The fearsome King Tiger with the Porsche turret is now available for action at the frontline, giving you a choice from three versions! – Choose your flavour with either the New Porsche variant or the two Henchel variants, one coated with zimmerit anti-magnetic mine paste the other plain steel armour.
The Königstiger (officially named the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B), known as the ‘King Tiger’ or ‘Royal Tiger’ by the Allies, was a development of the famous Tiger I tank. It’s introduction to hostilities in 1944 caused significant problems for the Allies in countering this potent threat but ultimately it saw action too late to have a game-changing impact on the war. However, it was feared and respected by the Allies whose tanks could be easily destroyed by the high velocity 88mm gun mounted on its turret.
Two turret designs were used in production. Both were designed and made by Krupp and, after Henchel were awarded the contract, the prototype Porsche parts were given to other projects. As the first Henchel chassis rolled off the production line the only available turret was the one destined originally for the rejected Porsche project. This turret was adapted to fit the Henchel Tiger II body and had a rounded front and steeply sloped sides, with a curved bulge on the turret’s left side to accommodate the commander’s cupola. Fifty Porsche turrets were mounted to Henschel’s hull and used in action until the Henchel turret variant production came online to replace it.
The King Tiger was deployed on both the Western and Eastern fronts and had enormous operational accuracy with the ability to knock out any Allied tank frontally at ranges exceeding 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles), way beyond the effective range of any Allied tank gun.
The first combat use of the King Tiger was by the 1st Company of the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion (s.H.Pz.Abt.503) during the Battle of Normandy, opposing Operation Atlantic between Troarn and Demouville on 18 July 1944. On the Eastern front its first action came on the 12th August 1944 by the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion (s.H.Pz.Abt.501) resisting the Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, where it attacked the Soviet bridgehead over the Vistula River near Baranów Sandomierski.
In Bolt Action
Cost: 555pts (regular), 666pts (Veteran)
Weapons: One turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG
Damage Value: 11+ (super-heavy tank)
Don’t forget our other variants! Make your opponents weep with an entire company (HQ of 2 plus 3 platoons of 4 King Tigers) as you invade through the forests of the Ardennes with your Panzer Armee.
Playing Tank War? Then use the Wheels of Steel 10% off when you buy any 3 tanks to get yourself 3 of these, making your own King Tiger Zug!
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon