The PaK 36 (Panzerabwehrkanone 36) was a German anti-tank gun that fired a 3.7 cm calibre shell. It was developed in 1936 by Rheinmetall and first appeared in combat that year during the Spanish Civil War. It formed the basis for many other nations' anti-tank guns during the first years of World War II. The KwK 36 L45 was the same gun but was used as the main armament on several tanks, most notably the early models of the Panzer III, later models uses L/42 50mm (short or L/60 long barreled) or more powerful guns like PaK 39 75mm or PaK 43 88mm guns. The PaK 36 AT gun is eventually replaced by PaK 38 50mm, PaK 40 75mm and the feared PaK 43 88mm as a field AT gun, but some PaK 36 can be still found in Normandy in 1944.
The PaK 36, being a small-calibre weapon, was outdated by the May 1940 Western Campaign, and crews found them all but useless against heavy allied tanks like the British Mk.II Matilda and the French Char B1 and Somua S35. A group of these guns claimed to have knocked out a Char B1 by firing at its flank. PaK 36 can penetrate 35mm sloped armor at 30 degrees. The Char B1's side armor was 40mm. However, it was vertical. Thus it could be penetrated with PaK 36, only when fired within 100m and at a right angle from the side armor. This was very difficult to achieve in battle field conditions. The poor performance against heavy enemy armour resulted in the PaK 36 being dubbed the "Door Knocker" ("Heeresanklopfgerät", literally "army door knocking device).
The PaK 36 began to be replaced by the new 5 cm PaK 38 in mid 1940. The addition of tungsten cored shells added slightly to the armour penetration of the PaK 36. When the German troops engaged the Soviet T-34 for the first time, the PaK 36 was proven totally obsolete. Despite this, it remained the standard anti-tank weapon for many units until 1942. PaK 36 crews could still achieve kills on enemy tanks but had to wait for an opportunity to hit the tank's rear armour from close range, a task requiring nerves of steel and allowing for no second attempt.
Pak 36 with Stielgranate anti-tank grenade installed
As the PaK 36's were gradually replaced, many were removed from their carriages and added to Halftracks to be used as light anti-armour support. A number of PaK 36s were also supplied to Germany's allies. The PaK 36 served with the armies of Finland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. In 1943, the introduction of the Stielgranate 41 shaped charge meant that the PaK 36 could now penetrate any armour, but only at a range of less than 300 meters. The PaK 36s, together with the new shaped charges, were issued to Fallschirmjäger and other light troops. The gun's light weight meant that it could be easily moved by hand, and this mobility made it ideal for their purpose.
While Pak 36 is generally ineffective in European battlefield, its a powerful anti-tank gun in the Second Sino-Japanese war, due to the thin armor of Type 95 Ga-Ho and Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks, the Pak 36 used by Chinese is fairly effective in killing these light Japanese tanks.
Penetration figures given for an armoured plate 30 degrees from the horizontal
Hit probability versus 2.5 m x 2 m target
Range
Penetration
in training
in combat
100 m
34 mm
100%
100%
500 m
29 mm
100%
100%
1000 m
22 mm
100%
85%
1500 m
19 mm
95%
61%
2000 m
- mm
85%
43%
In game[]
Pak 36 is a common anti-tank weapon in Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood. It is small and manned by 2 crews, it can deal moderate damage to your tank or sometimes kill the crews inside, though not as powerful as Flak gun, it small size means your tank may have trouble hitting it from a distance, this could be dangerous if your tank is out in open, where it struggles to fire back or get away. It also engages you and your squad, the shell is inaccurate but lethal, if you come close, the crew will get up and attack.
A Pak 36 about to be demolished by the satchel charge.
Despite those facts, the Pak 36 is not a big threat. The most effective tactic is to use a Panzerfaust on it, take out the gun and the crew at once. Its front armor cannot withstand grenade blast, a well-placed grenade will finish the crew, even if they get away, you can move in your tank and take them out. If possible, check out your map and flank the gun, the crew will not react until you are close or fired upon.
The gun is basically stationary and even will not change its direction of attack. You cannot use these guns, but you can destroy them with an explosive charge, or let your tank demolish them.
For the first time we encounter it in chapter Action at Vierville, where we can find both Pak's positioned near the Church defending the main roads, making the player use it's tank on the other path to avoid their zone of fire. Pak 36 can destroy Stuart Light tank in 2 shots.
91st infantry division firing Pak 36.
Pak's crew reloads it's cannon every 7,5 seconds and is very accuarte if it's aiming at the tank and not infantry which it misses most of the time. So making a tank vs antitank gun battle isn't the best option.
Has the same statistics as it's Road to hill 30 counterpart. Only difference is that it got a dark greenish skin and that the only infantry that are using it are Fallschirmjägers.
Fallschirmjägers using the Pak 36.
It appears for the first time in Baupte chapter for 2 times and 6 times in Run of the Mill making this chapter to have the most anti-tank weaponry in the series.
