Jagdpanzer is a name given to German self-propelled anti-tank guns.

It typically refers to anti-tank variants of existing tank chassis with a well-armoured casemate fixed superstructure, mounting an anti-tank gun with limited traverse in the front, and usually classed by the western Allies of World War II as a tank destroyer.

The Jagdpanzer designs followed on from the more lightly armoured Panzerjäger ("tank hunter") designs which took an anti-tank gun and mounted it on top of a tank chassis with supplementary armour fitted around the gun crew. Also a lot of experience was gained from the Sturmgeschütz series of assault guns for infantry support, which already used heavily armored casemates, completely enclosing the vehicle's crew—although they were associated to the artillery, they were very often used in the anti-tank role.

On the battlefield, the Germans sometimes had to retreat, or try to feign one. Their line of retreat would then preferably pass the location of their anti-tank units who would use their superior firepower to stop the enemy, perhaps even make possible a counter-attack. Due to the lack of a turret and the armour being concetrated at the front, the ideal combat situation for Jagdpanzer units was in the planned ambush, and the skill of the commander of such units lay in correctly choosing and preparing such places long before needed.

Sergyi Way
20.11.2012

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