World of Tanks (W.O.T.)

[Aristaeus]

I ran across this game on FB, and have been playing it quite a allot in the last few days. It's worth checking out.
[video=youtube;JZjoHCf0wsI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjoHCf0wsI&list=PL7B8164CDA714B793&index=1&feature=plpp_video[/video]

"World of Tanks is a multiplayer online game developed featuring mid-20th century era fighting vehicles. It is built upon a freemium business model where participants have the option of paying a small fee to advance at an accelerated rate. The focus is on player vs. player gameplay with each player controlling a tank or armored vehicle.

The players in World of Tanks can choose four primary types of battles: random battles, team-training battles, tank-company battles, and clan battles.

In random battles players are automatically assigned to one of two teams. On a free account up to two friends/players can platoon together ensuring they get placed on the same team. In clan battles, gamers fight for a particular clan on a simplified map of Europe.You can also earn the Gold currency for adding optional equipment or exchanging Free experience. Tank-company battles are like clan battles, but anyone (up to 15 people) can join your tank company. When you have your tank company filled up, matchmaking will put you against another, random tank company on a random map.

Each team can have no more than 15 players in it - giving a total of 30 per battle. The goal of each team is to eliminate the enemy or capture their base. Rewards are mostly proportional to damage inflicted.

The basic mode of the game is team deathmatch / capture the flag, where teamwork takes precedence over "lone wolf" style play. Combat begins with players squaring off at predetermined locations, usually directly across from each other on the maps. Typically between 400 meters and 1 km distance exists between the two teams."
[video=youtube;4Mtqzsv3s7A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mtqzsv3s7A&feature=related[/video]




http://worldoftanks.com/

 

[Aristaeus]

In W.o.T. you start out with four tanks, U.S., German, French, and Russian. They are light tanks some of which I had not known before, here they are.

For the United States the T1 Cunningham.

"The T1 Cunningham was a US light tank design that never left the prototype stages. Officially carrying the designations of T1E2 and T1E4, it continued through the development stages from 1922 through 1928. This tank was never mass produced, nor was it ever fielded.

The T1E2 had a turret at the top rear of the tank that required the traverse by hand. It had an overall weight of 8.8 tons and was powered with a gasoline V-type 8 cylinder water cooled engine producing 132 horsepower. The transmission was a Cotta brand with 3 forward and 1 reverse gears. Armament included the 37 mm M5, L/50 main gun with a secondary machine gun as a .30 cal M1919A4, coaxial.

The T1E4 had a centrally mounted turret with a full 360º manual traverse. It had an overall weight of 8.6 tons and was powered with a gasoline V-8 water cooled engine producing 140 horsepower. The transmission was a modified Cotta sliding gear with 3 forward and 1 reverse gears. Armament included the 37 mm semi-automatic M1924 and the secondary machine gun was a .30 cal M1919A2 MG, coaxial.

It is unknown how many were actually produced in the prototype stages, but there is at least 1 known to have been created, currently at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, USA."

T1 Cunningham
Type Light Tank
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service prototype only
Used by United States of America
Production history
Designer Unknown
Designed 1922
Manufacturer Unknown
Unit cost Unknown
Produced Prototypes only 1922-1928
Variants T1E2 and T1E4
Specifications
Weight 8.8 tons (7.98 metric tons) (T1E2)
8.6 tons (7.8 metric tons) (T1E4)
Length 12 ft 9.6 in (T1E2)
15 ft 5 in (T1E4)
Width 6 ft 2.4 in (T1E2)
7 ft 2.75 in (T1E4)
Height 7 ft 7.2 in (T1E2)
6 ft 6.75 in (T1E4)
Crew 2 (T1E2) 1.Commander, Driver 2.Gunner, Radio Operator, Loader


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armor (T1E2) Hull Armour (inches) front 0.6 (15.24 mm), sides 0.4 (10.16 mm)
Turret Armour (inches) front 0.6 (15.24 mm), sides 0.25 (6.35 mm)

(T1E4) Hull Armour (inches) front 0.625 (15.875 mm), sides 0.25 (6.35 mm)
Turret Armour (inches) front 0.5 (12.7 mm), sides 0.25 (6.35 mm)
Main
armament (T1E2)
Main: 37 mm M5, L/50 smoothbore gun, (104 rounds)
Secondary: .30 cal M1919A4, coaxial, (3000 rounds)

(T1E4)
Main: 37 mm semi-automatic M1924 smoothbore, (80 rounds)
Secondary: .30 cal M1919A2 MG, coaxial, (3000 rounds)
Engine Cunningham V8 gasoline, water cooled
132 hp (98 kW) (net) (T1E2)
140 hp (100 kW) (T1E4)
Suspension (T1E2) Leaf springs with 4 two wheeled bogies
(T1E4) Vickers-Armstrong type Semi-elliptic springing
Operational
range T1E2 - Unknown
T1E4 - 85 miles
Speed (T1E2) 18.2 mph (29.29 kph)
(T1E4) 20 mph (32.2 kph)

 

[Aristaeus]

For Germany the Leichttraktor (VK-31).

After the first world war, Germany was restricted in military development by the Versailles Treaty but a secret program under the name cover "Traktor" was developing armoured military vehicles and artillery.

The Germans tested the tank in the Soviet Union under the Rapallo treaty signed in 1922 under high secrecy and security. The testing facility used from 1926 to 1933 was called Panzertruppenschule Kama, and was located near Kazan in the Soviet Union. The location was a joint testing ground and tank training ground for the Red Army and Reichswehr. It was codenamed Kama from the two words Kazan and Malbrandt because the testing grounds were near Kazan and Oberstleutenant Malbrandt was assigned to select the location for testing. In the early years of World War II, it was used as a training tank.

Armament
3.7 cm KwK 36 L/46.5

Weight
7.5 tons

Armour
12-14 mm

crew
3

Max speed
40 km/h

No. built
4

 

[Otter]

Thanks for the heads up, I will give it a try.:eusa_clap

 

[Aristaeus]

Thanks for the heads up, I will give it a try.:eusa_clap

Hope you enjoy it.

 

[Aristaeus]

For the French the Renault FT1.

"Development
Studies on the design of a novel light tank were initiated in May 1916 by the famous automobile and truck manufacturer Louis Renault. Evidence suggests that Louis Renault himself drew the new tank's preliminary design, unconvinced that a sufficient power-to-weight ratio could be achieved for the projected tank types requested by the military. One of his most talented designers, Rodolphe Ernst-Metzmaier, prepared the final drawings . A common misconception about the Renault FT is that the front idler wheels were made of wood. In reality the front idler steel wheels have six steel spokes that are hidden behind thick plywood panneling to keep mud and debris out. These steel spokes can be observed in the open on the Renault FT preserved at the " Musee de l'Armee " since the front wheel's internal pannnelings are missing on that particular tank . Of importance and as a significant improvement over previous WW-1 tanks, the radiator's fan pulled all its air from the forward compartment thus providing the crew with constant ventilation as long as the engine was running.

Though his project was technically far more advanced than the other two French tanks at the time, namely the Schneider CA1(1916) and the heavy Saint-Chamond (1917), Louis Renault encountered difficulties in getting his proposal accepted by the head of the French tank arm, Colonel (later General) Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne. After the first British use of heavy tanks, on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme , the French military commissions still pondered wether a large number of light tanks would be preferable to a smaller number of superheavy tanks (the later Char 2C). However, now with the support of Estienne who had convinced the French Commander in Chief, the light tanks were chosen as a more feasible and realistic option. Renault was at last able to proceed, however his design remained in competition with the Char 2C until the very end of the war.

Crew locations shown with panels open
The prototype was slowly refined during the first half of 1917, although the Renault FT remained plagued by radiator fan belt problems throughout the war. Only 84 were produced in 1917 but 2,697 were delivered in 1918 before the Armistice. At least 3,177 were produced in total, perhaps more; some estimates go as high as 4,000 for all versions combined. However, 3,177 is the delivery total to the French Army; 514 were perhaps directly delivered to the U.S. Army, 24 to Great Britain, and three to Italy - giving a probable total production number of 3,694."

Type
Light tank

Place of origin
France

Service history

In service
1917–1945

Wars
World War I, Russian Civil War, Polish-Soviet War, Chinese Civil War, Spanish Civil War, World War II, French-Thai War, Turkish War of Independence (by France); 1948 Arab–Israeli War (by Egypt); Winter War (by Finland).

Production history

Designed
1916

Produced
April 1917-December 1918

Number built
~3,694

Variants
Char canon, Char mitrailleuse, FT 75 BS , Char signal, FT modifié 31, Six Ton Tank Model 1917, Russkiy Reno.

Specifications

Weight
6.5 tonnes (6.4 long tons; 7.2 short tons)

Length
5.00 m (16 ft 5 in)

Width
1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)

Height
2.14 m (7 ft 0 in)

Crew
2 (commander, driver)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armor
−-30 mm (−0.55 in)

Main armament
Puteaux SA 1918 37mm gun or 8mm Hotchkiss machine gun.

Engine
Renault 4-cyl petrol
35 hp (29 kW)

Power/weight
6 hp/tonne

Transmission
sliding gear.4 speed forward.1 in reverse.

Suspension
vertical springs

Fuel capacity
95 liters (about 8 hours)

Operational
range
65 km (40 mi)

Speed
7 km/h (4.3 mph)

 

[Aristaeus]

For the Soviet Union the MS-1.

Development

"A "Tank Bureau" was formed in May 1924 for the development of Soviet tanks. A specification was issued for a 3-tonne two-man light tank capable of 7.5 mph (12.1 km/h). It would be protected by 16 mm of armor and equipped with a 37 mm (1.5 in) gun. By 1925 the allowable weight had increased to 5 tonnes.

The tank was designed by Professor V. Zaslavsky at a new Tank Bureau set up under the Central Directorate of Military Industries. The 35-horsepower truck engine (a copy of the Italian FIAT 15 ter) was supplied by the Moscow AMO Factory, and the gun was a modified copy of the French 37 mm Puteaux SA 18 cannon. The sprung suspension which would allow a tank to travel faster over rough ground was the biggest improvement over the Renault. A prototype called the T-16 was tested in June 1927.

The T-16 was deemed a failure, as it had problems with its transmission failing too often and its inability to cross trenches more than 1.5 meters wide. The T-16's maneuverability was only marginally better than that of the Renault. Meanwhile the КБ ОАТ drew up plans for an improved version of the T-16 which was accepted for production in July as the T-18, with the tank additionally noted as an MS-1 ("Support vehicle, small, type 1").

The T-18's chassis and suspension was improved from the T-16 by the addition of a extra support roller and an independent vertical spring suspension. The 300 mm track of the T-16 was transferred over to the T-18, with some improvements. The engine, a vertical, four-cylinder MS engine, was designed and improved upon by Alexander Mikulin. The engine was capable of a maximum of 35 horsepower. The MS engine was combined with the PSC transmission in one unit rather than being in two separate housings. The PSC transmission gave the tank four forward speeds and one reverse speed. The engine-transmission compartment in the back let air in via holes drilled in the rear plate. This improved protection, but also led to the engine overheating. Electrical equipment included a 6-volt battery, magneto and dynamo, which fed the lamp, horn, rear light, light distribution panel and two portable lamps.

Armor for the T-18 consisted of six 8 mm curved plates for the turret (covered with a mushroom-style cap of 3 mm thickness), 16 mm plates for the hull, and the bottom plates were 3 mm thick. An emergency exit was installed in the underside. A small circular or rectangle hatch was placed in the turret for ventilation.

The T-18s armament stayed the same as that found on the FR-17 and T-16, the French 37 mm Model 28, mounted in a Hotchkiss-system mantle. This gave the gun a range movement of 35 degrees horizontal, and +30 to -8 degrees vertical. This was coupled by a simple system of diopter sights. The 37 mm Model 28 was nearly obsolete by this time. That, coupled with a lack of optical sights, gave the T-17 little chance of taking out larger, better armored opponents. However, with its 10–12 rounds per minute rate of fire and with the use of shrapnel projectiles it proved capable of combating infantry and soft vehicles. A double-barreled 6.5 mm Fyodorov machine gun was mounted in a ball mount. Total ammunition carried was 104 37 mm shells and 2,016 6.5 mm cartridges. In later models the Fydorov was replaced by the 7.62 mm DT machine-gun.

Demonstration of the T-18 took place in mid-May 1927, but in combat tests its ability to move over rough terrain and fight effectively were not immediately apparent. A special commission comprising representatives of the Supreme Economic Council Mobupravleniya, OAT factory "Bolshevik", Artupravleniya, and the headquarters of the Red Army were on hand for the tests. During trials to overcome obstacles the T-18 behaved no better than the FT-17, with its biggest problem being trenches or ditches wider than 2 meters and deeper than approximately 1.2 meters. The machines often became stuck trying to cross these obstacles and needed to be pulled out by a tractor or another tank. However, the T-18 proved to be more "nimble" than the FT-17 or T-26 and had a maximum road speed of 18 km/h. In addition, in comparison with foreign analogues, the T-18 had better armor and a little more room for ammunition reserves.

Despite its problems, the T-18 was an improvement over the FT-17 and T-16, so 108 tanks were ordered into production starting in February 1928. Production took place at the Leningrad Obukhov Factory (later renamed Bolshevik Factory). The first batch of 30 tanks were found to have serious technical problems. After several interruptions, and the inclusion of the Motovilikhinsky Machine-Building Plant (Former Perm Artillery) to increase production the two plants were able to deliver 96 of the promised 133 tanks in 1929.

Another round of trials was completed in Moscow to address the T-18s inability to cross 2-meter-wide ditches. To solve this problem, a "tail" was added to the front. The tank could now overcome widths of 1.8 meters, but it hindered the visibility of the driver and was thus abandoned. An improved T-18 with a better 40-horsepower engine, improved suspension and added turret bustle proceeded from 1929 to 1931, with a total of 960 tanks built. Plans were made to replace the main gun with new 37 mm B-3s, but were never implemented.

A number of experimental designs based on the T-16 and T-18 were tested at the Bolshevik Factory, leading to the T-19 tank with a 90 hp engine in 1931, and the T-20 with a 60 hp engine. The new T2K Tank Design Bureau (later renamed Morozov Design Bureau) at the Kharkov Locomotive Factory used the T-18 as the basis for the new T-24 tank."

Type
Light tank

Place of origin
Soviet Union

Production history

Produced
1928-1931

Specifications

Weight
5.9 tonnes

Length
4.38 m (14 ft 4 in)

Width
1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)

Height
2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)

Crew
2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armor
6-16 mm

Main armament
37mm Model 28

Secondary armament
1 Fyodorov machine gun

Engine
T-18
35 hp (26 kW)

Power/weight
5.9 hp/tonne

Suspension
vertically sprung

Operational
range
50 km (31 mi)

Speed
17 km/h (10 mph)

 

[Aristaeus]

Using experince points or gold purchased with real cash you can buy any number of tanks, spg's and anti-tank vechicles, Here are a few
For the United States, the T-57 SPG.

The 3in Gun Motor Carriage T57 was based on the Light Tank M3A3 chassis with an M7 gun and a Continental engine.[1] The engine was moved to the middle of the hull and a 3-inch gun was mounted in a superstructure in the rear. The project started in September 1942 and was abandoned in February 1943.

T57

TTD:

Crew: 4 men

DIMENSIONS:

Length: 449.3 inches (11.41 meters) - cannon ahead, 401.0 inches (10.19 meters) - the tower rotated backward; 275.3 inches (6.99 meters) - not particularly
mainly overlap: 174.0 inches (4.42 meters) - the barrel ahead
Width over tracks: 143.0 inches (3.63 m)
through the ceiling height of the tower: 104.5 inches (2.65 m)
strip pitch: 115 inches (2,921 m)
Ground Clearance: 18.0 inches (0.46 m)
barrel height: 88.3 inches (2.24 m)
mean orbit of the tower (inside): 85 inches (2.16 m)
Weight: 120,000 pounds (54.48 tons) - fully equipped, 116,000 pounds (52.66 tons) - Blank
specific power: 10.8 hp / t - norm. power, 13.8 hp / tonne - max power
specific ground pressure: 12.4 psi (85.6 kPa)

Armor:

Type: Tower - homogeneous cast steel hull - welded from rolled plates and castings

thickness of armor:

Body:

front: 5 inch (127 mm), tilt 60 ° - top, 4.5 inches (114 mm), angle 50 °, - lower
Sides: 2 inches (51 mm), angle 40 °, - top, 1.75 inches (44 mm), gradient 30 °; - lower
rear front: 1.5 inches (38 mm), inclined 30 °, - upper, 1 inch (25 mm), tilt 60 ° - bottom
cap: 1 inch (25 mm), inclination 90 °;
bottom: 1.5 inches (38 mm), inclination 90 °; - front, 1.25 inches (32 mm), inclination 90 °; - Rear

Tower:

front: 5 inches (127 mm), angle is 60 °;
Sides: 5.38 in. (137 mm), 20-40 ° slope;
rear panel: 2 inches (51 mm), gradient 40 °;
ceiling: 1.5 inches (38 mm), angle 86-90 °;

Armament:

gun: 120mm T179 T169 mounted in the bed in the tower
delivery: electrically and manually 360 °;
speed: 15 sec/360 °;
Elevation: +15 ° Manual; to -8 °;
elevation rate: 4 ° / sec;
Rate of fire: 30 rpm (in theory)
Charge: automatic with an 8-cylinder early
Stabilisation: No

Additional equipment:

MG: 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) M2HB floating bomb in a sling
MG: 0.3 inches (7.62 mm) or T153 M1919A4E1 coaxial with 120 mm cannons
crew personal weapons: machine gun 1 0.45 in. (11.43 mm), M3 Carabina 1 M2 grenade launcher

ammunition carried by:
120 mm: 18 pcs
0.5 inches: 3425 pc
0.45 inches: 180 pc
0.3 inches: 3,000
0.3 inches 180 pieces (for rifle)
Hand Grenades: 8 pcs

Sight and observation instruments:

Canyon: T50 + T33E2 rangefinder, rangefinder T170 + T32E2, M20A1 periscope - direct; indicator T28 azimuth, quadrant elevation of the M13, M1 střelcův quadrant M1A1 - indirect

observation instruments:
Driver: 3x periscope M36
Commander: 6x Periscope M36, 1 rangefinder T50
Bishop: 1 M20A1 periscope
Charger: 1x periscope M13

ENGINE:

Type: Continental AS-1790-5C, gasoline
arrangement: 12 cylinders, 4 stroke within the cylinder, 90 °;
Capacity: 1791.7 cubic inches (29.36 liters)
Bore / Stroke: 5.75 / 5.75 inches (146/146 mm)
Compression ratio: 6,5:1
Power: 650 hp at 2400 rpm - nom., 850 at 2800 rpm - max
torque: 1250 ft-lb (1697 Nm) at 2100 rpm - nom., 1575 ft-lb (2138 Nm) at 2200 rpm
Weight (dry) 2554 lbs (1160 kg)
Fuel: 80 octane gasoline, 280 gallons (1060 l)
Engine oil: 72 quart (68 L)

TRANSMISSION:

Type: CD-850-4, 2 speeds forward, 1 reverse
hydraulic torque converter: 1 stage, max převodoný ratio 4,3:1
overall ratios: Forward: 13:1 - lower 4.5:1 - higher; reverse: 17,8:1

management: steering wheel, 5.6 rpm

Brakes, multi-

The final transfer: gears with spur gears, gear ratio: 7,077:1
driver: the stern hull 11 teeth, pitch circle diameter of 24.504 inches (622 mm)

CHASSIS:

Suspension: 14 individual wheel suspension (7/pás)
caster:26x6 inches (0.66 x 0, 152 m)
rollers: 14 Wheelset (7/pás)
reversible pulley: 12x (6/pás) double pulley 26x6 inches
idler: front drive pulley
Inside: the first 3 and last 2 rounds traveling on each side
belts centrally led or T96 T97
Type: T80E3 - with two steel barbs, 28 inches wide, rubber, steel reinforced blocks, T96 - with two steel barbs, 28 inches wide, rubber blocks
T97 - with two steel barbs, 28 inches wide, rubber-sagittal model
Articles pitch: 6.94 inches (176 mm)
Number of articles: 164 pcs (822/pás)
length in contact with the ground: 173.4 inches (4.40 m)

ELEKRTICKÁ INSTALLATION:

Nominal voltage 24 V
Main Generator: 24 V, 200 A, driven by main engine
Assistant generárot: 24 V, 300 A, driven by an auxiliary Moroto
Battery: 12V 2x2

LANYARDS:

Radio: AN/BRC-3 to 8 in the Tower
Intercom 4 channels + external connection AN/VIA-1

FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT:

solid: 3 of 10 lb (4.54 kg) of CO2
Portable: 2 x 5 lb (2.27 kg) CO2

RATINGS:

Max speed (continuous, roads): 22 mph (35.4 km / h)
maximum tractive effort: 105,400 lb (47852 kg) - ie 88% by weight of the tank
Max gradient: 60 percent
maximum trench width: 7.5 ft (2.29 m)
maximum wall height: 27 inches (0.69 m)
Max fording depth of 48 inches (1.22 m)
Range: 80 miles (129 km)

 

[Aristaeus]

For Germany the Panzerjager I Tank Destroyer.


Design and production

The Panzer I's turret was removed and a fixed gun shield added to protect the armament and crew. The anti-tank gun was mounted on a pedestal in the fighting compartment with the wheels, axle and trails removed; it retained its original gun shield. It normally carried 74 anti-tank and 10 HE shells.

Total production was 202 vehicles. Alkett produced the first series of 132 in 1940. Ten of the second series of 70 were assembled by Alkett while the remainder were assembled by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz in 1940 and 1941. Vehicles in the second series are recognizable by their seven-sided gun shield while the first series had a five-sided shield.

The vehicle's formal name was 4.7 cm PaK(t) (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I ohne Turm, translating as "4.7 cm anti-tank gun (Czech) on turretless Pz.Kpfw. I".

Type
Tank destroyer

Place of origin
Nazi Germany

Service history

In service
1940—43

Used by
Nazi Germany

Wars
World War II

Production history

Designer
Alkett

Designed
1939—40

Produced
1940—41

Number built
202

Specifications

Weight
6.4 tonnes (14,109 lbs)

Length
4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)

Width
2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)

Height
2.14 m (7 ft)

Crew
3

Elevation
-8° to +10°

Traverse
35°

Armor
6-14.5 mm

Main armament
4.7 cm (1.9 in) PaK(t)

Engine
3.8 litre (230 cu in) 6-cylinder, water-cooled Maybach NL 38 Tr
100 horsepower (75 kW)

Power/weight
15.6 hp/ton

Transmission
6 speed ZF F.G.31

Suspension
leaf-spring

Ground clearance
29.5 cm (1 ft 7 in)

Fuel capacity
146 l (39 US gal)

Operational range
140 km (87 mi)

Speed
40 km/h (25 mph)

 

[Chasseur]

I wanted to say thank you for posting all this! I've not played computer war/strat games in quite some time so I had not heard of this one. One thing I find quite interesting is the emphasis on these early/prototype tanks in the 1920s and ealry 1930s. I know most tank buffs tend to be interested with the big war tanks (Panthers, Tigers, etc.) but I find the early stuff much more interesting. All the speculative stuff like multi-turrets tanks like the T-35 etc.

 

[Aristaeus]

Your welcome, I hope you enjoy it.

 

[Aristaeus]

For France the Renault BS, Self Propelled Gun.
For development see Renault FT above.

The Renault BS was a light tank used by the french between 1918 and 1945.
The vehicle was manned by a crew of 2 and was 1.74 metres wide, 4.08 metres long, 2.15 metres high and weighed 7.2 tonnes.
Powered by a 35hp petrol engine the Renault BS was capable of a road speed of 4mph .
Based on the light tank chassis, the vehicle was armed with a 75 mm SA M1935 L/17.1 with a muzzle velocity of 300m/sec which was capable of penetrating 31mm of armour at 800metres

Nomenclature

Much confusion surrounds the name of this tank.

It is sometimes stated that the letters FT stand for the French terms faible tonnage (low tonnage) or franchisseur de tranchées (trench crosser). Neither is correct. Nor was it named the FT 17 or FT-17.

All new Renault projects were given a two-letter product code for internal use, and the next one available was 'FT.'

The prototype was at first referred to as the automitrailleuse à chenilles Renault FT modèle 1917. Automitrailleuse à chenilles means "armoured car with tracks." Automitrailleuse was the standard word for an armoured car, but by the time the FT went into mass production there were two other types of French tank in existence and the term char d'assaut (from the French char - a cart or wagon, and assaut; attack or assault), soon shortened to char, had on the insistence on Colonel Estienne already been adopted by the French and was in common use. Once orders for the vehicle had been secured it was the practice at Renault to refer to it as the "FT." The vehicle was originally intended to carry a machine-gun, and was therefore described as a char mitrailleur. Mitrailleur (from mitraille; grapeshot) had by this time come to mean "machine-gunner."

Many sources, predominantly English language accounts, refer to the FT as the "FT 17" or "FT-17." This term is not contemporary, and appears to have arisen post World War One. In Estienne's biography, his granddaughter states, "It is also referred to as the FT 17: the number 17 was added after the war in history books, since it was always referred to at Renault as the FT." Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Malmassari (French tank officer and Doctor of History) states, "The Renault tank never carried the name FT 17 during the First World War, although the initials F.T. seem to appear in August 1917." Some confusion might also have been caused by the fact that the American version of the vehicle, produced in the USA under licence from Renault, was designated the M1917.

When it was decided to equip the FTs with either cannon or machine-guns, the cannon version was designated char canon (cannon tank) and the latter, in accordance with French grammar, renamed char mitrailleuse (machine-gun tank).

It is frequently claimed that some of these tanks were designated FT 18. Reasons given for the claim include: it distinguished tanks produced in 1918 from those of 1917; it was applied to FTs armed with cannon as opposed to those with machine-guns; it distinguished FTs with a cast, rounded turret from those with a hexagonal one; it referred to the 18 horsepower engine; it indicated a version to which various modifications had been made.

However, Renault records make no distinction between 1917 and 1918 output; the decision to arm FTs with a 37mm gun was made in April, 1917, before any tanks had been manufactured; because of various production difficulties and design requirements, a range of types of turret were produced by several manufacturers, but they were all fitted to the basic FT body without any distinguishing reference; all FTs had the same model 18 hp engine. The Renault manual of April, 1918 is entitled RENAULT CHAR D'ASSAUT 18 HP, and the illustrations are of the machine-gun version. The official designation was not changed until the 1930s, when the FT was fitted with a Model 1931 machine-gun and renamed the FT31. By this time the French Army was equipped with several other Renault models and it had become necessary to distinguish between the various types. World War One variants were named Renault 75BS (carrying a short 75mm cannon) and Renault TSF (radio tank).

Specifications

Manufacture Dates 1918 - Unknown
Quantity Produced -
Weight 7.2 (tonnes)
Crew 2
M.G's small -
M.G's Large -
Length 4.08 (mtr)
Width 1.74 (mtr)
Height 2.15 (mtr)

Engine Details/Performance

Road Speed 4.8 (mph)
Cross Country Speed - (mph)
Range Road - (miles)
Range Cross Country - (miles)
Fuel Type Petrol
Fuel Capacity -
Horse Power 35
Power/Weight 4.86 (HP/tonne)

Primary Armament
75 mm SA M1935 L/17.1
Calibre
75 mm
Muzzle Velocity
300 m/sec
Shell Weigh
6 Kg

Range(metres) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400
Penetration(mm) 35 34 33 31 29 28 26 24
Flight Time(secs) 0.33 0.68 1.38 2.87 4.46 6.15 7.97 9.93
Hit Probability % 98 98 90 34 20 12 7 4
Penetration is mm through vertical plate - calculated
Probability is % chance of hit on a 2 x 2.4mtr static plate

 

[Aristaeus]

For the Soviet Union, the AT-1 Anti-Tank gun.
A close support tank based on the T-26, armed with 76.2 mm PS-3 or L-7 tank gun.
Two fully armoured vehicles were built and tested in 1935, 10 AT-1 artillery tanks were planned to be built in 1936 but were cancelled (Izhora Works produced 8 armoured hulls for the program).

 

[Aristaeus]

W.O.T. added a British Tech tree.
For the U.K. Vickers Medium Mark I
The Medium Mark I replaced some of the Mark V heavy tanks; together with its successor, the slightly improved Vickers Medium Mark II, it served in the Royal Tank Regiments, being the first type, in total 200 tanks, to be phased out in 1938.

The Medium Mark I was the first tank to see "mass" production since the last of the ten Char 2C's had been finished in 1921. Indeed, as of the next tank, the Renault NC27, only about thirty were built, the British Mediums represented most of the world tank production during the Twenties. They never fired a shot in anger and their performance in a real battle can only be speculated upon but as the only modern tanks in existence in the decade after the First World War they provided the British with a unique opportunity to test the many new ideas about mechanised warfare using real operational units. The knowledge thus gained would prove invaluable in the Second World War

Type Medium tank

Place of origin
United Kingdom

Production history
Manufacturer
Vickers

Specifications (Mk I)

Weight
11.7 long tons

Length
17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)

Width
9 ft 1.5 in (2.781 m)

Height
9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)

Crew 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armour
6.25 mm

Main armament
QF 3 pounder gun (47 mm)

Secondary armament
four 0.303 (7.7 mm) Hotchkiss M1914 machine guns
two 0.303 Vickers machine guns

Engine
Armstrong Siddeley V-8 air-cooled petrol engine
90 hp (67 kW)

Transmission
4-speed gearbox to a 2-speed epicyclic

Suspension
helical spring

Operational range
120 mi (190 km)

Speed
15 mph (24 km/h)

 

[Arcturus]

Also they are going to add Chinese tank tree in December

 

[Aristaeus]

For the U.S.
The Cunningham T2 Medium Tank.
"The James Cunningham and Sons Company, of Rochester, New York, built the first T2 in 1930. With a crew of four, this 15-ton tank was able to reach a top speed of 25mph. The T2 was a well-armed tank, carrying a 47mm gun and a .50 machine-gun in the turret, plus a 37mm gun and .30 machine-gun on the right side of the hull. Production was limited to the prototype model due to funding limitations during the Depression."

GENERAL DATA
Type: Medium Tank

Manufacturer: Cunningham

Crew: 4

Production Quantity: 1

DIMENSIONS
Combat weight: 15600 kg

Length /hull: 4.88 m

Height: 2.74 m

Width: 2.44 m

Ground clearance: 0.44 m

ARMAMENT
Primary Armament: 47 mm semiautomatic gun L/5 (1)

Ammunition Carried: 75

Traverse: 360° (Manual)

Secondary Armament: 1 x .50 caliber MG M2 (12.7 mm) (2)/2 x .30 caliber MG M1919A4 (7.62 mm)(3)

Ammunition Carried: 4500/2000

Location 1: turret - 2: coaxial - 3: AA, bow

ARMOR
Assembly: Riveting

Maximum Thickness: 22.23 mm

Minimum Thickness: 6.35 mm

AUTOMOTIVE
Engine: Liberty

Type & Displacement: V12

Horsepower (maximum): 338 hp Power/Weight Ratio 16.97 hp / ton

Gearbox: Planetary, 4 forward, 1 reverse Steering Controlled differential

Fuel Capacity: 356 L Gasoline (Petrol)
SUSPENSION

Type: Verticle springs

Road wheels: 6 two wheeled bogies

Track return rollers: 4

Sprocket-Wheels: rear

Idler Sprockets: front

Track Type: Steel, open, double pin shoe

Width: 381 mm

Pitch: 108 mm

Links(shoes): 76

Track ground contact: 2.84 m

PERFORMANCES
Maximum Speed: 32-40 km/h on road/8-24 km/h off road

Range: 145 km on road

Maximum grade: 35° (from horizontal)

 

[Aristaeus]

For Germany the Sturmpanzer I Bison Self-Propelled Gun.

"The 15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B (sometimes referred to as the Sturmpanzer I Bison) was a German self-propelled heavy infantry gun used during World War II. The Invasion of Poland had shown that the towed sIG 33 guns assigned to the infantry gun companies of the motorized infantry regiments had difficulties keeping up with the tanks during combat. The easiest solution was to modify a spare tank chassis to carry it into battle. A sIG 33 was mounted on the chassis of the Panzer I Ausf. B, complete with carriage and wheels, in place of the turret and superstructure. Plates 13 millimetres (0.51 in) thick were used to form a tall, open-topped fighting compartment on the forward part of the hull. This protected little more than the gun and the gunner himself from small arms fire and shell fragments, the loaders were completely exposed. The rearmost section of armor was hinged to ease reloading. There was no room to stow any ammunition so it had to be carried by a separate vehicle. When mounted the sIG 33 had a total 25° of traverse and could elevate from -4° to +75°. It used a Rblf36 sight."

"Thirty-eight were produced in February 1940 by Alkett. Thirty-six of these were organized into independent schwere Infanteriegeschütz-Kompanie ("Self-propelled Heavy Infantry Gun Companies"); mot.S. Numbers 701-706 and these were assigned to the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 10th Panzer Divisions in the Battle of France as well as Operation Barbarossa. The 705th and 706th were destroyed during Operation Barbarossa, belonging to the 7th and 10th Panzer Divisions respectively. Of the remaining companies only the 701st participated in the opening stages of the subsequent Case Blue in 1942, although it, and its parent 9th Panzer Division were transferred to Army Group Center by the end of the summer of 1942. The last reference to them is with the 704th Company of the 5th Panzer Division during the middle of 1943."

General
Weight (combat ready): 8.5 tons
Length: 4.42 meters
Height: 3.35 meters
Width: 2.6 meters
Crew: 4 men


Armour & Weapons
150mm sIG 33 L/11.4
Maximum Armour: 13 mm
Minimum Armour: open

Propulsion
Engine: Maybach NL 38 TR
Speed (*): 35 kph
Power: 100 HP
Fuel tank: 146 liters
Range (*): 183 km
Range off Road: 133 km
Mileage (*): 80 liters per 100 km


Production
Production: 38 units
From: January of 1940
To: February of 1940

 

[Aristaeus]

For France:
The Renault FT AC Tank Destroyer, this tank never left the proposal stage.
"As the French Army's vast fleet of Renault FT tanks passed into obsolence, some efforts were made to upgrade the vehicles. One proposal was to convert them into tank destroyers, but the plan was never implemented." Specs are for the tank as fitted in the game.

Armement:

47mm SA-L MLe.37



Weight

1,070 kg (2,359 lbs)

Barrel length

50

Shell

47x380 mm. R APCBC

Caliber

47 millimetres (1.9 in)

Rate of fire

15 to 20 rounds/min

Muzzle velocity

855 m/s (2,805 ft/s)

Effective range

2,000 m (2,187 yds)

"Development:

In the 1930s the French artillery sought a replacement for the derivatives of the 75 mm mle 1897 field gun it used in the anti-tank role. Despite having a decent anti-armour capability, the venerable soixante-quinze was heavy and was much harder to conceal than the smaller high-velocity, small calibre anti-tank weapons of modern design. The chosen weapon was a design of the state-owned arsenal Atelier de Puteaux ("Puteaux workshop", abbreviated to APX), and was designated as canon de 47 mm semi-automatique mle 1937. It was a very efficient weapon, especially given the (then) thin armour of German tanks of the time. Unfortunately for France, the 47 SA 37 still was relatively rare at the time of the Battle of France."

Engine:

Renault 4-cyl petrol
35 hp (29 kW)

Power/weight

6 hp/tonne

Transmission

sliding gear; four speeds forward, one in reverse

Suspension

vertical springs

Fuel capacity

95 liters (about 8 hours)

Operational range

65 km (40 mi)

Speed

7 km/h (4.3 mph)

 

[Aristaeus]

For the Soviet Union the SU-18 SPG.
The SU-18 is a self-propelled gun designed on the basis of the MS chassis. This model existed only in blueprints, with no prototypes developed. Never entered mass production.
This tank has many of the same characteristics of the MS-1, which is obvious seeing as it is one of its variants.

Specifications are for SPG as fitted in the game.
"The 76 mm regimental gun M1927 was a Soviet infantry support gun. The gun was developed in 1927 by the design bureau of Orudiyno-Arsenalny Trest (OAT) and entered production in 1928. A total of 16,482 pieces were built. On June 22, 1941 the Red Army had 4,708 of these guns. In 1943 the gun was replaced in production by the 76 mm regimental gun M1943, but remained in service until the end of the war. The Germans placed captured guns into service as the 7.62 cm Infanteriekanonehaubitze 290(r) (infantry gun-howitzer), while in the Finnish army they were known as 76 RK/27.

The gun was intended for destruction of light field fortifications and openly placed personnel by direct fire. HEAT shell gave it limited anti-tank capabilities.

The M1927 was issued to rifle and cavalry regiments of the Red Army. Artillery battalion of rifle brigade included one battery of M1927. Some guns were used by anti-tank artillery battalions."

Production history:

Produced
1928-1943

Number built
16,482

Specifications:

Weight
780 kg (1,700 lb)

Barrel length
1.25 m (4 ft 1 in) L/16.4

Caliber
76.2 mm (3 in)

Breech
interrupted screw

Carriage
pole trail

Elevation
-6° to 25°

Traverse
6°

Rate of fire
10 - 12 rpm

Muzzle velocity
387 m/s (1,270 ft/s)

Maximum range
4.2 km (2.6 mi)
For engine and chassis spec's see ms-1.

 

[Aristaeus]

W.O.T. added a Chinese tech tree.
For the Chinese the Renault NC-31.
"After World War I, France possessed a very large fleet of Renault FT light infantry support tanks. Although many of these were sold to other nations, over 2800 remained. In contrast to the United Kingdom, that after the war greatly reduced its armoured forces and scrapped any redundant AFVs, France maintained a large number of active or reserve armoured units (with an organic tank strength of about 1260) and all of the remaining Renault FTs were kept in working order. This implied that in the early twenties France had the strongest and most modern armoured force in the world, but this very fact led to a state of complacency. Development of new tank models was not seen as urgent, also because budgetary restraints would for the immediate future prohibit any further tank production anyway. When in 1922 General Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne concluded an official study containing guidelines for long term tank design, no provisions were made for any new light infantry tank.

FT Kégresse
However, the remaining Renault FT vehicles, though having shown themselves to be very effective in trench warfare, were in their present state of technological development not well adapted to peacetime conditions. The main problem was their low top speed, which necessitated the use of special tank transporters whenever the vehicles had to be moved outside of their base area and which made them fundamentally unsuited to patrolling duty in the colonies. It was therefore decided to modify a number of existing vehicles, by fitting them with a more effective suspension system. The first modifications were of the Renault FT Kégresse-type, which featured the suspension of the Kégresse half-track, fitted with a special rubber steel-reinforced track. In 1925 42 vehicles were rebuilt this way and deployed in 1926 during the Berber insurrection in Morocco. The modification allowed for a top speed of 17 km/h but field experience showed that the track was liable to suddenly snapping at top speed with often catastrophic consequences and the modification project was therefore discontinued. Nine Renault FT Kégresse vehicles were later sold to Yugoslavia and five to Poland.

Renault NC
Meanwhile Louis Renault had obtained an order in 1923 to build two new prototypes as a parallel modification project, with the factory designation Renault NC; it was intended to feature not only an improved suspension system but also a stronger engine. Like "FT", "NC" is simply a combination of code letters devoid of any meaning. One prototype happened to be finished second, in December 1925, and was therefore called the NC2. It was fitted with a strongly modified Kégresse leaf spring suspension and a 62 hp engine. It had as an alternative designation Renault Modèle 24/25, because Renault proposed to build it as a possible "fast tank" as specified in Plan 1924 of the French Cavalry. This line of development was discontinued however. The first prototype to be ready, thus named the NC1, had a completely different suspension system, with twelve wheels and three large vertical volute springs per side. It allowed for a top speed of 18.5 km/h, making it in 1926 the fastest French tank ever.
As had been the case for the Renault FT Kégresse, this project was still primarily intended to merely result in a modification proposal to rebuild existing Renault FTs. In 1926 it transpired however that the Char de Bataille project, that much later would result in the Char B1, was evolving into a far heavier tank than at first intended. It would be impossible to procure this heavier design in sufficient numbers and therefore specifications were made in the Infantry Plan 1926 for a new Char léger d'accompagnement d'infanterie, a "light infantry support tank". Renault immediately tried to offer his NC1, now called the Renault Modèle 26/27, as the logical candidate for this role.

NC31
In 1928 Renault succeeded in his attempt to get his Renault NC accepted as the basis for further light infantry tank development; he was granted an order to build two prototypes. The Army called this project the Char D, Renault used the designation NC28. Of the two prototypes, the first was fitted with the twin machine gun turret of the SRA Char de Bataille prototype. Also a new suspension system was tested incorporating the special chenille légère ("light track") designed by Colonel Balland, which was optimised for high speeds. As this vehicle was a derivative of the NC1, it was later indicated with the designation NC2, creating confusion with the earlier project of that name; many later books assumed they were one and the same vehicle. The Army made a choice in March 1929 for the second prototype, the NC3 gun tank, and ordered a pre-series of ten vehicles in December 1929. These had the Renault factory designation NC31, after the intended year of delivery. Renault merely had to build the hulls at a price of 400,000 FF each; the cast turrets were, as usual in France, separately ordered with the Schneider company; they were of the ST1 type (Schneider Tourelle 1). As this turret was much wider than the Renault FT turret used on all previous NC models, Renault broadened the hull accordingly; the typical tapering nose point of the Renault FT was abandoned. The ten hulls were delivered between May and November 1931: after an interval of ten years after the delivery of the last Char 2C in 1921, French tank series production for the home market was thus resumed.

The ten pre-series hulls were tested by the 503e Régiment de Chars de Combat. Many shortcomings were discovered by the Commission de Bourges, the French Infantry matériel commission. Steering was difficult, the suspension too weak and the exhaust pipes overheated the engine compartment. Nevertheless the type was accepted for mass production — the commission had little choice in this as the main series had already been ordered — provided that changes were made. The strangely squeezed ST1 turret, the first ten of which were delivered from November 1930, was rejected though as being unacceptably cramped and unbalanced. To prevent that each time the gun was loaded, the breech had to be lowered into the fighting compartment or otherwise the round could not be shoved in, the main armament had been placed in a very forward position. The ST1 turrets were therefore again removed from the first ten vehicles."

SpecS:
Renault NC-31
Dimensions (l-w-h):
4,47 x 1,57 x 2,18 m

Total weight, battle ready :
9.5 Tons

Crew :
2

Propulsion :
Renault 4-cyl inline 9L 75 bhp

Max Speed :
12,5 mph(20 kph)

Range (road/off road)-fuel :
120km - 150L

Armament :
37mm plus 7,5mm Mg coaxial

Armour :
8 to 34mm