World of Tanks

[Nebu]

From what I remember from the Chinese release contest, you needed about 1k standard xp for a single match to be in the running.  Also, there are people out there who have been grinding the British premium AT Gun that will have 2 or 3 skill crews so don't feel too bad about not making the top 100.

I had a 1300+ unmodified experience game in my tier 5 that I submitted for Chinese event and it didn't get me a thing.  I had to enter it into the casual bracket though because I didn't have enough medals to qualify for the other bracket.  I thought that was pretty decent for an 85% crew, no modules, and limited gold round use.  The competition is just that tough.

[kildorn]

Top 100 out of a dickload of players is still pretty slim. And yeah, sometimes it's just the MM gifting you a win. I have a 10 kill match in my IS-6 where the entire hostile team were mediums who had no idea how to pen me. I just rolled on through a flank without stopping. Nothing to do with my skill at all, just the MM deciding it was my freaking birthday or something.

[Merusk]

Mind you, I have no illusions about competing.   However, rewarding 1300 players based on a single unmodified game score in a month, vs rewarding only 15 players based on the #of matches played one weekend is a vast, vast difference in approaches.   

One I wanted to heap praise upon while also scorning the insanity of the MWO 'contest' once more.

[WayAbvPar]

It depends on how the new tanks fit my playstyle. I was actually pretty close to winning a prize with the Type 34...I think the cutoff was like 1331 xp and my best game was in the 1200s somewhere.  I didn't even realize the contest was going on until after I saw the results. And of course had a ~1400xp game in it about a week later 

[Amarr HM]

Was playing a marathon platoon yesterday, we'd play til we lose a game. My platoon mates were convinced we had lost this one, I had different ideas  

http://mwreplays.com/replay/J0X1YEQCLPHZ/

Got a bit lucky in the end, but I find good decisions are usually rewarded with good luck.

[Nebu]

Nice match.  I didn't know you were Blindside. 

[Simond]

Panzer 1 Ausf. C is hilarious.

[Strazos]

So post-patch I cannot watch the replay. 

[Amarr HM]

Yeh they don't rollback which is a bit crap.

Here's another where I nearly broke 150k without even getting a kill, or using a gold round.

http://mwreplays.com/replay/RK1SOAEUBGE6/

[Simond]

How to make playing the Valentine AT tolerable:
1) Fit derp gun
2) Expect to die.

[Abagadro]

You forgot "load HEAT shells."

[Nebu]

Ok... so I've noticed something and need input.  I've noticed that the better I get at this game, the more I hate playing TD's.  It just seems like such a passive tank.  You're dependent on spotters to such a degree that a terrible team really limits your ability to be effective.  This is especially the case with the less mobile, fixed turret TD's.  At least with the American TD's, you can float from flank to flank as support.  Then there's the case of city maps.  

Am I doing it wrong?  

Also, does ElGallo play this game?  I said hello to an El_gallo in game and it must not have been him...

[Abagadro]

It's definitely an acquired taste as far as play style goes. I actually like sitting back and sniping guys like a ninja.  In fact, Just got an Invincible badge in my Alecto. :)

It is true that if yout team runs out and dies like pants-on-head dopes that you are basically fucked but I think that is true regardless of the vehicle you are in. Some higher tier TDs can be a bit more font line like Ferds, 95s, jagtigers, e100s, 268s. Just need to not get so far up that you get flanked.

[Nebu]

I think what I'm finding is that when I run a platoon with friends, that we can affect the outcome of matches more if we're in vehicles that can drive the action.  Sometimes it's in a medium wolfpack, others we run 3 heavies or 2 heavies and a medium.  With a TD in the mix, the wrong map really limits what we can do to change outcomes.  

It has been interesting watching my winrate improve as I learn the maps and tactics better.  PLaying with better players has helped a lot.

[kildorn]

The flimsier TDs basically lack an up side given the environments we fight in. Lightly armored, hard to turn, and lacking knockout punch? Have fun, Alecto!

The TDs that do well are either armored bricks, or have very nice guns on the front, or are zippy as fuck. But it means that half the TDs in the game kind of suck in a pickup match.

[Abagadro]

I've been raping in my Alecto with the derp/HEAT.  Just have to either shoot from range (taking into account that your shell takes 3 seconds to get there) so one-shot anything that gets close enough to kill you.

[kildorn]

I'm used to the gun from the Brit lights. Basically, it has a bit of an arc to it, so you can sit behind a lot of small rocks and lob shells over it using auto aim on stationary targets.

Cheap? Yes. Hilarious? Also yes.

[Simond]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUtrwfY2pSA

 

[Sir T]

Heh. Yeah I unlocked the PZ-1c last night and I got the 2nd level mastery badge and the cool headed achievement Great fun! 

Don't bother with the PZ II Ausf G though. I unlocked that too to try it out. Its built as a sniper and is great at that, but it has a really slow turret and is pretty much dead when other lights get close :(

[Ginaz]

St. Patrick's Day special this weekend.  Looks like the tier 8 heavies will be on sale, 30% off, and have a credit boost, also 30%.  3x xp, too.

http://worldoftanks.com/news/2128-saint-patricks-day-weekend/

[Sir T]

I take back what I said about the PZ II Aust G. its actually a great little tank. The thing is, do not, under any circumstances use the "best" gun. It has 3 machine gun shots shots with fantastic penetration. Then you have to wait for it to reload. And wait. And wait. The freaking thing takes nearly a full minute to reload!!! its pretty ridiculous. The second level gun has 5 shots and a pretty rabid reload, so it does the job.

[Nebu]

St. Patrick's Day special this weekend.  Looks like the tier 8 heavies will be on sale, 30% off, and have a credit boost, also 30%.  3x xp, too.

http://worldoftanks.com/news/2128-saint-patricks-day-weekend/

I wish I had the credits.  I have the Caern, Tiger II, and IS3 open but only cash enough to buy one of them.  Probably buying the IS3 as I really enjoyed the IS. 

Perhaps it's time to buy a premium tier 8 for credit farming.

[Sir T]

Have a read of this before you slap down your cash for a premium

http://wiki.worldoftanks.com/Premium_Tanks

Premiums are better than stock tanks but in general worse than fully upgraded. In general they all have weak armour. They all have specific weaknesses. For instance I love my Lowe but its slow, the armour isn't the greatest and the gun depression is awful. They are in general best from a position of support, using their powerful guns to flack away. Which means that I tend to wind up leading the charge as the Pug teams all tend to like sitting back and let someone else do the work. I don't regret buying the Lowe at all though, its a great tank, and I'm thinking of getting another Premium.

[Merusk]

It's not about combat performance, it's about the credits.

A shitty game in my T-8 premium where I get oneshot without hitting anyone after lobbing a few rounds is still profitable.  It is not in an XP-tank.

[Mortriden]

For Premiums, I've got the T-59, T-34, and the Lowe.  The T-59 is by far the best, but I know that's not offered any longer.  Between the Lowe and the T-34... the Lowe is a pure sniper/support tank for all the reasons Sir T listed.  The T-34 can, on occasion, lead a charge on the flank if the ground allows you use your amazing turret armor. 

When it comes to credits... the Lowe just prints credits.  PRINTS CREDITS.  You can profit 40k in a loss, doing very poorly.  100k profit is not unheard of.  The T-34 rarely gets that high. 

[Tmon]

The other advantage of Premiums is being able to take any crew of the same nationality and class and use them to run one.  This helps a couple ways, 1 you can put your highest skill crew for the class in it and use the tank to maximum effect right off the bat and 2 it gives you the chance to level your crew and earn money which is especially helpful with tier 9-10 crews working on their third or fourth skill.  So this weekend I'll be running the snot out of my premiums both to get cash but also to take advantage of 3x crew experience by running a double in their main tank then doing one in the appropriate premium.

[Merusk]

When it comes to credits... the Lowe just prints credits.  PRINTS CREDITS.  You can profit 40k in a loss, doing very poorly.  100k profit is not unheard of.  The T-34 rarely gets that high. 

Yeah, the T-34 suffers in credit generation due to the insane reload time of 15s and low accuracy.  Lowe only get one additional round/ min but that with its accuracy is enough to rake it in.

[Nebu]

Initially, I was going to buy the super pershing when it was on sale, but the lack of flank speed combined to low pen turned me off.  I also received 8500 gold from buying a new video card through an NVidia promo, so it's not like I'm paying full price for a tier 8.  Still... with the changes to the tier 5 derp guns on the horizon, I may be able to farm enough cash with my T1HT that a premium may not be necessary. 

[Merusk]

If you have played this long and not bought gold, look at it as being cheaper than having played an MMO the whole time.

[Sir T]

Yeah, the T-34 suffers in credit generation due to the insane reload time of 15s and low accuracy.  Lowe only get one additional round/ min but that with its accuracy is enough to rake it in.

Yeah, no shit. I've regularly scored hits from half the map away with the Lowe this week since I started playing again. I tracked a T-50 at long range with it last night. Granted that's with my 100% crew, but I had zero problems getting them to 100%. If you point at something you are probably going to hit it and score good damage as well.

[Nebu]

If you have played this long and not bought gold, look at it as being cheaper than having played an MMO the whole time.

Where did I say that I haven't bought gold?  I've been a premium subscriber since I started.

[Merusk]

Well you didn't say you *did* so I wasn't sure.

I don't do premium game time because I can't sit down every night so I feel like I"m losing out on the investment.  Premium tanks so I get that value whenever I CAN login? Sure!  The Type was the best $30 I ever spent on a game.

[Nebu]

I don't do premium game time because I can't sit down every night so I feel like I"m losing out on the investment.  Premium tanks so I get that value whenever I CAN login? Sure!  The Type was the best $30 I ever spent on a game.

I'd buy the type right now if I could.  Sadly, I missed my opportunity over the holidays and it won't be available again.

[Brolan]

The other advantage of Premiums is being able to take any crew of the same nationality and class and use them to run one.  This helps a couple ways, 1 you can put your highest skill crew for the class in it and use the tank to maximum effect right off the bat and 2 it gives you the chance to level your crew and earn money which is especially helpful with tier 9-10 crews working on their third or fourth skill.  So this weekend I'll be running the snot out of my premiums both to get cash but also to take advantage of 3x crew experience by running a double in their main tank then doing one in the appropriate premium.

I've never done this before.  Do you just reassign the crew to the premium tank and the skills work without any re-training?

[Abagadro]

Yup.