Tackling the T-34 in 1941

[PoorOldSpike]

TACKLING THE T-34 IN 1941

Four models of T-34/76 are around in 1941(plus the /57 model) to give the Germans a hard time, all have excellent green-class front hull armour but their fatal weakness is their thin turret front, note its only yellow-class except for the Model 42 (far left) which is slightly green.




Below is a chart compiled from exhaustive live-fire tests I did showing the capabilities of German weaponry against the T-34 in 1941. (Blue lettering=Tank Guns, black= towed guns)
Number to the left of each weapon is its penetration rating against 30-degree sloped armour at 100 metres.
The weapons are divided into three bands..

TOP BAND -These are T-34 killers, can penetrate hull front, but be prepared to see some ricochets or partial pens by weapons with pen ratings in the lower 70's.

MIDDLE BAND - Can penetrate turret and hull sides + rear, but usually not the hull front

LOWER BAND - Useless, can't penetrate the T-34 at all from any angle, not even through the thin turret until some of them get hollow-charge ammo(HC) in Dec 41 which skyrockets them into the top band.



TIMELINE SUMMARY - The T-34 rules the roost making mincemeat of all German tanks until Dec 41 when the PzIII-long arrives which has a reasonable chance of penetrating the front hull at close range.
Also in Dec 41 German PzIV-shorts and Stug-shorts get hollow-charge ammo which also have a fair chance of penetrating the front hull (if the computer gives them any HC in QB's)�
But not until March 42 do German tanks at last equal the T-34 when the PzIV-long and Stug-long arrive, backed up in April by the arrival of cheap but powerful Marders..

The captured T-34 can be used but its very expensive in QB's.�

Tungsten is poor against the T-34 because of its sloping armour, so although the PzIII-long and a few guns get some tungsten later on, you'll notice the crews usually won't use it against T-34's.
However they will use it with good effect against the slab-armoured KV-1 and 2..