Tiger or Panther? Why?

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Tiger or Panther? Why?

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Steel Panthers World At War & Mega Campaigns >> SP:WaW Training Center >> Tiger or Panther? Why?

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Tiger or Panther? Why? - 7/22/2003 2:20:56 AM

gainiac

Posts: 84
Joined: 3/20/2002
From: Bronx, NY
Status: offline

I've seen alot of chatter about both on this board recently and I've seen comments such as the Panther being as effectively armored due to it's sloping as say a Tiger 1E.

Is this the case? If so then why use Tigers when Panthers are available, they're faster, and with almost as big a gun.

I'll boil it down to this, It would be enlighting to us us all if some of you Kat users would illustrate the basic tactical philosophies employed with these particular kats and the doctrinal differences between them.

When/How best do you use a Tiger?

When/ How best do you use a Panther?

What are the differences?

What do you prefer and why?

What do you think is better overall and why?

Martin

Post #: 1

Re: Tiger or Panther? Why? - 7/22/2003 3:18:53 AM

Orzel Bialy

Posts: 2664
Joined: 4/4/2002
From: Wisconsin USA
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gainiac
[B]
When/How best do you use a Tiger?

When/ How best do you use a Panther?

What are the differences?

What do you prefer and why?

What do you think is better overall and why?
[/B][/QUOTE]

#1 A Tiger is a Defensive Position Master. You have an area with good LoS from several vantage spots...take the Tiger. It can take a lot of punishment (actually more so than the Panther in my opinion) and still unload a world of hurt from a great distance.

#2 A Panther is more Offensive in nature IMHO...true to the intended role of the panzer arm. It can move to counter it's enemies (which the Tiger is hard pressed to do in wooded, rough terrain) and it has a gun/armor combo that allows it to more than hold it's own agains all but the heaviest of armored foes.

#3 The answers for each are within the statements! :D

#4 I still prefer the Tiger simply for the extra thick armor and the 88mm gun. However, with most battles being fought on less than ideal terrain...and ending up being running battles instead of static...I am beginning to like the Panther a lot more! ;)

PS...with the guns/armor of either the Tiger or the Panther...it still is in the Katz Drivers favor to try to "Kill Long" instead of allowing enemy tanks to close in too close.

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- 7/22/2003 4:41:12 AM

rbrunsman

Posts: 1837
Joined: 1/31/2002
From: Phoenix, AZ
Status: offline

What O.B. said: Tigers creep around. Panters pounce! Both are excellent but they need to be supported to be most effective.

Also, the Tiger has better fire control IIRC.

I like the PzIVh the most myself (IIRC, I at work now).

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Everyone is a potential [PBEM] enemy, every place a potential [PBEM] battlefield. --Zensunni Wisdom

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Post #: 3

Late model PzkfwIV's - 7/22/2003 10:51:59 AM

Orzel Bialy

Posts: 2664
Joined: 4/4/2002
From: Wisconsin USA
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:( :( :( :(

It's a sad subject matter for me. I too loved the late war year PzkfwIV's (the G/H/J models) up until the 7.0 - 7.1 updates.

They were quicker than the heavier Tigers and cheaper in cost...yet extremely effective killers of most allied armor. Then suddenly that all changed.

After the 7.x upgrade they became very weak in my opinion. Suddenly I was having 37mm and 45mm ATG's take them out in large numbers at ranges of 8 -10 hexes or better...which hadn't been the case prior to that. :eek:

I'm not saying that I expected them to be Super Tanks on par with the Tiger or Panther...but I mean the losses were simply staggering...and it was happening in almost every battle and were not just random happenings. :mad:

So after that...I kind of gave up on my beloved pzkfwIV's. It was a real shame. :(

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- 7/22/2003 12:28:53 PM

stevemk1a

Posts: 855
Joined: 3/30/2002
From: Penticton B.C.
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Ahhh ... preferences! Here's my .02.

Like Orzel I have an affection for the PzkfwIV f2's, g's and h's ... they were the workhorse of the panzerwaffe, and historically, were probably responsable for a lot of the deeds attributed to Tigers ... every allied soldier thought the German tanks they faced were the dreaded Tiger ... :eek: The trusty MkIV served through the entire war with upgrades and improvements and remained a viable threat ... what other tank can claim this?

Panthers ..... oooh they look so cool! also a very good balance of armour, mobility, and firepower. 5000 or so built, so they were a fairly standard item. However, the side armour is quite thin, so you have to watch yourself ... the front sloped armour is proof against most shells and the long 75mm cannon can kill or damage most enemy afvs... speed is excellent, but early models have reliability problems ... (I'm starting to sound like a used car guide:D )

Tiger I - a legend! ... only about 1500 were made, and they so outclassed every other tank in the summer of '42 to about mid '44, that they (IMHO) dominated the battlefields wherever they appeared .... they have better all-around armour than the Panther, and the 88mm cannon has better HE effectiveness ... I also feel that the Tiger has an intrinsic morale boosting value to German troops ... (not reflected in the game) because of it's reputation ... :)

In short ... Panther is best used as if it were a modern MBT, and Tiger is more of a mobile strongpoint ... Koeningstiger and Jagdtiger are even more immobile.

bla bla bla..... :)

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Post #: 5

Cool............ - 7/24/2003 12:17:20 AM

gainiac

Posts: 84
Joined: 3/20/2002
From: Bronx, NY
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You guys have pretty much summed up what I've come to believe about them..................

Tigers/ Panthers are a pretty deadly combo..............Anvil/Hammer.

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- 7/24/2003 2:53:22 AM

Belisarius

Posts: 4041
Joined: 5/26/2001
From: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: offline

Anvil/Hammer ... that's about the best wrap-up of Tiger/Panther tacics I've seen. :)

Tigers can be used directly towards the enemy. Panthers outmaneuver and kill from the side. Woooah.

That, and that both are good looking tanks. :p

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- 7/24/2003 6:31:21 AM

Damien Thorn

Posts: 1107
Joined: 7/24/2003
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I like Tigers when I am defending but they are not so good when attacking. If you are making an assault then the Tiger is just as good because you will be going slow through the minefields anyway.

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Post #: 8

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