Matrix Games Forums

I'm playing as the Germans in North Africa. It's now April of 1942 and thus far I've been able to easily handle Crusader tanks with my 99-morale 100+ experience PzKwIV divisions. These are crack troops... so good that I've renamed a lot of them =) Uberpanzer-IVs have over 20 kills, and there are 25 of them. Reichpanzers have over 50 kills, and there are 3 of them. Reichpanzer I has 79 kills so he's the pride of the Afrika Korps

But even Reichpanzer I met his match at the hands of a British peon driving a Grant MkI. =( These things are so unbelievably strong, it's amazing. Stupid Lend Lease program! Stupid Americans, why must you get in my way! =P

I've tried a lot to take them down but they're so good at both HE and AP targets that they are very formidable. Eighty Eights seem to take them down well enough but I don't get many of them, and they are easily suppressed. How on Earth are you supposed to combat these beasts? PzKwIVs don't have the penetration and pretty much the only way I can take them down with IVs is with a cliff advantage by hitting the Top of the vehicle. PzKwIIIs would be a wasted investment. I have the ability to get Marder IIs and I've tried those - they work well but are so easily destroyed by the Grants. British is pulling a Russia =P

I have about 6800 Points saved up for my main force through the campaign so far. My plan is to save for Tigers and upgrade my PzKwIVs so heavier armor can't faze me. Only 4 more months until I get Tigers! However, what good is that plan if I get run over by Grants before it can take effect?

Ambush them!!! Smoke them!! Shell them!! etc!!!

Have you noticed any difference in APCR penetration vs. normal AP. That was what was historically needed to defeat these high-silhouetted monsters. Not a bad stop-gap measure for 1942, at least until the 7.5cm KwK 43 came out.

BTW Welcome to the forum. Happy Hunting!

I despise M36 Jacksons and their APCR.

Yes, APCR will do alot more pen than AP shells, because of the makeup of the shell's core.

Grants are tough, I tend to get a couple SS squads nearby to suppress them, so my III's (Which are better tank killers IMHO) can get over to it and shell it. If nothing else usually I can disable it's gun and immobilize it, most of the time I can't destroy them (Got a couple lucky shot kills) So I sneak some Engineers or SS and assault it's back armor and hope that works


It's all in what you use to pound them with.


I use VI's as Anti-Infantry tanks mostly O_o

Yeah IVs are good anti-infantry tanks, as it says in the Encyclopedia. I didn't realize that until after I purchased the platoon 16 months ago though =P

I've tried PzKwIIIs in past missions as support tanks, and they're decent, but they don't have the experience necessary to land a hit - I would have to replace some of my IVs. I don't think that would be worth it considering the high cost of PzKwIIIs and the relatively low armor that they have. Their armor penetration rating isn't very high either - only about 70, and that's about the same as the Grant's frontal armor. Wouldn't be cost effective, I don't think. The best thing seems to be 88s =( I need Tigers so badly =P

O_o My III's land every other hit against a moving target, and every hit against a still one, at pretty good ranges too.

I have one III with 35 kills.

I also have tons of IIIs, so I keep them in large groups, you kill one the other 4 or more unload on you.