QF 3.7 Ram
Contents
Description
The OQF 3.7-inch AA on Ram Mounting (QF 3.7 Ram) is a gift rank III British tank destroyer
with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during Update 1.95 "Northern Wind" in the Operation F.R.O.S.T. event. It features a heavily modified Ram chassis with a powerful 94 mm AA cannon. Serving as a British counterpart of the German VFW; the two can lethally face each other in the battlefield.
A highly mobile platform; with a hard-hitting gun, good crew count, great reload rate, and all the intentions to dispatch enemy armour. What else could a veteran British tank commander ask for!
General info
Survivability and armour
- Armour
The QF 3.7 Ram consists of light armour composed of Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) and structural steel.
The QF 3.7 Ram possesses light armour in the upper area of the turret (19.5 mm thickness), that might only cover your crew for small caliber machine guns.
Lying hidden in the back of the turret, its heavy 94 mm cannon is protected by 20 mm of structural steel located lower the cannon gun. Inside it the vertical aim drive is located. If a shot goes through and detonates inside this boxy structure, it will cause damage to your crew and the vertical aiming drive. This is the most common damage the QF 3.7 Ram will get, as the enemy often shoots at the area below the 94 mm cannon.
The thicker part of the armour is located in the cannon structure, visible in the centre of the turret (60 mm thickness). But due to the structural steel armour type, its armour remains insignificant for the heavy shells it can face, making cannon breech damage a routine situation as shells with explosive filler detonate within the structure
More armour is located in the lower central area of the transmission. There, the transmission mounting provides 50.8 mm of armour thickness, thick enough that it is possible to stop awkwardly angled shots or HE shots, but won't save you from a frontal encounter. Damages through here also will damage the transmission module.
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Due to the QF 3.7 Ram's provided armour, any cannon shell sent its way can completely cripple your ability to retaliate. However, the QF 3.7 Ram's crew helps provide a factor in the vehicle's survivability on the battlefield.
- The crew
The QF 3.7 Ram is managed by a 6 man crew.
- 1 Gunner
- 1 Loader
- 2 Machine gunners
- 1 Commander
- 1 Driver
The driver and a machine gunner remain in the safest spot within the vehicle chassis. The gunner it well placed but often gets knocked out. High crew skills are a must to ensure higher chance of resisting explosive effects or shrapnel, while performing gun reloads and field repairs even faster to fight back against the opponents.
The best way to utilize the armour to protect the crew is to aim the gun from the front, as it provides cover to both loaders in the back. However, avoid getting hit once as the proximity of the crew members, modules, and ammo racks within each other on the QF 3.7 Ram means a single hit has a chance of crippling the vehicle's performance enough for follow-up shots to finish the QF 3.7 Ram off.
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 44 | 6 | 29 | 568 | 763 | 19.59 | 26.31 |
| Realistic | 40 | 6 | 354 | 400 | 12.21 | 13.79 | |
Mobility is decent for a SPG with such a gun, thanks to its light armour. 43 km/h in AB, 40 km/h in RB/SB.
The QF 3.7 Ram is able to reach its maximum speed of 40 km/h (RB) in off road terrain quite easily. Not enough to do a flanking manoeuvre, but enough to get a good sniping location or position early in the match. Its reverse speed is quite poor, 5.7 km/h in AB and 5.2 km/h in RB/SB. However, this is enough for retreating from a sniping position effectively. Close quarters should be avoided as it would just make the QF 3.7 Ram quickly spotted and flanked by enemy forces.
Mobility represents an important part of the playstyle. It will allow to multiply the horizontal targeting speed and often saving the tank from destruction. Commanders should keep this in mind when targeting a close threat. If possible, turn the hull with the gun. This will not only increase the possibilities of shooting first but also allows to cover the crew with the frontal armour. In case the enemy achieves a fire solution first he might shoot in the wrong spot and the QF 3.7 Ram can return fire.
Armaments
Main armament
| 94 mm OQF Mk.II | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 44 | -5°/+85° | ±180° | N/A | 9.7 | 13.4 | 16.3 | 18.0 | 19.2 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 6.3 | 6.0 |
| Realistic | 6.5 | 7.7 | 9.4 | 10.3 | 11.0 | ||||||||
The 94 mm OQF Mk.II cannon provides very lethal penetration for all the enemy it faces. It's different from any other cannon in the British tree until battle rating 5.0, as this cannon holds a lower muzzle velocity than your usual 17-pdr gun. Therefore some practice should be made to familiarize with the new cannon ballistics. The reload rate is astoundingly good (Similar to the amazing Avenger). Often groups of enemies will underestimate the QF 3.7 Ram, just to face its already reloaded gun. This quick reload is highly useful on close city maps and then during long-distance sniping duels.
Beware, due to the high calibre of the shell, volumetric corrections should be considered before shooting. The wrong calculations could lead to the shell impacting the gun barrel or any protruding object which is not the targeted armour plate. Jeopardizing the whole vehicle integrity with a single failed shot!
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 | ||
| Shot Mk.1 | APCBC | 204 | 202 | 192 | 180 | 169 | 159 |
| Shell Mk.1 | HE | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
The more useful shot undoubtedly is the APCBC Shot Mk.1. The HE shell might not be needed for the majority of the encounters. Since the relies on frontal or flank engagements, none in which the HE can be applied effectively. The HE shell is somewhat useful for uncommon light vehicles or if any tank commander endeavors into anti-aircraft duties. (not an easy task since it requires direct hits to high-speed moving aircrafts, with a slow vertical turret rotation)
| 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% | |||||||
| Shot Mk.1 | APCBC | 792 | 14.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 48° | 63° | 71° |
| Shell Mk.1 | HE | 792 | 12.7 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 920 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 34 (+10) | 23 (+21) | 12 (+32) | 1 (+43) | No |
Notes:
- Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
- Right side empty of ammo: 23 (+21) shells.
Usage in battles
In Realistic/Simulator battles, the best approach is the sniping role, the 44 shells available are sufficient for prolonged sniper duties. Quickly find an appropriate spot at the beginning of the match. The vehicle is tall and the gun depression is only of -5° so keep that in mind when positioning. Covering the allies flanks, long roads, taking down enemy snipers, or keeping the enemy from capturing a point shall be your duty. This tactic can be more successful with camouflage on the frontal armour. Concealing the QF 3.7 Ram in the woods as well as hiding the exposed loaders in the back from easy picking.
A good tactic is to wait enemies expose their sides, Tiger and Panther tanks don't have the armour to resist the hit of the 94 mm cannon, so one shot will usually be enough (lethal spalling effect). The same can be said of Soviet vehicles, but often their frontal/side armour tends to ricochet rounds (due to slopeness), it's recommended to aim at the low side for soviet heavy tanks. As enemies pass by, wait for the right moment to shoot, but make sure to correctly range the targets and lead the gun to successfully land the first shot.
Shooting the enemies frontal armour is possible but the risk of shots bouncing off is still high, despite the gun's penetration capabilities. This will also expose the QF 3.7 Ram's position, which will lead enemies to pour down machine gun fire, artillery, and aerial strikes to suppress and eliminate the QF 3.7 Ram. Engaging the enemy's frontal armour should be actively executed on close-distance maps. There the penetration of the gun is pretty high, and the damage will be significative.
Modules
| Tier | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Tracks | Parts | Horizontal Drive | |
| II | Suspension | Brake System | FPE | Adjustment of Fire |
| III | Filters | Crew Replenishment | Elevation Mechanism | |
| IV | Transmission | Engine | ||
| This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase | ||||
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Powerful 94 mm gun capable of penetrating most enemies it faces from the front
- Gun can traverse a full 360° with +80° of elevation
- High gun's calibre provides immense spallin damage; unlike British APDS
- Decent survivability due to 6 crew members, the 2 members inside the tank being the most covered
- Large size and thin armour might allow shells to pass through without much damage; even some APHE
- Good mobility and fast horizontal gun traverse, allows some aggressive-defensive playstyle in close quarters
- Not a common vehicle, might confuse the more inexperienced players to the point they may not know where to shoot
- Amazing reload speed, even more when crew is trained or aced
- Good top speed and decen reverse for a heavy gun platform; and British standards
Cons:
- Has no timed fuse shells for aircraft, unlike its German counterparts; poor to none AA potential
- Weak armour and exposed crew; any kind of auto-cannon, heavy machine gun or plane can shred it from any angle
- Longer reload compared to its German counterpart, the VFW
- Poor gun depression of -5°; an unlike trait of British tanks
- Lower muzzle velocity than the usual 17pdr, learning and quick correction is needed
- Ammo racks on the sides, experienced players will fire there with any kind of shell; even HE is fatal
- Artillery can often knock out several crew members at once, even from a distance
- Has hull break, like most open top vehicles
History
In 1941, General Frederick 'Frank' Worthington, founder of the Canadian Armoured Corps, proposed that a 3.7 inch anti-aircraft gun be mounted on a Ram chassis to act as a mobile anti-tank gun. The OQF MK II was the primary British heavy AA guns during World War II. The Canadians used this gun for experimenting, mounting it on the Ram chassis. Few examples were made and one was sent to Great Britain for trials, but no further development came of it.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
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;
- encyclopedia page on the tank;
- other literature.
| Britain tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Infantry tank derivatives | Archer · Gun Carrier (3-in) |
| Light tank derivatives | Alecto I |
| M10 Achilles | Achilles · Achilles (65 Rg.) |
| Centurion derivatives | FV4005 · Conway |
| ATGM | Swingfire · Striker |
| Other | Tortoise · ▄M109A1 |
| Canada | QF 3.7 Ram |
| South Africa | G6 · ZT3A2 |
| Britain premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | A13 Mk I (3rd R.T.R.) · A13 Mk II 1939 · AEC Mk II · Crusader "The Saint" · Rooikat 105 |
| Medium tanks | A.C.I · Grant I · Cromwell V (RP-3) · Sherman IC "Trzyniec" · A.C.IV · Comet I "Iron Duke IV" |
| Centurion Mk.2 · ▄Strv 81 (RB 52) · Centurion Mk.5 AVRE · Centurion Mk.5/1 · ▄Sho't Kal Dalet · Centurion Action X | |
| Vijayanta · Khalid · Challenger DS · Challenger 2 OES | |
| Heavy tanks | Independent · Matilda Hedgehog · Excelsior · TOG II · Churchill Crocodile · Black Prince |
| Tank destroyers | Alecto I · Achilles (65 Rg.) · QF 3.7 Ram |
