World of tanks black prince. Heavy tank Black Prince. Crew and additional skills

Creation heavy tank Black Prince was due to the urgent need to equip the British army on the eve of the Normandy landings with a combat vehicle that would have sufficient firepower and be capable of effectively fighting the latest Wehrmacht tanks. The creation of a similar tank, later called the Black Prince, began in 1943.

Description

Before the creation of the Black Prince, the British made active attempts to modernize their main heavy Churchill tank in order to increase firepower guns. This led to the rearmament of the Churchills with more powerful guns, as well as the creation of a self-propelled gun based on these tanks. artillery installation with the same name. All these decisions turned out to be unsuccessful, and for an even more radical modernization, the Churchill design no longer had enough potential - the too short hull did not allow placing a turret with an even more powerful gun on the tank. It was then that the British designers came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a tank with an expanded hull to eliminate the above-mentioned shortcomings. The A43 tank project, which would later be called the "Black Prince", was essentially an improved modification of the Churchill and a temporary option for the British army, since more advanced tanks, such as the Centurion, were still in the early stages of development. Alternatives to the Black Prince, such as the Challenger, did not suit the army due to a number of shortcomings that did not allow them to quickly expand their production. Under these conditions, the A43 project was developed, as it represented the fastest option for installing a powerful 17-pounder gun on a well-armored hull. This weapon would allow the tank to successfully fight any German technology, including the Tigers and Panthers. The tank largely repeated the design of the latest modifications of the Churchills; it used many units and components previously installed on these tanks. In particular, "Black Prince" used the same engine, with a power of 350 Horse power, like the Churchill VII, and this had a very bad effect on the already weak mobility parameters, since the Black Prince had an even more impressive mass than the Churchill. There were also a number of differences from the Churchill, the main one of which was, of course, the increased width of the hull, which made it possible to install a more powerful gun in the expanded turret. Perhaps "Black Prince" would be a good temporary solution for the British army during the battles in Europe, but to establish mass release The British did not have time to build this tank until the end of the war. It was assumed that approximately 300 Black Prince tanks would be produced initially. However, with the end of the war, there was no immediate need for a tank with a 17-pounder gun, and only six were actually produced. Further production of the Black Prince tanks was curtailed, since the British had a more promising model, the Centurion, in stock. Concerning overall assessment this tank, its design was typical of many British combat vehicles of that period - quite good armor, although without rational angles of inclination that increased projectile resistance, very large mass And low speed. Again, emphasis was placed on armor, but unlike the Churchills, this tank had reinforced armament. However, everything positive features were practically negated by extremely low speed and maneuverability, which limited tactical capabilities and turned the tank into a convenient target on the battlefield. Conclusion: the tank could hardly fully compare with the latest German heavy tanks, such as the Royal Tiger, but theoretically it had the ability to fight them due to a more powerful weapon than its predecessors. However, as stated earlier, it was planned as a temporary interim solution in conditions of war, accordingly its history ended in May 1945 along with the end of the Second World War.

Video Review guide Black Prince World of Tanks

The Black Prince or A43 tank was born only in May 1945. And for the first time, it was planned to install a more powerful anti-personnel gun on a Churchill tank back in September 1941, but then this led to the appearance of self-propelled guns based on Churchill with a 76-mm gun. In 1943, in connection with preparations for the invasion of Europe, the need for an infantry support tank arose again. Vauxhall was asked to return to considering a tank based on the Churchill. Even at the design stage, it became clear that the base of the Churchill tank was too narrow for a turret with a 17-pounder gun. Then Vauxhall decides to increase the width of Churchill's wheelbase. This is how the first prototype appeared with the name A43 or “Super Churchill”, and later “Black Prince”. Although the new tank used many components and assemblies of the Churchill 7 tank, in the end it turned out completely new car. Outwardly very similar to its “parent”, tank Black Prince World of Tanks had a widened 24-inch track, air intake grilles were located on the roof of the hull, and the engine was located in the rear. The first samples of the A43 were presented in May 1945, after the end of the war in Europe and the need for it disappeared. A total of 6 prototypes were produced.

TTX Black Prince

Stock condition

Maximum weight: 51 tons

Engine power: 350 hp

Speed: 20 mph

Turning speed: 18/sec

Hull armor:

Forehead: 152.4 mm

Bead: 95.25 mm

Feed: 25.4 mm

Hull armor:

Forehead: 152.4 mm

Bead: 95.25 mm

Feed: 95.25 mm

Crew: 5 people

Armament: OQF 77mm Gun Mk. II

Penetration: 148/226/38

Damage: 140/140/190

Rate of fire: 14.29 rounds/min

Spread: 0.34m/100m

Mixing: 2.3 sec

Walkie-talkie: 450 m

Top condition

Maximum weight: 53 tons

Engine power: 600 hp

Speed: 20 mph

Turning speed: 20;/sec

Hull armor:

Forehead: 152.4 mm

Bead: 95.25 mm

Feed: 25.4 mm

Hull armor:

Forehead: 152.4 mm

Bead: 95.25 mm

Feed: 95.25 mm

Crew: 5 people

Armament: OQF 17-pdr Gun Mk. VII

Penetration: 171/239/38

Damage: 150/150/190

Rate of fire: 12 rds/min

Spread: 0.34m/100m

Mixing: 2.3 sec

Walkie-talkie: 700 m

pros

• excellent all-round turret armor for its level, allows you to be less distracted by fireflies
• a very accurate and fast-firing gun allows you to fire from long distances
• great shooting on the go
• highest HP at your level
• stock tower is top of the line
• great overview for its level
• easily upgraded to top condition

Minuses

• very slow and clumsy (hello Mouse)
• huge sizes always attract art
• low penetration of the gun will force you to learn everything vulnerabilities enemy
• low alpha damage
• straight sides and stern rarely ricochet and will not allow playing “swing” from around the corner
• VLD has vulnerabilities

Crew and additional skills

1. Commander
2. Driver mechanic
3. Radio operator
4. Gunner
5. Charging

Like any heavy vehicle, the first thing we need is repairs. The gusli eats up damage very well, so they will be shot down for us regularly. Then everyone upgrades according to their desires, but I would advise upgrade the commander’s “light bulb”, it often saves you from artillery, upgrade your mechanics from an off-road king or a virtuoso, the gunner must upgrade his sniper skill, because... We hit weakly and will knock out modules. Because We often hit from long distances, and we have good visibility, then the radio operator needs to upgrade the radio interception.

Breaking Black Prince penetration zone

Additional modules.

We have an excellent rate of fire and accuracy, so we need to improve our strengths. I recommend installing a rammer (with it, the rate of fire increases to 13.2), it also makes sense to install ventilation (the rate of fire increases to 13.86), I usually install a repair box as the third module, but after leveling up the repair skill to 100%, it can be replaced with stabilizer.

Tactics

Tactics primarily depend on where you find yourself on the list. Playing in the TOP, you can safely tank and attack, at our level we are “gods” and we are only afraid of the Frenchman. Do not forget to place the tank in a diamond shape and substitute the harp, this will complicate the enemy’s task. But be also attentive to your rear, our stern is made of “cardboard”, so we travel only with the cover of medium and light tanks, so that we don’t get caught. When playing at the bottom of the list on Black Prince World of Tanks, the tactics are radically different. Our all-round armor will no longer save us. It is best to play on the “second” line, having an accurate and fast-firing cannon you can bite and annoy the heavies while they are butting heads with our allies on the front line. Knowing the penetration points, we can inflict damage even on the IS-3. Let's say separately about the art, it is our main headache. As soon as you are lit, you are the number one target for art. No one can resist throwing a “suitcase” at a huge and slow tank, which is almost impossible to miss. The roof of the hull in the stern has almost no armor and even such art can cause significant damage.

Conclusion

For our level, we got a pretty good tank that can pick apart its opponents well. But weak weapon makes its own adjustments to the game, we are forced to teach weak spots the enemy and target them more carefully, since accuracy allows us to do this. Having low mobility, it is necessary to be able to analyze and determine the direction of attack of enemy forces 30 seconds before the battle. You should also learn all the places where art does not hit.

The heavy infantry tank Mk IV Churchill, actively used by Great Britain and friendly states, had a number of characteristic shortcomings that seriously limited it combat capabilities. First of all, the complaints did not raise enough powerful weapons early modifications and a relatively weak engine. To get rid of existing shortcomings, modernization of the existing machine was repeatedly carried out. In addition, new designs of armored vehicles with improved characteristics were proposed, based on the existing Churchill. One of the attempts to carry out a deep modernization of the existing tank was the A43 Black Prince project.

By 1943 it became obvious that existing form The Churchill infantry tank does not meet the requirements of the time. The first few modifications of this vehicle carried 45 and 57 mm caliber guns, the power of which was no longer sufficient to combat for various purposes on the battlefield, first of all, with existing enemy tanks. The simplest and most obvious solution to this problem was the use of more powerful weapons. As part of the development of the Churchill, several new modifications with guns with a caliber of up to 95 mm were soon created. In addition, in parallel with improving the existing vehicle, it was proposed to create a new tank model with the required characteristics.

Experienced tank A43 Black Prince. Photo: Weaponsandwarfare.com

The development of the new project was entrusted to Vauxhall specialists. The objective of the project was to create a new infantry tank, based on the design of the existing Churchill armored vehicle and having more powerful weapons. It should be noted that new project eventually became last try creation of the so-called infantry tank. Soon the British military became disillusioned with the existing concepts of armored vehicles, as a result of which work began on the so-called. universal tanks.

The promising tank, capable of replacing the Churchill, received the working designation A43 and the name Super Churchill. Subsequently, the project was renamed Black Prince - in honor of the English historical figure Edward Woodstock, nicknamed “The Black Prince”. It was under the new name that the latest infantry tank project became widely known.

Front view, the forehead of the tower is not covered with a cover. Photo by C Ward/Flickr.com

The goal of the new project was quite simple. The designers were required to equip the existing heavy tank with a new Ordnance QF 17-pounder gun of increased power. To install a larger gun, certain changes had to be made to the design of the tank. Preliminary analysis possibilities showed that for installation new gun It will be necessary to rework not only the existing turret, but also the armored hull. As a result, the promising A43 tank was indeed based on the design of the existing Mk IV, but at the same time had to differ from it in size and other features.

To install the 17-pounder gun as part of the A43 project, a new, larger turret with a ring of increased diameter had to be developed. The last feature of the new project led to the need to slightly increase the width of the hull. Other design features of the hull remained almost unchanged. The existing design was adjusted only in connection with the installation of one or another new equipment.

Externally, the tank looked like a production Churchill vehicle. Photo: Aviarmor.net

The result of this approach to creating a new model of armored vehicles was the preservation of the existing hull shape while simultaneously changing its dimensions. In addition, it was proposed to increase the level of protection of the vehicle by using thicker armor. The body retained the wedge-shaped profile of the frontal part with an inclined upper part associated with a vertical sheet. The bottom sheet of the forehead had a thickness of 140 mm, the middle one – 57 mm, and the top one – 152 mm. The tank's hull had side niches located inside the caterpillar tracks. The side parts of such units had a thickness of up to 95 mm. The top and rear of the hull was covered with a 19 mm roof and stern sheets up to 51 mm thick.

The Black Prince's turret was supposed to be a modified unit of the serial Churchill. The dome of the new tower differed more from the existing product powerful protection and increased sizes. In addition, some of the design's contours were modified. The maximum thickness of the turret armor reached 152 mm in the frontal part, the minimum - 20 mm on the roof. The turret had a frontal unit with an inclined front part and an embrasure in which there was an internal swinging mantlet. The sides were formed by two sheets placed at an angle to each other. The use of a small feeding niche was envisaged.

Starboard view. Photo Imperial War Museum / Iwm.org.uk

Being a deep modernization of the serial infantry tank, the new A43 was supposed to be built according to the same layout. In front of the hull there was a control compartment, behind it there was a turret and fighting compartment. The aft compartment was completely dedicated to the engine, transmission units, fuel system, etc.

For some not entirely clear reasons, probably due to the desire to achieve the maximum degree of unification, the new heavy tank was supposed to receive exactly the same equipment in the engine compartment as the serial Churchill. At the rear of the hull it was proposed to leave a two-row 12-cylinder gasoline engine from Bedford, developing power up to 350 hp. Two radiators were placed next to the engine, and it was also interfaced with a single-disc main dry friction clutch, a four-speed manual transmission, a turning mechanism and other transmission units.

The car is at the test site. Photo Imperial War Museum / Iwm.org.uk

According to some reports, the issue of equipping a heavy tank with a 600 hp engine was considered. However, it appears that this proposal never made it past the preliminary development stage. As a result, the specific power of the machine remained at 7 hp. per ton, although it could be increased by one and a half times with corresponding consequences for mobility.

Used chassis existing structure. Photo Imperial War Museum / Iwm.org.uk

On the side niches of the hull, 10 small-diameter road wheels with individual spring suspension were attached to the bottom. In front of and behind the main rollers, the project provided for the use of two similar parts suspended at a certain height above the ground. In the front part of the hull there were guide wheels, and in the stern - driving wheels. Instead of traditional support rollers, special guides were used on the corresponding surface of the housing. New tracks had to be developed for the tank to compensate for the increase in combat weight. The tracks, in general, retained the existing design, but differed in their increased width to 24 inches (610 mm). Increasing the track width by 10 inches allowed the specific pressure to be reduced to an acceptable level.

The main idea of ​​the A43 Black Prince project was to use powerful tank gun Ordnance QF 17-pounder. This gun had a 76.2 mm barrel with a length of 55 calibers. Provided muzzle brake and developed recoil devices. The gun was supposed to be mounted on modified mounts in the front part of the turret. In the fighting compartment of a relatively large volume, it was possible to place stowage and racks for 89 unitary shells.

Front view, the tower received a cover. Photo: Aviarmor.net

With the help of a relatively long barrel, the QF 17-pounder gun could accelerate a high-explosive fragmentation projectile to a speed of 880 m/s, and an armor-piercing projectile to 1200 m/s. Depending on the type of armor-piercing projectile used, the gun at a distance of 900 m could penetrate from 130 to 190 mm of homogeneous armor. In some cases, the gun retained the ability to destroy an enemy tank at distances of up to 2-3 km.

As auxiliary weapons, the crew of the new tank was to use two BESA rifle-caliber machine guns. One of them was mounted on a gun mount and served as a twin one. The second was located in the directional setting of the front sheet, to the left of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The total ammunition load of the two machine guns consisted of several thousand rounds.

Tank at the training ground. Photo Imperial War Museum / Iwm.org.uk

Being an improved version of the existing vehicle, the new A43 tank retained a similar crew composition. Five tank crews were supposed to control the Black Prince. The front control compartment of the hull housed the driver (right) and the gunner (left). The latter also served as a driver's assistant and radio operator. The commander and gunner were located inside the tower, on its left side. To their right was the loader. The crew had hatches in the roof of the hull and turret: the control compartment and the fighting compartment each had two hatches. The driver's workplace also had a front inspection hatch for driving on the march. In case of emergency evacuation, the tank had auxiliary hatches on the sides of the fighting compartment.

The installation of a new, more powerful gun with accompanying modifications to the turret and chassis resulted in the new tank being noticeably larger and heavier than the base vehicle. The total length of the A43 infantry tank, including the gun, was 8.81 m, width - 2.9 m, height - 3.44 m. Combat weight reached 50 tons, which was about 10 tons more than the corresponding Churchill parameter. Given the retention of the 350-horsepower engine, the increase in weight led to a noticeable drop power density. The mobility of the “Black Prince” was supposed to be provided by only 7 hp. per ton.

Right view. Photo Imperial War Museum / Iwm.org.uk

An insufficiently powerful engine did not allow for acceptable mobility. Maximum speed tank on the highway was only 10.5 mph (18 km/h), on rough terrain - 7.5 mph (10-11 km/h). The design of the chassis ensured climbing a 75 cm high wall and crossing a 3 m wide trench. Without preparation, the tank could cross a ford 1 m deep.

The Vauxhall A43 Black Prince project started in 1943. The pace of development of the promising tank left much to be desired. The project was completed only by the beginning of 1945, after which construction of the first prototype began. The prototype was only brought to testing at the beginning of 1945. The tank went to the test site, where it confirmed all the most serious fears. In practice, it was found that along with an increase in firepower and level of protection in the new project, a noticeable reduction in mobility was obtained. Due to the low driving characteristics, the tank could not compete with other modern armored vehicles of British or foreign design.

The turret is deployed "in a marching manner", the gun is fixed. Photo: Weaponsandwarfare.com

For testing and future verification at the front, six experimental Black Prince tanks were built. By the time the fighting in Europe ended, these prototypes remained at the manufacturing plant or training ground. Equipment with enhanced combat characteristics simply did not have time for the war. At the same time, the military and industry had the opportunity to more carefully study new models of armored vehicles and draw the necessary conclusions. Considering the characteristic problems of the project, it was hardly worth hoping for a positive decision from the customer.

Even before testing of experimental A43 tanks began, the military was considering the possibility of signing a contract for the supply of three hundred production vehicles of this type. A similar document should have appeared after testing the prototypes, in late spring or early summer of 1945. However, by this time the insufficient characteristics of the equipment had been confirmed, and in addition, the end of the war made it possible to slow down the pace of development of new combat vehicles. As a consequence, plans to order serial tanks were rejected. Vauxhall never received an official order to launch full-scale production of the Black Princes.

Machine diagram. Figure Weaponsandwarfare.com

Further development of the project was also considered inappropriate. To improve mobility, it was necessary to rework the project, which took some time. At the same time, the British army has already received several hundred Sherman Firefly medium tanks with a 17-pounder gun and acceptable mobility. In addition, by 1945, the medium-weight cruising tank Comet was created and put into production, which was further development older Mk VIII Cromwell. This tank carried a 77 mm HV gun - a shortened QF 17-pounder with slightly less high performance penetration. Finally, it was already getting ready mass production Centurion medium tanks.

All existing tanks with similar armament compared favorably with the A43 due to their higher speed and maneuverability. The only advantage of this machine was more high level protection provided by armor up to 152 mm thick. However, the combination of such armor with low speed was considered unacceptable for new technology. According to some reports, the possibility of additional modernization of the Black Prince tank by installing a Centurion turret with a 76-mm cannon was explored, but this idea did not reach practical implementation.

The only prototype in the Bovington Museum. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

By mid-1945, the development company and the army had six experimental A43 Black Prince tanks at their disposal. After testing and the decision to close the project, this technique began to be used as test platforms to test other new developments. As their service life was exhausted, experienced infantry tanks were decommissioned and dismantled as unnecessary. Over the course of several years, five tanks were scrapped. Only one prototype, built fourth in its series, managed to avoid this fate. After for long years the idle tank was given to the museum military equipment in Bovington. Repairs were carried out there, after which the armored vehicle was again able to move independently.

The A43 Black Prince project was a promising attempt to significantly improve the combat performance of the existing Mk IV Churchill heavy infantry tanks through the use of a more powerful 76 mm gun. However, in practice, the original proposal encountered a number of serious difficulties that did not allow us to quickly obtain the desired armored vehicle. The required results in the form of an increase in firepower were achieved at the cost of unacceptable weighting of the tank and a decrease in mobility. Such a vehicle, which has advantages over other equipment only in protection and gun power, was of no interest to the army. Moreover, by mid-1945, other tanks with similar combat qualities had been created, which made the promising A43 simply unnecessary. Not the best successful project In the end, I put an end to the so-called infantry tanks.

Based on materials from sites:
http://tankmuseum.org/
http://militaryfactory.com/
http://aviarmor.net/
https://weaponsandwarfare.com/
http://tankimira.ru/

Main characteristics

Briefly

Details

5.7 / 6.0 / 6.0 BR

5 people Crew

Mobility

50.0 tons Weight

4 forward
1 ago checkpoint

Armament

89 rounds of ammunition

10° / 20° UVN

8,100 rounds of ammunition

225 rounds clip size

600 rounds/min rate of fire

Economy

Description

The Black Prince or the Lord, as many players who saw him on the battlefield nicknamed him, is worthy of his name and is capable of single-handedly withstanding crowds of enemy tanks attacking his position or breaking through the enemy’s defenses in some problematic place without any problems. This tank It has high protection, as well as an excellent 17-pound cannon with shells capable of penetrating even some of the representatives of the 5th era into the frontal projection, which is why only a few can cope with it at their level. But due to the use of an outdated and weak engine on the tank, mobility and speed leave much to be desired. The maximum is only 17 km/h (even from a hill) and this is one of the most low indicators in Game.

Main characteristics

Armor protection and survivability

Right angle armor on the turret

The tank has impressive protection, which is quite problematic for many shells of the III and early IV era to overcome. For this reason, the Black Lord is able to withstand the impact of many guns at the same time. This tank is almost impossible to destroy with a stray hit on the silhouette from a distance, even with 122 mm and 152 mm high-explosive fragmentation (and at the right angle, armor-piercing) shells; they can only knock down the caterpillar and occasionally break the gun barrel. If trouble with a broken barrel happens in close combat, then the tank is often repaired faster than the enemy can reload and the victory ultimately goes to the Prince.

Although the armor is good in itself, 152 mm armor is still penetrated at a right angle by most opponents without special effort, so it’s worth turning the diamond towards the opponents in front; The turret should also be turned away a little while reloading. This way the armor given will increase significantly and the enemy will have a greater chance of not penetrating the Prince. Do not turn the turret too far away from the enemy - a straight side part of the turret may open, which is only 95 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by almost anyone tank III era.

The Prince survives an Is-2 hit

Smart enough enemies, when approaching the Prince, are in no hurry to shoot, but wait until he pays attention to them and turns the turret towards them, thereby minimizing the angle of entry of the projectile into the turret. At the same time, the Prince still needs a few fractions of seconds to take aim and fire a shot, and the enemy is already ready to fire. Such an insidious situation can be avoided if you, in turn, also do not rush, and when you find a new enemy, you begin to wait - if the enemy rode out and did not shoot almost immediately, but began to wait until you turned the tower in his direction, then start teasing him, then momentarily pointing the tower in his direction, then presenting the diamond back to him. Usually nervous system the enemy cannot stand it and he shoots at the moment when they think that now the angle will be minimal.

Mobility

A.43 Black Prince

Due to the extremely weak specific engine power for such a large tank, the Prince is not able to develop any high speed- only 17 km/h. He will always be the last to get to the points and with great difficulty due to the equally low cross-country ability. Many hills and potholes are insurmountable for him, so he has to spend time going around them. The reverse speed is even more limited - only 2 km/h, although often this is not a problem due to the fact that the Overlord simply does not need to retreat, but in cases where he is nevertheless pierced and damaged by some modules and it is necessary to retreat and repair - this feature becomes a very unpleasant property for a tank.

Armament

Main weapon

Prince Shot

The best was installed on the Lord anti-tank gun allies during the Second World War - Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm). This gun has excellent penetration and ballistic characteristics. Its main “disadvantage” is the lack of chamber shells in the ammunition load. You have to be content with “only”: armor-piercing sub-caliber shells with a detachable tray, which have a penetration of 207 mm at close range or 200 mm at a distance of 500 meters; three types of solid armor-piercing shells(which are all available at once), the top of which - Shot Mk.8 - has a penetration of 171 mm at close range; high explosive shells, not capable of causing significant damage. Since the best penetrating shells are armor-piercing sub-caliber ones, which have a rather poor armor effect, you will almost always have to target modules and crew members and gradually destroy enemy equipment: engine/transmission/driver, gunner/breech of the gun, finishing off the remaining members crew. You can also carry with you a certain amount of armor-piercing shells for greater damage in situations when the enemy is on the side of the Prince or you are sure that you will pierce the enemy with them in the frontal projection.

Briefly and to the point, sub-caliber shells:

• They penetrate any Panther and Jagpanther into the VLD or into the side at a slight angle;
• They penetrate the Tiger almost anywhere (except for very large corners). Problems with the Tiger can only arise in the gun mantlet, so it is advisable to shoot at the body;
• T-34s of any stripe and modification make their way anywhere, even armor-piercing projectile, and sub-caliber ones for sure, but with worse armor protection;
• IS-2 and IS-2 from 1944, it is advisable to shoot at the driver’s area, then the chance of penetration is higher and the projectile will cause more significant damage;
• Problems may arise with the rarely seen King Tiger and Ferdinand. Their VLD this gun is not capable of penetrating, and half of the frontal part of the Tiger’s turret is occupied by a mask, which is also not so easy for projectiles to penetrate. Here it is worth studying the location of the crew members in these tanks in the hangar and accurately shooting at their location or shooting at the NLD.

Machine gun weapons

BESA machine gun of 7.92 mm caliber with 8100 rounds of ammunition. This machine gun can be effective for combating lightly armored enemy vehicles, as well as for marking enemies on the battlefield.

Use in combat

Black Prince in the game

Due to the problem described above in the form of extremely poor mobility, the Prince is not always able to reach the desired point in time, but when he does, there is a high chance that the battle in that particular location will be won by the Prince's team. The tank is capable of acting alone, but there are times when opponents simply surround it and shoot at its weaker sides and stern, so it is better to have several other tanks with you for cover and not rush forward. Always try to choose positions for advancement or defense where your side will be protected from enemy shells by some kind of cover.

All battles in arcade mode can be reduced to one thing - get to a section of the map from which you will be able to control as much as possible large quantity directions and places in which the enemy may appear, and then shoot the appearing enemies using the lead cross. Due to the high armor penetration of shells, almost all hits will damage enemy tanks. On the Black Prince you don’t have to be too afraid to be in open areas; it can withstand hits from almost all shells from all guns (located in a given combat rating) in the forehead, and in response it can fire an accurate shot of its own. Of course, you shouldn’t mindlessly rush right through half of the enemy team, but if necessary, you can substitute your armor instead of the weaker armor of an ally and save his life. It is better to avoid closed spaces such as narrow streets: although in an arcade battle the tower rotates quite quickly, there can always be a nimble enemy tank that will jump out from around the corner and penetrate the insufficiently well-protected side of the tower or hull.

Here the Black Prince is just as good as in an arcade battle due to the fact that it is more difficult to detect the enemy; sometimes it is not possible to determine in which direction the Prince’s help is most needed and therefore the tank will be more difficult to implement. But this does not prevent him from showing his magnificent armor and cannon in those few skirmishes that will take place with the participation of the Black Lord. Unlike arcade battles, in realistic mode you should choose the directions to defend control points and directions and, having finished the defense, gradually move forward, trying not to leave your opponents behind, pushing them back to the rebirth point. It also makes sense to take a position from which only your tower near the point will be visible and defend it.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• An excellent weapon with huge penetration
• Very thick frontal armor
• Quick turn in zero gear
• Good accuracy of fire on the move

Flaws:

• Extremely low speed
• Cross-country ability is one of the lowest in the game
• The tank is a priority target for attack aircraft and bombers

Historical reference

Tank in stowed position

The tank was developed in 1943-1945 based on the Churchill tank. New, big gun required the installation of a new tower due to the fact that it did not fit into the old one. And the turret, in turn, required expanding the tank hull for its installation due to the fact that the old hull could not withstand such a large weight of the new turret. The new tank, with a 17-pounder gun, weighed 10 tons more than the original Churchill. The tank was left with an outdated engine with a power of 350 hp, which was clearly not enough to quickly move such a heavy vehicle and because of this the tank’s speed was extremely limited: 17 km/h on the highway and 12.1 km/h over rough terrain. In 1944 - 1945, 6 units of this modification were built and several of them were sent to the front, but did not participate in hostilities. Due to such low performance, the tank was declared unfit for military action, and at that time prototypes of a new tank, the Centurion, had already been provided, so the order for the construction of 300 copies of the Princes was cancelled.

Media

British heavy tank of the seventh level. It is distinguished by good all-round armor at an irrational tilt and a high safety margin. The gun is quite accurate and quick-firing, but has relatively low penetration. He continues the traditions of his predecessors and does an excellent job of supporting allies.

Modules

Compatible Equipment

Compatible equipment

Combat effectiveness

It is a heavier version of its predecessor, we have more armor and fewer holes, but the dimensions have become somewhat more and speed remained at the same level. Although the frontal armor is impressively thick, it also has a number of vulnerable spots, such as a front-facing machine gun. In general, the vehicle has decent armor for level 7, but there are such ridiculous moments when in one battle you are penetrated by a KV-2 from a ZiS-6, and in another you are suddenly not penetrated by an ISU-152 from a BL-10, in other words, the armor is extremely random. The effectiveness of armor can be increased by placing the car in a diamond shape, as a rule, your classmates and everything below are not able to cause damage to you, especially at long distances (the most dangerous is the AMX M4 (1945), armed with a 90mm gun). It is worth noting the good all-round armor, small artillery is almost not scary for us, but the stern greatly undermines this advantage, the MTO has very weak armor even in comparison with the Churchill I, so there is a risk of receiving full damage even from the SU-26. Our weapon has relatively weak performance for level 7, but this is not so critical. The 17-pounder has good accuracy, fairly fast aiming and a very acceptable rate of fire, and taking into account the fact that our classmates are not particularly durable (the only exception is the KV-3, which probably has the most problems), we can quite confidently penetrate our neighbors and cars below level. However, the situation is completely different if we get to levels 8 or 9. Generally high accuracy allows you to resist level 8 vehicles, by targeting weak points you can quite harm the enemy, but keep in mind that alone you are very vulnerable, it is better to stick to more powerful vehicles, sometimes you will even have to get hits for them (for example, covering T34), your armor is very random, where You may not be penetrated, some AMX 50 100 will receive damage, while he himself should inflict it. At levels 9 we play the role of an exclusively defensive vehicle and in extreme cases we cover less armored comrades, our gun is almost useless here, and in terms of mobility we are inferior to absolutely all tanks. In such a disappointing situation, it is quite reasonable to remain on the defense of an unprotected area (you should choose that position on which is the most difficult to get to you). The armor can easily withstand several hits even from top guns and thus allow you to buy some time for your teammates, and an accurate and fast-firing gun will allow you to hold the enemy without a harp, which also gives you some time. Playing in a platoon will make your life much easier, it is advisable to combine BP with vehicles that have penetrating and long-range guns (for example, a Panther or AMX M4 45), you will be able to restrain the enemy in close combat (thus being able to target weak points of your opponents), and your comrades will be able to support you from afar with their more powerful weapons.

• The top gun partially solves the problems with penetration, but heavy tanks of levels 7-9 are still problematic to penetrate head-on. Knowing your opponents' armor helps a lot.
• Fast aiming allows you to fire on the move - we take advantage of this. Often the enemy begins to crawl away, throwing off his aim and aim.
• Despite the monstrous price of gold shells, it makes sense to carry 4-5 of them with you for use in a situation where the outcome of the battle depends on the outcome of the fight and, as a result, your profit and experience. For example, when an IS-3 is rushing at you and you both have 100 HP left, the one who hits first will win. A gold shell can be the difference between victory and defeat at certain points in a fight.
• Beware of enemy artillery, you have very low speed and impressive dimensions

Equipment, equipment and ammunition

BB100BP20OF20

Assault variant

Sniper option

Alternative option

Equipment - some explanations.

In the assault version we have a standard set for the most active actions. We shoot more often and have the opportunity to do it on the move with greater efficiency. In the sniper variation, we sacrifice rate of fire and immediate accuracy, but in return we get some advantage to stealth and a more impressive overview in order to detect the enemy as early as possible. IN alternative option we maintain the rate of fire, but have slightly lower accuracy on the move, but we get a stable increase in visibility.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• Good all-round armor, sometimes saving even from level 9 guns
• Accurate and fast-firing weapon
• Good accuracy when shooting on the move
• The largest safety margin among level 7 TTs (only the Tiger has the same amount, despite the fact that its armor is several times weaker)
• There is no need to upgrade the top tower (saving time and experience)
• The stock chassis pulls all the modules (again, we save time and experience)
• Good overview for its level, only T29 is better
• Impressive ammunition
• Quickly brought to top condition

Flaws:

• Low mobility
• Very large dimensions
• Relatively weak weapon for its level
• Lack of rational angles of inclination of the armor
• Extremely vulnerable food
• Presence of vulnerable points in the VLD
• Lack of any alternative to the 17-pounder gun

Black Prince score

• - fairly strong armor and a fast-firing gun allow you to effectively fight STs and vehicles at a lower level
• - good armor, high strength, accurate and rapid-fire guns allow you to defeat the capture of a base for a long time
• - for good armor and high strength
• - high accuracy of the 17-pounder gun
• - for the combination of excellent rate of fire and low one-time damage.
• - excellent all-round armor and high strength allow you to defeat most of your classmates and vehicles of a lower level
• - vulnerability to artillery and relatively frequent crits, with a large margin of safety, contribute to receiving this award