[MasterGunner01]

Tanks require a balance of armor, reliability, and firepower. The Tiger and Panther tanks were superior in armor and firepower but they were mechanically unreliable. In comparison, M4 Shermans were reliable, but we deficient in armor and firepower in early models. The M4 was up-armored and up-gunned by early 1945 and had a chance against the heavier German tanks. The Russian T-34/76 and T-34/85 were well armed and had good armor, but the transmisson had lots of problems. (Some T-34s were seen with spare transmissions lashed to their rear decks.)

Communications was another problem area for the T-34. Only the tank platoon sergeant had a radio to communicate to company and battalion levels. This meant the tank platoon movements were done with hand signals. Both American and German tanks had good radios.

[Zman516]

A major problem with the Tigers was that its transmission was overburdened and prone to failure because of its massive weight.

Another problem was that if the Tiger driver ‘rotated’ the tank in place (one track forward, other track reversed) it would often bust a track. Not a fun thing to deal with in the midst of combat.