PzKpfw III/IV Guide

Equipped with 380 hitpoints with stock turret and 440 hitpoints with upgraded turret, it has the lowest hitpoints amongst all tier 5 medium tanks and with price of 315,000 credits it's the cheapest tier 5 medium in term of credits and in experience needed to research it occupies the 3rd place with 13,480 XP needed for researching the Pz III/IV. The PzKpfw III/IV leads to the Hummel, the VK 3601 (H) and the VK 3001 (H).
When Elited it has weight of cca. 25 tons and 585 horsepower Maybach HL 157 P engine which gives it a great pover to weight ratio and also great acceleration.
Traverse speed of 36 is good (a bit above average), but turret traverse of 53 is excellent - even with damaged turret it's enough to be able to flank.
It has crew of 5 (Commander, Gunner, Driver, Radioman and Loader), which is standart configuration of crew, which means you can transfer the crew into another tank without need of recruiting new crew members. Its view range is very, very poor - only 320 meters. Like almost every german tank, Pz III/IV can carry a FuG 12 radio with signal range of 710 meters, so a signal range isn't problem.

In terms of mobility it's one of best tanks I've ever played (only T-50 has better mobility), but unlike T-50 Pz III/IV is a medium tank which means it has lower top speed, but also doesn't drift and doesn't lose too much of its speed while turning.

But the mobility has its cost - the armour. For tier 5 it has poor, but sloped, armour, which means it doesn't bounce tier 4 (and higher) tanks so often, but is able to bounce tier 3 tanks without angling. Frontal 60 mm of armour is enough to ram some low armoured tanks, but beware of fast tanks (even with weak armour), they can reduce your health to 50% although you will kill them easily. Its major weakspots are turret (only 50 mm opposite sloped 60mm on hull, but mantlet can eat some shells), MG emplacement, driver's view port, commander's cupola and rear of the tank.

It has gun of average penetration of 110 and average damage of 110 per shot with 13,95 shots per minute (pretty bad RoF) which results in 1535 DPM. It's gun is enough to penetrate everything in tier 5 and 6 battles frontally (excepting Sherman Jumbo and Churchill VII) and enough to penetrate everything by flanking in tier 7 battles (but AT-15A is tough opponent, so carrying a few APCR is recommended). Gun elevation arc is -6°/+17° (not very good), its accuracy is 0,39 (quite good at short to medium range, but a bit worse at long range) and and it's aimtime is 2,3 seconds (enough to snipe) and ammo capacity is 87 (you will NEVER run out of ammo, unless you try very hard).

It's tank with need of playing aggresively and flanking is a must in tier 7 battles (but sometimes also in tier 6) which it excels at due to its mobility and accelaration. But it lacks view range, so scouting is almost impossible with this tank. Play it like a medium tank with light tank's mobility and you should be fine. Tank is also prone to ammo rack damage (mount a "Wet" Ammo Rack or train Safe Stowage on loader).

Advantages of Pz III/IV
- High mobility
- High accelration
- Excellent turret traverse speed
- Good gun
- Ammo capacity
- Credit price
- Pretty good MM (doesn't get to tier 7 battles so often)
- Enough armour to ram low armoured tanks
- FuG 12 radio

Disadvantages of Pz III/IV
- Not enough armour to bounce shells without angling
- Not so great elevation arc
- Doesn't drift
- Low view range
- Low RoF
- Low hitpoints
- Prone to ammo rack damage

Suggested crew skills (but it may differ due to uniqueness of what every player wants)
Commander - 6th Sense, Mentor, Recon
Gunner - Snap Shot, Deadeye, Repairs
Driver - Smooth Ride, Off-Road Driving, Clutch Braking
Radio Operator - Situational Awareness, Repairs, Camouflage
Loader - Safe Stowage, Repairs, Camouflage

Suggested equipment
Ventilation, Gun Rammer, 3rd equipment is optional (I use Additional Grousers for even more mobility, some might choose Coated Optics for more view range or "Wet" Ammo Rack Class for less ammo rack damage or Toolbox for faster repairs)

Wiki page: http://wiki.worldoftanks.eu/PzKpfw_III/IV




Originally written by StandaSK

This is easily my favorite tier 5 tank thanks to its amazing maneuverability.

Never take on a fair fight and always look for the flank and you will shine with this bad boy. I often find myself relocating to the other side of the battle and back again, getting to where you are most needed and flanking heavies and td's. Late rush for the arty is also a good bet as you have the speed and damage to take them out. Just remember, there is no need to be the first in (you will die) so unless you HAVE to get dibs on a primary location hang back and see how deployment unfolds and the move on the information your mini map provides.

Wolfpacking in this tank allows you to be more aggressive but still try not to be the first tanks on the scene, let someone else initiate combat and then flank and reap the rewards.

drogo wrote:This is easily my favorite tier 5 tank thanks to its amazing maneuverability.

Never take on a fair fight and always look for the flank and you will shine with this bad boy. I often find myself relocating to the other side of the battle and back again, getting to where you are most needed and flanking heavies and td's. Late rush for the arty is also a good bet as you have the speed and damage to take them out. Just remember, there is no need to be the first in (you will die) so unless you HAVE to get dibs on a primary location hang back and see how deployment unfolds and the move on the information your mini map provides.

Wolfpacking in this tank allows you to be more aggressive but still try not to be the first tanks on the scene, let someone else initiate combat and then flank and reap the rewards.

+1 Agree fully!

drogo wrote:Never take on a fair fight

As I often say; If you're in a fair fight, you're doing something wrong.

Recently I have grinded my way up to the VK30.01H. At first I had a hard time playing the Pz3/4. I already had the second engine, top gun and some radio unlocked from other tanks, but the grind was still awful. I got the top engine, tracks and turret and then went up to grind exp for the VK30.01H.

I found the mobility to be awful without the top engine AND the top suspension. With it, the tank became very mobile (no Sherman like turning ability, but OK). The tanks is more than other meds I have played before (not that much) able to reposition.
Eventually researched the top turret for the sake of 60hp (matter of life and death if you meet a KV-1s).

After having played a lot of awful battles in this tank, I finally start to get the hang on the vehicle and start getting good games with it. I don't think it will be a keeper, but maybe I'll do if I will enjoy it more...

Pro's IMHO:
- Top speed
- Mobility
- Armour (Only med I attempted sidescraping with so far and it seems to work).
- Huge ammo stocks, when I get in some flanking spot I'll just spam shells, knowing I won't run out of ammo.

Con's IMHO:
- Gun depression is bad
- Pen is a bit meh
- Low view range
- Did mention the terrible gun depression?

- Accuracy on the move is not that great. currently a 89% driver + 61% smooth ride..