Stug G Late question

[Fuser]

In behalf of one of my Spaniard CM player friends I have a question for you regarding the StuG G Late:

In a game I'm playing in CMBN MG I have purchased some Stug G Late. However, I have noted that the assembly of the barrel is from an earlier variant. In my opinion this gun mantlet for this Late variant should be of the "Saukopf" type which in theory provides better protection ,why isn't it modelled either in 3D or in data, then?This is how it should go, in my opinion:

Check this, as it should be in my opinion:

http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/german/lpstug.htm

As depicted by CM at the moment:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=9f7490bec1&view=fimg&th=143b04a0f0423da1&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ9RxG2mgPpZm0pkKgHjiautbG5Hf-r0GrAMbxD0e_A9z5nIFRXthbZEiYuOfYxwb1ZnE9mOk3fnfrd3XnYxxIH18m3rCUqp0NwSqdAXro3jg14Nj_fiaW0h8gg&ats=1390245820799&rm=143b04a0f0423da1&zw&sz=w1808-h808

It's not only an aesthetic issue

Any ideas as to why? Thanks!!!

[Rokko]

These classifications like "early", "mid" and "late" are often somewhat arbitrary. Often there were changes on a monthly basis. I haven't found any concrete data so far, but it seems the Saukopfblende was only introduced with later "late" Stug III Gs (appearently Dec. 1944, but I'm not sure about that). Usually changes on a monthly basis were so minor that they would not validate separation on a larger scale.

If you wanted to fully appreciate all the different changes that were incorporated into the production of the Panzer IV for example you'd need a different version for every month of its production and for every company that made them (3 I believe and they all did some things differently). I once had a similiar question about the number of return rollers with the Panzer IV J late in game and it came out that the number was only decreased to three in models that were produced after Sept. 44.

Edit:

Might be mistaken on the Stug III, though, 'cause I've also read somewhere the newer mantlets were used already from Nov. 1943 onwards.

[Fuser]

I know, but this is not a minor feature for this particular vehicle,neither aesthetically nor in performance , thus the question,...

[Pete Wenman]

The "Saukopf" mantlet is found in game on the StuG G mid and the StuH 42 mid.

The manual for CMBN gives some rational for this

P

[Rokko]

Also, only Stugs produced by Alkett recieved the new mantlet, models by Miag appearantly never got it.

[Sergei]

The Saukopf mantle never fully replaced the ordinary mantle. The 'late' variant is the ordinary gun mantle with an added coaxial MG, which is unavailable to the 'mid' Saukopf mantle version.

In this respect you could also call the Saukopf version 'late' and the flat with coaxial MG 'latest'.

[Fuser]

Later G versions from November 1943, were fitted with the Topfblende pot mantlet (often called Saukopf "Pig's head") gun mantlet without coaxial mount. This cast mantlet with organic shape was more effective at deflecting shots than the original boxy mantlet armor of varying thickness between 45mm and 50mm. Lack of large castings meant that the trapezoid-shape mantlet was also produced until the very end. Coaxial machine gun was added first to boxy mantlets from June 1944, and then to cast Topfblende from October 1944, in the middle of "Topfblende" mantlet production. With an addition of coaxial, all StuGs carried two MG 34 machine guns from fall of 1944. Some previously completed StuGs with boxy mantlet had a coaxial machine gun hole drilled to retrofit a coaxial machine gun, while Topfblende produced from Nov. 1943 - Oct. 1944 without machine gun opening could not be tampered. Also from Nov.1943, all metal return rollers of a few different types were used due to lack of rubber supply. Zimmerit anti-magnetic coating to protect vehicles from magnetic mines were used from September 1943-September 1944 only.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturmgesch%C3%BCtz_III