The only gun that could reliably kill them were 88mm AAA guns, which weren't widely issued and had mobility issues of their own as they were not meant for ground combat.

In winter 1941-2 the Germans were in panic about the T-34 and the KV heavy tanks, which were largely resistant to nearly all AT and tank guns issued, which were predominantly 37mm and 50mm. But fighting on the Eastern Front, in the very flat and open steppe, such extreme long range shots would have been much more common. If you're going to ambush at medium to close range buy more STuG III's.This may be true on the Western Front, where the terrain did not allow for as many very long-range engagements. If you're going to snipe at extreme range only it's better to do it with a cheap, easily camouflaged towed gun pulled by a reliable truck or light tracked prime mover instead of stuffing it into a tall, unreliable, insufficiently armored box that also eats into your production of real tanks. I've read of a few extreme range kills, but it seems like the vast majority were at modest distances that were within the effective range of 75mm guns. Only 16 ready rounds, and a further 24 stowed in the floor (not much, by WW II standards)The limited ammo and poor resupply makes their range advantage pretty dubious. Organized in battalions with 45 vehicles in 3 companies of 14 each, with 3 at battalion HQ. Hes eventually promoted to Hauptmann, and surrenders with sPzJgAbt 512 and it's JagdTigers in the Ruhr pocket in 1945.Īs I recall, they were used as a Corps or Army level asset (i.e., not organic to a division). Stortz' Hornisse is hit after a short period, but Ernst's TD keeps up its rate of fire despite a main firing mechanism malfunction, and breaks up the enemy attack.Īfter the engagement, it's found that Ernst's 'Buffel' has destroyed 14 Soviet tanks with only 21 rounds! For this and later actions, he earns the nickname 'The Tiger of Vitebsk'. Stortz in their Hornisse tank destroyers to support the grenadiers holding there.Īfter a few tense moments crossing a swamp, the two reach a hill with a good field of fire, and take up hull-down positions.

Albert Ernst and his crew have lit candles on the tree which Ernst's gunner Colany has decorated for the batallion celebration in the schoolhouse that night.Īlerted to a Soviet armored brigade's dusk attack on the nearby village of Xanino, Ernst heads out with Sgt.

Nashorn modern german tank