The M7 was conceived as a light tank, but ultimately matched the Sherman in terms of combat capabilities!
M7: A Medium Tank for the US at Rank II
At a glance:
75 mm M3 gun
Good mobility and compact dimensions
Average protection
Today we’re taking a look at the M7 medium tank, which is a rather interesting vehicle. Is it similar to the Sherman, or is it like a Stuart? Read the blog to find out, we’ll also cover how we came to the decision on where to add this vehicle to the research tree.
The M7 can be described as a lightweight version of the Sherman. It features a classic 75 mm M3 gun with effective AP shells, yet offers lighter armor and improved mobility because of this. Not particularly well-suited for defensive plays, the M7 still excels at the front line, where its mobility and capable gun provide advantages. Due to its lighter armor and compact layout, the M7 is not as survivable as the Sherman, though its rounded armor offers a good chance of AP rounds ricocheting!
A unique feature of the M7 is its position between the light and medium tank classes. It’s slightly faster and more maneuverable than the Sherman, yet better armored and armed than the Stuart. The M7 can be deployed throughout the match, either at the start, mid or end. Deploying it early game will allow you to perform a coordinated attack on objectives alongside other medium tanks, while deploying mid-game will allow you to reach the heat of the battle and tackle back control of capture points that are in enemy hands. If you decide to deploy it at the end of a match, the M7 can easily mop up the enemy team’s remaining SPAAGs and light vehicles who spawn in during a desperate attempt to retake control of the battle.Developer comment: Hey guys, we recently covered the development of the M7 tank through a WIP dev blog, and now the vehicle is finally ready! We’ve refined the model’s detailing and created the textures for it, and the end result is a real looker. As promised, we’ve also determined its placement in the US armored vehicle research tree at rank II in the heavy tank line, between the M22 Locust and M6A1/T1E1 group. This fills a significant Battle Rating gap nicely, while keeping the vehicle distinct from the M4 medium tank lineup.
The T7 light tank project began in 1941 as a replacement for the M3 Stuart. The vehicle was designed to weigh 13 tons, mount a 37 mm gun, and feature armor up to 38mm thick. The first T7 prototype, featuring a hull made of structural steel, was built in January 1942; three additional prototypes followed.By January 1942, efforts were focused on a prototype armed with the British 6-pounder Mark III gun. Trials at the Aberdeen Proving Ground necessitated replacing both the gun and the transmission, resulting in the tank’s weight doubling compared to the original design. Due to this increased weight, the vehicle was standardized as the M7 medium tank in August and entered limited production.Three tanks were built by December 1942, another three by January 1943, and one more in February. The weight of the production vehicles rose to 28–29 tons. It became evident that the M7 offered no advantages over the M4 Sherman medium tank which was already in established production, leading to the cancellation of the program on January 20th 1944.That’s it for this one! The M7 will be a fun little tank to drive around with, positioned the early ranks for lower BR lineups. Until the next blog, enjoy your battles ahead and we’ll see you soon!Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.