German Tank Destroyers

    Much thanks to Achtung Panzer ! for a great deal of information on this page.

MARDER III AUSF H (7.5cm PaK40/3 auf PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf H)

Pz38tMarder.jpg (7517 bytes)
Marder III Ausf H

DIMENSIONS

Mass (mt):
10.8

 Length (m):
5.77		 Width (m):
2.16		 Height (m):
2.51

TIME PERIOD:
1942 (Marder III Ausf H)
to
1945 (Marder III Ausf M)
    Modified from the standard Panzer 38(t) Skoda, the Marder III was a standard tank destroyer, open topped, carrying a powerful 75mm PAK 40 in a limited-traverse mounting.  The later Marder III Ausf M moved the gun from a mid-hull mounting to a rear-hull mounting, stabilizing the gun platform.  Both the Ausf H and the Ausf M were often further converted into self-propelled guns called the Grille (Bison) carrying 150mm heavy guns.

MARDER III AUSF H TD

Max. Speed:   35kph

 Range:  240km
Front Bottom Front Driver Hull, Side Hull, Rear Hull, Deck Gun Shield Turret Front Turret Side
25mm 25mm 16mm 16mm 10mm 50mm 25mm 16mm
75mm PAK40 Tank Gun Max. Range:  2230m Mx. Penetrate: 133mm
7.92mm MG37(t) Bow Machine Gun Max. Range:  450m Light Machine Gun
NOTE:  "Turret" has no armor to rear

 

Sd. Kfz 184 ELEFANT

Elephant.jpg (6988 bytes)
Elefant

DIMENSIONS

Mass (mt):
70

 Length (m):
8.14		 Width (m):
3.38		 Height (m):
2.97

TIME PERIOD:
1943 (Sd. Kfz 184 Ferdinand)
to
End of War (Sd. Kfz 184 Elefant)
    A massive tank destroyer based on the Porche VK 4501(P) Panzer VI Tiger concept design, the Ferdinand was an impressive defensive weapon that failed miserably on the offense.   Rushed into production and sent to Kursk incomplete, the first Ferdinands were quickly eliminated due to their lack of a gun-shield and having machine guns inside the hull but no way to fire them.  However, later, more mechanically sound Ferdinands were relentless killing machines capable of destroying the venerable Soviet T-34 at ranges exceeding four kilometers.  Renamed "Elefant" in a 1944 general order, these behemoths fought hard, right down to the last four in southern Berlin.  Two remain today, one at Aberdeen captured by the Americans at Anzio and the other in Kubinka, Russia, captured by the Russians at Kursk.

SDKFZ 184 ELEFANT TD

Max. Speed:   25kph

 Range:  150km
Front Bottom Front Driver Hull, Side Hull, Rear Hull, Deck Gun Shield Turret Front Turret Side
100mm 200mm 90mm 80mm 80mm 185mm 80mm 80mm
88mm PAK 43/2 L/71 Tank Gun Max. Range:  2730m Mx. Penetrate: 165mm
7.92mm MG34 Bow Machine Gun Max. Range:  450m Light Machine Gun
7.92mm MG34 "Coaxial" Machine Gun Max. Range:  450m Light Machine Gun
NOTES:
     First Elefants (Kursk) lack Gun Shield, treat as armor of 0
     First Elefants (Kursk) lack bow gun
     "Coaxial" gun is actually just an internal MG34 shot through the 88mm's barrell, so the "coaxial" MG cannot be fired in the same turn as the 88mm; also, the "coaxial" may be stuck out of a hatch but this causes the Elefant to be open-topped for melee purposes.

 

STURMGESCHÜTZ (Stug) III and IV

StuG3.jpg (8177 bytes)
Stug III Ausf G

DIMENSIONS

Mass (mt):
19.6

 Length (m):
5.38		 Width (m):
2.92		 Height (m):
1.95

TIME PERIOD:
1940 (Stug III Ausf A)
to
End of War (Stug III Ausf G)
    A cheap alternative to standard Panzer IIIs and IVs, Stugs were simply tank destroyer modifications of the typical Panzer III and IV chassis.  Initially armed with snub-nosed 75mm StuK 37 L/24s in the Stug III Ausf A but later armed with a more powerful StuK 40 L/48 and two MG34 or MG42 light machine guns in the Ausf G of 1942, Stugs could provide large amounts of firepower that standard Panzers simply lacked.  Unlike most other German vehicles, Stugs were extremely effective on the offense in the Eastern Front, especially in Stalingrad.  About 9,500 Stug IIIs were produced but had in total over 20,000 confirmed armor kills.

STUG III AUSF G TANK DESTROYER

Max. Speed:   40kph

 Range:  155km
Front Bottom Front Driver Hull, Side Hull, Rear Hull, Deck Gun Shield Turret Front Turret Side
50mm 80mm 30mm 30mm 17mm 30mm N / A
75mm StuK 40 L/48 Tank Gun Max. Range:  1730m Mx. Penetrate: 107mm
7.92mm MG34 Coaxial Machine Gun Max. Range:  450m Light Machine Gun
7.92mm MG34 Pintle-Mount Machine Gun Max. Range:  450m Light Machine Gun

 

Sd. Kfz 173 PANZERJÄGER V JAGDPANTHER

Jagdpanthers.jpg (5202 bytes)
Jagdpanthers

DIMENSIONS

Mass (mt):
45.5

 Length (m):
6.86		 Width (m):
3.42		 Height (m):
2.51

TIME PERIOD:
1943 (Panzerjäger V Jagdpanther)
to
End of War (Jagdpanther)
    Designed as a Stug variant to the standard Panzer V Panther chassis, the Jagdpanther was an effective armored fighting vehicle, with decent armor and a powerful weapon.  Used late in the war as a replacement for tanks, the Jagdpanther was the best tank destroyer of the war but could not be built in large enough numbers to turn any tides thanks to raids against their factories by American strategic bombers.

JAGDPANTHER TANK DESTROYER

Max. Speed:   46kph

 Range:  150km
Front Bottom Front Driver Hull, Side Hull, Rear Hull, Deck Gun Shield Turret Front Turret Side
60mm 80mm 30mm 30mm 17mm 80mm 50mm 40mm
88mm PAK 43/3 L/71 Tank Gun Max. Range:  2730m Mx. Penetrate: 165mm
7.92mm MG34 Bow Machine Gun Max. Range:  450m Light Machine Gun

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