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M4A3E8 Sherman

M4A3E8 Sherman

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M4A3E8_Sherman (Stock)

AnnoM4A3E8_Sherman.png
Totals
930500 Price
720 Hit Points
29.9 / 33 kgWeight
Crew
  1. Commander
Armor
63.5/38/38Hull Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
63.5/63.5/63.5Turret Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
Maneuver
400 h.p.Engine Power
48 km/hSpeed Limit
37 deg/secTraverse Speed
Firepower
110 Standard Shell Damage
92 mmStandard Shell Penetration
3.8 Time for Complete Loading
38 deg/secTurret Traverse Speed
Communication
330 mView Range
395 mSignal Range
VI
M4A3E8 Sherman
930500
Officially named the M4A3(76)W HVSS, but generally known as the Easy Eight. At the end of August 1944 a new suspension was designed for the M4 series, allowing greater mobility as well as heavier armor. The result was a highly effective medium tank. The vehicle was mass-produced beginning in late March 1945, with a total of 4542 the М4А3(76)W tanks with both suspension types manufactured.

The E8 Sherman is a quicker, slightly better armored version of the M4 Sherman. It also has an upgraded 76mm gun with an improved rate or fire and better accuracy. Considering all this, the M1A2 should not be overlooked on the upgrade path in comparison to the M1A1 as it really brings out the E8's strengths. However, despite the increased armor compared to the M4 Sherman, the E8 is still a very soft target and will be easily destroyed if it stays exposed to enemy fire. Finding a balance is a necessity and is excellent practice for the American mediums that are to follow, which all share a similar lack of armor. Its strongest point is its excellent mobility. It accelerates very quickly on all grounds, and loses little energy in turns which makes it an ideal flanking tank. Anyone who underestimates this gem will very soon become a smoking wreck. It is sometimes nicknamed the "E8" or "Easy-Eight."

M4A3E8 Sherman

Stock

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret V D51072 4800 63.5/63.5/63.5 38 330
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun IV 75 mm Gun M3 L/37 1437 92/127/38 110/110/175 15.79 0.46 2.1
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine IV Wright Continental R-975C1 516 400 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis V NVSS T66 8300 33 37
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VI SCR 508 0 395

M4(105)HVSS

Attack

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret V D51072 4800 63.5/63.5/63.5 38 330
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun V 105 mm SPH M4 L/23 2600 53/101.6/38 410/350/175 7.5 0.55 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine V Wright Continental R-975C4 550 460 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VI NVSS T80 8300 34.5 40
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VI SCR 508 0 395
Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VI D51080 4800 76.2/51/51 39 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VI 76 mm Gun M1A1 1567 128/177/38 115/115/185 14.29 0.43 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine V Wright Continental R-975C4 550 460 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VI NVSS T80 8300 34.5 40
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VI SCR 508 0 395

M4A3E8(76) Late

Recon

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VI D51080 4800 76.2/51/51 39 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VI 76 mm Gun M1A2 1590 128/177/38 115/115/185 18.18 0.4 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VII Ford GAA 569 520 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VI NVSS T80 8300 34.5 40
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio IX SCR 506 0 615

M4A3E8(105)

Recon

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VI D51080 4800 76.2/51/51 39 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun V 105 mm SPH M4 L/23 2600 53/101.6/38 410/350/175 7.5 0.55 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VII Ford GAA 569 520 20
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VI NVSS T80 8300 34.5 40
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio IX SCR 506 0 615

Compatible Equipment

Vertical Stabilizer Mk 1
Medium Spall Liner
Camouflage Net
Fill Tanks with CO2
Coated Optics
Enhanced Gun Laying Drive
Enhanced Horizontal Coil Springs 2 Class
Improved Ventilation Class 2
Medium-Caliber Tank Gun Rammer
Binocular Telescope
Toolbox
"Wet" Ammo Rack Class 1

Compatible Consumables

Automatic Fire Extinguisher
Case of Cola
100-octane Gasoline
105-octane Gasoline
Manual Fire Extinguisher
Large First Aid Kit
Large Repair Kit
Small First Aid Kit
Small Repair Kit

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:


  • Excellent rate of fire from 76 mm guns. With a rammer and vents to further boost RoF and 100% crew, the M1A2 can fire once ev
  • Good speed and maneuverability. On most grounds you can hit 45 and above with 100% crew and fully upgraded tank. Maintains sp
  • Ability to use Vertical Stabilizer (equipment)
  • Thick and wide gun mantlet coupled with excellent gun depression allows the use of hull-down tactics
  • Thick beak and glacis plate makes cresting a bit safer than for most tanks


Cons:


  • Penetration is insufficient against many higher tier opponents, and often struggles against the sides of tier 8 tanks.
  • Low penetration and alpha damage on top gun, compared to other Tier 6 mediums
  • Somewhat large and tall, making it easy to hit
  • Transmission is mounted in the lower glacis, although it is well protected.
  • Does not have particularly good acceleration for a flanking medium, although it maintains speed well and turns very quickly.


Performance

If you enjoyed the M4, but wished it was faster, then you'll love this tank. Like the M4A3E2, it gets the more powerful Ford GAA engine. Unlike the E2, it doesn't have a bunch of extra armor welded on. As a result, this tank is fastest and most maneuverable of the Sherman variants. It can also take advantage of a Vertical Stabilizer. Tier 6 tanks of other nations cannot. It can be quite helpful on a fast and maneuverable tank such as this one.

The E8 has 2 strongpoints in it's armor; the turret and the 101mm glacis or beak. The thick turret and gun mantlet plus the E8's amazing gun depression makes hull-down tactics possible and safer. The 101mm beak armor plating is similar to other tanks of the similar chassis. It's the same slope as the front upper armor plating and a few angles can bounce the KV-1S's feared 122mm D25T gun and give a chance for the E8 to retreat and regroup or engage and destroy the enemy with the M1A2's superb rate of fire.

Run and gun tactics are a must with the E8, as it has enough speed and maneuverability to circle many heavier tanks due to their inferior turret traverses. The higher than average gun depression angle allows the E8 to take up hull-down positions quite effectively as well. With the rapid rate of fire the E8 can devastate tier 7 and below tanks.

The E8 tends to be most successful in a flanker or sniper role. It has the speed and maneuverability to succeed at flanking where the E2 couldn't. This lets it hit the sides more easily. However, make sure your target is busy with one of your team mates, or more often than not you'll be the one dying, instead of your target. In a sniping role, you reduce the chances of being hit by being far away, but your gun will have a harder time penetrating, and in this role your high rate of fire can be a liability rather than an advantage, since the enemy will likely be able to see you as long as you're firing.

Unfortunately, with the addition of the Cromwell medium tank on the British line, this tank becomes somewhat redundant, as the Cromwell can do anything the Easy 8 can do, except it's faster and smaller with a higher penetrating and damaging gun with better accuracy. However, there are a few niche bonuses to the E8 somewhat beneficial to use - the ability to use Vertical Stabilizer (if you can afford 500k for it), thicker effective hull armor, and the decent turret armor when combined with the gun mantlet.

While the 76mm M1A1 and M1A2 may only seem to differ in rate of fire, it is important to note that the M1A2 is slightly more accurate than the M1A1, which can make all the difference in this tank's role of providing support for better armored vehicles. Adding the vertical stabilizer makes the M4A3E8 with a 76mm Gun M1A2 a formidable opponent in close combat as well. By circling the enemy, the E8 is more than capable of devastating higher tier tanks with the high rate of fire. A wolf-pack of E8s can be a devastating force on the battlefield.

On a side-note: if the E8 were accurate to its design during WWII, the E8 would have wet-ammunition storage automatically, an evolutionary improvement over older models.


Early Research

  • Upon purchasing this tank, immediately install the Wright Continental R-975C4 engine and upgrade the radio, which you unlocked on the M4.
  • Next work on upgrading the turret and getting the M1A2 gun, which increases the rate of fire and has better accuracy.
  • Go from there.


Historical Info

M4a3E8 at army maintenance depo in Korea

The official name is the M4A3(76)W HVSS, but "Sherman Easy Eight" is the nickname this tank is widely remembered. Sherman M4A3E8 earned the nickname from its experimental E8 designation. This new variant entered into WWII late in the war (Dec 1944), and was kept in service in various western allied nations deep into the Cold war.






Evolutionary differences from the prior Sherman variants

"Wet ammo rack". Storage of ammunition in the floor of the tank

This tank sported the much-vaunted HVSS (horizontal volute spring suspension) wide track and suspension upgrade. HVSS suspension increased the Sherman's weight by 2950lbs with the T66 single-pin track and 4780 lbs with the T84 double-pin track. HVSS allowed the installation of wider tracks, thereby decreasing the tank's ground pressure, and eased maintenance on the running gear since the bogie no longer had to be disassembled to remove road wheels. HVSS also provided more wheel travel, which gave the tank an easier and more stable ride, it also made the tank a much more stable firing platform.

The turret was also enlarged to accommodate the more powerful 76 mm gun. Muzzle velocity of the 76 mm cannon, the vehicle's primary armament, was 792 m/sec, causing penetration of 101 mm of armor at a distance of 1,000 yards (914 m). Maximum range of the cannon in indirect fire mode was 15,000 yards (13,716 meters). From it's predecessor, the M4A3E8 inherited glacis sloped to 47 degrees to the vertical, while driver and co-driver vision slots were changed to periscopes housed in the top of the hatches.

M4A3E8 Sherman Left Side

The most significant change that distinguished the "Easy Eight" from it's predecessors was the "wet storage" of ammunition to reduce fire risk in the event of penetration from an enemy AP round. The primary place of storage of ammunition was moved from the side of the turret (dry storage) into protected folders on the floor of the tank under the turret (wet storage).

Production of "Easy Eights" began in early 1944 and continued until April 1945. The "Easy Eight" became the standard tank of the American 3rd and seventh Army in Europe, and after the war, was successfully deployed in Korea and the Middle East. In the postwar years, it was included in the armament of various Western Allied armies. A total of 4,542 M4A3 tanks of both suspension types were produced.


Historical Gallery


USA
Light Tanks IT1 Cunningham IIM2 Light Tank IIT1E6-X IIT1E6-X1 IIT2 Light Tank IIT7 Combat Car IIIM22 Locust IIIM3 Stuart IIIMTLS-1G14 IVM5 Stuart VM24 Chaffee VIT21 VIT37 VIIM41 Walker Bulldog VIIT71 VIIIM41B Brazilian Bulldog VIIIT49
Medium Tanks IIT2 Medium Tank IIIM2 Medium Tank IVM3 Lee VM4A2E4 Sherman VM4A2E4 Ripper VM4 Sherman VM7 VRam II VIM4A3E8 Sherman VISherman Fury VIM4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo VIIT20 VIIT23E3 VIIIM26 Pershing VIIIT26E4 Super Pershing VIIIT26E4 Freedom VIIIT69 VIIIT95E2 IXM46 Patton IXT54E1 XM48A1 Patton
Heavy Tanks VT14 VT1 Heavy Tank VIM6 VIIT29 VIIIM6A2E1 VIIIT32 VIIIT34 IXM103 XT110E5 XT57 Heavy Tank
Tank Destroyers IIT18 IIIT82 IVM8A1 IVT40 VM10 Wolverine VT67 VIM18 Hellcat VIM36 Jackson VIIT25/2 VIIT25 AT VIIIT28 VIIIT28 Prototype IXT30 IXT95 XT110E3 XT110E4
Self-Propelled Artillery IIT57 IIIM7 Priest IIISexton I IVM37 VM41 VIM44 VIIM12 VIIIM40/M43 IXM53/M55 XT92
Medium Tanks
USA IIT2 Medium Tank IIIM2 Medium Tank IVM3 Lee VM4A2E4 Sherman VM4A2E4 Ripper VM4 Sherman VM7 VRam II VIM4A3E8 Sherman VISherman Fury VIM4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo VIIT20 VIIT23E3 VIIIM26 Pershing VIIIT26E4 Super Pershing VIIIT26E4 Freedom VIIIT69 VIIIT95E2 IXM46 Patton IXT54E1 XM48A1 Patton
UK IVickers Medium Mk. I IIVickers Medium Mk. II IIIVickers Medium Mk. III IVMatilda VMatilda Black Prince VICromwell VICromwell Knight VIIComet VIIICenturion Mk. I IXCenturion Mk. 7/1 XFV4202
Germany IIIPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. A IIIPz.Kpfw. S35 739 (f) IVPz.Kpfw. III IVPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D IVVK 20.01 (D) VPz.Kpfw. III/IV VPz.Kpfw. IV VPz.Kpfw. IV Hydrostat VPz.Kpfw. V/IV VPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H VT-25 VIPz.Kpfw. IV Schmalturm VIVK 30.01 (P) VIVK 30.01 (D) VIVK 30.02 (M) VIIPanther/M10 VIIPz.Kpfw. V Panther VIIVK 30.02 (D) VIIIPanther mit 8,8 cm L/71 VIIIIndien-Panzer VIIIPanther II IXE-50 IXLeopard prototyp A XE-50 Ausf. M XLeopard 1
France IIID2 IXLorraine 40 t XBat.-Châtillon 25 t
USSR IVT-28 VMatilda IV VT-34 VIA-43 VIT-34-85 VISpectre VIT-34-88 VIIA-44 VIIKV-13 VIIT-43 VIIT-44-122 VIIIObject 416 VIIIT-44 IXObject 430 Version II IXT-54 XObject 140 XObject 430 XT-62A
China VType T-34 VIType 58 VIIT-34-1 VIIIT-34-2 VIIIT-34-3 IXWZ-120 X121
Japan IIChi-Ni IIIType 97 Chi-Ha IVType 1 Chi-He VType 3 Chi-Nu VType 3 Chi-Nu Kai VIType 4 Chi-To VIIType 5 Chi-Ri VIIISTA-1 IXType 61 XSTB-1
Czechoslovakia
Sweden
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