▁appearance ▁was ▁a ▁surprise ▁to ▁the ▁Germ ans , ▁who ▁were ▁un prep ared ▁for ▁the ▁M 3 ' s ▁ 7 5   mm ▁gun . ▁They ▁soon ▁discovered ▁the ▁M 3 ▁could ▁eng age ▁them ▁beyond ▁the ▁effective ▁range ▁of ▁their ▁ 5   cm ▁Pak ▁ 3 8 ▁anti - t ank ▁gun , ▁and ▁the ▁ 5   cm ▁K w K ▁ 3 9 ▁of ▁the ▁Pan zer ▁III , ▁their ▁main ▁medium ▁tank . ▁The ▁M 3 ▁was ▁also ▁vast ly ▁superior ▁to ▁the ▁F iat ▁M 1 3 / 4 0 ▁and ▁M 1 4 / 4 1 ▁t anks ▁employed ▁by ▁the ▁Italian ▁troops , ▁whose ▁ 4 7   mm ▁gun ▁was ▁effective ▁only ▁at ▁point - blank ▁range , ▁while ▁only ▁the ▁few ▁Sem ov enti ▁da ▁ 7 5 / 1 8 ▁self - prop elled ▁guns ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁destroy ▁it ▁using ▁HE AT ▁r ounds . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁M 3 ' s ▁ 7 5   mm ▁gun ▁out r anging ▁the ▁P anz ers , ▁they ▁were ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁high ▁explos ive ▁shell s ▁to ▁take ▁out ▁inf antry ▁and ▁other ▁soft ▁targets , ▁which ▁previous ▁British ▁t anks ▁lack ed ; ▁upon ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁M 3 , ▁R omm el ▁noted : ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁M 3 ' s ▁advantages ▁and ▁surprise ▁appearance ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gaz ala , ▁it ▁could ▁not ▁win ▁the ▁battle ▁for ▁the ▁British . ▁In ▁particular ,