Aufklärungspanzer Panther
Aufklärungspanzer Panther
Mouse over "
[Client Values; Actual values in
5,700  Cost |
| 1050210 HP Hit Points |
| 38.15/4016.87/40 t Weight Limit |
- Commander
- Gunner
- Driver
- Radio Operator
- Loader
| 850850 hp Engine Power |
| 55/22 km/h Speed Limit |
| 4040 deg/s Traverse |
| 22.2850.39 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio |
| YesYes Pivot |
| // mm Hull Armor |
| 50/30/3050/30/30 mm Turret Armor |
AP/APCR
AP/APCR Shells |
186/3200
186/3200 Shell Cost |
| 135/135/135/135/ HP Damage |
| 157/205/157/205/ mm Penetration |
|
11.54 r/m ▲
11.54 r/m Standard Gun ▲ Rate of Fire Standard Gun |
|
1557.9 ▲
Standard Gun
▼
1557.9 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 |
| 1.6 s 1.6 s Aim time |
| 4444 deg/s Turret Traverse |
| 360° Gun Arc |
| -10°/+20°-10°/+20° Elevation Arc |
| 110110 rounds Ammo Capacity |
| 2020 % Chance of Fire |
| 380 m 380 m View Range |
| 710 m 710 m Signal Range |
VII
5700
The Aufklärungspanzer Panther is a German tier 7 premium light tank.
A project for a heavy reconnaissance vehicle based on the Panther tank. The use of the hull and chassis of the existing tank would have significantly facilitated the mass production of the new vehicles; a smaller turret would have decreased the weight and improved the maneuverability of the vehicle. However, the project was discontinued at a development stage.
Also known as "Awful Panther". The Aufklärungspanzer Panther was replaced by Spähpanzer SP I C. in patch 0.9.9 due to the fact that it had completely different playstyle than the rest of the line. This tank was re-added to the game during 2021 Black Market event.
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 (  )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VII | 7,5/5,5 cm Waffe SP | 157/205 | 135/135 | 11.54 | 0.33 | 1.6 | 720 | 18300 |
Engines
| Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IX | Maybach HL 295 Ausf. A | 850 | 20 | 1200 | 88000 |
Suspensions
| Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VI | Aufkl. Panther | 40 | 40 | 0 | 12500 | 15000 |
Radios
| Tier | Radio | Signal Range (m) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ( )
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IX | FuG 12 A-OR | 710 | 150 | 43200 |
Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent aim time, accuracy, and shell velocity
- Great gun depression when aiming to the sides (-10 degrees)
- Decent hull armour for a light tank
- Great at ramming other light tanks and even some medium tanks
- Enormous ammo capacity
Cons:
- Very poor DPM
- Very poor gun depressiong when aiming forwards/backwards (-4.8 degrees)
- Armour is overall weak
- Huge size and very poor camouflage
- Mobility is overall lacking for a light tank
Performance
Think of the Aufklärungspanzer Panther as a Passive Scout/Sniper/Flanker and you will get an idea of how to play it effectively in most fights.
In early game your main goal is to spot the enemy or fire from safe distance. Take into account that the camo is not the best for a light tank. When firing from distance, aim for weakpoints or use APCR for harder targets. Wait till a side/rear shot presents itself to take on tougher tanks.
In late game your main role is flanking, creating local superiority by turning enemy guns or decimating them with superior damage per minute and solid pen. When not focused, the Auf P is a very dangerous tank that will silently (low alpha) take away large chunks of health.
Keep in mind that you can ram and come out on top in many situations. This can be very effective, especially versus enemy light tanks. Just keep in mind that on average, ramming heavies is not a great idea.
The key points are that you have a large profile and below average camo for a scout and that while you fire fast, your damage per shot (alpha) remains low.
Early Research
All modules are researched with the tank.
Suggested crew skills
- Commander: Sixth Sense, Camouflage, BIA (if you have gold, train camo first, then switch to Sixth Sense and train camo again)
- Gunner: Camouflage, Designated Taraget, BIA
- Driver: Camouflage, Off Road Driving, BIA
- Loader: Camouflage, Safe Stowage, BIA
- Radioman: Camouflage, Situational Awareness, BIA
Suggested Equipment
Gallery
Historical Info
In 1942 Aufklärungspanzer Panther design was in debate between Hitler (who as always wanted a heavier, better armored design) and the Heer. After a rather lengthy debate, Hitler was finally persuaded to approve the lighter 21.9 ton design, while using many existing Panther components to ease production. Jumping on that, Speer said that the characteristics of the tank were so similar to the Panther that the latter could be used instead. This resulted in a somewhat lightened Panther that used the much smaller Leopard turret (related to the wheeled Puma design) and the soon to be inadequate 5cm K.W.K 39. Apparently the small matter of tank size did not seem to bother him. Following on that idea, competition arose, leading Rheinmetall to offer its own interpretation on the design about a month later, an artillery observation vehicle with similar specification called the Panzerbeobachtungswagen Panther. Despite the bulkier design, it used the same 5cm cannon in a dummy barrel resembling the 7.5cm L/70, all in all being an equivalent design to M.A.N.'s recon tank. Soon enough, battlefield realities made both designs obsolete when it was apparent that the 5cm cannon was inadequate for its task unless shooting expensive tungsten ammunition and Panther testing itself showed the base chassis was far from being mature, leading to a quiet termination.
Ironically, Panther's chronically weak final drive and suspension would likely have been far more useful in a tank of about half the weight, which would end up being cheaper by using standardized components (an idea that would soon resurface with later Panther design and the paper E-series) and its armament could still have had a chance to either be refocused in a different role (20 and 30mm autocannons were still very useful against infantry and soft skinned vehicles) or recycled into a prime candidate for the 7.5cm PAK 50 gun project, which was an excellent way to transform 5cm cannons into low velocity 7.5cm howitzers using the 75mm L/24 ammo, useful both as HE round and decent against tanks with its HEAT warhead. Despite several other recon tank projects in 1943-44, in the end the old Skoda 38(t) had to soldier on in the light tank role, while the wheeled sdkfz 234 Puma with a similar turret design showed the usefulness of a well armed and flexible recon vehicle.
Historical Gallery
Historical Accuracy Errata
While the Aufklärungspanzer Panther project did exist in some form, there are no known records showing that it was to be mounted with the VK 28.01 Ausf. C turret, or any other armament other than the 5 cm Kw.K. 39 L/60.
