Knightsword21 (talk | contribs) No edit summary Tag: Visual edit |
|||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
'''{{pagename nd}}''' is a Soviet Union Tank unit in ''Steel Division II''. |
'''{{pagename nd}}''' is a Soviet Union Tank unit in ''Steel Division II''. |
||
==Background== |
==Background== |
||
| + | {{transcludesection|Panzer III|su76i}} |
||
| + | |||
==Strategy== |
==Strategy== |
||
{{strategy}} |
{{strategy}} |
||
Revision as of 17:13, 24 November 2021
SU-76i is a Soviet Union Tank unit in Steel Division II.
Background
A large number of Panzer III tanks and StuG III assault guns was captured after the Battle of Stalingrad. As the vehicles were in good shape, the Red Army elected to recycle them to fill out its depleted inventory of armored fighting vehicles. Two hundred vehicles were sent to Factory No. 37 at Sverdlovsk for conversion. The original suspension and Maybach engine were retained, but the main weapons were replaced by an S-1 76.2mm tank gun mounted in a casemate on top of the vehicle. Several modifications were added to help the vehicle survive the harsh winters and make them more comfortable for Soviet tankers.
The conversions began arriving in frontline units in autumn of 1943, designated SU-76i (innostraya, foreign), 181 regular vehicles and 20 command variants. They performed well and were well-liked by their crews, and several surviving vehicles were retained for training purposes after the conversions were replaced by purpose-built casemated tank destroyers and guns. Retaining these vehicles is notable, as most captured equipment was immediately sent for scrapping once it broke down.