Pz.Kpfw. II Luchs
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Revision as of 10:11, 18 July 2011
PzKpfw II Luchs
Germany | Light Tank | Tier III |
The first of two dedicated scouting tanks in the German tech tree, the tier 3 Luchs is a fast, nimble, and relatively well-armoured scouting tank.
As a stock tank, the Luchs has maneuverality similar to a Leichttraktor and guns that are usually inadequate against the tanks it sees (the T57 American artillery is capable of bouncing the stock Luch's shots). Once upgraded, the Luchs gains incredibly high acceleration and the ability to turn on a dime. However, it acquires a turret that has a traverse unsuitable for high speed combat. In the hands of an experienced player, it is able to roar into enemy positions at high speed with intentions to spot, focus artillery fire, and, with a 5cm gun that can hurt most tanks it comes across, direct attention away from allies.
Despite the potential fun-factor of this tank, many players use this to zerg an enemy base for high spotting-scores and, once killed, switch to an alternate tank in hopes of gaining quick and easy credits and exp.
Modules
Historical Info
This light reconnaissance tank saw service until the end of the war on both the Eastern and Western Front with Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilungen (armored reconnaissance detachments) of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Reported users include the 116th Panzer Division on the Western Front, the and 3rd, 4th, and 6th Panzer Division on the Eastern Front. It is reported that both the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf and 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking fighting on the Eastern Front also used the Luchs.
Vehicles sent to the Eastern Front were mounted with additional frontal armor plates for increased protection. Small numbers was fitted with additional radio equipment and antennas, serving as reconnaissance communication vehicles. The Luchs was to be eventually armed with the (Luchs 5 cm) 50mm KwK 39 L/60 gun (VK 1602 Leopard), but only variants with 20mm KwK 38 L/55 cannon ( rate-of-fire 420-480 rounds per minute) were produced. The 20mm cannon was fitted with a TZF6 optical sight. It is also reported, but not confirmed, that 31 Luchs were mounted with an open-top turret armed with the 50mm KwK 39 L/60 gun and began arriving to the troops in late 1943. Also, plans were made to produce a recovery version, the Bergepanzer Luchs, but they never materialized. Along with Bergepanzer Luchs, a scale model of the Flakpanzer Luchs anti-aircraft tank based on a lengthened chassis (VK 1305) and armed with either the 20mm Flakvierling or 37mm Flak 36 gun was made, but this project was never realized.