The BM-13 Katyusha is a Soviet self-propelled artillery.
Description[]
The name "Katyusha" refers to a variety of self-propelled rocket artillery that the Soviet forces used throughout World War II, with the best known type being the BM-13 armed with 132mm M-13 rockets. The multiple launch rocket systems were mounted on a variety of vehicles, but the ZIS-6 trucks were the first kinds to be used in combat. When production of ZIS-6 chassis ceased in late 1941, the Lend-Lease Studebaker US6 trucks supplied from the United States took over in this role, where they were designated BM-13N. Unlike traditional artillery guns, these rocket artillery were cheap to produce, usable on a variety of vehicles, and also mobile to keep up with advancing frontline units and to conduct shoot-and-scoot tactics. The success of such vehicles led to continuous development and deployment of multiple launch rocket systems after the war.
The BM-13 Katyushas featured in BattleGroup42 are the BM-13-16, which can fire sixteen M-13 rockets in one salvo. Even an individual vehicle can deliver area bombardment in a very short time, but the drawback is the long reload time and complete lack of armour, hence such vehicles must avoid direct enemy confrontation at all costs.
Early BM-13 can be found in maps set between 1941 and 1943 such as 4107-Dnieper River, whereas BM-13N can be found in maps set from mid-1943 onwards.
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