Difference between revisions of "Pz.III B"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_B}}
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{{About
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| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = Panzer III (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_B
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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 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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<!-- ''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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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''Panzerkampfwagen III Ausführung B (Panzer III B)''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 141''') is the second variant of the [[Pz.III (Family)|Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank family]]. The Panzer III A variant's arrival into service provided the Germans with a foundation for the construction of an excellent medium tank. While the Germans were largely pleased with the overall concept and design, there was still plenty of space for enhancements and changes. The most serious flaw with the Panzer III A version was its unstable suspension. As a result, the Germans introduced a new variant, the Panzer III B, with the intention of improving the vehicle's suspension and other minor components. The commander's cupola was additionally enhanced by the addition of a new two-part hatch opening. The 37 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 36 L/46.5 tank gun with 121 rounds of ammo was the main armament of the Panzer III B variant. The secondary armament consisted of three 7.92 mm MG 34 light machine guns, two of which were mounted coaxially with the main gun and one in the hull. Despite being produced in small numbers, the Panzer III B variant saw service during the beginning of World War II. The Germans had no choice but to utilise the Panzer III B during the invasion of Poland in 1939 due to a lack of more advanced tanks.
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{{Break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update_1.59_"Flaming_Arrows"|Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]].
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Introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]], the Panzer III B is a basic medium tank that will eventually evolve into more advanced Panzer III variants later in World War II. It is significantly weaker than many other tanks of its rank, being armed with a 37 mm KwK36 L/46.5 tank gun. The tank is made of light armour plates and will struggle to protect the tank crew even from close-range heavy machine guns fire. As a result, this tank is practically weak to almost all vehicles in its rank from any angle. Nonetheless, it is a fairly ordinary medium tank with very few advantages and should be used with caution in battle.
  
 
== 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 helpful 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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[[File:Pz.III B 2.jpg|thumb|300px|The Pz.III B, distinguishable from the [[Pz.III E]] by the cylindrical cupola]]
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The Pz.III B is one of the worst starter vehicles in terms of overall survivability. The armour thickness of the hull and sides are 14.5 mm thick, with 16 mm on the turret face. This isn't even enough protection to nullify heavy machine gun fire, which leaves this vehicle almost universally vulnerable from almost all vehicles present in the lower ranks. By angling the hull, you can potentially bring the protection up to 20 mm effective on the front and sides, but this is a superficial boost to armour and will still not reliably protect the tank from any incoming rounds. The only advantage survivability wise this vehicle has is the crew count as it has 5 members. Because most of the incoming fire is going to be from low calibre AP rounds, it's very unlikely that this tank will be taken out in a single shot, though this is more of a passive advantage and not something you can actively make use of.
  
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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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The Pz.III B is one of the worst starter vehicles in terms of overall survivability. The hull and sides are 14.5mm thick, with 16mm on the turret face, this isn't even enough protection to nullify heavy machine gun fire which leaves this vehicle almost universally vulnerable from almost all vehicles present in the lower tiers. By angling the hull you can potentially bring the protection up to 20mm effective on the front and sides, but this is a superficial boost to armour and will still not reliably protect the tank from any incoming rounds. The only advantage survivability wise this vehicle has is the crew count as it has 5 members. Because most of the incoming fire is going to be from low caliber AP rounds, it's very unlikely that this tank will be taken out in a single shot, though this is more of a passive advantage and not something you can actively make use of.
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[[File:Pz.III B 2.jpg|thumb|448x448px|The Pz.III B, distinguishable from the E by the cylindrical cupola]]
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* Rolled homogeneous armour
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* Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)
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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 || 14.5 mm (9°) ''Front plate'' <br> 14.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 10 mm (15°) ''Lower glacis'' || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm || 10 mm
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|-
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| Turret || 16 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 16 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm (25°) || 14.5 mm (20°) || 10 mm
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|-
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| Cupola || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm || 10 mm
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
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* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 15 mm thick.
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* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== 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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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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The Pz.III B has fairly unimpressive mobility across all fronts, it can reach a max speed of 35kph in RB modes, and 39kph in AB modes. Compared to other reserve tier tanks this is on the slower side by a large margin, and therefore will struggle when it comes to reaching good spots early, pushing across the map and retreating from combat. This tied with the lack of meaningful armour really hurts this tanks overall performance. The only positive aspect of this tanks mobility is its hull traverse, which can help turn the turret and cannon quicker than just using the turret traverse on its own.
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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=271|rbMinHp=221}}
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The {{PAGENAME}} has fairly unimpressive mobility across all fronts, it can reach a maximum speed of 35 km/h in RB mode, and 39 km/h in AB mode. Compared to other reserve tanks, this is on the slower side by a large margin and therefore will struggle when it comes to reaching good spots early, pushing across the map and retreating from combat. This tied with the lack of meaningful armour really hurts this tank's overall performance. The only positive aspect of this tanks mobility is its hull traverse, which can help turn the turret and cannon quicker than just using the turret traverse on its own.
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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 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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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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{{main|KwK 36 (37 mm)}}
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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|KwK36 (37 mm)}}
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The Pz.III B is equipped with the 37 mm KwK36, which is a fairly underwhelming weapon performance wise. It can penetrate most lower rank vehicles at close range, but at further ranges the gun really does start to struggle. It's also fairly inaccurate, which makes aiming for certain weak spots quite difficult.
  
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The Pz.III B is equipped with the 37mm KwK36, which is a fairly underwhelming weapon performance wise. It can penetrate most lower tier vehicles at close range, but at further ranges  the gun really does start to struggle. It's also fairly inaccurate, which makes aiming for certain weak spots quite difficult. It comes with two available rounds-  
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It comes with two available rounds -
  
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* APHE- Max 47mm penetration- Low penetration but higher damage potential  
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* APHE- Max 47 mm penetration- Low penetration but higher damage potential
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* APCR- Max 86mm penetration- High penetration but lower damage potential.  
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* APCR- Max 86 mm penetration- High penetration but lower damage potential.
  
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It's best to consider taking a mix of both types of ammunition, the APHE has the potential to one-shot some enemy tanks, but will be completely ineffective against the more heavily armoured vehicles, for these tanks it's best to use APCR and aim for flat surfaces. The APCR does very little damage internally, so try to aim for crew members if possible.  
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It's best to consider taking a mix of both types of ammunition. The APHE has the potential to one-shot some enemy tanks, but will be completely ineffective against the more heavily armoured vehicles; for these tanks, it's best to use APCR and aim for flat surfaces. The APCR does very little damage internally, so try to aim for crew members if possible.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[KwK36 (37 mm)|37 mm KwK36]] || 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" | 121 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 16.07 || 22.24 || 27.00 || 29.86 || 31.76 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 3.57 || 4.20 || 5.10 || 5.64 || 6.00
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|-
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|}
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==== Ammunition ====
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{{:KwK36 (37 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr, PzGr 40}}
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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: 2.35.0.20''' -->
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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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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
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! 6th<br>rack empty
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! 7th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''121''' || 116&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 98&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 78&nbsp;''(+43)'' || 60&nbsp;''(+61)'' || 40&nbsp;''(+81)'' || 20&nbsp;''(+101)'' || ''0 (+121)'' || No
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|-
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|}
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'''Note''':
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* Racks only disappear after all shells in the rack have been fired.
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* Turret empty: 116 ''(+5)'' shells.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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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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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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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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{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}
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This vehicle is equipped with two coaxial 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns. As there are two of them, these machine guns are quite potent against enemy anti-air trucks and even against the slower biplane aircraft commonly encountered in lower rank battles. However, they have no functional viability against armoured vehicles and only serve as a last ditch effort to kick up dust or blind an enemy vehicle by firing at their optics.
  
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This vehicle is equipped with two coaxial 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns, as there are two of them these machine guns are quite potent against enemy anti-air trucks, and even against the slower biplane aircraft commonly encountered in lower tier battles, they have no functional viability against armoured vehicles however, and only serve as a last ditch effort to kick up dust, or blind an enemy vehicle by firing at their optics.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Coaxial || 1,800 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
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|-
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| Coaxial || 1,800 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
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|-
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|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== 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).-->[[File:Pz.III B 1.jpg|thumb|582x582px]]
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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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Overall, the Pz.III B doesn't have many reliable advantages, both the armour and firepower leave a lot to be desired, although its mobility is somewhat functional. However, it just doesn't have any decent aggressive aspects to it that good mobility benefits, meaning that although it is the Pz.III Bs most functioning asset, it's still not reliable to play aggressively on the move. The Pz.III B isn't equipped with a short stabiliser, meaning that the gun will be very unstable when coming to a stop, whereas the majority of allied vehicles do have this feature, so if you were to run into one of these vehicles on the move your enemy will likely get the first shot off, and as your armour protection is so poor they will likely deal critical damage.
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[[File:Pz.III B 1.jpg|thumb|300px]]
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Overall, the Pz.III B doesn't have many reliable advantages, especially over the E variant. Both the armour and firepower leave a lot to be desired, although its mobility is somewhat functional. However, it just doesn't have any decent aggressive aspects to it that good mobility benefits, meaning that although it is the Pz.III B's most functioning asset, it's still not reliable to play aggressively on the move. The Pz.III B isn't equipped with a short stabiliser, meaning that the gun will be very unstable when coming to a stop, whereas the majority of allied vehicles do have this feature. So if you were to run into one of these vehicles on the move, your enemy will likely get the first shot off, and as your armour protection is so poor they will likely deal critical damage.
  
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A somewhat reliable way to stay alive in this tank is to play hull-down, a lot of the rounds you'll be taking will be small caliber AP shots, and if only your turret is exposed these rounds will only usually take out 2 crew members at most, allowing for you to back off, repair and reengage. Try not to play too far away from your enemies, the performance of the gun is overall very poor at distances, and even though survivability will be increased by playing at range, firepower will be very inconsistent, so try to find a spot that isn't too far away from combat.
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A somewhat reliable way to stay alive in this tank is to play hull-down, a lot of the rounds you'll be taking will be small calibre AP shots. If only your turret is exposed, these rounds will only usually take out 2 crew members at most, allowing for you to back off, repair and re-engage. Find a spot, take a few shots, and reposition before being spotted, as escaping a bad position is nearly impossible once compromised. The performance of the gun is overall very poor at distances, so even though survivability will be increased by playing at range, firepower will be very inconsistent, so try to find a spot that isn't too far away from combat.
  
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The turret traverse of the III B is also very poor, at 4.2 degrees a second in RB mode, because of this it's a good idea to use the hull traverse to swing the turret around faster, the hull traverse itself is fairly fast, so utilising this is a decent habit to get in to. The situation you most want to avoid is losing your driver or engine, as your mobility is the only thing that will keep you in the fight, and the way to ensure this primarily is to stay in cover and not advance too far into the map, if an enemy gets on your side or rear there's nothing you can really do as your turret traverse is so poor, so watch your flanks and try to minimise the possibility of an enemy getting behind you.  
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The turret traverse of the Pz.III B is also very poor, at 4.2 degrees a second in RB mode, because of this it's a good idea to use the hull traverse to swing the turret around faster. The hull traverse itself is fairly fast, so utilising this is a decent habit to get in to. The situation you most want to avoid is losing your driver or engine, as your mobility is the only thing that will keep you in the fight, and the way to ensure this primarily is to stay in cover and not advance too far into the map. If an enemy gets on your side or rear, there's nothing you can really do as your turret traverse is disappointingly poor, so watch your flanks and try to minimise the possibility of an enemy getting behind you.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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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".-->
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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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* Reasonable acceleration
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* Reasonably fast acceleration, decent top speed and hull traverse allows it to get to positions in time
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* Large crew count
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* Decent survivability: spacious interior plus 5-man crew increases survivability against solid shells (e.g. [[M3 Stuart (Family)|M3 Stuart]])
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* Access to APCR
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* Adequate firepower: stock AP can frontally penetrate and one-shot common foes like [[BT-5]], while the APCR is quite effective in an uptier against the [[B1 bis]]
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* Fast reload
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* Fast reload allows it to finish off remaining crew quickly
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* Twin fast-firing 7.92 mm coaxial MG can quickly wipe out exposed crew, or even damage low-flying planes
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
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* Weak frontal armour
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* Weak armour on all sides, can get penetrated by various tanks (e.g. [[M3 Stuart (Family)|M3 Stuart]], [[BT-5]]) and even SPAA like [[M13 MGMC]] and [[GAZ-AAA (DShK)]]
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* Vulnerable to heavy machine guns
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* Small calibre gun lacks the damage to quickly destroy large tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
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* Lackluster firepower
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* Very slow turret traverse, may not be able the gun on fast targets
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* Very slow turret traverse
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* Profile is quite large and tall, making it easier to be seen and shot at, and harder to conceal behind bushes or cover
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* No short stabiliser
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* Poor reverse speed
  
 
== 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 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. 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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<!-- ''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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The Pz.III was supposed to be the main tank of Germany's Panzer Divisions at the start of the war, but its design wasn't finalized until 1939. Approximately 70 early models (A through D, varying primarily by their suspension systems) were made before full-scale production began with the Pz IIIE and F models. All these early models were withdrawn from service by April of 1940.
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The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw. III), also referred to as Panzer III, was a tank developed by the Germans in the 1930s and used in World War II. The PzKpfw. III was designed to take out other armoured vehicles while supporting the Panzerkampfwagen IV which task was mainly to take out unarmoured targets. The dome ring of the PzKpfw. III was unable to accommodate the increasingly heavy cannons needed to fight new tank types. Ultimately, the PzKpfw. III was replaced by the larger PzKpfw. IV as main battle tank. The PzKpfw. III was then delivered to some allies while the chassis was used for the very successful Sturmgeschütz III.
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The suspension of the Pz.III A turned out to be too weak. The same year, a series of fifteen Ausführung B vehicles were built. The five running wheels were replaced by eight wheels with leaf springs. This increased the speed to 35 km/h. With Three instead of two wheels supporting the upper of the track. These vehicles were only intended for training, but eventually had to be assigned to the combat troops. The first models (A to E) were equipped with the short 37 mm KwK / 36 L46.5 gun, which performed sufficiently during the actions in 1939 and 1940.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, 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_pzkpfw_III_ausf_B Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 77: Line 181:
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
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* [http://warthunder.com/en/news/3727-development-pzkpfw-iii-ausf-b-en/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> PzKpfw III Ausf. B]
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* [[wt:en/news/3727-development-pzkpfw-iii-ausf-b-en/|[Development] PzKpfw III Ausf. B]]
  
 
{{Germany medium tanks}}
 
{{Germany medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 22:28, 1 May 2024

Rank 7 USA
F-5C Pack
This page is about the German medium tank Pz.III B. For other versions, see Panzer III (Family).
Pz.III B
germ_pzkpfw_iii_ausf_b.png
GarageImage Pz.III B.jpg
ArtImage Pz.III B.png
Pz.III B
Germany flag.png Germany
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
Research:Free
Purchase:Free
Show in game

Description

The Panzerkampfwagen III Ausführung B (Panzer III B) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 141) is the second variant of the Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank family. The Panzer III A variant's arrival into service provided the Germans with a foundation for the construction of an excellent medium tank. While the Germans were largely pleased with the overall concept and design, there was still plenty of space for enhancements and changes. The most serious flaw with the Panzer III A version was its unstable suspension. As a result, the Germans introduced a new variant, the Panzer III B, with the intention of improving the vehicle's suspension and other minor components. The commander's cupola was additionally enhanced by the addition of a new two-part hatch opening. The 37 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 36 L/46.5 tank gun with 121 rounds of ammo was the main armament of the Panzer III B variant. The secondary armament consisted of three 7.92 mm MG 34 light machine guns, two of which were mounted coaxially with the main gun and one in the hull. Despite being produced in small numbers, the Panzer III B variant saw service during the beginning of World War II. The Germans had no choice but to utilise the Panzer III B during the invasion of Poland in 1939 due to a lack of more advanced tanks.

Introduced in Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows", the Panzer III B is a basic medium tank that will eventually evolve into more advanced Panzer III variants later in World War II. It is significantly weaker than many other tanks of its rank, being armed with a 37 mm KwK36 L/46.5 tank gun. The tank is made of light armour plates and will struggle to protect the tank crew even from close-range heavy machine guns fire. As a result, this tank is practically weak to almost all vehicles in its rank from any angle. Nonetheless, it is a fairly ordinary medium tank with very few advantages and should be used with caution in battle.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull14 / 14 / 14
Turret16 / 14 / 14
Crew5 people
Visibility86 %
The Pz.III B, distinguishable from the Pz.III E by the cylindrical cupola

The Pz.III B is one of the worst starter vehicles in terms of overall survivability. The armour thickness of the hull and sides are 14.5 mm thick, with 16 mm on the turret face. This isn't even enough protection to nullify heavy machine gun fire, which leaves this vehicle almost universally vulnerable from almost all vehicles present in the lower ranks. By angling the hull, you can potentially bring the protection up to 20 mm effective on the front and sides, but this is a superficial boost to armour and will still not reliably protect the tank from any incoming rounds. The only advantage survivability wise this vehicle has is the crew count as it has 5 members. Because most of the incoming fire is going to be from low calibre AP rounds, it's very unlikely that this tank will be taken out in a single shot, though this is more of a passive advantage and not something you can actively make use of.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 14.5 mm (9°) Front plate
14.5 mm (49°) Front glacis
10 mm (15°) Lower glacis 		14.5 mm 14.5 mm 10 mm
Turret 16 mm Turret front
16 mm Gun mantlet 		14.5 mm (25°) 14.5 mm (20°) 10 mm
Cupola 14.5 mm 14.5 mm 14.5 mm 10 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 15 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 5 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB40 / 7 km/h
RB and SB36 / 6 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight16.0 t
Engine power
AB506 hp
RB and SB265 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB31.6 hp/t
RB and SB16.6 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 40 7 16 271 506 16.94 31.63
Realistic 36 6 221 265 13.81 16.56

The Pz.III B has fairly unimpressive mobility across all fronts, it can reach a maximum speed of 35 km/h in RB mode, and 39 km/h in AB mode. Compared to other reserve tanks, this is on the slower side by a large margin and therefore will struggle when it comes to reaching good spots early, pushing across the map and retreating from combat. This tied with the lack of meaningful armour really hurts this tank's overall performance. The only positive aspect of this tanks mobility is its hull traverse, which can help turn the turret and cannon quicker than just using the turret traverse on its own.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
ABfree
RBfree
SBfree
Total cost of modifications4 040 Rp icon.png
183 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost190 Ge icon.png
Crew trainingfree
Experts1 000 Sl icon.png
Aces10 Ge icon.png
Research Aces80 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
10 / 10 / 10 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
440 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
720 Rp icon.png
Cost:
35 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
440 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
37mm_kwk_36_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
410 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
410 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
720 Rp icon.png
Cost:
35 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm KwK36 cannon
Ammunition121 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
3.7 → 2.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: KwK36 (37 mm)

The Pz.III B is equipped with the 37 mm KwK36, which is a fairly underwhelming weapon performance wise. It can penetrate most lower rank vehicles at close range, but at further ranges the gun really does start to struggle. It's also fairly inaccurate, which makes aiming for certain weak spots quite difficult.

It comes with two available rounds -

  • APHE- Max 47 mm penetration- Low penetration but higher damage potential
  • APCR- Max 86 mm penetration- High penetration but lower damage potential.

It's best to consider taking a mix of both types of ammunition. The APHE has the potential to one-shot some enemy tanks, but will be completely ineffective against the more heavily armoured vehicles; for these tanks, it's best to use APCR and aim for flat surfaces. The APCR does very little damage internally, so try to aim for crew members if possible.

37 mm KwK36 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 121 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 16.07 22.24 27.00 29.86 31.76 3.77 3.33 3.07 2.90
Realistic 3.57 4.20 5.10 5.64 6.00

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 APHE 47 44 31 21 14 9
PzGr 40 APCR 86 77 47 26 14 8
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 APHE 745 0.69 1.2 9 22.1 47° 60° 65°
PzGr 40 APCR 1,020 0.37 - - - 66° 70° 72°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Pz.III B
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
121 116 (+5) 98 (+23) 78 (+43) 60 (+61) 40 (+81) 20 (+101) 0 (+121) No

Note:

  • Racks only disappear after all shells in the rack have been fired.
  • Turret empty: 116 (+5) shells.

Machine guns

2 x 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 600 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate900 shots/min
Main article: MG34 (7.92 mm)

This vehicle is equipped with two coaxial 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns. As there are two of them, these machine guns are quite potent against enemy anti-air trucks and even against the slower biplane aircraft commonly encountered in lower rank battles. However, they have no functional viability against armoured vehicles and only serve as a last ditch effort to kick up dust or blind an enemy vehicle by firing at their optics.

7.92 mm MG34
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 1,800 (150) 900 N/A N/A
Coaxial 1,800 (150) 900 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

Pz.III B 1.jpg

Overall, the Pz.III B doesn't have many reliable advantages, especially over the E variant. Both the armour and firepower leave a lot to be desired, although its mobility is somewhat functional. However, it just doesn't have any decent aggressive aspects to it that good mobility benefits, meaning that although it is the Pz.III B's most functioning asset, it's still not reliable to play aggressively on the move. The Pz.III B isn't equipped with a short stabiliser, meaning that the gun will be very unstable when coming to a stop, whereas the majority of allied vehicles do have this feature. So if you were to run into one of these vehicles on the move, your enemy will likely get the first shot off, and as your armour protection is so poor they will likely deal critical damage.

A somewhat reliable way to stay alive in this tank is to play hull-down, a lot of the rounds you'll be taking will be small calibre AP shots. If only your turret is exposed, these rounds will only usually take out 2 crew members at most, allowing for you to back off, repair and re-engage. Find a spot, take a few shots, and reposition before being spotted, as escaping a bad position is nearly impossible once compromised. The performance of the gun is overall very poor at distances, so even though survivability will be increased by playing at range, firepower will be very inconsistent, so try to find a spot that isn't too far away from combat.

The turret traverse of the Pz.III B is also very poor, at 4.2 degrees a second in RB mode, because of this it's a good idea to use the hull traverse to swing the turret around faster. The hull traverse itself is fairly fast, so utilising this is a decent habit to get in to. The situation you most want to avoid is losing your driver or engine, as your mobility is the only thing that will keep you in the fight, and the way to ensure this primarily is to stay in cover and not advance too far into the map. If an enemy gets on your side or rear, there's nothing you can really do as your turret traverse is disappointingly poor, so watch your flanks and try to minimise the possibility of an enemy getting behind you.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Reasonably fast acceleration, decent top speed and hull traverse allows it to get to positions in time
  • Decent survivability: spacious interior plus 5-man crew increases survivability against solid shells (e.g. M3 Stuart)
  • Adequate firepower: stock AP can frontally penetrate and one-shot common foes like BT-5, while the APCR is quite effective in an uptier against the B1 bis
  • Fast reload allows it to finish off remaining crew quickly
  • Twin fast-firing 7.92 mm coaxial MG can quickly wipe out exposed crew, or even damage low-flying planes

Cons:

  • Weak armour on all sides, can get penetrated by various tanks (e.g. M3 Stuart, BT-5) and even SPAA like M13 MGMC and GAZ-AAA (DShK)
  • Small calibre gun lacks the damage to quickly destroy large tanks like the LVT(A)(1)
  • Very slow turret traverse, may not be able the gun on fast targets
  • Profile is quite large and tall, making it easier to be seen and shot at, and harder to conceal behind bushes or cover
  • Poor reverse speed

History

The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw. III), also referred to as Panzer III, was a tank developed by the Germans in the 1930s and used in World War II. The PzKpfw. III was designed to take out other armoured vehicles while supporting the Panzerkampfwagen IV which task was mainly to take out unarmoured targets. The dome ring of the PzKpfw. III was unable to accommodate the increasingly heavy cannons needed to fight new tank types. Ultimately, the PzKpfw. III was replaced by the larger PzKpfw. IV as main battle tank. The PzKpfw. III was then delivered to some allies while the chassis was used for the very successful Sturmgeschütz III.

The suspension of the Pz.III A turned out to be too weak. The same year, a series of fifteen Ausführung B vehicles were built. The five running wheels were replaced by eight wheels with leaf springs. This increased the speed to 35 km/h. With Three instead of two wheels supporting the upper of the track. These vehicles were only intended for training, but eventually had to be assigned to the combat troops. The first models (A to E) were equipped with the short 37 mm KwK / 36 L46.5 gun, which performed sufficiently during the actions in 1939 and 1940.

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


Germany medium tanks
Pz.III  Pz.III B · Pz.III E · Pz.III F · Pz.III J · Pz.III J1 · Pz.III J1 TD · Pz.III L · Pz.III M · Pz.III N
Pz.IV  Pz.IV C · Pz.IV E · Pz.IV F1 · Pz.IV F2 · Pz.IV G · Pz.IV H · Pz.IV J · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J
Pz.V  VK 3002 (M) · Panther A · Panther D · Panther F · Panther G · Ersatz M10 · Panther II
M48 upgrades  M48A2 G A2 · M48 Super
Leopard 1  Leopard I · Leopard A1A1 · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 1A5 · C2A1 · Turm III
Leopard 2  PT-16/T14 mod. · Leopard 2K · Leopard 2AV
  Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M · Leopard 2 PL · Leopard 2A5 · Leopard 2 PSO · Leopard 2A6 · Leopard 2A7V
Trophies  ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r)
Other  Nb.Fz. · KPz-70
USA  mKPz M47 G · M48A2 C
USSR  ◊T-72M1

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