After World War II ended, the British Army still had a large number of obsolete Cromwell tanks in service. Since production of the new Centurion medium tank had just begun and a Soviet invasion seemed imminent, the decision was made to rearm the existing Cromwells with a new 20-pounder gun. A new, larger turret was developed for this purpose; however, it could only accommodate two crew members, and its armor was thinner than the original's. Initially, the vehicle was designated the FV4101 Cromwell Heavy Anti-Tank (AT) Gun. Later, the name Charioteer was introduced, followed by a number corresponding to the original Cromwell variant. The largest number were produced by converting the seventh Cromwell variant, featuring reinforced front suspension, wider tracks, and a redesigned transmission for greater reliability. This resulted in the Charioteer Mk VII designation. This modernization took place between 1951 and 1952, during which time a total of 442 vehicles were converted. Almost immediately after entering service with the British Army, the vehicles were sold to foreign countries, primarily in the Middle East. They saw combat in Lebanon. Some vehicles were also sold to Finland. Currently, ten vehicles are part of museum collections around the world.

The Charioteer Mk VII was introduced in Update 1.55 "Royal Armor". This vehicle is best described as a "glass cannon". Its 20-pounder gun has immense firepower, and its base shell can handle any opponent, not to mention APDS rounds. The Charioteer is also highly maneuverable. It accelerates quickly and can turn on a dime. However, its survivability is extremely low. With only three crew members, a single hit is practically guaranteed to destroy the tank. This is exacerbated by its weak armor. While the hull can withstand hits from automatic cannons, the turret cannot. Finally, the Charioteer has an extremely low reverse speed. It is preferable to turn on the spot and then move forward, but this takes more time and exposes the vehicle to additional danger.