Löwe
Löwe
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[Client Values; Actual values in
11,200  Cost |
| 1650330 HP Hit Points |
| 90/99.8541.8/99.85 t Weight Limit |
- Commander
- Gunner
- Driver
- Radio Operator
- Loader
| 10001000 hp Engine Power |
| 35/15 km/h Speed Limit |
| 2424 deg/s Traverse |
| 11.1123.92 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio |
| YesYes Pivot |
| // mm Hull Armor |
| 120/80/80120/80/80 mm Turret Armor |
AP/APCR/HE
AP/APCR/HE Shells |
1030/4000/650
1030/4000/650 Shell Cost |
| 320/320/420320/320/420 HP Damage |
| 234/294/60234/294/60 mm Penetration |
|
5 r/m ▲
5 r/m Standard Gun ▲ Rate of Fire Standard Gun |
|
1600 ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲
1600 Standard Gun ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲ Damage Per Minute Standard Gun |
|
0.33 m ▲
0.33 m With 50% Crew: 0.409 m ▲ Accuracy With 50% Crew: 0.409 m |
| 2.857 s 2.857 s Aim time |
| 2323 deg/s Turret Traverse |
| 360° Gun Arc |
| -10°/+38°-10°/+38° Elevation Arc |
| 8080 rounds Ammo Capacity |
| 2020 % Chance of Fire |
| 400 m 400 m View Range |
| 710 m 710 m Signal Range |
Additional Statistics
(Top Configuration)
Camouflage
- Stationary: 4%
- When Moving: 2.3%
- When Firing: 0.9%
Terrain Resistance
- On Hard Ground: 1.09
- On Medium Ground: 1.37
- On Soft Ground: 2.2
Dispersion Change Values
- Turret Contribution
- Rotation: 0.12
- Shot Recoil: 2.88
- Suspension Contribution
- Acceleration: 0.19
- Turning: 0.19
With 100% Crew
VIII
11200
The Löwe is a German tier 8 premium heavy tank.
Development of this 70-ton super-heavy tank started on November 1, 1941. In February 1942, the Krupp company suggested the VK 70.01 avant project, later designated the Löwe ("Lion"). Several designs varying in configuration, armament, and armor, were drafted. However, the project was canceled after the Führer made the decision to develop even heavier tanks. No prototypes were ever built.
Looks can be deceiving, on paper Löwe is a 90ton super heavy able to dominate a flank. In reality, while it has strong sides and the turret is well armoured and able to deflect shells from even tier 10 guns, this tank is much more similar to the Tiger II than to its superheavy brethren.
While it lacks in speed and damage per minute the Löwe has pinpoint accuracy and colossal penetration which allow it to put its meagre damage per minute to use at any range, unlike your typical Soviet or Chinese heavy. As a premium tank, it produces a significantly higher credit income than a typical tier 8 tank. The Löwe was added in the 0.6.4. patch, along with the KV-5 heavy tank.
Modules / Available Equipment and Consumables
Modules
Guns
| Tier | Gun | Penetration (mm) |
Damage (HP) |
Rate of fire (rounds/minute) |
Dispersion (m/100m) |
Aiming time (s) |
Weight (kg) |
Price (  )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IX | 10,5 cm Kw.K. L/70 | 234/294/60 | 320/320/420 | 5 | 0.33 | 2.86 | 3600 | 181700 |
Engines
| Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIII | Maybach HL 234 TRM P72 | 1000 | 20 | 750 | 45000 |
Suspensions
| Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIII | Löwe | 99.85 | 24 | 0 | 22000 | 30000 |
Radios
| Tier | Radio | Signal Range (m) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IX | FuG 12 A | 710 | 150 | 7200 |
Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Great accuracy, shell velocity, and penetration
- Strong turret face and upper glacis armour
- Good side armour for side scraping
- Great gun depression and elevation (-10 and +38 degrees)
- Very good credit earner
Cons:
- Low alpha damage, poor DPM, and slow aim time
- Huge target, easily spotted and difficult to hide
- Sluggish and easily outmanoeuvred
- Engine can and will be damaged frequently by shots through the lower front plate
- Expensive to purchase
Performance
One of the oldest and most well-known premium tanks in World of Tanks, the Löwe is able to excel at most ranges. The tank has very low damage per minute due to its long reload for its alpha damage. However, this is offset by its incredible gun handling (0.29 with BIA, vents and food), the shell velocity (1,150/1438 AP/APCR) and penetration (234/294 AP/APCR) which allows it to hit and penetrate its shots much more frequently than your standard heavy, racking up lower but consistent damage over time.
The Löwe also has -10 degrees of gun depression over the entire front and sides (-5 degrees over the engine deck), this allows it to play on hills where it can significantly increase the slope of its upper plate or even hide the entire hull from view, while still being able to return fire. The Löwe also have an impressive base view range of 400m, allowing it to reach maximum view range with "Coated optics" and "Brothers in arms" and beyond that, with "Extra rations".
The armour profile is typical for a German heavy with the thickest armour being found on the upper plate and hull sides, which allow it to side scrape effectively. As with almost every other German heavies, the Löwe benefits from angling at 45 degrees from the target if it isn't possible to conceal the lower plate behind cover.
The worst armoured area of the Löwe is the lower front plate. This weak spot is especially frustrating due to the fact that shots through the front will frequently damage the engine. The sides of the tank are thick but not very well-sloped.
There is a bulge underneath the turret that gives away the location of the ammo rack. The turret of the Löwe is very different to that of other German heavies at the tier. Even though it is not invincible due to its prominent commander's cupola and turret ring, it is able to shrug off shells that the flatter turrets of the Tiger II or VK45.02A would not.
The biggest downside of the Löwe is its terrible mobility. With a minimum load of 90 tons, it struggles to reach its rather pathetic top speed of 35km/h even with a 1000 horsepower engine. Once you pick a flank, it's a pain to relocate. The camouflage is terrible, like with most super heavies.
When facing tier 10 tanks, the Löwe can and should be played as a support tank due to its armour thickness being less meaningful against the higher pen guns. Its gun is still as accurate and with special rounds, it can damage most tier 10 heavies frontally.
Previously maligned due to lacklustre stats, the Löwe received a few rounds of buffs that made it the more competitive tank that it is today. It is still one of the better credit earners in the game. A good match in the Löwe will usually respectable net amounts of credits.
Suggested Equipment
External Reviews and Opinions
Gallery
Historical Info
In the early months of 1942, Krupp was ordered to start the process of designing a new heavy tank designated PzKpfw VII Lowe (VK7201). Its design was based on a previous project by Krupp designated VK7001 (Tiger-Maus) and created in competition with Porsche's designs (including first Maus designs). VK7001 was to be armed with either 150mm Kanone L/37 (or L/40) or 105mm KwK L/70 gun. Löwe was to utilize Tiger II's components in order to simplify the production and service.
Designers planned to build two variants of this streamlined vehicle with a rear-mounted turret. Light (leichte) variant would have frontal armor protection of 100mm and it would weigh 76 tons. Heavy (schwere) variant would have frontal armor protection of 120mm and it would weigh 90 tons. Both variants would be armed with 105mm L/70 gun and a coaxial machine gun.
It is known that the 90 ton Lowe schwere was to have its turret mounted centrally, and the overall design resembled the future Tiger II. Variants of Lowe were to be operated by a crew of five. It was calculated that their maximum speed would range from 23km/h (schwere) to 27km/h (leichte).
Adolf Hitler ordered that the Leichte Lowe was to be dropped in favour of Schwere Lowe. The Lowe was to be redesigned in order to carry 150mm L/40 or 150mm L/37 (probably 150mm KwK 44 L/38) gun, and its frontal armor protection was to be changed to 140mm. In order to improve its performance, 900-1000mm wide tracks were to be used and top speed was to be increased to 30km/h.
In late 1942, this project was cancelled in favour of the development of the Maus. During the development of Tiger II, designers planned to build redesigned version of Lowe (as suggested by Oberst Fichtner), which would be armed with 88mm KwK L/71 gun and its frontal armor protection would be 140mm (as planned before). The redesigned Lowe would be able to travel at a maximum speed of 35km/h and it would weigh 90 tons. It was to be powered by Maybach HL 230 P 30, a 12-cylinder engine producing 800hp. Lowe would be 7.74 meters long (with the gun), 3.83 meters wide and 3.08 meters high. Lowe would be operated by a crew of five. It was planned that Lowe would eventually replace Tiger II.
From February to May of 1942, six different designs were considered, all based on the requirements for Lowe. On March 5/6th of 1942, an order for a heavier tank was placed and project Lowe was stopped in July of 1942. The Lowe project never reached the prototype stage but it paved the way for its successor's development - Porsche's Maus.
