I think the Panther does it's job pretty well. It's quite fast, pretty heavily armored, can make a lot of damage to tanks, and the MG on the top makes it pretty effective against infantry as well. It is pretty expensive yes, so yolodives are not the brightest idea. Hate losing a expensive tank to a mine/at ambush. So if a Panther stays in it's infantry supporting role, it excels.
Finally someone with a bit of sense.
Like I said before, if you wait for vet2 you get extra armor and HP, making it an excellent tank.
Only that is the role of "Churchill infantry support Tank."
The Role of the Panther is described as counter to Heavy tanks, and it pretty bad at it.
I don't know in what world panthers are supposed to be a direct counter to heavies.
Panthers are medium tanks, THEY ARE support tanks, if you want TDs you either go stug, JP4, elephant to Jagtiger.