M4 "Sherman" - is an American medium tank of the fifth level, which is liked by many tankers and is considered the best machine at its level. Is it so? We will find out about this a bit later, but now we’ll try to understand in more detail in this tank.
Short description
The M4 Sherman is America’s medium tank, which was exploited in World War II. Initially, the title had only the M4 index - the modification number in order. When the tank went to serve in Britain, a nameplate was added to the name - “Sherman”, in honor of William Sherman, who was a general of the army of the northerners during the Civil War. Also in due time the tank was called "Emcha".
History
The history of the creation of the tank begins in 1941. When the Second World War began in Europe, the United States had only the so-called prototype medium tanks in stock. At that time, in addition to the M3 Li and M2A4 Medium, a stronger tank with a radically different design was required. At the same time, the Americans wanted him to remain as cheap as his previous brothers. From February 1, 1941, accelerated development of the tank began, and six months later the M4 Sherman was introduced at the training ground. Photos of the tank immediately began to appear in print and since then have gained tremendous historical value.
Then I did not have to choose, in addition, the car turned out to be quite high quality and relatively cheap. Therefore, Sherman instantly passed standardization and was launched into serial production. By 1945, almost 50 thousand vehicles of this model were created, and the tank became the most massive in America.
Design
Now let's talk about the appearance of the M4 Sherman. A historical review shows that its features are visible in German cars. This is not surprising, because initially the very idea of layout was borrowed from the Germans. The engine compartment here was located in the stern of the hull, but the transmission was moved forward. In the center there is a combat zone, which reached right up to the tower.
Throughout the war, this arrangement was used by almost all German and American designers for medium and heavy tanks. The height of the hull, despite the unloading of all parts, continued to be quite significant. This was due to the location of a star-shaped engine here. Also here the main elements of the transmission took their place.
The Sherman’s combat crew is 5 people: the commander always took a seat near the tower and watched the terrain, the loader and gunner sat on the sides of the commander, the driver himself, and with him the radio gunner, were in the front of the hull.
The historical characteristics of the tank
Continuing to talk about the M4 Sherman, the review should be moved from the visual aspect to a more significant one - technical. Let's start with the protective equipment. The armor was rolled steel. It was from such sheets that the entire body was created. In the very first modification, the M4 had 51 mm of frontal armor. Parts are located at an angle of 56 degrees. Board and stern received 38 mm of protection, and the roof and bottom - only 25 mm.
The tower was made by casting. Its frontal part is closed 76 mm of armor, on the sides - 51 mm. The tower was installed using a shoulder strap and a ball bearing. A hole was made in the frontal part of the tower for the mask of the gun and machine gun.
For Sherman, several types of motors were initially used. In one of the modifications there was an aircraft engine that developed 350 horsepower. There was a version of the tank with twin engines from the Ford, while the car could accelerate thanks to 500 horsepower.
The chassis was completely taken from the younger brother - “Lee”. At that time, there was a popular blocked type with three support trolleys. The caterpillar was shallow, with 79 tracks and a width of 420 mm. Initially, a rubber-metal hinge was used here, but later it was completely replaced with a metal one.
For the guns, they also began to use a 75-mm cannon from the Medium and Li tanks. But, of course, after several months of development, more modern weapons were delivered. Also, the tank was repeatedly re-equipped to deal with heavier opponents, anti-tank guns were installed on it.
To battle
The first combat use of the M4 "Sherman" was carried out in 1942. The battle at El Alamein was a confrontation between British (including the Sherman) and a similar class of German technology. Many historians to this day believe that it was this tank that made the maximum contribution to the victory.
But the first combat use of the M4 "Sherman" by the Americans occurred in December of the same year in Tunisia. But with the Americans, their inexperience and inability to use this miracle machine played a cruel joke. As a result, the troops were mercilessly defeated. Within a couple of months, the Shermans met again with German tanks in the same area. And again there were problems in the battles, which gave an idea of the imperfection of the layout and weakness of military weapons.
By the way, in 1942 the tank was delivered to the Red Army. Here, the M4 was waiting for success in almost all battles. The tanks were good, confidently helped end the war and reached Berlin together with the troops of our country. After the war, Soviet tankers spoke very positively of the Sherman, the only thing that was noted was a frequent percentage of fires and a weak gun.
The last breath for this machine was the battle in the Far East as early as 1945. The first use of the M4 "Sherman" brought this machine popularity, and in addition to the British, American and Soviet troops, the tank was used during the Korean war in the early 50s. the Chinese, and a little later - the Arabs.
Game version
Before we figure out how to play the M4 Sherman, let's find out a closer version of the game’s American medium tank. As you already know, in the game “Sherman” occupies an honorable fifth level and, as practice shows, can bend opponents well.
It should be noted that in the katabatic state the tank looks rather bad. He is slow, slow and weak. But all gamers of the famous World of Tanks know that any tank in the initial state is bad. Now let's talk a little about the main technical characteristics of the machine.
The Sherman M4 has 460 health units, a speed of 48 kilometers per hour, a turret armor of 63 millimeters on all sides, a hull received 51 millimeters in the frontal part, and sides and stern - 38 millimeters each. Thus, historical inaccuracy can immediately be traced. Although we all understand that Wargaming is trying to balance the game so that the tanks that are radically different in strength do not meet on the battlefield.
Pros and Cons of the "American"
In principle, at its fifth level, the M4 is not very different from its colleagues. Something is worse in it, something is better, but the car is balanced for playing with rivals. Despite the low speed, the tank is quite maneuverable, in which case it can change its position on the battlefield and be an excellent assistant to heavy vehicles.
The disadvantage of Sherman is its rather large size. Although it all depends on what levels he will fall into battle with. Nevertheless, his silhouette is quite large, so getting into it is easy. In addition, remember that booking with him is not one of the strongest.
By the way, some players believe that the M4 "Sherman" Perfect for silver farming. In direct hands, the tank can cause a lot of damage, while its spending on repairs and shells is negligible. Probably, not everyone will agree with this. As practice shows, for some, one tank can become a best friend, for others - a sworn enemy.
Game gun
Well, it's worth talking directly about the armament of the "American." In this section, you may also find the answer to the question of which gun to put on the Sherman M4. There are two weapon options in the game. The first and most suitable is the sixth-level gun at 76 mm. Its advantage is the rate of fire. In 60 seconds, she fires as many as 14.3 shots. At the same time, armor penetration by 177 mm submunition shells , but their damage is 110.
If you choose this weapon, consider that a heavy support burden will fall on your shoulders. With such damage and penetration, you should not fly forward and try to enlighten someone. It is best to hide somewhere in the bushes and wait for the light of the rivals.
But the second gun is a high-explosive one, it has 105 mm. Few people believe it, but sometimes this cannon can wipe out some sweeping firefly with one shot. It produces 7.5 shots per minute, but armor penetration is 53 with 410 damage.
Looking at the characteristics, it should be said that the high-explosive gun has very poor accuracy, so it is best to approach the enemy and take him by surprise at a short distance. Many players do believe that this is a great fun weapon that will bring a good mood in battle.
Advice
The following tips will help you improve your tank. Let's start by answering the question of which modules to put on the M4 Sherman. First of all, you will need to determine the role of your machine. Most players choose a rammer, reinforced aiming drives and a stabilizer, thereby improving the accuracy of the gun. In some cases, improved ventilation can be installed. And if you want to improve the already excellent visibility, install optics.
But when you thoroughly pumped the tank, or rather, the crew, another question will arise: "What skills do you need for the M4 Sherman crew?" First of all, you can pump a light bulb and repair. Further, you can take perks for review, again to improve our search abilities. Then we reduce the spread of the guns and pump perks for stabilization. Well, after that you can take care of the dynamics, and the loader to install a disguise.
How to play?
Having completed the review of the M4 Sherman tank, we can proceed to the gameplay itself. There are no important and difficult points here. The main thing is what was said in the section about the gun. Depending on the choice of guns on the battlefield, you will become either an assistant or a destroyer. In the first case, behind the heavy tanks you drive and behind the backs of courageous allies you give out damage. In the second case, one should be more careful, but get closer to the victim so that the accuracy of the gun does not fail at the most crucial moment.
Reviews
Well, now it would be nice to turn to the players who fell in love (or did not fall in love) with the M4 Sherman tank. Reviews about him are quite diverse. But still there is a preponderance to positive feedback. “Sherman” is considered a fun and dynamic tank, where you can drive and undercover earn frags. Also, the tank is well suited for silver farming. In many ways, the M4 at the beginning of its life afflicts tankers, but after a good leveling, it becomes a "beast" on the battlefield, especially among vehicles of its level.
If you have just started to get acquainted with the game, but have already reached 5 levels, the M4 Sherman will be a great friend and good helper for you in understanding the game and pumping the American branch.