The Panzerwerfer 42 auf Maultier, a German Half-track multiple rocket launcher, weighed 7.1 tonnes, was six meters long, two meters wide, and nearly three meters high. It was capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 km/h. One of these half tracked vehicles generally carried a Nebelwerfer 41 launching system, which was specially designed to be mounted on the Opel-engine powered Panzerwerfer. It went into production in April 1943, and was produced until March 1945.  

It was used for larger scale rocket barrages against positions of Russian resistance where a large bombardment of a big area would be more effective than more accurate artillery fire. During the Campaign in France, after Normandy landings, western allies were overly unprepared for the effects of a mobile, armored, camouflaged, and highly destructive rocket launcher mounted on a half-track chassis. The Battle of the Bulge saw intensive use of German armored rocket launchers. Panzerwerfers saw extensive use during April and May 1945, as the Russians were quickly advancing on Berlin and the German forces employed rocket artillery in a defensive mode. 

The German engineers designed this system because of the conspicuous trails of smoke left behind by the Nebelwerfer batteries, which necessitated a self-propelled artillery piece for quick relocation after firing. The system contained 10 missile tubes, and generally carried 20 projectiles, enough for the vehicle to fire two full salvos. The effective range for a Panzerwerfer's rockets was about 4,000-6,500 meters, and the maximum range was less than 7,000.

Though intended to provide fire support and operate well behind the point of contact, some Panzerwerfers also had a machine gun mounted above the cab for protection against infantry attack.