| “ | Nobody wants to serve on the Saint-Chamond.
— Note résumant la question du matériel d'artillerie d'assaut, 28 Novembre 1916
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The Saint-Chamond was the second French tank to enter service during the First World War, with 400 manufactured from April 1917 to July 1918. Although not a tank by a strict definition of a heavily armoured turreted vehicle, it is generally accepted and described as such in accounts of early tank development. It takes its name from the commune of Saint-Chamond.
Born of the commercial rivalry existing with the makers of the Schneider CA1 tank, the Saint-Chamond was an underpowered and fundamentally inadequate design. Its principal weakness was its Holt caterpillar tracks. They were much too short in relation to the vehicle's length and weight (23 tons). Later models attempted to rectify some of the tank's original flaws by installing wider and stronger track shoes, thicker frontal armour and the more effective 75mm Mle 1897 field gun.
Altogether 400 Saint-Chamond tanks were built, including 48 unarmed caisson tanks. The Saint-Chamond tanks remained engaged in various actions until October 1918, belatedly becoming more effective since combat had moved out of the trenches and onto open ground. Eventually, the Saint-Chamond tanks were scheduled to be entirely replaced by imported British heavy tanks.
Battle vs. Mark IV Tank (by Gigantigersaurus)[]
A Mark IV tank is rumbling around with no destination while a Saint-Chamond tank has found it's target. The Chamond fire it's 75 mm cannon and barely misses. The Mark turns and fires two of it's Hotchkiss guns and one hits it's mark.Now both tanks are wildly firing their machine guns and cannons. The Chamond is taking heavy damage and the Mark IV is not doing well either. Suddenly, a shot rips through the Chamond's armor and kills the commander. Panicking, the crew turns around and goes at maximum speed but is no match for bullets. The crew is killed and the Mark IV is victorious.
WInner: Mark IV tank.
Expert’s Opinion[]
The fact that the Mark had two cannons and better armor won it the day.