Tactics of the game on Fri ferdinand. The most famous German self-propelled artillery unit “Ferdinand. Hull, weapons and equipment

We bought ourselves the famous Ferdinand. After being mobile and maneuverable, this tank will seem very dull to you. But this is only at first glance. It is precisely this second look that we will talk about in the review of the video guide on Ferdinand. Let's look at the pros and cons of the Elephant, what additional modules should be installed on it, what consumables to use, and in general, how to play this beast.

First of all, it’s worth taking a look at the performance characteristics of the Ferdinand tank. I won’t list everything, but I’ll start right away with what will first catch your eye - 200 mm frontal armor. It's just a bomb. Now you don’t have to be afraid of all sorts of or. The second thing you should pay attention to is the amount of HP of “Fedora” - as much as 1200. This is the most “meaty” PT of its level. “Fedya” is also not bad in stock condition. We have a good gun that you can ride with until you study the top one. In general, the tank is very good, but one problem is its slowness, which nothing can correct. But more on that below.

Pros and cons of Ferdinand WOT

Positives:

• frontal armor - now we have moved to the class of heavy tank destroyers;
• very good review- “I look far away and sit high,” “Fedor” sees enemies at a very respectable distance;
• accurate and fast-firing gun;
• the “meatiness” of the tank (will help you out more than once).

Negative aspects:

• slowness - “Fedya” is very slow. He looks very stern and important, like a minister of tank forces. For me, for example, “Fedor Ivanovich” has always been, is and will be a very respected tank.
• camouflage - the German glows like a Christmas tree and illuminates the entire battlefield with its light. Almost anyone can notice it.
• weak side and rear armor - well, this is a problem with all tank destroyers.

Additional modules, consumables and perks for the crew

In general, everyone selects a set of additional modules to suit their playing style. But one additional module must be installed - the rammer. The strength of PT is in high DPM, and this module increases it. You need to install the remaining modules, refer to the game style that is closest to you. If you are a fan of urban battles, then this is a rammer, repair kit and mixing. If you are a fan of bush gatherings - optics, rammer, optics and horns. There is also a mixed version - rammer, convergence and optics. As for the equipment, everything is pragmatic - a repair kit, a first aid kit and fire extinguishers. For the crew, first of all, it’s worth upgrading camouflage because “Fedya” is very noticeable with its dimensions, then repairs, because a beaten gusla for a PT is certain death. Well, then it’s up to your taste.

Ferdinand penetration zones

Tactics on Ferdinand

Now let's talk about playing Ferdinand World of Tanks. “Fedor” completely changes the game on the PT. Now sitting in the bushes and quietly shooting at yourself or being chased will no longer work. “Fedya,” as mentioned above, is very noticeable and slow. Playing on this tank you will feel more comfortable on TT routes. The frontal armor of the Ferdinand tank allows you to take part in such skirmishes. It is best to choose narrow places for your position, where it will be difficult to get around you from the flank and rear. Also, don’t forget about the “God of War”. These comrades really love Fedor. If it lights up in open space, then this is a guaranteed frag for art. And all because of the same slowness. In general, you need to play as if you were playing on, but only without a tower and with weak sides and stern. That's all the wisdom.

Now that's it. Bye everyone and good luck on the battlefields.

In Hitler's Germany it was created large number a wide variety of self-propelled artillery units (SAU). The Germans knew how and loved to make self-propelled guns; on the Eastern Front, their main task was to fight Soviet tanks (KV, T-34). The most famous vehicle of this class (at least in Soviet historiography) is the Ferdinand assault gun (Sd.Kfz.184). After modernization, which was carried out in 1943, this self-propelled gun received its second name - “Elephant”.

This creation of the shadowy genius Ferdinand Porsche, without any doubt, can be called a masterpiece of engineering. The technical solutions that were used to create this self-propelled gun were unique and had no analogues in tank building. At the same time, Ferdinand was not very suitable for use in real combat conditions. And it’s not even about the “childhood diseases” of this car. Poor mobility, short range and complete absence the concepts of using self-propelled guns on the battlefield made the Ferdinand practically unsuitable for real use.

In total, only 91 Ferdinands were produced - a minuscule number compared to other German self-propelled guns. Why did this car become so widely known? Why did it frighten Soviet tank crews and artillerymen so much that in almost every combat report they pointed to dozens of Ferdinands when there was no trace of them?

For the first (and last) time, the Germans used Ferdinands en masse during the Battle of Kursk. The debut of the car was not very successful, the Ferdinand performed especially poorly in the offensive. However, despite all his shortcomings, Ferdinand was a formidable opponent. Its phenomenal armor protection did not penetrate at all. Nothing at all. Imagine how the Soviet soldiers felt as they fired shell after shell at the armored monster, which, not paying any attention to it, continued to point at you.

After the battles on the Kursk Bulge, the Germans took self-propelled guns from the Eastern Front, the next time Soviet troops met with a large number of Ferdinands only during the battles in Eastern Europe. However, despite this, Soviet soldiers stubbornly continued to call all German self-propelled guns “Ferdinands”.

If you add up all the Ferdinands destroyed according to Soviet reports, you will get several thousand self-propelled guns. True, a similar situation arose with the “Tiger” tank: the lion’s share of destroyed German tanks in the reports of Soviet tank crews turned into “Tigers”.

“Ferdinand” fired his first shots near Kursk, and he ended his combat journey on the streets of Berlin.

History of creation

The history of the Ferdinand heavy anti-tank (AT) self-propelled gun began during a competition to create another legendary German vehicle - the Tiger I tank. Two companies took part in that competition: Henschel and Porsche.

On Hitler's birthday (April 20, 1942), both companies presented their prototypes of a new heavy vehicle: VK 4501 (P) (Porsche) and VK 4501 (H) (Henschel). Hitler favored Ferdinand Porsche so much that he had virtually no doubt about his victory: even before the end of the tests, he began production of a new tank. However, the employees of the Armaments Directorate had a completely different attitude towards Porsche, so the Henschel car was recognized as the winner of the competition. Hitler believed that two tanks should be put into service at once and produced in parallel.

The VK 4501 (P) prototype was more complex than its rival, it used very original design solutions, which is probably not very good for a wartime tank. In addition, the production of the Porsche tank required a large amount of scarce materials (non-ferrous metals), which became a strong argument against putting this vehicle into production.

Another important event that had a direct impact on the fate of this self-propelled gun was the emergence of a new powerful anti-tank gun, the 88-mm Pak 43.

Porsche's readiness to produce a new tank was higher than that of its competitor; by the summer of 1942, the first 16 VK 4501 (P) tanks were ready. They were planned to be sent to Stalingrad. However, by decision of the same Armaments Directorate, all work was suspended. And in the fall of 1942, Department officials decided to convert all ready-made VK 4501 (P) tanks into assault guns armed with a new cannon.

Work on converting the tank into a self-propelled gun began in September 1942 and it took quite a long time. The designers had to completely change the layout of the self-propelled gun. The armored cabin of the new vehicle was located at the stern, so the power plant had to be moved to the central part of the vehicle, new engines were installed, which led to a complete redesign of the entire cooling system. The frontal part of the hull and the combat part were strengthened, the thickness of its armor was increased to 200 mm.

All work was carried out under severe time pressure, which did not have the best effect on the quality of the self-propelled guns. The design and modification of the first machines was carried out at the Alkett plant, but then the work was transferred to the Nibelungenwerke plant. To once again demonstrate his affection for Ferdinand Porsche, Hitler personally gave the new self-propelled gun the name Ferdinand at the beginning of 1943.

In the spring of 1943, the first Ferdinand self-propelled artillery units began to arrive on the Eastern Front.

At the end of 1943, the vehicles that survived the Battle of Kursk (47 units) were delivered to the Nibelungenwerke plant for modernization. A machine gun in a ball mount appeared on the front plate, the gun barrels were replaced, a commander's cupola with seven periscopes was installed on the wheelhouse, the armor of the front part of the bottom was strengthened, and the self-propelled guns were equipped with wider tracks. It was after the modernization that the self-propelled guns received the name “Elephant”, although it did not take root well and until the very end of the war these self-propelled guns were called “Ferdinands”. Both names are present in Russian historical literature, although the more common, of course, is “Ferdinand”. In English-language literature, on the contrary, this self-propelled gun is more often called “Elephant”, because it was with it that the Allied troops dealt at the final stage of the war.

Combat use

For the first time, the Germans used the Ferdinand tank destroyer en masse during Operation Citadel, which we used to call the Battle of Kursk.

Before the start of the operation, all self-propelled guns were sent to the front and included in two heavy anti-tank battalions. They were placed on the northern face of the Kursk salient. According to the German strategists, powerful and invulnerable self-propelled guns were supposed to play the role of the tip of a heavy armored spear that rammed Soviet positions.

Soviet troops on the Kursk Bulge created a powerful layered defense, reliably covered by artillery and minefields. Fire was opened on the attacking tanks from all possible calibers, including 203 mm howitzers. While maneuvering, self-propelled guns were often blown up by mines and land mines.

During the battles for railway station The Germans lost several dozen Ferdinands. In total, during the period from July to August 1943, losses amounted to 39 vehicles.

There is a theory that self-propelled guns suffered most from infantry actions, since the developers did not equip the self-propelled guns with a machine gun. But, if we look at the reasons for the losses of the Ferdinand tank destroyer, it becomes clear that most of the vehicles were blown up by mines or were destroyed by artillery fire. There were losses due to technical faults. The Germans could not evacuate the damaged Ferdinands due to the lack of suitable evacuation means: this vehicle weighed too much. Therefore, even the slightest damage led to the loss of the car.

Even the not very skillful (from a tactical point of view) use of the Ferdinands had a great psychological effect. The appearance of practically invulnerable self-propelled guns on the battlefield led to the development of real “Ferdinandophobia.” Soviet soldiers saw these self-propelled guns everywhere; in some “memories” they appear even before 1943.

Ferdinand was much more effective in defense. After the end of the Battle of Kursk, the remaining vehicles were evacuated to Ukraine, where they took part in the defense of Dnepropetrovsk and Nikopol. Four more self-propelled guns were lost in these battles. Then the self-propelled guns were sent to Germany for modernization. According to German data, at the end of autumn 1943, the Ferdinands destroyed almost 600 Soviet tanks and more than a hundred artillery pieces. However, these data are questioned by many historians.

After modernization, “Elephants” fought in Italy, Western Ukraine, and Germany. The firepower of the Soviet troops increased, and in the final phase of the war the Red Army had a significant quantitative superiority over the Wehrmacht. The battlefield usually remained with the Soviet troops, which forced the Germans to blow up even slightly damaged Elephants.

Soviet troops effectively used heavy self-propelled guns (the SU-152 was especially effective) and anti-tank artillery against the Elefant.

After heavy fighting in Western Ukraine and Poland, the remaining Elephants were put into reserve.

In 1945, “Elephants” took part in battles in Germany, and three “Elephants” fought their last battle in surrounded Berlin.

Description

The self-propelled gun PT "Ferdinand" was intended to destroy enemy armored vehicles. Its crew consisted of six people: a gun commander, two loaders, a radio operator (on the Elefant - a radio operator-machine gunner) and a gunner.

The layout of the self-propelled guns was somewhat unusual: the fighting compartment was located in a spacious conning tower, which was located at the stern. The engine, along with generators, fuel tanks and a cooling system, was located in the center of the vehicle, and the control compartment occupied the front of the self-propelled gun.

In the control compartment there were places for the radio operator and driver. They were separated from the conning tower by two heat-resistant partitions of the power compartment, and could not get into it.

The hull of the self-propelled gun consisted of rolled armor plates, the thickness of which reached 100 mm in the frontal part and 80 mm in the side part. In addition, the frontal part of the hull and wheelhouse was reinforced with additional plates, which were fastened with bolts with a bullet-resistant head. The front part of the bottom was also reinforced with 30 mm armor plate. The steel that was used to manufacture the self-propelled gun was taken from naval reserves and was of high quality.

In the aft part of the cabin there was an armored door, which was used to replace the gun and for emergency evacuation of the crew. In the roof of the cabin there were two more hatches, places for installing sighting devices and surveillance devices, as well as ventilation holes.

The main weapon of the Ferdinand was the 88-mm StuK 43 (or PaK 43) cannon with a length of 71 calibers. The gun had a two-chamber muzzle brake; during travel, the barrel rested on a special mount. Guidance was carried out using a monocular sight SFlZF1a/Rblf36.

The Ferdinand gun had excellent ballistics, and at the time of its appearance it was the strongest among the tank and artillery guns of all countries participating in the conflict. Until the end of the war, Ferdinand easily hit all tanks and self-propelled guns on the battlefield. The only exceptions were the IS-2 and Pershing, whose armor at some distances could withstand hits from the PaK 43 projectile.

The Ferdinand power plant was distinguished by its original design: two carburetor 12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM engines drove two electric generators that powered Siemens D1495aAC electric motors. Each electric motor rotated its own drive wheel.

The chassis consisted of three two-wheeled bogies, a drive wheel and a guide wheel. The suspension was combined, it consisted of torsion bars and rubber cushions. The width of the Ferdinand tracks was 600 mm, the Elefant was “changed” to wider tracks – 640 mm.

Machine evaluation

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" is a machine that has earned quite mixed assessments both among contemporaries and among later researchers.

First of all, this self-propelled gun can be called an experimental project, which was created on the basis of a tank prototype. This vehicle featured many innovative technical solutions, which was not a good idea for a wartime combat vehicle. The electric transmission and suspension with longitudinal torsion bars proved to be very effective, but very complex and expensive to produce. Do not forget that wartime products are always inferior in quality to equipment manufactured during peacetime. Therefore, during war it is better to give preference to simpler types of weapons.

It should also be noted that the electrical equipment of the Ferdinand required a lot of copper, which was in short supply in the Third Reich.

Most likely, the Germans would not have started producing the Ferdinand if Porsche did not have a significant number of ready-made chassis with which something had to be done. However, after their use, the production of self-propelled guns was curtailed.

If we talk about combat qualities, the armor protection made the self-propelled guns practically invulnerable to fire from tanks and anti-tank artillery of the Allies.

Only towards the end of the war soviet tanks The IS-2 and T-34-85 could expect to hit the Ferdinand at close range when shot at the side. The artillerymen were instructed to hit the chassis of the self-propelled gun. The most powerful German self-propelled gun hit any type of enemy armored vehicle without any problems.

However, all of the above was offset by the low mobility of the vehicle and its poor maneuverability. "Ferdinand" could not use many bridges; they simply could not support its weight. In addition, the reliability of the vehicle left much to be desired, and many technical problems were not resolved until the end of the war.

Video about self-propelled guns "Ferdinand"

German tank destroyer Ferdinand. The history of the creation of the Ferdinand tank destroyer. Guide to the Ferdinand tank.

Today we are publishing a new video guide on the Tankopedia about the German tier 8 vehicle - the Ferdinand tank destroyer.

"Ferdinand" (German: Ferdinand) - German heavy self-propelled artillery unit (SPG) World War II period tank destroyer class. Also called "Elephant" (German Elefant - elephant), 8.8 cm PaK 43/2 Sfl L/71 Panzerjäger Tiger (P), Sturmgeschütz mit 8.8 cm PaK 43/2 and Sd.Kfz.184. This fighting machine, armed with an 88 mm cannon, is one of the most heavily armed and heavily armored representatives of German armored vehicles of that period. Despite its small number, this vehicle is the most famous representative of the class of self-propelled guns; a large number of legends are associated with it.

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand", video guide which we will look at below, was developed in 1942-1943, being largely an improvisation based on the chassis of a heavy Tiger tank(P) developments by Ferdinand Porsche. Debut "Ferdinand" became the Battle of Kursk, where the armor of this self-propelled gun demonstrated its low vulnerability to the fire of Soviet main anti-tank and tank artillery. Subsequently, these vehicles took part in battles on the Eastern Front and in Italy, ending their combat journey in the suburbs of Berlin. In the Red Army, any German self-propelled artillery unit was often called “Ferdinand”.

View Guide - Ferdinand

Introduction

German tank destroyer of the eighth level. Once upon a time, the “Fedya” was relevant, and its frontal armor inspired fear in neophytes. But these warm lamp times passed when “gold” began to be sold for silver. The situation worsened even more with the introduction of new eights, which had no worse guns and better mobility. What can we say if even the second one is better? "Ferdinand", with the same guns. Therefore, only reenactors, or just strange people, play this tank destroyer. This guide is dedicated to the latter.

Historical background

Story "Ferdinand" began with the abandonment of the Porsche model in favor of the . However, the eminent developer was so confident of his victory that he had already begun producing the chassis in commercial quantities. In order to somehow accommodate them, Hitler gave the order to develop heavy self-propelled guns based on them. We didn’t have to wait long, since Porsche had solid experience in developing tank destroyers.

The hull of the original tank underwent minimal changes, mainly in the rear. Since the new 88-mm gun had a significant barrel length, it was decided to install an armored cabin with a cannon in the rear part of the hull, previously occupied by engines and generators. Maybach engines were installed on the car, which led to the need to completely rework the cooling system, and the gas tanks were redesigned with increased capacity.

By the spring of 1943, the first vehicles began to arrive at the front. Their first debut took place on the Kursk Bulge, and it was not entirely successful. Due to their large mass, their tracks got stuck in the ground, and their transmissions burned out from overvoltage. Almost all the vehicles were hit in various ways while overcoming the first line of defense. They were then transferred to Italy, where the rocky soil facilitated their maneuvers.

Gaming characteristics

The Fedya, thanks to its powerful gun and strong frontal armor, became an assault tank destroyer. Let's look at its characteristics in terms of the game:

Protection

We seem to have armor, and it’s even quite good - a solid 200 mm forehead should, in theory, hold up shells. But it doesn’t “tank”. The square geometry of the case has an effect, as well as a number of weak points - NLD and 80 mm cheeks, which are difficult to fix, but possible. The rest at this level is decided by “gold”. The sides and stern are armored 80 mm and do not pose any problems at all for armor-piercing shells. More or less saves a supply of lives - 1500 hit points. They will kill you for a long time and tediously.

Firepower

You start with a classic 88-mm cannon - it’s generally not bad, but the damage is low. So go straight to the 105mm Pak L/52. The rate of fire drops, but the average “damage” increases from 240 to 360 HP. Many people settle on this “golden mean”, but you will not feel the full power of the Fedi until you install the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55.

Armor penetration of 246 mm basic and 311 mm sub-caliber projectiles is the best indicator in the game. Damage of 490 HP is another matter! A land mine can generally knock out 630 HP. At the same time, the weapon is quite accurate - the spread is 0.35 per hundred meters. The disadvantages include the rate of fire (5.13 rounds per minute) and mediocre aiming (2.3 seconds). But this is still the best gun with DPM around 2513 HP.

Dynamics

Top engine Porsche Deutz Typ 180/2 produces 800 l. s., but even this power is only enough for 30 km/h. We don’t recommend going uphill at all. We definitely recommend changing the tracks Ferdinand on Elefant- maneuverability will increase significantly (from 18 to 21 degrees/sec), load capacity (by almost three tons) and even the weight of the tracks themselves will be reduced by 200 kg. Unprecedented!

Detection and communication

But we really need radio communication if we are going to shoot at a distance. Top radio station FuG 12 allows you to maintain stable contact at a distance of 710 meters - not all cards are of this size. The visibility is standard for a tank destroyer - 370 meters, so it is necessary to increase it using available means and skills. Invisibility for our mascara is a rather abstract thing, but camouflage is still worth buying.

Pumping and equipment

How to best study Ferdinand? If you played diligently, you managed to pump out a top radio station FuG 12 and a pre-top 105 mm gun. In the case when you switched to “Fedya” from Tiger P, then in addition to communication you will receive a pre-top engine 2x Porsche Typ 100/3. What to choose? Of course, it’s better to go with a tank destroyer - you won’t need to adapt to your play style, and the gun is more important than mobility. For free experience, you buy tracks, and then urgently upgrade the top 128 mm gun. After this, you can begin to gradually improve the engine compartment.

Our crew consists of six people. We download them to the standard PT version: the commander “Sixth Sense”, the rest “Disguise”. Then the commander pumps up the green paint, and the rest of the tankers acquire the skills for accurate and fast shooting, increased visibility and high-quality movement on soft soils. The two loaders can be specialized into Desperado and Proximity Ammunition. The third level of perk is the military brotherhood of all.

As for special equipment, we recommend the classic sniper version: “Stereo Tube”, “Camouflage Net” and “Rammer”. There is also an option for active actions: “Rammer”, “Coated optics”, “Ventilation”. When the crew reaches one hundred percent, you can replace the fan with a “Tool Box” so that you don’t have to stand on the “harp” often.

We place the following consumables: “Manual fire extinguisher”, “Large first aid kit” (+15 to protection from injuries), “Large repair kit” (+10 to repair speed). The engine will not be knocked out very often, so we recommend taking “Chocolate” to increase the characteristics of the crew.

Ferdinand- a classic assault tank destroyer that can both shoot from afar and “tank” on the front line.

First, decide on the direction of attack. Preliminarily study the map for good positions, try to guess where the enemy “heavies” will come from. Your task is to deal as much damage as possible. Do not break away from your allies under any circumstances - swarms of light and medium tanks will tear you apart without a hitch, removing their tracks and “carouseling”.

Then it all depends on your playing style. If you don’t like hand-to-hand combat, then take a comfortable position deep in the rear (preferably in the bushes) and deal damage with your megadrill. After the shot, it is advisable to roll back to cover to reload, because you will “glow” on all waves, and the tracer can be detected without problems.

But it won’t work to stand in the bushes forever. Sooner or later you will have to meet the enemy face to face. It is advisable to do it sooner rather than later - being left alone with a crowd of enemies is not comme il faut. Hug close to walls and hills so as not to tempt the “art”, and throw powerful splashes at those who are especially assertive, which will knock down their arrogance. Don’t push too far forward, knock down the tracks of upstarts, provide comprehensive support to your teammates. Do not disdain a ram as an ultimatum argument, especially if it’s under a hill.

An experienced player will always find a way to defeat you. But there are a couple of tricks that will help you catch a couple of ricochets. “Rhombusting” on a self-propelled gun is still an activity, but on a “feda” it is justified. Our reload time is long, there is no point in standing in the sights forever. Start crawling backwards behind the cover, simultaneously turning your forehead at an acute angle. Not a single gun is able to penetrate the resulting “ghost”. If there is no cover, then simply fidget back and forth to make it difficult to target the NLD and cheeks next to the headlights.

Review of the tank's strengths and weaknesses. Results

Pros:

• Powerful and accurate weapon
• Good frontal armor
• Good UVN and UGN

Cons:

• Low maneuverability
• Large body
• Weak camouflage
• Armor doesn't always tank
• Frequently criticized modules

Ferdinand- not everyone will like this tank destroyer, or rather, few people will like it at all. Even in the German branch of self-propelled guns you can choose better examples. However, there will always be lovers of sadomasochism and historical reconstruction. With the proper skill, the Fedya can contribute to the overall victory, but this can be said about any tank, even the most unsuccessful one. Cons "Ferdinand" more than pluses and that says it all.

Good luck in battle!

Thick frontal armor and a cannon from the Maus heavy tank make this tank destroyer an important figure on the battlefield and allow you to lead attacks on the enemy. But you have to pay for this with a large silhouette, extremely low mobility and great vulnerability to attacks from the sides and stern.

Predecessor of the German anti-tank self-propelled gun Jagdtiger

Modules

Compatible Equipment

Compatible equipment

Ferdinand in the game

Research and leveling

Module tree

Initial state of the tree when Jagdpanther is fully upgraded

Researchable on Jagdpanther for 72,630.

Before transferring to Ferdinand, it is advisable to study all the available modules that will be used on it - the weapon 10.5 cm K 18 L/52 and radio station FuG 12. This will allow the new machine to become much more effective at the beginning of the game.

Combat effectiveness

“Ferdinand” is a very dangerous and serious car, which is respected and feared by everyone without exception. This self-propelled gun itself is not easy to control; it requires a serious approach to the process and some skills in handling tank destroyers. Does not forgive the mistakes of the self-propelled gun commander and the mistakes of enemies. Despite his clumsiness, he is an important figure on the battlefield, from whom competent actions are expected. At the beginning of the battle, when the time is counting down, it is necessary to decide on the further route. You should choose narrow streets and places difficult to maneuver, and also try to choose shelters that cannot be shot by enemy artillery. It is important to occupy “bottlenecks” (tight passages, long city streets, gorges), this will allow you to take enemy shells on the hard-to-penetrate frontal armor, and in the time required to reduce the distance with the self-propelled gun and board it, you will be able to significantly “bite” or destroy it . It will be useful to find yourself a partner who, if something happens, will not allow some annoying ST to get to Ferdinand’s vulnerable sides and stern.

• The frontal armor of the hull and deckhouse is made of armor plates 2*100 mm thick, although it has several vulnerable spots.
• A good margin of safety.
• An accurate and efficient top-end weapon.

• Low maneuverability and dynamics.
• Insufficient overview.
• Poor camouflage due to large dimensions.
• Irrational angle of inclination of armor plates, close to 90°. -> Rare ricochets.
• Weak armor on the high sides along which the gas tanks and ammunition stowage are located.

Equipment and gear

Equipment:

Option 1: Heavy Assault Weapon, Offensive Tactics

Tactics used:

• If in the middle or end of the list- support for the attack of the TT group. Following in the “second echelon”, at some distance from the first heavy tank. Firing at the "light" of the tanks ahead.

• If at the top of the list- following at the head of the attacking group as a heavy tank, using natural shelters from artillery self-propelled gun fire along the route, firing from short stops.

When applying this tactic, first of all, a comprehensive (albeit insignificant) increase in dynamic characteristics, fire accuracy, rate of fire (due to improved ventilation), repair speed (in maneuverable combat, the time to repair a downed track can play a decisive role), as well as viewing range is necessary in motion.

Option 2: Heavy anti-tank self-propelled guns, defensive tactics

Tactics used:

• If in the middle or end of the list- at the beginning of the battle, shooting of “fireflies” - scouts, mainly ST. In the middle and towards the end of the battle - ambushes on the flanks, in shelters from artillery self-propelled gun fire, assistance in eliminating breakthroughs of TT groups.
• If at the top of the list- so-called “pushing through defense” - following at the head of an attacking group as a heavy tank, from line to line, with periodic long stops (necessary to “turn on” the stereo tube and survey the area ahead for the presence of enemy defenses/counterattacks).

When using this tactic, first of all, it is necessary to increase the rate of fire, viewing range (up to maximum values ​​- 500m) and protection from HE shells.
Equipment:

Standard kit for a German tank:

Ammunition

When using any gun, it is recommended to take at least 10 HE shells. For 88 and 105 mm guns, they will be a help in the fight against tanks of levels 9-10, and for 128 mm - a guarantee of one hundred percent destruction of any artillery self-propelled guns with one shot. Also, HE shells are needed in situations where you need to “break” the capture of your base at all costs - the AP may not penetrate or ricochet, and there may be no time for a second shot.

• 8.8 cm PaK 43 L/71.

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• 10.5 cm K 18 L/52.

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Known Issues

Inconsistencies with the historical prototype

1. The real name of the weapon 8.8 cm PaK 43 L/71 - 8.8 cm PaK 43/2 L/71.
2. Air cooled engines Porsche Type 100/1, Porsche Type 100/3, Porsche Deutz Typ 180/2 were never installed on the Ferdinand tank destroyer. Engine Porsche Type 101 used on VK4501(P), the progenitor of the Ferdinand. They had to be abandoned because they were extremely unreliable and were not mass-produced. Reliable and proven engines were installed instead Maybach HL 120TRM, standard StuG III engine, PzKpfw IV.
3. In reality, when installing the 12.8 cm PaK 44 L/55 gun in the Ferdinand, an additional armor sheet (100 mm thick) was removed from the front of the wheelhouse due to overload of the chassis.

Screenshot gallery

Ferdinand rating

• - This tank destroyer is capable of deciding the outcome of a battle in capable hands.
• - Excellent frontal armor of the hull and deckhouse.
• - High-precision German guns allow you to regularly receive this medal.
• Death Scythe- For the high damage of the 12.8 cm gun PaK 44 L/55.
• - The gun’s high armor penetration allows it to penetrate equipment of almost any level.