The Sturmgeschutz, or StuG, as it is more popularly known, while conceived as self-propelled, infantry support artillery, in time, formed the backbone of Germany's anti-tank operations during WWII. With more than 135 war-era photos, this volume chronicles the design, development, and deployment of the first six (of nine variants) of this famed and feared weapon. The material is arranged in seven chapters, each focusing on a specific production model, or Ausfuhrung, of the Sturmgeschutz. This volume covers the Ausf.A through F/8 variants used during the early WWII years. Comprehensive tables reveal the details of performance, as well as technical specifications of each variant. A concise, easy-to-read text, and detailed photo captions expose the secrets of this iconic vehicle. Part of the Legends of Warfare series. AUTHOR: Author of over 100 books, David Doyle was presented the Bart Vanderveen Award, recognizing, " . . . the individual who has contributed the most to the historic preservation of military vehicles worldwide" in 2015 by the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. SELLING POINTS: . Photographic history of the design, development, and deployment of Germany's most-used assault gun of WWII . Covers the five early StuG models and chronicles the combat use through the Ausf. F/8 type . Profusely illustrated with scarce archival photographs from collections around the world 137 b/w photographs