Improved Track and other add on armor for Panzer IVs

[Ghostmaxi]

[Would you like to see this in-game?]

• Yes
• No

Some tanks allready have track add on armor in game and i am suggesting it for more vehicles.
Historically many crews added tracks and other spare parts on the front of the vehicle to get more protection, how much it helped in reality is debatable, if at least it gave a moral boost.
In game it would offer some limited protection (these can be shot off) at the cost of a bit more weight and can save you from a shot or 2 especially badly aimed ones. Furthermore such tracks give the vehicle a more used, fight approved and unique look. Here are some possible looks, tho in game they arent all fixed to historic placements and more can be applied to furhter increase the effect over different surfaces.

While the Pz IV Ausf. F2-J (And Befehl) allready have such, they are (with exception to the H) however very basic and could be replaced and improved by more and more unique ones, such as more use of T-34 Tracks as well on the Pz IV Ausf. J and giving the Ausf. J a 2nd Roof plate. Otherwise the add on armor of the F2, G and J are the same basic and are overall worse than the H.

Furthermore Track add on to the lower and upper side armor, as 30mm side armor is quite lacking especially at 3.3 and up. And this suggestion is also for the earlier models such as C, E and F1.

The Tracks would give good armor, tho the Roadwheels on the turret would also offer a good standoff distance for He, Heat and some Aphe rounds.

Pictures:(Click to show)

(Ausf. J has allready add on armor, but worse than the H and generally lacking)

(More over the weak 20mm plate.)

Here also a Pz IV Ausf.C

Source:
Ebay Auction (Private collections)
Panzer Wrecks (Publication)Tank Archives: Spare Track Links

[FlyingOstridge]

Return of the östketten.

[Ghostmaxi]

3 New pics:

[Neobushido]

Concrete armor prototypes is something i would love to see added, Pz4 and t-34 has some especially silly “bunker armor” schemes with that

[Ghostmaxi]

Added Roof Add on Armor in a seperat Tap with more pictures.

[Peasant_wb]

It is a shame that Warthunder doesn’t model correctly the effect that spare track links have IRL. Instead of working like an additional welded on 20mm of armour plate, always, they become much less effective when struck at obliquity as they partly offset their protection increase by interfering with projectile ricochet.

Also they interfere with the action of AP cap, and therefore increase the likelyhood of projectile shattering when striking at unfavorable conditions.