Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E
The Panzer VI Tiger Heavy Tank, also designated as the special-purpose vehicle Sd.Kfz.181 and widely known by its English pronunciation "Tiger," was a 57-ton giant standing approximately 3m tall and 3.7m wide. Its massive frame was matched by incredibly thick armor plating, boasting the most formidable defensive capabilities of its era. It was essentially an "impenetrable fortress" on tracks, rendering standard-caliber shells utterly useless as they deflected off its hull.
However, this immense size came at the cost of agility. Unlike highly mobile medium tanks, the Tiger’s lack of responsiveness was its "Achilles' heel," making it virtually impossible to dodge incoming fire or shake off the aim of enemy Anti-Tank Guns (ATG) and tanks. Due to its vertical armor design, it functioned as a "massive target" that had to honestly endure the full impact of enemy projectiles like a literal bullet shield.
Even when its thick armor successfully deflects a shell, the accumulated shock—referred to as deflection damage—constantly eats away at the Tiger's durability. Therefore, commanding a Tiger requires meticulous attention, always keeping engineers nearby for constant repairs.
The Tiger’s 8.8cm KwK 36 L/56 gun, featuring a barrel nearly 4.9m long, possessed such overwhelming penetration that it could destroy Allied tanks from a distance of 2,000m. This lethality gave rise to a widespread "Tiger Phobia" among Allied tank crews.
An interesting side note: the Tiger utilized an interleaved road wheel system (Schachtellaufwerk). While this provided a smooth ride for the crew, it became a fatal flaw in Soviet territory when mud or snow trapped between the wheels froze solid, rendering the tank immobile.
It is also worth noting that although the Panzer V Panther medium tank might seem to have preceded the Panzer VI Tiger based on its number, these designations (5 and 6) refer to their weight classes (Medium vs. Heavy) rather than their chronological order of development or deployment. The Tiger originated from heavy tank projects in the late 1930s and first appeared on the Leningrad front in August 1942. In contrast, the Panther was conceived as a medium tank project following the "T-34 Shock" of late 1941 and made its combat debut in July 1943 during the Battle of Kursk (Operation Citadel).
Tiger I (Pz.Kpfw. VI) Ausf. E Heavy Tank Specifications
Cost: 640 Manpower | 230 Fuel | Recharge/Reinforce Time: 180s | Population: 21
Health: 1040
Frontal Armor: 300
Side Armor: ↕ (Vertical/Variable)
Rear Armor: 140
Max Speed: 5.2
Rotation Speed: 24
Acceleration: 1.8
Penalties: Smoke (-70%) | Ice (-40%) | Mud (-30%) | Deep Snow (-20%)
Deceleration: 2.0
Penalties: Smoke (-70%) | Ice (-40%) | Mud (-30%) | Deep Snow (-20%)
Sight Range: 35m (Basic) | 70m (Extended)
Camouflage Detection: 10m
Main Gun Range: 40m (Rank 2: 45m)
Main Gun Damage: 160 (24–40 on deflection)
Main Gun Penetration: 240 (Near) | 220 (Mid) | 200 (Far)
Reload Time: 6s (Rank 3: 4.2s)
Shell AOE (Damage Radius): 1.5–2.0m
Tiger I (Pz.Kpfw. VI) Ausf. E Heavy Tank Veterancy
Rank 1 (3,090 Exp)
+20% Experience Gain
Rank 2 (6,180 Exp)
+20% Accuracy
+30% Turret Rotation Speed
-10% Weapon Scatter
+5 Main Gun Range
+40% Experience Gain
Rank 3 (12,360 Exp)
-30% Reload Time
+20% Max Speed
+20% Acceleration / Deceleration
+20% Rotation Speed
+60% Experience Gain
Blitzkrieg Tactics
Munition Cost: 30
Duration: 15s
Cooldown: 50s
Max Speed: 1.15–1.25x Multiplier
Acceleration: 1.2–1.5x Multiplier
Received Accuracy: 0.75–0.85x Multiplier (Reduction)
Upon reaching Veterancy Rank 1, this ability can be activated at the cost of 30 Munitions. By increasing Max Speed and boosting Acceleration for approximately 15 to 20 seconds, it ensures superior mobility. Simultaneously, it reduces the Received Accuracy (hit rate), maximizing the Tiger's survivability even during intense combat engagements.
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