Sd.Kfz.234/3

This page is about the German tank destroyer Sd.Kfz.234/3. For other versions, see Sd.Kfz.234 (Family).

Sd.Kfz.234/3

Sd.Kfz.234/3

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	2.0	2.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Tank destroyer

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Description

The s.Pz.Sp.Wg. (7,5 cm) Sd.Kfz.234/3 is a vehicle that mounts the short-barreled KwK37 (75 mm) gun, which was used on early models of the Pz.IV tank. The Sd.Kfz.234/3 belongs to the Sd.Kfz.234 chassis, which has high mobility and speed. The main role of the Sd.Kfz.234/3 is to provide infantry support with its gun, and to quickly relocate to different positions as needed.

The Sd.Kfz.234/2 was introduced during Update 1.79 "Project X" in the "Good Old S.U.M.M.E.R" event of 2018. It is an armoured car with a short barrel 75 mm gun that requires skillful maneuvering to be effective. The commander has to exploit the vehicle's speed and agility to set up ambushes, flank enemies and retreat when needed, because of its little armour. The main ammunition type is going to be HEAT, which has decent penetration but low accuracy and range. The coaxial MG42 is a fast-firing machine gun that can damage trucks, but it has a limited traverse angle that restricts its use.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull30 / 8 / 10

Turret14 / 14 / 10

Crew4 people

Visibility84 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, gun shield, gun mantlet)
• Structural steel (tires, suspension, mudguards)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	30 mm (40°) Front plate 15 mm (70°) Front glacis - upper section 30 mm (55°) Front glacis - lower section 30 mm (35°) Lower glacis	8 mm (35°) + 4 mm Top + Mudguards 8 mm (19°) Bottom	10 mm (38°) Plate connecting with the turret 10 mm (21°) Engine compartment - upper part 10 mm (46°) + 10 mm Engine compartment - lower part + add-on spare tire	5 mm
Turret	14.5 mm (34°) 14.5 mm Gun mantlet	14.5 mm	10 mm (33°)	N/A

Notes:

• Tires and suspension bars are 10 mm thick.
• Bottom of the hull is 8 mm thick. An additional 13 mm plate separates the crew compartment from the bottom plate.
• Viewports for the crew are 30 mm thick.

When dealing with the Sd.Kfz.234/3, the best way to deal with this tank is to catch it out of position and/or from behind. Because of its low armour values, it can be easily destroyed with 12.7 mm MG fire or HE shells to the open roof. Most AP and APHE shots will simply over-penetrate the vehicle's front armour and will not do much to the crew compartment unless aimed at specific crew locations. As such, explosive ammunition or machine gun fire are the more preferred methods of elimination.

Mobility

Reverse gearbox

Forward and backward movement is possible at the same maximum speed

Speedforward / back

AB98 / 98 km/h

RB and SB90 / 90 km/h

Number of gears7 forward

7 back

Weight11.5 t

Engine power

AB401 hp

RB and SB210 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB34.9 hp/t

RB and SB18.3 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	98	98	11.5	298	401	25.91	34.87
Realistic	90	90		186	210	16.17	18.26

The Sd.Kfz.234/3 accelerates quickly and has a very high cruise speed on hard surfaces (solid ground, roads). While its high speed is an advantage, it can turn into a disadvantage when manoeuvring at high speed: the Sd.Kfz.234/3 starts wobbling if you turn too violently and you end up skidding uncontrollably. Be aware of this before gunning towards the frontline: limit your maximum speed and anticipate the braking phases. Like all WW2 wheeled vehicles, you can not turn on the spot and always need space to change direction. However, thanks to the orientable front and rear axles, your turn radius remains small at small speed. But remember that the faster you drive, the bigger the turn radius will be. Changing directions in a cramped street can be difficult with the Sd.Kfz.234/3. However, the reverse speed is very important, which mitigates the impossibility to change direction on the spot. As it is equipped with tires, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 struggles on soft terrain (sand, mud, snow). The Sd.Kfz.234/3 is also average at fording: 15 km/h and it loses quickly speed when driving uphill. Obstacles will also make you lose a lot of speed: avoid them as the Sd.Kfz.234/3's survival relies on its mobility.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB405

RB140

SB172

Crew training450

Experts3 000

Aces45

Research Aces220 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 20 / 20 / 30 %

2 × 100 / 100 / 100 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tires Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive 75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack Adjustment of Fire 75mm_ger_kwk37_Hl_C_HEAT_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism 75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm K51 L/24 cannon

Ammunition50 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

4.3 → 3.3 s

Vertical guidance-10° / 16°

Horizontal guidance-14° / 14°

The "Stumpwagen" is armed with the K51 L/24 gun, which is equivalent to the 75 mm KwK37 gun on the early Panzer IV tanks. The gun features the same four useful ammunition types as the KwK37. The gun has great zoom and a very fast fire rate.

75 mm K51 L/24					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	50	-10°/+16°	±14°	N/A	12.3	17.1	20.7	22.9	24.4	4.29	3.80	3.50	3.30
Realistic					8.3	9.8	11.9	13.2	14.0

Ammunition

The available ammunition offers a wide range of shells to engage all types of targets:

• K.Gr.rot Pz.: APCBC; a slow shell with explosive filler mass that will knock out any tank with a single shot but has an average penetration power.
• Hl.Gr 38B: HEAT; a shaped charge with good penetration and without penetration loss over distance. Only penetrates flat vertical surfaces but the post-penetration damage is very effective on open and lightly armoured vehicles.
• Hl.Gr 38C: HEAT; a shaped charge with increased penetration over the previous shell. Very useful against heavily armoured targets.
• Sprgr. 34: HE; useful for destroying open and lightly armoured vehicles.
• K.Gr.Rot Nb.: Smoke; useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

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
K.Gr.rot Pz.	APCBC	52	51	45	39	34	30
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	80	80	80	80	80	80
Hl.Gr 38C	HEAT	115	115	115	115	115	115
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%
K.Gr.rot Pz.	APCBC	385	6.8	1.2	14	102.4	48°	63°	71°
Hl.Gr 38B	HEAT	450	4.57	0.05	0.1	872.1	62°	69°	73°
Hl.Gr 38C	HEAT	450	4.8	0.05	0.1	875.5	62°	69°	73°
Sprgr. 34	HE	420	5.74	0.2	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.	423	6.2	9	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	8th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
50	45 (+5)	39 (+11)	35 (+15)	31 (+19)	27 (+23)	23 (+27)	13 (+37)	1 (+49)	No

Ammo racks of the Sd.Kfz.234/3

Notes:

• Shells in racks 1 and 2 are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Shells in racks 3 to 8 are modeled by sets of 2 and disappear after both shells in the set having been shot or loaded.
• Pack 27 (+23) shells (racks 1 to 5 emptied) to go into battle with the flanks empty of ammo.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG42 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition1 950 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 200 shots/min

7.92 mm MG42
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1,950 (150)	1,200	-	-

Usage in battles

This armoured car is as much fun to play as the Sd.Kfz.234/4. The short 75 mm gun and the 234 chassis work amazingly well within its battle rating. The best way to play this Rank I Goliath is to use your speed and to try to get side and rear shots on the enemy but since you have HEAT at your disposal, you are almost guaranteed to obliterate anything frontally at your battle rating and vice versa. The 234/3 has the same weaknesses as the 234/2 which means it can be and will be torn up by 12.7 mm machine gun fire, assume the position has been spotted after firing and move out via reverse. Engaging in a head-on is unadvised but you can come out kicking should you find yourself against any higher tanks as you should be able to reload fast enough, though this is not a go-to option.

The 75 mm gun is the same as early Panzer IV and can destroy any other vehicles at and above its battle rating with one hit, meanwhile, the 234/3 has a great speed of 50-60 km/h forwards and backwards to relocate. Because of this, it is possible (though not necessarily needed) to use the 75 mm and return fire while making haste. Terrain foliage such as bushes are great assets for concealment, shadows as well so use them and stay hidden.

Like its older brother, it is recommended to follow the exact same tactics, those being:

1. Get behind great cover, either hard cover or visual cover (so rocks and or bushes are great)
2. Use your cover for great visibility (for you to view the enemy)
3. The ability to get deadly hits into the enemies

In its battle rating of 1.7, the 234/3 will face anything and everything between 1.0 and 2.7, It can and will be destroyed by anything and everything here. But keep in mind that tanks can use Artillery and Air-Spawns to take you down if they can't directly see you, so get under a roof and/or likewise cover where they can't see you nor hit you.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Adequate ammo supply for prolonged combat
• Can move forward and backwards with equal speed
• Eight-wheel drive gives it good surface traction and handling, much better manoeuvrability
• Shorter gun than Sd.Kfz.234/2, making it harder to identify behind bushes
• HEAT shells are available to use

Cons:

• Very weak armour, can be penetrated by aircraft weapons and heavy machine guns
• Open-topped, making it very vulnerable to attacks from the air or artillery
• Can be disabled by aircraft simply by ramming it
• Limited gun traverse
• Crew compartment is littered with ammo
• Vehicle will be immobilized if one driver is knocked out despite having two drivers in its layout, due to game mechanic limitations of having only one driver at a time
• Gun has low muzzle velocity, not suitable for long range engagements

History

The blitzkrieg tactics in Poland and France gave the Germans a new appreciation of mobile and lethal reconnaissance vehicles. The Germans especially valued the armoured cars due to their speed, firepower, and their pre-war build-up as they were not restricted by the Versailles Treaty. The Germans started with armoured cars like the Sd.Kfz.231 family, each with different armaments. However, these vehicles had its flaws and in August 1940, Germany sought a replacement following the conclusion of the Battle of France.

The new vehicle was built off an improved Sd.Kfz.232 chassis made in monocoque construction by Büssing-NAG, its armoured body was made by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, the turret by Daimler-Benz and Schichau, and air-cooled diesel engines by Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG. The monocoque chassis design was built with an eight-wheel steering system, six forward and reverse gears, as well as having an additional driver seat in the rear for quick reversal get-aways. This construction led to Sd.Kfz.234 family. Vehicle construction first started in 1943 as the Sd.Kfz.234/2, which had a turret originally intended for the VK 1602 Leopard mounting a 5 cm L/60 gun, construction continued on this vehicle until mid-1944. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 earned the nickname "Puma" from the soldiers using it.

Production for Sd.Kfz.234/2 shifted towards other armaments in 1944 that replaced the original. This produced variants such as the Sd.Kfz.234/1 which replaced the turret with an open-top one carrying a 2 cm KwK38, this was produced between mid-1944 to early 1945. Right besides that, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 was produced with an open-top structure to mount a 75 mm howitzer, this was produced from mid-1944 until the end of 1944. At the Sd.Kfz.234/3's production end, it was replaced by the Sd.Kfz.234/4, also known as the "Pakwagen", that had the armament replaced by a 7.5 cm PaK40 L/46 anti-tank gun. This last variant was produced from the end of 1944 to the capitulation of Germany in World War II. A total of 478 Sd.Kfz.234 armoured cars were produced, 200 of the 234/1, 101 of the 234/2, 88 of the 234/3, and 89 of the 234/4.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Sd.Kfz.234/3 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #113 - War Machines section at 10:49 discusses the Sd.Kfz.234/3.

Sd.Kfz.234/3: Rapid HEAT Dispenser - Napalmratte

See also

Related development

• Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)

External links

• [Wikipedia] Sd.Kfz. 234
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] Sd.Kfz.234 Puma