M4A1 or M4A3?

[FoZz-^]

Which one should I go for first and why? M4A3 seem to have very low penetration but it has a 105mm canon instead of a 75mm.. How is that even possible? Isn't it suppossed to have a higher penetration especially cuz of the canon? :O

[Tiberius]

Originally posted by FoZz-^:

Which one should I go for first and why? M4A3 seem to have very low penetration but it has a 105mm canon instead of a 75mm.. How is that even possible? Isn't it suppossed to have a higher penetration especially cuz of the canon? :O :arcticfox:

Bigger caliber doesn't always mean more penetration. It's the AMMO.

[WickedestCard]

Well, the M4A3 (105) uses a 105mm howitzer and it's stock shells are High Explosive so they won't do much penetration. That is fairly null and void since the force of an explosive shell that big hitting tanks in the turret basically equals dead tank. Same with the KV-2. That's why people were outraged it was at 3.7 BR and was moved up to 4.7 BR.

Personally I would say go with the M4A1 Sherman. It'll give you the lessons you need to learn when driving Shermans and it's BR is nice at 3.3. It's curved sloped armor also helps in deflecting shots somewhat more often but watch out for German KwK40 L43/48 cannons as those will laugh at your armor unless you angle perfectly.

[FoZz-^]

Originally posted by WickedestCard:

Well, the M4A3 (105) uses a 105mm howitzer and it's stock shells are High Explosive so they won't do much penetration. That is fairly null and void since the force of an explosive shell that big hitting tanks in the turret basically equals dead tank. Same with the KV-2. That's why people were outraged it was at 3.7 BR and was moved up to 4.7 BR.

Personally I would say go with the M4A1 Sherman. It'll give you the lessons you need to learn when driving Shermans and it's BR is nice at 3.3. It's curved sloped armor also helps in deflecting shots somewhat more often but watch out for German KwK40 L43/48 cannons as those will laugh at your armor unless you angle perfectly.

Oh, now I see... Thanks for the info!! :) Will probably go for the M4A1 now, ty =)

[Tiberius]

Originally posted by WickedestCard:

Well, the M4A3 (105) uses a 105mm howitzer and it's stock shells are High Explosive so they won't do much penetration. That is fairly null and void since the force of an explosive shell that big hitting tanks in the turret basically equals dead tank. Same with the KV-2. That's why people were outraged it was at 3.7 BR and was moved up to 4.7 BR.

Personally I would say go with the M4A1 Sherman. It'll give you the lessons you need to learn when driving Shermans and it's BR is nice at 3.3. It's curved sloped armor also helps in deflecting shots somewhat more often but watch out for German KwK40 L43/48 cannons as those will laugh at your armor unless you angle perfectly.

I always like to meet Shermans on the battlefield.........when I am in my Tiger :-DDD

[Dixon Ticonderoga #2]

The M4A3's stock ammo isnt that great, but the HEAT is pretty good. 103mm penetration at all distances (HEAT rounds have an explosive charge in them that they use to melt through the enemy armor).

[Casual Sun]

Go for the M4A1.

If the 105mm Sherman is your first Tier II, you will be very frustrated with all your games since you'll be in BR 4.7 where none of your other tanks can hold up.

Due to all the people crying about its cannon, you essentially can't use the M4A3 until the rest of your lineup is at 4.7. You could use it, it's just that all of your other tanks won't pen for anything and will get destroyed immediately. Even the M4A3 is underarmored for 4.7, and that's for a U.S. tank, which is saying something.

As for the ammo, the 105mm HE is pretty amusing. It often results in strange kills and you can always destroy tracks. It's pretty good imo, it's just different to hit with. For instance, you could shoot under a tank and the shrapnel will go up, or hit them at the bottom of the turret and the shrapnel will pierce the top. Yeah, the pen isn't good, but there is a TON of shrapnel. if you do pen, you will usually get a kill.

[Procrastinating Gamer]

Originally posted by WickedestCard:

...but watch out for German KwK40 L43/48 cannons as those will laugh at your armor unless you angle perfectly.

Remind me; which tanks use those? I assume the Panzer IV F2 and StuG III F, but I can never remember what gun a tank has other than the calibre.

[WickedestCard]

The Panzer IV line after IV F2 (So the G, H and J), the StuG III line after the F. Those are the most common German tanks you'll see with the early Shermans. You should also watch out for the T-34s after the 1940 model (The one with the L-11 cannon) though that's at a closer range than the Germans. The KV series is also dangerous after the first one (you can't really pen it except for the turret ring) and never be in front of a KV-2 but that goes without saying.

After that and when you start with the M4A1 (105) and M4A2 you'll start to see the Tiger, Panther every now and then as well as more dangerous Russians. Hopefully you'll get the hang of Shermans and the Chaffee by then.