Stug III in Parola Museum.
The Sturmgeschütz, more specifically the Sturmgeschütz III (abbreviated to StuG III), was a German assault gun designed in 1940 and used by European Axis-aligned armed forces during World War II. The StuG III was essentially a mobile artillery piece used to support infantry maneuvers or bolster tank divisions. It used a Panzer III chassis, which provided up to 80mm armor, and mounted a variety of 75mm guns as its main armament. A roof-mounted MG42 machine gun was often also included for anti-infantry or anti-air defense.
Battlefield 1942
The Sturmgeschütz is a vehicle featured in the Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome expansion as the Axis Tank Hunter, issued to the Wehrmacht and the Royal Italian Army. It appears in place of the Tiger I, offering similar characteristics with several significant differences. The distinguishing feature of the Sturmgeschütz among other tanks in the game is its lack of a turret; the 75mm is confined to a narrow firing arc to the front of the vehicle. Furthermore, the driver lacks a secondary armament for anti-personnel attack, instead relying on a roof-mounted machine gun manned by the gunner. The machine gunner is modestly protected by a shrapnel shield that borders the gun-- a slight advantage held by the Sturmgeschütz over many other tanks.
In overall composition, the Sturmgeschütz is a relatively low, albeit wide profile, forming a much larger target front-on than either the M10 Wolverine or the M3 GMC. Its excellent armor and large health pool give it a distinct edge in tank-to-tank combat over most other vehicles, however, it's limited gun traverse and relatively sluggish maneuverability make it susceptible to being flanked, often requiring a somewhat reserved and cautious playstyle to avoid untimely destruction. Curiously, the Sturmgeschütz can elevate its main cannon to an unusually high angle, rivaling self-propelled guns in this capacity.
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