History[]
The K2 Black Panther (Hangul: K2 '흑표'; Hanja: K2 '黒豹') is a South Korean main battle tank that replaced most of the M48 Patton tanks and complement the K1 88 series of main battle tanks currently fielded by the Republic of Korea. Mass production commenced in 2013 and the first Black Panthers were deployed with the armed forces in June 2014. The K2 costs over $8.5 million per unit.
In-Game Use[]
The K2 Black Panther is one of the final tanks that are unlocked in the whole game, only being unlocked before the Type 10 and Black Eagle. On top of the hefty pricetag in order to purchase this vehicle, the upgrades can be quite pricey as well. It has the fastest reload of any tank in the game (excluding AA/Fire Support vehicles), that is tied along with the M8 AGS. The armour is decent though lacking spaced armor protection, but a comparative lack of health leaves the K2 vulnerable to tanks such as the M1A2 Abrams and Arjun, which have highly damaging guns and can knock out the K2 in only a few shots, especially if the K2's sides are exposed. However, the K2's frontal armor is extremely strong, and the turret is almost immune to ATM fire. The K2 has a plentiful amount of agility to keep the front facing almost any enemy, so driving carefully will allow the weak sides to be exposed much less frequently.
The K2 Black Panther is also one of the most maneuverable tanks in game. Its speed is very high, reverse speed is adequate, and turret rotation speed is as fast (if not, faster) as most other tanks at the vehicle's level. Unfortunately the K2 is not without weaknesses; the armor, as mentioned above, and the main gun also packs a fairly light punch and has horrible accuracy. Both of these gun issues are somewhat counterbalanced by the K2's extremely high rate for fire, so even if you miss a shot or get a low damage role, you'll be firing a second shot likely by the time your enemy attempts to hit you again. But, you don't want to miss many shots since you really can't absorb too many yourself. The K2 is best used as an interceptor; use the speed and agility to catch and keep up with enemy flag runners, and then knock them out with its withering rate of fire. Even the BMPT Terminator cannot last long against a K2 Black Panther.
When dealing with tanks such as the Abrams, Arjun, Type 99, etc., anything with a high health pool and heavy damaging gun, the K2 is at its most vulnerable because those are precisely the types of tank it is least suited to cope with. The best results will be firing HEAT and outflanking your enemy, and taking extreme care not to miss any shots. Even at point-blank range, the K2's gun will send HEAT shells flying everywhere if you aren't careful, and if you do so your enemy will tear you apart quickly. The K2 Black Panther makes a good support tank but a poor frontal assault weapon; it simply does not have the health or protection to survive the concentrated fire of multiple enemy tanks. It is best to play a supporting role; keep shooting the enemy with the vehicle's fast reloading speed, and role out with friendlies to destroy the enemy. The K2 is South Korea's finest tank, known to have good amount of damage and a frightful reload speed that easily rivals any other nation's Main Battle Tank.
Pros and Cons:[]
Pros:[]
- Blisteringly fast reload time, astounding DPM is the second best of any MBT in the game (only beat by the Type 10)
- Amazing speed, agility, mobility, and great turret rotation speed
- Strong frontal armor, turret's great design and two tiers of active protection system make it excellent at repelling ATMs
Cons:[]
- Health pool is unimpressive, armor is thin besides the front and has no spaced armor either
- Accuracy is laughable, penetration values are somewhat lacking
- Weakspots on the frontal armor are not hard to shoot, though the vehicle's excellent agility can allow it to prevent these from being hit less frequently