Difference between revisions of "Pz.IV G"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_G}}
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{{About
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| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = Pz.IV (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_G
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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The '''Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung G (Panzer IV G)''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29 Sd.Kfz. Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/2''') is the seventh variant of the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank family]]. The Panzer IV G variant effectively changed the Panzer IV's overall combat purpose. While all previous variants were primarily meant to engage fortifications and entrenched positions in support of the infantry, the Panzer IV G was the first entirely new variant to receive a significant increase in firepower against armoured targets. Previously, [[Pz.III (Family)|Panzer IIIs]] were usually assigned to such tasks. Aside from its rearmament with the long-barrelled 75 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 40 L/43 tank gun, relatively few modifications were made to its overall design in comparison to the earlier [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2 variant]]. The production of this variant began in 1942, considerably assisting the German armoured divisions in fighting more effectively against the well-armoured enemy tanks on the Eastern Front and in North Africa.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Panzer IV G variant is very identical to the previous Panzer IV F2 variant except for three obvious differences. To begin, the thickness of the hull frontal armour was increased from 50 mm to 80 mm. Second, the previous Panzer IV F2 variant's ball-shaped muzzle brake was replaced with the more common double-chambered muzzle brake type. Third, since the new Panzer IV G's first operational employment was during the North African Campaign during intense skirmishes with British forces, the tank was painted in the unique Dunkelgelb yellow coat. Small changes, such as the addition of smoke grenade launchers on either side of the turret, were also made, giving players the chance to hide from enemy sight when the situation becomes complicated. Otherwise, the gameplay is identical to the previous Panzer IV F2 variant.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
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'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
*Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
*Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
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| Hull || 80 mm (11-12°) ''Front plate'' <br> 20 mm (73°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 80 mm (13-14°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 20 mm (4-15°) || 10 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 50 mm (11°) ''Turret front'' <br> 50 mm (7-29°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (23-26°) || 30 mm (15-17°) || 16 mm ''Front'' <br> 25 mm ''Rear''
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || 95 mm || 95 mm || 95 mm || 8 mm
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|-
 +
|}
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'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
 +
* Lower glacis is protected by attached spare tracks, adding 20 mm of armour
 +
 
 +
The Panzer IV Ausf. G, despite the improved 80 mm front plate, is still 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.
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 +
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.
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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Alternatively, aim at the Panzer IV from its long vulnerable sides in cases where its 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 Panzer IV Ausf. G above all else, as it would deny the Panzer IV G even a chance to use its high-penetrating 75 mm gun.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265|AoAweight=0.15}}
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 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
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== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
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=== Main armament ===
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
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{{main|KwK40 L43 (75 mm)}}
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[KwK40 L43 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40 L43]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 87 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.33 || 18.45 || 22.40 || 24.77 || 26.35 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
 +
| 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
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|-
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|}
  
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== Weaponry ==
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==== Ammunition ====
−
=== Main weaponry ===
 
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
 
  
−
=== Additional weaponry ===
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*'''PzGr 39''' - Armour-Piercing Ballistic Cap shell - Use this shell as your main ammunition type, as it has a good penetration power and deals the most damage upon penetration thanks to its explosive filler.
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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*'''Hl.Gr. 38B''' - High Explosive Anti-Tank 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''' - Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid shell - This type of ammo should be used when facing a heavily armoured enemy such as the Churchill VII in arcade and flanking is not an option. However, its post-penetration damage is much lower because it has no explosive filler to detonate after penetrating. Do not use the PzGr 40 against sloped armour as APCR shells have extremely poor performance against angled armour.
 +
*'''SprGr. 34''' - High Explosive 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 shell - Pack a few of these. They are useful to blind enemy vehicles that block your advance while being being too remote for you to disable.
 +
 
 +
{{:KwK40 L43 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, Hl.Gr 38B, PzGr 40, Sprgr. 34, K.Gr.Rot Nb.}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_Pz.IV_H.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Pz.IV H (identical).]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.5.1.106''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
|-
 +
| '''87''' || 84&nbsp;''(+3)'' || 82&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 80&nbsp;''(+7)'' || 72&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 63&nbsp;''(+24)'' || 54&nbsp;''(+33)''
 +
|-
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
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! 8th<br>rack empty
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! 9th<br>rack empty
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! 10th<br>rack empty
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! 11th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
!
 +
|-
 +
| 46&nbsp;''(+41)'' || 38&nbsp;''(+49)'' || 30&nbsp;''(+57)'' || 24&nbsp;''(+63)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+86)'' || No
 +
!
 +
|-
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|}
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'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* Racks are modeled by sets of 2 and disappear after both shells in the set having been shot or loaded.
 +
* Sides empty: 30&nbsp;''(+57)'' shells.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
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{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
The Pz.IV G can be utilized as both a sniper and brawler, thanks to its improved armour and great gun - however, situational awareness must be maintained at all costs as the un-sloped armour, while an improvement over the Ausf. F2 is still not sufficient to provide reliable defence. It is best to shoot first, as the KwK40 L/43 can deal with the majority of enemies it will face. Heavy tanks like the KV series will need careful aim but are still not a major threat. Like most German tanks, the default round is the best round available; however, the maximum load should be avoided (around 30 rounds is sufficient) as it increases the chance of ammo rack explosions if the armour is penetrated.
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
In close quarters and urban settings, it can also perform adequately due to the average turret traverse rate, mobility, and high-punching gun. A good tactic is to launch the smoke grenades and flank enemies that are aware of the Panzer's presence.
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
 
 +
In long range engagements, the Pz. IV G is able to send powerful armour-piercing shells that will penetrate almost any armour at this BR. In arcade battles, its quick speed and turret traverse are perfect for poking out and shooting at enemies then retreating back to cover. On open maps, this tank performs better in realistic battles, it's slower but you don't sacrifice any gun power so it's better suited to more sniper style gameplay. However, a general rule for any gamemode whilst sniping is that it's important to only reveal the turret if possible, the turret armour is much thicker. This means you are less likely to have an ammorack detonation and you protect the hull.
 +
 
 +
The 75 mm KwK40 L/43 gun still packs a powerful punch at this rank. A solid hit on a target's front armour that's not sloped is very likely to penetrate. At its realistic battle rating, the most heavily armoured vehicle the Pz.IV G will fight will be the [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]] series ,which has prominent weak spots that can be exploited. Shoot first, hit hard and don't miss. Unless uptiered in arcade, the [[M6A1]] is not a concern in realistic, but nonetheless aim for weak spots and be the first to shoot.
 +
 
 +
The Churchill VII is also a common sight in higher rank arcade games. It has thick armour and a gun that is effective against the Panzer's weak turret armour. Under 500 m, it is advisable to use APCR, which is effective against the Churchills flat armour. If the Churchill is angling, the best method is to try flanking or aiming for its weak machine gun ports.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Better armour than predecessors, 80 mm thick at the hull front
 +
* Cupola armour greatly improved to 95 mm thick
 +
* Great gun depression, no need to expose hull when shooting from a ridge
 +
* High APCR shell velocity makes targeting moving tanks easy
 +
* Large ammo capacity
 +
* Decent mobility on hard ground
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Poor ammo storage protection, prone to detonation if penetrated
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Turret front armour is still weak (only 50 mm thick)
 +
* Narrow tracks and weight give it poor cross-country performance, until the Ostketten are researched and equipped
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
=== Development ===
 +
The '''Pz.Kpfw. IV's''' creation, like its predecessor the [[Pz.III E|Pz.Kpfw. III]], was devised by Heinz Guderian. He envisioned a support tank that could be used to handle anti-tank guns and fortifications. In Panzer Divisions, the Panzer IV was to work alongside the more numerable Panzer III (three company of IIIs and one of IVs). The role of anti-armour was reserved for the Panzer III in these situations. As a support tank, the Panzer IV was to have the short 75 mm howitzer as its main armament and also a weight limit of 24 tons. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig worked on the development of the tanks, but the Krupp's model was selected for further testing.
 +
 
 +
The chosen model from Krupp, once finished, used a leaf-spring double-bogie system for its suspension, doing away the proposed interleaved or torsion bar suspension system earlier devised for the sake of faster production. The vehicle held five crew members - the commander, gunner, loader, radio operator (hull machine gunner), and driver. Though it looked symmetrical, the Panzer IV's turret was actually offset to the left of the chassis centre line while the engine was also offset to the right. This was to allow the torque shaft to turn the turret. The offset also meant that most of the ammo was held on the right side of the tank in storage areas. The Panzer IV was then accepted into service and production began in 1936.
 +
 
 +
=== Panzer IV Ausf. G ===
 +
With the appearance of the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks, the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV Ausf. F2]] was made as a stopgap solution with a new and more powerful KwK40 L/43 gun. After three months into production, the Panzer IV was upgraded again to the '''Panzer IV Ausf. G'''. The Ausf. G featured a stronger 80 mm thick front glacis armour with 30 mm side armour. Some weight-saving techniques were put into play, but the tank still weighed about 23.6 tons and put strain onto the driving system. Some simplification went into the tank such as the removal of the vision ports on the sides of the turret.
 +
 
 +
The Panzer IV Ausf. G was also the first variant on the Panzer IV line to feature some new innovative features. In March 1943, the Ausf. G was presented with the first of the ''Schürzen'' side armour skirts on the turret and hull sides. On the later models, the KwK40 L/43 was also upgraded to the L/48 variant, simply a longer version with a better muzzle brake to improve recoil efficiency.
 +
 
 +
The Panzer IV Ausf. G was well-liked by the armoured crews due to increased armour and lethality against the progressively stronger Allied armour such as the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34s]] and the [[M4|M4 Shermans]]. While the 50 mm armour before was deemed very vulnerable to the Allied guns, the 80 mm caused some headaches among Allied tankers, though could still come on-par in performances. At this point, the newer [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks in production should have replaced the venerable Panzer IV by now, but production problems and low quantity meant the Panzer IV was staying at the main tank for the German Army for a while.
 +
 
 +
The Panzer IV Ausf. G was then upgraded again to the [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV Ausf. H]], which would become the most numerous variant of all the Panzer IVs.
 +
 
 +
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 +
The first changes of this variant, which were carried out in the summer of 1942, included a new two-chamber pear-shaped muzzle brake. The viewports in the front plates of the turret and the view hatch in its forward plate were removed. Smoke grenade launchers were moved from the rear of the hull to the sides of the turret. The tank was given an ignition assistance system for winter conditions.
 +
 
 +
Since the 50-mm-thick front armour of the Pz.Kpfw. IV was still inadequate, it was strengthened with additional 30 mm armour plates that were welded or bolted on. The thickness of the front plates on the turret and the weapon mantlet was 50 mm, and this thickness was not increased in future upgrades.
 +
 
 +
Improving the machines' protective armour during production was a slow process, and by November only about half of the tanks included the reinforced armour. This armour was only installed on all new tanks from January 1943 onward. In the spring of 1943, the 7,5 cm KwK40 L/43 gun on this variant was replaced with a 7,5 cm Kw.K.40 L/48 with a long 48 calibre barrel, which had slightly higher armour penetration power. By the Battle of Kursk, almost all of the tanks had received Schurzen skirts for their sides and turrets.
 +
 
 +
Production of Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G tanks lasted until June 1943, with a total of 1687 units being produced. Of this number, about 700 tanks received the reinforced armour, and 412 had the KwK40 L/48 gun installed.
 +
 
 +
This variant made up the majority of Pz.Kpfw. IV tanks which participated in Operation Citadel.
 +
 
 +
Ausf. G tanks were supplied to Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Turkey, and Spain. The Bulgarian and Romanian machines fought against the Red Army, and after they joined the Allies, against the German military. Captured Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F tanks which were still serviceable were eagerly used by the Red Army.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
 +
 
 +
== Media ==
 +
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
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 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_G Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Sights
  
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guids, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ 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]
  
−
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!-- ''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
;Similar Vehicles
 +
 
 +
* [[T-34-57]]
 +
* [[M4A2]]
 +
* [[Sherman II]]
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{Germany medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 15:39, 21 October 2024

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the German medium tank Pz.IV G. For other versions, see Pz.IV (Family).
Pz.IV G
germ_pzkpfw_iv_ausf_g.png
GarageImage Pz.IV G.jpg
GarageImage Pz.IV G AddArmour.jpg
ArtImage Pz.IV G.png
ArtImage2 Pz.IV G.png
Pz.IV G
Germany flag.png Germany
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
3.7 3.3 3.3
Class:
Research:5 600 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:22 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung G (Panzer IV G) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 161/2) is the seventh variant of the Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank family. The Panzer IV G variant effectively changed the Panzer IV's overall combat purpose. While all previous variants were primarily meant to engage fortifications and entrenched positions in support of the infantry, the Panzer IV G was the first entirely new variant to receive a significant increase in firepower against armoured targets. Previously, Panzer IIIs were usually assigned to such tasks. Aside from its rearmament with the long-barrelled 75 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 40 L/43 tank gun, relatively few modifications were made to its overall design in comparison to the earlier Panzer IV F2 variant. The production of this variant began in 1942, considerably assisting the German armoured divisions in fighting more effectively against the well-armoured enemy tanks on the Eastern Front and in North Africa.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Panzer IV G variant is very identical to the previous Panzer IV F2 variant except for three obvious differences. To begin, the thickness of the hull frontal armour was increased from 50 mm to 80 mm. Second, the previous Panzer IV F2 variant's ball-shaped muzzle brake was replaced with the more common double-chambered muzzle brake type. Third, since the new Panzer IV G's first operational employment was during the North African Campaign during intense skirmishes with British forces, the tank was painted in the unique Dunkelgelb yellow coat. Small changes, such as the addition of smoke grenade launchers on either side of the turret, were also made, giving players the chance to hide from enemy sight when the situation becomes complicated. Otherwise, the gameplay is identical to the previous Panzer IV F2 variant.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 30 / 20
Turret50 / 30 / 30
Crew5 people
Visibility99 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 80 mm (11-12°) Front plate
20 mm (73°) Front glacis
80 mm (13-14°) Lower glacis 		30 mm 20 mm (4-15°) 10 mm
Turret 50 mm (11°) Turret front
50 mm (7-29°) Gun mantlet 		30 mm (23-26°) 30 mm (15-17°) 16 mm Front
25 mm Rear
Cupola 95 mm 95 mm 95 mm 8 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • Lower glacis is protected by attached spare tracks, adding 20 mm of armour

The Panzer IV Ausf. G, despite the improved 80 mm front plate, is still 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 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 Panzer IV Ausf. G above all else, as it would deny the Panzer IV G even a chance to use its high-penetrating 75 mm gun.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB45 / 9 km/h
RB and SB40 / 8 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
1 back
Weight23.7 t
Engine power
AB572 hp
RB and SB300 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB24.1 hp/t
RB and SB12.7 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 45 9 23.5 0.15 465 572 19.75 24.14
Realistic 40 8 265 300 11.25 12.66

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB638 → 919 Sl icon.png
RB732 → 1 055 Sl icon.png
SB907 → 1 307 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications10 430 Rp icon.png
13 810 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost750 Ge icon.png
Crew training6 300 Sl icon.png
Experts22 000 Sl icon.png
Aces210 Ge icon.png
Research Aces220 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
40 / 60 / 80 % Sl icon.png
124 / 124 / 124 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank traks.png
Ostketten
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods tank additional armor.png
Add-on Armor
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_37_40_HEAT_ammo_pack
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
470 Rp icon.png
Cost:
620 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_kwk_40_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
690 Sl icon.png
100 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_ger_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
680 Rp icon.png
Cost:
900 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm KwK40 L43 cannon
Ammunition87 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: KwK40 L43 (75 mm)
75 mm KwK40 L43 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 13.33 18.45 22.40 24.77 26.35 7.67 6.79 6.25 5.90
Realistic 8.33 9.80 11.90 13.16 14.00

Ammunition

  • PzGr 39 - Armour-Piercing Ballistic Cap shell - Use this shell as your main ammunition type, as it has a good penetration power and deals the most damage upon penetration thanks to its explosive filler.
  • Hl.Gr. 38B - High Explosive Anti-Tank 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 - Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid shell - This type of ammo should be used when facing a heavily armoured enemy such as the Churchill VII in arcade and flanking is not an option. However, its post-penetration damage is much lower because it has no explosive filler to detonate after penetrating. Do not use the PzGr 40 against sloped armour as APCR shells have extremely poor performance against angled armour.
  • SprGr. 34 - High Explosive 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 shell - Pack a few of these. They 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 137 135 123 110 98 88
Hl.Gr 38B HEAT 80 80 80 80 80 80
PzGr 40 APCR 163 159 143 126 110 96
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 740 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 919 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

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

Notes:

  • Racks are modeled by sets of 2 and disappear after both shells in the set having been shot or loaded.
  • Sides empty: 30 (+57) shells.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 000 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 3,000 (150) 900 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The Pz.IV G can be utilized as both a sniper and brawler, thanks to its improved armour and great gun - however, situational awareness must be maintained at all costs as the un-sloped armour, while an improvement over the Ausf. F2 is still not sufficient to provide reliable defence. It is best to shoot first, as the KwK40 L/43 can deal with the majority of enemies it will face. Heavy tanks like the KV series will need careful aim but are still not a major threat. Like most German tanks, the default round is the best round available; however, the maximum load should be avoided (around 30 rounds is sufficient) as it increases the chance of ammo rack explosions if the armour is penetrated.

In close quarters and urban settings, it can also perform adequately due to the average turret traverse rate, mobility, and high-punching gun. A good tactic is to launch the smoke grenades and flank enemies that are aware of the Panzer's presence.

In long range engagements, the Pz. IV G is able to send powerful armour-piercing shells that will penetrate almost any armour at this BR. In arcade battles, its quick speed and turret traverse are perfect for poking out and shooting at enemies then retreating back to cover. On open maps, this tank performs better in realistic battles, it's slower but you don't sacrifice any gun power so it's better suited to more sniper style gameplay. However, a general rule for any gamemode whilst sniping is that it's important to only reveal the turret if possible, the turret armour is much thicker. This means you are less likely to have an ammorack detonation and you protect the hull.

The 75 mm KwK40 L/43 gun still packs a powerful punch at this rank. A solid hit on a target's front armour that's not sloped is very likely to penetrate. At its realistic battle rating, the most heavily armoured vehicle the Pz.IV G will fight will be the KV-1 series ,which has prominent weak spots that can be exploited. Shoot first, hit hard and don't miss. Unless uptiered in arcade, the M6A1 is not a concern in realistic, but nonetheless aim for weak spots and be the first to shoot.

The Churchill VII is also a common sight in higher rank arcade games. It has thick armour and a gun that is effective against the Panzer's weak turret armour. Under 500 m, it is advisable to use APCR, which is effective against the Churchills flat armour. If the Churchill is angling, the best method is to try flanking or aiming for its weak machine gun ports.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Better armour than predecessors, 80 mm thick at the hull front
  • Cupola armour greatly improved to 95 mm thick
  • Great gun depression, no need to expose hull when shooting from a ridge
  • High APCR shell velocity makes targeting moving tanks easy
  • Large ammo capacity
  • Decent mobility on hard ground

Cons:

  • Poor ammo storage protection, prone to detonation if penetrated
  • Turret front armour is still weak (only 50 mm thick)
  • Narrow tracks and weight give it poor cross-country performance, until the Ostketten are researched and equipped

History

Development

The Pz.Kpfw. IV's creation, like its predecessor the Pz.Kpfw. III, was devised by Heinz Guderian. He envisioned a support tank that could be used to handle anti-tank guns and fortifications. In Panzer Divisions, the Panzer IV was to work alongside the more numerable Panzer III (three company of IIIs and one of IVs). The role of anti-armour was reserved for the Panzer III in these situations. As a support tank, the Panzer IV was to have the short 75 mm howitzer as its main armament and also a weight limit of 24 tons. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig worked on the development of the tanks, but the Krupp's model was selected for further testing.

The chosen model from Krupp, once finished, used a leaf-spring double-bogie system for its suspension, doing away the proposed interleaved or torsion bar suspension system earlier devised for the sake of faster production. The vehicle held five crew members - the commander, gunner, loader, radio operator (hull machine gunner), and driver. Though it looked symmetrical, the Panzer IV's turret was actually offset to the left of the chassis centre line while the engine was also offset to the right. This was to allow the torque shaft to turn the turret. The offset also meant that most of the ammo was held on the right side of the tank in storage areas. The Panzer IV was then accepted into service and production began in 1936.

Panzer IV Ausf. G

With the appearance of the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks, the Panzer IV Ausf. F2 was made as a stopgap solution with a new and more powerful KwK40 L/43 gun. After three months into production, the Panzer IV was upgraded again to the Panzer IV Ausf. G. The Ausf. G featured a stronger 80 mm thick front glacis armour with 30 mm side armour. Some weight-saving techniques were put into play, but the tank still weighed about 23.6 tons and put strain onto the driving system. Some simplification went into the tank such as the removal of the vision ports on the sides of the turret.

The Panzer IV Ausf. G was also the first variant on the Panzer IV line to feature some new innovative features. In March 1943, the Ausf. G was presented with the first of the Schürzen side armour skirts on the turret and hull sides. On the later models, the KwK40 L/43 was also upgraded to the L/48 variant, simply a longer version with a better muzzle brake to improve recoil efficiency.

The Panzer IV Ausf. G was well-liked by the armoured crews due to increased armour and lethality against the progressively stronger Allied armour such as the T-34s and the M4 Shermans. While the 50 mm armour before was deemed very vulnerable to the Allied guns, the 80 mm caused some headaches among Allied tankers, though could still come on-par in performances. At this point, the newer Panther tanks in production should have replaced the venerable Panzer IV by now, but production problems and low quantity meant the Panzer IV was staying at the main tank for the German Army for a while.

The Panzer IV Ausf. G was then upgraded again to the Panzer IV Ausf. H, which would become the most numerous variant of all the Panzer IVs.


Archive of the in-game description

The first changes of this variant, which were carried out in the summer of 1942, included a new two-chamber pear-shaped muzzle brake. The viewports in the front plates of the turret and the view hatch in its forward plate were removed. Smoke grenade launchers were moved from the rear of the hull to the sides of the turret. The tank was given an ignition assistance system for winter conditions.

Since the 50-mm-thick front armour of the Pz.Kpfw. IV was still inadequate, it was strengthened with additional 30 mm armour plates that were welded or bolted on. The thickness of the front plates on the turret and the weapon mantlet was 50 mm, and this thickness was not increased in future upgrades.

Improving the machines' protective armour during production was a slow process, and by November only about half of the tanks included the reinforced armour. This armour was only installed on all new tanks from January 1943 onward. In the spring of 1943, the 7,5 cm KwK40 L/43 gun on this variant was replaced with a 7,5 cm Kw.K.40 L/48 with a long 48 calibre barrel, which had slightly higher armour penetration power. By the Battle of Kursk, almost all of the tanks had received Schurzen skirts for their sides and turrets.

Production of Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G tanks lasted until June 1943, with a total of 1687 units being produced. Of this number, about 700 tanks received the reinforced armour, and 412 had the KwK40 L/48 gun installed.

This variant made up the majority of Pz.Kpfw. IV tanks which participated in Operation Citadel.

Ausf. G tanks were supplied to Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Turkey, and Spain. The Bulgarian and Romanian machines fought against the Red Army, and after they joined the Allies, against the German military. Captured Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F tanks which were still serviceable were eagerly used by the Red Army.


Media

Skins
Sights

See also

Similar 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 2A4M · 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

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