shortreengage Wrote:The 743rd Seperate Tank Battalion lost 96 Medium tanks during the European campaign (mostly to antitank guns and Panzerschreck/fausts).
I made a campaign once, roughly based on the 743rd.
According to Folkestad's A View from the Turret the 743rd was in near continious action during it's year of war 44-45 sustaining 141 KIA, 22 MIA, 316 WIA. The three line companies lost 96 tanks (65 burned) and the light tank company lost 15 light tanks (most burned). Taken together this represents the battalion at near full strength. Non-battle losses not factored in. In terms of M4s it's nearly the entire complement destroyed twice.
The tank bn's, unlike the armor bn's, could only move fast if the infantry moved fast. The 743rd was at St Jean de Daye, Mortain, La Glieze etc facing some of the German top armor, not quite the enemy-hinterland area the M4 was meant to to operate in.
But, by comparison, it's pretty impressive wielding a full tank bn - the German infantry division usually had to make do with a handful of StuG or Sfl.Pak.
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