War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

FV4202

2021-09-29T17:29:23Z

U44685416: /* Ammo racks */ updated ammo rack table to account for 1st stage ammo storage. (Also not possible to leave turret empty, due to 1st stage storage, also there is no visual discrepancy) Needs new picture!

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_fv4202
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. As the prototype of the [[Chieftain Mk 3|Chieftain]], it features the heavy sloping armour of the Chieftain on the chassis of a [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion tank]].

The FV4202 gives the player a very good insight on what to expect on the future of the Rank IV and V medium tanks of the British Ground Forces. Featuring a very sloped frontal armour and the powerful high-penetrating cannon. The FV4202 is also relatively mobile for its armour and weight, this can be used to push towards the enemy. When in movement, keep in mind the turret armour and lower frontal glacis as these are prominent front weak points of the FV4202.

The FV4202 is a British medium tank. It has sloped frontal armour, a well rounded and thickly armoured turret and a powerful 84mm gun with access to APDS ammunition. The first thing that you may notice when you first get the FV4202 is that the stock 20pdr gun is far more effective than the stock 17pdr gun, due to the fact that you start with APCBC ammunition, which is far more effective than the 17-pdr's purely AP stock rounds. This makes it far more forgiving than tanks like the Centurion MK1 or the Challenger. When fighting in a low rank game, it can be a game changing tank. It can easily take out Tiger I and Panther tanks at long range whilst remaining resistant to enemy fire. Even Tiger II tanks are vulnerable to the 84mm gun, though their gun poses a big threat to you, especially at long range. When you get up-tiered, you will face far more challenging enemies. At this battle rating, you can face the Jagdtiger, Leopard I , IS-6, IS-3, IS-4M and the T-54 (and even the Maus if you're playing realistic). These are all highly resistant to your APDS (even from the side in the IS-3/IS-4M case), and have extremely potent armament.

When you get up-tiered the weaknesses of the FV4202 start to show. To start, it has a very poor reverse speed. As a British tanker, you will have experience with similar issues from vehicles with the Cromwell chassis, but the FV4202 has nowhere near the mobility, so it is difficult to quickly escape from a bad situation as it was with Cromwell based tanks. The frontal armour is thin and so is particularly vulnerable to high calibre HE shells. Also, although thickly armoured, the turret has some flat parts which are easily penetrated by many tanks of the BR. Finally, there are only four crew in the tanks, three of whom are in the turret. A turret penetration may knock out the entire turret crew and destroy the tank.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 51.2 mm (70°) ''Front glacis'' 74.8 mm (46°) ''Lower glacis'' || 51.2 (13°) + 13 mm || 31 mm (2°) ''Upper'' 31 mm (51°) || 27.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 170-200 mm (0-60°) || 89.6 mm || 92.6 mm || 60 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 59.5 mm || 60 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The front of the turret is heavily sloped and vary in thickness, being the thickest on the sides of the gun at 240 mm
* The turret ring is 200 mm

Aiming for the LFP (Lower Frontal Plate), with an effective thickness of around 150mm, is probably the easiest place to go for when targeting the FV4202 from the front. By doing this, you are both taking out the driver and ammo. Aiming for the plate under it to take out the transmission and possibly the driver is also an option from the front. If your tank has a more powerful gun, aiming for the upper cupola or weak spots such as the gun mantlet or armour cheeks is possible. Tanks such as the IS-2 can also aim for the upper roof of the tank as HE shells can take out this armour while knocking out most, if not all, of the turret crew.

If countering the FV4202 from the side, the skirt armour and tracks can sometimes catch a shot or two. Instead, aim for the side of the turret if a possibility. As all three turret crew members are located here, as well as the gun breech, this is generally a good idea. Especially noting that three of the four crew are here, taking this shot into consideration as a possible way to instantly incapacitate the tank. When taking a larger amount of shells, ammo racks are located just under the turret also, so when possible also take this into consideration. Preferably do the same when engaging from the rear. When using any aircraft, it is possible to penetrate the thin 8mm of armour above the engine compartment, making this an easy shot.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=790|rbMinHp=451}}

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

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

{{main|20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)|84 mm 20pdr OQF Mk.I]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 17.14 || 23.72 || 28.80 || 31.85 || 33.88 || rowspan="2" | 8.19 || rowspan="2" | 7.25 || rowspan="2" | 6.68 || rowspan="2" | 6.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.92 || 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
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 232 || 229 || 216 || 201 || 187 || 173
|-
| Shot Mk.3 || APDS || 285 || 283 || 262 || 239 || 218 || 198
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 1,000 || 9.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Shot Mk.3 || APDS || 1,400 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 600 || 7.5 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,130 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| 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)
|-
| 20pdr Shell SS Mk.1 || 250 || 9.3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || 45 ''(+5)'' || 39 ''(+11)'' || 34 ''(+16)'' || 29 ''(+21)'' || 9 ''(+41)'' || 7 ''(+43)'' || 5 ''(+45)''
|1 ''(+49)''|| style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

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

{{main|L3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 7,500 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

====Tactics====


Hull down: Due to the good gun depression and strong turret armour, the FV4202 performs well in a hull down position, where only the turret is visible to the enemy. Some maps are better for this tactic than others. It involves looking for a good spot overlooking a capture point or a large open space, setting up a good defensive position and then picking off enemies that come into your sights. This way you will be a lot more difficult to destroy as enemies can only get glancing shots on your sloped and rounded turret.

Sniping: With APDS, the 84mm is a very precise and accurate gun. Therefore, it is effective at taking out targets at long range. It is extremely satisfying sniping enemy tanks at the other end of the map. This is a good tactic for the FV4202, where you can hang back, retain the effectiveness of your armour and pick off enemy tanks at your leisure. Just ensure to change position every few shots to avoid getting bombed or knocked out by another tank. When you get down tiered, Tigers, Panther, IS-1/2 and T-34s can be leisurely picked off at range while you remain largely immune to their hits.

Front line tank: Particularly when down tiered, the FV4202 makes an excellent front line vehicle. It's main gun can counter any threat, particularly Tiger I and Panther Tanks, whilst its heavily sloped armour and strong turret allows it to bounce some hits. This allows you to push capture points and takeout enemy tanks on the move with your stabilizer. Be careful not to over extend. The FV4202 is very vulnerable from the sides. If you over extend you will open up your flanks and become vulnerable. Instead you should get to a comfortable place and then initiate a hull down tactic.

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


* Tiger II [[Tiger II (P)|(P)]]/[[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: With a BR 6.7, the FV4202 is more than likely to see a Tiger II in the field. If encountered in the front, aim for the cheeks of the turret, the right side to knock out the gunner and render the Tiger II unable to fire. Use this opportunity to withdraw for a better vantage point for more capable tanks to destroy the Tiger II or for the enemy Tiger to make another mistake and get shot by the FV4202 again. Avoid getting hit by the Tiger IIs 88mm gun. It will be able to penetrate you at long range and a hit will most likely knock you out.
* [[IS-2]] ([[IS-2 (1944)|mod. 1944]]): Another common heavy tank enemy. If it is the regular IS-2, the 20-pounder can easily penetrate the hull armour and the turret cheeks (right side again for the gunner). The mod. 1944 is more complicated due to its improved frontal armour so it is important to be able to target the turret cheeks to knock out its fighting capability. Like the Tiger II, the IS-2 has a very powerful main gun. A direct hit will almost certainly destroy the FV4202 in one hit.
* [[T29]]: American heavy tank capable of outright destroying the FV4202. Frontal glacis and turret armour near impenetrable in the front. Aim for the lower glacis or even a glancing shot on the turret side for a chance to penetrate the armour.
* [[Tortoise|A39 Tortoise]]: This heavily armoured vehicle prevents the FV4202 from penetrating its frontal armour, the only weak point being the commander's location and that is not a good place as the 20-pounder does not have a lot of post-penetration damage. Best case is to simply withdraw and attack it from the sides.
* [[Panther II]]: Unlike the first [[Panther tank (Family)|Panther series]], the Panther II's frontal armour cannot be penetrated by the 20-pounder, plus it has the famous [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|88 mm gun]] so more caution is needed. However, just like the Tiger II, aiming for the turret cheeks can ensure a disabling of the vehicle to take advantage of.
* [[IS-6]] : The IS-6 is one of the most challenging vehicles that you face at this rank. It is fast, very well armoured and has a powerful gun. Despite the fact that it is a premium, it is very common. You will face it often. It can easily bounce the 84mm APDS from the front and even the sides. If angled properly the IS-6 is very difficult to displace. It is not invincible though. Firing at it from high ground can reduce the effectiveness of its angled armour and HEAT-fs is good for penetrating it's armour, so working closely with other tanks is important.
* [[Maus]] : The very sight of a Maus on the battle field can be enough to make some players turn tail and run. It is an extremely menacing opponent to face on the battlefield, and its huge 128mm gun will have no trouble taking you out of the game. Even the 75mm coaxial gun can damage your main gun and tracks, if not penetrate the {{PAGENAME}} from the side. Luckily, the Maus is not invincible. With APDS you can penetrate turret cheeks and side armour relatively easily, but sometimes your rounds will simply pass through the massive superstructure without doing very much damage. The internal layout of the Maus is quite complex and is lined with extra 20mm plates of armour, protecting crew members and modules from internal shrapnel. Destroying the Maus in one shot is extremely difficult, so it is often best to retreat after a successful hit.
* [[Jagdtiger]] : The Jagdtiger is armed with the same devastating 128mm gun as the Maus, which is absolutely deadly if it hits you. Couple this with formidable frontal armour and you have a very dangerous opponent. Try to flank this opponent or hit the flat superstructure on the left and right of the main gun.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent mobility for the size
* Heavy punching 84 mm 20-pounder "Quickfire" gun can penetrate most enemies seen at BR
* Very strong sloped frontal armour able to withstand most shells fired at the FV4202
* Resistant to Russian 85 mm's and German [[KwK36 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK36]] at long range
* Has a stabiliser which allows for accurate fire on the move
* Has a low profile compared to other British tanks of the same rank such as the Centurion Mk 3
* Unlock-able APDS shell for heavier targets

'''Cons:'''

* Weak side armour
* Overall thin armour yet sloped
* LFP (Lower Frontal Plate) is generally weak and most penetrative hits will take out driver and ammo rack
* Poor reverse speed
* A part of the soft turret armour is near a flat weak point
* Vulnerable to air attacks from planes with heavier guns as engine roof armour is lacking
* Although a small target, there is an 89 mm weak spot right above the gun Shots penetrating this, in particular APHE may knock out the turret crew
* The cupola on top of the turret is a deadly weak spot One penetration from APHE will take you out
* Solid shot only, no explosive filler. Especially noting APDS' lack of post-penetration damage and shrapnel

== 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 ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|oa26g25qqP4|'''Best medium tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:16 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

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

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

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Panzer IV/70(A)

2021-09-02T17:21:18Z

U44685416: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pz_IV_L70_A
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_PanzerIV70(A).jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update_1.41#19.06.2014_-_1.41.27.12|Update 1.41.27]] as a bundle vehicle but was later removed from the store. It was reintroduced for [[wt:en/news/5852-special-news-war-thunder-s-birthday-discounts-and-gifts-en|War Thunder's 6th Anniversary]] as a premium purchasable for 3,850 Golden Eagles {{ge}}.

The Jadgpanzer IV/70 is an effective anti-tank weapon. It is armed with a 75 mm gun and is very capable of taking out the armour it faces at its rank, with only one shot needed to dispatch them. Taking advantage of its good speed of 40 km/h, head over to sniping locations, and using its good frontal armour at distance, can easily knock out enemy vehicles easily with little danger and risk.

However, the Panzer IV/70 (A), is arguably less effective than its counterpart built by Vomag, the [[Panzer_IV/70(V)|Panzer IV/70(V)]]. The vehicle's tall profile has positive and negative aspects. It means it is more visible, especially at longer ranges. However, it does allow the player to see and shoot over taller obstructions that the Panzer IV/70(V) would be unable to.

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


The IV/70 (A) is strong but has weak armour for the rank. Try to trade blows with most enemy vehicles as the armour simply doesn't provide comprehensive protection. This, coupled with the very vulnerable, large flanks makes it highly unsuitable as a front line assault vehicle.

All in all, the side of the IV/70 (A) is a goldmine of weak spots for an accurate player. The tall-slab sided IV/70 (A) is very vulnerable to flanking fire as the side armour is only 40 mm thick. For those aiming at the sides, it is very easy to search for ammunition rack, using the rods on the side of the hull as reference points. From there, aim down a tad below the top of the mesh skirts, and an ammunition hit/detonation is almost certain.

Even parts of the front armour are a little lacking; certainly inferior to the Panzer IV/70(V). The sloped upper superstructure gives an effective thickness of around 125 mm, very good for this battle rating, but it has an unsloped 80 mm hull and an 80 mm lower hull that is only very slightly sloped. Avoid firing at the gun mantlet. It is heavily sloped and in excess of 200 mm equivalent flat armour.

From behind, it is advisable to aim for the large, flat rear superstructure above the engine deck. The Commander and Gunner can be eliminated with a single well-placed shot. After the Gunner is taken out, aim for the engine to prevent the vehicle from turning to engage {{PAGENAME}}.

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
*Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (84°), 80 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 80 mm (55°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 + 5 mm || 22 mm (5-16°) || 20 mm
|-
| Superstructure || 80 mm (9-50°) ''Front plate'' 75 + 75 mm''Gun mantlet'' || 40 mm (18°) || 30 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The hull sides are protected by an extra 5 mm thick plate to provide protection against HEAT and HE rounds.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=426|rbMinHp=265|AoAweight=0.45}}

Forward speed is sufficient, topping out at 40 km/h (approximately 25 mph) but the reverse speed of -7 km/h (approximately -4 mph), while acceptable, isn't anything special. This vehicle isn't a speed demon and isn't built for lightning fast flanking manoeuvres. It's much more comfortable behind the lines, acting like an anti-tank gun with treads that responds to threats rather than spearheading assaults.

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

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

{{main|PaK42 (75 mm)}}

At this rank, the L/70 cannon can punch through almost any vehicle that may be encountered, with the US Sherman Jumbo and Russian IS tanks being the only real tough nuts.

The lack of a turret means the player should not be overly aggressive. The vehicle cannot turn particularly fast. The gun traverse is limited, so a fast vehicle can easily get behind it. This tank should stay back and use the excellent muzzle velocity and penetration of the L/70 cannon to destroy targets from afar. Stay in cover, or behind the team's mediums and heavies, and provide fire support. But don't be an obvious target.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK42 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK42]] || 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" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''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 39/42 || APCBC || 192 || 188 || 173 || 156 || 140 || 126
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
| PzGr 40/42 || APCR || 228 || 224 || 204 || 182 || 162 || 145
|-
|}
{| 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 39/42 || APCBC || 935 || 6.8 || 1.2 || 14 || 28.9 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 700 || 5.74 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 725 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| PzGr 40/42 || APCR || 1,120 || 4.75 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_PanzerIV70(A).jpg|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 34 ''(+26)'' || 7 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 600 (150) || 1,200 || -2°/+5° || ±5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

This vehicle is very much a defensive weapon that should only be on the offensive if the situation is desperate. The gun it is armed with is one of the best at this rank. In terms of penetration and muzzle velocity, it will make short work of all but the toughest tanks. When taking fire, however, the IV/70(A)'s protection is inconsistent at best. Shots that strike the sloped upper superstructure are likely to bounce, but anywhere else and the shell will almost certainly penetrate at closer ranges. It is best to avoid confrontation if possible and let the other members of the team take the damage to allow the player to pick and choose the engagement. Ideally, the enemy won't have a chance to return fire. Allow room between the {{PAGENAME}} and the enemy, and avoid traversing high-traffic areas; instead, keep an eye on them from a distance and let the enemy come towards the {{PAGENAME}}.

Urban areas should be avoided if possible. Entering such an area is an invitation for the enemy to flank, and the closeness of the engagements negates the main advantage of this tank: the gun. Engaging the enemy at close range doesn't utilise the L/70's excellent penetration at range.

===Arcade battles===
In Arcade battles, with the shot indicator showing the player where shots will land, the high-velocity L/70 can accurately hit targets at long ranges, and targets on the move as the shells arrive quickly at the target.
The penetration indicator, which changes colour based on the chance of successful penetration, is a problem for the IV/70 (A). It highlights the weak areas of the tank to enemy players, making the weak spots obvious.

Arcade tends to be faster-paced than Realistic and Simulator, so the lack of a turret may be a large detriment as being flanked is quite common in this mode.

===Realistic/Simulator battles===
With a lack of markers above tanks and larger combat zones, Realistic and Simulator suit this vehicle well. Taking up a concealed firing position and engaging enemies from a distance is what this tank excels at. Be mindful of flanking attacks though, if consideration of exposed flanks and careful checking of these areas is not performed, it will likely be too late to respond to an enemy on a flank or behind. Keeping with the 'anti-tank gun with treads' analogy, zooming across the map and looking for enemies is not how this tank should be played. Let the enemy do the work because this tank is very poorly suited to assaulting. Usage of the binoculars is highly advised as they allow a zoomed-in 360-degree view without having to move the vehicle.

At the start of the match, the Panzer IV/70(A) is best used as a sniper for most of the times. The player can adapt their tactics from the StuG IIIs and the Jgdpz. 38t. A good way to get kills is to find a spot that:

* provides hard cover
* overlooks a key street / passage way
* has bushes to hide in
* is not too close to the frontline

This way the player can use the bushes to hide the Pz IV/70. If any opponent appears in the sight, the player can kill it easily with the great penetration, velocity and damage of the main cannon. If the enemy notices the player, either go back in cover until they are distracted, or utilise the sturdy frontal armour and be a "heavy tank". It can bounce quite some shells, given that the enemy's guns aren't strong enough.

As the match progresses, the player can use the Pz IV/70 as a medium tank since it has good top speed and traverse. Go cap some points and help the teammates to push. With its low profile, the Pz IV/70 can find a comfortable corner around a point and ambush any point-cappers. Now the situational awareness comes into place, as this vehicle is turretless, meaning it cannot respond quickly to close-quarter sudden encounters. Also note that the side armour is extremely thin, so even if the player thinks they're just angling a little bit, shells like the Russian 85 mm / 122 mm will still penetrate with ease.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Pz IV/70 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 Pz IV/70'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.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower: decent rate of fire and good accuracy for the main gun. Stock shell has great penetration and damage, and can easily penetrate and one-shot most opponents like T-34-85, [[M4A2]] / A3, [[IS-1]], etc
* Low profile provides excellent concealment.
* Sloped 80 mm frontal armour provides great protection against most opponents, and is especially boosted with add-on armour. It is frontally immune to 76 mm Shermans, T-34-85 and [[M18 GMC|M18]].
* Decent top speed of 40 km/h with good acceleration means excellent cross country performance
* Adequate gun depression of 7 degrees for a compact hull.

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers like [[M18 GMC|M18]]
* Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank.
* Poor side armour, extremely weak against APBCs like the Russian 85 mm / 122 mm.
* The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to trapshots (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal.
* Although frontal armour is thick, it can still get one-shot by the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] regardless the angle and distance

== History ==


===Development===
In September 1942, the Wehrmacht arms bureau called for a new type of assault vehicles. The specifications listed were 100 mm front armour, 40-50 mm on the sides, wide tracks, a top speed of 26 km/h, ground clearance of 50 cm, and a very low firing position. The design was to be armed with the 75 mm Pak 42 mounted on the [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks. Though this project was originally conceived over a completely new chassis, the [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV]] was chosen to be used instead. The design was to have a low silhouette and an enclosed casemate fighting compartment after experiences with the [[Marder III H|Marder IIIs]] showed that such features were necessary for a successful fighting vehicle.

The Panzer IV chassis was converted into the '''Jagdpanzer IV''', which featured new designs to the original. The utilization of the Panzer IV chassis was met with much criticism by General Heinz Guderian, who saw the diverting of Panzer IV tank resources as unnecessary since the current assault gun [[StuG_III_G|StuG III]] was more than adequate in the role and Germany still needed reliable tanks that it could use. The vertical front hull armour was replaced with large sloped armour plates, ammunition and fuel were moved to accommodate the new superstructure design, and the auxiliary engine that once powered the Panzer IV turret was removed. The superstructure had 80 mm thick sloping armour that gives it an effective 100 mm thick. To simplify the production of this vehicle, the superstructure was essentially made of large interlocking plates that are welded together. The vehicle had a crew of four, the commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The vehicle was armed with a 75 mm gun, though originally suppose to be the one from the Panther, shortages forced the mounting of older guns such as the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon, which were less powerful than the Panther's PaK 42, but were still lethal. Due to the different gun mounts, three main variants were produced from the Jagdpanzer IV, the original [[Jagdpanzer IV|Jagdpanzer IV]] (with the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon), the [[Panzer IV/70(V)|Panzer IV/70 (V)]], and the '''Panzer IV/70 (A)''' (Both of which have the 75 mm Pak 42 L/70 cannon).

The Panzer IV/70 (A), mounting the 75 mm Pak 42, was produced by Alkett, a manufacturer of the [[StuG III G|StuG III]] (hence the "A"). It was produced from August 1944 to March 1945 and was made for the purpose of simplifying the design for easier manufacturing and increased the production rate. To make production easier, the design used an unmodified Panzer IV chassis, while the previous two used a modified superstructure built up from the suspension. The unmodified chassis gave the Panzer IV/70(A) the flat frontal hull known on the Panzer IV design, with which the sloped armour is built on top of. This, in turn, caused the overall height of the vehicle to be increased by 50 cm, which gave it a much bigger silhouette, but was done to simplify production and send more of the 75 mm Pak 42 L/40 to the front lines as quickly as possible. The Panzer IV/70 (A) was more of an interim solution in order to fulfil battlefield demands, only about 278 units were produced before production ended. The early version had Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste added to the vehicle. However, the Zimmerit was removed after September 1944 due to rumours that they were causing vehicle fires. Other modifications were made to the design over time, but the biggest change in its production was the addition of Schürzen side armour plates.

===Combat usage===
The Jagdpanzer IV (the name was interchangeable between all of its variants) was first issued on March 1944 and was employed in an anti-tank role in the Western and Eastern Front. The Jagdpanzer IV participated in the Normandy Campaign, Battle of the Bulge, and the Soviet Offensives on the Eastern Front. Their overall performance was very successful as tank destroyers and only sub-par in other roles that are usually taken by tanks or assault guns, as the high-velocity 75 mm cannon it mounts were unsuitable for anti-infantry and fortification purposes. However, they were soon put in positions of tanks due to shortages of capable fighting vehicles in German inventory. One of the popular Jagdpanzer IV aces was SS-Oberscharführer Rudolf Roy who was attached to the 12th SS Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was killed while looking out of his Jagdpanzer IV hatch during the Battle of the Bulge.

After World War II ended, the Jagdpanzer IV's design still saw service with the German Bundeswehr as the ''[[JPz 4-5|Kanonenjagdpanzer]]'', which has nearly the same design as the Jagdpanzer IV, but most notably with a 90 mm gun. Some captured Jagdpanzer IVs were given out by the Soviet Union to Romania and Syria, but Romania scrapped all the German armour by 1954 and Syria used them in conflicts against Israel until 1967.

=== In-game description ===
This variant of the anti-tank gun was developed in two different versions by the companies Vomag AG and Alkett. Though similar in combat power and armor protection, these machines were significantly different in appearance.

Alkett's variant was designated the Panzer IV/70 (A). It featured a highly-armored cabin mounted on the chassis and hull of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J tank. Its combat weight was 28 tons, with a height of 2350 mm. The sides of the chassis were covered with Schurzen side skirts, which were initially all-metal and later mesh. From August 1944 to March 1945, the Nibelungenwerke factory produced 278 of these vehicles.

The Panzer IV, Panzer IV/70 (A), and Panzer IV/70 (V) also had a commander's version produced, with a crew of five men, reduced ammunition, and an additional radio station.

The powerful armament of these vehicles made them quite popular with the Wehrmacht's anti-tank divisions. These self-propelled guns were widely used in combat operations during the final part of the war.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_pz_IV_L70_A Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7114-shop-restoration-of-original-content-en|[Shop] Restoration of original content]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Tortoise

2021-08-10T19:46:06Z

U44685416: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_a39_tortoise
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the initial British ground tree. A huge casemate structure made as an assault vehicle akin to the American's [[T95]], the Tortoise presents thick raw sloped armour with a unique heavy punching 94 mm cannon.

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


The Tortoise, as its name suggests, sacrifices speed to survivability.. 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 defences 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.

'''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
|-
| Cupola || 101.6 mm || 101.6 mm || 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 ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

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

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.

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

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

{{main|32pdr OQF (94 mm)}}

Unlike other British Rank IV tanks, the Tortoise does not have access to APDS or HESH ammunition, it relies on pure AP solid shots. Fortunately, these large calibre rounds are roughly similar to [[20pdr OQF Mk.I (84 mm)|20-pounder cannon's]] APDS, meaning the learning curve from the [[Charioteer Mk VII]] is not too steep. Plus, these 94 mm shells are stock rounds in the Tortoise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[32pdr OQF (94 mm)|94 mm 32pdr OQF]] || 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" | -10°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.81 || 12.19 || 14.80 || 16.37 || 17.41 || rowspan="2" | 11.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.89 || rowspan="2" | 9.12 || rowspan="2" | 8.60
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.95 || 7.00 || 8.50 || 9.40 || 10.00
|-
|}

==== 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
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 256 || 253 || 241 || 226 || 212 || 199
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| Shell Mk.1 || HE || 1,043 || 12.7 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 920 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Shot Mk.1 || APCBC || 929 || 14.5 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 41 ''(+19)'' 59 ''(+1)'' || 31 ''(+29)''  ''35 (+25)'' || 21 ''(+39)''  ''31 (+29)'' || 11 ''(+49)'' ''1 (+59)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' N/A || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

The secondary armament on this tank is a MG turret with twin-mounted [[BESA (7.92 mm)|BESA]] machine guns, 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.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Cupola || 3,375 (225) || 600 || -6°/+20° || ±180°
|-
| Cupola || 3,375 (225) || 600 || -6°/+20° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The A39 Tortoise was created with the intention of serving as a "heavy assault tank" to break through the Siegfried Line. It plays more as a tank destroyer that's best used at long range. Therefore, to maximize the potential of the Tortoise, one must stay at long distances and snipe enemies with the very accurate [[Ordnance QF 32-pounder (94 mm)|32 pdr OQF]] cannon, while making sure to choose good cover, so as to not allow the enemy to target the Tortoise's weak spots: the MG turret and gunner's cupola, the flat areas of the mantlet armour, and the lower front plate (LFP) if it is left exposed. With its slow speed and reload rate, this is not a frontline tank; it will easily be outflanked if used in shorter range engagements. In summary, the Tortoise is best used in a defensive capacity - either to defend capture points, or important strategic areas on the map (i.e. areas where enemies love to camp).

The Tortoise is a true sniper tank destroyer: the farther, the better. Its biggest vulnerability is that it moves extremely slowly, so it's not recommended for frontline combat. It plays much better as an entrenched shooter that can change a game by picking cover with a good field of fire, and then denying enemy entry or egress of an area. The cannon lacks an AP shell with HE filler, making general knowledge of tank internals a must. With good gun depression, it can be near-invincible when taking a good hull-down position, and can retreat back into cover easily enough due to its good reverse speed.

Some tips for specific combat environments:

;Plains

This type of terrain is mostly devoid of any structures that could possibly provide cover. The terrain itself will provide the main form of cover. Maps such as [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]], [[Mozdok (Ground Forces)|Mozdok]] and [[Jungle]] can be described as such. Find decent cover that provides a good view of the battlefield and field of fire, then set up a kill zone to deny entry into an area. Scout with binoculars so as to not needlessly expose yourself, then pop out at the right time to fire at any worthwhile targets of opportunity. Overextend tactics work well with this tank: line up a shot, take it, and fall back behind cover. Do not bother to move from a good position if possible: the Tortoise can take many shots before going down, and its dreadful top speed make it counterintuitive to play in an offensive capacity. Reposition the tank only if the enemy line gets too close or if there is a flanker in the vicinity.

;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]] and [[Advance to the Rhine]] are urban battlefields. 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]], [[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.

;Hilly terrain

These maps feature high terrain deformation with steep hills and even walls. Maps such as [[Ash River]], [[Karelia]] and [[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:'''

* Good frontal armour and adequately thick side armour
* Angling the tank at near-45 degrees increases protection
* 94 mm 32-pdr OQF cannon offers both high penetration power and post-penetration spalling damage
* Highest penetrating round (Shot Mk. 1 APCBC) has a forgiving and predictable trajectory
* 7-man crew means that it will usually take several HEAT or APDS rounds to knock out the Tortoise (even penetrating APHE shells likely will not destroy the tank in a single hit)
* Goes as fast in reverse as it does when travelling forward

'''Cons:'''

* Given its enormous size, the tank is nearly impossible to fully conceal.
* Lack of speed and manoeuvrability: it is extremely slow given its enormous weight. You will not be able to run away from threats.
* The Tortoise lacks AP shells with any explosive filler. However, unlike most other British tanks at this battle rating, no APDS shells are available for the 32-pounder.
* Obvious weak spot: The MG turret on top of the tank is massive and is weakly armoured, which players will readily take advantage of: if an APHE round were to penetrate, it would likely kill the loader (and possibly the driver).
* The top left corner of the tank is big and flat; APHE rounds with high penetration can punch right through, killing the commander and gunner.
* Due to the casemate design, cover and fields of fire must be chosen carefully to minimize exposition of the Tortoise's weaknesses.
* The lower front plate (LFP) is somewhat flat and presents a possible weak spot for enemies to shoot at if exposed.

== 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-piercing 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]]) 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 ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a39_tortoise Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-WGV2ECr-TA|'''The Shooting Range #252''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|B2woWvJK4ew|'''Top 7 most armoured vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:18 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|FafvSJDEfwA|'''Tank Chats #15 Tortoise''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


* [[T28]] / [[T95]]
* [[AMX-50 Foch]]

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

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

{{Britain tank destroyers}}