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Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H

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Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H

AnnoG81_Pz_IV_AusfH.png
Germany | Medium Tank | Tier V
Battle Tier
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Overview
Mouse over "
Well, the ones further down, of course.
" for more information
[Client Values; Actual values in
Specifically, the mismatch in crew values caused by commander's 10% crew skill bonus. Outside of a crew of 1 commander only, 100% crew is a fiction. The client values, given for 100% crew, will normally be taken into battle with 110% crew skill members aside from specific functions, causing their actual performance to deviate from the expected client value. These differences are taken into account in tooltip boxes.
]
373 000  Credits Cost
600126 HP Hit Points
24.52/2614.41/28 t Weight Limit
Crew
  1. Comandante
  2. Artillero
  3. Conductor
  4. Operador de radio
  5. Cargador
Mobility
350440 hp Engine Power
40/18 km/h Speed Limit
3032 deg/s Traverse
14.2730.53 hp/t Power/Wt Ratio
NoNo Pivot
Armor
// mm Hull Armor
50/30/3050/30/30 mm Turret Armor
Armament







{{#ifeq:ARMOR_PIERCING_CR|ARMOR_PIERCING||



{{#ifeq:HIGH_EXPLOSIVE|ARMOR_PIERCING||


AP/APCR/HE







{{#ifeq:HOLLOW_CHARGE|ARMOR_PIERCING||



{{#ifeq:HIGH_EXPLOSIVE|ARMOR_PIERCING||


AP/HEAT/HE
Shells




















70/2800/38




















120/4000/128
Shell Cost
110/110/175350/350/410 HP Damage
103/139/3864/104/53 mm Penetration



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13.95 r/m 

Standard Gun

Reload Times
Nominal: 4.3 s
50% Crew: 5.33 s
75% Crew: 4.65 s
100% Crew: 4.12 s
Rammer: 3.71 s
Vents: 4.03 s
Both: 3.63 s
Both and BiA: 3.55 s
Both and Max Crew %: 3.4 s

See Crew, Consumables, or Equipment for more information.



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7.5 r/m 

Standard Gun

Reload Times
Nominal: 8 s
50% Crew: 9.91 s
75% Crew: 8.65 s
100% Crew: 7.67 s
Rammer: 6.9 s
Vents: 7.5 s
Both: 6.75 s
Both and BiA: 6.6 s
Both and Max Crew %: 6.33 s

See Crew, Consumables, or Equipment for more information.
Rate of Fire






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1534.5

Standard Gun

Using Shell Type 1 (110 Damage):


Theoretical Damage Per Minute
Nominal DPM: 1534.5
50% Crew: 1238.6
75% Crew: 1419
100% Crew: 1600.5
100% Crew
Vents: 1636.8
Rammer: 1778.7
Both: 1818.3
Both and BiA: 1859
Both and Max Crew %: 1939.3

Advantageous Damage Per Minute
First-shot DPM: 1644.5
50% Crew: 1348.6
75% Crew: 1529
100% Crew: 1710.5
100% Crew
Rammer: 1888.7
Vents: 1746.8
Both: 1928.3
Both and BiA: 1969
Both and Max Crew %: 2049.3

See here, here, or here for more information.

Standard Gun

Using Shell Type 2 (110 Damage):


Theoretical Damage Per Minute
Nominal DPM: 1534.5
50% Crew: 1238.6
75% Crew: 1419
100% Crew: 1600.5
100% Crew
Vents: 1636.8
Rammer: 1778.7
Both: 1818.3
Both and BiA: 1859
Both and Max Crew %: 1939.3

Advantageous Damage Per Minute
First-shot DPM: 1644.5
50% Crew: 1348.6
75% Crew: 1529
100% Crew: 1710.5
100% Crew
Rammer: 1888.7
Vents: 1746.8
Both: 1928.3
Both and BiA: 1969
Both and Max Crew %: 2049.3

See here, here, or here for more information.

Standard Gun

Using Shell Type 3 (175 Damage):
With wholly penetrating hits

Theoretical Damage Per Minute
Nominal DPM: 2441.25
50% Crew: 1970.5
75% Crew: 2257.5
100% Crew: 2546.25
100% Crew
Vents: 2604
Rammer: 2829.75
Both: 2892.75
Both and BiA: 2957.5
Both and Max Crew %: 3085.25

Advantageous Damage Per Minute
First-shot DPM: 2616.25
50% Crew: 2145.5
75% Crew: 2432.5
100% Crew: 2721.25
100% Crew
Rammer: 3004.75
Vents: 2779
Both: 3067.75
Both and BiA: 3132.5
Both and Max Crew %: 3260.25

See here, here, or here for more information.






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2625

Standard Gun

Using Shell Type 1 (350 Damage):


Theoretical Damage Per Minute
Nominal DPM: 2625
50% Crew: 2117.5
75% Crew: 2425.5
100% Crew: 2737
100% Crew
Vents: 2800
Rammer: 3041.5
Both: 3108
Both and BiA: 3178
Both and Max Crew %: 3314.5

Advantageous Damage Per Minute
First-shot DPM: 2975
50% Crew: 2467.5
75% Crew: 2775.5
100% Crew: 3087
100% Crew
Rammer: 3391.5
Vents: 3150
Both: 3458
Both and BiA: 3528
Both and Max Crew %: 3664.5

See here, here, or here for more information.

Standard Gun

Using Shell Type 2 (350 Damage):


Theoretical Damage Per Minute
Nominal DPM: 2625
50% Crew: 2117.5
75% Crew: 2425.5
100% Crew: 2737
100% Crew
Vents: 2800
Rammer: 3041.5
Both: 3108
Both and BiA: 3178
Both and Max Crew %: 3314.5

Advantageous Damage Per Minute
First-shot DPM: 2975
50% Crew: 2467.5
75% Crew: 2775.5
100% Crew: 3087
100% Crew
Rammer: 3391.5
Vents: 3150
Both: 3458
Both and BiA: 3528
Both and Max Crew %: 3664.5

See here, here, or here for more information.

Standard Gun

Using Shell Type 3 (410 Damage):
With wholly penetrating hits

Theoretical Damage Per Minute
Nominal DPM: 3075
50% Crew: 2480.5
75% Crew: 2841.3
100% Crew: 3206.2
100% Crew
Vents: 3280
Rammer: 3562.9
Both: 3640.8
Both and BiA: 3722.8
Both and Max Crew %: 3882.7

Advantageous Damage Per Minute
First-shot DPM: 3485
50% Crew: 2890.5
75% Crew: 3251.3
100% Crew: 3616.2
100% Crew
Rammer: 3972.9
Vents: 3690
Both: 4050.8
Both and BiA: 4132.8
Both and Max Crew %: 4292.7

See here, here, or here for more information.
Damage Per Minute


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0.41 m 

With 50% Crew: 0.508 m
With 75% Crew: 0.443 m
With 100% Crew: 0.393 m
With BiA: 0.384 m
With BiA and Vents: 0.376 m
Maximum possible: 0.361 m

For more details, see Crew


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0.55 m 

With 50% Crew: 0.681 m
With 75% Crew: 0.595 m
With 100% Crew: 0.527 m
With BiA: 0.516 m
With BiA and Vents: 0.505 m
Maximum possible: 0.484 m

For more details, see Crew
Accuracy


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2.3 s 

With 50% Crew: 2.849 s
With 75% Crew: 2.488 s
With 100% Crew: 2.205 s
With GLD: 2.005 s
With BiA: 2.157 s
With BiA and Vents: 2.11 s
With both and GLD: 1.918 s
Maximum possible: 1.839 s

For more details, see Crew or Equipment


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2.3 s 

With 50% Crew: 2.849 s
With 75% Crew: 2.488 s
With 100% Crew: 2.205 s
With GLD: 2.005 s
With BiA: 2.157 s
With BiA and Vents: 2.11 s
With both and GLD: 1.918 s
Maximum possible: 1.839 s

For more details, see Crew or Equipment
Aim time
4444 deg/s Turret Traverse
360° Gun Arc
-10°/+20°-10°/+20° Elevation Arc
13070 rounds Ammo Capacity
General
2020 % Chance of Fire






340 m 

With 50% Crew: 267.1 m
With 75% Crew: 303.6 m
With 100% Crew: 340 m
With Recon and Situational Awareness: 357.2 m
With Coated Optics: 374 m
With Binocular Telescope: 425 m
Maximum possible: 486.7 m

For more details, see Skills or Equipment






350 m 

With 50% Crew: 275 m
With 75% Crew: 312.5 m
With 100% Crew: 350 m
With Recon and Situational Awareness: 367.7 m
With Coated Optics: 385 m
With Binocular Telescope: 437.5 m
Maximum possible: 501.1 m

For more details, see Skills or Equipment
View Range


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310 m 

With 50% Crew: 250.2 m
With 75% Crew: 286.6 m
With 100% Crew: 323.3 m
With 100% Signal Boost: 372 m
When affected by 100% Relaying: 341 m
Maximum possible: 465.4 m

For more details, see Skills or Equipment


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710 m 

With 50% Crew: 573.1 m
With 75% Crew: 656.4 m
With 100% Crew: 740.5 m
With 100% Signal Boost: 852 m
When affected by 100% Relaying: 781 m
Maximum possible: 1065.9 m

For more details, see Skills or Equipment
Signal Range
Values are Stock - click for Top


V

AnnoG81_Pz_IV_AusfH.png

373000

The Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H is a German tier 5 medium tank.

La variante G del Pz. IV comenzó su producción en mayo de 1942. En abril de 1943 comenzó la producción de la variante H, la versión más fabricada del Pz. IV. El Ausf. H compartía el cañón mejorado del Ausf. G y utilizaba una sola plancha frontal de 80 mm en el glacis en vez de planchas en capas. La nueva transmisión redujo ligeramente la velocidad del vehículo pero era más fiable. Los carros de esta variante también poseían pantallas laterales, de 5-8 mm de espesor, en los laterales del casco y la torreta. Se fabricaron un total de 3774 vehículos del Ausf. H.

This tank is in essence a long ranged M4 Sherman, combining excellent accuracy with good gun depression, vision, and rate of fire. While not as fast as the Pz.Kpfw. III or the Pz.Kpfw. III/IV, the Pz.kpfw. IV is about as mobile as the M4, as well as a better hp/weight ratio, and can use both the accurate, decent DPM 7,5 cm KwK 40 L/48 gun, but also has an improved howitzer 10,5 cm KwK L/28 howitzer that is better in all aspects but accuracy (where it is equivalent), compared to the Sherman's.

An interesting fact about this tank, the pre version 8.0 PZ IV (with the Schmalturm and L/70) was one of the very first tanks modeled in the game, along with the Tiger, T-34, and others.

The Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H leads to the VK 30.01 (P).

Modules / Available Equipment and Consumables

Modules

Ico_gun_alpha.png

Guns

Tier Gun Penetration
(mm)
Damage
(HP)
Rate of fire
(rounds/minute)
Dispersion
(m/100m)
Aiming time
(s)
Weight
(kg)
Price
(Creditos)

IV 7,5 cm Kw.K. 40 L/43 103/139/38 110/110/175 15 0.41 2.3 1437 25000
V 7,5 cm Kw.K. 40 L/48 110/158/38 110/110/175 15 0.39 2.3 1520 27380
V 10,5 cm Kw.K. L/28 64/104/53 350/350/410 7.5 0.55 2.3 2100 28000

Ico_engine_alpha.png

Engines

Tier Engine Engine Power
(hp)
Chance of Fire on Impact
(%)
Weight
(kg)
Price
(Creditos)

IV Maybach HL 120 TR 350 20 510 10430
IV Maybach HL 120 TRM 440 20 510 19900

Ico_suspension_alpha.png

Suspensions

Tier Suspension Load Limit
(т)
Traverse Speed
(гр/сек)
Rmin Weight
(kg)
Price
(Creditos)

IV Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G 26 30 B/2 7800 4510
V Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H 28 32 B/2 7800 7910

Ico_radio_alpha.png

Radios

Tier Radio Signal Range
(м)
Weight
(kg)
Price
(Creditos)

III FuG 5 310 50 630
VI FuG 7 415 70 8160
IX FuG 12 710 150 43200


Compatible Equipment

Sistema de extracción silencioso clase 2 Planchas antifragmentación medias Red de camuflaje clase 2 Ópticas recubiertas clase 2 Ópticas experimentales Cierre de retícula duradero Configuración mejorada Sistema de ventilación Sistema de carga experimental Cierre de retícula mejorado clase 2 Temple mejorado clase 2 Garras tractoras adicionales clase 2 Configuración modificada clase 2 Mecanismo de giro mejorado clase 2 Apuntado mejorado clase 2 Ventilación mejorada clase 2 Telescopio binocular clase 2 Barra de carga clase 2 Turbocompresor clase 2 

Compatible Consumables

Extintor automático de incendios Cobertura natural Chocolate Calibración de ópticas Cierre de retícula afinado Expertos en extinción de incendios Gasolina de 100 octanos Gasolina de 105 octanos Extintor manual de incendios Mantenimiento previo a la batalla Purga de gases Botiquín de primeros auxilios grande Kit de reparación grande El deber ante todo Organizador de proyectiles Depósito de munición ordenado Enfoque en el objetivo Concentración aumentada Botiquín de primeros auxilios pequeño Kit de reparación pequeño Caja de cambios compleja Mano firme Curso de combate 


Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:


  • Versatile: good mobility and fair to decent hull-down capability
  • Survivable: very good camouflage and gun depression of 10 degrees
  • Good gun selection with consistent long-range 75mm cannon or well-handling 10.5 cm howitzer
  • 10.5 cm howitzer is a direct upgrade over the M4 Sherman's with noticeably better ROF, penetration, and aim time
  • Spaced armor helps protect against HE/HEAT shells


Cons:


  • Relies heavily on vision control: binoculars are a must to get the first shot.
  • The turret armor is a massive weak spot. Tier 3s can penetrate the 50mm thickness.
  • Not a brawler: 75mm L48's avantage is accuracy, it is an inferior penetration gun, with less RoF than American 76mm M1A1 or B
  • Additionally, the transmission is located in the lower glacis, and engine damage is possible from the front


Performance

You are not out of the woods yet (and in the opinion of some, you never will be with the German heavy line), because this tank is not as uber World War II films would have you believe. It is however a consistent tank that can be played two ways, depending on whether you equip the medium-range 7.5cm L/48 or the 10.5cm L/28 Howitzer. Like all other tanks with the medium 75mm gun, it engages best at medium to long range in hills where possible, to make up for the below-average DPM. Comparing it to the Panzer 3/4 – with the higher RoF/DPM with the otherwise identical 7,5 cm gun, and the better short range punch with the 10,5cm gun, mean that the PzKpfw IV is better equipped for do-it-yourself firepower focused players. By contrast the PzKpfw III/IV in the Leopard 1 line is more suited for a more mobile spotting and assistance play style.

The Pzkpfw. IV Ausf. H is difficult to play stock, since its weak engine and radio will all work to hinder you. A support role with other tanks is the best way to survive and earn good credits and experience. The second turret is an improvement from the stock turret in view range and rate of fire. Additionally, the turret gets some thin spaced armor which absorbs most HE hits.

With the 7.5cm L/48, you're primarily a flanker or sniper, firing from a medium range and trying to remain out of the fray. In this role, equipping a Camo Net may be a good idea while you stay still and pump out the DPM, as the Pz IV had a very decent camo value for a medium tank. Unlike many German vehicles, the PzKpfw IV has decent gun depression, and can take up hull-down positions, even though your turret armour is inferior to your frontal hull armour value. Your turret presents a very small target, and is difficult to hit at range. Beware that 7.5 cm L/48 can not penetrate more heavily armored tier 6 or tier 7 heavies from front without gold ammo. For above-mentioned reasons, the 10.5cm howizter is the most used weapon on the PzKpfw IV and owes it popularity partially to its high alpha damage, which reduces exposure time when fighting close quarters when comparing time per damage dealt. With the 10.5cm, you get to play primarily as a brawler, getting close and slugging it out. However, the weak side and turret armor makes this an unfavorable choice if you're not cautious.

Keep in mind that you will often be facing tanks that can kill you in 2-4 shots, so even though the tank can work as a close quarters brawler, its light armor and hit points coupled with the slow gun reloading time must be taken into account when doing so. You should also note that the turret does not have that large a mantlet that could add a few millimeters to its 50 mm frontal armor, so most opponents will get a reliable penetration when they hit your turret front. Consequentially, hull down maneuvers are only useful when you can keep your opponents at long range so that they will miss your comparatively small turret often. Another well known vulnerability is the PzKpfw IV's extremely weak side armor, which is even vulnerable to 105mm or 122mm HE shots, since they can kill or nearly-kill the tank within one penetrating shot. It is worth noting that this tank is just slightly inferior to the M4 Sherman in most aspects. Its side armor and rear armor are inferior and its mobility a tad inferior. However, it is considerably more powerful stock and top than the M4 if comparing the two's 105mm guns. The weaker turret and more limited gun depression will hurt at times. Once in top configuration, the Pz IV's camo value, turret traverse speed and radio range are better and its acceleration should be slightly better due to having more higher horsepower/ton.


Early Research

  • Mount L/48 or research it, then proceed to tracks, turret, and other guns.


Suggested Equipment


Improved VentilationTank Gun Rammer Enhanced Gun Laying Drive Camouflage Net 


Gallery

Historical Info

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War.

Designed as an infantry-support tank, the Panzer IV was not originally intended to engage enemy armor: that role was presumed for the lighter Panzer III. However, after shocking experiences when facing T-34 and KV tanks on the eastern front, the Panzer IV soon assumed the anti-tank role of its increasingly obsolete cousin. The most widely manufactured and deployed German tank of the Second World War, the Panzer IV was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including tank destroyers and self-propelled guns. Robust, reliable, and relativly simple to produce, it saw service in all combat theaters involving Germany, and has the distinction of being the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war, with over 8,800 produced between 1936 and 1945. Upgrades and design modifications, often made in response to the appearance of new Allied designs, extended its service life. Generally, these involved increasing the Panzer IV's armor protection or upgrading its weapons, although during the last months of the war with Germanys pressing need for rapid replacement of losses, design changes also included retrograde measures to simplify and speed manufacture.

Development history

PzKpfw IV Ausf C

In concept, it was intended to be a support tank for use against enemy anti-tank guns and fortifications. Ideally, the tank battalions of a panzer division were each to have three medium companies of Panzer IIIs and one heavy company of Panzer IVs. On 11 January 1934, the German army, highly influenced by Heinz Guderian, wrote the specifications for a "medium tractor", and issued them to a number of defense companies. To support the Panzer III, which would be armed with a 37-millimeter anti-tank gun, the new vehicle would have a short-barreled 75-millimeter howitzer as its main gun, and was allotted a weight limit of 24 tons. Development was carried out under the name Begleitwagen ("accompanying vehicle"), or BW, to disguise its actual purpose and hide from the Treaty of Versailles limitations. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig each developed prototypes, with Krupps selected for further development.

The chassis had originally been designed with a six-wheeled interleaved suspension, but the German Army amended this to a torsion-bar system. Permitting greater vertical deflection of the roadwheels, this was intended to improve performance and crew comfort both on and off-road. However, due to the urgent requirement for the new tank, neither proposal was adopted, and Krupp instead equipped it with a leaf spring double-bogie suspension.

The prototype required a crew of five men. The hull contained the engine bay to the rear, with the driver and radio operator, who doubled as the hull machine gunner, seated at the front-left and front-right, respectively. In the turret, the tank commander sat beneath his roof hatch, while the gunner was situated to the left of the gun breech, and the loader to the right. The turret was offset 66.5 mm to the left of the chassis center line, while the engine was moved 152.4 mm to the right. This allowed the torque shaft to clear the rotary base junction, which provided electrical power to turn the turret, while connecting to the transmission box mounted in the hull between the driver and radio operator. Due to the asymmetric layout, the right side of the tank contained the bulk of its stowage volume, which was taken up by ready-use ammunition lockers. Production began in 1936 at Krupp-Grusonwerke AG's factory at Magdeburg.

From Ausf A to Ausf J

PzKpfw IV Ausf. E showing signs of multiple hits to the turret, including the gun barrel

The first mass-produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausführung A in 1936. It was powered by Maybachs HL 108TR, producing 250 PS (183.87 kW), and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse. It achieved a maximum road speed of 31 kilometers per hour. As main armament, the vehicle mounted the Kampfwagenkanone 37 L/24 (KwK 37 L/24) 75 mm tank gun, which was a low-velocity gun designed to mainly fire high-explosive shells.[13] Against armored targets, firing armor-piercing rounds at the velocity of 430 metres per second, the KwK 37 could penetrate 43 millimeters of armor, inclined at 30 degrees, at ranges of up to 700 meters. A 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main gun in the turret, while a second machine gun of the same type was mounted in the front plate of the hull. The Ausf. A was protected by 14.5 mm of steel armor on the front plate of the chassis, and 20 mm (0.79 in) on the turret. This was capable only of stopping artillery fragments, small-arms fire, and light anti-tank projectiles. Variants from Ausf. B to Ausf F1 featured mostly armor improvements, new engine, and suspenension, which when combined with wider tracks, increased the weight to 22.3 tons. Main armament was still the KwK 37 L/24, although tests with the 5 cm PaK 38 L/60 were succesful and the new gun was to be implemented in the next version. However, shocking experiences against Soviet T-34 and KV tanks caused this idea to be dropped, and a new 75 mm gun was to be implemented. Because the recoil length of the existing 7.5 cm PaK 40 L/46 gun was too long for the tanks turret, the recoil mechanism and chamber were shortened.

PzKpfw IV Ausf G

This resulted in the 75-millimeter KwK 40 L/43. When firing an armor-piercing shot, the guns muzzle velocity was increased from 430 m/s to 990 m/s. Initially, the gun was mounted with a single-chamber, ball-shaped muzzle brake, which provided just under 50% of the recoil systems braking ability. Firing the Panzergranate 39, the KwK 40 L/43 could penetrate 77 mm of steel armor at a range of 1,830 m. The Ausf. F tanks that received the new, longer KwK 40 L/43 gun were named Ausf. F2. The tank increased in weight to 23.6 tons. One hundred and seventy-five Ausf. F2s were produced from March 1942 to July 1942. Three months after beginning production, the Panzer IV. Ausf. F2 was renamed the Ausf. G. There was little to no difference between the F2 and early G models.

During its production run from May 1942 to June 1943, the Panzer IV Ausf. G went through further modifications, including another armor upgrade. Given that the tank was reaching its viable limit, to avoid a corresponding weight increase, the appliqué 20-millimeter steel plates were removed from its side armor, which instead had its base thickness increased to 30 millimeters. The weight saved was transferred to the front, which had a 30-millimeter face-hardened appliqué steel plate welded (later bolted) to the glacis: in total, frontal armor was now 80 mm thick. This decision to increase frontal armor was favorably received, according to troop reports on November 8, 1942, despite technical problems with the driving system due to added weight. At this point, it was decided that 50% of Panzer IV productions would be fitted with 30 mm thick additional armor plates. Subsequently, on January 5, 1943, Hitler decided to make all Panzer IVs with 80 mm frontal armor. To simplify production, the vision ports on either side of the turret and on the right turret front were removed, while a rack for two spare road wheels was installed on the track guard on the left side of the hull. Complementing this, brackets for seven spare track links were added to the glacis plate.

PzKpfw IV Ausf H

For operation in high temperatures, the engines ventilation was improved by creating slits over the engine deck to the rear of the chassis, and cold weather performance was boosted by adding a device to heat the engines coolant, as well as a starter fluid injector. A new light replaced the original headlight, and the signal port on the turret was removed. On March 19, 1943, the first Panzer IV with Schurzen skirts on its sides and turret was exhibited. The double hatch for the commanders cupola was replaced by a single round hatch from the very-late model Ausf. G, and the cupola was up-armored as well. In April 1943, the KwK 40 L/43 was replaced by the longer 75-millimeter KwK 40 L/48 gun, with a redesigned multi-baffle muzzle brake with improved recoil efficiency. The next version, the Ausf. H, began production in April 1943. This variant saw the integrity of the glacis armor improved by manufacturing it as a single 80-millimeter plate. To prevent adhesion of magnetic anti-tank mines, which the Germans feared would be used in large numbers by the Allies, Zimmerit paste was added to all the vertical surfaces of the tanks armor. The vehicles side and turret were further protected by the addition of 5-millimeter side-skirts and 8-millimeter turret skirts. During the Ausf. H's production run, its rubber-tired return rollers were replaced with cast steel, and the hull was fitted with triangular supports for the easily-damaged side-skirts. There modifications meant that the tanks weight jumped to 25 tons, reducing its speed, a situation not improved by the decision to adopt the Panzer III's six-speed SSG 77 transmission, which was inferior to that of earlier-model Panzer IVs.

The Ausf. J was the final production model, and was greatly simplified compared to earlier variants to speed construction. Despite addressing the mobility problems introduced by the previous model, the final production version of the Panzer IV, the Ausf. J
PzKpfw IV Ausf J with Finnish markings.jpg
, was considered a retrograde from the Ausf. H. Born of German necessity to replace heavy losses, it was greatly simplified to speed production. The electric generator that powered the tanks turret traverse was removed, and the turret had to be rotated manually. The space was later used for the installation of an auxiliary 200-litre (44 imp gal) fuel tank: road range was thereby increased to 320 kilometers (198.84 mi). The pistol and vision ports in the turret were removed, and the engines radiator housing was simplified by changing the slanted sides to straight sides. In addition, the cylindrical muffler was replaced by two flame-suppressing mufflers. By late 1944, Zimmerit was no longer being applied to German armored vehicles, and the Panzer IV's side-skirts had been replaced by wire mesh, and to further-speed production, the number of return rollers was reduced from four to three.

In a bid to augment the Panzer IV's firepower, an attempt was made to mate a Panther turret Schmallturm carrying the longer 75 mm L/70 tank gun to a Panzer IV hull. This was unsuccessful, and confirmed that the chassis had, by this time, reached the limit of its adaptability in both weight and available volume.

Combat history

Pzkpfw IV Ausf F1 of the 151st Tank Brigade after repair The Northern Caucasian Front March 1943

The Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in both production and combat throughout World War II, and measured over the entire war, it comprised 30% of the Wehrmachts total tank strength. Although in service by early 1939, in time for the occupation of Czechoslovakia,[60] at the start of the war the majority of German armor was made up of obsolete Panzer Is and Panzer IIs. When Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, the modern Panzer III and IV vehicles amounted to less than 10% of Germanys armored strength. Although the Polish army possessed less than 200 tanks capable of penetrating the German light tanks, Polish anti-tank guns proved more of a threat, reinforcing German faith in the value of the close-support Panzer IV. Despite increasing production of the medium Panzer IIIs and IVs prior to the German invasion of France on 10 May 1940, the majority of German tanks were still light types. According to Heinz Guderian, the Wehrmacht invaded France with 523 Panzer Is, 955 Panzer IIs, 349 Panzer IIIs, 278 Panzer IVs, 106 Panzer 35(t)s, and 228 Panzer 38(t)s. Through the use of tactical radios and superior tactics, the Germans were able to outmaneuver and defeat French and British armor. However, Panzer IVs armed with the KwK 37 L/24 75-millimeter tank gun found it difficult to engage French tanks such as the Somua S35 and Char B1, and the British Matilda Mk II was an even more formidable opponent.

Although the Panzer IV was deployed to North Africa with the German Afrika Korps, until the longer gun variant began production, the tank was outperformed by the Panzer III with respect to armor penetration. Both the Panzer III and IV had difficulty in penetrating the British Matilda II's thick armor, while the Matildas 40-mm QF 2 pounder gun could knock out either German tank: its major disadvantage was its low speed. By August 1942, Rommel had only received 27 Panzer IV Ausf. F2s armed with the L/43 gun, which he deployed to spearhead his armored offensives. The longer gun could penetrate all American and British tanks in the theater at ranges of up to 1,500 m. Although more of these tanks arrived in North Africa between August and October 1942, their numbers were insignificant compared to the amount of matériel shipped to British forces. The Panzer IV also took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia and the invasion of Greece in early 1941.[76]

PzKpfw IV Ausf H, somewhere on the eastern front. Note the armor skirts.

With the launching of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, the unanticipated appearance of the KV-1 and T-34 tanks prompted an upgrade of the Panzer IV's 75 mm gun to a longer, high-velocity 75 mm gun suitable for antitank use. This meant that it could now penetrate the T-34 at ranges of up to 1,200 m at any angle. The 75 mm KwK 40 L/43 gun on the Panzer IV could penetrate a T-34 at a variety of impact angles beyond 1,000 m range and up to 1,600 m Shipment of the first model to mount the new gun, the Ausf. F2, began in the spring 1942, and by the summer offensive there were around 135 Panzer IVs with the L/43 tank gun available. At the time, these were the only German tanks that could defeat the Soviet T-34 or KV-1. They played a crucial role in the events that unfolded between June 1942 and March 1943, and the Panzer IV became the mainstay of the German panzer divisions. Although in service by late September 1942, the Tiger I was not yet available in high enough numbers to make an impact and suffered from serious teething problems, while the Panther was not delivered to German units in the Soviet Union until May 1943. The extent of German reliance on the Panzer IV during this period is reflected by their losses: 502 were destroyed on the Eastern Front in 1942.

The Panzer IV continued to play an important role during operations in 1943, including at the Battle of Kursk. Newer types such as the Panther were still experiencing crippling reliability problems that restricted their combat efficiency, so much of the effort fell to the 841 Panzer IVs that took part in the battle. Throughout 1943, the German army lost 2,352 Panzer IVs on the Eastern Front: some divisions were reduced to 12–18 tanks by the end of the year. In 1944, a further 2,643 Panzer IVs were destroyed, and such losses were becoming increasingly difficult to replace. By the last year of the war, the Panzer IV was outclassed by the upgraded T-34-85, which had an 85 mm gun, and other late-model Soviet tanks such as the 122 mm armed IS-2 heavy tank.[88] Nevertheless, due to a shortage of replacement Panther tanks, the Panzer IV continued to form the core of Germanys armored divisions, including elite units such as the II SS Panzer Corps, through 1944. In January 1945, 287 Panzer IVs were lost on the Eastern Front. It is estimated that combat against Soviet forces accounted for 6,153 Panzer IVs, or about 75% of all Panzer IV losses during the war.

PzKpfw IV Ausf F1.jpg

Panzer IVs comprised around half of the available German tank strength on the Western Front prior to the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Most of the 11 panzer divisions that saw action in Normandy initially contained an armored regiment of one battalion of Panzer IVs and another of Panthers, for a total of around 160 tanks, although Waffen-SS panzer divisions were generally larger and better-equipped than their Heer counterparts. Regular upgrades to the Panzer IV had helped maintain its reputation as a formidable opponent. Despite overwhelming Allied air superiority, the Norman bocage countryside in the US sector heavily favored defense, and German tanks and anti-tank guns inflicted horrendous casualties on Allied armor during the Normandy campaign. On the offensive, however, the Panzer IVs, Panthers, and other armored vehicles proved equally vulnerable in the bocage, and counter-attacks rapidly stalled in the face of infantry-held anti-tank weapons, tank destroyers, and anti-tank guns, as well as the ubiquitous fighter bomber aircraft. That the terrain was highly unsuitable for tanks was illustrated by the constant damage suffered to the side-skirts of the Ausf. Hs: essential for defence against shaped-charge anti-tank weapons such as the British PIAT. All German armored units were "exasperated" by the way these were torn off during movement through the dense orchards and hedgerows.

The Allies had also been developing lethality improvement programs of their own; the widely-used American-designed M4 Sherman medium tank, while mechanically reliable, suffered from thin armor and an inadequate gun. Against earlier-model Panzer IVs, it could hold its own, but with its 75 mm M3 gun, struggled against the late-model Panzer IV (and was unable to penetrate the frontal armor of Panther and Tiger tanks at virtually any range). The late-model Panzer IV's 80 mm frontal hull armor could easily withstand hits from the 75 mm weapon on the Sherman at normal combat ranges, though the turret remained vulnerable. The British up-gunned the Sherman with their highly effective QF 17 pounder anti-tank gun, resulting in the Firefly. Although this was the only Allied tank capable of dealing with all current German tanks at normal combat ranges, few (about 300) were available in time for the Normandy invasion.

However, despite the general superiority of its armored vehicles, by August 29, 1944, as the last surviving German troops of Fifth Panzer Army and Seventh Army retreated toward Paris, the twin cataclysms of the Falaise Pocket and the Seine-crossing had cost the Wehrmacht dearly. Of the 2,300 tanks and assault guns it had committed to Normandy (including around 750 Panzer IVs, over 2,200 had been lost. Field Marshal Walter Model reported to Hitler that his panzer divisions had remaining, on average, five or six tanks each.[102]

During the winter of 1944–45, the Panzer IV was one of the most widely used tanks in the Ardennes offensive, where further heavy losses, as often due to fuel shortages as to enemy action, impaired major German armored operations in the West thereafter. The Panzer IVs that took part were survivors of the battles in France between June and September 1944, with around 260 additional Panzer IV Ausf. Js issued as reinforcements.


Historical Gallery

Historical Accuracy Errata

The following are consensus errors or inconsistencies which have been identified with the configuration of the vehicle in question and conflict with information available on the public record. The causes for these divergences in the game are normally not disclosed and may be rooted in game balance.

No historical records of the 10,5 cm Kw.K. L/28 configuration exists.


Sources and External Links

Germany
Light Tanks ILeichttraktor IIPz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D IIMKA IIPz.Kpfw. 35 R IIPz.Kpfw. 38H 735 (f) IIPz.Kpfw. 35 (t) IIPz.Kpfw. I IIPz.Kpfw. II III43 M. Toldi III IIIPz.Kpfw. M 15 IIIPz.Kpfw. 38 (t) IIIPz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E IIIPz.Kpfw. II Ausf. J IIIPz.Kpfw. I Ausf. C IIIPz.Kpfw. II Ausf. G IIIPz.Kpfw. T 15 IVPz.Kpfw. 38 (t) n.A. IVPz.Kpfw. II Luchs VVK 16.02 Leopard VIVK 28.01 mit 10,5 cm L/28 VIVK 28.01 VIIAufklärungspanzer Panther VIISpähpanzer SP I C VIIIleKpz M 41 90 mm VIIIleKpz M 41 90 mm GF VIIIHWK 12 VIIIHWK 30 IXSpähpanzer Ru 251 XRheinmetall Panzerwagen
Medium Tanks IIIGroßtraktor - Krupp IIIPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. A IIIPz.Kpfw. S35 739 (f) IVPz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J IVPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D IVVK 20.01 (D) VPz.Kpfw. III Ausf. K VTurán III prototípus VPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H Ankou VPz.Kpfw. III/IV VPz.Kpfw. IV hydrostat. VPz.Kpfw. V/IV VPz.Kpfw. V/IV Alpha VPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H VPz.Kpfw. T 25 VVK 30.01 (H) VIPz.Kpfw. IV Schmalturm VIVK 30.01 (D) VIVK 30.02 (M) VIIPanther/M10 VIIPanther VIIVK 30.02 (D) VIIIPanther mit 8,8 cm L/71 VIIIPanzer 58 VIIISchwarzpanzer 58 VIIIPanzer 58 Mutz VIIIM48A2 Räumpanzer VIIIKampfpanzer 07 RH VIIIIndien-Panzer VIIIPanther II IXE 50 IXT 55A IXKampfpanzer 50 t IXKunze Panzer IXLeopard Prototyp A XE 50 Ausf. M XLeopard 1
Heavy Tanks IVPz.Kpfw. B2 740 (f) IVDurchbruchswagen 2 VITiger 131 VIVK 30.01 (P) VIVK 36.01 (H) VIIVK 45.03 VIITiger I VIITiger (P) VIIIVK 100.01 (P) VIIIVK 168.01 (P) VIIIVK 168.01 Mauerbrecher VIIIVK 75.01 (K) VIIIE 75 TS VIIILöwe VIIITiger II VIIIVK 45.02 (P) Ausf. A IXE 75 IXMäuschen IXVK 45.02 (P) Ausf. B XE 100 XPz.Kpfw. VII XMaus XVK 72.01 (K)
Tank Destroyers IIPanzerjäger I IIIMarder II IVStuG III Ausf. B IVPz.Sfl. IC IVJagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer IVMarder 38T VStuG IV VPz.Sfl. IVc VStuG III Ausf. G VIDicker Max VIJagdpanzer IV VINashorn VIIE 25 VIIKrupp-Steyr Waffenträger VIIJagdpanther VIISturer Emil VIIIFerdinand VIIIKanonenjagdpanzer 105 VIIIRheinmetall Skorpion G VIIIRheinmetall Skorpion VIIIJagdpanther II VIII8,8 cm Pak 43 Jagdtiger VIIIRhm.-Borsig Waffenträger IXJagdtiger IXWaffenträger auf Pz. IV XGrille 15 XJagdpanzer E 100 XWaffenträger auf E 100
Self-Propelled Artillery IIG.Pz. Mk. VI (e) IIISturmpanzer I Bison IIIWespe IVPz.Sfl. IVb IVSturmpanzer II VGrille VIHummel VIIG.W. Panther VIIIG.W. Tiger (P) IXG.W. Tiger XG.W. E 100
Medium Tanks
USA IIT2 Medium Tank IIIConvert. Medium Tank T3 IIIM2 Medium Tank IVT6 Medium IVM3 Lee VM4 Improved VM4A2E4 Sherman VM4A1 Sherman VRam II VIM4A3E8 Fury VIM4A3E8 Thunderbolt VII VIM4A3E8 Sherman VIM4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo VIIT26E3 Eagle 7 VIIT20 VIIT23E3 VIIIT25 Pilot Number 1 VIIITL-1 LPC VIIIT42 VIIIASTRON Rex 105 mm VIIIAMBT VIIIM46 Patton KR VIIIM26 Pershing VIIIT26E4 SuperPershing VIIIT69 VIIIT95E2 IXM46 Patton XM48A5 Patton XM60 XT95E6
UK IVickers Medium Mk. I IIVickers Medium Mk. II IIIVickers Medium Mk. III IVMatilda IVMatilda LVT IVGrant IVAC 1 Sentinel VCavalier VValiant VSherman III VMatilda Black Prince VISherman Firefly VICromwell VIAC 4 Experimental VICromwell B VISherman VC Firefly VIIComet VIIICenturion Mk. I VIIIFV4202 VIIIChieftain/T95 VIIICenturion Mk. 5/1 RAAC VIIIChimera IXCobra IXCenturion Mk. 7/1 XCenturion Action X
Germany IIIGroßtraktor - Krupp IIIPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. A IIIPz.Kpfw. S35 739 (f) IVPz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J IVPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D IVVK 20.01 (D) VPz.Kpfw. III Ausf. K VTurán III prototípus VPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H Ankou VPz.Kpfw. III/IV VPz.Kpfw. IV hydrostat. VPz.Kpfw. V/IV VPz.Kpfw. V/IV Alpha VPz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H VPz.Kpfw. T 25 VVK 30.01 (H) VIPz.Kpfw. IV Schmalturm VIVK 30.01 (D) VIVK 30.02 (M) VIIPanther/M10 VIIPanther VIIVK 30.02 (D) VIIIPanther mit 8,8 cm L/71 VIIIPanzer 58 VIIISchwarzpanzer 58 VIIIPanzer 58 Mutz VIIIM48A2 Räumpanzer VIIIKampfpanzer 07 RH VIIIIndien-Panzer VIIIPanther II IXE 50 IXT 55A IXKampfpanzer 50 t IXKunze Panzer IXLeopard Prototyp A XE 50 Ausf. M XLeopard 1
France IIID2 IIISomua S35 IVSARL 42 VRenault G1 VIBretagne Panther VIM4A1 FL 10 VIIIBat.-Châtillon Bourrasque VIIIAltProto AMX 30 VIIILorraine 40 t VIIIAMX Chasseur de chars VIIIM4A1 Revalorisé IXAMX 30 1er prototipo IXChar Futur 4 IXBat.-Châtillon 25 t AP XBat.-Châtillon 25 t XAMX 30 B
USSR IIIT-29 IVA-32 IVT-28E with F-30 IVT-34 con L-11 IVT-28 VMatilda IV VT-34 shielded VM4-85 VT-34 VIA-43 VIT-34-85M VIT-34-85 Rudy VIM4-A2 Sherman de Loza VIT-34-85 VIIA-44 VIIKV-13 VIIT-43 VIIT-44-122 VIIIObject 416 VIIIT-54 first prototype VIIIT-44-100 Igrovoy VIIIT-44-100 (R) VIIISTG VIIISTG Guard VIIIObject 274a VIIIT-44 IXObject 430 Version II IXObject 430 IXT-54 XObject 140 XObject 907 XT-22 medium XK-91 XObject 430U XT-62A
China VType T-34 VIType 58 VIIT-34-1 VIIIType 59 VIIIT-34-2 VIIIT-34-3 VIII59-Patton VIII122 TM VIIIType 59 G IXWZ-120 X121 X121B
Japan IIChi-Ni IIType 89 I-Go/Chi-Ro IVType 1 Chi-He VType 3 Chi-Nu VType 3 Chi-Nu Kai VIType 4 Chi-To VIIType 5 Chi-Ri VIIISTA-1 VIIISTA-2 IXType 61 XSTB-1
Czechoslovakia IVST vz. 39 VŠkoda T 24 VIŠkoda T 40 VIŠkoda T 25 VIIKonštrukta T-34/100 VIIITVP VTU Koncept VIIIŠkoda T 27 IXŠkoda T 50 XTVP T 50/51
Sweden IVLago VStrv m/42 VIStrv m/42-57 Alt A.2 VIStrv 74 VIILeo VIIIStrv 81 VIIIPrimo Victoria VIIILansen C VIIIUDES 14 Alt 5 IXUDES 16 XUDES 15/16