Dicker Max - Revision history

U103352677: /* Pros and cons */

2024-10-20T14:33:48Z

‎Pros and cons

U136146036: /* Ammo racks */

2023-12-08T13:21:30Z

‎Ammo racks

U74396666: Minor edits

2023-09-21T10:59:08Z

Minor edits

U74396666: Minor edits

2023-09-21T10:35:21Z

Minor edits

U74396666: Minor edits for German grammar in my description

2023-09-21T10:33:16Z

Minor edits for German grammar in my description

U74396666: New Description Project - Germany Priority: Tanks - 105 mm K18 auf Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV A “Dicker Max”

2023-09-21T10:27:09Z

New Description Project - Germany Priority: Tanks - 105 mm K18 auf Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV A “Dicker Max”

U44629479: Edits

2023-09-10T15:28:51Z

Edits

U44280299: /* Description */

2023-09-10T14:40:50Z

‎Description

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-02-04T14:24:20Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U44629479: /* Media */ Removed dead video

2023-01-10T21:29:34Z

‎Media: Removed dead video

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 * Rather limited horizontal gun traverse of 16°
 * Inadequate gun elevation of only 10°, meaning it cannot target properly when the opponent is above the Dicker Max
-* No armour protection: low thickness around the vehicle. Can get penetrated by any gun
+* No armour protection: low thickness around the vehicle. Can get penetrated by any gun and can still detonate APHE shells
 * Open-topped design makes it very vulnerable to strafing aircraft
 * Reload speed is twice slower in average than its opponents

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 ! Visual<br>discrepancy
 |-
-| '''26''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles''<br />''Propellants'' || 14&nbsp;''(+12)''<br />14&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+25)''<br />1&nbsp;''(+25)'' || Yes
+| '''26''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles''<br />''Propellants'' || 13&nbsp;''(+13)''<br />13&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+25)''<br />1&nbsp;''(+25)'' || Yes
 |-
 |}

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 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''105 mm K18 Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV Ausführung A (Dicker Max)''' is a German self-propelled heavy artillery gun. The German Army requested a mobile "bunker buster" in 1939 to demolish the fortifications along the French border, also known as the French Maginot Line in the Alsace-Lorraine province. However, it would never serve that role since the only two vehicles ever built were completed in early 1941, long after the Battle of France had ended. The tank chassis was taken from the reliable [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV E variant]] and was armed with the standard 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. The ammunition utilized was tungsten-core rounds, which had excellent penetration capabilities when combined with the gun's high velocity. Both vehicles were transferred to the Eastern Front as tank destroyers, where one of them would go on to destroy a considerable number of Soviet tanks.
+The '''105 mm K.18 Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV Ausführung A (Dicker Max)''' is a German self-propelled heavy artillery gun. The German Army requested a mobile "bunker buster" in 1939 to demolish the fortifications along the French border, also known as the French Maginot Line in the Alsace-Lorraine province. However, it would never serve that role since the only two vehicles ever built were completed in early 1941, long after the Battle of France had ended. The tank chassis was taken from the reliable [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV E variant]] and was armed with the standard 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. The ammunition utilized was tungsten-core rounds, which had excellent penetration capabilities when combined with the gun's high velocity. Both vehicles were transferred to the Eastern Front as tank destroyers, where one of them would go on to destroy a considerable number of Soviet tanks.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]], the Dicker Max would go on to become one of the most feared tank destroyers in its class. It can completely destroy any enemy tanks it hits with its enormous 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. Precise aiming for weak spots is unnecessary, as its best armour-piercing shell's 187 mm armour penetration value can penetrate even the most strongly armoured heavy tanks encountered during engagements. However, it is vital to emphasize that such vehicles are only minimally armoured. Although it can penetrate any tank in its ranks, any tank in its rank can equally easily penetrate it. The vehicle is based on the Panzer IV E variant, which provides it with respectable speed and mobility. Players should use the "Dicker Max" superb gun depression to deliver unexpected blows to the opponent before withdrawing to cover and repositioning to avoid retaliatory artillery strikes.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''105 mm K18 Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV Ausführung A “Dicker Max”''' is a German self-propelled heavy artillery gun. The German Army requested a mobile "bunker buster" in 1939 to demolish the fortifications along the French border, also known as the French Maginot Line in the Alsace-Lorraine province. However, it would never serve that role since the only two vehicles ever built were completed in early 1941, long after the Battle of France had ended. The tank chassis was taken from the reliable [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV E variant]] and was armed with the standard 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. The ammunition utilized was tungsten-core rounds, which had excellent penetration capabilities when combined with the gun's high velocity. Both vehicles were transferred to the Eastern Front as tank destroyers, where one of them would go on to destroy a considerable number of Soviet tanks.
+The '''105 mm K18 Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV Ausführung A (Dicker Max)''' is a German self-propelled heavy artillery gun. The German Army requested a mobile "bunker buster" in 1939 to demolish the fortifications along the French border, also known as the French Maginot Line in the Alsace-Lorraine province. However, it would never serve that role since the only two vehicles ever built were completed in early 1941, long after the Battle of France had ended. The tank chassis was taken from the reliable [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV E variant]] and was armed with the standard 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. The ammunition utilized was tungsten-core rounds, which had excellent penetration capabilities when combined with the gun's high velocity. Both vehicles were transferred to the Eastern Front as tank destroyers, where one of them would go on to destroy a considerable number of Soviet tanks.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]], the Dicker Max would go on to become one of the most feared tank destroyers in its class. It can completely destroy any enemy tanks it hits with its enormous 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. Precise aiming for weak spots is unnecessary, as its best armour-piercing shell's 187 mm armour penetration value can penetrate even the most strongly armoured heavy tanks encountered during engagements. However, it is vital to emphasize that such vehicles are only minimally armoured. Although it can penetrate any tank in its ranks, any tank in its rank can equally easily penetrate it. The vehicle is based on the Panzer IV E variant, which provides it with respectable speed and mobility. Players should use the "Dicker Max" superb gun depression to deliver unexpected blows to the opponent before withdrawing to cover and repositioning to avoid retaliatory artillery strikes.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''105 mm K18 auf Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV A “Dicker Max”''' is a German self-propelled heavy artillery gun. The German Army requested a mobile "bunker buster" in 1939 to demolish the fortifications along the French border, also known as the French Maginot Line in the Alsace-Lorraine province. However, it would never serve that role since the only two vehicles ever built were completed in early 1941, long after the Battle of France had ended. The tank chassis was taken from the reliable [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV E variant]] and was armed with the standard 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. The ammunition utilized was tungsten-core rounds, which had excellent penetration capabilities when combined with the gun's high velocity. Both vehicles were transferred to the Eastern Front as tank destroyers, where one of them would go on to destroy a considerable number of Soviet tanks.
+The '''105 mm K18 Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IV Ausführung A “Dicker Max”''' is a German self-propelled heavy artillery gun. The German Army requested a mobile "bunker buster" in 1939 to demolish the fortifications along the French border, also known as the French Maginot Line in the Alsace-Lorraine province. However, it would never serve that role since the only two vehicles ever built were completed in early 1941, long after the Battle of France had ended. The tank chassis was taken from the reliable [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV E variant]] and was armed with the standard 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. The ammunition utilized was tungsten-core rounds, which had excellent penetration capabilities when combined with the gun's high velocity. Both vehicles were transferred to the Eastern Front as tank destroyers, where one of them would go on to destroy a considerable number of Soviet tanks.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]], the Dicker Max would go on to become one of the most feared tank destroyers in its class. It can completely destroy any enemy tanks it hits with its enormous 105 mm K.18 heavy artillery gun. Precise aiming for weak spots is unnecessary, as its best armour-piercing shell's 187 mm armour penetration value can penetrate even the most strongly armoured heavy tanks encountered during engagements. However, it is vital to emphasize that such vehicles are only minimally armoured. Although it can penetrate any tank in its ranks, any tank in its rank can equally easily penetrate it. The vehicle is based on the Panzer IV E variant, which provides it with respectable speed and mobility. Players should use the "Dicker Max" superb gun depression to deliver unexpected blows to the opponent before withdrawing to cover and repositioning to avoid retaliatory artillery strikes.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]].
-The Dicker Max is a open-topped SPG with a 105 mm (10.5 cm) cannon, based on the [[Pz.IV E|Pz.IV E]] chassis. The 10.5 cm artillery gun is not only more effective than the [[StuH_42_G|StuH]]'s 10.5 cm howitzer, but it is very consistent in terms of the results: hits that usually devastate the enemy. Its 13 second reload is not bad either, for a gun of its size, as it's over twce as fast as the KV-2's. The 105 mm HE round can also be effective on many lightly armoured vehicles like the M18 Hellcat.
+The Dicker Max is a open-topped SPG with a 105 mm (10.5 cm) cannon, based on the [[Pz.IV E|Pz.IV E]] chassis. The 10.5 cm artillery gun is not only more effective than the [[StuH_42_G|StuH]]'s 10.5 cm howitzer, but it is very consistent in terms of the results: hits that usually devastate the enemy. Its 13-second reload is not bad either, for a gun of its size, as it's over twice as fast as the KV-2's. The 105 mm HE round can also be effective on many lightly armoured vehicles like the M18 Hellcat.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 102: / Line 102: @@
 == Usage in battles ==
 <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
-As with any open-topped SPGs (such as the [[Marder III]]s), this is not a vehicle to charge the opponent with. However, one that can very effective at long ranges and from behind cover. An alternative play style for these vehicle in a closer range is supporting standard tanks by watching their flanks. It is NOT a fast vehicle, especially in realistic and simulator battles, but once it finds a place to stop and take aim, its gun is a very, very efficient anti-tank weapon, comparable to that of the mighty [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] turreted assault gun. Its most notable feature is its extreme gun depression, over -15° to +10°, which allows this tank to take advantage of great hull-down positions behind hills, becoming near-invisible in [[Realistic Battles|RB]] and [[Simulator Battles|SB]] at [[Visibility_mechanics|distance]]. Its weakness however, is rather obvious: the crew compartment is thinly armoured, which means basically anything can penetrate it can cause havoc for the tank commander and his crew. Combined with its slow acceleration, this is a vehicle to be used in a tactical manner in both offensive or usually, defensive combat.
+As with any open-topped SPGs (such as the [[Marder III]]s), this is not a vehicle to charge the opponent with. However, one that can very effective at long ranges and from behind cover. An alternative play style for these vehicle in a closer range is supporting standard tanks by watching their flanks. It is not a fast vehicle, especially in realistic and simulator battles, but once it finds a place to stop and take aim, its gun is a very, very efficient anti-tank weapon, comparable to that of the mighty [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] turreted assault gun. Its most notable feature is its extreme gun depression, over -15° to +10°, which allows this tank to take advantage of great hull-down positions behind hills, becoming near-invisible in [[Realistic Battles|RB]] and [[Simulator Battles|SB]] at [[Visibility_mechanics|distance]]. Its weakness however, is rather obvious: the crew compartment is thinly armoured, which means basically anything can penetrate it can cause havoc for the tank commander and his crew. Combined with its slow acceleration, this is a vehicle to be used in a tactical manner in both offensive or usually, defensive combat.
-With only 50 mm of armour at a battle rating of 3.7, the Dicker Max can be defeated frontally by any vehicle of its rank, even at some range. It is particularly vulnerable to SPAAs with a high rate of fire (heavy machine guns can penetrate the rear, or shoot down into the cabin should the opportunity present itself) and large-calibre shells.
+With only 50 mm of armour at its battle rating, the Dicker Max can be defeated frontally by any vehicle of its rank, even at some range. It is particularly vulnerable to SPAAs with a high rate of fire (heavy machine guns can penetrate the rear, or shoot down into the cabin should the opportunity present itself) and large-calibre shells.
 After staying at one spot and scoring a few kills, you might want to consider relocating, even moving a short distance to a neighbouring cover i enough. This is because after a while, enemy tankers will know your position and direct their supporting aircraft towards your location. Airplanes are a devastating threat for the Dicker Max, especially their guns and bombs. Relocating can thus foil the attempts by incoming planes to target your original firing spot. You need to anticipate this move, as the Dicker Max does not have the good mobility to drive to anywhere in time.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]].
-The Dicker Max is a open-topped SPG with a 105 mm (10.5 cm) cannon, based on the [[Pz.IV E|Pz.IV E]] chassis. The 10.5 cm artillery gun is not only more effective than the [[StuH_42_G|StuH]]'s 10.5 cm howitzer, but it is very consistent in terms of the results: hits that usually devastate the enemy. Its 14 second reload is not bad either, for a gun of its size, 4 seconds faster than the StuH, and over twice as fast as the KV-2's. The 105 mm HE round can also be effective on many lightly armoured vehicles like the M18 Hellcat.
+The Dicker Max is a open-topped SPG with a 105 mm (10.5 cm) cannon, based on the [[Pz.IV E|Pz.IV E]] chassis. The 10.5 cm artillery gun is not only more effective than the [[StuH_42_G|StuH]]'s 10.5 cm howitzer, but it is very consistent in terms of the results: hits that usually devastate the enemy. Its 13 second reload is not bad either, for a gun of its size, as it's over twce as fast as the KV-2's. The 105 mm HE round can also be effective on many lightly armoured vehicles like the M18 Hellcat.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 <!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 {{main|K.18 (105 mm)}}
-The reason why Dicker Max shines as a sniper is the 105 mm cannon. The stock shell offers a good amount of penetration of 133 mm at 1,000 m, filled with more than 300 g TNT equivalent for an explosive filler, meaning the Dicker Max can frontally penetrate the majority of opponents and take them out in one hit them at a comfortable distance. The researchable shell takes a step further by having improved explosive mass and ricochet angles, easing the killing of heavily armoured tanks like [[KV-85]], [[M4A3E2]], and [[ARL-44]]. The reload time of ~15 seconds is slow but usual on such a big calibre.
+The reason why Dicker Max shines as a sniper is the 105 mm cannon. The stock shell offers a good amount of penetration of 133 mm at 1,000 m, filled with more than 300 g TNT equivalent for an explosive filler, meaning the Dicker Max can frontally penetrate the majority of opponents and take them out in one hit them at a comfortable distance. The researchable shell takes a step further by having improved explosive mass and ricochet angles, easing the killing of heavily armoured tanks like [[KV-85]], [[M4A3E2]], and [[ARL-44]]. The reload time of ~13 seconds is slow but usual on such a big calibre.
 Apart from the cannon itself, other aspects of it further improve the lethality of Dicker Max. The most noticeable feature is the amazing -15° gun depression. This angle is enough to hull-down on most slopes in most maps where vehicles with around -10° depression cannot hull-down (eg. [[M4]]). By hiding behind hills, the Dicker Max can conceal its weak body and only expose its destructive cannon.
-The gunsight is also a huge advantage. While most WW2 era tanks are equipped with scopes of ~3.5x zoom, the Dicker Max has a 9x zoom scope which is even higher than the binoculars, meaning it can conveniently pick a spot that is far away from the frontline and destroy targets one by one. Through this nice sight, a tank 1,000 m away can seem like it is only 500 m away, making it very friendly to aim for weak spots. Even if the target realises that they are being shot at, they usually fail to land hits for ~2 shots in RB as most players cannot aim accurately at distant targets, and their poor 3.5x zoom makes aiming even harder. By utilising the great gun depression and gunsight to loom behind hills, the Dicker Max protects itself with distance and concealment to compensate its poor armour.
+The gunsight is also a huge advantage. While most WW2 era tanks are equipped with scopes of ~3.5x zoom, the Dicker Max has a 9.2x zoom scope which is even higher than the binoculars, meaning it can conveniently pick a spot that is far away from the frontline and destroy targets one by one. Through this nice sight, a tank 1,000 m away can seem like it is only 500 m away, making it very friendly to aim for weak spots. Even if the target realises that they are being shot at, they usually fail to land hits for ~2 shots in RB as most players cannot aim accurately at distant targets, and their poor 3.5x zoom makes aiming even harder. By utilising the great gun depression and gunsight to loom behind hills, the Dicker Max protects itself with distance and concealment to compensate its poor armour.
 The only downside of the Dicker Max's firepower are the limited horizontal traverse and the elevation. Both of these require the tank to constantly adjust the hull in order to target which may or may not expose itself to an observing enemy.
@@ Line 104: / Line 104: @@
 As with any open-topped SPGs (such as the [[Marder III]]s), this is not a vehicle to charge the opponent with. However, one that can very effective at long ranges and from behind cover. An alternative play style for these vehicle in a closer range is supporting standard tanks by watching their flanks. It is NOT a fast vehicle, especially in realistic and simulator battles, but once it finds a place to stop and take aim, its gun is a very, very efficient anti-tank weapon, comparable to that of the mighty [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] turreted assault gun. Its most notable feature is its extreme gun depression, over -15° to +10°, which allows this tank to take advantage of great hull-down positions behind hills, becoming near-invisible in [[Realistic Battles|RB]] and [[Simulator Battles|SB]] at [[Visibility_mechanics|distance]]. Its weakness however, is rather obvious: the crew compartment is thinly armoured, which means basically anything can penetrate it can cause havoc for the tank commander and his crew. Combined with its slow acceleration, this is a vehicle to be used in a tactical manner in both offensive or usually, defensive combat.
-With only 50 mm of armour at a battle rating of 4.3, the Dicker Max can be defeated frontally by any vehicle of its rank, even at some range. It is particularly vulnerable to SPAAs with a high rate of fire (heavy machine guns can penetrate the rear, or shoot down into the cabin should the opportunity present itself) and large-calibre shells.
+With only 50 mm of armour at a battle rating of 3.7, the Dicker Max can be defeated frontally by any vehicle of its rank, even at some range. It is particularly vulnerable to SPAAs with a high rate of fire (heavy machine guns can penetrate the rear, or shoot down into the cabin should the opportunity present itself) and large-calibre shells.
 After staying at one spot and scoring a few kills, you might want to consider relocating, even moving a short distance to a neighbouring cover i enough. This is because after a while, enemy tankers will know your position and direct their supporting aircraft towards your location. Airplanes are a devastating threat for the Dicker Max, especially their guns and bombs. Relocating can thus foil the attempts by incoming planes to target your original firing spot. You need to anticipate this move, as the Dicker Max does not have the good mobility to drive to anywhere in time.
@@ Line 121: / Line 121: @@
 * Large explosive filler guarantees the destruction of the targeted vehicle, even for the most armoured foes like the [[M4A3E2]] and the [[IS-1]]
 * One of the best gun depression (-15°) allows it to adapt any terrains with great ease and hide behind hills
-* Outstanding gunsight zoom (9x) meaning it can comfortably engage targets from long range, thus avoiding exposure to enemy fire
+* Outstanding gunsight zoom (9.2x) meaning it can comfortably engage targets from long range, thus avoiding exposure to enemy fire
 * 5 crew members are spread out along the sides, meaning it is hard to get taken out by a single shot by most rounds
 * Easily hidden when hull down

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
-{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+{{:K.18 (105 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr, Gr.19, Pzgr.rot}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

@@ Line 192: / Line 192: @@
 ;Images
-<gallery mode="packed-hover"  heights="200">
+<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
 File:Dicker Max Gun Depression Tunisia.jpg|<small>The Dicker Max showing off its amazing gun depression</small>
 </gallery>
 ;Videos
-{{Youtube-gallery|4_cJ1CpEatw|'''Best gun depression'''  discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:33 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|bFXFsfhNXpE|'''{{PAGENAME}}''' - ''Napalmratte''|3y97Xoz6E0E|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}
+{{Youtube-gallery|4_cJ1CpEatw|'''Best gun depression''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:33 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|bFXFsfhNXpE|'''Dicker Max''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
 == See also ==