T-34/100

## Basic Information

The **Konštrukta T-34/100** is a Czechoslovakian tier 7 medium tank.

Development project of the Soviet T-34-85 tank, proposed in April 1954. The Czechoslovakian variant of the vehicle was to receive a 100 mm gun and an enlarged turret. Production was planned to start in 1955; however, the work never started.

The T-34/100 leads to the TVP VTU.

## Pros & Cons

##### Pros:

* Excellent top gun alpha damage and penetration for a Tier 7 medium tank
* Uses HEAT for premium ammo, with very good penetration.

##### Cons:

* Awful armor, similar to Russian counterpart T-34-85
* Extremely prone to module damage and crew injury
* Poor gun depression
* Low ammo capacity with the top gun
* Awful stock grind

## Performance

The T-34/100 is a tank with superb firepower for a tier 7 medium but sacrifices armor and mobility. Unlike the previous and following tanks in the line, its gun depression cannot be relied upon. Therefore, due to surprisingly decent accuracy and soft stats on the gun, a driver should make the most of the 100mm gun by supporting allies in the second line. Though the T-34/100 cannot take many hits, its surprisingly good terrain resistance values allow it to shift quickly on the battlefield and provide support where its 100mm gun is needed the most.

## Historical Information

Since early the 50's, there have been attempts to improve the design of the T-34/85 to increase its combat value. In 1953, the army technical institute received an order to arrange the installation of the Soviet D-10S gun (resp. slightly improved Czechoslovak copy thereof under the name of 100mm vz.44 S, produced in Slovakia for the SD-100 - a Czech copy of SU-100) in the regular T-34/85 turret, if possible, without changing the original turret parameters. In September 1953, the Slovak company Konštrukta Trečín was tasked with the development of this project. The initial evaluation of the project stated that the turret modifications would result in changes to depression and gun elevation (-3/+20 degrees), with the rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute. On 6.4.1954, two design variants were presented by Konštrukta developers to the VTU (army technical institute), along with a preliminary price calculation. Both variants presumed the removal of TŠ-20 indirect fire sights. The gun was also modified by adding a coaxial DTM machinegun to its right side. Both variants differed by solving the gun mantlet and by positioning the gun. Both were also viable, but the price was far less space for the gunner and the loader in the turret. It was absolutely clear that the gun aiming and loading time would suffer. Worse still, it was found out that the ammunition load would suffer too - for both variants, only 6 ready rounds would be able to be stored in the turret itself. Both variants were however sound stability-wise, and the designers hoped the handling characteristics of the tank wouldn't be diminished.

Despite this, the project was judged as fundamentally flawed. Even though the army command still wanted to increase the firepower of the T-34/85, it was clear this wouldn't be the way. In April 1954, one army general issued yet another demand for firepower increases for the T-34 for the production years 1955-1960, but this time, they had a completely different weapon in mind (an indigenous Czech 100mm autoloaded and fully stabilized cannon, possibly the still-developed AK1, originally meant for the TVP project). This demand however was not accepted by the high command and that was the end of the attempts to increase the firepower of the T-34. The project was officially cancelled on 30.6.1954 - the main reason for it (apart from the aforementioned flaws) being the successful negotiations about the T-54 production licenses.