I’d like to ask the developers to reconsider the current ammunition setup of the Pz. IV E and Pz. IV F1.
Previously, these tanks had regular HE shells, which made them very useful in their infantry-support role. After the change, the HE was replaced with HEAT.
HEAT is useful against enemy tanks, but completely removing the regular HE significantly reduces the effectiveness of these short-barreled Pz. IVs against infantry, AT guns, MG positions, and enemies inside buildings.
Could you please consider one of these compromises for the upcoming update?
Bring back regular HE and give the tanks a limited number of HEAT rounds, for example 7–10 HEAT shells.
Or replace the AP/APCBC ammunition with HEAT while keeping the regular HE.
This would allow the Pz. IV E/F1 to retain their original infantry-support capability while still having some anti-tank capability from HEAT.
Since the next Major Update is already close, I hope this change can still be considered. Please bring back the HE in some form!
It’s kinda pointless to carry any AP shell with any Panzer IV below F2 variant. 52mm of penetration, alongside the poor muzzle velocity, terrible accuracy and even slightly angled armour can deflect it.
Trying to limited HE shells on Panzer IV is a nerf Panzer´s ability to HE spam, but having to carry 29 AP shells is just too much.
I would personally make it similar to HO-I with the 29 APCBC reduced to 10 and 19 HE added instead. That would be fairish compromise, I think.
Also the poll is missing so…
What shells should Panzer IV E and F1 carry (not counting smoke shells)?
That just is not true or very missleading.
The HEAT shells actually have a larger blast radius than the regular HE.
So while the HEAT packs a bit less fragments (298 vs 352) it gains a larger blastwave (should be roughly by 35% if I read the data correctly). HEAT should offer some more consitancy way to deal with infantry because of it while still retaining a good amount of fragments.
Something that came to my mind now:
Panzer IV E and F1 are only really using their HEAT shells, meaning they rarely or never switch to other shells which makes these tanks always ready to fight enemy tanks.
By adding HE shells (and preferably Pz IV should have more HE than HEAT) then players would have to stay more vigilant for enemy tanks.
I think the current ammo loadouts for both Panzer 4 F1, E are fine as it is.
They are BR 2 tanks with a fast firing 75mm gun and working turret, coaxial MG, the usual full package. APCBC is bit useless against well-armored vehicles due to it’s low penetration but at least it still works against other BR 2 vehicles for the most of time. HEAT is powerful enough against infantry as well. What it really needs this ammo loadout change is that Panzer 3 N on BR 3 and Stug 3 A on BR 2.
