Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t)

Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) stats at a glance

The Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) has 356 hit points , 25mm of frontal hull armor , and a top speed of 42 km/h. Its strongest gun configuration deals 40 damage per shot with 42mm of armor penetration , giving it a theoretical maximum DPM of 1044. The vehicle can equip 4 different gun configurations, allowing for varied playstyles.

Hull & survivability

The front-to-side armor ratio is 1.7:1.

Mobility

Forward-to-reverse speed ratio is 2.3:1. Reverse speed is limited, so pre-aim and exposure timing matter more on this vehicle.

Camouflage

Available guns (4)

With the top-tier gun, the Pz. 38 (t) can theoretically output up to 1044 damage per minute at sustained fire (shot damage × rounds per minute). Lower-tier guns generally trade DPM for faster reload or better handling — see the full gun table above.

How Pz. 38 (t) compares to its peers

There are 37 tier 3 light tanks in WoT, including the Pz. 38 (t). Its 356 HP places it in the top 36% for hit points among same-tier light tanks (peer average: 342). Frontal hull armor of 25mm ranks in the top 69% for the class (peer average: 31mm). Top forward speed of 42 km/h is faster than 22% of peer vehicles in this tier and class. The strongest gun deals 40 damage per shot, higher than 11% of comparable vehicles. Best penetration of 42mm puts it in the top 92% for armor-piercing capability in its class.

Direct comparisons

• Pz. 38 (t) vs M3 Stuart — tier 3 light tank from USA
• Pz. 38 (t) vs MTLS-1G14 — tier 3 light tank from USA
• Pz. 38 (t) vs Locust — tier 3 light tank from USA
• See full tier 3 light tank tier list — all 37 vehicles ranked

Related tier 3 light tanks

• 10TP — Poland
• A7E3 — UK, premium
• AMX 38 — France
• BT-5 — USSR
• BT-7 artillery — USSR, premium
• BT-SV — USSR, premium
• Type 97 Chi-Ha — Japan
• Cruiser Mk. III — UK
• All Germany tanks · Tier 3 premium tanks

Understand the stats

Want a deeper grasp of what these numbers actually mean in battle? Read the glossary:

• What is DPM — the most important offensive metric
• Alpha damage — single-shot damage and what it means for playstyle
• Penetration — and how it interacts with armor angling
• Hull-down position — the king of defensive plays
• View range — how spotting actually works

About this vehicle

Developed by the ČKD company for the Czechoslovakian Army in 1938. During the German occupation, the vehicle saw service in the Wehrmacht and was used in the Polish and French Campaigns, as well as on the Eastern Front. The tank saw combat on the front line until the middle of 1942. Approximately 1,400 vehicles in eight modifications (Ausf. A/B/C/D/E/F/S/G) were manufactured.

Frequently asked