M43 "G.C.Leoncello"

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Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the Italian tank destroyer M43 "G.C.Leoncello". For regular version, see 105/25 M43.
M43 "G.C.Leoncello"
it_semovente_m43_105_leoncello.png
GarageImage M43 "G.C.Leoncello".jpg
M43 "G.C.Leoncello"
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Description

The Semovente 105/25 M43 G.C."Leoncello" is a premium gift rank III Italian tank destroyer with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced as a premium pack in Update 1.85 "Supersonic", and was discontinued after the 2019 Summer sales. It was made available briefly for purchase with Golden Eagles Ge icon.png during the 2022 "Italian National Unity and Armed Forces Day" mini-event.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull50 / 40 / 25
Turret75 / 45 / 45
Crew3 people
Visibility61 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, casemate)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 25 mm (78°) Upper glacis
50 mm (40°) Lower glacis - top
30 mm (50°) Lower glacis - bottom
40 mm
40 + 4 mm Side skirts area
25 mm Upper part
25 mm (15°) Lower part
25 mm (12°) Front glacis
10-15 mm (12°) Rear - Engine hood
5-15 mm (5°) Rear - Radiator vents
Casemate 75 mm (5°) Casemate front plate
90 mm (5°) Driver port
60 + 30 mm (spherical) Gun mantlet
45 mm (7-9°) 45 mm 15 mm (0-4°) Centre
15 mm (18°) Sides

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies 10 mm thick.
  • The belly is 15 mm thick.
  • Mudguards are 4 mm thick.

The M43 "G.C.Leoncello" got rid of the biggest vulnerabilities of the previous Semoventi: the vertical armour front plate is now much thicker, the sides were reinforced and the crew is less cramped thanks to the widened hull. However, the poor roof armour and a crew of only 3 are still weak points. Your front plate is also now wider and easier to target. With the BR increase, foes are also better armoured, which slightly tones down the benefit brought by your armour increase.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB42 / 4 km/h
RB and SB39 / 4 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight15.7 t
Engine power
AB353 hp
RB and SB185 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB22.5 hp/t
RB and SB11.8 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 42 4 15.7 263 353 16.75 22.48
Realistic 39 4 164 185 10.45 11.78

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB736 Sl icon.png
RB881 Sl icon.png
SB1 779 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts67 000 Sl icon.png
Aces330 Ge icon.png
Research Aces570 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 70 / 110 / 160 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 136 / 136 / 136 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_ep_m43_HEAT_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition48 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
13.0 → 10.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 16°
Horizontal guidance-18° / 18°
105 mm Cannone Ansaldo da 105/25 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 48 -10°/+16° ±18° N/A 12.3 17.1 20.7 22.9 24.4 13.00 11.50 10.60 10.00
Realistic 8.3 9.8 11.9 13.2 14.0

Ammunition

The ammunition choice for the M43 "G.C.Leoncello" is focused on the anti-tank role:

  • Granata Perforante da 105: a capped armour-piercing shell with explosive filler that has a good penetration power and whose explosive filler offers a good single-shot knock-out capability.
  • Effetto Pronto mod.43: a shaped charge with high penetration power that does not diminish over distance. This type of shell is very effective on open and lightly armoured vehicles. It will also penetrate thicker armour, provided it is not sloped and will in most cases require a second shot to finish the enemy vehicle. The long reload time of the gun will be a clear handicap in such cases as the enemy will have time to return fire. Always pack a few HEAT shells as you lack HE shells and a machine gun to deal with lightly armoured vehicles.

Both shells have slow muzzle velocity and will have a curved trajectory. Use this to hit enemies hiding behind a ridge.

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
Granata Perforante da 105 APC 91 89 81 72 64 57
Effetto Pronto mod.43 HEAT 120 120 120 120 120 120
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%
Granata Perforante da 105 APC 500 15.65 1.2 19 275 48° 63° 71°
Effetto Pronto mod.43 HEAT 510 14 0.05 0.1 2,300 62° 69° 73°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the 105/25 M43 (identical)
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
48 25 (+23) 13 (+35) (+47) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

Usage in battles

Combat tactics

The M43 "G.C.Leoncello" is best when used as a tank destroyer thanks to its good frontal armour and the good penetration of its rounds, provided you stay at a distance guaranteeing your survivability (800-1,000 m). Although the Leoncello lacks any kind of turret, there are benefits and also some disavantages. At a distance, the Semovente's limited traverse is less a handicap and makes it harder for the weak spots of the vehicle to be hit. The vehicle's primary advantages include its low profile and powerful gun which can easily defeat most enemies it will encounter at range while remaining a relatively obscured target With a maximum penetration of 72 mm at 1,000 m for the APC round and 120 mm for the HEAT shell, the vehicle will have no problem penetrating the armour of most enemy vehicles at the BR. However, the low-velocity 105 mm howitzer makes it difficult to target and hit reliably enemies at long range and the long reload time prevents you from coming quickly with another shot. If you play too close to the frontline, most tanks will be capable of disabling you. Your weak sides will be exposed if you are taken in a pincer move and your long reload time will give enemies the opportunity to get to a better shooting spot or to close the gap between their location and yours. So it is overall vital that you do not get flanked and you always have friendly tanks to aid you whenever you are in trouble.

Notable enemies include;
  • Tank destroyers with long guns that can penetrate from long range like the Marder III, the Marder III H, the Gun Carrier (3-in), the Archer, the StuG III F, the SU-57B, the YaG-10 (29-K), the Chi-Ha LG or the Na-To,
  • Tanks with powerful HEAT shells like the M4A3 (105), the Pz.III N, the StuH 42 G, the M4A3 (105) (France) or the Sav m/43 (1946),
  • Tanks with APDS shells like the Swedish 37mm gun tanks,
  • Frontline tanks with sloped armour like the M4A1, the T-50, the T-126 or the T-34 (1940) or the M4A1 (France),
  • Fast and agile light tanks such as the M24, the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 or the Crusader III that can easily flank the Semovente undetected are dangerous threats. Their speed and small size make them difficult to target for the Semovente's howitzer and they can disable you easily at close range, and the Crusader with Shot Mk.9 can easily penetrate the M43 at longer ranges.
How to defeat a M43 "G.C.Leoncello"
  • Avoid any frontal encounter. Flank it and aim for the sides of the casemate.
  • Wait for it to have shot and be reloading (it gives you at least 10 seconds to act).
  • If you're forced to engage the Semovente frontally, be as close as possible to increase your chances to penetrate.
  • If you can't disable it in one shot, immobilizing the M43 "G.C.Leoncello" buys you time to finish it off. Either shoot the transmission, the driver or the engine to do so. Stay out or get out of its line of fire once it is immobilized.
  • When flying an aircraft, target the crew compartment to knock the crew out or the engine bay to immobilize it.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful 105 mm gun that can fire HEAT rounds
  • Small frontal profile makes the tank easy to conceal and difficult to hit
  • High gun depression, can be used to crest over hills while only exposing the more heavily armoured superstructure
  • Decent mobility and good hull traverse
  • Overpressures most opponents easily with APC

Cons:

  • The mantlet armour can be penetrated by the majority of the guns at its rank
  • 75 mm of armour has to be angled to to block shots from most American and British tanks.
  • No turret
  • Confined interior

History

In mid-1942, the Italian Army put out a set of requirements for a new vehicle that could double up as both an infantry support vehicle as well as a tank destroyer, depending on the situation. In response to this, Fiat-Ansaldo and OTO both began developing prototypes around these requirements in parallel.

The two competing designs primarily differed in the chassis choice. OTO picked the newer chassis of the P40 heavy tank whilst Fiat-Ansaldo chose to opt for a newer and larger version of the chassis already in production for their Semovente M42.

This decision allowed Fiat-Ansaldo to complete their prototype much sooner. In February 1943, the Semovente 105/25 M43 was presented to military officials and was soon afterwards ordered into production, following successful trials.

Production began in April 1943, with a planned production run of over 800 vehicles. However, with Italy's industry at this late stage of the war being severely crippled, production was slow and reaching such high production goals was more than unlikely.

Just prior to the signing of the armistice in September, the 30th vehicle rolled off the assembly line. The Semovente 105/25 M43 proved itself in combat during the defence of Rome, where the SPGs successfully engaged German forces trying to retake the city.

After the occupation of northern Italy by German forces, the Fiat-Ansaldo company restarted production of the Semovente 105/25, this time however, for the Germans. Germany only used a limited number of these vehicles under the designation Sturmgeschütz M43 mit 105/25 853(i), of which most were no longer in use by late 1944.

Around 120 Semovente 105/25 M43s were built by 1944, primarily serving with Italian or German forces. By the late stages of the war, only a limited number was still in service and after the end of WW2, the vehicle was retired from service.

- From Devblog

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


FIAT-Ansaldo
Autoblindo  AB 41 · AB 43
Light Tanks  L6/40 · L6/40 (31 Rgt.)
Medium Tanks  Celere Sahariano
M11/39  M11/39
M13/40  M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III)
M14/41  M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40)
M15/42  M15/42
P40  P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello"
Tank Destroyers 
L3/33  L3/33 CC
Semovente L40  47/32 L40
Semovente M41  75/18 M41 · 75/32 M41 · 90/53 M41M
Semovente M42  75/34 M42
Semovente M43  105/25 M43 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · 75/34 M43 · 75/46 M43
SPAAs  M42 Contraereo

Italy tank destroyers
  Italy
M41  75/18 M41 · 75/32 M41 · 90/53 M41M
M42  75/34 M42
M43  105/25 M43 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · 75/34 M43 · 75/46 M43
Wheeled  Lancia 3Ro (100/17) · AS 42/47 · Breda 90/53 · Breda 501
Other  L3/33 CC · 47/32 L40
Germany  ▄StuG III G
USA  M36B1 · ▄M109G · M113A1 (TOW)
  Hungary
Zrínyi  Zrinyi I · Zrinyi II
USSR  ◔2S1

Italy premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  L6/40 (31 Rgt.) · Toldi IIA · AUBL/74 HVG · VRCC · Centauro RGO
Medium tanks  M13/40 (II) · Turan II · M14/41 (47/40) · Celere Sahariano · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" · ▄Sherman I Composito · ▄Pz.IV G
  M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" · OF-40 (MTCA)
Heavy tanks  Tigris
Tank destroyers  Breda 90/53 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · Zrinyi I