WesWorld

Here's a quick look at the Panzer that will end up winning the re-competition to be held in early 1935. Essentially a cross between the Panzer III and IV (sized like the Panzer IV, with a torsion-bar suspension like the Panzer III), with a bit more use of sloped armor than those vehicles had (derived from the Christie tanks Germany purchased).


The new panzer, to be built by Krupp, is 6 meters long, 2.75 meters wide, 2.5 meters tall, and weighs just under 22 tons in its 50mm armed version and 23.5 tons when armed with the 75mm howitzer. It iis powered by a MAN diesel giving 300 hp, driven through a Renk transmission with 7 forward gears plus reverse. Current models are fitted with 500mm tracks, though there was design consideration (for future growth) given to tracks as wide as 650mm. Armor ranges from 50mm on the chassis and turret fronts to 12mm on the roof. A crew of 5 (commander, gunner, & loader in the turret, driver and radio operator in the chassis) operates the vehicle and the cannon and three 7.92mm machineguns it is equipped with. 4,500 rounds are carried for the machineguns, with 100 rounds for the 50mm gun or 52 rounds for the 75mm howitzer.

[TankSharp 0.6 for the 50mm version follows: ]
Vehicle Name Panzer IIIA
Vehicle Type Tank

Length 6 meters
Width 2.75 meters
Height 2.5 meters

Crew 5 men
Passengers 0 men

Weight Breakdown
Crew Weight 0.9 metric tons
Passenger Weight 0 metric tons
Miscellaneous Weight 0.112 metric tons
Armor Weight 10.54579947 metric tons
Armament Weight 1.003624478 metric tons
Ammunition Weight 0.436124275 metric tons
Engine Weight 0.26477955 metric tons
Fuel Weight 0.459262275 metric tons
APU Weight 0.012 metric tons
Capacitor Weight 0 metric tons
Transmission Weight 0.8 metric tons
Amphibious Equipment Weight 0 metric tons
Suspension Weight 1.072577762 metric tons
Track Weight 5.392475501 metric tons
Road Wheel Weight 0.998172186 metric tons
Applique Armor Package A 0 metric tons
Applique Armor Package B 0 metric tons

Mobility and Performance Breakdown

Engine 300 horsepower
Fuel Capacity 150 gallons
Maximum Hull Speed (water) 6.84 MPH

Baseline
Combat Weight 21.99681549 metric tons
Growth Capability (Transmission) 8.803184508 metric tons
Growth Capability (Suspension) 8.003184508 metric tons
Ground Pressure 10.42635556 PSI
Power/Weight Ratio 13.63833779 hp/metric ton
Top Speed 24.71948725 MPH
Operating Range 158 miles


Armament Breakdown
Hull Turret
Rifle Calibre MGs 1 2
HMGs 0 0

Hull Turret Total
ATGMs 0 0 0 rounds stowed
Rifle Calibre 1,500 3,000 4,500 rounds stowed
HMG Calibre 0 0 0 rounds stowed

Calibre (mm) # in Turret Rounds (turret)
Cannon/Gun 1 (Hull) 50 1 100

BASELINE PROTECTION LEVELS
KE (mm) HEAT (mm) KE Resistance HEAT Resistance
Front Hull Armor 54 54 Resistant to Soviet 30x210mm M53 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Side Hull Armor 22 22 Resistant to 7.62 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Rear Hull Armor 20 20 Resistant to 7.62 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Top Hull Armor 12 12 Resistant to 5.56 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Hull Floor Armor 15 15 Resistant to 5.56 Penetratable by Virtually Anything

KE (mm) HEAT (mm) KE Resistance HEAT Resistance
Front Turret Armor 71 71 Resistant to 40mm L70 M56 AP Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Side Turret Armor 35 35 Resistant to 20x110mm Hispano Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Rear Turret Armor 35 35 Resistant to 20x110mm Hispano Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Top Turret Armor 12 12 Resistant to 5.56 Penetratable by Virtually Anything

Looks quite good. Armour is more than reasonable for the time. The 50 L42 isn't a particularly good penetrator though and would have to close to c. 500m against most period tanks.

True, the 50mm/42 KwK 38 wasn't all that good. That's why I'm planning to skip it and use the 50mm/60 KwK 39 from the start.

And here's the Sturmeshutz version of the same vehicle. It's 25cm taller in the chassis, equipped with the 75mm/24 in the front of the hull and gains 10mm of armor on the sides. It also lost the 14 hp turret training motor, of course, not having a turret. Other parts are, as much as possible, the same between the two vehicles, sharing suspension, engine, transmission, track, etc.

Vehicle Name Sturmgeshutz IIIA
Vehicle Type Tank

Length 6 meters
Width 2.75 meters
Height 2 meters

Crew 4 men
Passengers 0 men

Weight Breakdown
Crew Weight 0.72 metric tons
Passenger Weight 0 metric tons
Miscellaneous Weight 0.0896 metric tons
Armor Weight 7.493206809 metric tons
Armament Weight 2.069689632 metric tons
Ammunition Weight 0.508924008 metric tons
Engine Weight 0.26477955 metric tons
Fuel Weight 0.459262275 metric tons
APU Weight 0 metric tons
Capacitor Weight 0 metric tons
Transmission Weight 0.8 metric tons
Amphibious Equipment Weight 0 metric tons
Suspension Weight 1.072577762 metric tons
Track Weight 5.690448191 metric tons
Road Wheel Weight 0.998172186 metric tons
Applique Armor Package A 0 metric tons
Applique Armor Package B 0 metric tons

Mobility and Performance Breakdown

Engine 300 horsepower
Fuel Capacity 150 gallons
Maximum Hull Speed (water) 6.84 MPH

Baseline Upgraded (A) Upgraded (A+B)
Combat Weight 20.16666041 20.16666041 20.16666041 metric tons
Growth Capability (Transmission) 10.63333959 10.63333959 10.63333959 metric tons
Growth Capability (Suspension) 9.833339586 9.833339586 9.833339586 metric tons
Ground Pressure 9.558873279 9.558873279 9.558873279 PSI
Power/Weight Ratio 14.87603767 14.87603767 14.87603767 hp/metric ton
Top Speed 26.96281828 26.96281828 26.96281828 MPH
Operating Range 172 172 172 miles


Armament Breakdown
Hull Turret
Rifle Calibre MGs 1 0
HMGs 0 0

Hull Turret Total
ATGMs 0 0 0 rounds stowed
Rifle Calibre 2,000 0 2,000 rounds stowed
HMG Calibre 0 0 0 rounds stowed

Calibre (mm) # in Hull # in Turret Rounds (hull)
Cannon/Gun 1 (Hull) 75 1 0 60
Cannon/Gun 2 (Hull) 0 0 0 0

BASELINE PROTECTION LEVELS
KE (mm) HEAT (mm) KE Resistance HEAT Resistance
Front Hull Armor 54 54 Resistant to Soviet 30x210mm M53 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Side Hull Armor 33 33 Resistant to 20x110mm Hispano Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Rear Hull Armor 20 20 Resistant to 7.62 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Top Hull Armor 12 12 Resistant to 5.56 Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Hull Floor Armor 15 15 Resistant to 5.56 Penetratable by Virtually Anything

KE (mm) HEAT (mm) KE Resistance HEAT Resistance
Front Turret Armor 0 0 Penetratable by Virtually Anything Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Side Turret Armor 0 0 Penetratable by Virtually Anything Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Rear Turret Armor 0 0 Penetratable by Virtually Anything Penetratable by Virtually Anything
Top Turret Armor 0 0 Penetratable by Virtually Anything Penetratable by Virtually Anything

In case it wasn't clear earlier, the 75mm weapon being mounted on the Pz IV is a 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24, the historical weapon used on the Panzer IV until the Panzer IV F2 or G models (depending on which source you prefer). This is a short-barreled howitzer, intended for use against infantry or fortifications, not a high-velocity anti-tank weapon.