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Churchill I

Churchill I

Great Britain · Heavy tank · Rank 2

Battle Ratings

Arcade3
Realistic3.3
Simulator3.3

These are archived ratings; check the game for current values. The history below shows recorded ratings and announced changes.

Vehicle Overview

Nation
Great Britain
Class
Heavy tank
Rank
2
Acquisition Type
Tech Tree

View official War Thunder Wiki entry ↗

Battlefield Role

Fight from cover with teammates nearby to watch your sides. When the enemy fires, use their reload to take a shot and pull back.

Strengths

Your gun and armor can lead a push when they match up well against the enemy.

When to spawn

Bring it when you can hold a lane from cover. In an uptier, rely more on your position than your armor.

Common Mistakes

  • Repeating the same peek. Once an enemy has your range, move to another angle before firing again. A second shot from the same opening is easier to anticipate.
  • Firing without a retreat. Choose cover you can reach during the reload. Do not cross into an enemy firing lane just to finish a damaged target.

Survivability and Armor

Crew
5 persons

Keep your sides and rear out of view. The lower hull and area around the gun may also be weak spots, depending on the tank and the shell hitting it.

Keep exposed sides and the fighting compartment behind cover. Check the incoming round and impact angle in Protection Analysis before relying on the armor.

Ammunition

3-inch Mark II · HE

Use against exposed crews, aircraft where applicable and lightly protected targets. Avoid spending the shot on heavy frontal armor.

3-inch Smoke · Smoke

Place smoke between the enemy and a crossing or retreat route. It blocks sight; it does not stop incoming fire.

Shot Mk.1 AP/T · AP

Weapon
40 mm QF 2-pounder cannon

Use against armor and aim for crew or critical modules. A penetration alone may leave the enemy able to return fire.

Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T · APCBC

Weapon
40 mm QF 2-pounder cannon

Use against armor and aim for crew or critical modules. A penetration alone may leave the enemy able to return fire.

Shot Mk.1 APHV/T · AP

Weapon
40 mm QF 2-pounder cannon

Use against armor and aim for crew or critical modules. A penetration alone may leave the enemy able to return fire.

Shell Mk.1 AP/T · APHE

Weapon
40 mm QF 2-pounder cannon

A practical anti-tank round when it can penetrate. Aim into the fighting compartment so the explosive filler can reach crew and modules.

Ready Rack and Carry Load

Maximum capacity
58 rounds

Carry enough for the route and resupply plan. A listed first-stage capacity alone does not establish a safe spawn load or prove that another rack is empty.

Mobility

Maximum forward speed
28 km/h
Maximum reverse speed
3 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio
9.4 hp/t
Engine power
355 hp
Weight
37.8 t

Top speed is not cross-country pace. Check the reverse route before taking a firing position.

Optics

Gunner

Night equipment
Unknown
Magnification
1.9×–3.5×

Commander

Night equipment
Unknown

Driver

Night equipment
Unknown

Armaments

Primary weapon
76 mm OQF 3-inch Howitzer Mk I
Secondary weapons
40 mm QF 2-pounder cannon · 7.92 mm BESA machine gun (coaxial)
Reload
8.1 → 6.3 s

Economy

Crew training
6,300 SL
Expert crew
22,000 SL
Ace crew
210 GE
Ace crew research
220,000 RP
Reward multiplier · SL (AB/RB/SB)
60/80/80%
Reward multiplier · RP
124%
Total cost of modifications · RP
10,440 RP
Total cost of modifications · SL
13,960 SL

Battle Rating History

Churchill I · confirmed changes
DateGame modeBattle rating
No confirmed battle rating changes are recorded.
Archived rating records
Recorded snapshots
Date / sourceArcadeRealisticSimulator
October 8, 2026Site profile snapshot3.03.33.3
Sources and data checks

Vehicle data checked October 8, 2026. Crew optics checked October 22, 2026. Speeds use Realistic Battles values. Reload depends on crew skills and qualification; damage can reduce performance. Unknown equipment is not a confirmed absence.

Community discussion

Churchill I vehicle guide · 0 comments

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