TD M10A1 is a French Anti-tank unit. It is a staple anti-tank unit in the French division and is the main way of dealing with threats that the weaker Canon 57mm and the Char M4A2 cannot handle. They remain the most powerful and numerous French AT unit in phase B and phase C (though the elite Char M4A3(76) sports an equally powerful gun).
Overview[]
The battle of France saw the birth of Blitzkrieg when German tanks were employed in an offensive role en masse for the first time. US tank doctrine envisioned mass enemy armored thrusts piercing through front lines, and to combat this perceived threat they called for a fast, well-armed tank destroyer that could react to such an attack. The M10 was one of the first tank destroyer models introduced into U.S. service after its entry into World War II. It combined a Sherman chassis with the 3-inch M7 anti-aircraft gun mounted on an open-top turret. To be fast, it had to sacrifice armor. The combination of an open top and thin armor made the tank destroyer vulnerable to German anti-tank weaponry, but especially small arms and artillery. Advantages of an open top included ease of communication, a quick way to get out of the tank when hit and great visibility, helping crew members spot tanks from afar.
The destroyer, formally designated 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10, was developed by the Fisher Body division of General Motors and Ford Motor Company in early 1942. It mated a modified M4A2 (M4A3 in M10A1 models) Sherman chassis with the M7 76.2mm gun in a rotating turret. It was a reliable and powerful weapon during its production run from September 1942 to December 1943. Although its main gun was eventually found to be ineffective against heavier German tanks such as the Panther. The kind of battlefield that bare witness to massed armoured attacks as envisioned by US tank doctrine was never fully realised and the tank destroyer often fulfilled the role of direct and indirect fire support. While the M10 TD had its shortcomings, tank destroyer battalions equipped with the Wolverine still caused many German armour losses. It proved to be a potent general support unit pressed into many roles.
The nearly 6,500 M10s produced remained in service until the end of the war. A further 1648 vehicles were supplied to the United Kingdom, which converted 1017 of them into the 17-pdr armed Achilles. Around 200 Wolverines were also supplied to the Free French army.
- Use
Unlike their American Counterparts who had their Anti-Tank Battalions attached, 2e Blindée had their Anti-Tank element Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins was organic to their division. Sub-lieutenant Philippe de Gaulle son of the General Charles de Gaulle served with the Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins.
Strategy[]
The TD is a stock AT unit in the French division, and large quantities of it are available in phase B and phase C. They are counted upon to defeat armoured threats that prove invulnerable to the weaker Canon 57mm and the standard Sherman gun, but these tank destroyers will still struggle against heavy German armour. Indeed, the French must mainly capitalise on its powerful early game units and then try to hold their ground in phase B and phase C against increasingly powerful foes.
One TD is available in phase A, and it is the sole French unit boasting 1200 firing range in this stage. This TD is needed to fend off armoured threats halting the powerful French advance, and is especially useful against the Beute Cromwell and poses a threat to the dangerous Beute Firefly. In addition, it also fires HE shells.
The French rely solely on the M10 for maximum anti-tank power in phase B, and this is where their struggles begin, faced with German Panthers amongst others. All other anti-tank units only have 1000m range, a significant disadvantage. Nevertheless, the French benefit from a high income and can overcome this obstacle by numerical superiority.
The introduction of one elite Char M4A3(76) in phase C boasts the firepower of the French, but it is still the M10A1 that is counted upon to deal with armoured threats.
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