US Combat Command

Includes eight plastic M4 Sherman tanks, three plastic M26 Pershing tanks, three plastic M7 Priest Self-Propelled Guns, two plastic Tank Commander sprues, one plastic Gun Crew sprue, one Flames Of War Mini rulebook, one printed Start Here guide, three Decal sheets and nine Unit cards.

US tank companies were designed for mobile warfare. Once the infantry had broken through the enemy defences, its fast and reliable tanks would rush through the gap. Once in the enemy rear they would create havoc as they raced for their objectives. They are well equipped for this role having their own self-propelled guns for artillery support.

The M4 Sherman (Late 75MM)

By late 1944 there was no such thing as a standard M4 Sherman tank. The basic design had proliferated into a variety of improved and specialised models. These were issued as available and mixed together in whatever fashion the commander on the spot desired.

While the M4A3 improved the breed, some things still needed to be addressed. One of the critical flaws was the fact that the tank’s ammo tended to catch on fire with practically every hit. To fix this, designers added ‘wet’ stowage ammo racks. They also added another hatch on the top of the turret to help the crew get out faster

The M4 Sherman (76MM)

The M4A3 (76mm) married the new M4A3 hull with the 76mm gun, making for a fast, hard-hitting tank. This gave US tank crews a definite edge over German medium tanks, as well as giving Panther and Tiger crews something to truly fear.

Like the other late M4A3 models, the M4A3 (76mm) tank by its steep front armour plating and crew hatches. Of course the 76mm gun is another dead give-away, but once again the turret was redesigned and the loader’s hatch was made into a single-piece oval hatch. The M4A3 (76mm) came into service along side the M4A3 (late) models in September, 1944.

The M7 Priest

The US Army is the only force in the world that can field entirely mechanised armoured divisions. Even the artillery is fully equipped with M7 Priest HMC self-propelled guns. The armoured artillery have the mobility to keep up with the tanks and, with their armour, don’t have to dig in so they get into battle faster.

The M7 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage gained the nickname ‘Priest’ because of the pulpit-like appearance of its machine-gun mounting ring.

The M26 Pershing

In late 1944 a special mission rushed new M26 Pershing heavy tanks to the front. The Pershing mounted a powerful 90mm gun and was protected by thick armour.

The M26 Pershing was the result of a long series of attempts to find a replacement for the M4 Sherman tank. The M26 Pershing was a 42-tonne vehicle, armed with an M3 90mm L/50 gun, the same that equipped the M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer. The new tank sported sloped 4” (102mm) cast frontal armour, dramatically increasing the protection of its crew compared to earlier American tanks