SD:Marder III M

 is a German Anti-tank unit. It is in essence a Pak 40 mounted on an open-top Panzer 38(t) chassis (a design of Czech origin), making it a mobile gun carriage that packs a punch but is incredibly vulnerable to any form of enemy fire. The Marder series consisted of using obsolete Panzer chassis to use as a carriage for the potent Pak 40 gun, which in 1942 was heavily depended upon to combat Soviet medium & heavy tanks on the Eastern front.
 * Marder I: Pak 40 mounted on the French Lorraine chassis (artillery tractor / APC)
 * marder II: Pak 40 mounted on the Panzer II chassis
 * Marder III: Pak 40 mounted on the Panzer 38(t) chassis

Overview
While the Germans managed to defeat various Soviet armies with tactics, air support and training, the need for a more powerful gun was apparent as soon as the first German troops encountered the T34 and the KV-1. Amongst other solutions to quickly upgrade German forces was the Marder series, a series of Pak 40s mounted on obsolete chassis. production of Marders started in 1942 and they saw service on the Eastern front as well as the Western front.

It was respected for its firepower, though its armour was insufficiently thick and its main weakness was its survivability. As an open-top vehicle, it suffered from weather conditions as well as possible attacks from small arms, machine guns and artillery. Furthermore, Marders had a high silhouette and was more prone to being detected and hit.

Strategy
The Marder IIIM (or all Marders, for that matter) is NOT a tank destroyer. It cannot withstand any punishment from enemy tank fire and should be regarded and treated as an anti-tank gun on wheels - a less survivable one at that.

The Marder IIIM should mainly benefit from its 1200m range in engaging units that cannot fire at that range. In addition to being an anti-tank unit, it also has the capability to fire HE shells against soft targets. Unfortunately, Marders fielded in the game are inexperienced and this makes them a hard-hitting glass cannon that may need a few shots to take down an enemy.

The Marder IIIM is basically vulnerable to everything that lands in its proximity: artillery, tank / gun fire but especially airpower. One bombing run by ,for example, a heavy B-26B Marauder bomber will without fail destroy a Marder IIIM - and this will happen, as the Marder is a lucrative high-value thinly armoured target for Allied airborne divison players. The AT unit is thus best committed in skies not dominated by Allied aircraft.