Fortifications often prove costly to attack, and difficult to destroy. None more so perhaps than the Pantherturm!
From 1943, Panther turrets were mounted in fixed fortifications; some were normal production models, but most were made specifically for the task, with additional roof armour to withstand artillery fire.
Two types of turret emplacements were developed; the Pantherturm III – Betonsockel — on a concrete base, and the Pantherturm I – Stahluntersatz — on a steel base.
These turrets were built into a larger structure in which they could house ammunition and crew quarters. A total of 182 of these were installed in the fortifications of the Atlantic Wall and Siegfried Line (Westwall), 48 in the Gothic Line and Hitler Line, 36 on the Eastern Front, and two for training and experimentation, for a total of 268 installations by March 1945.
With barely any part other than the turret itself showing above ground, a well camouflaged position could dominate a vast swathe of ground, or vital approaches to towns or other objectives, and would prove extremely costly to approach.
In Bolt Action
Our new Pantherturm perfectly represents the development of the quickly manufactured defences, and the adaptation of materials used by the German forces during the later half of WWII. Well placed, this piece of equipment could severely restrict your opponent’s movements and afford you more control over where you want the action to take place!
| Cost: | 282pts (inexperienced) |
| Weapons: | 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti tank gun with co-axial MMG |
| Damage value: | 10+ (heavy tank) |
| Special Rules: | |
| The Pantherturm counts as a vehicle. It is always counted as in Hard Cover to attackers and counts immobilised damage results as crew stunned instead. It cannot move for the entire game and is therefore always set-up onto the table (up to 12” from the player’s table edge) even in scenarios that do not allow initial set-up of units. Check out page 103 of Ostfront – Barbarossa to Berlin for more special scenario dug in rules. |
Selectors
The Pantherturm counts as a Tank for the purposes of the generic Reinforced Platoon selector from the Bolt Action rulebook. It also counts as a Tank for the Defence of the West Wall and the Last Levy selectors of the Armies of Germany book.
As your turrets are in transit to your bolster your defences why not look at this perfect extra for your battlefield bunker complex; The Bunker Assault set:
The Germans have dug in deep and set their tank traps will they be able to halt the tide of Allied forces arrayed against them? To aid in their desperate defence the Germans have created cunning strategies and a layered defensive position, well camouflaged could these make the difference between victory and defeat?
This set contains:
- 1 Resin and Metal Bunker with 5cm Kwk39 AT Gun
- 2 Resin quarter circle Sandbag Emplacements
- 1 Set of hard plastic Anti-tank Obstacles (includes 28mm barbed wire)
- 1 Resin and Metal Panzer Nest
- 1 Set of Resin Shell holes & Craters
And not to forget with each Battlefield Objective set we’ll include our special objective markers Hanz Hoch as a POW with Partisan escort absolutely FREE
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon