Nb.Fz.

Nb.Fz.

Nb.Fz.

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.3	1.3	1.3

Class:

PREMIUM

Medium tank

Purchase:1 750

Show in game

Description

The Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeug is a unique multi-turreted medium tank concept developed by Germany prior to World War II, which led to the introduction of a small series of experimental prototypes. These vehicles were designed in the early days of German tank development to deal with two key threats: enemy tanks and fortified positions. These two duties would eventually be performed by the Panzer III medium tank family and the Panzer IV medium tank family. The German Army believed that integrating these two concepts into a single vehicle would provide a far simpler solution, reduce construction time and increase production output. During the mid-1930s, a limited series of five experimental multi-turret tanks would be developed and tested for this purpose. This vehicle was given several distinct names during its brief service. In October 1933, WaPrüf 6 standardized the designation as Neubaufahrzeug (Eng. New Construction Vehicle or, abbreviated, Nb.Fz). The naming of "construction vehicle" for these tanks was an attempt to fool the Western countries and avoid the Treaty of Versailles' restrictions by claiming the vehicles were construction or utility vehicles.

Introduced in Update 1.51 "Cold Steel", the Nb.Fz is a prototype medium tank in the early ranks of the German Army's ground forces. It was one of the most unusual designs, having two guns - a 37 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 36 L/46.5 tank gun and a 75 mm KwK37 L/24 tank gun on a single turret. Players may struggle to engage enemy tanks with this configuration as the ammunition from both tank guns has significantly different ballistic characteristics. Furthermore, despite its massive size and frightening appearance, the Nb.Fz is really quite lightly armoured, with practically any opponent tank easily piercing its armour. However, the vast number of tank crews compensates for this limitation. Overall, it's an intriguing vehicle with unique gameplay that will undoubtedly reward players for mastering it.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull20 / 13 / 13

Turret15 / 13 / 13

Crew6 people

Visibility115 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, main turret, MG turrets, cupola)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	13 mm Turret base plate 20 mm (22-24°) Machine gunner plate 20 mm (20°) Driver plate 13 mm (76-79°) Upper glacis 20 mm (45°) Upper-Lower glacis connecting plate 16 mm (50°) Lower glacis	13 mm Top 13 + 13 mm Bottom & Side skirts	13 mm Turret base plate 13 mm (8°) Upper plate 13 mm (43°) Lower glacis	13 mm (12°) Front 13 mm Engine compartment 13 mm (13°) + 13 mm (7°) Radiator vent
Main turret	15 mm (14°) Turret front 15 mm + 15 mm (cylindrical) Gun mantlet	13 mm (12-15°)	13 mm (12-13°)	13 mm (11°) Front 13 mm Rear
MG turrets	14 mm (8-9°) Turret front 15 mm (cylindrical) Gun mantlet	13 mm (19-21°)		8 mm
Cupola	15 mm (3°)			13 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick, while torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
• Mudguards are 13 mm thick.

The Nb.Fz. has an even higher survivability than Panzer III/IV tanks at similar battle ratings because of its larger crew count and vehicle size. The armour thickness is actually rather thin, despite a very imposing look and a complex internal layout. It has six crew members: a driver, two machine gunners in small independent turrets, a gunner, a loader, and a commander in the main turret where both main guns are located. The front armour thickness ranges from just 13 mm to 20 mm, making it possible to immobilize it with heavy machine gun fire frontally.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB34 / 5 km/h

RB and SB31 / 4 km/h

Number of gears6 forward

1 back

Weight23.4 t

Engine power

AB553 hp

RB and SB290 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB23.6 hp/t

RB and SB12.4 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	34	5	23.4	449	553	19.19	23.63
Realistic	31	4		256	290	10.94	12.39

The top speed of the Nb.Fz. is 28.5 km/h, which is slow for low-tier ranks. The power-to-weight ratio, on the other hand, is rather good at 12.4 hp/ton, giving it a very nice acceleration considering how large it is. But, this is relatively slow, so remember to stay in cover, because tank destroyers can destroy this vehicle's armour relatively quickly and easily. Another thing to keep in mind is the Neubaufahrzeug's terrible rotation. Pivoting on the spot is basically impossible, and it slows down a lot in turns. Be careful not to turn too much, or you will slow down and be an easy target.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB809

RB269

SB313

Crew training2 300

Experts15 000

Aces115

Research Aces320 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 40 / 40 / 60 %

2 × 112 / 112 / 112 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive Adjustment of Fire 75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack 37mm_kwk_36_APCR_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism Artillery Support 75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm KwK37 cannon

Ammunition80 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

4.3 → 3.3 s

Vertical guidance-10° / 22°

The Neubaufahrzeug's main armament is the KwK37 cannon, which shoots APHE, penetrating up to 52 mm of armour, 80 mm penetration HEAT, and smoke rounds. Problem is, due to the current limitations of the game, it is impossible to take more than four different kinds of shells, and for multi-gun tanks, each gun can just pick two shells in its repertoire. So the practical combinations would be either APHE+HEAT, APHE+smoke, or HEAT+smoke.

75 mm KwK37					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	80	-10°/+22°	±180°	N/A	14.3	19.8	24.0	26.5	28.2	4.29	3.80	3.50	3.30
Realistic					8.9	10.5	12.8	14.1	15.0

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
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	80	80	80	80	80	80
Sprgr. 34	HE	10	10	10	10	10	10
K.Gr.rot Pz.	APCBC	52	51	45	39	34	30

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%
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	450	4.57	0.05	0.1	872.1	62°	69°	73°
Sprgr. 34	HE	420	5.74	0.2	0.1	686	79°	80°	81°
K.Gr.rot Pz.	APCBC	385	6.8	1.2	14	102.4	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)
K.Gr.Rot Nb.	423	6.2	9	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Nb.Fz.

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
80	65 (+15)	57 (+23)	41 (+39)	25 (+55)	17 (+63)	1 (+79)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after all shells in the rack have been shot or loaded.
• Packing 25 (+55) shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied) is a good compromise between doing well in combat and minimizing ammo presence on board.

Additional armament

37 mm KwK36 cannon

Ammunition50 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

3.7 → 2.9 s

The Neubaufahrzeug also has an additional second anti-tank gun in the main turret: a 37 mm KwK36, located to the left of the 75 mm cannon. This shoots either 47 mm penetration APHE or 86 mm penetration APCR rounds. It is the same decent gun as the Pz.III B and Pz.III E, but is best used as a backup to the 75 mm between reloads. It shoots at far higher muzzle velocity, so it is more suited to long-range engagements.

37 mm KwK36				Reloading rate (seconds)
Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
50	N/A	N/A	N/A	3.77	3.33	3.07	2.90

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
PzGr 40	APCR	86	77	47	26	14	8
PzGr	APHE	47	44	31	21	14	9

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%
PzGr 40	APCR	1,020	0.37	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°
PzGr	APHE	745	0.69	1.2	9	22.1	47°	60°	65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Nb.Fz.

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
50	41 (+9)	31 (+19)	21 (+29)	11 (+39)	1 (+49)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after all shells in the rack have been shot or loaded.
• Packing 21 (+29) shells (racks 1 to 3 emptied) is a good compromise between doing well in combat and minimizing ammo presence on board.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG13 Dreyse machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition1 950 rounds

Belt capacity75 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate500 shots/min

2 x 7.92 mm MG13 Dreyse machine gun

Ammunition3 900 rounds

Belt capacity75 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate500 shots/min

The Neubaufahrzeug also holds three small-calibre MG13 Dreyse machine guns, which are similar to the MG34 and use the same belts. At best, they're good for strafing flak trucks, but in practicality, they're almost useless since the two MG turrets have very poor turret traverse.

7.92 mm MG13 Dreyse
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1950 (75)	500	N/A	N/A
Front turret	1950 (75)	500	-7°/+40°	-40°/+140°
Rear turret	1950 (75)	500	-7°/+40°	+125°/-55°

Usage in battles

Ammo choices:

Consider the following amunition for battles:

• 75 mm gun: Bring ~20 shots of K.Gr.rot Pz. APCBC to deal with light and medium tanks, ~8 shots of Hl.Gr 38B HEAT for heavy tanks.
• 37 mm gun: Bring ~20 rounds of PzGr APHE for lightly armoured targets, and ~20 shots of PzGr 40 APCR for medium and heavy targets.

In general:

The Nb.Fz. is a tank much too big for its own good. The profile of the Nb.Fz. is very similar to the Soviet T-28. However, the armour of the Nb.Fz. is much too thin with the majority of the armour on the tank being 13 mm, even large sections of the front armour are this thickness. There certainly are lots of space inside between modules that there is a chance for a shell to pass through without causing significant damage. However, it is very easy for the enemy to target the main turret and knock out the necessary crew members to incapacitate the Nb.Fz.'s fighting ability, leading to follow-up movement for the enemy to close in to destroy the Nb.Fz.. As such, the Nb.Fz.'s imposing size is a paper tiger and should not imbue a player with the impression of a typical medium tank as even a 20 mm autocannon shell will easily tear apart the Nb.Fz.

Fire support:

The Nb.Fz.'s armour attribute relegates it to a support or ambush role that makes the most of the terrain for cover. Though the turret is mounted tall and is rather vulnerable to return fire, the tandem 75 mm and 37 mm gun on the same mantlet gives the Nb.Fz. several benefits when fighting from an emplaced position. Firstly, the gun elevation and depression angles are rather good so taking a position behind a hill to hide the hull while only exposing the turret is more feasible. Second, the manner the guns are mounted means that quick follow-up shots with little adjustments with the turret is possible, especially when changing optics with the weapon selection controls ("Select Primary Weapon" and "Select Secondary Weapon" in the controls). Thirdly, the fast reload speeds of about 3.5 seconds between the two guns means rapid firing rounds down a beaten zone is possible the Nb.Fz., possible denying an avenue of advance to the enemy if the Nb.Fz. can lockdown an area from its position. With a Hl.Gr 38B HEAT round available for the 75 mm, the Nb.Fz. can plink through even the fearsome B1 bis from the front.

Since the turret is located near the front of the hull, the Nb.Fz. can comfortable peek out the front half only. By binding separate keys for firing the 75 mm and 37 mm guns, you can "one-two-punch" almost any tank you encounter such as Crusader, T-70, Chi-Ha, M3 Stuart, etc. It is recommended to fire a similar type of ammunition across both guns to ensure unity in damage and penetration, for example use the 37 mm APHE and 75 mm APCBC for lighter opponents, and 37 mm APCR and 75 mm HEAT against heavier tanks. When engaging enemies, you can fire the 75 mm first because it has better damage, then go after any still-conscious crew with the 37 mm while the 75 mm reloads. The Nb.Fz. can fire quick salvos thanks to the fast reload of its cannons.

Luckily, the Nb.Fz. has adequate speed to keep up with medium tank teammates, allowing it to provide supporting fire in time. When moving, only do so to another cover that the Nb.Fz. can fight from. Do not expose the Nb.Fz. in the open as even heavy machine gun fire from a distance can penetrate the 13 mm armour plating on the sides, rear, and even the front at certain angles. Though the Nb.Fz. has the benefit of having a rather large volume of space inside for dead air, the engine takes a pretty large place in the tank that is easily destroyed from the side. If this immobilizes the Nb.Fz., it could spell a quick end pretty soon by follow-up enemy shots or incoming air attacks. Air attacks can also quickly destroy the Nb.Fz. if any planes with armaments larger than 12.7 mm come and strafe the Nb.Fz..

Unfortunately, most enemy tanks can knock out the Nb.Fz. with relative ease once it gets a shot in. Some significant worries the Nb.Fz. should be aware of are enemy heavy tanks and speedy vehicles carrying autocannons. Enemy heavy tanks like the B1 ter can be a big issue as none of the Nb.Fz.'s armaments, not even at close range, can reliably penetrate from the front (the B1 bis has slightly thinner armour that is easier to penetrate).

In the Nb.Fz., avoid engaging in direct combat. Find a good terrain to cover the Nb.Fz. and use the tall turret and gun elevation angles to strike the enemy as they attempt to attack the point. Choose positions where you only need to deal with threats from one direction, as the Nb.Fz's slow turret rotation does not allow it to respond to targets around it fast enough which can be dangerous. For example, a straight street can be suitable, wheras an open field may not be.

Twin cannon tactic:

The Nb.Fz.'s dual cannon design brings another interesting tactic: in a standoff between you and another enemy behind cover, both of you may be hesitant to leave the cover in fear of being shot first, with the hope that one would fire their cannon first then the other will pounce during the reload process. This type of situation can last for quite a while with conventional tanks. However, with the Nb.Fz., this can be exploited to your advantage. Turn the Nb.Fz.'s turret slightly so it is visible for the enemy, then deliberately fire the 37 mm towards their general direction. Thinking that the Nb.Fz. has fired and missed its shot, most opponents will peek out and return fire thinking that you are still reloading. Once they move and expose themselves, use the ready 75 mm gun and blast them away with either a HEAT or APCBC depending on the opponent's model. This tactic will work even better if the Nb.Fz. is covered with bushes to conceal its twin cannons.

Enemies worth noting:

• B1: The HEAT shell for the 75 mm can generally be adequate against the B1 bis. If the B1 bis is angling, target its turret ring or copula to disable its 47 mm gunner, make sure to use 75 mm HEAT and 37 mm APCR. Use the same ammo if you get to shoot the B1 bis's side or rear. Against a B1 ter, target the copula with APHE/APCBC so the shrapnel can travel downwards and knock out the 47 mm gunner. Unfortunately the 75 mm HEAT and 37 mm APCR will be largely ineffective when shooting its hull side, so target its hull rear or turret sides and rear.
• Valentine Mk I: The Valentine I is a bit easier to penetrate as its armour is 60 mm compared to the B1's ~70 mm, but it has a much stronger 40 mm gun which you should avoid at all costs. Ammo from both of your cannons don't perform that much better against it, since experienced Valentine commanders will angle. Still you can target its turret front with HEAT/APCR. Knocking out the 2 crew inside its turret will destroy it as that's 2/3 of its crew. Concisely, as an early war tank, just avoid these heavy vehicles where possible and call for stronger teammates to help.
• SPAAG: Fast vehicles with autocannons, mostly self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, are also a concern as the autocannon can easily chew up the Nb.Fz. once they begin firing on it. Some examples are AS 42 and Flakpanzer 38. Although the Nb.Fz. has a typically faster turret traverse speed than the other contemporary German medium tanks, its not a big enough improvement to track a flanking vehicle should it catch the Nb.Fz. off guard.

Against the Nb.Fz:

• Light tanks & SPAAs: Light vehicles like M2A4, A13, BT-5, etc should use their superior speed and manoeuvrability to their advantage, and flank the Nb.Fz. The Nb.Fz. has slow hull traverse, substandard turret rotation for all turrets, and sluggish acceleration, meaning it cannot deal with your surprise attack quickly and is certain to take damage. In a flank, destroy its driver or engine first so it cannot move, then wipe out its turret crew. No need to worry about it returning fire as its turret will never complete a 90° turn before you load your second shell/clip. However, if it happens to face you, shoot the right side of its main turret to knock out its gunner, then go for the rest of the crew. Never get hit by it though, as its cannons can fire explosive APHE/APHEBC or piercing APCR/HEAT which are all fatal for your light vehicle.
• Medium tanks & tank destroyers: Medium tanks loses the advantage of fast speed meaning they cannot flank as effectively, while tank destroyers are usually turretless, armed with medium-tank-level cannons, and have similar mobility as medium tanks. Now, since flanking happens less and direct engagement rate increases, you should aim for the right side of its main turret to disarm it. Only peek out and fire when the Nb.Fz. is distracted. If it misses a shot, do not go out immediately since it probably has another cannon loaded, waiting for you to take the bait. Thus, it is better to act defensively and wait for the Nb.Fz. to make mistakes first, such as shifting its focus to another teammate. For open-top tank destroyers, relocate immediately if the Nb.Fz. drops an artillery strike on you.
• Heavy tanks: Well-protected tanks (e.g. Valentine I, B1 bis) can only face the Nb.Fz. in a full downtier. Thanks to the thick armour on these tanks you can comfortably take its blows. However you still need to angle or swing your turret randomly to increase your effective thickness as well as to throw off the Nb.Fz.'s aim. It has a maximum penetration of 80 mm which might go through your weak spot, but can be easily surpassed by angling constantly.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Can chain the two guns between reloads of each
• Both guns reload in similarly fast speeds
• High survivability due to numerous and well-spaced out crew
• More mobile than one would expect for such a large tank
• Good zoom on the guns

Cons:

• Armour is deceptively thin for such a large tank
• Top speed is nothing to write home about in this rank
• Would find its options limited when against the B1 bis, B1 ter, and Valentine I
• Awful turret traverse on all three turrets makes it hard to react well to multiple enemies, let alone flak trucks
• Large target

History

The Neubaufahrzeug was a prototype of what was to come with German heavy tanks. Historically, they were slow, heavy, and complicated. Not thought of as successful, only 5 were actually built. 3 of these tanks were sent to Norway at the start of the war, but only 1 of the 3 saw action. They were mostly used for propaganda.

Archive of the in-game description

An experimental multi-turret medium tank. The first models were built in 1934. During construction the tank took on the designation of Neubaufahrzeug V (Nb.Fz.V) for the first two vehicles. The second series of three tanks had the designation Nb.Fz.VI. In German military documentation the designation Panzerkampfwagen VII is also encountered; it was later replaced by Pz.Kpfw.IVnA (Panzerkampfwagen IV new Art). During the Norwegian campaign the tanks were also referred to in documents as Neubau-Pz.Kpfw.IV. All three tanks of the second series were used during the Norwegian operation. They were officially part of the special tank battalion Panzer Abteilung zur besonderer Verwendung 40 (Pz.Abt1. Zb.V 40). The tanks were combined into one company under the command of Lt. Hans Horstmann. The official name of this subdivision in battalion documentation was Zug "Plutos", but it was most commonly referred to by its commander's name as Panzerzug "Horstmann". The company's emblem was a mammoth's head located in front of the driver's cabin.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Nb.Fz. from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #225 - Pages of History section at 03:43 discusses the Nb.Fz..

Multi-turreted Tanks discusses the Nb.Fz. at 1:21 - War Thunder Official Channel

"The Premium Neubaufahrzeug "Nb.Fz.", German Tier-1, Medium Tank" - "Angry Nerd Gaming"

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• T-35
• Independent
• Ro-Go
• 2C
• 2C bis

External links

• [Development] Neubaufahrzeug VI
• [Wikipedia] Neubaufahrzeug
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] Neubaufahrzeug