The Tiger Tank "205" is a new unit introduced in Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor as a reward unit. Tough, powerful and commanded by Hauptmann (later Major-General) Maximillian Voss, this tank is feared by many amongst the Allied ranks. Maximillian Voss joined the Waffen SS with his tank crew in 1940 and raised in the ranks quick as an elite Panzer Commander. The Tiger 205 crew is a huge enemy to the Soviet Union (mainly) and the western allies (British Second Mainly).
This specific tank was deployed at the eastern front, at Leningrad, Russia as one of the combatants in the 101st Tigergruppe. This is where the crew made a name for themselves, often being referred to as the "Tiger Ace". On June 13, 1944, they were redeployed to point 213 at the Villers-Bocage, France. Although they were ordered to move there, they went on destroying the British convoy in Villers-Bocage. There were some breakdowns during their assault, but the tank has backed up its fame as being highly indestructible. Although they were successful, the British forces destroyed the tank's tracks, forcing the crew to abandon it. Without it, they had no choice but to break through the town and out of it, and exact their revenge when they got back and retake Villers-Bocage.
After their assault, the tiger crew were disbanded. Joseph Shultz, the gunner of the crew took command of the 502 Tigergruppe. He stalled the advancing Allies from Autry, up to the bitter end. He died in his Tiger. Maximillian Voss was promoted to Major-General of the Panzer Lehr Division. The remnants of the crew were redeployed to Holland on September 1944.
Campaign unit[]
This campaign displays the real strength of the German's tank battalions; even out-numbered, it can never be out-gunned as it has the best crew and the best armor in the campaign. It has little need of support from friendly troops except for capturing territory. As a special unit in the campaign, it is granted with a wide variety of abilities as well as its own upgrade window; the crew's efficiency and experience can be upgraded as the tank gathers command points. The longer it fights and kills, the more weapons and abilities the tank could get.
While the crew itself can be upgraded manually, they as a whole, are automatically upgraded depending on the amount of command points earned. These upgrades are tank awareness, threat assessment, combat maneuvers, inspiration and veteran reactions.
The crew themselves are trained to fight, even without their armor. They are capable of reviving their comrades, a skill that only Baker Squad and Able Squad from the Causeway campaign can do. They can also drop any heavy weapon that they carry to change their firepower against any opponent. Also, they are capable of camouflaging themselves to discretely move around, as what they did during their escape in Villers-Bocage. Just like most German units, the crew are equipped with panzerfausts. Due to their status within the reich, they can call in an artillery barrage at a target location.
Abilities[]
When all of the available upgrades are unlocked, the full set of the tank's abilities are unlocked.
Tiger Crew Repair
Repairs the tank for 35 munitions. While repairing, the tank is immobile, but still able to attack any surrounding targets.
Active for 20 seconds
Cooldown: 15 seconds
Defensive Smoke Screen
Berndt will fire the tank's six smoke launchers, creating temporary cover against enemy fire.
Costs 50 munitions to activate.
Cooldown: 53 seconds
Flank Speed
Schroif will drive the tank to top speed, increasing its speed for a short duration.
Costs 35 munitions to activate.
Active for 30 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Tank Shock
Schroif will use the tank as a battering ram, crushing enemy units and suppressing anyone left behind.
Active for 15 seconds
Cooldown:
Artillery Barrage
Berndt will call a concentrated off-map artillery strike, destroying anything in the targeted area.
Costs 50 munitions to activate.
Cooldown: 4 minutes
Open/Close Turret Hatch
Voss will provide increased visual assistance by positioning himself at the turret hatch. Increases visual and attack range.
Load HE/AP Shell
Litzke will switch between High-explosive or Armor-piercing shells when activated.
Cooldown: 3 seconds
S-Mine Launcher
Berndt will activate the S-mine launcher, killing any close infantry surrounding the tank.
Costs 50 munitions to activate
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Direct Fire
Toggle from the crew's control or the player's control of the turret. When active, the turret will follow the mouse pointer; left-click to fire cannon.
Upgrades[]
Loader Litzke
Radio Operator Berndt
Driver Schroif
Gunner Shultz
High-Explosive Rounds
Litzke can now switch between High-explosive shells and Armor-piercing shells. High explosive shells are good against structures and infantry, while Armor-piercing for tanks and vehicles.
Costs 1 command point
Hull MG
Repairs the Hull's secondary MG34 Machine-gun, giving Berndt the ability to attack infantry.
Costs 2 command points
Flank Speed
Schroif will put the tank's engine into overdrive, giving it a boost of speed for a small duration.
Costs 1 command point
Marksman
Shultz will increase his accuracy with the tank's gun.
Costs 1 command point
Rapid Fire
Litzke will increase his loading speed by 50%.
Costs 1 command point
S-Mine Launcher
Berndt will activate the tank's 92mm mine launcher. Effective against close infantry.
Costs 1 command point
Tank Shock
Schroif will use the tank as a battering ram, crushing enemy infantry in its wake and forcing the rest to suppress.
Costs 1 command point
Improved Marksmanship
Shultz will further increase his accuracy, allowing him to increase the chances of hitting weak spots.
Costs 1 command point
Improved Rapid Fire
Litzke will increase his loading speed even further, doubling the tank's firing speed and reloading speed.
Costs 2 command points
Artillery Barrage
Berndt calls in Artilleriefeuer, a powerful artillery barrage on a targeted area.
Costs 2 command points
Turret Overdrive
Increases power takeoff from the tank's engine to the hydraulic systems, allowing the turret to be rotated faster to acquire new targets.
Costs 2 command points
Overkill
Litzke and Shultz will coordinate together as veterans, allowing them to increase the tank's firing rate and accuracy.
Costs 2 command points
The Tiger Ace Upgrade tree.
Skirmish unit[]
The Tiger 205 firing.
It replaces the WehrmachtTiger, which is called by the Blitzkrieg Doctrine Company Commander. It will lose all of its versatility when used as a skirmish unit. The Tiger 205 aims much better, more skilled, and more elite in every way compared to the other Tiger. This elite Tiger had made in such a way to imitate the Russian tundras and snowy weather. In addition, the Tiger's commander voice was replaced with Voss's voice from the campaign.
To unlock this unit, the Tiger Ace mini-campaign must be completed, which is also introduced in Tales of Valor.
Weaknesses[]
In the Tiger Ace campaign, it is nearly indestructible; nothing can stand in its way, even enemy tanks fear them. But the tank's treads were destroyed, showing some of its weakness, and it is also prone to engine breakdowns, despite its frequent replacement of parts. It was replaced however by a new Tiger after the crew's retreat and presumably repaired after the retake of Villers-Bocage (if the player didn't destroy it when returning to Villers-Bocage).
Trivia[]
This unit, along with its campaign mission "Tiger Ace" was inspired by a real-life campaign by Michael Wittmann, a Waffen SS Panzer commander of the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Batallion (which was the part of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler), who was one of Germany's top tiger aces during World War II. He ambushed the elements of the 7th British armored division during the battle of Villers-Bocage and destroyed 14 tanks, 15 personnel carriers, 2 anti-tank guns - all within the space of 15 minutes. Just like in the campaign, he uses a Tiger 205 during his ambush. After Tiger no.205 was knocked out, Wittman used Tiger 007. In real life, the Tiger I ace of Villers-Bocage was killed by Canadian soldiers of the 27th Canadian Armored Regiment, Wittmann and his fellow walked into an ambush, the Canadian Sherman Fireflies opened fire at them immediately, and an armor-piercing round hit the turett of Tiger 007, and it immediately exploded. Wittmann's turret flew away 7 metres. Nobody of the Tiger's crew survived. Wittmann and his crew were buried in a mass grave.
