Difference between revisions of "StuG III F"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_stug_III_ausf_F}}
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{{About
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| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = StuG III (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_stug_III_ausf_F
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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The '''Sturmgeschütz III Ausführung F (StuG III F)''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29 Sd.Kfz. Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 142/1''') is the early version of the sixth variant of the [[StuG III (Family)|Sturmgeschütz III assault gun family]]. The German Army was in disarray as it faced an increasing number of well-armed and protected Soviet tanks. In 1941, German tanks and anti-tank guns were barely able to defend against enemy tanks. Due to a shortage of manufacturing capacity, the Germans had only two alternatives for a speedy response: create temporary anti-tank vehicles or upgrade the firepower of existing designs. Following the second option, future StuG III assault guns would be deployed for anti-armour roles, an entirely different task that they were not originally planned for. Its short-barrelled 75 mm Sturmkanone (StuK) 37 L/24 tank gun would be replaced with a long-barrelled 75 mm StuK40 L/43 tank gun, increasing its overall firepower significantly. This led to the development of the StuG III F variant, an extremely lethal vehicle due to its low cost, compact silhouette, fully protected superstructure, and powerful gun.
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Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the StuG III F marked a turning point in the entire StuG III assault gun family's intended roles, much to how the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzer IV medium tank family]] changed responsibilities from infantry support (A to F1) to anti-armour (F2 to J). Due to the increasing stress from the Soviet Union's invasion, known as Operation Barbarossa, in 1941, the StuG III F served as an interim substitute against the Soviet [[T-34 (Family)|T-34 medium tanks]] and [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1 heavy tanks]]. The significantly increased armour penetration performance and ballistic characteristics will undoubtedly be appreciated by players. With a single well-aimed successful penetrating hit, the StuG III F can knock out the majority of enemy tanks in its ranks. However, the frontal hull protection is inadequate as most opponent tanks received significant upgrades to their weaponry as well.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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''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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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With a maximum of only 50 mm of armour on the superstructure, the StuG III Ausf. F is vulnerable to most guns that it faces, and even to lower rank vehicles if they get close enough.  It must instead rely on its low profile in order to stay hidden and avoid incoming fire.
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The driver, commander, and gunner are seated in a row on the left side of the tank, and a single shot that penetrates that side of the superstructure will usually result in all three of them being disabled, rendering the StuG III completely helpless. On the left side is the loader as well as a generous ammunition rack, and shots to that side of the tank usually result in a much quicker return to the hangar.
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It should also be noted that the thin roof armour can be vulnerable to aircraft cannon fire, or even heavy machine guns at very close ranges.
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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'''Armour type:'''
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* Rolled homogeneous armour
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{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
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|-
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| Hull || 30 mm (86°), 50 mm (50°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 50 mm (23°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 30 mm (33°) ''Top'' <br> 30 mm (11°) ''Bottom'' || 17 mm
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|-
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| Superstructure || 50 mm (9-10°), 30 mm (76°) || 30 mm || 30 mm (26-30°) || 11 mm
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
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* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=426|rbMinHp=265}}
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The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is very similar to that of the [[Panzer III]] medium tank on which it is based. It is quite adequate for relocating and keeping up with other tanks.
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
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{{main|StuK40 L43 (75 mm)}}
  
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=== Additional armament ===
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The 7,5 cm StuK 40 L/43 is almost identical to the 7,5 cm KwK40 L/43 on the Pz.IV F2. It is one of the best guns in the game for its rank, combining excellent penetration, lethal APHE shells, high velocity, average rate of fire, and high accuracy, complementing the StuG's playstyle as a medium/long range tank destroyer. Unfortunately, the StuG III does not have the gun depression of the PzKpfw IV F2, and thus is not so good at taking advantage of terrain.
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
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=== Machine guns ===
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The StuK 40 also has access to an APCR round with excellent penetration, but its lethality is a lot worse than the APHE shell and it is very rare that the extra penetration is needed. The HEAT round is not worthy of consideration since its penetration is inferior to the APHE round's penetration at ranges up to 2,000 m.
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''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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== Usage in the battles ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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''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 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).''
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[StuK40 L43 (75 mm)|75 mm StuK40 L43]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 44 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.2 || 18.3 || 22.2 || 24.6 || 26.1 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
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|-
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|}
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==== Ammunition ====
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{{:StuK40 L43 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, Hl.Gr 38B, PzGr 40, Sprgr. 34, K.Gr.Rot Nb.}}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 1.79.1.10''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''44''' || 22&nbsp;''(+22)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+27)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+43)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
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|-
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|}
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'''Note''':
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* Front right empty: 22&nbsp;''(+22)'' shells.
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== Usage in battles ==
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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StuGs, with their thin side and top armour, should be careful of their position. If operating alone, StuGs should either move to the flanks in order to catch the enemy unaware, or operate behind friendly lines. Staying behind cover is preferable, although many rock formations will block the gun trajectory (whilst other tanks can simply shoot over them). Do always keep at least one flank covered, if the enemy is within range.
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A particularly useful indicator is the [[Marder III]]. It features a similar gun, but are taller, and has a largely exposed crew. As a result of the latter, Marders are very fragile. If a Marder survives in a certain position, then the StuG is likely to do too.
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The best tactic, of course, is to operate in cooperation with the team.
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Operate in a squad with other StuGs, and at least one Pv.IV or Pz.III. They are taller, and might thus attract the enemy's attention, but draw fire away from the StuG for support while the StuG uses its powerful gun to destroy the enemy before it destroys the allied medium tanks.
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When fighting without support, relocate after each shot as the StuG III is sufficiently mobile to evade detection often; also, if the team does not have air superiority, seek wooded areas, as otherwise any plane armed with 20 mm cannons can attempt to penetrate through the thin roof armour.
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A StuG's best call in close combat should be constantly moving to keep the front armour of the {{PAGENAME}} moving, especially the loader's side where there are ammunition present that a penetrating shot can detonate and knock out the {{PAGENAME}} with a single shot. Many times a StuG III player may not move, thinking their frontal armour is invincible, and this is where many tanks are able to outmanoeuvre the StuG's turn rate and hit the vulnerable side.
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'''Enemies worth noting:'''
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* [[ZSD63]]: this SPAA has access to a full AP belt with 60+mm of penetration which makes it able to penetrate the StuG from any angle (even frontally) up close, and its quick rate of fire can finish all your crews with a short burst. Do not shoot at the hull below the turret as there is absolutely nothing inside, shoot the turret or the front hull. Multiple shots might be needed as its armour is so thin your shells will not detonate. Slightly angle your tank when reloading to avoid it penetrating your thin vertical armour. It has a rather boxy and tall hull with a geometric turret sitting at the back, slightly similar to a Wirbelwind's. You can also tell by looking at how it fires: the sound and green tracers are very rapid, much like a buzzsaw, but then it will remain silent for half a minute reloading. Note that an experienced ZSD player will hold its fire or shoot in single salvoes with long halts between, making it look like that it's reloading.
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* [[Sherman]]: Any type of M4 Sherman, with its stabilized main gun and high-calibre machine guns, has the capability to shoot out your tracks and transmission and destroy you easily. Thankfully, you can knock out most Shermans frontally with a single shot, but the Sherman will normally have the first shot off which requires you to defend until you are able to fire back. Angling your StuG like said above should be a common practice in any fight, and making your barrel and tracks hard to destroy should be the most important thing in the event of a one-on-one fight with a Sherman. Many competent Sherman players will normally avoid any frontal fight with a StuG and instead flank and hit the sides before the StuG is aware. Spatial awareness and keeping your surroundings in check is very key to being a good StuG player.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
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<!-- ''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:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
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*
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 +
* Powerful 75 mm cannon with decent penetration, great accuracy and velocity, and a piercing APCR shell: even with the stock AP it can frontally knock out most opponents with a single shot
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* Good mobility for relocating quickly
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* Large gun mantlet and sections of highly sloped armour often deflect poorly aimed shots
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* Low silhouette makes the StuG easy to conceal in RB and SB
 +
* Completely enclosed vehicle means it resists strafing aircraft and artillery better than other SPGs
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
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 +
* Poor survivability: weak, unsloped frontal armour of only 50 mm easily gets penetrated by common tanks like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], 75 mm [[M4]] or even [[M3 Stuart (Family)|M3 Stuarts]], and once penetrated 3 crew are lined up for the shot, destroying the StuG
 +
* Rather limited gun depression limits its capacity in hills
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* Lack of a turret makes reacting to flanking enemies harder, especially against common opponents such as the [[M24 (Family)|M24]], [[M22]] and [[GAZ-MM (72-K)|GAZ]] trucks
 +
* Obstacles on the ground (e.g. stone walls) can easily block the low-profile StuG's view and gun
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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===Development===
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The role of a self-propelled gun came from combat experiences in World War I. During the German offensives on the Allied front, infantry lacked artillery support against fortifications in places out-ranged by their heavy artillery behind the lines. A need for a mobile artillery piece was necessary to keep up with the German infantry and fight enemy fortifications with a direct-fire assault role. The father of this concept was German General Erich von Manstein and was coined as the Sturmartillerie (assault artillery), and these units were to be embedded in infantry divisions.
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On June 15, 1936, Daimler-Benz AG was ordered to develop a support vehicle mounting the 75 mm howitzer as its armament in a casemate structure with a traverse of 25 degrees. The vehicle was to provide full protection for its crew and be no taller than an average soldier. Daimler-Benz repurposed the chassis and running gear of their [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] design for the role. These new vehicles were named the '''Sturmgeschütz III''' (assault gun), or the shortened '''StuG III''' and the finished designs were sent to Alkett for prototype production and five were produced in 1937. These prototypes were made of mild steel and had the 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 cannon, an adaption of the original 75 mm KwK37 cannon on the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]]. This gun would be featured on the StuG III variants Ausf. A to Ausf. E. The StuG III entered production from January 1940 to the end of the war on April 1945 due to the many upgrades done on the vehicle to increase serviceability and its low cost. At about a total production of 11,300 StuG III and its variants, the StuG III design was the most produced armoured fighting vehicle in German service.
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===Design===
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The StuG III had a fully enclosed armoured shell, keeping the crew safe within the vehicle. As a casemate structure, it has a limited traverse range for its front view, and the whole vehicle must be turned if a target is outside its traverse range. The StuG III featured about 50 mm of armour on the front, but about 30 mm of armour everywhere else, this was upgraded as the war progressed to 80 mm. The suspension system is identical to the Panzer III's, a torsion bar system. The StuG III had a crew of four, the commander, driver, loader, and gunner. Initial variants lack machine guns, so the StuG was required to work with support units to ensure it does not get overrun by infantry. It wasn't until December 1942 when a machine gun could be accommodated for the loader to use. Initial variants also did not have a commander's cupola so his view was quite restricted. However, models after September 1943 had them installed.
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===Combat usage===
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The StuG III was placed in the artillery branch of the Wehrmacht Heer as neither the infantry nor Panzer forces could accept the StuG vehicle. The StuGs were organized into battalions with 18 vehicles organized into three batteries of six vehicles each. The intent of the vehicle was to provide close support for infantry and so it was meant to destroy lightly-armoured targets and fortifications, not tanks. The vehicle served well in its intended role in the early parts of World War II in Poland and France Campaigns, proving highly successful. One prominent commander of the StuG III is Michael Wittman, who would eventually become the most popular tank ace in German service. However, during the German campaigns in World War II, they encounter more heavily armoured and armed tanks in the Allied sides, such as the French heavy tank Char B1, but it was the Soviets [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks that made the Germans rearm their vehicles to be better able to combat these tanks.
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The [[StuG III A|initial Stug III design]] was up-gunned to better combat these newer tanks. The original 75 mm StuK 37 was inadequate so like the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]s, it was given a 75 mm StuK 40 L/43 cannon. This variant was the '''Ausf. F''' and with its new cannon, could penetrate about 91 mm of armour inclined at 30 degrees at 500 m distance, being able to engage the Soviet T-34 designs. This upgrade changed the StuG III role from its usual infantry support role into a tank destroyer, though it can serve both roles with acceptable performance. The design was changed with an exhaust fan on top of the vehicle to vent out propellant fume that could accumulate in the tank from firing the cannon. An additional 30 mm of armour was welded on the tank to up the front armour from 50 mm to 80 mm in thickness. This, plus with the StuG III's low profile makes its concealment very easy to ambush tanks with its powerful 75 mm cannon. Some later models from December 1942 onward have the StuG III Ausf. F mounted the longer 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 cannon more commonly seen on the [[StuG III G|Ausf. G]] variant. Another redesign in 1942 had the StuG III chassis built from the improved [[Pz.III J|Panzer III Ausf. J]] and [[Pz.III L|Ausf. L]] with better rear armour protection and hull design. This redesigned variant was called the Ausf. F/8. About 616 StuG III Ausf. F and F/8 were produced from March 1942 to December 1942.
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This up-gunned StuG III variant was better able to destroy Allied armours like the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]]s and the [[M4A1|M4 Sherman]]s. Another upgrade to the StuG III gave it the longer 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 cannon, and this variant was called the [[StuG III G]].The vehicles were deemed very successful and attributed to more tank kills than any other armoured fighting vehicle in German service. The success of the StuG III urged Germany to prioritize the production of casemate structure vehicles built from chassis of other vehicles for further development in tank destroyers such as the [[Jagdpanther]], [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]], and the [[Ferdinand]].
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The StuG III design was also made into different variants with different armaments, such as a 105 mm howitzer on the [[StuH 42 G|StuH 42]], a flamethrower on the StuG III (Flamm), and even a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun on the Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B.
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===Legacy===
 +
The StuG III design would see service in the entire war due to its adaptability to the changing course of the war, going from an offensive support weapon to a defensive tank destroyer. The StuG III holds the distinct title of knocking out the most Allied tanks in German service with about 20,000 tanks tallied, much more than the better [[Panther D|Panther]] and [[Tiger H1|Tiger]] tanks. It was a widely-exported design to Germany's allies, such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Spain, and Finland. The StuG III would continue serving in various countries past World War II in conflicts in the 1960s, such as the Six Days War in Syria's service that was donated by the Soviet Union. Today, some are still serving as static pillboxes on the Golan Heights.
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{{break}}
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{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
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{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
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During the first battles on the Eastern Front, the low efficiency of the StuG III assault gun's anti-tank abilities became apparent. Stronger assault guns were needed to fight the Soviet T-34 and KV tanks. From the beginning of 1942 onward, the StuG III began to be outfitted with a long-barreled 75 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig StuK40 L/43, which had a long 43 calibre barrel. To give the gun a 20° horizontal field of fire, the cut-out in the front of the tower had to be enlarged. A ventilation fan was installed in the roof of the cabin to vent gases from the crew compartment. Some of the Ausf. F assault guns received a gun with a spherical muzzle brake.
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Beginning in May 1942, an armour-covered Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung smokescreen system was installed in the rear of the vehicle's hull. In June 1942, the two front headlights were replaced by a single Notek blackout light installed on the middle of the upper-front hull. In August 1942, the configuration and angle of the tower forward armour plating was changed. Standard ammunition capacity was increased to 54 shells by no longer storing the shells in individual containers. Thanks to these changes, the vehicle's weight grew to 23,200 kg.
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Production of the new Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F released 364 vehicles between March and September 1942. This was the first variant of the StuG III to see large-scale production.
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The Greater Germany artillery division was the first unit to receive the new vehicle, obtaining 22 self-propelled guns.
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An important advantage of all of this SPG variants was its minimal profile, greatly reducing its chances of taking direct hit from long- and medium-range threats and allowing it to effectively use many different kinds of cover.
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{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_stug_III_ausf_F Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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== See also ==
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
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== Read also ==
 
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
 
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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''ETC.''
 
  
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== Sources ==
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== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Latest revision as of 05:41, 29 August 2023

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the German tank destroyer StuG III F. For other versions, see StuG III (Family).
StuG III F
germ_stug_iii_ausf_f.png
GarageImage StuG III F.jpg
ArtImage StuG III F.png
StuG III F
Germany flag.png Germany
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
3.3 3.3 3.3
Class:
Research:5 600 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:22 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

The Sturmgeschütz III Ausführung F (StuG III F) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 142/1) is the early version of the sixth variant of the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun family. The German Army was in disarray as it faced an increasing number of well-armed and protected Soviet tanks. In 1941, German tanks and anti-tank guns were barely able to defend against enemy tanks. Due to a shortage of manufacturing capacity, the Germans had only two alternatives for a speedy response: create temporary anti-tank vehicles or upgrade the firepower of existing designs. Following the second option, future StuG III assault guns would be deployed for anti-armour roles, an entirely different task that they were not originally planned for. Its short-barrelled 75 mm Sturmkanone (StuK) 37 L/24 tank gun would be replaced with a long-barrelled 75 mm StuK40 L/43 tank gun, increasing its overall firepower significantly. This led to the development of the StuG III F variant, an extremely lethal vehicle due to its low cost, compact silhouette, fully protected superstructure, and powerful gun.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the StuG III F marked a turning point in the entire StuG III assault gun family's intended roles, much to how the Panzer IV medium tank family changed responsibilities from infantry support (A to F1) to anti-armour (F2 to J). Due to the increasing stress from the Soviet Union's invasion, known as Operation Barbarossa, in 1941, the StuG III F served as an interim substitute against the Soviet T-34 medium tanks and KV-1 heavy tanks. The significantly increased armour penetration performance and ballistic characteristics will undoubtedly be appreciated by players. With a single well-aimed successful penetrating hit, the StuG III F can knock out the majority of enemy tanks in its ranks. However, the frontal hull protection is inadequate as most opponent tanks received significant upgrades to their weaponry as well.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull30 / 30 / 30
Turret50 / 30 / 30
Crew4 people
Visibility73 %

With a maximum of only 50 mm of armour on the superstructure, the StuG III Ausf. F is vulnerable to most guns that it faces, and even to lower rank vehicles if they get close enough. It must instead rely on its low profile in order to stay hidden and avoid incoming fire.

The driver, commander, and gunner are seated in a row on the left side of the tank, and a single shot that penetrates that side of the superstructure will usually result in all three of them being disabled, rendering the StuG III completely helpless. On the left side is the loader as well as a generous ammunition rack, and shots to that side of the tank usually result in a much quicker return to the hangar.

It should also be noted that the thin roof armour can be vulnerable to aircraft cannon fire, or even heavy machine guns at very close ranges.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 30 mm (86°), 50 mm (50°) Front glacis
50 mm (23°) Lower glacis 		30 mm 30 mm (33°) Top
30 mm (11°) Bottom 		17 mm
Superstructure 50 mm (9-10°), 30 mm (76°) 30 mm 30 mm (26-30°) 11 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB44 / 9 km/h
RB and SB41 / 8 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
1 back
Weight22.7 t
Engine power
AB572 hp
RB and SB300 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB25.2 hp/t
RB and SB13.2 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 44 9 22.7 426 572 18.77 25.2
Realistic 41 8 265 300 11.67 13.22

The mobility of the StuG III F is very similar to that of the Panzer III medium tank on which it is based. It is quite adequate for relocating and keeping up with other tanks.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB703 → 918 Sl icon.png
RB837 → 1 093 Sl icon.png
SB1 017 → 1 329 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications10 330 Rp icon.png
13 810 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost750 Ge icon.png
Crew training6 300 Sl icon.png
Experts22 000 Sl icon.png
Aces210 Ge icon.png
Research Aces220 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
50 / 80 / 100 % Sl icon.png
124 / 124 / 124 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank traks.png
Ostketten
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_40_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm StuK40 L43 cannon
Ammunition44 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 17°
Horizontal guidance-10° / 10°
Main article: StuK40 L43 (75 mm)

The 7,5 cm StuK 40 L/43 is almost identical to the 7,5 cm KwK40 L/43 on the Pz.IV F2. It is one of the best guns in the game for its rank, combining excellent penetration, lethal APHE shells, high velocity, average rate of fire, and high accuracy, complementing the StuG's playstyle as a medium/long range tank destroyer. Unfortunately, the StuG III does not have the gun depression of the PzKpfw IV F2, and thus is not so good at taking advantage of terrain.

The StuK 40 also has access to an APCR round with excellent penetration, but its lethality is a lot worse than the APHE shell and it is very rare that the extra penetration is needed. The HEAT round is not worthy of consideration since its penetration is inferior to the APHE round's penetration at ranges up to 2,000 m.

75 mm StuK40 L43 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 44 -6°/+17° ±10° N/A 13.2 18.3 22.2 24.6 26.1 7.67 6.79 6.25 5.90
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
PzGr 39 APCBC 137 135 123 110 98 88
Hl.Gr 38B HEAT 80 80 80 80 80 80
PzGr 40 APCR 163 159 143 126 110 96
Sprgr. 34 HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
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 39 APCBC 740 6.8 1.2 14 28.9 48° 63° 71°
Hl.Gr 38B HEAT 450 4.4 0.05 0.1 872.1 62° 69° 73°
PzGr 40 APCR 919 4.1 - - - 66° 70° 72°
Sprgr. 34 HE 550 5.74 0 0.1 686 79° 80° 81°
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. 540 6.2 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the StuG III F
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
44 22 (+22) 17 (+27) 1 (+43) No

Note:

  • Front right empty: 22 (+22) shells.

Usage in battles

StuGs, with their thin side and top armour, should be careful of their position. If operating alone, StuGs should either move to the flanks in order to catch the enemy unaware, or operate behind friendly lines. Staying behind cover is preferable, although many rock formations will block the gun trajectory (whilst other tanks can simply shoot over them). Do always keep at least one flank covered, if the enemy is within range.

A particularly useful indicator is the Marder III. It features a similar gun, but are taller, and has a largely exposed crew. As a result of the latter, Marders are very fragile. If a Marder survives in a certain position, then the StuG is likely to do too.

The best tactic, of course, is to operate in cooperation with the team.

Operate in a squad with other StuGs, and at least one Pv.IV or Pz.III. They are taller, and might thus attract the enemy's attention, but draw fire away from the StuG for support while the StuG uses its powerful gun to destroy the enemy before it destroys the allied medium tanks.

When fighting without support, relocate after each shot as the StuG III is sufficiently mobile to evade detection often; also, if the team does not have air superiority, seek wooded areas, as otherwise any plane armed with 20 mm cannons can attempt to penetrate through the thin roof armour.

A StuG's best call in close combat should be constantly moving to keep the front armour of the StuG III F moving, especially the loader's side where there are ammunition present that a penetrating shot can detonate and knock out the StuG III F with a single shot. Many times a StuG III player may not move, thinking their frontal armour is invincible, and this is where many tanks are able to outmanoeuvre the StuG's turn rate and hit the vulnerable side.

Enemies worth noting:

  • ZSD63: this SPAA has access to a full AP belt with 60+mm of penetration which makes it able to penetrate the StuG from any angle (even frontally) up close, and its quick rate of fire can finish all your crews with a short burst. Do not shoot at the hull below the turret as there is absolutely nothing inside, shoot the turret or the front hull. Multiple shots might be needed as its armour is so thin your shells will not detonate. Slightly angle your tank when reloading to avoid it penetrating your thin vertical armour. It has a rather boxy and tall hull with a geometric turret sitting at the back, slightly similar to a Wirbelwind's. You can also tell by looking at how it fires: the sound and green tracers are very rapid, much like a buzzsaw, but then it will remain silent for half a minute reloading. Note that an experienced ZSD player will hold its fire or shoot in single salvoes with long halts between, making it look like that it's reloading.
  • Sherman: Any type of M4 Sherman, with its stabilized main gun and high-calibre machine guns, has the capability to shoot out your tracks and transmission and destroy you easily. Thankfully, you can knock out most Shermans frontally with a single shot, but the Sherman will normally have the first shot off which requires you to defend until you are able to fire back. Angling your StuG like said above should be a common practice in any fight, and making your barrel and tracks hard to destroy should be the most important thing in the event of a one-on-one fight with a Sherman. Many competent Sherman players will normally avoid any frontal fight with a StuG and instead flank and hit the sides before the StuG is aware. Spatial awareness and keeping your surroundings in check is very key to being a good StuG player.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful 75 mm cannon with decent penetration, great accuracy and velocity, and a piercing APCR shell: even with the stock AP it can frontally knock out most opponents with a single shot
  • Good mobility for relocating quickly
  • Large gun mantlet and sections of highly sloped armour often deflect poorly aimed shots
  • Low silhouette makes the StuG easy to conceal in RB and SB
  • Completely enclosed vehicle means it resists strafing aircraft and artillery better than other SPGs

Cons:

  • Poor survivability: weak, unsloped frontal armour of only 50 mm easily gets penetrated by common tanks like the T-34, 75 mm M4 or even M3 Stuarts, and once penetrated 3 crew are lined up for the shot, destroying the StuG
  • Rather limited gun depression limits its capacity in hills
  • Lack of a turret makes reacting to flanking enemies harder, especially against common opponents such as the M24, M22 and GAZ trucks
  • Obstacles on the ground (e.g. stone walls) can easily block the low-profile StuG's view and gun

History

Development

The role of a self-propelled gun came from combat experiences in World War I. During the German offensives on the Allied front, infantry lacked artillery support against fortifications in places out-ranged by their heavy artillery behind the lines. A need for a mobile artillery piece was necessary to keep up with the German infantry and fight enemy fortifications with a direct-fire assault role. The father of this concept was German General Erich von Manstein and was coined as the Sturmartillerie (assault artillery), and these units were to be embedded in infantry divisions.

On June 15, 1936, Daimler-Benz AG was ordered to develop a support vehicle mounting the 75 mm howitzer as its armament in a casemate structure with a traverse of 25 degrees. The vehicle was to provide full protection for its crew and be no taller than an average soldier. Daimler-Benz repurposed the chassis and running gear of their Panzer III design for the role. These new vehicles were named the Sturmgeschütz III (assault gun), or the shortened StuG III and the finished designs were sent to Alkett for prototype production and five were produced in 1937. These prototypes were made of mild steel and had the 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 cannon, an adaption of the original 75 mm KwK37 cannon on the Panzer IV. This gun would be featured on the StuG III variants Ausf. A to Ausf. E. The StuG III entered production from January 1940 to the end of the war on April 1945 due to the many upgrades done on the vehicle to increase serviceability and its low cost. At about a total production of 11,300 StuG III and its variants, the StuG III design was the most produced armoured fighting vehicle in German service.

Design

The StuG III had a fully enclosed armoured shell, keeping the crew safe within the vehicle. As a casemate structure, it has a limited traverse range for its front view, and the whole vehicle must be turned if a target is outside its traverse range. The StuG III featured about 50 mm of armour on the front, but about 30 mm of armour everywhere else, this was upgraded as the war progressed to 80 mm. The suspension system is identical to the Panzer III's, a torsion bar system. The StuG III had a crew of four, the commander, driver, loader, and gunner. Initial variants lack machine guns, so the StuG was required to work with support units to ensure it does not get overrun by infantry. It wasn't until December 1942 when a machine gun could be accommodated for the loader to use. Initial variants also did not have a commander's cupola so his view was quite restricted. However, models after September 1943 had them installed.

Combat usage

The StuG III was placed in the artillery branch of the Wehrmacht Heer as neither the infantry nor Panzer forces could accept the StuG vehicle. The StuGs were organized into battalions with 18 vehicles organized into three batteries of six vehicles each. The intent of the vehicle was to provide close support for infantry and so it was meant to destroy lightly-armoured targets and fortifications, not tanks. The vehicle served well in its intended role in the early parts of World War II in Poland and France Campaigns, proving highly successful. One prominent commander of the StuG III is Michael Wittman, who would eventually become the most popular tank ace in German service. However, during the German campaigns in World War II, they encounter more heavily armoured and armed tanks in the Allied sides, such as the French heavy tank Char B1, but it was the Soviets T-34 and KV-1 tanks that made the Germans rearm their vehicles to be better able to combat these tanks.

The initial Stug III design was up-gunned to better combat these newer tanks. The original 75 mm StuK 37 was inadequate so like the Panzer IVs, it was given a 75 mm StuK 40 L/43 cannon. This variant was the Ausf. F and with its new cannon, could penetrate about 91 mm of armour inclined at 30 degrees at 500 m distance, being able to engage the Soviet T-34 designs. This upgrade changed the StuG III role from its usual infantry support role into a tank destroyer, though it can serve both roles with acceptable performance. The design was changed with an exhaust fan on top of the vehicle to vent out propellant fume that could accumulate in the tank from firing the cannon. An additional 30 mm of armour was welded on the tank to up the front armour from 50 mm to 80 mm in thickness. This, plus with the StuG III's low profile makes its concealment very easy to ambush tanks with its powerful 75 mm cannon. Some later models from December 1942 onward have the StuG III Ausf. F mounted the longer 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 cannon more commonly seen on the Ausf. G variant. Another redesign in 1942 had the StuG III chassis built from the improved Panzer III Ausf. J and Ausf. L with better rear armour protection and hull design. This redesigned variant was called the Ausf. F/8. About 616 StuG III Ausf. F and F/8 were produced from March 1942 to December 1942.

This up-gunned StuG III variant was better able to destroy Allied armours like the T-34s and the M4 Shermans. Another upgrade to the StuG III gave it the longer 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 cannon, and this variant was called the StuG III G.The vehicles were deemed very successful and attributed to more tank kills than any other armoured fighting vehicle in German service. The success of the StuG III urged Germany to prioritize the production of casemate structure vehicles built from chassis of other vehicles for further development in tank destroyers such as the Jagdpanther, Jagdpanzer 38(t), and the Ferdinand.

The StuG III design was also made into different variants with different armaments, such as a 105 mm howitzer on the StuH 42, a flamethrower on the StuG III (Flamm), and even a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun on the Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B.

Legacy

The StuG III design would see service in the entire war due to its adaptability to the changing course of the war, going from an offensive support weapon to a defensive tank destroyer. The StuG III holds the distinct title of knocking out the most Allied tanks in German service with about 20,000 tanks tallied, much more than the better Panther and Tiger tanks. It was a widely-exported design to Germany's allies, such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Spain, and Finland. The StuG III would continue serving in various countries past World War II in conflicts in the 1960s, such as the Six Days War in Syria's service that was donated by the Soviet Union. Today, some are still serving as static pillboxes on the Golan Heights.


Archive of the in-game description

During the first battles on the Eastern Front, the low efficiency of the StuG III assault gun's anti-tank abilities became apparent. Stronger assault guns were needed to fight the Soviet T-34 and KV tanks. From the beginning of 1942 onward, the StuG III began to be outfitted with a long-barreled 75 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig StuK40 L/43, which had a long 43 calibre barrel. To give the gun a 20° horizontal field of fire, the cut-out in the front of the tower had to be enlarged. A ventilation fan was installed in the roof of the cabin to vent gases from the crew compartment. Some of the Ausf. F assault guns received a gun with a spherical muzzle brake.

Beginning in May 1942, an armour-covered Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung smokescreen system was installed in the rear of the vehicle's hull. In June 1942, the two front headlights were replaced by a single Notek blackout light installed on the middle of the upper-front hull. In August 1942, the configuration and angle of the tower forward armour plating was changed. Standard ammunition capacity was increased to 54 shells by no longer storing the shells in individual containers. Thanks to these changes, the vehicle's weight grew to 23,200 kg.

Production of the new Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F released 364 vehicles between March and September 1942. This was the first variant of the StuG III to see large-scale production.

The Greater Germany artillery division was the first unit to receive the new vehicle, obtaining 22 self-propelled guns.

An important advantage of all of this SPG variants was its minimal profile, greatly reducing its chances of taking direct hit from long- and medium-range threats and allowing it to effectively use many different kinds of cover.


Media

Skins

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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


Germany tank destroyers
Pz. I Derivatives  Panzerjäger I
Pz. II Derivatives  15cm sIG 33 B Sfl
Pz. 38(t) Derivatives  Marder III · Marder III H · Jagdpanzer 38(t)
Pz. III Derivatives  StuG III A · StuG III F · StuG III G · StuH 42 G
Pz. IV Derivatives  Jagdpanzer IV · Panzer IV/70(A) · Panzer IV/70(V) · Dicker Max · Nashorn · Brummbär · VFW
Pz. V Derivatives  Jagdpanther G1 · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1
Pz. VI Derivatives  Sturer Emil · Elefant · Ferdinand · 38 cm Sturmmörser · Jagdtiger
Wheeled/Half-track  8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. · Sd.Kfz.251/9 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · 15 cm Pz.W.42
ATGM Carrier  RakJPz 2 · RakJPz 2 (HOT) · Wiesel 1A2
Other  Waffenträger · M109G · JPz 4-5 · Raketenautomat · VT1-2

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