105/25 M43

Description

The Semovente 105/25 M43 is a rank Italian tank destroyer with a battle rating of (AB), (RB), and (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, casemate)
• Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies 10 mm thick.
• The belly is 15 mm thick.
• Mudguards are 4 mm thick.

The 105/25 M43 got rid of the biggest vulnerabilities of the previous Semoventi: the vertical armour front plate is now much thicker, the sides were reinforced and the crew is less cramped thanks to the widened hull. However, the poor roof armour and a crew of only 3 are still weak points. Your front plate is also now wider and easier to target. With the BR increase, foes are also better armoured, which slightly tones down the benefit brought by your armour increase.

Mobility

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition

The ammunition choice for the 105/25 M43 is focused on the anti-tank role:

• Granata Perforante da 105: a capped armour-piercing shell with explosive filler that has a good penetration power and whose explosive filler offers a good single-shot knock-out capability.
• Effetto Pronto mod.43: a shaped charge with high penetration power that does not diminish over distance. This type of shell is very effective on open and lightly armoured vehicles. It will also penetrate thicker armour, provided it is not sloped and will in most cases require a second shot to finish the enemy vehicle. The long reload time of the gun will be a clear handicap in such cases as the enemy will have time to return fire. Always pack a few HEAT shells as you lack HE shells and a machine gun to deal with lightly armoured vehicles.

Both shells have slow muzzle velocity and will have a curved trajectory. Use this to hit enemies hiding behind a ridge.

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the 105/25 M43

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

Usage in battles

Combat tactics

The 105/25 M43 is best when used as a tank destroyer thanks to its good frontal armour and the good penetration of its rounds, provided you stay at a distance guaranteeing your survivability (800-1,000 m). With a maximum penetration of 72 mm at 1,000 m for the APC round and 120 mm for the HEAT shell, the vehicle will have no problem penetrating the armour of most enemy vehicles at the BR. However, the low-velocity 105 mm howitzer makes it difficult to target and hit reliably enemies at long range and the long reload time prevents you from coming quickly with another shot.

If you play too close to the frontline, most tanks will be capable of disabling you. Your weak sides will be exposed if you are taken in a pincer move and your long reload time will give enemies the opportunity to get to a better shooting spot or to close the gap between their location and yours.

Notable enemies

• Tank destroyers with long guns that can penetrate from long range like the Marder III, the Marder III H, the Gun Carrier (3-in), the Archer, the StuG III F, the SU-57B, the YaG-10 (29-K), the Chi-Ha LG or the Na-To,
• Tanks with powerful HEAT shells like the M4A3 (105), the Pz.III N, the StuH 42 G, the M4A3 (105) (France) or the Sav m/43 (1946),
• Tanks with APDS shells like the Lago I,
• Frontline tanks with sloped armour like the M4A1, the T-50, the T-126 or the T-34 (1940) or the M4A1 (France),
• Fast and agile light tanks such as the M24, the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 or the Crusader III that can easily flank the Semovente undetected are dangerous threats. Their speed and small size make them difficult to target for the Semovente's howitzer and they can disable you easily at close range.

How to defeat a 105/25 M43

• Avoid any frontal encounter. Flank it and aim for the sides of the casemate.
• Wait for it to have shot and be reloading (it gives you at least 10 seconds to act).
• If you're forced to engage the Semovente frontally, be as close as possible to increase your chances to penetrate.
• If you can't disable it in one shot, immobilizing the 105/25 M43 buys you time to finish it off. Either shoot the transmission, the driver or the engine to do so. Stay out or get out of its line of fire once it is immobilized.
• When flying an aircraft, target the crew compartment to knock the crew out or the engine bay to immobilize it.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Hard-hitting 105 mm gun
• Small profile = harder for enemies to spot
• Has access to HEAT rounds
• Respectable frontal armour
• Decent mobility overall
• Decent gun depression of -10 degrees

Cons:

• As with all casemate tank destroyers, it is vulnerable to getting flanked
• No machine gun
• Somewhat long reload, can be drastically increased if a crew member gets knocked out
• Only 3 crew members
• Can be vulnerable to planes strafing from above
• No HE rounds to deal with lightly armoured vehicles

History

In mid-1942, the Italian Army put out a set of requirements for a new vehicle that could double up as both an infantry support vehicle as well as a tank destroyer, depending on the situation. In response to this, Fiat-Ansaldo and OTO both began developing prototypes around these requirements in parallel.

The two competing designs primarily differed in the chassis choice. OTO picked the newer chassis of the P40 heavy tank whilst Fiat-Ansaldo chose to opt for a newer and larger version of the chassis already in production for their Semovente M42.

This decision allowed Fiat-Ansaldo to complete their prototype much sooner. In February 1943, the Semovente 105/25 M43 was presented to military officials and was soon afterwards ordered into production, following successful trials.

Production began in April 1943, with a planned production run of over 800 vehicles. However, with Italy's industry at this late stage of the war being severely crippled, production was slow and reaching such high production goals was more than unlikely.

Just prior to the signing of the armistice in September, the 30th vehicle rolled off the assembly line. The Semovente 105/25 M43 proved itself in combat during the defence of Rome, where the SPGs successfully engaged German forces trying to retake the city.

After the occupation of northern Italy by German forces, the Fiat-Ansaldo company restarted production of the Semovente 105/25, this time however, for the Germans. Germany only used a limited number of these vehicles under the designation Sturmgeschütz M43 mit 105/25 853(i), of which most were no longer in use by late 1944.

Around 120 Semovente 105/25 M43s were built by 1944, primarily serving with Italian or German forces. By the late stages of the war, only a limited number was still in service and after the end of WW2, the vehicle was retired from service.

- From Devblog

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the 105/25 M43 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• 75/34 M43
• M43 "G.C.Leoncello"
• 75/46 M43

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• StuH 42 G
• Sav m/43 (1946)

External links

• [Devblog] Semovente 105/25 M43: Low Profile, High Power
• [Wikipedia] Semovente da 105/25