Today I’d like to kick this off
by doing something we rarely get to do. Wargaming employs a fellow
named Richard Cutland, the Challenger. He's an ex British Tankie
who served thirty years, both in peace and during war, and now he’s
Wargaming's Military Specialist. We figured why not invite him
to talk about how tanks evolved… …from the beginning of Barbarossa
to the Battle of Kursk, to discuss the types of tanks
and mechanized weaponry present there, to give us a picture
of how the German and Soviet Tanks… …fared against one another… …and to discuss the effects
of winter and weather… …on armoured combat of the day. So Richard Cutland,
why don't you set the scene for us? My pleasure!
At the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the Germans weren't expecting much
from their opponent's tank forces, which were mostly composed
of old T-26s and BTs. Little did they know… …the most advanced Soviet tank models… – the brand new KV-1 and T-34 – …were actually superior
to all German tanks. The German standard anti-tank weapons… …were found to be ineffective
against these new Soviet vehicles. Still these tanks
were not available in great numbers. Their deployment was still incomplete
when Barbarossa commenced. By 1941, the Red Army had deployed… …1000 T-34s… …and over 500 KV tanks, concentrated in only five
of their twenty-nine mechanized corps. Plus the Soviet
numerical advantage in heavy equipment… …was thoroughly offset
by the superior training… …and organisation of the Wehrmacht. Soviet tank units
were rarely well equipped. They lacked training
and logistical support. Units were sent into combat
with no arrangements for refueling, ammunition, resupply,
or personnel replacement. Often, after a single engagement, units were destroyed
or rendered ineffective. But on the German side, their few encounters with
the powerful Soviet KV-1s and T-34s… …raised clear warning signs. They sent a special Panzerkommision
to the Eastern Front… …on 20 November 1941… …to study and learn
from the superior Russian T-34s. The Germans now realized
the advantages of sloped armour, which either deflected or reduced
the impact of armour-piercing shells. They introduced longer guns
for the Panzer IV, and added side skirts
to protect the vehicles… …from anti-tank rifles. By the summer of 1943,
right in time for the Battle of Kursk, the Wehrmacht was being equipped
with the fruits of this research. The Tiger and Panther tanks
were introduced… …as was the new Ferdinand
tank destroyer. Hitler focused heavily
on these new designs, which he believed
were the key to victory, and matched them
with increasing manpower. By the summer of 1943, two-thirds of the German Army
were based in Russia. That belief paid early dividends. When the Panther first appeared
on the Eastern Front, the Soviets did not have
an effective weapon to counter it. During the Battle of Kursk,
it demonstrated that it could destroy… …any Soviet armoured fighting vehicle
from long distance. As a result,
it had a very high overall kill ratio… …despite making up less than 7%… …of the estimated 2400 to 2700… …total armoured fighting vehicles
deployed by the Germans in this battle. But it had been rushed
to the field unready. Many units failed
due to mechanical problems, and the Panther alone
could not punch through… …the Soviet’s layered defenses at Kursk. Even heavier tank designs
like the Tiger… …were not a total win for Nazi Germany. While superior engineering-wise, they weren't easy to manufacture, which made them not suitable
for war time economics. Heavy tanks aren't that hard to make, you just add more of everything. But they're expensive, and hard to maintain,
and they bog down. So they're only useful
in certain situations. Indeed, the Soviets
had tanks comparable to the Tiger, the IS-2 (plenty used), and they were also similar: big, deadly, and not really worth it. On the Soviet side,
the research had focused… …on a new medium tank
called the T-43, but it had been commissioned
back in 1942… …to counter the Panzer IV, and it didn't have enough firepower
or armour portection… …to go up against Germany’s new Panther. Many within the Soviet High Command
believed the war effort… …would be better served
by simply making more of the same T-34s… …they had introduced
at the start of the war. T-34s was faster and nimbler
than the larger German tanks. The Soviets used this advantage... ...by massing tanks and running them
at full speed against German positions. The Germans could destroy a Soviet tank
before the Soviet tank got into range. About 2km vs. 1km. The tanks of both countries
wound up being pretty comparable. No one nation had clearly
superior tank technology. What the Soviet Union did have, however, was a clearly superior industrial force. They out produced the Germans. So the biggest difference by far
between Soviet and German tanks... ...is that more of the former existed. Their home terrain
also gave the Soviets an advantage. The Kursk region was famous
for its black earth, which produced considerable dust
when dry. The huge dust clouds would cut off
the German air support... ...and since the Soviet defenders
were stationary, they were able to set up better outposts
to scout and target their enemies. Even when it rained,
storms turned the ground into a quagmire... ...that halted the German offensive
where speed was essential. The home ground advantage
combined with preparation time... ...had clearly played
in the favour of the defenders. Now I’ll kick it back to Dan,
huge thanks to the Extra History Team. It has been a privilege to work with you
and be part of this animated journey. To all the viewers I wish you well... ...and hope you find this series
both entertaining and informative. A final comment
from the Royal Tank Regiments motto: “Fear Naught!” Awesome! Thank you very much. Now that we’re more familiar with
the hardware involved, let's round this episode out
with a little more of the run up... ...to what would so famously be known
as the battle of Kursk. German forces
had been pushed back from Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht 6th army had been surround
and destroyed, and the Soviets had taken the offensive. But, reeling from this defeat, Hitler finally gave
full operational control... ...to his general
in charge of Army Group South, Erich von Manstein. Manstein decided to trade territory
for time... ...and accept retreat on a scale
Hitler never would have the year before. His plan was to lure
the Soviets forward... ...until there was ideal time and place
to hit an over-extended Soviet line. He found that opportunity at Kharkov. As the Soviets pushed forward
past the city... ...Manstein's reorganized and reinforced
panzer divisions fell on their flanks. They rapidly encircled
and cut off pockets of the Red Army. Soon the city of Kharkov was back
in their hands. The Soviet losses were nothing like
they were at the outset of the war, but losing 85,000 soldiers
in a matter of weeks... ...at the cost
of a mere 10,000 German casualties... ...seemed like
it might signal the possibility... ...of the initiative
falling back into German hands. But 85,000 on a front
of nearly 2,000,000 men... ...wasn't enough
to change the flow of the war. The Soviets didn't lose their nerve
or pull back after these losses. They were on a grim march
forward to Berlin. Something else,
something much more drastic, would have to be done
to put Germany back on the offensive. But as the battle lines evened out
after the rapid German assault, everyone noticed one thing, there was a 100 mile long
and 160 mile deep salient, or bulge, in the Russian lines
around the town of Kursk. Cutting off this salient
would strengthen the German position, deal a real blow
to the Soviet army in the South. If it could be done swiftly
and decisively, return the initiative
to the German forces. An attack
on the Kursk salient was inevitable, it was just a matter of 'when'. So join us next time, for Operation Citadel, when the battle for Kursk begins.
Subtitles by Wargaming.net
Part 1 here