Difference between revisions of "SF40 Light"

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== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
''Talk about the vehicle’s armor. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and maneuverability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armament separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Tips for preserving survivability should be saved for the “Use in battle” section.''
+
<!--''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armament separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips for preserving survivability in the "Use in battle" section.''
  
''If necessary, use a graphic template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armor.''
+
''If necessary, use a graphics template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''-->
 +
SF40 Leichte has the following armour layout:
 +
 
 +
* [[2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38]] gunshields: 12 mm, hardened armour
 +
* [[3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)|3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36]] gunshield: 8 mm, hardened armour
 +
* Main turret platforms: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Deckhouse: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Hull: {{Annotation|15 mm|6.75 mm RHA}}, steel
 +
* Superstructure: {{Annotation|20 mm|0.8 mm RHA}}, wood
 +
 
 +
{{Notice|Steel has an armour multiplier of 0.45, and wood has an armour multiplier of 0.04. The hull and superstructure are equivalent to 6.75 mm and 0.8 mm {{Annotation|RHA|rolled homogeneous armour}}, respectively.}}
 +
 
 +
[[File:SF40 Leichte internals.png|thumb|SF40 Leichte internals (starboard side)]]
 +
 
 +
While the SF40 Leichte certainly has above average armour for its battle rating, like many other rank I and II naval vessels, its armour is mostly negligible. Almost any weapon it faces can punch right through its armour without much issue. However, with its rather high crew complement of 42, SF40 Leichte proves to be quite survivable. With a stock crew, SF40 Leichte can lose 26 of its crew, and with an aced crew, this increases to a maximum loss of 30. In addition, due to its large size, the crew of SF40 Leichte is spread out, meaning that the loss of a single compartment isn't as significant as with smaller vessels.
 +
 
 +
Despite that, there are a few notable weaknesses. The first is the central deckhouse just behind the bridge, which large, lightly armoured, and contains roughly half of the available crew. The second weakness is the four ammo racks, two in each pontoon. These are located one at the waterline below the front turret and one at the waterline below the back end of the deckhouse. These ammo racks are only partially underwater and, thanks to the reference points mentioned, are relatively easy to spot. Destroying these ammo racks is a quick and guaranteed way to destroy the SF40 Leichte.
 +
 
 +
Aside from the wood, the bridge of SF40 Leichte is unarmoured. Being rather prominent, this commonly leads to loss of control.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
''Write about the ship’s mobility. Evaluate its power and maneuverability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward speed and reverse speed.''
+
<!--''Write about the ship’s mobility. Evaluate its power and maneuverability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward speed and reverse speed.''-->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="5" | '''Maximum Speeds'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Game Modes
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | Stock
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
! Forward (km/h) !! Reverse (km/h) !! Forward (km/h) !! Reverse (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|AB|Arcade Battles}} || 21 || 10 || 28 || 14
 +
|-
 +
| {{Annotation|RB|Realistic Battles}}/{{Annotation|SB|Simulator Battles}} || 16 || 8 || 19 || 9
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Like all other barges in the game, SF40 Leichte is incredibly slow going both forwards and backwards. Because of its slow speed, turning is also extremely sluggish.
 +
 
 +
SF40 Leichte has a total displacement of 160 tons: above average, but nowhere close to the highest at its battle rating, despite its size and apparent lack of speed.
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
 
=== Primary armament ===
 
=== Primary armament ===
 
<!--''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>.''
 
<!--''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>.''
 +
''Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''-->
 +
{{main|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)}}
  
''Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''-->
+
SF40 Leichte has four Flakvierling 38 turrets, each with four 20 mm cannons, in each corner of its rectangular deck for a total of 16 guns. Each gun has a rate of fire of 450 rounds per minute and has a magazine capacity of 40 rounds.  They each have 2,000 rounds of ammunition available, for a total of 32,000 rounds. With a stock crew, they can be reloaded in 6.41 seconds, 5.5 seconds with an aced crew. The turrets can traverse both horizontally and vertically at a rate of 40°/s.
The 4 x 20 mm Vierlingsflak C/38 cannons are the star of this ship, capable of shredding apart any type of ship, at least at low rank. The ammo doesn't really matter as there is an abundant reserve for mass firings.
+
 
 +
{{Notice|Turrets are named sequentially, clockwise, starting at the bow}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | '''Guidance for the Main Gun Turrets'''
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.1 Turret (front-right)
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.2 Turret (back-right)
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.3 Turret (back-left)
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.4 Turret (front-left)
 +
|-
 +
! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical
 +
|-
 +
| ±180° || -3°/+88° || ±180° || -3°/+88° || ±180° || -3°/+88° || ±180° || -3°/+88°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
There are three choices of ammunition available:
 +
 
 +
* Universal: AP-T/AP/HEF-T/HEF
 +
* 20 mm HET: HEF/HEF-T/HEF/AP
 +
* 25 mm APT: AP/AP-T/AP/HEF
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="7" | '''Penetration Statistics'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 +
|-
 +
| AP-T || 40 || 38 || 31 || 26 || 22 || 19
 +
|-
 +
| AP || 40 || 38 || 31 || 26 || 22 || 19
 +
|-
 +
| HEF-T || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _
 +
|-
 +
| HEF || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="12" | '''Shell Details'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Type
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | TNT Equivalent (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse Delay (m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse Sensitivity (mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Normalization at 30°
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| AP-T || 0.148 || 785 || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
| AP || 0.148 || 785 || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
| HEF-T || 0.115 || 835 || NP 10 || 0.0062 || 0.01054 || 0.0 || 0.1 || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
| HEF || 0.115 || 835 || NP 10 || 0.0062 || 0.01054 || 0.0 || 0.1 || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{{notice|NP 10 is equivalent to 1.7x TNT.}}
  
 
=== Secondary armament ===
 
=== Secondary armament ===
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''If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''-->
 
''If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''-->
The 37 mm is rather useless compared to the primary armament due to its limited armaments, but can be used to peg weak ships at a distance and pester off incoming aircraft.
+
{{main|3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
SF40 has a single 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 atop its central deckhouse. It has a rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute and fires from a 5-round magazine, with a total of 2,000 rounds of ammunition available. The gun can be reloaded in 0.25 seconds with a stock crew and in 0.13 seconds with an aced crew. It can traverse horizontally at a rate of 50°/s and vertically at a rate of 70°/s.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="2" | '''Guidance for the Secondary Gun Turret'''
 +
|-
 +
! Horizontal !! Vertical
 +
|-
 +
| ±180° || +1°/+80°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
There are three choices of ammunition available:
 +
 
 +
* Universal: AP-T/HEF-I
 +
* 37 mm HE: HEF-I/HEF-I/HEF-I/HEF-I/AP-T
 +
* 25 mm APT: AP-T/AP-T/AP-T/AP-T/HEF-I
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="7" | '''Penetration Statistics'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 +
|-
 +
| HEF-I || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _
 +
|-
 +
| AP-T || 67 || 64 || 55 || 47 || 41 || 37
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="12" | '''Shell Details'''
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Type
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | TNT Equivalent (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse Delay (m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse Sensitivity (mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Normalization at 30°
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| HEF-I || 0.623 || 845.0 || {{Annotation|NP 10|1.7x TNT}} || 0.0259 || 0.04403 || 0.0 || 0.1 || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
| AP-T || 0.7 || 815.0 || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || N/A || _° || _° || _° || _°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{{notice|NP 10 is equivalent to 1.7x TNT.}}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!--''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don’t get try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
 
<!--''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don’t get try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
The best method of using the {{PAGENAME}} is to hide behind a rock near the capture points and rake anything that tries to cap with the large assortment of autocannons. It is also possible to flank around, get to the sides of the enemy and riddle them with cannon ammo as well.
+
Because of its very slow speed, SF40 Leichte will never be first to action in battle. Going full speed ahead, it can still take several minutes to reach the capture points on even small maps. How well SF40 Leichte does in the battle depends not on how many enemies it can find, but rather how many enemies happen to run into it. To maximize this, SF40 Leichte should be sailed towards the centre of action on every map right from spawn, whether that be capture points or likely paths that enemy boats may take. Here, SF40 Leichte can leverage its high survivability and overwhelm its opponents with firepower.
 +
 
 +
The Flakvierling 38 20 mm cannons are among the best in the game. Compared to other 20 mm naval cannons in the game, these have the largest explosive mass in the HE rounds, the greatest AP penetration with the AP rounds, as well as a  decent rate of fire and muzzle velocity. Altogether, this allows SF40 Leichte to quickly destroy any enemy boat with a single burst, especially since 12 guns can be brought on target at once. Two problems exist for this gun: the relatively small 40-round magazines (which, because of the rate of fire, means frequent reloads), and the maximum range of roughly 2 km (common for most guns of this calibre). The latter is a much greater issue. Whereas faster vessels with such a problem can evade or quickly get behind cover, SF40 Leichte is essentially a stationary target for weapons like [[Bofors L/60 Mark 1 (40 mm)]] or large-calibre cannons (3-inch or larger). Boats armed with these can comfortably sit outside SF40 Leichte's range and gradually chip away at the crew. This is even further accentuated when faced wtih destroyers, since they carry much larger guns and are generally unaffected by SF40 Leichte's own 20 mm cannons. Armoured targets may also be an issue, despite the above-average penetration of the 20 mm cannons. While the 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36, with its higher penetration, can be used against such enemies, it cannot be fired directly forwards, nor can it hit any targets within approximately 1.5 km due to its maximum depression being 1° above the neutral position. It's often better to just pepper such targets with 20 mm AP and leave the 37 mm for anti-aircraft work.
 +
 
 +
SF40 Leichte should obviously be angled in such a way that three of four turrets are on target at once to maximize damage. At the same time, though, it should be angled as little as possible. This not only shows as little of the side and as possible, but it also allows the middle of the three Flakvierling 38's to block the line-of-sight to the deckhouse. Protecting the deckhouse is vital because it contains roughly half of the available crew. However, if it has already been destroyed, angling like this is no longer so important. The other major weakness is the ammo racks, which cannot be removed by taking less ammunition. Close-range enemies on the side are a big threat, since here, it is easiest to hit the ammo racks, especially when taking advantage of the hit cam. Though ammo rack destruction is quite rare in practice, a knowledgeable enemy player can still quickly eliminate SF40 Leichte with this method. Aside from these points, survivability of SF40 Leichte tends to be very high because of its size and large crew complement.
 +
 
 +
Enemy MTB torpedoes can be a threat, but only if launched at close-range, where SF40 Leichte won't be able to evade in time. In this respect, long-range torpedo attacks aren't much of an issue, provided that they are spotted early enough. Even if torpedoes cannot be completely avoided, it should be noted that torpedoes can pass under the centre of SF40 Leichte if necessary, between the two pontoons. Comparatively, greater threats are aerial torpedoes, guided bombs like [[PC 1400 X (1,400 kg)|Fritz X]], and large bombs like [[H.C. 4,000 lb Mk.II (4,000 lb)]] or [[FAB-5000 (5,000 kg)]]. Because of SF40 Leichte's large size and slow movement, it makes for a prime target, while SF40 Leichte's sluggishness may make evasion of these entirely impossible. Enemy aircraft should be prioritized.
 +
 
 +
====Ammunition Choices====
 +
 
 +
For the 20 mm Flakvierling 38 guns, 20 mm HET magazines should be the primary ammunition choice, since it contains the highest ratio of HE to AP rounds and, thus, is the most effective against enemy boats and aircraft. The maximum range of the HE rounds is roughly 2.0 km, while the AP rounds can reach a little further to 2.3 km, though there isn't much point in using the 20 mm APT magazines for this purpose. Still, several 20 mm APT magazines should for the occasional armoured targets.
 +
 
 +
The primary ammunition choice of the 37 mm FlaK-Lafette C/36, or rather the only one that should really be taken, is 37 mm HE clips, again because of the higher HE to AP ratio. While the AP in this gun is more powerful than that of the 20 mm guns, there isn't much point to using it against surface targets because of its awkward firing arcs. It is, however, fantastic as an anti-aircraft gun.
 +
 
 +
===Modules===
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Tier
 +
! Seakeeping
 +
! colspan="2" | Unsinkability
 +
! colspan="3" | Firepower
 +
|-
 +
| I
 +
| Dry-Docking
 +
| Tool Set
 +
|
 +
| 20 mm HET magazines
 +
| 37 mm HE clips
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| II
 +
| Rudder Replacement
 +
| Fire Protection System
 +
| Smokescreen
 +
| 20 mm APT magazines
 +
| 37 mm APT clips
 +
| Auxiliary Armament Targeting
 +
|-
 +
| III
 +
| Propeller Replacement
 +
|
 +
|
 +
| Improved Rangefinder
 +
|
 +
| Primary Armament Targeting
 +
|-
 +
| IV
 +
| Engine Maintenance
 +
| New Pumps
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 37: Line 250:
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* 4 flakvierlings absolutely shred every aircraft and light armored vessel
+
* Very large amount of 20 mm guns, 12 on target at once, 16 total
* Almost invincible to guns of rank 3 ships and below as well as aircraft machine guns and low caliber cannons
+
* Strongest 20 mm HE and AP rounds compared to other 20 mm guns
* Twin-hulled barge, making the deck very stable for firing
+
* High survivability
* Packs a lot of ammo
+
* Great anti-aircraft coverage
 +
* Lots of ammunition
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* Easy target for torpedoes and dive bombers
+
* Very low maximum speed and bad manoeuvrability
* Reacts extremely slow to rudder input
+
* Approximately 2 km maximum range
* Large target from any angle.
+
* 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 is inadequate against surface targets
* Placement of the flakvierlings mean that at most 3 of them can fire at the same surface target.
+
* Large target, easily spotted and attracts enemy bombs and torpedoes
* 20mm rounds struggle with armored targets
 
* Firing leaves a storm of tracers, making you extremely easy to locate and identify
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship 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 "/ 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.''
+
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship 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 "/ 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.''-->
 +
In July 1940, in preparation for Operation Seelöwe (Operation Sea Lion), the German Wehrmacht required a large amount of ocean-going transport and landing craft for the planned invasion of Great Britain. With no suitable craft available within the Kriegsmarine, the task also fell to other branches of the German military. Design proposals were submitted by the Heer and Luftwaffe, where the idea piqued the interest of aircraft designer Friedrich Siebel.
 +
 
 +
He soon produced and presented a prototype, a catamaran made from two pontoons taken from an existing pontoon bridge design. The two pontoons were separated six meters apart and spanned by a wooden deck, with the entire craft powered by two aircraft engines. The design was seen as unsatisfactory due to its flimsy construction and low top speed of only 4 knots (7.4 km/h). Siebel produced another prototype in August 1940, this time with a steel-reinforced deck, the spacing between the pontoons reduced to 5.5 meters, and the craft powered by two BMW 6U aircraft engines. This version solved the stability and speed problems of the previous prototype, increasing its top speed to 8 knots (14.8 km/h), and was met with enthusiasm by the Wehrmacht.
 +
 
 +
Named after its creator, the Siebelfähre (Siebel Ferry) proved to be a rather stable firing platform due to its catamaran design and wide width. The Luftwaffe experimented with an anti-aircraft version, mounting various anti-aircraft guns from 20 mm autocannons to the 8.8 cm Flak 36. These AAA versions were planned to provide anti-aircraft cover for the main landing force in the invasion. An order for 400 Siebelfähren was placed; however, in October 1940, Operation Seelöwe was cancelled before the order could be completed. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Luftwaffe continued to produce Siebelfähren. These new ones, along with any that had already been built, would be used by the Luftwaffe and Heer as transport craft, minelayers, AAA barges, and gunboats in the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea until the end of the war in 1945.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!--''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''-->
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
 
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|SDDxf3pr0c0|'''War Thunder Naval CBT - SF40 Light/Heavy review''' - ''TheCat PlaysGamez''|WOik7xFnNHQ|'''Unmatched Firepower <nowiki>|</nowiki> SF40 Leichte Flak Barge - War Thunder Naval Forces''' - ''Virus''}}
  
 
== 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 ship;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
 +
 
 +
* [[SF40 Schwere]]
  
 
== 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 ship;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on ship;''
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.''-->
 +
 
 +
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siebel_ferry Wikipedia - Siebel ferry]
 +
* [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/landingcrafts/siebel/index.html german-navy.de - Siebel Fähre History]
  
 
{{Germany barges}}
 
{{Germany barges}}

Revision as of 10:47, 10 July 2020

Rank IV USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Tu-1 Pack
SF40 Light
germ_sf40_leichte_flakkampffaehre.png
SF40 Light
AB RB SB
2.7 2.7 2.7
Research:48 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:180 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage SF40 Light.jpg


The Siebelfähre 40 Light is a Rank III German anti-air ferry with a battle rating of 2.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.79 "Project X" in the fleet closed beta test.

General info

Survivability and armour

SF40 Leichte has the following armour layout:

  • 2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 gunshields: 12 mm, hardened armour
  • 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 gunshield: 8 mm, hardened armour
  • Main turret platforms: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
  • Deckhouse: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
  • Hull: 15 mm, steel
  • Superstructure: 20 mm, wood
Msg-info.png Steel has an armour multiplier of 0.45, and wood has an armour multiplier of 0.04. The hull and superstructure are equivalent to 6.75 mm and 0.8 mm RHA, respectively.
SF40 Leichte internals (starboard side)

While the SF40 Leichte certainly has above average armour for its battle rating, like many other rank I and II naval vessels, its armour is mostly negligible. Almost any weapon it faces can punch right through its armour without much issue. However, with its rather high crew complement of 42, SF40 Leichte proves to be quite survivable. With a stock crew, SF40 Leichte can lose 26 of its crew, and with an aced crew, this increases to a maximum loss of 30. In addition, due to its large size, the crew of SF40 Leichte is spread out, meaning that the loss of a single compartment isn't as significant as with smaller vessels.

Despite that, there are a few notable weaknesses. The first is the central deckhouse just behind the bridge, which large, lightly armoured, and contains roughly half of the available crew. The second weakness is the four ammo racks, two in each pontoon. These are located one at the waterline below the front turret and one at the waterline below the back end of the deckhouse. These ammo racks are only partially underwater and, thanks to the reference points mentioned, are relatively easy to spot. Destroying these ammo racks is a quick and guaranteed way to destroy the SF40 Leichte.

Aside from the wood, the bridge of SF40 Leichte is unarmoured. Being rather prominent, this commonly leads to loss of control.

Mobility

Maximum Speeds
Game Modes Stock Upgraded
Forward (km/h) Reverse (km/h) Forward (km/h) Reverse (km/h)
AB 21 10 28 14
RB/SB 16 8 19 9

Like all other barges in the game, SF40 Leichte is incredibly slow going both forwards and backwards. Because of its slow speed, turning is also extremely sluggish.

SF40 Leichte has a total displacement of 160 tons: above average, but nowhere close to the highest at its battle rating, despite its size and apparent lack of speed.

Armament

Primary armament

SF40 Leichte has four Flakvierling 38 turrets, each with four 20 mm cannons, in each corner of its rectangular deck for a total of 16 guns. Each gun has a rate of fire of 450 rounds per minute and has a magazine capacity of 40 rounds. They each have 2,000 rounds of ammunition available, for a total of 32,000 rounds. With a stock crew, they can be reloaded in 6.41 seconds, 5.5 seconds with an aced crew. The turrets can traverse both horizontally and vertically at a rate of 40°/s.

Msg-info.png Turrets are named sequentially, clockwise, starting at the bow
Guidance for the Main Gun Turrets
No.1 Turret (front-right) No.2 Turret (back-right) No.3 Turret (back-left) No.4 Turret (front-left)
Horizontal Vertical Horizontal Vertical Horizontal Vertical Horizontal Vertical
±180° -3°/+88° ±180° -3°/+88° ±180° -3°/+88° ±180° -3°/+88°

There are three choices of ammunition available:

  • Universal: AP-T/AP/HEF-T/HEF
  • 20 mm HET: HEF/HEF-T/HEF/AP
  • 25 mm APT: AP/AP-T/AP/HEF
Penetration Statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
AP-T 40 38 31 26 22 19
AP 40 38 31 26 22 19
HEF-T _ _ _ _ _ _
HEF _ _ _ _ _ _
Shell Details
Ammunition Projectile Mass (kg) Velocity (m/s) Explosive Type Explosive Mass (kg) TNT Equivalent (kg) Fuse Delay (m) Fuse Sensitivity (mm) Normalization at 30° Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
AP-T 0.148 785 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
AP 0.148 785 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
HEF-T 0.115 835 NP 10 0.0062 0.01054 0.0 0.1
HEF 0.115 835 NP 10 0.0062 0.01054 0.0 0.1
Msg-info.png NP 10 is equivalent to 1.7x TNT.

Secondary armament

SF40 has a single 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 atop its central deckhouse. It has a rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute and fires from a 5-round magazine, with a total of 2,000 rounds of ammunition available. The gun can be reloaded in 0.25 seconds with a stock crew and in 0.13 seconds with an aced crew. It can traverse horizontally at a rate of 50°/s and vertically at a rate of 70°/s.

Guidance for the Secondary Gun Turret
Horizontal Vertical
±180° +1°/+80°

There are three choices of ammunition available:

  • Universal: AP-T/HEF-I
  • 37 mm HE: HEF-I/HEF-I/HEF-I/HEF-I/AP-T
  • 25 mm APT: AP-T/AP-T/AP-T/AP-T/HEF-I
Penetration Statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
HEF-I _ _ _ _ _ _
AP-T 67 64 55 47 41 37
Shell Details
Ammunition Projectile Mass (kg) Velocity (m/s) Explosive Type Explosive Mass (kg) TNT Equivalent (kg) Fuse Delay (m) Fuse Sensitivity (mm) Normalization at 30° Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
HEF-I 0.623 845.0 NP 10 0.0259 0.04403 0.0 0.1
AP-T 0.7 815.0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Msg-info.png NP 10 is equivalent to 1.7x TNT.

Usage in battles

Because of its very slow speed, SF40 Leichte will never be first to action in battle. Going full speed ahead, it can still take several minutes to reach the capture points on even small maps. How well SF40 Leichte does in the battle depends not on how many enemies it can find, but rather how many enemies happen to run into it. To maximize this, SF40 Leichte should be sailed towards the centre of action on every map right from spawn, whether that be capture points or likely paths that enemy boats may take. Here, SF40 Leichte can leverage its high survivability and overwhelm its opponents with firepower.

The Flakvierling 38 20 mm cannons are among the best in the game. Compared to other 20 mm naval cannons in the game, these have the largest explosive mass in the HE rounds, the greatest AP penetration with the AP rounds, as well as a decent rate of fire and muzzle velocity. Altogether, this allows SF40 Leichte to quickly destroy any enemy boat with a single burst, especially since 12 guns can be brought on target at once. Two problems exist for this gun: the relatively small 40-round magazines (which, because of the rate of fire, means frequent reloads), and the maximum range of roughly 2 km (common for most guns of this calibre). The latter is a much greater issue. Whereas faster vessels with such a problem can evade or quickly get behind cover, SF40 Leichte is essentially a stationary target for weapons like Bofors L/60 Mark 1 (40 mm) or large-calibre cannons (3-inch or larger). Boats armed with these can comfortably sit outside SF40 Leichte's range and gradually chip away at the crew. This is even further accentuated when faced wtih destroyers, since they carry much larger guns and are generally unaffected by SF40 Leichte's own 20 mm cannons. Armoured targets may also be an issue, despite the above-average penetration of the 20 mm cannons. While the 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36, with its higher penetration, can be used against such enemies, it cannot be fired directly forwards, nor can it hit any targets within approximately 1.5 km due to its maximum depression being 1° above the neutral position. It's often better to just pepper such targets with 20 mm AP and leave the 37 mm for anti-aircraft work.

SF40 Leichte should obviously be angled in such a way that three of four turrets are on target at once to maximize damage. At the same time, though, it should be angled as little as possible. This not only shows as little of the side and as possible, but it also allows the middle of the three Flakvierling 38's to block the line-of-sight to the deckhouse. Protecting the deckhouse is vital because it contains roughly half of the available crew. However, if it has already been destroyed, angling like this is no longer so important. The other major weakness is the ammo racks, which cannot be removed by taking less ammunition. Close-range enemies on the side are a big threat, since here, it is easiest to hit the ammo racks, especially when taking advantage of the hit cam. Though ammo rack destruction is quite rare in practice, a knowledgeable enemy player can still quickly eliminate SF40 Leichte with this method. Aside from these points, survivability of SF40 Leichte tends to be very high because of its size and large crew complement.

Enemy MTB torpedoes can be a threat, but only if launched at close-range, where SF40 Leichte won't be able to evade in time. In this respect, long-range torpedo attacks aren't much of an issue, provided that they are spotted early enough. Even if torpedoes cannot be completely avoided, it should be noted that torpedoes can pass under the centre of SF40 Leichte if necessary, between the two pontoons. Comparatively, greater threats are aerial torpedoes, guided bombs like Fritz X, and large bombs like H.C. 4,000 lb Mk.II (4,000 lb) or FAB-5000 (5,000 kg). Because of SF40 Leichte's large size and slow movement, it makes for a prime target, while SF40 Leichte's sluggishness may make evasion of these entirely impossible. Enemy aircraft should be prioritized.

Ammunition Choices

For the 20 mm Flakvierling 38 guns, 20 mm HET magazines should be the primary ammunition choice, since it contains the highest ratio of HE to AP rounds and, thus, is the most effective against enemy boats and aircraft. The maximum range of the HE rounds is roughly 2.0 km, while the AP rounds can reach a little further to 2.3 km, though there isn't much point in using the 20 mm APT magazines for this purpose. Still, several 20 mm APT magazines should for the occasional armoured targets.

The primary ammunition choice of the 37 mm FlaK-Lafette C/36, or rather the only one that should really be taken, is 37 mm HE clips, again because of the higher HE to AP ratio. While the AP in this gun is more powerful than that of the 20 mm guns, there isn't much point to using it against surface targets because of its awkward firing arcs. It is, however, fantastic as an anti-aircraft gun.

Modules

Tier Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
I Dry-Docking Tool Set 20 mm HET magazines 37 mm HE clips
II Rudder Replacement Fire Protection System Smokescreen 20 mm APT magazines 37 mm APT clips Auxiliary Armament Targeting
III Propeller Replacement Improved Rangefinder Primary Armament Targeting
IV Engine Maintenance New Pumps

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very large amount of 20 mm guns, 12 on target at once, 16 total
  • Strongest 20 mm HE and AP rounds compared to other 20 mm guns
  • High survivability
  • Great anti-aircraft coverage
  • Lots of ammunition

Cons:

  • Very low maximum speed and bad manoeuvrability
  • Approximately 2 km maximum range
  • 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 is inadequate against surface targets
  • Large target, easily spotted and attracts enemy bombs and torpedoes

History

In July 1940, in preparation for Operation Seelöwe (Operation Sea Lion), the German Wehrmacht required a large amount of ocean-going transport and landing craft for the planned invasion of Great Britain. With no suitable craft available within the Kriegsmarine, the task also fell to other branches of the German military. Design proposals were submitted by the Heer and Luftwaffe, where the idea piqued the interest of aircraft designer Friedrich Siebel.

He soon produced and presented a prototype, a catamaran made from two pontoons taken from an existing pontoon bridge design. The two pontoons were separated six meters apart and spanned by a wooden deck, with the entire craft powered by two aircraft engines. The design was seen as unsatisfactory due to its flimsy construction and low top speed of only 4 knots (7.4 km/h). Siebel produced another prototype in August 1940, this time with a steel-reinforced deck, the spacing between the pontoons reduced to 5.5 meters, and the craft powered by two BMW 6U aircraft engines. This version solved the stability and speed problems of the previous prototype, increasing its top speed to 8 knots (14.8 km/h), and was met with enthusiasm by the Wehrmacht.

Named after its creator, the Siebelfähre (Siebel Ferry) proved to be a rather stable firing platform due to its catamaran design and wide width. The Luftwaffe experimented with an anti-aircraft version, mounting various anti-aircraft guns from 20 mm autocannons to the 8.8 cm Flak 36. These AAA versions were planned to provide anti-aircraft cover for the main landing force in the invasion. An order for 400 Siebelfähren was placed; however, in October 1940, Operation Seelöwe was cancelled before the order could be completed. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Luftwaffe continued to produce Siebelfähren. These new ones, along with any that had already been built, would be used by the Luftwaffe and Heer as transport craft, minelayers, AAA barges, and gunboats in the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea until the end of the war in 1945.

Media

Videos

See also

External links


Germany barges
Anti-air ferries  SF40 Light · SF40 Heavy
Naval ferry barges  AF D1 · AF D3