Marder III H

This page is about the German tank destroyer Marder III H. For the other version III, see Marder III.

Marder III H

StuG III A

StuH 42 G

Marder III H

StuG III A

StuH 42 G

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.0	3.0	3.0

Class:

Tank destroyer

Research:7 900

Purchase:10 000

Description

The Marder III H officially designated PaK40/3 auf Sfl.38 Ausf. H (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 138) is a rank II German tank destroyer with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.47 "Big Guns".

The Marder III H is a step above the basic Marder III. As it is in Germany's open-topped tank destroyer line, its calling card is its superb firepower, in fact, it has a powerful gun for its BR range. APCBC is almost always enough to penetrate and destroy any tank on the battlefield, and with APCR, it has a very high penetration for its battle rating range.

The Marder III Ausf. H mounts a 75 mm gun, slightly surpassing those on the late Panzer IV's⁣; thus its only disadvantages are its weak armour and its open fighting compartment.

Being a modified Pz.38(t) tank, it is one of the more mobile of the German tanks, nearly matching some Russian tanks. The gun is better at close range and the gun shield is curved to the sides, unlike the earlier Marder III.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull50 / 15 / 15

Turret15 / 15 / 0

Crew4 people

Visibility87 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides (Slope angle)	Rear	Roof
Hull	50 mm (19°) Front plate 12 mm (74°) Front glacis 50 mm (13°) Lower glacis	16 mm Upper 15 mm Lower	15 mm	12 mm
Turret	11 + 8 mm (31°)	11 mm (8-9°)	N/A	N/A

Note:

• Belly armour is 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB49 / 7 km/h

RB and SB45 / 7 km/h

Number of gears5 forward

1 back

Weight11.0 t

Engine power

AB286 hp

RB and SB150 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB26.0 hp/t

RB and SB13.6 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	49	7	11	213	286	19.36	26
Realistic	45	7		133	150	12.09	13.64

The Marder can gain a good amount of speed on flat ground (about 40-45 km/h). However, it does not take well to hills, even the slightest elevation can drop your top speed to 25 km/h or less, making you an easy target when trying to reach a firing position, especially in open areas. If faced with a large hill, go around it. It will take you the same or less time to find a way around then struggle up the hill. If there is no choice but the hill, perform a "zig-zag" up the hill to prevent the vehicle from getting bogged down.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB434 → 536

RB491 → 607

SB597 → 738

Total cost of modifications6 900

6 720

Talisman cost530

Crew training3 000

Experts10 000

Aces115

Research Aces160 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

30 / 50 / 60 %

112 / 112 / 112 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 460 Cost: 450 85 Suspension Research: 310 Cost: 300 55 Brake System Research: 310 Cost: 300 55 Filters Research: 430 Cost: 420 80 Transmission Research: 750 Cost: 730 135 Engine Research: 750 Cost: 730 135	Improved Parts Research: 460 Cost: 450 85 Improved FPE Research: 310 Cost: 300 55 Crew Replenishment Research: 430 Cost: 420 80	Horizontal Drive Research: 460 Cost: 450 85 75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack Research: 310 Cost: 300 55 Adjustment of Fire Research: 310 Cost: 300 55 75mm_kwk_40_APCR_ammo_pack Research: 430 Cost: 420 80 Elevation Mechanism Research: 430 Cost: 420 80 75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack Research: 750 Cost: 730 135

Always go for "Parts" and "FPE" first to increase the vehicle's survivability. The stock shell is quite effective, so the Ml.Gr 38B HEAT shell and PzGr 40 APCR shell are not priorities either. Instead, focus on mobility upgrades and the Horizontal Drive modification. After that, the order of research will be determined by personal preference.

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm PaK40/3 L46 cannon

Ammunition38 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

7.6 → 5.9 s

Vertical guidance-9° / 9°

Horizontal guidance-28° / 28°

75 mm PaK40/3 L46					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	38	±9°	±28°	N/A	10.57	14.63	17.76	19.63	20.89	7.67	6.79	6.25	5.90
Realistic					7.14	8.40	10.20	11.28	12.00

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	151	148	135	121	108	96
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	80	80	80	80	80	80
PzGr 40	APCR	182	177	159	140	122	107
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	792	6.8	1.2	14	28.9	48°	63°	71°
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	450	4.4	0.05	0.1	872.1	62°	69°	73°
PzGr 40	APCR	990	4.1	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°
Sprgr. 34	HE	550	5.74	0	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 Marder III H

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
38	37 (+1)	33 (+5)	25 (+13)	22 (+16)	14 (+24)	11 (+27)	1 (+37)	No

Note:

• Gun shield empty (racks 1 & 2 emptied): 33 (+5) shells.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG37(t) machine gun

Ammunition1 200 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate769 shots/min

7.92 mm MG37(t)
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Hull	1,200 (200)	769	±10°	±10°

Usage in battles

Since you are an unprotected tank from behind, try to be as far from the action as possible. If getting close to enemy tanks cannot be prevented (urban maps, allies retreat etc.), then try to face at least a part of your hull against a wall or rock.

Use the horizontal range of the Marder III H as much as possible, the gun traverse is excellent for a turretless SPG. This tank destroyer can be penetrated easily; it has next to no armour at its battle rating. Keep close to other tanks to prevent this. Furthermore, it is imperative to exercise caution when being subjected to artillery fire; a single close hit, especially to your unprotected rear, can result in your demise due to shrapnel. Another important aspect to consider is the fact that ammunition is stored in the nearly unarmoured gun shield. Nearly any vehicle in the game, with the notable exception of the GAZ-AAA (4M), can penetrate there with ease. To mitigate the risk of ammo rack explosion, bring fewer shells, 33 are more than enough. Another fact to consider is that nearly all shells will over penetrate the superstructure and not explode.

The Marder III H's main APCBC shell, the PzGr 39, is good enough against most standard medium tank models like the M4 Sherman and T-34 from a frontal and slightly angled perspective. However, the penetration performance against sloped armour is only just enough under these circumstances, and an extreme angling beyond 60° on those tanks' part can cause rounds heading towards their front glacis to bounce. This makes up-armoured models like the T-34E and T-34E STZ particularly dangerous, as they can defeat the APCBC shell's sloped performance even at slight angles. While the T-34E has enhanced side armour, the T-34E STZ features increased front armour to bounce shots, so be sure to distinguish the two models for a more profound understanding on where to aim.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Outstanding gun, can knock out frontally common foes like T-34, M4, Churchill I with a single shot
• Armour protects the crew from MG fire, and is thin enough for explosive AP rounds to over-penetrate
• Fairly small tank destroyer can hide behind most obstacles
• Good -9° gun depression, good for most hills
• Excellent horizontal arc of 30°, allowing hiding easily
• Amazing penetration of APCR, effective even in uptiers

Cons:

• Vulnerable to HE shell overpressure (e.g. from SU-122)
• Not fully enclosed (exposed crew), vulnerable to MG, bombs, and strafing planes
• Poor +9° gun elevation can be unsuitable in certain situations
• Shells can overpenetrate some lightly-armoured vehicles (e.g. ZiS-12 94KM, Chi-Ha LG)

History

Development

After the start of Operation Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht found itself in a very dire situation due to the lack of adequate mobile anti-tank weapons, especially after the appearance of the superior Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks. The only mass-issued dedicated anti-tank gun was the 37 mm PaK36 while the sole widely used tank destroyer was the Panzerjäger I with the Czech 47 mm anti-tank gun. Obsolete tanks and captured vehicles were converted to tank destroyers to enable them to penetrate the modern Soviet tanks at common combat distances. Those were mainly the Marder I (from French Lorraine tracked supply vehicles), the Marder II (from Panzer IIs), and the Marder III (from Czech Panzer 38(t)s).

Specifications

The Marder IIIs, like the rest of the Marder series, were self-propelled guns better suited for fighting enemy armour than the Panzers III and IV then in service. They mounted dedicated anti-tank guns such as the 75 mm PaK40 or captured Soviet 76.2 mm guns, mainly the F-22. All the Marders were open-topped vehicles, leaving the crew exposed to mortar fire, shrapnel, or infantry fire. This weakness was mitigated by the fact that the Marders were supposed to be tank destroyers that are to ambush incoming enemy tanks or shoot them from afar.

The Marder III Ausf. H used the Panzer 38(t) chassis because it was becoming obsolete, and when new, desperately needed more powerful anti-tank weapons became available, as a stop-gap measure they were mounted on outdated tanks like the Panzer 38(t) first. The finished self-propelled mount had a higher silhouette, which left it more vulnerable, but had a 75 mm PaK40 gun and could hold 38 rounds in the vehicle. A machine gun on the hull was retained for anti-infantry purposes.

The Marder III Ausf. H predecessor, simply named as the Marder III mounted a rechambered 76.2 gun instead of a PaK40. Another variant created, the Ausf. M, featured a lower silhouette and a better-sloped armour and fighting compartment, despite only holding 27 rounds for the mounted PaK40. A total of 3,472 Marder IIIs and its versions were created or converted from Panzer 38(t) during its production life.

Combat usage

The Marder III Ausf. H fought on all fronts of the war, being produced from 1942 to 1945, with 450 Marder III Ausf. H with the PaK40 converted and produced. Using the tested design of the Panzer 38(t), the Marder III was mechanically reliable and had a gun that could take out most allied tanks in the war. The vulnerability of the crew due to lack of armour was its most pressing issue, with only a front shield plate at most 15 mm thick and side plates that can't enclose the crew. This makes it a poor assault vehicle or tank substitute, it allows infantry to easily kill the crew from ambushes. Despite that, with the deteriorating situation during the last years of the war, they were nevertheless used this way and suffered considerable losses.

As its production was underway, Germany already had a few self-propelled assault weapons being produced such as the StuG III that could have the same anti-tank capabilities, yet was fully armoured, enclosing the crew in adequate armour. This obvious advantage over the open Marder series encouraged the development of a new kind of tank destroyer from the Panzer 38(t) with better armour, which would eventually become the Jagdpanzer 38(t). Despite that, the Marders continued to serve to the end of the war.

Archive of the in-game description

An antitank vehicle designed by Alkett. The prototype was built in June, 1942. It was produced from November, 1942 to April, 1943 at the BMM factory. The Marder II Ausf.H was also rebuilt from damaged tanks at the Wehrmacht factory in Prilougi using cabins obtained from BMM. Marder IIIs were used actively on all fronts of World War II. Most of them were used on the Eastern Front. A total of 613 Marder III Ausf. H tank destroyers were produced.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Marder III H from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Hetzer's Useless Uncle? - Marder III Ausf. H.
-Military History Visualized

See also

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

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

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.