Pz.Kpfw. I

Pz.Kpfw. I stats at a glance

The Pz.Kpfw. I has 256 hit points , 13mm of frontal hull armor , and a top speed of 40 km/h. Its strongest gun configuration deals 11 damage per shot with 23mm of armor penetration , giving it a theoretical maximum DPM of 1060. The vehicle can equip 4 different gun configurations, allowing for varied playstyles.

Hull & survivability

The front-to-side armor ratio is 1.0:1. Side armor is relatively comparable to the front, meaning the Pz. I can absorb some side hits in close-quarters fighting.

Mobility

Forward-to-reverse speed ratio is 2.7:1. 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. I can theoretically output up to 1060 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. I compares to its peers

There are 37 tier 2 light tanks in WoT, including the Pz. I. Its 256 HP places it in the top 75% for hit points among same-tier light tanks (peer average: 267). Frontal hull armor of 13mm ranks in the top 86% for the class (peer average: 23mm). Top forward speed of 40 km/h is faster than 33% of peer vehicles in this tier and class. The strongest gun deals 11 damage per shot, higher than 6% of comparable vehicles. Best penetration of 23mm puts it in the top 100% for armor-piercing capability in its class.

Direct comparisons

• Pz. I vs M2 — tier 2 light tank from USA
• Pz. I vs T2 Light — tier 2 light tank from USA
• Pz. I vs T1E6 — tier 2 light tank from USA
• See full tier 2 light tank tier list — all 37 vehicles ranked

Related tier 2 light tanks

• 7TP — Poland
• AM 39 Gendron-Somua — France, premium
• AMR 35 — France, premium
• AMR P.103 — France, premium
• BT-2 — USSR
• Cruiser Mk. II — UK
• D1 — France
• FCM 36 — France
• All Germany tanks · Tier 2 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

The Pz. I Ausf. A was the first mass-produced German tank. In 1935, the design was upgraded with an elongated hull and a more powerful engine. Mass production of this version, the Pz. I Ausf. B, eventually totaled 675 tanks. The standard armament was weak, but some tanks were upgraded on the Spanish Civil War battlefields to accommodate 20-mm guns.

Frequently asked