German Armored Car Proposal

Note: this is a long old article I had saved for days without news; I got busy and forgot about it. Better late than never, I guess.

Written by VeroxGaming (around 2.5 years ago)

Hello TAP! Today I‘ll present you my German armored car proposal. With WG promising us to add wheeled vehicles into the game, it‘s about time to start talking about potential vehicles that would make it into the game, so I’ve made my own wheeled vehicle line, that starts at tier 1 and ends up with tier 10. The line starts at tier 1 as, to my mind, the whole concept of wheeled vehicles is unique and deserves an unique placement in the tech tree. Tiers 1-3 will contain cars equipped with devastating autocannons, able to decimate any foe in their way, the only problem will be the penetration. From tier 4 onwards the playstyle will change: cars will start to receive great shell penetration values with great gun handling, effectively making them fast sniper cars.

The line consists of 10 vehicles, going from tier 1 onwards, with 2 premium cars (that‘s a new one) at tier 6 and 8, respectively. Each vehicle has its own playstyle to which the player will have to adapt, as the mobility / armament statistics differ with each tier.

The vehicle statistics are as historical as possible, while also not breaking the balance of the game or making the vehicle underperform.

Tier 1:
Sonderkraftfahrzeug 221 (Sd. Kfz 221):

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Historical information:

Sd.Kfz.221 was developed in 1934 as a light armored car for reconnaissance duties. The car’s only armament was a 7.92mm MG 34 machine gun. A small number were additionally equipped with the 7.92mm PzB 39 anti-tank rifles. 339 were produced in two series by Eisenwerk Weserhuette AG from 1935 to May of 1940. The car was eventually replaced by the Sd. Kfz. 222.

Historical specifications:

Armament: Single MG34 machinegun on a fully rotating turret;
Gun elevation: -30°/70°;
Crew size: 2;

Armor:
Sufficient enough to protect from 7.92mm armor piercing ammunition at ranges further than 30m.
5-8mm all around the car, after 1938 the armor was improved to 5 -14.5 mm all around the vehicle.
In 1942, the car received a new chassis, ausf. (ausführung) B, with this upgrade the armor was
improved to 30mm in the front, furthermore, the car got a more powerful engine.

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 80 km/h;
Backwards: 15 km/h;

Engine: Horch V-8, 75 hp;
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 18.7 hp/t;

Radio: Didn‘t get a radio;

In-game look and its performance:

At tier 1 the Sd. Kfz 221 will be an unique vehicle, with very quick mobility & the MG34 machinegun as its main armament, the car will specialize in rushing to key positions, active or passive spotting, while also possessing adequate firepower. As a sacrifice, in order to get great mobility and a novel main gun, the car will get virtually no armor, so HE shells will do massive damage, therefore encouraging the player to use the epic mobility of the car.

Car statistics:
HP: 80;
Speed: Forwards: 80 km/h;
Backwards: 15 km/h;
Weight: 4.01t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 10m;
As the car is open-topped, view range will be quite high for a tier 1 tank:
View range: 330m;

Mobility:
Engine: Horsch V-8 (75 hp);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 18.7 hp/t;

Armor: 8-14.5mm max;

Let’s take a look at the main gun, which is a truly novel feature of the car:

Maschinengewehr 34:
The gun uses Mauser 7.92×57 ammunition, which will be the lowest caliber ammunition on any vehicle in the game (Panzer 1 C also uses the same caliber ammunition). While it sounds quite weird to put a machinegun on a car and make it fight against tanks, to balance it out the gun will get special ammunition, which will give the machinegun quite decent penetration values: as a primary ammunition choice, the car will get the 7.92×57 SmK (Spitzgeschoss mit Kern (pointed bullet with core) ) , which will be the car’s standard ammunition, and the 7.92×57 SmK (H) (H – Hartkern (hardened core). What was unique about the ammunition, is that the core was made out of tungsten, a metal WW2 Germany had a shortage of. SmK (H) ammunition supposedly could penetrate 20mm of plain steel at a range of 500m at a 90° angle. In the game the gun will function as an autocannon.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 7.92×57 SmK (Standard AP) / 7.92×57 SmK (H) (Premium AP)
Damage per shot: 6/6;
Penetration (at 100m): 17 / 32 mm;
Drum loaded magazine, shells in clip: 50;
Time between shots: 0.1s
Drum reload time: 20s;
Gun elevation: -30°/70°;
Aim time: 1.5s;
Dispersion: 0.45;
Muzzle velocity: 755 m/s;

The main gun will have a huge clip potential, 300 to be exact, but the low base penetration will prevent the player from doing such damage frontally, therefore encouraging an aggressive playstyle by making the player look at gaps in the enemy defence, where enemy side and rear armor would be exposed. As with the premium rounds, 30mm is enough to reliably penetrate any tier 1 tank frontally (with the only exception being the Renault Otsu, which has 30mm hull armor), but to discourage a p2w playstyle, the ammunition should get a high base cost, so the player doesn‘t carry more than 1-2 clips of this ammunition in the battle.

As Sd. Kfz 222 was the successor of 221, let‘s take a look at it:

Tier 2:
Sonderkraftfahrzeug 222 (Sd. Kfz 222):

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Historical information:

The Sd.Kfz. 222 light armored car was a modified version of Sd.Kfz.221 designed to carry a 20mm automatic cannon instead of a machine gun. Early models (1936-1939) were powered by a Horch V-8 3.5l gasoline engine, while later models (1940-1943) by a Horch 3.8l gasoline engine. The Sd.Kfz.222 was eventually replaced by the heavier Sd.Kfz.234, but still remained in use until the end of the war.

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Historical specifications:

Armament: Single 20mm KwK 30/38 autocannon on a fully traversable turret;
Gun elevation: -7°/70°;
Crew size: 3;

Armor:
Completely the same as the Sd. Kfz. 221, both cars had the same chassis and received the same upgrades during the war.

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 70 km/h;
Backwards: 15 km/h;

Engine: Horch V-8, 75 hp;
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 15.6 hp/t;

Radio: Early models did not get one, later models – Fu. Spr. Gr. „A“;

In-game look and its performance:
The Sd. Kfz 222 is a mixed package: it‘s slower than its predecessor, the Sd. Kfz. 221, and due to new, heavier, armament it sacrifices a considerable amount of specific power ratio. But it gets a completely new gun, the 20mm KwK 30 autocannon. While the penetration still remains inadequate for a tier 2 tank, only 27 base, the tank packs quite a punch: each 20mm shell does 11 damage while also having a drum magazine with 20 rounds. Just as with the Sd. Kfz 221, low base penetration of the gun encourages an aggressive playstyle by making the player look for flanking opportunities.

Car statistics:
HP: 120;

Speed: Forwards: 70 km/h;
Backwards: 15 km/h;
Weight: 4.8t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 10m;

View range: 350m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „A“;
Signal range: 400m;

Mobility:
Engine: Horsch V-8 (75 hp);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 15.6 hp/t;

Armor: Same as the Sd. Kfz 221, 8-14,5 mm max.

Weapons: 20mm KwK 30;

Main armament:
20mm KwK 30:
The gun itself is used on few low tier German tanks, but as the Sd. Kfz 222 doesn‘t get a gun upgrade, the statistics of the gun will be better than that on the tracked vehicles. The gun will boast a higher clip and better gun handling at the cost of longer reload. While the primary weakness of the gun will be the penetration, the premium APCR rounds should be quite cheap, as the car can face tier 3 vehicles and tanks like Pz 2J.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: PzGr.39 (Standard armour piercing) / PzGr.40 (Premium armor piercing composite-rigid)
Damage per shot: 11/11;
Penetration (at 100m): 27 / 46 mm;
Drum loaded magazine, shells in clip: 25;
Time between shots: 0.17s
Drum reload time: 16s;
Gun elevation: -7°/80°;
Aim time: 1.5s;
Dispersion: 0.45;
Muzzle velocity: 780 m/s AP, 1050 m/s APCR;

The 20mm KwK should be quite similar to the MG34 at tier 1. While having longer intraclip time and a smaller magazine size, the clip reload is shorter, furthermore the gun has better penetration and muzzle velocity.

Now let‘s meet the Sd. Kfz 230 family of cars.

Tier 3
Sonderkraftfahrzeug 231 8-rad (8 wheeled) (Sd. Kfz 231 8-rad):

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Historical information:
The poor performances of the first, 6-rad (six wheeled) model led to a complete redesign by Bussing-NAG. The new model was an eight-wheeled vehicle with fully independent steering wheels and a much more powerful engine. When the Sd. Kfz 231 8-rad was first produced in 1937, it was the most advanced armored car in the world. The first series of the car had early models of hull & turret view ports, the front and rear fenders were extended down, as well as the early KwK 30 20 mm autocannon and Mauser MG 13 machine gun. Later series included many minor changes, such as front/rear fenders being extended with an angled upward kink, new vision ports, an armored cowl over the rear engine hatch, and, on some late models, a large folding anti-aircraft machine gun was mounted on the left side of the hull. The original KwK 30 was also replaced by the KwK 38 autocannon, which had a muzzle velocity of 899 m/s.

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Historical specifications:

Armament: Single 20mm KwK 30/38 autocannon on a fully traversable turret;
Gun elevation: -10°/20°;
Crew size: 4;

Armor:
Protects from 7.92mm AP ammunition at ranges further than 30m, 5-18mm all around the car;

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 85.3 km/h;
Backwards: 85.3 km/h (the transmission had 6 forward gears and 6 reverse gears);

Engine: Buessing-NAG L8V/GS (155 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 18.7 hp/t;

Radio: 231 model didn‘t get a radio, later models could have gotten the Fu. Spr. Gr. „A“;

In-game look and its performance:
The Sd. Kfz 231 8-rad is a massive upgrade compared to Sd. Kfz 222. Not only the car is way faster with better mobility, it also gets the KwK 38 autocannon. The most unique fact about the vehicle is the transmission – the car is able to move forwards and reverse backwards at the same speed, paired with 85km/h top speed, the car‘s mobility is unrivaled by anything at its tier.
Furthermore, the KwK 38 will be an overall upgrade over the KwK 30 on the Sd. Kfz 222. The armament will get a much needed penetration increase (which is completely unhistorical, KwK 38 fired the same ammunition as the KwK 30, the only difference was that KwK 38 had higher muzzle velocity over the KwK 30), which will give the car a fighting chance against tier 3 and 4 vehicles. The playstyle of looking for gaps in the enemy defence and shooting at their side/rear armor, however, won‘t change.

Car statistics:
HP: 170;

Speed: Forwards: 85 km/h;
Backwards: 85 km/h;
Weight: 8,3t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 10.5m;

View range: 370m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „A“;
Signal range: 400m;

Mobility:
Engine: First one: Horsch V-8 (75 hp);
Upgraded: Buessing-NAG L8V/GS (155hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: stock 9 hp/t , upgraded 15.6 hp/t;

Armor: 18mm maximum.

Weapons: 20mm KwK 38;

Main armament:
Balancing of the main gun of the car might be controversial. Historical 27mm of penetration KwK 30/38 autocannon had with Pz.Gr 39 armor piercing ammunition is not enough to deal with some tier 2, let alone tier 3 or 4 vehicles. For that reason, the only ammunition the car will get is the Pz. Gr 40 APCR, just to avoid giving the car fake ammunition and to maintain the historical accuracy.

20mm KwK 38:

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: PzGr.40 (Standard armor piercing composite-rigid);
Damage per shot: 11;
Penetration (at 100m): 46 mm;
Drum loaded magazine, shells in clip: 25;
Time between shots: 0.17s
Drum reload time: 13s;
Gun elevation: -10°/20°;
Aim time: 1.5s;
Dispersion: 0.42;
Muzzle velocity: 1050 m/s;

With 46 base penetration, even tanks like Pz 2J aren‘t safe from this gun if the player manages to flank it. Penetration increase will make the gun more comfortable to use against some vehicles frontally, but against tier 4 vehicles even 46mm of penetration will have a hard time penetrating the monstrosities like Matilda or B1, yet again making aggressive playstyle optimal for getting the best results out of the gun. The Sd. Kfz 231 8-rad marks the end of autocannons in the German car line (the only exception being the tier 8 premium).

Now we‘ll take a look at one of the most iconic cars Germans used during WW2:

Tier 4
Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234/2 „Puma“ (Sd. Kfz 234/2 „Puma“)

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Historical information:
This new armored car was seen as a successor to the Sd.Kfz.231 8-rad. Among other priorities, better protection and heavier armament were viewed as crucial for the new armored car. Tatra was placed in charge of the overall design, while Büssing developed the body, Daimler-Benz and Schichau devised a new turret. Three engines were tested, however, in June 1942, priorities changed and the final production machines had a more conventional air-cooled engine, better suited to the Russian front. The vehicle was heavier and bulkier than the Sd.Kfz.231. The turret housed a 50 mm KwK 39/1 L/60, the engine was a Tatra air-cooled V12 diesel, with engine power of 220 hp. The transmission had 6 forward and 6 reverse gears. The turret had a manual traverse due to its small size, and -10° to +20° depression/elevation. Also, a fact worth noting, is that historically the vehicle was never officially known as „Puma“.

Historical specifications:

Armament: 50mm KwK 39/1 on a fully rotating turret
Gun elevation: -10°/20°;
Crew size: 4;

Armor:
5 mm to 30 mm all around the vehicle.

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 80 km/h;
Backwards: 80 km/h;

Engine: Tatra V-12 air cooled (220 hp);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 18.8 hp/t;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Ger. „f“;

In-game look and its performance:
The Sd. Kfz 234/2 „Puma“ will be the first taste of what high tier German cars will be like, boasting quite high caliber guns for their mobility (the tier 10 German car will be the master of this technique). The Puma with its great mobility and decent firepower will be a force to be reckoned with at tier 4. The amazing penetration of the 50mm KwK 39/1 cannon will allow the player to reliably penetrate and deal with any adversary the car can meet. The 50mm gun, however, by having great gun handling and penetration, will sacrifice rate of fire. „Puma“ marks the beginning of German sniper cars.

Car statistics:
HP: 260;

Speed: Forwards: 80 km/h;
Backwards: 80 km/h;
Weight: 11.7t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 14.5m;

View range: 380m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „f“;
Signal range: 550m;

Mobility:
Engine: stock: Buessing-NAG L8V/GS (155hp)
upgraded: Tatra V-12 (220 hp)

Specific power-to-weight ratio: stock: 13.24 hp/t;
upgraded: 18.8 hp/t;

Armor: 5 mm to 30 mm.
Weapons: 50mm KwK 39/1;

Main armament:
50mm KwK 39/1;
Mainly used on tier 3-4 German vehicles, the gun on this car will differ a lot than on its tracked peers. It will get a lot higher base penetration and gun handling statistics, while as a tradeoff sacrificing rate of fire. As aforementioned, the car effectively turns from a flanker to a sniper. The great mobility of the vehicle would allow it to reach key positions of the map, while also allowing it to escape from danger or, ultimately, run rings around stupid heavy tank drivers 😛

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 5 cm Pzgr. 40/1 (Standard APCR) / Stiel-Granate 42 (Premium HEAT) / 5 cm Pzgr. (Stardard HE)
Damage per shot: 70/70/90;
Penetration (at 100m): 116 / 180 / 55 mm;
Rate of fire: 15 RpM
Reload time: 4s;
Gun elevation: -10°/20°;
Aim time: 1.8s;
Dispersion: 0.35;
Muzzle velocity: 1130 m/s APCR, 835 m/s HEAT, 685 m/s HE;

With great standard shell velocity, penetration, great dispersion and adequate damage-per-shot, the Sd. Kfz 234/2 „Puma“ will function as a second line sniper, with active/passive scouting possibilities as the mobility & view range values are great for its tier. All around, the „Puma“ is suited to do any sort of job, but only if it doesn‘t involve tanking hits.

Onto to tier 5, where we‘ll meet an unusual car, that has something that puts it apart from other cars in this list:

Tier 5
Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234/4 (Sd. Kfz 234/4):

Historical information:

By 9th of November 1944, Buessing-NAG had created a drawing for mounting the 7.5cm Pak 40 L/46 on the Sd. Kfz. 234 chassis. While at first it was doubtful whether or not the vehicle would handle such a huge increase in weight, Hitler ordered that the development of Sd. Kfz 234 with 7.5cm Pak 40 had to be accelerated. In 1944 December, the 7.5cm Pak 40 was mounted on Sd. Kfz. 234 chassis, which was originally been prepared for mounting the 7.5cm Kanone 51. The turret has been removed, and a girder frame with side plates formed the base for the weapon at the front. Traverse has been limited to about 20° to left and right, while elevation was about -5/+22. 90 of these vehicles were completed from December 1944 to April 1945.

Historical specifications:

Armament: 7.5cm Pak 40 on a fixed mount. Gun traverse: -20°/20°;
Gun elevation: -5°/22°;
Crew size: 4;

Armor:
5 mm to 30 mm all around the vehicle.

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 80 km/h;
Backwards: 80 km/h;

Engine: Tatra V-12 air cooled (220 hp);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 18.3 hp/t;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Ger. „f“;

In-game look and its performance:
With a fixed gun mounted on a car, the Sd. Kfz 234/4 will only have a single optimal playstyle: sniping at long ranges, where the 40° gun arc will be of most use. However, unlike most other cars in this line, the Sd. Kfz 234/4 is not able to active scout, as it cannot defend itself thanks to the fixed gun mount. The 7.5cm Pak 40, however, will have no troubles dealing with most of the adversaries it can meet. Due to the fixed main armament, the Sd. Kfz 234/4 is not for everybody, and I personally don‘t expect it to be called a keeper.

Car statistics:
HP: 360;

Speed: Forwards: 80 km/h;
Backwards: 80 km/h;
Weight: 12t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 14.5m;

View range: 390m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „f“;
Signal range: 550m;

Mobility:
Engine: stock: Buessing-NAG L8V/GS (155hp)
upgraded: Tatra V-12 (220 hp)

Specific power-to-weight ratio: stock: 12.91 hp/t;
upgraded: 18.3 hp/t;

Armor: 5 mm to 30 mm.
Weapons: 7.5cm Pak 40;

Main armament:
7.5cm Pak 40:
Due to me trying to maintain historical accuracy while designing this line, and the 7.5cm ammunition having relatively low penetration for a tier 5 vehicle (also due to the fact the gun is fixed in place), the 7.5cm Pak 40 statistics will be heavily amplified, and as a premium round, so it can penetrate tanks like T29 or IS, the car will get 7,5 cm Pzgr. 40/42 ammunition. This type of ammunition was mounted on 7,5 cm KwK 42 and 7,5 cm StuK 42 series of weapons, and never on 7.5cm Pak 40. Due to this, the historical accuracy on this car will suffer, but to prevent the car from underperforming, the decision had to be made.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 7,5 cm Pzgr. 40 (Standard APCR) / 7,5 cm Pzgr. 40/42 (Premium APCR) / 7,5 cm Pzgr. 39 (Standard high-penetration HE round, historically APCBC-HE (armor piercing capped ballistic cap – high explosive)
Damage per shot: 130/130/150;
Penetration (at 100m): 126 / 194 / 99 mm;
Rate of fire: 14 RpM
Reload time: 4.3s;
Gun elevation: -5°/20°;
Aim time: 1.8s;
Dispersion: 0.34;
Muzzle velocity: 920 m/s standard APCR, 1120 m/s premium APCR, 740 m/s HE (Or APCBC-HE);

The Sd. Kfz 234/4 will have good armament for its tier (albeit not historical >:c ), with high mobility to get into where it could use it. While it‘s not as universal as the „Puma“ at tier 4, it‘s a lot better at sniping, so we can call this a one-trick pony. While it cannot active scout, it can, however, passive scout, but the main highlight of the car is the gun, so why not use it, besides, if the car gets spotted it can get destroyed quite easily. While the Sd. Kfz 234/4 may not be a keeper for many players due to its awkward fixed armament nature, it‘s going to get a lot better from now on.
Onwards to tier 6, where we get not one, but two German cars:

Tier 6
7.62cm Pak 36(r) auf 5t Zugkraftwagen “Diana” Sd.Kfz.6/3 (late models)
7.62cm FK 296(r) auf 5t Zugkraftwagen Sd.Kfz.6 (early models)
Special name for a special vehicle.

Historical information:
The vehicle was basically a Sd.Kfz.6 with an armored superstructure at the rear, housing captured Soviet 76.2mm M1936 field gun. The gun was designated by the Germans as 76.2mm FK 36(r) / 76.2mm FK 295(r) / 76.2mm Pak 36(r). Conversion took place in 1941 and 9 vehicles were converted. From January to February of 1942, all were issued to 605th Panzerjaegerabteilung serving in North Africa.

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Historical specifications:

Armament: 76.2mm Pak 36(r) on a fixed mount. Gun traverse: -30°/30°;
Gun elevation: -5°/75°
Crew size: 5;

Armor:
Up to 10mm all around

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 50 km/h;
Backwards: ?? (~13) km/h;

Engine: Maybach HL54TUKRM V-6 (115hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 10.95 hp/t;

Radio: ??;

In-game look and its performance:
The „Diana“ will be a very controversial pick. The 7.62cm main armament didn‘t have good penetration (historically 100mm of HEAT penetration at 100m), so I was left with 2 decisions: without any other ammunition to give, I could either: buff the penetration dramatically, but destroying the historical accuracy, or give the car a gun it never had, which wasn‘t the brightest idea ever. I chose the first option, therefore the car would still get historical armament, but the penetration statistics would be altered to prevent the car from underperforming. The ‚Diana“ at tier 6 will have good penetration at the tier, along with great rate of fire and gun handling statistics. To compensate for the great firepower, the „Diana“ will be painfully slow, only able to do 50km/h max with a terrible specific power-to-weight ratio.

Car statistics:
HP: 580;

Speed: Forwards: 50 km/h;
Backwards: 13 km/h;
Weight: 10,5t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 15m;

View range: 390m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „f“;
Signal range: 550m;

Mobility:
Engine: Maybach HL54TUKRM V-6 (115hp)
(Maybe upgradable to Buessing-NAG L8V/GS (155hp), but not historical)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 10.95 hp/t;

Armor: 10mm max
Weapons: 7.62mm Pak 36(r)

Main armament:
7.62cm Pak 36(r)
The highlight of the car, the Pak 36(r) is basically a captured 7.62mm M1936 Soviet field gun, converted to use German 7.62cm ammunition. Main standard ammunition will be 7,62 cm Pzgr. 39 rot, historically APCBC-HE. These rounds were basically APCBC shells with HE core, they did higher damage than normal AP rounds, but due to a small amount of HE filling in the core, it doesn‘t do as much damage as normal HE shells if they penetrate.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 7,62 cm Pzgr. 39 rot (Standard AP (APCBC-HE in nature, will have higher alpha damage)) / Gr. 38 HL/C (Premium HEAT)
Damage per shot: 150/135;
Penetration (at 100m): 160 / 210 mm;
Rate of fire: 17 RpM;
Reload time: 3.5s;
Gun elevation: -5°/75°;
Aim time: 1.7s;
Dispersion: 0.33;
Muzzle velocity: 720 m/s AP, 450 m/s HEAT;

While the „Diana“ ‘s platform itself isn‘t good, the great main armament makes up for it. Coupled with a great gun arc of 60°, amazing RoF and gun handling statistics, the car should be enjoyable for those who prefer passive sniping over an active playstyle. The other tier 6 car, however, is more suited for those who prefer having a turret.

7.5 cm Kanone L/41 auf Zugkraftwagen 5t (HKP 902)

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Historical information:
Development began in 1936 when Büssing-NAG was given a contract to develop an advanced half-track chassis with a rear-mounted engine specifically designed for use as a tank destroyer. Four prototypes of the HKP 902 chassis were built, two of which had Rheinmetall-Borsig’s 7.5 centimetre L/40.8 gun mounted in an open-topped, low-profile turret. The gun could depress 8° and elevate 20°. The armor protection was 20mm max. It was reported that one vehicle was lost after knocking out three tanks.

Historical specifications:

Armament: 7.5cm Kanone L/41
Gun elevation: -8°/20°;
Crew size: 4;

Armor:
20mm at the front, 14.5-10mm side, 10 mm in the rear.
Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 50 km/h;
Backwards: 13 km/h;

Engine: Maybach HL 45 V-6 (150 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 13.63 hp/t;

Radio: ??;

In-game look and its performance:
7.5 cm Kanone L/41 auf Zugkraftwagen 5t, to which I‘ll refer by HKP 902 from now on, in tier 6 will be a different package than the „Diana“. Whereas „Diana“ gets RoF, HKP 902 will get good penetration values, and that‘s where the „unhistoricalness“ starts again. 7.5 cm Kanone L/41 was an early prototype design, and it had around 66 penetration at a 100m distance. Such values on a tier 6 car are not suitable, therefore I‘ll give it the ammunition of 7.5cm Pak 41, the last development of the 7.5cm Pak series. However, there are downsides to the ammunition it uses, the APCNR. It‘s squeeze-bore ammunition, which means that while it is 7.5cm in caliber, after it was fired it would turn into a 5.5cm shell, albeit with much higher penetration and shell velocity.

Car statistics:
HP: 580;

Speed: Forwards: 50 km/h;
Backwards: 13 km/h;
Weight: 11t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 15m;

View range: 390m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „f“;
Signal range: 550m;

Mobility:
Engine: Maybach HL 45 V-6 (150hp)
(Maybe upgradable to Tatra V-12, but, yet again, not historical)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 13.63 hp/t;

Armor: 20mm max;
Weapons: 7.5cm Kanone L/41;

Main armament:
7.5cm Kanone L/41 (7.5cm Pak 41)
Due to lack of information on the historical armament of HKP 902, I‘ll be „replacing“ the Kanone L/41 with Pak 41, just to prevent the car from underperforming at tier 6. The Pak 41 utilizes German squeeze-bore principle, so the alpha damage of the cannon will be very low, but with great penetration and muzzle velocity. Furthermore, the gun will get amazing gun handling statistics, effectively making this a sniper.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 7,5 cm Pzgr. Patr. 41 (HK) (Standard APCR (APCNR historically (Armor piercing composite non-rigid)));
Damage per shot: 110;
Penetration (at 100m): 198;
Rate of fire: 16 RpM;
Reload time: 3.75s;
Gun elevation: -8°/20°;
Aim time: 1.7s;
Dispersion: 0.3;
Muzzle velocity: 1220 m/s;

Just like the „Diana“, the mobility of the car is far from perfect, but it makes up for it by getting a very good main armament. With great penetration and accuracy, just like the „Diana“, the HKP 902 will specialize in sniping from afar, where the great muzzle velocity and accuracy really makes the car really shine.

On to tier 7.

Tier 7
Sd. Kfz 8 mit 8.8 cm Flak 37

View post on imgur.com

Historical information:
In 1939, an order was placed by the Waffenamt to build 10 8.8cm Flak 18 auf Zgkw 12t. The vehicle was a Sd.Kfz 8 halftrack mounted with an armored cab and a platform to mount an 88mm cannon. The gun itself had limited traverse because of the low armored cab and could only be fully traversed with the gun elevated. These vehicles were to act as heavy anti-tank vehicles to also be used against fortified positions. First 10 vehicles were delivered in 1939 and were used by 8th Schwere Panzerjaegerabteilung during the Polish and French campaign in 1939-1940.

Worth mentioning, the gun in the photo is the 8.8cm Flak 18, in-game the car will get the Flak 37;

Historical specifications:

Armament: 8.8cm Flak 37;
Gun elevation: -3°/+85°;
Crew size: 9;

Armor: 8 mm to 14.5 mm:

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 50 km/h;
Backwards: 13 km/h;

Engine: Maybach HL85TUKRM V-12 (185hp);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 9.25 hp/t;

Radio: ??;

In-game look and its performance:
Sd. Kfz 8 is the first German car to be equiped with the German 8.8cm gun. The general playstyle of the car will be similar to that on the „Diana“ in tier 6 or the German Waffenträger line. The Sd. Kfz. 8 is the definition of a second line sniper: quite slow, with a punchy gun and terrible armor protection. All around, the car won‘t be the most memorable out of the line, and I expect many people to skip it.

Car statistics:
HP: 800;

Speed: Forwards: 50 km/h;
Backwards: 13 km/h;
Weight: 20t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 17m;

View range: 400m;

Radio: FuG Spr. A
Signal range: 700m;

Mobility:
Engine: Maybach HL85TUKRM V-12 (185hp);
(Could possibly be upgraded to Tatra V-12, not historical);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 9.25 hp/t;

Armor: 14.5mm max;
Weapons: 8.8cm Flak 37;

Main armament:
8.8cm Flak 37;
Flak 37 will have lower penetration than other 8.8cm guns at the tier, but will profit from higher accuracy, DPM, aiming time and shell velocity. As Flak 37 is an AA gun, it doesn‘t do particularly well against armor, so I‘ll add AP ammunition from Flak 41 (not a historical choice, but adds a fighting capability against higher tier vehicles).

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 8,8 cm Pzgr 40 (Standard APCR) / 8,8 cm Pzgr. 39-1 (Premium AP)
Damage per shot: 240/240;
Penetration (at 100m): 171/194 mm;
Rate of fire: 9.5 RpM;
Reload time: 6.32s;
Gun elevation: -3°/85°;
Aim time: 1.6s;
Dispersion: 0.32;
Muzzle velocity: 930 m/s standard APCR / 980 m/s premium AP

The Sd. Kfz 8‘s main armament does suffer from bad penetration, but it gets high DPM and gun handling statistics in return. The car is not very mobile, therefore more suited for long ranged engagements. This sort of playstyle doesn‘t change with the introduction of tier 8 car either.

Tier 8
Sd.Kfz.251 mit 8,8cm Pak 43

This picture is supposed to be Sd. Kfz 251 with an early 8.8cm Pak 43 model according to some sources, but others claim this is a 7.5cm Pak 40 gun.

Getting information about this particular car is nearly impossible, as only one prototype ever existed.

Historical information:
Germans tried to mount the 8.8cm Pak 43 weapon on the Sd. Kfz 251 chassis and presented it to Hitler. However, due to the heavy weight of the gun, the chassis was overloaded and it remained in prototype stage.

Historical specifications:
Armament: 8.8cm Pak 43;
Gun elevation: -3°/+40° to the front, -8/40 to the sides and rear;
Crew size: ? (probably 7 or 8, 2 for controlling the chassis and 5-6 for operating the main armament);
Armor: 6-14mm;

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 53 km/h;
Backwards: ?? km/h;

Engine: Maybach HL 42 V-6 (100 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 8.47 hp/t;

Radio: ??;

In-game look and its performance:
The last of the slow sniper cars. The Sd. Kfz 251 mit 8.8cm Pak 43 will be the slowest of any car in the line, thanks to terrible specific power-to-weight value. However, the main armament of the car is phenomenally good. With good penetration APCR as standard ammunition, unrivaled gun handling values at the tier and insane DPM, this is the epitome of second line sniper playstyle.

Car statistics:
HP: 1050;

Speed: Forwards: 53 km/h;
Backwards: 13 km/h;
Weight: 11.8t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 18m;

View range: 400m;

Radio: FuG Spr. A
Signal range: 700m;

Mobility:
Engine: Maybach HL 42 V-6 (100 hp)
(Maybe upgradable to Tatra V-12)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 8.47 hp/t;

Armor: 14mm max;
Weapons: 8.8cm Pak 43;

Main armament:
8.8cm Pak 43:
With APCR ammunition standard, very high accuracy and DPM, the Pak 43 is made for sniping. It will have a similar playstyle to that on the Rhm. Borsig WT, albeit it doesn‘t have a gun that big. What is also unique about the gun is its ammunition, it has standard APCR and AP. What sets them apart is that the Pzgr 39/43 AP round historically was designated as APCBC-HE, which had higher lethality when it penetrates.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 8,8 cm Pzgr. 40/43 (Standard APCR) / Pzgr 39/43 (Standard AP round)
Damage per shot: 240/280;
Penetration (at 100m): 238/202 mm;
Rate of fire: 10 RpM;
Reload time: 6s;
Gun elevation: -3°/+40° to the front, -8/40 to the sides and rear;
Aim time: 1.6s;
Dispersion: 0.29;
Muzzle velocity: 1030 m/s standard APCR / 1000 m/s standard AP

All around, the Sd. Kfz 251 mit 8.8 Pak 43 is an amazing tier 8 car, which sacrifices almost all of its speed to get an amazing armament for the tier. But if you thought that these vehicles were unique, you haven‘t seen anything yet. It‘s time to enter the high tiers, where the king of armored cars, the Radpanzer, reigns upon his throne.

DISCLAIMER: Before we take a look at the top tiers, let me clarify that there were no other cold war German cars that I could possibly put at tiers 9-10. Due to 1980s design and modern armament, it‘s really hard to balance these vehicles, while maintaining historical accuracy.

Tier 9
Radpanzer 90 with 105mm gun

View post on imgur.com

Historical information: Until the middle of the 80s it was believed by technicians that it was impossible to build a wheeled fighting vehicle which exceeded a total weight of 20t. It was said that with tanks like the Spähpanzer 2 Luchs (19t total weight) or the Transportpanzer 1 Fuchs (16,4t total weight) the limits were reached.
With that in mind Daimler-Benz developed and tested a 32t heavy 8×8 experimental vehicle.The vehicle was 6,95m long, 2,99m wide, 1,74m high and was powered with a 610 kW OM 444 LA diesel engine. The top speed was 110 km/h. The results of the study verified that wheeled fighting vehicles can be a cheap and powerful alternative to tracked vehicles. Thanks to the study the concept of a wheeled tank destroyer with a 105mm or 120mm gun and a turret weight of 10,5t to 14,5t seemed possible. Because of poor funding the project was canceled in the 90s. The newly achieved experience was used for the development of other wheeled fighting vehicles like the GTK and Boxer. Only a single prototype exists and is on exhibition on Koblentz Military technic study collection, the prototype was only “for-show”.

Historical specifications:
Armament: 105 or 120mm gun (The car was designed at about the same time Leopard 2 was introduced into service, so I‘m guessing that the 105mm gun was the British L7A3, and the 120mm gun was the Rheinmetall L/44, which is mounted on the Leopard 2 MBT);
Gun elevation: -3°/+40° to the front, -8/40 to the sides and rear;
Crew size: ? (probably 7 or 8, 2 as the chassis driver and commander with 5-6 operating the main armament);
Armor: 6-14mm;

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 110 km/h;
Backwards: ~20 km/h;

Engine: V-12 Dieselmotor DB OM 444LA (830 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 26 hp/t;

Radio: ??;

In-game look and its performance:
Not only extremely fast and mobile, the Radpanzer gets an extremely powerful cannon for the tier – the 105mm L7A3 rifled gun, which is found on tanks like Leopard 1. Furthermore, the Radpanzer will have some armor – it gets the Leopard 1A3 turret. The Radpanzer will function as a sniper or support vehicle in-game. Due to advanced modern fire control systems, it gets very good gun handling, along with a powerful gun. This is the epitome of German armored car engineering – very mobile and somewhat armored platform with a big and punchy gun.

Car statistics:
HP: 1500;

Speed: Forwards: 110 km/h;
Backwards: 20 km/h;
Weight: 30.7t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 12m;

View range: 410m;

Radio: SEM 25A
Signal range: 750m;

Mobility:
Engine: V-12 Dieselmotor DB OM 444LA (830 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 26 hp/t;

Armor: ???; (turret should be the thickest part of the armor, in that case Leopard 1A3 turret had double armor protection than previous Leopard versions, so it should be about 110mm maximum (possibly))
Main armament: 105mm L7A3 rifled gun;

Main armament:
105mm L7A3 cannon:
Extremely accurate, powerful and able to penetrate almost anything it meets. If players endured the grind through tiers 1-8 they are rewarded with this monster of a car. It‘s really hard to balance tier 9 and 10 out, since I seek to make my line as historical as possible, but if I did, these tanks would be OP, if they‘re not OP already.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: L36A1 APDS-T (Standard APCR) / DM23 APFSDS-T (Premium APCR) / OFUM PH 105F1 HE-T (Standard HESH)
Damage per shot: 390/390/480;
Penetration (at 100m): 270/390/150 mm;
Rate of fire: 6 RpM;
Reload time: 10s;
Gun elevation: -8°/30°;
Aim time: 1.5s;
Dispersion: 0.27;
Muzzle velocity: 1480 m/s standard APCR / 1455 m/s Premium APCR / 695m/s Standard HESH

Amazing vehicle all around. Great mobility, speed and gun. But if you thought this was magnificent, you haven‘t seen the tier 10, king of them all.

Tier 10
Radpanzer 90 with 120mm gun

I don‘t even need to add historical information or photos. This is the same vehicle as the tier 9, just with a 120mm Rheinmetall L/44 gun equipped, the gun of Leopard 2 MBT.

In-game look and its performance:
King of them all. The Radpanzer 90 with 120mm Rheinmetall L/44 will have little to no trouble penetrating anything it meets, thanks to that 120mm L/44 cannon.
Also, thanks to modern fire control systems, it will be one of the most accurate guns in the game, effectively making the role of a sniper the most preferred one. Even with quite heavy weight for a car, it‘s a very mobile and fast vehicle (not as fast as the tier 9 Radpanzer 90, due to much heavier armament, but it still is very quick).

Car statistics:
HP: 1700;

Speed: Forwards: 110 km/h;
Backwards: 20 km/h;
Weight: 33.9t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 12m;

View range: 420m;

Radio: SEM 25A
Signal range: 750m;

Mobility:
Engine: V-12 Dieselmotor DB OM 444LA (830 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 24.4 hp/t;

Armor: ???; (turret should be the thickest part of the armor, in that case Leopard 1A3 turret had double armor protection than previous versions, so it should be about 110mm maximum (possibly))
Weapons: 120mm Rheinmetall L/44 smoothbore gun;

Main armament:
120mm Rheinmetall L/44 smoothbore:
It was a pain to make this gun not OP. As it is mounted on MBTs like Leopard 2, it effectively gets ~800mm of penetration with its worst ammunition.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 120mm DM13 APFSDS (Standard APCR) / 120mm DM23 APFSDS-T (Premium APCR) / 120mm DM11 HE-T (Standard HESH)
Damage per shot: 400/400/515;
Penetration (at 100m): 350/450/200 mm;
Rate of fire: 7 RpM;
Reload time: 8.57s;
Gun elevation: -8°/30°;
Aim time: 1.3s;
Dispersion: 0.23;
Muzzle velocity: 1650 m/s standard APCR / 1650 m/s Premium APCR / 980 m/s Standard HESH

It is safe to acknowledge that the Radpanzers at tier 9-10 are OP. But due to these being 1980s designs, and me trying to make these cars as historical as possible, it‘s unavoidable.

This concludes the standard vehicle line. Now presenting the 2 premium vehicles.

Tier 5 premium car
7.5cm Selbstfahrlafette L/40.8 modell 1

Historical information:
In 1934, Waffenamt ordered a new anti-tank gun from Rheinmetall-Borsig, which was to be mounted on an armored Bussing-NAG halftrack. Starting in 1935, three prototypes of Modell 1, which varied in height, width and length were built in next few years.

In 1936/38, a new variant of the gun with a muzzle brake was mounted and improvements were made – Modell 2. Modell 2 awfully resembles HKP 902 at tier 6, and some sources claim that either HPK was a further development of the modell 2, or modell 2 was the HKP 902.

Historical specifications:
Armament: 7.5cm Kanone L/40.8
Gun elevation: -8°/+20°;
Crew size: 4;
Armor: 8-20mm;

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 60km/h;
Backwards: ?? km/h;

Engine: ?? (Most likely Maybach HL 45 V-6 (150hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 25 hp/t;

Radio: ??;
In-game look and its performance:
The Selbstfahrlafette modell 1 at tier 5 will be a unique vehicle, mainly due to it being very mobile with a special main armament. It‘s fast enough to get into key positions of the map and use its 7.5cm Kanone L/40.8 to the fullest extent. Unlike most mid-tier standard car line vehicles that specialize in sniping, this car will benefit the most from close range engagements, where the mediocre penetration of the car will be of most use.

Car statistics:
HP: 330;

Speed: Forwards: 60 km/h;
Backwards: 20 km/h;
Weight: 6t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 10,5m;

View range: 380m;

Radio: Fu. Spr. Gr. „f“;
Signal range: 550m;

Mobility: Maybach HL 45 V-6 (150hp)
Engine: Specific power-to-weight ratio: 25hp/t;

Armor: 8-20mm;
Weapons: 7.5cm Kanone L/40.8

Main armament:
7.5cm Kanone L/40.8:
What makes the gun unique is its ammunition choices. The standard ammunition, the 7.5cm K.Gr.Rot. Pz. is an APCBC-HE shell, which means it does more alpha damage than normal AP shells, albeit the shell has lower penetration (in-game). I‘ll break the historical accuracy a little by giving it 7,5 cm Pzgr. 40/42 (KwK 42 shell) shell as a premium, to increase the penetration so the car can contest the armor of tanks like T29 and O-Ni.

In-game statistics: 7.5cm K.Gr.Rot. Pz. (Standard AP), 7,5 cm Pzgr. 40/42 (Premium APCR)/ 7.5cm Spenggranate (Standard HE)
Ammunition: Damage per shot: 170/135/175
Penetration (at 100m): 115/194/40 mm;
Rate of fire: 14 RpM;
Reload time: 4.29s;
Gun elevation: -8°/20°;
Aim time: 1.8s;
Dispersion: 0.35;
Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s standard AP/ 1120 m/s Premium APCR / 485m/s Standard HE;

With an AP shell that does 170 alpha damage, albeit with low penetration, the car will be an unique vehicle for the tier, able to do massive amounts of damage if used correctly. A mobile platform and a good main armament makes the Selbstfahrlafette modell 1 a unique tier 5 premium car.

On to the last car in this proposal.

Tier 8
Spähpanzer Luchs

Historical information:
In the mid 1960’s the former West Germany issued a requirement for a wheeled reconnaissance vehicle. Two prototypes were developed, each from two different manufacturers, with Daimler-Benz’s prototype being selected. The car was developed by Daimler-Benz between 1968 and 1975 to replace already outdated M41 Walker Bulldog and Schützenpanzer SPz 11-2 Kurz armored reconnaisance vehicles. One of the main features is the capability of moving forwards and backwards at the same speed (90 km/h). The vehicle hull is made from rolled steel plates and protects against 20mm projectiles frontally. The main armament is a 20mm autocannon. Also worth noting is that the vehicle was amphibious (implement that WG). It was replaced by the Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen (LGS) Fennek.

Historical specifications:
Armament: 20mm Rheinmetall Rh 202;

Gun elevation: -15°/+69°;
Crew size: 4;
Armor: Impervious to 20mm ammunition frontally;

Mobility characteristics:
Top speed: Forwards: 90 km/h;
Backwards: 90 km/h;

Engine: Daimler-Benz OM403A (390 hp)
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 19.5 hp/t;
Radio: AN/GRC 9;
Signal range: 10-20 miles (16-32 km)

In-game look and its performance:
What makes the Luchs unique is not only amazing mobility of the platform, but the 20mm Rheinmetall autocannon. This is the only autocannon in tier 5+ that the players will be able to meet. Playstyle wise, the Spähpanzer Luchs won‘t be too far off the tier 4 German namesake of the Spähpanzer Luchs, the Panzerkampfwagen 2 Luchs. It will be able to get into positions, look for isolated enemies and run rings around them while unloading.

Car statistics:
HP: 1000;

Speed: Forwards: 90 km/h;
Backwards: 90 km/h;
Weight: 20t;
Turning circle (distance required for the car to make a 180° turn): 5.5m;

View range: 400m;

Radio: : AN/GRC 9;
Signal range: 800m;

Mobility:
Engine: Daimler -Benz OM403A (390 hp);
Specific power-to-weight ratio: 25hp/t;

Armor: 70-80mm max;
Weapons: 20mm Rheinmetall Rh 202;

Main armament:
20mm Rheinmetall Rh 202:
With a 25 round clip which results in potential damage of 1000 and decent penetration values, the Spähpanzer Luchs will be a feared vehicle in tier 8 matchmaking. Combined with a decent gun handling, great muzzle velocity and good gun depression, the Spähpanzer Luchs is a great package for those who enjoy pubbing in their Panzerkampfwagen 2 Luchs.

In-game statistics:
Ammunition: 20mm DM43 API-T (Standard APCR) / 20mm DM63 APDS-T (Premium APCR) / DM81 HE-I-T (Standard HE)
Damage per shot: 40/40/70
Penetration (at 100m): 170/210/100 mm;
Drum loaded magazine, shells in clip: 25;
Time between shots: 0.2s
Drum reload time: 25s;
Gun elevation: -15°/69°;
Aim time: 1.7s;
Dispersion: 0.35;
Muzzle velocity: 1100 m/s Standard APCR/ 1150 m/s Premium APCR / 1100 m/s Standard HE;

And this concludes the German armored car proposal. While some vehicles might be a bit too good for their tiers, I tried to maintain historical accuracy while also not breaking the balance of the game (something WG already destroyed). It was fun writing this, and watch out for the next armored car proposal 😉 Long live the Queen!

Big thanks to everyone at TAP discord, and thank you for reading TAP.
Until next time.