The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling

OTHER FACTORS
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A tank could have a powerful gun, thick armor, and excellent maneuverability, and still be unable to beat
inferior tanks in combat if several other factors were not addressed. The Afrika Korps was able to fight while
heavily outnumbered, with older equipment, and hold out for long periods against fresh Allied units due to
their attention to these other factors.
Training. Crew training and experience were probably the most decisive factors of tank warfare. Individual
knowledge of friendly and enemy vehicles, how to use terrain effectively, and crew cohesion and morale were
all results of excellent crew training programs. Because of the experience gained in the early invasions of
Spain, Poland, France, Scandinavia, and the Balkans, backed by long periods of intense basic armor training,
the Wehrmacht had the best trained and most experienced crews. Soviet tank crews did not survive long
enough to gain any battle experience, and were often thrown into action with minimal training. This
problem was compounded by the Soviet penchant for centralized command, a lack of initiative among junior
officers and their adherence to outdated tactics and techniques. By mid-war, however, these problems had
been addressed and the quality of Soviet tank crews increased dramatically. British tankers, having received
some experience in the North African campaign, proved to be quick learners and fought well despite their
often outmatched vehicles. American tank crews suffered heavily at the outset of the North African
campaign, and the unexpected requirement for new replacement crews further diluted the experience levels of
the veterans until well into the French and Italian campaigns. The problems with inexperienced crews
became so troublesome that by the time the Germans began fielding the Panther tank, official policy
recommended that one German tank should be dispatched by no less than five Shermans! By the time of the
invasion of Normandy, German tank crews had often experienced three to five years of combat, while
American crews rarely had more than a year in action, and the majority even less, or none at all.
Crew positions. The crew lived in their tank during combat, and cramped and uncomfortable positions
were made more difficult by poor design. It was quickly discovered that small one or two-man turrets
quickly overburdened the commander, who was often responsible not only for directing the crew and firing,
but loading as well. Early light tanks such as the German PzKpfw I and II, American M3 Stuart, Soviet T-
26, T-40A, T-60, and T-70, and the French D1B and S35 all suffered from this problem. Interim solutions,
such as raising the commander’s position or giving him a smaller turret of his own gave rise to problems in
his vulnerability as well as increasing the visible height of the vehicle. Difficulties with hatches, especially
with the turretless assault guns, often led to difficulties in mounting and dismounting the vehicle, leaving it
vulnerable for precious seconds while the crew was feverishly trying to get in or out. The cramped positions
also made it difficult to adopt another crewman’s position in the case of casualties. Compared to the earlier
PzKpfw III and IV and the Lee and Grant series tanks, the later Panther and Sherman tanks were spacious.
Visibility. The ability of the crew to see outside of their tank was a very limiting factor in armored combat.
Most commanders and drivers left their hatches open for better vision, and some chose to remain exposed
even during combat. This was due to the restricted view from each position. As the design of tanks became
more important and information was received from crews using them in battle, vision ports and periscopes
were introduced and improved. These usually consisted of glass prisms or blocks through which the
crewmember could look while all of the hatches were “buttoned up”. These changes also influenced
improvements in hatch design. Some tanks, such as the Panther, had comparatively excellent visibility, while
others, such as the Stuart, were at a severe disadvantage with the hatches closed.