Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A

PzIII_A (Stock)

Totals

35000 Cost

320 HPDurability

14.65 / 19.35 Weight

Crew

1. Commander
2. Gunner
3. Driver
4. Radio Operator
5. Loader

Armor

14.5/14.5/14.5Hull Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)

14.5/14.5/14.5Turret Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)

Maneuver

320 h.p.Engine Power

68 km/hTop Speed / Reverse Speed

55 deg/sTraverse Speed

Firepower

40

40 mmAverage Penetration

3.5 Time for Complete Loading

44 deg/sGun Traverse Speed

Communication

230 mView Range

500 mSignal Range

Pz.Kpfw. II

Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A

Durchbruchswagen 2Pz.Kpfw. IIIPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. A

III

35000

Produced in 1937, with a total of 10 vehicles manufactured. The project was canceled due to its weak suspension and inadequate armor.

The Pz III A is a German tier 3 light tank

The Pz III A is a good tank for those who prefer speed and scouting ability over firepower. Stock, this tank is terrible, as the stock engine has terrible power, and is not helped by the 14mm of armor, but when you get the top engine, you'll run circles around your opponents.

Turret

Level	Turret	Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm)	Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s)	View Range (m)	Experience	Weight (t)
II	Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A	14.5/14.5/14.5	44	230	0	800

Level	Gun	Average Penetration (mm)		Rate of Fire	Dispersion at 100 m	Aiming Time	Experience	Weight (t)
I	3,7 cm Kw.K. 36 L/46.5	40/74/10	40/40/50	17.14	0.35	1.7	0	100

Level	Turret	Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm)	Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s)	View Range (m)	Experience	Weight (t)
III	Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E	30/30/30	35	230	600	2200

Level	Gun	Average Penetration (mm)		Rate of Fire	Dispersion at 100 m	Aiming Time	Experience	Weight (t)
I	3,7 cm Kw.K. 36 L/46.5	40/74/10	40/40/50	17.65	0.35	1.7	0	100
II	2 cm Flak 38	39/51/10	12/12/50	96.77	0.45	1.4	290	110
III	5 cm Kw.K. 38 L/42	60/96/25	70/70/90	12	0.48	2.3	750	700

Engine

Level	Engine	Engine Power (h.p.)	Chance of Fire on Impact	Experience	Weight (t)
IV	Maybach HL 108 TR	320	20	0	450
IV	Maybach HL 120 TR	350	20	1070	510

Level	Suspension	Load Limit	Traverse Speed (deg/s)	Experience	Weight (t)
II	Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A	19.35	55	0	7000

Radio

Level	Radio	Signal Range (m)	Experience	Weight (t)
III	FuG5_GER	500	0	50

Compatible Equipment

Compatible Consumables

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Good Power/Weight ratio means good acceleration
• Good hull traverse speed
• One of the fastest tanks in the game
• Good penetration, damage and rate of fire

Cons:

• Very inaccurate guns
• Weak armor
• Higher chance of engine fire
• Low maneuverability at speed
• Upgraded turret slows the tank down

Performance

The Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A boasts an excellent top speed and maneuverability. It excels in the scout role, and after learning the ropes in tiers 1 and 2, players should find this to be an enjoyable next step. It does have drawbacks such as paper-thin 14mm armor (except for the turret which has 30mm all around), and its stock gun is not much more powerful than those found on the previous two tiers. However, once fully upgraded, it is more than a match for the equivalent Soviet and American tanks. It also excels in an anti-scout role such as taking down faster tanks such as the BT-7 that it can penetrate consistently. To make up for the longer aim time, it can take up a "scout-sniper" role in that it can first rush ahead to spot the enemies, and as soon as it makes first contact with the enemy it can then escape with its good speed and then take up a better sniping position to take out the arriving enemies. The gun can and will absolutely decimate hordes of enemies unaware of the tanks position and will rarely need to be well aimed considering the 5cm gun used.

Early Research

• The 2cm Flak 38L/112 gun carry over from the Pz.II and should be mounted if already researched.
• Prioritize the 2nd turret which must be mounted before next mounting the 5cm top gun.
• Tracks next followed by the 2nd and 3rd engines.

Historical Info

During the mid-1930s, and after gaining an experienced taste from the Spanish Civil War of how warfare would be fought in the coming decades, the Wehrmacht began developing a new armored doctrine based on the lightning fast application of force in combined arms operations.

Under General Heinz Guderian, a project was commenced to solicit designs for two new types of tank. One would be a support tank and would be armed with a large caliber gun. The other would be mounting an anti-tank gun and 2 machine guns. The former would become the Pz.Kpfw. IV. The latter would become the Pz.Kpfw. III.

Late in 1935, development proposals were requested from MAN (Nurnberg), Daimler-Benz AG (Berlin-Marienfelde), Rheinmetall-Borsig (Berlin), and Krupp AG (Essen) for a 15-ton fully-tracked vehicle, and in the interest of security to be named Zugfuhrerwagen (ZW): platoon commander’s vehicle.

The vehicle's development began with a series of arguments between the Waffenamt (the Ordnance Department) and the Inspector for Mechanized Troops over its armament. The Waffenamt had chosen the 3.7cm cannon while the Inspector for Mechanized Troops demanded 5cm gun. Ultimately, the 3.7cm was chosen as the vehicle's main armament because the infantry was already equipped with the standard 37mm Pak 35/36 L/45 anti-tank gun. This meant that only one type of gun and ammunition needed to be produced, although the turret and turret ring were capable of mounting the heavier 5cm gun.

Since this new vehicle was to be used in the forward echelons of assault tank formations, it was decided to require heavier armor in the front than in the rear. Top speed was specified to be 40km with a crew of 5 men, with a new turret based on an enlarged version of that found on the Pz.Kpfw. II. The Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A was the first German Tank to use a new intercom system for in-tank communications, which was fitted to all later Panzer tanks, and was highly successful.

Eventually, the Daimler-Benz design was selected and ten prototypes were constructed in 1937. Some sources state that as many as fifteen were constructed, but only eight were armed. These eight equipped units of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Panzer Divisions and took part in Anschluss, the take-over of Sudetenland and the Polish Campaign.

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Historical Gallery

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  PzKpfw III Ausf. A

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  PzKpfw III Ausf. A

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  PzKpfw III Ausf. A

Sources and External Links

External Links

• [1]
• [2]

Germany

Light Tanks

ja:Blitz:PzIII A