Difference between pages "M4A4 (China)" and "M4A4 (1st PTG) (China)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=cn_m4a4_sherman}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=cn_m4a4_sherman_1st_ptg
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|store = 7055
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{Break}}
 
{{Break}}
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
  
 
== 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 helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the 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 helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
−
The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis (augmented with appliqué armour). Weak spots here include the machine gun port and ventilator on the right side. The hull sides feature appliqué armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the appliqué armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2's]] long 75mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun, but the appliqué armour on this model can help if the tank is angled.
+
 
 +
The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis ( augmented with applique armour). Weak spots here include the machine gun port and ventilator on the right side. The hull sides feature applique armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the applique armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2's]] long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken.
 +
 
 +
Guns with good penetration against sloped armour, such as those on the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and [[SU-85]] are particularly threatening as they are more than capable of penetrating your frontal armour without much issue. There are also a number of weak spots, notably, the flatter armour in front of the driver and machine gunner, the hull machine gun, the round section of armour in front of the right ammo rack, the rounded area in front of the transmission, and a thin square-shaped section of armour on the front of the turret to the right of the main gun. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun, even many anti-aircraft guns, but the applique armour on this model can help if the tank is angled.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
+
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 620|rbMinHp= 354}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 ||49
+
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
 
|-
 
|-
 
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
 
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
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|}
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
−
! colspan="11" | Shell details
+
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
|-
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
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! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
−
! rowspan="2" | Normalisation at 30°<br>from horizontal
 
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1.0° || 47° || 60° || 65°
+
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || +0.0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
+
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || +4.0° || 48° || 63° || 71°
+
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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=== 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.'' -->
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{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
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{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
  
−
The M4A4 only has a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and lacks the familiar pintle-mounted M2 Browning seen on other Sherman models. This makes fending off lightly-armoured and fast opponents like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2 | Puma]] more difficult as the main gun must be used instead. The lone M1919A4 is also unlikely to do significant damage to incoming aircraft.
+
The M4A4 is armed with both a pintle-mounted 12.7 mm M2HB .50 cal machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 mm M1919A4 .30 cal machine gun. The latter is useful as a secondary machine gun to supplement the larger 12.7 mm machine gun, both increasing the volume of fire you can put out in a burst of your machine guns and providing a backup machine gun in case your .50 cal gunner runs out of ammo or is knocked out. The 12.7 mm machine gun is more useful as it does more damage and has more penetration. It can swivel independently of the main gun, but not a full 360 degrees around so you will still need to traverse the turret to follow moving targets. Both can be used to shoot at aircraft and unarmored spots on enemy vehicles, and the .50 cal specifically is capable of damaging vehicles with very light armour due to the penetration.
  
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 300 (200) || 576 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
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== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in 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 instead 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 M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.
 
The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.
  
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Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.
 
Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.
  
−
Compared to the contemporary [[T-34 (1943) (China)|T-34 (1943)]] in the PLA line of the Chinese tree, the M4A4 has worse mobility but enjoys vastly improved gun handling. They are good complements to each other, as the T-34 excels in fast, aggressive attacks while the M4A4 is good for methodical pushes and hull-down scenarios.
+
The presence of a pivot-mounted .50 calibre machine gun gives the Sherman some flexibility. It can engage softer targets such as some tank destroyers and many SPAAGs at short ranges when loading a HE shell would be inconvenient. While not ideal, they provide the Sherman tank with some measure of protection against aircraft- sometimes enough to dissuade a pilot from making another pass. It can be an effective rang-finder for targets at longer ranges where the M1919 in the turret would be less effective. While it pales in comparison to the destructive effect of tank guns, it provides the Sherman with some flexibility over other comparable vehicles, who are restricted to their rifle-calibre coaxial machine guns.
  
 
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
 
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
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A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its dd-on armor plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and if it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin copula, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.
 
A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its dd-on armor plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and if it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin copula, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.
  
−
[[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:
+
[[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:  
  
 
The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
 
The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
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| Artillery Support
 
| Artillery Support
 
| M89
 
| M89
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->'''Pros:'''
+
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->'''Pros:'''
  
 
* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
 
* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
−
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III]] F
+
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III]] F
 
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
 
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
 
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
 
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
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* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
 
* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
 
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
 
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
−
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[StuG III G]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
+
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
 
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
 
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
 
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
 
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
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== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
+
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
−
The product of a production shortage of Ford GAA V8 engines, the M4A4 instead used the Chrysler A57 multibank. Due to the much more complex maintenance that the engine required, the A4 was unpopular with American mechanics and nearly all models were sent to the British, Soviets, and Chinese.
+
===Vehicle background===
 +
The M4A4 (1st PTG) was one of many M4 medium tanks armed with a 75 mm gun provided by the U.S to China through the lend-Lease program in April 1944. It saw service during  World War 2 (1939-45) in China against the Japanese and went on to serve in the China civil war (1946-49) where it was destroyed by China communist forces in 1949. The tank had a "Tiger face" painted on it's manlet and "claws" painted on the armoured plate in front of the driver. The top of the tank was painted yellow in order for it to be recognized by the allied air unit.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
−
* [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]
+
* [[M4A4 (China)]]
 
* [[M4A4 (France)]]
 
* [[M4A4 (France)]]
 
* [[M4A4 (Italy)]]
 
* [[M4A4 (Italy)]]
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{{China medium tanks}}
 
{{China medium tanks}}
 +
{{China premium ground vehicles}}

Revision as of 21:09, 29 July 2020

␗M4A4 (1st PTG)
cn_m4a4_sherman_1st_ptg.png
␗M4A4 (1st PTG)
China flag.png China
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
3.7 3.7 3.7
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:1 300 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game
STORE

Description

GarageImage M4A4 (1st PTG) (China).jpg


The ␗Medium Tank M4A4 Sherman (1st PTG) is a gift rank II Chinese medium tank with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision".

General info

Survivability and armour

The hull is very similar to the American M4 Sherman, with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis ( augmented with applique armour). Weak spots here include the machine gun port and ventilator on the right side. The hull sides feature applique armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the applique armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the Panzer IV F2's long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken.

Guns with good penetration against sloped armour, such as those on the YaG-10 (29-K) and SU-85 are particularly threatening as they are more than capable of penetrating your frontal armour without much issue. There are also a number of weak spots, notably, the flatter armour in front of the driver and machine gunner, the hull machine gun, the round section of armour in front of the right ammo rack, the rounded area in front of the transmission, and a thin square-shaped section of armour on the front of the turret to the right of the main gun. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun, even many anti-aircraft guns, but the applique armour on this model can help if the tank is angled.

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 45 6 32.2 620 811 19.25 25.19
Realistic 41 5 354 425 10.99 13.2

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: M3 (75 mm)
75 mm M3 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 98 -10°/+25° ±180° Vertical 22.85 31.62 38.40 42.47 45.18 6.50 5.75 5.30 5.00
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.56 24.00

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
M72 shot AP 91 88 78 67 57 49
M48 shell HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
M61 shot APCBC 104 101 90 78 68 59
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%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 N/A N/A N/A 47° 60° 65°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0.4 0.5 666 79° 80° 81°
M61 shot APCBC 618 6.79 1.2 14.0 63.7 48° 63° 71°
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)
M89 259 3.0 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

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
98 91 (+7) 89 (+9) 86 (+12) 79 (+19) 62 (+36) 46 (+52) 31 (+67) 1 (+97) No
Ammo racks of the M4A4 (1st PTG) (China)

Notes:

  • To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 79 (+19) shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
  • To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 (+67) shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
  • The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armor. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

Machine guns

Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), M1919A4 (7.62 mm)

The M4A4 is armed with both a pintle-mounted 12.7 mm M2HB .50 cal machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 mm M1919A4 .30 cal machine gun. The latter is useful as a secondary machine gun to supplement the larger 12.7 mm machine gun, both increasing the volume of fire you can put out in a burst of your machine guns and providing a backup machine gun in case your .50 cal gunner runs out of ammo or is knocked out. The 12.7 mm machine gun is more useful as it does more damage and has more penetration. It can swivel independently of the main gun, but not a full 360 degrees around so you will still need to traverse the turret to follow moving targets. Both can be used to shoot at aircraft and unarmored spots on enemy vehicles, and the .50 cal specifically is capable of damaging vehicles with very light armour due to the penetration.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 300 (200) 576 -10°/+25° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,000 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the KV-1 so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.

The presence of a pivot-mounted .50 calibre machine gun gives the Sherman some flexibility. It can engage softer targets such as some tank destroyers and many SPAAGs at short ranges when loading a HE shell would be inconvenient. While not ideal, they provide the Sherman tank with some measure of protection against aircraft- sometimes enough to dissuade a pilot from making another pass. It can be an effective rang-finder for targets at longer ranges where the M1919 in the turret would be less effective. While it pales in comparison to the destructive effect of tank guns, it provides the Sherman with some flexibility over other comparable vehicles, who are restricted to their rifle-calibre coaxial machine guns.

Enemies worth noting:

KV I C 756 (r):

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the L-11 is underpowered, the ZiS-5 is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its dd-on armor plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and if it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin copula, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

Churchill Mk I, Churchill Mk III, Pz.Kpfw. Churchill:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

Pz.IV F2/G/H/J:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

StuG III F/G:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500m to ensure penetration.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire M61 shot
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism
IV Transmission Engine Artillery Support M89
This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
  • Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the Pz.IV F2, Chi-Nu and StuG III F
  • Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
  • Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
  • Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like Marder III
  • Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

Cons:

  • Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
  • Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like Pz.IV F2 / G, StuG III F / G, M10
  • The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like KV-1 (ZiS-5), Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
  • Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
  • Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
  • Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used M2 Browning

History

Vehicle background

The M4A4 (1st PTG) was one of many M4 medium tanks armed with a 75 mm gun provided by the U.S to China through the lend-Lease program in April 1944. It saw service during World War 2 (1939-45) in China against the Japanese and went on to serve in the China civil war (1946-49) where it was destroyed by China communist forces in 1949. The tank had a "Tiger face" painted on it's manlet and "claws" painted on the armoured plate in front of the driver. The top of the tank was painted yellow in order for it to be recognized by the allied air unit.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


China medium tanks
ZTZ59  Type 59 · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
ZTZ69  Type 69 · Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G
ZTZ88/96  ZTZ88A · ZTZ88B
  ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
ZTZ99  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
ZTZ99A  ZTZ99A · WZ1001(E) LCT
Export series  MBT2000 · VT-4A1
ROC  CM11
Other  Т-34-85 Gai · Object 122MT "MC"
Japan  ␗Chi-Ha · ␗Chi-Ha Kai
USA  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ␗M48A1 · ␗M60A3 TTS
USSR  ␗T-34 (1943) · ␗Т-34-85 (S-53) · T-34-85 No.215 · Т-62 №545

China premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  T-26 No.531 · ␗M3A3 (1st PTG) · ␗M41A3 · M64 · WMA301
Medium tanks  ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · T-34-85 No.215 · Т-62 №545 · ZTZ59A · Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G · ZTZ96A (P)
Heavy tanks  IS-2 No.402

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