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Saat Jerman melakukan [[Operasi Barbarossa|Perjalanan ke Timur]] pada 22 Juni 1941, Jerman terkejud dengan tank baru Soviet yaitu [[T-34]] kelas medium dan [[KV-1 (tank)|KV-1]] kelas berat yang dapat menandingi tank-tank jerman di timur. Oleh karena itu desain tank ini dibuat agar dapat menandingi KV-1 dan [[T-34]], akhirnya rancangan Ferdinad Porsche yang di terima dan mulai dikirim ke timur pertengahan 1942.
==CombatSejarah historyDinas==
===Aksi Kali Pertama===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-554-0872-35, Tunesien, Panzer VI (Tiger I).jpg|thumb|left| ATank Tiger I deployeddi tokirim supplementke theTunisia untuk membantu [[ Deutsche Afrika Korps]] operatingberoperasi indi [[Tunisia]],bulan JanuaryJanuari 1943]] ▼
===First actions===
▲[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-554-0872-35, Tunesien, Panzer VI (Tiger I).jpg|thumb|left|A Tiger I deployed to supplement the [[Afrika Korps]] operating in [[Tunisia]], January 1943]]
Eager to make use of the powerful new weapon, Hitler ordered the vehicle be pressed into service months earlier than planned.{{sfn|Guderian|1952|p=280}} A platoon of four Tigers was put into action on 23 September 1942 near [[Siege of Leningrad|Leningrad]].{{sfn|Showalter|2013|p=48}} Operating in swampy, forested terrain their movement was largely confined to roads and tracks, making defense against them far easier. Many of these early models were plagued by problems with the transmission, which had difficulty handling the heavy weight of the vehicle if pushed too hard. It took time for drivers to learn how to avoid over taxing the engine and transmission, and many broke down. The most significant event from this engagement was that one of the Tigers became stuck in swampy ground and had to be abandoned. Captured largely intact, it allowed the Soviets to study the design and prepare countermeasures.{{sfn|Glantz|2005|p=201}}
In the North African theatre, the Tiger first saw action during the [[Tunisia Campaign]] on 1 December 1942 east of [[Tebourba]].{{sfn|Schneider|2000|p=41}} The first loss to an Allied gun was on 20 January 1943 near [[Robaa]]{{sfn|Schneider|2000|p=42}} when a battery of the British 72nd Anti-tank Regiment knocked out two Tigers with their [[Ordnance QF 6 pounder|6-pounder (57 mm) anti-tank guns]]. The failed attack on [[Béja]] at the end of February saw seven Tigers lost in the "Panzer Graveyard".{{sfn|Schneider|2000|p=43}}
===Mobility and reliability {{anchor|Mobility}}===
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[File:Tiger I Crashed Through Bridge.jpg|thumb|left|This Tiger of the [[502nd Heavy Tank Battalion (Germany)|502nd Battalion]] flipped over while attempting a bridge crossing in Russia, November 1943, killing the tank commander. It was recovered with extreme difficulty<ref>Schneider 2000, pp. 78, 104.</ref>]] -->
The tank's weight significantly limited its use of bridges. For this reason, the Tiger was built with water tight hatches and a [[Submarine snorkel|snorkel]] device that allowed it to [[Ford (crossing)|ford]] water obstacles four metres deep. The tank's weight also made driving through buildings risky, as the presence of a cellar could result in a sudden drop. Another weakness was the slow traverse of the hydraulically operated turret. Due to reliability problems with the Maybach HL 210 TRM P45, which was delivered within the first production batch of 250 Tigers, performance for its maximum power output at high gear ratio could not be fulfilled.<ref name="alanhamby.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.alanhamby.com/maybach.shtml|title=Tiger I Information Center - The Maybach Engine|work=alanhamby.com}}</ref> Though the Maybach engines had a maximum of 3,000 rpm, crews were told in the ''[[Tigerfibel]]'' not to exceed 2,600 rpm. The engine limitation was alleviated only by the adoption of the Maybach HL 230.<ref name="alanhamby.com"/> A British Army test report showed that the turret on the Tiger E tank turned 360 degrees in 19 seconds with its power traverse system set at high ratio and with the engine speed at 2000 revolutions per minute (rpm).{{sfn|Green|Brown|2008|p=86}} The turret could also be traversed manually, but this option was rarely used, except for very small adjustments.{{sfn|Carruthers|2013}}
Early Tigers had a top speed of about {{convert|45|km/h|mph}} over optimal terrain. This was not recommended for normal operation, and was discouraged in training. An engine governor was subsequently installed, capping the engine at 2,600 rpm and the Tiger's maximum speed to about {{convert|38|km/h|mph}}. However, medium tanks of the time, such as the Sherman or T-34, had an average a top speed of about {{convert|45|km/h|mph}}. Thus, despite the Tiger being nearly twice as heavy, its speed was comparatively respectable.{{sfn|Carruthers|2013}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-024-3536-28, Kreta, Panzer VI (Tiger I), Reparatur.jpg|thumb|A Tiger undergoing engine repairs]]
With the tank's very wide tracks, a design feature borrowed from the Soviet T-34, the Tiger had a lower ground pressure than many smaller tanks, such as the M4 Sherman.
The Tiger had reliability problems throughout its service life. Tiger units often entered combat understrength due to breakdowns. More importantly, the tank's fuel consumption meant that it had a limited operational range.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-022-2926-11A, Russland, Abschleppen eines Tiger I.jpg|thumb|Tiger I towed by two [[Sd.Kfz. 9]]]]
Tiger tanks needed a high degree of support. It required two or sometimes three of the standard German [[Sd.Kfz. 9|Sd.Kfz. 9 ''Famo'']] heavy recovery half-track tractors to tow it. Tiger crews often resorted to using another Tiger to tow the damaged vehicle, but this was not recommended as this often caused overheating and engine breakdown. The low-mounted sprocket limited the obstacle clearance height. The tracks also had a tendency to override the rear sprocket, resulting in immobilisation. If a track overrode and jammed, two Tigers were normally needed to tow the tank. The jammed track was also a big problem itself, since due to high tension, it was often impossible to split the track by removing the track pins. The track sometimes had to be blown apart with a small explosive charge.
The average reliability of the Tiger tank in the second half of 1943 was similar to that of the [[Panther tank|Panther]], 36 percent, compared to the 48 percent of the [[Panzer IV]] and the 65 percent of the [[StuG III]].{{sfn|Zaloga|2015|p=202}}
===Tactical organization===
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