Jagdpanther Tactics 

» Errors, Corrections & Clarifications 02:03 note that "Obere Führung" at late-war meant Heerestruppen so above division command, usually assigned to a corps or an army command. The definition from Truppenführung is pre-war and although used also in late-war instructions, the situation was quite different to 1934. Thank you to Dr. Roman Töppel for that correction. Want to see more videos with content from museums or historical sites? Consider supporting me on Patreon or Subscribestar, these supporters make trips like this possible. Additionally, you will get early access (no ads) and other features, more info here: » patreon - www.patreon.com/join/mhv - » subscribe star - www.subscribestar.com/mhv

I didn’t realize how big a Jagdpanther is...wow

When I tell my family that I like to watch cat videos, this is not what they were expecting.

"Now you know what to do.....NO MORE EXCUSES" *Adds "Familiar with Jagdpanther Battalion Deployment and Employment" to LinkedIn Profile, almost immediately gets 5 job-offers*

Yes, now we can operate our Jagdpanther battalions. NO MORE EXCUSES!

Girls in the 40's be like: ugh if your lenght isn't at least 71 times your caliber don't even bother

2:30 "the regular tiger 1 had a mere...F I F T Y S I X...barrel lengths"

I'm still trying to find ammunition for my Sturmtiger.

Damn. this is a week late, my Jagdpanther battalion was over run and totally lost.

My overall absolute favourite TD. I've built two scale model versions and just love the look, simplicity and powerful gun.

When you stand beside the Jagdpanther my jaw just dropped. I forgot how HUGE that thing was!! If I was an Allied soldier in WW ll and saw that, I'd be HARD pressed to keep my cool. "You've got to be kidding me!!" would be the most polite thing that comes to mind. An EXCELLENT video, thank-you for making it!!

Surprising how much taller the Jagdpanther is than a Jagdpanzer. Nevertheless, the Jagdpanther makes the development of the the Jagdtiger seem even more useless.

It's interesting how detached so much of these documents are so detached from the reality of operations. Everything is to be a mobile reserve to support the infantry: never mind the waves of enemy interdictors or massive artillery against staging areas that will break up any kind of counterattack, or the question of what exactly is going to be providing the infantry with frontline support.

Everybody gangsta until the Jagdpanthers show up.

I have no comment relating to this video in particular, I just wanted to say that I got my copy of the Assault Platoon Manual today and even just skimming through it really quick: I am very impressed by the quality of it all.

If you read unit histories you'll see they violated these rules constantly as circumstances dictated. When things hit the fan, the rule book went out the window.

I recall the 14 Jagdpanthers of the 654 were used in Penny packets in Normandy. Whilst there was a successful engagement against a squadron of 6 Armour Brigade Churchill’s, lead by Willie Whitelaw, who later became Home Secretary, all three of the Jagdpanthers were lost or abandoned. Similarly 3 were lost in a counter attack , 43rd (Wessex) Division and tanks of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars at Mont Pinçon. After a rain storm, the ground was unsuitable for heavy tracked vehicles. They quickly became bogged down, and easy targets for the 17 pounder screen. So they we’re dealt with because the tactical rules were not followed. They were working with one of the SS heavy Tiger battalions, would also lost two tigers 1 a new king tiger bogged, a Crocodile destroyed them.

Always superb Bernard. Merry Christmas and stay safe!

The Jagdpather on display in Münster is especially interesting in that one can see 75mm (or possibly 76mm?) hits scarring its frontal armor. I'd love to hear what this particular machine encountered during its service and in what circumstances it received its battle damage. Although those facing this beast in WW2 probably didn't think so at the time, I myself, with the benefit (and blessing) of being able to peacefully consider this machine 70+ years later, feel that the Jagdpanther is a strikingly beautiful piece of evolved AFV design.

Mate, I love the detail in your videos. I learn something new every time. Thanks.

I love the amazing audio and how it wasnt in the slightest dubbed over at a later date when referred to as 53 calibers instead of the proper 56 length ;)

Absolutely love these videos hope you do one on the Ferdinand

Thank you sir. Doing outstanding job. Great channel

Thanks. Very nice video ! 😊👍 It's very interesting those tactical and organizational videos.

Gute Weihnacht und ein Glückliche Neues Jahr.

Another excellent video, thanks MHV!

Love your videos! Thanks!!!!!

One of my favorite scenes in "Band of Brothers" (Replacements) is the Jagdpanzer racing out of cover, halting and popping the lead Sherman.

Every time I find myself in celle I make the trip to munster. Its a great museum

Awesome video thank you for making this information palatable for me

Good video and clear explanations. Well done + I suscribe !

Outstanding video and presentation.

Interesting video. Happy Christmas.

Excellent! Very enjoyable video, thanks.

Very good analysis thanks B

Very informative piece.........Great machine also! One of my favourite armoured vehicles....Peace from Ireland!

My favourite WW2 Panzer by far. Still looks so deadly (& cool) 75 years later. Thanks for another brilliant video! 👍🇩🇪

very inspirational - I use those tactics tips for writing standardised operational procedures in solo tabletop games :-)

My grandfather was a panzerjager in a Marder and then a Panzerjager L70. From what I remember, he told me they were used to protect the flanks and in an ambush role

It be interesting to see how much of this was used in the Courland pocket in TIK's documentary on the subject. After all, based on him alone, is the side show battles, that really show the most things than the massive glorious ones that we all know and read about. Don't think the wording is correct but it be interesting to see. I'm a layman on this sort of stuff. But I have a general interesting in the Tank Destroyers and Stugs as they've seem to have done the most work when compared to the tank units. I suspect I'm wrong and missing stuff. But I'm generally interested as I've heard many positive things on them. When also backed up by the infantry.

Oh yes, ready and willingly to assume my Jagdpanther battalion! Thanks a lot.

My East Prussian heritage is showing... Really enjoy your concise and informative videos. Fiellen Danke!

Weiß ich fürs nächste Mal Bescheid. ;) Klasse Beitrag!

"We didn't penetrate their armor."

The more of your videos I watch the more I understand the importance of coordination. Thank you

Very informative and interesting video, it reminded me the episode of Band of Brothers where germans use a Tiger and a Jagpanther to successfully ambush a British armored column

Great video. Thanks for posting. Only now do I realise we share the same hairstyle.

It is clearly not to be used as the Swiss Army Knife of AFV. I assume the scouting for positions is best done by infantry? Maybe motorcycle/bicycle/Kettenkrad? I assume no one dismounts the vehicle to scout? I would guess that it has to be infantry or support personnel trained as to what positions are advantageous? In any case, it is clear that they knew there would not be many of them so to be very careful and conserve them. This would also require the most powerful towing machine to drag them back for repair, so not many of those either. What is not surprising is the amount of support personnel necessary; it turns out there are often several people operating in the rear for each soldier fighting at the front. It probably gets much worse when complex equipment is involved.

Excellent

If you are ever in Texas, be sure to visit the Drive Tanks ranch where you can drive Shermans and fire the main gun. There are also historical machine guns for rental, as well as flamethrowers.

Me playing Jagdpanther in WoT: Where the hell is my supporting infantry?

Great video. Can you do a video on Jagdpanther counter-tactics? How were they defeated by advancing allies?

My favorite tank as a kid... I'd like a 1/6th scale R/C one. Seems like the equivalent of the archer in medieval times.

You’re the greatest Austrian military historian in world history MHV!!!!

I realize these machines were developed because they were cheaper and faster to produce than a tank, but they sure were great looking.

Very cool

You should have called it Panzer Museum Monster! Notice that the Jagdpanther you stood beside apparently had marks due to shots having bounced off the glacis.

I feel much more confident now heading out to the PTA meeting in my Jagtpanzer.

It is interesting that the Jagdpanther tactics were the same whether facing the Soviet or western forces.

I thanks for the video really interesting. I have one question. What was the arc of movement the gun itself had. That is how far could the gun move up/down and left/right? Thanks once again.

Great video, so advanced technology for 1943 year

They sure were well organized and very strict with their instructions, another excellent video so well researched

We've seen many vehicles from Military History Visualized, will we get to see the light Marder III? I don't hear much of it outside video games. Usually only the heavy tank destroyers are talked about.

Perfect match for my jagdpanzers game yay

Oh yes another video I can watch with my girlfriend, thanks Bernhard!

Wow, the Jagdpanzer looks like a Toy next to the Panther.

Nothing surprising for the use of a "Schwerpunktwaffe" which was normally under the control of a "Generalkommando" or a "Armeeoberkommando". What I find interesting that there were many reminders that this vehicle was weighting much.

Jagdpanther is a beautiful beast.

I can see why people assume that armored turretless tank destroyers would be thought of as a defensive weapon. People forget that turrets were not overwhelming superior in an age before fire-on-the-move systems were fully developed, hence the S-Tank and Kanonenjagers being considered serious weapons even in the 1970s. If anything, moving around was better for the assault guns because it meant that the vehicles could quickly steer themselves onto targets. So in WW2, assault guns were really just that, assault guns, and could be very effective on the attack. Sure, by 1944, the majority of German assaults are counter-attacks, offensive acts part of a defensive operation, but they are still attacks all the same.

Curious how different the experience in practice was. In 1944 in September the Germans had a Tank Destroyer battalion deployed in the south of the Netherlands. This was the schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 559. It never got a full complement of 45 JagdPanther but was rather a mixed bag of whatever they could assign. It went from 5 Jagdpanthers in Mai 1944, to a mix of stugs and Jagdpanthers in August(this source only mentions what was assigned, but not the losses incurred in between). In reality, the units were never deployed en masse but rather used as stopgap measures to bolster up defenses and notably attacks. As such compliments of these were assigned to the KampfGruppe Chill, ranging from 2 JagdPanther to 6 JagdPanther and eight stug, depending on what they thought was needed. This was partly due to the lack of armoured vehicles and due to the nature of the Dutch countryside with was basically a flat land with roads ofter on high embankments bordered with ditches. KampfGruppe Chill was the fire brigade unit for the 15th Army and the1st FallschirmJaeger Army(it got shifted between them) and consisted of a core of Fallschirm Jaegers units(notably the 6th Regiment of Von der Heydte) with additional units and a cadre from the former 85 Infantry Division. Aufgestellt am 10. April 1944 durch die Umgliederung der Panzerjäger-Abteilung (Sfl.) 559. Die Abteilung befand sich zu diesem Zweck im Lager Mielau. Im Mai 1944 wurden der Abteilung fünf Jagdpanther zugeteilt, im August 1944 folgten acht weitere. Im August 1944 wurden der Abteilung zudem 14 Sturmgeschütze zugeteilt, einen Monat später wurden 17 Jagdpanther übernommen. Am 31. Oktober 1944 wurde die Abteilung dem LXXXVII. Armee-Korps unterstellt. Am 4. Dezember 1944 wurde die Abteilung der 256. Volks-Grenadier-Division unterstellt, eine Woche später der Panzer-Lehr-Division. Der Abteilung wurden 18 Panzer IV L/70 zugeteilt, einen Monat später sechs Jagdpanther. Im März 1945 erfolgte die Unterstellung unter das XIII. SS-Armeekorps. www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/schwPzJAbt/schwPzJAbt559.htm KampfGruppe Chill: Fighting Spirit , Kampfgruppe Chill and the German recovery in the West between 4 September and 9 November 1944, a case study by Jack Didden

All we need now is the *jagdabrams* tactics next

Not using it in fixed positions, well, i bet it is really handy to have some scouting troops prepare the firing positions in advance of the tank getting there. Moving a lot makes the tank venerable on the move. I can see how this is prohibited from staying fixed in one spot. While you can use horses or cars with a canon for that sort of deal. Greetings, Jeff

Can you do a video on the tactics of counter battery fire?

Is there any information available about the Panzerabwehrwerfer 600 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8_cm_PAW_600

On the Right Jagdpanzer medium On the left Jagdpanzer XL

Is there a Soviet tank destroyer manual too I'm wondering what method or tactics did they have?

also do most military doctrine/manuals sound alike or are US field manuals worded eerily simliarly to ww2 german manuals?

damn that tank is huge!

3:20

There definitely was a widespread adoption of tank destroyers late in the war by the German army. I think there was a push to have atleast one company of the 75mm 38t in the new "volksgrenadier" divisions. Not sure how many actually got them in practice. I wonder what is more effective having TD units attached to a corps or army command or having individual companies available to each infantry division.

Very interesting for all Steal Division players!

That reverse gear though... 😬

Alright then, next time I will do my best with Jagdpanther

This tank is a Part of new gen of German Tanks i.e. "Hanz, the transmission broke again" gen.

good now i can make full use of my jagdpanthers

did not realise it was that much bigger than a hetzer holy crap

I just love the heavy german accent...

you can say - The Jagdpanther is a real Munster

Feedback win ....proper colour text 👍👍👍👍

Hide, wait for enemy to approach, fire, retreat, hide, wait for enemy to approach, fire, retreat, hide,..... lose the war, GG.

I think a better translation of Schwerpunkt is main focus or focal point when used in the tactical sense

Great video. But I don’t understand how the lack of a turret wasn’t a huge disadvantage in offensive action.

Eu venho nesse canal para aprender táticas alemãs para por em prática no company of heroes, e com certeza não é a primeira vez e nem a última. Aprendi aqui a tática de sobreposição de fogo com metralhadoras leves como principais e as MGs-42 com elemento surpresa no fim do cone da morte, coloquei em prática e funcionou perfeitamente kskks.

seeing the jagdpanther along the JgdPz4,its obvious what a disadvantage the great size is. anti-tank guns were very dangerous because of their small size, easy to camouflage. after the war, the germans build the Jagpanzer Kanone, with a 90mm gun, but almost as small as the jagdpz 4.

Does the manual have anything on the logistics of supporting such a massive weapon? The passages you've cited stress concentration of force, but concentration of force can only be achieved if you have tank transports to get tanks to the battlefield and if the terrain, bridges and such, allows such a heavy tank to traverse the battlefield. It seems unlikely that the German army would be able to employ this in accordance with doctrine given these constraints. This also raises the question of why resources were allocated to such a weapon.

I love the look of the L71 gun, it just LOOKS like it kills tanks. Ain’t shit gonna be bouncing his shells.

so were the crews of jagdpanthers just regular spg crews or were they selected experienced crews?

So, if I understand correctly, the main problem with the german tanks, and anything armoured, was not really the "overengineering", but the improper application of tactics as stated.

I can't help but wonder what the TDS kill ratio was?

Melhor canal de táticas, pena que não entendo com muita clareza o inglês, algum brasileiro aqui?