Cromwell I - Revision history

U38088265: /* Description */

2024-05-18T09:13:52Z

‎Description

U2126463: /* Description */

2024-05-15T21:33:27Z

‎Description

U22652589: Added some extra details, tips and also the mantlet was buffed from 64mm to 88.9mm recently, changed that, also I replaced KV-2 as a threat with a KV-1E as a KV-2 is not a particularly worrysome target when the Cromwell can shoot 7-10 times faster

2024-01-26T06:09:21Z

Added some extra details, tips and also the mantlet was buffed from 64mm to 88.9mm recently, changed that, also I replaced KV-2 as a threat with a KV-1E as a KV-2 is not a particularly worrysome target when the Cromwell can shoot 7-10 times faster

U44629479: /* Ammo racks */ Updated

2023-08-28T20:14:50Z

‎Ammo racks: Updated

U141562625 at 18:55, 9 June 2023

2023-06-09T18:55:09Z

U44629479: Edits

2023-03-16T12:08:02Z

Edits

U128413528: /* Pros and cons */

2023-03-15T16:20:37Z

‎Pros and cons

U76613875: /* Survivability and armour */ Added Note that Turret has 12.7mm basket around the entire inside of the turret (except roof)

2023-02-11T23:37:22Z

‎Survivability and armour: Added Note that Turret has 12.7mm basket around the entire inside of the turret (except roof)

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-01-21T21:40:02Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U113610237: /* Description */ The Cromwell doesn`t go against the M18 because of it's battle rating. The T-34 is a better fit for this sentence and context.

2022-04-30T20:54:19Z

‎Description: The Cromwell doesn`t go against the M18 because of it's battle rating. The T-34 is a better fit for this sentence and context.

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') was a British WWII-era medium tank named after 17th century military leader Oliver Cromwell. The tank was heavily influenced by the previous Crusader tank and the demand for a medium velocity dual purpose gun by the Ministry of Defence. Initially three different prototypes were named Cromwell, the initial A24 Cromwell I prototype made by Nuffield which later crystallized into A24 "Cavalier" cruiser tank of which about 500 were made but the performance of it proven unsatisfactory. Second prototype was A27L Cromwell II made by English Electric and later Leyland. Out of this prototype, "Centaur" was developed. Centaur was equipped with vintage WWI Liberty engine and Merrit-Brown gearbox taken over from Churchill infantry tank. Last prototype bearing the name Cromwell was A27M Cromwell III, which then became the only tank bearing the name into serial production. A27M was using Rolls Royce Meteor engine otherwise it was simillar to Centaur, although due to the engine it had no issues with cooling and reliability. All the Centaur hulls were reengined and taken into service as Cromwells. The tank first saw action after the Normandy landings in June 1944. The usage of higher caliber gun then led to developement of a Comet, Charioteer and Challenger cruiser tanks, based on the Cromwell. After the war, Cromwell was also used by many other countries such as Czechoslovakia, Israel or Greece. British army also used the Cromwells in Korean war, where few were captured by the North Korean forces.
+The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') was a British WWII-era medium tank named after 17th century military leader Oliver Cromwell. The tank was heavily influenced by the previous Crusader tank and the demand for a medium velocity dual-purpose gun by the Ministry of Defence. Initially, three different prototypes were named Cromwell. The initial A24 Cromwell I prototype made by Nuffield later crystallized into the A24 "Cavalier" cruiser tank, of which about 500 were made, but the performance proved unsatisfactory. The second prototype was the A27L Cromwell II made by English Electric and later Leyland. Out of this prototype, the "Centaur" was developed. Centaur was equipped with vintage WWI Liberty engine and Merrit-Brown gearbox taken over from Churchill infantry tank. The last prototype bearing the name Cromwell was the A27M Cromwell III, which then became the only tank bearing the name into serial production. The A27M used the Rolls-Royce Meteor engine but was otherwise similar to the Centaur, although due to the engine it had no issues with cooling and reliability. All the Centaur hulls were reengined and taken into service as Cromwells. The tank first saw action after the Normandy landings in June 1944. The usage of higher calibre guns then led to development of the [[Comet I|Comet]], [[Charioteer Mk VII|Charioteer]], and [[Challenger]] cruiser tanks, based on the Cromwell. After the war, Cromwell was also used by many other countries such as Czechoslovakia, Israel, and Greece. The British army also used Cromwells in the Korean War, where a few were captured by the North Korean forces.
-The Cromwell was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]].The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-1E]] The Cromwell has adequate armour for a medium tank and a reasonably powerful gun.
+The Cromwell was introduced along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]. The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are well-matched in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-1E]]. The Cromwell has adequate armour for a medium tank and a reasonably powerful gun.
 == General info ==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]].
+The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') was a British WWII-era medium tank named after 17th century military leader Oliver Cromwell. The tank was heavily influenced by the previous Crusader tank and the demand for a medium velocity dual purpose gun by the Ministry of Defence. Initially three different prototypes were named Cromwell, the initial A24 Cromwell I prototype made by Nuffield which later crystallized into A24 "Cavalier" cruiser tank of which about 500 were made but the performance of it proven unsatisfactory. Second prototype was A27L Cromwell II made by English Electric and later Leyland. Out of this prototype, "Centaur" was developed. Centaur was equipped with vintage WWI Liberty engine and Merrit-Brown gearbox taken over from Churchill infantry tank. Last prototype bearing the name Cromwell was A27M Cromwell III, which then became the only tank bearing the name into serial production. A27M was using Rolls Royce Meteor engine otherwise it was simillar to Centaur, although due to the engine it had no issues with cooling and reliability. All the Centaur hulls were reengined and taken into service as Cromwells. The tank first saw action after the Normandy landings in June 1944. The usage of higher caliber gun then led to developement of a Comet, Charioteer and Challenger cruiser tanks, based on the Cromwell. After the war, Cromwell was also used by many other countries such as Czechoslovakia, Israel or Greece. British army also used the Cromwells in Korean war, where few were captured by the North Korean forces.
-The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-1E]]
+The Cromwell was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]].The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-1E]] The Cromwell has adequate armour for a medium tank and a reasonably powerful gun.
 == General info ==

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]].
-The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]].
+The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-1E]]
 The Cromwell I is one of the fastest tanks in the game, due to its Meteor engine derived from the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin of Spitfire fame. It can outrun almost every other tank, including most low-rank light tanks like the [[BT-5|BT]] [[BT-7|series]] or [[M3 Stuart|M3]], but has adequate armour for a medium tank and a reasonable gun. Generally speaking, it can easily outfight most tanks that can keep up with it, and outrun anything that is a serious threat. Just don't sit still; anyone can snipe if given the chance, and the Cromwell's armour makes it a one-hit-wonder.
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 | Hull || 63.5 mm ''Front plate'' <br> 25.4 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 57 mm (13°) ''Joint plate'' <br> 25.4 mm (68°) ''Lower glacis'' ||44 mm ''Top front'' <br> 32 + 14 mm ''Bottom front'' <br> 38 (0°) + 32 mm (34°) ''Top rear'' <br> 25.4 + 14 mm ''Bottom rear'' || 32 mm (0-7°) ''Top'' <br> 20 mm (47°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm ''Compartment'' <br> 14 mm ''Engine''
 |-
-| Turret || 64 mm + 12.7 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 63.5 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 51 mm + 12.7 mm || 44 mm + 12.7 mm || 20 mm
+| Turret || 64 mm + 12.7 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 88.9 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 51 mm + 12.7 mm || 44 mm + 12.7 mm || 20 mm
 |-
 |}
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 * Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
 * 12.7mm Armour basket behind Turret front, sides and rear.
 === Mobility ===
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 '''Overview:'''
-The Cromwell I is a fast tank with a good cannon and acceptable armour protection. Commanders should play it like a light tank, but be careful of the extremely slow reverse gear. It excels in close quarters combat due to the excellent gun and hull handling characteristics, as well as the fast reload rate. Commanders should avoid long range fights due to the slow reverse gear. This lack of a reverse gear makes it difficult to return to cover after exposing your tank to fire on the enemy. The best strategy in the Cromwell I is to hug the map corners and try to flank, outmanoeuvring enemy forces. The tank is very rewarding to players who have experience with the map that is being played, and are able to predict enemy movements. It is a true Cruiser tank, able to exploit gaps in the enemy defenses by disrupting the enemy back line.
+The Cromwell I is a fast tank with a good cannon and acceptable armour protection. Commanders should play it like a light tank, but be careful of the extremely slow reverse gear. It excels in close quarters combat due to the excellent gun and hull handling characteristics, as well as the fast reload rate. Commanders should avoid long range fights due to the slow reverse gear. This lack of a reverse gear makes it difficult to return to cover after exposing your tank to fire on the enemy. The best strategy in the Cromwell I is to hug the map corners and try to flank, outmaneuvering enemy forces. The tank is very rewarding to players who have experience with the map that is being played, are adept at flanking, and are able to predict enemy movements. It is a true Cruiser tank, able to exploit gaps in the enemy defenses by disrupting the enemy back line. Despite its admirable characteristics, the Cromwell is an ''unconventional'' medium tank, and may be difficult to use in the hands of a traditional medium tank player.
 '''Firepower:'''
-The best shell to use is the Shot Mk.9 APCBC due to its penetration characteristics. Generally this is a great round due to the fast reload and shell velocity. However this round struggles against angled armour, most notably against Soviet T-34 tanks. Against this enemy Cromwell gunners will have to aim for the turret or machine gun port, as the upper front plate will bounce the Shot Mk.9 easily.
+The best shell to use is the Shot Mk.9 APCBC due to its penetration characteristics. Generally this is a great round due to the fast reload and shell velocity. However this round struggles against angled armour, most notably against Soviet T-34 tanks. Against this enemy Cromwell gunners will have to aim for the turret or machine gun port, as the upper front plate will bounce the Shot Mk.9 easily. The 6pdr also has a high velocity loss modifier, resulting in poor penetration over long distances.
 '''Staying alive:'''
-In terms of armour, the Cromwell I is in a better situation than many players would assume. While the front armour is not particularly impressive, the design is very square and the side armour is acceptable. This means that the Cromwell I is an excellent tank to angle your hull and turret armour in. When the enemy fires, a quick turn using the impressive handling and acceleration can cause a bounce. Generally Cromwell I commanders should seek to move unpredictably when under fire and create angles that are difficult to penetrate.
+In terms of armour, the Cromwell I is in a better situation than many players would assume. While the front armour is not particularly impressive, the design is very square and the side armour is acceptable. This means that the Cromwell I is an excellent tank to angle your hull and turret armour in. When the enemy fires, a quick turn using the impressive handling and acceleration can cause a bounce. The Cromwell's turret face has an interior 12mm plate behind the main armour, meaning that in a downtier, some vehicles may have issue penetrating you when hull down. There is also an overlap with the 88.9mm mantlet and 64mm turret face, resulting in a small area with up to 160mm of effective armour. Generally, Cromwell I commanders should seek to move unpredictably when under fire and create angles that are difficult to penetrate. They should also seek to engage targets from the flanks whenever possible, and plan potential escape routes if the engagement is not in your favor.
-One somewhat unconventional tool that the Cromwell has access to is an abundance of smoke grenades. Commanders can use these grenades to shut down enemy firing angles and protect themselves from being shot in the side. However, be careful not to spam these too much as they may get in the way of your teammates as well.
+One somewhat unconventional tool that the Cromwell has access to is an abundance of smoke grenades. Commanders can use these grenades to shut down enemy firing angles and protect themselves from being shot in the side, or on the retreat. However, be careful not to spam these too much as they may get in the way of your teammates as well.
 === Pros and cons ===
@@ Line 154: / Line 155: @@
 '''Pros:'''
-* Very fast for a medium tank, excellent for capturing zones
+* Very fast for a medium tank, excellent for capturing zones and catching enemy light tanks off-guard
 * 57 mm performs well against most armoured targets
-* Gun handles well
+* Great gun handling thanks to high turret traverse, good gun depression and vertical stabilizer
 * Can easily hide behind obstacles and surprise passing enemies with a flanking manoeuvre
 * Remains competitive even in an uptier
 '''Cons:'''
@@ Line 164: / Line 168: @@
 * Terrible reverse speed, makes overextending difficult
 * Neutral turning performs poorly on sloped terrain
 * Boxy, vertical armour on hull and turret makes angling essential
 * Gunner can frequently be knocked out from frontal shots
 * 57 mm struggles to penetrate sloped or angled armour. T-34s and KV-1s are an issue at this rank as they are very difficult to penetrate at long ranges
 == History ==

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
-<!-- '''Last updated: 2.3.0.83''' -->
+[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}.]]
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 |-
@@ Line 90: / Line 91: @@
 ! Visual<br>discrepancy
 |-
-| '''75''' || 66&nbsp;''(+9)'' || 56&nbsp;''(+19)'' || 46&nbsp;''(+29)'' || 37&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 28&nbsp;''(+47)'' || 19&nbsp;''(+56)'' || 10&nbsp;''(+65)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+74)'' || No
+| '''75''' || 66&nbsp;''(+9)'' || 56&nbsp;''(+19)'' || 46&nbsp;''(+29)'' || 37&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 28&nbsp;''(+47)'' || 19&nbsp;''(+56)'' || 10&nbsp;''(+65)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+74)'' || Yes
 |-
 |}
-[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}.]]
+'''Notes''':
 ==== Optics ====
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"

@@ Line 130: / Line 130: @@
 '''Overview:'''
-The Cromwell I is a fast tank with a good cannon and acceptable armour protection. Commanders should play it like a light tank, but be careful of the slow reverse gear. It excels in close quarters combat due to the excellent gun and hull handling characteristics, as well as the fast reload rate. Commanders should avoid long range fights due to the slow reverse gear. This lack of a reverse gear makes it difficult to return to cover after exposing your tank to fire on the enemy. The best strategy in the Cromwell I is to hug the map corners and try to flank, outmanoeuvring enemy forces. The tank is very rewarding to players who have experience with the map that is being played, and are able to predict enemy movements. It is a true Cruiser tank, able to exploit gaps in the enemy defenses by disrupting the enemy back line.
+The Cromwell I is a fast tank with a good cannon and acceptable armour protection. Commanders should play it like a light tank, but be careful of the extremely slow reverse gear. It excels in close quarters combat due to the excellent gun and hull handling characteristics, as well as the fast reload rate. Commanders should avoid long range fights due to the slow reverse gear. This lack of a reverse gear makes it difficult to return to cover after exposing your tank to fire on the enemy. The best strategy in the Cromwell I is to hug the map corners and try to flank, outmanoeuvring enemy forces. The tank is very rewarding to players who have experience with the map that is being played, and are able to predict enemy movements. It is a true Cruiser tank, able to exploit gaps in the enemy defenses by disrupting the enemy back line.
 '''Firepower:'''
@@ Line 155: / Line 155: @@
 '''Cons:'''
-* Terrible reverse speed, makes overtextending difficult
+* Terrible reverse speed, makes overextending difficult
 * Neutral turning performs poorly on sloped terrain
 * Sensitive steering in forward travelling gears

@@ Line 148: / Line 148: @@
 * Very fast for a medium tank
-* 57 mm is a good gun in dealing with many vehicles that it may face
+* 57 mm performs well against most armored targets
 * Above 2 combined make it excellent for seizing zones and destroying the lighter tanks from other nations that are usually the first there
-* Great gun handling
+* Gun handles well
-* With judicious use, the tank can often end up with the most formidable tank in a lower rank game
+* Smaller size allows it to hide behind obstacles and surprise passing enemies on their flank
-* Can easily hide behind obstacles and surprise passing enemies with a flanking manoeuvre
+* These advantages are retained even in an up-tier
 * Has a speed of 64 km/h on flat terrain
@@ Line 159: / Line 158: @@
 * Terrible reverse speed
-* Neutral turning does not like any terrain sloping
+* Neutral turning performs poorly on sloped terrain
-* Poor at peeking shots
+* Reverse speed compound taking peeking shots
-* Not well armoured when up-tiered and the 57 mm gun is marginal
+* Not well armoured when up-tiered; 57 mm gun is marginal
 * Sensitive steering in forward travelling gears
-* Boxy, vertical armour on hull and turret makes angling critical
+* Boxy, vertical armour on hull and turret makes angling essential
-* 57 mm struggles to penetrate sloped or angled (or both) armour. T-34s and KV-1s are an issue at this rank as they are very difficult to penetrate at long range
+* 57 mm struggles to penetrate sloped, angled, or combinations of these armours. T-34s and KV-1s are an issue at this rank as they are very difficult to penetrate at long ranges
-* Gunner is frequently knocked out from frontal shots
+* Gunner can frequently be knocked out from frontal shots
 == History ==

@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
-{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+{{:6pdr OQF Mk.III (57 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.5, Shot Mk.5 HV, Shot Mk.8, Shot Mk.9, Shell Mk.10}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was released along with the initial British ground tree in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]].
-The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[M18 GMC|M18]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]].
+The Cromwell Mk I uses the 6-pdr, which provides higher penetration than the 75 mm on the [[Cromwell V|Mk V]]. It is also slightly faster and more manoeuvrable, thanks to the addition of an engine governor on the Mk. V that lowered its maximum output. However, these advantages are offset by the higher BR which means the Cromwell will be facing some tanks that are a good match for the Cromwell in terms of speed, like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], and some tanks that are largely invulnerable, like the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]].
 The Cromwell I is one of the fastest tanks in the game, due to its Meteor engine derived from the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin of Spitfire fame. It can outrun almost every other tank, including most low-rank light tanks like the [[BT-5|BT]] [[BT-7|series]] or [[M3 Stuart|M3]], but has adequate armour for a medium tank and a reasonable gun. Generally speaking, it can easily outfight most tanks that can keep up with it, and outrun anything that is a serious threat. Just don't sit still; anyone can snipe if given the chance, and the Cromwell's armour makes it a one-hit-wonder.
@@ Line 235: / Line 235: @@
 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a27m_cromwell_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 ;Images
-<gallery mode="packed-hover"  heights="200">
+<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
 File:Cromwell I desert charge.jpg|<small>Cromwell I in the desert.</small>
 </gallery>