Great thread indeed!

The Soviets themselves did something in this line of work with the SU-76i, a sort of rationalized StuG.

Why the Germans didn't do this themselves with Sov equipment? In the first place we have to recognise that the good Major had all the time in the world in a backwater. So he had the time to riffle through organised stocks, warehouses and yards.

No such thing in the East Front. At most you could remove the turret out of a T-60 and hey presto, an artillery tractor. No great possibility at all of being able to do that kind of work. Besides, from Feb 43 the frontline was already moving in the wrong direction for the peace of mind required.

In any case lots and lots of artillery pieces, for instance, were captured and used, and indeed a significant number were used in self-propelled mounts, albeit in Pz38(t) and PzII chassis.

There was some extemporaneous use of Sov. vehicles, but these were mostly improvisations and one-offs, to be abandoned at first malfucntion for lack of organised spares.

Here's what a Stug should look like, not that crazy mass of wild angled plates. Take that, PzJgr!

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