Difference between revisions of "P40"

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{{Specs-Card|code=it_p_40}}
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{{About
 +
|about=Italian medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|other
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|usage-1 = other uses
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|link-1 = P40 (Disambiguation)
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|usage-2 = the premium version
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|link-2 = P40 "G.C. Leoncello"
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}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=it_p_40
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
''In the description, the first part needs to 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 the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].
  
 
== 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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{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.'' -->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
  
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Structural steel
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 50 mm (45°), 30 mm (78°), 45 mm (45°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 50 mm (38°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> 74 mm (45°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 45 mm (35°) ''Top'' <br> 40 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm ''Fighting compartment rear'' <br> 40 mm (10-40°) || 45 mm ''Front'' <br> 15 mm ''Rear''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 50 mm (20°) ''Turret front'' <br> 48 + 48 mm (1-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 45 mm (25-26°) || 45 mm ''Top'' <br> 23 + 50 + 45 mm ''Turret bustle'' || 20 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
 +
* 4 mm side skirts line up parts of the bottom side hull.
 +
* Belly armour is 14 mm thick.
 +
 
 +
Its protection is enough for most medium-ranged engagements but is able to be easily penetrated by most guns at close range. The front plate is a 50 mm plate sloped at 45° allowing for 65-67 mm of total protection, and the drivers hatch on the left side is 76 mm also sloped at 45° allowing for nearly 100 mm of protection. Most shots to the upper glacis won't penetrate thanks to the radical sloping angle of the plate offering 95 mm of armour, but it is possible for it to deflect a shot into the UFP. The gun mantlet is very well protected, with two rounded plates, which each offer roughly 50 mm of protection, stacked on top of each other allowing for a total of 100 mm. Be wary that the turret is a very vulnerable spot due to the nearly flat plate that only has 50 mm of armour.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=511|rbMinHp=292}}
 +
 
 +
Mobility is below average for the rank but is faster than some common tanks like the early Sherman's and Chi-Nu. However, almost every other tank in the rank will easily outrun the {{PAGENAME}} (Such as the early T-34's, [[Cromwell (Family)|Cromwell's]], [[Pz.III M|Pz.III]] and the [[Pz.IV F2]]). The tank's off road speed is quite good, able to reach 43 kmh / 27 mph on dirt and get to that speed quite quickly. The hull traverse is also very good and the tank is very responsive while in motion, allowing for a very mobile playstyle.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
''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 flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
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{{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.'' -->
 +
{{main|Ansaldo 75 L/34 (75 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The P40 is armed with a Ansaldo 75 L/34, able to carry a total of 63 shells. combining a decent reload with flexible munitions. The P40 has access to a 75 mm APHE round with 79 mm of penetration and a HEAT round with 100 mm of penetration. It is worth noting, either ammunition is usable, but a mix is preferable. Most enemies will easily fall prey to the APHE round, but T-34s, M4 Shermans, and KV-1s, are all enemies that require heavier hitting rounds, like the HEAT round. Note turret rotation is mediocre, and traversing the hull is necessary during close range engagements. The average round velocity will make longer-range combat difficult and the penetration drop off of the APHE round becomes quite noticeable.
  
=== Additional armament ===
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[Ansaldo 75 L/34 (75 mm)|75 mm Ansaldo 75 L/34]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 63 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.3 || 11.5 || 22.4 || 24.8 || 56.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.5 || rowspan="2" | 5.8 || rowspan="2" | 5.3 || rowspan="2" | 5.0
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || 14.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 +
|-
 +
| Granata Perforante 75/32 || APCBC || 75 || 72 || 66 || 59 || 53 || 48
 +
|-
 +
| EPS M42 || HEAT || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
 +
|-
 +
| Granata 75/32 || HE || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 9
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| Granata Perforante 75/32 || APCBC || 637 || 6.35 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 270 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 +
|-
 +
| EPS M42 || HEAT || 552 || 5.30 || N/A || 0.1 || 656.6 || 62° || 69° || 73°
 +
|-
 +
| Granata 75/32 || HE || 552 || 6.35 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 600 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks P40 "G.C. Leoncello".png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
|| '''63''' || 58&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 53&nbsp;''(+10)'' || 48&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 43&nbsp;''(+20)'' || 22&nbsp;''(+41)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+62)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Sponsons empty: 43&nbsp;''(+20)''
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
''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.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 +
<!-- ''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|Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)|8 mm Breda Mod. 38]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 288 (24) || 600 || -10°/+20° || ±180°
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 288 (24) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
== Usage in the 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 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 P40 is a tank that excels in medium-ranged engagements thanks to its decent armour and adequate gun. Due to the relatively small size and good mobility, it can, however, be played as an ambush tank that can sneak around and plant a shot in the enemy's sides, allowing for an easy elimination because of the large explosive filler in the APCBC shell. Be wary that while the tank's armour may protect against many lower-rank cannons, cannons at equivalent BR (Namely the Pz.IV's long-barrelled cannon) are easily capable of destroying the tank.
 +
 
 +
Players in the P40 should always be with teammates, as the P40 is easy prey when separated from its team. Stick with the heavier tanks such as the KV-1's, Churchill's and Matilda's, as they can soak up shots and draw attention away from the weak little P40, allowing the player to sneak around and hit a few tanks. If there are no heavy tanks, the P40's best bet is to support a Sherman or Pz.IV, as both of them can deal with enemies that the P40 can't.
 +
 
 +
=== Specific enemies worth noting: ===
 +
 
 +
* [[KV-1 (L-11)]]/[[KV-1S]]. These Russian heavy beasts are incredibly difficult for the P40 to deal with, as their armour is able to shrug off even the EPS M42 HEAT round and they mount guns able to punch through it frontally. Your best bet to destroy them solo is by taking out their guns and burn them out by shooting their engine, but if the P40 is accompanied by a tank with a stronger gun such as the long-barrelled [[Pz.IV]]'s, the engagement will become significantly easier. When accompanied by teammates, take out their gun and tracks in order to ensure a teammate secures the kill.
 +
* [[Matilda III]]. The British Matilda tank is the most common enemy the P40 will face, and boasts excellent all-around protection comparable to the previously mentioned KV-1's and an excellent crew layout. It's worth mentioning that its complex side armour is able to thwart the EPS round when not aimed carefully, and has a habit of absorbing shells in general. It is however not without its downfalls, as its main gun has very low penetration across all of its shell selections, with the highest penetrating shell still being unable to penetrate a well-angled P40 at 300 meters out, and it being incredibly slow. Your EPS shell can penetrate the turret sides at most ranges and will take out all 3 crew members in the turret when aimed carefully.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "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".'' -->
 +
[[File:Radar chart P40.png|thumb|P40's medium tank abilities chart]]
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
*
+
 
 +
* Decent frontal armour
 +
* The gun possesses satisfactory performance at its rank
 +
* Has access to HEAT shells with 100 mm of penetration
 +
* Stock shell has a lot of explosive filler, making one-shot very common
 +
* Relatively small for a medium tank
 +
* Very good in medium-ranged performance
 +
* Relatively consistent armour protection all around the tank ~ good for angling
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
*
+
 
 +
* Overall penetration is not that great
 +
* Pitifully low ammo count for each machine gun belt
 +
* Armour can still be penetrated by a few enemies of rank II, most notably by the long-barreled Panzer IVs
 +
* Breda Mod. 38's have a very low magazine count
 +
* Lower than the average speed
 +
* Mediocre turret traverse
 +
* Smoke shells deploy behind the tank
  
 
== 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 big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->[[File:P40 at Army parade.jpg|thumb|P26/40 at an Italian Army parade in 2011]]
 +
The Carro Pesante P26/40 was Italy's best tank that saw service in the war. Despite only weighing 29 tonnes, which is significantly less than almost every other country's medium tanks, it was classed as a heavy tank due to Italy's tank design doctrine. In early 1940, the Italians started working on a 25 tonne "heavy" infantry support tank that was intended to fight alongside the "M" class medium tanks. The recent Africa campaign showed the massive problems the Italian tanks in production had, namely a lack of armour and insufficient firepower, prompting the army to make some changes. Initially designated as "P75" due to the 75 mm short-barrelled 75/32 mm cannon that was changed to a longer barrelled 75/34 with higher potency. The initial prototype was powered by a 330 hp diesel engine but was changed to a traditional petrol-fueled engine due to the unimpressive performance of the diesel engine, which forced the Ansaldo engineers to delay the program until the necessary modifications to the chassis and body could be made to fit the petrol engine. This eventually produced a petrol engine titled "V-12 SPA 342" delivering 420 hp. The vehicle was adopted and was named "P26/40", 26 for the weight and 40 for the year it was designed. Before the Italian Armistice of the 8 September 1943, the Carro Pesante P26/40's were produced in a very little number (between 1 and 5 pre-production vehicles) and they were taken by the Wehrmacht. Then the Germans produced a slightly bigger number of models without using the engine designed by the Italians, instead they used a German one; they also produced some of them without engine for a combat usage as static strongpoints. Today two Carro Pesante P26/40 still exists: one of them is in the ''Museo della Motorizzazione'' in Rome, while the other one is in display near Italian Army barracks in Lecce.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=italy&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=it_p_40 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
== Read also ==
+
;Videos
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
 
 +
Videos for the {{PAGENAME}} "G.C. Leoncello" also apply to the {{PAGENAME}}.
 +
 
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|tYfOlnMdCLE|'''{{PAGENAME}} "Leoncello" - Tank Review - Special Italian Flavour''' - ''Napalmratte''|N-EazLEFaFg|'''The Shooting Range #71''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 08:17 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|GfrV4tR0HGo|'''Fiat-Ansaldo P 26/40, Italian, Tier-2, Medium Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
''ETC.''
+
 
 +
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
 +
 
 +
* [[P40 "G.C. Leoncello"]]
 +
 
 +
;Vehicles equipped with the same gun
 +
 
 +
* [[75/34 M43]]
  
== Sources ==
+
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
 
 +
* [[T-34 (Family)]] - T-34/76 models
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* [[wikipedia:P26/40_tank|[Wikipedia] P26/40 tank]]
 +
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italy/Carro_Armato_Pesante_P26-40.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Carro Armato P26/40]
 +
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=503 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> Carro Armato P40 (Carro Pesante P40)]
 +
 
 +
{{Italy medium tanks}}

Revision as of 10:17, 22 March 2021

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the Italian medium tank P40. For other uses, see P40 (Disambiguation). For the premium version, see P40 "G.C. Leoncello".
it_p_40.png
GarageImage P40.jpg
P40
AB RB SB
3.3 3.3 3.3
Class:
Research:14 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:32 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Fiat-Ansaldo P40 is a rank II Italian medium tank with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic".

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull50 / 45 / 40
Turret50 / 45 / 45
Crew4 people
Visibility88 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Structural steel
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 50 mm (45°), 30 mm (78°), 45 mm (45°) Front glacis
50 mm (38°) Lower glacis
74 mm (45°) Driver's hatch
45 mm (35°) Top
40 mm Bottom
40 mm Fighting compartment rear
40 mm (10-40°)
45 mm Front
15 mm Rear
Turret 50 mm (20°) Turret front
48 + 48 mm (1-78°) Gun mantlet
45 mm (25-26°) 45 mm Top
23 + 50 + 45 mm Turret bustle
20 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • 4 mm side skirts line up parts of the bottom side hull.
  • Belly armour is 14 mm thick.

Its protection is enough for most medium-ranged engagements but is able to be easily penetrated by most guns at close range. The front plate is a 50 mm plate sloped at 45° allowing for 65-67 mm of total protection, and the drivers hatch on the left side is 76 mm also sloped at 45° allowing for nearly 100 mm of protection. Most shots to the upper glacis won't penetrate thanks to the radical sloping angle of the plate offering 95 mm of armour, but it is possible for it to deflect a shot into the UFP. The gun mantlet is very well protected, with two rounded plates, which each offer roughly 50 mm of protection, stacked on top of each other allowing for a total of 100 mm. Be wary that the turret is a very vulnerable spot due to the nearly flat plate that only has 50 mm of armour.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB45 / 5 km/h
RB and SB41 / 5 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight26.0 t
Engine power
AB630 hp
RB and SB330 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB24.2 hp/t
RB and SB12.7 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 45 5 26 511 630 19.65 24.23
Realistic 41 5 292 330 11.23 12.69

Mobility is below average for the rank but is faster than some common tanks like the early Sherman's and Chi-Nu. However, almost every other tank in the rank will easily outrun the P40 (Such as the early T-34's, Cromwell's, Pz.III and the Pz.IV F2). The tank's off road speed is quite good, able to reach 43 kmh / 27 mph on dirt and get to that speed quite quickly. The hull traverse is also very good and the tank is very responsive while in motion, allowing for a very mobile playstyle.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB830 → 1 122 Sl icon.png
RB954 → 1 290 Sl icon.png
SB1 186 → 1 604 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications13 860 Rp icon.png
20 200 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost860 Ge icon.png
Crew training9 200 Sl icon.png
Experts32 000 Sl icon.png
Aces270 Ge icon.png
Research Aces250 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
50 / 80 / 90 % Sl icon.png
130 / 130 / 130 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 000 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
1 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
1 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 000 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 000 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_M42_EPS_HEAT_ammo_pack
Research:
690 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 000 Sl icon.png
85 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
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Artillery Support
Research:
1 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
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Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition63 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 23°

The P40 is armed with a Ansaldo 75 L/34, able to carry a total of 63 shells. combining a decent reload with flexible munitions. The P40 has access to a 75 mm APHE round with 79 mm of penetration and a HEAT round with 100 mm of penetration. It is worth noting, either ammunition is usable, but a mix is preferable. Most enemies will easily fall prey to the APHE round, but T-34s, M4 Shermans, and KV-1s, are all enemies that require heavier hitting rounds, like the HEAT round. Note turret rotation is mediocre, and traversing the hull is necessary during close range engagements. The average round velocity will make longer-range combat difficult and the penetration drop off of the APHE round becomes quite noticeable.

75 mm Ansaldo 75 L/34 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 63 -10°/+23° ±180° N/A 8.3 11.5 22.4 24.8 56.4 6.5 5.8 5.3 5.0
Realistic 8.3 9.8 11.9 13.2 14.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Granata Perforante 75/32 APCBC 75 72 66 59 53 48
EPS M42 HEAT 100 100 100 100 100 100
Granata 75/32 HE 9 9 9 9 9 9
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 75/32 APCBC 637 6.35 1.2 14.0 270 48° 63° 71°
EPS M42 HEAT 552 5.30 N/A 0.1 656.6 62° 69° 73°
Granata 75/32 HE 552 6.35 0.4 0.1 600 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the P40
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
63 58 (+5) 53 (+10) 48 (+15) 43 (+20) 22 (+41) (+62) No

Sponsons empty: 43 (+20)

Machine guns

Ammunition288 rounds
Belt capacity24 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Ammunition288 rounds
Belt capacity24 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)
8 mm Breda Mod. 38
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 288 (24) 600 -10°/+20° ±180°
Coaxial 288 (24) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The P40 is a tank that excels in medium-ranged engagements thanks to its decent armour and adequate gun. Due to the relatively small size and good mobility, it can, however, be played as an ambush tank that can sneak around and plant a shot in the enemy's sides, allowing for an easy elimination because of the large explosive filler in the APCBC shell. Be wary that while the tank's armour may protect against many lower-rank cannons, cannons at equivalent BR (Namely the Pz.IV's long-barrelled cannon) are easily capable of destroying the tank.

Players in the P40 should always be with teammates, as the P40 is easy prey when separated from its team. Stick with the heavier tanks such as the KV-1's, Churchill's and Matilda's, as they can soak up shots and draw attention away from the weak little P40, allowing the player to sneak around and hit a few tanks. If there are no heavy tanks, the P40's best bet is to support a Sherman or Pz.IV, as both of them can deal with enemies that the P40 can't.

Specific enemies worth noting:

  • KV-1 (L-11)/KV-1S. These Russian heavy beasts are incredibly difficult for the P40 to deal with, as their armour is able to shrug off even the EPS M42 HEAT round and they mount guns able to punch through it frontally. Your best bet to destroy them solo is by taking out their guns and burn them out by shooting their engine, but if the P40 is accompanied by a tank with a stronger gun such as the long-barrelled Pz.IV's, the engagement will become significantly easier. When accompanied by teammates, take out their gun and tracks in order to ensure a teammate secures the kill.
  • Matilda III. The British Matilda tank is the most common enemy the P40 will face, and boasts excellent all-around protection comparable to the previously mentioned KV-1's and an excellent crew layout. It's worth mentioning that its complex side armour is able to thwart the EPS round when not aimed carefully, and has a habit of absorbing shells in general. It is however not without its downfalls, as its main gun has very low penetration across all of its shell selections, with the highest penetrating shell still being unable to penetrate a well-angled P40 at 300 meters out, and it being incredibly slow. Your EPS shell can penetrate the turret sides at most ranges and will take out all 3 crew members in the turret when aimed carefully.

Pros and cons

P40's medium tank abilities chart

Pros:

  • Decent frontal armour
  • The gun possesses satisfactory performance at its rank
  • Has access to HEAT shells with 100 mm of penetration
  • Stock shell has a lot of explosive filler, making one-shot very common
  • Relatively small for a medium tank
  • Very good in medium-ranged performance
  • Relatively consistent armour protection all around the tank ~ good for angling

Cons:

  • Overall penetration is not that great
  • Pitifully low ammo count for each machine gun belt
  • Armour can still be penetrated by a few enemies of rank II, most notably by the long-barreled Panzer IVs
  • Breda Mod. 38's have a very low magazine count
  • Lower than the average speed
  • Mediocre turret traverse
  • Smoke shells deploy behind the tank

History

P26/40 at an Italian Army parade in 2011

The Carro Pesante P26/40 was Italy's best tank that saw service in the war. Despite only weighing 29 tonnes, which is significantly less than almost every other country's medium tanks, it was classed as a heavy tank due to Italy's tank design doctrine. In early 1940, the Italians started working on a 25 tonne "heavy" infantry support tank that was intended to fight alongside the "M" class medium tanks. The recent Africa campaign showed the massive problems the Italian tanks in production had, namely a lack of armour and insufficient firepower, prompting the army to make some changes. Initially designated as "P75" due to the 75 mm short-barrelled 75/32 mm cannon that was changed to a longer barrelled 75/34 with higher potency. The initial prototype was powered by a 330 hp diesel engine but was changed to a traditional petrol-fueled engine due to the unimpressive performance of the diesel engine, which forced the Ansaldo engineers to delay the program until the necessary modifications to the chassis and body could be made to fit the petrol engine. This eventually produced a petrol engine titled "V-12 SPA 342" delivering 420 hp. The vehicle was adopted and was named "P26/40", 26 for the weight and 40 for the year it was designed. Before the Italian Armistice of the 8 September 1943, the Carro Pesante P26/40's were produced in a very little number (between 1 and 5 pre-production vehicles) and they were taken by the Wehrmacht. Then the Germans produced a slightly bigger number of models without using the engine designed by the Italians, instead they used a German one; they also produced some of them without engine for a combat usage as static strongpoints. Today two Carro Pesante P26/40 still exists: one of them is in the Museo della Motorizzazione in Rome, while the other one is in display near Italian Army barracks in Lecce.

Media

Skins
Videos

Videos for the P40 "G.C. Leoncello" also apply to the P40.

See also

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

External links


Italy medium tanks
  Italy
M13/40  M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III)
M14/41  M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40)
M15/42  M15/42
M16/43  Celere Sahariano
P26/40  P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello"
OF-40  OF-40 · OF-40 Mk.2A · OF-40 (MTCA)
Ariete  Ariete (P) · Ariete · Ariete PSO · Ariete AMV
Germany  ▄Pz.III N · ▄Pz.IV G · ▄Leopard 1A5
Allied powers  ▄Sherman I Composito · Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc · ▄Sherman V · M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1 · M47 (105/55) · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"
  Hungary
Turán  Turan I · Turan II · Turan III
Germany  ◔Leopard 2A4
USSR  ◔T-72M1