Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) PaK: No, Give It Back!
Today we’re taking a look at a machine with an interesting story, a French vehicle, captured and modified by Germany and then captured back and used by the French!
[h2]Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) PaK: A Light Tank for France at Rank II[/h2]
At a glance:
- Powerful L/60 50 mm cannon!
- Great top speed and mobility.
- Scouting ability.
- Limited protection.
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France built over 700 AMD Panhard 35 armored cars from 1937 to 1940. After France fell, Germany would go on to enter a large number of these vehicles into service with their own army, modifying many of them to suit other roles. A late and relatively rare modification was the inclusion of a German 50 mm cannon, both the L/42 and L/60 versions were fitted into a small number of Panhard 178 models. Later after the liberation of France, the 1e Groupement Mobile de Reconnaissance would end up capturing a large amount of remaining German equipment, with some of these being their own modified Panhard armored cars!
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[h2]Introducing the Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) PaK![/h2]
Say hello to a new powerful French Panhard, this variant was captured and repurposed by the Germans to fit the long L/60 50 mm cannon, and later was captured back by France and used against Germany! This mobile and destructive armored car will be joining the French tree in the next major update, so let’s take a look!
This vehicle uses a lot of familiar parts you may already be familiar with. It’s very similar to the Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK, a premium in the German tree. This variant however uses a longer 50 mm cannon, functionally the same as the version found on the Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma and various late Pz.III models. With over 100mm of penetration and decent explosive filler, this cannon can comfortably deal with the majority of enemy vehicles from the side, and many of them from the front!
Mobility is similarly effective, with a 105 HP engine and max speed of 72 km/h on roads, it can traverse around the map quickly. Off-road mobility isn’t too bad either, often maintaining a speed between 35-40 km/h without much trouble. The turret traverse speed is fairly average however, so you may need to use the hull to swing the gun around quickly.
Predictably, as with many light vehicles, armor protection is poor. Frontally, the hull armor varies between 20-30 mm of thickness, barely enough to withstand heavy machine guns. Due to the larger gun, this AMD is open topped, making it very vulnerable to high explosive shells and aircraft. It also lacks any kind of machine gun.
Regarding playstyle, the Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) PaK is a quintessential light tank, relying on its speed to reach strong positions early. While the gun is generally capable enough to combat many enemies from the front to some degree, side shots are much more reliable, and positioning on the flanks will be much more advantageous than trying to take enemies head on. Focus on using mobility to reach strong positions and remember to scout targets for your team!
That’s all from us today, this interesting and rare vehicle will be arriving in the French tech tree in the next major update. Until then, keep an eye on the news as we’ve got quite literally tons more to show you!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
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