Ferdinand - German heavy self-propelled artillery unit of the World War II class of tank destroyers. Also called "Elephant" - elephant. The Ferdinand self-propelled gun was developed in 1942-1943, being largely an improvisation based on the chassis of the Tiger (P) heavy tank, which was not adopted for service, developed by Designer Ferdinand Porsche.
Well, in the game Ferdinand or “Fedya” for a long time was a formidable Tier VIII Anti-Tank Sau, but with the advent of new Tank Destroyers and the emergence of an alternative in the development of JPanter ll, it lost its former greatness, as well as with the advent of gold shells for silver , Ferdinand's armor has lost its former power and depends on the greed of the enemy.
Introduction
Ferdinand is a German tier 8 tank destroyer. Once upon a time, the “Fedya” was relevant, and its frontal armor inspired fear in neophytes. But these warm lamp times passed when “gold” began to be sold for silver. The situation worsened even more with the introduction of new eights, which had no worse guns and better mobility. What can we say, even if the second “Jagdpanther” is better than “Ferdinand” , with the same guns. Therefore, only reenactors, or just strange people, play this tank destroyer. This guide is dedicated to the latter.
Booking Ferdinand
The image will show the standard frontal armor without the armor shown.
If you use tank destroyer armor correctly, you can tank shells from classmates and some level 9s, since when you rotate the hull, the reduced armor increases. So, with the right angles, the indicators will increase as follows:
- lower frontal part – up to 240 mm;
- upper frontal part – up to 250 mm;
- felling – up to 240 mm;
- gun mantlet – more than 400 mm.
The indicators of the given armor indicate that Ferdinand can confidently tank shells of all classmates and some 9th levels. However, experienced tankers know the weak point of an anti-tank installation when turning the hull - these are the so-called “cheeks”, which have an armor thickness of only 80 mm. In a diamond rack they open at a right angle, so without the given armor, every tank that has a gun with a minimum armor penetration of a projectile of more than 80 mm will penetrate a tank destroyer. However, not all players know about these places, and the “cheeks” need to be targeted, and this is only possible for an accurate weapon and at close distances.
Historical reference
The history of Ferdinand began with the abandonment of Porsche's Tiger-R model in favor of Heinschel. However, the eminent developer was so confident of his victory that he had already begun producing the chassis in commercial quantities. In order to somehow accommodate them, Hitler gave the order to develop heavy self-propelled guns based on them. We didn’t have to wait long, since Porsche had solid experience in developing tank destroyers.
The hull of the original tank underwent minimal changes, mainly in the rear. Since the new 88-mm gun had a significant barrel length, it was decided to install an armored cabin with a cannon in the rear part of the hull, previously occupied by engines and generators. Maybach engines were installed on the car, which led to the need to completely rework the cooling system, and the gas tanks were redesigned with increased capacity.
By the spring of 1943, the first vehicles began to arrive at the front. Their first debut took place on the Kursk Bulge, and it was not entirely successful. Due to their large mass, their tracks got stuck in the ground, and their transmissions burned out from overvoltage. Almost all the vehicles were hit in various ways while overcoming the first line of defense. They were then transferred to Italy, where the rocky soil facilitated their maneuvers.
The debut on the Kursk Bulge was unsuccessful
On the other side of Ponyri
Perhaps not everyone is so unlucky? Near Ponyri, right in front of the abandoned Ferdinands,” a new Soviet offensive was being prepared. Generally speaking, the correct, textbook option for K.K. Rokossovsky’s Central Front would be a regrouping of forces. To strike away from the area where the enemy was just advancing. But it took time, and we decided to strike here and now. Moreover, the Germans hastily pulled out their tank ram to repel the Soviet offensive to the north.
We decided to use a powerful tank strike to prevent the enemy from withdrawing in an orderly manner and gaining a foothold on the old defensive line.
SAUFerdinand", knocked out in the area of Ponyri station
But not all Ferdinands” went to the top of the Oryol arc. Some remained to lick their wounds near Maloarkhangelsk. When the artillery barrage began, the crews of the self-propelled guns simply reached into their armored chests and started the engines. There was no need to go far. 88-mm shells rustled towards the Soviet thirty-fours.
The Ferdinands in ambush turned out to be practically indestructible at long combat distances. Unlike an anti-tank gun, close explosions of even large shells are like pellets to an elephant. It was impossible to get close to them for a point-blank shot.
Attacks by the Soviet 3rd and 9th Tank Corps on July 15 were unsuccessful. Infantry support regiments were also targeted.
In Soviet reporting documents they write about the opposition of the Ferdinands” - and in this case this is not an empty turn of phrase.
Companies of the 654th battalion were located in the area of the Maloarkhangelsk station and laid claim to thirteen destroyed Soviet tanks. On July 17, the offensive of the 2nd Tank Army and the fresh 9th Tank Corps was resumed, but was not successful.
Ferdinand" acted as a mobile defense reserve at the Maloarkhangelsk station and announced the destruction of 22 Soviet tanks. Three days of fighting cost the 2nd Tank Army 87 damaged and burned tanks, and the 9th Tank Corps - 69 tanks and self-propelled guns. The path to the old German defensive line became long and difficult.
Gaming characteristics
In World of Tanks , “Fedya”, thanks to its powerful gun and strong frontal armor, became an assault tank destroyer. Let's look at its characteristics in terms of the game:
Protection
We seem to have armor, and it’s even quite good - a solid 200 mm forehead should, in theory, hold up shells. But it doesn’t “tank”. The square geometry of the case has an effect, as well as a number of weak points - NLD and 80 mm cheeks, which are difficult to fix, but possible. The rest at this level is decided by “gold”. The sides and rear are armored with 80 mm and generally pose no problems to armor-piercing shells. More or less saves a supply of lives - 1500 hit points. They will kill you for a long time and tediously.
Firepower
You start with a classic 88 mm cannon - it’s generally not bad, but the damage is low. So go straight to the 105mm Pak L/52. The rate of fire drops, but the average “damage” increases from 240 to 360 HP. Many people settle on this “golden mean”, but you will not feel the full power of the Fedi until you install the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55.
Armor penetration of 246 mm basic and 311 mm sub-caliber projectiles is the best indicator in the game. Damage of 490 HP is a different matter! A land mine can generally knock out 630 HP. At the same time, the weapon is quite accurate - the spread is 0.35 per hundred meters. The disadvantages include the rate of fire (5.13 rounds per minute) and mediocre aiming (2.3 seconds). But this is still the best gun with DPM around 2513 HP.
Dynamics
Porsche Deutz Typ 180/2 engine produces 800 hp. s., but even this power is only enough for 30 km/h. We don’t recommend going uphill at all. We definitely recommend replacing Ferdinand with Elefant - maneuverability will increase significantly (from 18 to 21 degrees/sec), load capacity (by almost three tons) and even the weight of the tracks themselves will be reduced by 200 kg. Unprecedented!
Detection and communication
But we really need radio communication if we are going to shoot at a distance. FuG 12 radio allows you to maintain stable contact at a distance of 710 meters - not all cards are of this size. The range of vision is standard for a tank destroyer - 370 meters, so it is necessary to increase it using available means and skills. Invisibility for our mascara is a rather abstract thing, but camouflage is still worth buying.
German tank destroyer in World of Tanks – detailed guide to Ferdinand
30.06.2017
Hi all!
We continue to look at military equipment in World of Tanks.
And today we’ll talk about German tank destroyers.
Anti-tank self-propelled guns have powerful weapons and ambush equipment.
These are the main components of the success of military equipment. Ferdinand is a tier eight tank destroyer. A detailed guide will help you understand all the features of the machine. And evaluate how suitable it is for you.
In the old days, Ferdinand was more relevant than ever. “Fedya” inspired fear with its frontal attack. Alas, the good times ended for him when it became possible to sell gold for silver and with the introduction of eights, which had better mobility and the same guns.
Therefore, now either strange players or reenactors love the technology. It is to them that I dedicated this review.
A little history
The history of “Fedya” began after Porsche abandoned the “Tiger-R” model in favor of “Heinschel”. The developer continued to lose faith and began production of the chassis that needed to be built.
The Fuhrer created an order to develop heavy self-propelled guns for the chassis. And since Porsche had considerable experience in developing anti-tank self-propelled guns, they didn’t have to wait long.
The hull of the original vehicle was subjected to minor changes, an armored conning tower was installed at the rear of the hull, the tank was supplemented with a Maybach engine, and a more impressive gas tank was redesigned.
Military equipment arrived at the front at the end of 1943, having received a baptism of fire at the Kursk Bulge. Alas, the debut did not turn out the way I wanted.
The tank's tracks bogged down due to the large mass, and transmissions burned out from overvoltage. It was decided to transfer from to Italy.
Gaming characteristics
In World of Tanks, the tank became an assault tank destroyer, thanks to its strong frontal armor and powerful gun. What are its gaming characteristics?
- Protection – the armor is quite good, but at the same time “Fedya” does not tank. Its square body geometry does not have the best effect. The stern and sides have 80 millimeters of armor, so they are not problematic for armor-piercing shells. But there is also a plus - killing you is not so easy, it saves a large supply of lives (1500 hit points).
- Firepower – the 88mm gun is generally quite good. But it does little damage. It’s worth going straight to the best one - the 105 mm Pak L/52. But you can truly experience this self-propelled gun only by installing the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55. The best performance in the game is armor penetration with a 311 mm sub-caliber or 246 mm basic projectile. And with a landmine you can generally knock out 630 HP.
- Dynamics – Ferdinand has a top-end engine (Porsche Deutz Typ 180/2). Alas, such power is only enough for 30 km/h. I recommend changing the tracks to Elefant, this will increase the load capacity and maneuverability.
- Communication, detection - if your plans are to shoot at a distance, you can’t do without a radio station. FuG 12 (top radio station) maintains stable contacts and an impressive distance (more than 700 meters). The tank's visibility is standard (370 m), but it will need to be increased.
Equipment and pumping
How should you study this German tank destroyer? If you have dealt with Jpanther before, then you have already upgraded the pre-top 105 mm gun and the top-end FuG 12 radio.
If you decide to upgrade to this tank from Tiger P, you will receive, along with the connection, a pre-top 2x Porsche Typ 100/3 engine. There is no need to change lanes, and the Fedi has a good gun.
Therefore, we first buy caterpillars. Then we pump up the top 128 mm gun, and only after that we begin to gradually improve the engine compartment.
The crew has six members. You upgrade according to the usual standard PT option: for the commander it’s a “sixth sense”, for everyone else it’s “camouflage”.
Next, we download the “Zelenka” for the commander, and everyone else gets the skills for fast, accurate shooting, high-quality movement, and increased visibility. At the third level, everyone is “Combat Brotherhood”.
Regarding equipment, I recommend using the classic sniper version: “filler”, “camouflage net”, “stereo tube”.
We take the following consumables: “Large repair kit”, “Large first aid kit”, “Manual fire extinguisher”. To increase the characteristics of crew members, you can also grab “Chocolate”.
Tactical Tips
The German tank destroyer Ferdinand can “tanker” on the front line and shoot from afar.
Initially, you need to study the map for good positions. Decide on the direction of attacks. It is important to deal more damage.
You can't tear yourself away from your allies! You will immediately become easy prey for medium and light tanks.
Otherwise, it all depends on what style of play you prefer. Do you like hand-to-hand combat?
Get into an advantageous position, for example, in the bushes, and start dealing damage. After firing, roll back to cover to reload.
But you can't hide forever. You will have to face your opponents. Use this move: hug the hills, walls and start throwing out your most powerful splashes.
It’s not worth climbing too far forward, but you shouldn’t shun a ram either.
There are also tricks to help catch ricochets. You have a long reload time, it’s simply not worth standing around and waiting. Crawl behind the cover with your back, simultaneously turning your forehead at an acute angle.
Not a single gun will penetrate you in this state. If there is no cover, start fidgeting back and forth, this will make it difficult to target the NLD.
Advantages
- The tank has good UGN and UVN.
- An accurate, powerful weapon.
- Having good frontal armor.
Flaws:
- Armor doesn't always "tank".
- Lack of maneuverability.
- Weak disguise.
- Huge building.
Who would like this German tank destroyer in World of Tanks? Definitely a small number of players. Even in the German branch, “Fedya” is inferior to lethal specimens.
However, there are always Ferdinand lovers in the game. With proper skill, the machine makes its contribution to overall success.
In any case, the choice is yours. Happy fighting!
Pumping and equipment
What is the best way to study Ferdinand ? If you played JPanther , you managed to download the top-end FuG 12 and the pre-top 105 mm gun. In the case when you switched to Fedya from Tiger P , then in addition to communication you will receive a pre-top engine 2x Porsche Typ 100/3 . What to choose? Of course, it’s better to go with a tank destroyer - you won’t need to adapt to your play style, and the gun is more important than mobility. For free experience, you buy tracks, and then urgently upgrade the top 128 mm gun. After this, you can begin to gradually improve the engine compartment.
Our crew consists of six people. We download them to the standard PT version: the commander “Sixth Sense”, the rest “Disguise”. Then the commander pumps up the green paint, and the rest of the tankers acquire the skills for accurate and fast shooting, increased visibility and high-quality movement on soft soils. The two loaders can be specialized into Desperado and Proximity Ammunition. The third level of perk is military brotherhood for all.
As for special equipment, we recommend the classic sniper version: “Stereo Tube”, “Camouflage Net” and “Rammer”. There is also an option for active actions: “Rammer”, “Coated optics”, “Ventilation”. When the crew reaches one hundred percent, you can replace the fan with a “Tool Box” so that you don’t have to stand on the “harp” often.
We place the following consumables: “Manual fire extinguisher”, “Large first aid kit” (+15 to protection from injuries), “Large repair kit” (+10 to repair speed). The engine will not be knocked out very often, so we recommend taking “Chocolate” to increase the characteristics of the crew.
Remember - this is the most vulnerable place of the “fedi”
Tactical Tips
Ferdinand is a classic assault tank destroyer that can both shoot from afar and tank on the front line.
First, decide on the direction of attack. Preliminarily study the map for good positions, try to guess where the enemy “heavies” will come from. Your task is to deal as much damage as possible. Do not break away from your allies under any circumstances - swarms of light and medium tanks will tear you apart without a hitch, removing their tracks and “carouseling”.
Then it all depends on your playing style. If you don’t like hand-to-hand combat, then take a comfortable position deep in the rear (preferably in the bushes) and deal damage with your megadrill. After the shot, it is advisable to roll back to cover to reload, because you will “glow” on all waves, and the tracer can be detected without problems.
But it won’t work to stand in the bushes forever. Sooner or later you will have to meet the enemy face to face. It is advisable to do it sooner rather than later - being left alone with a crowd of enemies is not comme il faut. Hug close to walls and hills so as not to tempt the “art”, and throw powerful splashes at those who are especially assertive, which will knock down their arrogance. Don’t push too far forward, knock down the tracks of upstarts, provide comprehensive support to your teammates. Do not disdain a ram as an ultimatum argument, especially if it’s under a hill.
An experienced player will always find a way to defeat you. But there are a couple of tricks that will help you catch a couple of ricochets. “Rhombusting” on a self-propelled gun is still an activity, but on a “Fed” it is justified. Our reload time is long, there is no point in standing in the sights forever. Start crawling backwards behind the cover, simultaneously turning your forehead at an acute angle. Not a single gun is able to penetrate the resulting “ghost”. If there is no cover, then simply fidget back and forth to make it difficult to target the NLD and cheeks next to the headlights.
Work together with your allies, otherwise you cannot avoid “carousels”
User manual
The application manual initially put the Ferdinand self-propelled guns at a disadvantage. Their limited range and low maneuverability limited their use in mass offensives, although they could be used in positional battles. Also, the heavy weight of the installation did not allow it to cross most bridges.
Self-propelled artillery "Ferdinand" (the simplified name "Ferd" is incorrect) was designed to destroy Soviet tanks. Considerable armor provided reliable protection against their projectiles. It was supposed to use self-propelled guns as the first echelon of attack on Soviet positions due to the armor.
Review of the tank's strengths and weaknesses. Results
pros:
- Powerful and accurate weapon
- Good frontal armor
- Good UVN and UGN
Minuses:
- Low maneuverability
- Large body
- Weak camouflage
- Armor doesn't always tank
- Frequently criticized modules
Ferdinand - not everyone will like this tank destroyer, or rather, few people will like it at all. Even in the German branch of self-propelled guns you can choose better examples. However, there will always be lovers of sadomasochism and historical reconstruction. With the proper skill, the Fedya can contribute to the overall victory, but this can be said about any tank, even the most unsuccessful one. “Ferdinand” has more disadvantages than advantages and that says it all.
Good luck in battle!
Self-propelled gun in battle
The vehicles arrived just in time for the start of the Battle of Kursk. One funny fact should be noted: all the Soviet front-line soldiers who participated in this battle unanimously insist that the Ferdinand tank was used en masse (almost thousands) along the entire front. But reality did not match these words. In fact, only 90 vehicles took part in the battles, and they were used only on one sector of the front - in the area of the Ponyri railway station and the village of Teploye. Two divisions of self-propelled guns fought there.
In general, we can say that “Ferdinand” passed its baptism of fire successfully. An important role was played by the conning tower, which was well armored. Of all the losses, the largest number occurred in minefields. One vehicle ran into crossfire from several anti-tank guns and seven tanks, but only one (!) hole was found in it. Three more self-propelled guns were destroyed by a Molotov cocktail, an air bomb and a large-caliber howitzer shell. It was in these battles that the Red Army felt the full power of such a formidable machine as the Ferdinand tank, photographs of which were taken then for the first time. Before this, the Russians did not have any information about the car.
During the battles, the advantages and disadvantages of the machines were clarified. For example, crews complained that the lack of a machine gun reduced survivability on the battlefield. They tried to solve this problem in an original way: the machine gun barrel was inserted into an unloaded gun. But you can imagine how inconvenient and long it was. The turret did not rotate, so the machine gun was aimed by the entire hull.
Another method was also ingenious, but ineffective: an iron cage was welded to the back of the self-propelled gun, where 5 grenadiers were located. But the Ferdinand, a large and dangerous tank, always attracted enemy fire, so they did not live long. They tried to install a machine gun on the roof of the cabin, but the loader servicing it risked his life just like the grenadiers in the cage.
Among the more significant changes, they carried out enhanced sealing of the vehicle’s engine fuel system, but this increased the likelihood of a fire, which was confirmed in the first weeks of fighting. They also found out that the chassis is highly susceptible to damage from mines.
