Difference between revisions of "Pz.III B"
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If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.--> | If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.--> | ||
| − | Like many low-BR tanks, the armour is thin enough that it can be frontally | + | Like many low-BR tanks, the armour is thin enough that it can be frontally penetrable by .50 cal machine guns found on most American tanks, as well as the French [[P.7.T_AA|P.7.T AA]] and the Russian [[GAZ-AAA_(DShK)|GAZ-AAA DShK]]. Every low-rank cannon, except maybe the French [[SA18 L/21 (37 mm)|37 mm SA18 L/21]], has no trouble penetrating the Pz.III B anywhere. The crew inside the Pz.III B is well-spaced out, however, so you can generally survive a frontal penetration or two. |
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
| − | <!--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 | + | <!--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|KwK 36 (37 mm)}} | {{main|KwK 36 (37 mm)}} | ||
| − | The Pz.III B is the first vehicle in the German ground tree armed with the 37 mm KwK 36. This gun has two ammo types, PzGr. APHE with 46 mm penetration at point blank range against flat armour, and the PzGr.40 with 91 mm penetration at point blank range against flat armour. | + | The Pz.III B is the first vehicle in the German ground tree armed with the 37 mm KwK 36. This gun has two ammo types, PzGr. APHE with 46 mm penetration at point-blank range against flat armour, and the PzGr.40 with 91 mm penetration at point-blank range against flat armour. |
| − | The PzGr. APHE fires at 745 m/s and has a 13 g PETN explosive mass with a TNT equivalent of 22 g. With 46mm pen, it is sufficient to harm most things it comes across | + | The PzGr. APHE fires at 745 m/s and has a 13 g PETN explosive mass with a TNT equivalent of 22 g. With 46mm pen, it is sufficient to harm most things it comes across but is best used inside shots. |
The PzGr.40 APCR fires at 1020 m/s and pens 91 mm. | The PzGr.40 APCR fires at 1020 m/s and pens 91 mm. | ||
| Line 60: | Line 60: | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| + | <!--''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).''--> | ||
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. | 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. | ||
Revision as of 02:20, 31 August 2019
Contents
Description
The Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. B is a rank I German medium tank
with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows".
General info
Survivability and armour
Like many low-BR tanks, the armour is thin enough that it can be frontally penetrable by .50 cal machine guns found on most American tanks, as well as the French P.7.T AA and the Russian GAZ-AAA DShK. Every low-rank cannon, except maybe the French 37 mm SA18 L/21, has no trouble penetrating the Pz.III B anywhere. The crew inside the Pz.III B is well-spaced out, however, so you can generally survive a frontal penetration or two.
Mobility
The Pz.III B has average to below-average mobility for low rank with 35 km/h top speed, and a usable, but not great, reverse speed of 5.5 km/h. Power/weight ratio is 20.8 hp/ton in Arcade, but only 15.62 in RB/SB, which is average to below-average.
Armaments
Main armament
The Pz.III B is the first vehicle in the German ground tree armed with the 37 mm KwK 36. This gun has two ammo types, PzGr. APHE with 46 mm penetration at point-blank range against flat armour, and the PzGr.40 with 91 mm penetration at point-blank range against flat armour.
The PzGr. APHE fires at 745 m/s and has a 13 g PETN explosive mass with a TNT equivalent of 22 g. With 46mm pen, it is sufficient to harm most things it comes across but is best used inside shots.
The PzGr.40 APCR fires at 1020 m/s and pens 91 mm.
Machine guns
This vehicle has two coaxial 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns, which helps when facing against the common flak trucks and such that you encounter at low ranks.
Usage in battles
This tank is more or less average in most respects. American and Russian reserves best it in speed. British reserves have similar speed, worse reverse, much better guns, better gun depression, and similar armour. French reserves have worse guns but nearly double the frontal armour. Japanese reserves have better speed, nearly identical guns, and much better gun depression. Italian reserves are slower, have slower fire rates, and have much better armour.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decent top speed of 35 km/h
- Reasonable acceleration to achieve top speed
- Gun works well enough against most things you encounter, though side shots are preferable
- Has high-penetrating APCR to deal with more irritating opponents frontally
Cons:
- Easily incapacitated by .50 cal machine guns, even frontally
- Only stock shell has useful post-penetration damage, but it can barely penetrate M3 Stuarts frontally
- APCR post-penetration damage is generally terrible, yet tank has to rely on this a lot of the time to penetrate front armours
- Slow turret traverse of only 5.1 degrees/sec
- Requires APCR to penetrate even the side of the fairly common French B1 bis
- Roof armour thin enough to be penned by .50 cal machine guns
History
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.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
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 |
