Difference between revisions of "M4A2 (76) W"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_m4a2_76w_sherman}}
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{{About
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| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| other
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| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
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| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
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| usage-2 = other uses
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| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=us_m4a2_76w_sherman
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''In the description, the first part needs to 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 the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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The '''M4A2 (76) W Sherman''' was the second variant of the late-generation [[M4 Sherman (Family)|Medium Tank M4 (Sherman) family]]. It was outfitted with a modified T23 turret which accommodated the M1 tank gun, giving it a total length of 7.57 m (25 feet). The range was 161 km (100 miles) with the GM 6046 diesel engine which held approximately 673 litres (178 gallons) of fuel. The total weight increased to 33.3 tons. The upper glacis was 108 mm (4.25 inches) thick and sloped at 47°, with huge hatches. Many M4A2 (76) Ws were supplied to the USSR for the Soviet Army as part of the World War II lend-lease program (mainly because it had a diesel engine like most Soviet Army tanks). The engine, which was powered by the same General Motors 6046 twin diesel as the [[M4A2]], was reliable as well as easy to maintain. Until May 1945, around 3,230 M4A2 (76) Ws units were delivered.
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Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M4A2 (76) W replaces the cast hull of the [[M4A1 (76) W]] with an uninterrupted, fully welded hull's upper front armour plate that slopes at 47°. As the M4A2 (76) W has an exceptionally high profile, it is difficult to drive around undetected, making it an easy target for enemies. However, by making use of its strong mobility early in the battle, it is possible to get into strategic locations and adopt a hull-down position to obtain the first shot at the adversaries. Another improvement is the relocation of the ammunition storage to the centre of the tank, making it harder to target than in early-generation M4 Sherman variants. However, this is negligible given that the hull's upper front armour plate is unable to resist any shells from enemy tanks such as [[Tiger I (Family)|Tiger Is]], [[Panther tank (Family)|Panthers]], and [[T-34 (Family)|T-34s]]. As a result, the best chance of survival is to use terrain elevation and gun depression in a hull-down position to optimize the effectiveness of the hull's upper front armour plate.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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''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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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'''Armour type:'''
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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*Rolled homogeneous armour
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*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)
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{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
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|-
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| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm || 19.5 mm
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|-
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| Turret || 88.9 mm || 63.5 mm || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
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|-
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| Cupola || 63.5 mm || 63.5 mm || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
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* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm thick, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
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== Weaponry ==
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=635|rbMinHp=363}}
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=== Main weaponry ===
 
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''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 flexibilty 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.''
 
  
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=== Additional weaponry ===
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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''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 how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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{{Specs-Economy}}
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The most important modules to research are Parts and FPE. The stock M79 shot is inferior to the M62 APCBC shell in most situations, so researching the M62 shot module is a top priority. After that, the player may prioritize either mobility or firepower upgrades, depending on playstyle.
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== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
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=== Main armament ===
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
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|-
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|}
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==== Ammunition ====
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{{:M1 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M79 shot, M42A1 shell, M62 shell, M88}}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks M4A1 (75) W (China).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A1 (75) W (China) (identical)]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.11.0.27''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''71''' || 66&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 31&nbsp;''(+40)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+70)'' || No
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|-
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|}
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'''Note''':
 +
 
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* Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been shot or loaded.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''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.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
  
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== Usage in the battles ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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''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 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).''
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
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|-
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|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
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|-
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|}
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== Usage in battles ==
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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The M4A2 (76) W is a classic Sherman tank. It requires careful positioning and avoidance of enemy fire, possesses an above-average gun, and works best when played around teammates.
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As such, it is well-suited to city brawls in which it can use rubble as cover and protect its flanks effectively. The city environment also suits the tank's below-average mobility. In close quarters, this shortcoming will not be too much of a hindrance. That being said, the M4A2 is also a classic medium tank, and highly adaptable. If needed, it can engage at most, if not all, ranges. It can be used to rush a point, or to defend from an assault. Certainly, the powerful cannon is capable against all but the most heavily armoured enemies.
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This vehicle has mediocre armour and a highly visible profile, so it must be played carefully if the player wishes to stay alive for more than a few minutes. It is not uncommon for the M4A2 to be destroyed in a single hit, especially when facing the German cannons. Other enemies to watch out for include enemy aircraft: although the roof armour will protect crew members from strafing runs, the vehicle's above-average size makes it rather visible from the air, and makes it a target for bombing and rocket attacks.
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'''Enemies to look out for'''
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* [[T-34-57]], [[T-34-85]], and other [[T-34 (Family)|T-34s]] - Much like the Sherman, the Soviet T-34 proved to have weak armour at this battle rating, but its cannon will guarantee a knock-out, and with the Shermans are no exception. Avoid these tanks or destroy them before they do, as they are likely to be faster than you. If you face them when they are not aware of your presence, you can easily destroy them with your 76 mm M1 cannon.
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* [[Panzer V Panther (Family)|Panthers]] - These heavily armed German beasts have 80 mm of sloped armour, capable of firing the KwK42 heavy gun they use, with more than 150 mm penetration at 1,000+ m away. Meaning that Panthers are most likely going to be your demise, as your gun cannot do anything against theirs while they can penetrate your armour from the front. The easiest way to reliably knock them out is to target the turret.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
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<!-- ''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:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Good top speed
 +
* Great rate of fire for the main gun
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* Angled frontal slope which may sometimes bounce larger calibres if angled correctly
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* 5 crew members, which increases the survivability
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* A pintle-mounted heavy machine gun (12.7 mm), which can be used for anti-aircraft and against light armoured vehicles
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* Wet ammo storage reduces greatly ammo rack detonations, is indicated by the "W" in its name
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* Fast turret traverse
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
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== Historical part ==
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* Tall profile
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''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
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* Prone to tipping over when travelling across steep inclines
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* Armour might not stand up against common guns like the Soviet 85 mm or the German KwK36.
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* Sides and rear are thinly armoured
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* Engine compartment is poorly armoured
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* Narrow tracks mean poor ground flotation and cross country performance
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* Only reaches its top speed on paved surfaces
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* Lacks the add-on armour module found on the 76 mm M4A1 and M4A3
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* Unlike the earlier M4A1 (76) W, Cruise Control 1 setting is slightly above the maximum speed that the stabilizer operates at
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 +
 
 +
== History ==
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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=== M4 Sherman ===
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The start of World War II and the Battle of France had America find that their current armoured forces were completely inadequate to fight back a German armour assault. With only the [[M2A4|M2 light tanks]] and the [[M2]] available with their 37 mm cannons, the Americans greatly increased their efforts in tank development to bolster their defences but to satisfy demands from Great Britain for adequate tanks to rebuild their decimated armoured forces. The requirements set by the US Army called for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret mounting the gun on a tank was not. Thus, while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design - the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank - in a "sponson" mount. During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were submitted by the Ordnance Department. In April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''[[M4|M4 Sherman]]'''. The production for the Sherman began in October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around than 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]]. The Sherman first saw service in North Africa in the hands of the British, and the Shermans continued to see service throughout the North African campaign, Tunisian campaign, and the Italian campaign in the British and American armies. However, the 75 mm gun on the Sherman soon found itself saw as inadequate when the Germans began fielding their new generation of heavy tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and the [[Panther D|Panther]], which could defend itself against the 75 mm gun and take out the Sherman at a long range. A desire to up-gun the Sherman grew among Ordnance officers to fight incoming armour threats and started as far back as 1942.
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 +
===Development===
 +
The desire for a hole puncher on the Sherman started in the Ordnance department, seen as an improvement to the Sherman tank's overall combat ability to fight future tank threats. It started with the adaption of the 3-inch anti-tank gun, the most powerful American anti-tank weapon at the time, into the M4 Sherman. The gun proved too heavy and too bulky for a straight adaption so a simpler and smaller gun model was created called the 76 mm M1, which could be practically fitted into the M4 Sherman turret. The 76 mm differed from the 3-inch in ammunition as well, using a different propellant case but the same shells. The first guns were trialled in a [[M4A1]] Sherman, but while Ordnance approved the vehicle, Armored Board rejected it as it caused the turret interior to be too cramped for the crew and also the lack of need of such vehicle. This solution was fixed by taking the cancelled T23 project and adapting the turret into the Sherman, which was easy as the Sherman and the T23 used the same turret ring diameter. The larger turret allowed for a more practical mounting of the 76 mm gun and more room for the crew to move around in. This variant was approved and production was to start in early 1944 for the upcoming invasion of Europe in Operation Overlord to counter the German Tiger I and the Panther tanks.
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 +
===Design===
 +
Aside from the enlarged T23 turret, the Sherman interior layout was largely unchanged from the original design. The driver and bow gunner still sat in the front, the three-man turret crew in the centre, and the engine compartment in the back. The exterior design of the hull was also largely unchanged with the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and sloping front armour.
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 +
The '''M4A2 (76) W Sherman''' model ran on a GM 6046 diesel engine. Being built off the original [[M4A2]], the hull construction was welded, which proved simpler to produce than casting. Early M4A2 variants had the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle, but this design had protrusions on the driver and assistant driver hatches that created "shot traps" as these protrusions gave less protection than the frontal armour plate. This was fixed on later models with 47-degree angling instead, which eliminated the shot traps and made the frontal armour more effective than before. The M4A2 (76) W variant, as indicated by the name, mounted the 76 mm gun instead of the usual 75 mm. The "W" designation on the Sherman indicated that the vehicle had the wet stowage feature in response to complaints that the Sherman can easily catch fire due to exploding ammunition. The wet stowage encased the ammo containers in a liquid mixture that would douse the flames when penetrated or block flaming shrapnel from penetrating shots from hitting the ammunition. The containers also placed all the ammunition in the bottom centre of the tank, reducing the likeliness of it being hit by a shell as the penetrating shell must go through every armour and obstacle to hit the tank centre. This feature was only present after February 1944 and severely decreased the rate of Sherman fires. Of the 49,234 Sherman produced in World War II, 2,915 M4A2(76)s were produced from April 1944 to May 1945.
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 +
===Combat usage===
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Despite the stock of 76 mm Shermans now available for them, the commanders opted to not bring any during the invasion of France in June 1944. The issues were logistical, as having a 76 mm armament would mean supplying a different set of ammo to the task forces. Another issue was that the 76 mm gun had a less lethal high-explosive round at hand, meaning combat against infantry or fixed emplacements would be slightly harder. This forced 75 mm armed Shermans to have to compete against the better armed and armoured Panthers and Tigers in the initial period of the invasion. The combat debut of the 76 mm Shermans as the [[M4A1 (76) W|M4A1 (76)]] was during Operation Cobra in July 1944, as a response to the growing German armour threat in Europe. The 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions received 52 of these Shermans and the rest were distributed among the tank battalions in the infantry divisions. Deliveries of the M4(76) began coming into Europe from August 1944. The M4 (76) and M4 (75) Shermans served alongside each other, though the 75 mm Shermans were around in larger numbers and the opinions of the 76 mm cannon vary from a necessary addition to a burden. Nevertheless, the M4(76) began to be supplied among the tank battalions and armoured divisions to face the intense combat at the Siegfried Line. The 75 mm guns stayed as the primary armament of the armoured forces until the Battle of the Bulge, which had much American armour destroyed by the German onslaught of heavy German tanks such as their [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger IIs]]. The negative response from both troops and press had Allied commanders, even Eisenhower himself, request only 76 mm Sherman to be delivered instead of 75 mm in response. The new units arriving in Europe after the Battle of the Bulge were all equipped with 76 mm Shermans. Despite their appearance, 75 mm Shermans were still in stock in the armoured divisions and were still held in high regards for their better capacity to destroy soft targets with high-explosive shells.
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After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gunned the tank with the much powerful post-war French 75 mm and 105 mm gun as the M-50 and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.
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 +
{{break}}
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{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
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{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
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The new tank modification, based on the M4A1 (76)W, was an upgraded T23 turret and a long-barrelled 76 mm M1A1 cannon, later an M1A2. The turret included a cupola, the turret ventilator moved from the roof to the back wall, and the frontal armour was thickened to 100 mm. Beginning in August 1944 the reloader was given a separate round folding hatch. In March 1945 the M4A2 (76) W's suspension went through a significant change: two road wheels in each bogie turned into four (two paired), the volute springs went from vertical to horizontal, and the balance system was modified accordingly. A hydraulic shock absorber was also installed on every bogie.
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Between May 1944 and the end of the war, 2,915 of them were made in total.
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A significant number of units, around 2,070, were shipped to the USSR via Lend-Lease.
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 +
The Shermans helped liberate Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria, also seeing combat in the battle for Berlin.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4a2_76w_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
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== Read also ==
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== See also ==
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
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<!--''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
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''ETC.''
+
 
 +
;Other M4A2 tanks in the game
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 +
* [[M4A2]]
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* [[M4 748 (a) (Germany)]]
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* [[M4A2 (USSR)]]
  
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== Sources ==
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== External links ==
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''
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 +
* [[wt:en/devblog/current/699|[Devblog] Steel Generals: M4A2(76)W]]
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 +
{{USA medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 00:42, 15 March 2024

Introducing Wiki 3.0
This page is about the American medium tank M4A2 (76) W. For other M4 Shermans, see M4 Sherman (Family). For other uses, see M4 (Disambiguation).
M4A2 (76) W
us_m4a2_76w_sherman.png
GarageImage M4A2 (76) W.jpg
ArtImage M4A2 (76) W.png
M4A2 (76) W
USA flag.png USA
III Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
5.3 5.3 5.3
Class:
Research:33 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:105 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

The M4A2 (76) W Sherman was the second variant of the late-generation Medium Tank M4 (Sherman) family. It was outfitted with a modified T23 turret which accommodated the M1 tank gun, giving it a total length of 7.57 m (25 feet). The range was 161 km (100 miles) with the GM 6046 diesel engine which held approximately 673 litres (178 gallons) of fuel. The total weight increased to 33.3 tons. The upper glacis was 108 mm (4.25 inches) thick and sloped at 47°, with huge hatches. Many M4A2 (76) Ws were supplied to the USSR for the Soviet Army as part of the World War II lend-lease program (mainly because it had a diesel engine like most Soviet Army tanks). The engine, which was powered by the same General Motors 6046 twin diesel as the M4A2, was reliable as well as easy to maintain. Until May 1945, around 3,230 M4A2 (76) Ws units were delivered.

Introduced in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals", the M4A2 (76) W replaces the cast hull of the M4A1 (76) W with an uninterrupted, fully welded hull's upper front armour plate that slopes at 47°. As the M4A2 (76) W has an exceptionally high profile, it is difficult to drive around undetected, making it an easy target for enemies. However, by making use of its strong mobility early in the battle, it is possible to get into strategic locations and adopt a hull-down position to obtain the first shot at the adversaries. Another improvement is the relocation of the ammunition storage to the centre of the tank, making it harder to target than in early-generation M4 Sherman variants. However, this is negligible given that the hull's upper front armour plate is unable to resist any shells from enemy tanks such as Tiger Is, Panthers, and T-34s. As a result, the best chance of survival is to use terrain elevation and gun depression in a hull-down position to optimize the effectiveness of the hull's upper front armour plate.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull38 / 38 / 38
Turret63 / 63 / 63
Crew5 people
Visibility122 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 63.5 mm (47°) 38.1 mm 38.1 mm 19.5 mm
Turret 88.9 mm 63.5 mm 63.5 mm 25.4 mm
Cupola 63.5 mm 63.5 mm 63.5 mm 25.4 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm thick, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB52 / 7 km/h
RB and SB47 / 7 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight33.0 t
Engine power
AB782 hp
RB and SB410 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB23.7 hp/t
RB and SB12.4 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 52 7 33 635 782 19.24 23.7
Realistic 47 7 363 410 11 12.42

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 273 → 1 638 Sl icon.png
RB1 496 → 1 925 Sl icon.png
SB1 916 → 2 465 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications29 600 Rp icon.png
57 700 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training30 000 Sl icon.png
Experts105 000 Sl icon.png
Aces470 Ge icon.png
Research Aces360 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
80 / 120 / 140 % Sl icon.png
148 / 148 / 148 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
2 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 900 Sl icon.png
180 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
2 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 900 Sl icon.png
180 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_usa_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
2 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 900 Sl icon.png
180 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_us_M88_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 700 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png

The most important modules to research are Parts and FPE. The stock M79 shot is inferior to the M62 APCBC shell in most situations, so researching the M62 shot module is a top priority. After that, the player may prioritize either mobility or firepower upgrades, depending on playstyle.

Armaments

Main armament

76 mm M1 cannon
Vertical stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition71 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 25°
Main article: M1 (76 mm)
76 mm M1 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 71 -10°/+25° ±180° Vertical 22.85 31.62 38.40 42.47 45.18 7.67 6.78 6.25 5.90
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.56 24.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M79 shot AP 134 132 121 109 99 89
M42A1 shell HE 16 16 14 13 11 10
M62 shell APCBC 149 146 133 119 106 94
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M79 shot AP 792 6.8 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M42A1 shell HE 823 5.84 0.2 0.1 390 79° 80° 81°
M62 shell APCBC 792 7 1.2 14 63.7 48° 63° 71°
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)
M88 274 3.44 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M4A1 (75) W (China) (identical)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
71 66 (+5) 31 (+40) 1 (+70) No

Note:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been shot or loaded.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 30°
Horizontal guidance-60° / 60°
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), M1919A4 (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 600 (200) 577 -10°/+30° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,000 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The M4A2 (76) W is a classic Sherman tank. It requires careful positioning and avoidance of enemy fire, possesses an above-average gun, and works best when played around teammates.

As such, it is well-suited to city brawls in which it can use rubble as cover and protect its flanks effectively. The city environment also suits the tank's below-average mobility. In close quarters, this shortcoming will not be too much of a hindrance. That being said, the M4A2 is also a classic medium tank, and highly adaptable. If needed, it can engage at most, if not all, ranges. It can be used to rush a point, or to defend from an assault. Certainly, the powerful cannon is capable against all but the most heavily armoured enemies.

This vehicle has mediocre armour and a highly visible profile, so it must be played carefully if the player wishes to stay alive for more than a few minutes. It is not uncommon for the M4A2 to be destroyed in a single hit, especially when facing the German cannons. Other enemies to watch out for include enemy aircraft: although the roof armour will protect crew members from strafing runs, the vehicle's above-average size makes it rather visible from the air, and makes it a target for bombing and rocket attacks.

Enemies to look out for

  • T-34-57, T-34-85, and other T-34s - Much like the Sherman, the Soviet T-34 proved to have weak armour at this battle rating, but its cannon will guarantee a knock-out, and with the Shermans are no exception. Avoid these tanks or destroy them before they do, as they are likely to be faster than you. If you face them when they are not aware of your presence, you can easily destroy them with your 76 mm M1 cannon.
  • Panthers - These heavily armed German beasts have 80 mm of sloped armour, capable of firing the KwK42 heavy gun they use, with more than 150 mm penetration at 1,000+ m away. Meaning that Panthers are most likely going to be your demise, as your gun cannot do anything against theirs while they can penetrate your armour from the front. The easiest way to reliably knock them out is to target the turret.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good top speed
  • Great rate of fire for the main gun
  • Angled frontal slope which may sometimes bounce larger calibres if angled correctly
  • 5 crew members, which increases the survivability
  • A pintle-mounted heavy machine gun (12.7 mm), which can be used for anti-aircraft and against light armoured vehicles
  • Wet ammo storage reduces greatly ammo rack detonations, is indicated by the "W" in its name
  • Fast turret traverse

Cons:

  • Tall profile
  • Prone to tipping over when travelling across steep inclines
  • Armour might not stand up against common guns like the Soviet 85 mm or the German KwK36.
  • Sides and rear are thinly armoured
  • Engine compartment is poorly armoured
  • Narrow tracks mean poor ground flotation and cross country performance
  • Only reaches its top speed on paved surfaces
  • Lacks the add-on armour module found on the 76 mm M4A1 and M4A3
  • Unlike the earlier M4A1 (76) W, Cruise Control 1 setting is slightly above the maximum speed that the stabilizer operates at


History

M4 Sherman

The start of World War II and the Battle of France had America find that their current armoured forces were completely inadequate to fight back a German armour assault. With only the M2 light tanks and the M2 available with their 37 mm cannons, the Americans greatly increased their efforts in tank development to bolster their defences but to satisfy demands from Great Britain for adequate tanks to rebuild their decimated armoured forces. The requirements set by the US Army called for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret mounting the gun on a tank was not. Thus, while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design - the M3 Lee tank - in a "sponson" mount. During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were submitted by the Ordnance Department. In April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the T6, completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the M4 Sherman. The production for the Sherman began in October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around than 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the T-34 tank. The Sherman first saw service in North Africa in the hands of the British, and the Shermans continued to see service throughout the North African campaign, Tunisian campaign, and the Italian campaign in the British and American armies. However, the 75 mm gun on the Sherman soon found itself saw as inadequate when the Germans began fielding their new generation of heavy tanks, the Tiger I and the Panther, which could defend itself against the 75 mm gun and take out the Sherman at a long range. A desire to up-gun the Sherman grew among Ordnance officers to fight incoming armour threats and started as far back as 1942.

Development

The desire for a hole puncher on the Sherman started in the Ordnance department, seen as an improvement to the Sherman tank's overall combat ability to fight future tank threats. It started with the adaption of the 3-inch anti-tank gun, the most powerful American anti-tank weapon at the time, into the M4 Sherman. The gun proved too heavy and too bulky for a straight adaption so a simpler and smaller gun model was created called the 76 mm M1, which could be practically fitted into the M4 Sherman turret. The 76 mm differed from the 3-inch in ammunition as well, using a different propellant case but the same shells. The first guns were trialled in a M4A1 Sherman, but while Ordnance approved the vehicle, Armored Board rejected it as it caused the turret interior to be too cramped for the crew and also the lack of need of such vehicle. This solution was fixed by taking the cancelled T23 project and adapting the turret into the Sherman, which was easy as the Sherman and the T23 used the same turret ring diameter. The larger turret allowed for a more practical mounting of the 76 mm gun and more room for the crew to move around in. This variant was approved and production was to start in early 1944 for the upcoming invasion of Europe in Operation Overlord to counter the German Tiger I and the Panther tanks.

Design

Aside from the enlarged T23 turret, the Sherman interior layout was largely unchanged from the original design. The driver and bow gunner still sat in the front, the three-man turret crew in the centre, and the engine compartment in the back. The exterior design of the hull was also largely unchanged with the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and sloping front armour.

The M4A2 (76) W Sherman model ran on a GM 6046 diesel engine. Being built off the original M4A2, the hull construction was welded, which proved simpler to produce than casting. Early M4A2 variants had the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle, but this design had protrusions on the driver and assistant driver hatches that created "shot traps" as these protrusions gave less protection than the frontal armour plate. This was fixed on later models with 47-degree angling instead, which eliminated the shot traps and made the frontal armour more effective than before. The M4A2 (76) W variant, as indicated by the name, mounted the 76 mm gun instead of the usual 75 mm. The "W" designation on the Sherman indicated that the vehicle had the wet stowage feature in response to complaints that the Sherman can easily catch fire due to exploding ammunition. The wet stowage encased the ammo containers in a liquid mixture that would douse the flames when penetrated or block flaming shrapnel from penetrating shots from hitting the ammunition. The containers also placed all the ammunition in the bottom centre of the tank, reducing the likeliness of it being hit by a shell as the penetrating shell must go through every armour and obstacle to hit the tank centre. This feature was only present after February 1944 and severely decreased the rate of Sherman fires. Of the 49,234 Sherman produced in World War II, 2,915 M4A2(76)s were produced from April 1944 to May 1945.

Combat usage

Despite the stock of 76 mm Shermans now available for them, the commanders opted to not bring any during the invasion of France in June 1944. The issues were logistical, as having a 76 mm armament would mean supplying a different set of ammo to the task forces. Another issue was that the 76 mm gun had a less lethal high-explosive round at hand, meaning combat against infantry or fixed emplacements would be slightly harder. This forced 75 mm armed Shermans to have to compete against the better armed and armoured Panthers and Tigers in the initial period of the invasion. The combat debut of the 76 mm Shermans as the M4A1 (76) was during Operation Cobra in July 1944, as a response to the growing German armour threat in Europe. The 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions received 52 of these Shermans and the rest were distributed among the tank battalions in the infantry divisions. Deliveries of the M4(76) began coming into Europe from August 1944. The M4 (76) and M4 (75) Shermans served alongside each other, though the 75 mm Shermans were around in larger numbers and the opinions of the 76 mm cannon vary from a necessary addition to a burden. Nevertheless, the M4(76) began to be supplied among the tank battalions and armoured divisions to face the intense combat at the Siegfried Line. The 75 mm guns stayed as the primary armament of the armoured forces until the Battle of the Bulge, which had much American armour destroyed by the German onslaught of heavy German tanks such as their Panther and Tiger IIs. The negative response from both troops and press had Allied commanders, even Eisenhower himself, request only 76 mm Sherman to be delivered instead of 75 mm in response. The new units arriving in Europe after the Battle of the Bulge were all equipped with 76 mm Shermans. Despite their appearance, 75 mm Shermans were still in stock in the armoured divisions and were still held in high regards for their better capacity to destroy soft targets with high-explosive shells.

After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the M4A3E8 with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The M26 Pershing that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the M46 Patton was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gunned the tank with the much powerful post-war French 75 mm and 105 mm gun as the M-50 and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied T-54 tanks and T-34-85s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.


Archive of the in-game description

The new tank modification, based on the M4A1 (76)W, was an upgraded T23 turret and a long-barrelled 76 mm M1A1 cannon, later an M1A2. The turret included a cupola, the turret ventilator moved from the roof to the back wall, and the frontal armour was thickened to 100 mm. Beginning in August 1944 the reloader was given a separate round folding hatch. In March 1945 the M4A2 (76) W's suspension went through a significant change: two road wheels in each bogie turned into four (two paired), the volute springs went from vertical to horizontal, and the balance system was modified accordingly. A hydraulic shock absorber was also installed on every bogie.

Between May 1944 and the end of the war, 2,915 of them were made in total.

A significant number of units, around 2,070, were shipped to the USSR via Lend-Lease.

The Shermans helped liberate Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria, also seeing combat in the battle for Berlin.


Media

Skins

See also

Other M4A2 tanks in the game

External links


USA medium tanks
M2  M2
M3  M3 Lee · ▃Grant I
M4  M4 · Calliope · M4A1 · M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (105) · M4A3 (76) W · M4/T26
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26 T99 · M26E1
M46/47/48 Patton  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47 · M48A1 · T54E1 · T54E2
M60  M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A2 · M60A3 TTS · M728 CEV · 120S
MBT-70  MBT-70 · XM803
M1 Abrams  XM1 (Chrysler) · XM1 (GM)
  M1 Abrams · M1 KVT · IPM1
  M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A1 Click-Bait
  M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP · M1A2 SEP V2
Other  T95E1
Australia  M1A1 AIM
Canada  M4A5
Israel  ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Merkava Mk.1 · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.3D
Turkey  M60 AMBT

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