Panzer IV/70(A)

This page is about the German tank destroyer Panzer IV/70(A). For the other version, see Panzer IV/70(V).

Panzer IV/70(A)

Panzer IV/70(A)

Germany

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.3	4.3	4.3

Class:

PREMIUM

Tank destroyer

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Show in game

Description

The Panzer IV/70(A) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 162/1) is the second variant of the Panzer IV medium tank-based tank destroyer family. Hitler ordered Alkett (A), the StuG III's manufacturer, to redesign the Jagdpanzer IV superstructure to accommodate the new main armament in July 1944 so that 75 mm Panzerjägerkanone 42 L/70 tank gun could be sent to the front as soon as possible. Due to the new armament being larger than the previous one, additional vertical steel plates had to be welded onto the chassis to compensate for height differences when mounting the redesigned superstructure onto the original Panzer IV medium tank chassis. From August 1944 to March 1945, only 278 were constructed.

Introduced in Update 1.41, the Panzer IV/70(A) should only be used for defensive roles. Its primary armament is among the best for this class. With its high penetration and muzzle velocity, it can easily defeat all but the most resilient tanks. However, frontal protection is highly variable when under fire. If at all possible, steer clear of conflict and let the other players take the hits so that the player can decide when and how to engage. Always maintain a safe distance from the adversary and stay out of the main areas of combat.

It was first introduced as a premium pack but removed from the store after the 2018 Winter sale. It was reintroduced in 2018 for War Thunder's 6th Anniversary as a premium purchasable for Golden Eagles and again removed after the 9th Anniversary Sale.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull80 / 30 / 22

Turret80 / 40 / 22

Crew4 people

Visibility81 %

The IV/70 (A) is strong but has weak armour for the rank. Try to trade blows with most enemy vehicles as the armour simply doesn't provide comprehensive protection. This, coupled with the very vulnerable, large flanks makes it highly unsuitable as a front line assault vehicle.

All in all, the side of the IV/70 (A) is a goldmine of weak spots for an accurate player. The tall-slab sided IV/70 (A) is very vulnerable to flanking fire as the side armour is only 40 mm thick. For those aiming at the sides, it is very easy to search for ammunition rack, using the rods on the side of the hull as reference points. From there, aim down a tad below the top of the mesh skirts, and an ammunition hit/detonation is almost certain.

Even parts of the front armour are a little lacking; certainly inferior to the Panzer IV/70(V). The sloped upper superstructure gives an effective thickness of around 125 mm, very good for this battle rating, but it has an unsloped 80 mm hull and an 80 mm lower hull that is only very slightly sloped. Avoid firing at the gun mantlet. It is heavily sloped and in excess of 200 mm equivalent flat armour.

From behind, it is advisable to aim for the large, flat rear superstructure above the engine deck. The Commander and Gunner can be eliminated with a single well-placed shot. After the Gunner is taken out, aim for the engine to prevent the vehicle from turning to engage Panzer IV/70(A).

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
• Structural steel (Side skirts)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides (Slope angle)	Rear (Slope angle)	Roof
Hull	20 mm (84°), 80 mm (47°) Front glacis 80 mm (55°) Lower glacis	30 + 5 mm	22 mm (5-16°)	20 mm
Superstructure	80 mm (9-50°) Front plate 75 + 75 mmGun mantlet	40 mm (18°)	30 mm	20 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
• The hull sides are protected by an extra 5 mm thick plate to provide protection against HEAT and HE rounds.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB44 / 9 km/h

RB and SB40 / 8 km/h

Number of gears6 forward

1 back

Weight28.5 t

Engine power

AB572 hp

RB and SB300 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB20.1 hp/t

RB and SB10.5 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	44	9	28	0.45	426	572	15.19	20.07
Realistic	40	8			265	300	9.45	10.53

Forward speed is sufficient, topping out at 40 km/h (approximately 25 mph) but the reverse speed of -7 km/h (approximately -4 mph), while acceptable, isn't anything special. This vehicle isn't a speed demon and isn't built for lightning fast flanking manoeuvres. It's much more comfortable behind the lines, acting like an anti-tank gun with treads that responds to threats rather than spearheading assaults.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB1 455

RB1 695

SB2 190

Crew training10 000

Experts250 000

Aces630

Research Aces870 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 110 / 160 / 210 %

2 × 160 / 160 / 160 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Ostketten Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment Add-on Armor	Horizontal Drive Adjustment of Fire Elevation Mechanism Smoke grenade 75mm_kwk_42_APCR_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm PaK42 cannon

Ammunition60 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

9.6 → 7.4 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 15°

Horizontal guidance-10° / 10°

At this rank, the L/70 cannon can punch through almost any vehicle that may be encountered, with the US Sherman Jumbo and Soviet IS tanks being the only real tough nuts.

The lack of a turret means the player should not be overly aggressive. The vehicle cannot turn particularly fast. The gun traverse is limited, so a fast vehicle can easily get behind it. This tank should stay back and use the excellent muzzle velocity and penetration of the L/70 cannon to destroy targets from afar. Stay in cover, or behind the team's mediums and heavies, and provide fire support. But don't be an obvious target.

75 mm PaK42					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	60	-5°/+15°	±10°	N/A	7.04	9.75	11.84	13.09	13.93	9.62	8.51	7.84	7.40
Realistic					4.76	5.60	6.80	7.52	8.00

Ammunition

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 39/42	APCBC	192	188	173	156	140	126
Sprgr. 42	HE	13	12	11	11	11	11
PzGr 40/42	APCR	228	224	204	182	162	145

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 39/42	APCBC	935	6.8	1.2	14	28.9	48°	63°	71°
Sprgr. 42	HE	700	5.74	0.2	0.1	725	79°	80°	81°
PzGr 40/42	APCR	1,120	4.75	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Panzer IV/70(A)

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
60	34 (+26)	7 (+53)	1 (+59)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
• To go into battle with the left flank empty of ammo, pack fewer than 34 (+26) shells (rack 1 empty).

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG42 machine gun

Ammunition600 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 200 shots/min

7.92 mm MG42
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Hull	600 (150)	1,200	-2°/+5°	±5°

Usage in battles

This vehicle is very much a defensive weapon that should only be on the offensive if the situation is desperate. The gun it is armed with is one of the best at this rank. In terms of penetration and muzzle velocity, it will make short work of all but the toughest tanks. When taking fire, however, the IV/70(A)'s protection is inconsistent at best. Shots that strike the sloped upper superstructure are likely to bounce, but anywhere else and the shell will almost certainly penetrate at closer ranges. It is best to avoid confrontation if possible and let the other members of the team take the damage to allow the player to pick and choose the engagement. Ideally, the enemy won't have a chance to return fire. Allow room between the Panzer IV/70(A) and the enemy, and avoid traversing high-traffic areas; instead, keep an eye on them from a distance and let the enemy come towards the Panzer IV/70(A).

Urban areas should be avoided if possible. Entering such an area is an invitation for the enemy to flank, and the closeness of the engagements negates the main advantage of this tank: the gun. Engaging the enemy at close range doesn't utilise the L/70's excellent penetration at range.

Arcade battles

In Arcade battles, with the shot indicator showing the player where shots will land, the high-velocity L/70 can accurately hit targets at long ranges, and targets on the move as the shells arrive quickly at the target. The penetration indicator, which changes colour based on the chance of successful penetration, is a problem for the IV/70 (A). It highlights the weak areas of the tank to enemy players, making the weak spots obvious.

Arcade tends to be faster-paced than Realistic and Simulator, so the lack of a turret may be a large detriment as being flanked is quite common in this mode.

Realistic/Simulator battles

With a lack of markers above tanks and larger combat zones, Realistic and Simulator suit this vehicle well. Taking up a concealed firing position and engaging enemies from a distance is what this tank excels at. Be mindful of flanking attacks though, if consideration of exposed flanks and careful checking of these areas is not performed, it will likely be too late to respond to an enemy on a flank or behind. Keeping with the 'anti-tank gun with treads' analogy, zooming across the map and looking for enemies is not how this tank should be played. Let the enemy do the work because this tank is very poorly suited to assaulting. Usage of the binoculars is highly advised as they allow a zoomed-in 360-degree view without having to move the vehicle.

At the start of the match, the Panzer IV/70(A) is best used as a sniper for most of the times. The player can adapt their tactics from the StuG IIIs and the Jgdpz. 38t. A good way to get kills is to find a spot that:

• provides hard cover
• overlooks a key street / passage way
• has bushes to hide in
• is not too close to the frontline

This way the player can use the bushes to hide the Pz IV/70. If any opponent appears in the sight, the player can kill it easily with the great penetration, velocity and damage of the main cannon. If the enemy notices the player, either go back in cover until they are distracted, or utilise the sturdy frontal armour and be a "heavy tank". It can bounce quite some shells, given that the enemy's guns aren't strong enough.

As the match progresses, the player can use the Pz IV/70 as a medium tank since it has good top speed and traverse. Go cap some points and help the teammates to push. With its low profile, the Pz IV/70 can find a comfortable corner around a point and ambush any point-cappers. Now the situational awareness comes into place, as this vehicle is turretless, meaning it cannot respond quickly to close-quarter sudden encounters. Also note that the side armour is extremely thin, so even if the player thinks they're just angling a little bit, shells like the Soviet 85 or 122 mm will still penetrate with ease.

Enemies worth noting:

• IS-2, ISU-122, SU/ISU-152: The Pz IV/70 relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Pz IV/70's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire / are distracted.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent firepower: decent rate of fire and good accuracy for the main gun. Stock shell has great penetration and damage, and can easily penetrate and one-shot most opponents like T-34-85, M4A2 / A3, IS-1, etc
• Decent top speed of 40 km/h with good acceleration means excellent cross country performance
• Adequate gun depression of 5 degrees for a compact hull.

Cons:

• Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers like M18
• Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank.
• Poor overall armor inadequate against almost all guns in and below its br.
• The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to trapshots (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal.

History

Development

In September 1942, the Wehrmacht arms bureau called for a new type of assault vehicles. The specifications listed were 100 mm front armour, 40-50 mm on the sides, wide tracks, a top speed of 26 km/h, ground clearance of 50 cm, and a very low firing position. The design was to be armed with the 75 mm Pak 42 mounted on the Panther tanks. Though this project was originally conceived over a completely new chassis, the Panzer IV was chosen to be used instead. The design was to have a low silhouette and an enclosed casemate fighting compartment after experiences with the Marder IIIs showed that such features were necessary for a successful fighting vehicle.

The Panzer IV chassis was converted into the Jagdpanzer IV, which featured new designs to the original. The utilization of the Panzer IV chassis was met with much criticism by General Heinz Guderian, who saw the diverting of Panzer IV tank resources as unnecessary since the current assault gun StuG III was more than adequate in the role and Germany still needed reliable tanks that it could use. The vertical front hull armour was replaced with large sloped armour plates, ammunition and fuel were moved to accommodate the new superstructure design, and the auxiliary engine that once powered the Panzer IV turret was removed. The superstructure had 80 mm thick sloping armour that gives it an effective 100 mm thick. To simplify the production of this vehicle, the superstructure was essentially made of large interlocking plates that are welded together. The vehicle had a crew of four, the commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The vehicle was armed with a 75 mm gun, though originally suppose to be the one from the Panther, shortages forced the mounting of older guns such as the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon, which were less powerful than the Panther's PaK 42, but were still lethal. Due to the different gun mounts, three main variants were produced from the Jagdpanzer IV, the original Jagdpanzer IV (with the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon), the Panzer IV/70 (V), and the Panzer IV/70 (A) (Both of which have the 75 mm Pak 42 L/70 cannon).

The Panzer IV/70 (A), mounting the 75 mm Pak 42, was produced by Alkett, a manufacturer of the StuG III (hence the "A"). It was produced from August 1944 to March 1945 and was made for the purpose of simplifying the design for easier manufacturing and increased the production rate. To make production easier, the design used an unmodified Panzer IV chassis, while the previous two used a modified superstructure built up from the suspension. The unmodified chassis gave the Panzer IV/70(A) the flat frontal hull known on the Panzer IV design, with which the sloped armour is built on top of. This, in turn, caused the overall height of the vehicle to be increased by 50 cm, which gave it a much bigger silhouette, but was done to simplify production and send more of the 75 mm Pak 42 L/40 to the front lines as quickly as possible. The Panzer IV/70 (A) was more of an interim solution in order to fulfil battlefield demands, only about 278 units were produced before production ended. The early version had Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste added to the vehicle. However, the Zimmerit was removed after September 1944 due to rumours that they were causing vehicle fires. Other modifications were made to the design over time, but the biggest change in its production was the addition of Schürzen side armour plates.

Combat usage

The Jagdpanzer IV (the name was interchangeable between all of its variants) was first issued on March 1944 and was employed in an anti-tank role in the Western and Eastern Front. The Jagdpanzer IV participated in the Normandy Campaign, Battle of the Bulge, and the Soviet Offensives on the Eastern Front. Their overall performance was very successful as tank destroyers and only sub-par in other roles that are usually taken by tanks or assault guns, as the high-velocity 75 mm cannon it mounts were unsuitable for anti-infantry and fortification purposes. However, they were soon put in positions of tanks due to shortages of capable fighting vehicles in German inventory. One of the popular Jagdpanzer IV aces was SS-Oberscharführer Rudolf Roy who was attached to the 12th SS Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was killed while looking out of his Jagdpanzer IV hatch during the Battle of the Bulge.

After World War II ended, the Jagdpanzer IV's design still saw service with the German Bundeswehr as the Kanonenjagdpanzer, which has nearly the same design as the Jagdpanzer IV, but most notably with a 90 mm gun. Some captured Jagdpanzer IVs were given out by the Soviet Union to Romania and Syria, but Romania scrapped all the German armour by 1954 and Syria used them in conflicts against Israel until 1967.

Archive of the in-game description

This variant of the anti-tank gun was developed in two different versions by the companies Vomag AG and Alkett. Though similar in combat power and armour protection, these machines were significantly different in appearance. Alkett's variant was designated the Panzer IV/70 (A). It featured a highly-armoured cabin mounted on the chassis and hull of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J tank. Its combat weight was 28 tons, with a height of 2350 mm. The sides of the chassis were covered with Schurzen side skirts, which were initially all-metal and later mesh. From August 1944 to March 1945, the Nibelungenwerke factory produced 278 of these vehicles. The Panzer IV, Panzer IV/70 (A), and Panzer IV/70 (V) also had a commander's version produced, with a crew of five men, reduced ammunition, and an additional radio station. The powerful armament of these vehicles made them quite popular with the Wehrmacht's anti-tank divisions. These self-propelled guns were widely used in combat operations during the final part of the war.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Panzer IV/70(A) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the vehicles;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Shop] Restoration of original content