S.35

S.35

H.39

S.35

H.39

France

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.3	1.3	1.3

Class:

Medium tank

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

Description

The Char de Cavalerie SOMUA 1935 S was a French cavalry tank. It was a remarkably manoeuvrable tank for its period, superior in armour and armament to both its French and foreign counterparts. It was constructed of well-sloped, mostly cast armour parts, which made it costly to create and time-consuming to maintain. The hull and turret were cast armour with maximum thicknesses of 47 mm and 40 mm, respectively; the bottom was made by two longitudinal plates, and the superstructure was separated into front and back sections. The turret was a variant of the APX 1 turret that was primarily used on the Char B1 heavy tank. Similarly to the Char B1 heavy tank, the commander was tasked with directing the tank while also loading, aiming, and firing the 47 mm SA35 L/32 tank gun.

Introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance", the Char de Cavalerie SOMUA 1935 S is best used as a support tank, following allies and hitting the enemy from a safe distance. Do not attempt to lead the assault. Light tanks are all dangerous since they can easily outmanoeuvre this tank. Another challenge for this tank is the tremendous reduction in armour penetration at long ranges. While inferior to tanks from other countries, the main weapon of this tank has adequate anti-tank capability when compared to other French tanks in its rank. Its biggest flaws are its lengthy reload time and poor post-penetration damage. The commander performing multiple duties was the fundamental weakness of early French tanks, and knocking out the commander effectively meant destroying the tank.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull35 / 40 / 35

Turret45 / 45 / 45

Crew3 people

Visibility99 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (engine vents, side skirts)
• Cast homogeneous armour (hull, turret. cupola)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	47 mm (24°) Upper plate 35 mm (cylindrical) Upper glacis 40 mm (cylindrical) Lower glacis	40 mm (15-25°) Top 38 mm (17-21°) Top - Access panels 40 Bottom 40 + 20 mm Bottom - Side skirts	35 mm (31°) Top 25 mm Centre 25 mm (25-29°) Bottom	35 mm (cylindrical) Front glacis 25 mm (4-9°) Centre and rear 8 mm (13°) Engine vents
Turret	56 mm Turret front 45 mm Gun mantlet 45 + 56 mm Machine gun port 40 mm Turret ring	45 mm (20°)		30 mm (24°) Front part 30 mm Rear part
Cupola	40 mm (8°)	40 mm (25-26°)	40 mm (9°)	30 mm (spherical)

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
• Hull underside above the tracks is 10 mm thick.
• Gun barrel is 15 mm thick.

Armour is the S.35's main attribute as it is thick and provides good protection for its 3-man crew. Still, do not completely rely on it as there are many foes that can easily penetrate it at any range. Take every bounced shot as a "lucky roll" and get back into cover as quick as possible as the next shot could be your last. Armour this thick makes this tank very resilient to SPAA shots from all sides. An effective way to angle this tank is by facing your enemy at 45°, showing them your right-hand track: this sides minimises shot traps (on the other side, a flat 40 mm plate is conveniently placed at the right angle to make this tactic as ineffective as possible). As for top armour, this tank is pretty much immune to strafing from anything ranging from rifle-calibre to HMG rounds, which are common aircraft armaments at this BR.

If you see a S.35, aim at the connection of the lower/middle plate with the upper plate which meets at 90 degrees, despite being curved, creating a weak spot that often knocks them out if penetrated. If not then aim at the driver's optics to knock out both driver and gunner. Flank if possible and make sure to be quite close to this tank's side as its armour is thick in this general area. The S.35 cannot fight more than one tank at a time, so if you can surround the S.35, it will fall quickly due to poor reload rate and turret turning speed.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB45 / 6 km/h

RB and SB40 / 6 km/h

Number of gears5 forward

1 back

Weight19.5 t

Engine power

AB363 hp

RB and SB190 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB18.6 hp/t

RB and SB9.7 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	45	6	19.5	294	363	15.08	18.62
Realistic	40	6		168	190	8.62	9.74

Forward motion of the S.35 is great, turning and reverse are awful. It has average crossing capability on soft terrain (snow, mud, etc.). Align your hull in a straight line towards your objective and hit the gas without correcting trajectory is the best way to maximise this tank's speed as any turning motion slows it down quite significantly.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB132 → 169

RB110 → 141

SB120 → 154

Total cost of modifications2 970

890

Talisman cost190

Crew training200

Experts1 000

Aces20

Research Aces96 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

10 / 10 / 20 %

100 / 100 / 100 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 200 Cost: 60 50 Suspension Research: 165 Cost: 50 40 Brake System Research: 165 Cost: 50 40 Filters Research: 250 Cost: 75 65 Transmission Research: 320 Cost: 95 80 Engine Research: 320 Cost: 95 80	Improved Parts Research: 200 Cost: 60 50 Improved FPE Research: 165 Cost: 50 40 Crew Replenishment Research: 250 Cost: 75 65	Horizontal Drive Research: 200 Cost: 60 50 Adjustment of Fire Research: 165 Cost: 50 40 Elevation Mechanism Research: 250 Cost: 75 65 Artillery Support Research: 320 Cost: 95 80

Armaments

Main armament

47 mm SA35 L/32 cannon

Shoulder stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving

Ammunition84 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

5.2 → 4.0 s

Vertical guidance-18° / 18°

47 mm SA35 L/32					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	84	±18°	±180°	Shoulder	9.5	13.2	16.0	17.7	18.8	5.2	4.6	4.2	4.0
Realistic					6.0	7.0	8.5	9.4	10.0

While being subpar to later pre-war tanks, this vehicle's main armament provides decent anti-tank capability. Its main flaw being slow reload and low spalling: make every shot count. Early commanders of French tanks should be used to command one-man turrets, with all their benefits and flaws. It is worth mentioning the shoulder gun stabilizer, which makes stop-and-shoot tactics effective.

Ammunition

The S.35 has a limited choice of ammunition:

• Mle1935: APC; a solid shot with average penetration and no explosive filler. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts is essential with this type of ammunition.
• Mle1935 HE: HE; useful for destroying open-topped and very lightly-armoured vehicles.

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
Mle1935	APC	62	59	47	36	27	20
Mle1935 HE	HE	6	6	5	4	4	4

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%
Mle1935	APC	660	1.62	-	-	-	48°	63°	71°
Mle1935 HE	HE	590	1.41	0.1	0.1	143	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the S.35

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
84	67 (+17)	48 (+36)	25 (+59)	1 (+83)	No

Note:

• As they are modeled by sets of 3, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fire all shells in the set.
• Bring 25 (+59) shells into battle to carry enough rounds while keeping most racks empty.

Machine guns

7.5 mm MAC 31 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition3 300 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

6.5 → 5.0 s

Fire rate551 shots/min

7.5 mm MAC 31
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	3,300 (150)	551	N/A	N/A

The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Usage in battles

Your best option is to play in a supportive role, staying behind a well armoured vehicle and landing shots on the enemy from a medium distance. Do not try to rush in ahead of the team or go solo, as 7/10 times you will be destroyed by a counter-flanking player. The S.35 is able to hold its ground if you create a corridor for people to come at you. If you are able to flank without being seen, just remember to check behind you every now and then.

All light tanks are to be feared as they can out-manoeuvre this cumbersome tank quite easily and most enemies with a bit of luck will eventually hit one of this tank's weak spots. Another challenge for this tank is facing a good bit of armour at ranges, where the SA35's penetration drops off. With its low post-penetration damage some tanks with many crew members (like the T-28) are also hard to take down.

In a defensive role, it can be played in a hull down position on a hill. This lets you take full advantage of the gun's -18° of gun depression and means that only exceptionally well-placed shots will be able to harm you.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Over all thick armour for rank I
  • ~35-40 mm thick on all sides with a slight slope gives it a chance to survive a hit or two
  • Capable of successfully angling due to thick sides
  • Turret is quite thick on all sides
• One of the first French tanks which can brawl at closer ranges without support
• Shoulder stabilizer makes stop-and-shoot tactics very effective
• Good acceleration in AB, with an acceptable turn speed when driving at max speed
• 3 crew member configuration grants better survivability than other 2-man French tanks

Cons:

• Big cupola is an obvious shot trap
• Angling can be defeated by knowing its shot traps: even a well-angled S.35 shows flat armour
• Gun has poor penetration power on longer ranges
• Limited ammunition choice
• Mobility is limited:
  • Long and narrow chassis makes for difficult turning
  • Reverse speed feels slow
  • Turning the tank sideways at maximum speed may cause the tank to tip sideways, so be careful when turning it

History

The SOMUA S.35 was developed in 1934 in response to demand for a cavalry tank that could withstand direct hits from contemporary anti-tank weapons. SOMUA was the company assigned to the challenge, and by spring 1935 they completed construction of the first prototype, designated the AC3.

Unfortunately, early testing revealed some flaws with the first prototype, which SOMUA subsequently fixed and released in a pre-production batch of four vehicles (called the AC4). This first batch demonstrated satisfactory performance. In 1936, the AC4 modification of the vehicle was adopted as the standard medium tank for the cavalry units of the French army. Shortly thereafter, it received the official designation of SOMUA S.35.

Production of the SOMUA S.35 began in 1936, with a goal of producing 600 vehicles. During production, however, financial restraints limited the number that could be produced. Of the initial 600 planned, only 450 were actually ordered and built for the French army.

Following the outbreak of WW2, the S.35 was soon deployed to defend French soil against a German invasion. Because the tank was designed to fight contemporary armoured vehicles of other nations, it fared well against the onslaught of Panzer III's and early modifications of the Panzer IV.

In fact, in most battles where the S.35 clashed with German Panzers in engagement ranges of around 1,000 m, the S.35 was able to destroy the Panzers without taking any critical damage in return.

Unfortunately, while the S.35 did reasonably well in combat, the mechanics servicing the vehicle had few kind words for it. Due to its cast hull and complex suspension design, the S.35 was notoriously difficult to service and maintain—so difficult that if the tank was damaged in combat, the crew was unlikely to be able to repair it on the battlefield.

While the S.35 saw some success in battle, its victories were short-lived. In June 1940, France surrendered and German forces occupied the northern part of the country, while the Vichy government was established in the south. Dozens of S.35s were captured, modified, and then deployed by the German and Italian forces. A handful of S.35s were also given to axis allies such as Hungary and Bulgaria.

The S.35 was eventually decommissioned from active service at the end of hostilities in 1945.

- From Devblog

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the S.35 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Best gun depression discusses the S.35 at 3:01 - War Thunder Official Channel

SOMUA S.35, French, Tier-1, Medium Tank - Angry Nerd Gaming

The Shooting Range #79 - Pages of History section at 05:05 discusses the S.35.

See also

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

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

External links

• [Devblog] SOMUA S.35 - Shield of The Republic
• [Wikipedia] SOMUA S35
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] SOMUA S35

Société d'Outillage Mécanique et d'Usinage d'Artillerie (SOMUA)
Tanks
Medium tanks	S.35
Heavy tanks	Somua SM
Tank destroyers	SAu 40