T-34-57 — Missed Opportunity

The T-34-57 was developed as a specialized tank destroyer capable of going head-to-head with the Wehrmacht’s new armored vehicles. In the game, this vehicle is valued for its powerful 57 mm gun, which can penetrate virtually any opponent. However, this firepower comes at the cost of weak armor and a cramped layout. So, how should this vehicle be used in the game, taking all its pros and cons into account?

Armor and Survivability

The armor of the T-34-57 is identical to that of other modifications armed with 76 mm guns. The upper front plate and lower front plate are 45 mm thick and sloped at 60°, increasing the effective thickness to 90 mm. This allows some shells to ricochet when hitting this part of the hull.

The upper side plate is 40 mm thick and angled at 40°, yielding an effective thickness of 52 mm. The lower side plate is 45 mm thick and has no slope at all. Due to these parameters, the tank becomes vulnerable when flanked and is more likely to be sent back to the hangar.

The turret of the T-34-57 is protected by 45 mm of all-round armor of complex shape. However, its frontal section is positioned at a shallow angle, making it vulnerable. The turret sides, like those of the hull, are also easily penetrated by cannon fire due to the lack of a significant angle of inclination.

The crew of the vehicle consists of four members: a driver and a radio operator in the left and right parts of the hull, respectively, and a gunner and loader in the turret. They are positioned fairly compactly, and as a result, a penetrating hit from an APHE shell is highly likely to knock out the entire crew.

Mobility

The T-34-57 is equipped with a 500-horsepower engine. The vehicle weighs 28.3 tons, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 17.7 hp/t. The maximum speed of the armored vehicle is 49 km/h. This is a good figure; for comparison, the top speed of the Sherman Firefly is only 40 km/h. However, the reverse speed is only 7 km/h, which can cause problems when retreating. The vehicle can reach top speed in 17–18 seconds. These characteristics make it possible to quickly capture strategic points.

The tank completes a 180-degree turn in 6.5 seconds. For comparison, the M4A1 (76) W takes 6 seconds to do the same, while the Avenger takes 7.5 seconds. Although this figure is not the very best, at high speed the tank can turn around quickly.

Armament

Main gun

The main armament is the 57 mm ZIS-4 gun. Its penetration is sufficient to deal with virtually any opponent, including the Tiger H1. The reload takes 6.5 seconds (5 seconds when aced), which is a good figure.

The horizontal traverse speed is 17.5°/s (up to 25°/s when aced). This allows the gun to be brought onto target quickly. However, the negative gun depression is only -5°, which makes playing on maps with elevation changes difficult. For comparison, the Chi-To has -10° of depression, while the Comet I has -12°.

The following shells are available for the gun:

• BR-271 —  Armor-piercing high explosive with ballistic cap shell (APHEBC). It penetrates up to 145 mm of armor, making it capable of destroying any opponent. The muzzle velocity of the shell is 990 m/s, which allows for firing at ranges of up to 1 km. The TNT equivalent is 22 grams, which means several shots may be required to destroy some opponents.
• O-271 — High-explosive fragmentation shell (HE) capable of penetrating up to 12 mm of armor. The explosive mass is 220 grams, ensuring the guaranteed destruction of lightly armored vehicles with a single hit.
• BR-271K — Armor-piercing high explosive shell (APHE). It is almost no different from the basic BR-271. Although the TNT equivalent is increased to 28 grams, the armor penetration and ballistic characteristics at range are worse, which may cause difficulties. The best course of action is to refrain from using it in favor of the BR-271.

Machine gun armament

The 7.62 mm DT machine gun is coaxial with the main gun. It can penetrate up to 13 mm of armor, which allows it to engage only unarmored and lightly armored targets. However, the machine gun can be used to mark enemies on the minimap or clear small obstacles from the path.

Combat Usage

Taking into account all the pros and cons of the vehicle — namely, its less-than-ideal armor and powerful gun — two playstyles stand out: long-range firing and flanking maneuvers.

When employing a sniping strategy, it is necessary to occupy a position far from the battlefield that offers a view of a large portion of the map. This tactic is best employed on maps with a sufficient number of obstacles behind which the tank can be concealed. After engaging an enemy, it is worth relocating, as the opponent will likely check the position from which the shot was fired.

When choosing a flanking tactic, one should select the safest route and move around to the enemy’s side. This strategy is best chosen on maps with varied terrain, such as the Hürtgen Forest.

The most suitable maps for the T-34-57 are “Hürtgen Forest”, “North Holland” and “Carpathians” thanks to their varied terrain, which provides routes for flanking the enemy, as well as positions from which opponents can be engaged at range.

On the maps, green lines show the main optimal directions, while red and blue dots indicate positions for firing from cover.

Battle of Hürtgen Forest

North Holland

Carpathians

Historical Background

Work on increasing the firepower of tanks had been underway since the summer of 1940. It was then that the 45 mm gun was deemed obsolete, and the decision was made to replace it with guns of 55–60 mm caliber. Since the design bureau of Plant №92 was already working on the 57 mm ZIS-2 anti-tank gun, it was tasked with developing a tank gun of the same caliber.

The anti-tank gun was adopted into service the same year, and the head of the design bureau, V. Grabin, began working out options for mounting it on the T-28. In September 1940, Marshal G. Kulik issued an order for the construction of a new T-28 model for this gun. Work proceeded slowly, as the 76 mm F-34 was being produced in parallel. The first experimental T-28 was assembled in early December, and in April 1941, the 57 mm gun was also mounted on the T-34.

On May 19, 1941, the ZIS-4 gun designed by V. Grabin — created on the basis of the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun — was tested at the Sofrino proving ground, installed in a T-34-57 tank. The tests revealed low barrel life and insufficient accuracy of fire. After refining the barrel design, prompted by the introduction of a phlegmatizer and a change in the rifling twist rate, the T-34-57 was tested again at the Sofrino proving ground. In July, it was put into serial production at Plant №92. The ZIS-4 was unified with the F-34, differing from the latter by a longer barrel tube, a wedge breechblock, and a counterweight on the cradle for balance. In September 1941, the tank was put into series production at Plant №183 and the Stalingrad Tractor Plant under the designation “tank-destroyer”. However, after 42 vehicles had been built, production was halted due to the cessation of ZIS-4 gun production.

In 1943, these guns were recalled once again, as they proved to be the only ones capable of combating the new German heavy tanks. In May of that year, the “T-34 tank-destroyer”, armed with the ZIS-4M gun, was once again accepted into service. In the second half of the summer of 1943, four T-34-57 tanks underwent testing at the Gorokhovets proving ground. The results turned out to be quite satisfactory; however, certain defects in the gun’s design needed to be eliminated. On August 15, 1943, three “tank-destroyers” were sent to the front, where they underwent troop trials. However, they did not get the chance to engage enemy tanks in battle — the 57 mm guns were tested only by firing at knocked-out combat vehicles and bunkers. The rectification of the gun’s defects dragged on until October. Since the design of 85 mm guns was underway at the same time, work on the ZIS-4M was discontinued.