[MMO] World of Tanks

[Harabec]

Think I'll sell my Panther, get a pimped-out PzIV and have fun at lower tiers. I've lost all faith in *not having any fun* for days, grinding away things like tracks and turrets just to have a playable tank. That is not why I spend my time in front of a PC.

 

[PowerYoga]

Pardon the obvious am I supposed to angle the KV?

Seeing conflicting reports on WoT forums, with the majority saying yes.

KV is like a huge box. Angle it always.

Think I'll sell my Panther, get a pimped-out PzIV and have fun at lower tiers. I've lost all faith in *not having any fun* for days, grinding away things like tracks and turrets just to have a playable tank. That is not why I spend my time in front of a PC.

Free exp the modules. Stock tanks are almost always terrible and will want to make you kill yourself. (tiger II being exception).

 

[Harabec]

I bought the PzIV after selling the panther. Will play it for fun and some xp (have around 750 gold left to convert) and keep it. once I get xp for tracks/turret I may rebuy the panther...we shall see. There is still the grind for the 75/100 and I'm not too keen on it.

I feel I should expand on this a bit.
I've been playing video games since I was 13 years old and got my first PC. I've had many single and multiplayer games, and played WoW for nearly 4 years.

WoT is the FIRST game I've played where you are constantly frustrated by the "leveling up" process, forcing you to suffer through ineffective tanks/weapons for quite a while before you get to enjoy anything.
In WoW, leveling up gains you new skills and abilities, opens up new areas to explore and you are feeling your power grow, bit by bit versus mobs around you.
In Diablo 2 you gained new abilities and leveled up your used ones to make them much more powerful, keeping up with the enemies around you.

WoT however, makes you forever-inferior until tier 10, only because there is nothing further up. There is 1 major difference between it and, for example, Battletech that makes it painful. In Btech, your weapons do damage to just about anything - yes, your Wasp will do pitiful damage to an Atlas but you are never "just xp fodder". This makes (and will make MWO) Btech really fun, since you can be useful no matter what you are driving. A newbie in a fresh Commando can scout well and do hit&run as needed/possible while the rest of his team does most of the damage - he is not useless.

In Wot, armor penetration coupled with the MM throwing you against tanks 3-10 years ahead in design vs yours mean you are there to either 1)go against the lower tiers like yours 2)feed higher tiers.

Another problem is the simple fact that lower tiers are mostly tin cans with guns. Only when I got to the T20/M26 I felt like I was in a real tank. Shermans (we have em on display here, several variants) were buckets with guns, fun but limited in usefulness. They are free kills for T8's. So you grind away to get to your favourite tank, always in a chase after that elusive unicorn.

I may decide I'm fine with sticking to lower tiers only - the battlefield is fast paced, a bit more balanced and way more fun.

 

[Lonbjerg]

A Sherman didn't fair well historically either when faced with german panzers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_cooker

Not a flattering nick name...

 

[ginfest]

A Sherman didn't fair well historically either when faced with german panzers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_cooker

Not a flattering nick name...

Agreed ^^^^. But then again, neither did most of the Russian tanks of the period-except in this game

 

[LurkerPrime]

If you want a level battlefield, tier 2 is where its at. The highest tier you'll see is 3, and those games are rare.

As for complaining about the grind. Tier 9 tanks are the worse grind in the game. 110K xp to get the tracks/turret/gun. And probably another 30-50k if you pick up the engine. When I got my E75, I didn't have any free xp, so I had to play around 150+ games finally get un-gimped. During that time my win rate for that tank hovered around 35-40%. Now that its fully upgraded with a crew with 2 complete skills, its a great tank to play, and my win ratio is up to 51%.

Had a crappy day yesterday only going 5W-10L. Couldn't even get my double on my T34 (I'm starting to hate that tank). I at least had a good game on my M103 getting me 3400xp for my double. Other than that, I think the RNG screwed me the whole time I played my arty. Couldn't hit shit, and when I did, I would just track or 0 dam crit hit with my AP shots.

 

[Lonbjerg]

Agreed ^^^^. But then again, neither did most of the Russian tanks of the period-except in this game

Not quite true...when german PzIII and PzIV encountered the T-34 they had problems, but they overcame them due to:

- Radio in every german tank, Russian tanks...only the platoon leader had and radio.
- Traning - German traning was superior.
- Experience...german crew had battle experince.
- Tatics...german tactics where superior at the time.
- Morale...at that time the germans saw them selfes as invincible, the - russian morale (due to Stalin purges wasn't great)
- using the Flak 88 in ambush mode...german tnaks lured russian tank into dealy crossfires.


It was infact the encounter with T-34 that spured the development of the PzV (Panther) og Pz Tiger B (Tiger II) and their wider tracks and sloped amour.
PzVI (Tiger) was to far in development to implement these design changes.

 

[Harabec]

That is the thing Lurker after the initial "woot!" factor disappeared I started to dislike the long grinds to make tanks useful. It feels unnatural and not a true achievement for your efforts. "spend all this time just to make your tank behave as it should!"

 

[Merad]

The entire WoT model is fairly flawed if you want realism. Tanks don't generally survive 4-5+ hits that penetrate their armor.

If it was up to me I'd overhaul some parts of the system (0 damage crits for starters) but it isn't terrible overall.

 

[Lonbjerg]

The entire WoT model is fairly flawed if you want realism. Tanks don't generally survive 4-5+ hits that penetrate their armor.

If it was up to me I'd overhaul some parts of the system (0 damage crits for starters) but it isn't terrible overall.

In real life a penetrating hit = game over.
But then again...when I want realism I run Steel Beasts Pro PE...reminds me of my time in the army

 

[Possessed Freak]

In real life a penetrating hit = game over.

No different than any FPS out there. I don't miraculously heal after a gun shot by hiding for 5 seconds.

I wish they made a hardcore mode, you get penned you are toast... the historical mod looks like a good start, but it really screws you in pub matches. Actually scratch the hardcore mode specifically, just more freaking battle modes. 15v15 gets stale after a while!

I rage quit last night, 8 losses in a row... I just could not understand how our damn teams folded so quickly.

 

[Genx87]

No different than any FPS out there. I don't miraculously heal after a gun shot by hiding for 5 seconds.

I wish they made a hardcore mode, you get penned you are toast... the historical mod looks like a good start, but it really screws you in pub matches. Actually scratch the hardcore mode specifically, just more freaking battle modes. 15v15 gets stale after a while!

I rage quit last night, 8 losses in a row... I just could not understand how our damn teams folded so quickly.

Sunday I had an unbelievable day. I went 14-2. Since then I cant even get my daily doubles in before rage quitting. I get teams melt. But why am I always on the side that is melting?

And totally agree about different match modes. 15v15 ctf is getting old.

 

[Merad]

I wish they made a hardcore mode, you get penned you are toast... the historical mod looks like a good start, but it really screws you in pub matches. Actually scratch the hardcore mode specifically, just more freaking battle modes. 15v15 gets stale after a while!

I hope at some point they upgrade the engine to allow true long range engagements, and a realistic battle mode where you can only play tanks of the appropriate time period with realistic load outs. That would be great.

I think map size/design is a big limiting factor for the game ATM. With all the maps being no more than 6-800m wide and designed to have 2-3 choke points you're very limited in your tactics.

 

[Skott]

If you want balance the best tier to play is tier 2. It has the closest thing to best overall balance in this game. My personal favorite tier 2 tank is the Russian T26.

 

[LurkerPrime]

That is the thing Lurker after the initial "woot!" factor disappeared I started to dislike the long grinds to make tanks useful. It feels unnatural and not a true achievement for your efforts. "spend all this time just to make your tank behave as it should!"

The achievement is getting your tank fully upgraded, not unlocking the next tier. The best part of the tier 10 tanks is they come fully upgraded (minus the big gun on the E100).

Just look at the grind as a challenge. With less hp, slower speed, and a shittier gun, you have to try harder. The crappier guns make you learn where weakspots are, and to try and flank. Sniping, or hiding behind others is usually the way to go until you are upgraded.

 

[PowerYoga]

Agreed ^^^^. But then again, neither did most of the Russian tanks of the period-except in this game

I know you hate russian tanks and have a weird bias against them but didn't realize you were so.... ignorant.

Russian steel quality was extremely poor, and americans said they wouldn't make bolts out of the steel the russians were trying to use for tank armor plating. They also didn't have any radios, so they were forced to use flag signals IN COMBAT to communicate. Basically, there's very little coordination between tanks until radios became more widespread. Not to mention an almost 90% mortality rate for tank crews early in the war meant nobody could accrue any real combat experience.

That being said, T-34 was possibly the greatest tank of its time. The panther was developed directly in response to the T-34, and it copied the sloped hull because it was so effective. However, the tank was not poorly made, it was the complete lack of crew and experience that made the tank have high casulties. Dead T-34s were often salvaged, and out of 70 tanks that were knocked out you'd see the same 50 tanks patched up and back in action the next day. T-34s were often directly driven from the production line to the battlefield by female assembly line workers due to the lack of tank cadets, and filled with 3 out of 4 possible members because there aren't enough people to man them.

A little while ago they found a T-34 in a lake and basically fixed the engine, put some gas in it and drove it off.

http://www.rense.com/general75/germ2.htm

The KV, while incredible hard to drive and nearly impossible to see out of, was invulnerable to everything except for the 88mm. They were driven in straight lines because russian tankers couldn't steer them! The AT guns (pak 36?) the germans were using were given the nickname "door knocker" for the sound it would make when the AP shells bounced off the KV's armor. The KVs were the reason why germans started developing heavy tanks like the tiger. Prior to that armored warfare was limited largely to PZIIs and IIIs, with PZIVs sporting the short barrel for infantry support.

The quality of steel improved when the russians were trying to make IS tanks. The factories have been relocated and the counteroffensives were largely well under way. The 122mm reloaded slowly, but was incredibly powerful (and very inaccurate). This is portrayed pretty accurately in game, as on average the tiger can get 2-3 shots off before the IS can get the 2nd round fired.

FYI.

 

[PowerYoga]

I hope at some point they upgrade the engine to allow true long range engagements, and a realistic battle mode where you can only play tanks of the appropriate time period with realistic load outs. That would be great.

I think map size/design is a big limiting factor for the game ATM. With all the maps being no more than 6-800m wide and designed to have 2-3 choke points you're very limited in your tactics.

I'd pick the tiger and mow down every sherman and t-34 that comes across it. Or a panther, if it doesn't explode into flames when I roll downhill.

To be fair, tier 5-6 are the hardest tiers because they have to fight tier Is-3 and tiger IIs along with IS-4s, E-75s, etc. If you don't have a tank of the respective tier, tier 8s have very good bully tanks. (T-59 comes to mind)

The tanks of the respective tiers, when maxed out with goodies and modules, are very competitive. The panther especially is a great tank of its tier simply because it can snipe very very accurately. The t-20 and the t-43 in comparison are fairly lacking. (t-20 is a good fast brawler though)

TLDR: get the upgrades on the panther and you'll be pretty awesome.

 

[Lonbjerg]

I miss the use of smoke in this game.
Make it consumables...I don't care....but being able to make a smokescreen and relocate is really something that I miss...and I miss it a lot on these small maps.

Anyone else missing smoke...they even modeled the smoke-launchers on the tanks...let me use it!

 

[Possessed Freak]

I miss the use of smoke in this game.
Make it consumables...I don't care....but being able to make a smokescreen and relocate is really something that I miss...and I miss it a lot on these small maps.

Anyone else missing smoke...they even modeled the smoke-launchers on the tanks...let me use it!

Vision mechanics are already wacky enough, to add smoke... no. I figure if they implement it, somehow someway, because I have radio communication with some tank that can see the enemy, I can also see them. NO.

 

[PowerYoga]

Vision mechanics are already wacky enough, to add smoke... no. I figure if they implement it, somehow someway, because I have radio communication with some tank that can see the enemy, I can also see them. NO.

You can probably target the other tank through the smoke with the red silhouettes as you do right now anyways...

 

[Skott]

We dont need no smoke! Just my opinion.

 

[Ns1]

Yeah that's why I only play tanks with favorable MM, I can't handle the stress of trying to grind to the top.

My stable is...

MiniMaus, T-82, Marder 2, KV, Churchill

 

[PowerYoga]

Yeah that's why I only play tanks with favorable MM, I can't handle the stress of trying to grind to the top.

My stable is...

MiniMaus, T-82, Marder 2, KV, Churchill

E-75 for me, AMX 13-90, T-50-2 for me.

And KV with the derp is fine even vs tier 10s.

Minimaus is kinda meh with all the tetrachs running around though.

 

[Ns1]

E-75 for me, AMX 13-90, T-50-2 for me.

And KV with the derp is fine even vs tier 10s.

Minimaus is kinda meh with all the tetrachs running around though.

I usually get 5+ kills in my minimaus and I roll around the map like a boss. It's the only tank I have that really bounces shots.

I've gotten to the point where I'm comfortable in ANY tier match with my derp KV. T9? Big deal, 122 to the back = $$$.

I don't end up with a lot of kills in those higher tier battles, but I make good money =D

 

[stag3]

smoke would make the game lag even more