T14

While the M4 Sherman would go on to become the workhorse of the United States during WWII, there was evidently a need for a tank with better protection. In March 1942, the British Tank Mission encouraged representatives from the Ordnance Department and at Aberdeen to develop a special assault tank. While the British and United States agreed, they would create their own individual tanks based on their own technologies. Each country would create two pilots and then exchange one of them with the other, so they can be trialed with each other in both countries.

The United States based their design on the M4 Sherman, designating it the T14 assault tank. The original concept was specified to use the Ford GAZ V8 engine, provided it could be replaced by the Ford V12 engine when it became available. Both pilots would use welded armor, although a cast hull version had been designed. A leaf-spring suspension was also considered, but it was decided to adopt the horizontal volute spring suspension from the M6 heavy tank. The suspension was protected by a 1/2 inch armor skirt, overlaying the 2 1/2 inch side armor. The frontal armor was 4 inches thick and the rear was 2 inches thick. The cast turret had 3 inches of sloped armor with 4 inches at the side and rear.

T14 with the armor skirt raised, revealing the suspension.

The T14 was armed with the same 75 mm Gun M3 found standard on early model M4s. However, it was instructed to prepare layout drawings for a 105 mm howitzer, 76 mm guns, and even a 90 mm gun. The inside turret ring was 69 inches, just like the M4's.

The pilot vehicles weighed approximately 47 tons and could reach 24 mph. The mobility of the tank was considered unsatisfactory, and along with the proceeding development of the M4A3E2 Sherman, Aberdeen recommended that no further consideration be given to the T14.

The old T14 (Tier V) is a premium tank with preferential matchmaking, because the tank's 75 mm gun is simply too weak to contend with tanks two tiers higher. In addition, the tank's armor is arguably too strong for lower tiers. We can solve both these problems by bumping the tank up a tier and giving it more gun options as originally proposed in the design.

Now, this new T14 should play very similarly to the M6 Heavy. However, it's not quite as large and has better hull armor. It's also more mobile. These advantages can be compensated for by having worse gun characteristics than the M6 Heavy, like aim time and reload speed. At Tier VI, I believe the T14 is now very happy. It's still able to bully lower tiered opponents, if not more so, but it can contend with Tier VI and Tier VII tanks like how it was previously unable. This tank should be considered to be a more mobile Churchill VII, but with worse gun characteristics.

The surviving T14 pilot in storage at the Bovington Tank Museum. 

As far as player compensation goes, for those who already own a T14, the easiest thing to do is simply give them the Tier VI regular tank for free, along with a full gold refund for the value of the old Tier V tank.

Guns: 75 mm Gun M3; 76 mm Gun M1A1; 76 mm Gun M1A2; 105 mm Howitzer M4; 90 mm Gun T7

Engines: Ford GAZ (520 hp); Ford GAC (770 hp)

Turrets (Turret Armor (mm)): T14-1 (76/102/102); T14-2 (76/102/102)

Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): T14 Welded (42.64); T14 Cast (42.64)

Hull Armor (mm): 102/64/51

Top Speed: 39 km/h

Crew: 5 (Driver; Gunner; Loader; Commander; Radio)

Parent: T1 Heavy
Children: T26E5

Sources:

Hunnicutt, R. P. Sherman. 2015.