Panther/M10
Panther/M10
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[Client Values; Actual values in
5,100 Cost |
1300260 HP Hit Points |
45.96/4923.7/49 t Weight Limit |
- Commander
- Gunner
- Driver
- Radio Operator
- Loader
700700 hp Engine Power |
55/20 km/h Speed Limit |
3838 deg/s Traverse |
15.2329.54 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio |
YesYes Pivot |
// mm Hull Armor |
100/45/45100/45/45 mm Turret Armor |
AP/APCR/HE
AP/APCR/HE Shells |
109/2800/98
109/2800/98 Shell Cost |
135/135/175135/135/175 HP Damage |
150/194/38150/194/38 mm Penetration |
r/m ▲
15 r/m Standard Gun ▲
15 Rate of Fire Standard Gun |
▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲
2025 Standard Gun ▲
Standard Gun
▼
Standard Gun
▲
2025 Damage Per Minute Standard Gun |
m ▲
0.32 m With 50% Crew: 0.396 m ▲
0.32 Accuracy With 50% Crew: 0.396 m |
s 2.3 s 2.3 Aim time |
3838 deg/s Turret Traverse |
360° Gun Arc |
-8°/+20°-8°/+20° Elevation Arc |
8282 rounds Ammo Capacity |
2020 % Chance of Fire |
m 365 m 365 View Range |
m 710 m 710 Signal Range |
VII
5100
The Panther/M10 is a German tier 7 premium medium tank.
During the preparation of Otto Skorzeny's Panzerbrigade 150 for the Ardennes offensive, four Panther tanks were disguised as M10 tank destroyers. The tank brigade was to carry out diversions deep behind the allied lines. All vehicles were lost during the battle with the 120th U.S. Infantry Regiment on February 21, 1945.
The Panther/M10 is more or less identical to a historical Panther G tank, featuring the well-known long 75 L70. Like the Panther, the Panther/M10 is a medium tank with somewhat mediocre mobility and firepower. Armor is arguably above-average for a medium tank, but is generally not reliable.
At a glance, it seems somewhat lackluster even for a T7 medium tank. However, the Panther/M10 features limited matchmaking - which from 9.18 onwards means it, at worst, will see five T8s. Generally expect single-tier T7 and 5+10 T7+T6 battles. Furthermore, like the normal Panther, it features a huge hitpoint pool of 1300, equivalent to many T8 medium tanks. Gun-wise, using the same one as T6 medium tanks (or even T5 TDs) might not seem too good. DPM is not much better than e.g. a VK3001D, but it gets far better gun handling - better than a Comet equipped with a vertical stabilizer. This, combined with the HP pool, makes it a formidable opponent on the battlefield. Medium-long range combat is recommended, conserving the HP pool for the mid-late game.
This tank was removed from sale in the gift shop and to buy for gold via the in game tech tree on the 4/5/15 with the release of 9.7 Premium Tanks: Removal from Sales as part of the WG retirement plan. It returned to the gift shop and in-game tech tree in 9.17.1 along with the buffs to the tank (improving top speed and gun handling).
Modules / Available Equipment and Consumables
Modules
Tier | Gun | Penetration (mm) |
Damage (HP) |
Rate of fire (rounds/minute) |
Dispersion (m/100m) |
Aiming time (s) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ()
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VI | 7,5 cm Kw.K. 42 L/70 | 150/194/38 | 135/135/175 | 15 | 0.32 | 2.3 | 955 | 53000 |
Tier | Engine | Engine Power (hp) |
Chance of Fire on Impact (%) |
Weight (kg) |
Price ()
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIII | Maybach HL 230 P30 | 700 | 20 | 1400 | 55000 |
Tier | Suspension | Load Limit (т) |
Traverse Speed (gr/sec) |
Rmin | Weight (kg) |
Price ()
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VII | Panther/M10 | 49 | 38 | 0 | 12500 | 18200 |
Compatible Equipment
Compatible Consumables
Player Opinion
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Great accuracy for its tier.
- Excellent dispersion on the move, good dispersion on turret rotation. Arguably best in class, close to e.g. a T-54.
- High top speed; combined with weight and armor makes for a good battering ram.
- Preferential matchmaking (tier 8 max, no tier 9 battles)
- Capable of hull-down: Wide and 100mm+ thick gun mantlet with few weakspots, with decent gun depression for ridges.
Cons:
- Weak hard gun stats: low penetration at tier compared to 75mm/L100.
- Worst view range of the tier 7 mediums: relies on distraction rather than stealth to get side shots
- Bad camo values,
- Low mobility for a medium tank.
Performance
In some ways the tank is like a hybrid of the weighty armour and gun maneuvering-dispersion of the Panther, with the Leopard 1 Line's VK 3001D's matchmaking, agility, extra gun depression, but sadly also its poor rate of fire. Pz.Kpfw. V Panther drivers will realize that the M10 variant has not only hard but also soft differences from the normal tank, notably the lack of the comical L/100 gun and a true Schmalturm (although with the mantlet, the true difference in armour between the turrets is quite small on either tank), but also higher traverse speed. Accordingly, the Panther M10 has improved aim time, accuracy, and firerate with the undertiered L/70 gun, limiting it to side shots and flanking against its highest tier opponents at tier 8. The bonus is the tank's low repair cost and high credit income makes it a better credit maker compared to the other tanks.
The Panther/M10 is the first tank to sport a different color from the rest of the tanks of its nation. Instead of German grey, it is American olive drab; and as of 8.6, it sports the American star rather than the Iron Cross. As of 8.9, American camouflage patterns and inscriptions are available for it, and it also receives stars on the barrel instead of triple rings for it's Marks of Excellence.
With this tank's strengths and weaknesses it can take on most tier 7 or lower tanks alone, but be wary of focus fire. A big problem for this tank is its very low alpha, making this tank highly vulnerable in a frontal assault against thickly armored tanks, such as the KV-4 and AT-15, with their large health pools, and high alpha weaponry. Even though this tank has only an average of 135 damage per shot, you can still deal a good amount of damage even to tanks such as the T29 or Tiger I, espcially if you can flank them or aim for their weak spots. Going for tracking shots is typically the best option to ensure you can continue to deal damage.
As a support unit, you should always be watching the flanks and trying to keep up with and get around the movements of your enemies if possible. Here, the good turret traverse speed, firerate, and accuracy make it excellent at tracking and killing scouts. Keep in mind that many heavy tanks are available at tier 7 and 8, and putting the M10 on the front lines will result in a swift trip back to the garage. Get around your enemy and stay at range. This tank excels especially when played in a wolf pack of two or more mediums in a platoon. Note, however, that the matchmaker is prone to matching your two medium tanks against two heavies. A wolf pack is able to deal considerable damage to enemy tanks that have been separated from their allies, and often consists of flanking and overwhelming isolated targets.
Do not judge its armor too harshly - it is able to bounce shots from many vehicles in a similar fashion to the original Panther in game, even being able to occasionally bounce the KV-85/IS' 122mm guns with a good angle. The Panther/M10 also lacks a cupola; it was historically removed as part of its disguise. This is reflected in its view range, but makes it strong in hull-down locations. The gun mantlet has a habit of eating shots, but don't place too much trust into it. Due to its high profile, its camouflage values are a bit lacking. If you're using it as a dedicated sniper, training the Camouflage skill is a definite requirement along with camo paint.
Optics will not allow you to max the viewrange on the vehicle, though with a very good crew (with Brothers in Arms and view range skills) you can reach 434m - enough to compensate for the lack of camo values. Binoculars remain a viable choice for the tank if the crew isn't quite there yet.
Suggested Equipment
Gallery
Historical Info
In late 1944, Hitler was planning one last desperate offensive to attempt to obtain a separate peace from the Western Allies. The Wacht am Rhein plan was designed to split the British and American armies as well as capture Antwerp. This battle, of course, became known as the Battle of the Bulge in the West. As a part of the Wacht am Rhein plan was Operation Greif under the command of Otto Skorzeny. English speaking German commandos in American uniforms and using as much American equipment as possible would infiltrate American positions to seize bridges across the Meuse. This unit, innoculously entitled Panzer Brigade 150 was supposed to consist of 3,300 men, 15 Sherman tanks, 32 armored cars (U.S.), 198 trucks, and 147 jeeps which had been requisition from OB West. Unfortunately for the brigade, the required equipment never materialized. Panzer Brigade 150 went into battle with only about 2,500 men and a dozen tanks and assault guns. Several of the tanks were Panther usf. 's extensively modified to look like U.S. M-10 tank destroyers.
Vehicle modifications
Turret
The turret was disguised by using five pieces of sheet metal, two of which were cut to resemble the distinctive sides of the M10 turret and then were flanged on the edges, bent to shape, and stiffened with small angle iron. The gun shield was carefully formed from another sheet to the exact shape of the M10 shield, and a hole was made to the right of the gun hole in the shield for the co-axial M.G. 34, a hole which does not exist in the M10 shield. Two pieces of sheet metal made up the rear of the turret, one representing the bottom slant surface of the rear and one representing the counterweight. The pieces representing the sides and rear were joined together and braced with angle iron, and the whole was attached to the turret. The false gun shield was attached to the Panther gun shield, and all the lifting rings, brackets, extra-armor studs, etc., found on the M10 turret were carefully duplicated and welded to the false turret.
False Bow
Approximately four pieces of sheet metal, shaped to imitate as closely as possible the contours of the M10 bow, made up the false bow, necessary because the Panther bow is bulkier than the M10. The false bottom was shaped to give the characteristic appearance of the front drive sprocket housing of the M10, and the top was shaped carefully and various component pieces attached to the front of the tank. All the brackets, lifting rings, towing devises, etc., of the M10 bow were also imitated. A square opening was cut in the false bow to permit the use of the bow M.G. 34, but a removable cover attached with a small chain was made for this opening.
False Rear and Sides
The false rear was made of sheet metal. It was a faithful duplicate of the M10 rear except for two holes to permit the twin exhaust elbows of the Panther to protrude. An attempt was made to imitate the skirting armor of the M10 which appears to hang lower than the side armor of the Panther and is bevelled in at the bottom. A long flat strip of sheet metal was attached to the sides parallel to the ground, and a vertical sheet strip was attached at right angles to this strip to give the appearance of low skirting armor. While a few of the jeep commando teams easily slipped through American sentries and roamed freely behind American lines, but the rest of the unit languished with Sixth Panzer Armee. When it became apparent that no breakthrough was going to occur, the "Ersatz M-10's" were committed along with the rest of the brigade as a normal combat unit. Ultimately, all of the vehicles were destroyed or disabled in the fighting.
The following is an excerpt from the log of one of the commanders of the disguised Panthers:
Day 12: The Americans STILL have not suspected that I an not, in fact, an M10 - but rather a poorly disguised Panther. They smile and wave and bring us coffee. I am flummoxed and ready to yell "hey stupids, I look nothing like an M10!!! Unless... they know the ruse and are playing along for some diabolical reason. I fear my crew is starting to think that they are Americans too. Mien God - I wrote this in English! Yes I DO want to super-size my meal for $1 more!!
Historical Gallery
Historical Accuracy Errata
Panther/M10s deployed during the Battle of the Bulge actually had muzzle brakes (see intelligence report under 'Historical Gallery').
- Contrary to the in-game description, the Panther/M10 actually saw action on 21 December 1944, not February 1945 which was a month after the Battle of the Bulge had ended.