The beginning of the development of German self-propelled artillery can be considered in the mid-1930s, when the concept of creating an assault gun (German: Sturmgeschütz - in short StuG ) intended to support the offensive activities of the German infantry. Very often the author of this idea is considered to be the later field marshal Erich von Manstein. The first prototypes of such vehicles were created in 1937, and when they entered mass production, they received the designation StuG III. They were used for the first time during the French campaign in 1940. In the course of this campaign, the Bison guns (sometimes referred to as Sturmpanzer I) were also used, i.e. the 150 mm sIG guns mounted on the Panzer I chassis. During the further part of World War II, the German army introduced more and more perfect self-propelled guns on a large scale. The armored and mechanized units were equipped with vehicles such as the Wespe or the very successful Hummel, which allowed for a significant improvement in the mobility of artillery in these units. The StuG III carts were also developed and the StuG IV cart was introduced to production. At the end of the war, a small number of Sturmtiger vehicles armed with a 380 mm rocket mortar appeared.
Sd.Kfz 164 Nashorn (German rhino) was established in 1942 as a tank destroyer and a remedy for the threat posed by the German Soviet Panzerwaffe T-34. It was treated as a temporary solution, especially considering the fatal armor and the very tall silhouette of the vehicle. However, it served until the end of the war both in the East and in Italy, and on the Western Front. These disadvantages were made up mainly by the very effective 88mm PAK43 / L71 anti-tank gun. It was able to eliminate any Allied or Soviet tanks (maybe except the IS-2) at a distance of 2000-2500m, and the unofficial record is the destruction of an enemy tank from a distance of 4600m! The global number of Hornisse vehicles produced was limited to 494 units and was mainly concentrated in the ALKETT plants. Throughout the war, the vehicles were equipped with the Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 560, 655, 525, 93, 519 and 88. Technical data: length (with a barrel): 8.44 m, width: 2.95 m, height: 2.65 m, weight 24t, engine power: 296KM, speed (on the road): 42 km / h, armament: 1 PAK43 / L71 gun caliber 88mm and 1 MG34 machine gun cal.7.92mm.