That’s a soft counter, not a hard counter. Hard counter is Panther vs medium tanks. Hard counter is also Elephant/Jagdtiger vs heavy tanks, but it’s commander dependent.
Panther isn't supposed to kill it solo fast.
In fact, no single unit is supposed to do it.
Its a damage sponge after all, its supposed to last, especially against just a single AT source.
You're supposed to add its own shots and being a deterrent for church to NOT rush and circle PaKs.
We're talking actual game here, not 1v1, zero additional units in support scenario.
If you don't have PaKs/raks by the time you have a panther, you've lost and churchill isn't the reason why.
Alternatively, 2 StuGs will also make a short work of it.
Firstly, there is no HP buff to Panther. It was moved forwards because the buffed Allies td are killing expensive unvet panthers easily. Of course moving forward the HP, Relic for some reason further nerfed Panther armor, so it is vulnerable to med tanks and yes Churchill!
That's a definition of a buff.
And if churchills are circle strafing your panther, you've got much larger problem on hand then churchills stats.
Lastly, unless its easy8 or 34/85, every other medium tank that'll jump panther from behind will still lose because it'll just kill it before it'll be killed specifically because of that extra hp it got.
Yep, look at this game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RQaPq9wZ84&t=1877s
2 KV1 up against 2 P4 and 1 Stug.
That is even after Sov player was afk for 1 min!
Ost player dropped knowing is hopeless.
At no singular second there is a situation where there is that specific unit composition you've mentioned going up against each other.
Additionally, KV-1 doesn't even do much except just being there, its B4, cons and ATG doing all the work aka combined arms - where were grens and ost pak supporting that P4? I've only seen almost suiciding stug.
Why do you feel the strong urge to lie and provide a proof of lies in the same post?