Stug IV

From 1943 onwards the German Army was pressed into the defence, conducting only small counter-attacks and defensive battles.The main battle tanks lost out in favor of the tank destroyers, which became evident in the production numbers. The chassis of the PzKpfw IV was now also used to produce tank destroyers like the Jagdpanzer IVand the StuG IV. Production of the StuG III was delayed in 1943 due to Allied bombing, and production capacity was continued partly by the firm Krupp which resulted in the StuG IV, which was the combination of the StuG III with the chassis of the PzKpfw IV. The two standard tanks of the Wehrmacht, the PzKpfw III and PzKpfw IV, were quite similar in external measurements and combat weight. The only essential difference could be found in the layout of the running gear. The PzKpfw III had a modern torsion bar suspension, the PzKpfw IV had a outdated but easily repairable leaf spring suspension. From december 1943 to march 1945, more than 1100 StuG IV were produced by Krupp. Although being designed as a support vehicle, the StuG played its major role as a tank destroyer. By the spring of 1944, the StuG units were credited with the destruction of 20.000 Russian tanks, a number which only increased later during the war while fighting defending battles on different fronts. As exampled by an after-action report from Panzerjager-Kompanie 1045 with StuG III in the Nachrichtenblatt der Panzertruppen, December 1944: 

"The company was prepared as divisional reserves. The enemy attacked one morning after a half-hour pummeling of artillery preparatory fire with heavy air support, and about 30 T34 tanks and mechanized infantry deployed on a wide front. The enemy tried to force a breakthrough with portions of 5 or 6 divisions. The terrain was unusually favorable for the enemy. Above all, the forested areas provided him with suitable firing positions and assembly areas. 

The company went into action with 9 Sturmgeschütz, and on the first day was able to knock-out or destroy the following within three hours: 
16 T34, 2 mortars, 1 KVI, 2 observation points with radio, 2 T34 (immobile), 
1 anti-tank gun, 17 machine guns, 1 infantry gun 

On the second day: 
2 T34, 3 anti-tank weapons, 1 self-propelled gun, 2 grenade launchers, 21 machine guns, 2 anti-tank guns 

The tanks were knocked-out at ranges of 600-800 meters. In a period of 15 minutes, one StuG was able to hit five tanks out of a column. The enemy didn't fire a single aimed round. The remaining T34 tanks were individually hunted down. One T34 was knocked out at a range of 1000 meters with 3 rounds.

The finished tank, a fantastic little kit, top marks to Bandai!

The whole cupola simply lifts off to allow a battle system to be plugged in

Close-up showing the stowage on the front