The M44 is a Tank Destroyer introduced in Update 2.43, "Storm Warning", and resides in many tech trees. This vehicle currently sits in Rank III. The M44's 155mm cannon is feared by many due to its higher-than-average HE velocity and quick traverse, although it is also just as vulnerable due to its open-top design.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Good gun | Long reload |
| Good mobility | Open-topped; Poor protection |
| 360 Swivel machine gun with 60 degrees of elevation | Large profile |
| Large crew | Casemate with limited turret traverse |
Armament
The M44 is armed with a 155mm M45 howitzer that is capable of dealing with any tank at its battle rating. It also has an extremely handy 50-cal machine gun mounted on the top, which can swivel 360 degrees and elevate 60 degrees. However, it should be noted that the machine gunner is very vulnerable to shrapnel and light machine guns, as he sits elevated with no significant protection. As it is a casemate, the main cannon is only able to rotate 30 degrees side-to-side. It does not have good gun depression at only -5 degrees, but that is to be expected as it was not designed for that purpose.
The main cannon can fire 2 types of shells, HE and smoke. The HE shell is very good, as it packs a serious punch to any tank out there. With almost 7 kilograms of explosive filler, you can easily overpressure pretty much every single tank you come across. Its smoke shell also gives it some variability as you can use it to cover friendly tanks that are repairing, as well as blind the enemy. However, the latter option is not really recommended because the smoke shell has very low muzzle velocity and so therefore is very hard to aim. Smoking should only be a precautionary measure that is taken at long ranges, as in CQC it leaves you with a long reload time and no immediate defense mechanism. With the low velocity of this gun, it will take practice until you can hit shots well.
Armor and Survivablity
This tank has extremely poor armor. Its armor varies at around 12 mm all around, which can be easily penetrated with a light machine gun. Along with its long reload, this makes you extremely vulnerable when reloading. As you can see in the image, the driver sits elevated and is not protected, so be ready for your driver to get knocked out a lot. The M44 can also tank a few badly-aimed shots. This is because the armor is so thin that most AP and APHE shells overpenetrate without doing any significant damage.
However, you are very vulnerable to machine guns. It also can be quite frustrating to play sometimes, as in a dire situation with people firing on you, you will almost always have your driver and machine gunner knocked out. Another thing to look out for is aircraft Especially at this battle rating, if your team does not have adequate air cover you are very susceptible to getting strafed, rocketed or bombed. Your machine gun helps in waving the planes away, but if you are distracted you are a VERY easy target. Also, you are very prone to having your ammo rack detonate, as most of your rounds and gun charges are stored in the back of the tank where they are exposed.
The 3 A's
When playing this tank, easily, the biggest things you need to watch out for are the 3 A's. Aircraft; Artillery; and Autocannons. They all can be devastating to you and destroy you easily. First of all, aircraft. Aircraft pose a significant threat for which you need to watch out for during an entire match. Bombs, rockets, and gun fire from planes can easily cripple and destroy you. You may consider sticking near friendly SPAA, or using your machine gun to ward planes off to solve this.
Secondly, there is the problem of artillery. It is not advised to cap any points in this vehicle, and especially not at the beginning of matches. You may want to do this to get some easy rewards, but you won't be able to do that without very high risk. Artillery fire will quickly overpressure and kill all of your exposed crew, maybe even setting off your ammo and charges. Therefore, if artillery is called on your position, you should evacuate it immediately.
Finally, there is the issue of autocannons. You should definitely avoid any tanks with autocannons, because they can disable you before you can even get a shot off. So unless you are sniping a autocannon vehicle from long range, or you are getting the jump on them, you should avoid autocannons. Throughout every single match, you need to be vigilant and look out for these, as they are the biggest threats to you and will make up the majority of your deaths.
Mobility
The M44 is mounted on the M41 Walker Bulldog chassis, which gives it excellent mobility. It can go 56 km/h forward, which is very good compared to other tank destroyers. This allows it to find optimal spots in maps and get there faster and easier than other people. The engine and transmission is mounted in the front of the tank so if someone shoots it, it can sometimes soak up a bit of damage and prevent the crew from getting hit. It can also reverse at a steady rate of 14.6 km/h.
Playing the M44
Because of the long reload of the gun, the M44 is best played from long ranges. You can use your advantageous mobility to get to places quickly and effectively. You can also use it for CQC (close quarters combat) because of the large amount of explosive filler in the round. In CQC, try to aim for the enemy's roof, turret, or any flat pieces of armor to easily overpressure and kill them. Try not to shoot their track or lower hull, as there is a chance your shell might just get eaten. If you are fighting a lightly armored/open-topped vehicle, you can consider using the splash damage of your HE round to destroy or injure them. However, be careful in CQC as you have a long reload time. While you are reloading, many people can rush you and you won't be able to do anything about it.
When sniping from long ranges, make sure to use the rangefinder as it can give you precise ranges for your gun. As with many HE slingers, it has pretty low muzzle velocity so learning to aim with this takes some time. Be sure to always check the sky for planes every so often if your team does not have adequate air cover. Even with some limitations, the M44 is still a phenomenal vehicle, and with these tips you will hopefully know how to play it to its strengths!
Against the M44
If you find yourself pitted against a M44, you have to take advantage of its weaknesses. In a sniping battle, you can use your faster reload to your advantage. If you know they are reloading, you can try to splash damage them with HE. Because you probably have a higher muzzle velocity shell than them, if you can, you can keep your gun trained on where they may come out, and right when they emerge, shoot them. This will allow you do destroy them before they can get into a position to shoot you. In CQC you can try to bait them to shoot you, and during its long reload you can pop out and shoot them. Make sure to utilize your MG if you have one, and knock out it's driver and machine gunner. If you just saw a M44 shoot, you should rush it as it takes around 18 seconds for it to reload.
Also, if a M44 is cresting a hill, you can take advantage of it's low gun depression and shoot it. While it is going over, it won't be able to do anything against you. If you can, when you shoot it use a HEAT or HE shell. This will, unlike with AP or APHE, easily overpressure and destroy it. Whenever the you get a jump on a M44, be sure to shoot it's back. Most M44 users take with them max ammo, and all the ammo is stored in the back. When you shoot it in the back, it will surely detonate and destroy the entire crew. The M44 is extremely prevalent at its battle rating, as most tech trees have it. Therefore, it is imperative that you need to learn to counter it, and so this should help you. Thank you!