Today we’re announcing the Panzerhaubitze 2000, one of the world’s most modern howitzers coming to the game for two nations at once.
PzH 2000: A Tank Destroyer for Germany at Rank V
PzH 2000HU: A Premium Tank Destroyer for Italy at Rank V (Pack, with the release of the major update)
At a glance:
- Powerful 155 mm L52 gun!
- Good mobility.
- Poor gun depression.
- Lightly armored.
Vehicle History
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The Panzerhaubitze 2000 dates back to the SP70 program set up in the early 70’s in collaboration with Germany, Great Britain and Italy. This program aimed to replace the aging M109 howitzers in service with the three countries with a more modern vehicle featuring a longer and more powerful 155 mm howitzer. The project however was canceled in 1986 due to design issues, and the participating companies went separate ways. Great Britain went on to design and produce the AS-90, and Germany the Panzerhaubitze 2000. In 1987, design work began on the Panzerhaubitze 2000 by Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and was completed by 1995, with the vehicle entering service with the German Army in 1998.
Hungary put in an order for 24 brand-new Panzerhaubitze 2000’s in 2018 and received the first two in August 2022. By the summer of 2024, 23 have been delivered. These vehicles replaced the aging Soviet D-20 152 mm artillery systems that were in service with Hungary previously.
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Introducing the Panzerhaubitze 2000!
In the Storm Warning major update, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 will be joining Germany in the main tech tree, and Italy as a premium Hungarian variant with unique camouflage netting. A 155 mm gun and devastating HE shells is all you need to obliterate any enemy! Let’s take a closer look.
Did you know? “Panzerhaubitze 2000” directly translates to “Armored howitzer 2000”!
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 can be considered one of, if not the best howitzer in the world (it is also the most expensive artillery system!), this is thanks to its devastating 155 mm L52 howitzer that’s approximately 8 meters in length. The strength of this gun is its ballistics — it can fire HE shells with a high muzzle velocity, capable of hitting enemy vehicles at outstanding ranges. For long distances, a handy laser rangefinder can be used in conjunction with the main gun to provide pinpoint accurate fire. Just ensure that you aim the shells at weaker areas of enemy armor so that it can cause as much HE damage as possible.
Interesting: In 2019, the Panzerhaubitze 2000’s 155 mm L52 gun set a range record by firing a shell at a distance of 67 km!
Weighing approximately 58 tons, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 can reach an excellent top speed of 60 km/h on road thanks to its 1,000 HP engine. You’ll be able to use this speed to your advantage by taking tactical positions early, or by performing quick, aggressive maneuvers at the closer ranges.
Having an excellent gun and mobility comes with a downside though, and that’s its armor and crew compartment. The Panzerhaubitze 2000 has thin steel armor all around and additional armor on the roof (known as “Hedgehog Armor”) which is enough to withstand light or heavy machine gun fire, but any hit from a main tank gun will penetrate it with ease. After penetration, the 5 crew members, consisting of a commander, gunner, driver and two loaders can easily be knocked out due to the size of the vehicle and compact layout of the crew and ammo. Keep this in mind while traversing around the map!
That’s it for this one! The Panzerhaubitze 2000 is going to provide Germany and Italy with some awesome firepower in the Storm Warning major update. Be sure to pick up the premium Hungarian variant for Italy that comes with a cool camouflage net. Keep an eye on the news for other dev blogs and see you soon!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
