Difference between revisions of "Marder III H"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_Marder_III_ausf_H}}
+
{{About
 +
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| usage = the other version III
 +
| link = Marder III
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_Marder_III_ausf_H
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''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.''
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''' officially designated '''{{Specs|name}}''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 138''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]].
 +
 
 +
The Marder III H is a step above the basic [[Marder III]]. As it is in Germany's open-topped tank destroyer line, its calling card is its superb firepower, in fact, it has a powerful gun for its BR range. APCBC is almost always enough to penetrate and destroy any tank on the battlefield, and with APCR, it has a very high penetration for its battle rating range.
 +
 
 +
The Marder III Ausf. H mounts a 75 mm gun, slightly surpassing those on the late [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV's]]⁣; thus its only disadvantages are its weak armour and its open fighting compartment.
 +
 
 +
Being a modified Pz.38(t) tank, it is one of the more mobile of the German tanks, nearly matching some Russian tanks. The gun is better at close range and the gun shield is curved to the sides, unlike the earlier Marder III.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
*Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 50 mm (19°) ''Front plate'' <br> 12 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 50 mm (13°) ''Lower glacis'' || 16 mm ''Upper'' <br> 15 mm ''Lower'' || 15 mm || 12 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 11 + 8 mm (31°) || 11 mm (8-9°) || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Note:'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 +
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=213|rbMinHp=133}}
 +
 
 +
The Marder can gain a good amount of speed on flat ground (about 40-45 km/h). However, it does not take well to hills, even the slightest elevation can drop your top speed to 25 km/h or less, making you an easy target when trying to reach a firing position, especially in open areas. If faced with a large hill, go around it. It will take you the same or less time to find a way around then struggle up the hill. If there is no choice but the hill, perform a "zig-zag" up the hill to prevent the vehicle from getting bogged down.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
Always go for "Parts" and "FPE" first to increase the vehicle's survivability. The stock shell is quite effective, so the Ml.Gr 38B HEAT shell and PzGr 40 APCR shell are not priorities either. Instead, focus on mobility upgrades and the Horizontal Drive modification. After that, the order of research will be determined by personal preference.
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
{{main|PaK40/3 L46 (75 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[PaK40/3 L46 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK40/3 L46]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | ±9° || rowspan="2" | ±28° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 10.57 || 14.63 || 17.76 || 19.63 || 20.89 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 7.14 || 8.40 || 10.20 || 11.28 || 12.00
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:PaK40/3 L46 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, Hl.Gr 38B, PzGr 40, K.Gr.Rot Nb., Sprgr. 34}}
  
−
== Weaponry ==
+
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
=== Main weaponry ===
+
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
−
''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.''
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''38''' || 37&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 25&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 22&nbsp;''(+16)'' || 14&nbsp;''(+24)'' || 11&nbsp;''(+27)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+37)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Note''':
  
−
=== Additional weaponry ===
+
* Gun shield empty (racks 1 & 2 emptied): 33&nbsp;''(+5)'' shells.
−
''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.''
 
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
{{main|MG37(t) (7.92 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[MG37(t) (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG37(t)]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 1,200 (200) || 769 || ±10° || ±10°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
Since you are an unprotected tank from behind, try to be as far from the action as possible. If getting close to enemy tanks cannot be prevented (urban maps, allies retreat etc.), then try to face at least a part of your hull against a wall or rock.
 +
 
 +
Use the horizontal range of the Marder III H as much as possible, the gun traverse is excellent for a turretless SPG. This tank destroyer can be penetrated easily; it has next to no armour at its battle rating. Keep close to other tanks to prevent this. Furthermore, it is imperative to exercise caution when being subjected to artillery fire; a single close hit, especially to your unprotected rear, can result in your demise due to shrapnel. Another important aspect to consider is the fact that ammunition is stored in the nearly unarmoured gun shield. Nearly any vehicle in the game, with the notable exception of the [[GAZ-AAA (4M)]], can penetrate there with ease. To mitigate the risk of ammo rack explosion, bring fewer shells, 33 are more than enough. Another fact to consider is that nearly all shells will over penetrate the superstructure and not explode.
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
The Marder III H's main APCBC shell, the PzGr 39, is good enough against most standard medium tank models like the M4 Sherman and T-34 from a frontal and slightly angled perspective. However, the penetration performance against sloped armour is only just enough under these circumstances, and an extreme angling beyond 60° on those tanks' part can cause rounds heading towards their front glacis to bounce. This makes up-armoured models like the T-34E and T-34E STZ particularly dangerous, as they can defeat the APCBC shell's sloped performance even at slight angles. While the T-34E has enhanced side armour, the T-34E STZ features increased front armour to bounce shots, so be sure to distinguish the two models for a more profound understanding on where to aim.
−
''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).''
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''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".''
+
<!-- ''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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Outstanding gun, can knock out frontally common foes like [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], [[M4]], [[Churchill I]] with a single shot
 +
* Armour protects the crew from MG fire, and is thin enough for explosive AP rounds to over-penetrate
 +
* Fairly small tank destroyer can hide behind most obstacles
 +
* Good -9° gun depression, good for most hills
 +
* Excellent horizontal arc of 30°, allowing hiding easily
 +
* Amazing penetration of APCR, effective even in uptiers
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Vulnerable to HE shell overpressure (e.g. from [[SU-122]])
−
''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.''
+
* Not fully enclosed (exposed crew), vulnerable to MG, bombs, and strafing planes
 +
* Poor +9° gun elevation can be unsuitable in certain situations
 +
* Shells can overpenetrate some lightly-armoured vehicles (e.g. [[ZiS-12 (94-KM)|ZiS-12 94KM]], [[Chi-Ha LG]])
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
===Development===
 +
After the start of Operation Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht found itself in a very dire situation due to the lack of adequate mobile anti-tank weapons, especially after the appearance of the superior Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. The only mass-issued dedicated anti-tank gun was the 37 mm PaK36 while the sole widely used tank destroyer was the Panzerjäger I with the Czech 47 mm anti-tank gun. Obsolete tanks and captured vehicles were converted to tank destroyers to enable them to penetrate the modern Soviet tanks at common combat distances. Those were mainly the Marder I (from French Lorraine tracked supply vehicles), the Marder II (from [[Pz.II F|Panzer IIs]]), and the Marder III (from Czech [[Pz.38(t) F|Panzer 38(t)s]]).
 +
 
 +
===Specifications===
 +
The Marder IIIs, like the rest of the Marder series, were self-propelled guns better suited for fighting enemy armour than the Panzers III and IV then in service. They mounted dedicated anti-tank guns such as the 75 mm PaK40 or captured Soviet 76.2 mm guns, mainly the F-22. All the Marders were open-topped vehicles, leaving the crew exposed to mortar fire, shrapnel, or infantry fire. This weakness was mitigated by the fact that the Marders were supposed to be tank destroyers that are to ambush incoming enemy tanks or shoot them from afar.
 +
 
 +
The '''Marder III Ausf. H''' used the Panzer 38(t) chassis because it was becoming obsolete, and when new, desperately needed more powerful anti-tank weapons became available, as a stop-gap measure they were mounted on outdated tanks like the Panzer 38(t) first. The finished self-propelled mount had a higher silhouette, which left it more vulnerable, but had a 75 mm PaK40 gun and could hold 38 rounds in the vehicle. A machine gun on the hull was retained for anti-infantry purposes.
 +
 
 +
The Marder III Ausf. H predecessor, simply named as the [[Marder III]] mounted a rechambered 76.2 gun instead of a PaK40. Another variant created, the Ausf. M, featured a lower silhouette and a better-sloped armour and fighting compartment, despite only holding 27 rounds for the mounted PaK40. A total of 3,472 Marder IIIs and its versions were created or converted from Panzer 38(t) during its production life.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
The Marder III Ausf. H fought on all fronts of the war, being produced from 1942 to 1945, with 450 Marder III Ausf. H with the PaK40 converted and produced. Using the tested design of the Panzer 38(t), the Marder III was mechanically reliable and had a gun that could take out most allied tanks in the war. The vulnerability of the crew due to lack of armour was its most pressing issue, with only a front shield plate at most 15 mm thick and side plates that can't enclose the crew. This makes it a poor assault vehicle or tank substitute, it allows infantry to easily kill the crew from ambushes. Despite that, with the deteriorating situation during the last years of the war, they were nevertheless used this way and suffered considerable losses.
 +
 
 +
As its production was underway, Germany already had a few self-propelled assault weapons being produced such as the [[StuG III F|StuG III]] that could have the same anti-tank capabilities, yet was fully armoured, enclosing the crew in adequate armour. This obvious advantage over the open Marder series encouraged the development of a new kind of tank destroyer from the Panzer 38(t) with better armour, which would eventually become the [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]. Despite that, the Marders continued to serve to the end of the war.
 +
 
 +
{{break}}
 +
{{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'}}}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 +
An antitank vehicle designed by Alkett. The prototype was built in June, 1942. It was produced from November, 1942 to April, 1943 at the BMM factory. The Marder II Ausf.H was also rebuilt from damaged tanks at the Wehrmacht factory in Prilougi using cabins obtained from BMM.
 +
 
 +
Marder IIIs were used actively on all fronts of World War II. Most of them were used on the Eastern Front.
 +
 
 +
A total of 613 Marder III Ausf. H tank destroyers were produced.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_38t_Marder_III_ausf_H Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|LyVyFGLX1TY|'''The Hetzer's Useless Uncle? - Marder III Ausf. H.'''<br>''-Military History Visualized''}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
−
== Read 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;''
 
* ''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.''
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== 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 10:42, 19 November 2023

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the German tank destroyer Marder III H. For the other version III, see Marder III.
Marder III H
germ_pzkpfw_38t_marder_iii_ausf_h.png
GarageImage Marder III H.jpg
ArtImage Marder III H.png
Marder III H
Germany flag.png Germany
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
3.0 3.0 3.0
Class:
Research:7 900 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:10 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Marder III H officially designated PaK40/3 auf Sfl.38 Ausf. H (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 138) is a rank II German tank destroyer with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.47 "Big Guns".

The Marder III H is a step above the basic Marder III. As it is in Germany's open-topped tank destroyer line, its calling card is its superb firepower, in fact, it has a powerful gun for its BR range. APCBC is almost always enough to penetrate and destroy any tank on the battlefield, and with APCR, it has a very high penetration for its battle rating range.

The Marder III Ausf. H mounts a 75 mm gun, slightly surpassing those on the late Panzer IV's⁣; thus its only disadvantages are its weak armour and its open fighting compartment.

Being a modified Pz.38(t) tank, it is one of the more mobile of the German tanks, nearly matching some Russian tanks. The gun is better at close range and the gun shield is curved to the sides, unlike the earlier Marder III.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull50 / 15 / 15
Turret15 / 15 / 0
Crew4 people
Visibility87 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides (Slope angle) Rear Roof
Hull 50 mm (19°) Front plate
12 mm (74°) Front glacis
50 mm (13°) Lower glacis 		16 mm Upper
15 mm Lower 		15 mm 12 mm
Turret 11 + 8 mm (31°) 11 mm (8-9°) N/A N/A

Note:

  • Belly armour is 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB49 / 7 km/h
RB and SB45 / 7 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight11.0 t
Engine power
AB286 hp
RB and SB150 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB26.0 hp/t
RB and SB13.6 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 49 7 11 213 286 19.36 26
Realistic 45 7 133 150 12.09 13.64

The Marder can gain a good amount of speed on flat ground (about 40-45 km/h). However, it does not take well to hills, even the slightest elevation can drop your top speed to 25 km/h or less, making you an easy target when trying to reach a firing position, especially in open areas. If faced with a large hill, go around it. It will take you the same or less time to find a way around then struggle up the hill. If there is no choice but the hill, perform a "zig-zag" up the hill to prevent the vehicle from getting bogged down.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB434 → 536 Sl icon.png
RB491 → 607 Sl icon.png
SB597 → 738 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications6 900 Rp icon.png
6 720 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost530 Ge icon.png
Crew training3 000 Sl icon.png
Experts10 000 Sl icon.png
Aces115 Ge icon.png
Research Aces160 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
30 / 50 / 60 % Sl icon.png
112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
460 Rp icon.png
Cost:
450 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
730 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
730 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
460 Rp icon.png
Cost:
450 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
460 Rp icon.png
Cost:
450 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_40_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
750 Rp icon.png
Cost:
730 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png

Always go for "Parts" and "FPE" first to increase the vehicle's survivability. The stock shell is quite effective, so the Ml.Gr 38B HEAT shell and PzGr 40 APCR shell are not priorities either. Instead, focus on mobility upgrades and the Horizontal Drive modification. After that, the order of research will be determined by personal preference.

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm PaK40/3 L46 cannon
Ammunition38 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-9° / 9°
Horizontal guidance-28° / 28°
Main article: PaK40/3 L46 (75 mm)
75 mm PaK40/3 L46 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 38 ±9° ±28° N/A 10.57 14.63 17.76 19.63 20.89 7.67 6.79 6.25 5.90
Realistic 7.14 8.40 10.20 11.28 12.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
PzGr 39 APCBC 151 148 135 121 108 96
Hl.Gr 38B HEAT 80 80 80 80 80 80
PzGr 40 APCR 182 177 159 140 122 107
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 792 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 990 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 Marder III H
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
38 37 (+1) 33 (+5) 25 (+13) 22 (+16) 14 (+24) 11 (+27) 1 (+37) No

Note:

  • Gun shield empty (racks 1 & 2 emptied): 33 (+5) shells.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG37(t) machine gun
Ammunition1 200 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate769 shots/min
Main article: MG37(t) (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm MG37(t)
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Hull 1,200 (200) 769 ±10° ±10°

Usage in battles

Since you are an unprotected tank from behind, try to be as far from the action as possible. If getting close to enemy tanks cannot be prevented (urban maps, allies retreat etc.), then try to face at least a part of your hull against a wall or rock.

Use the horizontal range of the Marder III H as much as possible, the gun traverse is excellent for a turretless SPG. This tank destroyer can be penetrated easily; it has next to no armour at its battle rating. Keep close to other tanks to prevent this. Furthermore, it is imperative to exercise caution when being subjected to artillery fire; a single close hit, especially to your unprotected rear, can result in your demise due to shrapnel. Another important aspect to consider is the fact that ammunition is stored in the nearly unarmoured gun shield. Nearly any vehicle in the game, with the notable exception of the GAZ-AAA (4M), can penetrate there with ease. To mitigate the risk of ammo rack explosion, bring fewer shells, 33 are more than enough. Another fact to consider is that nearly all shells will over penetrate the superstructure and not explode.

The Marder III H's main APCBC shell, the PzGr 39, is good enough against most standard medium tank models like the M4 Sherman and T-34 from a frontal and slightly angled perspective. However, the penetration performance against sloped armour is only just enough under these circumstances, and an extreme angling beyond 60° on those tanks' part can cause rounds heading towards their front glacis to bounce. This makes up-armoured models like the T-34E and T-34E STZ particularly dangerous, as they can defeat the APCBC shell's sloped performance even at slight angles. While the T-34E has enhanced side armour, the T-34E STZ features increased front armour to bounce shots, so be sure to distinguish the two models for a more profound understanding on where to aim.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Outstanding gun, can knock out frontally common foes like T-34, M4, Churchill I with a single shot
  • Armour protects the crew from MG fire, and is thin enough for explosive AP rounds to over-penetrate
  • Fairly small tank destroyer can hide behind most obstacles
  • Good -9° gun depression, good for most hills
  • Excellent horizontal arc of 30°, allowing hiding easily
  • Amazing penetration of APCR, effective even in uptiers

Cons:

  • Vulnerable to HE shell overpressure (e.g. from SU-122)
  • Not fully enclosed (exposed crew), vulnerable to MG, bombs, and strafing planes
  • Poor +9° gun elevation can be unsuitable in certain situations
  • Shells can overpenetrate some lightly-armoured vehicles (e.g. ZiS-12 94KM, Chi-Ha LG)

History

Development

After the start of Operation Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht found itself in a very dire situation due to the lack of adequate mobile anti-tank weapons, especially after the appearance of the superior Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks. The only mass-issued dedicated anti-tank gun was the 37 mm PaK36 while the sole widely used tank destroyer was the Panzerjäger I with the Czech 47 mm anti-tank gun. Obsolete tanks and captured vehicles were converted to tank destroyers to enable them to penetrate the modern Soviet tanks at common combat distances. Those were mainly the Marder I (from French Lorraine tracked supply vehicles), the Marder II (from Panzer IIs), and the Marder III (from Czech Panzer 38(t)s).

Specifications

The Marder IIIs, like the rest of the Marder series, were self-propelled guns better suited for fighting enemy armour than the Panzers III and IV then in service. They mounted dedicated anti-tank guns such as the 75 mm PaK40 or captured Soviet 76.2 mm guns, mainly the F-22. All the Marders were open-topped vehicles, leaving the crew exposed to mortar fire, shrapnel, or infantry fire. This weakness was mitigated by the fact that the Marders were supposed to be tank destroyers that are to ambush incoming enemy tanks or shoot them from afar.

The Marder III Ausf. H used the Panzer 38(t) chassis because it was becoming obsolete, and when new, desperately needed more powerful anti-tank weapons became available, as a stop-gap measure they were mounted on outdated tanks like the Panzer 38(t) first. The finished self-propelled mount had a higher silhouette, which left it more vulnerable, but had a 75 mm PaK40 gun and could hold 38 rounds in the vehicle. A machine gun on the hull was retained for anti-infantry purposes.

The Marder III Ausf. H predecessor, simply named as the Marder III mounted a rechambered 76.2 gun instead of a PaK40. Another variant created, the Ausf. M, featured a lower silhouette and a better-sloped armour and fighting compartment, despite only holding 27 rounds for the mounted PaK40. A total of 3,472 Marder IIIs and its versions were created or converted from Panzer 38(t) during its production life.

Combat usage

The Marder III Ausf. H fought on all fronts of the war, being produced from 1942 to 1945, with 450 Marder III Ausf. H with the PaK40 converted and produced. Using the tested design of the Panzer 38(t), the Marder III was mechanically reliable and had a gun that could take out most allied tanks in the war. The vulnerability of the crew due to lack of armour was its most pressing issue, with only a front shield plate at most 15 mm thick and side plates that can't enclose the crew. This makes it a poor assault vehicle or tank substitute, it allows infantry to easily kill the crew from ambushes. Despite that, with the deteriorating situation during the last years of the war, they were nevertheless used this way and suffered considerable losses.

As its production was underway, Germany already had a few self-propelled assault weapons being produced such as the StuG III that could have the same anti-tank capabilities, yet was fully armoured, enclosing the crew in adequate armour. This obvious advantage over the open Marder series encouraged the development of a new kind of tank destroyer from the Panzer 38(t) with better armour, which would eventually become the Jagdpanzer 38(t). Despite that, the Marders continued to serve to the end of the war.


Archive of the in-game description

An antitank vehicle designed by Alkett. The prototype was built in June, 1942. It was produced from November, 1942 to April, 1943 at the BMM factory. The Marder II Ausf.H was also rebuilt from damaged tanks at the Wehrmacht factory in Prilougi using cabins obtained from BMM.

Marder IIIs were used actively on all fronts of World War II. Most of them were used on the Eastern Front.

A total of 613 Marder III Ausf. H tank destroyers were produced.


Media

Skins
Videos
The Hetzer's Useless Uncle? - Marder III Ausf. H.
-Military History Visualized

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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