M26E1 suffers from the same M26 Pershing armour. Thus, it is very vulnerable to most tanks at its rank and so most of its combat life should be taking cover and avoiding large open spaces. The M26E1 presents the same mobility of the Pershing so this can be exploited in close quarters over the more cumbersome [[Panther F|Panther]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]]'s. Staying in cover and scooting out to take out the enemy from their weak points on the front or their vulnerable side armour should be the prime attack move for the M26E1 before retreating back into cover.

Fighting against medium tanks will be relatively easy due to the gun's penetration value. Unless bounced, the gun could even penetrate the front glacis of the [[Panther G|Panther]] tanks. The main problem the tank will face is the Tiger II and [[T32|T32]] heavy tanks and the later IS tanks such as the [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] due to their thick front armour. Flanking may be necessary for these heavy tanks, but some accurate shots to some known weak points on the front of these tanks can also work.

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are the more common German heavy tanks seen with the battle rating and are the most dangerous. The best tactic is to use the 90 mm gun to penetrate the turret cheeks and knock out the gunner. In the time period when the firing method is disabled, move in with the M26E1's mobility and hit it on the sides if possible.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: The 88 mm gun is a threat to the tank, but in close range, the 90 mm APCBC round can penetrate the front armour, and the APCR can be used if wanting a definite result.
* [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]]: The IS-2 tank's 122 mm cannon can make short work of the M26E1, thus it is best to avoid being shot at in the first place. If in the situation where a fight with the IS-2 must be head on, fire a round through the turret cheeks and incapacitate the gunner for a more opportune moment to aim to destroy the tank. Shooting a lower glacis also works and if lucky may even knock out the tank.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| T41
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| HVAP Shot
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
|
|-
! colspan="6" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The {{PAGENAME}} is basically a Super Pershing stripped of all the spaced armor, and equipped with a much better engine.
* Armed with the same 90 mm gun as the Super Pershing and T32. Far superior to the original M26's 90 mm M3 gun.
* While being equipped with the same gun as the Super Pershing and T32, the {{PAGENAME}} reloads the gun faster than either of the other tanks when equipped with an ace crew.
* The 90 mm shells this tank uses are much smaller than the ones used by either the Super Pershing and T32. Ammo detonations are uncommon.
* The gun's optics have a magnification level of 5x, making it good at both close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* The T41 APHE shell is comparable to the Tiger II's APHE shell; presenting great accuracy, velocity, penetration values, and damage potential.
* Fires one of the best APCR shells in the game. Has fantastic penetration values that can cut right though the front of the Jagdtiger's superstructure at ranges exceeding 500 meters.
* 10 degrees of gun depression give the capability to fight hull down and shoot from ridge lines.
* Armed with two .50 cal machine guns that are very good at damaging guns barrels, tracks, and lightly armored vehicles.
* Much better engine than the Super Pershing, giving the {{PAGENAME}} great mobility, acceleration, and hill climbing ability.
* Is routinely underestimated by the enemy team. Many players will think this tank is just a mere M26, not realizing that this tank has the same firepower as a Super Pershing and T32.

'''Cons:'''

* Even with an Ace crew, the reload rate is mediocre, several seconds slower than the Tiger II's 88 mm.
* Frontal armor is not adequate against its competition, with long 88 mm and 122 mm shells able to slice right through it at ranges exceeding 1,000 meters.
* Small crew compartment. Enemy APHE shells that enter the tank will likely kill the entire crew with ease.
* Despite the good gun depression, the turret armor is mediocre at best. Continued turret exposure is ill-advised.
* Underwhelming top speed for a medium tank, tanks like the T-44 will outrun this tank.
* Low total ammunition count for the 90 mm gun, and a small first stage ammo rack that only holds 5 shells.
* Players mistaking this tank for a mere M26 is a double-edged sword, as many enemy players will just run out in front of the {{PAGENAME}} and shoot.

== History ==


The '''M26E1''' was a post-war variant of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] with the intent on increasing its firepower. During World War II, the 90 mm M3 mounted on the original M26 Pershing was equivalent to the German's 88 mm KwK 36 on the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. But looking for an upgrade, Ordnance developed the T15E1 90 mm gun, which was equivalent to the 88 mm KwK 43 on the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. This cannon was mounted on the then development model ''T26E1'' to make the ''[[T26E1-1|T26E1-1]]'' tank. The T15E1 90 mm cannon was visibly much longer than the original 90 mm M3, with the length of 73 calibres compared to the 53 calibres of the M3 cannon. This allowed the cannon to have a much larger ammo charge and muzzle velocity. The first T26E1-1 model made was the only "Super Pershing" model sent to Europe.

A second version was made from the T26E3 model, the production model of the T26E1, with a modified gun to use two-piece ammunition rather than a one-piece version, plus a new gun mounting to remove the stabilizer springs required to hold the gun. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the ''T26E4''.

After World War II, two military model M26 Pershings were converted to mount the T54 gun, which was essentially the same 90 mm cannon as the T15E1 but had ammunition which was shorter and fatter than the previous versions. The muzzle brake was shaved down from two to one baffle to compensate for the smaller chamber the cannon presented. This M26 Pershing with the T54 cannons was designated the '''M26E1 Medium Tank''', but production was never reached due to budget constraints.

=== In-game description ===
Two models of the M26E1 medium tank were built. They were equipped with long-barreled, single-load 90mm cannons that were supposed to be statistically superior to German 88mm guns with 71-caliber barrels. The project became irrelevant when the war ended and was abandoned.

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

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

{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T26E1-1

2020-08-07T23:31:27Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_t26e4_superpershing}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. The tank takes the basis of a normal [[M26|M26 Pershing]], then increases its armour with welded-on metal slabs and up-guns it with a [[T15E1 (90 mm)|T15E1 cannon]], which is nearly identical to the one in the [[T32]]. This gives the tank a much appreciated armour protection and firepower for the battle rating and is comparable with the premium [[M26E1]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, Turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof, Turret appliqué armour)
* Structural steel (Hull appliqué armour, Rear turret counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 (42-46°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) ''Front glacis'' 162.5 (25-60°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) '' Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (53°) + 38.1 (41°) + 38.1 mm (48°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-2°) ''Rear''|| 50.8 mm (4°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (68°) ''Lower'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 (1-84°) + 80 mm (3°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (3°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The left turret side has a few tracks welded on, providing an additional 30 mm of armour where they are.
* The "ear flaps" on the turret provide 38.1 mm of armour. The steel on the gun mantlet gives an additional 80 mm of armour.
* Front glacis have sheets of 38.1 mm armour added on, sloped at varying angles.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T15E1 (90 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} utilizes a very powerful 90 mm T15E1 cannon, nearly identical to the gun on the [[T32]]. The gun's greatest weakness is its reload time, allowing more than sufficient time for the enemy to move out of their cover, aim, and take a shot. Therefore, staying in cover between shots and near friendlies might be preferable. A mix of T41 APCBC and T44 APCR shells is recommended as a typical load-out.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T15E1 (90 mm)|90 mm T15E1]] || 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" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.85 || 31.63 || 38.41 || 42.48 || 45.19 || rowspan="2" | 16.25 || rowspan="2" | 14.38 || rowspan="2" | 13.25 || rowspan="2" | 12.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
For less mobile tank destroyers usually a mix shells is recommended, with Super Pershing being no different. For Arcade Battles, 15 shells is typically sufficient, with majority being APCBC with roughly 3-5 APCR shells dedicated to the enemies with a better armour. APCBC shell is a good default for a majority of targets, it typically should be loaded when venturing towards unknown.

* T43 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Acceptable performance against majority of targets
* T42 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Usable nearly exclusively against soft targets. Due to long reload time it's typically safer to use other shells than committing to the HE
* T41 - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - Deadliest round, very wide post-penetration effect.
* T44 shot - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid shell}} - Penetration increased by 1/3, suitable against more armoured targets, however it has the narrowest cone of post-penetration shrapnel.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| T43 shot || AP || 211 || 208 || 193 || 177 || 162 || 148
|-
| T42 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 224 || 221 || 206 || 188 || 172 || 157
|-
| T44 shot || APCR || 336 || 330 || 304 || 274 || 248 || 223
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| T43 shot || AP || 975 || 10.90 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| T42 shell || HE || 975 || 10.60 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 975 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T44 shot || APCR || 1,143 || 7.60 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
'''Last updated: 1.77.2.68'''
[[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 32 ''(+8)'' || 28 ''(+14)'' || 24 ''(+18)'' || 20 ''(+22)'' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 12 ''(+30)'' || 8 ''(+34)'' || 4 ''(+38)'' || 0 ''(+42)'' || No
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 15 to remove most ammo from the hull floor, leaving rack 9 intact.
* Ammo rack 1 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 9 through 2.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready rack. If the ready racks is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 2-9 into rack 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 2-9. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -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 || 4,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The {{PAGENAME}} is a slow, pretty well-armoured Tank Destroyer, and should be played as such, keeping enemies in front, while friends on flanks. Its frontal protection is not that reliable, especially against long 88's, at the same time its very unconventional, giving a large number of smaller weak spots. Therefore, it's recommended to stay on the move, or even rotating turret left and right to increase chances of deflecting the shot. Unlike with [[T34]] simply staying hull-down is not viable due to weak spots at top of the turret and bottom turret cheeks - it's best to hide an entire body between shots, letting allies lure the attention of the enemy team.

It's also one of the weakest tanks when played solo, owning it to low mobility, very weak side armour and a very long reload time. With 76 mm it can be penetrated by every tank it encounters and a number of anti-aircraft guns. Therefore an additional situational awareness is required to always have allies in proximity, in fact: if need be, tactical retreats might be worth a risk, as if left alone a single hit without mobility kill on a hostile unit can mean a near-certain death.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| T41
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| T44 shot
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
|
|
|-
|}

As with every ground vehicle, Parts and FPE are an absolute top-priority. Following that both types of shells should be researched. Either Adjustment of Fire or Suspension should be researched as the second module in tier II, depending on play-style. If undecided - choose Adjustment of Fire. Mandatory modifications in tier III are T44 shot and Crew Replenishment. After that: Filters -> Engine -> Transmission for improved mobility, in that particular order due to the efficiency in {{rp}}RP/hp increase. Further modifications at will. Generally least important module are Tracks, though again - it might depend on a personal preferences.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The T26E1-1, or Super Pershing, is an up-gunned Pershing with a lot of spaced armor added to the front of the tank.
* The added spaced armor makes this tank very resilient to common guns like the Tiger II's 88mm and even large caliber Hi-Ex shells.
* Is armed with the same powerful 90mm gun that is found on both T32 and M26E1 tanks.
* The T41 APHE shell is comparable to the Tiger II's default APHE shell. It has high accuracy, velocity, penetration, and damage potential.
* Despite all the added armor and new 90mm gun, the tank still gets an impressive 10 degrees of gun depression.
* The turret armor coupled with the gun depression give this tank great potential when it comes to shooting over hills and prolonged hull down fighting.
* Has a roof mounted .50 cal machine gun.

'''Cons:'''

* Despite all the add-on armour, the lower plate is still susceptible to being penetrated by contemporary guns.
* The hull machine gun port is small, but still a weak spot that is easily penetrated.
* The spaced armour doesn't really help against HEAT, APDS, or Russian 122mm shells.
* All the added armour coupled with the weak engine give this tank terrible acceleration and hill climbing capabilities.
* The vertical aiming drive can be damaged by simply shooting the two springs on the turret roof with mere machine guns.
* The turret spaced armor doesn’t cover the weakly armored corners of the lower turret. Can be easily penetrated by contemporary guns.
* The 90mm shells are massive and take up a huge amount of the crew compartment. Any shell that penetrates the hull or left side of the turret housing the 10-round first stage ammo rack will likely destroy the vehicle.
* Even with an ACE crew, the gun will take 12.5 seconds to reload. Trading shots with a Tiger II is not a good idea.
* While the 90mm is a good gun, it's frankly inferior to the Tiger II's 88 in virtually ever metric other than TNT payload.

== History ==

===Development===
The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] helped the American armoured forces by bringing in the heavy 90 mm Gun M3 into service on a tank mount. The gun was similar in performance to the German's [[Tiger E|Tiger I's]] [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 36]] cannon, but Army Ordnance wanted something to match the more powerful [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 43]] cannon on the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. The development to match this cannon made the [[T15E1 (90 mm)|T15 90 mm gun]]; the gun was 73 calibers long, compared to the 90 mm Gun M3's 53 calibers length. The first produced guns were called the ''T15E1'' and had large, fixed ammunition. To test the gun's viability in the tank, the gun was mounted onto the very first production T26, T26E1 tank serial #1, registration #0103292, with the conversions being done by the Wellman Engineering Company. This upgraded tank was titled the '''T26E1-1''' by means of a painted-on designation on the turret's left side to distinguish the design, although this title was not official, and few if any sources refer to it as such. The extreme length of the T15E1 gun barrel caused the manufacturers to add a very prominent counter balance on the mantlet, which could be seen on the left side of the turret when facing it. The T26E1-1 tank was sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds on 12 January 1945 for testing purposes.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

In March 1945, following the Aberdeen tests, the T26 tanks mounting the T15 gun was officially classified as the ''T26E4''. As such, the mentioned T26E1-1 would be classified as the first of the T26E4 models, with an initial procurement plan for 1,000 more units. The first T26E4 (henceforth referred to as T26E1-1) would be the only M26 model with the T15 gun to see service in Europe. Among the troops, the T26E1-1 in Europe would be known by its eponymous name '''"Super Pershing"''' when compared alongside to the normal M26 Pershing.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

===Combat usage===
The T26E1-1 "Super Pershing" was sent to Europe and arrived in 15 March 1945 and assigned to the 3rd Armored Division. In its introduction, the "Super Pershing" was given additional armour by the maintenance crew in hopes to keep it up to date against the heavier German tanks. The front hull had two large pieces of metal welded onto it, each 38 mm in thickness, with a space in between the metal pieces. These metal pieces were sloped more than the hull armour it was over. An additional armour piece was welded on the turret mantlet, the metal was taken from a Panther turret and was about 80 mm thick when welded onto the turret.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> The T15E1 gun has much promise to the crew when using the tank as the gun could reliably penetrate the frontal hull of a [[Panther G|Panther]] tank, a feat not many other American tank gun could claim at the time.

The T26E1-1's performance in battle is largely written in the accounts of John P. Irwin, who was the tank gunner of the only active "Super Pershing" in the war. He mentions of three prominent combat actions with the T26E1-1, each one destroying the enemy with little difficulty. Records show that the T26E1-1 destroyed a total of three tanks and captured one after an extended firefight that left the opposing tank out of ammunition. Though it was hoped to have the T26E1-1 fight a Tiger II for a rather explosive comparison, the T26E1-1 never saw a Tiger II during its tour in Europe. After the war, the T26E1-1 was most likely scrapped in the post-war demobilization as the final image of the tank was it lying in a vehicle dump in Kassel, Germany.

===Legacy and similar vehicles===
The T26E1-1 continued as an idea long after the war was over, with the next development arming the long 90 mm cannon in the ''T26E3'' tank models, but the cannons used the new two-piece ammunition gun T15E2 rather than the one-piece one in the T15E1 when it was found that the long 50 inch rounds made loading prohibitive in the M26 turret. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the ''T26E4''. Another development was to convert normal M26 Pershings to mounting the T54 cannon, another development of the T15E1 which featured shorter ammunition. These tanks were redesignated the [[M26E1|M26E1]], but work was halted due to issues with the guns and a cut in project funds.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|QoK9_NmswCo|'''The Shooting Range #35''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the T26E1-1.}}

== 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/devblog/current/879/|[Devblog] T26E1-1 Super Pershing: Under a Panther Mask]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA heavy tanks}}

Strv 81 (RB 52) (Great Britain)

2020-08-07T07:51:16Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = uk_centurion_mk_3_ss11
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Strv 81 (Rb.52).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Full name: '''Stridsvagn 81 (Rb.52)''') is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. A Swedish import of the British [[Centurion Mk 3]], it features an add-on of three SS.11 anti-tank missile on the turret. It uses the MCLOS guidance system (SACLOS in arcade mode), which means that the missiles must be manually guided by the tank movement keys to their target.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 76.2 mm (58°) ''Front glacis'' 76.2 mm (47-48°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 (12°) + 6 mm || 38 mm (8-12°) || 29 mm 8-14 mm ''Engine deck''
|-
| Turret || 152 mm (6-27°) ''Turret front'' 152 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 89 mm (5-12°) || 89 mm (1-18°) || 50.8 mm ''Border of turret'' 29 mm ''Center of turret''
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152 mm || 90 mm || 29 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are both 20 mm thick.
*The steel boxes around the turret and hull give a 4 mm additional protection, though this seems to be a negligible addition.
*ATGM attached outside the turret act as ammo racks and can be detonated
*Spaced armour plates are placed on the side of the Centurion, giving an additional 6 mm of side armour.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1007|rbMinHp= 575}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm OQF 20-pounder Mk.I]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 65 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || Two-plane
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.7 || 14.8 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.7 || 12.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 8.1 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj || APCBC || 231 || 229 || 216 || 200 || 186 || 173
|-
| 8,4 cm Slsgr m/53 || HE || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj m/54 || APDS || 285 || 283 || 262 || 239 || 218 || 198
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj || APCBC || 1,000 || 9.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 8,4 cm Slsgr m/53 || HE || 600 || 7.5 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 1,130 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 8,4 cm Slpprj m/54 || APDS || 1,400 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| 8,4 cm Rökgr m/53 || 250 || 9.3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Strv 81 (Rb.52).png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Strv 81.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''65''' || 62 ''(+3)'' || 33 ''(+32)'' || 17 ''(+48)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

Turret empty: 62 ''(+3)'' Front empty: 33 ''(+32)''

=== Additional armament ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | 164 mm Robot-52 (SS11) ATGM
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Flight speed (m/s)
! rowspan="1" | Range (m)
|-
| colspan="3" | 3 || N/A || 150 || 6,500
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Rb.52 || ATGM || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600 || 600
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Rb.52 || ATGM || 150 || 30 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 4,550 || +0° || 65° || 70° || 75°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''3''' || 2 ''(+1)'' || 1 ''(+2)'' || 0 ''(+3)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,600 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Stridsvagn 81 is essentially the Centurion Mk.3. It is an effective medium tank if played to its strengths.

If one wants to keep it simple, just use the powerful gun to snipe from distance.

More advanced tankers can utilize the not too impressive max speed (35kmph/22mph) to move with this medium tank into the flanks of enemy tanks (close to the border of a map) and search for positions like hills and ridges where one can make use of the amazing -10° gun depression to hide the vulnerable lower plate of this tank. Once in position, one should use the binoculars to scout for enemies without exposing the turret. If an enemy tank is spotted that could be a potential threat, pop out a little bit and start to take out the enemies gunner/cannon barrel/cannon breech to prevent him from returning fire. Now utilize the quick reload to take out one crew member after the other to finish off the opponent. If an enemy is spotted who is exposing their side or even the rear while not aiming towards the Strv 81, shoot the engine first to immobilize and possibly even ignite the enemy tank, preventing him to take cover. The next shots should again disable the gun of the enemy, now finish the prey by shooting all crew members or, if feeling lucky, shoot an ammo rack.

The best choice to pierce enemy tanks is obviously the Shot Mk.3 (APDS) although it is quite expensive in terms of Silver Lions. The Shot Mk. 1 (APCBC) works in most situation as well but lacks penetration compared to the Mk. 3 APDS shot. The amazing penetration characteristics of this APDS shot enables this gun to pierce front plates of all Panther models (apart from the Panther II) to ranges up to 2000m. T-44s and Panther IIs front plates can be penetrated to ranges up to almost 1000m. Keep in mind though that the front plate of the T-44 is angled at 60°, so it bounces even this powerful APDS shot quite often. Even the front plate of the mighty Tiger II is not able to stop this APDS shot if not angled and the range is shorter than 100m. However, aside from the gun, the Strv 81 has access to three potent [[Anti-tank guided missiles|anti-tank guided missiles]].

In a head to head situation with an enemy tank approaching try to angle the Strv 81 not more than 5° degrees to either side since the side armour is quite weak (50.8mm), try to hide the lower front plate which is a massive weak spot, while reloading turn the turret 10° to the right to maximize chances of bouncing shots (right side of the turret front has some extra armour) and keeping the gunner alive.

'''''How to use an [[Anti-tank guided missiles|ATGM]]''''' 
The addition of the ATGM means the Strv 81 has the potential to act as a long-range support vehicle from the rear lines or the flanks. Prop up the Centurion in a well fortified and safe location and use it as a base of fire and launch missiles onto the enemies' front or sides. With the high amount of penetration available on the SS.11 missiles, even a glancing hit can do massive damage to the hit enemy tank.

The SS.11 missiles attached to the right side of the Strv 81 turret provide up to 600 mm of penetration upon impact, making all but the most deflected shots potent to any targets. Three are available for immediate usage and are guided by a MCLOS system. The missile have a trajectory of going up for a distance before leveling, creating a "dead zone" of up to 200 meters that the missile cannot adequately engage in.

In arcade mode, the missile guidance system is relatively uncomplicated in aiming. Simply aim the crosshair onto the desired target and the missile will adjust to fit into the crosshair. The guidance system is sensitive as such it is not recommended to rapidly swing the crosshair around during the missile trajectory to keep it stable and on track. Once depleted, the missile will gradually reload to refill the launch racks.

In realistic and simulator mode, the missile is guided by the tank movement keys of [W], [A], [S], and [D]. [W] and [S] moves the missile vertically while [A] and [D] moves the missile horizontally. The guidance system will not activate until the missile clears its dead zone. The system is sensitive as such it is not recommended to rapidly tap the keys for movement else the missile moves out of the scope and away from the controls. Once depleted, the missile will not automatically reload and must be driven onto a captured control point for reloads.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| slpprj m/54
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| Smoke grenade
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| rökgr m/53
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Powerful and high penetrating gun
* Other than the inclusion of the 3 Rb.52 ATGM's, the Strv 83 is identical to the Centurion Mk 3.
* Really nice 20 pounder gun that can fire high penetration APDS, or high damage AP shells at an alarming rate. The only tanks at this BR with a better rate of fire are French auto loaders.
* An ACE crew can reload the gun in an excelent 6.3 seconds when the 8-round first stage ammo rack has at least one shell in it.
* The APDS shells have both high levels of penetration and high levels of velocity. Makes getting through thick armor or hitting a moving target at range really easy.
* The APCBC shell creates a lot of shrapnel. Shells that enter the front of the enemy vehicle stand a good chance at knocking the tank out in 1 or 2 shots.
* Has 10 degrees of gun depression.
* Has 3 keyboard guided ATGM's that have an astounding 600mm of HEAT penetration. No tank at this BR can absorb that kind of penetration.
* Has a troll turret thanks to all the rounded angles.
* There's a large 17mm steel plate sits between the driver and the reserve ammo, reducing the likely hood of ammo detentions if enemy APHE shells enter on the right side of the lower glacis plate.
* Good engine power. Can climb hills and accelerate to its top speed rather quickly.
* Has a really good reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are really easy to pull off in this tank.
* Has a 12 smoke grenades. Fires 6 off at a time that covers a wider area in front of the tank, making it easy to mask a large area or retreat in relative safety.
* Gets the usual bonuses that come with all Premium tanks.

'''Cons:'''

* The turret roof is at a bad angle. Can be penetrated by contemporary tanks rather easily, especially if they are shooting down at you.
* The troll turret can be just as detrimental to you as the enemy thanks to the mediocre armor. One minute the turret will bounce a point blank shot from a Tiger II, the next minuet an M36's 90mm gun will penetrate the front of the turret at 500 meters.
* 3 of the 4 crew members are in the turret.
* The lower plate is a huge weak spot. Even with the 17mm steel plate, any APHE shell that penetrates the lower plate will likely destroy the tank.
* The APDS shell does about as much damage as a APCR shell. It's not uncommon to have to shot an enemy 4 or more times to finally destroy them.
* The APCBC is alot slower and has a lot less penetration than the APDS shell.
* No explosive filler in either the APDS or APCBC shell. Killing the enemy crew in one shot is difficult, especially if the shot enters the side of the enemy tank.
* The 8-round ammo rack is used up rather quickly thanks to the high fire rate. If all 8 rounds are expended, the tanks fire rate drops significantly until the loader finally puts a new shell into the first stage ammo rack.
* The ATGM's are not only mouse guided, but leave the tank at an upwards angle. Hitting targets closer than 150 meters with the ATGM's is unlikely.
* The ATGM's are really slow. Can easily be shot out of the sky by the enemy. Especially if the vehicle you are shooting at spots the missile.
* Is very slow for a medium tank. There are several heavy tanks at the BR that are faster in a straight line.

== History ==

===Development===
The tank's concept was made in 1943 when the Directorate of Tank Design, under Sir Claude Gibb, was asked to produce a new heavy cruiser tank for the General Staff under the designation ''A41'', which was to become the standard of a British "Universal Tank" to replace the separated "infantry" and "cruiser" tanks currently used. As World War II progressed and the Germans unveiled their heavier tanks with an [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm cannon]] like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], War Office made a revision to their design requirements to counter this threat. The requirements now include an increased durability and reliability, with the ability to protect itself against the 88 mm gun and mines, an agility similar to the [[Comet I|Comet tank]] and with good reverse speed, all while staying under a 40 ton weight.

Responding to these requirements, the department developed a larger hulls by adapting the suspension on the Comet, lengthening with another road wheel and spacing between the wheels. The standard Christie suspension used on the previous cruiser tanks was replaced by the Horstmann suspension, which uses coil springs on two-wheel bogies on each side and is proven to be easier to maintain than the Christie suspension. The hull used a welded and sloped armour with a cast turret mounting the famous [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|17-pounder cannon]]. The speed of the tank would be established by using the Rolls Meteor engine previously used on the Comet and [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]]. Despite these changes, the department concluded that the weight restriction would not allow the tank design to withstand the 88 mm rounds. The weight restriction was done so the tank would be able to be carried around in the Mk.I and Mk.II transport trailers, which had a 40-ton load. This restriction was rescinded to allow more freedom in the tank design, which showed potential to War Ministry. The heavier tank designs developed had armour equivalent to the heaviest infantry tanks like the [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill tank]], yet with superior cross-country mobility due to improved suspension and engines.

The tank was given the name '''Centurion''' and the first mock-ups of the design was made by AEC and was presented in May 1944. After that, 20 pilot models were ordered with a various armament combinations. Ten had a 17-pounder and a 20 mm Polsten gun (5 with a machine gun in turret rear, 5 with an escape door instead), five had a 17-pounder and a BESA machine gun and an escape door, five more with the 77 mm HV gun with a driver operated hull machine gun. The prototypes of the 40-ton design, the Mk.1, had a 76 mm armour on the front glacis, which was made very powerful with the heavy sloping design on the tank. Added with a 152 mm thick turret armour, the Centurion became a very protected tank design, yet it was also very agile, outperforming the Comet tank in tests. The next Centurion model, Mk.2, featured a much thicker 118 mm front glacis armour and a thicker side armour. Production began for the Centurion Mk.2 in November 1945 for 800 tanks from Leyland Motors, Royal Ordnance Factories, and Vickers. The Mk.2 was put into service in the 5th Royal Tank Regiment in December 1946.

After the Centurion Mk.2 was put into service, Royal Ordnance developed the successor to the 17-pounder, the [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm 20-pounder]]. With this, the Centurion went through another upgrade to mount the 20-pounder. The 20 mm Polsten gun was removed and replaced by a BESA gun due to its questionable utility. The new upgrade, now the [[Centurion Mk 3]], also featured an automatic stabilization system that improved firing accuracy while on the move. The tank was first produced in 1948 and overtook the previous Mk.1 and Mk.2 in service. However, the 20-pounder also did not stay in service for long and were replaced by the more powerful [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7 gun]] from Royal Ordnance Factories. All Centurions versions after Mark 5/2 used the L7 gun, including the [[Centurion Mk 10]], which also featured additional armour with the new gun.

===Swedish import===
Sweden, a neutral power during World War II, analyzed the progress of technology and concluded they needed a replacement tank for their armoured forces. The Swedish Armed Forces right after World War II in 1945 decided that the most suitable tank for the upcoming years of the Cold War was the Centurion tank. A request was sent for the purchase of the vehicles, but Britain affirmed that their needs must be met before any exports of the Centurion tank could be made. Not eager to wait long for their tanks, Sweden started development in 1951 to create their own tank, designated "Emil", as well as seek out the AMX-13 light tank from France. However the wait ended abruptly when Britain started to export the Centurion in 1952, and Sweden swooped up an order of 80 Centurion Mk 3 in 1952, with the first delivery arriving in April 1953. The Swedish designated the adopted Centurion Mk 3 tank as the '''Stridsvagn 81'''. In 1955, Sweden imported another batch of Centurion, 160 Mk 5 variants, and employed them in the same designation as well. In the 1960, Sweden bought another batch of [[Centurion Mk 10|Mk 10]] tanks that were accepted as the ''Stridsvagn 101''. During the years in service, the Strv 81 and 101 were upgraded with newer equipments, modules, and armaments, as well as changing the designation to signal the improvements. There were also tests such as the inclusion of '''SS.11''' missile on the turret side to improve the firepower of the Centurions.

The Centurion Stridsvagn series served alongside the domestic Strv 103 design as the primary vehicle of the Swedish armoured forces. In 1990s, the Swedish military started to phase out the two tanks as they modernized their forces. After a series of tests between the Russian T-72, American M1 Abrams, and German Leopard 2, the Swedish military replaced their outdated armoured fleet with the Leopard 2, designated the ''Stridsvagn 121''.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|IJ0jYa4sRTE|'''Premium Vehicles: Strv 81 (RB 52)''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''}}

== 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/3734-development-strv-81-the-missile-centurion-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Strv-81: The Missile Centurion]]

{{Britain medium tanks}}
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

T26E1-1

2020-08-07T07:00:07Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_t26e4_superpershing}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. The tank takes the basis of a normal [[M26|M26 Pershing]], then increases its armour with welded-on metal slabs and up-guns it with a [[T15E1 (90 mm)|T15E1 cannon]], which is nearly identical to the one in the [[T32]]. This gives the tank a much appreciated armour protection and firepower for the battle rating and is comparable with the premium [[M26E1]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, Turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof, Turret appliqué armour)
* Structural steel (Hull appliqué armour, Rear turret counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 (42-46°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) ''Front glacis'' 162.5 (25-60°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) '' Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (53°) + 38.1 (41°) + 38.1 mm (48°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-2°) ''Rear''|| 50.8 mm (4°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (68°) ''Lower'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 (1-84°) + 80 mm (3°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (3°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The left turret side has a few tracks welded on, providing an additional 30 mm of armour where they are.
* The "ear flaps" on the turret provide 38.1 mm of armour. The steel on the gun mantlet gives an additional 80 mm of armour.
* Front glacis have sheets of 38.1 mm armour added on, sloped at varying angles.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T15E1 (90 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} utilizes a very powerful 90 mm T15E1 cannon, nearly identical to the gun on the [[T32]]. The gun's greatest weakness is its reload time, allowing more than sufficient time for the enemy to move out of their cover, aim, and take a shot. Therefore, staying in cover between shots and near friendlies might be preferable. A mix of T41 APCBC and T44 APCR shells is recommended as a typical load-out.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T15E1 (90 mm)|90 mm T15E1]] || 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" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.85 || 31.63 || 38.41 || 42.48 || 45.19 || rowspan="2" | 16.25 || rowspan="2" | 14.38 || rowspan="2" | 13.25 || rowspan="2" | 12.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
For less mobile tank destroyers usually a mix shells is recommended, with Super Pershing being no different. For Arcade Battles, 15 shells is typically sufficient, with majority being APCBC with roughly 3-5 APCR shells dedicated to the enemies with a better armour. APCBC shell is a good default for a majority of targets, it typically should be loaded when venturing towards unknown.

* T43 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Acceptable performance against majority of targets
* T42 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Usable nearly exclusively against soft targets. Due to long reload time it's typically safer to use other shells than committing to the HE
* T41 - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - Deadliest round, very wide post-penetration effect.
* T44 shot - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid shell}} - Penetration increased by 1/3, suitable against more armoured targets, however it has the narrowest cone of post-penetration shrapnel.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| T43 shot || AP || 211 || 208 || 193 || 177 || 162 || 148
|-
| T42 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 224 || 221 || 206 || 188 || 172 || 157
|-
| T44 shot || APCR || 336 || 330 || 304 || 274 || 248 || 223
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| T43 shot || AP || 975 || 10.90 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| T42 shell || HE || 975 || 10.60 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 975 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T44 shot || APCR || 1,143 || 7.60 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
'''Last updated: 1.77.2.68'''
[[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 32 ''(+8)'' || 28 ''(+14)'' || 24 ''(+18)'' || 20 ''(+22)'' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 12 ''(+30)'' || 8 ''(+34)'' || 4 ''(+38)'' || 0 ''(+42)'' || No
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 15 to remove most ammo from the hull floor, leaving rack 9 intact.
* Ammo rack 1 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 9 through 2.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready rack. If the ready racks is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 2-9 into rack 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 2-9. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -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 || 4,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The {{PAGENAME}} is a slow, pretty well-armoured Tank Destroyer, and should be played as such, keeping enemies in front, while friends on flanks. Its frontal protection is not that reliable, especially against long 88's, at the same time its very unconventional, giving a large number of smaller weak spots. Therefore, it's recommended to stay on the move, or even rotating turret left and right to increase chances of deflecting the shot. Unlike with [[T34]] simply staying hull-down is not viable due to weak spots at top of the turret and bottom turret cheeks - it's best to hide an entire body between shots, letting allies lure the attention of the enemy team.

It's also one of the weakest tanks when played solo, owning it to low mobility, very weak side armour and a very long reload time. With 76 mm it can be penetrated by every tank it encounters and a number of anti-aircraft guns. Therefore an additional situational awareness is required to always have allies in proximity, in fact: if need be, tactical retreats might be worth a risk, as if left alone a single hit without mobility kill on a hostile unit can mean a near-certain death.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| T41
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| T44 shot
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
|
|
|-
|}

As with every ground vehicle, Parts and FPE are an absolute top-priority. Following that both types of shells should be researched. Either Adjustment of Fire or Suspension should be researched as the second module in tier II, depending on play-style. If undecided - choose Adjustment of Fire. Mandatory modifications in tier III are T44 shot and Crew Replenishment. After that: Filters -> Engine -> Transmission for improved mobility, in that particular order due to the efficiency in {{rp}}RP/hp increase. Further modifications at will. Generally least important module are Tracks, though again - it might depend on a personal preferences.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The T26E1-1, or Super Pershing, is an up-gunned Pershing with a lot of spaced armor added to the front of the tank.
* The added spaced armor makes this tank very resilient to common guns like the Tiger II's 88mm and even large caliber Hi-Ex shells.
* Is armed with the same powerful 90mm gun that is found on both T32 and M26E1 tanks.
* The T41 APHE shell is comparable to the Tiger II's default APHE shell. It has high accuracy, velocity, penetration, and damage potential.
* Despite all the added armor an new 90mm gun, the tank still gets an impressive 10 degrees of gun depression.
* The turret armor coupled with the gun depression give this tank great potential when it comes to shooting over hills and prolonged hull down fighting.
* Has a roof mounted .50 cal machine gun.

'''Cons:'''

* Despite all the add-on armour, the lower plate is still susceptible to being penetrated by contemporary guns.
* The hull machine gun port is a prominent weak spot that is easily penetrated.
* The spaced armour doesn't really help against HEAT, APDS, or Russian 122mm shells.
* All the added armour coupled with the weak engine give this tank terrible acceleration and hill climbing capabilities.
* The vertical aiming drive can be damaged by simply shooting the two springs on the turret roof with mere machine guns.
* The turret spaced armor does cove the weakly armored corners of the lower turret. Can be easily penetrated by contemporary guns.
* The 90mm shells are massive and take up a huge amount of the crew compartment. Any shell that penetrates the hull or left side of the turret housing the 10-round first stage ammo rack will likely destroy the vehicle.
* Even with an ACE crew, the gun will take 12.5 seconds to reload. Trading shots with a Tiger II is not a good idea.
* While the 90mm is a good gun, it's frankly inferior to the Tiger II's 88 in virtually ever metric other than TNT payload.

== History ==

===Development===
The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] helped the American armoured forces by bringing in the heavy 90 mm Gun M3 into service on a tank mount. The gun was similar in performance to the German's [[Tiger E|Tiger I's]] [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 36]] cannon, but Army Ordnance wanted something to match the more powerful [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 43]] cannon on the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. The development to match this cannon made the [[T15E1 (90 mm)|T15 90 mm gun]]; the gun was 73 calibers long, compared to the 90 mm Gun M3's 53 calibers length. The first produced guns were called the ''T15E1'' and had large, fixed ammunition. To test the gun's viability in the tank, the gun was mounted onto the very first production T26, T26E1 tank serial #1, registration #0103292, with the conversions being done by the Wellman Engineering Company. This upgraded tank was titled the '''T26E1-1''' by means of a painted-on designation on the turret's left side to distinguish the design, although this title was not official, and few if any sources refer to it as such. The extreme length of the T15E1 gun barrel caused the manufacturers to add a very prominent counter balance on the mantlet, which could be seen on the left side of the turret when facing it. The T26E1-1 tank was sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds on 12 January 1945 for testing purposes.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

In March 1945, following the Aberdeen tests, the T26 tanks mounting the T15 gun was officially classified as the ''T26E4''. As such, the mentioned T26E1-1 would be classified as the first of the T26E4 models, with an initial procurement plan for 1,000 more units. The first T26E4 (henceforth referred to as T26E1-1) would be the only M26 model with the T15 gun to see service in Europe. Among the troops, the T26E1-1 in Europe would be known by its eponymous name '''"Super Pershing"''' when compared alongside to the normal M26 Pershing.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

===Combat usage===
The T26E1-1 "Super Pershing" was sent to Europe and arrived in 15 March 1945 and assigned to the 3rd Armored Division. In its introduction, the "Super Pershing" was given additional armour by the maintenance crew in hopes to keep it up to date against the heavier German tanks. The front hull had two large pieces of metal welded onto it, each 38 mm in thickness, with a space in between the metal pieces. These metal pieces were sloped more than the hull armour it was over. An additional armour piece was welded on the turret mantlet, the metal was taken from a Panther turret and was about 80 mm thick when welded onto the turret.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> The T15E1 gun has much promise to the crew when using the tank as the gun could reliably penetrate the frontal hull of a [[Panther G|Panther]] tank, a feat not many other American tank gun could claim at the time.

The T26E1-1's performance in battle is largely written in the accounts of John P. Irwin, who was the tank gunner of the only active "Super Pershing" in the war. He mentions of three prominent combat actions with the T26E1-1, each one destroying the enemy with little difficulty. Records show that the T26E1-1 destroyed a total of three tanks and captured one after an extended firefight that left the opposing tank out of ammunition. Though it was hoped to have the T26E1-1 fight a Tiger II for a rather explosive comparison, the T26E1-1 never saw a Tiger II during its tour in Europe. After the war, the T26E1-1 was most likely scrapped in the post-war demobilization as the final image of the tank was it lying in a vehicle dump in Kassel, Germany.

===Legacy and similar vehicles===
The T26E1-1 continued as an idea long after the war was over, with the next development arming the long 90 mm cannon in the ''T26E3'' tank models, but the cannons used the new two-piece ammunition gun T15E2 rather than the one-piece one in the T15E1 when it was found that the long 50 inch rounds made loading prohibitive in the M26 turret. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the ''T26E4''. Another development was to convert normal M26 Pershings to mounting the T54 cannon, another development of the T15E1 which featured shorter ammunition. These tanks were redesignated the [[M26E1|M26E1]], but work was halted due to issues with the guns and a cut in project funds.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|QoK9_NmswCo|'''The Shooting Range #35''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the T26E1-1.}}

== 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/devblog/current/879/|[Devblog] T26E1-1 Super Pershing: Under a Panther Mask]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA heavy tanks}}

M26E1

2020-08-07T06:27:22Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m26e1_pershing}}
{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = M26 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]]. Aside from the base model of a [[M26|M26 Pershing]], it boasts the long L/73 [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm Gun T54]], very similar to the T15E2 on the [[T32|T32]], allowing it to compete effectively against Rank IV vehicles with the mobility of the Pershing.

The only distinctive characteristic of the M26E1 compared to the original M26 is the "T54" 90 mm cannon. The cannon has a longer barrel with a small muzzle-brake compared to its original design. The longer 90 mm cannon comes with the standard AP shot, HE shot, M82 shot (APCBC), and HVAP shot. All these rounds, except for the HE shot, have a higher pen and velocity compared to the standard 90 mm M3. The M82 shot is considered the most useful and efficient round for this tank as it has enough explosive filler (140 g of Exp. D) to "one-shot" many tanks in its battle rating while having little to no difficulty entering the enemy's vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)
* Structural steel (Exterior boxes, Rear counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 mm (12-46°) ''Front glacis'' 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (28-53°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-3°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (71°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (9-73°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (2°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 76.2 mm
|76.2 mm
|25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
* Counterweight on the turret rear is made of structural steel.

Any tactic that works with the M26 Pershing can work with the M26E1. While its gun is quite potent, it also has quite a lengthy reload time after firing, minimum 11 seconds with an ace crew. As such, an M26E1 that fired is a great opportunity to pounce on provided no other enemies are around that remains a threat.

The M26E1 has the same armour as the M26 Pershing, so any weapons that can cleave through one's armour can go through the others. The best target is for a straight-on hit on the front glacis as the direct effective thickness is 146 mm of cast armour. Side armour is also quite thin, ranging from 50 to 76 mm and can thus be easily pierced by most weapons at the BR.

=== Mobility ===


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

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T54 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54]] || 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" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 14.43 || rowspan="2" | 12.76 || rowspan="2" | 11.77 || rowspan="2" | 11.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| AP Shot || AP || 211 || 208 || 193 || 177 || 162 || 148
|-
| HE Shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 224 || 221 || 206 || 188 || 172 || 157
|-
| HVAP Shot || APCR || 336 || 330 || 304 || 274 || 248 || 223
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| AP Shot || AP || 975 || 10.90 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| HE Shell || HE || 975 || 10.60 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 975 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| HVAP Shot || APCR || 1,143 || 7.60 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}. Turret storage (1) is a 5 round ready rack. Floor storage (2) is consumed from left to right.]]
''Last Updated: 1.93.0.35''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''41''' || 5 ''(+36)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (200) || 577 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M26E1 was a post-World War II modification of the standard [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. This modification changes the barrel length to 73 calibres long with the new [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54 gun]]. The gun offers some of the most powerful penetration in-game for Rank IV and is equipped with AP, HE, APCBC and HVAP Rounds. The M26E1 suffers from a very weak side and rear amour, though this is a common weakness on every tank. The front and front part of the turret is able to bounce some enemy shots but can be penetrated by most other tanks in its 6.7 [[Battle_ratings|Battle Rating]] range so beware.

Playing the M26E1 is similar to the [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. Armour and mobility of the two tanks are the same. The only advantage sticking out is the M26E1's more powerful gun due to the longer length. Though more powerful, the reload time is also longer than the normal M26 Pershing, so the playstyle should be more conservative to avoid being caught in an attack while reloading.

Though equipped with a very powerful gun, the M26E1 suffers from the same M26 Pershing armour. Thus, it is very vulnerable to most tanks at its rank and so most of its combat life should be taking cover and avoiding large open spaces. The M26E1 presents the same mobility of the Pershing so this can be exploited in close quarters over the more cumbersome [[Panther F|Panther]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]]'s. Staying in cover and scooting out to take out the enemy from their weak points on the front or their vulnerable side armour should be the prime attack move for the M26E1 before retreating back into cover.

Fighting against medium tanks will be relatively easy due to the gun's penetration value. Unless bounced, the gun could even penetrate the front glacis of the [[Panther G|Panther]] tanks. The main problem the tank will face is the Tiger II and [[T32|T32]] heavy tanks and the later IS tanks such as the [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] due to their thick front armour. Flanking may be necessary for these heavy tanks, but some accurate shots to some known weak points on the front of these tanks can also work.

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are the more common German heavy tanks seen with the battle rating and are the most dangerous. The best tactic is to use the 90 mm gun to penetrate the turret cheeks and knock out the gunner. In the time period when the firing method is disabled, move in with the M26E1's mobility and hit it on the sides if possible.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: The 88 mm gun is a threat to the tank, but in close range, the 90 mm APCBC round can penetrate the front armour, and the APCR can be used if wanting a definite result.
* [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]]: The IS-2 tank's 122 mm cannon can make short work of the M26E1, thus it is best to avoid being shot at in the first place. If in the situation where a fight with the IS-2 must be head on, fire a round through the turret cheeks and incapacitate the gunner for a more opportune moment to aim to destroy the tank. Shooting a lower glacis also works and if lucky may even knock out the tank.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| T41
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| HVAP Shot
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
|
|-
! colspan="6" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The M26E1 is basically a Super Pershing stripped of all the spaced armor, and equipped with a much better engine.
* Armed with the same 90mm gun that the Super Pershing and T32 tanks are armed with. Far superior to the original M26's 90mm M3 gun.
* Despite being armed with the same gun as the Super Pershing and T32, the M26E1 reloads the gun faster than either of the other tanks when equipped with an ACE crew.
* The 90mm shells this tank uses are much smaller than the ones used by either the Super Pershing or T32. Ammo detonation are uncommon.
* The gun's optics have a magnification level of 5x, making it good at both close range target acquisition and long range sniping.
* T41 APHE shell is comparable to the Tiger II's KwK 43 APHE shell; presenting great accuracy, velocity, penetration values, and damage potential.
* Fires one of the best APCR shell's in the game. Has fantastic penetration values that can cut right though the front of the Jagdtiger's superstructure at ranges exceeding 500 meters.
* 10 degrees of gun depression present a good ability to hull down fight and shooting over hills.
* Armed with two .50 cal machine guns that are very good at damaging guns barrels, tracks, and lightly armored vehicles.
* Much better engine than the Super Pershing, giving the M26E1 great mobility, acceleration, and hill climbing ability.
* Is routinely underestimated by the enemy team. Many players will think this tank is just a mere M26, not realizing that this tank has the same firepower as the Super Pershing and T32.

'''Cons:'''

* Even with an Ace crew, the reload rate is mediocre, several seconds slower than the Tiger II's 88 mm.
* Frontal armor is not adequate against its competition, with long 88 mm and 122 mm shells able to slice right through it at ranges exceeding 1,000 meters.
* Small crew compartment. Enemy APHE shells that enter the tank will likely kill the entire crew with ease.
* Despite the good gun depression, the turret armor is mediocre at best. Continued turret exposure is ill advised.
* Underwhelming top speed for a medium tank, tanks like the T-44's will run rings around this tank.
* Low ammunition count for the 90mm gun.
* Players thinking this tank is a mere M26 is a double-edged sword, as many enemy players will just run out in front of the M26E1 and shoot.

== History ==


The '''M26E1''' was a post-war variant of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] with the intent on increasing its firepower. During World War II, the 90 mm M3 mounted on the original M26 Pershing was equivalent to the German's 88 mm KwK 36 on the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. But looking for an upgrade, Ordnance developed the T15E1 90 mm gun, which was equivalent to the 88 mm KwK 43 on the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. This cannon was mounted on the then development model ''T26E1'' to make the ''[[T26E1-1|T26E1-1]]'' tank. The T15E1 90 mm cannon was visibly much longer than the original 90 mm M3, with the length of 73 calibres compared to the 53 calibres of the M3 cannon. This allowed the cannon to have a much larger ammo charge and muzzle velocity. The first T26E1-1 model made was the only "Super Pershing" model sent to Europe.

A second version was made from the T26E3 model, the production model of the T26E1, with a modified gun to use two-piece ammunition rather than a one-piece version, plus a new gun mounting to remove the stabilizer springs required to hold the gun. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the ''T26E4''.

After World War II, two military model M26 Pershings were converted to mount the T54 gun, which was essentially the same 90 mm cannon as the T15E1 but had ammunition which was shorter and fatter than the previous versions. The muzzle brake was shaved down from two to one baffle to compensate for the smaller chamber the cannon presented. This M26 Pershing with the T54 cannons was designated the '''M26E1 Medium Tank''', but production was never reached due to budget constraints.

=== In-game description ===
Two models of the M26E1 medium tank were built. They were equipped with long-barreled, single-load 90mm cannons that were supposed to be statistically superior to German 88mm guns with 71-caliber barrels. The project became irrelevant when the war ended and was abandoned.

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

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

{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T29

2020-08-07T06:08:32Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = us_t29
|store = 5266
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T29.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. The T29 was introduced in the [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] as a gift vehicle and was available on the Gaijin store for pre-order before the update. The T29 is a formidable heavy tank that introduces the 105 mm T5 cannon in a rotating turret rather than in the fixed case-mate setting on the [[T95]], with a tougher-than-average gun mantlet, and a sloped, but slightly thin hull.

The T29 is perhaps one of the most formidable heavy tanks at Rank IV, right up there with the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]s. With the 105 mm cannon, the T29 can engage most enemies it faces on the battlefield from the front, often destroying an enemy tank with a single shot with the extremely powerful T13 APCBC rounds, and with armour thick enough to block most incoming rounds. The T29 can act as the "damage sponge" of the team by directing most of the enemy fire towards it. It can also act as a sniping tank by setting it in the back or sides and fire at any unsuspecting enemy tank. A simple APCBC round can destroy even the strongest tank if it penetrates the side armour. Another useful advantage is that the tank is well rounded, but is directed to being a heavy tank in arcade battles, making it especially powerful. It has average mobility for the heavy tank class but has a lower top speed than it's main rivals, the IS-2 mod. 1944 and the Tiger IIs, better than only that the Caernarvon. However, it possesses above average acceleration, making it more suited for dense environments. It's gun also possesses a high muzzle velocity, making sniping a viable option.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, Hull rear)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (52-56°) ''Front Glacis'' 70.25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom Glacis'' 102 mm (6-81°) ''Machine gun port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 51 mm ''Rear'' || 51 mm (9°) ''Upper'' 19 mm (11-66°) ''Lower'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Turret || 158.7 mm (18-31°) ''Turret front'' 203 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' 305 mm (1-57°) ''Gun mantlet border'' || 158.7 mm (3-42°) || 102 mm (1-20°) ''Rear'' 50 mm (63-84°) ''Bottom of turret overhang'' || 38.1 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152.4 mm || 38.1 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front belly armour is 25.4 mm thick while the rear is 13 mm.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 994|rbMinHp= 681|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E2]]
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 63 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.71 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.90 || 18.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 16.25 || 14.38 || 13.25 || 12.50
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 256 || 253 || 238 || 221 || 205 || 190
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 253 || 250 || 236 || 219 || 204 || 190
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 292 || 287 || 266 || 242 || 220 || 200
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || 914 || 17.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || 899 || 18.59 || 1.2 || 19 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || 1128 || 11.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || 945 || 15.2 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''63''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 62 ''(+1)'' 62 ''(+1)'' || 56 ''(+7)'' 56 ''(+7)'' || 48 ''(+15)'' 48 ''(+15)'' || 41 ''(+22)'' 41 ''(+22)'' || 34 ''(+29)'' 34 ''(+29)'' || 27 ''(+36)'' 27 ''(+36)'' || 17 ''(+46)'' 17 ''(+46)'' || 7 ''(+56)'' 7 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' 1 ''(+62)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #1''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #2''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


*'''Offensive:''' When playing offensively with the T29, there are two ways to do it. The more common and safer strategy in an offensive role is for the T29 to team up with another tank, preferably a heavy or medium tank. Move up to the enemy while covering each other, leapfrog each time so one tank snipes an enemy while the other moves to a cover position with an advantageous firing position, then keep advancing at a safe pace. The other is to get right up in their face, only giving them shots at the T29's tough frontal armour. As aggressive this strategy is, it leaves the T29 open to attacks from the side and rear. This is a last-ditch strategy generally. In either offence strategy, the biggest risk is getting too far ahead from the rest of the friendly team, leaving the T29 vulnerable and without any supporting fire.

*'''Defensive:''' Hull down, the T29 truly shines. Frontally, its turret is tough and the cheeks are sloped enough to bounce most shots. The only real target available would be the small cupola on the turret roof and the turret ring if it is not covered. While the gun barrel is vulnerable to being broken, a moderate crew can repair it in seconds. Although the gun depression isn't as great as other American tanks, it still provides an advantage in hilly terrain. When in the right spot, the player can devastate the enemy team with almost no risk to themselves by exposing only the gun barrel and the top of the mantlet. Do note that there are certain spots and ports in the mantlet that can be penetrated even by a Wirbelwind using Pz GR 40. Players experienced with American heavies can find a good spot that will provide them with ample cover while they support the team. Wiggling the turret while reloading can make the enemy bounce, same tactics as seen with the IS-2. Be wary that some shots to the lower gun mantlet have the potential of bouncing the shot down into the thin hull roof.

Some specific enemies to worry about:

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are going to be the most common and equal enemy in the T29. While most of the T29's front armour can take on the 88 mm APCBC round, APCR can penetrate the front mantlet of the turret. It can also aim for the lower glacis on the hull, which will knock-out the driver and can repeatedly do this until the entire crew gets knocked out. To fight the Tiger II's, aim at the "cheeks" of the turret with any ammo, preferably the right as that is where the gunner sits. Using the T32 APBC ammo, there is a chance that it can penetrate the Tiger II's front glacis at close range (less than 100 meters) and the lower glacis from even further, making the T32 round probably the most preferable round to use against the Tiger II's front. If the T29 can get the Tiger's side though, a simple T13 APCBC round can turn a Tiger II into a fiery ball of fire.
* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II 10.5 cm]]: Though the same rule applies to the 88 mm Tiger II, take extreme caution as the 10.5 cm cannon can devastate the T29's interior if it penetrates, and it can from the front.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: Equipped with the same 88 as on the Tiger II, this TD can do some damage if it can get a good shot off the T29. However, the T29's 105 mm cannon can easily penetrate through its front glacis, just don't shoot too close to the gun or the gun mantlet may bounce it.
* [[Ferdinand]]: The greater armour on this tank destroyer makes it harder to fight in a long-range engagement. However, if the T29 can get closer, the flat armour space on the top superstructure and the hull front can prove more vulnerable. Of course, getting to the side of this tank destroyer is a guaranteed point if an APCBC round can be landed into it.
* [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152|ISU-152]]: While easily destroyed by one shot of the 105 mm cannon, the 152 mm howitzer still can do unspeakable damage if it hits the T29's vulnerable turret and hull roof.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||T13
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||T29E3
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| ||
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely good 105 mm gun, arguably the best gun at Rank 4.
* T13 round has both a high level of penetration and damage potential. Penetrating an enemy's crew compartment is almost always a kill.
* An Ace crew will reload in an impressive 12.5 seconds when there's at least 1 shell in the 8-round first stage ammo rack.
* Decent APCR shells that can go through the Jagdtiger's superstructure.
* Great overall armour layout. The front and sides of both the hull and turret are very well armoured.
* 10 degrees of gun depression coupled with the really strong turret makes the T29 great at shooting over hills and hull down fighting.
* Can carry nearly as much ammo as the Tiger II.
* Armed with three .50 caliber machine guns, allowing the T29 to shred through lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels.
* Is superior to the T34 heavy tank in almost every respect other than penetration and rear turret armor.
* One of the best pound-for-pound tanks in the game.

'''Cons:'''

* Smart enemy's will highlight the T29 as a priority target, attracting a lot of enemy attention from both the ground and the sky.
* While tough, the gun mantlet is not impenetrable. Guns like the Tiger II's 88mm can punch right through it at ranges exceeding 500 meters.
* Is much slower than the Tiger II, IS-2, IS-3, ect.
* Is comparable to the Tiger II in size, meaning that it is very hard to hide.
* The T29 has a ton of ammo in both the turret and bottom of the hull. APHE shells that penetrate either part of the tank will likely destroy the tank.
* Unlike most tanks at the BR, the sides of the engine compartment is much weaker than the sides of the hull.
* The weak engine compartment armor coupled with the placement of the turret means that the T29 is frankly not as good at side scraping as the Tiger II is.
* Only one of the .50 caliber machine guns can effectively engage aircraft flying higher than coaxial level.
* The default APCBC shell has no penetration or velocity advantage over the T13 APHE shell, meaning that there’s no point in ever using it.

== History ==


===Development===
Projects for a dedicated heavy tank for the U.S. Armed Forces began in March 1944 as a response to the German heavy tanks that have been popping up in Europe. While the T26E3 tank, later known as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] was slated to be the next-generation American tank, it was still considered unsuitable against the even heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. A project to increase the armour and firepower commenced countering this problem, the project titled '''Heavy Tank T29'''. Using design elements from the T26E3 with thicker armour and lengthened hull, the T29 also was equipped with the [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm Gun T5]], a gun in development alongside the heavy assault tank [[T95|T95]]. Other features included a 770 hp Ford GAC engine, armour thickness up to 279 mm effective, and a coincidence range-finder. The heavy armour and armament made the tank weigh about 64 tons, making it a close match to the Tiger II.

Though the T29 was monstrous itself, side projects involving the T29 crafted the ''[[T30|T30 Heavy Tank]]''. Itself similar to the T29 in terms of armour, but featured a monstrous [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm Gun T7]] with a more powerful engine and an extra crew member to facilitate loading the gun.

===Effect in World War II===
Throughout World War II, the T29 and the T30 stayed in development under the priority "limited procurement". Eventually, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, but the small ordered stayed in hope it may be useful in the Japan invasion in Operation Downfall. That hope was smashed as well when Japan surrendered in September 1945, ending World War II. Even if an operation commenced that used these vehicles, the Army Ground Forces objected to the use of such heavy equipment due to the lack of adequate transporters. Further production was cancelled in the post-war demilitarization.

===Post World War Effect===
The heavy tank concept didn't end with the war and a final attempt was made to remake the T29 into a more modern, lethal weapon system. This produced the ''[[T34|T34 Heavy Tank]]'', which mounted a 120 mm gun based on the M1 anti-aircraft gun. The calibre made an adequate balance of firepower and loading ease between the 105 mm and the 155 mm used in the T29 and T30. In fact, the two T34 pilot models made were a converted T29 and T30. However, the demilitarization took down the T34 program as well, but the experience in this project help engineers in the development of the ''[[M103|M103 Heavy Tank]]''.

Today, there are a few T29s still in display across the United States, most of them residing in storage at Fort Benning, Georgia where they will be used as a display in the future National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|n9KdgbSzla8|'''The Shooting Range #23''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:26 discusses the T29.|owYlJZ4LgyA|'''The Shooting Range #36''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:26 discusses the T29.}}

== 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/3731-development-t29-the-experimental-monster-video-added-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T29: The Experimental Monster + video added]]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

IS-2 (1944)

2020-08-07T05:45:39Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_2_1944}}
{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the early version
| usage-2 = the premium version
| link-1 = IS-2
| link-2 = IS-2 "Revenge"
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

The IS-2 mod. 1944 was created after the initial disadvantages of the previous [[IS-2]] model (IS-2 mod. 1943), being vulnerable against the 75mm guns of the German StuGs and Panzer IVs due to the nearly flat frontal armour. The Soviet high command then decided to produce another version of the IS-2 with a heavily sloped armour plate, generally known as the IS-2 mod. 1944. It was used successfully on the Eastern front until the end of the war and is remembered as one of the mightiest tanks of World War 2.

In the game, the IS-2 mod. 1944 sits at a BR of 6.3, which is 0.6 higher than the first [[IS-2]]. It now features a mighty frontal plate, sloped at 61° backwards and also a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on top for AA-defense. It has the same gun as its predecessor, but even at BR 6.3, it is one of the most destructive guns in the game, with high penetration and devastating post-penetration damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
[[File:IS-2 1944 Screenshot 1.jpg|thumb|IS-2 1944 on [[Finland]] ]]
The armour, while having a nigh-impenetrable front plate and a decent turret, has many weak spots.

First, there is the right part of the turret because while on the left side the gun mantlet is connected to the turret armour, there is no mantlet on the right-hand side, so it has just half the thickness of the left side.

Next, we have the lower glacis, which is a very prominent target, with very little armour for its BR (~130mm effective thickness). Shots of a German 88 mm or an American 90 mm will wreak your IS-2 1944.

Last but not least, we have the driver's hatch. While not as prominent as the first two mentioned, many experienced players will go for a shot right here, when you are hull-down. With around 120 mm effective thickness, it is really easy to penetrate even with small guns such as the American 76 mm and has a devastating effect on your tank.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 671|rbMinHp= 460|AoAweight= 0.15}}

The forward and reverse acceleration on the {{PAGENAME}} is quite superb even when stock. However, the {{PAGENAME}} suffers especially when attempting to turn. Speed will bleed out very quickly when turning, this can lead to difficulty when attempting to turn at low speed and so will require the tank to move forwards until it reaches a good speed to turn adequately to respond to any targets not at the direct hull front.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
[[File:IS-2 1944 Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|IS-2 1944 on [[Finland]]]]
{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 11.33 || 15.68 || 19.04 || 21.06 || 22.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.33 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.16 || 14.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 27.1 || 23.92 || 22.05 || 20.8
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_IS-2.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-2.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 18 ''(+10)'' || 14 ''(+14)'' 13 ''(+15)'' || 9 ''(+19)'' 9 ''(+19)'' || 6 ''(+22)'' 6 ''(+22)'' || 3 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Center ammo removed: 18 ''(+10)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun armament of the {{PAGENAME}} is vastly improved from the [[IS-2|previous iteration]] due to the presence of a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on a pintle-mount. This allows not only a better ability to defend against aircraft, but as an alternative offensive capability to the slow-firing 122 mm gun. Penetrating more than 20 mm of armour from at maximum 500 metres, the DShK is great to attack lightly armoured vehicles. The coaxial gun in this case has little use aside from an harassing tool against an armored enemy or foliage clearing device against fences that may be in the way. Still, these two machine guns should not be neglected from the arsenal of the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | 12.7mm DShK
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 250 || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
''(12.7mm MG vertical and horizontal guidance is not shown)''

== Usage in battles ==

The IS-2 '44 is a definite improvement on its predecessor, the [[IS-2]]. Most notably the frontal armour now features a slope, which can bounce or outright block some rounds, although the 0.6 Battle Rating increase seems slightly too much. This iteration of the IS-2 also features a roof-mounted machine gun that can be used to attack aircraft without moving your turret (by using weapon selection keys set in the controls). Otherwise, the IS-2 '44 is identical to the IS-2.

[[File:IS-2 1944 Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|IS-2 1944 on [[Finland]]]]

=== General Gameplay ===
At Battle Rating 6.3 you will see Tiger II (H) and Panther II a lot, as well as much more heavily armoured vehicles such as the Jagdtiger, the Ferdinand, the T32 and the T95 (in an up-tier). These tanks are near-impossible to penetrate frontally, so you will have to try to flank them. Otherwise, the gameplay remains the same as with the previous IS-2.

Overall, you shouldn't over-extend into enemy territory because your reload is still slow; you should play off of your teammates and use your great reverse speed to get out of line of sight as soon as you shot, or have been shot; you should have fun with the 122 mm gun that blows roofs off of most enemies you penetrate. Flanking is best done in Arcade, while in Realistic you're better of setting up ambushes at a medium distance away from main pathways.

==== Arcade Battles ====
In Arcade, the IS-2 proves to be quite mobile when fully upgraded. This can be used effectively to get into superior positions to engage enemies early in the match when they haven't yet set-up camp in well-covered positions and/or presented their strongest armour. Thus, it's easy to gain a kill at the start of the match, if you are comfortable with the 122 mm gun.

Close quarters combat proves even more deadly in Arcade Battles because all opposing vehicles will be able to easily overrun a single IS-2, especially after it has shot and is now waiting through it long reloads (> the 20s). Hence why it's advised to use your improved reverse speed to quickly disengage after shooting and retreating towards your teammates, who will likely be able to return fire. If the map forces you to fight in close quarters, attempt to get into a position where your teammates can cover your sides, while you can face forwards and clear the road. If the map allows, you can try taking 5 rounds of ammunition and camp at a capture point (usually one that's given to your team) to snipe all enemies that enter your line of sight while reducing your chances of blowing up at the first incoming shot.

In rare cases, it's possible to rush with the IS-2 and surprise lighter vehicles at a contested capture point in the early stages of a game. This strategy relies on the capture point being unpopular and being lucky to face only one enemy vehicle at a time. Some light tanks are unable to penetrate the IS-2 frontally, especially if they are from a much lower rank (e.g. [[BT-7]], the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] or the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3]]), so that's an added benefit of being a decently mobile heavy tank. If successful, the IS-2 can then flank to other objectives or advance to the enemy spawn to destroy another enemy or two. You shouldn't expect a lot of easy targets with this strategy, because it exposes your tank to potentially a lot of enemy fire.

==== Realistic Battles ====
In Realistic, the IS-2 begins to feel like a heavy tank. Its mobility is heavily reduced and its speed is outmatched by practically everything, mostly due to poor acceleration off-roads. However, this should be used as an advantage to gauge where the enemies are set-up, by looking where your teammates are killed from. You can then decide to return fire, although sometimes opponents don't show themselves until later in the match, in which case you should stay passive and try to remain behind your team's front lines.

Due to generally increased map size in Realistic, you will have to get comfortable with the bullet drop. There is an added benefit to that because the following [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] mount the same gun (as does [[T-44-122]] and [[KV-122]], if you have them), and [[T-10M]] has similar bullet drop. Now, the IS-2 performs decently well at longer ranges, but it will cost you a lot if you miss or don't penetrate, because the reload is so long. Often, you will need to rely on the rangefinder, the teammates or map knowledge to gauge how high you need to shoot, so it might be a great idea to take out another vehicle first (such as the [[T-44]] or [[T-34-85]]) remember the distance and then take the IS-2 out. However, on larger maps, it is generally a better idea to take out other vehicles.

A more reliable strategy for the IS-2 is to camp nearby an objective and pick off any enemies who pose a threat. Just make sure to find a flat spot with cover, because your poor gun depression and long reload will be your death in hilly or open areas. It's also a good idea to target heavy enemies, because they are easier to hit, and also will likely pose a larger threat to your general team (e.g the [[Ferdinand]], the [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] or the [[Tiger II (H)]] ).

====General Tactics====

Although classified as a heavy tank and an upgraded improved design over the KV predecessor, the IS-2's armour will no longer hold up to its more common and heavier opponents of its Battle-Rating and Rank. Compared with other vehicles such as the new German Tiger II, American heavy T-series tanks; most of which can easily deflect even the most powerful shots of the IS-2 unless targeted specifically and known weak-spots. Because of this, it is recommended to always travel and fight in groups of two or more vehicles. The slow and difficult in the manoeuvring of the vehicle (especially in confined spaces) will more than once place the IS-2 in significant danger. It is recommended to field the IS-2 into a fire-support role, peeking over the shoulder of friendly, more heavier vehicles and firing a shot against the opposition in tandem.

Another significant note of this vehicle is the IS-2's considerably fast reverse rate, the highest of its Rank and Battle-Rating for the nation's faction inherited from its IS-1 predecessor, topping at 17 km/h. During situations where engagement is expected, an unorthodox strategy can be utilized where the operator of the IS-2 tank re-positions the vehicle 90 degrees and drive in reverse with the rear-facing towards the enemy. By driving in reverse this way, the engine blocks make a crude yet somewhat effective shield to protect the more delicate crew members. As the fuel tanks are mostly stored at the front on the left and right side of the driver's station, the risk of fire and fuel-tank explosion is reduced significantly (but not completely eliminated) and thus, the tank is able to resist even the most powerful of shots. Be aware that more experienced players may attempt to instead fire at the more exposed turret of the IS tank and instantly knocking out the crew with a common APHE penetrating shell in this way.

In regards to shells, the D-25T cannon is also equipped with powerful High Explosive (HE) Shells which should not go ignored. Firing a HE shell with precise aim directly underneath the chassis of enemy vehicles were the armour, like on the top of the vehicle if thinnest, can cripple or instantly destroy said enemy vehicles. In rare instances, the HE shell of the D-25T is so powerful to the point two or more medium or heavy tanks close to each other can be destroyed with a single exploding HE Shell.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjvoBexPd4</ref> Alternatively, the powerful armour-piercing capability of the D-25T cannon's APHE rounds has also been documented to pierce two or three light-armoured targets without exploding, claiming hull-break wins. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpXjG9ORxTI</ref>

=== Moving from IS-2 to IS-2 (1944) ===
This section will go into more detail about the differences between fighting with this machine, the challenge is that some of the enemies which can be faced are simply impenetrable frontally. You will have to either have to run or outflank them! However, it is critically important to watch your flanks, due to the other enemies which will also be facing, trying to outflank you and hit you in your sides!
because of the saturation of good and highly mobile vehicles that other nations have at this Battle Rating such as: [[Ru_251]], [[Panther_(Disambiguation)| Panther tanks]], [[Tiger_II_(H)|Tiger II (H)]], [[Caernarvon]], [[T34]], [[AMX_M4|AMX M4]] and many more.

==== Specific Enemies Worth Noting ====
These are new (or common) vehicles you will see in this tank. Read the specific enemies section in the IS-2 article to get a full run-down.

* ☠ T32 - You have to go for the MG port in the lower left of the UFP, otherwise you can only penetrate the side armour or the rear.
* ☠ T28 - You can only penetrate the cupolas on top of the tank. If they're hidden or you are unsure about the shot, you can try hitting the cannon barrel and running away.
* ☠ Ferdinand - Go for the angled armour at the sides of the lower front plate (below the casemate, but above the lowest plates), this will disable Ferdinand's engine and/or driver, so you can flank and finish it off.
* ☠ Jagdtiger - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel, and then flanking is your best option (or running away).
* ☠ Conqueror - Shoot the hull, don't shoot the turret.
* ☠ Ho-Ri Production - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* ☠ AMX-50 Foch - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* T34 / T29 - Turret cheeks can work, although it's best to go for the LFP because the ammo storage is very low in the tank. If you don't see the LFP, try going just below the turret ring, where the driver sits.
* Tiger II (H) / Panther II - You can easily penetrate the turret cheeks with BR-471B.
* Panther D, A, G, F - You can penetrate the UFP 
* Tortoise - Shoot to the right of the gun of the Tortoise, when you see it head-on if shoot on the left plate there is a chance of a one-shot
* AMX-50 Surbaissé - Go for the LFP.

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's '''a priority to research Parts and FPE''' (you may want to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match if you really wish to upgrade this vehicle quickly).

General stock grind advice:

* Don't show your rear to any enemies, because a single fire will be your death.
* Your gun is still very effective, so don't be afraid to attack enemies frontally, just make sure to aim for weak-spots if possible.
** Shooting at planes in Arcade with your machine gun (or main gun) and scoring some hits can often award you a kill if the plane crashes, which grants points.
* Play as a support tank - push with your team and let them take fire, then poke out and take your shots, then retreat back into cover.
** Try to push into objectives with your team to gain those points as well.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
!Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
|I
|Tracks
|
|Parts
|Horizontal Drive
|
|-
|II
|Suspension
|Brake System
|FPE
|Adjustment of Fire
|BR-471B
|-
|III
|Filters
|
|Crew Replenishment
|Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
|IV
|Transmission
|Engine
|Add-on armour
|
|
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely powerful 122mm gun. Can easily kill any tank with a single shot.
* The top 122mm APHE shell has good overmatching mechanics. Can go through the upper plate of the Panther at 500+ meters fairly easily.
* The gunner has a decent set of optics with 4x magnification.
* Upper plate is as tough as the Tiger II's upper plate. Basically immune to anything that isn't HEAT or APDS.
* Has good mobility and a high top speed for a heavy.
* Has a roof mounted 12.7mm machine gun. So dealing with lightly armored vehicles and defending its self from planes is possible.
* Is a good flanker and ambushing tank thanks to its good top speed, armor, and massive gun.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reload speed. Getting into brawls with contemporary heavies like the Tiger II is ill advised.
* Despite the good overall armor, has some serious weak spots on the turret.
* Horrible gun depression. Hill fighting is nearly impossible without exposing the entire tank.
* Has a massive, flat, and weakly armored lower plate. All 6.0 and up tanks can slice right through.
* Very small crew compartment. Any APHE shell that pens it will likely kill everyone in the tank.
* Can’t effectively side scrape due to its hull cheeks.
* The 12.7mm machine gun isn’t as potent as American .50 cals due to the low mag size and low total carried ammo.

== History ==

===Development===
The effort began on another heavy tank after the [[IS-1]]'s 85 mm gun no longer had a firepower advantage after the standard [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] medium tank was upgraded with the same gun into the [[T-34-85]]. Due to that, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944 with about 107 units produced.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Those in storage still awaited upgrade to become a more powerful heavy tank.

In late 1943, the upgrade of the IS tank began and the choices available were rounded down to two weapons, the 122 mm A-19 gun and the 100 mm D-10 gun. Both guns had their advantages and disadvantages in their specifications, the 100 mm D-10 had a much better armour penetration capabilities and uses a single-piece ammunition, the 122 mm A-19 has a better high-explosive round and used a two-piece ammunition In the end, the 122 mm A-19 (adopted as the D-25T) gun was chosen as the gun of the new IS tank due to larger supply of the gun available for use (the D-10 was a newly produced gun) and the better high-explosive round available. The better high-explosive round is due to the heavy tank's specification as a "breakthrough" tank than an anti-tank role, so it was meant to fight fortifications more than against armour. Nevertheless, against armour, the 122 mm gun proved a very lethal cannon against armour, having the capacity to knock out any German tanks fielded in the war, even the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], though the ease of knocking them out vary from their armour protection.

The 122 mm gun's two-piece ammunition was perhaps the gun's worst drawback, this along with the heavy shells and charges that it uses causes reloading speed to only be one and a half rounds per minute maximum. Even after some modernization to the gun including a semi-automatic breech, the firing rate only increased to two to three rounds per minute. Another drawback of the gun was the size of the ammunition that the 122 mm gun uses, the IS tank interior could only hold 28 of such ammunition, which restricts the time the IS could last in battle before requiring a resupply. In battle, the usual distribution of the shells is 20 high-explosive and 8 armour-piercing rounds.

The finished IS tank with the 122 mm gun, first called the ''IS-122'', was finally approved and renamed the '''IS-2''' heavy tank, some were rearmed IS-1s from the factory with the 122 mm gun. The IS-2 tank, like the IS-1, was superior to the previous [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks used in the Red Army. Production of the IS-2 started in October or November 1943 and by the end of World War II when production ended, a total of 3,854 units were produced.

===Design===
The IS-2 tank hull was similar to the IS-1 tank, but the turret was modified to accommodate the larger 122 mm D-25T gun. The suspension was a torsion-bar suspension system and the tank was powered by a diesel V2-IC engine. The drivetrain and the engine were taken from the KV-1 tank, yet was considerably more mobile. The armour on the IS-2 was a 120 mm thick front plate sloped at 60 degrees with a small step in the front for the driver's hatch. This [[IS-2|"early version"]], developed from the KV-13 design, was produced from the initial production lines until some time in late 1944, where a '''[[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 mod. 1944]]''' version was modified with the front plate now a single sloped 120 mm plate at 60 degrees with no interruptions in order to eliminate shot traps and weaknesses in the armour design. Other design changes when the IS-2 was upgraded to the 1944 model was a stronger gun mount, wider mantlet, and an addition of a Dshk machine gun on the turret. The formidable armour of the IS-2 is able to withstand the 88 mm shells from the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] at 1,000 meters out, yet the whole tank weighs less than the Panther at only 46 tons. Despite its construction, the IS-2 was still quite crude in quality and can have signs of being hastily built from the factories. This did not affect its battlefield performance greatly and the crude construction is merely a side effect of the fast production of the tanks to fill battlefield demands.

===Combat usage===
The IS-2 first saw action in early 1944. The IS-2 was organized in heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. Their role was to spearhead the offensives launched at each sector, breaking through enemy emplacements and supporting the infantry by destroying enemy fortifications, they were not meant to exploit breakthroughs and this role was given to the lighter [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Their first reported action was in April 1944 in the 11th Special Guards Heavy Tank Regiment near Tarnopol, Ukraine. The IS-2 presented such a surprise to the Germans as no Soviet tanks before could engage with accurate fire from more than 3 kilometres away. A bigger shock was when they found out the 88 mm of the Tiger I couldn't adequately penetrate their armour. The IS-2 initial combat experience was limited due to the inexperienced crew and organization, but more and more IS-2 started to come in to reinforce the Soviet forces.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

The IS-2's next great effort was in Operation Bagration in July 1944. By this time period, the heavy tank regiments were allocated to one for each tank corps. During Operation Bagration, the IS-2 combat effort contributed to the decimation of the German Army Group Center. The IS-2 was able to deal with the troublesome German Panther and Tiger I tanks with ease. By December 1944, enough IS-2 was produced that the Soviets began outfitting them to Guards heavy tank brigades, consisting of 65 IS-2 tanks with other vehicles for support. Though the number of these brigades were still limited, they proved valuable in breaking through German lines, as used in January 1945 against the German in the Oder Offensive. It should be noted that despite having a role similar to the Tiger heavy tank battalions in the German service, they are produced in far greater numbers to enforce every tank corp with one heavy tank regiment that allowed even the IS-2 to overwhelm German defences. The IS-2 continued to see combat service for the Red Army all the way to the Battle of Berlin and the end of World War II.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

After World War II, the IS-2 production was replaced by the more heavily armoured [[IS-3]]; however, the IS-2 stayed in service up until 1982 due to modernization efforts on the IS-2. This modernized IS-2 was named the ''IS-2M'' and was done in the mid-1950s. These modernization efforts added external fuel tanks and stowage bins onto the hull and protective skirts on the edges of the tracks. The IS-2s were finally placed into storage in the 1990s and were kept in reserves or sold out as scrap metal.

Like most of Soviet Union's military hardware, the IS-2 was given out to the Warsaw Pact nations as supplies. The IS-2 was thus lent out to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, North Vietnam, and maybe North Korea. Later in 1960, a shipment of IS-2 was also sent to Cuba, which were converted into bunkers and coastal defences as spare parts for the tank never made it to Cuba due to the US blockade imposed in 1962.

=== In-game description ===
In 1944, the IS-2 was modernised. The new model had a flattened sloping frontal hull, and a slot covered with a glass brick was installed to replace the driver's observation hatch. This increased the front hull projection's defences. A high-calibre 12.7 mm anti-aircraft DShK machine gun was attached on a trunnion fixed to the command cupola's traverse circle.
The turret could be rotated mechanically and electrically. With electric drive activated, its maximum speed reached 2.4 revs/min.

The IS-2 was advantageous for its economy and relatively low material requirements in general. With a mass of 46 t, the Soviet tank was far better protected than the German Panther. It also surpassed the 55 tonne Tiger I in this regard and was only somewhat inferior to the 68 tonne Tiger II. Its design had some serious flaws. Its tight layout meant that some of the fuel tanks had to be placed in the fighting compartment and there was no space for a driver's hatch, which often led to an injured tanker being unable to quickly leave a burning tank.
On the whole, the new tank met the leadership's expectations in full as a means of strengthening units and divisions intended to break through the enemy's pre-emptively well reinforced defensive lines and storm cities.

IS-2 tanks were put into service in separate tank regiments which received the "guards" designation during their formation.
Manufacturing continued until 1946, and around 3,300 were made.
After the war, the IS-2 was modernised and served in the Soviet and Russian armies until 1995.
A small number of tanks of this model were given to China in the 50s. Later, some of these tanks were deployed in Vietnam.

== Media ==

'''Skins''' and camouflages for the IS-2 (mod.1944) from live.warthunder.com. They are filed under the terms [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is_2_1944 #is_2_1944] and [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is2_44 #is2_44].

==References==
<references />

== 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://warthunder.com/en/news/2824/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-2 Mod. 1944]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}

Panther II

2020-08-07T05:40:18Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panther_II}}
{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other tanks of the family
| link-1 = Panther tank (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = Panther (Disambiguation)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]] as a main tree vehicle, however, as of [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] it was shifted to become a gift vehicle for players who previously owned it.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


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

{| class="wikitable"
!Armour
!Front(Slope angle)
!Sides(Slope angle)
!Rear(Slope angle)
!Roof
|-
|Hull
|100 mm(55-56°) ''Front plate''
60 mm(50°) ''Lower glacis''
|60 mm(30°) ''Top''
60 mm(0°) ''Bottom''
|40 mm(29-33°)
|30 mm
|-
|Turret
|120 mm(20-21°)''Turret front''
300 mm ''Gun Mantlet''
|60 mm(25)
|60 mm(25°)
|30 mm
|-
!Armour
!Sides
!Roof
|
|
|-
|Cupola
|100 mm
|30 mm
|
|
|}

* Part of the hull's sides are added with 5 mm plating as additional protection against explosive warhead
* Tracks are 20 mm thick
* Each wheel is 20 mm thick
* Part of the hull is covered by tracks, adding additional 20 mm of armour
* Gun barrel is 20 mm thick

The armour on this variant is the same as the armour on the [[Panther F]]. Although sufficient to protect against most small-calibre guns, it won't hold up when facing higher calibre guns such as the [[M3 (90 mm)]], [[D-25T (122 mm)]] and [[20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)]] that it will likely meet at its rank. The best tactic to survive is to not get hit by an enemy attacker, as the crew is quite cramped and will typically be disabled with one well-placed shot.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1395|rbMinHp= 796|}}

As with all Panthers, this tank has excellent mobility both on and off road. One notable difference between the {{PAGENAME}} and the other Panthers is its reverse speed. Comparing to a max -4 km/h reverse speed on the rest of the Panthers, the Panther II provides a -12 km/h reverse speed, which can help a lot in battles.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK43 (88 mm)}}

The Panther II boasts the excellent 88 mm KwK 43 with its notably punchy PzGr 39/43 shell, with a reload speed comparable to that of the [[Tiger II (P)|Tiger II]]. Thus, it represents a threat for every tank on the battlefield, even at long ranges. Its rather poor gun handling, however (7.1°/s turret rotation on a stock tank with a level 1 crew) means close-quarters engagements and particularly urban combat should be avoided if possible. This can be somewhat remedied by its ability to neutral steer to acquire a firing solution faster. The optimal ammo loadout is 15 rounds, since it eliminates the ammo racks at the sides of the hull, while still providing a decent quantity of ammunition. It is not recommended to load anything other than PzGr 39/43 shells since it can readily hull break most opponents that have such a feature and it provides consistent ballistic characteristics, while still maintaining a fairly good penetration against sloped armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK43 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK43]] || 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" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.4 || 15.7 || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 11.1 || rowspan="2" | __.__ || rowspan="2" | __.__ || rowspan="2" | 8.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || __._ || __._ || 12.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! rowspan="2" | Normalisation at 30° from horizontal
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || N/A || 0.3 || 1,098 || +0.0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1,000 || 10.16 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 108.8 || +4.0° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1,130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,000 || +0.0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|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
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || 42 ''(+8)'' || 34 ''(+16)'' || 26 ''(+24)'' || 18 ''(+32)'' || 11 ''(+39)'' || 5 ''(+45)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}

Note: Racks 6 & 7 are ready-racks.

==== [[Optics]] ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} Optics
|-
!
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| X2.5 || X6.0
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | ___
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

The Panther II's coaxial 7.92 mm MG 34 is rather anaemic, and thus, not very versatile. It won't pose much of a threat to any vehicle that doesn't have exposed crew members, and it won't do much damage to aircraft. It can, however, be used to highlight enemy vehicles to friendlies, but it comes with the risk of alerting enemies of an enemy vehicle.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Panther II is a medium tank that performs in many roles. With it's powerful gun, it can very effectively take out opponents at its battle rating at both close and long ranges. The turret traverse is slow, which makes close-quarters engagements and urban combat difficult. But, this can be made up for by careful positioning and the use of the tank's neutral steering. The gun has a fairly standard gun depression and a good reload. All in all, the Panther II's armament is decent.

The Panther II is also armed with a 7.92 mm machine gun. This won't do much damage to any enemies except those with exposed crew members. And, it won't do much damage to enemy aircraft. However, it is still useful for spotting enemies and notifying teammates of their presence.

The vehicle's mobility is also quite good. Reverse speed is much better than that of the earlier Panthers, which makes peeking out from behind cover to fire much more viable. On both roads and terrain, the tank is able to reach a respectable top speed, and in general, the mobility is quite nice, and is suited for both crossing the map to reach favourable positions and for close-quarters brawling.

As for armour, the Panther II's protection is the same as that of the [[Panther F]]. It can protect against most small-calibre guns, but won't hold up against larger guns such as those found on the enemy's medium and heavy tanks. The best survival tactic, as usual, is to avoid being hit entirely. The crew compartment (and the turret especially) is quite cramped, and the Panther II can take debilitating damage from even one shot. Many enemies will aim to hit the Panther's turret cheeks, since a hit to the turret can do extreme damage. To prevent this, it is helpful to wiggle the turret from side to side. Although this doesn't always work, it can sometimes throw off the enemy's aim enough so that the shot doesn't do much damage.

The Panther II is a classic medium tank. While it doesn't excel in any one role, it performs well in many. It can snipe, brawl, or do practically anything in between. When the tank's weaknesses are understood, it can be used to great effect to destroy the enemy.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="3" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
| Smoke grenade
| NVD
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| PzGr 40/43
| Rangefinder
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the impressive KwK 43 gun that's great for the BR thanks to the very high accuracy, velocity, penetration, fire rate, and potential damage.
* The default APHE shell has fantastic accuracy, velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* The gunner has a really nice set of optics that provides 2.5x-6x of magnification. Great for quick target acquisition at close range, while still being great for long range sniping.
* The Panther II's speed and maneuverability is almost as good as the Leopard 1's.
* Much better frontal armor than the other Panthers. When properly angled, the upper plate is basically immune to anything that isn't packing 250mm's of pen.
* Unlike the other Panthers, this tank actually has a really nice reverse speed.
* The gun mantlet is not that large, but it is very tough.
* One of the few tanks at this BR that can use night vision.

'''Cons:'''

* The night vision gear on the commander's cupola makes it very easy to spot the tank.
* Same turret as the Panther F, but at a much higher BR. Taking a straight shot from any contemporary tank is almost guaranteed to end in disaster.
* Bad turret traverse. Reacting to flanking enemy's isn't that easy.
* The sides of the hull is lined with a lot of ammo. Enemy shells that enter the sides will likely destroy the tank.
* Transmission is mounted in the front, meaning that the tank can be immobilized from both front and the rear.
* There is some night vision gear on the drivers side of the upper hull. So the gun will have less gun depression than normal over this area of the tank.

== History ==

=== Development ===
In late 1942, German designers started the development of a more powerful and slightly larger version of [[Panther D|Panther]] mounted on a newly designed chassis. In January of 1943, Adolf Hitler agreed on the development of Panther with increased armour protection especially for the needs of the Eastern Front. This project was designated '''Panther II''' and its design was planned along with the development of [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. In February of 1943, it was decided that Panther II, in its design would resemble Tiger II and would have many common components such as tracks, transmission, suspension and road wheels. Both designs had common components in an attempt to standardize the production. Overall dimensions were very similar to those of [[Panther G]] hull's design was very similar to that of the late model Panther G but with many modernizations such as the arrangement of observation equipment and new engine deck. Its armour protection was significantly increased if compared to any other Panther variant produced. Side armour protection was 60 mm thick while frontal armour protection was 100 mm thick. It was planned to arm Panther II with the latest 75 mm KwK 42 L/100 or even 88 mm KwK 43 L/71 (without a muzzle brake) gun mounted in the newly designed narrow turret – Schmalturm (designed by Rheinmetall in 1944 and to be produced by Daimler-Benz).

Panther II's ''Schmalturm'' (narrow) turret was slightly different than that of [[Panther F]]. The turret's armour protection was significantly increased if compared to any other Panther turret. The front was 120-125 mm, gun mantlet was 150 mm, while sides and rear were 60 mm and the top was 30 mm thick. Schmalturm had special mountings for infra-red device and telescopic range finder. All of those modifications increased Panther II's weight to 47 tons. Panther II was to be powered by a new Maybach HL234 engine with a total power of 900 hp operated by 8-speed hydraulic transmission. Instead, Maybach HL 230 P 30 engine was mounted and Maybach HL234 was later on due to being completed in August of 1945, for future Panther series. It was believed that Panther II's performance would be similar to that of Panther G, while if ever produced Panther II would most likely suffer from the same problems as Tiger II. Simply because of its great weight and high fuel consumption which made it extremely slow. It is also unknown what other modifications would be made if Panther II would be combat tested.

In March of 1943, plans were laid that the production of the first series would start in late 1943 or early 1944 and that by spring of 1944, full-scale production of Panther II would start. On May 20th of 1943, Rheinmetall-Borsig proposed special air-defence turret designed for Panther II, mounted with four 20 mm MG151/20 guns but it never reached prototype stage.

=== Production and cancellation ===
In early 1944, MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuremberg) was allowed to produce two prototypes but was only able to produce one in early 1945, without the newly designed Schmalturm turret. On May 4th of 1944, it was realized that German industry was unable to start Panther II's production and this project was abandoned in favour of further development of Panther based on lessons learned from Panther II. On June 3rd of 1944, all companies which were to produce Panther II were ordered to instead start the production on the regular Panther tank. The war ended with only one Panther II chassis produced.

The lessons from Panther II, specifically the ''Schmalturm'' turret, would be used on main Panther tank, resulting in the planned [[Panther F]] variant.

===Survivor===
The Americans captured the Panther II chassis and it was shipped to the states. Sometimes after 1946, a Panther G turret was added onto the chassis while it was at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. In the 1960s, the Panther II chassis was transferred to the Smithsonian Institute, who proceeded to give the tank to the Patton Museum at Fort Knox in the 1970s. Following the closure of the Patton Museum, the Panther II is currently at the in-construction National Armor and Cavalry Museum at Fort Benning.<ref name="ArmorJournalPantherII">The Armor Journal. "Panther II. NACM, Ft.Benning. TAJ Walkarounds." Panther II. NACM, Ft.Benning. TAJ Walkarounds. Waddling Penguin Publishing, LLC, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2017. [http://www.armorjournal.com/index-tanks-PantherII-NACM.php Website]</ref>

=== In-game description ===
Having adopted the Tiger II tank in the autumn of 1943, the Ministry of Armaments ordered the development of a new Panther II tank, specifying that maximum compatibility between the assembly of the two tanks be maintained. Development of the new tank design was assigned to the company Henschel & Sohn. The new tank was to have thicker armour (100 mm in the front and 60 mm on the sides) and was to be equipped with a Schmalturm turret. The main armament consisted of an 88 mm 8,8 cm KwK 43 L/70 tank gun with a long 70-calibre barrel, the same gun which was installed on the Tiger II (P). The tank's weight had to be increased to 55 tons or more. The main design problem was the lack of a suitable engine for the heavier vehicle. Several options were developed for installing a MAN/Argus LD 220 750 hp engine or a Maybach HL 234 900 hp engine, using an eight-speed hydromechanical AK 7-200 gearbox, but this work was never completed. The chassis of the new Panther consisted of 7 all-metal rollers on a single torsion bar. The tank's treads were 660 mm wide.

By late 1944, the company had only managed to build one tank hull, which for testing purposes was fitted with a turret from a production Panther G. The testing was never completed, and the tank was captured by American troops. This tank's hull is kept in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor in Fort Knox.

It is likely that two Panther II prototypes were built which may have participated in battles at the end of the war. Further work, however, virtually stopped. Project E50 was commissioned to replace both the Panther I and the Panther II.

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

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

{{Germany medium tanks}}
[[Category:Hidden vehicles]]
<references />

Tiger II (H) Sla.16

2020-08-07T05:03:13Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla
|store = 5185
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update_1.57_"Battle_March"|Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. As a purchasable bundle vehicle, this variant comes with premium bonuses and the experimental installation of a diesel power engine, increasing its mobility vastly. But the vehicle functions near identically to the in-tree regular variant. It fits into the 6.7 line-up very well and can be utilised greatly in battle because of it's enhanced combat capabilities.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


The frontal armour of the Tiger II is very strong and can only be penetrated by a select few tanks at its battle rating and even less when fighting in a down-tier. The side and back armour, however, are pitiful with only 100 mm at its thickest, some SPAA at the rank can penetrate the sides so it is advised to never show your back or sides to an enemy lest you want to go back to the hanger/garage. It is slightly more armored then its non-premium counterpart with added tracks on the sides on the turret, adding an extra 30mm of armor to the very weak sides.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 968|rbMinHp= 663|}}

The top speed on-road forwards is around 42-44 km/h, and the reverse speed is surprisingly good at -11 km/h (RB). These speeds combined with neutral steering mean the {{PAGENAME}} is quite agile despite its heavy tank status. The engine has a lot of horsepower and climbing hills is surprisingly easy with this variant of the famed King Tiger.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


The main gun this Panzer beholds is the KwK/43 88mm long-barreled gun. This gun performs astoundingly well for this BR, offering high muzzle velocity with more than enough post-penetration damage. The muzzle velocity of this gun sits at around 1000m/s for APCBC and 1400m/s for the APCR round, and also has HEAT shells, making it an exceptional sniper and brawler alike. The APCBC stock shell gets a fair amount of explosive filler with a wide one-shot capability upon penetration. This shell exceeds in ammo-racking enemy tanks, so aim for ammo stowage on the enemy vehicle. The APCR should only really be used for engagements on enemies you cannot punch through with APCBC alone, since it offers significantly higher penetration at the expense of post-pen damage, making it a very situational round. The same can be applied to the HEAT shell for long-range, as penetration dropoff does not matter on angled armour layouts, but instead offers poorer penetration values.

{{main|KwK 43 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 43]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" |70|| -8°/+15° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' ||17.0||23.6||25.8||28.6||30.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' ||12.5||14.7||16.1||17.9||19.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|9.7||8.6||7.9||7.5
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC ||237||234||222||207||194||181
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 ||14||14||14
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1,000 || 10.16 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1000 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 1100 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR ||1,130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Tiger II (H).png|thumb|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Tiger II (H). Note that racks 7 and 8 are ready racks.]]
Thanks to the ready rack feature found on this tank, the first and second ammo racks found in the back of the turret will always be full of ammo, making it the prime target for enemy tankers who are looking to detonate your ammo rack. Even solid shots like APCR and APDS that commonly pierce your front turret can make their way to the rear of the turret, potentially hitting the ready racks and can cause a critical hit to become a deadly one.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''70''' || 65 ''(+17)'' || 59 ''(+28)'' || 48 ''(+39)'' || 37 ''(+50)'' || 30 ''(+57)'' || 23 ''(+64)'' || 12 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+76)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}
Both side empty: 23 ''(+47)''
'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 23 to keep the hull empty and both ready racks full.
* 7th and 8th ammo racks are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills 1 through 6 in that order.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in either ready rack. If both ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing the main gun when it is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-6 into 8 then 7, as long as there is ammo in racks 1-6. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

This tank, unlike the standard version, receives an additional top mount MG34 7.62mm machine gun located atop the commander's cupola with a wide arc of fire, designed for anti-aircraft purposes. However, this extra gun proves inadequate at efficiently dealing damage to aircraft and so should be used more prominently as a spotting tool or a light armour remedy.

== Usage in battles ==


Considering most of the players who use this vehicle will be using it in RB/SB, this section will cater to them. This vehicle can be used as a brawler and a sniper equally. With its potent gun and reliable armour layout, this tank can take a fair few shots before expiring. Try not to let your flanks become exposed if playing in urban maps. On open maps, you should stick to towns or hills and remain hull down to utilize your thick turret cheeks well. Aim for noticeable weak spots on enemies, ie. lower glacis shots or ammo rack shots will more often than not result in a reliable way to destroy them. The gun has a solid rate of fire, not too slow, so you can follow up with a return shot fairly quickly.

You will adapt over time and learn where the weak spots of most opposing vehicles. At times, this tank will act more as a support tank when considering the typical opponents will more than likely have stabilizers and sufficient suspension dampening, putting you at a disadvantage if you can't train your gun onto the target first. American heavy tanks such as the [[T29]], [[T34]], [[T32]] and [[M103]] will sometimes give you trouble. The trick to dealing with these tough, heavily armoured foes is to aim for the lower glacis. When engaging these vehicles, if you are not confident in being able to penetrate on your first shot, try and shoot the gun barrel to prevent your foes from firing back at you.

It is best used at mid to long ranges, where its' small weak spots are hardest to hit. It can, however, be put to work on the front lines, protecting medium tanks and tank destroyers - just be aware of your limited mobility, and ensure you have options should you get advanced upon by multiple enemies.

When used as a sniper, it is best that you find a position with a good overview of the battlefield. Keep your tank positioned directly towards the enemy and keep an eye out for any medium tanks trying to flank you (Tiger II has great frontal armour, do not be afraid to use it. However, keep in mind that the lower plate offers less protection and penetrations can easily cause fires due to the positioning of mechanical parts). It is best that you find cover behind a solid object and slightly rotate your vehicle e.g.: rotate your tank about 10-15 degrees from the enemy (your turret too). Positioning, combined with distance, can easily give you effective armour greater than 300 mm. When "sniping" it is best to wait for the enemy to expose their weak points, fire a steady, accurate shot and retreat to a safe position. Wait for your reload to be completed and slowly show your frontal plate (most of the players will engage even though the chances of penetration are low); once the enemy has fired, you can take your time and engage the tank while they reload.

Using the Tiger II to advance and to support the front line can be rather tricky. While this tank offers great firepower and superior frontal armour, you'll notice that it is hard to fight in urban areas. In situations like this, you will quickly realize that the high weight and sheer size of the tank can cause major problems. Almost any tank that is faster will easily outmanoeuvre the Tiger II and destroy it. To avoid this, it is best to stay in the back (not too far from your team), keeping your tank positioned at an angle and using "peek-a-boo" techniques. You should always look for a position that can protect you during the assault of small tanks, such as "U" shaped buildings where you can easily retreat and protect your weak points.

====Counter-tactics====

[[File:Tiger II Shooting Guide.jpg|500px|left|thumb|Colour-frames showing the viability of targets on the Königstiger.]]

A Tiger II is a formidable enemy when it's used correctly by its operator, but it's by no means indestructible under any conditions.

The first thing you want to do is deny the Tiger II of the advantage of its gun by getting as close as possible while keeping clear of its cannon (the closer you get, the better the penetration values for you and the Tiger II) most Tiger II operators will avoid getting flanked at all costs so you might find yourself forced to face one from the front. The biggest weak spot is the lower frontal hull plate, its slopped but only 100mm thick and behind it lies the transmission that likes to catch fires and create nasty shrapnel when destroyed, the shrapnel will fly inwards and if your shell is large enough they will take out the entire crew. However, this shot will most likely only leave the Tiger II unable to move for a minute and make his operator quite angry (at you) while his gun remains perfectly operational and before you have a chance reload you will most likely receive a very accurate shot from an irritated Tiger II operator.

The lower frontal plate is a good place to hit but it should be a second option, with this tank, you need to disable that gun as soon as possible, the turret is a very reliable target at close range, even with HEAT ammo you should be able to deliver a shot that will disable its firing capability for long enough for you to reload and shoot again. Using your best AP round for this is recommended since the frontal turret has a fairly thick (but flat) plate if nothing else works try APCR.

Using high calibre HE rounds is also effective. The cupola is probably the best place to hit with a HE shell since the explosion will deflect into the thin upper plate and destroy everything inside. It is not easy to hit, but if you manage to hit the cupola it's very unlikely it survives.

The Tiger II is very vulnerable to "Circling attacks", that means, running around it in circles and harass it with side shots. Its turret can turn quite fast (especially in arcade mode) but most medium tanks are fast enough to outrun it.

If you somehow manage to see an enemy Tiger II from the side, try to land a shot in the middle of the hull, near of the turret (not on the turret, the upper part of the hull), there's a good chance there will be ammo there, and if there isn't, you will either knock out the tank by taking out many crew members or cripple it heavily

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the fantastic KwK 43, arguably the best pound-for-pound gun in the game.
* The default APHE shell has very high accuracy, shell velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* 22 shells in the first stage ammo rack, giving this tank an impressive 7.5 second reload rate when equipped with an ACE crew.
* Astounding frontal armour. The upper front plate is virtually impervious to anything but APDS and HEAT rounds.
* Enemy shells that penetrate the lower plate will likely have all of its damage absorbed by the transmission.
* Same small turret as the Tiger II H, but has 20 mm of tracks covering the entire exterior of the turret sides.
* Turret front is a small target, and the gun mantlet is both large and utterly impenetrable.
* Due to the placement of the turret and how thick the side armor is, side scraping is an extremely effective tactic in this tank.
* Armed with 12-round, semi-automatic smoke grenade launcher.
* Thanks to its diesel engine, this tank has better acceleration and hill-climbing speed than the standard Tiger II H.
* Though a heavy tank, it is a very fast and highly maneuverable when running at full power.
* Unlike the other Tiger II's, there's a roof mounted MG-34.
* Jack of all trades tank against its competitors. Can effectively snipe, ambush, flank, and brawl.

'''Cons:'''

* While being a small target, the turret front is weakly armoured when facing tanks at and above 6.7.
* All 22 rounds in the first stage ammo rack is located in the back of the turret. Enemy shells entering the back of the turret will likely lead to an ammo detention.
* Both of the hull sides is lined with ammo, meaning penetrating shots in the sides is almost always certain death.
* The APCR shells are lack-luster and wildly inferior to most of the contemporary American APCR rounds.
* Hilariously bad HEAT and Hi-Ex shells. Don't bother ever loading anything but the default APHE round.
* Still a heavy tank, most mediums will have no problems catching up/flanking the tank if the players is not paying attention.
* The roof mounted MG-34 has a high rate of fire, but still only fires 8mm bullets. Critically damaging enemy planes is unlikely.
* Routinely up-tiered to fighting enemy post-war tanks like T-54's and IS-3's.

== History ==

The Sla.16 diesel engine developed by Simmering-Graz-Pauker from Vienna. With a power output of around 750 hp, it was considerably more powerful than Maybach engine used by the [[Tiger E|Tiger I]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[Panther A|Panther]] tanks that had 690 hp. The Sla.16 was also proposed as the power unit for the infamous super-heavy [[Maus|Maus]] tank. According to various of sources such as ''Military Engineer'' and ''Amazing Porsche and Volkswagen Story'', the engines were tested with positive results. The recommendation was that these diesel engines were to be attached to the heavy tanks and tank destroyers currently in production for increased efficiency of the vehicles. A diesel engine was mounted onto a Tiger II as a prototype built by Nibelungen Werke and went through testings, though results have not been found from this test. Further proposals also wanted the engine to be mounted in the Panther and Jagdtiger vehicles for increased power, but the war's constraint on supplies and Nazi Germany's capitulation resulted in the cancellation of these programs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_sla '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Tiger II (H) Sla.16 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|N5YJmEcfLxQ|'''The Shooting Range #5''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:12 discusses the Tiger II (H) Sla.16.}}

== See also ==


* [[Tiger II (H)]]
* [[Tiger II (P)]]

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/875/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Tiger II Sla.16: the diesel-engined “King Tiger”]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Jagdpanther G1

2020-08-07T04:50:48Z

U41199901:

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panzerjager_panther}}
{{About
| about = tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Bfw. Jagdpanther
| usage-2 = the other vehicles of the family
| link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour of the Jagdpanther in itself is average but can be utilized to become extremely effective due to ricochet mechanics.

Lighter shells (i.e. 76mm M1 from the Sherman, 88mm L/56 from the Tiger I, 90mm M3 from the Jackson/Pershing) will have issues with shells ricocheting off the front plate due to the angle of the tank's upper frontal plate. However, heavier and/or higher velocity shells (SU-152, IS-2, T29/T34 are examples of tanks that will not experience this problem very much) will not have this issue due to the weight or velocity compensating for the increased slope and penetrating anyway (that is not to say that these types of shells cannot bounce, it is just much rarer due to their weight and high velocities.)

The best way to use the Jagdpanther's armour is to find a small hill where you can angle the front of your tank upwards to where your gun can still fire back at incoming enemies, but also have your frontal armour maximized (due to the fact that your frontal armour will be at a higher angle for incoming shells, which will dramatically increase the odds of a shell ricocheting. ) Just be sure not to allow your bottom plate to be shown, as it is a potential weak point of the tank.

The side and rear armour of the Jagdpanther is extremely thin (AA guns often can penetrate) and should be protected at all costs (as your ammunition is also stored in the sides.)

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (slope angle) !! Roof (Slope angle)
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (54°) ''Bottom glacis''|| 40 + 5 mm || 40 mm (24-26°) || 25 mm
|-
| Superstructure || Same as Hull || 50 mm (26-29°)|| 40 mm (36°) || 25 mm (85°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, though the interleaved pattern of the wheels provides cumulative 20 mm protection.
*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.
*Belly armour is 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


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

The {{PAGENAME}} has decent mobility overall, however, there is one major downfall to this vehicle: its extremely slow reverse speed. For this reason, the {{PAGENAME}} cannot relocate quickly so it is best to position your vehicle in a spot where repositioning won't be necessary.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


{{main|PaK 43 (88 mm)}}

The main armament of the Jagdpanther is the PaK 43 88 mm gun, which is one of the best all-around tank weapons at it's BR. With an 11-second reload (not including Ace crew), it is accurate as well as causing large amounts of damage during a penetrating hit, as it also contains explosive filler that detonates once inside the hull of the target.

;'''Available ammunition types'''

*The '''stock''' ammunition you get (PzGr 39/43) is by far the most useful ammunition for this tank and should be the primary type you carry thought your battles.

*The '''HE round''' (Sprgr) is ineffective against armoured targets, and should only either be carried for AA guns or not carried at all.

*'''Hl.Gr 39''' is a HEAT round; it serves very little purpose, as it lacks enough penetration to penetrate tanks from the front (or even side at the B.R this tank is in).

*'''PzGr 40/43''' is the APCR round of this tank; although on paper it appears to be a significant improvement in penetration capabilities, in reality, it is often ineffective for two reasons;

The amount of damage the shell creates within the hull of tank upon penetration is very little, with little to no shrapnel being created by a penetration. This makes a direct hit onto a critical module (such as a Gunner or Ammunition) a necessity for this ammunition, which can be sometimes difficult depending on the enemy you are facing.

Although the stat card shows that the penetration does increase, due to the overall weight of the shell decreasing, sloped armour is much more difficult to penetrate (which at this battle rating is very common.) This makes this shell somewhat useless as a result, with the standard ammunition (PzGr 39/43) being far more effective against slopped armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK 43 (88 mm)|88mm PaK43]] || 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" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±11° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 11.05 || rowspan="2" | 9.78 || rowspan="2" | 9.01 || rowspan="2" | 8.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1000 || 10.2 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.6 || N/A || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Jagdpanther.png|thumb|254x254px|[[Ammo racks|Ammoracks]] of the Jagdpanther.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''60''' || 43 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+35)'' || 19 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Right side empty: 19 ''(+41)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

The machine gun on this tank is functional but is not powerful enough to cause much damage to even lightly armoured targets (such as AA vehicles).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || -5°/+10° || -10°/+5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The '''Jagdpanther''' is best used defensively, to cover capture points and prevent their capture, and cover friendly tank advances. It's highly recommended to hide the lower frontal plate in this tank, as it has a frontal mounted transmission which will set the tank on fire if shot, as well as destroying the transmission. It's also strongly advised to use this tank at long range, and change position often.

It is important to keep in mind that the Jagdpanther's armour is sloped. Using it on the side of a hill facing the enemy is extremely dangerous since this would decrease the angle at which the frontal armour and sloped and thus negate a large part of its survival capabilities. By hiding behind buildings, trees and bushes, or on top of a hill, you optimise it's fighting capabilities. A well-positioned Jagdpanther is very hard to destroy. In addition, using the Jagdpanther in a diamond position (with your right side facing the enemy) will mean that your most important crew members are better protected (driver, gunner, commander) since they are on the other side.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Jagdpanther relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Jagdpanther's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire or get distracted.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the legendary KwK 43 long 88. One of the best pound-for-pound guns in the game thanks to the great accuracy, penetration, damage potential, and fire rate.
* The default APHE shell has great accuracy, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* 10x optics is excellent. Coupled with the amazing gun, the Jagdpanther is one of the best snipers in the game.
* Really good top speed and maneuverability. Makes getting into a strong early game position a breeze.
* The tank is based on the Panther chassis, meaning the frontal armour is really strong against guns packing less than 200 mm of pen.
* Carries an amazing amount of smoke grenades.
* Despite not having a turret, the tank still has good gun depression.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are nearly impossible to pull off.
* The hull armour is tough, but common enemy tanks like the [[Centurion Mk 3]] and [[IS-2]] laugh at the Jagdpanther's frontal armour.
* Terrible side armour. Angling is ill-advised.
* Like most tank destroyers it lacks a turret. Coupled with the terrible reverse speed, getting flanked is almost always a death sentence.
* Despite the 5 man crew, the crew compartment is small. Any APHE shell that penetrates the armour will likely knock out all the crew in one shot.
* Despite not having a turret, it's still a big tank. Finding proper concealment can be a challenge.
* Roof armour is weak. Attackers and even some fighters machine guns can be lethal.
* The HEAT and Hi-Ex rounds are completely useless while the APCR has mediocre penetration and damage potential. Don't bother taking anything but the default round into battle.

== History ==

===Development===
Nazi Germany created the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, a longer version of the 8.8 cm Kwk 36. 2 attempts were made to fit this gun onto a self-propelled configuration, the first was [[Ferdinand|Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand]] (later Elefant) and the second was the [[Nashorn]]. However, the Ferdinand was too heavy and unreliable while the Nashorn was too small and underpowered to propel such a gun. The '''Jagdpanther''' was proposed in late 1942, as a tank destroyer from the [[Panther D|Panther]] chassis that could mount the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 with good armour and speed. The tank destroyer was created and designated '''SdKfz 173''' and was demonstrated to Hitler on October 1943. Production then started in January 1944 under the simpler name '''Jagdpanther''' by Hitler rather than using the longer '''8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjäger Panther'''.

Throughout its production life of January 1944 to 1945, 415 total of these vehicles were made. MIAG produced 270 from January 1944 to the end of the war, MNH produced 112 from November 1944, and MBA produced 37 from December 1944. The supposed goal was 150 Jagdpanther produced a month, but Germany's deteriorating situation made this impossible. The Jagdpanthers were made in two variants, '''G1''' and '''G2'''. The G1 had a small internally bolted main gun and modified Panther Ausf. An engine deck while the G2 had a larger simplified, outer bolted mantlet with a modified Panther Ausf. G engine deck. A proposal to mount the 12.8 cm Pak 80 was mentioned but never came around to production.

The Jagdpanther was a rather good design as a tank destroyer, it had a good power-to-weight ratio and had a gun that could destroy any Allied tank in service in the war. It did not suffer as much reliability problems due to being based on the later model [[Panther G|Panther Ausf. G]], which had most of the initial problems fixed. It also used an improved transmission and final drive (the two sources of most Panther issues) that was planned for the Panther II.

===Combat Usage===
Jagdpanthers were assigned to heavy tank destroyer battalions in the Western Front and Eastern Front, though most of the Jagdpanthers were sent to deal with the Soviet onslaught, where it first saw combat action. In Normandy, few of these vehicles were encountered by the Western Allies, though 12 were deployed in one occasion by the 654 schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung against British units. One instance in July 30, 1944 saw three Jagdpanthers engage and destroy 10-11 Churchill tanks in about two minutes, though two of them were abandoned by the crew due to damage. The 654th was the only battalion to have a full complement of Jagdtigers of about 42 Jagdpanthers at the Western Front, the 559th battalion only had 10 to 14 of these vehicles. The largest concentration of the Jagdpanther on the west was during the Ardennes Offensive of about 20 vehicles combat-ready.

After the end of World War II with Nazi Germany's fall, the Jagdpanther and its original Panther configuration saw service with France. The Jagdpanthers served France from 1945 to the 1960s.

=== In-game description ===
"One of the most powerful and most successful German tank destroyers of World War II. This tank destroyer was designed by the company MIAG and was based on the Pz.Kpfw. V Panther tank. From October 1943 to April 1945, the MIAG, MNH, and MBA factories produced a total of 413 Jagdpanthers.

The Jagdpanther was mass-produced in three variants which differed in the following ways.

The first variant was the early version of the G1 self-propelled gun, produced from January to September 1944. These vehicles had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/2 gun with a one-piece barrel. The gun was fixed to the front armor with bolts inside the vehicle. Anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste was applied to the vehicle's vertical surface in its characteristic squares. Also, this variant lacked a snorkel. The plate covering the engine either completely lacked an opening or had an opening which was plugged closed.

The second variant was the standard G1, which had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/3 gun with a composite barrel. This tank destroyer also received a new gun mantlet. Zimmerit was not applied. Heat shields were installed around the exhaust pipe, and the guide wheels had a larger diameter.
The third variant was the G2, which was equipped with a new gun mantlet reinforced with bolts. An armored plate taken from the Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. G Panther tank was installed over the engine. The trenching tool and cleaning rod tube was moved to the rear.

This tank destroyer was a very effective weapon against all types of Soviet and Allied tanks. It was used on the Western and Eastern fronts until the end of the war.

For a heavy vehicle, the Jagdpanther had good speed and maneuverability. On the other hand, this self-propelled vehicle inherited a number of disadvantages from the tank it was based on, primarily low mechanical reliability and relatively thin side armor."

== Media ==

Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_panzerjager_panther Jagdpanther] in Warthunder Live.

== See also ==


* [[Bfw. Jagdpanther]] - Premium version of the Jagdpanther.

== External links ==


* [http://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/3912593/3/index.htm 3D Experience - Jagdpanther interior]
* [[Wikipedia:Jagdpanther|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Jagdpanther]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCO0chq-xcw The Shooting Range Episode 186]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Bfw. Jagdpanther G1

2020-08-07T04:46:10Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panzerbefelhswagen_jagdpanther}}
{{About
| about = premium German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the regular version
| link-1 = Jagdpanther
| usage-2 = the other vehicles of the family
| link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. This tank destroyer was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (slope angle) !! Roof (Slope angle)
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (54°) ''Bottom glacis''|| 40 + 5 mm || 40 mm (24-26°) || 25 mm
|-
| Superstructure || Same as Hull || 50 mm (26-29°)|| 40 mm (36°) || 25 mm (85°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, though the interleaved pattern of the wheels provides a cumulative 20 mm of protection.
* Tracks and the 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, adding additional 20 mm of armour.
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


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

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|PaK 43 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[PaK 43 (88 mm)|88 mm PaK 43]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 60 || -8°/+14° || ±11° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 7.04 || 9.75 || __.__ || __.__ || 13.93
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 4.76 || 5.60 || __.__ || __.__ || 8.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 11.05 || __.__ || __.__ || 8.50
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1000 || 10.2 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.6 || N/A || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Jagdpanther.png|x250px|right|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Jagdpanther.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''60''' || 46 ''(+14)'' || 31 ''(+29)'' || 16 ''(+44)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Left side empty: 31 ''(+29)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || -5°/+10° || -10°/+5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The '''Jagdpanther''' is best used defensively, to cover capture points and prevent their capture, and to cover friendly tank advances. It's highly recommended to hide the lower frontal plate in this tank, as it has a frontal mounted transmission which will set on fire if shot. It is also strongly advised to use this tank to engage at long range, and to change position often.

It is important to keep in mind that the Jagdpanther's armour is sloped. Using it on the side of a hill facing the enemy is extremely dangerous since this would decrease the angle at which the frontal armour is sloped relative to incoming fire and thus negate a large part of the vehicle's defensive capabilities. By hiding behind buildings, trees and bushes, or behind a ridgeline, its fighting capability is optimised. A well positioned Jagdpanther is very hard to destroy. In addition, using the Jagdpanther in a diamond position (with its right side facing the enemy) will mean that your most important crew members are better protected (driver, gunner, commander) since they are all on the left side of the vehicle.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Jagdpanther relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Jagdpanther's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire/are distracted.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
! colspan="6" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the legendary KwK 43 long 88. One of the best pound-for-pound guns in the game thanks to the great accuracy, penetration, damage potential, and fire rate.
* Unlike other tanks, the gun's default APHE shell is the best shell to use. It has great accuracy, velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* 10x optics is excellent. Coupled with the amazing gun, the Jagdpanther is one of the best snipers in the game.
* Really good top speed and maneuverability. Makes getting into a strong early game position a breeze.
* The tank is based off the Panther chassis, meaning the frontal armour is really strong against guns packing less than 200 mm of pen.
* Carries an amazing amount of smoke grenades.
* Despite not having a turret, the tank still has good gun depression.
* Since this is the premium Command Jagdpanther, it has all the premium bonuses.

'''Cons:'''

* Bad reverse speed might get the player killed
* Panther hull armour isn't as effective against enemies it would face, rounds like the APDS from the 20 pdr or [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]'s BR-471 APHE can easily penetrate
* Front-mounted transmission can catch fire and immobilises vehicle when shot through lower frontal plate
* Like most tank destroyers it lacks a turret, limiting its ability to respond to flankers like [[M18 GMC|M18]]
* A lot bigger than the [[StuG III G|StuG III]], [[Jagdpanzer IV|Jagdpanzer IVs]], and the [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)|Hetzer]], so may need to get used to the size and how to conceal it
* Penetration from the sides is often lethal as sides are littered with ammo

== History ==

===Development===
The formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun was created as a longer version of the 8.8 cm Kwk 36. Two attempts were made to fit this gun onto a self-propelled chassis, the first was the[[Ferdinand|Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand]] (later Elefant) and the second was the [[Nashorn]]. However, the Ferdinand was too heavy and unreliable while the Nashorn chassis was too small and underpowered to propel such a gun. The '''Jagdpanther''' was proposed in late 1942, as a tank destroyer mounting the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43, built on the [[Panther D|Panther]] chassis with good armour and speed. The tank destroyer was created and designated '''SdKfz 173''' and was demonstrated to Hitler on October 1943. Production then started in January 1944 under the simpler name '''Jagdpanther''', which Hitler preferred over the longer '''8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjäger Panther'''.

Throughout its production life of January 1944 to 1945, a total 415 of these vehicles were made. MIAG produced 270 from January 1944 to the end of the war, MNH produced 112 from November 1944, and MBA produced 37 from December 1944. The supposed goal was 150 Jagdpanthers produced per month, but Germany's deteriorating situation made this impossible. The Jagdpanthers were made in two variants, '''G1''' and '''G2'''. The G1 had a small internally bolted main gun and modified Panther Ausf. An engine deck while the G2 had a larger simplified, outer bolted mantlet with a modified Panther Ausf. G engine deck. A proposal to mount the 12.8 cm Pak 80 was considered but never produced.

The Jagdpanther was a rather good design as a tank destroyer. It had a good power-to-weight ratio and had a gun that could penetrate any allied tank in service during the war. It did not suffer from as many reliability problems due to it's basis on the later [[Panther G|Panther Ausf. G]] model, which had fixed most of the Panther's initial problems. It also used an improved transmission and final drive (the two sources of most Panther issues), which were planned for the Panther II.

===Command variant===
Jagdpanthers were assigned to heavy tank destroyer battalions in the Western Front and Eastern Front, but they required a vehicle to house the commander of each battalion. So during the Jagdpanther's production, a command vehicle variant was also made from the Jagdpanther. These vehicles are distinguishable from regular-issue Jagdpanthers with the presence of more antennas to house the FuG8 30W radio that allows communication between the command tank and headquarters. Each battalion would have access to two '''Befehlswagen Jagdpanther''' for use to coordinate the battalion, other units in each battalion is 14 normal Jagdpanthers, 5 Bergepanthers for armour recovery, a repair company, two anti-aircraft platoons, a combat engineer platoon, and an armoured reconnaissance platoon

=== In-game description ===
To equip the commanders of tank destroyer battalions, in the summer of 1944 production of a command vehicle based on the Jagdpanther tank destroyer was launched.
These command vehicles were equipped with a FuG8 30W radio station with ranges of 10 km (phone) and 50-80 km (Morse key). The transmitter operated on a medium frequency range, from 1130-3000 kHz. The receiver operated in the 835-3000 kHz range.
The FuG5 radio station was equipped with a whip antenna with a height of 2 meters, and the FuG8 radio, with a Sternantenne antenna with a height of 1.4 meters.

These vehicles served in detached anti-tank battalions. The organization of these battalions was established by the KStN 1149c government schedule, issued on March 1, 1944. A company consisted of 14 vehicles, and two more Panzerbefehlswagen Jagdpanthers were driven by the company's command staff. Each battalion had 3 companies. An additional maintenance company had 5 Bergepanthers. In addition, each battalion had a repair company, two anti-aircraft defense platoons, a combat engineer platoon, and a reconnaissance armored transport platoon. The command staff of the battalion had two command Jagdpanthers equipped with additional radio stations.

== Media ==

Skin and camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_panzerbefelhswagen_jagdpanther Bfw. Jagdpanther] on War Thunder Live.

== See also ==


* [[Jagdpanther]] - Non-premium version of the Bfw. Jagdpanther.

== External links ==


* [[Wikipedia:Jagdpanther|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Jagdpanther]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Jagdpanther G1

2020-08-07T04:42:35Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panzerjager_panther}}
{{About
| about = tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Bfw. Jagdpanther
| usage-2 = the other vehicles of the family
| link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour of the Jagdpanther in itself is average but can be utilized to become extremely effective due to ricochet mechanics.

Lighter shells (i.e. 76mm M1 from the Sherman, 88mm L/56 from the Tiger I, 90mm M3 from the Jackson/Pershing) will have issues with shells ricocheting off the front plate due to the angle of the tank's upper frontal plate. However, heavier and/or higher velocity shells (SU-152, IS-2, T29/T34 are examples of tanks that will not experience this problem very much) will not have this issue due to the weight or velocity compensating for the increased slope and penetrating anyway (that is not to say that these types of shells cannot bounce, it is just much rarer due to their weight and high velocities.)

The best way to use the Jagdpanther's armour is to find a small hill where you can angle the front of your tank upwards to where your gun can still fire back at incoming enemies, but also have your frontal armour maximized (due to the fact that your frontal armour will be at a higher angle for incoming shells, which will dramatically increase the odds of a shell ricocheting. ) Just be sure not to allow your bottom plate to be shown, as it is a potential weak point of the tank.

The side and rear armour of the Jagdpanther is extremely thin (AA guns often can penetrate) and should be protected at all costs (as your ammunition is also stored in the sides.)

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (slope angle) !! Roof (Slope angle)
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (54°) ''Bottom glacis''|| 40 + 5 mm || 40 mm (24-26°) || 25 mm
|-
| Superstructure || Same as Hull || 50 mm (26-29°)|| 40 mm (36°) || 25 mm (85°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, though the interleaved pattern of the wheels provides cumulative 20 mm protection.
*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.
*Belly armour is 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


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

The {{PAGENAME}} has decent mobility overall, however, there is one major downfall to this vehicle: its extremely slow reverse speed. For this reason, the {{PAGENAME}} cannot relocate quickly so it is best to position your vehicle in a spot where repositioning won't be necessary.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


{{main|PaK 43 (88 mm)}}

The main armament of the Jagdpanther is the PaK 43 88 mm gun, which is one of the best all-around tank weapons at it's BR. With an 11-second reload (not including Ace crew), it is accurate as well as causing large amounts of damage during a penetrating hit, as it also contains explosive filler that detonates once inside the hull of the target.

;'''Available ammunition types'''

*The '''stock''' ammunition you get (PzGr 39/43) is by far the most useful ammunition for this tank and should be the primary type you carry thought your battles.

*The '''HE round''' (Sprgr) is ineffective against armoured targets, and should only either be carried for AA guns or not carried at all.

*'''Hl.Gr 39''' is a HEAT round; it serves very little purpose, as it lacks enough penetration to penetrate tanks from the front (or even side at the B.R this tank is in).

*'''PzGr 40/43''' is the APCR round of this tank; although on paper it appears to be a significant improvement in penetration capabilities, in reality, it is often ineffective for two reasons;

The amount of damage the shell creates within the hull of tank upon penetration is very little, with little to no shrapnel being created by a penetration. This makes a direct hit onto a critical module (such as a Gunner or Ammunition) a necessity for this ammunition, which can be sometimes difficult depending on the enemy you are facing.

Although the stat card shows that the penetration does increase, due to the overall weight of the shell decreasing, sloped armour is much more difficult to penetrate (which at this battle rating is very common.) This makes this shell somewhat useless as a result, with the standard ammunition (PzGr 39/43) being far more effective against slopped armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK 43 (88 mm)|88mm PaK43]] || 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" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±11° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 11.05 || rowspan="2" | 9.78 || rowspan="2" | 9.01 || rowspan="2" | 8.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1000 || 10.2 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.6 || N/A || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Jagdpanther.png|thumb|254x254px|[[Ammo racks|Ammoracks]] of the Jagdpanther.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''60''' || 43 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+35)'' || 19 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Right side empty: 19 ''(+41)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

The machine gun on this tank is functional but is not powerful enough to cause much damage to even lightly armoured targets (such as AA vehicles).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || -5°/+10° || -10°/+5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The '''Jagdpanther''' is best used defensively, to cover capture points and prevent their capture, and cover friendly tank advances. It's highly recommended to hide the lower frontal plate in this tank, as it has a frontal mounted transmission which will set the tank on fire if shot, as well as destroying the transmission. It's also strongly advised to use this tank at long range, and change position often.

It is important to keep in mind that the Jagdpanther's armour is sloped. Using it on the side of a hill facing the enemy is extremely dangerous since this would decrease the angle at which the frontal armour and sloped and thus negate a large part of its survival capabilities. By hiding behind buildings, trees and bushes, or on top of a hill, you optimise it's fighting capabilities. A well-positioned Jagdpanther is very hard to destroy. In addition, using the Jagdpanther in a diamond position (with your right side facing the enemy) will mean that your most important crew members are better protected (driver, gunner, commander) since they are on the other side.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Jagdpanther relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Jagdpanther's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire or get distracted.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the legendary KwK 43 long 88, one of the best pound-for-pound guns in the game thanks to the great accuracy, penetration, damage potential, and fire rate.
* Unlike other tanks, the gun's default APHE shell is the best shell to use. It has great accuracy, velocity, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* 10x optics is excellent. Coupled with the amazing gun, the Jagdpanther is one of the best snipers in the game.
* Really good top speed and maneuverability. Makes getting into a strong early game position a breeze.
* The tank is based off the Panther chassis, meaning the frontal armour is really strong against guns packing less than 200 mm of pen.
* Carries an amazing amount of smoke grenades.
* Despite not having a turret, the tank still has good gun depression.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are nearly impossible to pull off.
* The hull armour is tough, but common enemy tanks like the [[Centurion Mk 3]] and [[IS-2]] laugh at the Jagdpanther's frontal armour.
* Terrible side armour. Angling is ill-advised.
* Like most tank destroyers it lacks a turret. Coupled with the terrible reverse speed, getting flanked is almost always a death sentence.
* Despite the 5 man crew, the crew compartment is small. Any APHE shell that penetrates the armour will likely knock out all the crew in one shot.
* Despite not having a turret, it's still a big tank. Finding proper concealment can be a challenge.
* Roof armour is weak. Attackers and even some fighters machine guns can be lethal.

== History ==

===Development===
Nazi Germany created the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, a longer version of the 8.8 cm Kwk 36. 2 attempts were made to fit this gun onto a self-propelled configuration, the first was [[Ferdinand|Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand]] (later Elefant) and the second was the [[Nashorn]]. However, the Ferdinand was too heavy and unreliable while the Nashorn was too small and underpowered to propel such a gun. The '''Jagdpanther''' was proposed in late 1942, as a tank destroyer from the [[Panther D|Panther]] chassis that could mount the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 with good armour and speed. The tank destroyer was created and designated '''SdKfz 173''' and was demonstrated to Hitler on October 1943. Production then started in January 1944 under the simpler name '''Jagdpanther''' by Hitler rather than using the longer '''8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjäger Panther'''.

Throughout its production life of January 1944 to 1945, 415 total of these vehicles were made. MIAG produced 270 from January 1944 to the end of the war, MNH produced 112 from November 1944, and MBA produced 37 from December 1944. The supposed goal was 150 Jagdpanther produced a month, but Germany's deteriorating situation made this impossible. The Jagdpanthers were made in two variants, '''G1''' and '''G2'''. The G1 had a small internally bolted main gun and modified Panther Ausf. An engine deck while the G2 had a larger simplified, outer bolted mantlet with a modified Panther Ausf. G engine deck. A proposal to mount the 12.8 cm Pak 80 was mentioned but never came around to production.

The Jagdpanther was a rather good design as a tank destroyer, it had a good power-to-weight ratio and had a gun that could destroy any Allied tank in service in the war. It did not suffer as much reliability problems due to being based on the later model [[Panther G|Panther Ausf. G]], which had most of the initial problems fixed. It also used an improved transmission and final drive (the two sources of most Panther issues) that was planned for the Panther II.

===Combat Usage===
Jagdpanthers were assigned to heavy tank destroyer battalions in the Western Front and Eastern Front, though most of the Jagdpanthers were sent to deal with the Soviet onslaught, where it first saw combat action. In Normandy, few of these vehicles were encountered by the Western Allies, though 12 were deployed in one occasion by the 654 schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung against British units. One instance in July 30, 1944 saw three Jagdpanthers engage and destroy 10-11 Churchill tanks in about two minutes, though two of them were abandoned by the crew due to damage. The 654th was the only battalion to have a full complement of Jagdtigers of about 42 Jagdpanthers at the Western Front, the 559th battalion only had 10 to 14 of these vehicles. The largest concentration of the Jagdpanther on the west was during the Ardennes Offensive of about 20 vehicles combat-ready.

After the end of World War II with Nazi Germany's fall, the Jagdpanther and its original Panther configuration saw service with France. The Jagdpanthers served France from 1945 to the 1960s.

=== In-game description ===
"One of the most powerful and most successful German tank destroyers of World War II. This tank destroyer was designed by the company MIAG and was based on the Pz.Kpfw. V Panther tank. From October 1943 to April 1945, the MIAG, MNH, and MBA factories produced a total of 413 Jagdpanthers.

The Jagdpanther was mass-produced in three variants which differed in the following ways.

The first variant was the early version of the G1 self-propelled gun, produced from January to September 1944. These vehicles had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/2 gun with a one-piece barrel. The gun was fixed to the front armor with bolts inside the vehicle. Anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste was applied to the vehicle's vertical surface in its characteristic squares. Also, this variant lacked a snorkel. The plate covering the engine either completely lacked an opening or had an opening which was plugged closed.

The second variant was the standard G1, which had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/3 gun with a composite barrel. This tank destroyer also received a new gun mantlet. Zimmerit was not applied. Heat shields were installed around the exhaust pipe, and the guide wheels had a larger diameter.
The third variant was the G2, which was equipped with a new gun mantlet reinforced with bolts. An armored plate taken from the Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. G Panther tank was installed over the engine. The trenching tool and cleaning rod tube was moved to the rear.

This tank destroyer was a very effective weapon against all types of Soviet and Allied tanks. It was used on the Western and Eastern fronts until the end of the war.

For a heavy vehicle, the Jagdpanther had good speed and maneuverability. On the other hand, this self-propelled vehicle inherited a number of disadvantages from the tank it was based on, primarily low mechanical reliability and relatively thin side armor."

== Media ==

Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_panzerjager_panther Jagdpanther] in Warthunder Live.

== See also ==


* [[Bfw. Jagdpanther]] - Premium version of the Jagdpanther.

== External links ==


* [http://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/3912593/3/index.htm 3D Experience - Jagdpanther interior]
* [[Wikipedia:Jagdpanther|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Jagdpanther]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCO0chq-xcw The Shooting Range Episode 186]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)

2020-08-06T09:12:21Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIh_kwk46}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced to the main tree during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]] as a main tree vehicle, however, as of [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] it was shifted to become a gift vehicle for players who previously owned it. Increasing Tiger II's main cannon to a whopping [[KwK L/68 (105 mm)|10.5 cm cannon]], the Tiger II boasts a much more powerful armament than any of the preceding German heavy tanks.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour on this variant is the same as on the regular Tiger II (H). The upper front plate provides excellent protection against any regular AP (APCBC, APHE etc.) shell you might face. The turret, however, is only 185 mm and easily penetrated by most enemies, but you can make it very difficult to hit by "wiggling" the turret left and right which will often result in bounces or non-pens. The lower glacis is a weak spot but the transmission right behind it often takes most of the shrapnel, it can catch fire pretty easily though, meaning researching FPE should be done as soon as possible.

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola, driver MG port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 150 mm (50-51°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis''|| 80 mm (27°) ''Top'' 80 + 5 mm ''Bottom''|| 80 mm (28°) || 40 mm
|-
| Turret || 185 mm (8°) ''Turret front'' 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 80 mm (19-21°) || 80 mm (20°) || 40 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 150 mm || 150 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Some part of the turret side have track links on them, which gives an additional 30 mm of protection to the armour.
* The weak spot is the front of the turret (185 mm), but it is small and very difficult to hit at mid-long ranges, where it is also harder to penetrate.
* Machine gun port could be marked as a close-range weak spot. Although most of it is still 150 mm thick, the angling is much worse.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1162|rbMinHp= 796|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK L/68 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK L/68 (105 mm)|105 mm KwK L/68]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 54 || -8°/+15° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 14.97 || 20.72 || 25.16 || 27.82 || 29.60
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 11.01 || 12.95 || 15.72 || 17.39 || 18.50
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 20.02 || 17.71 || 16.32 || 15.40
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr.Rot || APCBC ||250||248|| 234 ||219||205|| 191
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR ||302||298||275||248||223||201
|-
| Sprgr. L/4,4 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr.Rot || APCBC || 1,005 || 16 || 0.8 || 28 || 343.2 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1,150 || 10 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. L/4,4 || HE || 900 || 15 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Tiger 105.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''54''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 43 ''(+11)'' 45 ''(+9)'' || 27 ''(+27)'' 37 ''(+17)'' || 15 ''(+39)'' 19 ''(+35)'' || 1 ''(+53)'' 9 ''(+44)'' ||   1 ''(+53)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}
Right side empty: 27 ''(+27)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 5,850 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

This tank's best and almost only possible role so far is a sniper/support tank. Stay at distance, or your reload time and mobility will be the death of you.

Use your mobility to reach sniping zones and wait for enemy tanks to show up. Keep your distance to maximize the effectiveness of your armour and use cover to reload without having to worry about being destroyed. Avoid close combat as much as possible since most of the other tanks at your battle rate can penetrate your armour very easily and your reload rate is 20 secs so if your shot doesn't penetrate you will be easily killed.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Armed with a 105mm gun that rivals the to the American 105mm gun found on the T29, T28, and T95.
* Really good ballistic properties on the default APHE round, making it fantastic at long range sniping or shooting at moving targets.
* Due to the high TNT load of the default APHE shell, shots that penetrate an enemy’s crew compartment almost always leads to an instant kill.
* Once fully upgraded, the 10.5 Tiger II’s engine is even better than the one found in the Tiger II Sla.
* Upper front plate still borderlines on being impenetrable with the exception of inbound APDS and HEAT rounds.
* Lower plate susceptible to penetration, however, the transmission stands a good chance of absorbing all the potential damage.
* Runs with a 6 man crew. One shorting the tank is difficult to achieve unless the ammo is hit.
* armed with a 12 shot, semi-automatic smoke grenade launcher.t

'''Cons:'''

* The sides of the turret now have a two ears that can be penetrated, making the turret even worse than the one on the Tiger II H.
* Sluggish main gun reload time of 15 seconds, so snapshotting or engaging in brawls is ill advised.
* Despite being quick and manoeuvrable for a heavy tank, do not expect to outmanoeuvre any medium which may be on the battleground
* As long as the tank carries at least 2 shells, then there's always ammo stored in the back of the weakly armoured turret.
* This tank can no longer be reaserched by new players.

== History ==

===Tiger II===
The ''[[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]'' with its 8.8 cm KwK 43 cannon was one of the most formidable tanks in World War II. Its 150 mm thick front armour plate sloped was never penetrated by an Allied tank throughout the war and its cannon could destroy any Allied tank fielded in the war. However, some German higher-ups believe that the armament on the Tiger II was just not enough, something more was needed.

===Concept===
Ideas of rearming the Tiger II was brought up by Krupp in sometime in late 1944. The concept drawing Krupp made was for the Tiger II to be rearmed with a 10.5 cm KwK L/68 cannon. This design would require new mountings and new mechanical parts to be optimized for the larger 10.5 cm gun. While the idea was indeed a very interesting one to up gun the Tiger II, it was never implemented because of its drawbacks. The 10.5 gun uses two-piece ammunition, which requires the presence of another loader. This is impossible because the turret is already cramped as is with three people inside, and the addition of another will make the interior a very miserable place to be in. Plus, the fact the gun's ammunition is two-piece already means that the drawback behind this upgrade is a much slower fire rate. This causes the concept to be rejected by German high command, and if it wasn't, it certainly ended with Germany's surrender in May 1945.

No prototypes were made and its existence is only proven by a concept drawing.

=== In-game description ===
This project was commissioned to improve the combat capabilities of the tank with a boosted fuel-injection Maybach HL230 engine with a power of 900 hp and an improved transmission. The designers of the company Henschel proposed the engine to be used for further production and also installed on Tiger II tanks which had already been produced, but the engine's production was prevented by the deterioration of the German economic situation. The tank was to be armed with the new 105 mm 10,5 cm KwK L/68 gun, equipped with a stabilizer. The gun would have used an automatic ammunition feed. The turret was equipped with a Zeiss stereoscopic rangefinder and a ventilation system. The vehicle was equipped with a crew compartment heating device. The tank's ammunition capacity was increased by 12 shells, thanks to an additional rack mounted inside the turret. A crew of 5-6 operated the tank, whose combat weight was 70.5 tons.

Production on the new Tiger II project, featuring the 10,5 cm KwK L/68 gun, was never launched.

== Media ==

===Live.Warthunder===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=#tigerii_kwk105 Camouflages and skins for the "Tiger II KwK 105" can be found on live.warthunder.com]
* [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]

===Images===
[[File:Tiger II 105 Concept.jpg|x300px|thumb|none|The Tiger II 10.5 cm Concept art from Krupp.]]

== 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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany heavy tanks}}
[[Category:Hidden vehicles]]

Jagdpanther G1

2020-08-06T08:48:09Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panzerjager_panther}}
{{About
| about = tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Bfw. Jagdpanther
| usage-2 = the other vehicles of the family
| link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour of the Jagdpanther in itself is average but can be utilized to become extremely effective due to ricochet mechanics.

Lighter shells (i.e. 76mm M1 from the Sherman, 88mm L/56 from the Tiger I, 90mm M3 from the Jackson/Pershing) will have issues with shells ricocheting off the front plate due to the angle of the tank's upper frontal plate. However, heavier and/or higher velocity shells (SU-152, IS-2, T29/T34 are examples of tanks that will not experience this problem very much) will not have this issue due to the weight or velocity compensating for the increased slope and penetrating anyway (that is not to say that these types of shells cannot bounce, it is just much rarer due to their weight and high velocities.)

The best way to use the Jagdpanther's armour is to find a small hill where you can angle the front of your tank upwards to where your gun can still fire back at incoming enemies, but also have your frontal armour maximized (due to the fact that your frontal armour will be at a higher angle for incoming shells, which will dramatically increase the odds of a shell ricocheting. ) Just be sure not to allow your bottom plate to be shown, as it is a potential weak point of the tank.

The side and rear armour of the Jagdpanther is extremely thin (AA guns often can penetrate) and should be protected at all costs (as your ammunition is also stored in the sides.)

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (slope angle) !! Roof (Slope angle)
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (54°) ''Bottom glacis''|| 40 + 5 mm || 40 mm (24-26°) || 25 mm
|-
| Superstructure || Same as Hull || 50 mm (26-29°)|| 40 mm (36°) || 25 mm (85°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, though the interleaved pattern of the wheels provides cumulative 20 mm protection.
*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.
*Belly armour is 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


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

The {{PAGENAME}} has decent mobility overall, however, there is one major downfall to this vehicle: its extremely slow reverse speed. For this reason, the {{PAGENAME}} cannot relocate quickly so it is best to position your vehicle in a spot where repositioning won't be necessary.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


{{main|PaK 43 (88 mm)}}

The main armament of the Jagdpanther is the PaK 43 88 mm gun, which is one of the best all-around tank weapons at it's BR. With an 11-second reload (not including Ace crew), it is accurate as well as causing large amounts of damage during a penetrating hit, as it also contains explosive filler that detonates once inside the hull of the target.

;'''Available ammunition types'''

*The '''stock''' ammunition you get (PzGr 39/43) is by far the most useful ammunition for this tank and should be the primary type you carry thought your battles.

*The '''HE round''' (Sprgr) is ineffective against armoured targets, and should only either be carried for AA guns or not carried at all.

*'''Hl.Gr 39''' is a HEAT round; it serves very little purpose, as it lacks enough penetration to penetrate tanks from the front (or even side at the B.R this tank is in).

*'''PzGr 40/43''' is the APCR round of this tank; although on paper it appears to be a significant improvement in penetration capabilities, in reality, it is often ineffective for two reasons;

The amount of damage the shell creates within the hull of tank upon penetration is very little, with little to no shrapnel being created by a penetration. This makes a direct hit onto a critical module (such as a Gunner or Ammunition) a necessity for this ammunition, which can be sometimes difficult depending on the enemy you are facing.

Although the stat card shows that the penetration does increase, due to the overall weight of the shell decreasing, sloped armour is much more difficult to penetrate (which at this battle rating is very common.) This makes this shell somewhat useless as a result, with the standard ammunition (PzGr 39/43) being far more effective against slopped armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK 43 (88 mm)|88mm PaK43]] || 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" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±11° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 11.05 || rowspan="2" | 9.78 || rowspan="2" | 9.01 || rowspan="2" | 8.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1000 || 10.2 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.6 || N/A || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Jagdpanther.png|thumb|254x254px|[[Ammo racks|Ammoracks]] of the Jagdpanther.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''60''' || 43 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+35)'' || 19 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Right side empty: 19 ''(+41)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

The machine gun on this tank is functional but is not powerful enough to cause much damage to even lightly armoured targets (such as AA vehicles).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || -5°/+10° || -10°/+5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The '''Jagdpanther''' is best used defensively, to cover capture points and prevent their capture, and cover friendly tank advances. It's highly recommended to hide the lower frontal plate in this tank, as it has a frontal mounted transmission which will set the tank on fire if shot, as well as destroying the transmission. It's also strongly advised to use this tank at long range, and change position often.

It is important to keep in mind that the Jagdpanther's armour is sloped. Using it on the side of a hill facing the enemy is extremely dangerous since this would decrease the angle at which the frontal armour and sloped and thus negate a large part of its survival capabilities. By hiding behind buildings, trees and bushes, or on top of a hill, you optimise it's fighting capabilities. A well-positioned Jagdpanther is very hard to destroy. In addition, using the Jagdpanther in a diamond position (with your right side facing the enemy) will mean that your most important crew members are better protected (driver, gunner, commander) since they are on the other side.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Jagdpanther relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Jagdpanther's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire or get distracted.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the legendary KwK 43 long 88. Legitimately one of the best pound-for-pound gun’s in the game thanks to the great accuracy, penetration, firerate, and damage potential of the gun when loaded with the default APHE shell.
* Great accuracy, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* 10x optics is excellent. Coupled with the amazing gun, the Jagdpanther is one of the best snipers in the game.
* Really good top speed and maneuverability. Makes getting into a strong early game position a breeze.
* The tank is based on the Panther chassis, meaning the frontal armor is really strong against guns packing less than 200mm of pen.
* Carries an amazing amount of smoke grenades.
* Despite not having a turret, the tanks still has good gun depression.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are nearly impossible to pull off.
* The hull armour is tough, but common enemy tanks like the Centurion 3 and IS-2 laugh at the Jagdpanther’s frontal armor.
* Terrible side armor. Angeling is ill advised, especially if a 122mm gun’s is about to shoot you.
* Like most tank destroyers it lacks a turret. Coupled with the terrible reverse speed, getting flanked is almost always a death sentence.
* Despite the 5 man crew, the crew compartment is small. Any APHE shell that’s pens the tank will likely kill everyone.
* Despite not having a turret, it’s still a big tank. Finding proper concealment can be a challenge.
* Roof armor is weak. Attackers and even some fighters machine guns can be leathal.
*

== History ==

===Development===
Nazi Germany created the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, a longer version of the 8.8 cm Kwk 36. 2 attempts were made to fit this gun onto a self-propelled configuration, the first was [[Ferdinand|Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand]] (later Elefant) and the second was the [[Nashorn]]. However, the Ferdinand was too heavy and unreliable while the Nashorn was too small and underpowered to propel such a gun. The '''Jagdpanther''' was proposed in late 1942, as a tank destroyer from the [[Panther D|Panther]] chassis that could mount the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 with good armour and speed. The tank destroyer was created and designated '''SdKfz 173''' and was demonstrated to Hitler on October 1943. Production then started in January 1944 under the simpler name '''Jagdpanther''' by Hitler rather than using the longer '''8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjäger Panther'''.

Throughout its production life of January 1944 to 1945, 415 total of these vehicles were made. MIAG produced 270 from January 1944 to the end of the war, MNH produced 112 from November 1944, and MBA produced 37 from December 1944. The supposed goal was 150 Jagdpanther produced a month, but Germany's deteriorating situation made this impossible. The Jagdpanthers were made in two variants, '''G1''' and '''G2'''. The G1 had a small internally bolted main gun and modified Panther Ausf. An engine deck while the G2 had a larger simplified, outer bolted mantlet with a modified Panther Ausf. G engine deck. A proposal to mount the 12.8 cm Pak 80 was mentioned but never came around to production.

The Jagdpanther was a rather good design as a tank destroyer, it had a good power-to-weight ratio and had a gun that could destroy any Allied tank in service in the war. It did not suffer as much reliability problems due to being based on the later model [[Panther G|Panther Ausf. G]], which had most of the initial problems fixed. It also used an improved transmission and final drive (the two sources of most Panther issues) that was planned for the Panther II.

===Combat Usage===
Jagdpanthers were assigned to heavy tank destroyer battalions in the Western Front and Eastern Front, though most of the Jagdpanthers were sent to deal with the Soviet onslaught, where it first saw combat action. In Normandy, few of these vehicles were encountered by the Western Allies, though 12 were deployed in one occasion by the 654 schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung against British units. One instance in July 30, 1944 saw three Jagdpanthers engage and destroy 10-11 Churchill tanks in about two minutes, though two of them were abandoned by the crew due to damage. The 654th was the only battalion to have a full complement of Jagdtigers of about 42 Jagdpanthers at the Western Front, the 559th battalion only had 10 to 14 of these vehicles. The largest concentration of the Jagdpanther on the west was during the Ardennes Offensive of about 20 vehicles combat-ready.

After the end of World War II with Nazi Germany's fall, the Jagdpanther and its original Panther configuration saw service with France. The Jagdpanthers served France from 1945 to the 1960s.

=== In-game description ===
"One of the most powerful and most successful German tank destroyers of World War II. This tank destroyer was designed by the company MIAG and was based on the Pz.Kpfw. V Panther tank. From October 1943 to April 1945, the MIAG, MNH, and MBA factories produced a total of 413 Jagdpanthers.

The Jagdpanther was mass-produced in three variants which differed in the following ways.

The first variant was the early version of the G1 self-propelled gun, produced from January to September 1944. These vehicles had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/2 gun with a one-piece barrel. The gun was fixed to the front armor with bolts inside the vehicle. Anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste was applied to the vehicle's vertical surface in its characteristic squares. Also, this variant lacked a snorkel. The plate covering the engine either completely lacked an opening or had an opening which was plugged closed.

The second variant was the standard G1, which had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/3 gun with a composite barrel. This tank destroyer also received a new gun mantlet. Zimmerit was not applied. Heat shields were installed around the exhaust pipe, and the guide wheels had a larger diameter.
The third variant was the G2, which was equipped with a new gun mantlet reinforced with bolts. An armored plate taken from the Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. G Panther tank was installed over the engine. The trenching tool and cleaning rod tube was moved to the rear.

This tank destroyer was a very effective weapon against all types of Soviet and Allied tanks. It was used on the Western and Eastern fronts until the end of the war.

For a heavy vehicle, the Jagdpanther had good speed and maneuverability. On the other hand, this self-propelled vehicle inherited a number of disadvantages from the tank it was based on, primarily low mechanical reliability and relatively thin side armor."

== Media ==

Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_panzerjager_panther Jagdpanther] in Warthunder Live.

== See also ==


* [[Bfw. Jagdpanther]] - Premium version of the Jagdpanther.

== External links ==


* [http://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/3912593/3/index.htm 3D Experience - Jagdpanther interior]
* [[Wikipedia:Jagdpanther|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Jagdpanther]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCO0chq-xcw The Shooting Range Episode 186]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Jagdpanther G1

2020-08-06T08:43:31Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panzerjager_panther}}
{{About
| about = tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Bfw. Jagdpanther
| usage-2 = the other vehicles of the family
| link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour of the Jagdpanther in itself is average but can be utilized to become extremely effective due to ricochet mechanics.

Lighter shells (i.e. 76mm M1 from the Sherman, 88mm L/56 from the Tiger I, 90mm M3 from the Jackson/Pershing) will have issues with shells ricocheting off the front plate due to the angle of the tank's upper frontal plate. However, heavier and/or higher velocity shells (SU-152, IS-2, T29/T34 are examples of tanks that will not experience this problem very much) will not have this issue due to the weight or velocity compensating for the increased slope and penetrating anyway (that is not to say that these types of shells cannot bounce, it is just much rarer due to their weight and high velocities.)

The best way to use the Jagdpanther's armour is to find a small hill where you can angle the front of your tank upwards to where your gun can still fire back at incoming enemies, but also have your frontal armour maximized (due to the fact that your frontal armour will be at a higher angle for incoming shells, which will dramatically increase the odds of a shell ricocheting. ) Just be sure not to allow your bottom plate to be shown, as it is a potential weak point of the tank.

The side and rear armour of the Jagdpanther is extremely thin (AA guns often can penetrate) and should be protected at all costs (as your ammunition is also stored in the sides.)

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (slope angle) !! Roof (Slope angle)
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (54°) ''Bottom glacis''|| 40 + 5 mm || 40 mm (24-26°) || 25 mm
|-
| Superstructure || Same as Hull || 50 mm (26-29°)|| 40 mm (36°) || 25 mm (85°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, though the interleaved pattern of the wheels provides cumulative 20 mm protection.
*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.
*Belly armour is 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


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

The {{PAGENAME}} has decent mobility overall, however, there is one major downfall to this vehicle: its extremely slow reverse speed. For this reason, the {{PAGENAME}} cannot relocate quickly so it is best to position your vehicle in a spot where repositioning won't be necessary.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===


{{main|PaK 43 (88 mm)}}

The main armament of the Jagdpanther is the PaK 43 88 mm gun, which is one of the best all-around tank weapons at it's BR. With an 11-second reload (not including Ace crew), it is accurate as well as causing large amounts of damage during a penetrating hit, as it also contains explosive filler that detonates once inside the hull of the target.

;'''Available ammunition types'''

*The '''stock''' ammunition you get (PzGr 39/43) is by far the most useful ammunition for this tank and should be the primary type you carry thought your battles.

*The '''HE round''' (Sprgr) is ineffective against armoured targets, and should only either be carried for AA guns or not carried at all.

*'''Hl.Gr 39''' is a HEAT round; it serves very little purpose, as it lacks enough penetration to penetrate tanks from the front (or even side at the B.R this tank is in).

*'''PzGr 40/43''' is the APCR round of this tank; although on paper it appears to be a significant improvement in penetration capabilities, in reality, it is often ineffective for two reasons;

The amount of damage the shell creates within the hull of tank upon penetration is very little, with little to no shrapnel being created by a penetration. This makes a direct hit onto a critical module (such as a Gunner or Ammunition) a necessity for this ammunition, which can be sometimes difficult depending on the enemy you are facing.

Although the stat card shows that the penetration does increase, due to the overall weight of the shell decreasing, sloped armour is much more difficult to penetrate (which at this battle rating is very common.) This makes this shell somewhat useless as a result, with the standard ammunition (PzGr 39/43) being far more effective against slopped armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK 43 (88 mm)|88mm PaK43]] || 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" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±11° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 11.05 || rowspan="2" | 9.78 || rowspan="2" | 9.01 || rowspan="2" | 8.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1000 || 10.2 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.6 || N/A || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks Jagdpanther.png|thumb|254x254px|[[Ammo racks|Ammoracks]] of the Jagdpanther.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''60''' || 43 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+35)'' || 19 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Right side empty: 19 ''(+41)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

The machine gun on this tank is functional but is not powerful enough to cause much damage to even lightly armoured targets (such as AA vehicles).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || -5°/+10° || -10°/+5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The '''Jagdpanther''' is best used defensively, to cover capture points and prevent their capture, and cover friendly tank advances. It's highly recommended to hide the lower frontal plate in this tank, as it has a frontal mounted transmission which will set the tank on fire if shot, as well as destroying the transmission. It's also strongly advised to use this tank at long range, and change position often.

It is important to keep in mind that the Jagdpanther's armour is sloped. Using it on the side of a hill facing the enemy is extremely dangerous since this would decrease the angle at which the frontal armour and sloped and thus negate a large part of its survival capabilities. By hiding behind buildings, trees and bushes, or on top of a hill, you optimise it's fighting capabilities. A well-positioned Jagdpanther is very hard to destroy. In addition, using the Jagdpanther in a diamond position (with your right side facing the enemy) will mean that your most important crew members are better protected (driver, gunner, commander) since they are on the other side.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Jagdpanther relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Jagdpanther's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire or get distracted.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Hl.Gr 39
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| PzGr 40/43
| Smoke grenade
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armed with the legendary KwK 43 long 88. Legitimately one of the best pound-for-pound gun’s in the game thanks to the great accuracy, penetration, firerate, and damage potential of the gun when loaded with the default APHE shell.
* Great accuracy, penetration, and damage potential at all ranges.
* 10x optics is excellent. Coupled with the amazing gun, the Jagdpanther is one of the best snipers in the game.
* Really good top speed and maneuverability. Makes getting into a strong early game position a breeze.
* The tank is based on the Panther chassis, meaning the frontal armor is really strong against guns packing less than 200mm of pen.
* The smoke grenade launcher carries an amazing amount of ammo.
* Despite not having a turret, the tanks still has good gun depression.
*

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reverse speed. Shoot and scoot tactics are nearly impossible to pull off.
* The hull armour is tough, but common enemy tanks like the Centurion 3 and IS-2 laugh at the Jagdpanther’s frontal armor.
* Terrible side armor. Angeling is ill advised, especially if a 122mm gun’s is about to shoot you.
* Like most tank destroyers it lacks a turret. Coupled with the terrible reverse speed, getting flanked is a death sentence.
* Despite the 5 man crew, any APHE shell that’s enters the tank will likely kill the whole crew.
* Despite not having a turret, it’s still a big tank. Finding proper concealment can be a challenge.
* Roof armor is weak. Attackers and even some fighters machine guns can be leathal.
*

== History ==

===Development===
Nazi Germany created the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, a longer version of the 8.8 cm Kwk 36. 2 attempts were made to fit this gun onto a self-propelled configuration, the first was [[Ferdinand|Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand]] (later Elefant) and the second was the [[Nashorn]]. However, the Ferdinand was too heavy and unreliable while the Nashorn was too small and underpowered to propel such a gun. The '''Jagdpanther''' was proposed in late 1942, as a tank destroyer from the [[Panther D|Panther]] chassis that could mount the formidable 8.8 cm Pak 43 with good armour and speed. The tank destroyer was created and designated '''SdKfz 173''' and was demonstrated to Hitler on October 1943. Production then started in January 1944 under the simpler name '''Jagdpanther''' by Hitler rather than using the longer '''8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjäger Panther'''.

Throughout its production life of January 1944 to 1945, 415 total of these vehicles were made. MIAG produced 270 from January 1944 to the end of the war, MNH produced 112 from November 1944, and MBA produced 37 from December 1944. The supposed goal was 150 Jagdpanther produced a month, but Germany's deteriorating situation made this impossible. The Jagdpanthers were made in two variants, '''G1''' and '''G2'''. The G1 had a small internally bolted main gun and modified Panther Ausf. An engine deck while the G2 had a larger simplified, outer bolted mantlet with a modified Panther Ausf. G engine deck. A proposal to mount the 12.8 cm Pak 80 was mentioned but never came around to production.

The Jagdpanther was a rather good design as a tank destroyer, it had a good power-to-weight ratio and had a gun that could destroy any Allied tank in service in the war. It did not suffer as much reliability problems due to being based on the later model [[Panther G|Panther Ausf. G]], which had most of the initial problems fixed. It also used an improved transmission and final drive (the two sources of most Panther issues) that was planned for the Panther II.

===Combat Usage===
Jagdpanthers were assigned to heavy tank destroyer battalions in the Western Front and Eastern Front, though most of the Jagdpanthers were sent to deal with the Soviet onslaught, where it first saw combat action. In Normandy, few of these vehicles were encountered by the Western Allies, though 12 were deployed in one occasion by the 654 schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung against British units. One instance in July 30, 1944 saw three Jagdpanthers engage and destroy 10-11 Churchill tanks in about two minutes, though two of them were abandoned by the crew due to damage. The 654th was the only battalion to have a full complement of Jagdtigers of about 42 Jagdpanthers at the Western Front, the 559th battalion only had 10 to 14 of these vehicles. The largest concentration of the Jagdpanther on the west was during the Ardennes Offensive of about 20 vehicles combat-ready.

After the end of World War II with Nazi Germany's fall, the Jagdpanther and its original Panther configuration saw service with France. The Jagdpanthers served France from 1945 to the 1960s.

=== In-game description ===
"One of the most powerful and most successful German tank destroyers of World War II. This tank destroyer was designed by the company MIAG and was based on the Pz.Kpfw. V Panther tank. From October 1943 to April 1945, the MIAG, MNH, and MBA factories produced a total of 413 Jagdpanthers.

The Jagdpanther was mass-produced in three variants which differed in the following ways.

The first variant was the early version of the G1 self-propelled gun, produced from January to September 1944. These vehicles had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/2 gun with a one-piece barrel. The gun was fixed to the front armor with bolts inside the vehicle. Anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste was applied to the vehicle's vertical surface in its characteristic squares. Also, this variant lacked a snorkel. The plate covering the engine either completely lacked an opening or had an opening which was plugged closed.

The second variant was the standard G1, which had an 88 mm 8,8 cm Pak 43/3 gun with a composite barrel. This tank destroyer also received a new gun mantlet. Zimmerit was not applied. Heat shields were installed around the exhaust pipe, and the guide wheels had a larger diameter.
The third variant was the G2, which was equipped with a new gun mantlet reinforced with bolts. An armored plate taken from the Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. G Panther tank was installed over the engine. The trenching tool and cleaning rod tube was moved to the rear.

This tank destroyer was a very effective weapon against all types of Soviet and Allied tanks. It was used on the Western and Eastern fronts until the end of the war.

For a heavy vehicle, the Jagdpanther had good speed and maneuverability. On the other hand, this self-propelled vehicle inherited a number of disadvantages from the tank it was based on, primarily low mechanical reliability and relatively thin side armor."

== Media ==

Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_panzerjager_panther Jagdpanther] in Warthunder Live.

== See also ==


* [[Bfw. Jagdpanther]] - Premium version of the Jagdpanther.

== External links ==


* [http://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/3912593/3/index.htm 3D Experience - Jagdpanther interior]
* [[Wikipedia:Jagdpanther|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Jagdpanther]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCO0chq-xcw The Shooting Range Episode 186]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

IS-2 (1944)

2020-08-06T08:11:00Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_2_1944}}
{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the early version
| usage-2 = the premium version
| link-1 = IS-2
| link-2 = IS-2 "Revenge"
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

The IS-2 mod. 1944 was created after the initial disadvantages of the previous [[IS-2]] model (IS-2 mod. 1943), being vulnerable against the 75mm guns of the German StuGs and Panzer IVs due to the nearly flat frontal armour. The Soviet high command then decided to produce another version of the IS-2 with a heavily sloped armour plate, generally known as the IS-2 mod. 1944. It was used successfully on the Eastern front until the end of the war and is remembered as one of the mightiest tanks of World War 2.

In the game, the IS-2 mod. 1944 sits at a BR of 6.3, which is 0.6 higher than the first [[IS-2]]. It now features a mighty frontal plate, sloped at 61° backwards and also a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on top for AA-defense. It has the same gun as its predecessor, but even at BR 6.3, it is one of the most destructive guns in the game, with high penetration and devastating post-penetration damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
[[File:IS-2 1944 Screenshot 1.jpg|thumb|IS-2 1944 on [[Finland]] ]]
The armour, while having a nigh-impenetrable front plate and a decent turret, has many weak spots.

First, there is the right part of the turret because while on the left side the gun mantlet is connected to the turret armour, there is no mantlet on the right-hand side, so it has just half the thickness of the left side.

Next, we have the lower glacis, which is a very prominent target, with very little armour for its BR (~130mm effective thickness). Shots of a German 88 mm or an American 90 mm will wreak your IS-2 1944.

Last but not least, we have the driver's hatch. While not as prominent as the first two mentioned, many experienced players will go for a shot right here, when you are hull-down. With around 120 mm effective thickness, it is really easy to penetrate even with small guns such as the American 76 mm and has a devastating effect on your tank.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 671|rbMinHp= 460|AoAweight= 0.15}}

The forward and reverse acceleration on the {{PAGENAME}} is quite superb even when stock. However, the {{PAGENAME}} suffers especially when attempting to turn. Speed will bleed out very quickly when turning, this can lead to difficulty when attempting to turn at low speed and so will require the tank to move forwards until it reaches a good speed to turn adequately to respond to any targets not at the direct hull front.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
[[File:IS-2 1944 Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|IS-2 1944 on [[Finland]]]]
{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 11.33 || 15.68 || 19.04 || 21.06 || 22.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.33 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.16 || 14.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 27.1 || 23.92 || 22.05 || 20.8
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_IS-2.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-2.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 18 ''(+10)'' || 14 ''(+14)'' 13 ''(+15)'' || 9 ''(+19)'' 9 ''(+19)'' || 6 ''(+22)'' 6 ''(+22)'' || 3 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Center ammo removed: 18 ''(+10)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun armament of the {{PAGENAME}} is vastly improved from the [[IS-2|previous iteration]] due to the presence of a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on a pintle-mount. This allows not only a better ability to defend against aircraft, but as an alternative offensive capability to the slow-firing 122 mm gun. Penetrating more than 20 mm of armour from at maximum 500 metres, the DShK is great to attack lightly armoured vehicles. The coaxial gun in this case has little use aside from an harassing tool against an armored enemy or foliage clearing device against fences that may be in the way. Still, these two machine guns should not be neglected from the arsenal of the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | 12.7mm DShK
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 250 || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
''(12.7mm MG vertical and horizontal guidance is not shown)''

== Usage in battles ==

The IS-2 '44 is a definite improvement on its predecessor, the [[IS-2]]. Most notably the frontal armour now features a slope, which can bounce or outright block some rounds, although the 0.6 Battle Rating increase seems slightly too much. This iteration of the IS-2 also features a roof-mounted machine gun that can be used to attack aircraft without moving your turret (by using weapon selection keys set in the controls). Otherwise, the IS-2 '44 is identical to the IS-2.

[[File:IS-2 1944 Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|IS-2 1944 on [[Finland]]]]

=== General Gameplay ===
At Battle Rating 6.3 you will see Tiger II (H) and Panther II a lot, as well as much more heavily armoured vehicles such as the Jagdtiger, the Ferdinand, the T32 and the T95 (in an up-tier). These tanks are near-impossible to penetrate frontally, so you will have to try to flank them. Otherwise, the gameplay remains the same as with the previous IS-2.

Overall, you shouldn't over-extend into enemy territory because your reload is still slow; you should play off of your teammates and use your great reverse speed to get out of line of sight as soon as you shot, or have been shot; you should have fun with the 122 mm gun that blows roofs off of most enemies you penetrate. Flanking is best done in Arcade, while in Realistic you're better of setting up ambushes at a medium distance away from main pathways.

==== Arcade Battles ====
In Arcade, the IS-2 proves to be quite mobile when fully upgraded. This can be used effectively to get into superior positions to engage enemies early in the match when they haven't yet set-up camp in well-covered positions and/or presented their strongest armour. Thus, it's easy to gain a kill at the start of the match, if you are comfortable with the 122 mm gun.

Close quarters combat proves even more deadly in Arcade Battles because all opposing vehicles will be able to easily overrun a single IS-2, especially after it has shot and is now waiting through it long reloads (> the 20s). Hence why it's advised to use your improved reverse speed to quickly disengage after shooting and retreating towards your teammates, who will likely be able to return fire. If the map forces you to fight in close quarters, attempt to get into a position where your teammates can cover your sides, while you can face forwards and clear the road. If the map allows, you can try taking 5 rounds of ammunition and camp at a capture point (usually one that's given to your team) to snipe all enemies that enter your line of sight while reducing your chances of blowing up at the first incoming shot.

In rare cases, it's possible to rush with the IS-2 and surprise lighter vehicles at a contested capture point in the early stages of a game. This strategy relies on the capture point being unpopular and being lucky to face only one enemy vehicle at a time. Some light tanks are unable to penetrate the IS-2 frontally, especially if they are from a much lower rank (e.g. [[BT-7]], the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] or the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3]]), so that's an added benefit of being a decently mobile heavy tank. If successful, the IS-2 can then flank to other objectives or advance to the enemy spawn to destroy another enemy or two. You shouldn't expect a lot of easy targets with this strategy, because it exposes your tank to potentially a lot of enemy fire.

==== Realistic Battles ====
In Realistic, the IS-2 begins to feel like a heavy tank. Its mobility is heavily reduced and its speed is outmatched by practically everything, mostly due to poor acceleration off-roads. However, this should be used as an advantage to gauge where the enemies are set-up, by looking where your teammates are killed from. You can then decide to return fire, although sometimes opponents don't show themselves until later in the match, in which case you should stay passive and try to remain behind your team's front lines.

Due to generally increased map size in Realistic, you will have to get comfortable with the bullet drop. There is an added benefit to that because the following [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] mount the same gun (as does [[T-44-122]] and [[KV-122]], if you have them), and [[T-10M]] has similar bullet drop. Now, the IS-2 performs decently well at longer ranges, but it will cost you a lot if you miss or don't penetrate, because the reload is so long. Often, you will need to rely on the rangefinder, the teammates or map knowledge to gauge how high you need to shoot, so it might be a great idea to take out another vehicle first (such as the [[T-44]] or [[T-34-85]]) remember the distance and then take the IS-2 out. However, on larger maps, it is generally a better idea to take out other vehicles.

A more reliable strategy for the IS-2 is to camp nearby an objective and pick off any enemies who pose a threat. Just make sure to find a flat spot with cover, because your poor gun depression and long reload will be your death in hilly or open areas. It's also a good idea to target heavy enemies, because they are easier to hit, and also will likely pose a larger threat to your general team (e.g the [[Ferdinand]], the [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] or the [[Tiger II (H)]] ).

====General Tactics====

Although classified as a heavy tank and an upgraded improved design over the KV predecessor, the IS-2's armour will no longer hold up to its more common and heavier opponents of its Battle-Rating and Rank. Compared with other vehicles such as the new German Tiger II, American heavy T-series tanks; most of which can easily deflect even the most powerful shots of the IS-2 unless targeted specifically and known weak-spots. Because of this, it is recommended to always travel and fight in groups of two or more vehicles. The slow and difficult in the manoeuvring of the vehicle (especially in confined spaces) will more than once place the IS-2 in significant danger. It is recommended to field the IS-2 into a fire-support role, peeking over the shoulder of friendly, more heavier vehicles and firing a shot against the opposition in tandem.

Another significant note of this vehicle is the IS-2's considerably fast reverse rate, the highest of its Rank and Battle-Rating for the nation's faction inherited from its IS-1 predecessor, topping at 17 km/h. During situations where engagement is expected, an unorthodox strategy can be utilized where the operator of the IS-2 tank re-positions the vehicle 90 degrees and drive in reverse with the rear-facing towards the enemy. By driving in reverse this way, the engine blocks make a crude yet somewhat effective shield to protect the more delicate crew members. As the fuel tanks are mostly stored at the front on the left and right side of the driver's station, the risk of fire and fuel-tank explosion is reduced significantly (but not completely eliminated) and thus, the tank is able to resist even the most powerful of shots. Be aware that more experienced players may attempt to instead fire at the more exposed turret of the IS tank and instantly knocking out the crew with a common APHE penetrating shell in this way.

In regards to shells, the D-25T cannon is also equipped with powerful High Explosive (HE) Shells which should not go ignored. Firing a HE shell with precise aim directly underneath the chassis of enemy vehicles were the armour, like on the top of the vehicle if thinnest, can cripple or instantly destroy said enemy vehicles. In rare instances, the HE shell of the D-25T is so powerful to the point two or more medium or heavy tanks close to each other can be destroyed with a single exploding HE Shell.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjvoBexPd4</ref> Alternatively, the powerful armour-piercing capability of the D-25T cannon's APHE rounds has also been documented to pierce two or three light-armoured targets without exploding, claiming hull-break wins. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpXjG9ORxTI</ref>

=== Moving from IS-2 to IS-2 (1944) ===
This section will go into more detail about the differences between fighting with this machine, the challenge is that some of the enemies which can be faced are simply impenetrable frontally. You will have to either have to run or outflank them! However, it is critically important to watch your flanks, due to the other enemies which will also be facing, trying to outflank you and hit you in your sides!
because of the saturation of good and highly mobile vehicles that other nations have at this Battle Rating such as: [[Ru_251]], [[Panther_(Disambiguation)| Panther tanks]], [[Tiger_II_(H)|Tiger II (H)]], [[Caernarvon]], [[T34]], [[AMX_M4|AMX M4]] and many more.

==== Specific Enemies Worth Noting ====
These are new (or common) vehicles you will see in this tank. Read the specific enemies section in the IS-2 article to get a full run-down.

* ☠ T32 - You have to go for the MG port in the lower left of the UFP, otherwise you can only penetrate the side armour or the rear.
* ☠ T28 - You can only penetrate the cupolas on top of the tank. If they're hidden or you are unsure about the shot, you can try hitting the cannon barrel and running away.
* ☠ Ferdinand - Go for the angled armour at the sides of the lower front plate (below the casemate, but above the lowest plates), this will disable Ferdinand's engine and/or driver, so you can flank and finish it off.
* ☠ Jagdtiger - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel, and then flanking is your best option (or running away).
* ☠ Conqueror - Shoot the hull, don't shoot the turret.
* ☠ Ho-Ri Production - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* ☠ AMX-50 Foch - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* T34 / T29 - Turret cheeks can work, although it's best to go for the LFP because the ammo storage is very low in the tank. If you don't see the LFP, try going just below the turret ring, where the driver sits.
* Tiger II (H) / Panther II - You can easily penetrate the turret cheeks with BR-471B.
* Panther D, A, G, F - You can penetrate the UFP 
* Tortoise - Shoot to the right of the gun of the Tortoise, when you see it head-on if shoot on the left plate there is a chance of a one-shot
* AMX-50 Surbaissé - Go for the LFP.

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's '''a priority to research Parts and FPE''' (you may want to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match if you really wish to upgrade this vehicle quickly).

General stock grind advice:

* Don't show your rear to any enemies, because a single fire will be your death.
* Your gun is still very effective, so don't be afraid to attack enemies frontally, just make sure to aim for weak-spots if possible.
** Shooting at planes in Arcade with your machine gun (or main gun) and scoring some hits can often award you a kill if the plane crashes, which grants points.
* Play as a support tank - push with your team and let them take fire, then poke out and take your shots, then retreat back into cover.
** Try to push into objectives with your team to gain those points as well.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
!Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
|I
|Tracks
|
|Parts
|Horizontal Drive
|
|-
|II
|Suspension
|Brake System
|FPE
|Adjustment of Fire
|BR-471B
|-
|III
|Filters
|
|Crew Replenishment
|Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
|IV
|Transmission
|Engine
|Add-on armour
|
|
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely powerful 122mm gun. Can easily kill any tank with a single shot.
* The top 122mm APHE shell has good overmatching mechanics. Can go through the upper plate of the Panther at 500+ meters fairly easily.
* Upper plate is as tough as the Tiger II's upper plate.
* Has good mobility and a high top speed for a heavy.
* Has a roof mounted 12.7mm machine gun. So dealing with lightly armored vehicles/ defending its self from planes is possible.
* Is a good flanker and ambushing tank thanks to its good top speed, armor, and massive gun.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reload speed. Getting into brawls with contemporary heavies like the Tiger II is ill advised.
* Despite the good overall armor, has some serious weak spots on the turret.
* Horrible gun depression. Hill fighting is nearly impossible without exposing the entire tank.
* Has a massive, flat, and weakly armored lower plate. All 6.0 and up tanks can slice right through.
* Very small crew compartment. Any APHE shell that pens it will likely kill everyone in the tank.
* Terrible set of optics. Sniping is difficult when the sights provide virtually no zoom.
* Can’t effectively side scrape due to its hull cheeks.
* The 12.7mm machine gun isn’t as potent as the American .50 cals due to the low mag size and total carried ammo.

== History ==

===Development===
The effort began on another heavy tank after the [[IS-1]]'s 85 mm gun no longer had a firepower advantage after the standard [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] medium tank was upgraded with the same gun into the [[T-34-85]]. Due to that, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944 with about 107 units produced.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Those in storage still awaited upgrade to become a more powerful heavy tank.

In late 1943, the upgrade of the IS tank began and the choices available were rounded down to two weapons, the 122 mm A-19 gun and the 100 mm D-10 gun. Both guns had their advantages and disadvantages in their specifications, the 100 mm D-10 had a much better armour penetration capabilities and uses a single-piece ammunition, the 122 mm A-19 has a better high-explosive round and used a two-piece ammunition In the end, the 122 mm A-19 (adopted as the D-25T) gun was chosen as the gun of the new IS tank due to larger supply of the gun available for use (the D-10 was a newly produced gun) and the better high-explosive round available. The better high-explosive round is due to the heavy tank's specification as a "breakthrough" tank than an anti-tank role, so it was meant to fight fortifications more than against armour. Nevertheless, against armour, the 122 mm gun proved a very lethal cannon against armour, having the capacity to knock out any German tanks fielded in the war, even the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], though the ease of knocking them out vary from their armour protection.

The 122 mm gun's two-piece ammunition was perhaps the gun's worst drawback, this along with the heavy shells and charges that it uses causes reloading speed to only be one and a half rounds per minute maximum. Even after some modernization to the gun including a semi-automatic breech, the firing rate only increased to two to three rounds per minute. Another drawback of the gun was the size of the ammunition that the 122 mm gun uses, the IS tank interior could only hold 28 of such ammunition, which restricts the time the IS could last in battle before requiring a resupply. In battle, the usual distribution of the shells is 20 high-explosive and 8 armour-piercing rounds.

The finished IS tank with the 122 mm gun, first called the ''IS-122'', was finally approved and renamed the '''IS-2''' heavy tank, some were rearmed IS-1s from the factory with the 122 mm gun. The IS-2 tank, like the IS-1, was superior to the previous [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks used in the Red Army. Production of the IS-2 started in October or November 1943 and by the end of World War II when production ended, a total of 3,854 units were produced.

===Design===
The IS-2 tank hull was similar to the IS-1 tank, but the turret was modified to accommodate the larger 122 mm D-25T gun. The suspension was a torsion-bar suspension system and the tank was powered by a diesel V2-IC engine. The drivetrain and the engine were taken from the KV-1 tank, yet was considerably more mobile. The armour on the IS-2 was a 120 mm thick front plate sloped at 60 degrees with a small step in the front for the driver's hatch. This [[IS-2|"early version"]], developed from the KV-13 design, was produced from the initial production lines until some time in late 1944, where a '''[[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 mod. 1944]]''' version was modified with the front plate now a single sloped 120 mm plate at 60 degrees with no interruptions in order to eliminate shot traps and weaknesses in the armour design. Other design changes when the IS-2 was upgraded to the 1944 model was a stronger gun mount, wider mantlet, and an addition of a Dshk machine gun on the turret. The formidable armour of the IS-2 is able to withstand the 88 mm shells from the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] at 1,000 meters out, yet the whole tank weighs less than the Panther at only 46 tons. Despite its construction, the IS-2 was still quite crude in quality and can have signs of being hastily built from the factories. This did not affect its battlefield performance greatly and the crude construction is merely a side effect of the fast production of the tanks to fill battlefield demands.

===Combat usage===
The IS-2 first saw action in early 1944. The IS-2 was organized in heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. Their role was to spearhead the offensives launched at each sector, breaking through enemy emplacements and supporting the infantry by destroying enemy fortifications, they were not meant to exploit breakthroughs and this role was given to the lighter [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Their first reported action was in April 1944 in the 11th Special Guards Heavy Tank Regiment near Tarnopol, Ukraine. The IS-2 presented such a surprise to the Germans as no Soviet tanks before could engage with accurate fire from more than 3 kilometres away. A bigger shock was when they found out the 88 mm of the Tiger I couldn't adequately penetrate their armour. The IS-2 initial combat experience was limited due to the inexperienced crew and organization, but more and more IS-2 started to come in to reinforce the Soviet forces.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

The IS-2's next great effort was in Operation Bagration in July 1944. By this time period, the heavy tank regiments were allocated to one for each tank corps. During Operation Bagration, the IS-2 combat effort contributed to the decimation of the German Army Group Center. The IS-2 was able to deal with the troublesome German Panther and Tiger I tanks with ease. By December 1944, enough IS-2 was produced that the Soviets began outfitting them to Guards heavy tank brigades, consisting of 65 IS-2 tanks with other vehicles for support. Though the number of these brigades were still limited, they proved valuable in breaking through German lines, as used in January 1945 against the German in the Oder Offensive. It should be noted that despite having a role similar to the Tiger heavy tank battalions in the German service, they are produced in far greater numbers to enforce every tank corp with one heavy tank regiment that allowed even the IS-2 to overwhelm German defences. The IS-2 continued to see combat service for the Red Army all the way to the Battle of Berlin and the end of World War II.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

After World War II, the IS-2 production was replaced by the more heavily armoured [[IS-3]]; however, the IS-2 stayed in service up until 1982 due to modernization efforts on the IS-2. This modernized IS-2 was named the ''IS-2M'' and was done in the mid-1950s. These modernization efforts added external fuel tanks and stowage bins onto the hull and protective skirts on the edges of the tracks. The IS-2s were finally placed into storage in the 1990s and were kept in reserves or sold out as scrap metal.

Like most of Soviet Union's military hardware, the IS-2 was given out to the Warsaw Pact nations as supplies. The IS-2 was thus lent out to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, North Vietnam, and maybe North Korea. Later in 1960, a shipment of IS-2 was also sent to Cuba, which were converted into bunkers and coastal defences as spare parts for the tank never made it to Cuba due to the US blockade imposed in 1962.

=== In-game description ===
In 1944, the IS-2 was modernised. The new model had a flattened sloping frontal hull, and a slot covered with a glass brick was installed to replace the driver's observation hatch. This increased the front hull projection's defences. A high-calibre 12.7 mm anti-aircraft DShK machine gun was attached on a trunnion fixed to the command cupola's traverse circle.
The turret could be rotated mechanically and electrically. With electric drive activated, its maximum speed reached 2.4 revs/min.

The IS-2 was advantageous for its economy and relatively low material requirements in general. With a mass of 46 t, the Soviet tank was far better protected than the German Panther. It also surpassed the 55 tonne Tiger I in this regard and was only somewhat inferior to the 68 tonne Tiger II. Its design had some serious flaws. Its tight layout meant that some of the fuel tanks had to be placed in the fighting compartment and there was no space for a driver's hatch, which often led to an injured tanker being unable to quickly leave a burning tank.
On the whole, the new tank met the leadership's expectations in full as a means of strengthening units and divisions intended to break through the enemy's pre-emptively well reinforced defensive lines and storm cities.

IS-2 tanks were put into service in separate tank regiments which received the "guards" designation during their formation.
Manufacturing continued until 1946, and around 3,300 were made.
After the war, the IS-2 was modernised and served in the Soviet and Russian armies until 1995.
A small number of tanks of this model were given to China in the 50s. Later, some of these tanks were deployed in Vietnam.

== Media ==

'''Skins''' and camouflages for the IS-2 (mod.1944) from live.warthunder.com. They are filed under the terms [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is_2_1944 #is_2_1944] and [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is2_44 #is2_44].

==References==
<references />

== 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://warthunder.com/en/news/2824/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-2 Mod. 1944]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}

T29

2020-08-06T08:00:48Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = us_t29
|store = 5266
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T29.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. The T29 was introduced in the [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] as a gift vehicle and was available on the Gaijin store for pre-order before the update. The T29 is a formidable heavy tank that introduces the 105 mm T5 cannon in a rotating turret rather than in the fixed case-mate setting on the [[T95]], with a tougher-than-average gun mantlet, and a sloped, but slightly thin hull.

The T29 is perhaps one of the most formidable heavy tanks at Rank IV, right up there with the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]s. With the 105 mm cannon, the T29 can engage most enemies it faces on the battlefield from the front, often destroying an enemy tank with a single shot with the extremely powerful T13 APCBC rounds, and with armour thick enough to block most incoming rounds. The T29 can act as the "damage sponge" of the team by directing most of the enemy fire towards it. It can also act as a sniping tank by setting it in the back or sides and fire at any unsuspecting enemy tank. A simple APCBC round can destroy even the strongest tank if it penetrates the side armour. Another useful advantage is that the tank is well rounded, but is directed to being a heavy tank in arcade battles, making it especially powerful. It has average mobility for the heavy tank class but has a lower top speed than it's main rivals, the IS-2 mod. 1944 and the Tiger IIs, better than only that the Caernarvon. However, it possesses above average acceleration, making it more suited for dense environments. It's gun also possesses a high muzzle velocity, making sniping a viable option.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, Hull rear)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (52-56°) ''Front Glacis'' 70.25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom Glacis'' 102 mm (6-81°) ''Machine gun port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 51 mm ''Rear'' || 51 mm (9°) ''Upper'' 19 mm (11-66°) ''Lower'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Turret || 158.7 mm (18-31°) ''Turret front'' 203 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' 305 mm (1-57°) ''Gun mantlet border'' || 158.7 mm (3-42°) || 102 mm (1-20°) ''Rear'' 50 mm (63-84°) ''Bottom of turret overhang'' || 38.1 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152.4 mm || 38.1 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front belly armour is 25.4 mm thick while the rear is 13 mm.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 994|rbMinHp= 681|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E2]]
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 63 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.71 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.90 || 18.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 16.25 || 14.38 || 13.25 || 12.50
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 256 || 253 || 238 || 221 || 205 || 190
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 253 || 250 || 236 || 219 || 204 || 190
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 292 || 287 || 266 || 242 || 220 || 200
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || 914 || 17.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || 899 || 18.59 || 1.2 || 19 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || 1128 || 11.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || 945 || 15.2 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''63''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 62 ''(+1)'' 62 ''(+1)'' || 56 ''(+7)'' 56 ''(+7)'' || 48 ''(+15)'' 48 ''(+15)'' || 41 ''(+22)'' 41 ''(+22)'' || 34 ''(+29)'' 34 ''(+29)'' || 27 ''(+36)'' 27 ''(+36)'' || 17 ''(+46)'' 17 ''(+46)'' || 7 ''(+56)'' 7 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' 1 ''(+62)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #1''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #2''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


*'''Offensive:''' When playing offensively with the T29, there are two ways to do it. The more common and safer strategy in an offensive role is for the T29 to team up with another tank, preferably a heavy or medium tank. Move up to the enemy while covering each other, leapfrog each time so one tank snipes an enemy while the other moves to a cover position with an advantageous firing position, then keep advancing at a safe pace. The other is to get right up in their face, only giving them shots at the T29's tough frontal armour. As aggressive this strategy is, it leaves the T29 open to attacks from the side and rear. This is a last-ditch strategy generally. In either offence strategy, the biggest risk is getting too far ahead from the rest of the friendly team, leaving the T29 vulnerable and without any supporting fire.

*'''Defensive:''' Hull down, the T29 truly shines. Frontally, its turret is tough and the cheeks are sloped enough to bounce most shots. The only real target available would be the small cupola on the turret roof and the turret ring if it is not covered. While the gun barrel is vulnerable to being broken, a moderate crew can repair it in seconds. Although the gun depression isn't as great as other American tanks, it still provides an advantage in hilly terrain. When in the right spot, the player can devastate the enemy team with almost no risk to themselves by exposing only the gun barrel and the top of the mantlet. Do note that there are certain spots and ports in the mantlet that can be penetrated even by a Wirbelwind using Pz GR 40. Players experienced with American heavies can find a good spot that will provide them with ample cover while they support the team. Wiggling the turret while reloading can make the enemy bounce, same tactics as seen with the IS-2. Be wary that some shots to the lower gun mantlet have the potential of bouncing the shot down into the thin hull roof.

Some specific enemies to worry about:

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are going to be the most common and equal enemy in the T29. While most of the T29's front armour can take on the 88 mm APCBC round, APCR can penetrate the front mantlet of the turret. It can also aim for the lower glacis on the hull, which will knock-out the driver and can repeatedly do this until the entire crew gets knocked out. To fight the Tiger II's, aim at the "cheeks" of the turret with any ammo, preferably the right as that is where the gunner sits. Using the T32 APBC ammo, there is a chance that it can penetrate the Tiger II's front glacis at close range (less than 100 meters) and the lower glacis from even further, making the T32 round probably the most preferable round to use against the Tiger II's front. If the T29 can get the Tiger's side though, a simple T13 APCBC round can turn a Tiger II into a fiery ball of fire.
* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II 10.5 cm]]: Though the same rule applies to the 88 mm Tiger II, take extreme caution as the 10.5 cm cannon can devastate the T29's interior if it penetrates, and it can from the front.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: Equipped with the same 88 as on the Tiger II, this TD can do some damage if it can get a good shot off the T29. However, the T29's 105 mm cannon can easily penetrate through its front glacis, just don't shoot too close to the gun or the gun mantlet may bounce it.
* [[Ferdinand]]: The greater armour on this tank destroyer makes it harder to fight in a long-range engagement. However, if the T29 can get closer, the flat armour space on the top superstructure and the hull front can prove more vulnerable. Of course, getting to the side of this tank destroyer is a guaranteed point if an APCBC round can be landed into it.
* [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152|ISU-152]]: While easily destroyed by one shot of the 105 mm cannon, the 152 mm howitzer still can do unspeakable damage if it hits the T29's vulnerable turret and hull roof.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||T13
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||T29E3
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| ||
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely good 105 mm gun, arguably the best gun at Rank 4
* T13 round has great penetration values with a substantial amount of TNT packed inside; can help players easily one-shot opponents with its post-penetration damage
* An Ace crew will reload the gun every 12.5 seconds - very fast for the firepower
* APCR shells can go through the Jagdtiger's superstructure
* Great overall armour layout - the front and sides of the hull and turret are very well armoured
* 10 degrees of gun depression makes the vehicle great at hull down fighting
* Reasonable top speed and maneuverability
* Can carry a substantial amount of ammo for prolonged combat
* Armed with three .50 caliber machine guns, allowing the vehicle to shred through lightly armoured vehicles, tracks, and gun barrels
* One of the best pound-for-pound tanks in the game
* The 8x optics at this BR is really nice. Is only outshined by optics on some German TD’s

'''Cons:'''

* Enemy will highlight the T29 as a priority target, attracting lots of enemy attention
* While tough, the gun mantlet is not impenetrable. Guns like the long 88 can punch right through it at ranges exceeding 500 meters
* Massive tank that is easily visible even from the air and is hard to hide from being spotted
* Unlike most tanks at the BR, the siides of the engine compartment have less armor than the sides of the hull.
* Only one .50 caliber machine gun can effectively engage aircraft flying higher than coaxial level
* The default APCBC shell has no penetration or velocity advantage over the T13 APHE shell, meaning that there’s no reason to use it over the APHE shell.

== History ==


===Development===
Projects for a dedicated heavy tank for the U.S. Armed Forces began in March 1944 as a response to the German heavy tanks that have been popping up in Europe. While the T26E3 tank, later known as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] was slated to be the next-generation American tank, it was still considered unsuitable against the even heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. A project to increase the armour and firepower commenced countering this problem, the project titled '''Heavy Tank T29'''. Using design elements from the T26E3 with thicker armour and lengthened hull, the T29 also was equipped with the [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm Gun T5]], a gun in development alongside the heavy assault tank [[T95|T95]]. Other features included a 770 hp Ford GAC engine, armour thickness up to 279 mm effective, and a coincidence range-finder. The heavy armour and armament made the tank weigh about 64 tons, making it a close match to the Tiger II.

Though the T29 was monstrous itself, side projects involving the T29 crafted the ''[[T30|T30 Heavy Tank]]''. Itself similar to the T29 in terms of armour, but featured a monstrous [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm Gun T7]] with a more powerful engine and an extra crew member to facilitate loading the gun.

===Effect in World War II===
Throughout World War II, the T29 and the T30 stayed in development under the priority "limited procurement". Eventually, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, but the small ordered stayed in hope it may be useful in the Japan invasion in Operation Downfall. That hope was smashed as well when Japan surrendered in September 1945, ending World War II. Even if an operation commenced that used these vehicles, the Army Ground Forces objected to the use of such heavy equipment due to the lack of adequate transporters. Further production was cancelled in the post-war demilitarization.

===Post World War Effect===
The heavy tank concept didn't end with the war and a final attempt was made to remake the T29 into a more modern, lethal weapon system. This produced the ''[[T34|T34 Heavy Tank]]'', which mounted a 120 mm gun based on the M1 anti-aircraft gun. The calibre made an adequate balance of firepower and loading ease between the 105 mm and the 155 mm used in the T29 and T30. In fact, the two T34 pilot models made were a converted T29 and T30. However, the demilitarization took down the T34 program as well, but the experience in this project help engineers in the development of the ''[[M103|M103 Heavy Tank]]''.

Today, there are a few T29s still in display across the United States, most of them residing in storage at Fort Benning, Georgia where they will be used as a display in the future National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|n9KdgbSzla8|'''The Shooting Range #23''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 03:26 discusses the T29.|owYlJZ4LgyA|'''The Shooting Range #36''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:26 discusses the T29.}}

== 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/3731-development-t29-the-experimental-monster-video-added-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T29: The Experimental Monster + video added]]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T30

2020-06-25T02:06:13Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t30
|market=Heavy Tank T30 (USA)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. This vehicle was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] in the 2018 "Festive Quest" that took place between 21 December 2018 to 14 January 2019. It was obtainable via completing ten tanker's coupons. It is also obtainable on the Gaijin market after the event is over.

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} was a World War II American tank project developed to counter new German tanks, such as Tiger I, Tiger II, and tank destroyers, such as the ''Jagdtiger'', or Soviet heavy tanks, such as IS-1 or IS-2. The T30 was designed at the same time as the T29 Heavy Tank. However, it had a 155mm gun mounted on the same hull and turret as the T29 and T34's heavy tanks.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and 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.''

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1046|rbMinHp= 716|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T7 (155 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm T7]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 34 || -10°/+15° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || __.__ || 45.18
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.4 || 22.60 || 24.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 38.9 || __.__ || __.__ || 29.9
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| M112B1 || APBC || 197 || 195 || 185 || 174 || 163 || 153
|-
| M107 || HE || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54 || 54
|-
| T29E1 || APCBC || 197 || 195 || 185 || 174 || 163 || 153
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| M112B1 || APBC || 670 || 45 || 1.2 || 20 || 653 || ° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M107 || HE || 717 || 43 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 6.86 || ° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T29E1 || APCBC || 670 || 45 || 1.2 || 20 || 653 || ° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| M110 || 717 || 45 || 25 || 5 || 30 || 50
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Browning M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2HB machine guns (??? RPG = ??? total)

These Brownings can be extremely useful for gauging distance measurements or shooting down enemy aircraft.

== Usage in battles ==

Despite its labeling as a heavy tank, the T30 plays more like a tank destroyer than anything else. This is as a direct result from the 155's excellent ability to over-match most enemy armor it faces. Due to the reload rate of the tank, it is best to play a similar play-style to the KV-2s.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||M110
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| T29E1||
|-
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The T30 is virtually identical to the T29. So that kind of armor at 6.7 is great.
* Huge 155mm gun that packs a devastating punch.
* The 155mm gun has fantastic overmatching capabilities.
* The Hi-Ex shell is great at taking out heavily armored tanks if the explosion occurs over the turret, or under the hull.
* Because of the slow shell velocity, this is one of the few tanks that's really good at hitting targets behind cover.
* Despite the massive breach, the tank still has 10 degrees of gun depression.
* Has two .50 cal machine guns that can rip apart lightly armored vehicles.

'''Cons:'''

* Has one of the most horrifyingly bad reloads in the game. Even an ACE crew will only reload the gun every 29.9 seconds.
* Despite the massive gun, the top APCBC shell only has 199mm of pen at point blank.
* Really bad shell velocity. Makes hitting moving targets at ranges exceeding 500 meters a challenge.
* Has one less .50 cal machine gun than the T29 and T34.
* The stock APBC shell is worthless. Never bother taking any into battle.
* The first stage ammo rack means there is almost always ammo in the turret.
* Is simply a worse T29.

== History ==


In 1944, the Army requested 4 prototypes for heavy tanks, two armed with a 105 mm gun and two armed with a 155 mm gun. The intention was to create vehicles that could face enemy heavy tanks on even terms, or even advantageous terms. The vehicles armed with the 105 mm gun were designated [[T29]], and the two armed with a 155 mm gun were designated [[T30]].

The armament of the T30, a 155 mm T7 L/40 gun, was one of the largest guns ever fitted to an armored fighting vehicle made in the United States. The gun was carried in a tall, long turret with rounded edges. The height of the turret was quite necessary, as the size of the gun and its ammunition required a standing loader. The hull of the T30 was the same as the T29. It was a lengthened version of the [[M26|T26E3 chassis]]. The armor of the T30 was quite thick, and the hull was also well angled, as one of the requirements for the design was protection from the German [[KwK43 (88 mm)|long 88 mm anti-tank gun]]. The T30 carried a crew of six men. These were the driver, commander, bow machine gunner, gunner, and two loaders. One loader moved the crane that placed the shell, and the other used the rammer that put the shell into the breech. The gun could only be loaded at certain angles. The T30 saw an upgrade, called the T30E1, which added an automatic loading system, which moved the gun to the correct position, loaded the shell, and moved the gun back to the firing position. A hatch was added to the rear of the turret to allow the ejection of shell casings after firing.

World War 2 ended before the heavy tank designs ([[T28]], [[T29]], T30, [[T32]], [[T34]]) could enter service, and the development of these vehicles ended, but the development of these heavy tank designs provided experience that proved useful when designing the [[M103|M103 heavy tank]] during the Cold War.

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

== See also ==


;Other tanks sharing the design:

* [[T29]] - 105 mm gun
* [[T34]] - 120 mm gun

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5963-development-t30-premium-heavy-tank-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T30 Premium heavy tank]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}
{{Winter Event}}

Tiger II (H) Sla.16

2020-03-14T06:24:32Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

M26E1

2020-03-11T17:49:37Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m26e1_pershing}}
{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = M26 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_M26E1.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]]. Aside from the base model of a [[M26|M26 Pershing]], it boasts the long L/73 [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm Gun T54]], very similar to the T15E2 on the [[T32|T32]], allowing it to compete effectively against Rank IV vehicles with the mobility of the Pershing.

The only distinctive characteristic of the M26E1 compared to the original M26 is the "T54" 90 mm cannon. The cannon has a longer barrel with a small muzzle-brake compared to its original design. The longer 90 mm cannon comes with the standard AP shot, HE shot, M82 shot (APCBC), and HVAP shot. All these rounds, except for the HE shot, have a higher pen and velocity compared to the standard 90 mm M3. The M82 shot is considered the most useful and efficient round for this tank as it has enough explosive filler (140 g of Exp. D) to "one-shot" many tanks in its battle rating while having little to no difficulty entering the enemy's vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)
* Structural steel (Exterior boxes, Rear counterweight)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 mm (12-46°) ''Front glacis'' 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (28-53°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-3°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (71°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (9-73°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (2°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
* Counterweight on the turret rear is made of structural steel.

Any tactic that works with the M26 Pershing can work with the M26E1. While its gun is quite potent, it also has quite a lengthy reload time after firing, minimum 11 seconds with an ace crew. As such, an M26E1 that fired is a great opportunity to pounce on provided no other enemies are around that remains a threat.

The M26E1 has the same armour as the M26 Pershing, so any weapons that can cleave through one's armour can go through the others. The best target is for a straight-on hit on the front glacis as the direct effective thickness is 146 mm of cast armour. Side armour is also quite thin, ranging from 50 to 76 mm and can thus be easily pierced by most weapons at the BR.

=== Mobility ===


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

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T54 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54]]
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 41 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 14.28 || 19.80 || 24.0 || 26.60 || 28.24
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.4 || 22.60 || 24.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 14.43 || 12.77 || 11.77 || 11.10
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| AP Shot || AP || 210 || 208 || 193 || 177 || 162 || 148
|-
| HE Shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
| T41 || APCBC || 224 || 221 || 206 || 188 || 172 || 157
|-
| HVAP Shot || APCR || 270 || 266 || 250 || 231 || 214 || 195
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| AP Shot || 975 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| HE Shell || 975 || 11 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 925 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| T41 || 975 || 11 || 1.2 || 20 || 137.2 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| HVAP Shot || 1143 || 7.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks M26E1.png|thumb|339x339px|Ammo racks of the M26E1. Turret storage (1) is a 5 round ready rack. Floor storage (2) is consumed from left to right.]]
''Last Updated: 1.93.0.35''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
!2nd
rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''41''' || 5 ''(+36)''
|1 ''(+40)''|| style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M26E1 was a post-World War II modification of the standard [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. This modification changes the barrel length to 73 calibres long with the new [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54 gun]]. The gun offers some of the most powerful penetration in-game for Rank IV and is equipped with AP, HE, APCBC and HVAP Rounds. The M26E1 suffers from a very weak side and rear amour, though this is a common weakness on every tank. The front and front part of the turret is able to bounce some enemy shots but can be penetrated by most other tanks in its 6.7 [[Battle_ratings|Battle Rating]] range so beware.

Playing the M26E1 is similar to the [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. Armour and mobility of the two tanks are the same. The only advantage sticking out is the M26E1's more powerful gun due to the longer length. Though more powerful, the reload time is also longer than the normal M26 Pershing, so the playstyle should be more conservative to avoid being caught in an attack while reloading.

Though equipped with a very powerful gun, the M26E1 suffers from the same M26 Pershing armour. Thus, it is very vulnerable to most tanks at its rank and so most of its combat life should be taking cover and avoiding large open spaces. The M26E1 presents the same mobility of the Pershing so this can be exploited in close quarters over the more cumbersome [[Panther F|Panther]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], and [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]]'s. Staying in cover and scooting out to take out the enemy from their weak points on the front or their vulnerable side armour should be the prime attack move for the M26E1 before retreating back into cover.

Fighting against medium tanks will be relatively easy due to the gun's penetration value. Unless bounced, the gun could even penetrate the front glacis of the [[Panther G|Panther]] tanks. The main problem the tank will face is the Tiger II and [[T32|T32]] heavy tanks and the later IS tanks such as the [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] due to their thick front armour. Flanking may be necessary for these heavy tanks, but some accurate shots to some known weak points on the front of these tanks can also work.

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are the more common German heavy tanks seen with the battle rating and are the most dangerous. The best tactic is to use the 90 mm gun to penetrate the turret cheeks and knock out the gunner. In the time period when the firing method is disabled, move in with the M26E1's mobility and hit it on the sides if possible.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: The 88 mm gun is a threat to the tank, but in close range, the 90 mm APCBC round can penetrate the front armour, and the APCR can be used if wanting a definite result.
* [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]]: The IS-2 tank's 122 mm cannon can make short work of the M26E1, thus it is best to avoid being shot at in the first place. If in the situation where a fight with the IS-2 must be head on, fire a round through the turret cheeks and incapacitate the gunner for a more opportune moment to aim to destroy the tank. Shooting a lower glacis also works and if lucky may even knock out the tank.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Amazing 90mm gun that is much better than original M26's 90 mm M3 gun.
* T41 APHE shell is comparable to the Long 88mm APHE shell. Has great accuracy, penetration values, and damage potential.
* APCR shell has fantastic penetration values. Can cut right though the front of the Jagdtiger's superstructure at ranges excess of 500 meters.
* 10 degrees of gun depression. Good ability to hull down fight and shooting over hills.
* Armed with 2 .50 cal machine guns. Very good at damaging guns barrels, tracks, and lightly armored vehicles.
* Much better engine than the Super Pershing. Great mobility and acceleration.
* Many players will think this tank is just an M26, not realizing this tank has the same gun as the Super Pershing and T32.

'''Cons:'''

* Even with an Ace crew, the reload rate is mediocre. Reloading is several seconds slower than the Tiger II's 88mm.
* Frontal armor is not adequate for the BR. Long 88mm shells and 122mm shells will slice right through it at rages exceeding 1000 meters.
* Despite the good gun depression, the turret armor is mediocre at best.
* Underwhelming top speed for a medium tank. T44's will run rings around this tank.
* Low ammunition count for the 90mm gun.
* Players thinking this tank is a mere M26 is a double edged sword. Many enemy players will just run out in front of you and shoot.

== History ==


The '''M26E1''' was a post-war variant of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] with the intent on increasing its firepower. During World War II, the 90 mm M3 mounted on the original M26 Pershing was equivalent to the German's 88 mm KwK 36 on the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. But looking for an upgrade, Ordnance developed the T15E1 90 mm gun, which was equivalent to the 88 mm KwK 43 on the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. This cannon was mounted on the then development model ''T26E1'' to make the ''[[T26E1-1|T26E1-1]]'' tank. The T15E1 90 mm cannon was visibly much longer than the original 90 mm M3, with the length of 73 calibres compared to the 53 calibres of the M3 cannon. This allowed the cannon to have a much larger ammo charge and muzzle velocity. The first T26E1-1 model made was the only "Super Pershing" model sent to Europe.

A second version was made from the T26E3 model, the production model of the T26E1, with a modified gun to use two-piece ammunition rather than a one-piece version, plus a new gun mounting to remove the stabilizer springs required to hold the gun. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the ''T26E4''.

After World War II, two military model M26 Pershings were converted to mount the T54 gun, which was essentially the same 90 mm cannon as the T15E1 but had ammunition which was shorter and fatter than the previous versions. The muzzle brake was shaved down from two to one baffle to compensate for the smaller chamber the cannon presented. This M26 Pershing with the T54 cannons was designated the '''M26E1 Medium Tank''', but production was never reached due to budget constraints.

=== In-game description ===
Two models of the M26E1 medium tank were built. They were equipped with long-barreled, single-load 90mm cannons that were supposed to be statistically superior to German 88mm guns with 71-caliber barrels. The project became irrelevant when the war ended and was abandoned.

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

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

{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T29

2020-03-11T17:18:51Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = us_t29
|store = 5266
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T29.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. The T29 was introduced in the [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] as a gift vehicle and was available on the Gaijin store for pre-order before the update. The T29 is a formidable heavy tank that introduces the 105 mm T5 cannon in a rotating turret rather than in the fixed case-mate setting on the [[T95]], with a tougher-than-average gun mantlet, and a sloped, but slightly thin hull.

The T29 is perhaps one of the most formidable heavy tanks at Rank IV, right up there with the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]s. With the 105 mm cannon, the T29 can engage most enemies it faces on the battlefield from the front, often destroying an enemy tank with a single shot with the extremely powerful T13 APCBC rounds, and with armour thick enough to block most incoming rounds. The T29 can act as the "damage sponge" of the team by directing most of the enemy fire towards it. It can also act as a sniping tank by setting it in the back or sides and fire at any unsuspecting enemy tank. A simple APCBC round can destroy even the strongest tank if it penetrates the side armour. Another useful advantage is that the tank is well rounded, but is directed to being a heavy tank in arcade battles, making it especially powerful. It has average mobility for the heavy tank class but has a lower top speed than it's main rivals, the IS-2 mod. 1944 and the Tiger IIs, better than only that the Caernarvon. However, it possesses above average acceleration, making it more suited for dense environments. It's gun also possesses a high muzzle velocity, making sniping a viable option.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, Hull rear)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (52-56°) ''Front Glacis'' 70.25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom Glacis'' 102 mm (6-81°) ''Machine gun port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 51 mm ''Rear'' || 51 mm (9°) ''Upper'' 19 mm (11-66°) ''Lower'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Turret || 158.7 mm (18-31°) ''Turret front'' 203 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' 305 mm (1-57°) ''Gun mantlet border'' || 158.7 mm (3-42°) || 102 mm (1-20°) ''Rear'' 50 mm (63-84°) ''Bottom of turret overhang'' || 38.1 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152.4 mm || 38.1 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front belly armour is 25.4 mm thick while the rear is 13 mm.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 994|rbMinHp= 681|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E2]]
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 63 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.71 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.90 || 18.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 16.25 || 14.38 || 13.25 || 12.50
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 258 || 248 || 218 || 190 || 178 || 155
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 219 || 217 || 207 || 193 || 181 || 171
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 315 || 310 || 285 || 251 || 223 || 196
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || 975 || 18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || 899 || 19 || 1.2 || 20 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || 1128 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || 945 || 15 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''63''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 62 ''(+1)'' 62 ''(+1)'' || 56 ''(+7)'' 56 ''(+7)'' || 48 ''(+15)'' 48 ''(+15)'' || 41 ''(+22)'' 41 ''(+22)'' || 34 ''(+29)'' 34 ''(+29)'' || 27 ''(+36)'' 27 ''(+36)'' || 17 ''(+46)'' 17 ''(+46)'' || 7 ''(+56)'' 7 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' 1 ''(+62)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #1''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #2''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


*'''Offensive:''' When playing offensively with the T29, there are two ways to do it. The more common and safer strategy in an offensive role is for the T29 to team up with another tank, preferably a heavy or medium tank. Move up to the enemy while covering each other, leapfrog each time so one tank snipes an enemy while the other moves to a cover position with an advantageous firing position, then keep advancing at a safe pace. The other is to get right up in their face, only giving them shots at the T29's tough frontal armour. As aggressive this strategy is, it leaves the T29 open to attacks from the side and rear. This is a last-ditch strategy generally. In either offence strategy, the biggest risk is getting too far ahead from the rest of the friendly team, leaving the T29 vulnerable and without any supporting fire.

*'''Defensive:''' Hull down, the T29 truly shines. Frontally, its turret is tough and the cheeks are sloped enough to bounce most shots. The only real target available would be the small cupola on the turret roof and the turret ring if it is not covered. While the gun barrel is vulnerable to being broken, a moderate crew can repair it in seconds. Although the gun depression isn't as great as other American tanks, it still provides an advantage in hilly terrain. When in the right spot, the player can devastate the enemy team with almost no risk to themselves by exposing only the gun barrel and the top of the mantlet. Do note that there are certain spots and ports in the mantlet that can be penetrated even by a Wirbelwind using Pz GR 40. Players experienced with American heavies can find a good spot that will provide them with ample cover while they support the team. Wiggling the turret while reloading can make the enemy bounce, same tactics as seen with the IS-2. Be wary that some shots to the lower gun mantlet have the potential of bouncing the shot down into the thin hull roof.

Some specific enemies to worry about:

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are going to be the most common and equal enemy in the T29. While most of the T29's front armour can take on the 88 mm APCBC round, APCR can penetrate the front mantlet of the turret. It can also aim for the lower glacis on the hull, which will knock-out the driver and can repeatedly do this until the entire crew gets knocked out. To fight the Tiger II's, aim at the "cheeks" of the turret with any ammo, preferably the right as that is where the gunner sits. Using the T32 APBC ammo, there is a chance that it can penetrate the Tiger II's front glacis at close range (less than 100 meters) and the lower glacis from even further, making the T32 round probably the most preferable round to use against the Tiger II's front. If the T29 can get the Tiger's side though, a simple T13 APCBC round can turn a Tiger II into a fiery ball of fire.
* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II 10.5 cm]]: Though the same rule applies to the 88 mm Tiger II, take extreme caution as the 10.5 cm cannon can devastate the T29's interior if it penetrates, and it can from the front.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: Equipped with the same 88 as on the Tiger II, this TD can do some damage if it can get a good shot off the T29. However, the T29's 105 mm cannon can easily penetrate through its front glacis, just don't shoot too close to the gun or the gun mantlet may bounce it.
* [[Ferdinand]]: The greater armour on this tank destroyer makes it harder to fight in a long-range engagement. However, if the T29 can get closer, the flat armour space on the top superstructure and the hull front can prove more vulnerable. Of course, getting to the side of this tank destroyer is a guaranteed point if an APCBC round can be landed into it.
* [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152|ISU-152]]: While easily destroyed by one shot of the 105 mm cannon, the 152 mm howitzer still can do unspeakable damage if it hits the T29's vulnerable turret and hull roof.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||T13
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||T29E3
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| ||
|-
|}

* As a gift vehicle, the T29's modifications are automatically unlocked upon purchase of the vehicle.

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely good 105 mm gun, arguably the best gun at Rank 4
* T13 round has alot of penetration behind it, and alot of TNT packed into the shell. Easily one-shoting opponents
* An Ace crew will reload the gun every 12.5 seconds - very fast for the firepower
* APCR shells can go through the Jagdtiger's superstructure.
* Great overall armour layout - the front and sides of the hull and turret are very well armoured
* 10 degrees of gun depression makes the vehicle great at hull down fighting
* Reasonable top speed and maneuverability.
* Can carry a substantial amount of ammo.
* Armed with three .50 caliber machine guns, allowing the vehicle to shred through lightly armoured vehicles, vehicle modules like tracks, and low-flying aircraft
* One of the best pound-for-pound tanks in the game

'''Cons:'''

* Enemy will highlight the T29 as a priority target, attracting lots of enemy attention
* Gun mantlet is not impenetrable, with the common opponent (Tiger II) able to punch through it at ranges excess of 500 meters
* Massive tank that is easily visible even from the air and is hard to hide from being spotted
* Sides of the engine compartment isn't as tough as the sides of the hull.
* Only one .50 caliber machine gun can effectively engage aircraft flying higher than coaxial level
* Mediocre shell velocity for the T13 APHE shell.
* Despite the default APCBC shell having no explosive filler, it has the same penetration values as the T13 shell. Literally no reason to ever load the default shell.

== History ==


===Development===
Projects for a dedicated heavy tank for the U.S. Armed Forces began in March 1944 as a response to the German heavy tanks that have been popping up in Europe. While the T26E3 tank, later known as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] was slated to be the next-generation American tank, it was still considered unsuitable against the even heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. A project to increase the armour and firepower commenced countering this problem, the project titled '''Heavy Tank T29'''. Using design elements from the T26E3 with thicker armour and lengthened hull, the T29 also was equipped with the [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm Gun T5]], a gun in development alongside the heavy assault tank [[T95|T95]]. Other features included a 770 hp Ford GAC engine, armour thickness up to 279 mm effective, and a coincidence range-finder. The heavy armour and armament made the tank weigh about 64 tons, making it a close match to the Tiger II.

Though the T29 was monstrous itself, side projects involving the T29 crafted the ''[[T30|T30 Heavy Tank]]''. Itself similar to the T29 in terms of armour, but featured a monstrous [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm Gun T7]] with a more powerful engine and an extra crew member to facilitate loading the gun.

===Effect in World War II===
Throughout World War II, the T29 and the T30 stayed in development under the priority "limited procurement". Eventually, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, but the small ordered stayed in hope it may be useful in the Japan invasion in Operation Downfall. That hope was smashed as well when Japan surrendered in September 1945, ending World War II. Even if an operation commenced that used these vehicles, the Army Ground Forces objected to the use of such heavy equipment due to the lack of adequate transporters. Further production was cancelled in the post-war demilitarization.

===Post World War Effect===
The heavy tank concept didn't end with the war and a final attempt was made to remake the T29 into a more modern, lethal weapon system. This produced the ''[[T34|T34 Heavy Tank]]'', which mounted a 120 mm gun based on the M1 anti-aircraft gun. The calibre made an adequate balance of firepower and loading ease between the 105 mm and the 155 mm used in the T29 and T30. In fact, the two T34 pilot models made were a converted T29 and T30. However, the demilitarization took down the T34 program as well, but the experience in this project help engineers in the development of the ''[[M103|M103 Heavy Tank]]''.

Today, there are a few T29s still in display across the United States, most of them residing in storage at Fort Benning, Georgia where they will be used as a display in the future National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

== 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/3731-development-t29-the-experimental-monster-video-added-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T29: The Experimental Monster + video added]]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T29

2020-03-09T17:47:41Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code = us_t29
|store = 5266
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T29.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. The T29 was introduced in the [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] as a gift vehicle and was available on the Gaijin store for pre-order before the update. The T29 is a formidable heavy tank that introduces the 105 mm T5 cannon in a rotating turret rather than in the fixed case-mate setting on the [[T95]], with a tougher-than-average gun mantlet, and a sloped, but slightly thin hull.

The T29 is perhaps one of the most formidable heavy tanks at Rank IV, right up there with the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]s. With the 105 mm cannon, the T29 can engage most enemies it faces on the battlefield from the front, often destroying an enemy tank with a single shot with the extremely powerful T13 APCBC rounds, and with armour thick enough to block most incoming rounds. The T29 can act as the "damage sponge" of the team by directing most of the enemy fire towards it. It can also act as a sniping tank by setting it in the back or sides and fire at any unsuspecting enemy tank. A simple APCBC round can destroy even the strongest tank if it penetrates the side armour. Another useful advantage is that the tank is well rounded, but is directed to being a heavy tank in arcade battles, making it especially powerful. It has average mobility for the heavy tank class but has a lower top speed than it's main rivals, the IS-2 mod. 1944 and the Tiger IIs, better than only that the Caernarvon. However, it possesses above average acceleration, making it more suited for dense environments. It's gun also possesses a high muzzle velocity, making sniping a viable option.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, Hull rear)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (52-56°) ''Front Glacis'' 70.25 mm (26-59°) ''Bottom Glacis'' 102 mm (6-81°) ''Machine gun port'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 51 mm ''Rear'' || 51 mm (9°) ''Upper'' 19 mm (11-66°) ''Lower'' || 38.1 mm
|-
| Turret || 158.7 mm (18-31°) ''Turret front'' 203 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' 305 mm (1-57°) ''Gun mantlet border'' || 158.7 mm (3-42°) || 102 mm (1-20°) ''Rear'' 50 mm (63-84°) ''Bottom of turret overhang'' || 38.1 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 152.4 mm || 38.1 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front belly armour is 25.4 mm thick while the rear is 13 mm.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 994|rbMinHp= 681|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E2]]
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 63 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.71 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.90 || 18.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 16.25 || 14.38 || 13.25 || 12.50
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 258 || 248 || 218 || 190 || 178 || 155
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 219 || 217 || 207 || 193 || 181 || 171
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 315 || 310 || 285 || 251 || 223 || 196
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || 975 || 18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || 899 || 19 || 1.2 || 20 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || 1128 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || 945 || 15 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''63''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 62 ''(+1)'' 62 ''(+1)'' || 56 ''(+7)'' 56 ''(+7)'' || 48 ''(+15)'' 48 ''(+15)'' || 41 ''(+22)'' 41 ''(+22)'' || 34 ''(+29)'' 34 ''(+29)'' || 27 ''(+36)'' 27 ''(+36)'' || 17 ''(+46)'' 17 ''(+46)'' || 7 ''(+56)'' 7 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' 1 ''(+62)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #1''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount #2''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 576 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


*'''Offensive:''' When playing offensively with the T29, there are two ways to do it. The more common and safer strategy in an offensive role is for the T29 to team up with another tank, preferably a heavy or medium tank. Move up to the enemy while covering each other, leapfrog each time so one tank snipes an enemy while the other moves to a cover position with an advantageous firing position, then keep advancing at a safe pace. The other is to get right up in their face, only giving them shots at the T29's tough frontal armour. As aggressive this strategy is, it leaves the T29 open to attacks from the side and rear. This is a last-ditch strategy generally. In either offence strategy, the biggest risk is getting too far ahead from the rest of the friendly team, leaving the T29 vulnerable and without any supporting fire.

*'''Defensive:''' Hull down, the T29 truly shines. Frontally, its turret is tough and the cheeks are sloped enough to bounce most shots. The only real target available would be the small cupola on the turret roof and the turret ring if it is not covered. While the gun barrel is vulnerable to being broken, a moderate crew can repair it in seconds. Although the gun depression isn't as great as other American tanks, it still provides an advantage in hilly terrain. When in the right spot, the player can devastate the enemy team with almost no risk to themselves by exposing only the gun barrel and the top of the mantlet. Do note that there are certain spots and ports in the mantlet that can be penetrated even by a Wirbelwind using Pz GR 40. Players experienced with American heavies can find a good spot that will provide them with ample cover while they support the team. Wiggling the turret while reloading can make the enemy bounce, same tactics as seen with the IS-2. Be wary that some shots to the lower gun mantlet have the potential of bouncing the shot down into the thin hull roof.

Some specific enemies to worry about:

* [[Tiger II (P)]] and [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: These are going to be the most common and equal enemy in the T29. While most of the T29's front armour can take on the 88 mm APCBC round, APCR can penetrate the front mantlet of the turret. It can also aim for the lower glacis on the hull, which will knock-out the driver and can repeatedly do this until the entire crew gets knocked out. To fight the Tiger II's, aim at the "cheeks" of the turret with any ammo, preferably the right as that is where the gunner sits. Using the T32 APBC ammo, there is a chance that it can penetrate the Tiger II's front glacis at close range (less than 100 meters) and the lower glacis from even further, making the T32 round probably the most preferable round to use against the Tiger II's front. If the T29 can get the Tiger's side though, a simple T13 APCBC round can turn a Tiger II into a fiery ball of fire.
* [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Tiger II 10.5 cm]]: Though the same rule applies to the 88 mm Tiger II, take extreme caution as the 10.5 cm cannon can devastate the T29's interior if it penetrates, and it can from the front.
* [[Jagdpanther]]: Equipped with the same 88 as on the Tiger II, this TD can do some damage if it can get a good shot off the T29. However, the T29's 105 mm cannon can easily penetrate through its front glacis, just don't shoot too close to the gun or the gun mantlet may bounce it.
* [[Ferdinand]]: The greater armour on this tank destroyer makes it harder to fight in a long-range engagement. However, if the T29 can get closer, the flat armour space on the top superstructure and the hull front can prove more vulnerable. Of course, getting to the side of this tank destroyer is a guaranteed point if an APCBC round can be landed into it.
* [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152|ISU-152]]: While easily destroyed by one shot of the 105 mm cannon, the 152 mm howitzer still can do unspeakable damage if it hits the T29's vulnerable turret and hull roof.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" |Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks||
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive||T13
|-
| II
| Suspension||Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire||T29E3
|-
| III
| Filters||
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism||
|-
| IV
| Transmission||Engine
|
| ||
|-
|}

* As a gift vehicle, the T29's modifications are automatically unlocked upon purchase of the vehicle.

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely good 105mm gun. Arguably the best gun at Rank 4.
* T13 round has alot of penetration behind it, and alot of TNT packed into the shell. This tank one shots.
* An Ace crew will reload the gun every 12.5 seconds. That's a really good reload speed for such a powerful gun.
* APCR shells can go through the Jagdtiger's super structure.
* Great overall armor layout. The front and sides of the hull and turret are very well armored.
* 10 degrees of gun depression. Very good at hull down fighting.
* Reasonable top speed and maneuverability.
* Can carry a ton of ammo.
* Armed with 3 .50 caliber machine guns. This thank will shred lightly armored vehicles in seconds.
* Is arguably better than its Tech Tree counter part.
* One of the best pound-for-pound tanks in the game.

'''Cons:'''

* Priority target. This tank attracts a lot of attention.
* Gun mantlet is not impenetrable. The Tiger II can punch through it at ranges excess of 500m.
* Massive tank. This thing is visible from orbit. Finding a good hiding place is difficult.
* The rear of the hull is lightly armored. Even the side armor is weaker than the hull sides that covers the crew.
* Only one .50 caliber machine gun can effectively engage aircraft.

== History ==


===Development===
Projects for a dedicated heavy tank for the U.S. Armed Forces began in March 1944 as a response to the German heavy tanks that have been popping up in Europe. While the T26E3 tank, later known as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] was slated to be the next-generation American tank, it was still considered unsuitable against the even heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. A project to increase the armour and firepower commenced countering this problem, the project titled '''Heavy Tank T29'''. Using design elements from the T26E3 with thicker armour and lengthened hull, the T29 also was equipped with the [[T5E2 (105 mm)|105 mm Gun T5]], a gun in development alongside the heavy assault tank [[T95|T95]]. Other features included a 770 hp Ford GAC engine, armour thickness up to 279 mm effective, and a coincidence range-finder. The heavy armour and armament made the tank weigh about 64 tons, making it a close match to the Tiger II.

Though the T29 was monstrous itself, side projects involving the T29 crafted the ''[[T30|T30 Heavy Tank]]''. Itself similar to the T29 in terms of armour, but featured a monstrous [[T7 (155 mm)|155 mm Gun T7]] with a more powerful engine and an extra crew member to facilitate loading the gun.

===Effect in World War II===
Throughout World War II, the T29 and the T30 stayed in development under the priority "limited procurement". Eventually, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, but the small ordered stayed in hope it may be useful in the Japan invasion in Operation Downfall. That hope was smashed as well when Japan surrendered in September 1945, ending World War II. Even if an operation commenced that used these vehicles, the Army Ground Forces objected to the use of such heavy equipment due to the lack of adequate transporters. Further production was cancelled in the post-war demilitarization.

===Post World War Effect===
The heavy tank concept didn't end with the war and a final attempt was made to remake the T29 into a more modern, lethal weapon system. This produced the ''[[T34|T34 Heavy Tank]]'', which mounted a 120 mm gun based on the M1 anti-aircraft gun. The calibre made an adequate balance of firepower and loading ease between the 105 mm and the 155 mm used in the T29 and T30. In fact, the two T34 pilot models made were a converted T29 and T30. However, the demilitarization took down the T34 program as well, but the experience in this project help engineers in the development of the ''[[M103|M103 Heavy Tank]]''.

Today, there are a few T29s still in display across the United States, most of them residing in storage at Fort Benning, Georgia where they will be used as a display in the future National Armor and Cavalry Museum.

== 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/3731-development-t29-the-experimental-monster-video-added-en/|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T29: The Experimental Monster + video added]]

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T95

2020-03-09T17:27:06Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_t95}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T95GMC.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]].

The T95 is good at providing support and dragging enemy fire. As of [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]], the T95 shares the HE-filled APCBC T13 shells, researchable at tier 1 modifications, giving it an incredible punch that puts it on par with the [[Jagdtiger]]. It is very well known for its amazing frontal armour, hard to penetrate for the majority of guns at its rank. Experienced enemy players are aware of the T95's downsides: one hit weak spots, poor top speed, long reload and they will subsequently use it against the ''mighty Doom Turtle''.

The T95 is a very heavy and slow TD, the main purpose of which is to hold and defend a tactical position or to lead a forward push, thereby giving allied vehicles the the chance to strike at the enemy, most likely distracted by the defying task of taking down the immensely armoured T95. 
Even with its great frontal armour, a few enemies can still destroy the T95 frontally by using HEAT ammo (e.g. [[M103|M103]]: 380 mm and [[SU-122-54]]: 400mm pen), or for any other tank starting with [[:Category:Third_rank_ground_vehicles|rank 3]] by hitting the two obvious weak spots.

To hide the weak spots, one should try to find a spot where the cupolas are at well hidden from the enemy, either by finding a favourable slope or a high place, thus angling the vehicle to a point where only the front armour plates are in the sights of the enemy. Staying out of range (+600 m) to deny easy hits, alternatively, is a simple yet still quite effective tactic. Whenever an object such as a pillar presents itself in a combat area, the T95 driver should cleverly place the driver's cupola behind it — as with any other vehicle, proper use of the terrain is of utmost importance.

Despite its bad top speed, the T95 has amazing traverse speed, making it quite hard for an enemy (even light tank) to flank. This is further enhanced with good lower side armour and well angled top side armour. The sides are around 210 mm total with spaced armour in the tracks, any shot that hits it using HE-filled rounds will often explode before penetration inside occurs.

Though the T95 is a walking shield (aside from the two weak spots), the tank is very situational due to its slow speed. It has advantages in smaller maps with narrow corridors, such as city-based maps, while it struggles in larger maps with hilly terrain due to its poor climbing ability.

Using the explosive-filled T13 shell (APCBC), the T95 can dispatch almost any tank it can penetrate in one go, given that the necessary conditions of detonation are present, i.e. the penetration of 20mm of armour and the total of 1.2m travelled — a lucky [[ASU-85]] could endure a hit from the side without the customary fate of disastrous explosion, but these rare moments shouldn't be expected by anyone versing the T95. Anyways, the 12.7mm machine gun does a fine job at disposing of such lightly armoured targets when the necessity arises.

The .50 calibre machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola and manned by the very same, this heavy machine gun allows for decent anti-air fire arcs. Fire arcs are ~300° with a small dead spot to the rear and ~80° upwards, or rather for how much the camera allows for. If used freely and without constraint, the ammo will drain quickly. Some moderation is advised, given the lack of a co-axial MG for clearing bushes and fences. Clearing obstacles is the secondary armaments primary usage. Mostly due to the cannons low mounting height. Even small fences can obstruct the sight.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull basic || 305 mm (0-29°) ''Front'' 133.35 mm (60°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 152 mm bottom 63.5mm top|| 50.8 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
| Additional armour || 292.1 mm ''Mantlet'' 76.2 mm ''Cupolas'' 76.2 mm ''track guard'' || 76.2 - 101.6 mm ''lower track guard'' 63.5 mm ''upper outer track guard'' 25.4 mm ''upper inner track guard (drawer)'' || N/A || 38.1mm ''radiator cover'' 
|}

*Engine-crew-compartment wall is 25.4mm
*Plenty of attached ''rolled homogeneous'' accessory with 25.4mm
*25.4mm of belly armour at quite a big height off the ground. Therefore safe from 122mm cannons using HE between the tracks.
*20mm of ''structural steel'' for suspension and rollers. The track section is riddled with them

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 710|rbMinHp= 442|}}

== Armaments ==
[[File:T95 firing.jpg|thumbnail|right|In the ruins of the Berlin map this T95 wears the "Destruction" decal, unlockable for defeating 700 enemy tanks with US ground forces.]]
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E1 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 62 || -5°/+19.5° || -10°/+11° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 5.95 || 8.20 || 10.00 || 11.10 || 11.80
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 5.95 || 7.00 || 8.50 || 9.40 || 10.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 20.02 || 17.71 || 16.32 || 15.40
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 258 || 248 || 218 || 190 || 178 || 155
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 219 || 217 || 207 || 193 || 181 || 171
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 315 || 310 || 285 || 251 || 223 || 196
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 975 || 18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 899 || 19 || 1.2 || 20 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 1128 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 945 || 15 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=====Shell types=====
'''T32 ''APBC''''' 
The stock shell and previously the only one ever needed, unless engaging in combat over 1,000 m distance. It features decent normalization and good penetration even at ~60°, unlike the T29E3 APCR. Only downfall is the 50% ricochet chance against ~60° angled armour plates, like the frontal plate of the [[T-54 (1947)|T-54s]], which the shell would otherwise easily penetrate up to 1,000 m range([[T-54 (1949)|mod. 1949]] & [[T-54 (1951)|mod. 1951]]). 
Post-penetration effects are meagre. No HE filler, therefore only spalling and direct impact cause damage. For ammo racks, the detonation chance is roughly 5-10%. A bit better for starting fires, though. Therefore focus on crew members and vital modules.

'''T29E3 ''APCR''''' 
+50 mm penetration on all ranges looks good on paper, but a further check reveals a great disadvantage. With greater armour angles the penetration quickly drops, even past the stock APBC shot! And as angled plates become very common in era IV, this shell can just be ignored. Exemption is on ranges '''exceeding 1,000 m.''' Pack extra for expected long-range sniper duels. 
Additionally, the post-penetration effects are small and angle normalization does not happen upon impact. Direct hits on ammo racks have a small chance to cause an explosion like the APBC. Focus fire on crewmen and important modules!

'''T30E1 ''HE''''' 
Despite the calibre the HE is worse than similar calibres found on [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|King Tiger's]] [[KwK L/68 (105 mm)|105 mm]] and [[D-10S (100 mm)|D-10 cannon]], even less than on [[M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm cannons]] on the [[M46|Patton]]'s. Damage against common [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAA]] is therefore unsatisfactory and the roof mounted [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|M2HB Browning]] heavy machine gun is the better weapon of choice.

'''T13 ''APCBC''''' 
This should be the go-to ammunition with the T95, at any range. While it sacrifices some penetration (about 40mm at many ranges when compared to the T32 APBC), it has a HE filler. This allows this shell to one-shot almost anything it penetrates. It has massive post-penetration damage, and this is why the sacrifice of raw penetration is worth it. Despite the lower penetration, with proper aiming, the T13 shot can penetrate any tank it sees. When fighting King Tigers, simply aim for the turret faces (right side preferably) and lower glacis. When fighting T-44s and T-55s, aim for the turret faces, to the left and right of the gun, or the cupola if close enough to consistently hit. When fighting another heavy TD like the Jadgtiger, simply aim for the lower glacis, while it will rarely be a one-shot like this, it will immobilize him, and allow the leisure of finishing it off at an opportune time. Tanks like the IS-3 and T-10 are one of the greatest challenges for this shot, as their pike fronts are usually strong enough to bounce it if they are facing the T95. To defeat them aim for the area right at the top of the pike and below the gun, though this can be challenging. The cupola is again a valid target for pike front soviet heavies if close enough. To destroy an IS-6 frontally, aim for turret front, cupolas, or right under the gun where the shot can bounce down into the hull. While on paper, this shot lacks the penetration to penetrate the front of the Maus turret, it can actually penetrate it due to the armour penalty that the Maus has, which makes its armour weaker. Most other tanks can simply be shot centre of mass.

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_T28GMC.png|right|thumbnail|Ammo racks of the T28.|300px]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |10th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''62''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 57 ''(+5)'' 52 ''(+10)'' || 47 ''(+15)'' 41 ''(+21)'' || 42 ''(+20)'' 36 ''(+26)'' || 37 ''(+25)'' 31 ''(+31)'' || 31 ''(+31)'' 25 ''(+37)'' || 25 ''(+37)'' 19 ''(+43)'' || 19 ''(+43)'' 13 ''(+49)'' || 13 ''(+49)'' 7 ''(+55)'' || 7 ''(+55)'' 1 ''(+61)'' || 1 ''(+61)''   || style="text-align:center" |Yes: Rack 2 holds 10 instead of 11 shells Right upper rear rack (x) currently never depletes
|-
|}

20 rounds are enough for [[:Category:Game_modes|AB]]

30 rounds are enough for [[:Category:Game_modes|RB]]/[[:Category:Game_modes|SB]]

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±140°
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

With this in mind let us talk about the need for speed:

The Doom Turtle is slow. Very slow. To be exact the slowest vehicle in-game, if we exclude a [[F-86F-2|F-86F]] without the engines running.

For tactics, we must rather think of strategy: It may only reach one specific point through an entire match, so make sure the T95 is actually needed at that point or all that will be spent is digital gasoline.

Study the map and look for choke points, places of fierce narrow fielded conflict. Points were fighting will always take place.

There are two main playstyles: '''Support''' and '''CHARGE!!!'''. Playstyle does not really change with the game modes, they can be universally used.

=====Support=====
The biggest problem of the Doom Turtle is the weak spots, undermining the trade-off speed for armour. However, if the T95 stays beyond decent accuracy (+500 m), or gain height advantage and use gun depression, then the weak spots are no longer accessible. Do not mistake this with a sniper role! The average range should be 400m to 800m. Stay with the team, the T95 is their shield. Be a classic ''tank'' in RPG sense. If the situation is about to grind down and come to hold, change to the '''CHARGE!!!''' strategy (see below).

The main task is to provide fire assistance since the cannon is not made to take out tanks and features a long reload, disabling enemy tanks with engine hits is the priority. Further, draw the enemies attention to the T95. Force foes into sniper duels. Every shot at the T95 is one away from an ally. To enhance this sit in an exposed position and attack enemies with the machine gun. Make them shoot at the T95. Once using the T13 shell, the disabling shots the T32 made will turn into nasty shots with post-penetration damages.

Good places to go for are where the heavy tanks would rush to fight with their armour. Or spots medium tanks use but do not hide in the cover, leave it open for the allied medium tanks. Their support is essential to enhance the T95 own's slow firing rate. Playing driving cover/pillbox is also something to consider under these circumstances.

=====Charge=====
[[File:T95 - putting up pressure.jpg|thumbnail|'''CHARGE!!!''' Although going this close is ill-advised, as for enemy tanks can have better reverse speeds than the T95 can drive forwards. Not to mention the cupola weak spots becomes an easy target. '' However!'' The T95 is putting pressure on and places the opponent under stress. Psychological effects should not be underestimated. In this case, the [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Kingtiger 105]] got stuck on the rubble pile and is further blocking his allied [[IS-4M]] the sight. Reversing now allows for a free shot into the Tigers transmission, locking him in place.]]
The following tactic goes against anything one would expect with the above and described the tank's issues. While it sounds easy, there must be put a lot of thought into it to succeed.

Press and hold "W" and click "Mouse button 1" once in a while. It, in theory, will get the T95 heavily damaged or even destroyed, but in practice, a 86 tonnes vehicle is determined to steamroll everything in its path . . . and everyone gets scared, panicked even. An example can be seen in the screenshot on the right

But which place to charge through like the Light Brigade? The goal of this attack is to push the team out of camping positions and draw selected enemy's fire onto the T95. Long narrow sections with decent cover left and right is good places. Other places would be on the edge of the map and come in from an angle, limiting the foes attack front to only <100°. Having on to worry about only one side armour section allows for good angling opportunities. On Poland, the northern town's part in domination is a good example of this. The northern side is usually clear and south are only has got a few spots where fire can hit the side, make sure to turn south at those spots to further improve the south facing side armour via armour angling. 
Next step ones close enough is to capture the control point and/or keep advancing into the enemy to dig them out. 
Now, once the position is secured, the strategy can be changed to a Support role (see above), or go sneaky and hide around a corner.

Main difference to support is the change of module targets: Gun breech and gunner are to priorities, as this close up the T95's weak spots are very easy to hit. Further keep spamming the machine gun, to cloud the foe's sight and make them focus on the T95, helping the allies (who hopefully followed) to take them out.

[[File:T95 EasternEurope.jpg|thumbnail|left|Although a '''''stationary''''' tank destroyer, this does not mean to remain immobile! Keep changing position after some shots and be aware of the surroundings — otherwise, the T95 turns into one of those craters.]]

Sitting at an uneasy spot with 7.0 in AB and 6.7 in RB/SB, facing off Rank 5 vehicles and a variety of WW2 vehicles. All vehicles can penetrate the upper side armour and the weak spots. Therefore all medium vehicles are dangerous and their engines should be disabled ASAP. 
Foes able to frontally penetrate the T95 are labelled red. 
As only solid shot ammo is available, specific modules must be a target. Generally: Medium tanks - Engine; Heavy tanks - Cannon breech, crew; TDs - Crew compartment, gunner;

* Tank destroyers/☠[[SU-122-54]]: Except for the Jagdtiger all TDs should be shot at their gunner position to disable at least two crewmen.
*[[IS-3]]: Pike is difficult to get through. Try to disable the cannon, or wait for him to angle the tank wrong to shoot through the pike. Otherwise, with only 4 crewmen keep disabling them one by one.
*☠[[T-10M]]: Same as IS-3.
*[[IS-4M]]: The drives hatch is hard to get through with the tiny hole behind the additional armour. More favourable is the lower plate. The same as for the IS-3 applies.
*T-54s & ☠[[T-54 (1951)|mod.51]]: All can be penetrated through the turret front (left and right of gun mantlet) from closer than 500m. Except for the [[T-54 (1947)|mod.47]], the glacis plate may also be targeted, if it is straight pointed at the T95. Target either the engine or the ammorack+fuel tank at the front (chance to set if off is slim though).
*[[T-44]]: Turret can be very trolly, but is the best way to avoid return fire. Engine and crew are again good targets.
*[[Tiger II (H)|Kingtiger]]: Right turret cheek to disable the gunner, alternatively the lower glacis to get the transmission.
*[[Maus|Maus]]: Given its height, the T95's weak spot is very easy to hit. Disable the gunner via a shot in the right turret cheek. If closer than 1000m, retreat before he can man the cannon again.
*[[Jagdtiger|Jagdtiger]]: A tough nut, plus 250mm of raw and sloped armour disables APBC and APCR shells. Thankfully the lower plate is a good place to shoot. Make sure to hit at a good flat angle, as the APBC likes to bounce.
*☠[[Leopard I|Leopard]]: Shoot anywhere at the front, but do so quickly, as a good player can shoot and very quickly destroy the T95. Yet, due to the low armour thickness, the shrapnel damage inflicted is great and may even one shot it.
*☠[[M103|M103]]: Try to shoot into the turret trap (lower gun mantlet) or the turrets cheeks. Try to disable the cannon, breech and crew men.
*[[Panther_F|Panthers]]/[[M26|Pershing]]/[[M46|M46]]: Entire front is penetrable. Shooting the upper glacis and into the engine through the fighting compartment will deal decent damage.
*☠[[M47|M47]]: Don't shoot the upper glacis, more preferably the turret. Engine and gun breech are good targets to start with
*☠[[M60|M60]]: Lots of sloped armour. Frontally, the commander's hatch can be hit quite easily, but this fight should be avoided at all costs. Basically an up-armoured Leopard.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:T95 vs KingTiger Comparison.jpg|thumbnail|right|T95 and [[Tiger II (H)|Kingtiger]] height comparison. The T95 is as tall as the Tiger's chassis and with similar hull length. The Kingtiger is one of the taller vehicles.]]
'''Pros:'''

* Extremely tough tank; 300 mm of frontal armour, and very strong sides thanks to the massive tracks.
* Massive gun mantlet
* 4 sets of very strong tracks. Very difficult to destroy the tracks of this tank
* The 4 sets of tracks gives this tank incredible hull traverse that rivals most light tanks
* Very resilient to bombs, rockets, and HE shells
* Of of the few turretless TD's that has really nice reactive manoeuvrability; flanking this tank is not a guaranteed kill
* Mounts the same impressive 105 mm found on the T28 and T29, firing extremely powerful APHE shell
* Roof-mounted .50 cal machine gun; can actually defend its self against attacking aircraft
* Extremely intimidating tank. Many enemy players will just run away at the mere sight of a T95.

'''Cons:'''

* The single slowest tank in the game. Running away or getting to an objective on time is a pipe dream.
* Despite being a tough nut to crack, still a prime target to many aircraft thanks to its terrible top speed.
* Will be the focus of many veteran players. They'll do anything to knock this tank out.
* Due to how intimidating and slow this tank is, you might have a really boring game due to seeing no combat.
* Armor still stands no chance against APDS and HEAT.
* Gun mantlet isn't as good as the Jagdtiger's. HEAT and close range APDS shots can go through the mantlet, destroying the breach.
* Same gun as the T29, but has a much slower rate of fire.
* The side armor above the tracks is weakly armored and lined with ammo.
* The driver can be killed due to shots to the top left cupola.
* Some maps are just unplayable thanks to how slow this tank is.

== History ==

===Development===
Years before the invasion of Normandy, there were men among the Allied planners worrying about the heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the proposed methods was to develop extremely heavily armoured vehicles capable of destroying any fortification it comes across and any resistance the German had. Britain and America both worked on this project in order to develop these super-heavy tanks.

The American solution was a vehicle that would be called the '''T28 Heavy Tank''' and work began on such vehicle in September 1943. The initial vehicle concept called for a casemate design with a [[T5E1_(105_mm)|105mm T5 gun]], which was evaluated to be "extremely effective at reducing heavy fortifications". The only other armament on the vehicle would be a .50 cal machine gun for use by the commander. The armour on the design was 203 mm at first, but in January 1945 the head of Ordnance worried about the effect of German APCR ammunition, and so the already significant armour was upped to an astounding 305mm thick frontal armour, at the increase of weight to 95 tons. The vehicle's electric drive was a carryover from the [[M6A1|M6]] and T23 tank, with the engine the same from the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] (which was the same as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 Sherman]]). The heavyweight with the underpowered engine allowed the T28 to reach a whopping 8 miles per hour speed. To carry this design, the vehicle had four sets of tracks, two on each side, 328mm wide each in order to lower ground pressure. For transport, the extra set of tracks on the sides can be removed to make the vehicle thinner (4.55m to 3.15m) for easier transport, but raising ground pressure (0.82kg/cm2 to 1.14kg/cm2) and reducing armour since the detached track sets comes with 102 mm skirt armour.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks">Estes Kenneth W. ''Super-heavy Tanks of World War II'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2014</ref>

The T28 heavy tank continued with the development and in March 1944, the U.S. Army gave it the name and also placed an order for five pilot models for testings. In March 1945, Ordnance then renamed the T28 into the '''[[T95|105 mm Gun Motor Carriage T95]]''' due to the lack of turret for a "tank" and any regular secondary armaments. Then, in June 1946, the vehicle was renamed again to the '''[[T29|Super Heavy Tank T28]]''' due to the United States construction of self-propelled guns being lightly armoured, in order to distinguish it as a radically different design than simply a "tank destroyer". Today, the T95 and T28 naming are both used to title this vehicle.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

[[File:T28 Front Quarter.jpg|thumbnail|right|Front three-quarter view of the T28 at the Patton Museum. T28 Super Heavy Tank - no longer on exhibit as it has been prepared to move to Fort Benning GA.]]

===Procurement and deployment===
The five pilot models requested by the U.S. Army had Ordnance look for a manufacturer to produce these vehicles. The war effort had made many prominent manufacturers busy with pre-existing orders. The Pacific Car and Foundry Company were then contracted to produce the design, with production starting in March 1945. The complete tank design was finished by August 1945, by this time the war had already ended in Europe three months ago. Efforts continued on the tank until the surrender of Japan in September, ending World War II. The post-war cutbacks led to the request for five tanks lowered to just two. The first T28 prototypes appeared in Aberdeen Proving Grounds on 21 December 1945, with the second arriving on 10 January 1946. These two prototype tanks went through evaluations at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds, mostly for engineering tests to check the durability of the components used. The second prototype model caught an engine fire in Yuma and had to be scrapped. The T28 project finally ended in October 1947 when development for such heavy vehicles stopped. Records on the sole T28 prototype ended afterwards, many assumed the vehicle was destroyed or scrapped.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

In 1974, the sole remaining T28/T95 prototype was found in the fields behind Fort Belvoir, Virginia by a wanderer, rumoured to be a farmer out hunting or a lieutenant conducting inventory inspection. To this day, no one is certain how the T28 tank was left abandoned in the fields or what happened during the years in absence. It was moved to the Fort Knox, Kentucky to be displayed in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor. Today, its resting place is in the National Armor and Cavalry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

===Legacy===
In the end, the super heavy tanks designs made by the Americans (T28) and the British ([[Tortoise|Tortoise]]) only proved that such needs for tanks were unnecessary. The Siegfried Line and other such fortifications were taken out by use of the standard issued medium tanks such as the [[M4|M4 Shermans]], proving that affordable, mass-produced vehicles could dominate the modern battlefield. The super heavy tanks were also a strain on battle operations, as one of the most pressing questions during the development of the super-heavy tanks were on just how to get the tanks across the ocean to Europe and supply them with the fuel and ammo. The only positive note that these heavy tanks provided was that it showed the true extent of American and British industrial capabilities, being able to produce these massive monsters.

=== In-game description ===
A heavy assault tank developed on the basis of research conducted by the armament department. It was designed to break through well-fortified positions. Two models were built and underwent testing between 1945 and 1947. A new 105mm gun was attached to the base, allowing the tank to fight against fortifications. However, the project was eventually determined to be unrealistic.

== Media ==
===Camouflages & Skins===

*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t95 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-95 from live.warthunder.com.]
**[http://live.warthunder.com/post/177508/ '''"Fictional dark olive US-Army skin - ´En Garde´"''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
**[http://live.warthunder.com/post/175409/ '''"Girls und Panzer Saunders High"''' by ''CmdNomad'']
**[http://live.warthunder.com/post/218442/ '''"GDI T95 as HEAVY METAL"''' by ''Kopin11'']

===Videos===
{{Youtube-gallery|tt_oGX4_ORg|Gameplay footage: "'''T-95 V Normandy - (1080p)'''" by DodgerRoger|3NLhMpMywKE|Overview & introduction: "'''T95 Tank Review'''" by ''CornyBros''|7AZJOj38heg|Comedy: "'''T95 vs Jagdtiger'''"(Sort of) by ''Fabulous shepArd''}}

==References==
<references />

== Read also ==

*[http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/243508-tales-of-the-doom-turtle-%E2%80%93-the-blog/ WT Forum T95 Blog: "''Astonishing and amazing 'Tales of the Doom turtle!' – The blog''"]
*[https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/767/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T28 and T95] 

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

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

{{USA tank destroyers}}

T95

2020-03-06T18:48:23Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_t95}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T95GMC.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]].

The T95 is good at providing support and dragging enemy fire. As of [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]], the T95 shares the HE-filled APCBC T13 shells, researchable at tier 1 modifications, giving it an incredible punch that puts it on par with the [[Jagdtiger]]. It is very well known for its amazing frontal armour, hard to penetrate for the majority of guns at its rank. Experienced enemy players are aware of the T95's downsides: one hit weak spots, poor top speed, long reload and they will subsequently use it against the ''mighty Doom Turtle''.

The T95 is a very heavy and slow TD, the main purpose of which is to hold and defend a tactical position or to lead a forward push, thereby giving allied vehicles the the chance to strike at the enemy, most likely distracted by the defying task of taking down the immensely armoured T95. 
Even with its great frontal armour, a few enemies can still destroy the T95 frontally by using HEAT ammo (e.g. [[M103|M103]]: 380 mm and [[SU-122-54]]: 400mm pen), or for any other tank starting with [[:Category:Third_rank_ground_vehicles|rank 3]] by hitting the two obvious weak spots.

To hide the weak spots, one should try to find a spot where the cupolas are at well hidden from the enemy, either by finding a favourable slope or a high place, thus angling the vehicle to a point where only the front armour plates are in the sights of the enemy. Staying out of range (+600 m) to deny easy hits, alternatively, is a simple yet still quite effective tactic. Whenever an object such as a pillar presents itself in a combat area, the T95 driver should cleverly place the driver's cupola behind it — as with any other vehicle, proper use of the terrain is of utmost importance.

Despite its bad top speed, the T95 has amazing traverse speed, making it quite hard for an enemy (even light tank) to flank. This is further enhanced with good lower side armour and well angled top side armour. The sides are around 210 mm total with spaced armour in the tracks, any shot that hits it using HE-filled rounds will often explode before penetration inside occurs.

Though the T95 is a walking shield (aside from the two weak spots), the tank is very situational due to its slow speed. It has advantages in smaller maps with narrow corridors, such as city-based maps, while it struggles in larger maps with hilly terrain due to its poor climbing ability.

Using the explosive-filled T13 shell (APCBC), the T95 can dispatch almost any tank it can penetrate in one go, given that the necessary conditions of detonation are present, i.e. the penetration of 20mm of armour and the total of 1.2m travelled — a lucky [[ASU-85]] could endure a hit from the side without the customary fate of disastrous explosion, but these rare moments shouldn't be expected by anyone versing the T95. Anyways, the 12.7mm machine gun does a fine job at disposing of such lightly armoured targets when the necessity arises.

The .50 calibre machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola and manned by the very same, this heavy machine gun allows for decent anti-air fire arcs. Fire arcs are ~300° with a small dead spot to the rear and ~80° upwards, or rather for how much the camera allows for. If used freely and without constraint, the ammo will drain quickly. Some moderation is advised, given the lack of a co-axial MG for clearing bushes and fences. Clearing obstacles is the secondary armaments primary usage. Mostly due to the cannons low mounting height. Even small fences can obstruct the sight.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull basic || 305 mm (0-29°) ''Front'' 133.35 mm (60°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 152 mm bottom 63.5mm top|| 50.8 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
| Additional armour || 292.1 mm ''Mantlet'' 76.2 mm ''Cupolas'' 76.2 mm ''track guard'' || 76.2 - 101.6 mm ''lower track guard'' 63.5 mm ''upper outer track guard'' 25.4 mm ''upper inner track guard (drawer)'' || N/A || 38.1mm ''radiator cover'' 
|}

*Engine-crew-compartment wall is 25.4mm
*Plenty of attached ''rolled homogeneous'' accessory with 25.4mm
*25.4mm of belly armour at quite a big height off the ground. Therefore safe from 122mm cannons using HE between the tracks.
*20mm of ''structural steel'' for suspension and rollers. The track section is riddled with them

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 710|rbMinHp= 442|}}

== Armaments ==
[[File:T95 firing.jpg|thumbnail|right|In the ruins of the Berlin map this T95 wears the "Destruction" decal, unlockable for defeating 700 enemy tanks with US ground forces.]]
=== Main armament ===

{{main|T5E1 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 62 || -5°/+19.5° || -10°/+11° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 5.95 || 8.20 || 10.00 || 11.10 || 11.80
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 5.95 || 7.00 || 8.50 || 9.40 || 10.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 20.02 || 17.71 || 16.32 || 15.40
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 258 || 248 || 218 || 190 || 178 || 155
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 219 || 217 || 207 || 193 || 181 || 171
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 315 || 310 || 285 || 251 || 223 || 196
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| T32 || APCBC || 975 || 18 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T13 || APCBC || 899 || 19 || 1.2 || 20 || 177.38 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T29E3 || APCR || 1128 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| T30E1 || HE || 945 || 15 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 1,550 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=====Shell types=====
'''T32 ''APBC''''' 
The stock shell and previously the only one ever needed, unless engaging in combat over 1,000 m distance. It features decent normalization and good penetration even at ~60°, unlike the T29E3 APCR. Only downfall is the 50% ricochet chance against ~60° angled armour plates, like the frontal plate of the [[T-54 (1947)|T-54s]], which the shell would otherwise easily penetrate up to 1,000 m range([[T-54 (1949)|mod. 1949]] & [[T-54 (1951)|mod. 1951]]). 
Post-penetration effects are meagre. No HE filler, therefore only spalling and direct impact cause damage. For ammo racks, the detonation chance is roughly 5-10%. A bit better for starting fires, though. Therefore focus on crew members and vital modules.

'''T29E3 ''APCR''''' 
+50 mm penetration on all ranges looks good on paper, but a further check reveals a great disadvantage. With greater armour angles the penetration quickly drops, even past the stock APBC shot! And as angled plates become very common in era IV, this shell can just be ignored. Exemption is on ranges '''exceeding 1,000 m.''' Pack extra for expected long-range sniper duels. 
Additionally, the post-penetration effects are small and angle normalization does not happen upon impact. Direct hits on ammo racks have a small chance to cause an explosion like the APBC. Focus fire on crewmen and important modules!

'''T30E1 ''HE''''' 
Despite the calibre the HE is worse than similar calibres found on [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|King Tiger's]] [[KwK L/68 (105 mm)|105 mm]] and [[D-10S (100 mm)|D-10 cannon]], even less than on [[M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm cannons]] on the [[M46|Patton]]'s. Damage against common [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAA]] is therefore unsatisfactory and the roof mounted [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|M2HB Browning]] heavy machine gun is the better weapon of choice.

'''T13 ''APCBC''''' 
This should be the go-to ammunition with the T95, at any range. While it sacrifices some penetration (about 40mm at many ranges when compared to the T32 APBC), it has a HE filler. This allows this shell to one-shot almost anything it penetrates. It has massive post-penetration damage, and this is why the sacrifice of raw penetration is worth it. Despite the lower penetration, with proper aiming, the T13 shot can penetrate any tank it sees. When fighting King Tigers, simply aim for the turret faces (right side preferably) and lower glacis. When fighting T-44s and T-55s, aim for the turret faces, to the left and right of the gun, or the cupola if close enough to consistently hit. When fighting another heavy TD like the Jadgtiger, simply aim for the lower glacis, while it will rarely be a one-shot like this, it will immobilize him, and allow the leisure of finishing it off at an opportune time. Tanks like the IS-3 and T-10 are one of the greatest challenges for this shot, as their pike fronts are usually strong enough to bounce it if they are facing the T95. To defeat them aim for the area right at the top of the pike and below the gun, though this can be challenging. The cupola is again a valid target for pike front soviet heavies if close enough. To destroy an IS-6 frontally, aim for turret front, cupolas, or right under the gun where the shot can bounce down into the hull. While on paper, this shot lacks the penetration to penetrate the front of the Maus turret, it can actually penetrate it due to the armour penalty that the Maus has, which makes its armour weaker. Most other tanks can simply be shot centre of mass.

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_T28GMC.png|right|thumbnail|Ammo racks of the T28.|300px]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |10th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''62''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 57 ''(+5)'' 52 ''(+10)'' || 47 ''(+15)'' 41 ''(+21)'' || 42 ''(+20)'' 36 ''(+26)'' || 37 ''(+25)'' 31 ''(+31)'' || 31 ''(+31)'' 25 ''(+37)'' || 25 ''(+37)'' 19 ''(+43)'' || 19 ''(+43)'' 13 ''(+49)'' || 13 ''(+49)'' 7 ''(+55)'' || 7 ''(+55)'' 1 ''(+61)'' || 1 ''(+61)''   || style="text-align:center" |Yes: Rack 2 holds 10 instead of 11 shells Right upper rear rack (x) currently never depletes
|-
|}

20 rounds are enough for [[:Category:Game_modes|AB]]

30 rounds are enough for [[:Category:Game_modes|RB]]/[[:Category:Game_modes|SB]]

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±140°
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

With this in mind let us talk about the need for speed:

The Doom Turtle is slow. Very slow. To be exact the slowest vehicle in-game, if we exclude a [[F-86F-2|F-86F]] without the engines running.

For tactics, we must rather think of strategy: It may only reach one specific point through an entire match, so make sure the T95 is actually needed at that point or all that will be spent is digital gasoline.

Study the map and look for choke points, places of fierce narrow fielded conflict. Points were fighting will always take place.

There are two main playstyles: '''Support''' and '''CHARGE!!!'''. Playstyle does not really change with the game modes, they can be universally used.

=====Support=====
The biggest problem of the Doom Turtle are the weak spots, undermining the trade off speed for armour. However, if the T95 stays beyond decent accuracy (+500m), or gain height advantage and use gun depression, then the weak spots are no longer accessible. Do not mistake this with a sniper role! The average range should be 400m to 800m. Stay with the team, the T95 is their shield. Be a classic ''tank'' in RPG sense. If the situation is about to grind down and come to hold, change to the '''CHARGE!!!''' strategy (see below).

The main task is to provide fire assistance since the cannon is not made to take out tanks and features a long reload, disabling enemy tanks with engine hits is the priority. Further, draw the enemies attention to the T95. Force foes into sniper duels. Every shot at the T95 is one away from an ally. To enhance this sit in an exposed position and attack enemies with the machine gun. Make them shoot at the T95. Once using the T13 shell, the disabling shots the T32 made will turn into nasty shots with post-penetration damages.

Good places to go for are where the heavy tanks would rush to fight with their armour. Or spots medium tanks use but do not hide in the cover, leave it open for the allied medium tanks. Their support is essential to enhance the T95 own's slow firing rate. Playing driving cover/pillbox is also something to consider under these circumstances.

=====Charge=====
[[File:T95 - putting up pressure.jpg|thumbnail|'''CHARGE!!!''' Although going this close is ill-advised, as for enemy tanks can have better reverse speeds than the T95 can drive forwards. Not to mention the cupola weak spots becomes an easy target. '' However!'' The T95 is putting pressure on and places the opponent under stress. Psychological effects should not be underestimated. In this case, the [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|Kingtiger 105]] got stuck on the rubble pile and is further blocking his allied [[IS-4M]] the sight. Reversing now allows for a free shot into the Tigers transmission, locking him in place.]]
The following tactic goes against anything one would expect with the above and described the tank's issues. While it sounds easy, there must be put a lot of thought into it to succeed.

Press and hold "W" and click "Mouse button 1" once in a while. It, in theory, will get the T95 heavily damaged or even destroyed, but in practice, a 86 tonnes vehicle is determined to steamroll everything in its path . . . and everyone gets scared, panicked even. An example can be seen in the screenshot on the right

But which place to charge through like the Light Brigade? The goal of this attack is to push the team out of camping positions and draw selected enemy's fire onto the T95. Long narrow sections with decent cover left and right is good places. Other places would be on the edge of the map and come in from an angle, limiting the foes attack front to only <100°. Having on to worry about only one side armour section allows for good angling opportunities. On Poland, the northern town's part in domination is a good example of this. The northern side is usually clear and south are only has got a few spots where fire can hit the side, make sure to turn south at those spots to further improve the south facing side armour via armour angling. 
Next step ones close enough is to capture the control point and/or keep advancing into the enemy to dig them out. 
Now, once the position is secured, the strategy can be changed to a Support role (see above), or go sneaky and hide around a corner.

Main difference to support is the change of module targets: Gun breech and gunner are to priorities, as this close up the T95's weak spots are very easy to hit. Further keep spamming the machine gun, to cloud the foe's sight and make them focus on the T95, helping the allies (who hopefully followed) to take them out.

[[File:T95 EasternEurope.jpg|thumbnail|left|Although a '''''stationary''''' tank destroyer, this does not mean to remain immobile! Keep changing position after some shots and be aware of the surroundings — otherwise, the T95 turns into one of those craters.]]

Sitting at an uneasy spot with 7.0 in AB and 6.7 in RB/SB, facing off Rank 5 vehicles and a variety of WW2 vehicles. All vehicles can penetrate the upper side armour and the weak spots. Therefore all medium vehicles are dangerous and their engines should be disabled ASAP. 
Foes able to frontally penetrate the T95 are labelled red. 
As only solid shot ammo is available, specific modules must be a target. Generally: Medium tanks - Engine; Heavy tanks - Cannon breech, crew; TDs - Crew compartment, gunner;

* Tank destroyers/☠[[SU-122-54]]: Except for the Jagdtiger all TDs should be shot at their gunner position to disable at least two crewmen.
*[[IS-3]]: Pike is difficult to get through. Try to disable the cannon, or wait for him to angle the tank wrong to shoot through the pike. Otherwise, with only 4 crewmen keep disabling them one by one.
*☠[[T-10M]]: Same as IS-3.
*[[IS-4M]]: The drives hatch is hard to get through with the tiny hole behind the additional armour. More favourable is the lower plate. The same as for the IS-3 applies.
*T-54s & ☠[[T-54 (1951)|mod.51]]: All can be penetrated through the turret front (left and right of gun mantlet) from closer than 500m. Except for the [[T-54 (1947)|mod.47]], the glacis plate may also be targeted, if it is straight pointed at the T95. Target either the engine or the ammorack+fuel tank at the front (chance to set if off is slim though).
*[[T-44]]: Turret can be very trolly, but is the best way to avoid return fire. Engine and crew are again good targets.
*[[Tiger II (H)|Kingtiger]]: Right turret cheek to disable the gunner, alternatively the lower glacis to get the transmission.
*[[Maus|Maus]]: Given its height, the T95's weak spot is very easy to hit. Disable the gunner via a shot in the right turret cheek. If closer than 1000m, retreat before he can man the cannon again.
*[[Jagdtiger|Jagdtiger]]: A tough nut, plus 250mm of raw and sloped armour disables APBC and APCR shells. Thankfully the lower plate is a good place to shoot. Make sure to hit at a good flat angle, as the APBC likes to bounce.
*☠[[Leopard I|Leopard]]: Shoot anywhere at the front, but do so quickly, as a good player can shoot and very quickly destroy the T95. Yet, due to the low armour thickness, the shrapnel damage inflicted is great and may even one shot it.
*☠[[M103|M103]]: Try to shoot into the turret trap (lower gun mantlet) or the turrets cheeks. Try to disable the cannon, breech and crew men.
*[[Panther_F|Panthers]]/[[M26|Pershing]]/[[M46|M46]]: Entire front is penetrable. Shooting the upper glacis and into the engine through the fighting compartment will deal decent damage.
*☠[[M47|M47]]: Don't shoot the upper glacis, more preferably the turret. Engine and gun breech are good targets to start with
*☠[[M60|M60]]: Lots of sloped armour. Frontally, the commander's hatch can be hit quite easily, but this fight should be avoided at all costs. Basically an up-armoured Leopard.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:T95 vs KingTiger Comparison.jpg|thumbnail|right|T95 and [[Tiger II (H)|Kingtiger]] height comparison. The T95 is as tall as the Tiger's chassis and with similar hull length. The Kingtiger is one of the taller vehicles.]]
'''Pros:'''

* Extremely tough tank. 300mm of frontal armor, and very strong sides thanks to the massive tracks.
* Massive gun mantlet.
* 4 sets of very strong tracks. Very difficult to destroy the tracks of this tank.
* The 4 sets of tracks gives this tank incredible hull traverse that rivals most light tanks.
* Very resilient to bombs, rockets, and HE shells.
* Of of the few turretless TD's that has really nice reactive maneuverability. Flanking this tank is not a guaranteed kill.
* Mounts the same impressive 105mm found on the T28 and T29, firing extremely powerful APHE sshell.
* Roof mounted .50 cal machine gun. Can actually defend its self against attacking aircraft.

'''Cons:'''

* Only 4 crew member despite being a large vehicle
* High repair cost overall
* Slowest tank in the game, slower than the Tortoise and the Maus, coupled with a very slow reverse speed
* Long reload time
* Very expensive repair cost in AB, but it's negligible as the T95 will not be destroyed that often
* The T95 will become completely obsolete in certain maps
* Unable to deal a lot of damage
* Takes a lot of time to get into the action zone
* The T95 requires a lot of team play, it will not be effective if not supported by teammates
* Difficult stock grind before the Parts and T13 shot are researched
* Vulnerable to aerial bombs
* Big roof area makes it an excellent target for artillery and aircraft rockets
* Has 4 sets of tracks but if one is disabled, the entire vehicle is immobilized
* Large gun, can be damaged easily
* Smart players will just completely ignore the T95
* Cupolas are obvious weak points but will become obsolete once the commander is knocked out
* Commander is the most vulnerable crew in the tank
* Frontal armour can be penetrated by ATGMs
* Side armour might be thick but is still penetrable by most tanks at close range, and sides are littered with ammo, so a penetrated shot to the side is mostly lethal

== History ==

===Development===
Years before the invasion of Normandy, there were men among the Allied planners worrying about the heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the proposed methods was to develop extremely heavily armoured vehicles capable of destroying any fortification it comes across and any resistance the German had. Britain and America both worked on this project in order to develop these super-heavy tanks.

The American solution was a vehicle that would be called the '''T28 Heavy Tank''' and work began on such vehicle in September 1943. The initial vehicle concept called for a casemate design with a [[T5E1_(105_mm)|105mm T5 gun]], which was evaluated to be "extremely effective at reducing heavy fortifications". The only other armament on the vehicle would be a .50 cal machine gun for use by the commander. The armour on the design was 203 mm at first, but in January 1945 the head of Ordnance worried about the effect of German APCR ammunition, and so the already significant armour was upped to an astounding 305mm thick frontal armour, at the increase of weight to 95 tons. The vehicle's electric drive was a carryover from the [[M6A1|M6]] and T23 tank, with the engine the same from the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] (which was the same as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 Sherman]]). The heavyweight with the underpowered engine allowed the T28 to reach a whopping 8 miles per hour speed. To carry this design, the vehicle had four sets of tracks, two on each side, 328mm wide each in order to lower ground pressure. For transport, the extra set of tracks on the sides can be removed to make the vehicle thinner (4.55m to 3.15m) for easier transport, but raising ground pressure (0.82kg/cm2 to 1.14kg/cm2) and reducing armour since the detached track sets comes with 102 mm skirt armour.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks">Estes Kenneth W. ''Super-heavy Tanks of World War II'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2014</ref>

The T28 heavy tank continued with the development and in March 1944, the U.S. Army gave it the name and also placed an order for five pilot models for testings. In March 1945, Ordnance then renamed the T28 into the '''[[T95|105 mm Gun Motor Carriage T95]]''' due to the lack of turret for a "tank" and any regular secondary armaments. Then, in June 1946, the vehicle was renamed again to the '''[[T29|Super Heavy Tank T28]]''' due to the United States construction of self-propelled guns being lightly armoured, in order to distinguish it as a radically different design than simply a "tank destroyer". Today, the T95 and T28 naming are both used to title this vehicle.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

[[File:T28 Front Quarter.jpg|thumbnail|right|Front three-quarter view of the T28 at the Patton Museum. T28 Super Heavy Tank - no longer on exhibit as it has been prepared to move to Fort Benning GA.]]

===Procurement and deployment===
The five pilot models requested by the U.S. Army had Ordnance look for a manufacturer to produce these vehicles. The war effort had made many prominent manufacturers busy with pre-existing orders. The Pacific Car and Foundry Company were then contracted to produce the design, with production starting in March 1945. The complete tank design was finished by August 1945, by this time the war had already ended in Europe three months ago. Efforts continued on the tank until the surrender of Japan in September, ending World War II. The post-war cutbacks led to the request for five tanks lowered to just two. The first T28 prototypes appeared in Aberdeen Proving Grounds on 21 December 1945, with the second arriving on 10 January 1946. These two prototype tanks went through evaluations at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds, mostly for engineering tests to check the durability of the components used. The second prototype model caught an engine fire in Yuma and had to be scrapped. The T28 project finally ended in October 1947 when development for such heavy vehicles stopped. Records on the sole T28 prototype ended afterwards, many assumed the vehicle was destroyed or scrapped.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

In 1974, the sole remaining T28/T95 prototype was found in the fields behind Fort Belvoir, Virginia by a wanderer, rumoured to be a farmer out hunting or a lieutenant conducting inventory inspection. To this day, no one is certain how the T28 tank was left abandoned in the fields or what happened during the years in absence. It was moved to the Fort Knox, Kentucky to be displayed in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor. Today, its resting place is in the National Armor and Cavalry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia.<ref name="EstesHeavyTanks" />

===Legacy===
In the end, the super heavy tanks designs made by the Americans (T28) and the British ([[Tortoise|Tortoise]]) only proved that such needs for tanks were unnecessary. The Siegfried Line and other such fortifications were taken out by use of the standard issued medium tanks such as the [[M4|M4 Shermans]], proving that affordable, mass-produced vehicles could dominate the modern battlefield. The super heavy tanks were also a strain on battle operations, as one of the most pressing questions during the development of the super-heavy tanks were on just how to get the tanks across the ocean to Europe and supply them with the fuel and ammo. The only positive note that these heavy tanks provided was that it showed the true extent of American and British industrial capabilities, being able to produce these massive monsters.

=== In-game description ===
A heavy assault tank developed on the basis of research conducted by the armament department. It was designed to break through well-fortified positions. Two models were built and underwent testing between 1945 and 1947. A new 105mm gun was attached to the base, allowing the tank to fight against fortifications. However, the project was eventually determined to be unrealistic.

== Media ==
===Camouflages & Skins===

*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t95 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-95 from live.warthunder.com.]
**[http://live.warthunder.com/post/177508/ '''"Fictional dark olive US-Army skin - ´En Garde´"''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
**[http://live.warthunder.com/post/175409/ '''"Girls und Panzer Saunders High"''' by ''CmdNomad'']
**[http://live.warthunder.com/post/218442/ '''"GDI T95 as HEAVY METAL"''' by ''Kopin11'']

===Videos===
{{Youtube-gallery|tt_oGX4_ORg|Gameplay footage: "'''T-95 V Normandy - (1080p)'''" by DodgerRoger|3NLhMpMywKE|Overview & introduction: "'''T95 Tank Review'''" by ''CornyBros''|7AZJOj38heg|Comedy: "'''T95 vs Jagdtiger'''"(Sort of) by ''Fabulous shepArd''}}

==References==
<references />

== Read also ==

*[http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/243508-tales-of-the-doom-turtle-%E2%80%93-the-blog/ WT Forum T95 Blog: "''Astonishing and amazing 'Tales of the Doom turtle!' – The blog''"]
*[https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/767/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T28 and T95] 

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

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

{{USA tank destroyers}}

Tortoise

2020-03-06T18:33:27Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=uk_a39_tortoise}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Tortoise.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''A39 Tortoise''' is a Rank IV British tank destroyer with a battle rating of 6.7 (AB/RB) and 6.3 (SB). It was released along with the entire British tree line in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]. A huge casemate structure made as an assault vehicle akin to the American's [[T95|T95]], the Tortoise presents thick raw sloped armour with a unique heavy punching 94 mm cannon.

The Tortoise, as its name suggest, sacrifices speed to survivability.

'''Armour''' 
With its cast 152 mm sloped armour, the Tortoise can survive most head on encounters. The area around the gun mantlet is 215 mm thick with a flat surface under the gunner's optics. It has a 55 mm plate (75°) under the gun and a 170 mm semi-rounded LFP. Sides are 152 mm thick. The engine deck's side armour is 101.6 mm thick with an asymmetry on the left. Rear armour is 100-110 mm thick flat plates. At this BR, there are not many tanks that can penetrate such thick material from the front. If used correctly, this vehicle should only get out of battles with a few 75, 88 and 122 mm scratches.

If, by any chance, an enemy gets through this massive steel casing, there is no less than '''7''' ''spaced out'' crew members to soak up damage. Most of the time, the AA gunner's cupola gets penetrated, since it is only 100 mm flat armour. AP (and APDS) shells will only disable the AA defenses while any APHE shell may incapacitate the driver and 1 or 2 loaders. If unlucky, it will detonate the ''massive ammo rack'' lying on the floor. Another common angle of attack is the machine gunner's port. Once again, AP shots will knock-out 2-3 non-essential crew members (machine gunner, commander, loader) and APHE shells may even eliminate the gunner. Sometimes, when getting too exposed, the 170 mm almost flat LFP gets shot at. This will usually disable the gunner, transmission and even ignite an ammo rack if there's enough explosive. A few highly penetrating tanks may shoot through the flat 215 mm surface underneath the gunner's optics. This usually means an instant knock-out for the Tortoise if it happens to be an [[IS-2]], [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II (H)]] since there are ammo racks all around the gunner. Any penetrating hit to the side usually means an instant elimination (if not immediate, the following shot should be the last). The cannon barrel is often targeted by players: its large and thin muzzle brake tends to be damaged easily. Note that some large HE shells may tear through the top armour, wrecking havoc in the crew compartment.

'''Mobility''' 
Such a great armour plays heavily on mobility. With a max speed of 20 km/h in both directions, neutral steering and wide tracks, this tank has good enough mobility to get into position and fire on the enemy. It is not advised to travel up to the frontlines since it will only expose weak spots, make flanking easier, and take a really long time due to poor max speed.

'''Firepower''' 
Unlike other British Rank IV tanks, the Tortoise does not fire APDS or HESH ammunition, it relies on pure AP shells. Fortunately, these large caliber rounds are roughly similar to [[Ordnance QF 20-pounder Mk.I (84 mm)|20-pounder cannon's]] APDS, meaning the learning curve from the [[Charioteer Mk VII|Charioteer Mk VII]] not too steep. Plus, these 94 mm shells are ''stock rounds'' in the A39 meaning they're free to use.

The secondary armament on this tank is an AA turret with twin-mounted [[BESA (7.92 mm)|BESA]] MG, good for dealing with low-flying planes and even some bombers, although these MGs lack the power of cannons for aircraft encountered in mixed battles at this BR. Since this turret is the main weak spot on this tank's frontal armour, it is often disabled in the first few shots.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side hull, Rear hull, Hull roof, Superstructure roof)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 55 mm (75°) ''Front glacis'' 170 mm (3-71°) ''Lower glacis'' || 110 + 50.8 mm || 100 mm (10-45°) || 25 mm
|-
| Superstructure || 215 mm (0-59°), 152 mm (0-45°) ''Front armour'' 96 + 80 + 152 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 152 mm || 110 mm (0-7°) || 50.8 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 101.6 mm || 25 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Tracks on the side of the Tortoise give an additional 30 mm of armour.
* The steel boxes on the side of the rear of the Tortoise grant only an extra 5 mm of armour.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 81.3 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 20.6 (AB)
|-
|19.0 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|923
|___
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|575
|650
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|11.35
|__.__
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|7.07
|7.99
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Ordnance QF 32-pounder (94 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF 32-pounder (94 mm)|94 mm OQF 32-pounder]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 60 || -10°/+18° || ±20° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 5.90 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 5.90 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 11.80 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC ||243 || 239 || 228 || 212 || 199 || 189
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 929 || 15 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 1043 || 13 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 920 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Tortoise.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Tortoise.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''60''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 54 ''(+6)'' 26 ''(+34)'' || 47 ''(+13)'' 19 ''(+41)'' || 41 ''(+19)'' 13 ''(+47)'' || 33 ''(+27)'' 7 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+59)''   || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Cupola mount'' (x2)
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity each)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 6,750 (225) || 600 || -6°/+20° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

The A39 Tortoise is the quintessence of British Heavy Anti-Tank line (mostly prototypes), which features vehicles such as the [[3 inch Gun Carrier]], basically, it is an upgraded design from the [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill Mk VII]] bearing heavy armour and a good gun to support infantry against any threat while being able to withstand a few shots. One must stay at distances and snipe ennemies with the very precise [[Ordnance QF 32-pounder (94 mm)|32 pdr OQF]] while allowing the enemy no chance to target weak spots. With it's slow speed and firing rate, this is not a frontline tank. It gets easily outflanked.

The A39 is a true tank destroyer in all senses: the longer the range, the better it performs. It moves slowly so it's not recommended for rushing the frontline, it plays much better as an entrenched shooter that can change a game by denying enemy presence in its arc of fire. Its only weakness is the lack of HE filler making general knowledge of tank internals a must as with most British tanks. With good gun depression, it's mostly invincible when hulled down and can retreat fairly easily due to good reverse speed and heavy mass allowing it to build up speed.

Here is a few tips for specific kinds of terrain:

'''Plains''' 
This type of terrain is barely exempt of any structure, mainly, only a few hills will hide enemies. Maps such as [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]], [[Mozdok (Ground Forces)|Mozdok]] and [[Jungle]] can be described as such. Find a good view on the battlefield and nullify any attempt from the enemy to move. Scout with binoculars (default key "G") and pop out to fire at any useful target. Peek-a-boo tactics are really good with this tank. Do not bother to move from position: the A39 can take many shots before going down. Reposition only if enemy line gets too close or if there is a flanker coming.

'''Urban''' 
These kind of grounds are all about buildings, terrain variation is almost nonexistent. Maps such as [[Abandoned_Factory_(Ground_Forces)|Abandoned Factory]], [[Port_Novorossiysk|Port Novorossiysk]] and [[Advance_to_the_Rhine|Advance to the Rhine]] are urban battlefield. This is the most tricky scenario to face with the Tortoise. Pick an alley and cover it from one end or ambush near a capture point, if feeling lucky. Always try to stay near allied cover.

'''Rural''' 
Rural maps are a mix of the two former: a small urban map surrounded by plains. Maps such as [[Fields_of_Poland|Fields of Poland]], [[Eastern Europe (Ground Forces)|Eastern Europe]] and [[Normandy (Ground Forces)|Normandy]] are rural environments. Stay around the town and ''never'' get in, cover alleys from afar, make the enemy fear to turn any corner. Try to get as far as possible to the town and keep an eye for flankers.

'''Mountains''' 
These maps feature high terrain deformation with steep hills and even walls. Maps such as [[Ash_River|Ash River]], [[Karelia]] and [[Frozen_Pass|Frozen Pass]] falls under this designation. Use the same tactics as with plains while being extra careful since flanking is easier on these kind of maps. Stick to the rear of allied armour or play as a bullet magnet, leaving light tanks a way to flank the enemy without getting too much attention. Make sure to hide weak spots behind props such as rocks or walls, leaving only the gun mantlet exposed.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Overall armor scheme is rather thick.
* Due to its box shape chassis, angling the tank an near 45 degrees is really effective.
* High penetration and damage 32 pounder shell.
* Good gun arc for a TD.
* Is resilient to bombs, Hi-Ex shells, and rockets.
* 7 crew members in the tank. Usually takes several HEAT and APDS shells to destroy.
* Even penetrating APHE shells likely wont destroy the tank in a single hit.

'''Cons:'''

* Absolutely gigantic tank. This tank is nearly impossible to hide.
* Really slow tank. Running away just cant be done in this tank.
* Like most British tanks, no APHE shells. But unlike most other British tanks at this BR, no APDS shells for the 32 pounder.
* The Micro turret on top of the tank is massive and weakly armored. APHE shells penetrating will kill the loader and possible the driver.
* The top left corner of the tank is big and flat. High penetrating APHE shells can punch right through it, killing the commander and gunner.
* Being a TD, cant shoot tanks at the sides or rear without turning the entire tank around.

== History ==

===Development===
Years before the invasion of Normandy, there were men among the Allied planners worrying about the heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the proposed methods was to develop extremely heavily armoured vehicles capable of destroying any fortification it comes across and any resistance the German had. Britain and America both worked on this project in order to develop these super-heavy tanks.

The British began to develop a new type of vehicle to counter this threat, the "Assault Tanks" that focuses all effort on armour. The first development for such a tank began in 1943 as the [[Excelsior|A33 Excelsior]] tank, though this was cancelled with better reliability of the [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill infantry tank]]. The Secretary of State for War and the Minister of Supply sent out specifications for the "Assault Tanks" in April 1943, to which the Nuffield Organisation react with 18 designs for the specifications between May 1943 to February 1944, named ''AT1'' to ''AT18''. Each design was more armoured than its predecessor, but design ''AT16'' was approved by the Tank Board in February 1944. It was proposed that 25 vehicles would be produced and thus work began throughout the rest of the war. Six units were produced before production came to an end.

===Design===
The ''AT16'' was renamed the '''A39 Tortoise Heavy Assault Tank''' during its production life. The Tortoise is a fixed casemate design. Though classified as an "Assault Tank", it was in reality a self-propelled/assault gun. The fixed casemate superstructure limited the gun traverse, but the front armour is very thick at 225 mm. This large amount of armour came at the increased weight of 80 tons and a height of 10 feet. The gun is the 96 mm 32-pounder gun that provided effective explosive and armour-penetration capabilities, good enough to destroy a [[Panther G|Panther]] tank at 1,000 yards away. The Tortoise is powered by a Meteor engine with a all-speed transmission system for equal speed forward and reverse. The suspension is a bogie system, with each bogie having a pair of wheels that are linked to a transverse torsion bar. The vehicle holds a crew of six people, two of which are loaders for the 32-pounder gun.

===Cancellation===
By the time the few prototypes of the vehicles were made, World War II in Europe ended in May 1945. The rapid demilitarization and lack of need for such a vehicle reduced the original order amount to just 6 vehicles, which were built. One was sent to Germany for evaluation trials, where the Tortoise proved itself as being mechanically reliable and its 32-pounder a great asset on the battlefield. It's undoing was its 80 ton weight, which gave it a low speed and a logistical nightmare to transport around the region.

In the end, the super heavy tanks designs made by the Americans ([[T28|T28]]) and the British (Tortoise) only proved that such needs for tanks were unnecessary. The Siegfried Line and other such fortifications were taken out by use of the standard issued medium tanks such as the [[M4|M4 Shermans]], proving that affordable, mass-produced vehicles could dominate the modern battlefield. The only positive note that these heavy tanks provided was that it showed the true extent of American and British industrial capabilities, being able to produce these massive monsters.

== Media ==

{{youtube|url = FafvSJDEfwA|Bovington Tank Museum Tank Chats: Tortoise}}

== Read 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.''

''ETC.''

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

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

{{Britain tank destroyers}}

IS-3

2020-03-06T18:00:06Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_3}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_IS-3.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the closed beta testing for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. The IS-3 keeps the same [[D-25T (122 mm)|D-25T]] gun as its predecessor while ''drastically'' upgrading its armour without hindering mobility too much.

Anyone familiar with the [[IS-2]] and [[IS-2 (1944)]] will sit comfortably behind the driver's controls of this behemoth.

As with previous IS models, the IS-3 sports the same D-25T 122mm cannon, with its awesome destructive potential. Experienced tankers will know which weak points to look for on most targets, although the weapon's effectiveness increases dramatically once the BR-417D ammunition is researched, upgrading its penetration from 207mm to 230mm while retaining most of the HE filler. At 7.3 BR, the IS-3 will come up against many other heavy tanks with large, slow reloading guns, making the playing field much more even. Despite this, always beware the faster, lightly armoured targets such as the [[Ru 251]], [[Leopard I]], and other vehicles that can essentially ignore the IS-3's armour like the [[FV4005|FV4005]]. As with the IS-2 mod. 1944, the IS-3 has a spindle-mounted Heavy Machine Gun, good for warding off strafing aircraft or deterring light vehicles.

The IS-3 once again demonstrates sub-par maneuverability, despite being relatively light for a heavy tank. It has an engine that produces a measly 671 horsepower, making the vehicle feel sluggish when attempting to initiate a turn from both standstills and when moving. Its' acceleration also leaves much to be desired, however, it does have a reasonably high top speed, and usually will reach it eventually regardless of the surface it is driving on. Fortunately, as with all late Soviet heavy tanks, the reverse speed of the IS-3 is very respectable, often allowing it the time necessary to back out of bad situations to reload or repair. The reverse gears and low forward gears allow the vehicle to climb surprisingly sharp slopes, despite what some might expect from such a large vehicle.

The most obvious changes over the previous IS tanks are of course the redesigned turret and the sharply angled 'pike' nose. The front is not only angled, but the armour is also relatively thick, with 110mm on both the top and bottom, angled at 54°-56° and 54° respectively. As with previous designs, the IS-3 has somewhat sub-par side and rear armour, and angling should be avoided. The redesigned turret is much more resilient than the older designs, with more angling, a much smaller flat area around the mantlet, and significantly thicker casting. The tank is somewhat vulnerable to trap shots and turret ring penetration - these can be somewhat negated by depressing the gun and blocking the vulnerable areas.

The IS-3 is the definition of a 'breakthrough' tank, which excels at close-range, front-on conflict where the chances of flanking are minimal and drivers can take advantage of the heavy frontal armour and reverse speed. When up-tiered, or against certain enemies with HEAT, HESH or ATGMs, IS-3 drivers should play cautiously as the tank is extremely vulnerable to high-penetration and chemical rounds.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 110 mm (54-56°) ''Front glacis'' 110 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 mm (0-40°) ''Top'' 20 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 60 mm (47°) ''Top'' 60 mm (41-42°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 250 mm (1-78°) ''Turret front'' 100 + 250 mm (9-79°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 75-220 mm (33-69°) || 70-120 mm (22-52°) || 20 mm ''Front, Hatch roof'' 40 mm ''Center'' 75 mm ''Sides''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* The thickest armour of the tank is at the front – the "beak" at the front of the hull raises the effective thickness of the armour from 110 to around 180 – 200 mm, depending on the exact spot.
* The turret front of the IS-3 is an also fairly well armoured, with 250 mm of heavily sloped armour equating to around 400 mm effective thickness.
* Turret side armour is not equal throughout its length. In the side middle, it is 130 mm, then bordering the rear armour is 150 mm thick.
* Gun mantlet side and bottom are boosted by the 250 mm of the turret front, whereas the top of gun mantlet has no armour behind it.
* Side armour of the hull has an additional 5 mm of sheet metal on above the suspension area.
* Turret ring is 200mm thick with a 20mm "collar" covering the front and sides.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 48.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 43 (AB)
|-
|40 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|671
|827
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|460
|520
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|13.98
|17.23
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|9.58
|10.83
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' ||7.28||10.08||12.24||13.54||14.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' ||5.36||6.30||7.65||8.43|| 9.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|26.0||23.0||21.2||20.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE ||205||201||183||162||144||128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC ||205||203||191||178||166||155
|-
| BR-471D || APCBC || 230 ||227||215||200||186||173
|-
| OF-471 || HE ||37||37||37||37||37||37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 ||19||246.4|| -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC ||795|| 25 || 1.2 ||19||246.4|| +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| BR-471D || APCBC || 800 || 25 || 1.2 ||19||192.5|| +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks IS-3.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-3.]]

The D-25T cannon fires two-piece ammunition that are stored all around the crew compartment. The majority of the projectiles are found lining the sides and rear of the turret while the majority of the propellant found in the hull, with two large piles flanking the driver and a few kept on the hull floor and rear. Next to the cannon breach on the loader's side is a small ready rack containing 5 propellant charges, with the 5 accompanying projectiles found to the loader's right against the turret side. The time it takes the loader to load one round into the ready rack from the stowage racks is about 21 seconds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || 23 ''(+5)'' || 17 ''(+11)'' || 13 ''(+15)'' || 10 ''(+18)'' || 8 ''(+20)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:center" | no
|-
|}

* Recommended ammo load is 12, which empty all of the racks but racks 1 and 6.
* Ammo Rack 1 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 6 through 2.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready racks. If all three ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 2-6 into rack 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 2-6. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 300 (50) || 600 || -4°/+85° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,000 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The IS-3, continuing the tradition of the Russian IS line of heavy tanks, sports a powerful 122mm cannon, strong frontal armour and reasonable mobility for its class. As with its predecessors, it excels at dispatching anything it can penetrate with its explosive-filled rounds, and relies heavily on its excellent reverse speed and sharply angled armour to keep itself out of trouble. However, an IS-3 commander will increasingly encounter HEAT, HESH and ATGMs which pose a serious threat to the vehicle.

=== General Gameplay ===
One of the most important points about the IS-3 is that angling does not work - your pike nose will become easier to get through as you angle your tank, so handle all enemies head-on, if possible. However your gun is still the same 122 mm cannon as on the initial [[IS-2]] at which is situated at a lower battle rating, so it is understandable that you will struggle to penetrate many heavy enemies frontally now at the higher battle rating.

In the current meta, faster vehicles are more viable than heavier ones, and the IS-3 is at a big disadvantage especially in Realistic. Your armour is amazing in a downtier (to Battle Ratings 6.3 / 6.7), but it's basically non-existent in an uptier (to Battle Ratings 8.0 / 8.3, where you start seeing APFSDS and HEAT shells all the time), so knowing when to take this tank out is also a big part of gameplay with it.

'''Arcade Battles'''

Surprisingly, the IS-3 can do very well in Arcade. Many enemies in Arcade don't seem to know that the best way to kill the IS-3 with a conventional round is via a shot-trap, so your survivability is increased. Moreover, when fully upgraded, the IS-3 becomes extremely mobile in Arcade allowing you to get into cover after shooting, or quickly advance on an unsuspecting enemy. The best strategy against a single enemy is to just rush them - the terrain usually bounces your tank around slightly making it very difficult to penetrate, and the sheer sight of a heavy tank speeding towards the enemy will cause some panic.

The more experienced tanker will know when to take the IS-3 out in battle and when to use other vehicles. If you know that the game is an uptier (e.g. by checking the statistics tab, or by the map draw) you should decide against the IS-3 and take out a tank like the [[BMP-1]], which fits better into the high tier meta. Also, long-range engagements are a gamble, since your top round and long reload times make it difficult to successfully attack enemies, while they might have a HEAT shell that disregards distance. However, the rush strategy can work here as well, especially if you turn your tank in random directions once in a while, making it harder for opponents to aim at you.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In Realistic, the IS-3 is much more difficult to play, because enemies take more time to aim at weakspots and your mobility is toned down. Due to that, you need to take time with your own shots and know your opponents - is there an ammo-rank in the side of the Caernarvon, or should you shoot at the driver's position? and etc. Generally, you need to play with stealth in Realistic, because the person who shoots first is usually the one that gets the kill. Flanking can, and does, work with the IS-3, not because of speed, but because your teammates are shot and you can return fire at the perpetrators and continue your advance. Moreover, some light tanks that are prevalent at the higher Battle Ratings outright cannot penetrate you with their main guns (most of them have ATGMs, though).

Against ATGMs, it's a good idea to use your machine guns to shoot at the ground in front of your tank - this makes a small smoke-screen out of dirt and rubble that makes it difficult for enemies to aim their ATGMs. Keep in mind though, that you should still move your tank away from the initial position, because enemies will try to predict where you are going (it's a good idea to shoot machine guns increasingly to the left, while moving to the right, because it causes a sense of your tank moving with machine guns, while actually, you're moving in the other direction).

'''General Tips'''

The IS-3 is relatively versatile, but excels in close-range combat against conventional rounds - it is very good at taking on other heavy tanks such as the [[T32|T32]] and [[Caernarvon]].

* It has reasonably decent top speed, and on solid ground, acceptable acceleration, allowing it to reach cap points and combat areas fairly promptly and set up in positions to allow it to make the most of the frontal armour.
* When down tiered (6.3-6.7 games), the IS-3 performs excellently, able to push forward and play its 'breakthrough' role with impunity.
* Good climbing capabilities allow the IS-3 to reach some surprising positions for sniping or supporting teammates pushing points. Despite the gun's effectiveness being reduced at the range, the armour of the vehicle becomes much more effective as weak spots become significantly harder to hit.
* Since the IS-3 can keep up with most medium tanks like the Centurions, Panthers or T-44s, it can be played as early-game heavy support for those lighter, more vulnerable hulls to assist in taking objectives.
* In up tiered games (7.7-8.3), the IS-3 can come across a lot of chemical rounds and must be played significantly more carefully, as its armour simply cannot compete with the high penetration of these rounds.

Play this tank almost any way that is favourable. A few tips to increase this vehicle's performance:

* Always face towards the enemies directly, avoid exposing the weak hull sides.
* Cover the frontal weak spots if necessary with the gun's large barrel by pointing it downwards. It's better to have the gun barrel destroyed than it is to lose crew members and be potentially unable to reverse out of bad situations.
* Stop only to fire. Movement makes the weak spots harder to target. Even when there is no destination to move to, go back and forth a few meters just so that the IS-3 hull wobbles a bit on start and stop.
* Plan aggressive pushes and movements around enemy locations. The gun has negligible depression and very bad horizontal traverse, making reacting to enemies slow and risky, and impossible if they're on lower ground.
* Avoid engaging vehicles over hills by climbing the hill as it will be hard to aim with only -3° depression and the lower plate will be vulnerable due to the angling.
* Avoid fighting tanks with HEAT/HESH/APFSDS.
* Be careful when brawling at extremely close ranges, as the top of the turret is quite vulnerable due to the vehicle's low profile.
* Avoid facing elevated opponents, as this decreases LOS thickness for hull and exposes turret top.
* Carrying less ammo helps increase survivability from penetrating shots to the turret (ammunition is spread around the edges of the turret).

=== The Stock Grind ===
This vehicle can be a pain to play when stock, because enemies will try to kill you in any way, often by setting you on fire 3 times in a row. Your tracks and gun barrel are frequent targets as well, and without Parts or FPE gameplay is going to be painful. Due to this, you must '''research Parts and FPE first''', this is extremely important. Generally, you would want to be behind your teammates, to let them get shot more instead of you, when reloaded you can poke out and shoot your shot, right before going back into the cover or behind teammates. Sniping is an option, but it's not the most viable since there's quite a lot of bullet drop and missing your shots will cause the very long reload.

===Modules===
In tier, I, ''Parts'' and ''Horizontal Drive should, of course, be the prioritized modules for repairs and turret traverse speed. These two will also unlock Tier II modifications and grant access to the very vital ''FPE'' and ''M61 shot'', the former for preservation against fires and the latter to improve damage in the battlefield.''

Then in tier III, ''Crew Replenishment'' should be obtained for crew survival improvement and the APCR ''T45 shot'' for improved armour-piercing power. After that, everything else could be done at one's own priorities, but ''Engine'' should be invested for better automotive performances and ''M89'' for the smoke capabilities.

=== Pros and cons ===


;Pros:

* Very good frontal armor. Upper and lower plates are basically immune to all conventional shells.
* First Soviet heavy tank that comes with the V-shaped hull and ridiculously strong spaced armor lining the sides.
* Really strong turret. Even the sides of the turret are heavily armored and angled.
* Very powerful 122mm gun. Top APHE shell has high penetration and very good damage potential.
* Good top speed and maneuverability.
* Fearsome reputation. Hardly any tank will want to trade shots or brawl with an IS-3.

;Cons:

* Horrifying reload speed. Despite the armor, fighting two tanks at once is not advised.
* Armor is still no match for APDS and HEAT.
* Terrible gun depression. Finding a good hull down location to use the gun and good turret is difficult.
* Despite the good turret, the left side of the gun mantlet can be penetrated by conventional rounds with good penetration. (Like the 88mm shell found on the Tiger II)
* Bottom of the gun mantlet is an infamous shot trap.
* While a small target, the entirety of the turret ring is exposed.
* Ammo is strewn throughout the entire crew compartment.
* Roof mounted 12.7mm machine gun only has a 50 box mag before needing to reload.
* Only 4 crew members in a small crew compartment. Any APHE shell that penetrates will likely knock out the entire crew.

== History ==


===Development===
Late in 1944, development of the next generation of the IS heavy tanks started, following after the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] tank. The tank was to be better in armour compared to the IS-2 as a response to the new [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] that showed up and is able to penetrate the front armour of the hull. The project was codenamed ''Kirovets-1'' and was headed by General Nikolai Dukhov.<ref name="ZalogaIS">Zaloga Steven. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Design bureaus at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant "Tankograd" (ChTZ) and Factory No. 100 worked on the design of the vehicle. A focus on the armour improvement came from a study by an engineer in the teams that most tank losses occurred from hits to the front turret, with the front hull coming in second. The two design bureaus came up with their own ideas on how to make the armour of the tank more effective, with ChTZ developing an extremely rounded turret and No.100 developing a new angled front armour in a shape of a "beak". Soviet command decided that the design should use both features in the armour as both ideas were promising. The prototype vehicle was then produced at ChTZ and completed in October 1944 when it trialled and accepted for production as the '''IS-3'''. Production for the IS-3 started in 1945 at ChTZ alongside the IS-2 production. As the first tanks rolled off production lines, it was determined that the design was rushed and unproven with its multiple mechanical problems, some of which included the armour plates welds cracking open from the vibration of cross-country movement and muzzle blast from the gun. Because of this, the IS-3 was not available in large numbers to be committed into battle, leading to their absence in the final months of World War II before Germany surrendered in May 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

Despite its rough introduction and prevalent mechanical issues, the IS-3 continued production with gradual fixes to the front hull, final drive, and engine mounts. The Chelyabinsk factory produced IS-3s from 1945 to 1951 for a total of 1,800 tanks.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

===Usage===
Though the IS-3 was not available in large numbers at the start, the Soviets attempted to transport the IS-3 to Germany in April 1945 to assist in the fightings, but they arrived too late to be committed to any fighting. It is reported that the IS-3 did see service during the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945 to fulfil Stalin's promise in the Yalta Conference to invade Japan after the capitulation of Germany, however not much information is present about this topic.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

The end of the most destructive war in history did not waver the Soviet's opinion of the IS-3 however, and the Soviet command had the 52 IS-3 tanks from the 2nd Guards Tank Army paraded in the Berlin Victory Parade on September 7, 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The reveal of the IS-3 in the parade came as a huge shock to the Western Allies who saw the IS-3 as a nigh-invulnerable breakthrough tank with their heavy armour. The response to the tank was there to develop their own heavy tanks able to do the same job and with a gun able to fight the IS-3, such as the British [[Conqueror|Conqueror]] and the American [[M103|M103]] heavy tanks. Despite its very ominous stature, the IS-3 was still plagued with mechanical issues at this point with its poor armour quality and mechanical reliability. A short modernization program from 1948 to 1952 was made to fix these issues with tanks in production and in the depots with no change to the name designation. The IS-3 was then modernized further in the 1960s to keep it up with changing times. The modifications done were similar to the IS-2M, which gave the IS-3 extra external fuel tanks, storage bins, and protective side skirts as well as an improved engine, engine filtration, new radios, new machine guns, new gun optics, and many more small changes. The modernized IS-3 was named the ''IS-3M''.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

One of the few actions the IS-3 saw in the post-war era with the Soviet Union was in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution with a single heavy tank regiment. The Soviet's heavy tank regiments used to consist of 21 heavy tanks during World War II. In 1947, the regiment composition is changed to between 44-46 heavy tanks and 21 heavy assault guns in a mixed formation. Another change between 1958-1959 saw this mixed unit changed to consist of only heavy tanks but now consists of up to 100 heavy tanks. Despite their armour, a number of heavy tanks were lost before the Soviets were able to crush the revolution. The IS-3 after that did not see much action afterwards in the Soviet Union's hands before it started to be replaced by the newer [[T-10M|T-10]] heavy tank in the 1960s. During this time, many heavy tanks were transported to the border between the Soviet Union and China in face of the rising tension between the two countries.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

The IS-3 would also be supplied to the Soviet Union's allies such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, and Egypt. Poland and Czechoslovakia never adopted the tank after trials however, thus leaving only North Korea and Egypt as the main foreign users of the IS-3. The Egyptians used the IS-3M, 100 of which were received from the Soviets, against the Israelis in the Six-Day War in 1967. Of all the tanks used in that war, the IS-3M was the most feared by the Israelis due to the thick front armour. Israeli infantry's standard anti-tank weaponry could not penetrate through the front, and tanks as modern as the [[M48A1|M48 Patton]] also could not defeat the IS-3M. Nevertheless, the better tactics and training among the Israeli tank units were able to prevail against the IS-3M, with the IS-3 being commented by the Egyptians for its low rate of fire and outdated fire-controls to the crew's deficiency in combat. Of the 100, 73 tanks were lost during the Six-Day War. The Israeli managed to capture a number of IS-3 and pressed them into service, though only for a short period before its faults become more problematic than its benefits. The engine on the IS-3 proved to be unsuitable in the desert climate of the Middle East, and an attempt by the Israeli to alleviate this by replacing the engine with one from the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]], though this did not prove fruitful. In the Yom Kippur War in 1973, both the Egyptians and Israeli used the IS-3M to a smaller degree than the Six Day War, the IS-3 not seeing much combat in the Egyptian forces and were used as dug-in pillboxes on the Jordan River by the Israelis.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

===Decline and Discontinuation===
With the introduction of the lighter and more mobile [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]] main battle tank in the 1950s, the IS-3 saw less usage among the Soviet front-line as it started to become obsolete. Further development to improve and continue the IS tank series became the [[IS-4M|IS-4]], IS-7, and the [[T-10M|T-10]] tanks. However, in 1960, Nikita Khrushchev, the new premier of the Soviet Union after Stalin died, ordered heavy tank production to be terminated in wake of a new military strategy of missiles rather than conventional forces.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> His orders are not without reason, heavy tanks are difficult to maintain and transport across the huge Soviet Union, which also did not have many bridges that could support a heavy tank. Another reason was the changing anti-tank technology that made tank armour extremely vulnerable, especially against the new anti-tank missiles that are becoming more and more efficient at their task in destroying tanks. Still, the order did not mean the dissolution of heavy tank units as by 1978, there were still up to 2,300 heavy tanks in the Far East. To this day, many heavy tanks are still either in inactive reserves or dug in as pillboxes along the borders of the Soviet Union.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The heavy tank's place in the Soviet Union's military was replaced by the main battle tanks (MBT) like the T-64, which presented a much better firepower, armour, and mobility for only a weight of 35 tons, a technological sign on the rising prevalence of the MBT.

=== In-game description ===
In spite of the fact that the IS-2 lived up to expectations, a decision was made a year after the end of the war to create a tank with even higher characteristics. Its unique welded hull and cast turret construction significantly increased its armour strength in comparison to the IS-2, from which it took many key parts and components.

The hull was welded together from rolled armour plates and contained no cast armour pieces. The dual-sloping inclined nose design allowed a driver's hatch to be placed in it, significantly improved visibility in the field, and provided high armour strength to the frontal hull. For increased fire safety, its fuel tanks were moved from the fighting compartment to the engine compartment. It was armed with a 122 mm D-25T cannon with a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun. The turret's roof was equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun. It had no bow or rear machine guns.

At the beginning of their deployment, a range of flaws resulting from a number of design errors and miscalculations was revealed in these tanks. Among other issues, these included failures in the engine, gearbox, and parts of the armoured hull in the region of the engine compartment. In 1948-1952, all IS-3 tanks were reworked and modernised. The engine brackets were reinforced, the gearbox fixings changed, the underturret plate strengthened, the main friction coupling design updated, and the sealing enhanced on the final drive and road wheels. The 10-RK radio set was replaced with the 10-RT radio set. These changes increased the tank's mass to 48.8 tonnes.

The first experimental group of IS-3 heavy tanks left their factories in 1945. In total, 2,311 of them were made by mid-1946.
They were not deployed in combat in the Great Patriotic War. There are some indications that the IS-3 was used in the defeat of the Japanese army in August 1945.

== Media ==


* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is3 Skins and camouflages for the IS-3 from live.warthunder]

==References==
<references />

== 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 ==


* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/227061-vehicle-profile-is-3/#entry4370635 [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-3]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}

IS-3

2020-03-04T18:47:03Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_3}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_IS-3.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the closed beta testing for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. The IS-3 keeps the same [[D-25T (122 mm)|D-25T]] gun as its predecessor while ''drastically'' upgrading its armour without hindering mobility too much.

Anyone familiar with the [[IS-2]] and [[IS-2 (1944)]] will sit comfortably behind the driver's controls of this behemoth.

As with previous IS models, the IS-3 sports the same D-25T 122mm cannon, with its awesome destructive potential. Experienced tankers will know which weak points to look for on most targets, although the weapon's effectiveness increases dramatically once the BR-417D ammunition is researched, upgrading its penetration from 207mm to 230mm while retaining most of the HE filler. At 7.3 BR, the IS-3 will come up against many other heavy tanks with large, slow reloading guns, making the playing field much more even. Despite this, always beware the faster, lightly armoured targets such as the [[Ru 251]], [[Leopard I]], and other vehicles that can essentially ignore the IS-3's armour like the [[FV4005|FV4005]]. As with the IS-2 mod. 1944, the IS-3 has a spindle-mounted Heavy Machine Gun, good for warding off strafing aircraft or deterring light vehicles.

The IS-3 once again demonstrates sub-par maneuverability, despite being relatively light for a heavy tank. It has an engine that produces a measly 671 horsepower, making the vehicle feel sluggish when attempting to initiate a turn from both standstills and when moving. Its' acceleration also leaves much to be desired, however, it does have a reasonably high top speed, and usually will reach it eventually regardless of the surface it is driving on. Fortunately, as with all late Soviet heavy tanks, the reverse speed of the IS-3 is very respectable, often allowing it the time necessary to back out of bad situations to reload or repair. The reverse gears and low forward gears allow the vehicle to climb surprisingly sharp slopes, despite what some might expect from such a large vehicle.

The most obvious changes over the previous IS tanks are of course the redesigned turret and the sharply angled 'pike' nose. The front is not only angled, but the armour is also relatively thick, with 110mm on both the top and bottom, angled at 54°-56° and 54° respectively. As with previous designs, the IS-3 has somewhat sub-par side and rear armour, and angling should be avoided. The redesigned turret is much more resilient than the older designs, with more angling, a much smaller flat area around the mantlet, and significantly thicker casting. The tank is somewhat vulnerable to trap shots and turret ring penetration - these can be somewhat negated by depressing the gun and blocking the vulnerable areas.

The IS-3 is the definition of a 'breakthrough' tank, which excels at close-range, front-on conflict where the chances of flanking are minimal and drivers can take advantage of the heavy frontal armour and reverse speed. When up-tiered, or against certain enemies with HEAT, HESH or ATGMs, IS-3 drivers should play cautiously as the tank is extremely vulnerable to high-penetration and chemical rounds.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 110 mm (54-56°) ''Front glacis'' 110 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 mm (0-40°) ''Top'' 20 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 60 mm (47°) ''Top'' 60 mm (41-42°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 250 mm (1-78°) ''Turret front'' 100 + 250 mm (9-79°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 75-220 mm (33-69°) || 70-120 mm (22-52°) || 20 mm ''Front, Hatch roof'' 40 mm ''Center'' 75 mm ''Sides''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* The thickest armour of the tank is at the front – the "beak" at the front of the hull raises the effective thickness of the armour from 110 to around 180 – 200 mm, depending on the exact spot.
* The turret front of the IS-3 is an also fairly well armoured, with 250 mm of heavily sloped armour equating to around 400 mm effective thickness.
* Turret side armour is not equal throughout its length. In the side middle, it is 130 mm, then bordering the rear armour is 150 mm thick.
* Gun mantlet side and bottom are boosted by the 250 mm of the turret front, whereas the top of gun mantlet has no armour behind it.
* Side armour of the hull has an additional 5 mm of sheet metal on above the suspension area.
* Turret ring is 200mm thick with a 20mm "collar" covering the front and sides.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 48.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 43 (AB)
|-
|40 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|671
|827
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|460
|520
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|13.98
|17.23
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|9.58
|10.83
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' ||7.28||10.08||12.24||13.54||14.4
|-
| ''Realistic'' ||5.36||6.30||7.65||8.43|| 9.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|26.0||23.0||21.2||20.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE ||205||201||183||162||144||128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC ||205||203||191||178||166||155
|-
| BR-471D || APCBC || 230 ||227||215||200||186||173
|-
| OF-471 || HE ||37||37||37||37||37||37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 ||19||246.4|| -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC ||795|| 25 || 1.2 ||19||246.4|| +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| BR-471D || APCBC || 800 || 25 || 1.2 ||19||192.5|| +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks IS-3.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-3.]]

The D-25T cannon fires two-piece ammunition that are stored all around the crew compartment. The majority of the projectiles are found lining the sides and rear of the turret while the majority of the propellant found in the hull, with two large piles flanking the driver and a few kept on the hull floor and rear. Next to the cannon breach on the loader's side is a small ready rack containing 5 propellant charges, with the 5 accompanying projectiles found to the loader's right against the turret side. The time it takes the loader to load one round into the ready rack from the stowage racks is about 21 seconds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || 23 ''(+5)'' || 17 ''(+11)'' || 13 ''(+15)'' || 10 ''(+18)'' || 8 ''(+20)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:center" | no
|-
|}

* Recommended ammo load is 12, which empty all of the racks but racks 1 and 6.
* Ammo Rack 1 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 6 through 2.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready racks. If all three ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 2-6 into rack 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 2-6. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 300 (50) || 600 || -4°/+85° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,000 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The IS-3, continuing the tradition of the Russian IS line of heavy tanks, sports a powerful 122mm cannon, strong frontal armour and reasonable mobility for its class. As with its predecessors, it excels at dispatching anything it can penetrate with its explosive-filled rounds, and relies heavily on its excellent reverse speed and sharply angled armour to keep itself out of trouble. However, an IS-3 commander will increasingly encounter HEAT, HESH and ATGMs which pose a serious threat to the vehicle.

=== General Gameplay ===
One of the most important points about the IS-3 is that angling does not work - your pike nose will become easier to get through as you angle your tank, so handle all enemies head-on, if possible. However your gun is still the same 122 mm cannon as on the initial [[IS-2]] at which is situated at a lower battle rating, so it is understandable that you will struggle to penetrate many heavy enemies frontally now at the higher battle rating.

In the current meta, faster vehicles are more viable than heavier ones, and the IS-3 is at a big disadvantage especially in Realistic. Your armour is amazing in a downtier (to Battle Ratings 6.3 / 6.7), but it's basically non-existent in an uptier (to Battle Ratings 8.0 / 8.3, where you start seeing APFSDS and HEAT shells all the time), so knowing when to take this tank out is also a big part of gameplay with it.

'''Arcade Battles'''

Surprisingly, the IS-3 can do very well in Arcade. Many enemies in Arcade don't seem to know that the best way to kill the IS-3 with a conventional round is via a shot-trap, so your survivability is increased. Moreover, when fully upgraded, the IS-3 becomes extremely mobile in Arcade allowing you to get into cover after shooting, or quickly advance on an unsuspecting enemy. The best strategy against a single enemy is to just rush them - the terrain usually bounces your tank around slightly making it very difficult to penetrate, and the sheer sight of a heavy tank speeding towards the enemy will cause some panic.

The more experienced tanker will know when to take the IS-3 out in battle and when to use other vehicles. If you know that the game is an uptier (e.g. by checking the statistics tab, or by the map draw) you should decide against the IS-3 and take out a tank like the [[BMP-1]], which fits better into the high tier meta. Also, long-range engagements are a gamble, since your top round and long reload times make it difficult to successfully attack enemies, while they might have a HEAT shell that disregards distance. However, the rush strategy can work here as well, especially if you turn your tank in random directions once in a while, making it harder for opponents to aim at you.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In Realistic, the IS-3 is much more difficult to play, because enemies take more time to aim at weakspots and your mobility is toned down. Due to that, you need to take time with your own shots and know your opponents - is there an ammo-rank in the side of the Caernarvon, or should you shoot at the driver's position? and etc. Generally, you need to play with stealth in Realistic, because the person who shoots first is usually the one that gets the kill. Flanking can, and does, work with the IS-3, not because of speed, but because your teammates are shot and you can return fire at the perpetrators and continue your advance. Moreover, some light tanks that are prevalent at the higher Battle Ratings outright cannot penetrate you with their main guns (most of them have ATGMs, though).

Against ATGMs, it's a good idea to use your machine guns to shoot at the ground in front of your tank - this makes a small smoke-screen out of dirt and rubble that makes it difficult for enemies to aim their ATGMs. Keep in mind though, that you should still move your tank away from the initial position, because enemies will try to predict where you are going (it's a good idea to shoot machine guns increasingly to the left, while moving to the right, because it causes a sense of your tank moving with machine guns, while actually, you're moving in the other direction).

'''General Tips'''

The IS-3 is relatively versatile, but excels in close-range combat against conventional rounds - it is very good at taking on other heavy tanks such as the [[T32|T32]] and [[Caernarvon]].

* It has reasonably decent top speed, and on solid ground, acceptable acceleration, allowing it to reach cap points and combat areas fairly promptly and set up in positions to allow it to make the most of the frontal armour.
* When down tiered (6.3-6.7 games), the IS-3 performs excellently, able to push forward and play its 'breakthrough' role with impunity.
* Good climbing capabilities allow the IS-3 to reach some surprising positions for sniping or supporting teammates pushing points. Despite the gun's effectiveness being reduced at the range, the armour of the vehicle becomes much more effective as weak spots become significantly harder to hit.
* Since the IS-3 can keep up with most medium tanks like the Centurions, Panthers or T-44s, it can be played as early-game heavy support for those lighter, more vulnerable hulls to assist in taking objectives.
* In up tiered games (7.7-8.3), the IS-3 can come across a lot of chemical rounds and must be played significantly more carefully, as its armour simply cannot compete with the high penetration of these rounds.

Play this tank almost any way that is favourable. A few tips to increase this vehicle's performance:

* Always face towards the enemies directly, avoid exposing the weak hull sides.
* Cover the frontal weak spots if necessary with the gun's large barrel by pointing it downwards. It's better to have the gun barrel destroyed than it is to lose crew members and be potentially unable to reverse out of bad situations.
* Stop only to fire. Movement makes the weak spots harder to target. Even when there is no destination to move to, go back and forth a few meters just so that the IS-3 hull wobbles a bit on start and stop.
* Plan aggressive pushes and movements around enemy locations. The gun has negligible depression and very bad horizontal traverse, making reacting to enemies slow and risky, and impossible if they're on lower ground.
* Avoid engaging vehicles over hills by climbing the hill as it will be hard to aim with only -3° depression and the lower plate will be vulnerable due to the angling.
* Avoid fighting tanks with HEAT/HESH/APFSDS.
* Be careful when brawling at extremely close ranges, as the top of the turret is quite vulnerable due to the vehicle's low profile.
* Avoid facing elevated opponents, as this decreases LOS thickness for hull and exposes turret top.
* Carrying less ammo helps increase survivability from penetrating shots to the turret (ammunition is spread around the edges of the turret).

=== The Stock Grind ===
This vehicle can be a pain to play when stock, because enemies will try to kill you in any way, often by setting you on fire 3 times in a row. Your tracks and gun barrel are frequent targets as well, and without Parts or FPE gameplay is going to be painful. Due to this, you must '''research Parts and FPE first''', this is extremely important. Generally, you would want to be behind your teammates, to let them get shot more instead of you, when reloaded you can poke out and shoot your shot, right before going back into the cover or behind teammates. Sniping is an option, but it's not the most viable since there's quite a lot of bullet drop and missing your shots will cause the very long reload.

===Modules===
In tier, I, ''Parts'' and ''Horizontal Drive should, of course, be the prioritized modules for repairs and turret traverse speed. These two will also unlock Tier II modifications and grant access to the very vital ''FPE'' and ''M61 shot'', the former for preservation against fires and the latter to improve damage in the battlefield.''

Then in tier III, ''Crew Replenishment'' should be obtained for crew survival improvement and the APCR ''T45 shot'' for improved armour-piercing power. After that, everything else could be done at one's own priorities, but ''Engine'' should be invested for better automotive performances and ''M89'' for the smoke capabilities.

=== Pros and cons ===


;Pros:

* Very good frontal armor. Upper and lower plates are basically immune to all conventional shells.
* First Soviet heavy tank that comes with the V-shaped hull and ridiculously strong spaced armor lining the sides.
* Really strong turret. Even the sides of the turret are heavily armored and angled.
* Very powerful 122mm gun. Top APHE shell has high penetration and very good damage potential.
* Good top speed and maneuverability.
* Fearsome reputation. Hardly any tank will want to trade shots or brawl with an IS-3.

;Cons:

* Horrifying reload speed. Despite the armor, fighting two tanks at once is not advised.
* Armor is still no match for APDS and HEAT.
* Terrible gun depression. Finding a good hull down location to use the gun and good turret is difficult.
* Despite the good turret, the left side of the gun mantlet can be penetrated by conventional rounds with good penetration. (Like the 88mm shell found on the Tiger II)
* Bottom of the gun mantlet is an infamous shot trap.
* While a small target, the entirety of the turret ring is exposed.
* Ammo is strewn throughout the entire crew compartment.
* Only 4 crew members in a small crew compartment. Any APHE shell that penetrates will likely knock out the entire crew.

== History ==


===Development===
Late in 1944, development of the next generation of the IS heavy tanks started, following after the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] tank. The tank was to be better in armour compared to the IS-2 as a response to the new [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] that showed up and is able to penetrate the front armour of the hull. The project was codenamed ''Kirovets-1'' and was headed by General Nikolai Dukhov.<ref name="ZalogaIS">Zaloga Steven. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Design bureaus at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant "Tankograd" (ChTZ) and Factory No. 100 worked on the design of the vehicle. A focus on the armour improvement came from a study by an engineer in the teams that most tank losses occurred from hits to the front turret, with the front hull coming in second. The two design bureaus came up with their own ideas on how to make the armour of the tank more effective, with ChTZ developing an extremely rounded turret and No.100 developing a new angled front armour in a shape of a "beak". Soviet command decided that the design should use both features in the armour as both ideas were promising. The prototype vehicle was then produced at ChTZ and completed in October 1944 when it trialled and accepted for production as the '''IS-3'''. Production for the IS-3 started in 1945 at ChTZ alongside the IS-2 prodAuction. As the first tanks rolled off production lines, it was determined that the design was rushed and unproven with its multiple mechanical problems, some of which included the armour plates welds cracking open from the vibration of cross-country movement and muzzle blast from the gun. Because of this, the IS-3 was not available in large numbers to be committed into battle, leading to their absence in the final months of World War II before Germany surrendered in May 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

Despite its rough introduction and prevalent mechanical issues, the IS-3 continued production with gradual fixes to the front hull, final drive, and engine mounts. The Chelyabinsk factory produced IS-3s from 1945 to 1951 for a total of 1,800 tanks.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

===Usage===
Though the IS-3 was not available in large numbers at the start, the Soviets attempted to transport the IS-3 to Germany in April 1945 to assist in the fightings, but they arrived too late to be committed to any fighting. It is reported that the IS-3 did see service during the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945 to fulfil Stalin's promise in the Yalta Conference to invade Japan after the capitulation of Germany, however not much information is present about this topic.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

The end of the most destructive war in history did not waver the Soviet's opinion of the IS-3 however, and the Soviet command had the 52 IS-3 tanks from the 2nd Guards Tank Army paraded in the Berlin Victory Parade on September 7, 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The reveal of the IS-3 in the parade came as a huge shock to the Western Allies who saw the IS-3 as a nigh-invulnerable breakthrough tank with their heavy armour. The response to the tank was there to develop their own heavy tanks able to do the same job and with a gun able to fight the IS-3, such as the British [[Conqueror|Conqueror]] and the American [[M103|M103]] heavy tanks. Despite its very ominous stature, the IS-3 was still plagued with mechanical issues at this point with its poor armour quality and mechanical reliability. A short modernization program from 1948 to 1952 was made to fix these issues with tanks in production and in the depots with no change to the name designation. The IS-3 was then modernized further in the 1960s to keep it up with changing times. The modifications done were similar to the IS-2M, which gave the IS-3 extra external fuel tanks, storage bins, and protective side skirts as well as an improved engine, engine filtration, new radios, new machine guns, new gun optics, and many more small changes. The modernized IS-3 was named the ''IS-3M''.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

One of the few actions the IS-3 saw in the post-war era with the Soviet Union was in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution with a single heavy tank regiment. The Soviet's heavy tank regiments used to consist of 21 heavy tanks during World War II. In 1947, the regiment composition is changed to between 44-46 heavy tanks and 21 heavy assault guns in a mixed formation. Another change between 1958-1959 saw this mixed unit changed to consist of only heavy tanks but now consists of up to 100 heavy tanks. Despite their armour, a number of heavy tanks were lost before the Soviets were able to crush the revolution. The IS-3 after that did not see much action afterwards in the Soviet Union's hands before it started to be replaced by the newer [[T-10M|T-10]] heavy tank in the 1960s. During this time, many heavy tanks were transported to the border between the Soviet Union and China in face of the rising tension between the two countries.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

The IS-3 would also be supplied to the Soviet Union's allies such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, and Egypt. Poland and Czechoslovakia never adopted the tank after trials however, thus leaving only North Korea and Egypt as the main foreign users of the IS-3. The Egyptians used the IS-3M, 100 of which were received from the Soviets, against the Israelis in the Six-Day War in 1967. Of all the tanks used in that war, the IS-3M was the most feared by the Israelis due to the thick front armour. Israeli infantry's standard anti-tank weaponry could not penetrate through the front, and tanks as modern as the [[M48A1|M48 Patton]] also could not defeat the IS-3M. Nevertheless, the better tactics and training among the Israeli tank units were able to prevail against the IS-3M, with the IS-3 being commented by the Egyptians for its low rate of fire and outdated fire-controls to the crew's deficiency in combat. Of the 100, 73 tanks were lost during the Six-Day War. The Israeli managed to capture a number of IS-3 and pressed them into service, though only for a short period before its faults become more problematic than its benefits. The engine on the IS-3 proved to be unsuitable in the desert climate of the Middle East, and an attempt by the Israeli to alleviate this by replacing the engine with one from the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]], though this did not prove fruitful. In the Yom Kippur War in 1973, both the Egyptians and Israeli used the IS-3M to a smaller degree than the Six Day War, the IS-3 not seeing much combat in the Egyptian forces and were used as dug-in pillboxes on the Jordan River by the Israelis.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

===Decline and Discontinuation===
With the introduction of the lighter and more mobile [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]] main battle tank in the 1950s, the IS-3 saw less usage among the Soviet front-line as it started to become obsolete. Further development to improve and continue the IS tank series became the [[IS-4M|IS-4]], IS-7, and the [[T-10M|T-10]] tanks. However, in 1960, Nikita Khrushchev, the new premier of the Soviet Union after Stalin died, ordered heavy tank production to be terminated in wake of a new military strategy of missiles rather than conventional forces.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> His orders are not without reason, heavy tanks are difficult to maintain and transport across the huge Soviet Union, which also did not have many bridges that could support a heavy tank. Another reason was the changing anti-tank technology that made tank armour extremely vulnerable, especially against the new anti-tank missiles that are becoming more and more efficient at their task in destroying tanks. Still, the order did not mean the dissolution of heavy tank units as by 1978, there were still up to 2,300 heavy tanks in the Far East. To this day, many heavy tanks are still either in inactive reserves or dug in as pillboxes along the borders of the Soviet Union.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The heavy tank's place in the Soviet Union's military was replaced by the main battle tanks (MBT) like the T-64, which presented a much better firepower, armour, and mobility for only a weight of 35 tons, a technological sign on the rising prevalence of the MBT.

=== In-game description ===
In spite of the fact that the IS-2 lived up to expectations, a decision was made a year after the end of the war to create a tank with even higher characteristics. Its unique welded hull and cast turret construction significantly increased its armour strength in comparison to the IS-2, from which it took many key parts and components.

The hull was welded together from rolled armour plates and contained no cast armour pieces. The dual-sloping inclined nose design allowed a driver's hatch to be placed in it, significantly improved visibility in the field, and provided high armour strength to the frontal hull. For increased fire safety, its fuel tanks were moved from the fighting compartment to the engine compartment. It was armed with a 122 mm D-25T cannon with a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun. The turret's roof was equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun. It had no bow or rear machine guns.

At the beginning of their deployment, a range of flaws resulting from a number of design errors and miscalculations was revealed in these tanks. Among other issues, these included failures in the engine, gearbox, and parts of the armoured hull in the region of the engine compartment. In 1948-1952, all IS-3 tanks were reworked and modernised. The engine brackets were reinforced, the gearbox fixings changed, the underturret plate strengthened, the main friction coupling design updated, and the sealing enhanced on the final drive and road wheels. The 10-RK radio set was replaced with the 10-RT radio set. These changes increased the tank's mass to 48.8 tonnes.

The first experimental group of IS-3 heavy tanks left their factories in 1945. In total, 2,311 of them were made by mid-1946.
They were not deployed in combat in the Great Patriotic War. There are some indications that the IS-3 was used in the defeat of the Japanese army in August 1945.

== Media ==


* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is3 Skins and camouflages for the IS-3 from live.warthunder]

==References==
<references />

== 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 ==


* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/227061-vehicle-profile-is-3/#entry4370635 [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-3]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}

Ersatz M10

2020-03-04T18:22:41Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_V_ersatz_m10}}
{{About
|about = mocked up German Panther tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = other vehicles of the family
|link = Panther tank (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_ErsatzM10Panther.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift Rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]] in the 2017 "Festive Quest" that took place between 22 December 2017 to 22 January 2018. It was obtained via completing 13 tanker's Christmas toys.

The Ersatz M10, built on the purpose of mimicking the American [[M10 GMC|M10 tank destroyer]], will present external features to fit this purpose. Performance-wise the Ersatz M10 has the standard Panther's high-power 75 mm KwK 42 gun with the armour layout of the [[Panther G|Ausf. G]], but the automotive power of the [[Panther A|Ausf. A]]. The Ersatz M10 has a steel structure around the base armour that transforms the outside look into a mimicry of the American M10 tank destroyer. The Ersatz's gun mantlet is curved shape like on the Panther A and [[Panther D|D]] instead of the "chin" version on the Ausf. G. One of the customizable camouflage "Ersatz M10 Panther" is extremely sly by adding American markings on the tank without the usage of decal slots, with a white star and circle on the front hull, turret sides, and roof, as well as miscellaneous unit marking of the US 5th Armored Division, 10th Tank Battalion.

The front of the Ersatz "M10" has been mocked up to look like the front slope of the M10 with its transmission housing. The hull machine gun cover on the armour cover is off, showing the machine gun that the M10 did not have, perhaps one of the most noteworthy feature from the front view distinguishing the Ersatz Panther from the M10. The features on the side is the best way to tell the Panther apart with with the wheels, of which the Panther presents the ''Schachtellaufwerk'' interleaved wheel suspension instead of the M10 bogie suspensions. Otherwise, the sloped side armour and the steel structure hanging off the edge looks the part of the M10. The Panther is also a good length longer than the M10 hull. The hull rear is also well disguised with the Panther's distinctive rear slope in the armour covered by a steel structure, the only feature noticeable is the engine exhausts coming out the top of the hull structure rather than from the bottom.

The Ersatz "M10" turret is also a good indicator in distinguishing the M10 from this Panther mock up. The only similar layout to the M10 on the Ersatz is the gun mantlet, with its prism shape, though it is a lot wider and smaller than the American's M10. Even then, a hole on the Ersatz's gun's right side is a giveaway as this is the hole for a coaxial machine gun, something that the M10 did not have. The Ersatz's turret sides is added on with flat steel structure to imitate the M10's welded turret side, but the Ersatz "M10" sides are long flat plates while the M10's turret are distinctively pentagonal shape. The turret rear is then a big giveaway as exposed bits on the Ersatz's steel structure shows the Panther's turret with its rear loader hatch. As such, even though the hull rear may be immaculately matching, the turret rear is not. Finally, the presence of a turret roof is another giveaway as the M10 has no turret roof. A method the German used to hide this fact from a ground level view is the removal of the Panther cupola, decreasing the Ersatz's profile somewhat.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Structural steel (Ersatz)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 + 3.5 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 50 + 7 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50 mm (30°) ''Top'' 41.5 + 3.5 mm ''Lower'' || 40 + 3.5 mm (24°) || 17 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 + 3.5 mm ''Turret front'' 100-120 + 3.5 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 45 + 3.5 mm || 45 + 3.5 mm || 15 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Wheels are interleaved and can provide layered 20 mm armour.
* Belly armour front part is 18 mm thick while the back part is 15 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1085|rbMinHp= 619|}}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 42 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 42 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK 42]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 82 || -8°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 11.90 || 16.50 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 11.90 || 14.00 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 9.60 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39/42 || APCBC ||191||188||173||156||140||126
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE ||11||11||11||11||11|| 11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/42 || APCBC || 935 || 6.8 || 1.2 || 25.0 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 700 || 5.7 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 725 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |10th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''82''' || 74 ''(+8)'' || 65 ''(+17)'' || 57 ''(+25)'' || 49 ''(+33)'' || 41 ''(+41)'' || 33 ''(+49)'' || 25 ''(+57)'' || 17 ''(+65)'' ||9 ''(+73)'' || 1 ''(+81)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Ersatz M10 can be played by its mobility or its firepower, along with its frontal armour, in a movement battle or a sniping battle. Both actions can be interleaved for a flexible fighting style on the battlefield.

'''Movement''' 
The Ersatz M10's basis of a Panther has a rather high top speed for its weight, along with its stable suspension, and so it can be used to get towards locations not typically expected of a vehicle of its calibre. It can be decided to move up to the direct front of the fighting or the flank locations.

Moving up front favors an assault/brawling style of fighting and so the mobility, armour, and firepower is emphasized to resist surprise encounters in the front and take down defenses quickly and efficiently. A benefit the Ersatz has over its fellow BR 5.7 [[Panther D|Panther D]] is its fast turret traverse, making reactions to enemies much faster. Make sure allies are present as the Ersatz's side armour are very weak to enemy flanking fire and the relatively slow reload rate would desire an additional gun to protect the Ersatz during these down times. Be very cautious when moving up in enemy territory as the Ersatz's poor reverse speed will make extraction from a dangerous situation nigh-impossible, with the more preferable action being a fighting last stand in the worst case scenario.

An Ersatz moving through the flanks will put it into a prime location for sniping fire away from enemy focus, while utilizing distance as a secondary protection against enemy fire, which could lose enough penetration to not go through the front glacis.

'''Firepower''' 
The Ersatz's 75 mm gun is powerful enough to use in a sniping manner, with a small shell drop-off by distance that gives range estimation a smaller margin of error. As such, while the allies push up towards an objective, the Ersatz can stand back in an overwatch position and look out for enemy tanks that are approaching. The Ersatz can then use its long reach to attack these enemies as they are more focused on allies than the far-off Ersatz. Even in cases when the 75 mm will not penetrate, it can provide cover fire so that the enemy would not risk moving in fear of being nailed by a high-velocity 75 mm shell. Standing far would also be able to make the most of the front armour with the aformentioned penetration drop by distance. However, beware that the enemies would then try to target the turret and knock out the gun or turret crew.

There are a number of vehicles to take caution of in enemy sides.

'''Americans''' 
At its BR, the American mediums of M4 Shermans are not too hard to defeat, but the 76 mm guns are powerful enough to penetrate the turret front through the flat sections or the gun mantlet. The [[M4A3E2 (76) W|M4A3E2 (76) Jumbo]] can resist the 75 mm from the front, but weak points like the transmission, machine gun port, and hull sides are targets to shoot to destroy. The M18 Hellcat is a definite worry as their fast speed and play style would favor attacking the Panther on its flanks. It would also have access to the APCR ammunition which can increase its lethality if the enemy player knows how to use them. At higher BR, the American heavies of [[T29|T29]] and [[T34|T34]] are of higher concerns due to their great front armour and high firepower that can penetrate through the Ersatz's front armour. Without access to APCR ammunition, the Ersatz can't exploit the flat gun mantlet on those two heavy tanks, resorting to very clever placements in the turret with the default APCBC or the front lower glacis for a frontal encounter.

'''British''' 
Any British tank that fires APDS can penetrate the upper glacis. The 17 pounder can sometimes go through the lower glacis at shorter ranges too. Any standard AP or APHE shell of a caliber above the 80-90mm range (aka 100mm and above) will penetrate the {{PAGENAME}} anywhere frontally.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent mobility and top speed.
* Fantastic 75mm gun. Has great accuracy, fire rate, penetration, and damage potential.
* Unlike the [[Panther D|Panther D,]] this tank has a really good turret traverse speed.
* Strong frontal armor.
* Has an additional 3.5 mm of spaced armor encasing the entire tank.
* Additional steel plates can screen the prominent turret weak points from easy targeting by the enemy
* The removal of the commander's cupola removes a potential weak spot when going hull-down.
* Is flat out superior to the standard Panther D despite being at the same BR.

'''Cons:'''

* Still suffers from the terrible reverse speed of normal Panthers
* Even with the additional armour plating, the side armour is still incredibly thin
* Doesn't have access to APCR rounds
* Massive size for a vehicle designed to mimic an M10. Smart sim players will easily be able to tell the two apart
* Not within the matchmaking range of the actual M10, hard to mimic a tank which is not in the match

== History ==

===Operation Griffin===
During the planning of ''Unternehmen Wacht am Rein'' (Operation Watch on the Rhine) in late 1944, the battle plan for the offensive that would later become famous as the "Battle of the Bulge", SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny, an SS commando most famous for his break-out of Benito Mussolini from Allied captivity in September of 1943, came up with a plan to sabotage Allied forces by infiltrating their ranks with men disguised as American and British soldiers equipped with captured Allied weapons, vehicles and equipment to cause mass confusion and paranoia behind Allied lines. The plan was approved immediately, and given the code name "''Unternehmen Greif'' (Operation Griffin).

Part of this plan included the formation of Panzer Brigade 150, a unit formed from all branches of the German armed forces. Originally, the request was made for fifteen tanks, twenty armored cars, one hundred jeeps, forty motorcycles and one hundred and twenty trucks, along with 3,000 men and enough British and American weapons and uniforms to outfit them all.

Almost immediately, however, problems arose during the planning stage. First, Skorzeny had only five or six weeks to plan the operation, which limited his available forces and material considerably. Second, of the 3,000 men requested, only 2,500 men could be provided. Of that number, less than ten of them could convincingly speak English, the vast majority having only basic education in English through primary school classes, which they spoke with German accents and with no knowledge of British or American idioms or slang. Finally, there were numerous problems with equipment. Attacks on German rail lines meant that most of the requested equipment would be delayed until well past the deadline for the start of the operation, which greatly limited available supply of Allied material. Of the fifteen tanks requested, only two Shermans in poor condition could be found in time, and far fewer numbers of armored cars, jeeps and trucks were sent to the brigade than the plan had originally called for. Communication problems had also caused Polish and Russian equipment to get sent to the brigade, which would be useless for infiltrating American and British lines.

One of the ways which the Germans made up for the lack of suitable Allied tanks was to disguise Panther tanks as M10 tank destroyers by removing their tall commander's cupolas with a flat two-piece hatch, applying sheets of thin angled metal to their hulls and turrets, painting them OD green and giving them U.S military identification marks, though nothing could be done about the Schachtellaufwerk suspension, which looked nothing like the VVSS system of the M10, the muzzle brake, which was needed to fire safely and did not appear on the M10 except for the British 17-pounder armed Achilles. These "Ersatz M10's" were intended to look convincing from a distance, allowing them to get in close and strike Allied targets before they could react. The Germans planned to get around the inevitable problem of friendly fire by having the tanks signal their true identities to friendly forces in a number of ways. These included keeping their guns aimed in the 9 o'clock position, the commanders and crew wearing colored scarves or removing their helmets, and identifying markers on the tanks themselves such as a yellow triangle, and flashing blue or red torch lights for identification at night.

Despite these numerous problems with material and manpower, ''Unternehmen Greif'' would proceed as scheduled on the 16th of December, 1944.

===The Battle of Malmedy===
The initial plan for the Ersatz M10's along with the rest of Panzer Brigade 150 was to advance behind the 1st SS Panzer Division, the 12th SS Panzer Division and the 12th Volksgrenadier Division until they reached the High Fens, a heavily forested plateau. At that point, they would move around the divisions and split into three units, with the aim of going behind enemy lines and attacking and holding the bridges over the Meuse river at Amay, Huy and Andenne before they could be destroyed by the Allies to halt the German advance.

However, for Panzer Brigade 150, ''Unternehmen Greif'' effectively ended before it even started. Massive traffic jams had formed during the initial stages of the battle, holding up the entire German offensive. Among these, the 1st Panzer Brigade was delayed and did not arrive in the assembly area for over two days, which meant that Panzer Brigade 150 was delayed from its objectives as well. Skorzeny realized that he no longer had the time required to complete his objectives and rather than continue with the doomed plan, he requested that his forces be used as a regular fighting force and used to take the town of Malmedy.

After several attempts to take the town, the Brigade was repelled by American forces and suffered heavy losses from American artillery strikes. Skorzeny was one of the battle's casualties, wounded by shrapnel from an artillery shell. One American soldier, Private Frances S. Currey of the 120th Infantry Division, would later receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for knocking out four of tanks with bazooka fire and anti-tank grenades, including at least one of these disguised Panthers, rescuing five of his comrades in the process. This would be the Germans only attempt at taking the town, and Panzer Brigade 150 would later be relieved, disbanded and replaced by the 18th Volksgrenadier Division on the 28th of December.

Despite Panzer Brigade 150's failure to achieve its objectives, the overall objective of ''Unternehmen Greif'' succeeded to a limited degree. Paranoia among Allied troops led to numerous friendly fire incidents, and false information by a captured commando of a plot to assassinate Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower in Paris led to his brief confinement. Ultimately, however, this confusion and paranoia had little overall effect on the battle. Numerous damaged and abandoned Ersatz M10's were captured after the Battle of Malmedy and were evaluated by Allied intelligence. No records of what happened to these disguised tanks are available, though it can be reasonably assumed that the tanks were scrapped after their evaluations by the Allies, and no examples are known to have survived to 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 ==


* [http://www.warthunder.com/en/news/5223/current [News<nowiki>]</nowiki> Panther Ersatz M10: Master of Sabotage]

{{Germany medium tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}
{{Winter Event}}

LeKPz M41

2020-03-04T18:12:57Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{DISPLAYTITLE:leKPz M41}}
{{Specs-Card|code=germ_le_kpz_m41}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_leKPz_M41.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and 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.''

=== Mobility ===


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

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
''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. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

=== Additional armament ===
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''

=== Machine guns ===
''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.''

== 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 ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely agile tank
* Good top speed 72 km/h (average speed is more around 35-40 kph)
* Fast turret traverse
* Fast reload rate
* Respectable firepower when loaded with APDS
* HEATFS shell is identical to the HEATFS on the T92
* .50 cal AA machine gun with good coverage
* Equipped with smoke grenade launchers
* Can fulfill the role of the Ru 251 for players that don't have it

'''Cons:'''

* Absolutely massive for a light tank. About as big as a Tiger.
* Low torque, without downhill the tank won't reach higher speeds than 50 km/h
* Bad armor. Can be ripped to shreds by all the AA guns at the tier.
* Armor is thick enough to activate the fuse of all APHE rounds.
* Ammo storage in the front, next to the driver, carrying less ammo will mitigate this problem by emptying the rack
* APDS shot causes only punctual damage (aim carefully)
* No explosive filler on any AP shells
* Painful stock grind that begins with an APCR stock shell.
* The HEAT shell's penetration is far worse than the Ru 251's HEAT shell.
* Is outclassed by the Ru 251 in virtually every measurable metric.

== History ==
===Development===


The U.S. Army light tank in the latter 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 [[M48A1|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.

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

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

{{Germany medium tanks}}

IS-2 (1944)

2020-02-28T18:50:45Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_2_1944}}
{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the early version
| usage-2 = the premium version
| link-1 = IS-2
| link-2 = IS-2 "Revenge"
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

The IS-2 mod. 1944 was created after the initial disadvantages of the previous [[IS-2]] model (IS-2 mod. 1943), being vulnerable against the 75mm guns of the German StuGs and Panzer IVs due to the nearly flat frontal armour. The Soviet high command then decided to produce another version of the IS-2 with a heavily sloped armour plate, generally known as the IS-2 mod. 1944. It was used successfully on the Eastern front until the end of the war and is remembered as one of the mightiest tanks of World War 2.

In the game, the IS-2 mod. 1944 sits at a BR of 6.3, which is 0.6 higher than the first [[IS-2]]. It now features a mighty frontal plate, sloped at 61° backwards and also a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on top for AA-defense. It has the same gun as its predecessor, but even at BR 6.3, it is one of the most destructive guns in the game, with high penetration and devastating post-penetration damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour, while having a nigh-impenetrable front plate and a decent turret, has many weak spots.

First, there is the right part of the turret because while on the left side the gun mantlet is connected to the turret armour, there is no mantlet on the right-hand side, so it has just half the thickness of the left side.

Next, we have the lower glacis, which is a very prominent target, with very little armour for its BR (~130mm effective thickness). Shots of a German 88 mm or an American 90 mm will wreak your IS-2 1944.

Last but not least, we have the driver's hatch. While not as prominent as the first two mentioned, many experienced players will go for a shot right here, when you are hull-down. With around 120 mm effective thickness, it is really easy to penetrate even with small guns such as the American 76 mm and has a devastating effect on your tank.

=== Mobility ===

The forward and reverse acceleration on the {{PAGENAME}} is quite superb even when stock. However, the {{PAGENAME}} suffer especially when attempting to turn. Speed will bleed out very quickly when turning, this can lead to difficulty when attempting to turn at low speed and so will require the tank to move forwards until it reaches a good speed to turn adequately to respond to any targets not at the direct hull front.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 46.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | 0.15 || colspan="1" | 45 (AB)
|-
|42 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|671
|827
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|460
|520
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|14.59
|17.92
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|10.00
|11.27
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 8.3 || 11.5 || 19.0 || 22.1 || __.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 27.1 || 24.0 || 22.1 || __.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_IS-2.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-2.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 18 ''(+10)'' || 14 ''(+14)'' 13 ''(+15)'' || 9 ''(+19)'' 9 ''(+19)'' || 6 ''(+22)'' 6 ''(+22)'' || 3 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Center ammo removed: 18 ''(+10)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun armament of the {{PAGENAME}} is vastly improved from the [[IS-2|previous iteration]] due to the presence of a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on a pintle-mount. This allows not only a better ability to defend against aircraft, but as an alternative offensive capability to the slow-firing 122 mm gun. Penetrating more than 20 mm of armour from at maximum 500 metres, the DShK is great to attack lightly armoured vehicles. The coaxial gun in this case has little use aside from an harassing tool against an armored enemy or foliage clearing device against fences that may be in the way. Still, these two machine guns should not be neglected from the arsenal of the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The IS-2 '44 is a definite improvement on its predecessor, the [[IS-2]]. Most notably the frontal armour now features a slope, which can bounce or outright block some rounds, although the 0.6 Battle Rating increase seems slightly too much. This iteration of the IS-2 also features a roof-mounted machine gun that can be used to attack aircraft without moving your turret (by using weapon selection keys set in the controls). Otherwise, the IS-2 '44 is identical to the IS-2.

=== General Gameplay ===
At Battle Rating 6.3 you will see Tiger II (H) and Panther II a lot, as well as much more heavily armoured vehicles such as the Jagdtiger, the Ferdinand, the T32 and the T95 (in an up-tier). These tanks are near-impossible to penetrate frontally, so you will have to try to flank them. Otherwise, the gameplay remains the same as with the previous IS-2.

Overall, you shouldn't over-extend into enemy territory because your reload is still slow; you should play off of your teammates and use your great reverse speed to get out of line of sight as soon as you shot, or have been shot; you should have fun with the 122 mm gun that blows roofs off of most enemies you penetrate. Flanking is best done in Arcade, while in Realistic you're better of setting up ambushes at a medium distance away from main pathways.

==== Arcade Battles ====
In Arcade, the IS-2 proves to be quite mobile when fully upgraded. This can be used effectively to get into superior positions to engage enemies early in the match when they haven't yet set-up camp in well-covered positions and/or presented their strongest armour. Thus, it's easy to gain a kill at the start of the match, if you are comfortable with the 122 mm gun.

Close quarters combat proves even more deadly in Arcade Battles because all opposing vehicles will be able to easily overrun a single IS-2, especially after it has shot and is now waiting through it long reloads (> the 20s). Hence why it's advised to use your improved reverse speed to quickly disengage after shooting and retreating towards your teammates, who will likely be able to return fire. If the map forces you to fight in close quarters, attempt to get into a position where your teammates can cover your sides, while you can face forwards and clear the road. If the map allows, you can try taking 5 rounds of ammunition and camp at a capture point (usually one that's given to your team) to snipe all enemies that enter your line of sight while reducing your chances of blowing up at the first incoming shot.

In rare cases, it's possible to rush with the IS-2 and surprise lighter vehicles at a contested capture point in the early stages of a game. This strategy relies on the capture point being unpopular and being lucky to face only one enemy vehicle at a time. Some light tanks are unable to penetrate the IS-2 frontally, especially if they are from a much lower rank (e.g. [[BT-7]], the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] or the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3]]), so that's an added benefit of being a decently mobile heavy tank. If successful, the IS-2 can then flank to other objectives or advance to the enemy spawn to destroy another enemy or two. You shouldn't expect a lot of easy targets with this strategy, because it exposes your tank to potentially a lot of enemy fire.

==== Realistic Battles ====
In Realistic, the IS-2 begins to feel like a heavy tank. Its mobility is heavily reduced and its speed is outmatched by practically everything, mostly due to poor acceleration off-roads. However, this should be used as an advantage to gauge where the enemies are set-up, by looking where your teammates are killed from. You can then decide to return fire, although sometimes opponents don't show themselves until later in the match, in which case you should stay passive and try to remain behind your team's front lines.

Due to generally increased map size in Realistic, you will have to get comfortable with the bullet drop. There is an added benefit to that because the following [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] mount the same gun (as does [[T-44-122]] and [[KV-122]], if you have them), and [[T-10M]] has similar bullet drop. Now, the IS-2 performs decently well at longer ranges, but it will cost you a lot if you miss or don't penetrate, because the reload is so long. Often, you will need to rely on the rangefinder, the teammates or map knowledge to gauge how high you need to shoot, so it might be a great idea to take out another vehicle first (such as the [[T-44]] or [[T-34-85]]) remember the distance and then take the IS-2 out. However, on larger maps, it is generally a better idea to take out other vehicles.

A more reliable strategy for the IS-2 is to camp nearby an objective and pick off any enemies who pose a threat. Just make sure to find a flat spot with cover, because your poor gun depression and long reload will be your death in hilly or open areas. It's also a good idea to target heavy enemies, because they are easier to hit, and also will likely pose a larger threat to your general team (e.g the [[Ferdinand]], the [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] or the [[Tiger II (H)]] ).

====General Tactics====

Although classified as a heavy tank and an upgraded improved design over the KV predecessor, the IS-2's armour will no longer hold up to its more common and heavier opponents of its Battle-Rating and Rank. Compared with other vehicles such as the new German Tiger II, American heavy T-series tanks; most of which can easily deflect even the most powerful shots of the IS-2 unless targeted specifically and known weak-spots. Because of this, it is recommended to always travel and fight in groups of two or more vehicles. The slow and difficult in the manoeuvring of the vehicle (especially in confined spaces) will more than once place the IS-2 in significant danger. It is recommended to field the IS-2 into a fire-support role, peeking over the shoulder of friendly, more heavier vehicles and firing a shot against the opposition in tandem.

Another significant note of this vehicle is the IS-2's considerably fast reverse rate, the highest of its Rank and Battle-Rating for the nation's faction inherited from its IS-1 predecessor, topping at 17 km/h. During situations where engagement is expected, an unorthodox strategy can be utilized where the operator of the IS-2 tank re-positions the vehicle 90 degrees and drive in reverse with the rear-facing towards the enemy. By driving in reverse this way, the engine blocks make a crude yet somewhat effective shield to protect the more delicate crew members. As the fuel tanks are mostly stored at the front on the left and right side of the driver's station, the risk of fire and fuel-tank explosion is reduced significantly (but not completely eliminated) and thus, the tank is able to resist even the most powerful of shots. Be aware that more experienced players may attempt to instead fire at the more exposed turret of the IS tank and instantly knocking out the crew with a common APHE penetrating shell in this way.

In regards to shells, the D-25T cannon is also equipped with powerful High Explosive (HE) Shells which should not go ignored. Firing a HE shell with precise aim directly underneath the chassis of enemy vehicles were the armour, like on the top of the vehicle if thinnest, can cripple or instantly destroy said enemy vehicles. In rare instances, the HE shell of the D-25T is so powerful to the point two or more medium or heavy tanks close to each other can be destroyed with a single exploding HE Shell.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjvoBexPd4</ref> Alternatively, the powerful armour-piercing capability of the D-25T cannon's APHE rounds has also been documented to pierce two or three light-armoured targets without exploding, claiming hull-break wins. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpXjG9ORxTI</ref>

=== Moving from IS-2 to IS-2 (1944) ===
This section will go into more detail about the differences between fighting with this machine, the challenge is that some of the enemies which can be faced are simply impenetrable frontally. You will have to either have to run or outflank them! However, it is critically important to watch your flanks, due to the other enemies which will also be facing, trying to outflank you and hit you in your sides!
because of the saturation of good and highly mobile vehicles that other nations have at this Battle Rating such as: [[Ru_251]], [[Panther_(Disambiguation)| Panther tanks]], [[Tiger_II_(H)|Tiger II (H)]], [[Caernarvon]], [[T34]], [[AMX_M4|AMX M4]] and many more.

==== Specific Enemies Worth Noting ====
These are new (or common) vehicles you will see in this tank. Read the specific enemies section in the IS-2 article to get a full run-down.

* ☠ T32 - You have to go for the MG port in the lower left of the UFP, otherwise you can only penetrate the side armour or the rear.
* ☠ T28 - You can only penetrate the cupolas on top of the tank. If they're hidden or you are unsure about the shot, you can try hitting the cannon barrel and running away.
* ☠ Ferdinand - Go for the angled armour at the sides of the lower front plate (below the casemate, but above the lowest plates), this will disable Ferdinand's engine and/or driver, so you can flank and finish it off.
* ☠ Jagdtiger - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel, and then flanking is your best option (or running away).
* ☠ Conqueror - Shoot the hull, don't shoot the turret.
* ☠ Ho-Ri Production - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* ☠ AMX-50 Foch - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* T34 / T29 - Turret cheeks can work, although it's best to go for the LFP because the ammo storage is very low in the tank. If you don't see the LFP, try going just below the turret ring, where the driver sits.
* Tiger II (H) / Panther II - You can easily penetrate the turret cheeks with BR-471B.
* Panther D, A, G, F - You can penetrate the UFP 
* Tortoise - Shoot to the right of the gun of the Tortoise, when you see it head-on if shoot on the left plate there is a chance of a one-shot
* AMX-50 Surbaissé - Go for the LFP.

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's '''a priority to research Parts and FPE''' (you may want to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match if you really wish to upgrade this vehicle quickly).

General stock grind advice:

* Don't show your rear to any enemies, because a single fire will be your death.
* Your gun is still very effective, so don't be afraid to attack enemies frontally, just make sure to aim for weak-spots if possible.
** Shooting at planes in Arcade with your machine gun (or main gun) and scoring some hits can often award you a kill if the plane crashes, which grants points.
* Play as a support tank - push with your team and let them take fire, then poke out and take your shots, then retreat back into cover.
** Try to push into objectives with your team to gain those points as well.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely powerful 122mm gun. Can easily kill any tank with a single shot.
* The top 122mm APHE shell has good overmatching mechanics. Can go through the upper plate of the Panther at 500+ meters fairly easily.
* Upper plate is basically impenetrable. As tough as the Tiger II's upper plate.
* Has good mobility and a high top speed for a heavy.
* Has a roof mounted 12.7mm machine gun. So dealing with lightly armored vehicles/ defending its self from planes is possible.
* Is a good flanker and ambushing tank thanks to its good top speed, armor, and massive gun.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reload speed. Getting into brawls with contemporary heavies like the Tiger II is ill advised.
* Despite the good overall armor, has some serious weak spots on the turret.
* Horrible gun depression. Hill fighting is nearly impossible without exposing the entire tank.
* Has a massive and flat lower plate. Virtually all 6.0 and up tanks can cut right through it and one shot the IS2 if they shoot the lower plate.
* Very small crew compartment. Any APHE shell that pens it will likely kill everyone in the tank.
* Worse optics than its predecessor
* Not as good at side scraping as the Tiger II's due to its hull cheeks.
* Ammo capacity for the MG on top is low, only 250 rounds.

== History ==

===Development===
The effort began on another heavy tank after the [[IS-1]]'s 85 mm gun no longer had a firepower advantage after the standard [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] medium tank was upgraded with the same gun into the [[T-34-85]]. Due to that, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944 with about 107 units produced.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Those in storage still awaited upgrade to become a more powerful heavy tank.

In late 1943, the upgrade of the IS tank began and the choices available were rounded down to two weapons, the 122 mm A-19 gun and the 100 mm D-10 gun. Both guns had their advantages and disadvantages in their specifications, the 100 mm D-10 had a much better armour penetration capabilities and uses a single-piece ammunition, the 122 mm A-19 has a better high-explosive round and used a two-piece ammunition In the end, the 122 mm A-19 (adopted as the D-25T) gun was chosen as the gun of the new IS tank due to larger supply of the gun available for use (the D-10 was a newly produced gun) and the better high-explosive round available. The better high-explosive round is due to the heavy tank's specification as a "breakthrough" tank than an anti-tank role, so it was meant to fight fortifications more than against armour. Nevertheless, against armour, the 122 mm gun proved a very lethal cannon against armour, having the capacity to knock out any German tanks fielded in the war, even the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], though the ease of knocking them out vary from their armour protection.

The 122 mm gun's two-piece ammunition was perhaps the gun's worst drawback, this along with the heavy shells and charges that it uses causes reloading speed to only be one and a half rounds per minute maximum. Even after some modernization to the gun including a semi-automatic breech, the firing rate only increased to two to three rounds per minute. Another drawback of the gun was the size of the ammunition that the 122 mm gun uses, the IS tank interior could only hold 28 of such ammunition, which restricts the time the IS could last in battle before requiring a resupply. In battle, the usual distribution of the shells is 20 high-explosive and 8 armour-piercing rounds.

The finished IS tank with the 122 mm gun, first called the ''IS-122'', was finally approved and renamed the '''IS-2''' heavy tank, some were rearmed IS-1s from the factory with the 122 mm gun. The IS-2 tank, like the IS-1, was superior to the previous [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks used in the Red Army. Production of the IS-2 started in October or November 1943 and by the end of World War II when production ended, a total of 3,854 units were produced.

===Design===
The IS-2 tank hull was similar to the IS-1 tank, but the turret was modified to accommodate the larger 122 mm D-25T gun. The suspension was a torsion-bar suspension system and the tank was powered by a diesel V2-IC engine. The drivetrain and the engine were taken from the KV-1 tank, yet was considerably more mobile. The armour on the IS-2 was a 120 mm thick front plate sloped at 60 degrees with a small step in the front for the driver's hatch. This [[IS-2|"early version"]], developed from the KV-13 design, was produced from the initial production lines until some time in late 1944, where a '''[[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 mod. 1944]]''' version was modified with the front plate now a single sloped 120 mm plate at 60 degrees with no interruptions in order to eliminate shot traps and weaknesses in the armour design. Other design changes when the IS-2 was upgraded to the 1944 model was a stronger gun mount, wider mantlet, and an addition of a Dshk machine gun on the turret. The formidable armour of the IS-2 is able to withstand the 88 mm shells from the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] at 1,000 meters out, yet the whole tank weighs less than the Panther at only 46 tons. Despite its construction, the IS-2 was still quite crude in quality and can have signs of being hastily built from the factories. This did not affect its battlefield performance greatly and the crude construction is merely a side effect of the fast production of the tanks to fill battlefield demands.

===Combat usage===
The IS-2 first saw action in early 1944. The IS-2 was organized in heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. Their role was to spearhead the offensives launched at each sector, breaking through enemy emplacements and supporting the infantry by destroying enemy fortifications, they were not meant to exploit breakthroughs and this role was given to the lighter [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Their first reported action was in April 1944 in the 11th Special Guards Heavy Tank Regiment near Tarnopol, Ukraine. The IS-2 presented such a surprise to the Germans as no Soviet tanks before could engage with accurate fire from more than 3 kilometres away. A bigger shock was when they found out the 88 mm of the Tiger I couldn't adequately penetrate their armour. The IS-2 initial combat experience was limited due to the inexperienced crew and organization, but more and more IS-2 started to come in to reinforce the Soviet forces.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

The IS-2's next great effort was in Operation Bagration in July 1944. By this time period, the heavy tank regiments were allocated to one for each tank corps. During Operation Bagration, the IS-2 combat effort contributed to the decimation of the German Army Group Center. The IS-2 was able to deal with the troublesome German Panther and Tiger I tanks with ease. By December 1944, enough IS-2 was produced that the Soviets began outfitting them to Guards heavy tank brigades, consisting of 65 IS-2 tanks with other vehicles for support. Though the number of these brigades were still limited, they proved valuable in breaking through German lines, as used in January 1945 against the German in the Oder Offensive. It should be noted that despite having a role similar to the Tiger heavy tank battalions in the German service, they are produced in far greater numbers to enforce every tank corp with one heavy tank regiment that allowed even the IS-2 to overwhelm German defences. The IS-2 continued to see combat service for the Red Army all the way to the Battle of Berlin and the end of World War II.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

After World War II, the IS-2 production was replaced by the more heavily armoured [[IS-3]]; however, the IS-2 stayed in service up until 1982 due to modernization efforts on the IS-2. This modernized IS-2 was named the ''IS-2M'' and was done in the mid-1950s. These modernization efforts added external fuel tanks and stowage bins onto the hull and protective skirts on the edges of the tracks. The IS-2s were finally placed into storage in the 1990s and were kept in reserves or sold out as scrap metal.

Like most of Soviet Union's military hardware, the IS-2 was given out to the Warsaw Pact nations as supplies. The IS-2 was thus lent out to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, North Vietnam, and maybe North Korea. Later in 1960, a shipment of IS-2 was also sent to Cuba, which were converted into bunkers and coastal defences as spare parts for the tank never made it to Cuba due to the US blockade imposed in 1962.

=== In-game description ===
In 1944, the IS-2 was modernised. The new model had a flattened sloping frontal hull, and a slot covered with a glass brick was installed to replace the driver's observation hatch. This increased the front hull projection's defences. A high-calibre 12.7 mm anti-aircraft DShK machine gun was attached on a trunnion fixed to the command cupola's traverse circle.
The turret could be rotated mechanically and electrically. With electric drive activated, its maximum speed reached 2.4 revs/min.

The IS-2 was advantageous for its economy and relatively low material requirements in general. With a mass of 46 t, the Soviet tank was far better protected than the German Panther. It also surpassed the 55 tonne Tiger I in this regard and was only somewhat inferior to the 68 tonne Tiger II. Its design had some serious flaws. Its tight layout meant that some of the fuel tanks had to be placed in the fighting compartment and there was no space for a driver's hatch, which often led to an injured tanker being unable to quickly leave a burning tank.
On the whole, the new tank met the leadership's expectations in full as a means of strengthening units and divisions intended to break through the enemy's pre-emptively well reinforced defensive lines and storm cities.

IS-2 tanks were put into service in separate tank regiments which received the "guards" designation during their formation.
Manufacturing continued until 1946, and around 3,300 were made.
After the war, the IS-2 was modernised and served in the Soviet and Russian armies until 1995.
A small number of tanks of this model were given to China in the 50s. Later, some of these tanks were deployed in Vietnam.

== Media ==

'''Skins''' and camouflages for the IS-2 (mod.1944) from live.warthunder.com. They are filed under the terms [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is_2_1944 #is_2_1944] and [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is2_44 #is2_44].

==References==
<references />

== 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://warthunder.com/en/news/2824/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-2 Mod. 1944]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}

IS-2 (1944)

2020-02-28T18:46:40Z

U41199901: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_is_2_1944}}
{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the early version
| usage-2 = the premium version
| link-1 = IS-2
| link-2 = IS-2 "Revenge"
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

The IS-2 mod. 1944 was created after the initial disadvantages of the previous [[IS-2]] model (IS-2 mod. 1943), being vulnerable against the 75mm guns of the German StuGs and Panzer IVs due to the nearly flat frontal armour. The Soviet high command then decided to produce another version of the IS-2 with a heavily sloped armour plate, generally known as the IS-2 mod. 1944. It was used successfully on the Eastern front until the end of the war and is remembered as one of the mightiest tanks of World War 2.

In the game, the IS-2 mod. 1944 sits at a BR of 6.3, which is 0.6 higher than the first [[IS-2]]. It now features a mighty frontal plate, sloped at 61° backwards and also a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on top for AA-defense. It has the same gun as its predecessor, but even at BR 6.3, it is one of the most destructive guns in the game, with high penetration and devastating post-penetration damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The armour, while having a nigh-impenetrable front plate and a decent turret, has many weak spots.

First, there is the right part of the turret because while on the left side the gun mantlet is connected to the turret armour, there is no mantlet on the right-hand side, so it has just half the thickness of the left side.

Next, we have the lower glacis, which is a very prominent target, with very little armour for its BR (~130mm effective thickness). Shots of a German 88 mm or an American 90 mm will wreak your IS-2 1944.

Last but not least, we have the driver's hatch. While not as prominent as the first two mentioned, many experienced players will go for a shot right here, when you are hull-down. With around 120 mm effective thickness, it is really easy to penetrate even with small guns such as the American 76 mm and has a devastating effect on your tank.

=== Mobility ===

The forward and reverse acceleration on the {{PAGENAME}} is quite superb even when stock. However, the {{PAGENAME}} suffer especially when attempting to turn. Speed will bleed out very quickly when turning, this can lead to difficulty when attempting to turn at low speed and so will require the tank to move forwards until it reaches a good speed to turn adequately to respond to any targets not at the direct hull front.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 46.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | 0.15 || colspan="1" | 45 (AB)
|-
|42 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|671
|827
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|460
|520
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|14.59
|17.92
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|10.00
|11.27
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 28 || -3°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 8.3 || 11.5 || 19.0 || 22.1 || __.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 27.1 || 24.0 || 22.1 || __.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,600 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_IS-2.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the IS-2.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Ammo Part
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''28''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 18 ''(+10)'' || 14 ''(+14)'' 13 ''(+15)'' || 9 ''(+19)'' 9 ''(+19)'' || 6 ''(+22)'' 6 ''(+22)'' || 3 ''(+25)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Center ammo removed: 18 ''(+10)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun armament of the {{PAGENAME}} is vastly improved from the [[IS-2|previous iteration]] due to the presence of a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on a pintle-mount. This allows not only a better ability to defend against aircraft, but as an alternative offensive capability to the slow-firing 122 mm gun. Penetrating more than 20 mm of armour from at maximum 500 metres, the DShK is great to attack lightly armoured vehicles. The coaxial gun in this case has little use aside from an harassing tool against an armored enemy or foliage clearing device against fences that may be in the way. Still, these two machine guns should not be neglected from the arsenal of the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The IS-2 '44 is a definite improvement on its predecessor, the [[IS-2]]. Most notably the frontal armour now features a slope, which can bounce or outright block some rounds, although the 0.6 Battle Rating increase seems slightly too much. This iteration of the IS-2 also features a roof-mounted machine gun that can be used to attack aircraft without moving your turret (by using weapon selection keys set in the controls). Otherwise, the IS-2 '44 is identical to the IS-2.

=== General Gameplay ===
At Battle Rating 6.3 you will see Tiger II (H) and Panther II a lot, as well as much more heavily armoured vehicles such as the Jagdtiger, the Ferdinand, the T32 and the T95 (in an up-tier). These tanks are near-impossible to penetrate frontally, so you will have to try to flank them. Otherwise, the gameplay remains the same as with the previous IS-2.

Overall, you shouldn't over-extend into enemy territory because your reload is still slow; you should play off of your teammates and use your great reverse speed to get out of line of sight as soon as you shot, or have been shot; you should have fun with the 122 mm gun that blows roofs off of most enemies you penetrate. Flanking is best done in Arcade, while in Realistic you're better of setting up ambushes at a medium distance away from main pathways.

==== Arcade Battles ====
In Arcade, the IS-2 proves to be quite mobile when fully upgraded. This can be used effectively to get into superior positions to engage enemies early in the match when they haven't yet set-up camp in well-covered positions and/or presented their strongest armour. Thus, it's easy to gain a kill at the start of the match, if you are comfortable with the 122 mm gun.

Close quarters combat proves even more deadly in Arcade Battles because all opposing vehicles will be able to easily overrun a single IS-2, especially after it has shot and is now waiting through it long reloads (> the 20s). Hence why it's advised to use your improved reverse speed to quickly disengage after shooting and retreating towards your teammates, who will likely be able to return fire. If the map forces you to fight in close quarters, attempt to get into a position where your teammates can cover your sides, while you can face forwards and clear the road. If the map allows, you can try taking 5 rounds of ammunition and camp at a capture point (usually one that's given to your team) to snipe all enemies that enter your line of sight while reducing your chances of blowing up at the first incoming shot.

In rare cases, it's possible to rush with the IS-2 and surprise lighter vehicles at a contested capture point in the early stages of a game. This strategy relies on the capture point being unpopular and being lucky to face only one enemy vehicle at a time. Some light tanks are unable to penetrate the IS-2 frontally, especially if they are from a much lower rank (e.g. [[BT-7]], the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] or the [[R3 T20 FA-HS|R3]]), so that's an added benefit of being a decently mobile heavy tank. If successful, the IS-2 can then flank to other objectives or advance to the enemy spawn to destroy another enemy or two. You shouldn't expect a lot of easy targets with this strategy, because it exposes your tank to potentially a lot of enemy fire.

==== Realistic Battles ====
In Realistic, the IS-2 begins to feel like a heavy tank. Its mobility is heavily reduced and its speed is outmatched by practically everything, mostly due to poor acceleration off-roads. However, this should be used as an advantage to gauge where the enemies are set-up, by looking where your teammates are killed from. You can then decide to return fire, although sometimes opponents don't show themselves until later in the match, in which case you should stay passive and try to remain behind your team's front lines.

Due to generally increased map size in Realistic, you will have to get comfortable with the bullet drop. There is an added benefit to that because the following [[IS-3]] and [[IS-4M]] mount the same gun (as does [[T-44-122]] and [[KV-122]], if you have them), and [[T-10M]] has similar bullet drop. Now, the IS-2 performs decently well at longer ranges, but it will cost you a lot if you miss or don't penetrate, because the reload is so long. Often, you will need to rely on the rangefinder, the teammates or map knowledge to gauge how high you need to shoot, so it might be a great idea to take out another vehicle first (such as the [[T-44]] or [[T-34-85]]) remember the distance and then take the IS-2 out. However, on larger maps, it is generally a better idea to take out other vehicles.

A more reliable strategy for the IS-2 is to camp nearby an objective and pick off any enemies who pose a threat. Just make sure to find a flat spot with cover, because your poor gun depression and long reload will be your death in hilly or open areas. It's also a good idea to target heavy enemies, because they are easier to hit, and also will likely pose a larger threat to your general team (e.g the [[Ferdinand]], the [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] or the [[Tiger II (H)]] ).

====General Tactics====

Although classified as a heavy tank and an upgraded improved design over the KV predecessor, the IS-2's armour will no longer hold up to its more common and heavier opponents of its Battle-Rating and Rank. Compared with other vehicles such as the new German Tiger II, American heavy T-series tanks; most of which can easily deflect even the most powerful shots of the IS-2 unless targeted specifically and known weak-spots. Because of this, it is recommended to always travel and fight in groups of two or more vehicles. The slow and difficult in the manoeuvring of the vehicle (especially in confined spaces) will more than once place the IS-2 in significant danger. It is recommended to field the IS-2 into a fire-support role, peeking over the shoulder of friendly, more heavier vehicles and firing a shot against the opposition in tandem.

Another significant note of this vehicle is the IS-2's considerably fast reverse rate, the highest of its Rank and Battle-Rating for the nation's faction inherited from its IS-1 predecessor, topping at 17 km/h. During situations where engagement is expected, an unorthodox strategy can be utilized where the operator of the IS-2 tank re-positions the vehicle 90 degrees and drive in reverse with the rear-facing towards the enemy. By driving in reverse this way, the engine blocks make a crude yet somewhat effective shield to protect the more delicate crew members. As the fuel tanks are mostly stored at the front on the left and right side of the driver's station, the risk of fire and fuel-tank explosion is reduced significantly (but not completely eliminated) and thus, the tank is able to resist even the most powerful of shots. Be aware that more experienced players may attempt to instead fire at the more exposed turret of the IS tank and instantly knocking out the crew with a common APHE penetrating shell in this way.

In regards to shells, the D-25T cannon is also equipped with powerful High Explosive (HE) Shells which should not go ignored. Firing a HE shell with precise aim directly underneath the chassis of enemy vehicles were the armour, like on the top of the vehicle if thinnest, can cripple or instantly destroy said enemy vehicles. In rare instances, the HE shell of the D-25T is so powerful to the point two or more medium or heavy tanks close to each other can be destroyed with a single exploding HE Shell.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjvoBexPd4</ref> Alternatively, the powerful armour-piercing capability of the D-25T cannon's APHE rounds has also been documented to pierce two or three light-armoured targets without exploding, claiming hull-break wins. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpXjG9ORxTI</ref>

=== Moving from IS-2 to IS-2 (1944) ===
This section will go into more detail about the differences between fighting with this machine, the challenge is that some of the enemies which can be faced are simply impenetrable frontally. You will have to either have to run or outflank them! However, it is critically important to watch your flanks, due to the other enemies which will also be facing, trying to outflank you and hit you in your sides!
because of the saturation of good and highly mobile vehicles that other nations have at this Battle Rating such as: [[Ru_251]], [[Panther_(Disambiguation)| Panther tanks]], [[Tiger_II_(H)|Tiger II (H)]], [[Caernarvon]], [[T34]], [[AMX_M4|AMX M4]] and many more.

==== Specific Enemies Worth Noting ====
These are new (or common) vehicles you will see in this tank. Read the specific enemies section in the IS-2 article to get a full run-down.

* ☠ T32 - You have to go for the MG port in the lower left of the UFP, otherwise you can only penetrate the side armour or the rear.
* ☠ T28 - You can only penetrate the cupolas on top of the tank. If they're hidden or you are unsure about the shot, you can try hitting the cannon barrel and running away.
* ☠ Ferdinand - Go for the angled armour at the sides of the lower front plate (below the casemate, but above the lowest plates), this will disable Ferdinand's engine and/or driver, so you can flank and finish it off.
* ☠ Jagdtiger - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel, and then flanking is your best option (or running away).
* ☠ Conqueror - Shoot the hull, don't shoot the turret.
* ☠ Ho-Ri Production - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* ☠ AMX-50 Foch - You cannot reliably penetrate or damage this tank frontally. You can try disabling the cannon barrel and then flanking is your best option (or running).
* T34 / T29 - Turret cheeks can work, although it's best to go for the LFP because the ammo storage is very low in the tank. If you don't see the LFP, try going just below the turret ring, where the driver sits.
* Tiger II (H) / Panther II - You can easily penetrate the turret cheeks with BR-471B.
* Panther D, A, G, F - You can penetrate the UFP 
* Tortoise - Shoot to the right of the gun of the Tortoise, when you see it head-on if shoot on the left plate there is a chance of a one-shot
* AMX-50 Surbaissé - Go for the LFP.

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's '''a priority to research Parts and FPE''' (you may want to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match if you really wish to upgrade this vehicle quickly).

General stock grind advice:

* Don't show your rear to any enemies, because a single fire will be your death.
* Your gun is still very effective, so don't be afraid to attack enemies frontally, just make sure to aim for weak-spots if possible.
** Shooting at planes in Arcade with your machine gun (or main gun) and scoring some hits can often award you a kill if the plane crashes, which grants points.
* Play as a support tank - push with your team and let them take fire, then poke out and take your shots, then retreat back into cover.
** Try to push into objectives with your team to gain those points as well.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely powerful 122mm gun. Can easily kill any tank with a single shot.
* The top 122mm APHE shell has good overmatching mechanics. Can go through the upper plate of the Panther at 500+ meters fairly easily.
* Really good armor. Can effectively side scrape/ hull down fight.
* Upper plate is basically impenetrable. As tough as the Tiger II's upper plate.
* Has good mobility and a high top speed for a heavy.
* Has a roof mounted 12.7mm machine gun. So dealing with lightly armored vehicles/ defending its self from planes is possible.

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible reload speed. Getting into brawls with contemporary heavies like the Tiger II is ill advised.
* Despite the good overall armor, has some serious weak spots on the turret.
* Has a massive and flat lower plate. Virtually all 6.0 and up tanks can cut right through it and one shot the IS2 if they shoot the lower plate.
* Only four crew members
* Very small crew compartment. Any APHE shell that pens it will likely kill everyone in the tank.
* Worse optics than its predecessor
* Not as good as a side scraper as the Tiger II's due to its hull cheeks.
* Ammo capacity for the MG on top is low, only 250 rounds

== History ==

===Development===
The effort began on another heavy tank after the [[IS-1]]'s 85 mm gun no longer had a firepower advantage after the standard [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] medium tank was upgraded with the same gun into the [[T-34-85]]. Due to that, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944 with about 107 units produced.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Those in storage still awaited upgrade to become a more powerful heavy tank.

In late 1943, the upgrade of the IS tank began and the choices available were rounded down to two weapons, the 122 mm A-19 gun and the 100 mm D-10 gun. Both guns had their advantages and disadvantages in their specifications, the 100 mm D-10 had a much better armour penetration capabilities and uses a single-piece ammunition, the 122 mm A-19 has a better high-explosive round and used a two-piece ammunition In the end, the 122 mm A-19 (adopted as the D-25T) gun was chosen as the gun of the new IS tank due to larger supply of the gun available for use (the D-10 was a newly produced gun) and the better high-explosive round available. The better high-explosive round is due to the heavy tank's specification as a "breakthrough" tank than an anti-tank role, so it was meant to fight fortifications more than against armour. Nevertheless, against armour, the 122 mm gun proved a very lethal cannon against armour, having the capacity to knock out any German tanks fielded in the war, even the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], though the ease of knocking them out vary from their armour protection.

The 122 mm gun's two-piece ammunition was perhaps the gun's worst drawback, this along with the heavy shells and charges that it uses causes reloading speed to only be one and a half rounds per minute maximum. Even after some modernization to the gun including a semi-automatic breech, the firing rate only increased to two to three rounds per minute. Another drawback of the gun was the size of the ammunition that the 122 mm gun uses, the IS tank interior could only hold 28 of such ammunition, which restricts the time the IS could last in battle before requiring a resupply. In battle, the usual distribution of the shells is 20 high-explosive and 8 armour-piercing rounds.

The finished IS tank with the 122 mm gun, first called the ''IS-122'', was finally approved and renamed the '''IS-2''' heavy tank, some were rearmed IS-1s from the factory with the 122 mm gun. The IS-2 tank, like the IS-1, was superior to the previous [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks used in the Red Army. Production of the IS-2 started in October or November 1943 and by the end of World War II when production ended, a total of 3,854 units were produced.

===Design===
The IS-2 tank hull was similar to the IS-1 tank, but the turret was modified to accommodate the larger 122 mm D-25T gun. The suspension was a torsion-bar suspension system and the tank was powered by a diesel V2-IC engine. The drivetrain and the engine were taken from the KV-1 tank, yet was considerably more mobile. The armour on the IS-2 was a 120 mm thick front plate sloped at 60 degrees with a small step in the front for the driver's hatch. This [[IS-2|"early version"]], developed from the KV-13 design, was produced from the initial production lines until some time in late 1944, where a '''[[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2 mod. 1944]]''' version was modified with the front plate now a single sloped 120 mm plate at 60 degrees with no interruptions in order to eliminate shot traps and weaknesses in the armour design. Other design changes when the IS-2 was upgraded to the 1944 model was a stronger gun mount, wider mantlet, and an addition of a Dshk machine gun on the turret. The formidable armour of the IS-2 is able to withstand the 88 mm shells from the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] at 1,000 meters out, yet the whole tank weighs less than the Panther at only 46 tons. Despite its construction, the IS-2 was still quite crude in quality and can have signs of being hastily built from the factories. This did not affect its battlefield performance greatly and the crude construction is merely a side effect of the fast production of the tanks to fill battlefield demands.

===Combat usage===
The IS-2 first saw action in early 1944. The IS-2 was organized in heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. Their role was to spearhead the offensives launched at each sector, breaking through enemy emplacements and supporting the infantry by destroying enemy fortifications, they were not meant to exploit breakthroughs and this role was given to the lighter [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Their first reported action was in April 1944 in the 11th Special Guards Heavy Tank Regiment near Tarnopol, Ukraine. The IS-2 presented such a surprise to the Germans as no Soviet tanks before could engage with accurate fire from more than 3 kilometres away. A bigger shock was when they found out the 88 mm of the Tiger I couldn't adequately penetrate their armour. The IS-2 initial combat experience was limited due to the inexperienced crew and organization, but more and more IS-2 started to come in to reinforce the Soviet forces.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

The IS-2's next great effort was in Operation Bagration in July 1944. By this time period, the heavy tank regiments were allocated to one for each tank corps. During Operation Bagration, the IS-2 combat effort contributed to the decimation of the German Army Group Center. The IS-2 was able to deal with the troublesome German Panther and Tiger I tanks with ease. By December 1944, enough IS-2 was produced that the Soviets began outfitting them to Guards heavy tank brigades, consisting of 65 IS-2 tanks with other vehicles for support. Though the number of these brigades were still limited, they proved valuable in breaking through German lines, as used in January 1945 against the German in the Oder Offensive. It should be noted that despite having a role similar to the Tiger heavy tank battalions in the German service, they are produced in far greater numbers to enforce every tank corp with one heavy tank regiment that allowed even the IS-2 to overwhelm German defences. The IS-2 continued to see combat service for the Red Army all the way to the Battle of Berlin and the end of World War II.<ref name="ISZaloga">Zaloga, Steven J. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref>

After World War II, the IS-2 production was replaced by the more heavily armoured [[IS-3]]; however, the IS-2 stayed in service up until 1982 due to modernization efforts on the IS-2. This modernized IS-2 was named the ''IS-2M'' and was done in the mid-1950s. These modernization efforts added external fuel tanks and stowage bins onto the hull and protective skirts on the edges of the tracks. The IS-2s were finally placed into storage in the 1990s and were kept in reserves or sold out as scrap metal.

Like most of Soviet Union's military hardware, the IS-2 was given out to the Warsaw Pact nations as supplies. The IS-2 was thus lent out to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, China, North Vietnam, and maybe North Korea. Later in 1960, a shipment of IS-2 was also sent to Cuba, which were converted into bunkers and coastal defences as spare parts for the tank never made it to Cuba due to the US blockade imposed in 1962.

=== In-game description ===
In 1944, the IS-2 was modernised. The new model had a flattened sloping frontal hull, and a slot covered with a glass brick was installed to replace the driver's observation hatch. This increased the front hull projection's defences. A high-calibre 12.7 mm anti-aircraft DShK machine gun was attached on a trunnion fixed to the command cupola's traverse circle.
The turret could be rotated mechanically and electrically. With electric drive activated, its maximum speed reached 2.4 revs/min.

The IS-2 was advantageous for its economy and relatively low material requirements in general. With a mass of 46 t, the Soviet tank was far better protected than the German Panther. It also surpassed the 55 tonne Tiger I in this regard and was only somewhat inferior to the 68 tonne Tiger II. Its design had some serious flaws. Its tight layout meant that some of the fuel tanks had to be placed in the fighting compartment and there was no space for a driver's hatch, which often led to an injured tanker being unable to quickly leave a burning tank.
On the whole, the new tank met the leadership's expectations in full as a means of strengthening units and divisions intended to break through the enemy's pre-emptively well reinforced defensive lines and storm cities.

IS-2 tanks were put into service in separate tank regiments which received the "guards" designation during their formation.
Manufacturing continued until 1946, and around 3,300 were made.
After the war, the IS-2 was modernised and served in the Soviet and Russian armies until 1995.
A small number of tanks of this model were given to China in the 50s. Later, some of these tanks were deployed in Vietnam.

== Media ==

'''Skins''' and camouflages for the IS-2 (mod.1944) from live.warthunder.com. They are filed under the terms [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is_2_1944 #is_2_1944] and [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23is2_44 #is2_44].

==References==
<references />

== 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://warthunder.com/en/news/2824/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> IS-2 Mod. 1944]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}