Panzer IV Medium Tank

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Panzer IV
A Panzer IV
Role	Core Medium Tank
Unit Cost	350 350 120 120 12 12
Upkeep per Minute	-18 −18
Produced By	Support Armor Korps
Primary armament	75mm KwK 40
Secondary armament	2x 7.92mm MG 34
Health	640 640
Armor	Front: 180 Rear: 90
Max. Speed	6.3m p/s
Abilities (3) Blitzkrieg Tactics The tank has increased acceleration and speed, and is harder to hit for a short period of time. Requires: Veteran 1 Cost: Free Prioritize Vehicles Attacks vehicles freely, but holds fire against infantry and structures unless given an explicit order to fire. Toggle ability Panzer Tactician Conceals the tank in smoke, allowing it to avoid damage from enemy units. Doctrinal ability Cost: 30 30
Upgrades (2) Pintle-mounted MG 42 Adds a gunner to the tank's turret-top MG 42 Heavy Machine Gun, making it operable and providing extra firepower against infantry and aircraft. Cost: 50 50 Spotting Scopes Adds spotting scopes to the vehicle, doubling sight radius when stationary. Doctrinal ability Cost: 30 30

“Panzer IV will attack!”

The versatile Panzer IV has been updated through the war with increasingly powerful guns and more effective armor to maintain its effectiveness as a front-line battle tank. Effective against most targets. Weak to heavy anti-tank. assault guns.

Overview

“Panzer IV reports T-34 contact!”

The Panzerkampfwagen IV was the most produced tank made by Germany during the second world war. With many variants being produced throughout. The version we see in the game changes with Veterancy. ( Note the only real differences in the later models was external-spaced armour fitted to the sides of the tank.) The unvetted Panzer 4 is the G variant. At vet 2, this is changed the H variant with the addition of armored skirts. Providing a x0.45 bonus to side armour.

The Panzer four proved to be a very successful tank during the war, but was out-performed by later soviet vehicle's. With soviet 85mm guns penetrating its armour easily. But however was still used as a backbone of German panzer groups , even in the later stages of the war.

Panzer IVs work well in conjunction with the Stug III; the Stug III has longer range to support those tanks, while the Panzers go to hold back or outflank enemy armor. The Panzer IV can be upgraded with a MG42 turret gunner, which can kill infantry its cannon turret is not facing.

Overall, the Panzer IV has a near-perfect mix of speed, armor, and firepower compared to most other tanks. More expensive than most allied equivalents, the Panzer IV is usually somewhat superior to them, and more importantly, has a lower tier requirement and is therefore more likely to be fielded before the enemy rolls out their own medium tanks. One multiplayer tactic is to flood the enemy with a spam of Panzer IV medium tanks, as they are quite powerful, versatile, and potentially devastating in numbers.

Weapons

The Panzer IV we see in game is armed with the long barreled, 75mm KwK40 L48 at gun. This gun is a versatile and fantastic mid game gun, easily demolishing the thin armour of half-tracks, armored cars and even the slightly thicker armour of Light tanks such as the T-70 and Stuart. The gun will perform a little worse against more heavily armoured tanks like the T-34, T-34/85, M4 Sherman, Cromwell and Firefly as they either have thicker or sloped armor. It may penetrate the frontal armour of these vehicles occasionally, but dont rely on it. Try flanking other tanks to maximize the potential to penetrate. The same applies for heavy tanks like the Churchill variants, Pershing and IS2. Use the good old flank and spank. The 75mm cannon is also quite effective against infantry on its own, even better than the more expensive Panther tank.

For anti-infantry, the Panzer IV comes with a coaxial 7.62mm MG , which had mediocre performance at best. To bolster your anti-infantry potential, upgrade to get a second MG 42 mounted on the pintle. This provides the Panzer IV with better firepower and gives it a better role as anti-infantry as the Machinegun can fire on infantry its cannon or coaxial MG is not facing. An MG upgraded Panzer IV can force retreats against non AT armed infantry. Be wary of conscripts, as their anti tank grenade upgrade can potentially damage your engine, leaving you vulnerable to further grenades or even a counter tank or AT gun attack. The same applies to Riflemen at Veterancy 1 with rifle grenades and Tank Hunters Infantry sections with HEAT grenades.

Abilities

Blitzkrieg Tactics

• Cost nothing
• Cooldown 30 seconds

Tanks employ well-practiced Blitzkrieg tactics, fully utilizing the capacities of their vehicle to execute rapid maneuvers and thereby avoid enemy fire.

Prioritize Vehicles

• Activation: toggle ability

Attacks vehicles freely, but holds fire against infantry and structures unless given an explicit order to fire.

Panzer Tactician

• Requires Blitzkrieg Doctrine, Mobile Defense Doctrine, Elite Troops Doctrine, Festung Armor Doctrine, Fortified Armor Doctrine, Spearhead Doctrine
• Cost 30 30 to activate
• Activation: Direct
• Active for 8 seconds
• Cooldown: 30 seconds

The Panzer IV is formidable but not invincible. If it is in trouble, popping smoke can often save it from destruction and a setback in resources. Or the Panzer IV can use it to cover a retreat for friendly units.

Upgrades

Pintle-mounted MG 42

• Cost 50 50 to upgrade
• Requires friendly and connected territory
• Upgrade time: 45 seconds

Assault Gun crew uses the pintle-mounted MG 42 for additional defenses against infantry and aircraft. The pintle machine offers some 1200 rounds per minute of extra protection.

Spotting Scopes

• Requires German Mechanized Doctrine, Jaeger Armor Doctrine
• Cost 30 30 to upgrade
• Requires friendly and connected territory
• Upgrade time: 20 seconds

Vehicle commanders apply spotting scopes to improve their targeting capabilities by increasing line of sight. The scopes only work when the vehicle is not moving.

Veterancy 

	Level 1 Veterancy: Unlocks the 'Blitzkrieg Tactics' ability
	Level 2 Veterancy: +30% armor +40% turret rotation speed
	Level 3 Veterancy: -30% reload time +20% rotation speed +10% ac/de-celeration