Post by Dark Templar on Jul 8, 2014 13:50:41 GMT
For those less than well versed in the history of armored vehicles, these are some basic concept ideas that you can use. Feel free to expand your own research, it's key to think beyond these more common vehicles.
M24 Chaffee:The vehicle was intended as a replacement for the M3 Stuart. The M24 entered service in September 1943. They were produced at Massey-Harris and General Motors factories until July 1945, with a total of 4,731 vehicles manufactured.
M4 Sherman:The first production version of the Sherman, the most common American tank, with an amazing total of 49,234 vehicles manufactured. The Sherman first saw combat in North Africa.
This was the U.S. Army's legendary tank of WWII. In the World, the M4 Sherman is considered a very well rounded tank. It has good mobility and speed, but lacks in armor. The most popular gun for this tank is the 105 mm M4. It offers great damage, but sacrifices penetration. The other, less popular, gun is the 76 mm M1A1. This gun offers much better penetration and rounds per minute, but cuts down severely on damage done in single shots
Crusader:The Crusader was developed by Nuffield Mechanisations and Aero, Ltd. from 1938 through 1940. More than 5300 vehicles were mass-produced from 1941 through 1943. They were most extensively used in the North African сampaign in 1941–1942.
Cromwell:The Cromwell was developed in 1941–1942 by BRC&W. A total of 1070 vehicles were mass-produced from late 1943 through 1945. They were extensively used by the British army in the Northwest Europe Campaign of 1944–1945.
Pz.Kpfw.III:Used the "classic" chassis starting with the Ausführung E. Produced from December 1938 to February 1943, a total of 4,958 tanks and 321 command vehicles were manufactured.
Pz.Kpfw.IV:Produced in greater numbers than any other tank of the Panzerwaffe. Manufactured from October 1937 through March 1945, with a total production of 8,519 tanks plus command vehicles. Beginning in May 1942 this tank was equipped with a long-barreled gun.
T-34-85: This variant of the T-34 is considered a separate model because it incorporated so many modifications to the original. A total of 21,048 vehicles were produced by the end of World War II, and production continued well after the war was over.
The T-34-85 retains the same hull as its predecessor, the T-34, but receives a new, more heavily armored turret with more powerful choices of armament.
M10 Wolverine:The most widely-produced American tank destroyer, with a total of 6,706 vehicles, in two basic variants, manufactured from September 1942 through January 1944. More than a third of all Wolverines were supplied to Allied nations under Lend-Lease.
Marder 38(t):Tank destroyer developed on the chassis of the PzKpfw 38(t) tank. Either a PaK 40 or PaK 36(r) gun was mounted in a cabin that was open on the top and at the back. The vehicle entered service at the end of 1942. This tank destroyer was mass-produced until the middle of 1944 and fought until the end of the war.
M12 SPG:The M12 was developed by the Rock Island Arsenal on the chassis of the M3 Lee and mounted the 155mm M1 "Long Tom" gun. A total of 100 vehicles were manufactured. American soldiers dubbed the vehicle King Kong. The M12 fought well in battles on the Siegfried Line.
Wespe:First saw combat in the Battle of Kursk (Operation Citadel) and went on to fight on all fronts. Manufactured from February 1943 through July 1944, with a total production of 675 self-propelled guns and 159 ammunition carriers.
M18 Hellcat:The development of the vehicle was started in 1942. In April 1943 the General Motors company produced the first prototypes. One of a few American tank destroyers manufactured on its original chassis, not on a chassis of a tank. The tank destroyer became the most high-speed armored vehicle of this type of World War II. A total of 2507 vehicles were produced from July 1943 through October 1944.
StuG III:Originally designed as an assault vehicle, this self-propelled gun was converted into a tank destroyer beginning with the F series. A total of 9,265 vehicles of this series and 1,211 of the StuH 42 were produced.
JagdPz IV:Produced from January 1944 through March 1945, with a total of 1,699 tank destroyers manufactured. They saw combat on all fronts.
Nashorn:Designated the Hornisse ("Hornet") until 1944. Produced on the same chassis as the Hummel heavy SPG. The vehicle first saw combat on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1943. A total of 494 vehicles were manufactured.
SU-152:A heavy self-propelled gun on the hull of the KV-1S tank, with a total of 671 vehicles built from February through December 1943.
While having a very powerful gun and based on the KV-1S chassis, the SU-152 has relatively weak armor for a tank destroyer. On top of that, it has low speed and maneuverability. Most tanks you face will have no problems piercing the frontal armor, so it is best to use the low profile of this tank and remain at range to make yourself a much smaller target.
SU-85:Tank destroyer on the chassis of the T-34 and SU-122, with a total of 2,329 vehicles produced from August 1943 through October 1944, and 638 of the SU-122 vehicles built from December 1942 through August 1943.
Jagdtiger:Developed from the fall of 1943 through the spring of 1944. Mass-produced from July 1944 until the end of the war, with a total of almost 80 vehicles manufactured. They fought primarily on the Western Front.
(Heavy tanks, are somewhat controversial. However I will include a list of several here, the one thing to remember is, these are admin, or admin approved vehicles, to operate. Meaning the commander must be approved to operate the tank, by an admin, or themselves be an admin.)
M6:Developed from 1940 through 1942, with a total of 40 vehicles manufactured from November 1942 through February 1944. It never saw action.
KV-1:Development was started at the end of 1938. A prototype was produced in August 1939. First saw action in December 1939 at the Mannerheim Line. The vehicle was mass-produced from March 1940 through August 1942, with a total of 2769 manufactured. The KV series tanks were named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov.
IS/IS-2:The IS ("Iosef Stalin"), with its 122 mm gun, was an unpleasant surprise for the Wehrmacht. Produced from October 1943 through June 1945, with a total of 107 of the IS-1 vehicles and 3,483 of the IS-2 version manufactured.
Pz.Kpfw. VI Tiger:Development of the Tiger I was started in 1937 by the Henschel company. Mass production began in 1942, with an eventual total of 1354 vehicles manufactured. The tank first saw combat in the fighting for Leningrad, and Tigers were at the forefront of battles from Tunisia to Kursk. Although production was discontinued in the summer of 1944, the Tiger I continued to see action until the end of the war.
Churchill I:The A22 prototype was built by Vauxhall Motors in the fall of 1940. The vehicle first entered mass production in the summer of 1941. Early modifications had no track fenders, a different fan, and a 3-inch howitzer in the hull. A total of 300 Churchill I tanks were manufactured.
T32:Development of this tank started in February 1945. Four prototypes underwent trials from the spring of 1946 until the end of the year. Never saw mass production.
M24 Chaffee:The vehicle was intended as a replacement for the M3 Stuart. The M24 entered service in September 1943. They were produced at Massey-Harris and General Motors factories until July 1945, with a total of 4,731 vehicles manufactured.
M4 Sherman:The first production version of the Sherman, the most common American tank, with an amazing total of 49,234 vehicles manufactured. The Sherman first saw combat in North Africa.
This was the U.S. Army's legendary tank of WWII. In the World, the M4 Sherman is considered a very well rounded tank. It has good mobility and speed, but lacks in armor. The most popular gun for this tank is the 105 mm M4. It offers great damage, but sacrifices penetration. The other, less popular, gun is the 76 mm M1A1. This gun offers much better penetration and rounds per minute, but cuts down severely on damage done in single shots
Crusader:The Crusader was developed by Nuffield Mechanisations and Aero, Ltd. from 1938 through 1940. More than 5300 vehicles were mass-produced from 1941 through 1943. They were most extensively used in the North African сampaign in 1941–1942.
Cromwell:The Cromwell was developed in 1941–1942 by BRC&W. A total of 1070 vehicles were mass-produced from late 1943 through 1945. They were extensively used by the British army in the Northwest Europe Campaign of 1944–1945.
Pz.Kpfw.III:Used the "classic" chassis starting with the Ausführung E. Produced from December 1938 to February 1943, a total of 4,958 tanks and 321 command vehicles were manufactured.
Pz.Kpfw.IV:Produced in greater numbers than any other tank of the Panzerwaffe. Manufactured from October 1937 through March 1945, with a total production of 8,519 tanks plus command vehicles. Beginning in May 1942 this tank was equipped with a long-barreled gun.
T-34-85: This variant of the T-34 is considered a separate model because it incorporated so many modifications to the original. A total of 21,048 vehicles were produced by the end of World War II, and production continued well after the war was over.
The T-34-85 retains the same hull as its predecessor, the T-34, but receives a new, more heavily armored turret with more powerful choices of armament.
M10 Wolverine:The most widely-produced American tank destroyer, with a total of 6,706 vehicles, in two basic variants, manufactured from September 1942 through January 1944. More than a third of all Wolverines were supplied to Allied nations under Lend-Lease.
Marder 38(t):Tank destroyer developed on the chassis of the PzKpfw 38(t) tank. Either a PaK 40 or PaK 36(r) gun was mounted in a cabin that was open on the top and at the back. The vehicle entered service at the end of 1942. This tank destroyer was mass-produced until the middle of 1944 and fought until the end of the war.
M12 SPG:The M12 was developed by the Rock Island Arsenal on the chassis of the M3 Lee and mounted the 155mm M1 "Long Tom" gun. A total of 100 vehicles were manufactured. American soldiers dubbed the vehicle King Kong. The M12 fought well in battles on the Siegfried Line.
Wespe:First saw combat in the Battle of Kursk (Operation Citadel) and went on to fight on all fronts. Manufactured from February 1943 through July 1944, with a total production of 675 self-propelled guns and 159 ammunition carriers.
M18 Hellcat:The development of the vehicle was started in 1942. In April 1943 the General Motors company produced the first prototypes. One of a few American tank destroyers manufactured on its original chassis, not on a chassis of a tank. The tank destroyer became the most high-speed armored vehicle of this type of World War II. A total of 2507 vehicles were produced from July 1943 through October 1944.
StuG III:Originally designed as an assault vehicle, this self-propelled gun was converted into a tank destroyer beginning with the F series. A total of 9,265 vehicles of this series and 1,211 of the StuH 42 were produced.
JagdPz IV:Produced from January 1944 through March 1945, with a total of 1,699 tank destroyers manufactured. They saw combat on all fronts.
Nashorn:Designated the Hornisse ("Hornet") until 1944. Produced on the same chassis as the Hummel heavy SPG. The vehicle first saw combat on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1943. A total of 494 vehicles were manufactured.
SU-152:A heavy self-propelled gun on the hull of the KV-1S tank, with a total of 671 vehicles built from February through December 1943.
While having a very powerful gun and based on the KV-1S chassis, the SU-152 has relatively weak armor for a tank destroyer. On top of that, it has low speed and maneuverability. Most tanks you face will have no problems piercing the frontal armor, so it is best to use the low profile of this tank and remain at range to make yourself a much smaller target.
SU-85:Tank destroyer on the chassis of the T-34 and SU-122, with a total of 2,329 vehicles produced from August 1943 through October 1944, and 638 of the SU-122 vehicles built from December 1942 through August 1943.
Jagdtiger:Developed from the fall of 1943 through the spring of 1944. Mass-produced from July 1944 until the end of the war, with a total of almost 80 vehicles manufactured. They fought primarily on the Western Front.
(Heavy tanks, are somewhat controversial. However I will include a list of several here, the one thing to remember is, these are admin, or admin approved vehicles, to operate. Meaning the commander must be approved to operate the tank, by an admin, or themselves be an admin.)
M6:Developed from 1940 through 1942, with a total of 40 vehicles manufactured from November 1942 through February 1944. It never saw action.
KV-1:Development was started at the end of 1938. A prototype was produced in August 1939. First saw action in December 1939 at the Mannerheim Line. The vehicle was mass-produced from March 1940 through August 1942, with a total of 2769 manufactured. The KV series tanks were named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov.
IS/IS-2:The IS ("Iosef Stalin"), with its 122 mm gun, was an unpleasant surprise for the Wehrmacht. Produced from October 1943 through June 1945, with a total of 107 of the IS-1 vehicles and 3,483 of the IS-2 version manufactured.
Pz.Kpfw. VI Tiger:Development of the Tiger I was started in 1937 by the Henschel company. Mass production began in 1942, with an eventual total of 1354 vehicles manufactured. The tank first saw combat in the fighting for Leningrad, and Tigers were at the forefront of battles from Tunisia to Kursk. Although production was discontinued in the summer of 1944, the Tiger I continued to see action until the end of the war.
Churchill I:The A22 prototype was built by Vauxhall Motors in the fall of 1940. The vehicle first entered mass production in the summer of 1941. Early modifications had no track fenders, a different fan, and a 3-inch howitzer in the hull. A total of 300 Churchill I tanks were manufactured.
T32:Development of this tank started in February 1945. Four prototypes underwent trials from the spring of 1946 until the end of the year. Never saw mass production.