Wednesday 16 December 2015

Implementing multi-turret and twin-barrel support with a 3rd soviet heavy line – Part II

Author: Thor_Hammerschlag

Article history:
Part I: http://ritastatusreport.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/implementing-multi-turret-and-twin.html

Hello,

In this article we will discuss the 2nd batch of vehicles, which could create a 3rd soviet heavy line with multi-turreted and twin-barreled tanks (for further background information and the motivation of the article, check the link to the previous part above). Today we will leave the low-tier range of WoT that was finished with the legendary T-35 at T4 – and continue the line from T5 onwards. Before describing these formidable multi-turret vehicles from T5-T7 in detail, I would like to give you an impression on how multi-turret support could work in WoT.

Multi-turret support in WoT


The figure below illustrates the core features of multi-turret support. The tank behind the figure has three turrets and guns. As you have three guns, you also have three reload indicators (see top left in the picture). The guns in the turrets are reloading completely separated from each other. Main and secondary armament is fired by two different keys.


Just imagine that blaze of gunfire you could throw on your enemies with such mechanisms.  Each turret/gun has its own crosshair (center of the figure). You have to consider that in your strategy/positioning - certain turrets are not able to turn 360°. The first tank we will discuss today has very little problems with limited turret traverse, it can almost always fire both guns. It does virtually look like a little battleship on tracks …



Tier V heavy tank: SMK


Description:
Developed on the basis of the T-35 heavy tank. Similarly as its predecessor it has a 76 mm gun in its main turret, the protection was greatly improved making it resistant against same and lower tier guns in WoT.
The historical gun options are not that great for a T5 heavy tank. The 45 mm gun in the smaller turret could be upgradeable to shoot APCR on default, this way it has 88 mm penetration currently (45 mm 20K in WoT) which is easily enough for a secondary turret. The main turret however needs some serious upgrading to be competitive at T5. A great addition would be the 57 mm gun project 413 (112 mm penetration), making the SMK a fast firing battleship. Image a 45 mm gun shooting every 2 seconds and a 57 mm gun every 2.5 seconds, on a single tank! This tank would be an interesting pew-pew-machine – thanks to 850 hp – even with the mobility to flank higher tiers.

Mobility:
Weight: 55t
Maximum speed forward: 34.5 km/h
Engine: GAM-34 850hp
Power to weight ratio: 15.45 hp/t

Armor:
Hull: 75/60/55 mm
Primary-turret: 60/60/60 mm
Secondary-turret: 60/60/60 mm

Armament:
primary-turret: 76 mm L-11
Upgrade: 57 mm project 413 (unhistorical)
secondary-turret: 45 mm 20K (1x)
Upgrade: 45 mm 20K (APCR)


The SMK is the true historical predecessor of the KV-1, which is basically a shortened and single-turreted version of it. The SMK leads thus to both, the KV-1 and the ...


Tier VI heavy tank: T-100/T-100Z




Description:
This tank is another development to replace the T-35. Unlike the SMK, on this chassis were several bigger upgrades planned in order to improve the firepower. One of them was the T-100Z, which holds a massive 152 mm M-10, the gun of the KV-2. The tank is faster than the KV-2, but bigger and less armored. Theoretically it is also possible to upgrade the gun/turret further to a 130 mm gun, however, that is probably too powerful for a T6 heavy tank. The T-100Z turret was actually build and used as an emplacement.

Mobility:
Weight: 58t
Maximum speed forward: 35.7 km/h
Engine: 34-MHA (850hp)
Power to weight ratio: 14.65 hp/t

Armor:
Hull: 60/60/60 mm
Primary-turret: 60/60/60 mm (T-100 turret)
        Upgrade: 60/60/60 mm (T-100Z turret)
Secondary-turret: 60/60/60 mm
 
Armament:
Primary-turret: 76  mm L-10
Upgrade: 76  mm L-11
57 mm project 413 (unhistorical stockgun, from SMK)
152 mm M-10 (After turret)
Secondary-turret: 45 mm 20K (1x)
Upgrade: 45 mm 20K (APCR)


Tier VII super heavy tank: T-39


Disclaimer: There are several versions of this tank. This article discusses the variant with one main-turret and three mini-turrets (figure above).

Description:
On T7 it gets both special and super heavy. Yes, a tank which was designed in 1933 is meant to fit T7. Its armor is apart from a 90 mm well sloped upper front plate very poor on T7 – and at 12,5m the tank is 2m longer (yet not wider) then a Japanese heavy.

But this tank is still able to fit T7, because it has two big advantages:
-Up to 1300hp which means a surprisingly great p/w ratio of about 13,7 hp/t for a super heavy, paired with a top speed of 33 km/h. The mobility is thus pretty good, especially in combination with the …
-outstanding firepower. This tank has the choice of either a longer 152 mm gun (likely a 152 mm mod. 1910/30, couldn't find the specific type). The accuracy could be quite a lot better than that of T6 150 mm guns paired with a decent AP or HEAT round. The other gun choice is even better actually: A twin-barrel 107 mm gun in the main turret. That’s right, 3x 45 mm in the mini-turrets, paired with 2x 107 mm. The combination of both mechanism makes this tank truly unique, thus it really shouldn't be missing in this line. The 107 mm guns are mod. 1910/30 guns, which have less pen then the ZiS-6. However with pen being a balance parameter now, this shouldn't be a problem – and APCR as credit ammo (about 190 mm pen?) is also an option apart from an unhistorical upgrade to the ZiS-6. This tank could become a great sniper, especially with fast-flying APCR rounds doing 300 damage and only 2-3 s between the shots of the barrels.
Also interesting is the 45 mm gun in the rear of the tank, light/medium tanks which are trying to flank/circle this machine are probably going to curse this little surprise.


Mobility:
Weight: 95t
Maximum speed forward: 33 km/h
Engine: 970hp, 1150hp, 1300hp
Power to weight ratio: 13.68 hp/t

Armor:
Hull: 90/50/20 mm
Primary-turret: 90/50/20 mm
Upgrade: ?/?/? mm
Secondary-turrets: ?/?/? mm

Armament:
Primary-turret: 152 mm gun mod. 1910/30
Upgrade: 2x 107-mm gun ZiS-6 (unhistorical)
2x 107-mm gun mod. 1910/30 (APCR)
Secondary-turret: 45 mm 20K (3x)
Upgrade: 45 mm 20K (3x) (APCR)


Summary Part II:

The KV-1 becomes - considering that the SMK (and also the T-35) leads to it (the SMK is in fact the direct historical predecessor of the KV-1) - the “core” of the soviet heavy line, comparable to the T-34 in the medium branch. Unlike the SMK, the T-100 was further developed and thus placed on T6 in the branch. On T7 the line reaches one of its highlights: The super heavy tank T-39. This war-machine combines both multi-turret and twin-barrel support, which means unmatched firepower on its tier.
In the following edition we are going to see one of the biggest tanks which could ever be implemented in WoT as a regular vehicle. On top of this monster we are going to meet two twin-barrel tanks as high tiers with absolutely outstanding firepower and armor.

Thanks for Reading!

Best regards,
Hammerschlag

Sources:
http://ftr.wot-news.com
http://tankarchives.blogspot.de/
http://www.aviarmor.net/
http://yuripasholok.livejournal.com/

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