Sturmtiger (Sturmmörser Tiger, Sturmpanzer VI) was a German heavy self-propelled rocket artillery vehicle built on damaged Tiger I chassis during World War II to provide massive direct fire support in urban combat and against fortified structures. Armed with a 380 mm breech-loading rocket launcher (Raketenwerfer 61) converted from a naval depth-charge thrower, it fired massive 350 kg rocket-assisted projectiles capable of penetrating 2.5 meters of reinforced concrete. Due to the extreme weight and size of the ammunition, only 14 rounds could be carried, requiring a built-in crane and the entire five-man crew to rearm. Featuring exceptionally thick front armor (150 mm) and an overall weight 11 tons heavier than a standard Tiger, only 18 units were produced between August and September 1944. Deployed across three specialized companies (PzStuMrKp 1000, 1001, and 1002), Sturmtigers were used during the Warsaw Uprising (its only original urban assault role), the Ardennes Offensive, and late-war defense of Germany. Extremely resilient against enemy direct fire, most were abandoned by their crews due to mechanical breakdowns or fuel shortages rather than enemy destruction. Two surviving examples exist today in Kubinka and Munster.
