Difference between revisions of "Panzer IV/70(V)"
m (The phrasing "commander machine gun" may confuse some players as the machine gun appears to be operated by the loader and isn't pintle mounted.) (Tag: Visual edit) |
m (Changes to armor information and additionally classified the M36 as an enemy worth noting, primarily due to the 90 mm M3.) (Tag: Visual edit) |
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* Tracks (20 mm thick) are used as add-on armour on the casemate. | * Tracks (20 mm thick) are used as add-on armour on the casemate. | ||
| − | Befitting of the German casemate destroyer line, the frontal armour on the {{PAGENAME}} is one to be feared. It features a mighty frontal plate of 80 mm sloped at 50°, | + | Befitting of the German casemate destroyer line, the frontal armour on the {{PAGENAME}} is one to be feared. It features a mighty frontal plate of 80 mm sloped at 50° compared to the Panther's 55º. This results in a slight reduction of useful armor, and is especially prominent against certain shells fired by the Soviet 85 mm gun that can be commonly found at this BR. The gun mantlet is also very well protected due to its volumetric armor. However, the bottom of the mantlet creates a shot trap that may destroy your vehicle. The armour is improved even further when the player unlocks the "Add-on Armour" modification, applying tracks to the front and sides of the tank, and results in over 185 mm of protection in the critical region where 3 of 4 crew members sit in a row, which helps significantly against BR-365 fired by the Soviet 85 mm gun.. Even with this amazing armour, it is best to use the {{PAGENAME}} at longer ranges, as this allows you to make use of the Panzer IV/70's high velocity gun and turns you from a difficult target to a nigh impenetrable one. |
| − | However, the side armour is very weak and is able to be penetrated by most things at your BR, so the player should be careful and look out for flankers. | + | However, the side armour is very weak and is able to be penetrated by most things at your BR, so the player should be careful and look out for flankers. It should also be noted that in an uptier, it is common to face the American 90 mm or Soviet 122 mm guns, which will make short work of the vehicle frontally. |
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| Line 151: | Line 151: | ||
* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152]]/[[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. | * [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152]]/[[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. | ||
* [[ARL-44]]: the ARL 44's 90 mm SA45 gun can cut through the Pz IV/70's armour with no effort from almost any practical combat range. Its upper frontal plate is completely immune to your shells, and its lower plate also has a habit of causing ricochets. Fortunately, its turret armour is easily penetrated by your gun, resulting in most or all of the turret crew being knocked out or even the ammunition at the back of the turret being detonated. | * [[ARL-44]]: the ARL 44's 90 mm SA45 gun can cut through the Pz IV/70's armour with no effort from almost any practical combat range. Its upper frontal plate is completely immune to your shells, and its lower plate also has a habit of causing ricochets. Fortunately, its turret armour is easily penetrated by your gun, resulting in most or all of the turret crew being knocked out or even the ammunition at the back of the turret being detonated. | ||
| + | * [[M36B1]]: The M36 can be found on many nations in the game and is one of the earliest vehicles to utilize the 90 mm M3 gun, which fires the M82 APCBC shot capable of penetrating the sloped frontal armor of the Pz IV/70 with ease. The M82 is an incredible shell with excellent angled performance and high explosive filler content, which, combined with the limited space inside of the Pz IV hull, will often incapacitate your crew in a single shot. Thus, it is of utmost importance to destroy these vehicles if spotted. | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| Line 169: | Line 170: | ||
* Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers | * Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers | ||
* Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank | * Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank | ||
| − | * Poor side armour, extremely weak against | + | * Poor side armour, extremely weak against most guns found at the BR |
* The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to shot traps (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal | * The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to shot traps (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal | ||
* Although frontal armour is thick, it can still get knocked out with a single shot by the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] regardless the angle and distance | * Although frontal armour is thick, it can still get knocked out with a single shot by the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] regardless the angle and distance | ||
Latest revision as of 15:44, 27 July 2024
| This page is about the German tank destroyer Panzer IV/70(V). For the other version, see Panzer IV/70(A). |
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Contents
Description
The Panzer IV/70(V) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 162/1) is the third variant of the Panzer IV medium tank-based tank destroyer family. The initial (V) represents the designer, Vomag. Approximately 930 to 940 units of this variant were built between August 1944 and April 1945, making it the most produced variant. The Panzer IV/70(V) was a formidable opponent, armed with the powerful, long-range 75 mm Panzerjägerkanone 42 L/70 tank gun that could outrange most opposing Allied tank guns.
Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Panzer IV/70(V) offers much better protection than its rival design, the Panzer IV/70(A). However, it should only be used in defensive roles. Even with the 42 L/70 tank gun and 75 mm Panzerjägerkanone mounted on it, it was still a casemate tank destroyer. Maintain a safe distance from the adversary and utilize its powerful penetration and muzzle velocity to take out targets at a distance. Avoid direct engagements and let the other players take care of the fighting so the player can decide when and how to engage.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, casemate)
- Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, shrapnel shield)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 80 mm (47°) Upper glacis 50 mm (55°) Lower glacis |
30 mm Bottom 30 mm + 5 mm (29°) Engine deck skirts |
22 mm (5°) | 20 mm (6°) Front 20 mm (2°) Engine compartment |
| Superstructure | 80 mm (50°) Turret Front 75 mm (conical) Shrapnel shield 75 mm (spherical) Gun mantlet |
40 mm (29°) | 30 mm (31°) | 20 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick, and torsion bars are 15 mm thick.
- Mudguards are 4 mm thick.
- Tracks (20 mm thick) are used as add-on armour on the casemate.
Befitting of the German casemate destroyer line, the frontal armour on the Panzer IV/70(V) is one to be feared. It features a mighty frontal plate of 80 mm sloped at 50° compared to the Panther's 55º. This results in a slight reduction of useful armor, and is especially prominent against certain shells fired by the Soviet 85 mm gun that can be commonly found at this BR. The gun mantlet is also very well protected due to its volumetric armor. However, the bottom of the mantlet creates a shot trap that may destroy your vehicle. The armour is improved even further when the player unlocks the "Add-on Armour" modification, applying tracks to the front and sides of the tank, and results in over 185 mm of protection in the critical region where 3 of 4 crew members sit in a row, which helps significantly against BR-365 fired by the Soviet 85 mm gun.. Even with this amazing armour, it is best to use the Panzer IV/70(V) at longer ranges, as this allows you to make use of the Panzer IV/70's high velocity gun and turns you from a difficult target to a nigh impenetrable one.
However, the side armour is very weak and is able to be penetrated by most things at your BR, so the player should be careful and look out for flankers. It should also be noted that in an uptier, it is common to face the American 90 mm or Soviet 122 mm guns, which will make short work of the vehicle frontally.
Mobility
| 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 | 38 | 9 | 25.8 | 0.4 | 426 | 572 | 16.51 | 21.83 |
| Realistic | 35 | 8 | 265 | 300 | 10.27 | 11.45 | ||
Being based on the chassis of the Panzer IV, the all-round mobility is very solid. The tank is able to reach 43 km/h (27 mph) and hold itself there over most terrains and has very good hull traverse, allowing for quick turns. However the reverse speed is only 7.5 km/h. Not being able to reverse fast enough will sometimes put the player in a very dangerous situation.
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
The Panzer IV/70(V) bears the 75 mm PaK42 cannon with a rate of fire below average. With the maximum penetration of 192 mm for the stock AP, this gun can frontally penetrate most opponents it will face. With its explosive filler, it can one shot almost all tanks upon penetration. The 935 m/s muzzle velocity allows easy targeting when aiming at moving targets. The gun traverse is average, but the depression of 7 degrees is very good given its small profile, allowing it to go into hull-down position at some place. The gun also comes with a researchable APCR round which has a maximum penetration of a whopping 228 mm, and great velocity of over 1,100 m/s. Note that just like every other APCR shot, it is not good at piercing sloped armour, and its damage is inadequate to take out the opponent with a single shot.
| 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 | 55 | -7°/+15° | ±12° | 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
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| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 46 (+9) | 36 (+19) | 26 (+29) | 16 (+39) | 8 (+47) | 4 (+51) | 1 (+54) | No |
Notes:
- Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
- Packing 16 (+39) shells will keep the sides of the casemate empty.
Machine guns
The tank has a MG42 bow machine gun with a high fire rate. It is able to quickly finish off the exposed crews of some vehicles. However, its traverse angles are very limited meaning a lot of the time the whole tank has to be moved to get the MG on target. Also the maximum penetration of 13 mm makes it useless against those not-so-lightly-armoured vehicles, like the BTR-152A, the M18 GMC, etc.
| 7.92 mm MG42 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Hull | 600 (150) | 1,200 | -6°/+15° | ±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 is powerful 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 Pz IV/70(V)'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(V) 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(V).
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 utilize 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 (V). 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(V) 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 utilize 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 lacks a turret, 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 mm / 122 mm will still penetrate with ease.
Enemies worth noting:
- IS-2, ISU-122, SU-152/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.
- ARL-44: the ARL 44's 90 mm SA45 gun can cut through the Pz IV/70's armour with no effort from almost any practical combat range. Its upper frontal plate is completely immune to your shells, and its lower plate also has a habit of causing ricochets. Fortunately, its turret armour is easily penetrated by your gun, resulting in most or all of the turret crew being knocked out or even the ammunition at the back of the turret being detonated.
- M36B1: The M36 can be found on many nations in the game and is one of the earliest vehicles to utilize the 90 mm M3 gun, which fires the M82 APCBC shot capable of penetrating the sloped frontal armor of the Pz IV/70 with ease. The M82 is an incredible shell with excellent angled performance and high explosive filler content, which, combined with the limited space inside of the Pz IV hull, will often incapacitate your crew in a single shot. Thus, it is of utmost importance to destroy these vehicles if spotted.
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 take out most opponents like the T-34-85, M4A2 (76) W/A3 (76) W , IS-1, etc. with a single shot
- Low profile provides excellent concealment
- Sloped 80 mm frontal armour provides good protection against most of the opponents, and is especially boosted with add-on armour. It is frontally immune to 76 mm Shermans, the T-34-85 and the M18 GMC
- Decent acceleration and excellent cross country performance
- Adequate gun depression of 7 degrees for a compact hull
- Superb zoom, up to x9.2 magnification, allowing for extreme range kills
Cons:
- Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers
- Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank
- Poor side armour, extremely weak against most guns found at the BR
- The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to shot traps (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal
- Although frontal armour is thick, it can still get knocked out with a single shot by the IS-2 regardless the angle and distance
History
| 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. In August 1944, Vomag began producing its own Panzer IV/70 (V) variant with a 75 mm gun. The gun itself was positioned slightly to the right of the tank's longitudinal axis to allow better use of the vehicle's internal space. Due to the great length of the guns, they were held with a special bracket during non-combat movement. The destroyer's weight was increased to 26 tons. The great length of the barrel and the forward-weighted armour (80 mm) made the vehicle unbalanced, giving it low cross-country ability. Because of this, it was nicknamed "Guderian's duck" by the troops. The front pair of road wheels were made entirely of metal. This tank destroyer had "Schürzen" side skirts which protected the lower sides of the tank from anti-tank and hollow-charge projectiles. Vomag made a total of 930 of these tank destroyers. 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, including: the battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge as well as on the Eastern Front. It was very successful as a tank destroyer due to its low profile, accurate gun and good armour protection, but performed poorly when used out of role as a substitute for tanks or assault guns to support infantry. This was increasingly necessary in the later stages of the war from late 1944 to 1945, because there was often nothing else available to the badly depleted German armoured units. | |
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
| Germany tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Pz. I Derivatives | Panzerjäger I |
| Pz. II Derivatives | 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl |
| Pz. 38(t) Derivatives | Marder III · Marder III H · Jagdpanzer 38(t) |
| Pz. III Derivatives | StuG III A · StuG III F · StuG III G · StuH 42 G |
| Pz. IV Derivatives | Jagdpanzer IV · Panzer IV/70(A) · Panzer IV/70(V) · Dicker Max · Nashorn · Brummbär · VFW |
| Pz. V Derivatives | Jagdpanther G1 · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1 |
| Pz. VI Derivatives | Sturer Emil · Elefant · Ferdinand · 38 cm Sturmmörser · Jagdtiger |
| Wheeled/Half-track | 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. · Sd.Kfz.251/9 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · 15 cm Pz.W.42 |
| ATGM Carrier | RakJPz 2 · RakJPz 2 (HOT) · Wiesel 1A2 |
| Other | Waffenträger · M109G · JPz 4-5 · Raketenautomat · VT1-2 |
