Matilda II Mk IV - Lady with Thick Skin

Suggestions Ground
1
Would you like to see the Soviet Matilda II Mk IV?
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgMatilda II Mk IV - Lady with Thick Skin
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Introduction
The Matilda II Mk IV, a British heavy infantry tank, was supplied to the Soviet Union through the Lend-Lease program during World War II. Known for its thick armor and reliability, the tank served the Red Army in defensive and breakthrough roles, particularly in the harsh conditions of the Eastern Front. Armed with a 40mm QF 2-pounder gun and equipped with impressive armor for its class, the Soviet Matilda offered strong protection at the cost of speed and mobility.

History
The British Matilda II Mk IV was a tough tank that became famous for its super thick armor, making it almost immune to enemy fire early in World War II, though it was pretty slow due to its modest engine. Armed with a 40mm QF 2-pounder gun, it could handle light enemy vehicles but struggled against stronger German tanks as the war went on. It was used in key battles like France and North Africa and became a symbol of durability in tough conditions. Later, the Soviet Union even received some through Lend-Lease, where it was put to use on the Eastern Front, showing its lasting value despite its age and limitations.

Soviet Matilda II Mk IV History
The Soviet Union’s use of the Matilda II Mk IV, which came through the Lend-Lease program in 1941, was a brief but interesting part of the Red Army’s story early in World War II. Known for its heavy armor and 40mm QF 2-pounder gun, the Matilda was mostly used for defense and infantry support, especially in key battles like the defense of Moscow in late 1941 and the Siege of Sevastopol in 1942. Its tough armor helped it absorb enemy fire and slow down the German advance, although its firepower wasn’t strong enough to take on tougher German tanks like the Panzer IV and Tiger I. During the Battle of Moscow, the Matilda helped hold important positions, providing support in urban areas, where it could withstand hits from lighter German vehicles while fighting enemy infantry and armored cars. However, it struggled against more powerful German tanks, and its limited speed and weak gun became noticeable as the battle went on. In Sevastopol, the Matilda’s strong armor helped defend the city against repeated German attacks, giving Soviet infantry some much-needed support. But as the Germans introduced stronger tanks, the Matilda began to show its age. Still, it played a big role in boosting morale and slowing down the German advance. By 1943, as the Soviet Union started producing more powerful tanks like the T-34, the Matilda II Mk IV was phased out of frontline use, becoming mostly a training vehicle or used in less active roles, showing how the Soviets adapted foreign tanks while focusing on newer, more effective designs.

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Specifications
General Information

  • Origin: United Kingdom
  • Crew: 4

Dimensions

  • Weight: 27.5 tons (24.9 metric tonnes)
  • Length: 4.60 m (15.1 ft)
  • Width: 2.60 m (8.5 ft)
  • Height: 2.65 m (8.7 ft)

Armament

  • Primary: 40mm QF 2-pounder gun
  • Secondary:
    • 2 × .303 Browning M1919 machine guns (one hull-mounted, one coaxial)

Armor

  • Thickness:
    • Front: 78 mm (3.1 in)
    • Sides: 65 mm (2.6 in)
    • Turret: 78 mm (3.1 in)

Engine and Performance

  • Engine: Rolls-Royce Meteor petrol engine
  • Horsepower: 132 hp
  • Top Speed: 8 mph (13 km/h)
  • Range: 120 km (75 miles)
  • Power-to-Weight Ratio: 4.8 hp/ton

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Spoiler

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/matilda-mk-iv-zis-5/
Matilda II - Wikipedia
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/matilda-ii-in-soviet-service?
Matilda III and IV CS Close Support Lend-Lease Soviet Army WW2 Tank in Russia
Tank Archives: Lady with a Thick Skin
name based on the source above :)

3 Likes
2

+1 Give me more lend-lease vehicles for USSR!

2 Likes
3

anyone saying no is being petty.

The soviets quite liked matilda and valentine tanks

Lend-lease vehicles are welcome to representation in other trees to their native tree

Id love to see more matildas in the game, they are brilliant tanks and worthy of appearing more

5 Likes
4

AH YES! make british tree less unique and just not worthy of playing! Such a bad and stupid idea. The soviet union has enough of its own tanks in game and that can be added, so i think it does not need copy paste vehicles from minor tech trees. The devs should add more matilda variants to the British Tree, and not to the soviet!

3 Likes
5

I am fine with only for Event/Battlepass Vehicle or some limited offer maybe?
Just like Soviet Valentine, which sells only on Valentine’s Day.

1 Like
6

YES. We need more and more of our vehicles. Couldn’t agree more.

But in the meantime, I think adding soviet Matilda isn’t hurting the uniqueness of the British TT if we only sell it on a specific period (Just like Soviet Valentine tank sales in Valentines does)

How about runs sales only events at the date of the Declaration of Lend-Lease act
with some other discounts on Lend-Leased vehicles in gamewides as extra?

3 Likes
7

This is much more sane idea than just putting it right to the TT, but i just dont like the idea of copying something unique and accualy good from the British 2nd era, and putting it into somethig else. The soviet tree does not need it, and it should be getting soviet tanks and not the British ones becouse what even is the point of British TT when you can just play their tanks in the soviet TT? In summary add soviet tanks to the soviet TT and British to the British TT, and if you realy need another not soviet tank in the soviet tree, then at least give something back to the British, like T-34 or somethig.

1 Like
8

Well, I don’t dislike your Idea either, it is also fair and reasonable, and understandable.
but in a different point of view, I guess.

For me, I like Matilda tanks too, but I want more and more players to enjoy their Matildas too.

Don’t worry about that.
Friends from East
with a little bit of joke, our friends from Easts are ready, and will bring some fancy soviet vehicles to us as a sub-tree.


We already have some of them!

9

I was going to mention, Britain got India, so Soviet lend lease shouldn’t be an issue.

10

Well, There are quite a much of ours who dislike India as Subtree but want ANZAC or Canada instead.
Also dislikes Soviet C&P either.

(I am fine with India as a subtree of UK as long as they also bled for King and country before, and still maintaining closer relationships with us. unless Players from India want an independent TT instead. If they want Independent TT just like Israel does, I also understand that opinion too. )

So, I think both opinions are reasonable.

1 Like
11

And i think that they should not be added in the first place because they are not even Indian - if i want to play a T-90 then i should be playing soviet tree and not the British.

12

Nowhere did the OP mention this vehicle being proposed as a tech-tree researchable vehicle.

The USSR has the SU-57, Valentine, M3 Lee, Matilda (with a Russian-made 76 mm gun),and M4A2 as premium vehicles in its ground vehicles tree. Based on this pattern, I’m certain that newer lend-lease vehicles will also come as premiums, regardless.

13

Also, the USSR should receive lend-lease vehicles like this one, as well as others that had meaningful service with the Red Army. The point is to add more flavor to the game. I would love to see more Matilda variants for both the UK and the USSR.

I voted +1 for all lend-lease vehicles for the USSR because I enjoy mixing domestic and lend-lease vehicles in my ground lineup. This allows me to historically roleplay as one of the Red Army units that actually used those vehicles in real life.

2 Likes
14

so america should get mig 21 and mig 23 and T90m ? and pantsir ?

1 Like
15

along with me262 tiger 2 list goes on yoou get the point

1 Like
16

why not both? it was a lend lease vehicle and we have a hell of a lot of domestic stuff to keep the British tree unique. britain isn’t losing anything by having the vehicles it gifted out going where they were gifted

3 Likes
17

Neither of these were ever captured in functional condition. Only fake headlines claiming we did.

18

The USAF-captured MiG-21, MiG-23, and other Soviet aircraft were used by the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron. These aircraft were never deployed in any combat operations outside of the United States.

I cannot speak for the T-90M and Pantsir, but it seems they were only evaluated to gather information and were never used in active service.

I fail to see how these vehicles are relevant to this discussion, especially since the Soviet-operated Matilda did see combat, unlike the aforementioned vehicles.

1 Like
19

Indian pantsir soon tho
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20

they didnt see combat so not really