Pz.Kpfw. VI "Tiger" Ausf. E

  Unit Properties of  General Information
 * Nation:     Germany
 * Category:   Tanks
 * Class:      Heavy Tank
 * Role:       Break-Through Tank
 * Primary Armament: 88mm (3.46 inch) KwK 36 L/56
 * Secondary Armament: 3 x 7.92mm MG34 Machine gun 1 x Co-axle 1 x Hull 1 x Anti-Air
 * Armor:     100-25mm
 * Crew:       5


 * MP price:   62
 * Speed:      24
 * Fuel:       ?

History
The Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger I was the first in a new chapter of German tank design. The Tiger moved away from the high speed and well balanced early tanks that were well suited to the classic German Blitzkrieg. The German Waffenamt decided that a heavy tank was needed to help combat the well engineered T-34s and KVs which were more than a match for their counterparts, the Panzer IIIs and IVs. Designs for the Tiger I lead back to as early as 1937 and started as a medium/heavy tank but were updated an put into production after the Wehrmacht first encountered Russian armor. The Tiger I was the first tank to mount the infamous Eighty-Eight AA/AT gun, which proved lethal to British armor during the early years of the North African campaign. The large 88mm cannon had outstanding armor penetration performance compared to other cannons of the day and had an extremely flat trajectory, which, when matched with the Zeiss Turmzielfernrohr TZF 9b sights used in the Tiger, created one of the most formidable tank guns of the war.

The armor of the Tiger was very thick at its original release date, however when compared to later war tanks, like the Panther, its armor is inferior; little sloping and a poorly angled construction made it no match for late war AT guns such as the American 90mm M3 or the British 76mm 17pdr, however, but seeing as though these weapons were still quite uncommon, the Tiger remained a formidable force on the battlefield.

When the Tiger I was first introduced, it was plagued by countless mechanical problems which lead to its first combat mission near Lenningrad a failure. Its debut in Northern Africa was met with similar mechanical problems, however, this time, no Allied tanks or anti-tank guns could tackle the thick frontal armor. Instead, the British 57mm 6pdr could knock out the Tiger with a side hit at close range and it was in fact the 6pdr mounted on a Churchill tank that accounted for the first Tiger kill in North Africa. The Tigers immunity was finally lost when the British 17pdr. was introduced, even able to penetrate the frontal armor of the Tiger II. The Tiger I remained in service until the end of the war, though production was stopped in 1944 in favor of the more advanced Panther and, of course, the Tiger II.

In Game
The Tiger I, in game, is a powerful tank. It can hold it's own against all light tanks and the vast majority of medium tanks the Allied teams have available and is strong against infantry. The only problem with it is the fact that it, compared to late war AT guns, is weak. It is still capable of dealing with most tanks that it will meet in the field but its speed and flat armor plates will lead to its eventual downfall. The best tactics to use against the Tiger are flanking maneuvers because, even with a Sherman Firefly, a long range shot could bounce of its frontal armor.

The Tiger I is a powerful, heavily armed and armored vehicle, rarely seen due to its low production numbers. It is maneuverable but slow, owing to its Maybach HL210 engine which wasn't powerful enough for the weight of the vehicle, almost 60 tons. Its legendary 88mm L/56 cannon can deal with many Allied or Soviet vehicles without trouble, the reload time is fairly slow in comparison to their weapons though. It costs 65 points to purchase online. However, most players usually save up for the Panther tank as it is more effective all-round and only 10 points more expensive.

The 88mm Tiger main gun is effective against Light, medium and some heavy tanks at even long range and can even pass through walls, huts etc. without losing much velocity. It is also armed with 3 MG-34 machine guns for defense against infantry and aircraft. Its 100mm frontal armor is thick enough to withstand many calibers at long range but at close range it isn't so effective. M4A1 "Sherman"s and T-34/76s will still struggle to penetrate this armor even at point blank, however. When enemy tanks such as the Firefly and IS-1 begin to appear the Tiger starts to lose its edge on the battlefield. The side and rear armor aren't so thick and the operator must be careful to always follow the real-life German rule of engagement during the Second World War - always point your frontal armor towards the enemy.

While the Tiger may look dangerous and impossible to defeat, it has its weaknesses. Chief of which are the large, wide tracks. These can be broken from almost every angle and when broken allow said player to flank and knock out the Tiger by penetrating its thinner side and rear armor. The turret traverse is also very slow, meaning enemies close to the Tiger will be able to circle around it without the barrel being able to keep up with them. If the whole vehicle is turned with the barrel this can cancel out this problem somewhat but if a track is broken all is lost. As mentioned previously, the cannon also has a slow reload time, around seven seconds. This will allow the user to advance while the Tiger is reloading.

The Tiger I is not very recommendable for an attack due to its speed and the slow turret. It is more recommendable for a defense because of its heavy frontal armor.

Chances Against
A Tiger I (Ausf. E) with full crew has chances against:
 * Any armored car: 98% - It could possibly flank it and shoot its engine (unlikely).
 * Any light tank: 95% - If it flanked the Tiger, it could attack it from behind.
 * Any medium tank: 80% - It could score a good shot at its front MG, but could not destroy the turret or the front armor.
 * Any Heavy tank: 55% - A heavy tank has a possible chance, but it must be careful.
 * One of its own: 50% - To win something like that, it is very recommended to flank the enemy vehicle.

Rivals

 * T29 (United States)
 * M26 "Pershing" (United States)
 * IS-2 (Russia)