M4 748 (a) (Germany)

▀M4 748 (a)

▀M4 748 (a)

Germany

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.0	4.0	4.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Medium tank

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Description

The ▀Pz.Kpfw. M4 748 (a) is a gift Rank II German medium tank with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB) and 4.0 (RB/SB). It was available only for pre-order during the Closed Beta Test of Ground Forces during the period before Update 1.41. 500 units were also for sale during the 5th Anniversary event, which sold out within a few hours. It represented a captured M4A2 Sherman in Wehrmacht service and was the first Sherman to be implemented in the game. Unfortunately, it is currently impossible for a new War Thunder player to acquire this rare tank.

The M4 748(a) plays like any other M4 Sherman as a mobile tank with adequate armour and gun. While its frontal armour and gun may not be up for the tasks against its contemporaries at its battle rating, the M4's mobility allows the M4 to get around the front line to capture the objective or hit the enemy in the sides. Though, if the heavy maneuvering is not preferable, the M4 can also perform well as a supporting tank by backing up a more powerful tank to overwhelm a small enemy group.

Visually, the M4 748(a) is identical to the M4A2 Sherman. The only big distinctive feature of the M4 748(a) is the paint coat on the tank, which is a combination of the yellow dunkelgelb, red-brown rotbraun, and green olivgrün, in a manner similar to the default scheme of the Panther G.

Features on the M4 748(a) are shared with its counterpart with a 47° front armour plate with a one-piece transmission housing. The turret features the M34A1 gun mount with the 75 mm M3 gun, the mount specified for a telescopic and periscopic scope. Unlike the M4 Sherman model that has the same gun mount, the right turret side does not have a welded piece of applique armour, allowing for a more sloped contour on the 76 mm turret armour. The turret top features a spotlight on the front loader's position with his oval hatch while the commander has a usual split hatch with a M2 Browning machine gun for him to use.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
• Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	63.5 mm (47°) Front glacis 51-108 mm (12-56°) Transmission housing	38.1 mm	38.1 mm (7-10°)	19.5 mm
Turret	76 mm (3-65°) Turret front 89 + 51 mm (2-62°) Gun mantlet	51 mm (2-64°)	51 mm (2-60°)	19.5 mm
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	51 mm	19.5 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.
• Small applique armour are placed on the side hull armour over ammunition that gives an extra 25.4 mm.
• Belly armour is 19.5 mm thick, though the tip near the transmission is 38.1 mm thick.
• Hull underside over tracks is 9.5 mm thick.
• A 9.5 mm RHA plate separates the engine compartment from the crew compartment.
• A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (50.8 mm) than the rest (76.2 mm).

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on Armor weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
31.5	0.9	51 (AB)
		46 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	635	782
Realistic/Simulator	363	410
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	20.16	24.82
Realistic/Simulator	11.52	13.01

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm M3
Capacity			Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Stabilizer
97			-10°/+25°	±180°	Vertical
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	14.28	19.80	24.0	26.60	28.20
Realistic	14.28	16.80	20.4	22.60	24.00
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
6.50	5.75	5.30	5.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
M72 shot	AP	110	109	92	76	62	51
M48 shell	HE	10	10	10	10	10	10
M61 shot	APCBC	90	88	81	73	65	59
T45 shot	APCR	143	137	127	106	86	70

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%
M72 shot	AP	619	6.3	N/A	N/A	N/A	-1°	47°	60°	65°
M48 shell	HE	463	6.3	0.4	0.5	666	+0°	79°	80°	81°
M61 shot	APCBC	618	6.8	1.2	20	63.7	+4°	48°	63°	71°
T45 shot	APCR	868	3.8	N/A	N/A	N/A	+1.5°	66°	70°	72°

Smoke characteristic
Ammunition	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Screen radius in m	Screen time in s	Screen hold time in s:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):
M89	259	3	13	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M4 Sherman

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	8th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
97	85 (+12)	73 (+24)	61 (+36)	49 (+48)	37 (+60)	25 (+72)	13 (+84)	1 (+96)	Yes

Turret empty: 49 (+48)

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
300 (200)				577	-10°/+25°	±60°

7.62 mm M1919A4
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,000 (250)				500	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

The M4 748(a) is a very versatile weapons platform that can be used in multiple roles and tactics. It can use its decent armour and gun to support friendlies against enemies, use its mobility to outmaneuver and exploit undefended location to reach an unsuspecting area, and a combination of the traits to deal with its contemporary medium tanks with the 75 mm gun with its APCBC and APCR ammunition.

While most tanks in the BR range of the M4 748(a) are quite capable of destroying the tank through the front, the most worrisome tanks are those that are quite immune to the 75 mm gun on the M4. APCR ammunition is give to the 75 mm gun, but its poor slope characteristics still make it a situational ammunition than a universal tank annihilater. As such, exploiting side armour and general weak points of opposing tanks are still a must.

Exploitation

The M4 748(a) tank's mobility can be used to travel the distance on the battlefield in an satisfactory fashion. As the M4 748(a) cannot stand against the more heavily armoured and armed enemies at the higher BR range, a maneuver around the enemy force or in a location prime for an ambush location can allow the M4 Sherman to damage or destroy enemy tanks. The engine power allows the M4 to travel across rough terrain to get to its destination. The only drawback in this action would be an unexpected encounter with another enemy trying the same maneuver, which would be a enemy tank class of equal to the M4 or lower so a good engagement against them could let the M4 continue its merry way.

Supporting

There are many instances on a War Thunder battlefield where two opposing tanks face off against each other on a corner of cover, waiting for the other to pop out so it can deal a crippling blow with its gun or waiting for the other to prematurely fire so it can advance unhindered to a prime firing location. The M4 748(a) can alleviate this problem by giving the friendly tank an additional support. In this scenario, go around the enemy through another angle while the teammate keeps the enemy busy. This way, the M4 can go around and prepare itself for a firing solution on the enemy tank. This will either end with 1) a successful out-maneuver and the M4 landing a shot on the enemy's side and weak point while it was preoccupied with the ally, or 2) the tank is forced to turn its attention to the M4, leaving your ally able to advance and do the same to get on the enemy's side.

On a larger battle scale with multiple allies and enemies, work in cohesion with the others behind the front lines as the allies absorb most of the enemy shots, allowing the M4 to line a perfect shot on a spent enemy to land a penetrating shot into the hull and knocking out the crew. Always aim for a crippling or defeating blow so that the enemy tank will not be an immediate threat to the rest of the team while it repairs or replenish.

Capturing the Objective

While not as fast as some of the lighter tanks at the BR, the M4 748(a)'s upgraded mobility makes it usable as a vehicle to run towards the objective and capture the zone. It has the decent firepower and armour to handle enemy light tanks that are expected to also rush towards points, and so it could last for some time capturing and defending the zones. However, once heavier tanks and contemporary medium tanks start arriving in droves, it is recommended to start withdrawing from the position or else the M4 will be overwhelmed and destroyed at the first priority due to being an easy target, even if allies are present to support the M4 on the position.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Great gun depression for hull-down positions
• Good turret traverse speed
• Gun mantlet armour is great and likely to ricochet rounds
• Adequate reload speed for follow up shots
• Plenty of reserve ammunition for prolonged fighting without replenishing at captured points
• Fast and mobile vehicle due to powerful engine.
• Frontal armour is adequately armoured and sloped against a good percentage of enemy shots
• Familiar M4 Sherman playstyle in the German tech tree.
• Due to it being a part of the German tech tree, you will not have to face the long barrel 75mm. (RB/SB)

Cons:

• Armour relies heavily on angle of impact, angled shots can bounce but straight-on hits will most likely penetrate
• Tall target, bigger target and easier to spot
• Turret armour is weaker than front hull
• Weak armour on the sides and rear of the tank at only 38.1 mm
• Ammo is stored everywhere when tank is full, one rack is very likely to detonate with a penetrating APHE
• Transmission housing is slightly weaker than the front glacis armour
• 75 mm gun starts to feel lacking against the more heavily armoured enemies
• Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to air strikes with AP cannons

History

Captured equipment

In the midst of the battlefield in World War II, wreckage and broken down equipment are often left behind by the army on the field due to either the inability to recover them or they are no longer operable. These equipment, if salvageable, are often taken by the occupiers and used for their own purposes. The Allies mostly captured German vehicles for use in gun tests and target practice, with the Soviets going as far as fielding captured tanks in their own ranks such as the Panzer III as the T-III. The German forces also captured Allied tanks as well, mostly fielding them in the Panzer forces to supplement the growing attrition of their armoured forces. The M4 Sherman, one of the most common tanks in the Allied forces, was often captured and fielded by the German forces. The fielded Shermans in the German army was given the designation M4-748(a).

Combat usage

It is unknown exactly how many Shermans have been captured and used by the German forces during World War II, but the German-captured Shermans have been documented in the battlefields of Tunisia, Italy, France, Soviet Union, and in Germany itself in the last days of the war. The Shermans were reported to be used in the 14th Panzer Division, 16th Panzer Division, Fallschirmjäger Division, and Kampfgruppe Berlin. When used by the Germans, the Shermans were often painted with Balkenkreuz cross symbol of the Wehrmacht to distinguish between friend and foe.

The German captured M4 Sherman's most notable combat performance was in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, the Baltic Offensive against the Soviet Union in late 1944, and the Battle of Berlin. The Shermans were also reported to play a role as armour-recovery vehicles rather than tanks due to the Sherman's great power-to-weight ratio and reliable design that allows for the ability to tow the heavier German vehicles reliably.

Media

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

Obtainable events

• The tank was available during the Closed Beta Test for the initial implementation of Ground Forces in a pack. The M4 748(a) was available to be bought for 49$/€ as a standalone and 99$/€ for both this vehicle and the T-34 (Prototype).
• The tank was made available almost five years later as part of War Thunder 5th anniversary during the store discount period, with 500 up for sale alongside the T-34 (Prototype) for $59.99.

Read also

Images of M4-748(a).

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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