Pz.II F

This page is about the German light tank Pz.II F. For other versions, see Pz.II (Disambiguation).

Pz.II F

Pz.II C

Pz.IV E

Pz.II F

Pz.II C

Pz.IV E

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	1.7	1.7

Class:

Light tank

Research:3 000

Purchase:6 300

Show in game

Description

The Panzerkampfwagen II Ausführung F (Panzer II F) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 121) is the sixth variant of the Panzer II light tank family. The Panzer II F variant was designed with thicker 30 mm armour on the tank hull's front and 30 mm armour on the turret's front. Instead of a split hatch, the commander cupola is fitted with a periscope on top of the turret. The side vision ports were protected by vertical bullet splash shields and two conical bolts above and below the visor to hold the 50 mm bulletproof glass in position. A triangle-shaped guard welded to the top of the superstructure at the front and back shielded the turret ring from small bullets and shrapnel. To the right of the driver's vision port, a fake armoured visor constructed of aluminium alloy was mounted onto the front of the hull. This was done in order to draw hostile fire away from the driver. The majority of the other components needed to construct the tank were carried over from earlier variants. It was armed with an improved Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 38 20 mm L/55 autocannon and a 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun. In March 1941, the first seven Panzer II F light tanks were completed. Production ceased in late July 1942. A total of 1,004 were assigned chassis numbers and went into service. They were mostly utilized as reconnaissance tanks on the Eastern Front, but some Panzer II F light tanks were transferred to Libya as replacements.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Panzer II F variant is the successor to the Panzer II C variant in the Panzer II light tank family. The gameplay is generally similar to the Panzer II C variant, with the exception that players may notice a significant increase in the firing rate of the primary 20 mm KwK38 L/55 autocannon. Armour protection is slightly improved, allowing the player to deflect shells from hostile tanks occasionally. However, since the tank is poorly armoured, players should not rely too heavily on the armour to exchange shots with the opponent. Players should be aware that the reload time of an ammo clip is substantially greater than that of most opponents and should not empty all cannon shells at once when confronted with an enemy tank in close combat.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull35 / 20 / 15

Turret30 / 15 / 15

Crew3 people

Visibility73 %

The Panzer II F is slightly less protected than the Panzer II C coming before it, with 30 mm front plating on its turret and hull instead of the 35 mm on its predecessor. It still has only three crew, so it is easy to knock-out in one shot with most ammo types.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	30 mm (11°) Front plate 20 mm (73°) Front glacis 35 mm (36°) Bottom glacis	20 mm	15 mm	15 mm
Turret	30 mm	15 mm	15 mm	10 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 10 m thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
• Frontal lower plate is 35 mm thick at 36° angle, and covered by attached tracks, counting as additional 10 mm of armour; enough to deflect most shells it faces.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB49 / 10 km/h

RB and SB44 / 9 km/h

Number of gears6 forward

1 back

Weight9.1 t

Engine power

AB267 hp

RB and SB140 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB29.3 hp/t

RB and SB15.4 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	49	10	9.1	217	267	23.85	29.34
Realistic	44	9		124	140	13.63	15.38

Mobility is identical to the Pz.II C, they use the same engine, transmission, and weigh almost the exact same.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB249 → 320

RB283 → 364

SB344 → 442

Total cost of modifications5 970

4 480

Talisman cost410

Crew training1 800

Experts6 300

Aces75

Research Aces135 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

20 / 30 / 30 %

106 / 106 / 106 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 400 Cost: 300 75 Suspension Research: 270 Cost: 200 50 Brake System Research: 270 Cost: 200 50 Filters Research: 500 Cost: 380 95 Transmission Research: 480 Cost: 360 90 Engine Research: 480 Cost: 360 90	Improved Parts Research: 400 Cost: 300 75 Improved FPE Research: 270 Cost: 200 50 Crew Replenishment Research: 500 Cost: 380 95	Horizontal Drive Research: 400 Cost: 300 75 Adjustment of Fire Research: 270 Cost: 200 50 20mm_kwk_30_AP_ammo_pack Research: 270 Cost: 200 50 Elevation Mechanism Research: 500 Cost: 380 95 Artillery Support Research: 480 Cost: 360 90 20mm_kwk_30_APCR_ammo_pack Research: 480 Cost: 360 90

Armaments

Main armament

20 mm KwK38 cannon

Shoulder stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving

Ammunition180 rounds

Belt capacity10 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

7.8 → 6.0 s

Fire rate450 shots/min

Vertical guidance-9° / 20°

The chief difference between the Panzer II F and its predecessor is the main gun. The II F uses the 20 mm KwK38, which has almost double the fire rate compared to the KwK30. The magazine size did not change, still limited to ten rounds of ammunition. The reload time is also identical, so while it is tempting to "spray-n-pray", it is more practical to use it like you would an autoloading tank at higher ranks and administer trigger control to make the shots count. With the Panzer II F, you do not have to worry about changing ammunition performance with every shot, which makes the "autoloader-like" playstyle more attractive, unlike similar-BR Italian tanks using 20 mm autocannons, the AB41 and L6/40.

20 mm KwK38						Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	180 (10)	450	-9°/+20°	±180°	Vertical	13.33	18.45	22.40	24.77	26.35	7.80	6.90	6.36	6.00
Realistic						8.33	9.80	11.90	13.16	14.00

Ammunition

• Default: API-T · HEFI-T* - 50% of this belt is useless against tanks or planes. However against other SPAA this belt can reliably take out crew, armament, ammo and engine. Having one belt in reserve does not hurt.
• PzGr: API-T - Intermediate usage until the better PzGr 40 can be used. Decent enough versus light tanks and other vehicles from the rear. It inflicts underwhelming damage due to the lack of HE filler, yet still better than the PzGr 40.
• PzGr 40: HVAP-T - Best penetrating shell of this vehicle. However, the damage effects are very poor. In close combat, snipe for modules and crew members for increased survival rate. Nothing is more annoying than emptying a clip and then to get out-gamed during the reload because the enemy gunner survived. Against angled armour it is not very effective like any other ACPR shell, this is offset by the very high base penetration though.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
	10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
HEFI-T*	5	4	3	2	2	2
API-T	37	34	23	14	9	6
HVAP-T	48	45	31	20	13	8

Shell details
Ammunition	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
						0%	50%	100%
HEFI-T*	900	0.12	0.1	0.1	10.2	79°	80°	81°
API-T	800	0.15	-	-	-	47°	60°	65°
HVAP-T	1,050	0.1	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Pz.II C (identical).

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
18	11 (+7)	7 (+11)	1 (+17)	No

Notes:

• Ammunition is modeled as 18 magazines of 10 rounds.
• Racks disappear after you've fired all magazines in the rack.
• Right flank empty: 11 (+7) magazines.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition1 800 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate900 shots/min

Just like its predecessor, this tank has one coaxial 7.92 mm MG34. Due to the slow turret traverse common to most lower-rank German tanks, this is not a very practical weapon.

7.92 mm MG34
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1,800 (150)	900	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

This tank is similar to the Panzer II C, an average light tank for lower ranks with decent armour and decent mobility, but a potent cannon. It does not work well against sloped armour due to the weak normalization of HVAP rounds. The higher rate of fire is quite punishing since it means that the typical player is continuously firing and reloading more often. If used like an autoloader tank from higher ranks, however, it becomes more accurate and effective. Do not get overconfident in this tank because your gun shoots fast and has excellent penetration; unfortunately, HVAP post-penetration damage is lacklustre here. Furthermore, the slightly higher battle rating means it can be pitted against the B1 ter, which it cannot reliably penetrate from the front or the side even when utilizing the HVAP belt.

Furthermore, poor turret traverse means that a Stuart or BT can easily outmanoeuvre the tank. This relative difference is the same in both AB and RB/SB.

Find a good position, be patient, and double-check before moving in. If you wish to brawl, have others covering your flanks to mitigate slow turret traverse.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Decent frontal armour: when angled it can be immune to common opponents like the BT-5, BT-7, M3A1 and A13
• Overall superior firepower: autocannon shoots rapidly, resulting in denser fire, and with the PzGr 40 belt it can penetrate any tank, including the B1 bis when aiming correctly
• Fast top speed and good agility makes it a great flanker
• Curved turret armour of 30 mm plus -10 degrees gun depression allows it to hull-down on hills easily
• Small width means it can manoeuvre through or hide in narrow passages in urban maps, allowing it to ambush or flank unexpectedly
• Low profile makes it easy to hide behind bushes or cover
• In Simulator mode, friendly fire is less likely due to the very distinct shape and profile

Cons:

• Only performs well at close quarters combat, as both the AP and HVAP penetration drop below 30 mm past 500 m, making it struggle to penetrate common opponents such as the M3/M5 Stuart and B1 bis
• Magazine-loaded armament means there is lengthy downtime for reloading where you are vulnerable
• Survivability is still inadequate: unsloped armour plus closely-packed crew of 3 means it is very vulnerable to T-26, BT-5 or M8 Scott which all have explosive AP
• Although top speed is good, it is still slower than other light tanks like the infamous BT-5, M8 Greyhound and M3/M5
• Poor damage of 20 mm shells means that new players cannot effectively destroy spacious tanks like LVT(A)(1)
• Low penetration when not using HVAP-T rounds. When stock it is useless against a B1 bis or M3/M5 (frontally)
• Faster rate of fire than the previous C model can be punishing if you spray too much

History

Development

In 1934, the development of the new German tanks, which would be the Panzer III and Panzer IV, was falling behind schedule despite an urgent need for tanks. As a stopgap solution until the designs were finalized, the Germany Army submitted a request for a new tank, designing it to Krupp, MAN, Henschel, and Daimler-Benz.

The product was a design based on the German Panzer I light tank, but it was larger with the addition of an extra bogie wheel and had a 20 mm autocannon as its main armament. The finished tank was designated the Panzer II, and production started in 1935 but did not start delivering tanks until 18 months later. At this time, it was in a low rate production status by 1936 in the Panzer II Ausf. C variant. In the 1940s, the Panzer II was upgraded to the Panzer II Ausf. F, which entered into production in 1941 with increased armour and a torsion bar suspension system. A total of 524 Ausf. F were produced between March 1941 to December 1942.

The Panzer II Ausf. F had a 35 mm front armour and 20 mm side armour compared to the 14 mm all-around armour on the Ausf. C. The 20 mm autocannon on the turret was the same, based off the 20 mm FlaK 30, then in use with a rate of fire of 600 rpm from a 10-round magazine. The tank came with a coaxial machine gun as well. The turret was hand-cranked by the commander, who doubled as the gunner of the tanks. The crew of the Panzer II consists of three people, the driver, commander, and loader who doubled as a radio operator. The Panzer II Ausf. C could reach a speed of 33 mph with its torsion-bar suspension.

Combat usage

The Panzer II would serve in the initial stages of World War II in the Battle of Poland, France. It continued serving in the North African Campaign and Operation Barbarossa as Germany's most numerous tank (By May 1940, there were about a thousand Panzer Is and IIs, but only 381 Panzer III and 290 Panzer IVs). By 1941, it was clear that the Panzer II was starting to become obsolete. With the increasing quantity of Panzer IIIs and IVs, the Panzer II was relegated to reconnaissance duties.

Despite the up-armouring in the different Panzer II variants, the Panzer II could still be penetrated by the most towed anti-tank weapon in service at the time, leaving the crew at risk to enemy fire. By 1942, it was largely removed from front lines, and production ceased by 1943. The turrets of these obsolete tanks were used as gun turrets on defensive bunkers on the Atlantic Wall, and the chassis stayed in use for other purposes, such as a self-propelled gun and tank destroyer in the Wespe and Marder II respectively.

Archive of the in-game description

The Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. F was the last production variant of the Pz.Kpfw. II tank. Serial production of the vehicle was meant to answer a need for new tank formations, as medium tanks were produced in very insufficient quantities. The design of the tank was similar to the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C, except for the bent forward portion of the hull, which was made of 33 mm thick solid armour plating. The thickness of the frontal portion of the superstructure, turrets, and gun mantlet was increased to 30 mm. The armour thickness on the sides and stern was 15 mm. On the right side of the frontal portion of the tank's superstructure, a fake driver's viewport was installed. In addition, the driver received a KFF-2 surveillance device, which allowed a viewing angle of 63° and was protected by a two-hinged lid. A container for the crew's things was affixed to the rear of the turret. The main section of the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. F was equipped with a new 20 mm 2 cm KwK38 automatic cannon with a TZF 3a sight. In addition to improvements in its weapons' ballistic performance, in 1940 the tank received the pointed armour-piercing Pzgr 40 L'Spur shell, with an armour-piercing core made of solid tungsten carbide alloy. These measures greatly increased its armour penetration capabilities. The ammunition on the latest series of tanks was increased to 180 shells and 2,100 rounds. The turret was equipped with an improved rotation mechanism and a new design for the gun mantlet's armoured viewports. From 1941 to 1942, the four companies MAN, Daimler-Benz, FAMO, and MIAG produced a total of 533 tanks. The tank was used extensively until the end of 1942. Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, tank destroyers, and flame tanks were designed using this variant as a base.

Media

Images

• 

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Pz.II F from live.warthunder.com.

Sights

• RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI

See also

• Pz.II C · Pz.II C (DAK)

External links

• [Vehicle Profile] PzKpfw II Ausf C/F and DAK