StuG life.
The idea originated from Manstein in 1935, the development of the vehicle started in 1936 and the first StuG were deployed in 1940. The idea was for a self propelled assault gun. An offensive weapon that could follow the infantry to the frontline and support infantrymen by engaging hard targets with its low velocity short barreled 75mm gun. The vehicle quickly gained the infantrymen’s affection as it turned out to be very good in its role.
From 1941 onward and the Russian campaign, the focus turned into having a cheap and reliable vehicle that could be produced quickly and could engage the Russian T-34 and KV-1 that the Pz III with its 50mm gun and the Pz IV with its low velocity 75mm gun could not destroy easily. The solution was to equip the StuG with the PaK 40 high velocity 75mm gun. There again, the StuG excelled. As the war dragged on and the campaign became a defensive one for the Germans, the StuG transitioned from an assault gun into one of the highest scoring tank killer of WWII.
Built on both the chassis of the Pz III and Pz IV, over 10.000 Stugs were produced throughout the war. It was not the most powerful or best armoured Tank Destroyer of WWII, but it was cheap, reliable, easy to conceal on a battlefield thanks to its low profile and highly efficient.
-RBM.