[WWII] SdKfz 231 6x4 armored car (Germany)

[copeab]

SdKfz 231 armored car
Copyright 2012 by Brandon Cope

When the Wehrmacht began rearming in the 1930's, the SdKfz 231 was one of the first armored cars to enter service for it. It was a large 6x4 wheeled vehicle that was little more than an armored body atop a truck chassis. It served a vital training role and was still in service in sufficient numbers by 1939. It was used in significant numbers in Poland and France, but was greatly hampered by it's poor cross-country mobility. It was used in smaller numbers in Russia in 1941, but afterward was relegated to internal security and, coming full circle, training. Over 1,000 were built.

The SdKfz 231 has a crew of four: driver, commander and second driver in the body and gunner slit between the body and turret. The turret was manually rotated at 8 degrees per second by the gunner. The armored car used 2.7 gallons of fuel per hour at routine usage.

Subassemblies: Heavy Small Wheeled chassis +3, Medium Weapon turret +2, ten off-road wheels +1.
Powertrain: 60-kW gas engine with 60-kW wheeled transmission and 26.4-gallon standard fuel tank; 4,000-kWs batteries
Occupancy: 3 CS Body, 1 CS Both. Cargo: 10.5 Body.

Armor
Body: F 4/25, RL 4/25, B 4/15, T 4/15, U 4/15
Tur: F 4/25, RL 4/25, B 4/15, T 4/15, U 0/0

Weaponry
20mm Long Ground Autocannon/20mm KwK38 [Turret:F] (200).
Ground LMG/ MG 34 [Turret:F] (1,500).

Equipment
Body: Small radio transmitter and transceiver, backup driver option.

Statistics
Size: 19'x6'x7'
Payload: 0.59 tons
Lwt: 6.2 tons
Volume: 41
Maint.: 120 hours
Price: $2,350

HT: 12.
HP: 500 [body], 150 [turret], 36 [each wheel]

gSpeed: 40
aAccel: 2
aDecel: 10
aMR: 0.25
aSR: 4
Very High Ground Pressure. 1/8 Off-Road Speed.

Design Notes
The design speed was 50 mph. The turret HPs, cost and weight were doubled. Weight was increased 12.7%.

The second driver was seated at the back of the vehicle, facing to the rear. He drove if the vehicle had to retreat quickly.

Variants
The early models were armed with the KwK 30 and MG 13, but these were replaced early in the war.

The SdKfz 232 had a Medium radio set with a large and distinctive antenna frame over the body and turret.

The SdKfz 263 was a command variant with additional radio gear. The turret was replaced by a fixed superstructure was was armed with only a single machinegun.

[PPoS]

Sweet. Although it might be worth noting that most of the 231's were armed with the 20mm KwK 30 (1939-1940).

[Michele]

Equipment: backup driver option. I'd also specify that the second driver is ready to drive in the other direction. This was a feature of armored cars of the era, the idea being that when you scout along a road, sometimes you want to get away from an ambush site quickly. Instead of driving in reverse, or making a U-turn for which you might not have enough space, the second driver takes control and takes the car out of trouble.

For another example, see this old article (should still come up for free):

Designer's Notes, GURPS WWII: Grim Legions

which is the designer's notes article for this item

the Autoblinda AB41 is at the end.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by Michele

Equipment: backup driver option.

Boy, I should have waited another day to post this design ...

Yes, the second-driver listed under crew sat facing the rear and drove to 'get out of trouble'. Several pre-WWII armored cars had this feature.

[Michele]

Originally Posted by copeab

Boy, I should have waited another day to post this design ...

No problem! I see you've edited, that's fine now.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by PPoS

Sweet. Although it might be worth noting that most of the 231's were armed with the 20mm KwK 30 (1939-1940).

One of my two books with the SdKfz 231 does mention that the KwK 30 was initially used, replaced by the KwK 38, although it didn't specify when the change was made.

That book also notes that there was provision for an AA machinegun atop the turret. However, I haven't come across a photo with one actually mounted.

[PPoS]

Originally Posted by copeab

One of my two books with the SdKfz 231 does mention that the KwK 30 was initially used, replaced by the KwK 38, although it didn't specify when the change was made.

My books says otherwise. When the cars were produced, between 1932-1937, they were armed with the KwK 30. I don't know the exact date when they replaced it with the KwK 38, but you can be assured that the vehicles operating in Poland and France had the KwK 30. The later ones still operational would probably be armed with the KwK 38 (Operation Barbarossa and beyond). I know that the 231 (8-rad) changed to the KwK 38 sometime during 1941-42.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by PPoS

My books says otherwise.

Umm, our books don't contradict each other. Both of our sources say the SdKfz 231 had the KwK 30 early and the KwK 38 late. My book just doesn't say when the change was made, just that one was made.

Edit: This issue is also somewhat moot, as the two cannons are the same in game terms in GURPS WWII.

[PPoS]

Originally Posted by copeab

Umm, our books don't contradict each other. Both of our sources say the SdKfz 231 had the KwK 30 early and the KwK 38 late. My book just doesn't say when the change was made, just that one was made.

Edit: This issue is also somewhat moot, as the two cannons are the same in game terms in GURPS WWII.

Oops, sorry 'bout that. I read your post too fast. Nevermind then :)
Though there are differences between the two weapons. The KwK 30 has a RoF of 5 and the KwK 38 has a RoF of 8.

[Phaelen Bleux]

Originally Posted by copeab

Subassemblies: Heavy Small Wheeled chassis +3, Medium Weapon turret +2, ten off-road wheels +1.

Ten wheels, or eight wheels?

Originally Posted by copeab

I posted it here about two years ago:

Egads, has it already been two years?? It seems like not that long ago!