An artillery observation variant of the Panzer IV J with improved periscopes, three radio sets, and no turret machine gun.
History:
The Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV Ausf. J (Pz.Beob.Wg.IV Ausf.J) was an artillery observation vehicle based on the Panzer IV J. This variant underwent a few changes to better serve its new role, most notably the swapping of the original cupola with one found on the StuG III series of tank destroyers. Other modifications included: seven periscopes in place of the standard vision slits, an SF14Z scissor periscope (which could be raised without opening the cupola), artillery plotting equipment, an electrical generator, and three radio sets. All of the new equipment presented issues within the vehicle and, as such, the turret machine gun was removed as well as some ammunition. Oddly enough, the 75mm cannon was maintained. This vehicle was intended to work cooperatively with Wespe and Hummel SPGs. Work on this variant began in September of 1943 and 90-133 Panzer IV Js were converted from July 1944 to March 1945, making it one of the rarest Panzer IV service variants. The first example of the vehicle was captured in the Spring of 1945 by American forces in Belgium. This example featured no side-skirts, however, do note that some did.
functions in game
Due to this vehicle being used with artillery to find targets in game this vehicle would have the special ability to call in artillery. The artillery would work like this:
- there must be a man in the seat of where the artillery would be called from (the seat next to the Radio)
- this artillery CAN be called in at the same time as normal Artillery.
- the radius of this artillery will be decently smaller then normal artillery
- it takes double the amount of time to call it in at a beginning of a match, when you spawn in the tank, and after calling it in.
- The amount of shells that’ll be fired on the point will be a smaller amount.
These are things they could do to make it somewhat balanced but that’s what I got for now! If you have any other ideas that could help this, let me know!
How to get it
It would either be an Event Vehicle or a Premium squad.
Why it would be BR III:
While this tank looks OP for BR III at first glance, if you dive into it, it’s not. Besides the many nerfs to its Artillery, the tank itself also comes with many nerfs, here are the nerfs:
- This tank only has a hull machine gun, no roof MG or coaxial MG, and unless gaijin makes it so we can use this MG in the hull on release this tank will be pretty bad.
- It comes with less ammo. This tank would come with less ammo IRL as it needed to make room for radios (this might be false, as the radios could be stored in areas where ammo was never stored).
- The Turret traverse and reload rate would be nerfed. This tanks turret traverse would be about 50% slower as the gunner would also be working a radio irl and the loader would also lapse slower as he also had the duty to help scout targets.
- The MG isn’t really good. Besides the MG already being in the hull it also isn’t a MG34, it a MG13 (however some sources say it was a MG34 but those sources also say it had a coaxial MG and roof MG).
Specifications:
Armament: 7.5cm KwK40 L/48 and 1x 7.92mm MG13 (some sources say a MG34)
Dimensions: 7.02m x 2.88m x 2.68m (L,W,H)
Weight: 25000kg
Armor: Same as in-game Panzer IV J.
Crew: 5 (Commander Observer (Commander), Assistant Observer (Loader), Driver, Radio Operator (Hull Radio Operator and Machine Gunner), and Radio Operator Gunner (Gunner))
Ammunition: Same as in-game Panzer IV J.
Speed: Same as in-game Panzer IV J.
Horsepower: 320hp
Pictures:
Picture from the same photographer (Side skirts clearly visible):
Side View without side skirts:
3/4th View:
Covered in snow:
