Re: 17 pounder
 

You got it pretty much dead on. IN practice, the PzGrn would have rode in on the flanks with the light tanks, being the maneuver element, outflanking the main Russian positions that are distracted by the looming Tigers, and then would roll up the flanks and trap the center between them and the tigers, destroying them.

Re: 17 pounder
 

The late tactic for offensive is the panzerkeil (arrow formation )where the tiger is on the edge and the other tanks less armored behind ( positionned as :panther > pzr3 >stug ).

The tiger is a rupture tank so he do his job, he break the lines, and the other tank can exploit the breach.

For defense there is an other tactic i don't remember the name (panzerkessel ?) each side the mass of weak tank for ce th ennemy tank to run in the kessel and at the end of the kessel, the tiger or a heavy tank massacre the ennemy.

Otherwise normally tiger tank advance together in a line to protect each other their flank.

Btw, the tiger is one of the biggest mistake of germany, they would still continue to produce rupture tank like tiger but if you don't have a medium tank to exploit the breach, it is useless.
It was already the main point of guderian when he get his inspector job.

Re: 17 pounder
 

I wouldn't call Tger a "mistake". Maybe making it in bigger numbers than it supposed to, yes. It wasn't too fast and mobile and repairs took long but there wasn't more mind shattering German weapon as the Tiger.

So even if Tger was a mistake (which I doubt) I've got two replies for that:

1. It was a "wonderfull" mistake.
2. It wouldn't be good if Germans didn't make any mistakes at all, would it?

Re: 17 pounder
 

The Tiger was a good tank for what it was designed to do and proved formidable in defence but IMHO the Panther was a much better tank. Slightly better gun when both firing PzGr39, better reliability, better mobility, and still good armor. At 45 tons per Panther versus 56 tons per Tiger I and the easlier sloped armor the Panther should have been cheaper and easier to build.

Re: 17 pounder
 

Ditto. Panther G ftw! ;)