The Semovente 75/18 self-propelled gun brings some much needed armoured reinforcements to Italian forces.
The Semovente was an Italian self-propelled gun, built by mounting the 75mm Obice da 75/18 modello 34 mountain gun on the chassis of a M13/40 or M14/41 tank. It had riveted steel plates, which were thicker but also less sloped than in the original tank. Frontal armour was almost vertical, but it consisted of two plates rather than a single layer, which improved stopping power.
Though it was technically similar to the StuG III, it had a totally different role, serving as divisional artillery instead of a pure assault gun. The Semovente 75/18s were widely deployed alongside M13/40 units in the North African campaign and during the Allied invasion of Sicily, to provide additional firepower. In North Africa they were quite effective against the US-built M3 Grant and M4 Sherman tanks used by the British Army.
German Use
After the Italian surrender in 1943, many Semovente 75/18 were seized by the Germans and they continued production of another 55, so this vehicle makes a characterful addition to German forces too!
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon