Combat experience in Africa in 1941 showed that, despite its excellent anti-tank characteristics, the Cromwell I sorely lacked a powerful high-explosive shell. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to increase the gun's calibre; thus, the 75 mm Ordnance QF Mk.V was created by boring out the 6-pounder, allowing it to fire American 75 mm cartridges designed for the Sherman. In this capacity, the new Cromwell acquired a universal tank gun, with which it fought its way from Normandy to Berlin and even participated in the Korean War. Tank crews liked the tank's mobility, but they also noted the cramped fighting compartment, the overall "capriciousness" of the design, and the frequent breakdowns.

Introduced along with the initial British ground tree in Update 1.55 "Royal Armour", the Cromwell V is an adequately armoured cruiser tank that is armed with a rather inadequate 75 mm cannon due to poor post-penetration performance. However, the Cromwell V's forward speed makes it a very good flag runner akin to the M18 Hellcat. Despite being a later and more modern version than the Mk I, it has a slightly lower BR than the Mk.I and arrives first in the tech tree. This is due to its 75 mm gun, which offers less penetration than the 57 mm in the Mk. I, and thus makes many higher BR tanks effectively invulnerable to it. In its match-ups, the Cromwell V is an average opponent, but will easily outrun anything on the map to take up effective positions for the first shot, doling out some mediocre damage before running off to another location. Skill is required to maximize the vehicle's speed, rectangular armour, and firepower against enemy vehicles equipped with APHE shells. Excellent aim is very important to get the job done.