- For the Steel Division II unit see SD2:Crocodile
Crocodile is a British Support unit. The heavily armoured tank sports both a 75mm gun and a flamethrower, giving it a somewhat unique role. Cladded in armour, it can engage infantry as well as vehicles from long range, and poses a terrifying threat for enemy infantry at close range.
Strategy[ | ]
The crocodile shines in urban areas, where its flamethrower can instantly flush out infantry out of occupied buildings. It is a survivable vehicle that will withstand artillery and bomb strikes, tactics often employed in urban combat.
The tank however is not limited to burning buildings. Sporting a standard QF 75mm similar to the Sherman, Cromwell and other Allied medium tanks, the crocodile can also engage soft and hard targets on open terrain at normal combat ranges. Here the tank benefits from its tough armour, which is immune to a wide range of German anti-tank guns and medium tanks at maximum distance. The ability to return fire gives the Crocodile an edge over its cousin the AVRE.
Usefullness[ | ]
The weapon "Ammo_Flamethrower_Vehicule" is used by all flamethrower vehicles (only three: Crocodile, Flammpz. Sd.Kfz. 251/16 and Flammpz. B2(f)) and has an aim time of 1.0 seconds and can fire every 5.0 seconds. Its maximum range is 260m, but there is a minimum range of 40m!
The problem is the turret this weapon is mounted on on the Crocodile! It has a somewhat limited range of swinging around. In case the target is outside this cone, the entire tank needs to turn. This is so slow, that the infantry can easily outrun it! Should you orient your Crocodile towards the direction you expect the next target to be, make sure to keep it oriented that way, else the tank will auto-orient itself with its front towards the biggest reconnoitered threat!
Whereas the Flammpz. Sd.Kfz. 251/16 is not only very agile, it also has two Flamethrower weapons, mounted at both sides of the vehicle being able to traverse about 100°, the Crocodile cannot be used recklessly. Its flamethrower can barely be used at all!
Overview[ | ]
The ultimate incarnation of the infantry tank concept, the first version of the tank was designed with the expectation that fighting in Europe would be similar to the trench warfare of World War I. The A20, as it was designated, was quickly retired after the Dunkirk Evacuation, with the new specifications for an A22 infantry tank given to Vauxhall in June 1940. Fearing a Nazi invasion, the War Office specified that the design enter production within a year. And it did: The first Churchills rolled off the production line in July 1941.
The rapid pace of development resulted in many flaws and shortcomings, primarily caused by an underpowered engine and a weak 2-pounder gun mounted in the turret, somewhat compensated by a 3-inch howitzer mounted in the hull. Further iterations on the design eliminated many of them, with the Churchill Mk III finally proving itself in combat at the second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. Subsequent versions became the basis for several specialized variants and an indispensable part of Allied combat units, as they combined protection with maneuverability: The Churchill wasn't fast, but its suspension and all-around tracks allowed it to climb slopes other tanks could not.
The Churchill Crocodile was a British flame-throwing tank of late Second World War. It was a variant of the Tank, Infantry, Mk VI (A22) Churchill VII, although the Churchill Mark IV was initially chosen to be the base vehicle. It was introduced as one of the specialized armored vehicles developed under Major-General Percy Hobart, informally known as "Hobart's Funnies". It was produced from October 1943, in time for the Normandy invasion. Used by units of the 79th Armoured Division in concert with the Churchill AVRE, and other Funnies, the flamethrower tank was an effective assault weapon whose threat could induce enemy troops to retreat or surrender. However, it was a specialized weapon limited by the short range of its flamethrower. On the other hand, it was used so successfully against bunkers that many surrendered after the first ranging shots.
- Use
The first regiment of Churchill Crocodile to serve in the Normandy Campaign was 141st RAC. 141st RAC was created from the 7th Battalion Royal East Kent Regiment. This regiment supported American and British forces during the Normandy Campaign in troop sized units. 31st Tank Brigade which 141st RAC was subordinate of were converted to Churchill Crocodile and served under the 79th Armored Division. The other two Regiments that were converted to Churchill Crocodile was 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and 7th Royal Tank Regiment.
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