Difference between revisions of "Churchill VII"

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{{Specs-Card|code=uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = British heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = British heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
+
| usage = other versions
 
| link = Churchill (Family)
 
| link = Churchill (Family)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
<!--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.-->
+
<!-- ''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_ChurchillMkVII.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the rest of the initial British Ground Forces Tree. A lumbering beast made of pure steel, the Churchill Mk VII is the epitome of a "walking giant" which you do not want to have staring down at you. With 152 mm of armour, it is one of the most heavily protected tanks in Rank III, even if its firepower seems pitiful for such a tank.
{{break}}
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the rest of the initial British Ground Forces Tree. A lumbering beast made of pure steel, the Churchill Mk.VII is the epitome of a "walking giant" which you do not want to have staring down at you. With 152 mm of armour, it is one of the most heavily protected tanks in Rank III, even if its firepower seems pitiful for such a tank.
 
  
 
== 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?
+
{{Specs-Tank-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? 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.-->
 
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
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| Turret || 152 mm (1-20°) ''Turret front'' <br> 152 mm (1-54°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 95.25 mm || 95.25 mm (0-1°) || 20 mm
 
| Turret || 152 mm (1-20°) ''Turret front'' <br> 152 mm (1-54°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 95.25 mm || 95.25 mm (0-1°) || 20 mm
 
|-
 
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
+
| Cupola || 152 mm || 152 mm || 152 mm || 20 mm
|-
 
| Cupola || 152 mm || 20 mm
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
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* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
 
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
  
'''If you are using vehicle below 4.7 BR do not attempt to fire at the ''Churchill Mk VII'' at the front''' (unless you have a very high penetration shell for your cannon). There is no benefit of attempting to penetrate the Churchill Mk.VII from its front without aiming for thinner sides or weak points, that 152 mm of armour will chew up shells like nothing. The saving grace is that the Churchill has a gun that belongs to Rank II and low top speed, so it is possible to outmanoeuvre it in the terrain. Flank the tank to get a good shot on its weak side armour. Eliminate the turret crew to immobilise their firepower, then move in for the easy points.
+
If you are using vehicle below 4.7 BR do not attempt to fire at the Churchill Mk VII at the front (unless you have a very high penetration shell for your cannon). There is no benefit of attempting to penetrate the Churchill Mk VII from its front without aiming for thinner sides or weak points, that 152 mm of armour will chew up shells like nothing. The saving grace is that the Churchill has a gun that belongs to Rank II and low top speed, so it is possible to outmanoeuvre it in the terrain. Flank the tank to get a good shot on its weak side armour. Eliminate the turret crew to immobilise their firepower, then move in for the easy points.
  
 
Side armour of the hull and turret's sides and flat parts of frontal armour are the most significant weaknesses on the Churchill, as their effective thickness is much lower. It is also technically possible to penetrate the roof if an enemy tank's profile is high enough. The turret is entirely bare, and a hit could disable the entire turret crew, losing half of your total crew. For this reason, Churchill VII needs armour and smoke upgrades as soon as possible.
 
Side armour of the hull and turret's sides and flat parts of frontal armour are the most significant weaknesses on the Churchill, as their effective thickness is much lower. It is also technically possible to penetrate the roof if an enemy tank's profile is high enough. The turret is entirely bare, and a hit could disable the entire turret crew, losing half of your total crew. For this reason, Churchill VII needs armour and smoke upgrades as soon as possible.
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A hit in the hull is a hit or miss, but it seems that a hit there is also likely to hit your tracks and suspensions, which would mitigate the round if it caught it. The rear of the vehicle is also vulnerable, but if an enemy can come around and smack the Churchill from behind, even with all the allies and smoke screens around, it probably wasn't your day anyway.
 
A hit in the hull is a hit or miss, but it seems that a hit there is also likely to hit your tracks and suspensions, which would mitigate the round if it caught it. The rear of the vehicle is also vulnerable, but if an enemy can come around and smack the Churchill from behind, even with all the allies and smoke screens around, it probably wasn't your day anyway.
  
As with other Churchill tanks, a single rocket to the engine deck is often fatal for this tank due to the irremovable ammo racks.  
+
As with other Churchill tanks, a single rocket to the engine deck is often fatal for this tank due to the irremovable ammo racks.
  
 
It is also worth noting that installing additional track armour makes ammo rack weak spots extremely obvious for people who know about it, although anything below SPG grade cannon will likely fail to penetrate until the track gets destroyed by concentrated fire. However, the tracks are a must-have to bolster frontal hull and side turret armour, so this upgrade should be used regardless for their benefits.
 
It is also worth noting that installing additional track armour makes ammo rack weak spots extremely obvious for people who know about it, although anything below SPG grade cannon will likely fail to penetrate until the track gets destroyed by concentrated fire. However, the tracks are a must-have to bolster frontal hull and side turret armour, so this upgrade should be used regardless for their benefits.
  
The long leading tracks often glitch out and fail to stop a shell which hits them from the front at flat angle, so it is entirely possible to get oneshotted through them even by [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]. This is surprisingly common, especially in AB, and so correct angling is always effective. Hopefully this issue is soon to be rectified.
+
The long leading tracks often glitch out and fail to stop a shell which hits them from the front at flat angle, so it is entirely possible to get knocked out with a single shot through them even by an [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]. This is surprisingly common, especially in AB, and so correct angling is always effective.
  
For all these reasons, Churchill VII must '''always''' drive at an angle and slightly turn away it's turret from opponents after shot, and in Arcade mode it must '''always''' smoke up the battlefield, whether their teammates will be mad or not. Angling vehicle makes Churchill VII nearly invulnerable to vehicles below battle rating 5.0, while smoke screens blind opponents and make firing at weak spots and judging attack angle near to impossible, which prolongs tank's life significantly. To reduce amount of teammate's frustration generated by spamming smokes, you'll have to try to land them in such way, that teammates can still see something from the sides, but effectively disabling aim assist and direct sight between you and your enemy.
+
For all these reasons, Churchill VII must always drive at an angle and slightly turn away its turret from opponents after shot, and in Arcade mode it must always smoke up the battlefield, whether their teammates will be mad or not. Angling vehicle makes Churchill VII nearly invulnerable to vehicles below battle rating 5.0, while smoke screens blind opponents and make firing at weak spots and judging attack angle near to impossible, which prolongs tank's life significantly. To reduce amount of teammate's frustration generated by spamming smokes, you'll have to try to land them in such way, that teammates can still see something from the sides, but effectively disabling aim assist and direct sight between you and your enemy.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 452|rbMinHp= 310|AoAweight= 0.5}}
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 452|rbMinHp= 310|AoAweight= 0.5}}
 +
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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|OQF Mk.V (75 mm)}}
 
{{main|OQF Mk.V (75 mm)}}
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==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:OQF Mk.V (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M61 shot, M48 shell, M89}}
! 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
 
|-
 
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
 
|-
 
| M61 shot || APCBC || 103 || 100 || 89 || 77 || 66 || 57
 
|-
 
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
! colspan="11" | 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)
 
! rowspan="2" | Normalization At 30°<br>from horizontal
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.53 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
|-
 
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
 
|-
 
! Ammunition
 
! Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
! Screen radius<br>(m)
 
! Screen deploy time<br>(s)
 
! Screen hold time<br>(s)
 
! Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
|-
 
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_ChurchillMkVII.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
+
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.23.0.51''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
| '''84''' || 68&nbsp;''(+16)'' || 51&nbsp;''(+33)'' || 34&nbsp;''(+50)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+67)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+83)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
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| '''84''' || 71&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 51&nbsp;''(+33)'' || 31&nbsp;''(+53)'' || 16&nbsp;''(+68)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+83)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
  
Turret empty: 68&nbsp;''(+16)''
+
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
 +
* Pack 16&nbsp;''(+68)'' shells to keep most of the hull empty.
  
 
==== Optics ====
 
==== Optics ====
  
<!--''Explain how the optic's status can affect the tank's gameplay in any unique or meaningful way. A comparison to rival tanks of the rank is welcome.''
 
 
''If you are having problems with it, refer to the [[Optics|optics gallery]] page for examples.''-->
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
 
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
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|-
 
|-
 
! Main Gun optics
 
! Main Gun optics
| x3 || x6 <!--Sometimes the actual value may not be known and here it should be referenced if the optic values are an estimate such as with an "X8.3 (estimated)" notation or something else that way the user will then be able to look to the comparable optics section and see a referenced optic which will have actual in-game data to back up the claim.-->
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| x3 || x6
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Comparable optics
 
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2;" style="text-align:center;" | [[VFW]]
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| colspan="2" | [[VFW]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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The first tank in Heavy Tank British tech line to have X6 scope. It will not get any better than this until rank VI, so get used to it - it will be the same across entire tech tree for a while with SPAA being the only exception.
 
The first tank in Heavy Tank British tech line to have X6 scope. It will not get any better than this until rank VI, so get used to it - it will be the same across entire tech tree for a while with SPAA being the only exception.
  
As of rank III, this scope is slightly or moderately superior to most medium and heavy tanks, but do not expect to out-snipe German SPG as they have same optics or even better.
+
At rank III, this scope is slightly or moderately superior to most medium and heavy tanks, but do not expect to outrange German SPG as they have same optics or even better.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
 
{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
| Coaxial || 9,350 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
+
| Coaxial || 9,450 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
== 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).-->
+
<!-- ''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 Churchill Mk.VII is a slow and manoeuvrable turtle, you're not going to break any speed records with this, but rest assured that if the frontal armour is facing toward the enemy, most of their shells are not able to penetrate the front of the hull and turret at your BR and below. In up-tier, you really should avoid provoking enemy SPGs, as they can destroy or fatally cripple the tank, even when you are angled.
+
The Churchill Mk VII is a slow and manoeuvrable turtle, you're not going to break any speed records, but rest assured that if the frontal armour is facing toward the enemy, most of their shells are not able to penetrate the front of the hull and turret at your BR and below. In an uptier, you really should avoid enemy SPGs and to be careful with medium tanks, as they can destroy or fatally cripple the tank, even when you are angled.
 +
 
 +
The 75 mm gun may not be able to easily take on some of the tanks you may encounter at the rank, but with the high degree of protection, you can leisurely take your time picking out the weaknesses of your enemy to deal precise blow as you hear their rounds bounce off of your frontal armour. With the best ammunition, you can defeat or annoy even other heavy tanks without having to drive close to them. If the enemy team is using open topped SPGs like [[M36 GMC]], [[Pvkv m/43 (1946)]], [[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]], [[Pvkv II]] and such, start firing HE - the main gun can fire as often as each 5 seconds and HE can destroy any of them in one hit almost anywhere regardless of range via overpressure, while they do not expect you to deal any at all, meaning that ironically the weakest gun around can be the strongest if underestimated enough.
 +
 
 +
If nothing else, the Churchill VII can take a lot of smoke shells and make its opponent's life much worse, by driving up to capture points and smoking down snipers and passages, then proceed to blind fire at those unfortunate enough to be close to it. No matter what, do not let the enemy land a straight shot at you. In downtier, they may struggle with you for a long time even if you got surrounded.
  
The 75 mm gun provided may not be able to easily take on some of the tanks you may encounter at the rank, but with the high degree of protection, you can leisurely take your time picking out the weaknesses of your enemy to deal precise blow as you hear their rounds bounce off of your frontal armour. With the best ammunition, you can defeat even other heavy tanks without having to drive close to them.
+
When encountering enemies in close quarters, different considerations are to be made depending on the type of tank and what they bring to the battlefield. Don't stay in the same spot for too long, keep moving and "hull-dancing" to make it harder for your enemies to shoot at a weak spot such as the MG port or the thin roof armour. Beware of enemies trying to flank and shoot at your sides. It is recommended to research the "Add-on armour" modification as soon as possible. You can also resort to a lesser extent to sidescraping and angling.
  
If nothing else, Churchill VII can take a lot of smoke shells and make opponent's life much worse, by driving up to capture points and smoking down snipers and passages, then proceed to blind fire at those unfortunate enough to be close to it. No matter what, do not let enemy land a straight shot at you. In down-tier, they may struggle with you for a long time even if you got surrounded.
+
'''Germany'''
  
When encountering enemies, different considerations are to be made depending on the tank's nationality and what they bring to the battlefield.
+
German tanks always pose a threat. Almost every German tank you'll face is armed with the long barrel 75 mm gun, which can penetrate the Churchill Mk VII from the front with the APCR shot (unangled). Even worse, you may face dedicated SPGs such as the Dicker Max with its 105 mm gun. When using Pzgr.rot it will be deadly and will slice through your armour. Also, the Panzer IV/70(V)/(A) a terrifying threat. They carry the same gun as the Panther and will be able to penetrate you under 1,000 m easily. Luckily, common German tanks like the Panzer IV can be easily penetrated by your 75 mm gun. The same cannot be said for their tank destroyers: the Jagdpanzer 38(t), Jagdpanzer IV and the Panzer IV/70(V) or (A). They have thick, sloped armour and will easily bounce your hits. The Panther A, D and G have stock rounds that can penetrate up to 192 mm of armour, enough to take you out. It is recommended to rally and team up with other tanks that have better firepower while you soak up the damage. As for Tiger Is, it can penetrate you at point blank range but you won't be penetrating any Tiger beyond 100 metres.
  
'''Germany'''<br>
+
'''USSR'''
German tanks always pose a threat. From about BR 3.0, almost every German tank is armed with the long barrel 75 mm gun, which can penetrate the Churchill MK.VII from the front with APCR (unangled). Even worse, you may face dedicated SPGs such as the Dicker Max with its 105mm gun. When using Pzgr.rot it will be deadly and will slice through your armour. Also, the Panzer IV/70(V)/(A) a terrifying threat. They carry the same gun as the Panther and will be able to penetrate you under 1000 m easily. Luckily, common German tanks like the Panzer IV can be easily penetrated by your 75mm gun. The same cannot be said for their tank destroyers: the Hetzer, Stug IV, Jagdpanzer IV/48 and the Panzer IV/70(V)/(A). They have thick, sloped armour and will easily bounce your hits.
 
  
'''USSR'''<br>
+
Soviet tanks can be tough enemies to take on. Tanks in the T-34 line have sloped armour and are highly mobile. Early models with the 76 mm gun will not be able to penetrate you. They will try to go around the sides and to your rear. The T-34-85 is more of a threat, but even the 85 mm gun will not be able to penetrate your frontal armour unless aimed at your machine gun port. The SU-85 is less of a threat with slightly less mobility and no turret. The thing about the Soviets is that they love their big guns, in particular, the KV-2 and the SU-152 with their massive 152 mm howitzers. Their HE shells alone will prove devastating to the Churchill, which has very thin top armour. Expect your game to very suddenly end when you come across either of these vehicles.
Russian tanks can be tough enemies to take on. Tanks in the T-34 line have sloped armour and are highly mobile. Early models with the 76mm gun will not be able to penetrate you. They will try to go around the sides and to your rear. The T-34-85 is more of a threat, but even the 85mm gun will not be able to penetrate your frontal armour unless aimed at your machine gun port. The SU-85 is less of a threat with slightly less mobility and no turret. The thing about the Russians is that they love their big guns, in particular, the KV-2 and the SU-152 with their massive 152mm howitzers. Their HE shells alone will prove devastating to the Churchill, which has very thin top armour. Expect your game to very suddenly end when you come across either of these vehicles.  
 
  
The Russians also have very useful heavy tanks. You can come upon some slightly awkward stalemates when facing vehicles like the KV-1 ZiS-5. You will struggle to penetrate their armour, and they will fight to penetrate yours. Stalemates are a common situation with Churchill Mk VII. It is important to have back up so that you can soak up damage for your teammates with more powerful guns, and to protect you from being overwhelmed if the KV brought more tanks to flank you. You may also encounter IS-1s which you will struggle to deal with. Russian tanks are frustrating to deal with. Their armour is sloped, and you will often have to aim for weak spots with your 75mm gun. If the armour is not sloped, it is usually too thick to penetrate. This is easier said than done in some circumstances.
+
The Soviets also have very useful heavy tanks. You can come upon some slightly awkward stalemates when facing vehicles like the KV-1 ZiS-5. You will struggle to penetrate their armour, and they will fight to penetrate yours. Stalemates are a common situation with Churchill Mk VII. It is important to have back up so that you can soak up damage for your teammates with more powerful guns, and to protect you from being overwhelmed if the KV brought more tanks to flank you. You may also encounter IS-1s which you will struggle to deal with. Soviet tanks are frustrating to deal with. Their armour is sloped, and you will often have to aim for weak spots with your 75 mm gun. If the armour is not sloped, it is usually too thick to penetrate. This is easier said than done in some circumstances.
  
Special notes for the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]: it carries a very deadly cannon that can one-shot literally anything, including the Churchill Mk VII. Its 122mm gun can easily go through your frontal hull and turret, then knock out everyone inside. The best way to avoid that is to angle your hull so that your long, large tracks cover up the frontal hull, exposing your angled side and lure the IS-2 into firing at your side armor. The side armor of Churchills are quite complex, with some weird internal structures soaking up lots of shells, increasing your survivability. Against an IS-2 1943, aim at the hull armor that curves and blends into the side, or the turret cheeks. Its crew are closely packed and even the British solid shells can knock them out at once. Against a 1944 model, only shoot at its turret as the hull is quite strong.
+
Special notes for the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]: it carries a very deadly cannon that can knock out literally anything with a single shot, including the Black Prince. Its 122 mm gun can easily go through your frontal hull and turret, subsequently knocking out everyone inside. The best way to avoid that is to angle your hull so that your long, large tracks cover up the frontal hull, exposing your angled side and luring the IS-2 into firing at your side armour. The side armour of the Black Prince resembles the Churchills' which are quite complex, with some weird internal structures soaking up lots of shells, increasing your survivability. Against an IS-2 1943, aim at the hull armour that curves and blends into the side, or the turret cheeks. Its crew are closely packed and even the British solid shells can knock them all out at once. Against a 1944 model, only shoot at its turret as the hull is quite strong.
  
'''Japan'''<br>
+
'''Japan'''
As a whole, Japanese tanks are easier to deal with. Their armour is quite thin and usually quite easy to penetrate. Tanks to note are the Chi-To and Chi-Ri II. They can penetrate 155mm of armour at 100m, which is just enough to get through your frontal armour. The Na-To is also a threat with its APCR, which can penetrate you frontally under 500m. Finally, the low-rank Ho-Ro is dangerous, with its powerful 150mm howitzer, but not many people will be using it at this rank.
 
  
=== Modules ===
+
As a whole, Japanese tanks are easier to deal with. Their armour is quite thin and usually quite easy to penetrate. Tanks to note are the Chi-To and Chi-Ri II. They can penetrate 155 mm of armour at 100 m, which is just enough to get through your frontal armour. The Na-To is also a threat with its APCR, which can penetrate you frontally under 500 m. Finally, the low-rank Ho-Ro is dangerous, with its powerful 150 mm howitzer, but not many people will be using it at this rank.
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Tier
 
! colspan="2" | Mobility
 
! Protection
 
! colspan="2" | Firepower
 
|-
 
| I
 
| Tracks
 
|
 
| Parts
 
| Horizontal Drive
 
|
 
|-
 
| II
 
| Suspension
 
| Brake System
 
| FPE
 
| Adjustment of Fire
 
| M61 shot
 
|-
 
| III
 
| Filters
 
|
 
| Crew Replenishment
 
| Elevation Mechanism
 
|
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| Transmission
 
| Engine
 
| Add-on Armor
 
| M89
 
| Smoke grenade
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--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".-->
+
<!-- ''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:'''
  
* Great frontal armour (152 mm), pretty much impervious to small calibre shells
+
* Thick frontal armour (152 mm) makes it impervious to all kinetic shells at its BR
* Even stronger when angled properly, with large suspension sides having side hits more likely to break tracks than penetrate the hull
+
* The 75 mm gun is effective at close-range combat and can be armed with utility shells
* Very good at being an actual 'tank' - spearheading an assault, drawing fire and being a shield for weaker allies with stronger guns to eliminate foes
 
* Very hard to dislodge when hulled down or given enough support, especially in down-tier and with additional armour, because it can soak up a lot of damage unless critically hit
 
* The 75 mm gun main gun is decent for close-range combat and also can be armed with utility shells
 
 
* Able to smoke up the entire battlefield in a matter of seconds if necessary
 
* Able to smoke up the entire battlefield in a matter of seconds if necessary
 
* Ability to pivot steer
 
* Ability to pivot steer
 +
* Balanced weight dispersion leads to amazing hill-climbing capabilities
 +
* Great gun depression allows for firing over hills from relative safety
 +
* Gunsight zoom is high, so aiming for weak spots is easier
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* 75 mm shells have no explosive filler and cause limited fragmentation upon penetration - it is unable to deal a lot of damage per shot
+
* Poor mobility: speed is capped at 20 km/h, slow acceleration, subpar -3 km/h reverse, and cannot scale obstacles properly
* Upgraded ammo has still had less penetration than stock ammo on its [[Churchill Mk III|predecessor]]
+
* Is very long, harder to navigate through confined spaces (e.g. urban maps)
* Armour construction is rather unsloped, and tanks with APCR and similar shells can exploit it
+
* Inadequate firepower: 75 mm AP shells lack explosive filler, have slow velocity, curved trajectory, weak spalling, and low penetration
* Armor is impervious to long-barreled Panzer 4s, but anything more powerful than a Jagdpanzer 4 can penetrate the armour
+
* Still has frontal weak spots: machine gun port both on the hull and turret are only 50 mm thick
* While additional armour reduces the chance of penetration, it is still possible to remove it by continuous fire
+
* Turret side armour is weak
* Frontal 50 mm weak spot (the machine gun port both on the hull and the turret)
+
* Extremely vulnerable to coordinated flanking, as penetrations to the sides typically cause catastrophic damage to ammo racks located below the turret
* Extremely vulnerable to coordinated flanking, as penetrations to tank side typically cause catastrophic damage to ammo racks located below the turret
+
* Requires good coordination with a team to unlock full potential
* Roof armour is thin - susceptible to airstrikes and attacks from high ground or very tall tanks
 
* Large tank in terms of length compared to contemporaries
 
* Underpowered engine - the tank is unable to scale obstacles properly, speed is maxed out at 20 km/h
 
* Terrible reverse speed
 
* Requires good coordination with a team to enable full potential
 
  
 
== 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).-->
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
  
 
===Development===
 
===Development===
The General Staff specification ''A20'' was implemented before World War II and was meant to replace the [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda II]] and [[Valentine Mk XI|Valentine]] infantry tanks. The specification was based around the British infantry tank doctrine, and with the expectation that the coming war would be based on the World War I trench warfare. Thus the tank was needed to travel across unfavourable terrain and able to destroy enemy defences and infantry obstacles. As speed and heavy firepower were not taken with priority, the vehicle was to have two 2-pounder guns on side sponson mounts with a coaxial machine gun, with another machine gun and smoke dischargers on the front hull, armour was about 60 mm on the turret. Four prototypes were made by June 1940 by Harland and Wolff. The front hull would see an upgrade in armament with a 3-inch howitzer during the prototype stages, the 43-ton tank had a 300 hp Meadows engine from the Covenanter tank and was made the tank underpowered. The A20 project was cancelled with the Battle of France, which saw the emergency evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk that left a majority of their heavy equipment behind.
+
The General Staff specification ''A20'' was implemented before World War II and was meant to replace the [[Matilda III]] and [[Valentine Mk XI|Valentine]] infantry tanks. The specification was based around the British infantry tank doctrine, and with the expectation that the coming war would be based on the World War I trench warfare. Thus the tank was needed to travel across unfavourable terrain and able to destroy enemy defences and infantry obstacles. As speed and heavy firepower were not taken with priority, the vehicle was to have two 2-pounder guns on side sponson mounts with a coaxial machine gun, with another machine gun and smoke dischargers on the front hull, armour was about 60 mm on the turret. Four prototypes were made by June 1940 by Harland and Wolff. The front hull would see an upgrade in armament with a 3-inch howitzer during the prototype stages, the 43-ton tank had a 300 hp Meadows engine from the Covenanter tank and was made the tank underpowered. The A20 project was cancelled with the Battle of France, which saw the emergency evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk that left a majority of their heavy equipment behind.
  
 
The Battle of France proved that the coming World War II was not going to be a stagnant battlefield like the trench warfare from World War I. The entire concept had to be redesigned and was done so by Henry Merrit, the director of Tank Design at Woolwich Arsenal. His new concept, the '''A22''' or '''Infantry Tank Mark IV Churchill''', was given to Vauxhall Motors in June 1940. War Office requested that the A22 be ready to enter production within the year due to the growing pressure of a German invasion of Britain. The designs were prepared in July 1940, and the prototypes were made by December of the same year, production soon followed in June 1941. The rushed development was acknowledged in the company to being the cause of many faults and defects in the tank, but the demand by the government was so high that it must be carried out, with the expectation that the issues will be fixed during production. The Churchill tank suffered from an underpowered engine, weak armament, and mechanical problems. The weak weapon from a 2-pounder was replaced with the arming of a 6-pounder on the Churchill, but the other issues caused poor performance of the Churchill in the battlefield. The Churchill production was almost cancelled in favour of the [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]] due to its issues, but its usage in the Second Battle of El Alamein proved its value and kept it in service.
 
The Battle of France proved that the coming World War II was not going to be a stagnant battlefield like the trench warfare from World War I. The entire concept had to be redesigned and was done so by Henry Merrit, the director of Tank Design at Woolwich Arsenal. His new concept, the '''A22''' or '''Infantry Tank Mark IV Churchill''', was given to Vauxhall Motors in June 1940. War Office requested that the A22 be ready to enter production within the year due to the growing pressure of a German invasion of Britain. The designs were prepared in July 1940, and the prototypes were made by December of the same year, production soon followed in June 1941. The rushed development was acknowledged in the company to being the cause of many faults and defects in the tank, but the demand by the government was so high that it must be carried out, with the expectation that the issues will be fixed during production. The Churchill tank suffered from an underpowered engine, weak armament, and mechanical problems. The weak weapon from a 2-pounder was replaced with the arming of a 6-pounder on the Churchill, but the other issues caused poor performance of the Churchill in the battlefield. The Churchill production was almost cancelled in favour of the [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]] due to its issues, but its usage in the Second Battle of El Alamein proved its value and kept it in service.
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===Variants===
 
===Variants===
The Churchill, used in a multitude of roles, is made into many different variants. Twelve different kinds of tank variants were produced for combat roles, with 11 more variants in specific roles ranging from armoured personnel carrier, a bridge-layer, mine clearer, a [[3 inch Gun Carrier]], flamethrower tank, and an armoured recovery vehicle.
+
The Churchill, used in a multitude of roles, is made into many different variants. Twelve different kinds of tank variants were produced for combat roles, with 11 more variants in specific roles ranging from armoured personnel carrier, a bridge-layer, mine clearer, a [[Gun Carrier (3-in)]], flamethrower tank, and an armoured recovery vehicle.
  
 
===Combat usage===
 
===Combat usage===
 
The Churchill tank was first used in the Dieppe Raid in August 1942. While it was a test on how an opposed landing would work, the 60 Churchill tanks to support the Canadian units suffered from mechanical issues, and those that did work are not able to penetrate past the sea wall due to impassable defences. None of the Churchill tanks that landed returned from the beaches and with a 70% casualty rate, the raid's attempt to establish a beachhead was a failure.
 
The Churchill tank was first used in the Dieppe Raid in August 1942. While it was a test on how an opposed landing would work, the 60 Churchill tanks to support the Canadian units suffered from mechanical issues, and those that did work are not able to penetrate past the sea wall due to impassable defences. None of the Churchill tanks that landed returned from the beaches and with a 70% casualty rate, the raid's attempt to establish a beachhead was a failure.
  
The next use of the Churchill was in North Africa during the Second Battle of El Alamein. At this point, the Churchills have been upgraded to the [[Churchill Mk III|Mk.III]] variants with 6-pounders as their main armament. The detachment, code-named "King Force", help supported the 7th Motor Brigade in their attack. The Churchills were fired upon by many German anti-tank weapons, but none were taken out with only one receiving noteworthy damage. "King Force", as a test bed for the feasibility of Churchills operating in the desert environment, was disbanded with the establishment of the 25th Army Tank Brigade with the Churchills to see action in February 1943 in Tunisia. In the German offensive Operation Ochsenkpf, two Churchill Mk.III from the 51st Royal Tank Regiment came across an entire German transport column that they ambushed. The result was a loss of twelve artillery pieces, 25 wheeled vehicles, two [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]]s and 200 casualties on the British side with no losses. The Churchill also played a crucial role in the Battle of Longstop Hill, where Churchill tanks in the 48th Royal Tank Regiment faced off with Germany's newest heavy tank [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. Though suffering losses, a lucky 6-pounder shot from the Churchill ended up jamming the Tiger's turret and turret ring that injured the crew, forcing them to abandon the tank. The Tiger tank was captured by the British for intelligence purpose on Germany's armoured forces. The Tiger Tank is named Tiger 131.
+
The next use of the Churchill was in North Africa during the Second Battle of El Alamein. At this point, the Churchills have been upgraded to the [[Churchill Mk III|Mk.III]] variants with 6-pounders as their main armament. The detachment, code-named "King Force", help supported the 7th Motor Brigade in their attack. The Churchills were fired upon by many German anti-tank weapons, but none were taken out with only one receiving noteworthy damage. "King Force", as a test bed for the feasibility of Churchills operating in the desert environment, was disbanded with the establishment of the 25th Army Tank Brigade with the Churchills to see action in February 1943 in Tunisia. In the German offensive Operation Ochsenkpf, two Churchill Mk.III from the 51st Royal Tank Regiment came across an entire German transport column that they ambushed. The result was a loss of twelve artillery pieces, 25 wheeled vehicles, two [[Panzer III]]s and 200 casualties on the British side with no losses. The Churchill also played a crucial role in the Battle of Longstop Hill, where Churchill tanks in the 48th Royal Tank Regiment faced off with Germany's newest heavy tank [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. Though suffering losses, a lucky 6-pounder shot from the Churchill ended up jamming the Tiger's turret and turret ring that injured the crew, forcing them to abandon the tank. The Tiger tank was captured by the British for intelligence purpose on Germany's armoured forces. The Tiger Tank is named Tiger 131.
  
After the North African campaign, the Churchill began to see widespread usage in the British army as a support unit for the infantry. The Churchill saw much more operation hours than any other British tank in service. It was at this point that the Churchill Mk.III began conversion into the 75 mm guns that were used on the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tanks. These conversions, known as ''NA75,'' were a resourceful solution for increasing the firepower of the Churchill tanks using readily available equipment. Some Churchills were also converted into close support vehicles with 95 mm howitzers as their main armaments. In response to the growing German anti-tank firepower in the later years of World War II, the Churchill tanks were also upgraded in armour by a large degree, though their engines were also upgraded to compensate for the additional weight. The [[Churchill Mk VII|Churchill Mk.VII]], for example, has armour ranging up to 152 mm thick in the front, in comparison to the Mk.III 89 mm thick front hull. The Churchills also saw service in Europe during Operation Overlord. At the time, it was considered that the Churchill would become severely outdated with the growing tank technology, so an experimental program under specification A43, otherwise known as the [[Black Prince|Black Prince]], to up-armour and up-gun the Churchill. While this experimented seem fruitful, the development of more agile tanks with the same level of protection and armament such as the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] rendered the project obsolete.
+
After the North African campaign, the Churchill began to see widespread usage in the British army as a support unit for the infantry. The Churchill saw much more operation hours than any other British tank in service. It was at this point that the Churchill Mk.III began conversion into the 75 mm guns that were used on the American [[M4]] Sherman tanks. These conversions, known as NA75, were a resourceful solution for increasing the firepower of the Churchill tanks using readily available equipment. Some Churchills were also converted into close support vehicles with 95 mm howitzers as their main armaments. In response to the growing German anti-tank firepower in the later years of World War II, the Churchill tanks were also upgraded in armour by a large degree, though their engines were also upgraded to compensate for the additional weight. The [[Churchill Mk VII]], for example, has armour ranging up to 152 mm thick in the front, in comparison to the Mk.III 89 mm thick front hull. The Churchills also saw service in Europe during Operation Overlord. At the time, it was considered that the Churchill would become severely outdated with the growing tank technology, so an experimental program under specification A43, otherwise known as the [[Black Prince|Black Prince]], to up-armour and up-gun the Churchill. While this experimented seem fruitful, the development of more agile tanks with the same level of protection and armament such as the [[Centurion Mk 1|Centurion]] rendered the project obsolete.
  
 
The Churchills were also given out to the Allies to help combat the Axis forces. The Australian Army received a handful of Churchills for testing alongside the M4 Sherman with the Matilda II as the basis, to which proved that the Churchill was superior in jungle warfare. Of the 510 Churchills ordered by the Australians in the war, only 46 arrived in time and were not used in the Pacific War; the rest were cancelled with the end of World War II. The USSR also used the Churchills given by the British as part of the Lend-Lease act. 301 Churchills were sent, but 43 were lost to the sea by German naval forces. Of those that arrived, the Soviets gave the Churchills to the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Battle of Prokhorovka during the Kursk Offensive.
 
The Churchills were also given out to the Allies to help combat the Axis forces. The Australian Army received a handful of Churchills for testing alongside the M4 Sherman with the Matilda II as the basis, to which proved that the Churchill was superior in jungle warfare. Of the 510 Churchills ordered by the Australians in the war, only 46 arrived in time and were not used in the Pacific War; the rest were cancelled with the end of World War II. The USSR also used the Churchills given by the British as part of the Lend-Lease act. 301 Churchills were sent, but 43 were lost to the sea by German naval forces. Of those that arrived, the Soviets gave the Churchills to the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Battle of Prokhorovka during the Kursk Offensive.
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== Media ==
 
== Media ==
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
{{Youtube-gallery|gxIVvUZGptw|'''The Shooting Range #51''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:14 discusses the Churchill Mk VII.}}
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 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|gR3JPNt0iPw|'''Heavyweight brits''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:06 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|gxIVvUZGptw|'''The Shooting Range #51''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:14 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
  
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
* [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]]
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
<!--Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/845/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> A22B Сhurchill Mk.III and A22 Churchill Mk.VII (with developers answers)]
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* [[wt:en/devblog/current/845/|[Devblog] A22B Сhurchill Mk.III and A22 Churchill Mk.VII (with developers answers)]]
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Vauxhall}}
 
{{Britain heavy tanks}}
 
{{Britain heavy tanks}}

Revision as of 11:00, 27 January 2023

VTOL | Rank 5 USA
AV-8A Harrier Pack
This page is about the British heavy tank Churchill VII. For other versions, see Churchill (Family).
uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_1944.png
GarageImage Churchill VII.jpg
GarageImage Churchill VII AddArmour.jpg
ArtImage Churchill VII.png
ArtImage2 Churchill VII.png
Churchill VII
AB RB SB
4.7 4.7 4.7
Class:
Research:33 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:105 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV, Churchill VII (A22F) (or just Churchill VII) is a rank III British heavy tank with a battle rating of 4.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.55 "Royal Armour" along with the rest of the initial British Ground Forces Tree. A lumbering beast made of pure steel, the Churchill Mk VII is the epitome of a "walking giant" which you do not want to have staring down at you. With 152 mm of armour, it is one of the most heavily protected tanks in Rank III, even if its firepower seems pitiful for such a tank.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull152 / 95 / 51
Turret152 / 95 / 95
Crew5 people
Visibility87 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Machine gun port, Driver's hatch, Turret)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 152 mm (1°) Front plate
57.15 mm (66-67°) Front glacis
139 mm (24°) Lower glacis
102 mm Machine gun port
95 mm 50.8 mm (1°) Top
25.4 mm (64°) Bottom
15.875 mm
Turret 152 mm (1-20°) Turret front
152 mm (1-54°) Gun mantlet
95.25 mm 95.25 mm (0-1°) 20 mm
Cupola 152 mm 152 mm 152 mm 20 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.

If you are using vehicle below 4.7 BR do not attempt to fire at the Churchill Mk VII at the front (unless you have a very high penetration shell for your cannon). There is no benefit of attempting to penetrate the Churchill Mk VII from its front without aiming for thinner sides or weak points, that 152 mm of armour will chew up shells like nothing. The saving grace is that the Churchill has a gun that belongs to Rank II and low top speed, so it is possible to outmanoeuvre it in the terrain. Flank the tank to get a good shot on its weak side armour. Eliminate the turret crew to immobilise their firepower, then move in for the easy points.

Side armour of the hull and turret's sides and flat parts of frontal armour are the most significant weaknesses on the Churchill, as their effective thickness is much lower. It is also technically possible to penetrate the roof if an enemy tank's profile is high enough. The turret is entirely bare, and a hit could disable the entire turret crew, losing half of your total crew. For this reason, Churchill VII needs armour and smoke upgrades as soon as possible.

A hit in the hull is a hit or miss, but it seems that a hit there is also likely to hit your tracks and suspensions, which would mitigate the round if it caught it. The rear of the vehicle is also vulnerable, but if an enemy can come around and smack the Churchill from behind, even with all the allies and smoke screens around, it probably wasn't your day anyway.

As with other Churchill tanks, a single rocket to the engine deck is often fatal for this tank due to the irremovable ammo racks.

It is also worth noting that installing additional track armour makes ammo rack weak spots extremely obvious for people who know about it, although anything below SPG grade cannon will likely fail to penetrate until the track gets destroyed by concentrated fire. However, the tracks are a must-have to bolster frontal hull and side turret armour, so this upgrade should be used regardless for their benefits.

The long leading tracks often glitch out and fail to stop a shell which hits them from the front at flat angle, so it is entirely possible to get knocked out with a single shot through them even by an AMX-13 (FL11). This is surprisingly common, especially in AB, and so correct angling is always effective.

For all these reasons, Churchill VII must always drive at an angle and slightly turn away its turret from opponents after shot, and in Arcade mode it must always smoke up the battlefield, whether their teammates will be mad or not. Angling vehicle makes Churchill VII nearly invulnerable to vehicles below battle rating 5.0, while smoke screens blind opponents and make firing at weak spots and judging attack angle near to impossible, which prolongs tank's life significantly. To reduce amount of teammate's frustration generated by spamming smokes, you'll have to try to land them in such way, that teammates can still see something from the sides, but effectively disabling aim assist and direct sight between you and your enemy.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB22 / 3 km/h
RB and SB21 / 3 km/h
Number of gears4 forward
1 back
Weight41.5 t
Engine power
AB668 hp
RB and SB350 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB16.1 hp/t
RB and SB8.4 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock AoA Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 22 3 41 0.5 452 668 11.02 16.1
Realistic 21 3 310 350 7.56 8.43

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 332 → 1 898 Sl icon.png
RB1 472 → 2 097 Sl icon.png
SB2 020 → 2 878 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications29 500 Rp icon.png
57 400 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training30 000 Sl icon.png
Experts105 000 Sl icon.png
Aces470 Ge icon.png
Research Aces360 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
80 / 120 / 140 % Sl icon.png
148 / 148 / 148 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
2 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 900 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement uk.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
2 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 900 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods tank additional armor.png
Add-on Armor
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_britain_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
2 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 900 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_us_M89_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition84 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Vertical guidance-12° / 20°
Main article: OQF Mk.V (75 mm)
75 mm OQF Mk.V Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 84 -12°/+20° ±180° N/A 19.42 26.88 32.64 36.10 38.40 6.50 5.75 5.30 5.00
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.56 24.00

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
M72 shot AP 91 88 78 67 57 49
M61 shot APCBC 103 100 89 77 66 57
M48 shell 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%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M61 shot APCBC 618 6.53 - - - 48° 63° 71°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0 0.1 666 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)
M89 259 3 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Churchill VII
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
84 71 (+13) 51 (+33) 31 (+53) 16 (+68) (+83) No

Notes:

  • Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
  • Pack 16 (+68) shells to keep most of the hull empty.

Optics

Churchill VII Optics
Which ones Default magnification Maximum magnification
Main Gun optics x3 x6
Comparable optics VFW

The first tank in Heavy Tank British tech line to have X6 scope. It will not get any better than this until rank VI, so get used to it - it will be the same across entire tech tree for a while with SPAA being the only exception.

At rank III, this scope is slightly or moderately superior to most medium and heavy tanks, but do not expect to outrange German SPG as they have same optics or even better.

Machine guns

Ammunition9 450 rounds
Belt capacity225 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: BESA (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm BESA
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 9,450 (225) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The Churchill Mk VII is a slow and manoeuvrable turtle, you're not going to break any speed records, but rest assured that if the frontal armour is facing toward the enemy, most of their shells are not able to penetrate the front of the hull and turret at your BR and below. In an uptier, you really should avoid enemy SPGs and to be careful with medium tanks, as they can destroy or fatally cripple the tank, even when you are angled.

The 75 mm gun may not be able to easily take on some of the tanks you may encounter at the rank, but with the high degree of protection, you can leisurely take your time picking out the weaknesses of your enemy to deal precise blow as you hear their rounds bounce off of your frontal armour. With the best ammunition, you can defeat or annoy even other heavy tanks without having to drive close to them. If the enemy team is using open topped SPGs like M36 GMC, Pvkv m/43 (1946), 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl., Pvkv II and such, start firing HE - the main gun can fire as often as each 5 seconds and HE can destroy any of them in one hit almost anywhere regardless of range via overpressure, while they do not expect you to deal any at all, meaning that ironically the weakest gun around can be the strongest if underestimated enough.

If nothing else, the Churchill VII can take a lot of smoke shells and make its opponent's life much worse, by driving up to capture points and smoking down snipers and passages, then proceed to blind fire at those unfortunate enough to be close to it. No matter what, do not let the enemy land a straight shot at you. In downtier, they may struggle with you for a long time even if you got surrounded.

When encountering enemies in close quarters, different considerations are to be made depending on the type of tank and what they bring to the battlefield. Don't stay in the same spot for too long, keep moving and "hull-dancing" to make it harder for your enemies to shoot at a weak spot such as the MG port or the thin roof armour. Beware of enemies trying to flank and shoot at your sides. It is recommended to research the "Add-on armour" modification as soon as possible. You can also resort to a lesser extent to sidescraping and angling.

Germany

German tanks always pose a threat. Almost every German tank you'll face is armed with the long barrel 75 mm gun, which can penetrate the Churchill Mk VII from the front with the APCR shot (unangled). Even worse, you may face dedicated SPGs such as the Dicker Max with its 105 mm gun. When using Pzgr.rot it will be deadly and will slice through your armour. Also, the Panzer IV/70(V)/(A) a terrifying threat. They carry the same gun as the Panther and will be able to penetrate you under 1,000 m easily. Luckily, common German tanks like the Panzer IV can be easily penetrated by your 75 mm gun. The same cannot be said for their tank destroyers: the Jagdpanzer 38(t), Jagdpanzer IV and the Panzer IV/70(V) or (A). They have thick, sloped armour and will easily bounce your hits. The Panther A, D and G have stock rounds that can penetrate up to 192 mm of armour, enough to take you out. It is recommended to rally and team up with other tanks that have better firepower while you soak up the damage. As for Tiger Is, it can penetrate you at point blank range but you won't be penetrating any Tiger beyond 100 metres.

USSR

Soviet tanks can be tough enemies to take on. Tanks in the T-34 line have sloped armour and are highly mobile. Early models with the 76 mm gun will not be able to penetrate you. They will try to go around the sides and to your rear. The T-34-85 is more of a threat, but even the 85 mm gun will not be able to penetrate your frontal armour unless aimed at your machine gun port. The SU-85 is less of a threat with slightly less mobility and no turret. The thing about the Soviets is that they love their big guns, in particular, the KV-2 and the SU-152 with their massive 152 mm howitzers. Their HE shells alone will prove devastating to the Churchill, which has very thin top armour. Expect your game to very suddenly end when you come across either of these vehicles.

The Soviets also have very useful heavy tanks. You can come upon some slightly awkward stalemates when facing vehicles like the KV-1 ZiS-5. You will struggle to penetrate their armour, and they will fight to penetrate yours. Stalemates are a common situation with Churchill Mk VII. It is important to have back up so that you can soak up damage for your teammates with more powerful guns, and to protect you from being overwhelmed if the KV brought more tanks to flank you. You may also encounter IS-1s which you will struggle to deal with. Soviet tanks are frustrating to deal with. Their armour is sloped, and you will often have to aim for weak spots with your 75 mm gun. If the armour is not sloped, it is usually too thick to penetrate. This is easier said than done in some circumstances.

Special notes for the IS-2: it carries a very deadly cannon that can knock out literally anything with a single shot, including the Black Prince. Its 122 mm gun can easily go through your frontal hull and turret, subsequently knocking out everyone inside. The best way to avoid that is to angle your hull so that your long, large tracks cover up the frontal hull, exposing your angled side and luring the IS-2 into firing at your side armour. The side armour of the Black Prince resembles the Churchills' which are quite complex, with some weird internal structures soaking up lots of shells, increasing your survivability. Against an IS-2 1943, aim at the hull armour that curves and blends into the side, or the turret cheeks. Its crew are closely packed and even the British solid shells can knock them all out at once. Against a 1944 model, only shoot at its turret as the hull is quite strong.

Japan

As a whole, Japanese tanks are easier to deal with. Their armour is quite thin and usually quite easy to penetrate. Tanks to note are the Chi-To and Chi-Ri II. They can penetrate 155 mm of armour at 100 m, which is just enough to get through your frontal armour. The Na-To is also a threat with its APCR, which can penetrate you frontally under 500 m. Finally, the low-rank Ho-Ro is dangerous, with its powerful 150 mm howitzer, but not many people will be using it at this rank.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Thick frontal armour (152 mm) makes it impervious to all kinetic shells at its BR
  • The 75 mm gun is effective at close-range combat and can be armed with utility shells
  • Able to smoke up the entire battlefield in a matter of seconds if necessary
  • Ability to pivot steer
  • Balanced weight dispersion leads to amazing hill-climbing capabilities
  • Great gun depression allows for firing over hills from relative safety
  • Gunsight zoom is high, so aiming for weak spots is easier

Cons:

  • Poor mobility: speed is capped at 20 km/h, slow acceleration, subpar -3 km/h reverse, and cannot scale obstacles properly
  • Is very long, harder to navigate through confined spaces (e.g. urban maps)
  • Inadequate firepower: 75 mm AP shells lack explosive filler, have slow velocity, curved trajectory, weak spalling, and low penetration
  • Still has frontal weak spots: machine gun port both on the hull and turret are only 50 mm thick
  • Turret side armour is weak
  • Extremely vulnerable to coordinated flanking, as penetrations to the sides typically cause catastrophic damage to ammo racks located below the turret
  • Requires good coordination with a team to unlock full potential

History

Development

The General Staff specification A20 was implemented before World War II and was meant to replace the Matilda III and Valentine infantry tanks. The specification was based around the British infantry tank doctrine, and with the expectation that the coming war would be based on the World War I trench warfare. Thus the tank was needed to travel across unfavourable terrain and able to destroy enemy defences and infantry obstacles. As speed and heavy firepower were not taken with priority, the vehicle was to have two 2-pounder guns on side sponson mounts with a coaxial machine gun, with another machine gun and smoke dischargers on the front hull, armour was about 60 mm on the turret. Four prototypes were made by June 1940 by Harland and Wolff. The front hull would see an upgrade in armament with a 3-inch howitzer during the prototype stages, the 43-ton tank had a 300 hp Meadows engine from the Covenanter tank and was made the tank underpowered. The A20 project was cancelled with the Battle of France, which saw the emergency evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk that left a majority of their heavy equipment behind.

The Battle of France proved that the coming World War II was not going to be a stagnant battlefield like the trench warfare from World War I. The entire concept had to be redesigned and was done so by Henry Merrit, the director of Tank Design at Woolwich Arsenal. His new concept, the A22 or Infantry Tank Mark IV Churchill, was given to Vauxhall Motors in June 1940. War Office requested that the A22 be ready to enter production within the year due to the growing pressure of a German invasion of Britain. The designs were prepared in July 1940, and the prototypes were made by December of the same year, production soon followed in June 1941. The rushed development was acknowledged in the company to being the cause of many faults and defects in the tank, but the demand by the government was so high that it must be carried out, with the expectation that the issues will be fixed during production. The Churchill tank suffered from an underpowered engine, weak armament, and mechanical problems. The weak weapon from a 2-pounder was replaced with the arming of a 6-pounder on the Churchill, but the other issues caused poor performance of the Churchill in the battlefield. The Churchill production was almost cancelled in favour of the Cromwell due to its issues, but its usage in the Second Battle of El Alamein proved its value and kept it in service.

The Churchill would carry on the rest of the war as one of the most versatile tank design in British service, serving in many specialist roles other than its tank role. Altogether, a total of 7,568 Churchill units produced from 1941 to 1945, with 5,968 as tanks.

Variants

The Churchill, used in a multitude of roles, is made into many different variants. Twelve different kinds of tank variants were produced for combat roles, with 11 more variants in specific roles ranging from armoured personnel carrier, a bridge-layer, mine clearer, a Gun Carrier (3-in), flamethrower tank, and an armoured recovery vehicle.

Combat usage

The Churchill tank was first used in the Dieppe Raid in August 1942. While it was a test on how an opposed landing would work, the 60 Churchill tanks to support the Canadian units suffered from mechanical issues, and those that did work are not able to penetrate past the sea wall due to impassable defences. None of the Churchill tanks that landed returned from the beaches and with a 70% casualty rate, the raid's attempt to establish a beachhead was a failure.

The next use of the Churchill was in North Africa during the Second Battle of El Alamein. At this point, the Churchills have been upgraded to the Mk.III variants with 6-pounders as their main armament. The detachment, code-named "King Force", help supported the 7th Motor Brigade in their attack. The Churchills were fired upon by many German anti-tank weapons, but none were taken out with only one receiving noteworthy damage. "King Force", as a test bed for the feasibility of Churchills operating in the desert environment, was disbanded with the establishment of the 25th Army Tank Brigade with the Churchills to see action in February 1943 in Tunisia. In the German offensive Operation Ochsenkpf, two Churchill Mk.III from the 51st Royal Tank Regiment came across an entire German transport column that they ambushed. The result was a loss of twelve artillery pieces, 25 wheeled vehicles, two Panzer IIIs and 200 casualties on the British side with no losses. The Churchill also played a crucial role in the Battle of Longstop Hill, where Churchill tanks in the 48th Royal Tank Regiment faced off with Germany's newest heavy tank Tiger I. Though suffering losses, a lucky 6-pounder shot from the Churchill ended up jamming the Tiger's turret and turret ring that injured the crew, forcing them to abandon the tank. The Tiger tank was captured by the British for intelligence purpose on Germany's armoured forces. The Tiger Tank is named Tiger 131.

After the North African campaign, the Churchill began to see widespread usage in the British army as a support unit for the infantry. The Churchill saw much more operation hours than any other British tank in service. It was at this point that the Churchill Mk.III began conversion into the 75 mm guns that were used on the American M4 Sherman tanks. These conversions, known as NA75, were a resourceful solution for increasing the firepower of the Churchill tanks using readily available equipment. Some Churchills were also converted into close support vehicles with 95 mm howitzers as their main armaments. In response to the growing German anti-tank firepower in the later years of World War II, the Churchill tanks were also upgraded in armour by a large degree, though their engines were also upgraded to compensate for the additional weight. The Churchill Mk VII, for example, has armour ranging up to 152 mm thick in the front, in comparison to the Mk.III 89 mm thick front hull. The Churchills also saw service in Europe during Operation Overlord. At the time, it was considered that the Churchill would become severely outdated with the growing tank technology, so an experimental program under specification A43, otherwise known as the Black Prince, to up-armour and up-gun the Churchill. While this experimented seem fruitful, the development of more agile tanks with the same level of protection and armament such as the Centurion rendered the project obsolete.

The Churchills were also given out to the Allies to help combat the Axis forces. The Australian Army received a handful of Churchills for testing alongside the M4 Sherman with the Matilda II as the basis, to which proved that the Churchill was superior in jungle warfare. Of the 510 Churchills ordered by the Australians in the war, only 46 arrived in time and were not used in the Pacific War; the rest were cancelled with the end of World War II. The USSR also used the Churchills given by the British as part of the Lend-Lease act. 301 Churchills were sent, but 43 were lost to the sea by German naval forces. Of those that arrived, the Soviets gave the Churchills to the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Battle of Prokhorovka during the Kursk Offensive.

After World War II, the Churchill stuck around in the British Army until the Korean War, where the British sent the Churchill Crocodile Squadron (C squadron of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment) to Korea to fight with the Allied coalition. They fought as gun tanks in battle such as the Third Battle of Seoul. The Churchills were instrumental in some victories and were widely praised by both British and American forces and historians. After the Korean war, the Churchills remains in combat service until 1952, with the specific bridge-layer variant staying until the 1970s. The Irish Army also received three Churchill tanks in 1948 and another in 1949 as rentals until 1954, where they were purchased after trials with the vehicles. Despite running out of spare parts for the Churchill, the Irish Army took them in and experimented with using different engines to keep them functional, though this ended with failure and by 1967, only one was still functional. All were retired in 1969, and one was preserved at the Curragh Camp.

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


Vauxhall Motors Limited
Infantry Tanks 
Tank, Infantry, Mk IV, Churchill (A22)  Churchill I · Churchill III · Churchill VII · Churchill Crocodile
Tank, Infantry, Black Prince (A43)  Black Prince
Tank Destroyers  Gun Carrier (3-in)
Captured  ▀Pz.Kpfw. Churchill

Britain heavy tanks
Matilda  Matilda III · Matilda Hedgehog
Churchill  Churchill I · Churchill III · Churchill VII · Churchill Crocodile · Churchill NA75 · Black Prince
Post-war  Caernarvon · Conqueror
Other  Independent · Excelsior · TOG II