World of Tanks

[Numtini]

For really low level, I found the Russian AT-1 tank destroyer to be one of the most fun vehicles in the game. You have to like sniping I guess, but it's got a really powerful gun for the level.

[Nebu]

For really low level, I found the Russian AT-1 tank destroyer to be one of the most fun vehicles in the game. You have to like sniping I guess, but it's got a really powerful gun for the level.

Thanks for the tip.  I'll research it and give it a go.

Two new questions: Does it take a while to level a crew and does each new tank require a brand new crew?

[Furiously]

For really low level, I found the Russian AT-1 tank destroyer to be one of the most fun vehicles in the game. You have to like sniping I guess, but it's got a really powerful gun for the level.

Thanks for the tip.  I'll research it and give it a go.

Two new questions: Does it take a while to level a crew and does each new tank require a brand new crew?

You can transfer from an old vehicle at a cost of 20,000 silver per member. But they take a 10-20% training hit. It's unlikely with early tier tanks you will have crew worth keeping...

[Merusk]

I just keep the starter crew at 50% until I know I'm going to be in the tank a while.  Then I pay for them to train higher.  My Sherman crew just hit 93% and the difference between there and 75% isn't as noticeable as 50 to 75%.

I *do* uncrew folks if I enjoyed the tank and might come back to it.  I've got a T-50 crew and I'm going to keep my lee crew once I sell that off.

[veredus]

Anything with a derp gun can be great fun. US line has a bunch at the lower levels. M2 medium at tier 3, both the M4 Sherman and the jumbo Sherman with the short 105 can be a ton of fun. Also one of my favorites the tier three T82 US tank destroyer. It's a blast with the short 105, it can even (rarely I know) one shot tanks a tier or two higher then you. Seen a good share of PZ IVs explode in one shot.

I also highly recommend getting a T50 just to try out the super fast zooming around. It's not nearly as big of a commitment as going all the way up to the tier 5 lights but gives you the same feel of zipping around and gets better matching typically then the tier 5 lights.

Also since it can't be said enough, while gold rounds can give you an edge they are in no way required to be competitive and to have fun.

[Nebu]

Playing the AT-1 is HARD.  I find a good place to snipe from, get off a couple of quality shots, and immediately some zippy tank is running circles around me shooting my ass off.

I need to learn how to hide better.

[Mortriden]

Playing the AT-1 is HARD.  I find a good place to snipe from, get off a couple of quality shots, and immediately some zippy tank is running circles around me shooting my ass off.

I need to learn how to hide better.

Hiding better is virtually impossible, I've got a crew with 75% bonus camouflage skill + a camo net; and I still get picked out.  Bushes screen you from the viewing direction (so hide behind the bush, not in it), but as soon as you fire... the bonus is gone.  The best defense is to stay near another TD or near another Tank.  If you find yourself alone, move; unless you are the only defense on a particular flank, relocate to another area.  Alone, you can be flanked and cuddled easily.   

[Nebu]

The best defense is to stay near another TD or near another Tank.  If you find yourself alone, move; unless you are the only defense on a particular flank, relocate to another area.  Alone, you can be flanked and cuddled easily.   

Ok, I'm not very good at this game yet but I can tell you that about 10 of the 14 players in the first two tiers are worthless.  I usually go with a group and they all start chasing loners until I'm alone and dead.  Perhaps I should start playing a light tank until the higher tiers?

[Merusk]

You've got to do your time in the lower tier TDs to play with the bigger ones, unfortunately.  I feel your pain there.

[Nebu]

Update: Played a lot the last 24h and have enough to nearly buy my tier IV tank.  I'm enjoying the tactics and subtleties much more than I would have imagined and realized that playing a light/medium is much more to my liking.  Now my only complaint are Wespes (are they artillery?) and the people that drive them.  Apparently, light tanks are nothing more than sacrificial rabbits designed to add to the kill numbers of artillery?  While I appreciate that strategy, it's no fun being a sacrificial lamb!

To be fair, I could be much further along than I am, but I played a Tank Destroyer for a while and realized that it wasn't my style.  I then went back to my Tier I tank and owned noobs for a while until I regained my confidence.  It's quite a wake-up call playing in increasingly higher tiers.  The skill level of some of the players in the mid range game is pretty darned impressive. 

[apocrypha]

I found that playing an SPG (artillery, yes, that's what a Wespe is) for a while made it much easier for me to survive from them when I went back to my tanks.

By playing one for a bit you learn exactly where arty can and can't hit and what things tanks do that makes them really hard to hit. For example, moving forwards & backwards unpredictably makes it really hard for arty to hit you, but you kinda have to try it to see how to do it best. You also get a feel for the kind of reload speeds that SPGs have, and this also makes it easier to dodge them.

[Furiously]

Update: Played a lot the last 24h and have enough to nearly buy my tier IV tank.  I'm enjoying the tactics and subtleties much more than I would have imagined and realized that playing a light/medium is much more to my liking.  Now my only complaint are Wespes (are they artillery?) and the people that drive them.  Apparently, light tanks are nothing more than sacrificial rabbits designed to add to the kill numbers of artillery?  While I appreciate that strategy, it's no fun being a sacrificial lamb!

To be fair, I could be much further along than I am, but I played a Tank Destroyer for a while and realized that it wasn't my style.  I then went back to my Tier I tank and owned noobs for a while until I regained my confidence.  It's quite a wake-up call playing in increasingly higher tiers.  The skill level of some of the players in the mid range game is pretty darned impressive. 

Mid range game is where the most fun is in my book. It's not money losing like higher tiers and matches tend to be quicker.

[Nebu]

Mid range game is where the most fun is in my book. It's not money losing like higher tiers and matches tend to be quicker.

So, does that make endgame strategy a matter of rabbits, guards, and snipers/artillery?  If that's the case, I'm going to become disillusioned in a big hurry. 

[disKret]

So, does that make endgame strategy a matter of rabbits, guards, and snipers/artillery?  If that's the case, I'm going to become disillusioned in a big hurry.  

It is more because of your shots more costly than earnings given by damage (without premium) and fights build around heavies which are more like moving bricks.
In tier 5 you dont care about loosing game - you earn either way.

[Furiously]

So, does that make endgame strategy a matter of rabbits, guards, and snipers/artillery?  If that's the case, I'm going to become disillusioned in a big hurry.  

It is more because of your shots more costly than earnings given by damage (without premium) and fights build around heavies which are more like moving bricks.
In tier 5 you dont care about loosing game - you earn either way.

What they said. Actually one of the funnest things to me is getting my T-50 into a tier ten fight and getting the enemy arty killed.

[Amarr HM]

By playing one for a bit you learn exactly where arty can and can't hit and what things tanks do that makes them really hard to hit. For example, moving forwards & backwards unpredictably makes it really hard for arty to hit you, but you kinda have to try it to see how to do it best. You also get a feel for the kind of reload speeds that SPGs have, and this also makes it easier to dodge them.

Totally agree, also it's a good way to get to know the map and good hiding spots or not so good ones.

[Furiously]

By playing one for a bit you learn exactly where arty can and can't hit and what things tanks do that makes them really hard to hit. For example, moving forwards & backwards unpredictably makes it really hard for arty to hit you, but you kinda have to try it to see how to do it best. You also get a feel for the kind of reload speeds that SPGs have, and this also makes it easier to dodge them.

Totally agree, also it's a good way to get to know the map and good hiding spots or not so good ones.

And where to blind shot to get a kill for free.

[Nebu]

Is there a good way to get a rundown on the strengths and weaknesses of different tanks so that I know where to spend my points?  For example, how is a medium tank compared to a light tank?  What are the different roles and how can I learn to better play to my strengths? 

This is one time where I'm really missing a guild.  Chatting with experienced people really helps to understand the playstyle differences between classes and tiers. 

[Amarr HM]

Well there are so many different good and bad tanks idown every tank tree that really it would be a case of choosing an endgame tank and working towards that. If you fancy staying low tier for a long time tanks like the VK3601 and SU85 are both fun to play. Played correctly they can own the field at their level. Pershing is my favourite high tier tank because it works so well without support. Lights only go to tier V & can be frustrating if you aren't willing to suicide scout as you are then reliant on a decent team in case you just wasted 5 minutes to sit around and die. The tier Vs look like a nasty grind but I've heard good things about them once you get there.

Arty's always a good place to start for all the above reasons mentioned, plus you make decent credits. Go German the US low tier arty isn't very good.

[Nebu]

I have noticed one thing: I do well when I'm at the top of a tier for a map and get prison raped when I'm at the bottom.  I guess this is no different than pvp in any other MMO.  

I'm enjoying lights right now for mobility and outfitted my T-46 with a 76 mm that is fun at times.  I'm just trying to weigh between going further in light, going medium, or going TD.  I enjoy the guns on TD, but the lack of mobility can be frustrating at times.

Dumb question: What do the shapes on top of tanks tell you?  Their level? 

[Merusk]

Diamonds are tanks, Triangles are TDs Squares are arty.  One slash on a diamond for med 2 for Heavy

[Nebu]

Diamonds are tanks, Triangles are TDs Squares are arty.  One slash on a diamond for med 2 for Heavy

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I'm Nebu_f13 if anyone wants to add me to contacts. 

[apocrypha]

And where to blind shot to get a kill for free.

So funny when that works. I got called a hacker several time on Himmelsdorf by popping people with a lucky guess 1st shell.  

Is there a good way to get a rundown on the strengths and weaknesses of different tanks so that I know where to spend my points?  For example, how is a medium tank compared to a light tank?  What are the different roles and how can I learn to better play to my strengths?  

This is one time where I'm really missing a guild.  Chatting with experienced people really helps to understand the playstyle differences between classes and tiers.  

Past tier 4 light tanks are scouts only, which can be fun, but is very dependent on luck and certainly wouldn't be much fun if it was all you had. For tank weaknesses and strengths then the official forums are often good, but I've found that peoples opinions are often quite different from mine once I play a tank. The best option really is to just try lots of different things at low tiers (4-5).

When you start playing that seems counter-intuitive because it feels like wasting XP, but by the time you get to tier 6/7 you realise that tier 4/5 tanks are so cheap in terms of XP that you might as well try several and see what you like. After about 2 months of playing I think I've researched almost every single German tank below tier 5, about half the Russians and a quarter of the US tanks. You find tanks that work for you that way - for instance I never heard much noise about the VK3001P but it's become one of my favourite tanks. I can't put my finger on it but it just works for me, I often turn into a killing machine when driving it. Got my best score ever in that, 7 kills and 4 medals in one game.

[Abagadro]

I'll tell you why. The long 88 tears shit up on a tier 6 tank.

[Furiously]

I'll tell you why. The long 88 tears shit up on a tier 6 tank.

This man speaks the truth... The VK3001 is a tank I hate to see.

[Brolan]

Make sure you use the cursor light to aim your shots.  If  the cursor lights up green you can penetrate the armor where you have the cursor.  Orange, its an iffy shot, black or red, no chance.  Moving it around shows you weak spots on the enemy tank.

[Amarr HM]

That cursor is a good place to start but I wouldn't take it as gospel. Better to learn how penetrating angles work and what different tank armors tend to be.

[Ginaz]

I think I might be pretty much done with this game.  Arty is making it very un-fun, esp. when I want to play my Maus or other high tier tanks.

[Brolan]

I think I might be pretty much done with this game.  Arty is making it very un-fun, esp. when I want to play my Maus or other high tier tanks.

You might want to play as arty so you can see best how to deal with it.  Also arty is in the game specifically to counter heavy tanks.  Its part of the game balance.

[Ginaz]

I think I might be pretty much done with this game.  Arty is making it very un-fun, esp. when I want to play my Maus or other high tier tanks.

You might want to play as arty so you can see best how to deal with it.  Also arty is in the game specifically to counter heavy tanks.  Its part of the game balance.

I have a GW Panther.  I know how they work.  Its just frustrating that its gotten to the point where I almost can't even use my tier 10 tank because its an arty magnet.  The problem isn't 1 or 2, its when theres 4 or more arty per side.  People either get killed fast or it turns into a camp fest where everyone is afraid to move because they know they can be one shotted.  Its far from balanced imo.

[UnsGub]

Its far from balanced imo.

It is balanced.  Tank line up directly results in how the game is played.

No arty in a match plays very different then 4-5 arty on each side.

Arty heavy matches are protect your arty and spot the enemy.  Stay arty safe all the time.

No arty is go to the middle of the map and drive around people in arty unsafe routes that are actually now safe.

[Der Helm]

Viklas ?

[veredus]

It is balanced. 

It may technically be balanced but it certainly isn't fun when there are 4+ arty per side. Especially in the upper tier matches. At least in lower tiers you are usually fast enough to out drive it but for most high tier heavies evasive maneuvers are impossible.

Because platoons are three man they can't realistically limit arty to anything less then 3 per side but they really should limit it to that. Arty imo is the worst part of this game, matches w/o arty are a whole heck of a lot more fun.

It's the same reason I don't enjoy clan wars and company battles. It feels like you spend the whole match spotting for your arty from concealed positions and hoping not to get nailed by the enemies instead of fighting with your tank.

[Ginaz]

It is balanced. 

It may technically be balanced but it certainly isn't fun when there are 4+ arty per side. Especially in the upper tier matches. At least in lower tiers you are usually fast enough to out drive it but for most high tier heavies evasive maneuvers are impossible.

Because platoons are three man they can't realistically limit arty to anything less then 3 per side but they really should limit it to that. Arty imo is the worst part of this game, matches w/o arty are a whole heck of a lot more fun.

It's the same reason I don't enjoy clan wars and company battles. It feels like you spend the whole match spotting for your arty from concealed positions and hoping not to get nailed by the enemies instead of fighting with your tank.

Exactly.  It may be more "realistic" and "balanced" with arty, but its not nearly as fun as the games without it.  Fun should take presedence over realism and balance every time.

[Merusk]

Funny.. I find the games with arty much more fun than those without because then people have to act more tactically than treating it like an FPS with tank skins.