An S35 Beutepanzer with Balkenkreuze and improvised.
SOMUA S35 was one of the best French tanks available in 1940. Following Falle Gelb and Rot, large numbers of these tanks were seized and pressed into service by Germany.
Background[ | ]
A French-designed medium tank, the SOMUA S35 was the finest armored fighting vehicle the French Army possessed in 1940. Introduced in 1936, it had a crew of three, and carried the SA 35 L/27 47mm main gun and one MAC 31 7.5mm machine gun, with a cast armored hull and respectable engine power. It was superior to German tanks during the Fall of France, but strategic mistakes committed by the French command nullified this excellent cavalry tank's advantages.
Due to deficiencies in industrial capacity, Germany was forced to press captured enemy materiel and vehicles into service, from cars to tanks. Captured S35 were allocated to Wehrmacht divisions, serving on both the Western and the Eastern fronts. Designated Panzerkampfwagen 35-S 739(f), they received a number of modifications and proved to be an effective tool, though rapidly outclassed by newer designs.
Variants[ | ]
Panzer 35S(f)[ | ]
One third of Panzer-Regiment 22 of 21. PanzerdivisionSD2 was equipped with Panzer 35S(f) before the Normandy Landing. These crews were sent to the rear to Panzer training camp in Mailly-le-Camp to retrain to Panzer IV. In game these crews never fought with their Panzer 35S(f) but for gameplay and diversity reasons Eugen Systems shown the 21. Panzer in their June 1 composition if they had sent everything against the Normandy Invasion. Either Sicherungs-Regiment 1000 or 1010 had Panzer company that defended Melun with Panzer 35S(f).
- Panzer 35S(f) (SD2): The basic variant.
- Bef. Panzer 35S(f) (SD2): A commander's tank.
- S35 PK: A variant of the Panzer 35S(f), designed for use by a platoon commander. Two SOMUA S35 tanks were used in the Hungarian 101st Independent Tank Company in counter-partisan warfare.