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T-43

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T-43 (Stock)

AnnoT-43.png
Totals
1355000 Price
1000 Hit Points
33.05 / 34 kgWeight
Crew
  1. Commander
Armor
75/75/75Hull Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
80/80/60Turret Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
Maneuver
520 h.p.Engine Power
51 km/hSpeed Limit
36 deg/secTraverse Speed
Firepower
160 Standard Shell Damage
126 mmStandard Shell Penetration
5 Time for Complete Loading
48 deg/secTurret Traverse Speed
Communication
360 mView Range
325 mSignal Range
VII
T-43
1355000
Designed as a replacement for the T-34 in the spring of 1942. The T-43 was recommended for service, but never entered mass production.

Designed to replace the T-34, and actually historically predating the T-34-85, the T-43 features increased hull armor and a new torsion bar suspension replacing the T-34's Christie suspension, but retains the same weapons as the T-34-85 and has similar turret protection. As a Tier 7 medium tank, the T-43 is expected to face Tier 9 tanks using the same gun that the T-34-85 had at Tier 6, which can be frustrating at times, to say the least.

T-43-85

Stock

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VI T-43 mod. 1942 7000 80/80/60 48 360
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VI 85 mm ZiS S-53 1550 126/167/43 160/160/280 12 0.42 2.9
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VI V-2-34M 750 520 15
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VI T-43 6400 34 36
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio IV 9R 0 325

T-43 M1943

Health

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VII T-43 mod. 1943 8400 90/90/90 46 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VI 85 mm ZiS S-53 1550 126/167/43 160/160/280 12.5 0.42 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VI V-2-34M 750 520 15
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VII T-43 mod. 1943 6400 37.3 38
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VIII 9RM 0 525

T-43-122

Attack

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VII T-43 mod. 1943 8400 90/90/90 46 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun V 122 mm U-11 1600 61/140/43 450/370/280 5.36 0.57 2.9
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VIII V-2-44 750 560 12
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VII T-43 mod. 1943 6400 37.3 38
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VIII 9RM 0 525

T-43M

Speed

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VII T-43 mod. 1943 8400 90/90/90 46 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VII 85 mm D5T-85BM 1850 144/194/44 180/180/300 11.11 0.37 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VIII V-2-44 750 560 12
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VII T-43 mod. 1943 6400 37.3 38
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VIII 9RM 0 525

T-43/44

Speed

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VII T-43 mod. 1943 8400 90/90/90 46 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VII 85 mm D5T-85BM 1850 144/194/44 180/180/300 11.11 0.37 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VIII V-54K 750 600 12
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VII T-43 mod. 1943 6400 37.3 38
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VIII 9RM 0 525

T-43-85

Attack

Level Turret Weight (t) Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m)
turret VII T-43 mod. 1943 8400 90/90/90 46 370
Level Gun Weight (t) Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time
gun VII 85 mm D5T-85BM 1850 144/194/44 180/180/300 11.11 0.37 2.3
Level Engine Weight (t) Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact
engine VI V-2-34M 750 520 15
Level Suspension Weight (t) Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s)
chassis VII T-43 mod. 1943 6400 37.3 38
Level Radio Weight (t) Signal Range (m)
radio VIII 9RM 0 525

Compatible Equipment

Medium Spall Liner
Camouflage Net
Fill Tanks with CO2
Coated Optics
Enhanced Gun Laying Drive
Enhanced Torsion Bars 3 t Class
Cyclone Filter
Improved Ventilation Class 2
Medium-Caliber Tank Gun Rammer
Binocular Telescope
Toolbox
"Wet" Ammo Rack Class 1

Compatible Consumables

Automatic Fire Extinguisher
Manual Fire Extinguisher
Large First Aid Kit
Large Repair Kit
Lend-Lease Oil
Extra Combat Rations
Removed Speed Governor
Small First Aid Kit
Small Repair Kit

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:


  • Excellent DPM.
  • Good top speed and maneuverability.
  • Good gun depression and elevation for a Soviet tank.
  • Well sloped, and armored top turret
  • Sloped armor, can offer lucky bounces with angle


Cons:


  • Rather weak armor on all sides.
  • Disappointing top gun, lowest penetration for a medium of its tier.
  • Disappointing stock grind after the T-34-85.
  • Very exposed fuel tank and can easily catch fire from the front


Performance

The T-43 plays the same as the T-34-85, and is generally considered the mid runner of the Tier 7 medium tanks, much like how the T-34-85 was also the mid runner among the Tier 6 medium tanks. It generally does not have any particularly outstanding features, but will perform most roles competently, if unremarkably.

Armament-wise, the T-43 retains the same guns as the T-34-85, but most disappointing is that the T-43 cannot mount the top gun, the 85 mm D5T-85BM, right from the start. Though once mounted, it has a higher rate-of-fire on the T-43 than on the T-34-85. It has good damage-per-minute for a Tier 7 medium tank gun, inferior only to the Comet's OQF 77 mm Gun. Like the Comet, however, this is countered by the gun's fairly low penetration, which means that outside of Tier 7 matches the T-43 will have trouble penetrating nearly all tanks from the front, and many from the sides.

Mobility-wise, the T-43 is fairly decent, but unremarkable. Being heavier than the T-34-85 while using the same engine, it has a lower power-to-weight ratio, and hence accelerates more sluggishly. Having said that, the top speed is fairly decent, and it will have no problems relocating to other flanks as needed. Maneuverability is, though not outstanding, good enough for a medium that is primarily a flanker.

The T-43 does have better hull armor than the T-34-85, but must now face Tier 8 and 9 tanks on a regular basis, so it is not actually that much of an improvement. It is useful against lower tier tanks, and angling will yield some lucky ricochets, but the armor should generally not be relied upon to protect it beyond its well sloped turret. The module layout, combined with the generally more powerful guns that the T-43 faces regularly, means that even if it can survive the hits, it risks being crippled with modules or crew members knocked out.

With all this in mind, the T-43 generally performs best as a second-line support tank or flanking medium. It simply does not have the penetration and accuracy of the Pz.Kpfw. V Panther to perform as a sniper, nor does it have the armor or agility to engage in close combat with enemy tanks without taking heavy damage and/or crippled modules. Picking your targets wisely should be a primary goal. As the tanks great DPM, great alpha (for a DPM oriented cannon), strong turret armor and sloped armor can give weaker tanks a tough time. Exploiting weaker enemies will also allow your team to take on tougher targets.

Specific mention should be made about the T-43's fuel tank, which is placed right next to the driver to his left. Hits to the front can damage the fuel tank, and if destroyed, the fuel tank will cause the T-43 to catch fire. It is very important to be mindful of this. There is also an ammo rack on the hull floor and on the rear right side of the second turret.

Crew Skills

  • Due to the fact that the T-43 takes a lot of module damage, going ll Camouflage as the first skills is helpful to reduce the chances of being detected and getting hit in the first place. As with most medium tanks, going all Repair for the first skills is also viable.
  • A more specialized set of first skills would be Situational Awareness (Commander), Snap Shot (Gunner), and Smooth Ride (Driver). The loader only has perks available, which are not useful until they have reached 100%, Repair or Camouflage are viable options for the loader, which may later be swapped out for his perks. The combination of Snap Shot and Smooth Ride act like a Vertical Stabilizer (which the T-43 does not have access to), reducing the accuracy penalties while moving in a straight line or turning the turret, and by extension, allowing the T-43 to get an accurate shot off faster after stopping. Situational Awareness increase the tank's decent 360 m view range further. Mentor may also be used instead of Situational Awareness if the emphasis is on getting the other crew members' skills up faster. Smooth Ride may be substituted with Off-Road Driving for improved overall mobility. Clutch Braking also a viable option for the driver.
  • Upon reaching 100% on the first skills, dropping the commander's skill for Sixth Sense is highly advised, as it is one of the most important perks in the game, especially for a medium tank. The loader's skill is highly advised to be dropped in favor of Safe Stowage, due to the T-43's highly vulnerable ammunition racks.
  • Brothers-in-Arms is a good perk to have on any tank, but requires all crew members to have it at 100% before it works. The bonus to crew skills is particularly noticeable when combined with Improved Ventilation. It improves nearly every aspect of the tank's performance, but is generally better saved for later in favor of more important skills and perks like Repair, Safe Stowage, and Sixth Sense.


Early Research

If coming from the T-34-85

  • Most of the modules will have been unlocked on the T-34-85, including the top gun (the D5T-85BM) and engine (the V-54K), but mounting the gun requires second turret, which in turn requires the upgraded suspension, so the top priority is to unlock the T-43M suspension. The suspension also has better terrain passability which makes you accelerate much faster.
  • Next, research the T-43 mod. 1943 turret in order to mount the D5T-85BM.
  • It may be a good idea to use the enhanced suspension equipment first, thus allowing the top turret and gun to be mounted sooner.
  • The V-2-44 is automatically unlocked when the T-44 is researched and can be ignored.

If coming from the KV-13,

  • First, research the T-43M suspension.
  • Second, research the T-43 mod. 1943 turret.
  • Next, research the V-2-44 engine.
  • Followed by the V-54K engine.

Note: It is possible to skip the engine upgrades in favor of simply moving on to the T-44, although this is not advised.


Historical Info

In 1942 the Soviet intelligence had information of the new German tanks Panther V and Tiger VI, and this resulted in a need of a new Russian tank to even the score in fire power and protection. At first it was planned to up-armour the T34 m/43, but instead a larger turret was put to the same chassis that was altered inside.

Two prototypes were built, known as T43 and they had a commander's cupola on top. At the beginning of 1943 they were tested and turned out to be just a little better in combat than T34. The decision was taken to start production, but after the battle of Kursk a few months later the it was obvious that a brand new heavy tank model was needed instead (it was to be IS-1) and thus the T43 project came to a close.

By the middle of the war it had become clear that the Red Army needed a new medium tank. The military demanded a tank with both maximum protection and minimum weight. These demands were implemented and the new medium tank project was completed by June 1943 under the name of T-43.

Development

The T-43 had a configuration like the T-34 Medium Tank; its glacis consisted of 75 mm of armor and its turret-front was 90 mm. The tank was armed with the 76.2 mm F-34 Tank Gun. However, the total length of the engine and transmission compartment was not reduced; therefore, the battle compartment remained very cramped. To increase internal space, Soviet designers applied a torsion bar suspension that was more compact then the original Christie «candle» suspension. It was the first time that a torsion bar suspension was used for medium tanks.

Beginning in March 1943, two T-43 prototypes (preceded by vehicle T-43-1, which was built at the end of 1942. It possessed a driver's vision hatch and had the commander's cupola displaced to the rear of the turret.) underwent trials. These included combat trials with the NKSM Independent Tank Company. These showed that the T-43, because of its increased 34.1 ton weight, was marginally inferior to the T-34 in its ability to maneuver (maximum speed was decreased to 48 km/h). It did, however, significantly surpass the latter in smoothness of ride. The replacement of the eight side fuel tanks (on the T-34) for a smaller capacity fuel tank in the bow resulted in almost a 100km decrease in the radius of action. Tank crews praised the crew compartment and greater ease in operating the armament. After trials, the T-43 tank was recommended for acceptance by the Red Army at the end of the summer of 1943, but the results of the Battle of Kursk significantly altered this plan.

The armor protection was superior, compared to the T-34, while its armament was similar to the KV-1S Heavy Tank. However, the T-43 had a ground pressure similar to heavy tanks that adversely affected its range and maneuverability. Even worse was its extreme construction: it didn't allow further modernization. As a result, when production T-34's were rearmed with the 85 mm gun, the T-43 became obsolete. However, experience with the T-43 was not lost. The T-43's tests (3,000 km race) had clearly proved the superiority of the torsion bar suspension over the Christie's.


USSR
Light Tanks IMS-1 IIBT-2 IIT-26 IIT-60 IITetrarch IIIBT-7 IIIBT-SV IIIM3 Light IIIT-127 IIIT-46 IIIT-70 IVA-20 IVT-50 IVT-80 IVValentine II VIMT-25 VIILTTB VIIIT-54 ltwt.
Medium Tanks 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
Heavy Tanks VChurchill III VKV-1S VKV-220 VKV-1 VIKV-2 VIKV-85 VIT-150 VIIIS VIIKV-3 VIIIIS-3 VIIIIS-6 VIIIKV-5 VIIIKV-4 IXIS-8 IXST-I XIS-4 XIS-7
Tank Destroyers IIAT-1 IIISU-76 IIISU-76I IVSU-85B VSU-85 VSU-85I VISU-100 VISU-100Y VIISU-152 VIISU-100M1 VIISU-122-44 VIIIISU-152 VIIISU-101 IXObject 704 IXSU-122-54 XObject 263 XObject 268
Self-Propelled Artillery IISU-18 IIISU-26 IVSU-5 VSU-122A VISU-8 VIIS-51 VIISU-14-1 VIIISU-14-2 IX212A XObject 261
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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