World of Tanks II: Fighting, Bragging, Raging Edition - All aboard the Lemming Train!

[Elm11]

Well, I just had an amusing game. I bought the Jgdpanther II, and the fact that it's just as mobile as its younger brother pleased me no end. My first game with it I got 3 kills, but then exploded, and we eventually lost. Amusingly, one of these kills was some poor Panther, who I instantly ammo-racked from full health.

The second game, a T8 match, proved to be a sign that I will definitely enjoy this TD:

"Victory!
Battle: Himmelsdorf Sunday, 2 September 2012 12:19:39 PM
Vehicle: JagdPanther II
Experience received: 9,410 (x5 for the first victory each day)
Credits received: 58,149
Battle Achievements: Bölter's Medal, Top Gun, Master Gunner, Mastery Badge: "Ace Tanker"

I'd post a picture of the scoreboard, but I still suck at Photobucket too much to successfully produce a working link.

Spoiler

Show

I started off on north, and decided to use the wonderful speed on the JgdPanther II to go up the hill. Pulling a gentleman's 17kp/h (about the top speed of a Ferdinand at any given time) up the hill, I reached it well before any enemies did, and set up next to the pile of rubble where TDs usually set up. An allied AMX 13-75 hovered somewhere behind me, while a VK3601 rushed around the other side of the castle. After about 5 seconds of waiting,the first enemy tanks appeared. At first, there were three of them - a DB, an AMX 13-75 and a T20. They saw me and my 3% camouflage straight away, and stuck below the horizon. I decided not to shoot at the VK's protruding cupola, seeing as it would leave me open to reprisal. Just as well, since the DB got a little too confident and left his turret exposed. I fired and brought him down to 40% hp.

Unsuprisingly, the others took off, and a moment later were joined by an IS and a T25/2 as they raced toward the other side of the castle. They promptly vaporized the VK 3601, which put up a stirling effort and damaged the IS twice before it exploded. Meanwhile, I destroyed the DB and put a shot through the T25/2. Our AMX 13-75 somehow managed to delay 3 enemy tanks which could each have rolled over it, damaging the IS a little and somehow avoid reprisal. I came around the rubble pile and finished off the T25/2, despite being brought down to 85% in the process. The T20 came about from attacking our AMX, and opened fire on me. It's first shot bounced, and my first shot brought him down to 35%. He didn't get a second before I destroyed him, so I guess I damaged something important.

As the enemy IS crept up our side of the castle, our AMX fell back, having being left on 60% health by a single shot. I turned in preparation for the IS, but immediately found myself taking shots up the kilt from the enemy AMX 13 75, which had retreated back down their side of the hill after I Vap'd the DB, and about whose existence I had promptly forgotten. He got two shots into my rear, and a third missed, and attempted to zoom past me and block my turning. This didn't work out, since I'm not a Ferdinand and kept up with his movements easily. I fired once and brought him to 30% as he passed me, but he was eventually going to clear my fire arc. Or would've at least, if our miraculous AMX 13 75, last seen fleeing from the IS, appeared out of nowhere and rammed the bastard into place. He fired once and dropped it to 7hp, so I neatly reversed into it and it exploded.

The IS, on about 60% hp, suddenly found itself outnumbered 2:1. It attempted to fall back, after a poorly thought through shot at my barely exposed and deeply sloped top armour, but didn't get far before the AMX emptied a magazine into its rear and I finished it off.

At this point, our 3 tanks had held the hill against 5 enemy tanks, and I'd managed to net all 5 of the kills with a great deal of assistance. The AMX, still in good health (60%), took off down the hill-road that leads straight to the enemy cap, while I went down the road leading to Dead-Man's-Alley, intent on flanking and clearing out an enemy T34, Superpershing and KV-3. I got there in time to discover an enemy M7 priest doing its best impression of a TD. I slowed and fired, but unfortunately missed it. Luckily, it completely failed to notice my point blank assault, obligingly staring forward and shooting again at a target down the other end of the alley. Sadly, the M41 pulling the same act just around the corner was paying more attention, and I had just enough time to notice it before I received a cool 680 damage to the face. It killed my gunner and damaged my track in a terrible position, so I used my repair and 1st aid kits, before promptly vaping the M7 priest (the M41 had retreated). The M41 didn't make it far, copping a shell from and allied IS down the other end of the alley, and exploding accordingly.

Now on 35% health, I was a little more cautious. the enemy KV-3 had exploded, leaving a T34 on 20% health on my left (behind a building) and a Superpershing half way up the alley, completely oblivous to my presence. By now, the wonderous AMX 13 75 made another appearance, having destroyed a T25 and a Panther II somewhere down near the enemy cap. He moved forward and shot at the T34, but bounced and drew its attention. We both promptly retreated, but an enemy T-150 turned up behind us and shot me in the rear, damaging my ammo rack. The AMX destroyed it, and I reloaded just in time for the enemy T34 to come barelling around the corner, and destroyed him before he could fire. The enemy Super-Pershing half way up the alley was the last enemy tank alive, and continued to fire stolidly at our IS up the other end. I had time to fire once more and damage him severely, but our IS killed him and ended the game.

The moral? Manoeuvrability kicks armour any day of the week, and AMX 13 75s make the best wingmen ever.

[Yana]

@ Eldariel: You need to have more xp than 99% of all people who have played the tank in the last two weeks. Apparently people love their T-59s, who'da thunk?

Had another 7 kill game in my SU-26 yesterday. Would have been 8, but a stupid Churchill killed the last T1 Heavy before my round hit the smoldering hulk. Try as I might, I can never seem to get more than 7 kills in a match, a fact which is starting to aggravate me to no end.

[Elm11]

Just read the greatest statement about the T-50-2.

"
Westmorland (7:09:43 PM) the 50-2 has a gun?
Westmorland (7:09:46 PM) never noticed
Westmorland (7:10:13 PM) I thought it was just a jet-propelled *******.
"

[Erloas]

Defeat
Battle: Ruinberg Sunday, September 02, 2012 9:04:12 AM
Vehicle: M4A3E2
Experience received: 714
Credits received: 38,764
Battle Achievements: Top Gun

Such a disappointing game in the end. We were behind quite a bit of the game but I was cleaning people up pretty good. Had 5 kills and 3 people left, with 1 friendly. They killed the friendly as I was moving into position. Then an M4 at full life came racing around the corner and I killed him in a couple shots. The M4A3E2 had about 2 shots left and the Lee had about 1, maybe 2 hits left (as I had hit him earlier) The M4A3E2 then came around the same corner as the M4 and I shot him once taking him down to about 100 hp but my next 3-4 shots all bounced, some front, at least one side. Of course he bounced a shot or two off of me as well. The Lee finally got into position behind me and finished me off... but I was in position to kill them both if I could have just penned that E2.

edit:
Not sure if 12 hours would be a double post or not...
this was a fun game:
Victory!
Battle: Redshire Monday, September 03, 2012 9:52:02 AM
Vehicle: M41
Experience received: 3,350 (x5 for the first victory each day)
Credits received: 26,330
Battle Achievements: Kamikaze

Only 1 kill, but it was a good one. It was pretty close, they were actually leading with 3 to our 2, both arties on each side and an m26 for them and Tiger II for us. The tiger and M26 were in a bit of a stalemate knowing the arties were just waiting for them to move. But I had ran out of ammo, not usual for me. So I decide to go out and scout, but as I'm coming around I see the M26 is almost dead and I figure I'll go for a distraction for the tiger so he can finish it off and charge the M26. He doesn't see me coming until the last second and turns and fires right as I get to him, killing me but I still had enough forward momentum to crash into him, doing the last 34 points of damage and killing him.
Our hummel, also being out of ammo had went to cap, tiger searched for their arty for a minute then our base started to be captured, luckily both were close to their base and we beat them on cap by about 10%.
So that was only my second Kamikaze badge, previous was with the Panther.


And I'm trying to decide what to sell to make room for the T20 that is on sale... I'm thinking the VK2001H as it is already elited and it doesn't do that great for me. But the T20 has much of the same problem, good gun and fast, but weak armor. But I'm not really liking the RAM-II, Vk2801, or JadgPzIV very much either. All are elited.

Damaged 5, but didn't manage to kill anything.

[Eldariel]

@ Eldariel: You need to have more xp than 99% of all people who have played the tank in the last two weeks. Apparently people love their T-59s, who'da thunk?

Yeah, I know. Just...so far getting like 1000-1200 XP has been enough for me to get Ace Tanker in pretty much all the tanks I've played thus far. I got 1940 and that wasn't enough. That definitely surprised me already; I knew the number would be high but I didn't imagine it'd be that high

On entirely other news, good weekend. Almost free Premium & 5x = lots of research. All non-German TD lines Elited up to tier 5 (Germans were already done), T-50-2 researched, Tier 4 arty from Rus & USA, Sherman finished, good way forward with GwPanther, M5 and AMX 12t & KV-4 researched for good measure. Tho I did kinda burn out on Ensk Encounter which seems to come up constantly. And now Credit Consumables & VKs on sale? Perfect!

[darksolitaire]

Gonna pick up DB and Leopard from the sale. My DB's elite, but I could use some experience seeing how it will have additional branch in future. I even have crew trained for it. I tried Leopard last year but didn't get the hang of it and sold it after researching all modules but before unlocking VK2801. Now, Leo and M5 Stuart are the only tier 4 tanks I haven't elited, so I'll got to do them at some point.

Edit: no more free tankslots -_-

[Eldariel]

Gonna pick up DB and Leopard from the sale. My DB's elite, but I could use some experience seeing how it will have additional branch in future. I even have crew trained for it. I tried Leopard last year but didn't get the hang of it and sold it after researching all modules but before unlocking VK2801. Now, Leo and M5 Stuart are the only tier 4 tanks I haven't elited, so I'll got to do them at some point.

Edit: no more free tankslots -_-

Garage slots on sale too. NP.

[Erloas]

Yeah, you guys are getting a lot better sales and events. We had the M3 Stuart through T20 line on sale, 5x exp and ... nothing else. Well the IS tanks had a small credit boost, and the M4A3E2 and a credit boost (which isn't the tank that was on sale, the E8 was on sale).
The type 59 is on sale for the month for cash. Oh... I think gold rounds were half priced or something too, but how many people actually use those?

[Eldariel]

Yeah, you guys are getting a lot better sales and events. We had the M3 Stuart through T20 line on sale, 5x exp and ... nothing else. Well the IS tanks had a small credit boost, and the M4A3E2 and a credit boost (which isn't the tank that was on sale, the E8 was on sale).
The type 59 is on sale for the month for cash. Oh... I think gold rounds were half priced or something too, but how many people actually use those?

To be fair, we've had basically no worthwhile specials since June until now. They've all been like "150% credits", maybe some gold tanks on sale and that's about it. Maybe one line.

[Jimorian]

Yeah, you guys are getting a lot better sales and events. We had the M3 Stuart through T20 line on sale, 5x exp and ... nothing else. Well the IS tanks had a small credit boost, and the M4A3E2 and a credit boost (which isn't the tank that was on sale, the E8 was on sale).
The type 59 is on sale for the month for cash. Oh... I think gold rounds were half priced or something too, but how many people actually use those?

While not listed as on sale on the web site, the M4A3E2 was priced at half off in the store when I checked yesterday.

EDIT: Checked today and they took it off sale, must have been a slip.

[Yana]

I'm honestly a tad surprised that the Hellcat hasn't been nerfed into the ground because now that I've fully upgraded it, it's an unholy terror. The 90 mm gun says I can pen most tanks from the front without effort and the speed of it says I can flank tanks whose frontal armor I can't deal with. Sure, it may not have any armor whatsoever, or a turret that turns faster than a KV-2s, or good traverse when going flat out, but I don't regret this tank for a second.

I just got out of a match where I helped hold the northern pass on Fjords (starting from the west) with a T59 and AMX 50 100 against the other team's main push which consisted of: another AMX 50 100, an IS-, two T59s, a KV-3, a JagdPanther AND another Hellcat. Sure, the surviving IS-6 and T59 broke through and killed us eventually, but between the three of us, we took down all of those other tanks and allowed our team to reach the enemy base.

Except for the KV-3, he bugged out after he saw what happened to the rest of his team.

[Grif]

I'm honestly a tad surprised that the Hellcat hasn't been nerfed into the ground because now that I've fully upgraded it, it's an unholy terror. The 90 mm gun says I can pen most tanks from the front without effort and the speed of it says I can flank tanks whose frontal armor I can't deal with. Sure, it may not have any armor whatsoever, or a turret that turns faster than a KV-2s, or good traverse when going flat out, but I don't regret this tank for a second.

I second this statement wholeheartedly.

With full camo skills, you can even take potshots from the bushes like the Hetzer and stay hidden.

[Renegade Paladin]

Fun fact: When ambushing in the Hellcat, remember that it's front armor is exactly the same as the rear, so it can be useful to actually face away from the enemy to allow for a speedier escape, provided you pay close attention and jet the instant one turns to look at you.

[psilontech]

Had an awesome game in my AMX 13 75. Thanks to my scout tag, I got into a primarily tier 10/9 game. In full 'Opportunist Mode' (aka 'Coward Mode') I start patrolling around waiting to see what develops.

Out of freaking nowhere a Batchat zooms around the corner, going full-tilt towards arty (Three Tier-8 with a platooned Tier-6) with me the only thing between the two.. I doubt he has his drum loaded yet as I had just had mine load in a second ago.

I take two shots at his tracks, damaging both time but not breaking them. I alter course to collide with him, hopefully detracking him in the process. SUCCESS! He gets a shot off on me after I unload the last of what I have into him before arty shells come in and finish him off.

I continue patrolling on the off chance something else can sneak past the main force to play with arty until all of their fast-movers are dead. I move into the sides of the front-lines and begin harassing the sides and backs of tier tens while they are occupied with the much scarier and much more distracting tier tens in front of them. Every time one would start aiming towards me I would tag them and a friendly unit would smack their side turret armor. (Occasionally one gets intelligent teammates, who would have thunk it?)

Managed to finish off a T110E5, T110E4, IS-4 and T95 just doing harassment.

I can sort of see why they nerfed the French Lights to hell, I suppose, but most of it relies of having retarded enemies and a fair amount of luck.

[Jimorian]

On a much smaller scale, I pulled a trick like that in my AMX12t in Abbey. The low road only ended up being a 3 on 3, with 1 dead on each side, and the 2 remaining on each side (both heavy+TD) slugging it out near our end (tier 8s IIRC). I run down on the road, and just dart past everybody so that I can start plinking the enemy in the rear.

BOTH turn towards me to kill me, which of course is the perfect opportunity for my teammates to charge around the corner and put some heavy hurt on their rears and sides. I died fairly quickly, but then so did the enemy, and freeing up 2 of our top tiered players was enough to roll the rest of the match into a victory.

EDIT: Wow. Ruinberg encounter, and I go to cover cap in my KV-3, which is top tier in this match. I'm at the far corner, and peek around to pop a vk3002db that's capping, and get tracked. And tracked. And tracked. And tracked. And tracked. And tracked. And tracked. And tracked.

7 times I get tracked, never able to move while at least 5 tanks are pounding on me. At the end, I look at the stats and I was hit 36 times before getting killed. Since there was only one other TD covering cap and he got killed too, we lost.

[Maxymiuk]

I need to find a better time to play. As it is, I usually pop in for a few games early in the morning right after the server maintenance and end up playing against high-tier insomniacs, or I find time in the late afternoon/early evening, when all the clan platoons are out in force.

In other news, I took advantage of the sale to pick up 20 extra garage slots. Now to start filling them all out...

[Eldariel]

Holy poop. S-35 CA, why you so ridiculous? Like, everybody knows the 105mm gun is basically old SU-85's gun and the 90mm actually does more DPM (but lower alpha and penetration which is why I'll use the 105mm) but I don't have either yet; I'm running with the stock gun while researching the 105mm. I was wondering why I'm doing so well with it and then I checked its stats; holy ****, it's almost the same as Stug-III's top gun!

S-35 CA's stock is 13.33 RoF, 144 Pen, 135 Dam, 0.35 Acc, 1.7 Load, -9/+22 Elevation while Stug's top gun is 13.46 RoF, 138 Pen, 135 Dam, 0.33 Acc, 1.71 Load, -7/+20 Elevation. And holy ****, this thing is open-topped so 400m view range which soundly beats just about anything else near Tier V, and it has firing arc only rivalled by Marder & T-40! Sure, its front armor is worse than e.g. Stug's and it's not terribly mobile and has a somewhat high profile (but high mounted gun to compensate) & dies to arty, but who cares when you see 400 meters away and are armed with the Fist of God? Seriously, what the hell is this thing?

[Leon]

And they say there is a Russian Bias...

[psilontech]

I would consider going up the French TD line if not for the fact that I have already gone through the horrible, soul crushing grind that is a tier 2-4 French Grind in the form of the light line.

Upon gazing at everything from Tier Four back, I can confidently say that it isn't worth my time until I have the free xp to breeze past it.

In related news, I may be forced into this course of action after Patch 8 hits. A significantly nerfed PzIV will mean that all of my previous tier-five money makers will have been sold. First the KV, then the SU-85, now the PzIV. That perfect moment of breaking my previous 12-kill game record seems farther and farther away with each subsequent patch...

[otakuryoga]

tell me about it
i have a 12 kill game and a 13 kill game
but now with td's allowed in a tier 1/2 match the minimaus is not nearly so dominating

[Grif]

I would consider going up the French TD line if not for the fact that I have already gone through the horrible, soul crushing grind that is a tier 2-4 French Grind in the form of the light line.

Upon gazing at everything from Tier Four back, I can confidently say that it isn't worth my time until I have the free xp to breeze past it.

In related news, I may be forced into this course of action after Patch 8 hits. A significantly nerfed PzIV will mean that all of my previous tier-five money makers will have been sold. First the KV, then the SU-85, now the PzIV. That perfect moment of breaking my previous 12-kill game record seems farther and farther away with each subsequent patch...

The Renault FT-12 isn't too bad. And the UE-35 is an undeniable cute and fun tank to play, if a tad slow and can be rammed to death by just about anything.

The Somua Sau-40 is the killer though. Horrible stock gun, and terrible at everything else, it's the AMX 40 of the TD line.

[otakuryoga]

The Renault FT-12 isn't too bad. And the UE-3557 is an undeniable cute and fun tank to play, if a tad slow and can be rammed to death by just about anything.

The Somua Sau-40 is the killer though. Horrible stock gun, and terrible at everything else, it's the AMX 40 of the TD line.

while true that its the amx40 of the line it isn't as bad as the 40

just do NOT try to come up a hill vs opposition...they will shoot your pop-up target turret before you can ever get a shot at them

but after the somua you get the 35..fun fun fun td
--super wide field of fire
--top gun is a KILLER
--only downside is open top/low hp

[darksolitaire]

Garage slots on sale too. NP.

Luckily I managed to Elite my AMX 50 100 and Priest...

Now, after upgrading my AMX mle. 46 to best gun, I'm positive that it's the best tier 7 td currently in game. Best gun and best armor, and see those weak spots on the roof? Half of that doesn't even seem to have hit box in them! I'm on 8.0 pts right now and the new soviet SU-100M1 looks like a serious contender, packing similar gun and being very mobile.

Edit: 1852 xp game with my VK DB and Böelter's

[Grif]

Just had to post this here.

Spoiler

Show

Victory!
Battle: Ensk Friday, September 07, 2012 8:44:35 PM
Vehicle: T-43
Experience received: 2,328 (x2 for the first victory each day)
Credits received: 21,259
Battle Achievements: Oskin's Medal, Mastery Badge: "Ace Tanker"

Spoiler

Show

Victory!
Battle: Lakeville Friday, September 07, 2012 9:11:07 PM
Vehicle: T26E4 SuperPershing
Experience received: 3,000 (x2 for the first victory each day)
Credits received: 100,658
Battle Achievements: Steel Wall, Defender, Confederate, Mastery Badge: "Ace Tanker"

[psilontech]

The 8.0 Test Server is amazing despite being in Russia and giving me a ~250-350 ping.

The best thing of all time is the T-50-2 where hills and cliffs are involved. For a few brief, glorious moments I was a T95's turret after I landed on it from a nearly fatal fall.

Just sitting up there.

Being awesome.

[Grif]

The 8.0 Test Server is amazing despite being in Russia and giving me a ~250-350 ping.

The best thing of all time is the T-50-2 where hills and cliffs are involved. For a few brief, glorious moments I was a T95's turret after I landed on it from a nearly fatal fall.

Just sitting up there.

Being awesome.

Thank you for that awesome image. I must do this now.

[Maxymiuk]

Wait, does that mean in 8.0 you can no longer tilt yourself 50+ degrees without falling off the cliff? Taking cover under a hill will work now?

More importantly, do the new physics mean some tanks simply won't be able to go up steep slopes?

[Eldariel]

Wait, does that mean in 8.0 you can no longer tilt yourself 50+ degrees without falling off the cliff? Taking cover under a hill will work now?

More importantly, do the new physics mean some tanks simply won't be able to go up steep slopes?

They also mean you can go up some ridiculous slopes. Like, on Mountain Pass, you can go mountain climbing at some areas with at least T-50-2 (tested a bit). It'll be hilarious. And lots of maps got remade.

[otakuryoga]

yes..i am waiting for the first few days after 8.0 hits to watch the scout tanks go flying from mid down to west road on Cliff map
(Dukes of Hazard audio clip optional)

[Grif]

yes..i am waiting for the first few days after 8.0 hits to watch the scout tanks go flying from mid down to west road on Cliff map
(Dukes of Hazard audio clip optional)

Think you're safe behind a cliff? KAMIKAZE TANK OUT OF NOWHERE!