Panzer IV

The Panzer IV

"Panzer IV ready for service!"

Panzer IV is a heavy vehicle unit featured in Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and in Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor. It is one of the three available heavy tanks in the Wehrmacht forces.

Overview

Panzer IV or Panzerkampfwagen IV ( Pz.Kpfw. IV) is the workhorse of the Axis force. The Panzer IV is armed with the 75mm Kwk 40 L/48 gun high velocity gun, a turret-mounted and a hull-mounted MG 34 machine gun. It has better armor and good mobility compared to previous panzers. It is also well balanced in terms of firepower, protection, and speed; as such this panzer has also seen its chassis used in many of the assault guns and other amored vehicles such as the Ostwind Flakpanzer and the Wirbelwind Flakpanzer.

On one-on-one combat, a Panzer IV can defeat a nonupgraded M4A3 Sherman and Cromwell Tank head-on. Light and Medium vehicles such as M3 Half-Track and Stuart Tank are easy prey for the Panzer IVs high velocity gun. Besides that, it can also provide infantry support, as this was it's original intention before the gun upgrade, though it serves better as an anti-tank platform. Its 75mm Kwk 40 L/48 gun works well against buildings, vehicles, and fortified positions. Supported by Grenadier Squads or Stormtrooper Squads for urban combat or in large numbers in a tank versus tank battle can quickly increase its longevity in combat operations. A perfect complement would be a Pioneer Squad escort, prepped to repair any battle damage as soon as possible.

Just like every other unit in the Wehrmacht, it can be upgraded through the Kampfkraft Centre. Upgrading it to a crack unit gives the tank an additional gunner for its pintle-mounted MG 34. While upgrading it to an elite unit installs a turret skirt and hull side skirts, decreasing the damage taken from the sides, increasing its survivability. With the access to Blitzkrieg Doctrine, using the Blitzkrieg Assault ability will increase the Panzer IV's reloading speed and running speed for a duration, and as a bonus, it can crush infantry beneath its treads while this power is active.

Tactics

It is effective on its own when dealing with basic infantry, but when fighting against anti-tank infantry such as Ranger Squads, it needs support from infantry in a combined-arms force. When preparing for an assault, use its speed and protection to spearhead the assault. Use Blitzkrieg Assault if necessary to gain hold of a high-priority sector. As a tank, its rear has little armor and will be the primary target for other enemy tanks. Flank them to their rear and use its thick frontal and side (if upgraded) armor to its advantage. When fighting against dedicated tank destroyers like the M10 Tank Destroyer, it would be wise to retreat to the back of the formation and have the anti-tank infantry destroy it before continuing.

Details

SdKfz 161 Panzer IV

Role:	Heavy Tank
Primary Armament:	75mm Kwk 40 L/48 tank gun
Secondary Armament:	3x MG34 Machine-gun
Production Structure:	Panzer Command

Manpower:	410
Munitions:	0
Fuel:	80
Population Cap:	8

Weaknesses

Panzer IV is a medium tank. Like other tanks, they are vulnerable to anti-tank fire and mines. Allied tank destroyers such as the M10 Tank Destroyer and Sherman Firefly can punch through its armor and can survive its return fire in the right conditions. M4A3 Shermans upgraded with the 76mm gun can overpower it. The heavily armed M26 Pershing heavy tank can punch a hole right through the mediocre armor of this tank. The gun is designed to combat large targets such as tanks, thus it is not an effective weapon against infantry and nimble targets like Jeeps. Artillery strikes, Mortar fire and rocket barrages can also severely damage its top-mounted armor.

Variants

The most obvious variant of this tank is the Ostwind Flakpanzer of the Wehrmacht. It uses its tried-and-tested hull and instead of using an armor-piercing gun, it uses an hexagonal, open-top turret armed with a 37mm Flak 43 anti-aircraft cannon. It's designed to take down incoming airborne units like planes and paratroopers. It is just as durable as the original tank, but it has no defense against heavy vehicles.

In Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, the Panzer Elite use the Panzer IV Infantry Support Tank. It is the descendant of the Wehrmacht's version of this tank, sporting a 75mm Kwk 37 L/24 Low Velocity gun with HE shells. It is excellent against infantry, structures and light to medium vehicles, but sacrifices its armor-piercing capabilities. Should it come into range with a tank armed with an armor-piercing gun, it would be advisable to retreat or if available, have anti-tank units destroy the target as soon as possible.

Another variant from the Panzer Elite is the Wirbelwind Flakpanzer, sporting a quad-mounted 20mm Flak 38 anti-aircraft gun on a nine-sided, open-top turret with the chassis of the Panzer IV as its hull. It is designed to mow down infantry and aircraft as a mobile anti-aircraft platform. But it can also confront light vehicles. Unfortunately, it cannot destroy heavy vehicles and will have a hard time destroying medium vehicles.