Meet this experimental variant of the legendary T-34-85 with a vertical gun stabilizer!
T-34-85 (STP): A Medium Tank for the USSR at Rank IV |
At a glance:
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Vehicle History
In April 1944, Soviet leaders attempted to radically improve the effectiveness of the T-34-85 medium tank. State Defense Committee Resolution No. 5595s, signed by Molotov, authorized the development of the STP-S-53 “Taran” gyroscopic stabilizer for the S-53 85 mm gun. This design was a development of the earlier STP-34 stabilizer, developed by the Special Design Bureau of the People’s Commissariat of the Shipbuilding Industry.
Tests of both stabilizers conducted in 1944 yielded impressive results. With the vertical stabilizer on, firing accuracy on the move increased approximately twofold compared to firing without stabilization. However, despite successful testing, the “Taran” stabilizer was never put into mass production. The reasons for this included both the technical difficulties of mass-producing precision gyroscopic systems during wartime and concerns about the T-34-85’s overall reliability.
Introducing the T-34-85 (STP)!
A timeless classic can still surprise! Today we’re introducing an experimental variant of the Soviet T-34-85 medium tank with a 85 mm cannon and the “Taran” vertical stabilizer, which improves the tank’s capabilities when firing from short stops and in urban duels. Let’s take a closer look at this vehicle, coming in the next major update!
The key feature of the T-34-85 (STP) is its vertical stabilizer system for the main gun, offering two significant advantages! Firstly, using this gun while driving slowly will be excellent since the sight will remain perfectly stable, great for urban duels or fighting at capture points. And secondly, when driving at higher speeds and coming to a stop, the vertical stabilizer snaps the sight into place at an instant, making aiming at targets when coming to a sudden stop much quicker and easier, giving you a great advantage in battle! For comparison, if you’ve already played one of the stabilized Sherman models, the stabilizer on this new T-34 will kick in at a similar speed, so it should feel very familiar.
Other than the stabilizer, the T-34-85 (STP) is just the good old classic T-34-85 that we’ve all come to know and love in the Soviet tree. A versatile medium tank that is strong at its rank with a solid 85 mm gun with excellent APHE rounds and good mobility, and not to mention reliable armor thanks to the sloping of the upper plate and curved turret (and of course the dreaded driver’s hatch, which we’ve all come up against). In short, it’s one of the best medium tanks from the Second World War period in the game!
Notice: When the T-34-85 (STP) comes to the game, the T-34-85 will be moved from rank IV to rank III and will be grouped with the T-34-85 (D-5T). The T-34-85 (STP) will be at rank IV before the T-44. |
That’s it for this one! Keep an eye out for more dev blogs that we’ve got coming your way, make sure to check out our website or follow our social media accounts so that you don’t miss a thing. See you around!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.