Kamerer wrote:I think that is the e4 and not the e8. The e8 should be about comparable to the Firefly if not superior (the ap round was much more accurate and effective than the Firefly version). The e8 came out about the time for Bulge and was there, I believe, but not Normandy.
Hi Kamerer, the E4 was postwar, maybe you mean the heavily armoured E2 ('Jumbo')? Doesn't matter, just trying to clarify things, I mix them up all the time.
The E8 ('Easy Eight'), was just the designation of the prototype; the only major change was the new suspension (HVSS) which gave much better mobility and crew comfort, the rest was pretty much the same as the 'standard' M4A3 76mm armed Sherman.
http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m4sherman.h ... 76%29WHVSS
also have a look at
http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/index.html
And yes, it was first made in August 1944. I just checked, first units were with the 4th Armoured Division, late Dec. 1944, so they would have been used at the Bulge. I think that the M4A3(76)W is the closest thing in the game, looking at the icon, with more fuel and 5 move, but it is introduced far too early.
The Firefly was based on an older Sherman hull/turret, so it would have a bit less armour protection than an E8 (I already commented earlier about its too high GD). And without HVSS suspension, worse mobility as well, and it lacked the hull machine gun as well (deleted to store more ammo).
Judging the guns is tricky, because what ammo should be compared? The 17-pdr had a sabot round with better penetration but worse accuracy than the 'standard' AP round that was mostly used. The US 76mm started out with a similar AP round, and later HVAP ammo was quickly introduced, after meeting Panthers and discovering the reality didn't match the expectations.
But overall, the 17-pdr is definately more powerful and has comparable accuracy when firing 'normal' rounds. I have a US wartime report on paper, I managed to find a working link to it:
http://wargaming.info/1998/us-army-1944 ... Z1bi0qb6j8 Very interesting stuff. Sorry for the long story, but I hope this clears up some confusion.