Originally Posted by Jaeger

A few words on the Churchill.

A brilliant tank. In fact a tank that did a lot more than what it was called to do. Designed as an infantry tank, it had heavy armour so that it could move about with the infantry. It was slow, but that was ok because the swanning actions was earmarked for the cruiser tanks. When it was first deployed it came with a manual of known flaws, a list that would grow as it was exposed to combat. Later on it would get rid of many of these and mount a proper gun.

What makes the Churchill a machine to admire is the ability to fill many roles. Hobart funnies supplied the Army with an array of specialist tools that would save many lifes (well allied ones anyways)

In Italy another factor of the Churchill became apparent. A feature that would earn it the nick 'the mountain goat' You don't have to be the best tank, if you're the only tank around. The climbing abilities (shared with the Cromwell) of the Churchill tank ensured that the Army could deploy tanks in seemingly impossible terrain.

As for the Churchill not able to dance with the Tiger or Panther... Well it's not intended to is it? Look at the doctrine applied by the British. They fought the enemies asymetrically. And for the Panther and Tigers as the British armour's scourge... A load of rubbish. Concentrations of Minnies/Arty, and entrenched AT guns took the lions share of British AFV's.

The really bad thing about the Churchill is of course it's unesthetic appearence. It looks outdated and ungainly. Well you cannot win them all.