WoT: Holiday Ops 2023 – Reviews of the Three New Mid-Tier Premiums


On top of the five Tier VIII–X vehicles available in the Holiday Ops 2023 Large Boxes, there are just as many Tier II–V prizes. For those new to the game, or tankers who enjoy mid- to low-tier battles, these items are worth introducing to your Garage. Of the five available, we examine the brand-new IVA25 Harry Hopkins I,VPz.Kpfw. KW I (r), and VSU-2-122 . Read on to learn about their unique features in detail and get crew and equipment recommendations.

A25 Harry Hopkins I

Named after one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s closest advisors, who was greatly respected by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the IVA25 Harry Hopkins I is a squat and compact light tank operated by a three-person crew. Use the vehicle for limited active scouting and pick away at unsuspecting enemies.

As a light tank, the A25 Harry Hopkins I isn’t a brawler. However, it does bring some formidable firepower attributes to the battlefield. The 2-pdr cannon fires extremely fast AP and APCR shells (both 1,341 m/s)—some of the best rankings for the class and tier. The penetration values of 121 mm with AP shells and 145 mm with special APCR shells are also valuable assets, not to mention the 10 degrees of gun depression.

The A25 delivers 55 HP of damage per shot and 1,299 DPM. Don’t count on inflicting damage while on the move, though, as the high dispersion and 2-second aiming time are not likely to result in many hits. The base 0.4 m dispersion isn’t ideal for sniping, but it’s still one of the better values for the tier and class.

As expected, this light tank is protected by weak armor. With 38 mm on the front turret and angled hull, and 17 mm on the hull and turret sides, you won’t last long trading shells—even with its 520 HP pool. The limited 320 m view range (the lowest for all Tier IV lights to date) rules out passive spotting. And while decent camouflage values kick in while stationary, the A25 oddly loses its camouflage values while on the move.

So, stick to supporting your team and flanking the enemy at every opportunity.

The 23.78 HP/t power-to-weight ratio ensures you’ll reach the tank’s 50 km/h top speed on most surfaces in a timely manner, while the 38 deg/s traverse speed is consistent with other vehicles of the same tier and class.

Check out the setup below to ensure the maximum performance of your tank.

RECOMMENDED SETUP
Improved Ventilation Coated Optics Turbocharger
ALTERNATIVE SETUP
Turbocharger Gun Rammer Vertical Stabilizer
COMMANDER

Repairs

Recon

Concealment

GUNNER

Repairs

Snap Shot

Concealment

DRIVER

Repairs

Smooth Ride

Concealment

Pz.Kpfw. KW I (r)

Why put a new tank into battle when you can utilize a captured one? This was the case with Germany’s Pz.Kpfw. B2 740 (f)—a captured French B1—and the VPz.Kpfw. KW I (r) , a Soviet KV-1 (albeit with various modifications). As the KV-1 and its shielded counterpart are good choices for players new to heavy tanks, so is the Pz.Kpfw. KW I (r).

The Pz.Kpfw. KW I (r) replaces the KV-1’s gun with the German 7,5 cm Kw.K. 40 L/48, found on the Pz.Kpfw. IV and other vehicles. The gun’s stats fit nicely with others of the same class and tier, with 1,701 DPM, 110 HP of damage per shot, and 115 mm of penetration with AP shells and 162 mm with APCR shells. Add a Gun Rammer from the get-go to decrease the shell loading time.

The vehicle’s key advantage is its –10 degrees of gun depression (a Tier V stat only surpassed by the Excelsior), but don’t jump on the hull-down bandwagon just yet…

The Pz.Kpfw. KW I (r) has some important changes compared to the KV-1. Foremost is the added cupola, similar to those found on the Pz.Kpfw. IV, which creates a weak spot that is easy for enemies to hit and penetrate. So, be careful with hull-down duels! Another variation is the expanded area on the turret front that can now be penetrated more easily.

On the other hand, the vehicle’s view range has been expanded to 330 m. As this is hardly spotter territory, it’s a nice plus and better than most other heavies of the same tier.

Overall, the armor is good for sidescraping and bouncing incoming shells, but the slightly angled frontal hull rarely ricochets. With 850 HP, the Pz.Kpfw. KW I (r)’s endurance falls on the low end for its class and tier, so keep an eye on your damage, no matter what hits you.

The captured Soviet Tier VI V-2K engine runs 500 hp, which takes time to get up to its top speed of 34 km/h. Overall, the mobility remains similar to that of the KV-1, which is a frequently recommended vehicle for newcomers to the game.

Check out the setup below to ensure the maximum performance of your tank.

RECOMMENDED SETUP
Improved Hardening Gun Rammer Improved Ventilation
ALTERNATIVE SETUP
Turbocharger Gun Rammer Vertical Stabilizer
COMMANDER

Repairs

Recon

Brothers in Arms

GUNNER

Repairs

Snap Shot

Brothers in Arms

DRIVER

Repairs

Smooth Ride

Brothers in Arms

RADIO OPERATOR

Repairs

Situational Awareness

Brothers in Arms

LOADER

Repairs

Safe Stowage

Brothers in Arms

SU-2-122

The Soviet line has long kept its double-barreled vehicles limited to Tier VIII–X heavies… That is, until now. Meet the first double-barreled tank destroyer, the VSU-2-122, unleashed to terrorize mid-tier battles. Six crew members operate this monster, which is essentially two 122 mm guns mounted on a T-34 hull. The resulting hybrid is an effective battlefield juggernaut and terror weapon that keeps enemies on edge.

Tankers familiar with other double-barreled vehicles will be completely at home here. You can fire each gun independently, or both simultaneously. But if you do, wait until both are fully loaded. Lock on to an enemy and hold down the fire button to start an unstoppable 3-second countdown until both guns fire. Enemy vehicles caught in the blast can suffer up to 900 HP of damage. Of course, successfully delivering that payload to a target is incredibly satisfying. The SU-2-122 dishes out 2,608 DPM, which is the highest for its tier and class to date.

The guns load one at a time with a 5-second delay when switching from a just-fired gun to a loaded one. When fired individually, each gun can deal 450 HP of damage with the HE shell and 370 HP with the HEAT shell. However, the SU-2-122 is most effective at closer ranges due to its slow shell speeds (515 m/s HE and 412 m/s HEAT) and high dispersion values (0.48 m). The 16-degree gun arc (8 degrees on each side) is small, so be prepared to frequently re-adjust your position.

Such power has drawbacks. The 480 HP pool allows for fewer hits and the flat frontal armor leaves you vulnerable to penetration. The limited 280 m view range and low stationary camo value of 13.68% make boosting these attributes via equipment and crew skill training a must. Thanks to the effective concealment values, you can keep your enemies on edge with the knowledge that two loaded barrels are out there…and ready to fire.

The vehicle’s 45 km/h top speed is hardly the fastest among its peers, but it’s good enough to keep up with most of your allies and comfortably get you around the battlefield. The 14 km/h reverse speed lets you swiftly return to cover after firing and doesn’t give enemies much time to return fire.

Check out the setup below to ensure the maximum performance of your tank.

RECOMMENDED SETUP
Camouflage Net Gun Rammer Binocular Telescope
ALTERNATIVE SETUP
Turbocharger Gun Rammer Improved Ventilation
COMMANDER

Repairs

Concealment

Brothers in Arms

GUNNER

Repairs

Concealment

Brothers in Arms

DRIVER

Repairs

Concealment

Brothers in Arms

RADIO OPERATOR

Repairs

Concealment

Brothers in Arms

LOADER

Repairs

Concealment

Brothers in Arms

LOADER

Repairs

Concealment

Brothers in Arms

How to Get the Vehicles

The A25 Harry Hopkins IPz.Kpfw. KW I (r), and SU-2-122 among the most valuable goodies available from the Large Boxes 2023, which also contain Premium vehicles, 3D styles, the Redshire Cat, and more. In addition to guaranteed Holiday Ops resources and gold, every Box may include a Tier II–IX Premium tank. Head to the Premium Shop to purchase Large Boxes for a chance to park these brand-new machines in your Garage!


Check out the complete list of fantastic Holiday Ops 2023 rewards available from the Large Boxes, including the five exciting Tier II–IX Premium vehicles.

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