Wolverine is a British Anti-tank unit, available from Phase B onwards. With more than 6000 vehicles built, it constituted the bulk of the mainstay US tank destroyer force in much of the war. The 3-inch M7 gun it used (based on an anti-aircraft gun) was found wanting against the new Panther tank and the Wolverine was replaced by the M18 Hellcat and the upgunned M36 tank destroyer near the end of the war.
The nickname 'Wolverine' was never actually used by troops. It is likely a postwar invention. American soldiers usually referred to it by the term 'TD'.
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.
Strategy[ | ]
The M10's gun is respectable, capable of penetrating most German tanks from 1200m range. It can also engage soft targets with acceptable HE shells. Furthermore, its 8 sloped frontal armour is quite good for a mobile tank destroyer. Still, prolonged engagements where hits increasingly get more accurate are likely to end up poorly for the Wolverine.
The wolverine's gun is inadequate against more potent German tanks such as the Panther and the Tiger and frontal confrontation is not advisable. When facing these tanks, the Wolverine should engage only when it can land a side shot. Preferably, the Panther or TIger also should be panicked, facing another unit / turned elsewhere or both.
