I see that you've edited your original post Neil!
The Tiger was a tank for open terrain like the steppes of Russia & all the tank commanders ( there were others, not just Wittman! ) had to change the tactics previously used on the Eastern Front.
It's therefore a sign of the Tigers versatility that it still performed well even in a less-than-ideal environment.
The Tiger I first saw active service in 1942 - hardly the end of the war!
And as far as Kursk went, in terms of men & material destroyed, the Germans were easily the winners. But the Soviet plan was to gut the German army of its best personnel & armour, so in that sense it was a German defeat from which they never recovered.
Having read a number of books on the battle, time & time again firsthand accounts speak of a stalled attack until a Tiger appeared to break the deadlock.
Their crews weren't overconfident at all, they had a great respect for the abilities of their enemy, especially the Russian 57mm AT gun.