Black Prince

Black Prince

Black Prince

Britain

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.0	6.0	5.7

Class:

PREMIUM

Heavy tank

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

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Description

The A.43 Black Prince is a Rank IV gift British infantry tank with a battle rating of 6.0. The tank was added in Update 1.53 "Firestorm" and is one of the first British tanks to be introduced into the game. The vehicle is a modified Churchill tank, featuring heavier armour and a heavier primary armament, which gives it superior firepower and protection at the cost of the vehicle's mobility.

The A43 Black Prince has the legendary OQF-17 Pounder Cannon; this cannon was made famous by the Sherman Firefly, M10 Achilles and its ability to destroy the German 8.8 cm heavy tanks such as the Tiger tank It also features a single 7.62 mm BESA machine gun, which works great for destroying light tanks and SPAA vehicles.

The A43 Black prince makes enemy players retreat in fear, as it offers one of the most powerful guns available in the game, capable of destroying a Ferdinand, IS-2 and other tanks from over 1 km away. The reloading time is great for its rank, at a mere 7.6s and when coupled with the tank's heavy armour, can stand as quite a lethal opponent.

However, the Black Prince does have some negatives. The extra armour adds extra weight to the vehicle, which makes it rather slow with a top speed of 10MPH and only -1MPH reverse speed. With the tank's low profile, it makes it difficult to see over foreign obstacles such as debris, hills and walls. The A43 is a rather long tank, and as such, it's not impossible to get wedged between ditches, or get stuck when climbing over an obstacle, as the vehicle lacks sufficient engine power required to pull itself over the obstacles. The only weakness in the Black Prince's excellent armour is along the sides, and its vulnerability to HE rounds, which will often bounce and enter through the roof. The ammunition is located along the sides of the vehicle, making these a primary weakspot for enemy players to target.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front, Turret sides, Cupola)

Tank Armour Table
Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	152 mm Front plate 57 mm (70°) Front glacis 139 mm (20-60°) Lower glacis	82 mm Top 95 mm Bottom	51 mm (20°) Top 25 mm (60°) Bottom	25 mm Front 18 mm Engine deck
Turret	152 mm (6-83°) Turret front 152 mm (0-25°) Gun mantlet	95 mm	101 + 4 mm	38 mm (73°) Front 18 mm Bottom
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	100 mm	38 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and chassis construction are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 18-25 mm thick.
• There is a 19 mm thick plate separating the engine compartment to the crew's.
• A 50 mm turret ring shield is present on the front of the turret.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on Armour weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
50.0	N/A	18.3 (AB)
		17.2 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	452	556
Realistic/Simulator	310	350
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	9.04	11.12
Realistic/Simulator	6.20	7.00

Armaments

Main armament

76 mm OQF 17-pounder
Capacity			Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Stabilizer
89			-10°/+20°	±180°	N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	10.1	14.0	_._	_._	_._
Realistic	10.1	11.9	_._	_._	_._
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
7.6	_._	_._	_._

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
Shot Mk.6	AP	160	157	133	112	96	86
Shell Mk.1	HE	9	9	9	9	9	9
Shot Mk.4	APC	165	160	138	108	94	81
Shot Mk.8	APCBC	171	168	156	143	130	120
Shot SV Mk.1	APDS	228	226	207	189	159	134

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
								0%	50%	100%
Shot Mk.6	AP	883	7.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	-1°	47°	60°	65°
Shell Mk.1	HE	883	7.0	0.4	0.5	883	+0°	79°	80°	81°
Shot Mk.4	APC	883	7.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	-1°	48°	63°	71°
Shot Mk.8	APCBC	883	7.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	+4°	48°	63°	71°
Shot SV Mk.1	APDS	1203	1.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	+1.5°	75°	78°	80°

Smoke characteristic
Ammunition	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Screen radius in m	Screen time in s	Screen hold time in s:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):
17pdr Shell SS Mk.1	754	8.4	13	5	20	50

Shell types

The Black Prince is equipped with some of the most lethal ammunition types in the game. It can carry a combination of different type or just a single type of projectiles.

Round	Shell composition	Combat usage
Shell Mk.1	HE - High Explosive (HE)	It is ideal for destroying SPAA and Lightly armoured tanks
Shot Mk.4	APC - Armor Piercing Cap	When the standard round fails to penetrate
Shot Mk.6	AP - Armour Piercing	It is able to to knocking out crew and vital parts such as engines, tract, cannons etc.
Shot Mk.8	APCBC - Armour Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap	It is able to penetrate and detonated inside of the enemy tank causing maximum damage.
Shot SV Mk.1	APDS - Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot	This is able to cause maximum damage to enemy tanks.

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
XX	XX (+XX)	XX (+XX)	XX (+XX)	No

Machine guns

7.92 mm BESA
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
8,100 (225)				600	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

When playing this tank you will, immediately notice the speed and length, it is not a fast tank. You will also notice that it can sometimes struggle to get up hills and small embankments. It is recommended, to stay on flat terrain and to make small sharp turns. This will keep more momentum than a single big turn which will lose most of your much needed momentum.

The A43 Black Prince has one of the thickest armour installations of any tanks. The front is able to be continuously hit by larger and more powerful calibre tanks at close range without taking much, if any damage. However, if you come up against a tank shooting HEAT or HE rounds they will likely penetrate the armour with ease. Do not expose the sides to the enemy player, as it is one of the weakest parts of the tank, seconded only to the lower front part of the turret. Not only that, the sides contain the location of the ammunition; If it is hit, it is likely to detonate. If the ammunition does not detonate, the vehicle's crew will be incapacitated.

The Black Prince has a slow transverse turret at 10.5 degrees a second. This is one of the most heavily armoured turrets in the game. With the only weakness being the machine Gun port located in turret at 10mm, the lower front under the cannon being only 50 mm thick, and the roof. It lacks a top-mounted machine gun, which is normally a deterrent against low flying aircraft, making the vehicle more vulnerable to be attacks by a planes, and an easy target for bombers. The turret's slow traverse speed also makes the use of the internal machine gun useless against aircraft attacks. Due to the low profile of this tank, being hit in the lower front turret is a rare occurrence. You still need to be careful of HEAT and HE rounds, as the low profile design will allow the enemy rounds to enter the turret's machine gun port and either knock out the loader: if using an APCR or solid shot round, OR, if using other rounds such as APCBC, APBC and HEAT, it is very likely that all the turret crew will be eliminated.

However, the A43 Black Prince does have one of the most powerful cannons in the game, and is capable of destroying tiger tanks and other heavily armoured vehicles from short to long distances, and is equipped with many different ammunition types which are viable for different situations. The APDS is the recommended choice for giving the gun the full potential of being capable of destroying more heavily armoured targets at longer ranges.

When engaged in combat with heavier and more lethal vehicles, using the APDS rounds will allow you to cause major/critical damage. In-order to get the most protection for the tank and crew, do not expose the sides or allow enemies to get to the rear of the vehicle. Instead, turn the front of tank towards the enemy player but give it a slight angle. The enemy rounds will have a higher chance of richocheting off of the frontal plate, however, if the enemy tank uses HE ammunition, there is a high chance that the round may bounce and enter the vehicle's roof.

If engaged in close quarters combat, do not allow the other tank to circle and flank you, instead aim for the vehicle's tracks and destroy them and move away, then finish it off. Most importantly, do not allow them to get the rear of the tank, as you will be unable to effectively hit the enemy due to the twin radiators on the back of the vehicle, and the turret's slow traverse.

In terms of tactics:

Offensive: Keep your distance from enemy tanks, as the cannon is capable of destroying most tanks from long distances with relative ease. Combined with the slow speed of the vehicle, you'll find yourself being capable of firing on the move despite the lack of a stabiliser. The tank's low profile makes it difficult to see over terrain and obstacles, so it is often best to remain on level ground.

Avoid letting the enemy flank you at all costs, as the sides of the Black Prince are the softest weak points, containing the ammunition storage. If the sides of the vehicle are penetrated by enemy rounds, the ammunition will likely detonate, or the crew will be knocked out/critically injured, making you an easy target.

It's best to avoid letting enemy players flank you from behind, as the turret's traverse will prevent you from being able to hit them quick enough, and the twin radiators on the back of the vehicle will prevent the turret from rotating all the way.

Defensive: When playing the Black Prince, it is often best to find a well-protected and concealed place, I.E. an ally tank, dense woodland or between rubble. Make sure the front of the tank is facing the enemy with a slight angle in order to get the most out of the vehicle's armour, whilst the cannon will allow you to destroy the enemy tanks from long distances. However don’t expose the sides or the rear due to weakness and some vulnerability in the design of the tank.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful primary armament
  • High weapon accuracy
  • Ammunition is not stored in the turret
  • APDS is able to penetrate and cause major damage to enemies from long distances, and is capable of destroying most tanks in a single shot at close ranges. (As long as you know where to hit)
  • Various ammunition types which can be lethal
  • Good reloading speed of 7.6s with stock crew, with further crew skills and qualifications, it becomes one of the fastest in the rank.
• Great Armour
  • Effective at long ranges
  • Frontal armour can often only be penetrated at close range
  • The turret's armour is strong compared to others in the same rank
  • The lower front of the turret has an additional 50mms of armour
• Repair times
  • The vehicle can often be repaired quickly
• Crew
  • With advancement on crew skills and qualifications, the tank can be a lethal opponent
• Good Rewards
  • Being a premium vehicle, the Silver Lion and Research Point output can be quite high

Cons:

• Mobility.
  • The vehicle's traverse is slow compared to others in the same rank
  • It struggles to climb hills without losing significant speed
  • Max speed 10 Mph (16 Kph).
  • Max reverse speed of -1 Mph (-1.6 Kph).
  • The vehicle can often not be able to climb steep hills
  • The length of the vehicle can get it stuck in ditches easily
• Ammunition.
  • Ammunition is stored in the sides of the tank, making it easy to hit
• Armour
  • The vehicle's side armour is weak, allowing it to be easily damaged from the sides.
• Turret
  • The turret's traverse is slow compared to others at only 10.5/s
  • The rear mounted radiators make shooting from behind tedious
  • The low profile can make shooting over obstacles hard
  • The vehicle is vulnerable to most HE and explosive-based ammunition
  • The turret machine gun port is only 10mms thick, and can be penetrated easily
  • Lacks any form of top-mounted anti-aircraft weaponry

History

Development

The Black Prince is an experimental design that was to use the British Infantry tank, the Churchill, as the basis with much more armour and a better gun. The name originates from Edward of Woodstock, otherwise known as the “Black Prince”, a 14th century military leader. The Churchill and its branch of infantry tanks, in the course of World War II, was becoming slightly obsolete in the highly mobile style of warfare the cruiser tanks proved much better at. The infantry tanks were originally made for heavy, breakthrough style of warfare with infantry, so they were kept around in a style of “heavy tanks”, but the Axis’ gradually increasing anti-tank capacity caused the armour of the infantry tanks to be considered insufficient.

To keep the infantry tanks relevant in the course of World War II, the Churchill was upgraded in armour and armament to better compete against the changing anti-tank warfare, starting in 1943. The original Churchill tank in the later part of World War II had the QF 75 mm cannon (British-produced 75 mm from the Americans) and about 102 mm of armour average, and weighed about 38 tons. The Black Prince upgraded the armour to 152 mm thick, widened the tracks by 10 inches, modified the suspensions for the new weight. The 75 mm gun was instead replaced by the QF 17-pounder cannon, which was one of the best Allied anti-tank guns in service. The larger gun required a larger turret and a larger turret ring on the hull. All these modifications increased the tank weight by ten tons, but kept the engine used in the regular Churchill, so the tank was considered under-powered, only able to reach up to 10 mph on roads and this limited the tank’s operational radius. The tank was designated the Tank, Infantry, Black Prince (A43) and the A43 model was for a Staff Specification number issued in 1943 for an interim tank that could be made until the development of a “Universal Tank”.

Deployment

However, by the time the Black Prince was ready in May 1945; it was too late for it to see service in World War II. Even if it had, many more tank designs such as the Sherman Firefly and the Comet are much more mobile and effective, yet have the same 17-pounder gun available. Also, a new tank about to be introduced, the Centurion, has the same protection level as the Black Prince, yet with the same gun and is way more mobile than the Black Prince. This caused the Black Prince to fall into obsolescence and the project, along with the entire line of the infantry tank concept in British tank doctrine, was abandoned in favor of a concept of more mobile tanks with great firepower and protection, which would eventually form the idea of the main battle tanks.

Media

Skins and camouflages for the Black Prince from http://live.warthunder.com:

• #A43 Keyword
• #black_prince Keyword (more choses)

Review
War Thunder Black Prince Gameplay & Review
by DigitalDigging

Review
War Thunder Black Prince Spotlight
by Minoxen

Obtainable

This tank can only be obtained; exclusively with the purchase of, one of the following British tank packs. The packs are currently available to buy; from the official war thunder store. For Playstation 4 it can indeed be brought from the official PSN store.
War Thunder A43 Black Prince Adanced Pack
War Thunder Royal Guard Advanced Pack

[Devblog] Pioneering British Tanks in War Thunder with developer's answers

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;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

ETC.

Sources

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