StuG III G

StuG III G

StuG III F

Jagdpanzer IV

StuG III G

StuG III F

Jagdpanzer IV

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.3	4.0	4.0

Class:

Tank destroyer

Research:14 000

Purchase:32 000

Description

The Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G (or StuG III G) is a rank II German tank destroyer with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB) and 4.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.43.

Compared with previous models, the Ausf. G of the StuG III tank destroyer comes with thicker armour of 80 mm in the front glacis and a 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 gun that gives the vehicle's characteristics on par with Panzer IV tank. However, with this cannon combined with a low profile construction due to its casemate design, the StuG III G can prove to be a formidable vehicle in the ambush role.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, superstructure)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	80 mm (50°) Lower glacis 80 mm (19°) Lower plate 30 mm (76°) Bottom junction glacis	30 + 5* mm (*Side skirts)	50 mm (15°) Upper plate 50 mm Lower plate 30 mm (66°) Bottom junction glacis	30 mm (4°) Front part 16 mm Engine compartment 30 mm (13°) Rear part
Superstructure	80 mm (0-11°) Upper plate 80 mm (1-10°) Gun mantlet 30 mm (69°) Upper glacis 30 mm (50°) Side glacis overhanging the tracks	30 + 5* mm (*Side skirts)	30 mm	11 mm
Cupola	50 mm (cylindrical)			11 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
• The side skirts protect against HEAT and HE rounds by detonating the fuzes before they penetrate the vehicle..
• The Add-on Armour module unlockable at tier IV adds extra tracks (20 mm thick) on several weak spots.
• The belly of the StuG III G is 30 mm thick.

While comparatively well armoured to other tank destroyers of its battle rating, it is not well-enough protected to allow it to be an assault tank. It is not recommended to attempt angling the tank, as the sides are far too thin and will easily be penetrated if you attempt to angle the front. One slight advantage this tank has over the previous models of StuGs is the side skirts, which may allow incoming HE and HEAT shells to be negated; they do not provide a large protection bonus for incoming AP rounds, however.

Mobility

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)		Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse	Stock	AoA	Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	44	9	23.9	0.45	426	572	17.79	23.44
Realistic	41	8			265	300	11.06	12.3

While based on the chassis of a Panzer III, the StuG III G is uparmoured and thus heavier than a regular Pz.III medium tank. It still benefits from the same all-round mobility but lacks are noticeable, especially acceleration and top speed. The tank still accelerates decently and is able to reach a maximum speed of 43 km/h in a dozen of seconds. The reverse speed is average: it will not get you out of a dangerous situation quickly but isn't a handicap either. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn faster (6 km/h). If you need to quickly turn your hull on the spot towards flanking enemies, privilege the reverse gear (-4 km/h).

The stock tracks are narrow and grant you a decent mobility on hard terrain (solid ground, roads) but poor mobility on soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Once researched, the "Ostketten" wide tracks for snowy terrain will grant you a very good mobility on soft terrain and when driving uphill. The StuG III G reaches 15 km/h when fording, 17 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 7 km/h uphill from a stop start (12 km/h with Ostketten). Light obstacles (fences and bushes) are not a problem but medium to large obstacles (posts, trees, concrete blocks and parked vehicles) will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm StuK40					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	54	-6°/+17°	±10°	N/A	13.21	18.28	22.20	24.55	26.12	7.67	6.78	6.25	5.90
Realistic					8.92	10.50	12.75	14.10	15.00

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
PzGr 39	APCBC	140	137	125	112	100	89
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	80	80	80	80	80	80
PzGr 40	APCR	166	162	146	128	112	98
Sprgr. 34	HE	10	10	10	10	10	10

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%
PzGr 39	APCBC	750	6.8	1.2	14.0	28.9	48°	63°	71°
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	450	4.4	0.0	0.1	872.1	62°	69°	73°
PzGr 40	APCR	930	4.1	N/A	N/A	N/A	66°	70°	72°
Sprgr. 34	HE	550	5.74	0.1	0.1	686	79°	80°	81°

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)
K.Gr.Rot Nb.	540	6.2	13	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the StuG III G

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
54	40 (+14)	17 (+37)	1 (+53)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after you've used all shells in the rack.
• Pack 17 (+37) shells into battle to deplete your right flank of ammo (racks 1 & 2 emptied).

Usage in battles

This tank destroyer is best played as a support vehicle. Unlike its predecessors, it has excellent armour and can be invincible from long ranges. However, if playing with this tank close to the front lines, (for example, capturing points) this armour will not be adequate against the close-range power of most vehicles. Any shot which penetrates the armour will most likely destroy the vehicle due to the small interior layout. The sides are a weak point from any ranges, so take care of that as well. Support teammates from the flanks, attack from long ranges, and never close in the distance even for objectives unless necessary. If properly concealed, the enemy will never know where they are attacked as they concentrate their assault forwards.

Once in a game, choose the spawn point patiently to pick the best area to start accepting firing positions. The open spaces are not good for the StuGs so when repositioning, make sure it is safe before moving ahead. Flank an objective point where the enemies will be capped, but the teammates will be frontally attacking. Be careful not to get detected by the enemy and find a place where the StuG can be in cover and start shooting. Always look around, and if the situation gets bad, relocate to another vantage point. If the StuG III is rooted in the enemy lines and alone, only attack if there is only one enemy. From long ranges, the StuG can always a winner in 1v1 duels if played cautiously. From short intervals, the key is situational awareness, and how fast the StuG III can shoot down the enemy before they fire and hit the StuG.

Some tips on enemies:

• American Tanks: M4 Shermans are easy targets, but in a 600 m area, they could penetrate the StuG's frontal armour if untangled. M4A3E2 Jumbos can lead to stalemates, but getting too close can allow the Jumbo to aim for weak spots. The best way to defeat the Jumbo is to flank and hit them at the side, preferably the lower area at the suspension where it is only 38.1 mm thick.
• Soviet tanks: T-34 will be dangerous from any ranges. It is easy to penetrate them, so the StuG must detect and shoot them down quickly. From long ranges, angling the StuG slightly might enhance the front armour against the T-34 shells, but angling too much will allow the T-34 to hit the vulnerable side armour.
• British tanks: The British tanks have some low calibre guns, but their high muzzle velocity and fast reload rate will penetrate and destroy the StuG easily. The Cruiser tanks like Cromwell will be a difficult target, as they are mobile and can flank the StuG easily. Be the first to detect the tank and fire at them while they are trying to position themselves, as their armour could be easily pierced by the 75 mm gun. If faced with a Churchill Mk.VII from the front, it is best to withdraw and call on teammates for support. If the Churchill is distracted, reposition to take aim at the side armour and devastate the interior with an APHE round. Other Churchills (Mk.I or Mk.III) can easily be penetrated frontally.

Modules

Tier	Mobility		Protection	Firepower
I	Tracks	Ostketten	Parts	Horizontal Drive
II	Suspension	Brake System	FPE	Hl.Gr 38B	Adjustment of Fire
III	Filters		Crew Replenishment	PzGr 40	Elevation Mechanism
IV	Transmission	Engine	Add-on Armor	K.Gr.Rot Nb.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful 75 mm cannon with decent penetration, great accuracy and velocity, and a piercing APCR: even with the stock AP it can frontally one-shot most opponents like the M4, T-34, Cromwell or even the KV-1
• Great frontal armour of 80 mm plus 20 mm add-on tracks (100 mm total, same as Tiger I) makes it immune to low-penetrating tanks like the T-34 1942, 75 mm M4 and M24
• Low silhouette makes the StuG easy to conceal in RB and SB
• Large side skirts can more or less provide some additional protection, especially against HEAT
• Multi-role potential: can be effective in city combat or close quarters, or long-range sniping

Cons:

• Vertical parts of frontal armour can still get penetrated by tanks like the T-34-57 and M4A1 (76) W, which are commonly seen
• A penetration through the driver port can knock out the driver, gunner, and commander, resulting in instant death for the StuG
• Fixed casemate superstructure restricts gun movement to the front
• Machine gun shield on the roof can compromise low profile and doesn't come with a machine gun
• A HE shell onto the machine gun shield can send the shrapnel down through the hull roof down into the crew compartment, particularly from the large calibre cannon on the KV-2

History

Development

The role of a self-propelled gun came from combat experiences in World War I. During the German offensives on the Allied front; infantry lacked artillery support against fortifications in places out-ranged by their heavy artillery behind the lines. A need for a mobile artillery piece was necessary to keep up with the German infantry and fight enemy fortifications with a direct-fire assault role. The father of this concept was German General Erich von Manstein and was coined as the Sturmartillerie (assault artillery), and these units were to be embedded in infantry divisions.

On June 15, 1936, Daimler-Benz AG was ordered to develop a support vehicle mounting the 75 mm howitzer as its armament in a casemate structure with a traverse of 25 degrees. The vehicle was to provide full protection for its crew and be no taller than an average soldier. Daimler-Benz repurposed the chassis and running gear of their Panzer III design for the role. These new vehicles were named the Sturmgeschütz III (assault gun), or the shortened StuG III and the finished designs were sent to Alkett for prototype production and five were produced in 1937. These prototypes were made of mild steel and had the 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 cannon, an adaption of the original 75 mm KwK 37 cannon on the Panzer IV. This gun would be featured on the StuG III variants Ausf. A to Ausf. E. The StuG III entered production from January 1940 to the end of the war on April 1945 due to the many upgrades done on the vehicle to increase serviceability and its low cost. At about a total production of 11,300 StuG III and its variants, the StuG III design was the most produced armoured fighting vehicle in German service.

Design

The StuG III had a fully enclosed armoured shell, keeping the crew safe within the vehicle. As a casemate structure, it has a limited traverse range for its front view, and the whole vehicle must be turned if a target is outside its traverse range. The StuG III featured about 50 mm of armour on the front, but about 30 mm of armour everywhere else, this was upgraded as the war progressed to 80 mm. The suspension system is identical to the Panzer III's, a torsion bar system. The StuG III had a crew of four, the commander, driver, loader, and gunner. Initial variants lack machine guns, so the StuG was required to work with support units to ensure it does not get overrun by infantry. It wasn't until December 1942 when a machine gun could be accommodated for the loader to use. Initial variants also did not have a commander's cupola, so his view was quite restricted. However, models after September 1943 had them installed.

Combat usage

During the initial stages of World War II, the StuG III with the 75 mm StuK 37 howitzer fared well in the campaigns in France and Poland, but when the invasion of Soviet Union commenced, the lack of German guns able to destroy their T-34 and KV-1 tanks prompted Germany to rearm their vehicles with newer guns. So the original StuK 37 cannon from the initial designs was upgraded to the 75 mm StuK 40 cannons. The StuG III Ausf. F has the shorter L/43 cannon, but the StuG III Ausf. G featured the longer L/48 cannon with improved design features on the vehicle. The Ausf. G was the most common and produced StuG III variant in the war. It featured a widened superstructure with a straightened back wall, also making it slightly higher with a height of 2160 mm now. The exhaust fan is moved to the back, and a commander's cupola is added onto the design. The driver's periscope on the design was abandoned, and the vehicle has Schürzen armour plates installed on the hull to protect the weaker hull sides against anti-tank rifles and HEAT rounds. Instead of the 50 mm hull armour with an additional 30 mm welded on the Ausf. F, the Ausf. G featured a solid 80 mm plate on the hull front. A machine gun mount has also become integrated into the design with a small shield for the loader as well to operate it in safety, though a "remote" operated version was also installed later so that the loader would only need to get out to reload the machine gun. This design is the most numerous of the StuG III variants, and the 11,300 StuG IIIs built, 8738 StuG III Ausf. Gs were built from December 1942 to April 1945, with some converted from fully built Panzer IIIs.

The new 75 mm StuK 40 cannon could engage many Allied tank designs. This upgrade changed the StuG III role from its usual infantry support role into a tank destroyer, though it can serve both roles with acceptable performance. The vehicles were deemed very successful and attributed to more tanks destroyed than any other armoured fighting vehicle in German service. The success of the StuG III urged Germany to prioritize the production of casemate structure vehicles built from chassis of other vehicles for further development in tank destroyers such as the Jagdpanther, Jagdpanzer 38(t), and the Ferdinand.

The StuG III design was also made into different variants with different armaments, such as a 105 mm howitzer on the StuH 42 , a flamethrower on the StuG III (Flamm), and even a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun on the Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B.

Legacy

The StuG III design would see service in the entire war due to its adaptability to the changing course of the war, going from an offensive support weapon to a defensive tank destroyer. The StuG III holds the distinct title of knocking out the most Allied tanks in German service with about 20,000 tanks destroyed, much more than the better Panther and Tiger tanks. It was a widely-exported design to Germany's allies, such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Spain, and Finland. The StuG III would continue serving in various countries past World War II in conflicts in the 1960s, such as the Six Days War in Syria's service that was donated by the Soviet Union. Today, some are still serving as static pillboxes on the Golan Heights.

In-game description

The final and most mass-produced variant of the Sturmgeschütz III. These guns began to be released in December 1942 and continued to be made until the end of the war. With these modifications, the designation of production models was changed to StuG.40 Ausf. G. The design of their conning tower was different from that of previous variants. The tower was wider, and extended halfway over both of the vehicle's treads. A commander's cupola was installed, which greatly improved the gun commander's view and required an increase in the emplacement's height, up to 2,160 mm. The ballistic protection of the gunner's sight was also improved. The first series of this assault gun still had 50 mm of forward armor, but by the summer of 1943 this had been reinforced by additional plates 30 mm thick. From May 1943 onward, the vehicles were fitted with Schurzen side skirts as a means of protection against high-explosive anti-tank shells and anti-tank rifle bullets. From August 1943 to September 1944, the assault guns were coated with an anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste. Some sources claim the paste could make shells ricochet off, but it was probably applied to counter magnetic mines.

Vehicles manufactured before October 1943 had a commander's cupola which could rotate, as it was mounted on ball bearings. However, due to a lack of ball bearings, the cupola began to be welded on in September 1943 and following. From August 1944 to the end of the war, the self-propelled assault guns once again had rotating commander's cupolas.

In 1944, the troops began to receive assault guns with remote-controlled machine guns to fight against infantry, in addition to a new, streamlined gun mantlet. The characteristic outline of this mantlet received the name Saukopfblende.

By the end of the war, the companies Alkett and MIAG had built 7,834 StuG.40 Ausf. G assault guns.

The overall quality of the armament and armor of this assault gun made it a frequent winner in battles against allied tanks.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the StuG III G from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

StuG III G Tank Review - NUSensei

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• Panzer III (Family)

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• SU-85
• 75/46 M43
• Pvkv m/43 (1946)

External links

• [National Forces] German Sturmgeschütz Units
• [Wikipedia] Sturmgeschütz III
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] Sturmgeschütz III
• [Military Factory] SdKfz 142 StuG III (Sturmgeschütz III)