Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J

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This page is about the German medium tank Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J. For other versions, see Pz.IV (Family).
Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J
germ_panzerbefelhswagen_iv_ausf_j.png
GarageImage Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J.jpg
ArtImage Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J.png
ArtImage2 Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J.png
Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J
AB RB SB
4.0 3.7 3.7
Purchase:1 750 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The Panzerbefehlswagen IV Ausführung J (Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 161/2) was a special command version of the ninth variant of the Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank family. The Panzer IV J command variant was produced after March 1944. This variant was modified by removing 15 rounds of 75 mm main gun ammunition and installing a new radio system, which included cables, transformers, and junction boxes. A GG400 auxiliary power generator was also installed. The Fu 8 (medium wave receiver) and Fu 5 (ultra-short-wave receiver) were the new radio sets. A Sternantenne D (Star aerial) for the Fu 8 was installed on the rear of the hull, while the conventional 2-meter antenna for the Fu 5 was installed on the roof of the turret in place of the Nahverteidigungswaffe grenade launcher. There was also a T.S.R.1 observation periscope and an SF14Z periscope scissor attached. The SF14Z could be installed inside the cupola, where the commander could see the battlefield through the open hatch. The T.S.R.1 was a long stick periscope located on the turret roof near the commander's cupola that could be extended via a pivoting support. Only 17 Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J tanks were manufactured from scratch, while the remaining 88 were modified from pre-existing Panzer IV J tanks.

Introduced in Update 1.43, the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J variant is a special modification from the original Panzer IV J variant. To compensate for the Panzer IV J variant's missing 5 mm Schürzen side skirts, steel mashes known as Thoma-Schürzen were fitted in their place. While the steel mashes may protect the player from the occasional early HEAT ammunition, particularly from the M4A3 (105) from specific angles, they should not be relied on to exchange fire with adversaries. The original single-speed electric power drive for the turret traverse remains unavailable, and the turret traverse must be hand-cranked by a two-gear manual traverse. The three radio antennae serve no purpose in the game and are merely aesthetic decorations. Overall, it is a medium tank with a playstyle comparable to the Panzer IV J that should be played cautiously.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull30 / 30 / 20
Turret50 / 30 / 30
Crew5 people
Visibility99 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 80 mm (11°) Front plate
20 mm (72°) Front glacis
80 mm (12-64°) Lower glacis
30 mm 30 mm (4-15°) 26 mm Front
10 mm Rear and hatches
Turret 50 mm (11°) Turret front
50 mm (7-29°) Gun mantlet
30 (23-26°) + 5 (0-1°) mm 30 (15-17°) + 5 mm 16 mm Front
10 mm Rear
Cupola 95 mm 95 mm 95 mm 10 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • The hull and turret sides are protected by an extra 5 mm thick plate to provide protection against HEAT and HE rounds.
  • Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
  • Barrel shroud around gun barrel is 20 mm thick.
  • Add-on Armour gives an additional 15 mm of armour can be added to the front facing surfaces.

The Pz.Bfw IV is vulnerable to most front shot engagement, especially so if no serious attempt is made in compound angling. The front plate in its unsloped format is an enticing target, but beware to not hit the front sloping glacis right in front of it as that area has a tendency to bounce everything. Also, avoid hitting straight into the ball machine gun and driver's port in the front as these also have a tendency to nullify an armour-piercing shot. When using APHE rounds, simply hit centre mass of the front plate and let the post-penetration effect do the rest.

In the case of a vehicle with a gun simply unable to penetrate this front plate, aim towards the turret that still retains a 50 mm front plate. Even the weaker non-autocannon armaments can penetrate through this front plate and incapacitate the turret crew. Aim for the turret left side (right side when shooting it) to knock out the gunner and deny their firepower, then chip away at weak spots until the threat is destroyed.

Alternatively, aim at the Panzer IV from its long vulnerable sides in cases where its slow turret traverse cannot keep up with a flanking manoeuvre or catching it in an ambush. The interior is fully stocked with ammo racks even when the user is taking a minimum load. Moreover, the fuel tank resides at the very bottom of the centre of the tank, so a penetrating shot with APHE will either detonate the ammunition, set the tank on fire, or knock out a good portion of the crew, if not fully destroy the tank with all three effects.

In every case scenario, it is to the benefit of the surviving player to fire the first shot against the Pz.Bfw IV above all else, as it would deny the Pz.Bfw IV even a chance to use its high-penetrating 75 mm gun.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB43 / 9 km/h
RB and SB39 / 8 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
1 back
Weight25.7 t
Engine power
AB572 hp
RB and SB300 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB22.3 hp/t
RB and SB11.7 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock AoA Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 43 9 25.3 0.4 465 572 18.38 22.26
Realistic 39 8 265 300 10.47 11.67

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB1 074 Sl icon.png
RB1 709 Sl icon.png
SB2 135 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts210 000 Sl icon.png
Aces550 Ge icon.png
Research Aces790 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 80 / 140 / 160 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 154 / 154 / 154 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank traks.png
Ostketten
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods tank additional armor.png
Add-on Armor
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_40_APCR_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm KwK40 L48 cannon
Ammunition87 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: KwK40 L48 (75 mm)
75 mm KwK40 L48 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 87 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 9.5 13.2 16.0 17.7 18.8 7.67 6.79 6.25 5.90
Realistic 5.9 7.0 8.5 9.4 10.0

Ammunition

  • PzGr 39 - APCBC shell - This is the main ammo type, always use this if confident it can penetrate enemy armour. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
  • Hl.Gr 38B - HEAT shell - it is recommended to completely avoid this kind of shell as its performance is vastly inferior in all aspects compared to APCBC or APCR ammo used by this tank.
  • PzGr 40 - APCR shell - This type of ammo should be used only if there is trouble penetrating the opponent, or trying to hit a fast moving tank at some distance. However, its damaging potential is much lower because it has no explosive filler to further enhance damage after the penetration.
  • Sprgr. 34 - HE shell - Carry only very few of these. They are useless against anything other than unarmoured AA vehicles, to which it is lethal.
  • K.Gr.Rot Nb. - Smoke shells are useful to blind enemy vehicles that block your advance while being being too remote for you to disable.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
PzGr 39 APCBC 145 143 130 116 104 93
Hl.Gr 38B HEAT 80 80 80 80 80 80
PzGr 40 APCR 182 177 159 140 122 107
Sprgr. 34 HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
PzGr 39 APCBC 770 6.8 1.2 14 28.9 48° 63° 71°
Hl.Gr 38B HEAT 450 4.4 0.05 0.1 872.1 62° 69° 73°
PzGr 40 APCR 990 4.1 - - - 66° 70° 72°
Sprgr. 34 HE 550 5.74 0 0.1 686 79° 80° 81°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen deploy
time (s)
Screen hold
time (s)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
K.Gr.Rot Nb. 540 6.2 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
7th
rack empty
8th
rack empty
9th
rack empty
10th
rack empty
11th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
87 84 (+3) 82 (+5) 80 (+7) 72 (+15) 63 (+24) 54 (+33) 46 (+41) 38 (+49) 30 (+57) 24 (+63) (+86) No
Ammo racks of the Pz.IV H (identical)

Notes:

  • As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
  • Sides empty: 30 (+57) shells.

Machine guns

Ammunition3 150 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate900 shots/min
Ammunition2 100 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate900 shots/min
Main article: MG34 (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm MG34
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,150 (150) 900 N/A N/A
Pintle 2,100 (150) 900 -10°/+20° ±180°

Usage in battles

Like the Panzer IV J, the Pz.Bfw. IV suffers compared to its other variants due to its slow, manual turret traverse rate. This causes the Pz.Bfw IV to lose flexibility in reacting to close encounters without turning the entire hull around. As such, it is recommended not to use the Pz.Bfw IV as a front-line assaulter in combat.

Tactics-wise, the Pz.Bfw IV is perfect for sniping and ambushes, where the slower turret traverse rate affects its combat performance less. Attack from a distance, especially while that enemy is focused on other allies in the team. Ambushes can also work in close-range events when watching corners, street intersections, and checkpoints, but be wary of any enemies trying to outmanoeuvre the Pz.Bfw IV as it would require drastic action with the slow turret rate. Try not to engage the enemy in a straight-up front confrontation as most enemies would be able to easily cleave through the front armour and end the vehicle.

Although most tanks in Rank III can destroy the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J pretty quickly, the tanks the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J need to avoid in open combat (if possible) are KV-2s, SU-152s, T-34-85(D-5T)s, M4A3E2 Jumbos.

  • For KV-2s, if it's looking at the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J (And hopefully reloading), shoot at the flat of the turret below the mantlet. It's flat, relatively thin armour, and the 75 mm shell should go right through and take out everyone and everything in the turret. From the side, shoot it in the side of the hull (At a 90-degree angle for best effects) to ignite the fuel tanks and maybe even detonate the ammo. Shooting the turret isn't recommended unless for knocking out the gunner or the breech, as there are a lot of crew members in there, and the shells in the turret rarely ignite. Trying to destroy it that way will take time.
  • For SU-152s, shoot to the right of the gun, above the driver's viewport, and it will wreck everything inside. If that's an option, try to get around it. It is a casemate after all. Once the tank is on its side, shoot it in the crew compartment to obliterate it.
  • For T-34-85(D-5T)s, it is imperative that the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J gets the first shot off, as their 85 mm will go through the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J 85 ways from Sunday, and nuke the entire tank interior. Don't shoot the turret unless there is no other option, as it's incredibly prone to ricochet shells. Instead, shoot the hull centre. Pay close attention not to hit the driver's hatch as it's actually more armoured than the glacis itself.
  • M4A3E2 Jumbo's will give the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J the hardest time, as their frontal armour is nigh impenetrable, aside from the machine gun port. It's a small, unreliable target, but it's the only chance of penetrating the Jumbo from the front. If lucky, and catch a Jumbo on its side, shoot it in its hull. As its Turret side (and rear!) armour is still thick enough to block the 75 mm shots. Also, keep in mind, that if the Jumbo is showing its side while angling toward the Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J, that the side armour behind its tracks is very thinly armoured. Try shooting there if possible.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • The KwK40 L/48 cannon provides enough muzzle velocity to penetrate most contemporary enemies at far range
  • PzGr 40 (APCR) offers great penetration in case PzGr 39 (APCBC) fails
  • Heavily sloped area in front of the front flat plate has a tendency to bounce most shots aimed towards it
  • Turrets and side have Schürzen (Spaced Armour), which can offer some protection from HEAT or HE rounds
  • Good acceleration from a stop
  • Satisfactory performance over cross-country and road terrains
  • 5 crew members are present in the tank. (Commander, gunner, driver, loader, machinegunner)

Cons:

  • Poor turret traverse rate can be fatal in certain situations
  • Box armour structure has no benefits from sloping except for a section in the front
  • Generally, most AP rounds will effortlessly penetrate the Panzer IV, weaker rounds can also easily hit at weak points
  • Lacks a large gun mantlet for turret protection
  • Armour protection is poor, able to be penetrated by all the tanks it encounters even frontally
  • Generally outperformed by vehicles it faces and fights with

History

The Panzerbefehlswagen IV is a command tank variant of the Panzer IV. While nearly the same exterior wise, the inside has been refitted with new equipment to enhance communication, thus fighting is not its purpose role. About 105 Panzerbefehlswagen IV were made during the war, with 17 from the Panzer IV Ausf. J variant and the rest from refurbished chassis adapted to the role.

The conversion allowed the tank to mount additional radio sets for communicating with the tank, infantry, and even aircraft units, or back to headquarters. The loader of the tank doubled as a radio operator as well to maintain all the radios in the tank. As well as the radios, mounting racks, transformers, junction boxes, antennas, and an auxiliary electrical engineer are also installed into the tank. This new equipment takes up space in the tank and so the ammunition stowage is reduced from the usual 87 rounds to 72 rounds, but this is mitigated by the fact that it should not be the front-line weapon against the enemy.

Other than that, the tank is nearly the same as the original Panzer IV tank. The tank featured a 75 mm KwK40 main gun with a coaxial MG34 machine gun. The tank had about 80 mm of armour on the front hull, plus additional armour in the form of Schürzen side skirts. Unlike the Ausf. H variant, this variant had the skirts made from wire-meshes rather than metal plates to decrease weight, yet keep the same protection against HEAT rounds.


Archive of the in-game description

Commander vehicles for the commanders of medium tank battalions were built based on the standard Pz.IV Ausf.J tank equipped with additional radio stations. There were two varieties, the Sd.Kfz.267 and Sd.Kfz.268, which had different numbers of radio stations. The commander tanks were equipped with Fu 5, Fu 7, and Fu 8 radio stations. The tanks were used in battles on the Eastern and Western Fronts in 1944-1945. 97 tanks were produced between March and September of 1944.


Media

Skins
Sights
Videos

See also

Other command vehicles

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Germany medium tanks
Pz.III  Pz.III B · Pz.III E · Pz.III F · Pz.III J · Pz.III J1 · Pz.III J1 TD · Pz.III L · Pz.III M · Pz.III N
Pz.IV  Pz.IV C · Pz.IV E · Pz.IV F1 · Pz.IV F2 · Pz.IV G · Pz.IV H · Pz.IV J · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J
Pz.V  VK 3002 (M) · Panther A · Panther D · Panther F · Panther G · Ersatz M10 · Panther II
M48 upgrades  M48A2 G A2 · M48 Super
Leopard 1  Leopard I · Leopard A1A1 · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 1A5 · C2A1 · Turm III
Leopard 2  PT-16/T14 mod. · Leopard 2K · Leopard 2AV
  Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2 PL · Leopard 2A5 · Leopard 2 PSO · Leopard 2A6 · Leopard 2A7V
Trophies  ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r)
Other  Nb.Fz. · KPz-70
USA  mKPz M47 G · M48A2 C
USSR  ◊T-72M1

Germany premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.Sfl.Ic · Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK · Sd.Kfz. 140/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS · TAM 2IP
Medium tanks  Nb.Fz. · Pz.III N · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) · Ersatz M10
  mKPz M47 G · Turm III · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123)
Heavy tanks  ▀Pz.Kpfw. Churchill · ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r)
  VK 45.01 (P) · ␠Tiger · Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P · Tiger II (H) Sla.16
Tank destroyers  Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · 15 cm Pz.W.42
  Brummbär · Panzer IV/70(A) · VFW · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1 · Elefant · 38 cm Sturmmörser