Difference between revisions of "15cm sIG 33 B Sfl"

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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.'' -->
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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{{break}}
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{{Break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]]. Based on the Panzer II chassis, it mounted a 150 millimeter cannon and was used during the North African campaign.
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]]. Based on the Panzer II chassis, it mounted a 150 mm cannon and was used during the North African campaign.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
<!--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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<!-- ''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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If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
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'''Armour type:'''
−
The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop High Velocity or High Penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.
 
  
−
Despite having very little armor, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before being destroyed. However, it is hull-breakable against 75mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HEAT capability.  
+
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
!Armour
 +
!Front (Slope angle)
 +
!Sides
 +
!Rear
 +
!Roof
 +
|-
 +
|Hull
 +
|35 mm (11°) ''Front plate''
 +
20 mm (73°) ''Front glacis''
 +
35 mm (14°) ''Lower glacis''
 +
|15 mm
 +
|15 mm
 +
|0 mm
 +
|-
 +
|Superstructure
 +
|30 mm (12°) ''Gun mantlet''
 +
|15 mm
 +
|15 mm
 +
|0 mm
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick.
 +
* Tracks are 15mm thick.
 +
* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.
 +
* Hull underside right above tracks is 15 mm thick.
 +
 
 +
The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop high velocity or high penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open-topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.
 +
 
 +
Despite having very little armour, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before being destroyed. However, it is hull-breakable against 75 mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HE capability.
  
 
=== 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 forward and backwards.-->
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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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The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45 kph, but due to the low Power/Weight ratio of 17.04 hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to 8.4 kph.  
+
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=220|rbMinHp=137}}
 +
 
 +
The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45 km/h, but due to the low power-to-weight ratio of 17.04 hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to -8.4 km/h. It has a decent turning capability when moving at higher speeds, but when stopped it can barely turn due to its weight.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== 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. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.-->
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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|SIG 33 (150 mm)}}
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{{main|s.I.G.33 (150 mm)}}
  
−
The Sturmpanzer II mounts an S.I.G. 33 Infantry Support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.  
+
The Sturmpanzer II mounts a s.I.G.33 infantry support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240 m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.
  
−
The J.Gr.38 HE shell penetrates 65 mm against vertical armour and 60 mm against armour sloped back 60 degrees from vertical (30 degrees from horizontal), due to it having similar mechanics to naval Guns of the same calibre. The 8.6 kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a follow-up shot is guaranteed.
+
The J.Gr.38 HE shell penetrates 61 mm against all armour angles. The 8.6 kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a follow-up shot is guaranteed.
  
−
- Note: the HE on this is so powerful that it can even one-shot top rank tanks reliably, but due to the huge mobility disadvantage, this is not recommended unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.
+
* Note: the HE on this is so powerful that it can even one-shot top rank tanks reliably, but due to the huge mobility disadvantage, this is not recommended unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.
  
−
The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell penetrates 185 mm against vertical armor and still has a 4.16 kg TNT equivalent of explosives behind it, giving it effectively 40-45 mm penetration from the explosion splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates of the game, 120mm and larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top rank vehicles - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.
+
The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell penetrates 185 mm against vertical armour and still has a 4.16 kg TNT equivalent of explosives behind it, giving it effectively 40-45 mm penetration from the explosion splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates, 120 mm and larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top rank vehicles - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[s.I.G.33 (150 mm)|150 mm s.I.G.33]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 18 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+60° || rowspan="2" | -2°/+6° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 5.28 || 7.31 || 8.88 || 9.82 || 10.45 || rowspan="2" | 19.50 || rowspan="2" | 17.25 || rowspan="2" | 15.90 || rowspan="2" | 15.00
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 3.57 || 4.20 || 5.10 || 5.64 || 6.00
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
 
 +
* '''J.Gr.38 (HE):''' This round is extremely powerful, and can destroy pretty much every tank at the same battle rating as the {{PAGENAME}}. It requires only a hit on the tank, underneath it, or in close proximity to be effective. It completely ignores the armour of most tanks you will face, and is very good at destroying a tank in one shot. It is likely that you will knock out several crew members and/or detonate their ammunition. The shell can also hull break lightly armoured vehicles, such as SPAA.
 +
* '''J.Gr.39 HI/A (HEAT):''' This round is effective, just as is the high-explosive round, but unless you are up-tiering the vehicle, the HEAT round is likely a worse choice. It has more penetration, but that penetration is unlikely to be useful at this BR. Plus, the HEAT does not have near as much post-penetration damage as the HE round, meaning you may waste 2 shots on 1 tank, whereas the HE round may have knocked it out in 1 shot. As such, unless you are up-tiering the tank you will not need HEAT, and you should probably only take a few rounds (if any), just in case you run across something like a B1 Bis. Note: The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT round can also hull break the lightly armoured SPAA vehicles you will come across at this BR.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 +
|-
 +
| J.Gr.38 || HE || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61
 +
|-
 +
| J.Gr.39 HI/A || HEAT || 185 || 185 || 185 || 185 || 185 || 185
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| J.Gr.38 || HE || 240 || 38.00 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 8,600 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
 +
| J.Gr.39 HI/A || HEAT || 280 || 24.58 || N/A || 0.1 || 5,320 || 62° || 69° || 73°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''18''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 9 ''(+9)''<br>10 ''(+8)'' || 5 ''(+13)''<br>6 ''(+12)'' || 0 ''(+18)''<br>0 ''(+18)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
'''How Much Ammo to Carry?'''
 +
 
 +
The most logical ammo loadout would probably either be 18 shells or 9 shells. 18 shells would be logical if you expect to be in the battle for a long time where you might run out of ammunition otherwise. If you don't expect to be firing as much or for as long, then you might consider taking only 9 shells. Taking only 9 shells removes all the ammo from the right side of the tank, which could possibly save your life. 9 shells is probably the most balanced ammunition loadout in terms of survivability and endurance. Of course, you can also take an amount of shells between 9 and 18 in order to partially (but not completely) deplete this first ammo rack. This would be useful if the user desires a longer firing time but still wishes for better survivability.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!--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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<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The Sturmpanzer has no air defence weapons, therefore partnering with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a viable option. For those operators who prefer to close-range brawl with other low-tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea, mainly due to the long reload time, allowing your partner tank to help fend off any enemy advancers. It has the capability to knock out much higher battle rated tanks, so if you're up-tiered, there is still a good chance of survival. However, it is imperative to get a shot off first, because if you come across a higher tier tank, there may not be a second chance. Stay on the move after firing, fall back to safety to reload and then re-engage. Another tactic is to try facing down a street while partly undercover. The Sturmpanzer is a relatively small vehicle and many beginning players will not notice the tank, especially if only part of the vehicle is exposed. Patiently wait for an easy target to turn onto the street then fire before they realize where they are being fired from. It is critical to remember the shell drop of the tank cannon after being fired, compared to other tanks, the shell drop is significant over any distance. It is advisable to always fire just above where other tanks would typically target to allow for shell drop and hitting of the enemy vehicle where intended instead of lower than expected.
 +
 
 +
Due to the huge HE splash ability and sheer calibre of the gun, it can even be used to hull break high-rank IFVs - BMP-1s at 7.3 are especially common to encounter. It does the same thing to BMP-2s, M3 Bradleys, Warriors, Centauros, and many other vehicles. The HE splash, however, is strong enough that it can one-shot the light, but non-hull-breakable vehicles such as the M41A1 Bulldog, any AMX-13 variation, Crusaders in lower ranks, and many others. Purposely up-tiering it can be a very effective way to earn Silver Lions with the "God Mode!" award - destroying an enemy vehicle 5.0 BR ranks higher (BR 7.0+) than you which nets 20,000 Silver Lions.
 +
 
 +
'''Notable Opponents'''
  
−
The Sturmpanzer has no air defence weapons, so sticking with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a good idea. If you want to close range brawl with low tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea since the long reload will cause you trouble if you get swarmed by lots of tanks. It has the capability to knock out much higher BR tank, so if you're uptiered, it's not the end of the world. However shoot before your opponent shoots, because if you come across a higher tier tank, you will be eliminated almost instantaneously. The best thing to do is to fire, then fall back to reload in a safe haven.
+
'''[[B1 bis]]''': This is one of the few tanks that you will face while playing at your original BR that you may struggle to destroy. These tanks are heavily armoured and much of their hulls can withstand a shot from your gun, even from the side. If you are facing one of these tanks, aim for the turret. The turret is one of the only places you can reliably do damage to the B1 bis, and you can often get a 1 shot kill if you hit the turret. Note: The B1 bis looks extremely similar to its less well-armoured predecessor, the B1 ter, and it can be incredibly hard to tell which variety it is except at closer ranges. If you can't tell which it is, just aim for the turret to be safe, but if it is a B1 ter the hull is a viable option.
  
−
Due to the huge HE splash ability and sheer caliber of the gun, it can even be used to hull break high tier IFVs - BMP-1s at 7.3 are especially common to encounter. It does the same thing to BMP-2s, M3 Bradleys, Warriors, Centauros, and many other vehicles. The HE splash, however, is strong enough that it can oneshot the light but non-hull-breakable vehicles such as the M41A1 Bulldog, any AMX-13 variation, Crusaders in lower ranks, and many others. Purposely uptiering it can be a very effective way to earn Silver Lions with the "God Mode!" award - killing something 5 BR ranks higher than you which nets 20,000 Silver Lions.
+
=== Modules ===
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Tier
 +
! colspan="2" | Mobility
 +
! Protection
 +
! Firepower
 +
|-
 +
| I
 +
| Tracks
 +
|
 +
| Parts
 +
| Horizontal Drive
 +
|-
 +
| II
 +
| Suspension
 +
| Brake System
 +
| FPE
 +
| Adjustment of Fire
 +
|-
 +
| III
 +
| Filters
 +
|
 +
| Crew Replenishment
 +
| Elevation Mechanism
 +
|-
 +
| IV
 +
| Transmission
 +
| Engine
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!--Summarize 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 certain 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:'''
  
−
* Tank can eliminate most modules or crew members of a tank in one well aimed shot, if not destroying it
+
* Deadly HE with 65 mm penetration and 8.6 kg TNT filler destroys anything at its rank (eg. [[B1 bis]], [[M5A1]], [[T-50]]) or even in a purposely up-tiered battle (eg. [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[AMX-30 (Family)|AMX-30]] or even the [[M1 Abrams (Family)|M1 Abrams]])
−
* Can survive hits it will take from rank 1 tanks
+
* HEAT offers 185 mm penetration, posing a great threat against WW2 heavy targets like [[M4A3E2]], [[IS-1]], [[KV-1E]], etc
−
* Can make a fair turn at speed when driving along
+
* Adequate mobility: moderate top speed and fast hull traverse when driving allows it to deliver heavy blows from unexpected positions
−
* Low profile and small front make it easy to hide and easy to camouflage with bushes
+
* Low and small profile makes it easy to hide behind bushes or covers
 +
* Can withstand a few hits on certain parts of frontal armour, which may bounce low-penetrating tanks like [[M16 MGMC]] or [[P.7.T AA]]
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Reload means it is inadequate for close-range combat without allied support
+
* Very long reload means close-range combat is impossible without allied support, as it will be defenceless for around 20 seconds
−
* HE and HEAT are both stopped by various soft debris found on most maps such as fences, concrete blocks, brick walls, wood objects, etc.
+
* Quite hard to find a chance to fire: limited gun traverse and extremely curved trajectory means it's hard to track and hit moving/distant targets
−
* Open-topped and very vulnerable to aircraft as a result
+
* HE and HEAT get detonated by various obstacles like fences and brick walls, making some positions difficult to shoot from
 +
* Poor survivability overall: thin armour can get penetrated by anything, especially heavy MG found on [[M16 MGMC]], and the open top means it is vulnerable to strafing aircraft, nearby bombs and exploding artillery shells
 +
* Very slow at turning on the spot, might not be able to get gun on target in time
 +
* Although speed is decent, most opponents still outrun it easily, for example [[M5A1]], [[T-50]], [[M22]]
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft 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>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
During the Battle of France, the 9 foot tall 15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B was found to be way too heavy and tall for the Panzer 1 chassis. So when Field Marshal Erwin Rommel needed SPGs were needed to support his armour in North Africa, methods for mounting the sIG 33 on the Panzer 2 were explored.
 +
 
 +
The first prototype was built on a plain Panzer 2 chassis but due to space issues it was widened and lengthened and an extra roadwheel was added. Another difference is that it used a Büssing-NAG L8V engine instead of the original Maybach HL62 TRM. 12 were built at the end of 1941 and were shipped off to Rommel the next year where they fought until the Axis surrender in Tunisia in 1943. The British found 6 abandoned and dismantled in a tank workshop.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|iE4wTuJbe2I|'''The Shooting Range #40''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 02:43 discusses the Sturmpanzer II.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 67: Line 223:
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 +
 +
;Similar vehicles equipped with powerful HE shells
 +
 +
* [[SU-122]]
 +
* [[Ho-Ro]]
 +
* [[fm/43-44]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==

Revision as of 08:14, 27 June 2020

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
15cm sIG 33 B Sfl
germ_sturmpanzer_ii.png
15cm sIG 33 B Sfl
Germany flag.png Germany
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
Research:2 900 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:700 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl.jpg


The 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl is a rank I German tank destroyer with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.67 "Assault". Based on the Panzer II chassis, it mounted a 150 mm cannon and was used during the North African campaign.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 35 mm (11°) Front plate

20 mm (73°) Front glacis 35 mm (14°) Lower glacis

15 mm 15 mm 0 mm
Superstructure 30 mm (12°) Gun mantlet 15 mm 15 mm 0 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick.
  • Tracks are 15mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 5 mm thick.
  • Hull underside right above tracks is 15 mm thick.

The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop high velocity or high penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open-topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.

Despite having very little armour, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before being destroyed. However, it is hull-breakable against 75 mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HE capability.

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 49 10 15.9 220 296 13.84 18.62
Realistic 46 9 137 155 8.62 9.75

The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45 km/h, but due to the low power-to-weight ratio of 17.04 hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to -8.4 km/h. It has a decent turning capability when moving at higher speeds, but when stopped it can barely turn due to its weight.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: s.I.G.33 (150 mm)

The Sturmpanzer II mounts a s.I.G.33 infantry support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240 m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.

The J.Gr.38 HE shell penetrates 61 mm against all armour angles. The 8.6 kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a follow-up shot is guaranteed.

  • Note: the HE on this is so powerful that it can even one-shot top rank tanks reliably, but due to the huge mobility disadvantage, this is not recommended unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell penetrates 185 mm against vertical armour and still has a 4.16 kg TNT equivalent of explosives behind it, giving it effectively 40-45 mm penetration from the explosion splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates, 120 mm and larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top rank vehicles - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.

150 mm s.I.G.33 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 18 -4°/+60° -2°/+6° N/A 5.28 7.31 8.88 9.82 10.45 19.50 17.25 15.90 15.00
Realistic 3.57 4.20 5.10 5.64 6.00

Ammunition

  • J.Gr.38 (HE): This round is extremely powerful, and can destroy pretty much every tank at the same battle rating as the 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl. It requires only a hit on the tank, underneath it, or in close proximity to be effective. It completely ignores the armour of most tanks you will face, and is very good at destroying a tank in one shot. It is likely that you will knock out several crew members and/or detonate their ammunition. The shell can also hull break lightly armoured vehicles, such as SPAA.
  • J.Gr.39 HI/A (HEAT): This round is effective, just as is the high-explosive round, but unless you are up-tiering the vehicle, the HEAT round is likely a worse choice. It has more penetration, but that penetration is unlikely to be useful at this BR. Plus, the HEAT does not have near as much post-penetration damage as the HE round, meaning you may waste 2 shots on 1 tank, whereas the HE round may have knocked it out in 1 shot. As such, unless you are up-tiering the tank you will not need HEAT, and you should probably only take a few rounds (if any), just in case you run across something like a B1 Bis. Note: The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT round can also hull break the lightly armoured SPAA vehicles you will come across at this BR.
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
J.Gr.38 HE 61 61 61 61 61 61
J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT 185 185 185 185 185 185
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%
J.Gr.38 HE 240 38.00 0.1 0.5 8,600 79° 80° 81°
J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT 280 24.58 N/A 0.1 5,320 62° 69° 73°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
18 Projectiles
Propellants 		9 (+9)
10 (+8) 		5 (+13)
6 (+12) 		0 (+18)
0 (+18) 		No

How Much Ammo to Carry?

The most logical ammo loadout would probably either be 18 shells or 9 shells. 18 shells would be logical if you expect to be in the battle for a long time where you might run out of ammunition otherwise. If you don't expect to be firing as much or for as long, then you might consider taking only 9 shells. Taking only 9 shells removes all the ammo from the right side of the tank, which could possibly save your life. 9 shells is probably the most balanced ammunition loadout in terms of survivability and endurance. Of course, you can also take an amount of shells between 9 and 18 in order to partially (but not completely) deplete this first ammo rack. This would be useful if the user desires a longer firing time but still wishes for better survivability.

Usage in battles

The Sturmpanzer has no air defence weapons, therefore partnering with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a viable option. For those operators who prefer to close-range brawl with other low-tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea, mainly due to the long reload time, allowing your partner tank to help fend off any enemy advancers. It has the capability to knock out much higher battle rated tanks, so if you're up-tiered, there is still a good chance of survival. However, it is imperative to get a shot off first, because if you come across a higher tier tank, there may not be a second chance. Stay on the move after firing, fall back to safety to reload and then re-engage. Another tactic is to try facing down a street while partly undercover. The Sturmpanzer is a relatively small vehicle and many beginning players will not notice the tank, especially if only part of the vehicle is exposed. Patiently wait for an easy target to turn onto the street then fire before they realize where they are being fired from. It is critical to remember the shell drop of the tank cannon after being fired, compared to other tanks, the shell drop is significant over any distance. It is advisable to always fire just above where other tanks would typically target to allow for shell drop and hitting of the enemy vehicle where intended instead of lower than expected.

Due to the huge HE splash ability and sheer calibre of the gun, it can even be used to hull break high-rank IFVs - BMP-1s at 7.3 are especially common to encounter. It does the same thing to BMP-2s, M3 Bradleys, Warriors, Centauros, and many other vehicles. The HE splash, however, is strong enough that it can one-shot the light, but non-hull-breakable vehicles such as the M41A1 Bulldog, any AMX-13 variation, Crusaders in lower ranks, and many others. Purposely up-tiering it can be a very effective way to earn Silver Lions with the "God Mode!" award - destroying an enemy vehicle 5.0 BR ranks higher (BR 7.0+) than you which nets 20,000 Silver Lions.

Notable Opponents

B1 bis: This is one of the few tanks that you will face while playing at your original BR that you may struggle to destroy. These tanks are heavily armoured and much of their hulls can withstand a shot from your gun, even from the side. If you are facing one of these tanks, aim for the turret. The turret is one of the only places you can reliably do damage to the B1 bis, and you can often get a 1 shot kill if you hit the turret. Note: The B1 bis looks extremely similar to its less well-armoured predecessor, the B1 ter, and it can be incredibly hard to tell which variety it is except at closer ranges. If you can't tell which it is, just aim for the turret to be safe, but if it is a B1 ter the hull is a viable option.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism
IV Transmission Engine

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Deadly HE with 65 mm penetration and 8.6 kg TNT filler destroys anything at its rank (eg. B1 bis, M5A1, T-50) or even in a purposely up-tiered battle (eg. Leopard 1, AMX-30 or even the M1 Abrams)
  • HEAT offers 185 mm penetration, posing a great threat against WW2 heavy targets like M4A3E2, IS-1, KV-1E, etc
  • Adequate mobility: moderate top speed and fast hull traverse when driving allows it to deliver heavy blows from unexpected positions
  • Low and small profile makes it easy to hide behind bushes or covers
  • Can withstand a few hits on certain parts of frontal armour, which may bounce low-penetrating tanks like M16 MGMC or P.7.T AA

Cons:

  • Very long reload means close-range combat is impossible without allied support, as it will be defenceless for around 20 seconds
  • Quite hard to find a chance to fire: limited gun traverse and extremely curved trajectory means it's hard to track and hit moving/distant targets
  • HE and HEAT get detonated by various obstacles like fences and brick walls, making some positions difficult to shoot from
  • Poor survivability overall: thin armour can get penetrated by anything, especially heavy MG found on M16 MGMC, and the open top means it is vulnerable to strafing aircraft, nearby bombs and exploding artillery shells
  • Very slow at turning on the spot, might not be able to get gun on target in time
  • Although speed is decent, most opponents still outrun it easily, for example M5A1, T-50, M22

History

During the Battle of France, the 9 foot tall 15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B was found to be way too heavy and tall for the Panzer 1 chassis. So when Field Marshal Erwin Rommel needed SPGs were needed to support his armour in North Africa, methods for mounting the sIG 33 on the Panzer 2 were explored.

The first prototype was built on a plain Panzer 2 chassis but due to space issues it was widened and lengthened and an extra roadwheel was added. Another difference is that it used a Büssing-NAG L8V engine instead of the original Maybach HL62 TRM. 12 were built at the end of 1941 and were shipped off to Rommel the next year where they fought until the Axis surrender in Tunisia in 1943. The British found 6 abandoned and dismantled in a tank workshop.

Media

Videos
The Shooting Range #40 - Metal Beasts section at 02:43 discusses the Sturmpanzer II.

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.
Similar vehicles equipped with powerful HE shells

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


Germany tank destroyers
Pz. I Derivatives  Panzerjäger I
Pz. II Derivatives  15cm sIG 33 B Sfl
Pz. 38(t) Derivatives  Marder III · Marder III H · Jagdpanzer 38(t)
Pz. III Derivatives  StuG III A · StuG III F · StuG III G · StuH 42 G
Pz. IV Derivatives  Jagdpanzer IV · Panzer IV/70(A) · Panzer IV/70(V) · Dicker Max · Nashorn · Brummbär · VFW
Pz. V Derivatives  Jagdpanther G1 · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1
Pz. VI Derivatives  Sturer Emil · Elefant · Ferdinand · 38 cm Sturmmörser · Jagdtiger
Wheeled/Half-track  8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. · Sd.Kfz.251/9 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · 15 cm Pz.W.42
ATGM Carrier  RakJPz 2 · RakJPz 2 (HOT) · Wiesel 1A2
Other  Waffenträger · M109G · JPz 4-5 · Raketenautomat · VT1-2

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