Difference between revisions of "Pz.38(t) F"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_ausf_F}}
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{{About
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| about = German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| and
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| usage = other versions
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| link-1 = Pz.38(t) A
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| link-2 = Pz.38(t) n.A.
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_ausf_F
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== 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.-->
 
<!--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.-->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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'''Pz.Kpfw. 38(t)''' was the German designation for captured Czech light tanks LT vz.38. At the outbreak of World War II, these vehicles were considered among the best light tanks available. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia and the seizure of the [[Pz.38(t) A|first batch of LT vz.38 tanks]], the Germans continued their production and modernisation, now for their own army. This led to the release of the '''Ausf. F''' version, 250 of which were produced from May to October 1941. It inherited the straight upper frontal armour plate from previous modifications, and the armour of the hull and turret was doubled all around. As a result, the tank's combat weight reached 10.14 tons, necessitating an increase in the number of leaf springs in the front bogie suspension from 14 to 15. The tank was used in all initial campaigns of the Wehrmacht until the end of 1941, when it was removed from production due to its failure to meet new combat requirements.
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{{break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.41]].
 
  
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The Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf.F variant is an up-armoured version of its predecessor - Ausf. A. Armour at all sides has been doubled, from 25/15/15 mm to a decent 50/30/30 mm. However, increased armour thickness brings additional weight, making the tank a bit slower than the Ausf. A variant. Gun remains the same, pretty good quick-firing 3,7 cm Kwk 38(t) L/48. It can still hold its ground at this BR, altough usage of APCR ammo is sometimes necessary, and damage of the gun is now lacking a bit compared to its competitors.
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The '''Pz.38(t) F''' was introduced in [[Update 1.41]]. Facing opponents with superior protection and armament compared to its [[Pz.38(t) A|earlier modification]], the tank can no longer provide adequate resistance. However, with its compact size and decent gun, the vehicle proves itself well as a support tank or for surprise flanking and rear attacks, targeting enemy vehicles in vulnerable areas. While armour on all sides has been doubled in thickness, the increased armour thickness brings additional weight, making this tank a bit slower than the Ausf. A variant. Another drawback of the Pz.38(t) F is the dense arrangement of internal modules and crew, which often results in its complete destruction from a single accurate hit.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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<!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
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'''Armour type:'''
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 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
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 +
{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
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|-
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| Hull || 50 mm (20°) ''Front plate'' <br> 30 mm (74°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 50 mm (15°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> 8 mm (68°) ''Bottom junction glacis'' || 30 mm || 30 mm (14°) || 30 mm (16°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 15 mm ''Turret section'' <br> 15 mm (0-30°) ''Rear section''
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|-
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| Turret || 50 mm (10°) ''Turret front'' <br> 25 mm + 50 mm (10°) ''Gun mantlet'' || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 30 mm (8°) || 8 mm
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|-
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| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 15 mm || 8 mm
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
  
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If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
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* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 15 mm thick.
 +
* The belly of the tank is 8 mm thick
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* Add-on tracks on the front hull are 15 mm thick.
 +
* Mudguards are 4 mm thick.
  
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The Panzer 38(t) F has similar bad survivability to the Pz.35(t) and Pz.38(t) A, but it boasts double the front hull and turret front armour. This makes it frontally immune to many reserve rank guns, particularly Japanese, French, and Italian guns. Thus while it is harder to initially penetrate, once it is opened up it is taken out easily.
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The {{PAGENAME}} has similarly bad survivability as the [[Pz.35(t)]] and [[Pz.38(t) A]], but it boasts double the front hull and turret front armour. This makes it frontally immune to many reserve-tier guns, particularly Japanese, French, and Italian ones. But while it is harder to initially penetrate, its internal components are still weak and your battle rating is also higher. Angling your hull will increase your chances of surviving a hit.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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<!--Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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The Panzer 38(t) F has nearly identical mobility to the Pz.38(t) A, aside from slightly higher weight making it a tad more sluggish in all respects. The role on the map of finding and using ambush points is the same as its predecessors.
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 194|rbMinHp= 111}}
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As a light tank, the {{PAGENAME}} accelerates decently and is able to reach its top speed of 46 km/h in a dozen of seconds. Braking happens quickly but the hull wobbles for a full second afterwards. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (12 km/h). The reverse speed is average: it will not get you out of a dangerous situation quickly but isn't a handicap either. Turning in reverse is equally slow (-3 km/h). The {{PAGENAME}} reaches 14 km/h when fording, 18 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 4 km/h uphill from a stop. The narrow tracks will grant you a decent mobility on hard terrain (solid ground, roads) but poor mobility on soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light obstacles (fences and bushes) are not a problem but medium to large obstacles (posts, trees, concrete blocks and parked vehicles) will reduce your mobility: avoid them.
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 +
The {{PAGENAME}} has a good mobility like the [[Pz.38(t) A]], if not slightly more sluggish (because of the additional armour weight).
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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<!--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.-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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{{main|KwK 38(t) (37 mm)}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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{{main|KwK38(t) (37 mm)}}
  
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The gun is the same KwK 38(t) as the Panzer 38(t) A. It is slightly better than the Pz.35(t)'s gun, but not by a practical amount, and therefore is used in exactly the same way. 56 mm penetration APC-HE, 61 mm penetration APCBC-HE, and 93 mm penetration APCR. This works vs most things it encounters, but Valentines, B1 bis, B ter, Matildas, and Sherman 105s are nightmares, and the higher battle rating of 2.0 means it sees these often.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[KwK38(t) (37 mm)|37 mm KwK38(t)]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 90 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Shoulder-stop, Vertical || 13.33 || 18.45 || 22.40 || 24.77 || 26.35 || rowspan="2" | 4.29 || rowspan="2" | 3.80 || rowspan="2" | 3.50 || rowspan="2" | 3.30
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
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|-
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|}
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The KwK38(t) gun offers a below-average penetration power at its battle rating. Its average muzzle velocity allows for a rather flat firing trajectory but the accuracy drop is noticeable from 700 m distance and becomes a handicap over 1,000 m. The rotation speed of the turret is slow but average compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. Elevation and depression angles of the gun are important, allowing you to fire from unusual positions (behind a ridge, on a slope, etc.). The shoulder-stop stabilizer allows for a good targeting but at very slow speed (under 8 km/h). The reload time of the gun is short, in line with other tanks equipped with a 37 mm cannon at the same BR. Your recoil is non-existent: coupled with the short reload time, this allows you to make rain shells on a target.
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The average penetration power of the APC shot and the important loss of penetration of the APCR above 500 m are the biggest weaknesses of the {{PAGENAME}} regarding its armament. This will force you to get close to enemy tanks to have a chance at penetrating them, nullifying your increased armour advantage  in the process.
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==== Ammunition ====
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The ammunition available to the {{PAGENAME}} allows for engaging all types of targets:
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* '''Pzgr. 34(t)''': APC; a shell with explosive filler but an average penetration power. It should be the main ammunition used in battle.
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* '''PzGr 40''': APCR; a composite round with the best penetration but no explosive filler and that will only penetrate flat vertical surfaces. Pack a few of these shells to use against heavily armoured foes that the '''Pzgr. 34(t)''' can't penetrate. This round however becomes fairly ineffective above 500 m distance.
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* '''Pzgr.(t) umg.''': APC; a shell offering a penetration power similar to the '''Pzgr. 34(t)''' while being a bit faster and slightly lighter.
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{{:KwK38(t) (37 mm)/Ammunition|Pzgr. 34(t), PzGr. 40, Pzgr.(t) umg.}}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.0.44''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
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! 6th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''90''' || 76&nbsp;''(+14)'' || 61&nbsp;''(+29)'' || 46&nbsp;''(+44)'' || 31&nbsp;''(+59)'' || 16&nbsp;''(+74)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+89)'' || Yes
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes''':
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 +
* The visual discrepancy concerns the number of shells per rack as well as the total number of sells (72 shells modeled for 90 available).
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* Rack 1 & 2 are modeled as 16 shells each, racks 3 & 5 as 14 shells each and racks 4 &6 as 6 shells each. However, each rack will disappear after you've fired 15 shells from it.
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* Turret empty: 61&nbsp;''(+29)'' shells.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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<!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{main|MG 37(t) (7.92 mm)}}
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<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' The text within these arrows are not to be deleted -->
  
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The tank has a 7.92 mm MG37(t) machine gun, which is good to hose down flak trucks, but not good for much else.  
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{{main|MG37(t) (7.92 mm)}}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[MG37(t) (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG37(t)]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
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|-
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| Coaxial || 5500 (200) || 769 || N/A || N/A
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|-
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|}
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The small calibre of the MG37(t) machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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<!--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).-->
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
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The Pz.38(t) F is used in much the same way as the [[Pz.38(t) A]]. It is heavier and better armoured than its predecessor, but it still can get to ambush positions quickly. The gun is the same, but the higher battle rating pits it against better armoured threats that it cannot deal with easily, even with its APCR shell.
  
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The tank is the same average mobility that the predecessors of it have, and the okay-at-best gun means it needs to act the same way despite semi-frequently running into near-impossible situations against Valentines, B1s, Sherman 105s, and Matildas.  
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;Where to go?
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The {{PAGENAME}} is not a front-line tank. This is the most important aspect of playing this tank, this tank does not brawl well. Use its mobility to get to an ambush position that the enemy will not expect it to be at, but do not rush too far forward, as the armour will likely not save you if you come up against an enemy tank. From an ambush position you will hopefully be able to hit the enemy in the side with the Pzgr. 34(t) round. The HE filler in the round should be able to disable an enemy tank in 1-2 well placed shots, and it is likely to cripple the enemy tank with only 1 shot, if not outright destroy it. Don't drive out in the open, unless you are absolutely sure it is clear, or if the situation requires it. Most enemy tanks can penetrate the {{PAGENAME}}'s frontal armour at range, so do not expose it to them.
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;Hull-down
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Do not stray to far from hard cover. The armour will not protect you from anything more than machine gun fire. If you spot an enemy that is looking in your direction, assume they are going to fire, and try to either shoot first, or take cover, or both - if your shot does not take out the enemy's gun. Do not risk your tank to enemy fire, as it will often end badly for you. In order to reduce the chances of the enemy hitting your tank, hull-down tactics can be quite successful. The {{PAGENAME}} has 10 degrees of gun depression, allowing the use of a ridge or hill to fire upon the enemy with only the turret showing to the enemy tanks. This is the ideal position to be in, especially if side shots of the enemy present themselves from that hull-down position.
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;Angling
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If you are not in a hull-down position, perhaps it's an urban environment or whatever the situation, you can angle the tank to increase the chance of an enemy's shot bouncing off of your tank. The hull should be angled just slightly away from the enemy tanks, in order to increase the effectiveness of your armour. Be careful to not over angle. If you angle too much, you will expose the side armour to where it is an easy penetration by enemy tanks. Note: angling is unlikely to save the tank from penetration, but against low penetration guns it could be the difference between life or death. Additionally, if you angle correctly and the enemy hits the sharply angled side of your tank, the angle will be too great and the shell will bounce.
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;Which rounds to carry?
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You should use the Pzgr. 34(t) as your main round, as it can reliably penetrate most, if not all, of the tanks of your BR. It has a better post-penetration damage than the APCR if you can penetrate the target because it has high-explosive filler. Always carry a few PzGr 40 rounds additionally to the APC shell. The APCR has the most penetration out of all the available shells, so it should be carried, just in case you meet a heavily armoured target.
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;Enemies worth noting
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* Regardless of distance, the {{PAGENAME}} will have trouble penetrating heavily armoured enemies: the [[Valentine I]], the [[B1 bis]] or [[B1 ter|ter]], the [[Matilda III]], the [[Churchill I]] and the [[M4A3 (105)]].
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 +
;How to defeat a {{PAGENAME}}
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In a frontal encounter, shoot right in the front plate if the {{PAGENAME}} did not angle its hull. This will knock out the gunner and the commander at least as the crew is cramped in a very tight space. If the tank is angled, aim for the base of the turret. When flanking, the plate right under the turret or the turret itself are the weakest spots.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 43: Line 170:
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
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* Decently good gun
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* Decently good gun with HE-filled rounds
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* HE filler helps easily knock out things you can penetrate
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* Good armour
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* Armour is good against enemies encountered during down-tiers
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* High-penetration APCR shells can penetrate almost all enemies
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* Has high-pen APCR for some of its armoured nemeses
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
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* Many other tanks are faster than it
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* Slower than many tanks
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* When it does get penned, it generally gets destroyed in one shot due to the small crew compartment
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* The small crew compartment provides low survivability
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* Gun is very inadequate in up-tiers
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* Inadequate gun when up-tiered
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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In 1935 ČKD, the tank manufacturers in Czechoslovakia, wanted to find a replacement for the LT-35 due to its flaws and efficiency was lacking for the growing Czechoslovakia army. The hull had 25 mm thick armor but it was not sloped. The turret has a 37 mm Skoda A7 gun with about 90 rounds of ammo and a ball mount machine gun in the turret. After the invasion of Nazi germany, the German decided to start putting the 38(t) into German service. During its service the 38(t) had a extra 25 mm thick armor plate to the front which made the front armor up to 50 mm. After the war the
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
  
 
===Development===
 
===Development===
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In 1935, ČKD (Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk), the tank manufacturer in Czechoslovakia wanted to find a replacement to the [[Pz.35(t)|LT vz.35]] (Also known as the ''Panzer 35(t)'' in German service). Reason being is that the vz.35 was complex and had its faults that impeded its efficiency and orders for new tanks would be coming from the gradually growing Czechoslovak army and other countries. They work jointly with Škoda Works in the development of this new tank.
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In 1935, ČKD (Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk), the tank manufacturer in Czechoslovakia, wanted to find a replacement to the [[Pz.35(t)|LT vz.35]] (also known as the ''Panzer 35(t)'' in German service). The reason was that the vz.35 was overly complex and had faults that impeded its efficiency. Orders for new tanks would be coming from the gradually growing Czechoslovak army, and so they worked jointly with Škoda Works in the development of this new tank.
  
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The next tank design, designated in Czechoslovakia as the '''LT vz.38''', fitted a conventional design for the interwar period. The armour was riveted with about 25 mm thick in the front hull and was not sloped. The engine was placed in the rear, with a two-man turret in the center, and the driving compartment in the front with a front transmission. Perhaps the biggest distinction for this tank design was the use of a leaf-spring unit suspension consisting of four large wheels. The turret housed the 37 mm Skoda A7 armament with about 90 rounds of ammunition stored in the vehicle. Unlike traditional designs, the coaxial machine gun is mounted on a ball mount allowing it to be aimed independently on targets, yet could be fixed for coaxial usage. There is another machine gun in front used by the assistant driver, who also doubled as the radio operator placed on the left of the operator as the driver was on the right side of the tank. The LT vz.38 was a very reliable design.
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The next tank design, designated in Czechoslovakia as the '''LT vz.38''', was a conventional model for the interwar period. The armour was riveted with 25 mm thick plates in the front hull and was not sloped. A new model was needed with a complete overhaul. The engine was placed in the rear of the tank, with a two-man turret in the centre and the driving compartment in the front with a front transmission. Perhaps the most significant feature of this tank design was the use of a leaf-spring unit suspension consisting of four large wheels. The turret housed the 37 mm Skoda A7 cannon, with about 90 rounds of ammunition stored in the vehicle. Unlike traditional designs, the coaxial machine gun was mounted on a ball mount, allowing it to be aimed independently on targets. It could also be fixed for coaxial usage. A second machine gun in the front could be used by the assistant driver, who also doubled as the radio operator placed on the left of the driver, who was on the right side of the tank. The LT vz.38 was a very reliable design and other nations either ordered tanks (Peru) or purchased a license for production (Sweden).
  
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The LT vz.38 was successfully exported under the name ''"TNH"'' and was given to Iran, Peru, Switzerland, and Lithuania, all under different names, but done in small quantities (Iran bought the most at 50 units). The British Royal Armoured Corps ordered one trial model out in an evaluation, but their evaluations came that the vehicle was uncomfortable for the crew and was impossible to lay the gun when the vehicle is in motion, thus the British did not order any and returned the trial model. Then in 1937, the Czechoslovak armed forces started a contest for a new tank to be put into service. Three companies, Škoda, ČKD and Tatra, were involved and submitted their various designs with Škoda a variant of the LT vz.38, ČKD a prototype model different from the LT vz.38, and Tatra a very different design concept altogether. The army then chose the LT vz.38 model and ordered 150 units in July 1938, but these were never put to service in Czech usage when the German occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
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The LT vz.38 was successfully exported under the name ''"TNH"''. It was given to Iran, Peru, Switzerland, and Lithuania, all under different names, but only in small quantities (Iran bought the most at 50 units). The British Royal Armoured Corps ordered one trial model for an evaluation, but their data showed that the vehicle was uncomfortable for the crew. It was impossible to aim the gun when the tank is in motion; thus, the British did not order any and returned the trial model. Then in 1937, the Czechoslovak armed forces started a contest for a new tank to be put into service. Three companies, Škoda, ČKD, and Tatra, were involved and submitted their various designs with Škoda a variant of the LT vz.38, ČKD a prototype model different from the LT vz.38, and Tatra a very different design concept altogether. The army then chose the LT vz.38 model and ordered 150 units in July 1938, but these were never put to service in Czech usage when Germans occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
  
 
===German adoption===
 
===German adoption===
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When Germany took control of Czechoslovakia, they ordered the LT vz.38 production to continue as its firepower, armour, and mobility was considerably better than the Panzer I and [[Pz.II C|Panzer II]], which made up most of the German armoured forces in 1939. At first, it was used under the designation '''LTM 38''', but this was changed in January 1940 to the '''Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)''', or the '''Panzer 38(t)''' for short. The Panzer 38(t) was used as a substitute to the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] due to the similarity in armour and armament. The 37 mm Skoda A7 cannon was renamed the 37mm KwK38 (t). The Germans would gradually upgrade the design in its production life and have seven different variants (A-G) of the normal production model, but are divided into [[Pz.38(t) A|one with 25 mm of frontal riveted armour originally]], and the other with a total frontal armour thickness of 50 mm by bolting on another 25 mm of armour to the hull. Production under Germany control continued from 1939 to 1942 with a total of 1,414 tank units built (excluding export models and other vehicles built with the chassis).
+
When Germany took control of Czechoslovakia, they ordered the LT vz.38 production to continue as its firepower, armour, and mobility was considerably better than that of the Panzer I and [[Pz.II C|Panzer II]], which made up most of the German armoured forces in 1939. At first, it was used under the designation '''LTM 38''', but this was changed in January 1940 to the '''Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)''', or the '''Panzer 38(t)''' for short. The Panzer 38(t) was used as a substitute for the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] due to the similarity in armour and armament. The 37 mm Skoda A7 cannon was renamed the 37 mm KwK38 (t). The Germans would gradually upgrade the design in its production life and have seven different variants (A-G). The armour plates classified each option; [[Pz.38(t) A|one with 25 mm of frontal riveted armour originally]], and the other with a total frontal armour thickness of 50 mm by bolting on another 25 mm of armour to the hull. Production under Germany control continued from 1939 to 1942, with a total of 1,414 tank units built (excluding export models and other vehicles built with the chassis).
  
 
===Combat usage===
 
===Combat usage===
−
The Panzer 38(t) served well in the initial campaigns for Germany in World War II, performing well in the invasion of Poland and France in 1939 and 1940 respectively. Some notable German tank aces would start their careers with this tank; such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Carius Otto Carius], who would become one of Germany's well known [[Tiger H1|Tiger]] Ace. Though unable to deal with the heavier tanks in Allied service, it was able to engage the armour of most light tank designs at the time. It wasn't until the initiation of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, where the Panzer 38(t) has become outclassed in all ways by the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34s]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. Due to the small two-man turret, it could not be modified to accept a larger gun capable of defeating these tanks. Not only that, but the Panzer 38(t) was also vulnerable to the Soviet 47 mm anti-tank gun due to the lower armour quality on the tank. These two drawbacks of the Panzer 38(t) caused it to be retired from front-line services for better tanks such as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. Despite its retirement, the chassis was found to be a very adaptable design, so it would continue to be used in a variety of roles such as the ''[[Marder III H|Marder III]]'' and ''[[Jagdpanzer 38(t)|Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]'' tank destroyer, ''[[Flakpanzer 38|Flakpanzer 38(t)]]'' anti-aircraft gun, and the ''Grille'' self-propelled artillery piece. A dedicated reconnaissance variant known as the ''[[Sd.Kfz. 140/1|Aufklärungspanzer 38(t)]]'' was also built to supplement the need for reconnaissance vehicles.
+
The Panzer 38(t) served well in the initial campaigns for Germany in World War II, performing well in the invasion of Poland and France in 1939 and 1940 respectively. Some notable German tank aces would start their careers with this tank; such as [[wikipedia:Otto_Carius|Otto Carius]], who would become one of Germany's well known [[Tiger H1|Tiger]] aces. Though unable to deal with the heavier tanks in Allied service, it was able to engage the armour of most light tank designs at the time. It wasn't until the initiation of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, where the Panzer 38(t) would become outclassed in all ways by the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34s]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. Due to the small two-man turret, it could not be modified to accept a larger gun capable of defeating these tanks. Not only that, but the Panzer 38(t) was also vulnerable to the Soviet 47 mm anti-tank gun due to the lower armour quality on the tank. These two drawbacks of the Panzer 38(t) caused it to be retired from front-line services for better tanks such as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. Despite its retirement, the chassis was found to be a very adaptable design, so it would continue to be used in a variety of roles such as the ''[[Marder III H|Marder III]]'' and ''[[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]'' tank destroyer, ''[[Flakpanzer 38|Flakpanzer 38(t)]]'' anti-aircraft gun, and the ''Grille'' self-propelled artillery piece. A dedicated reconnaissance variant known as the ''[[Sd.Kfz. 140/1|Aufklärungspanzer 38(t)]]'' was also built to supplement the need for reconnaissance vehicles.
  
−
Despite its retirement as a front-line weapon, the Panzer 38(t) tank still saw usage as a reconnaissance vehicle and an anti-partisan vehicle in German-controlled territory. The usage of the chassis in different roles freed up many turrets to serve as fortifications to be used in various of locations, such as the Atlantic Wall, which proved well in against infantry attacks as its small 37 mm cannon was inadequate against the increasing armour of Allied tanks.
+
Despite its retirement as a front-line weapon, the Panzer 38(t) tank still saw usage as a reconnaissance vehicle and an anti-partisan vehicle in German-controlled territory. The usage of the chassis in different roles freed up many turrets to serve as fortifications to be used in a variety of locations, such as the Atlantic Wall, which proved well in against infantry attacks as its small 37 mm cannon was inadequate against the increasing armour of Allied tanks.
  
−
===Other Countries===  
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===Other Countries===
−
The Panzer 38(t), as a widely exported tank model, also saw service with Romania, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Peru, and Iran. Sweden were one of the few countries that were granted license to construct the Panzer 38(t) under their designation as the ''Stridsvagn m/41'' after their initial batch were seized by the Germans with the takeover of Czechoslovakia. Deliveries of the first batch of the initial tank model started in December 1942 and ended in August 1943. Then a second batch of 122 units was ordered in mid-1942 for more of these tanks due to an urgent demand, the second batch would have the 50 mm armour plate thickness and with a redesigned interior and better engine to compensate the weight increase. 104 of the second batch was delievered before production ended in March 1944. Some of these tanks would be converted into ''sav M/43'' assault guns or armoured personnel carriers during and after the war. Peru were also another prolific user of the Panzer 38(t), using them in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War in 1941 as the main stay of their tank battalions. The tanks added with the lack of capable anti-tank weapons in Ecuadorian forces made the Panzer 38(t) proved very well in the war and even stayed in service for more than 50 years before being retired.
+
The Panzer 38(t), as a widely exported tank model, also saw service with Romania, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Peru, and Iran. Sweden was one of the few countries that were granted a license to construct the Panzer 38(t) under their designation as the ''Stridsvagn m/41'' after their initial batch were seized by the Germans with the takeover of Czechoslovakia. Deliveries of the first batch of the initial tank model started in December 1942 and ended in August 1943. Then a second batch of 122 units was ordered in mid-1942 for more of these tanks due to urgent demand, the second batch would have the 50 mm armour plate thickness and with a redesigned interior and better engine to compensate the weight increase. 104 of the second batch were delivered before production ended in March 1944. Some of these tanks would be converted into ''sav M/43'' assault guns or armoured personnel carriers during and after the war. Peru was also another prolific user of the Panzer 38(t), using them in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War in 1941 as the mainstay of their tank battalions. The tanks along with the lack of capable anti-tank weapons in Ecuadorian forces made the Panzer 38(t) very successful in the war and even stayed in service for more than 50 years before being retired.
  
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=== In-game description ===
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{{break}}
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A modified version of the Pz.38(t) light tank designed on the basis of combat experience in Poland. The tank’s armor was enhanced to 50 mm in the front and 30 mm on the sides. Two similar versions of the Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E and Ausf F were released between November, 1940 and October, 1941. 525 tanks were produced, including both versions.
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{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
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{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
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A modified version of the Pz.38(t) light tank designed on the basis of combat experience in Poland. The tank's armour was enhanced to 50 mm in the front and 30 mm on the sides. Two similar versions of the Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E and Ausf F were released between November, 1940 and October, 1941. 525 tanks were produced, including both versions.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_38t_ausf_F Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Images
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
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File:Pz.38(t) F X-Ray.png|X-Ray view of the {{PAGENAME}}
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File:Pz.38(t) F ambushing.png|{{PAGENAME}} ambushing a Swedish tank destroyer on the map Cargo Port
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File:Pz.38(t) F dark grey camo.png|{{PAGENAME}} dark grey camouflage marketplace skin
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</gallery>
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|wENCOoEK5TU|'''Panzer 38 (t) Gameplay & Review''' - ''DigitalDigging''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
<!--Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
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<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
  
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* [[Pz.38(t) A]] - Preceding vehicle model in the German tech tree
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;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
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* [[LT-38 (Family)]]
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;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
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* [[A13 (Family)]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/3279/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A & F]
+
* [[wt:en/news/3279/current|[Vehicle Profile] Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A & F]]
−
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/735/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Legends<nowiki>]</nowiki> Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)]
+
* [[wt:en/news/735/current|[Legends] Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:Panzer_38(t)|[Wikipedia] Panzer 38(t)]]
 +
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/panzer-38t-php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)]
 +
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=273 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> LT vz. 38 / PzKpfW 38(t) (SdKfz 140)]
  
 
{{Germany light tanks}}
 
{{Germany light tanks}}

Latest revision as of 16:22, 17 August 2024

Introducing Wiki 3.0
This page is about the German light tank Pz.38(t) F. For other versions, see Pz.38(t) A and Pz.38(t) n.A..
Pz.38(t) F
germ_pzkpfw_38t_ausf_f.png
GarageImage Pz.38(t) F.jpg
ArtImage Pz.38(t) F.png
Pz.38(t) F
Germany flag.png Germany
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.0 2.3 2.3
Class:
Research:4 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:2 100 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) was the German designation for captured Czech light tanks LT vz.38. At the outbreak of World War II, these vehicles were considered among the best light tanks available. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia and the seizure of the first batch of LT vz.38 tanks, the Germans continued their production and modernisation, now for their own army. This led to the release of the Ausf. F version, 250 of which were produced from May to October 1941. It inherited the straight upper frontal armour plate from previous modifications, and the armour of the hull and turret was doubled all around. As a result, the tank's combat weight reached 10.14 tons, necessitating an increase in the number of leaf springs in the front bogie suspension from 14 to 15. The tank was used in all initial campaigns of the Wehrmacht until the end of 1941, when it was removed from production due to its failure to meet new combat requirements.

The Pz.38(t) F was introduced in Update 1.41. Facing opponents with superior protection and armament compared to its earlier modification, the tank can no longer provide adequate resistance. However, with its compact size and decent gun, the vehicle proves itself well as a support tank or for surprise flanking and rear attacks, targeting enemy vehicles in vulnerable areas. While armour on all sides has been doubled in thickness, the increased armour thickness brings additional weight, making this tank a bit slower than the Ausf. A variant. Another drawback of the Pz.38(t) F is the dense arrangement of internal modules and crew, which often results in its complete destruction from a single accurate hit.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull50 / 30 / 30
Turret50 / 30 / 30
Crew4 people
Visibility72 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 50 mm (20°) Front plate
30 mm (74°) Upper glacis
50 mm (15°) Lower glacis
8 mm (68°) Bottom junction glacis 		30 mm 30 mm (14°) 30 mm (16°) Front glacis
15 mm Turret section
15 mm (0-30°) Rear section
Turret 50 mm (10°) Turret front
25 mm + 50 mm (10°) Gun mantlet 		30 mm (8°) 8 mm
Cupola 15 mm 8 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 15 mm thick.
  • The belly of the tank is 8 mm thick
  • Add-on tracks on the front hull are 15 mm thick.
  • Mudguards are 4 mm thick.

The Pz.38(t) F has similarly bad survivability as the Pz.35(t) and Pz.38(t) A, but it boasts double the front hull and turret front armour. This makes it frontally immune to many reserve-tier guns, particularly Japanese, French, and Italian ones. But while it is harder to initially penetrate, its internal components are still weak and your battle rating is also higher. Angling your hull will increase your chances of surviving a hit.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB47 / 7 km/h
RB and SB43 / 7 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight10.1 t
Engine power
AB238 hp
RB and SB125 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB23.6 hp/t
RB and SB12.4 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 47 7 10.1 194 238 19.21 23.56
Realistic 43 7 111 125 10.99 12.38

As a light tank, the Pz.38(t) F accelerates decently and is able to reach its top speed of 46 km/h in a dozen of seconds. Braking happens quickly but the hull wobbles for a full second afterwards. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (12 km/h). The reverse speed is average: it will not get you out of a dangerous situation quickly but isn't a handicap either. Turning in reverse is equally slow (-3 km/h). The Pz.38(t) F reaches 14 km/h when fording, 18 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 4 km/h uphill from a stop. The narrow tracks will grant you a decent mobility on hard terrain (solid ground, roads) but poor mobility on soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light obstacles (fences and bushes) are not a problem but medium to large obstacles (posts, trees, concrete blocks and parked vehicles) will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

The Pz.38(t) F has a good mobility like the Pz.38(t) A, if not slightly more sluggish (because of the additional armour weight).

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB161 → 217 Sl icon.png
RB183 → 247 Sl icon.png
SB251 → 339 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications4 440 Rp icon.png
2 690 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost300 Ge icon.png
Crew training600 Sl icon.png
Experts2 100 Sl icon.png
Aces45 Ge icon.png
Research Aces110 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
10 / 20 / 20 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
480 Rp icon.png
Cost:
290 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
480 Rp icon.png
Cost:
290 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
37mm_kwk_38_t_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
220 Rp icon.png
Cost:
135 Sl icon.png
50 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
37mm_kwk_36_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
120 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
280 Rp icon.png
Cost:
170 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
480 Rp icon.png
Cost:
290 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm KwK38(t) cannon
Shoulder stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition90 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
4.3 → 3.3 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 25°
Main article: KwK38(t) (37 mm)
37 mm KwK38(t) Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 90 -10°/+25° ±180° Shoulder-stop, Vertical 13.33 18.45 22.40 24.77 26.35 4.29 3.80 3.50 3.30
Realistic 8.33 9.80 11.90 13.16 14.00

The KwK38(t) gun offers a below-average penetration power at its battle rating. Its average muzzle velocity allows for a rather flat firing trajectory but the accuracy drop is noticeable from 700 m distance and becomes a handicap over 1,000 m. The rotation speed of the turret is slow but average compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. Elevation and depression angles of the gun are important, allowing you to fire from unusual positions (behind a ridge, on a slope, etc.). The shoulder-stop stabilizer allows for a good targeting but at very slow speed (under 8 km/h). The reload time of the gun is short, in line with other tanks equipped with a 37 mm cannon at the same BR. Your recoil is non-existent: coupled with the short reload time, this allows you to make rain shells on a target. The average penetration power of the APC shot and the important loss of penetration of the APCR above 500 m are the biggest weaknesses of the Pz.38(t) F regarding its armament. This will force you to get close to enemy tanks to have a chance at penetrating them, nullifying your increased armour advantage in the process.

Ammunition

The ammunition available to the Pz.38(t) F allows for engaging all types of targets:

  • Pzgr. 34(t): APC; a shell with explosive filler but an average penetration power. It should be the main ammunition used in battle.
  • PzGr 40: APCR; a composite round with the best penetration but no explosive filler and that will only penetrate flat vertical surfaces. Pack a few of these shells to use against heavily armoured foes that the Pzgr. 34(t) can't penetrate. This round however becomes fairly ineffective above 500 m distance.
  • Pzgr.(t) umg.: APC; a shell offering a penetration power similar to the Pzgr. 34(t) while being a bit faster and slightly lighter.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Pzgr. 34(t) APC 62 59 45 32 23 17
PzGr. 40 APCR 86 77 47 26 14 8
Pzgr.(t) umg. APC 61 58 44 31 22 15
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Pzgr. 34(t) APC 741 0.85 1.2 9 22.1 48° 63° 71°
PzGr. 40 APCR 1,020 0.37 - - - 66° 70° 72°
Pzgr.(t) umg. APC 750 0.82 1.2 9 22.1 48° 63° 71°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Pz.38(t) F
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
90 76 (+14) 61 (+29) 46 (+44) 31 (+59) 16 (+74) 1 (+89) Yes

Notes:

  • The visual discrepancy concerns the number of shells per rack as well as the total number of sells (72 shells modeled for 90 available).
  • Rack 1 & 2 are modeled as 16 shells each, racks 3 & 5 as 14 shells each and racks 4 &6 as 6 shells each. However, each rack will disappear after you've fired 15 shells from it.
  • Turret empty: 61 (+29) shells.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG37(t) machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition5 600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate769 shots/min
Main article: MG37(t) (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm MG37(t)
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 5500 (200) 769 N/A N/A

The small calibre of the MG37(t) machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment.

Usage in battles

The Pz.38(t) F is used in much the same way as the Pz.38(t) A. It is heavier and better armoured than its predecessor, but it still can get to ambush positions quickly. The gun is the same, but the higher battle rating pits it against better armoured threats that it cannot deal with easily, even with its APCR shell.

Where to go?

The Pz.38(t) F is not a front-line tank. This is the most important aspect of playing this tank, this tank does not brawl well. Use its mobility to get to an ambush position that the enemy will not expect it to be at, but do not rush too far forward, as the armour will likely not save you if you come up against an enemy tank. From an ambush position you will hopefully be able to hit the enemy in the side with the Pzgr. 34(t) round. The HE filler in the round should be able to disable an enemy tank in 1-2 well placed shots, and it is likely to cripple the enemy tank with only 1 shot, if not outright destroy it. Don't drive out in the open, unless you are absolutely sure it is clear, or if the situation requires it. Most enemy tanks can penetrate the Pz.38(t) F's frontal armour at range, so do not expose it to them.

Hull-down

Do not stray to far from hard cover. The armour will not protect you from anything more than machine gun fire. If you spot an enemy that is looking in your direction, assume they are going to fire, and try to either shoot first, or take cover, or both - if your shot does not take out the enemy's gun. Do not risk your tank to enemy fire, as it will often end badly for you. In order to reduce the chances of the enemy hitting your tank, hull-down tactics can be quite successful. The Pz.38(t) F has 10 degrees of gun depression, allowing the use of a ridge or hill to fire upon the enemy with only the turret showing to the enemy tanks. This is the ideal position to be in, especially if side shots of the enemy present themselves from that hull-down position.

Angling

If you are not in a hull-down position, perhaps it's an urban environment or whatever the situation, you can angle the tank to increase the chance of an enemy's shot bouncing off of your tank. The hull should be angled just slightly away from the enemy tanks, in order to increase the effectiveness of your armour. Be careful to not over angle. If you angle too much, you will expose the side armour to where it is an easy penetration by enemy tanks. Note: angling is unlikely to save the tank from penetration, but against low penetration guns it could be the difference between life or death. Additionally, if you angle correctly and the enemy hits the sharply angled side of your tank, the angle will be too great and the shell will bounce.

Which rounds to carry?

You should use the Pzgr. 34(t) as your main round, as it can reliably penetrate most, if not all, of the tanks of your BR. It has a better post-penetration damage than the APCR if you can penetrate the target because it has high-explosive filler. Always carry a few PzGr 40 rounds additionally to the APC shell. The APCR has the most penetration out of all the available shells, so it should be carried, just in case you meet a heavily armoured target.

Enemies worth noting
How to defeat a Pz.38(t) F

In a frontal encounter, shoot right in the front plate if the Pz.38(t) F did not angle its hull. This will knock out the gunner and the commander at least as the crew is cramped in a very tight space. If the tank is angled, aim for the base of the turret. When flanking, the plate right under the turret or the turret itself are the weakest spots.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Decently good gun with HE-filled rounds
  • Good armour
  • High-penetration APCR shells can penetrate almost all enemies

Cons:

  • Slower than many tanks
  • The small crew compartment provides low survivability
  • Inadequate gun when up-tiered

History

Development

In 1935, ČKD (Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk), the tank manufacturer in Czechoslovakia, wanted to find a replacement to the LT vz.35 (also known as the Panzer 35(t) in German service). The reason was that the vz.35 was overly complex and had faults that impeded its efficiency. Orders for new tanks would be coming from the gradually growing Czechoslovak army, and so they worked jointly with Škoda Works in the development of this new tank.

The next tank design, designated in Czechoslovakia as the LT vz.38, was a conventional model for the interwar period. The armour was riveted with 25 mm thick plates in the front hull and was not sloped. A new model was needed with a complete overhaul. The engine was placed in the rear of the tank, with a two-man turret in the centre and the driving compartment in the front with a front transmission. Perhaps the most significant feature of this tank design was the use of a leaf-spring unit suspension consisting of four large wheels. The turret housed the 37 mm Skoda A7 cannon, with about 90 rounds of ammunition stored in the vehicle. Unlike traditional designs, the coaxial machine gun was mounted on a ball mount, allowing it to be aimed independently on targets. It could also be fixed for coaxial usage. A second machine gun in the front could be used by the assistant driver, who also doubled as the radio operator placed on the left of the driver, who was on the right side of the tank. The LT vz.38 was a very reliable design and other nations either ordered tanks (Peru) or purchased a license for production (Sweden).

The LT vz.38 was successfully exported under the name "TNH". It was given to Iran, Peru, Switzerland, and Lithuania, all under different names, but only in small quantities (Iran bought the most at 50 units). The British Royal Armoured Corps ordered one trial model for an evaluation, but their data showed that the vehicle was uncomfortable for the crew. It was impossible to aim the gun when the tank is in motion; thus, the British did not order any and returned the trial model. Then in 1937, the Czechoslovak armed forces started a contest for a new tank to be put into service. Three companies, Škoda, ČKD, and Tatra, were involved and submitted their various designs with Škoda a variant of the LT vz.38, ČKD a prototype model different from the LT vz.38, and Tatra a very different design concept altogether. The army then chose the LT vz.38 model and ordered 150 units in July 1938, but these were never put to service in Czech usage when Germans occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939.

German adoption

When Germany took control of Czechoslovakia, they ordered the LT vz.38 production to continue as its firepower, armour, and mobility was considerably better than that of the Panzer I and Panzer II, which made up most of the German armoured forces in 1939. At first, it was used under the designation LTM 38, but this was changed in January 1940 to the Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), or the Panzer 38(t) for short. The Panzer 38(t) was used as a substitute for the Panzer III due to the similarity in armour and armament. The 37 mm Skoda A7 cannon was renamed the 37 mm KwK38 (t). The Germans would gradually upgrade the design in its production life and have seven different variants (A-G). The armour plates classified each option; one with 25 mm of frontal riveted armour originally, and the other with a total frontal armour thickness of 50 mm by bolting on another 25 mm of armour to the hull. Production under Germany control continued from 1939 to 1942, with a total of 1,414 tank units built (excluding export models and other vehicles built with the chassis).

Combat usage

The Panzer 38(t) served well in the initial campaigns for Germany in World War II, performing well in the invasion of Poland and France in 1939 and 1940 respectively. Some notable German tank aces would start their careers with this tank; such as Otto Carius, who would become one of Germany's well known Tiger aces. Though unable to deal with the heavier tanks in Allied service, it was able to engage the armour of most light tank designs at the time. It wasn't until the initiation of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, where the Panzer 38(t) would become outclassed in all ways by the Soviet T-34s and KV-1 tanks. Due to the small two-man turret, it could not be modified to accept a larger gun capable of defeating these tanks. Not only that, but the Panzer 38(t) was also vulnerable to the Soviet 47 mm anti-tank gun due to the lower armour quality on the tank. These two drawbacks of the Panzer 38(t) caused it to be retired from front-line services for better tanks such as the Panzer IV. Despite its retirement, the chassis was found to be a very adaptable design, so it would continue to be used in a variety of roles such as the Marder III and Jagdpanzer 38(t) tank destroyer, Flakpanzer 38(t) anti-aircraft gun, and the Grille self-propelled artillery piece. A dedicated reconnaissance variant known as the Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) was also built to supplement the need for reconnaissance vehicles.

Despite its retirement as a front-line weapon, the Panzer 38(t) tank still saw usage as a reconnaissance vehicle and an anti-partisan vehicle in German-controlled territory. The usage of the chassis in different roles freed up many turrets to serve as fortifications to be used in a variety of locations, such as the Atlantic Wall, which proved well in against infantry attacks as its small 37 mm cannon was inadequate against the increasing armour of Allied tanks.

Other Countries

The Panzer 38(t), as a widely exported tank model, also saw service with Romania, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Peru, and Iran. Sweden was one of the few countries that were granted a license to construct the Panzer 38(t) under their designation as the Stridsvagn m/41 after their initial batch were seized by the Germans with the takeover of Czechoslovakia. Deliveries of the first batch of the initial tank model started in December 1942 and ended in August 1943. Then a second batch of 122 units was ordered in mid-1942 for more of these tanks due to urgent demand, the second batch would have the 50 mm armour plate thickness and with a redesigned interior and better engine to compensate the weight increase. 104 of the second batch were delivered before production ended in March 1944. Some of these tanks would be converted into sav M/43 assault guns or armoured personnel carriers during and after the war. Peru was also another prolific user of the Panzer 38(t), using them in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War in 1941 as the mainstay of their tank battalions. The tanks along with the lack of capable anti-tank weapons in Ecuadorian forces made the Panzer 38(t) very successful in the war and even stayed in service for more than 50 years before being retired.


Archive of the in-game description

A modified version of the Pz.38(t) light tank designed on the basis of combat experience in Poland. The tank's armour was enhanced to 50 mm in the front and 30 mm on the sides. Two similar versions of the Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E and Ausf F were released between November, 1940 and October, 1941. 525 tanks were produced, including both versions.


Media

Skins
Images

  • X-Ray view of the Pz.38(t) F

  • Pz.38(t) F ambushing a Swedish tank destroyer on the map Cargo Port

  • Pz.38(t) F dark grey camouflage marketplace skin

Videos
Panzer 38 (t) Gameplay & Review - DigitalDigging

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


Germany light tanks
Pz.II  Pz.II C · Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.II C TD · Pz.II F · Pz.Sfl.Ic
Sd.Kfz.234  Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/2 · Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD
Marder  Marder A1- · Marder 1A3 · Begleitpanzer 57 · DF105
SPz PUMA  PUMA · PUMA VJTF
Wheeled  Sd.Kfz.221 (s.Pz.B.41) · Class 3 (P) · Radkampfwagen 90 · Boxer MGS
Other  Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS
Argentina  TAM · TAM 2C · TAM 2IP · JaPz.K A2
Czechoslovakia  Pz.35(t) · Pz.38(t) A · Pz.38(t) F · Pz.38(t) n.A. · Sd.Kfz. 140/1
France  Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK
Lithuania  Vilkas
USA  leKPz M41
USSR  SPz BMP-1

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