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==Combat history==
===Gun and armour performance===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-022-2935-24, Russland, Treffer an Panzer VI (Tiger I).jpg|thumb|German soldiers inspect a non-penetrating hit to the Tiger's armour]]
A report prepared by the [[Waffenamt|Waffenamt-Prüfwesen 1]] gave the calculated probability of perforation at range, on which various adversaries would be defeated reliably at an angle of 30 degrees. It was estimated that the Tiger's 88 mm gun would be capable of penetrating the differential case of an American M4 Sherman from {{convert|2100|m|mi|abbr=on}} and the turret front from {{convert|1800|m|mi|abbr=on}}, but the Tiger's 88 mm gun would not penetrate the upper glacis plate at any range.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}} The M4 Sherman's 75 mm gun would not penetrate the Tiger frontally at any range, and needed to be within 100 m to achieve a side penetration against the 80 mm upper hull superstructure.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}} The Sherman's upgraded [[76 mm gun M1|76 mm gun]] would have the possibility to penetrate the Tiger's driver's front plate from 600 m, the nose from 400 m and the turret front from 700 m.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}} The [[90 mm Gun M1/M2/M3|M3 90 mm cannon]] used as a towed anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun, and later mounted in the [[M36 tank destroyer]] and finally the late-war [[M26 Pershing]], could penetrate the Tiger's front plate at a range of 1,000 m using standard ammunition, and from beyond 2,000 m when using HVAP.<ref name="freeweb1">{{cite web|url=http://gva.freeweb.hu/weapons/usa_guns7.html|title=USA Guns 90mm calibre|publisher=Gva.freeweb.hu|accessdate=2010-04-30}} {{Dead link |date=February 2015}}</ref>
Soviet ground trial testing conducted in May 1943 determined that the 88mm KwK 36 gun could pierce the T-34-76 frontal beam nose of 140 mm thickness from 1500 m at 75 degrees, and the front hull from 1500 m at 70 degrees. A hit to the drivers hatch would force it to collapse inward and break apart.{{sfn|Baryatinsky|2008|pp=29–30}}{{sfn|Kolomiets|2013|p=92}}{{Efn|The data used here is from the Soviet Military Intelligence Service. With the capture of an intact Tiger at [[Operation Iskra|Lake Lagoda]] the Soviets obtained data regarding the Tiger's technical and tactical capabilities. By test firing the 8.8 cm gun against a T-34 hull, data was obtained that lead to several improvements of the T-34 and development of the IS II as a new breakthrough tank. By increasing the thickness of the armour and mounting it with a very heavy 122 mm gun, the Soviet IS II became a very difficult tank to deal with.}} According to the WaPrüf, the Soviet T-34-85's upper glacis and turret front armour would be defeated between {{convert|100|and|1400|m|mi|abbr=on}}, while the T-34's 85 mm gun would penetrate the front of a Tiger between {{convert|200|and|500|m|mi|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}} The [[IS tank family#mediaviewer/File:IS-2 scheme of armour.jpg|120 mm]] hull armour of the Soviet [[IS-2]] model 1943 would be defeated between {{convert|100|and|300|m|mi|abbr=on}} at the driver's front plate and nose.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}} The IS-2's 122 mm gun would penetrate the Tiger's front armour between {{convert|500|and|1500|m|mi|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}} However, according to Steven Zaloga, the IS-2 and Tiger I could each knock the other out in normal combat distances below 1,000 m.{{sfn|Zaloga|1994|p=12}} At longer ranges the performance of each respective tank against each other was dependent on the crew and combat situation.{{sfn|Zaloga|1994|p=13}}
The British [[Churchill tank|Churchill IV]] would be vulnerable to the Tiger between {{convert|1100|and|1700|m|mi|abbr=on}}, its strongest point being the nose and its weakest the turret. According to an STT document dated April 1944, it was estimated that the British [[Ordnance QF 17 pounder|17-pounder]] as used on the [[Sherman Firefly]], firing its normal [[APCBC]] ammunition, would penetrate the turret front and driver's visor plate of the Tiger out to 1900 yards.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|pp=19–20}}
When engaging targets Tiger crews were encouraged to angle the hull position 45 degrees to the ''Mahlzeit Stellung'' of 10 ½ or 1 ½ o'clock. This would maximize the effective front hull armour to 180mm and side hull to 140mm, making the Tiger impervious to any allied gun up to 152 mm.<ref>[http://s14.directupload.net/images/141103/qo72ng3d.jpg ''Tigerfibel'' p84-85]</ref>{{sfn|Bird|Livingston|2001|p=83}} Unlike the lighter [[Panzer IV]] and [[Panther tank]]s, the Tiger's thick side armour allowed a degree of confidence of immunity from attack from flanking threats. The tank was also immune from Soviet [[anti-tank rifle]] fire to the sides and rear. Its large caliber 8.8 cm provided superior fragmentation and high explosive content over the [[7.5 cm KwK 42]] gun. Therefore, comparing the Tiger with the Panther, for supporting the infantry and destroying fortifications, the Tiger offered superior firepower. It was also key to dealing with the greatest threat to any tank, towed antitank guns.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}
{{quotation| The destruction of an antitank gun was often accepted as nothing special by lay people and soldiers from other branches. Only the destruction of other tanks counted as a success. On the other hand, antitank guns counted twice as much to the experienced tanker. They were much more dangerous to us. The antitank cannon waited in ambush, well camouflaged, and magnificently set up in the terrain. Because of that, it was very difficult to identify. It was also very difficult to hit because of its low height. Usually, we didn't make out the antitank guns until they had fired the first shot. We were often hit right away, if the antitank crew was on top of things, because we had run into a wall of antitank guns. It was then advisable to keep as cool as possible and take care of the enemy, before the second aimed shot was fired. |Otto Carius|Tigers in the Mud|p. 118}}
===First actions===
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