World of Tanks (Vol 2)

[Mastodon2]

That is a good KV-1S game, I look forward to being able to actually take part in higher tier battles. I have given up on the 76mm gun, it seems that WG just do not want the KV-1S played in any sort of second line support / sniper line. The DPM is too low, the alpha is st, the accuracy is st, the aim time slow etc. Instead, I've gone back a package and put the 122mm derp on, which has meant using a softer turret and losing 50hp, but I think it's worth it, the 76mm gun simply is not competitive and makes the KV-1S a bit of a joke - it takes 3/4 hits to take out a tier IV! At least the 122 has the alpha to cause fear and really damage tanks. Good players seem to see a KV-1S with a 76mm, or take a hit off one and realise they've got a free meal on their hands, and will happily hunt the KV down. With the 122, people actually take a bit of notice and try to avoid taking those big rounds.

I can see where WG are going with this tank, I'm confident that with the top gun and engine, it will be a great tank, flanking and dropping big damage into the enemy. Lord, let me see out this grind so that I may get there

[bstb3]

Eventually with that line you get to the IS8, which is a bit marmite but I seem to like it. Almost ground through it now but it shares the KV1S style of very mobile with great gun, but so so armour that still troll bounces once in a while.

Just had an excellent game in it, which took an almighty turn of events towards the end...


http://wotreplays.com/site/1093851#airfield-bstb3-...

Got to 5.6k damage in a tier 9 battle, and it was close. I mean they had 3 tanks (ISU, arty and super pershing), we had 3 (me in IS8, a JGTig88 and Arty) kind of close. Im on 290 health, but got myself arty safe, away from the line of fire of the ISU and to nose with a Super pershing on 300hp or so, about 2 seconds from firing and almost certainly killing him. That would leave just the ISU (good player but ~300 health) and enemy arty to deal with. We have an arty and a full health JGtig88 so looking good, right? Just got to kill the enemy Pershing, and the JGtig88 also just shot him from the side. It's a done deal. Then our arty gets involved..... Yes you guessed. Misses the pershing, hits me and its over and out. JGtig cant handle the ISU and arty alone, and we lose...

Now you might imagine I was a little cross. I think I did well under the circumstances. Following is a true transcript of the following conversation that followed:

Me: "you dum fucj" (rage typing never the best)
Me: "What was that you stupid idiot"
Arty: "Sorry" (about 1 minute later)
Me: "ok but why even fire"
Me: "You must know how arty works by now" (Seemed reasonable, tier 8 GWTiger P arty...)
Arty: "not very experienced with Arty"
Me: "wtf u are in a tier 8"
Arty: "unlocked with xp"
Me: "....."

Unfortunately the replay doesn't capture the results of my face hitting the keyboard at that point...

What do you have to do? I mean, really, what do you have to do? He wasn't (statistically) a bad player, and has 11.8k games overall. He does have less than 100 in arty, fair enough, but c'mon. So the new definition of arty safe is be where no arty on either team can shoot you. Anyone know of any caves in maps

[RobDickinson]

Not had a good game in my is8 yet.

Terrible gun depression,poverty spec doesn't help but mostly it's paper armour and poor ability to target stuff, can't see that changing much.

Almost about to sell it move the crew back to an is-3

[Truffles]

Just discovered this game. No idea how I missed it before.

Had great fun last night playing my Hetzer. Having watched a few videos I am starting to learn how to play it properly.

[Mastodon2]

Truffles said:

Just discovered this game. No idea how I missed it before.

Had great fun last night playing my Hetzer. Having watched a few videos I am starting to learn how to play it properly.

It's an amazing game, stick with it, it just gets better and better. I know people who by all rights, should have loved it, but just couldn't stick with it, it's not a run n gun mindless shooter, the satisfaction is in making a good play, not just in nailing every target that moves.

The Hetzer is a great little tank, brilliant camo rating, with a camo net, camo paint and a crew with the camo skill, it can be nigh on invisible while dishing out fire. It's terrible with the stock engine, but once you get a better engine in it, it's massively improved. A lot of people like the 122mm gun it gets, but I preferred the 75mm PaK 39 L/48 was the gun to go for, great rate of fire, and plenty good enough damage and pen to make the Hetzer a really fun and effective tank. The 122 is great for one-shot kills, but at the tiers the Hetzer plays, I found it too inaccurate to reliably hit the small, fast tanks of 2, 3 and 4. The 122 is better against tier 5 and 6, where they are bigger and slower, but I found it still wasn't balanced enough. I may actually buy another Hetzer for fun.

Hetzers gonna Hetz.

[TX1]

Great game bstb3, very clever gameplay.
To die in that way is so frustrating as you made your opponent a proper target for your team and they still manage to hit you.
Am sure you would have won that one if that did not happen.

[Beati Dogu]

Yeah I see what you mean now bstb3. I think you'd have gone on to win that for sure.

Edited by Beati Dogu on Tuesday 19th August 20:51

[bstb3]

Thanks, it's fair to say it wasn't quite what I was expecting would happen . Did spend a fair time just sitting back in the chair wondering very hard about even bothering to click enter battle again after that, glad I did though as next game turned out almost as well but was a win. Straight back in the saddle as they say. Also got platooned up with Beati too later, which was fun as always so all in not a bad night.

[Mastodon2]

MM is destroying me tonight. Grinding the KV-1S top gun with the 122 short derp st gun. I've played maybe 12-13 matches so far, I've had 5 on El Halluf, bottom tier. Wtf am I supposed to do? Even if I use my premium ammo at 5000 silver a shot, I still can't really get close enough to do any damage to anything, what a hopeless load of arse. Can't wait to get that long 122mm and get some matches on maps which are even half suited to brawling.

[Beati Dogu]

I had the 122 gun from the start on the KV-1S, but only because I went arse about face and unlocked the IS first. Playing the IS with the idiot gun (100mm D10T) wasn't much fun though.

[Mastodon2]

Beati Dogu said:

I had the 122 gun from the start on the KV-1S, but only because I went arse about face and unlocked the IS first. Playing the IS with the idiot gun (100mm D10T) wasn't much fun though.

If I was a stat padder I wouldn't dare go beyond the KV-1. The KV-1 can be used to balloon win rate, damage dealth to taken ratio, kills per match etc, with relative ease, there isn't a bad setup on the tank. The rest of the line is harder work!

That said, I have just killed a hull down T-29 on Artic Region, he had a sliver of health left, I tried a gold round which bounced off his mantlet, so I loaded a HE round, standard for his POS gun, and splashed him for a kill, I bet he felt invincible for a second, then boosh, dead.

[Beati Dogu]

Nice use of ammo. Most people wouldn't think to do that.

The KV-1 is great when it's top tier as it can bully everything in sight. Unfortunately I find I am rarely top tier and against even tier 6 tanks, it's pretty hopelessly outclassed. A well driven T-150 will eat it for breakfast.

The KV-1S is a better stat padding tank because it's so OP. Although I kept mine, I haven't played it as much as I could have done because it's just not much of a challenge.

My KV-1 win rate is 53% whereas in the KV-1S it's 62%. It used to be around 67% for ages, but the matchmaking now puts it in far more tier 8 games than before.

[Mastodon2]

Well, as far as turnarounds go, the KV-1S does a big one with that top package. Admittedly, I've only played one game with it, and I did draw Himmelsdorf, but what a gun. Hit a Panzer IV, took him down to about 5% health and finished him with a ram, flanked a Churchill 5 on 50% health, one shot in the rear took him out. Then I lined up a shot on a tracked 36.01 with 50% health at about 350m, pulled the trigger, praying "Stalin guide my shell", for the shot to land in the rear quarter, taking him out of the game. Ok, so the reload is poor, the aim time is poor and accuracy is unreliable, but having done a 30,000xp grind with the terrible short 122, the long version just makes life a lot easier, and more fun! There is still 50,000xp to go unlock the IS, but I don't think it will be hard work.

I've managed to stockpile another 500,000 silver tonight, by playing my KV-1S and slotting in the odd game in the TOG. I will be continuing this pattern, which will hopefully let me get the GLD and vents on the KV, then have enough money to buy the IS and transfer the crew as soon as I unlock it.

[ExV8]

TX1 said:

Great game bstb3, very clever gameplay.
To die in that way is so frustrating as you made your opponent a proper target for your team and they still manage to hit you.
Am sure you would have won that one if that did not happen.

I like playing arty but if it is likely my shell will hit my team I won't fire unless it is really necessary.

[Beati Dogu]

Beati Dogu said:

They'll also introduce the KV-85 to replace the KV-1S at tier 6. The KV-85 will have the same big gun, but the reload is going to be closer to 20 seconds and the aim time & accuracy will be worse. The gun depression will be 5 degrees less and the tank will be much slower.

Some more details about the KV-85 have been released. Looks like it will have an alternative 100mm gun with decent damage per minute.

http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/08/19/straight-outta-...

Reload: 7.29 seconds (with a 100% crew)

Aim time: 2.7 seconds

Penetration: 170/210/50
Damage: 250/250/330

-3 degrees gun depression sucks though, but it looks like the gun to go for.

If previous form is anything to go by, you'll get this free (with a 100% crew) once the KV-1S is castrated and moved to tier 5.

Tier 6 will be all the more interesting as a result.

Edited by Beati Dogu on Wednesday 20th August 02:37

[MoleVision]

Anyone ever think this game is a total fix sometimes? Was in the conqueror having a good game and it was down to 5v5 and very closely matched. I was cornered with a 1hit t44 and a 2 hit t34, but I had most of my HP so destroying those two would free me up to help out our is7 and should win the game. But.......

So I saw the t44 was side on and popped out to get him, t34 other side of the building.. Probably take a hit from the t44 but had the HP to cope. Fired at him from about 20m and perfectly side on... Bounce.... Wtf...with Conq accuracy at 20m I bounce... Not even tracks.. Bounce..... Then he fired back. Ammoracked and tracked me. Repair kit used so 16s reload now.... Brilliant. T44 then goes aggressive and gets another hit on me before I finally reload and finish him off.. No bounce 2nd time... But now t34 is involved.. His 1st shot disables my turret and now he's facehugging me. Eventually turret repaired but he fired a second... Turret disabled. Ajfhbfjdbdhdjfnfjdnbdjdkdndhfj!

All because I bounced off the side of a t44. It really felt like the game had decided I was to lose that fight whatever it took.

[TEKNOPUG]

Beati Dogu said:

Some more details about the KV-85 have been released. Looks like it will have an alternative 100mm gun with decent damage per minute.

http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/08/19/straight-outta-...

Reload: 7.29 seconds (with a 100% crew)

Aim time: 2.7 seconds

Penetration: 170/210/50
Damage: 250/250/330

-3 degrees gun depression sucks though, but it looks like the gun to go for.

If previous form is anything to go by, you'll get this free (with a 100% crew) once the KV-1S is castrated and moved to tier 5.

Tier 6 will be all the more interesting as a result.

Edited by Beati Dogu on Wednesday 20th August 02:37

Rather than constantly nerfing/buffing tanks, why not have simple promotion/relegation of tank tiers based on popularity? If everyone is using the KV1-S, promote it to T7, likewise, relegate the Valentine to T3 if no one is playing it? Monthly table, top 10% move up, bottom 10% move down, in each tier. No need to change anything. Each tank will organically find it's correct tier.

[Beati Dogu]

It's just the way they prefer to do it I guess. They do take account of win rate and popularity. They recently buffed the second Soviet TD line, British tier 10 medium, tier 9 Patton & Leopard line, as hardly anyone was playing them.

MoleVision said:

Anyone ever think this game is a total fix sometimes? Was in the conqueror having a good game and it was down to 5v5 and very closely matched. I was cornered with a 1hit t44 and a 2 hit t34, but I had most of my HP so destroying those two would free me up to help out our is7 and should win the game. But.......

So I saw the t44 was side on and popped out to get him, t34 other side of the building.. Probably take a hit from the t44 but had the HP to cope. Fired at him from about 20m and perfectly side on... Bounce.... Wtf...with Conq accuracy at 20m I bounce... Not even tracks.. Bounce..... Then he fired back. Ammoracked and tracked me. Repair kit used so 16s reload now.... Brilliant. T44 then goes aggressive and gets another hit on me before I finally reload and finish him off.. No bounce 2nd time... But now t34 is involved.. His 1st shot disables my turret and now he's facehugging me. Eventually turret repaired but he fired a second... Turret disabled. Ajfhbfjdbdhdjfnfjdnbdjdkdndhfj!

All because I bounced off the side of a t44. It really felt like the game had decided I was to lose that fight whatever it took.

RNG is a big part of WoT and if it's against you, you're screwed. Apparently it's not in War Thunder though.

I've been thinking about using the "eagle eye" perk more with my tanks. It shows you if the tank you're looking at has injured crew and damaged or knocked out modules.

You can certainly take advantage of ammo racked tanks with twice the reload, or with a injured loader. If their commander is knocked out, the whole tank's performance drops quite a bit.

[bstb3]

Beati Dogu said:

RNG is a big part of WoT and if it's against you, you're screwed. Apparently it's not in War Thunder though.

I've been thinking about using the "eagle eye" perk more with my tanks. It shows you if the tank you're looking at has injured crew and damaged or knocked out modules.

You can certainly take advantage of ammo racked tanks with twice the reload, or with a injured loader. If their commander is knocked out, the whole tank's performance drops quite a bit.

The thing is at times things happen that just seem beyond the realms of RNG. Once is bad enough - JPZE100 AP shell (170mm caliber, 299 Pen, 1050 avg damage) being eaten by tracks on a Batchat, not even tracking him or doing damage, just a 'yellow' critical at the end of the battle. But then it does 3 weirds in a row like Technopug's issue with the T29 last night - 3 shots into it side hull armour, all bounced from a gun with avg 198mm Pen. Sometimes its just freaky. Not a conspiracy, just weird. Still, keeps it exciting

I've not tried the eagle eye perk, but it always seemed tempting. Thing is its behind my usual list of commander perks (Sixth Sense, BIA/ Repairs) so never got round to it. Can certainly see it being useful in the higher tiers where tank on tank battles are longer term - at the low tiers one of the tanks is usually dead before it would register.

[TEKNOPUG]

bstb3 said:

The thing is at times things happen that just seem beyond the realms of RNG. Once is bad enough - JPZE100 AP shell (170mm caliber, 299 Pen, 1050 avg damage) being eaten by tracks on a Batchat, not even tracking him or doing damage, just a 'yellow' critical at the end of the battle. But then it does 3 weirds in a row like Technopug's issue with the T29 last night - 3 shots into it side hull armour, all bounced from a gun with avg 198mm Pen. Sometimes its just freaky. Not a conspiracy, just weird. Still, keeps it exciting

I've not tried the eagle eye perk, but it always seemed tempting. Thing is its behind my usual list of commander perks (Sixth Sense, BIA/ Repairs) so never got round to it. Can certainly see it being useful in the higher tiers where tank on tank battles are longer term - at the low tiers one of the tanks is usually dead before it would register.

I find the biggest issue is with gun accuracy. Some games you can't even hit from point-blank, others you can thread a shot through the eye of the needle. It's farcical. I just log-off and try again.