The Sandbox Server (at the moment) is actually somewhat competitively viable. Lets start with artillery:
Artillery now has an "assistance" bonus towards tanks that are damaged when stunned. This is similar to tracking damage and spotting damage, yet unique to artillery. This makes artillery a rewarding class to play again, as the number of tanks effected, the greater amounts of reward. This also addresses other problems such as XVM focus in some respects. If a target is isolated, they will less likely be hunted down quickly as it is more helpful to destroy large clusters of enemies that are pushing down a flank. Artillery also has large splash which can hit tanks around buildings and other cover, which forces people to make aggressive plays, instead of sitting still. The splash damage seems to be mitigated by armor, but not distance from where the shot landed to as large a degree. The increase in penetration also allows SPGs to deal some damage, usually around 300-400 per shot.
Tank Destroyers, Cavalry, Assault Tanks, and Light tanks are also still performing their roles as planned, so I won't really touch on them.
Juggernauts/Heavies were still a bit too strong, and I still feel more of them need nerfs, especially the Type 5, in a similar respect to the Maus and IS-4. These tanks need the bonus for tanking however, otherwise they will be terrible experience/WN8 earners. These tanks need to solely be the armor or shields on the battlefield, not the damage dealers.
Fire Support Vehicles were improved/nerfed in different ways promoting a more sniper-based game, with them not being the damage dealers they were. They are now support only, and don't rule the game as they once did. They are now able to be countered at close range from Cavalry vehicles and Heavies.
All vehicles have different counters and strong positions that did not exist before in the ways they do now. Heavies are strictly armor, fire support and artillery strictly support, assault tanks and cavalry do damage and tank damage (close range), and light tanks can spot.
-Spirtwalker
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Sandbox Server: Week #3
The sandbox server was changed yet again, in the search of balance on the top tiers. They basically looked at the superheavy tanks and nerfed some of them, as well as buffing the overall effectiveness of artillery. Fire support vehicles were also changed to make them less of a dominating sniper force, by lowering their overall DPM. And on to my more specific comments:
SPGs: Artillery were buffed a massive amount due to their increase in penetration, as well as improvements in how splash damage works and the "stun" effects. Also, the T92 recieved an overall increase by a slight gain of damage and reload speed decrease. The BatChat artillery also recieved some damage buffs and a reduction of one shell from its magazine, down to three. The reload is also scaled down to meet these changes. It has also become more mobile, making it the only really fast arty at tier ten.
Juggernauts/Heavies: The Maus has become the true heavy, with no more DPM or gun statistics, just armor. This hopefully signifies an introduction of the experience gained from effective usage of armor, in order to still make tanks such as these worth playing. Also, the IS-4 had a slight DPM nerf, making it the worst along with the Maus. The JPZ E 100 was also nerfed in its penetration to force it to only fight close quarters, despite its fantastic accuracy. This is an interesting change, probably stemming from its great armor. We may be looking at an E 100 and Type 5 nerf soon. The E4 received its APCR nerf and the E3 got a shell capacity buff.
Grille 15: The only tank destroyer change, the penetration was increased to help with sniping, and to bring it up to par with its competitors.
Fire Support Vehicles: Mediums in this category were given large buffs to their aim time and accuracy, but also substantial nerfs to their DPM, except the Centurion AX, which remained the same. We can probably expect a nerf coming its way... The STB-1 was also excluded, only to be met with a harsh accuracy nerf, now similar to "Cavalry" mediums. The BatChat also recieved an accuracy buff as well as a reload decrease to meet the current four shell magazine. There are also rumors of Patton mobility buffs, which I can't truly confirm, but I can say that it played to what the alleged buffs were.
Some Other Things:
Maps- The current maps for Karelia and Steppes are called Karelian Glades and Flat Steppes. The became much more flat in areas, especially the taking out of the northern hills on Karelia, and the flatter parts of the West on Steppes. This is interesting because it could promote more sniping opportunities for TDs, artillery hits due to lack of prominent terrain features, movement of heavies due to a lack of hilly terrain, or the ability for light tanks to light up targets.
BatChat Guns- The guns (90 mm and 100 mm from 13 90 and Lorr. 40t) have been dropped from 6 shells to 4 shells which may point to a change among the tier 8 and tier 9 tanks from the french lines.
I will release another article about my opinions themselves.
-Spirtwalker
SPGs: Artillery were buffed a massive amount due to their increase in penetration, as well as improvements in how splash damage works and the "stun" effects. Also, the T92 recieved an overall increase by a slight gain of damage and reload speed decrease. The BatChat artillery also recieved some damage buffs and a reduction of one shell from its magazine, down to three. The reload is also scaled down to meet these changes. It has also become more mobile, making it the only really fast arty at tier ten.
Juggernauts/Heavies: The Maus has become the true heavy, with no more DPM or gun statistics, just armor. This hopefully signifies an introduction of the experience gained from effective usage of armor, in order to still make tanks such as these worth playing. Also, the IS-4 had a slight DPM nerf, making it the worst along with the Maus. The JPZ E 100 was also nerfed in its penetration to force it to only fight close quarters, despite its fantastic accuracy. This is an interesting change, probably stemming from its great armor. We may be looking at an E 100 and Type 5 nerf soon. The E4 received its APCR nerf and the E3 got a shell capacity buff.
Grille 15: The only tank destroyer change, the penetration was increased to help with sniping, and to bring it up to par with its competitors.
Fire Support Vehicles: Mediums in this category were given large buffs to their aim time and accuracy, but also substantial nerfs to their DPM, except the Centurion AX, which remained the same. We can probably expect a nerf coming its way... The STB-1 was also excluded, only to be met with a harsh accuracy nerf, now similar to "Cavalry" mediums. The BatChat also recieved an accuracy buff as well as a reload decrease to meet the current four shell magazine. There are also rumors of Patton mobility buffs, which I can't truly confirm, but I can say that it played to what the alleged buffs were.
Some Other Things:
Maps- The current maps for Karelia and Steppes are called Karelian Glades and Flat Steppes. The became much more flat in areas, especially the taking out of the northern hills on Karelia, and the flatter parts of the West on Steppes. This is interesting because it could promote more sniping opportunities for TDs, artillery hits due to lack of prominent terrain features, movement of heavies due to a lack of hilly terrain, or the ability for light tanks to light up targets.
BatChat Guns- The guns (90 mm and 100 mm from 13 90 and Lorr. 40t) have been dropped from 6 shells to 4 shells which may point to a change among the tier 8 and tier 9 tanks from the french lines.
I will release another article about my opinions themselves.
-Spirtwalker
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
The Road to Unicum
This article will contain my insight into how I became a better player in the game of WoT. I really started to improve when I started to join clans, and played more often. Honestly, this is true for anything that you want to get good at; you play with players better than you, in a more competitive environment, and you practice more. But I did do some things that I would recommend others to do in order to improve.
One of the things I had done previous to really getting into the game was play a ton of light tanks, I had ground out ever light tank line up to tier eight, and I understood the basic mechanics of how to play them. When I got into a clan, I decided that I needed to pick up some top tier vehicles. And here is my first point, play one tank, or tanks that are similar (i.e. fast mediums with no armor). This will train your brain to think correctly about your positioning in a battle, and not force you to change your style every game. I started grinding out lines such as the T57 Heavy and the Patton, which taught me how to improve in higher tier combat.
This brings me to my next point, playing against higher tiered opponents teaches how to play against more skilled players. The higher tiers are filled with better players than the lower tiers, just based on experience alone. Most people at high tiers have at least 4-6k battles, some much higher. This throws you into a pool of players that can show you new spots on maps, force you to shoot more accurately, and generally force you to make less mistakes.
On the topic of positioning, watching videos on YouTube or streams will provide you with places that higher tier players go towards on maps. It can show you how to play a class that you are unfamiliar with. This gameplay is consistent, unlike your own, meaning you can learn something from most of their games.
Another way to force yourself to learn is to play high-skill tanks. This can include light tanks and faster, less forgiving mediums such as the Leopard or BatChat. The tanks force you to make less mistakes on the battlefield, while providing you the tools to have great games. The only problem with this is: you tend to have a smaller effect on your overall winrate due to a lack of armor, and therefore an ability to carry games with lucky bounces.
Clans are a great part of the game. I recommend that players join one if they are looking for any kind of fun game due to their competitiveness over the random battle mode. Team Battles can also be seen as good, but require tier eight tanks, and tier sixes are easier to research for clan wars. I have an article posted about good tier sixes, http://spiritwotanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/04/tier-6-tanks-for-clan-wars.html and http://spiritwotanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/04/tier-6-tanks-for-clan-wars-part-2.html. If you have the tanks, and stats to match, this is what I would recommend:
Recent WN8 Some Clans
1000-1500 Tier 6 Clans JAWS, EMPRR/EMPER, HIPPO/H1PPO, ROHAN
2000-2500 Tier 8 Clans FUSION, GROOT, -SWAG, RDDT3
3000+ Tier 10 Clans OTTER, MO, CLAWS, _FAM_, R-7
These are pretty rough estimates, and more like guarantees that you will be accepted. If you are placed somewhere in the middle, choose the tier of play you are most comfortable with. Tier 6 is also much more casual, and takes much less skill and practice.
Message me in game if you have questions or leave a comment! Also if you have any WoT related topics you want me to discuss tell me about it!
-Spirtwalker
One of the things I had done previous to really getting into the game was play a ton of light tanks, I had ground out ever light tank line up to tier eight, and I understood the basic mechanics of how to play them. When I got into a clan, I decided that I needed to pick up some top tier vehicles. And here is my first point, play one tank, or tanks that are similar (i.e. fast mediums with no armor). This will train your brain to think correctly about your positioning in a battle, and not force you to change your style every game. I started grinding out lines such as the T57 Heavy and the Patton, which taught me how to improve in higher tier combat.
This brings me to my next point, playing against higher tiered opponents teaches how to play against more skilled players. The higher tiers are filled with better players than the lower tiers, just based on experience alone. Most people at high tiers have at least 4-6k battles, some much higher. This throws you into a pool of players that can show you new spots on maps, force you to shoot more accurately, and generally force you to make less mistakes.
On the topic of positioning, watching videos on YouTube or streams will provide you with places that higher tier players go towards on maps. It can show you how to play a class that you are unfamiliar with. This gameplay is consistent, unlike your own, meaning you can learn something from most of their games.
Another way to force yourself to learn is to play high-skill tanks. This can include light tanks and faster, less forgiving mediums such as the Leopard or BatChat. The tanks force you to make less mistakes on the battlefield, while providing you the tools to have great games. The only problem with this is: you tend to have a smaller effect on your overall winrate due to a lack of armor, and therefore an ability to carry games with lucky bounces.
Clans are a great part of the game. I recommend that players join one if they are looking for any kind of fun game due to their competitiveness over the random battle mode. Team Battles can also be seen as good, but require tier eight tanks, and tier sixes are easier to research for clan wars. I have an article posted about good tier sixes, http://spiritwotanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/04/tier-6-tanks-for-clan-wars.html and http://spiritwotanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/04/tier-6-tanks-for-clan-wars-part-2.html. If you have the tanks, and stats to match, this is what I would recommend:
Recent WN8 Some Clans
1000-1500 Tier 6 Clans JAWS, EMPRR/EMPER, HIPPO/H1PPO, ROHAN
2000-2500 Tier 8 Clans FUSION, GROOT, -SWAG, RDDT3
3000+ Tier 10 Clans OTTER, MO, CLAWS, _FAM_, R-7
These are pretty rough estimates, and more like guarantees that you will be accepted. If you are placed somewhere in the middle, choose the tier of play you are most comfortable with. Tier 6 is also much more casual, and takes much less skill and practice.
Message me in game if you have questions or leave a comment! Also if you have any WoT related topics you want me to discuss tell me about it!
-Spirtwalker
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Sandbox: Tier 9 Tank Thoughts
I have been thinking a lot lately how Wargaming will implement the overall rebalance at Tier IX. There are my opinions/thoughts:
Keep in mind I won't really talk about artillery, as it is heavily changed, and is therefore hard to predict how the final implementation of artillery will be (they probably still haven't finished the Tier X balance). Also, they will probably keep the same class-based characteristics as the Tier 10 vehicles (i.e. Heavies have long reloads and big guns).
Heavy Tanks/Juggernauts: T95, T30, E 75, VK 45.02B, ST-1, Type 4, Jagtiger
Assault Tanks: M103, Conqueror, Foch?, WZ-111 1-4, T-10
Cavalry: E 50, OBJ. 430 II, T-54, WZ-120
Fire Support Vehicles: T54E1, M46, Cent 7/1, AMX 50 120, Lorr/Batchat, AMX 30, Type 61, Skoda T50
Tank Destroyers: WT IV, SU 122 54, OBJ 704, Tortoise, Conway, Foch?
These will likely be the classes for the current tier nine tanks, but there are some tanks that probably should be considerably weaker than they currently are:
WT IV: This tank has fantastic camouflage rating and decent mobility with arguably the best gun of the tier. This tank will hopefully be remodeled in the style of the Grille 15, an accuracy/aim time buff, with nerfs to the reload time and overall mobility.
T-54/430 II: These tanks have excellent guns that are good for sniping and brawling. Also, HEAT rounds can compensate for a lack of penetration. The overall rebalance already addresses the problems with HEAT ammo, but these tanks also need nerfs to accuracy and view range, to prevent them from dominating all parts of the battle.
Tier 9 tanks are decidedly well balanced, but here are some more tanks that might need some buffs to their characteristics:
T95: This tank made my list due to its inability to traverse the battlefield, unlike the E3. It would be fantastic if Wargaming would improve the top speed limit to allow some movement from one place to another. This tank will have improved armor due to the decline of overpowered HEFAT rounds, therefore buffing it in another way.
Foch: This is currently one of the worst/least played tier nine tanks due to its overall average-ness and inflexibility. What they should do is make the French TDs as a strong assault tank class with very good DPM and low accuracy. This would bring some interesting new play styles into the game, as there currently isn't a fantastic tank like this, on the live server (other than maybe the 263).
I hope this shed some light on what the upcoming changes will be about, or show you what tanks need some love/need some nerfs.
-Spirtwalker
Keep in mind I won't really talk about artillery, as it is heavily changed, and is therefore hard to predict how the final implementation of artillery will be (they probably still haven't finished the Tier X balance). Also, they will probably keep the same class-based characteristics as the Tier 10 vehicles (i.e. Heavies have long reloads and big guns).
Heavy Tanks/Juggernauts: T95, T30, E 75, VK 45.02B, ST-1, Type 4, Jagtiger
Assault Tanks: M103, Conqueror, Foch?, WZ-111 1-4, T-10
Cavalry: E 50, OBJ. 430 II, T-54, WZ-120
Fire Support Vehicles: T54E1, M46, Cent 7/1, AMX 50 120, Lorr/Batchat, AMX 30, Type 61, Skoda T50
Tank Destroyers: WT IV, SU 122 54, OBJ 704, Tortoise, Conway, Foch?
These will likely be the classes for the current tier nine tanks, but there are some tanks that probably should be considerably weaker than they currently are:
WT IV: This tank has fantastic camouflage rating and decent mobility with arguably the best gun of the tier. This tank will hopefully be remodeled in the style of the Grille 15, an accuracy/aim time buff, with nerfs to the reload time and overall mobility.
T-54/430 II: These tanks have excellent guns that are good for sniping and brawling. Also, HEAT rounds can compensate for a lack of penetration. The overall rebalance already addresses the problems with HEAT ammo, but these tanks also need nerfs to accuracy and view range, to prevent them from dominating all parts of the battle.
Tier 9 tanks are decidedly well balanced, but here are some more tanks that might need some buffs to their characteristics:
T95: This tank made my list due to its inability to traverse the battlefield, unlike the E3. It would be fantastic if Wargaming would improve the top speed limit to allow some movement from one place to another. This tank will have improved armor due to the decline of overpowered HEFAT rounds, therefore buffing it in another way.
Foch: This is currently one of the worst/least played tier nine tanks due to its overall average-ness and inflexibility. What they should do is make the French TDs as a strong assault tank class with very good DPM and low accuracy. This would bring some interesting new play styles into the game, as there currently isn't a fantastic tank like this, on the live server (other than maybe the 263).
I hope this shed some light on what the upcoming changes will be about, or show you what tanks need some love/need some nerfs.
-Spirtwalker
Friday, June 24, 2016
The Best Tanks of the Sandbox Server: Week 2
There are definitely tanks on the Sandbox Server that stand out. They are just good by themselves, or they match up well against the other tanks being displayed. I must stress again how important it is for Wargaming to include an experience coefficient for arty to the number/time stunned on tanks that they hit. This could make arty a profitable class to play, instead of the current, usually bottom end of the experience spectrum. Now, on the the tanks:
AMX Foch 155 (with a 120 mm gun)
This tank is sort of a remake of the old TD with four rounds and a two second time in between shots. Also, this tank has the one of the highest DPM of the tier 10s (around 3.5k fully maxed out). This creates a strong brawler with a quick reload that can dish out a ton of punishment in a short period. This tank also has decent mobility, unlike many of the Tank Destroyers on the server, as it has decent traverse and acceleration/top speed values. This tank makes a powerful addition to the Assault Tanks Class, with its armored tank destroyer chassis, and (old) T57-like gun.
Maus
This tank has all of the armor of the live server, but the lack of gold round abuse on sandbox. This tank is slow, but has very strong armor when angled against tanks without overpowered heat rounds making this one of the most powerful heavies on the Sandbox Server. Also, the gun received buffs which make it one of the fastest firing tanks in the Heavy Tank Class. It can also snipe with its decent accuracy which allows it to fulfill multiple roles. The Maus has become one of the most powerful city warriors on the Sandbox Server.
T110E4
This tank now has competitive DPM (better than E 100) as well as some armor, especially with the global penetration nerfs. This tank also has good gun statistics compared with other tanks of the Juggernaut Class. The 2400 health also allows this tank to trade much like an E 100, but also out pace in in speed and penetration. This tank also has strangely good gold rounds, as it seems they only nerfed HEAT, not APCR. This tank is a good entry as a competitor to the E 100, sacrificing armor for gun handling and mobility.
Leopard 1
The Leopard 1 is actually better, with respect to DPM, than many of the other fire support tanks. Also, the gun handling on this machine is simply fantastic, sacrificing armor to gain everything else. This tank will make the perfect blend between long-range sniper and mid-range support tank. Also, scouting will be possible with its decent view range, albeit relatively large size. This tank is a perfect example of how the Fire Support Class should work.
E 50 M
This tank is a fantastic brawler with its decent DPM (similar to Russian mediums), and good gun handling. This tank is a good city fighter with its boxy shape and angled hull. It also has some depression allowing for a flexible and quick entry for the Cavalry Class. It also happens to be a ramming machine.
121
This is a tank that is very similar to the Russian tanks, giving up accuracy for alpha damage and the ability to be the best brawler in the Cavalry Class. It is the top tank to have in a close range fight that also has some excellent speed characteristics.
To Address Scouts
I must say that scouts are all excellent, but are not very effective when up against tanks at Tier 10. They do have insane mobility and view range which leaves even the BatChat in the dust.
Here are some interesting graphics:
AMX Foch 155 (with a 120 mm gun)
This tank is sort of a remake of the old TD with four rounds and a two second time in between shots. Also, this tank has the one of the highest DPM of the tier 10s (around 3.5k fully maxed out). This creates a strong brawler with a quick reload that can dish out a ton of punishment in a short period. This tank also has decent mobility, unlike many of the Tank Destroyers on the server, as it has decent traverse and acceleration/top speed values. This tank makes a powerful addition to the Assault Tanks Class, with its armored tank destroyer chassis, and (old) T57-like gun.
Maus
This tank has all of the armor of the live server, but the lack of gold round abuse on sandbox. This tank is slow, but has very strong armor when angled against tanks without overpowered heat rounds making this one of the most powerful heavies on the Sandbox Server. Also, the gun received buffs which make it one of the fastest firing tanks in the Heavy Tank Class. It can also snipe with its decent accuracy which allows it to fulfill multiple roles. The Maus has become one of the most powerful city warriors on the Sandbox Server.
T110E4
This tank now has competitive DPM (better than E 100) as well as some armor, especially with the global penetration nerfs. This tank also has good gun statistics compared with other tanks of the Juggernaut Class. The 2400 health also allows this tank to trade much like an E 100, but also out pace in in speed and penetration. This tank also has strangely good gold rounds, as it seems they only nerfed HEAT, not APCR. This tank is a good entry as a competitor to the E 100, sacrificing armor for gun handling and mobility.
Leopard 1
The Leopard 1 is actually better, with respect to DPM, than many of the other fire support tanks. Also, the gun handling on this machine is simply fantastic, sacrificing armor to gain everything else. This tank will make the perfect blend between long-range sniper and mid-range support tank. Also, scouting will be possible with its decent view range, albeit relatively large size. This tank is a perfect example of how the Fire Support Class should work.
E 50 M
This tank is a fantastic brawler with its decent DPM (similar to Russian mediums), and good gun handling. This tank is a good city fighter with its boxy shape and angled hull. It also has some depression allowing for a flexible and quick entry for the Cavalry Class. It also happens to be a ramming machine.
121
This is a tank that is very similar to the Russian tanks, giving up accuracy for alpha damage and the ability to be the best brawler in the Cavalry Class. It is the top tank to have in a close range fight that also has some excellent speed characteristics.
To Address Scouts
I must say that scouts are all excellent, but are not very effective when up against tanks at Tier 10. They do have insane mobility and view range which leaves even the BatChat in the dust.
Here are some interesting graphics:
HP of the classes
Updated DPM
Thursday, June 23, 2016
9.15.1: Thoughts
So Wargaming NA has released the Common Test notes on 9.15.1 and I will be discussing how this will effect the game in its next few patches. This Patch will mostly include bug fixes and HD-models, some supertest tanks, and the rebalancing of the ISU-130 (I won't discuss this as nobody owns this tank).
This patch seems to be coming at an odd time for Wargaming, as it will probably get released soon, probably 3 weeks from now. The HD-models don't actually concern the overall Global Rebalance, but we don't see the buffs/nerfs that we normally would see in a patch that is common tested. This could mean that 9.16 will come at the end of the summer and include the Global Reblance.
The supertest vehicles of note were the T95/Chieftan and the Object 257 which may become Clan Wars reward tanks. Also, the Swedish Tier 6 premium tank was implemented and we may see that in the game during the summer months.
One final thing to note is the sale of Personal Reserves for gold? Pay to win maybe? You be the judge...
-Spirtwalker
This patch seems to be coming at an odd time for Wargaming, as it will probably get released soon, probably 3 weeks from now. The HD-models don't actually concern the overall Global Rebalance, but we don't see the buffs/nerfs that we normally would see in a patch that is common tested. This could mean that 9.16 will come at the end of the summer and include the Global Reblance.
The supertest vehicles of note were the T95/Chieftan and the Object 257 which may become Clan Wars reward tanks. Also, the Swedish Tier 6 premium tank was implemented and we may see that in the game during the summer months.
One final thing to note is the sale of Personal Reserves for gold? Pay to win maybe? You be the judge...
-Spirtwalker
Sandbox Server: Week 2
There is an NDA for the Sandbox, and I can't tell you anything about the happenings on the server itself (like no hard stats) but I can give you opinions. (I know, loopholes for days) So here is what I think about Sandbox 2.0 (or week 2). I'm pretty sure that this is mostly about direct video, so I may hint around some statistics in this post (i.e. M48>AMX 30B)
Arty
My initial impressions came from a blog post from Rita's Status Report Blog (Check her out btw for leaks) describes a change to the artillery "stun" effect which basically crippled everybody last iteration. I thinks this does not meet the issue that artillery is not rewarding at all, as there is little damage and the same overall reloads. I think this will meet everybody's needs in the sense of less "troll" mechanics, and still a place for artillery.
Death Star and Death Barn
The FV215B 183 and the FV 4005 Stage II received some heavy gun nerfs to balance their HE and HESH rounds against the current importance of armor. These rounds were doing guaranteed damage in a way that does not suit the game as a whole, as well as allowing them sometimes get lucky and one-shot tanks. There is also a clear difference between the two, the Death Barn tends to be more snipey/less heavy than the Death Star.
The Classes
Juggernauts/Heavy Tanks- E 100, Maus, JPZE 100, Death Star, E3, E4, IS-4, Type 5 Heavy
Assault Tanks- E5, 113, FV215B, IS-7, 263, AMX 50 Foch
Cavalry/Brawling Mediums- 140, 430, 62A, E 50M, 121
Fire Support Tanks- Leo 1, Patton, T57, 30 B, Batchat, Centurion AX, TVP, STB-1
Tank-Destroyers- 268, Grille 15, Death Barn (also keep in mind that the 263, JPZE 100 and E3 have TD-like gun statistics)
Scouts- RU 251, T54 Light, T49
Artillery- G.W. E 100, T92, 261, Conq GC, Bat 155
Juggernauts have high health pools and the largest guns. They are not good for sniping and have poor mobility and soft statistics for their guns. Their DPM is okay due to their higher alpha damage but bad rate of fire.
Assault Tanks are sort of fast and mobile, with mid range guns and decent armor. Their guns have decent statistics and have okay DPM- a bridge between Cavalry and Juggernauts.
Cavalry (great name for this WG)- Fast tanks with good armor and great DPM. They have good aim time but bad accuracy so are only good at close range engagements. They have similar amounts of penetration as heavy tanks.
Fire Support Tanks are mid to long range sniper/support tanks that have good aim time and the best DPM in the game. They also have excellent top speed and better view range than Cavalry. Their gun handling and accuracy are also stellar but they don't have much armor.
Scouts- Have great view range and mobility characteristics. They are the fastest tanks in the game.
Artillery- They are support tanks that do low damage and provide assistance to allies by "debuffing" enemy tanks and tracking them.
Connectors
Keep in mind that there are many tanks that are sort of "in between" the average for their own class. They resemble a mix between two different sets of characteristics. (i.e. the JPZE 100 is a cross between an E 100 and a Grille 15, it has an accurate gun and also has a large health pool with armor, but no mobility.
Conclusion
I think that Wargaming is heading in the right direction and the change that buffed the medium tanks to their old top speeds was straight out of one of my posts :). This might prove that Wargaming is looking to the community for input? Either way, these changes support more dynamic gameplay and specific classes as well as tanks that bridge the gap to make each tank feel unique and not left out of the competition.
-Spirtwalker
Arty
My initial impressions came from a blog post from Rita's Status Report Blog (Check her out btw for leaks) describes a change to the artillery "stun" effect which basically crippled everybody last iteration. I thinks this does not meet the issue that artillery is not rewarding at all, as there is little damage and the same overall reloads. I think this will meet everybody's needs in the sense of less "troll" mechanics, and still a place for artillery.
Death Star and Death Barn
The FV215B 183 and the FV 4005 Stage II received some heavy gun nerfs to balance their HE and HESH rounds against the current importance of armor. These rounds were doing guaranteed damage in a way that does not suit the game as a whole, as well as allowing them sometimes get lucky and one-shot tanks. There is also a clear difference between the two, the Death Barn tends to be more snipey/less heavy than the Death Star.
The Classes
Juggernauts/Heavy Tanks- E 100, Maus, JPZE 100, Death Star, E3, E4, IS-4, Type 5 Heavy
Assault Tanks- E5, 113, FV215B, IS-7, 263, AMX 50 Foch
Cavalry/Brawling Mediums- 140, 430, 62A, E 50M, 121
Fire Support Tanks- Leo 1, Patton, T57, 30 B, Batchat, Centurion AX, TVP, STB-1
Tank-Destroyers- 268, Grille 15, Death Barn (also keep in mind that the 263, JPZE 100 and E3 have TD-like gun statistics)
Scouts- RU 251, T54 Light, T49
Artillery- G.W. E 100, T92, 261, Conq GC, Bat 155
Juggernauts have high health pools and the largest guns. They are not good for sniping and have poor mobility and soft statistics for their guns. Their DPM is okay due to their higher alpha damage but bad rate of fire.
Assault Tanks are sort of fast and mobile, with mid range guns and decent armor. Their guns have decent statistics and have okay DPM- a bridge between Cavalry and Juggernauts.
Cavalry (great name for this WG)- Fast tanks with good armor and great DPM. They have good aim time but bad accuracy so are only good at close range engagements. They have similar amounts of penetration as heavy tanks.
Fire Support Tanks are mid to long range sniper/support tanks that have good aim time and the best DPM in the game. They also have excellent top speed and better view range than Cavalry. Their gun handling and accuracy are also stellar but they don't have much armor.
Scouts- Have great view range and mobility characteristics. They are the fastest tanks in the game.
Artillery- They are support tanks that do low damage and provide assistance to allies by "debuffing" enemy tanks and tracking them.
Connectors
Keep in mind that there are many tanks that are sort of "in between" the average for their own class. They resemble a mix between two different sets of characteristics. (i.e. the JPZE 100 is a cross between an E 100 and a Grille 15, it has an accurate gun and also has a large health pool with armor, but no mobility.
Conclusion
I think that Wargaming is heading in the right direction and the change that buffed the medium tanks to their old top speeds was straight out of one of my posts :). This might prove that Wargaming is looking to the community for input? Either way, these changes support more dynamic gameplay and specific classes as well as tanks that bridge the gap to make each tank feel unique and not left out of the competition.
-Spirtwalker
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