In essence, the Panzer IV was to be a "fire support vehicle" fulfilling the role of escort tank and set to become the fourth tank company of each tank battalion. The second design - this one larger and heavier than the Panzer III - would become the excellent Panzer IV, a five-man vehicle intended to supplement the actions of the existing Panzer I, Panzer II and soon-to-be Panzer III tanks on the battlefields. The first of the two became the Panzer III, a lighter and proportionately smaller design intended to tackle enemy tanks directly (in fact designated as a "tank killer").
Colonel Heinz Guderian led the charge and, based on the economic conditions of the time, envisioned two such tank classes operating in calculating roles side-by-side. In January of 1934, the German Army Ordnance Department decided on two medium-class tanks to power the future ranks of its panzer forces. In many ways, the Panzer IV was never directly replaced by any successor and continued on through the war in varied forms wherever needed. Many foes came to respect the German ingenuity involved in creating the fearsome and excellent Panzer IV. The system proved quite the success and was continually fielded for a time by armies during the post-war years, a testament to its stellar 1934-era design. The tank also became the only such German system to see action through the entire war despite the new Panther series becoming available.
Some 9,000 Panzer IVs were ultimately produced for the German Army from 1937 into 1945, making it the most numerous of all the German tanks to be deployed. The type proved reliable as well as lethal and saw a plethora of model variants increase both its reach and potency during World War 2. IV") formed the backbone of the German Army from its inception onwards and fought wherever its muscle was required. The Panzer IV (or "Panzerkampfwagen IV" and abbreviated as "Pz.KpfW.
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