Please meet the newest Premium medium tank at Tier VIII, the Panther 8,8.
It has a quick-firing and accurate gun and loads of HP.
Its closest analogue is the Panther II.
Compared to the Panther II, the Panther 8,8 has weaker armor and a lower top speed, but is more maneuverable and has a great gun.
The Panther 8,8 is equipped with an L/71 gun of 8.8 cm caliber.
It’s superior to the gun on the Panther II in terms of firing speed, accuracy, and aiming time.
203 mm average penetration will let you damage almost all enemy tanks of Tiers VIII and IX.
With a rate of fire of 8.7 shots per minute, average damage of 240 points,
and 2088 damage points per minute without any additional equipment, you’ll make your enemy sweat!
The turret turns quicker than the Schmalturm of the Panther II, and in other characteristics is almost the same.
Both turrets have the same relatively small size and the same armor: 120 mm in the front and 60 mm on the sides and in the rear.
But don’t expect people to aim at the turret.
Enemies usually focus at the hull.
Hull armor is a weak point for this tank.
For Tier VIII, it’s thin: 80 mm in the front, 50 on the sides, and 40 in the rear.
The front upper glacis is sloped at 55 degrees.
In a direct firefight, position your Panther at an angle.
Remember that its 50 mm side armor has no slope at all.
Hide the side behind walls, rocks, rubbish piles, and other objects, and present your front armor at an angle to cause ricochets.
The Panther 8,8 is not very fast compared to other medium tanks.
It can turn quicker than the Panther II, but its top speed is only 46 km per hour.
So keep away from agile enemy tanks.
Remember, the Panther 8,8 isn’t suitable for leading an assault, circling, or rapid flanking attacks.
This vehicle is perfect for the second or third line.
The German accuracy of this gun lets you shoot enemies from a safe distance —
and you’ll have a good chance of leading your team in damage inflicted and enemies destroyed.
This is a support tank, with a battle style similar to that of a fast, turreted TD.
This Panther chooses its direction and position, lets the vehicles more suitable for close combat move forward,
and as soon as the enemy is spotted, it can start fighting.
Don’t show your vehicle to the enemy.
If the situation calls for it, the vehicle has enough speed to move to another flank and provide support for the team there.
If the Panther gets spotted during the process, it’s not a disaster.
It has the HP of a heavy tank, enough to survive a shot or two while changing position.
This vehicle does not receive preferential matchmaking.
This means that you’ll meet enemies of Tier X from time to time.
This shouldn’t have a major effect on play style, though.
It may be useful to carry a dozen APCR shells with you with such situations in mind.
Just keep calm and carry on firing, trying to find the enemy’s weak points.
As a last resort, you can knock out an enemy’s track and let your allies finish it off.
This also brings credits and experience.
You don’t need a separate crew for the Panther 8,8.
This is a Premium vehicle, ideal for leveling up the crews of your German medium tanks, with no retraining needed.
If you decide to get the Panther 8,8, though, remember that it benefits from certain crew skills commonly found on TD and heavy tank crews.
First of all, get Sixth Sense for the Commander.
The ability to evacuate as soon as you’re spotted, before the enemy shells arrive, is crucially important for this tank.
The rest of the team will need Repairs to fix tracks quickly.
Then you can improve the view range: Recon for the Commander and Situational Awareness for the Radio Operator.
Deadeye is a good choice for the gunner, as a way to provide extra effect when you hit the enemy.
Choose other skills to your liking.
Brothers in Arms might be useful as a third perk.
For equipment, kit this tank out as a sharpshooter!
Vertical Stabilizer makes aiming easy, and a Rammer combined with Ventilation will boost your DPM up to 2400 points.
If you prefer improved view range more than improved reload and aiming time, take Coated Optics or Binocular Telescope instead of ventilation.
Regarding consumables, take a standard repair kit, first aid kit, and fire extinguisher.
The Panther 8,8 is a perfect choice for those who like to keep their distance and play as a sniper instead of getting into close combat.
High accuracy, fire rate, and armor penetration let you take care of your enemies at long distances,
influence the course of combat, and get a lot of experience, credits, and medals!
If you like this German sniper, you can purchase it in our Premium Shop.
Find additional information at the special page dedicated to the Panther 8,8.