[2] Its high profile and thin open-topped armor provided minimal protection to the crew.

[1] Although the Wehrmacht succeeded in most operations due to superior tactics, air support and supply, the lack of anti-tank weapons capable of successfully engaging these vehicles at range was becoming evident.

Soon, the Hungarians designed and built a similar vehicle using the Hungarian Toldi light tank's chassis with a three-sided armoured superstructure housing a powerful 75 mm anti-tank gun mounted on top.

This Marder II had a redesigned (widened) fighting compartment and used the German 75 mm Pak 40 anti-tank gun.

[4] The silhouette was lowered by about 40 cm to 2.20 m, but the armor was thin and the compartment was open to the top and rear, as in Sd.

A different superstructure was also made to accommodate the new gun, this resulting in a new version called the 5 cm pak 38 auf p.z kpfw Marder II.

[1] The Marder IIs were used by the Panzerjäger Abteilungen of the Panzer divisions of both the Heer and the Waffen SS, as well as several Luftwaffe units.

The combination of a high silhouette and open-top fighting compartment made them vulnerable to indirect artillery fire, aircraft strafing, and grenades.

The Marders were not assault vehicles or tank substitutes; the open-top compartment meant operations in crowded areas such as urban environments or other close-combat situations were not an option.