Matilda

History

Infantry Tank Mk II (A12) "Matilda I"
Specifications
Type	Heavy Armored Fighting Vehicle
Armament	Main gun: 40mm ROQF 2pdr main gun Coax MG: 7.92-mm Besa machine gun
Gun Elevation	?
Turret Traverse	360° (?)
Crew	4 (Driver, Commander, Gunner, Loader)
Weight	26,332kg
Top Speed	24km/h

Main Gun Optics
Specifications
Designation	No.30 Mk IIS.
Magnification	1.9x
Field of View	21°

The “Matilda Senior”, as it was unofficially known, originated from a September 1936 Mechanisation Board proposal drafted for a more powerful and faster version of the Infantry Tank Mk I (A11) "Matilda I". The new tank would carry one more crewman, for a total of three, and be armed with either twin coaxial Vickers machine guns or a 2pdr Royal Ordnance Quick Firing (ROQF) anti-tank gun in a revolving turret. It needed to reach a speed of 15 mph (24 km/h) and its weight was limited to 14 long tons to meet current bridging restrictions.

The twin Vickers configuration was quickly discarded in favour of a 2pdr, at that time one of the most lethal anti-tank guns in the world, supplemented with a single coaxial machine gun. The A7 medium tank, which had been designed and manufactured by the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich in 1929, was chosen as the basis of the new vehicle. To incorporate the change of armament and the selected layout into the design, the Mechanisation Board drew up a completely new specification that added 60 mm of armour, commercial diesel engines, and an additional crew member. The “Japanese” suspension, so called because it was based upon the Vickers Medium C tank sold to Japan in 1928, was to be protected by heavy side skirts. This new vehicle, the Infantry Tank Mk II (A12), was to be called the Matilda I, confusing at the time and even now, for this was the same name given to the previous A11 vehicle.

The Vulcan Foundary at Newton-le-Willows, Warrington, was awarded a contract in November 1936 to provide a wooden mock-up along with two mild-steel prototypes that were given the General Staff specification A12. The Mechanisation Board inspected the wooden mock-up of the vehicle in April 1937 and decided at that time to fit the tank with twin AEC London bus diesel engines coupled with a six-speed Wilson epicyclic pre-selector gearbox. Delays in the delivery of the gearbox and other critical components held up manufacture of the first A12E1 prototype, which Vulcan Foundary did not deliver to the Mechanisation Experimental Establishment (MEE) until April 1938.

The Vulcan Foundary won an initial order for 140 examples in June 1938. In August, the British Army ordered another 40 from Ruston and Hornsby, of Lincoln. The Matilda I (A12) was manifestly difficult to mass-produce and by the outbreak of war in September 1939, there were only two in service with the British Army, although 23 would be issued to the 7th Royal Tank Regiment in France by May 1940.

A British Army tank battalion in 1940 consisted of 50 infantry tanks: three companies contained 16 vehicles each with two more assigned to battalion headquarters. The majority of tanks in both British Army tank battalions in France in May 1940 were A11s. When battle with the 7. Panzer-Division (Armoured Division) was eventually joined at Arras on May 21, 1940, the available Matilda I tanks (A12) distinguished themselves and proved absolutely invulnerable to 37mm PaK 35/36 anti-tank guns. The Matildas nearly started a panic in the German ranks until the resourceful General Rommel marshaled several 8.8cm FlaK 18 anti-aircraft guns from a nearby anti-aircraft battery. The FlaK 18s knocked out the Matildas at almost point-blank range. Only the 88 could reliably penetrate the sturdy armor of the Matilda I with any kind of assurance. As a main battle tank, the Matilda I had little to fear from contemporary enemy tanks.

During the summer of 1940, after the rescue of the BEF from the beaches of Dunkirk, the War Office decided to standardise tank secondary armament and introduced the British version of the Czech-designed air-cooled ZB 0.303in Besa machine gun onto production lines. The A12, with the Besa instead of the Vickers machine gun, along with a minor modification to the roof of the turret to allow for an extractor fan, became the Infantry Tank Mk IIA (A12), or Matilda II.

Almost as soon as this upgraded Matilda II began to roll off the production lines, the authorities began a search began for an alternative powerplant. Designers eventually chose a 427 cu-in (7.00-L) Leyland diesel engine for the tank. Manufacturers fitted these engines into the Matilda chassis thereafter and the tank was re-designated Infantry Tank Mk IIA* (A12), or Matilda III. The Infantry Tank Mk IIA** (A12) or Matilda IV introduced a rigid engine mounting, and the Infantry Tank Mk IIA*** (A12) or Matilda V added a Westinghouse air servo directly to the top of the transmission to aid gear changing.

The Matilda is best remembered for its important role in the early Western Desert campaigns. Dubbed the “Queen of the Desert” for its immunity to almost any Italian tank or anti-tank gun in North Africa, the Matilda reigned supreme until the Germans brought their 8.8-cm guns to Africa in mid-1941. The “88” was the first gun able to penetrate Matilda’s heavy armour at long range.

The small size of the Matilda’s turret and turret ring made it impossible to retrofit a 57mm 6pdr gun (although some marks did carry a larger, lower velocity howitzer) and so, starting in 1942, the Matilda declined in importance. It last saw action as a gun tank at the first Battle of El Alamein in July 1942.

Game Play

The Matilda is an interesting vehicle to play. A formidable heavy tank seemingly able to stop an entire German armored column in its tracks, the Matilda seduces the player with hints of invulnerability. Don’t believe it for a second. Yes, you are pretty much immune to all German tank guns at the outset - although probably not as immune as you should be, historically - but the long 75mm gun on later vehicles like the PzKpfw IV Ausf. G and the StuG III Ausf. G can penetrate you without great difficulty. The ever present Ju 87 dive bomber can take you out easily, and of course there is always the threat of a lethal 88 firing from so far away, you can barely see it. Well-studied enemy tankers know that your gun and tracks are your vulnerabilities, that an immobilized Matilda can’t press an attack, and that a Matilda with a disabled gun is little more than a bulldozer. Relying exclusively on your armor as if you are invulnerable will result in a sad waste of this excellent tank.

Play aggressively but smart – if you have friendly infantry advising of a tank contact, you can often drive right over there and take it out, but be alert for ambushes and open spaces where you can be attacked from the air as, like in most tanks, your rear deck armour is thin. If you get shot at, don’t panic immediately, your armor will allow you some time to assess the situation - but don’t just sit there as if you can’t be harmed, because all tanks can be killed. You don’t have much speed, but the Matilda is stable on the move and makes an excellent mobile gunnery platform. Since your tracks are vulnerable, like those of all tanks, make sure that when you stop, it’s behind low berms or in slight ditches that protect your tracks. Remember, you are not invulnerable, but pointing your gun at an enemy tank that can't do much to you and watching it panic can be quite satisfying.

History

Infantry Tank Mk II (A12) "Matilda II Close Support"
Specifications
Type	Heavy Armored Fighting Vehicle
Armament	Main gun: 3inch howitzer Coax MG: 7.92-mm Besa machine gun
Gun Elevation	?
Turret Traverse	360° (?)
Crew	4 (Driver, Commander, Gunner, Loader)
Weight	26,332kg
Top Speed	24km/h

Main Gun Optics
Specifications
Designation	No.30
Magnification	1.9x
Field of View	21°

The heaviest AFV in the British inventory at the outbreak of the war, this slow and heavily armoured tank was nearly impervious to German anti-tank weapons of the period. Because the standard Matilda II with its 40 mm QF 2 Pd main gun could only fire armour piercing shells, the British supplemented its tank regiments with Matilda II C/S tanks equipped with a 3-inch gun capable of firing high explosive and smoke shells.

The typical tank squadron, comprising one HQ troop and three tank troops of four tanks each, had but 2 C/S tanks on establishment. This deficiency forced the British to accept a slower pace on the battlefield and created comparably higher demand on co-operation and artillery support. This strange and rather ineffectual division of battlefield tasks was rooted in the pre-war British Army doctrine where field artillery and so-called Infantry Tanks worked in direct support of the infantry whereas Cruiser and Light tanks acted disconnected from the infantry in a traditional cavalry role. The British soon discovered the drawbacks of this rigid doctrine as infantry tanks were poorly equipped to defeat soft targets and cruiser tanks were too lightly armoured to stand up against enemy high-velocity guns in tank versus tank duels.

As the war progressed so did British doctrine and tank development However, the concept of C/S tanks and other specialty vehicles would linger until the very end of the war, until the advent of tanks such as the Cornet and the Centurion that could deal with any threat and take somewhat of a beating too.

Game Play

The Matilda CS, as with all CS tanks, is for supporting infantry, and to a lesser extent other Matildas armed with the 2pdr. use it to follow around a regular 2pdr armed Matilda to keep ei sappers off him and engage ATG's with the main armament (HE!) and MG. In this role it is generally vital to keep moving at all times, preferably on road for accurate gunnery, and to ensure your lead tank does the same, at least in 2nd gear. If you can have a Vickers Mk VI b/c trailing your CS Matilda, all the better! The Matilda CS can also lay useful laying smoke screens, demolishing cp's with HE, or filling a building with smoke. It is important to check with the infantry that they want either of the preceding, and are not in it when you do so. Do not lay screens of smoke in front of FMS's unless you first see friendly troops under effective fire, and are confident the enemy knows the position of your fms. Do not lay smoke screens continuously, as your smoke will obscure ei Combat Engineers coming out to hit the FMS!

The Matilda CS is also a great tank "1st through the gate" into an AB, as he HE is effective when crossing the front face of the vehicle spawn, where 88's, AAA and Paks will doubtless spawn, allowing you to find a spot where you can cover the bunker, not be in the firing line from the veh spawn, but still engage anything pushed out. I generally allow following tanks to enter and engage the front of the vehicle spawn frontally v panzers.

You do need to think well ahead with this vehicle, and resist the urge to drive it into an AB "early". You need to pick your moment in the battle where the town has both been contested for a good while, and most of the panzers destroyed. Go in too early and you'll come decidedly "second". Pick your routes, and be certain of what you're going to do, and where to traverse the turret before you go in. Trusting to any sense of invulnerability does not work, you'll be tracked and finished off faster than you can "knife". The other good role for a Matilda CS is to position at one end of an E/W or N/S rd, and creep in second gear, always on the move, cutting that road so enemy troops cannot easily cross it, employing both HE and MG, turning 180 degrees on reaching the end of the road. You may need to retire once or twice to an FMS to re-arm.

When in town, NEVER attempt to change from forward to reverse gears, and ALWAYS assume there are EI sappers about. The short period when you're stationary will be enough for the sapper to place his charge and blow you to Perdition, or track you, which amounts to the same thing 1 minute later!

This is a fun tank, but it is NOT for beginners, it's very effective, but it take a good deal of experience to get the most our of it and survive. In the case of other CS tanks, variations on the tactics and use above may be different, as they lack the Matilda's heavy armour. It is capable of destroying light armour at point-blank range, and 232's at short range from the side, taking out the wheels, but this is not ideal. It is however well worth engaging any armour with the HE round in the hope a nearby 2pdr armed tank or QF 2pdr ATG will see your plight and hit it. The HE hits will make accurate fire on the Panzer's part difficult.

Remember, this is a support tank, if you use it thoughtlessly, or as aggressively as you might use the regular Matilda II with the 2pdr, or ever halt once in combat, you will generally come unstuck.

Armor

Location	Thickness	Angle
Hull front	78 mm	0°
Hull sides	40 mm 25 mm	0° 0°
Hull rear	55 mm	25°
Hull top	13-20 mm	90°
Superstructure front	47 mm	67°
Superstructure sides	70 mm	30°
Superstructure rear	x mm	y°
Superstructure top	20 mm	90°
Turret front	75 mm	11°
Turret sides	75 mm	0°
Turret rear	75 mm	0°
Turret top	20 mm	90°
Gun mantlet	x mm	y°