Semovente 75/34: The Profile Of A Killer

Semovente 75/34: The Profile Of A Killer with Livio Tonazzo The profile of the Semovente 75/34 is particularly interesting, as it combines light armor with a powerful anti-tank weapon. The result is a truly dangerous hybrid on the battlefield so we will be taking a look at it on the Flames Of War tabletop.

Thin Armour With a Front Armor of 4 it is equal to that of the Semovente 75/18 and one point higher than that of the M14 / 41 tank. 4 is a decent value for Mid War as it allows you to have good protection at least against light anti-tank weapons and has a hope of saving the hits received from medium anti-tank weapons but has very little chance of saving heavy anti-tank gunshots but all this keeps the point cost low. The Side Armor has a value of 2 which leaves the Semovente 75/34 vulnerable to light anti-tank weapons. There some historical reports that tell of Self-propelled guns destroyed by .50 cal machine guns. With this in mind it is necessary to pay the utmost attention to avoid bypassing even the lightest troops because the consequences can be catastrophic. Lastly the value of Top Armor is to 1 which makes the Semovente 75 / 34 a full-fledged tank, potentially capable of assaulting opponents The truth is that this value of Top Armor simply translates into good resistance to enemy artillery because assaulting for a Semovente is almost never a good idea.

A Mediocre Engine Since the Semovente 75/18, the M14 / 41 and the Semovente 75/34 all have the same hull (even if the Semovente 75/34 has the elongated version) they share the same movement values. They are not the fastest tanks, but neither are they particularly slow. They are able to move like most other tanks, as long as they don't have to cross terrain. In this case they are in a bit of trouble. Let's look at the values ​​to better understand this statement. The Tactical move is equal to 10 inches, which is the standard value for many medium tanks, it guarantees good maneuverability, adequate to cover the battlefield. The Cross-Country dash value instead is equal to 16 inches, also in this case an adequate value that allows you to reposition yourself quickly and take advantage of the depth. Some tanks with more powerful engines can reach a Cross-Country Dash even equal to 18 inches or even 20 inches but 16 inches remains a good value. I always tend to neglect the Road Dash as it is very situational: the layers do not always lead where you need to. For the Semovente 75/34 it is not really a trauma as with the Road Dash it can only move 2 inches more than the Cross-Country Dash. The biggest problems, as mentioned earlier, are encountered when trying to cross land. Even moving to the Tactical the value of Cross 4+ risks being really limiting. Only one out of two tanks will be able to enter the woods and occupy that very interesting position you have taken in. Sometimes it will be necessary to resort to the Cross Here order (don't forget this option!) And give up shooting. Or more likely to get around the obstacle, if it is possible. If you want to overcome a row you can always think of going around it, lengthening the path but avoiding to pull data that can give dangerous results (perhaps leaving the tank exposed). Managing area land such as woods is certainly more complicated. If you want to enjoy the coverage of a wood you must of course enter it and with the Semovente 75/34 it is not easy. Also, because, unfortunately, moving inside is a rather slow operation. The Terrain Dash value of the Semovente 75/34 is 12 inches, just 2 inches higher than the Tactical value. Let's just say that you will almost never use these 2 inches extras, preferring to shoot rather than enjoy this meager consolation in inches.

A Wonderful Gun The most important aspect of the profile of the Semovente 75/34, however, is the main gun. The most striking thing is the anti-tank value which is equal to 10. In Mid War 10 it is really a really interesting value as it allows you to face all the opposing medium tanks with a good chance of success while it keeps the points at acceptable levels. Sherman, T-34 and Panzer IV have a Front Armor of 6, sufficient but not quite safe against an anti-tank of 10. At short range 50% of the shots will pierce the armor, 17% will still have a chance to bail l opponent and only 33% will bounce off the opponent's armor. These are really good percentages for an anti-tank weapon. In the game it is a very deadly weapon. The range of 28 inches is equal to other weapons of the same type and is more than enough to damage the enemy from a safe distance. However, it must be kept in mind that unlike the Semovente 75/18, the Semovente 75/34 is not equipped with heat ammo therefore the penetration capacity decreases beyond 16 inches. It is preferable to engage at short range when trying to dela as much damage as possible but the range invites you to keep at a distance. The reason is very simple and it's something we talked about earlier: the value of Front Armor. The Semovente 75/34 has a value of 4, which even with the +1 bonus for the long distance is a very modest value. Therefore, it is better to maximize your firepower and hope to destroy the target before being destroyed. The Firepower value will help as you can count on a good 3+, 66% of tanks whose armor has been pierced should be easily set ablaze. The 75/34 also has a good rate of fire, having a ROF of 2 when stationary and 1 while moving while lacking Slow Firing with the tan. In addition to all this this wonderful weapon can also bombard and while it has average values With Anti-Tank 2 and Firepower 4+ it is still an additional option that can come in handy for taking out infantry and anti-tank guns.

A Stubborn Crew The motto of the Italian tankers is, even today, "Ferrea Mole, Ferreo Cuore" Iron hulls, iron hearts. During the Second World War the tankers showed truly unparalleled courage and determination. Forced to battle in their light tanks against medium or heavy tanks, they never backed down, giving battle to the best of their ability even in the most desperate situations. The last message from the Ariete Division before its complete annihilation was: "Enemy tanks raided south ARIETE Division. Thereby ARIETE encircled. It is about 5 kilometers northwest Bir el Abd. ARIETE tanks fight!”.

In Flames of War this self-denial is rendered by a very high morale that has few equals among other armies. The crew of the Semovente 75/34 is no exception. The crew is rated as Fearless and passes the Moral Tests with a result of 3+. You can expect to pass 67% of the tests you will be required to perform. In reality, we are mostly talking about the Last Stand, because on the Remount tests the situation is even better. Thanks to the Protected Ammo and Determined rules the Remount is even better. This test is passed with a value of 2+, an 84% which gets even better with the commander-in-chief around.The enemy anti-tank guns will have outright destroyed them because otherwise the Italian self-propelled guns will always continue to fight.As for assaulting, the Semovente 75/34 is not suitable for this with a Counterattack value of 5+  and Fearless rating though this isn't a problem since there are other much more suitable tanks you take.

But There Are No Free Meals The Semovente 75/34 can only be chosen within the Semovente (Long) SP Battery platoon. The number of tanks can vary from just 2 to as many as 6. This is a really great choice which will depend on the list and the tactical use you want to reserve for this type of platoon. In fact, the contribution can be substantial and therefore provide for an important commitment in terms of points or limited and therefore provide for a limited commitment. Both choices are valid, there is no right choice. But how much does a Semovente 75/34 cost? Well, as you can imagine, it is certainly not cheap.The cost is just under double the Semovente 75/18. A Semovente 75/34 unit of four costs just under 30% of your army while a unit of 6 (the largest possible) costs just over 40%. I think you will have understood what score we are talking about.

The most interesting thing, however, is to compare the cost of the Semovente 75/34 with that of other tanks with Anti-tank 10. We can take a look at the Panzer IV (long) which has one point more than Front Armor (5 instead of 4) and 4 inches more range. Furthermore, the German superiority in terms of training is evident: Skill 3+ with the possibility of using two orders, usually Blitz and Shoot & Scoot. On the other hand, the point cost is really important. The Panzer IV (long) is anything but cheap however at 10 points per tank. The Self Propelled 75/34 provides the same anti-tank support for 30% fewer points. Hence the marked validity of this new Italian Mid War Monster.

The Semovente 75/34 overall is great tank that adds some much loved anti-tank rating to your Italian tank companies that will certainly find a place in your next Mid War games. ~Livio