▁its ▁role . ▁Though ▁it ▁was ▁techn ically ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁Stu G ▁III , ▁it ▁had ▁a ▁totally ▁different ▁role , ▁serving ▁as ▁divis ional ▁art illery ▁instead ▁of ▁a ▁pure ▁assault ▁gun . ▁The ▁organ ic ▁structure ▁consisted ▁of ▁two ▁art illery ▁groups ▁for ▁every ▁arm oured ▁division , ▁with ▁two ▁batter ies ▁each ▁( four ▁ 7 5 / 1 8 ▁each ▁and ▁a ▁command ▁vehicle ). ▁The ▁total ▁was ▁of ▁ 1 8 ▁ 7 5   mm ▁L / 1 8 ▁( includ ed ▁two ▁in ▁reserve ) ▁and ▁ 9 ▁command ▁vehicles , ▁which ▁were ▁character ized ▁by ▁additional ▁radio ▁equipment ▁and ▁a ▁B red a ▁ 1 3 . 2   mm ▁heavy ▁machine ▁gun ▁mounted ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁gun . ▁The ▁number ▁originally ▁ordered , ▁ 6 0 ▁total , ▁was ▁enough ▁for ▁the ▁three ▁arm oured ▁divisions . ▁ ▁The ▁Sem ov ente ▁da ▁ 7 5 / 1 8 s ▁were ▁deployed ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁African ▁campaign ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁Al lied ▁invasion ▁of ▁Sic ily , ▁alongside ▁M ▁tank ▁units ▁to ▁provide ▁additional ▁fire power . ▁Despite ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁designed ▁to ▁fight ▁other ▁t anks , ▁their ▁ 7 5   mm ▁how itzer ▁proved ▁ideal ▁( th anks ▁to ▁its ▁low ▁m uzz le ▁velocity ) ▁for ▁firing ▁HE AT ▁shell s ; ▁its ▁ 5 . 2   kg ▁HE AT ▁shell ▁(" E ff etto ▁Pr onto " ▁in ▁Italian ) ▁could ▁pier ce