Difference between revisions of "Crusader III"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
[[File:GarageImage_Crusader Mk III.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 +
{{break}}
 +
The '''Crusader Mk III''' is a Rank I British light tank with a battle rating of 2.7. It was introduced along with the initial British tree line in [[Update_1.55_"Royal_Armour"|Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]].
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''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?''
+
<!--''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?''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Driver's port)
 +
* Structural steel (Side skirts)
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 20 mm (33°) ''Front plate'' <br> 9 mm (78-85°), 20 mm (61°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 20 mm (26-64°) ''Lower glacis'' || 4 + 14 + 14.27 mm || 14 mm (44-50°) ''Top'' <br> (14-52°) 14 mm ''Bottom'' || 7 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 30 mm (1°) ''Turret front'' <br> 30 mm (0-44°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14 mm (50°) || 17 mm (28-53°) || 12.7 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
 +
* Interior 14.27 mm side armour is made of structural steel.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
+
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''-->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
 +
|-
 +
! Weight (tons)
 +
!colspan="1" | Add-on Armor<br>weight (tons)
 +
!colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="2" | 20.3 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 47 (AB)
 +
|-
 +
|42 (RB/SB)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|527
 +
|649
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|301
 +
|340
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|25.96
 +
|31.97
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|14.83
 +
|16.75
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
''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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
{{main|Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)}}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
''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.''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)|57 mm OQF 6-pounder Mk.III]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="3" | 65 || -12°/+20° || ±180° || Vertical
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 +
|-
 +
! style="width:4em" |Mode
 +
! style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| ''Arcade'' || 9.5 || 13.2 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 +
|-
 +
| ''Realistic'' || 9.5 || 11.2 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| 5.20 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===== Ammunition =====
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10m
 +
! 100m
 +
! 500m
 +
! 1000m
 +
! 1500m
 +
! 2000m
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.5 || AP || 101 || 100 || 83 || 67 || 51 || 45
 +
|-
 +
| Shell Mk.10 || HE || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.5 HV || AP|| 112 || 111 || 92 || 74 || 57 || 50
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.8 || APC || 94 || 92 || 83 || 72 || 63 || 52
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.9 || APCBC || 113 || 112 || 100 || 90 || 84 || 80
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="11" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 +
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
 +
''in m:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
 +
''in mm:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''
 +
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
 +
|-
 +
! 0%
 +
! 50%
 +
! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.5 || AP || 807 || 2.8 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 +
|-
 +
| Shell Mk.10 || HE || 807 || 3.0 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 153 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.5 HV || AP || 853 || 2.8 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.8 || APC || 853 || 2.9 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 +
|-
 +
| Shot Mk.9 || APCBC || 801 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_Crusader_Mk_III.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Crusader Mk III.]]
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
|| '''65''' || 49&nbsp;''(+16)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+48)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+64)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
Center and front rack empty: 33&nbsp;''(+32)''
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="4" | 3,375 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in the battles ==
 
== Usage in the battles ==
−
''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).''
+
<!--''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).''-->
 +
The Crusader tank was designed to be fast and highly mobile, exploiting enemy battle lines by penetrating the flanks and disrupting the enemy from behind. In game, the Crusader should be used in a similar fashion. It is quick, well armed and highly maneuverable, making it great at rushing capture points and exploiting the enemies flanks. The 57mm gun is excellent for its tier, with high penetration and good ballistics. Very few tanks can withstand a hit from this gun without major damage or worse. 
 +
 
 +
The tanks low profile is its main advantage. You can hide easily among vegetation and obstacles like walls, shooting from a concealed position or retreating if the situation is looking a little too dangerous.
 +
 
 +
Of course, you can't have everything. The tank has thin armour, so it isn't suitable as a front line tank. The armour is sloped however, so you may bounce some smaller caliber shells. Explosive shells are your worst nightmare, so avoid getting hit by them.
 +
 
 +
The 57 mm gun has great penetration, but the Crusader has very thin armour. There are still plenty of enemies that can give you some trouble.
 +
* T-34 (1940)- You will begin encountering early models of T34s at this tier. You can penetrate their turret easily and drivers port easily, but they can pose a serious problem when angled properly. Also, the 76mm L11 gun can easily take you out with its massive explosive power. Try to take out the gunner first and then deal with the rest of the crew members for a safe kill. 
 +
* Panzer IV F1- The rapid fire 75mm short barreled gun can fire HEAT or APCBC rounds, which can penetrate and cause serious damage to the Crusader. Luckily, the F1 has flat armour which can be easily penetrated from the front. Range is your friend with these tanks. Their gun is very difficult to aim accurately over 500m. Hit it before it hits you and you will most likely come out on top. 
 +
* Panzer IV F2- If you get uptiered then you will face off against the dreaded Panzer IV F2. Its gun is accurate, high penetration and causes massive damage upon penetration. It will kill you easily at range. Fortunately, it has the same weak flat armour as the F1, so can be easily dealt with if you get off the first shot
 +
* KV1-L11 - These heavy tanks are rare at your br, but can still be faced. They have great, bouncy armour and a deadly gun. Try to hit the turret cheeks or the side/rear armour.
 +
* Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. L - This Panzer III has a great, high velocity gun and excellent frontal armour. The extra 20mm high hardness plates make a massive difference to the frontal armour, making it more bouncy and harder to penetrate. Fortunately your gun can reliably penetrate the Panzer III L. If you are unsure, aim for the drivers port to kill the driver, gunner and commander.
 +
 
 +
Almost ever tank can kill you easily, even with Rank I guns. Stay mobile, take advantage of the tanks low profile and shoot only when you know you can penetrate. This can make you a formidable tank on the battlefield.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''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".''
+
<!--''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".''-->
−
 
 
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
* Good penetration for a Rank I light tank.
−
 
+
* Diverse selection of shells.
 +
* Low profile.
 +
* Gun is very lethal at close/mid range. It can easily get through the armour of any vehicle at its rank and beyond.
 +
* Gun already has a quick fire rate and no loader, so if a crew member dies you cannot lose much of your fire rate advantage.
 +
* Makes a good sneaky flanker in later rank matches. The gun remains effective and your low profile can come in handy.
 +
* Armour is thin but has odd angles all over the place, causing some rounds to bounce.
 +
* Reverse speed is much better than the Cromwell tank, though still only average.
 +
* Good maneuverability.
 +
* Carries 50 smoke grenades, can lay down long smoke screens to cover large areas.
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
* Not as fast as some of the other light tanks at this rank.
 +
* Weak armour.
 +
* Face of turret is flat, making it quite easy to kill the gunner.
 +
* Only 3 crew members, relatively easy to kill in one shot.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
===Development===
 +
In 1938, the General Staff of the British Army requested for a cruiser tank that was lighter and more affordable than the heavier A16 cruiser design developed by Nuffield Mechanizations & Aero. One of these designs was the designation ''Tank, Cruiser Mk.V'' based off the [[Mark IV A13 Mk.I|A13 cruiser tanks]], named the "Covenanter", and Nuffield was invited to become part of its development team, but they refused due to interest in developing their own cruiser tank. Their tank was designated the '''Tank, Cruiser Mk.VI Crusader''' and fell under the General Staff specification of ''A15''. The Crusader was a parallel design to the Covenanter, but was ready six weeks earlier than the Covenanter despite starting at a later time. The Crusader was adopted into service with the British Army in 1941 and the 5,300 units were manufactured between 1940 to 1943.
 +
 
 +
===Design===
 +
The Crusader features a new design that differs from its cruiser tank predecessors. The Christie suspension system on the Crusader had five road wheels for it instead of the usual four, which improves weight distribution of the increased 20 ton weight of the Crusader compared to the 14 tons of the A13 cruisers. The engine, steering system, and cooling system on the Crusader was different as well, but the Covenanter and Crusader use the same main turret. The polygonal shape of the turret gives the crew inside more room for the turret ring diameter.
 +
 
 +
The Crusader Mk.I and ''[[Crusader Mk.II|Mk.II]]'' were equipped with the 2-pounder, which was aimed by the gunner inside with a padded shaft that allows them to elevate the gun by simply adjusting his own height. Later in the war where an up-gun of the tank armament was necessary and newer tanks such as the [[Mark VIII A27M Cromwell V|Cromwell]] was delayed, the Crusader was upgraded into the '''[[Crusader Mk.III]]''' variant with a 6-pounder instead, which restricted turret space, requiring the turret crew to be reduced from three to two. These saw first action the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
The Crusader first saw action at North Africa, right after the British had been pushed back to the Egyptian border by Axis forces. The Crusaders were part of the huge shipment in the Malta Convoys to reequip the British forces there. Enough Crusaders arrive that the entire 6th Royal Tank Regiment was refitted with them, which joined up with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment to form the 7th Armoured Brigade "Desert Rats". The brigade's first action was in Operation Battleaxe, though it was delayed due to adapting the tanks for the desert environment. The operation, which called for the relieve of the siege of Tobruk in June, was initiated in June to which 11 Crusader tanks were lost to anti-tank guns, plus many more to mechanical faults. While more Crusader tanks came in to reinforce the cruiser tank forces, there were never enough to supply the continuously expanding armoured units as 7th Brigade was combine with the 7th Hussars, the 2nd Armoured Brigade was added to the 7th Armoured Division, and the 8th Hussars was combined with the 4th Armoured Brigade. Overall, the Crusaders proved effective in the North African Campaign, the Crusader was faster than any tanks on the opposing side and the 2-pounder was lethal to the [[Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J|Panzer III]], but the tank suffered from its thin armour, mechanical problems in the desert, and the growing deficiency of the 2-pounder, which didn't have enough range to destroy farther tanks. The Crusader design also caused the ammo racks on the tank to easily ignite due to unprotected racks and shot traps on the turret design. Anti-tank guns continue to be the main reason the Crusader units suffer losses, rather than to enemy tanks.
 +
 
 +
By the end of 1941, only the 2nd Armoured Brigade retained the Crusaders, the rest of the other tank units were being refitted with better tanks, such as the [[Cruiser Tank Grant I|M3 Grant medium tank]] from the American Lend-Lease. Crusader units were also refitted with the more powerful Crusader Mk.III with the 6-pounder, which improved the Crusader's ability to destroy the gradually stronger German tanks. After General Bernard Montgomery took command of the British Army in 1942, more British tank units were reequipped with the Grant and [[Medium Tank M4 Sherman|M4 Sherman]] tanks while the Crusaders were relegated from the front-lines to "light squadrons" meant to flank the enemy and attacked at its exposed sides. When the British 1st Army engaged the Axis at Tunisia, some tank regiments still use Crusaders mixed in with [[Valentine Mk.I|Valentine tanks]]. These units in the 26th Armoured Brigade, code named "Blade Force", worked alongside the 78th Infantry Division as an independent armoured column. During Tunisia, the 1st Army was already converting the tank regiments into Shermans, but the 8th Army continued to use the Crusaders for much longer, which would see use at the Battle of Wadi Akarit and Mareth Line.
 +
 
 +
After the North African Campaign, the Crusaders no longer saw any use in the front-lines and were used in other roles such as gun tractors with 17-pounders or anti-aircraft mounts such as the ''[[Crusader AA Mk.I Britain|Crusader AA Mk.I]]'' and ''[[Crusader AA Mk.II Britain|Mk.II]]''. Some Crusader tanks equipped the tank regiments that stayed back at the British Homelands such as the 11th Armoured Division.
 +
 
 +
===Survivors===
 +
About 21 Crusaders still exist intact in various parts of the world. The most notable places with the Crusaders are South Africa with 8 known survivors, a running Crusader Mk.III at Bovington Tank Museum at England, and an anti-aircraft version at Musée des Blindés in France
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 51: Line 274:
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{Britain light tanks}}

Revision as of 01:26, 25 November 2018

Crusader III
uk_crusader_mk_3.png
Crusader III
Britain flag.png Britain
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
3.0 3.0 3.0
Class:
Research:4 600 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:16 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage Crusader III.jpg


The Crusader Mk III is a Rank I British light tank with a battle rating of 2.7. It was introduced along with the initial British tree line in Update 1.55 "Royal Armour".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Driver's port)
  • Structural steel (Side skirts)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 20 mm (33°) Front plate
9 mm (78-85°), 20 mm (61°) Front glacis
20 mm (26-64°) Lower glacis 		4 + 14 + 14.27 mm 14 mm (44-50°) Top
(14-52°) 14 mm Bottom 		7 mm
Turret 30 mm (1°) Turret front
30 mm (0-44°) Gun mantlet 		14 mm (50°) 17 mm (28-53°) 12.7 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
  • Interior 14.27 mm side armour is made of structural steel.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons) Add-on Armor
weight (tons) 		Max speed (km/h)
20.3 N/A 47 (AB)
42 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 527 649
Realistic/Simulator 301 340
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 25.96 31.97
Realistic/Simulator 14.83 16.75

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)
57 mm OQF 6-pounder Mk.III
Capacity Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance 		Stabilizer
65 -12°/+20° ±180° Vertical
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 9.5 13.2 __.__ __.__ __.__
Realistic 9.5 11.2 __.__ __.__ __.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
5.20 _.__ _.__ _.__
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration in mm @ 90°
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
Shot Mk.5 AP 101 100 83 67 51 45
Shell Mk.10 HE 4 4 4 4 4 4
Shot Mk.5 HV AP 112 111 92 74 57 50
Shot Mk.8 APC 94 92 83 72 63 52
Shot Mk.9 APCBC 113 112 100 90 84 80
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
in m/s 		Projectile
Mass in kg 		Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent): 		Normalization At 30°
from horizontal: 		Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
Shot Mk.5 AP 807 2.8 N/A N/A N/A -1° 47° 60° 65°
Shell Mk.10 HE 807 3.0 0.1 0.1 153 +0° 79° 80° 81°
Shot Mk.5 HV AP 853 2.8 N/A N/A N/A -1° 47° 60° 65°
Shot Mk.8 APC 853 2.9 N/A N/A N/A -1° 48° 63° 71°
Shot Mk.9 APCBC 801 3.2 N/A N/A N/A +4° 48° 63° 71°
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the Crusader Mk III.
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
65 49 (+16) 33 (+32) 17 (+48) 1 (+64) No

Center and front rack empty: 33 (+32)

Machine guns

Main article: BESA (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm BESA
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
3,375 (225) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in the battles

The Crusader tank was designed to be fast and highly mobile, exploiting enemy battle lines by penetrating the flanks and disrupting the enemy from behind. In game, the Crusader should be used in a similar fashion. It is quick, well armed and highly maneuverable, making it great at rushing capture points and exploiting the enemies flanks. The 57mm gun is excellent for its tier, with high penetration and good ballistics. Very few tanks can withstand a hit from this gun without major damage or worse.

The tanks low profile is its main advantage. You can hide easily among vegetation and obstacles like walls, shooting from a concealed position or retreating if the situation is looking a little too dangerous.

Of course, you can't have everything. The tank has thin armour, so it isn't suitable as a front line tank. The armour is sloped however, so you may bounce some smaller caliber shells. Explosive shells are your worst nightmare, so avoid getting hit by them.

The 57 mm gun has great penetration, but the Crusader has very thin armour. There are still plenty of enemies that can give you some trouble.

  • T-34 (1940)- You will begin encountering early models of T34s at this tier. You can penetrate their turret easily and drivers port easily, but they can pose a serious problem when angled properly. Also, the 76mm L11 gun can easily take you out with its massive explosive power. Try to take out the gunner first and then deal with the rest of the crew members for a safe kill.
  • Panzer IV F1- The rapid fire 75mm short barreled gun can fire HEAT or APCBC rounds, which can penetrate and cause serious damage to the Crusader. Luckily, the F1 has flat armour which can be easily penetrated from the front. Range is your friend with these tanks. Their gun is very difficult to aim accurately over 500m. Hit it before it hits you and you will most likely come out on top.
  • Panzer IV F2- If you get uptiered then you will face off against the dreaded Panzer IV F2. Its gun is accurate, high penetration and causes massive damage upon penetration. It will kill you easily at range. Fortunately, it has the same weak flat armour as the F1, so can be easily dealt with if you get off the first shot
  • KV1-L11 - These heavy tanks are rare at your br, but can still be faced. They have great, bouncy armour and a deadly gun. Try to hit the turret cheeks or the side/rear armour.
  • Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. L - This Panzer III has a great, high velocity gun and excellent frontal armour. The extra 20mm high hardness plates make a massive difference to the frontal armour, making it more bouncy and harder to penetrate. Fortunately your gun can reliably penetrate the Panzer III L. If you are unsure, aim for the drivers port to kill the driver, gunner and commander.

Almost ever tank can kill you easily, even with Rank I guns. Stay mobile, take advantage of the tanks low profile and shoot only when you know you can penetrate. This can make you a formidable tank on the battlefield.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good penetration for a Rank I light tank.
  • Diverse selection of shells.
  • Low profile.
  • Gun is very lethal at close/mid range. It can easily get through the armour of any vehicle at its rank and beyond.
  • Gun already has a quick fire rate and no loader, so if a crew member dies you cannot lose much of your fire rate advantage.
  • Makes a good sneaky flanker in later rank matches. The gun remains effective and your low profile can come in handy.
  • Armour is thin but has odd angles all over the place, causing some rounds to bounce.
  • Reverse speed is much better than the Cromwell tank, though still only average.
  • Good maneuverability.
  • Carries 50 smoke grenades, can lay down long smoke screens to cover large areas.

Cons:

  • Not as fast as some of the other light tanks at this rank.
  • Weak armour.
  • Face of turret is flat, making it quite easy to kill the gunner.
  • Only 3 crew members, relatively easy to kill in one shot.

History

Development

In 1938, the General Staff of the British Army requested for a cruiser tank that was lighter and more affordable than the heavier A16 cruiser design developed by Nuffield Mechanizations & Aero. One of these designs was the designation Tank, Cruiser Mk.V based off the A13 cruiser tanks, named the "Covenanter", and Nuffield was invited to become part of its development team, but they refused due to interest in developing their own cruiser tank. Their tank was designated the Tank, Cruiser Mk.VI Crusader and fell under the General Staff specification of A15. The Crusader was a parallel design to the Covenanter, but was ready six weeks earlier than the Covenanter despite starting at a later time. The Crusader was adopted into service with the British Army in 1941 and the 5,300 units were manufactured between 1940 to 1943.

Design

The Crusader features a new design that differs from its cruiser tank predecessors. The Christie suspension system on the Crusader had five road wheels for it instead of the usual four, which improves weight distribution of the increased 20 ton weight of the Crusader compared to the 14 tons of the A13 cruisers. The engine, steering system, and cooling system on the Crusader was different as well, but the Covenanter and Crusader use the same main turret. The polygonal shape of the turret gives the crew inside more room for the turret ring diameter.

The Crusader Mk.I and Mk.II were equipped with the 2-pounder, which was aimed by the gunner inside with a padded shaft that allows them to elevate the gun by simply adjusting his own height. Later in the war where an up-gun of the tank armament was necessary and newer tanks such as the Cromwell was delayed, the Crusader was upgraded into the Crusader Mk.III variant with a 6-pounder instead, which restricted turret space, requiring the turret crew to be reduced from three to two. These saw first action the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942.

Combat usage

The Crusader first saw action at North Africa, right after the British had been pushed back to the Egyptian border by Axis forces. The Crusaders were part of the huge shipment in the Malta Convoys to reequip the British forces there. Enough Crusaders arrive that the entire 6th Royal Tank Regiment was refitted with them, which joined up with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment to form the 7th Armoured Brigade "Desert Rats". The brigade's first action was in Operation Battleaxe, though it was delayed due to adapting the tanks for the desert environment. The operation, which called for the relieve of the siege of Tobruk in June, was initiated in June to which 11 Crusader tanks were lost to anti-tank guns, plus many more to mechanical faults. While more Crusader tanks came in to reinforce the cruiser tank forces, there were never enough to supply the continuously expanding armoured units as 7th Brigade was combine with the 7th Hussars, the 2nd Armoured Brigade was added to the 7th Armoured Division, and the 8th Hussars was combined with the 4th Armoured Brigade. Overall, the Crusaders proved effective in the North African Campaign, the Crusader was faster than any tanks on the opposing side and the 2-pounder was lethal to the Panzer III, but the tank suffered from its thin armour, mechanical problems in the desert, and the growing deficiency of the 2-pounder, which didn't have enough range to destroy farther tanks. The Crusader design also caused the ammo racks on the tank to easily ignite due to unprotected racks and shot traps on the turret design. Anti-tank guns continue to be the main reason the Crusader units suffer losses, rather than to enemy tanks.

By the end of 1941, only the 2nd Armoured Brigade retained the Crusaders, the rest of the other tank units were being refitted with better tanks, such as the M3 Grant medium tank from the American Lend-Lease. Crusader units were also refitted with the more powerful Crusader Mk.III with the 6-pounder, which improved the Crusader's ability to destroy the gradually stronger German tanks. After General Bernard Montgomery took command of the British Army in 1942, more British tank units were reequipped with the Grant and M4 Sherman tanks while the Crusaders were relegated from the front-lines to "light squadrons" meant to flank the enemy and attacked at its exposed sides. When the British 1st Army engaged the Axis at Tunisia, some tank regiments still use Crusaders mixed in with Valentine tanks. These units in the 26th Armoured Brigade, code named "Blade Force", worked alongside the 78th Infantry Division as an independent armoured column. During Tunisia, the 1st Army was already converting the tank regiments into Shermans, but the 8th Army continued to use the Crusaders for much longer, which would see use at the Battle of Wadi Akarit and Mareth Line.

After the North African Campaign, the Crusaders no longer saw any use in the front-lines and were used in other roles such as gun tractors with 17-pounders or anti-aircraft mounts such as the Crusader AA Mk.I and Mk.II. Some Crusader tanks equipped the tank regiments that stayed back at the British Homelands such as the 11th Armoured Division.

Survivors

About 21 Crusaders still exist intact in various parts of the world. The most notable places with the Crusaders are South Africa with 8 known survivors, a running Crusader Mk.III at Bovington Tank Museum at England, and an anti-aircraft version at Musée des Blindés in France

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read 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.

ETC.

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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


Britain light tanks
A13  A13 Mk I · A13 Mk I (3rd R.T.R.) · A13 Mk II · A13 Mk II 1939
A15  Crusader II · Crusader "The Saint" · Crusader III
A17  Tetrarch I
IFV  Warrior · Desert Warrior (Kuwait)
Wheeled  Daimler Mk II · AEC Mk II · Fox · Vickers Mk.11
Other  VFM5
South Africa 
SARC  SARC MkIVa · SARC MkVI (2pdr) · SARC MkVI (6pdr)
Ratel  Ratel 90 · Ratel 20
Rooikat  Rooikat Mk.1D · Rooikat 105 · Rooikat MTTD
Other  Concept 3 · Eland 90 Mk.7
USA  Stuart I · Stuart III

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