StuG III G (Italy)
Contents
Description
The ▄StuG III G is a rank III Italian tank destroyer with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB) and 4.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Ixwa Strike". It differs from the German StuG III G by the absence of Ostketten and Add-on Armour modules and by the addition of a smoke grenade launcher.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, superstructure)
Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hull | 80 mm (50°) Lower glacis 80 mm (19°) Lower plate 30 mm (76°) Bottom junction glacis |
30 + 5* mm (*Side skirts) | 50 mm (15°) Upper plate 50 mm Lower plate 30 mm (66°) Bottom junction glacis |
30 mm (4°) Front part 16 mm Engine compartment 30 mm (13°) Rear part |
Superstructure | 80 mm (0-11°) Upper plate 80 mm (1-10°) Gun mantlet 30 mm (69°) Upper glacis 30 mm (50°) Side glacis overhanging the tracks |
30 + 5* mm (*Side skirts) | 30 mm | 11 mm |
Cupola | 50 mm (cylindrical) | 11 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
- The side skirts protect against HEAT and HE rounds by detonating the fuzes before they penetrate the vehicle..
- The belly of the StuG III G (Italy) is 30 mm thick.
Mobility
Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
Arcade | 44 | 8.2 | 24.4 | 426 | 525 | 17.46 | 21.52 |
Realistic | 40 | 7.5 | 265 | 300 | 10.86 | 12.3 |
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Main armament
75 mm StuK40 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
Arcade | 54 | -6°/+17° | ±10° | N/A | 13.2 | 18.3 | 22.2 | 24.6 | 26.1 | 7.67 | 6.78 | 6.25 | 5.90 |
Realistic | 8.9 | 10.5 | 12.8 | 14.1 | 15.0 |
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 | 140 | 137 | 125 | 112 | 100 | 89 |
Hl.Gr 38B | HEAT | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
PzGr 40 | APCR | 166 | 162 | 146 | 128 | 112 | 98 |
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 | 750 | 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 | 930 | 4.1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 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
Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
---|---|---|---|---|
54 | 40 (+14) | 17 (+37) | 1 (+53) | No |
Notes:
- Racks disappear after you've used all shells in the rack.
- Pack 17 (+37) shells into battle to deplete your right flank of ammo (racks 1 & 2 emptied).
Usage in battles
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The StuG III G is best played as a support vehicle, like the previous Semovente variants, it has excellent armour and can be quite a potent vehicle that enemies will often find hard to deal with from long ranges. Due to this, its best advised that at a beginning of the match you go to a good spot where you're able to overlook common spots that enemies will usually be at. Make sure you dont let any enemies breach your defense, as the sides of your tank are a weak point from any range. In addition, another downside of playing this vehicle is when its brought close to the front lines (for example when capturing points). The StuG III G's armour will not be adequate against the close-range power of most vehicles. Most shots at close range will more than likely penetrate the armour, which will usually result in your vehicle being destroyed due to the small interior layout. So it is vital that if you choose to play in a dangerous play style, that at the very least have situational awareness. Make sure to support teammates from the flanks, attack from long ranges, and never close in the distance even for objectives unless necessary. If properly concealed, the enemy will never know where they are attacked as they concentrate their assault forwards. You have no form of defense against enemy aircraft, so if you see one heading towards you, it probably would be in you best interest to look for cover. Unlike the German variant, the Italian StuG III G does not have side skirts, so artillery might at times damage your tracks. In terms of armaments, the StuG III G is armed with the German made 75 mm StuK40, a reliable cannon with plenty of great ammo options, do keep in mind how many rounds you choose to bring, as bringing more than you actually use will not only be a waste, but puts you at a greater risk of being destroyed in 1 shot. In conclusion, be careful, try not to get detected by the enemy and find a place where the StuG III G can be in cover whilst engaging enemy tanks.
Pros and cons
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Pros:
- Good frontal armor
- Low silhouette
- Powerful 75 mm cannon
Cons:
- Fixed casemate superstructure restricts gun movement to the front
- Not the best mobility
History
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The story of the StuG begins during the interwar period of Germany, there was a clear missing asset for the German army, a vehicle which could fit the role of a self-propelled gun, which followed the same style of doctrine thanks to combat experiences in World War I. Overall, there was a major need for a mobile artillery piece which could keep up with the German infantry and fight enemy fortifications with a direct-fire assault role. After a few prototypes and refinement to the designs, the StuG III would officially enter full-scale production from January 1940, and would serve in many countries up till the end of the war on April 1945. The main reason it saw such extensive use was due to the many upgrades done on the vehicle to increase serviceability and it being a low cost platform to maintain operational. In terms of survivalbility, the StuG III featured about 50 mm of armour on the front, but about 30 mm of armour everywhere else, this was upgraded as the war progressed to 80 mm. The StuG in German service also had access Schürzen armour plates installed on the hull to protect the weaker hull sides against anti-tank rifles and HEAT rounds. The Italian versions would remove this, as was the case for many Italian vehicles. In terms of the Italian story of this tank, Germany had initially supplied 12 units of the Panzer IV G to Italy during the late stages of the Second World War, which were placed in Division "M" and, after the 25th of July, they were transferred to the 136th Armored Division "Centauro II". The 1st Armored Division Black Shirts "M" (for "Mussolini") was established starting from May of 1943, mainly starting from the very few survivors of the previous MVSN Battalions M who had been repatriated from the Russian front, this had to be done if there was hope for any new division being formed. The division was organised in 3 companies, which the third comprising the 12 units of the tanks destroyers known as the ''StuG III Ausf. G'' which they'd be armed with a 7.5 cm L/48 cannon. Unlike the German counterpart, as previously mentioned, they removed the side-skirts from the tank, but surprisingly they were also modified with a smoke grenade launcher, installed unto the turret. The Italian StuG's would be painted in a light tan color with the Divisione "M" logo usually painted on the turret. They didn't see any action during the war, most of them were still undergoing training at the time and most, if not all of the tanks would end up in Allied hands shortly after the war.
Media
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See also
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External links
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Italy tank destroyers | |
---|---|
Italy | |
M41 | 75/18 M41 · 75/32 M41 · 90/53 M41M |
M42 | 75/34 M42 |
M43 | 105/25 M43 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · 75/34 M43 · 75/46 M43 |
Wheeled | Lancia 3Ro (100/17) · AS 42/47 · Breda 90/53 · Breda 501 |
Other | L3/33 CC · 47/32 L40 |
Germany | ▄StuG III G |
USA | M36B1 · ▄M109G · M113A1 (TOW) |
Hungary | |
Zrínyi | Zrinyi I · Zrinyi II |
USSR | ◔2S1 |