Written by VeroxGaming for TAP
Welcome to the part 2 of this article series, where we continue our journey by looking at the most OP tanks that have existed in WoT. As the last part of the series, we‘ll begin at tier 6, and end up at tier 10, where‘ll encounter some familiar, and some rather unheard of tanks, therefore concluding the series.
Thank you for all of the support on the first part, and I might have to address 2 things: first of all, premium tanks don‘t count, as WG didn‘t nerf them (with few exceptions), and the only way for them to fix the tank is to remove it from sales, secondly, I will not write about ALL the OP tanks, as some might slip under my radar, so please understand this, as the first part had a lot of comments about people saying I forgot certain tanks.
All aside, let’s begin with tier 6.
Tier 6
Bert the Avenger, the FV304 artillery
Oh Bert the Avenger, one of the most fun artilleries at the time. This little (literally) devil was renowned for having fast RoF, considerable stopping power and fast speed. It was also very fast, had great camo values, and that really helped out the tank, as the maximum firing rage of the gun was only 500m.
What made the Bert unique was not only its small profile, speed and gun, but its very high shell arc. Bert could hit targets that were hiding behind big rocks and even hills quite easily, which really helped the tank hit the roof of tanks, where the armor is the weakest.
Not the best shot showcasing Bert’s ability to shoot over rocks, but gives you an idea about what it can really do.
There were 2 nerfs that the tank got, one at patch 9.3, and one, secret nerf, at patch 9.15.1.
Patch 9.3 nerfs:
Traverse speed for FV304 suspension changed from 22 to 20.
Crossing capacity for FV304 suspension on medium terrain reduced by 7%.
Traverse speed for FV304 Mk. II suspension changed from 24 to 22.
Dispersion on the move and during hull traverse for FV304 Mk. II suspension increased by 6%.
Crossing capacity for FV304 Mk. II suspension on medium terrain reduced by 8%.
Aiming time for Q.F. 25-Pr. Gun/How. changed from 4.5 s to 4.8 s.
Reload time for Q.F. 25-Pr. Gun/How. changed from 8.6 s to 8.9 s.
Dispersion after shot for Q.F. 25-Pr. Gun/How. increased by 20%.
Dispersion for Q.F. 25-Pr. Gun/How. on gun traverse increased by 17%.
Aiming time for Q.F. 4.5-in. Howitzer changed from 4.5 s to 4.8 s.
Reload time for Q.F. 4.5-in. Howitzer changed from 12 s to 13.5 s.
The tank received an all-around mobility nerf (slower traverse, worse terrain resistances), and a gun nerf (nerfed aim time, reload time and dispersion, which further contributed to longer aim times).
But even after the nerf, Bert remained a fan favourite, until a secret, and a quite unexpected nerf, struck the tank at patch 9.15.1, with the tank receiving its HD model.
WG simply made the tank bigger, a lot bigger, and that killed the tank to many people, as before the nerf, tanks with low gun depression couldn‘t hit the artillery, the nerf can be seen here:
FV304 pre-nerf:
FV304 post-nerf:
After the size nerf, not many people played the FV304 anymore, as it‘s easier to hit and doesn‘t have that small size with which you were able to troll heavy tanks.
Onwards to another tier 6 tank, and probably one of the most anticipated tanks,
The mighty Russian beast, KV-1S
It‘s quite well known that the KV-1S that we see at tier 5 nowadays, once was a completely overpowered tier 6 heavy tank that had the ability to one shot tier 4 tanks and tier 5 tank destroyers, and shave off over half the health of other tier 5 and tier 6 tanks. What gun did the tank use?
Well, the 122mm D-2-5T of course!
You might be thinking, „But hey, the KV-85 also has the 122mm D-2-5T and that tank is not OP“. Let’s compare the KV-1S‘s 122mm with the one on the KV-85;
Side-by-side comparison of the guns:
Considering that the average health of tier 6 heavy tanks is around 890, the KV-1S could damage around 44% of their health in one shell, and this is why the tank was regarded as OP;
One of the most underwhelming facts about the 122mm on KV-85 is the extremely slow RoF (reload is about 20 seconds.. which is just ridiculous), KV-1S, on the other hand, not only was more accurate and aimed faster, but also had a marginally better RoF.
Other stats of the tank:
The tank was very well rounded, had good mobility, ok armor, good speed and that epic 122mm gun, and because of that in patch 9.3 the tank was rebalanced, put into tier 5 as a secondary heavy tank and its place was taken over by the KV-85;
Yet to another tier 6 tank, and there will be a couple more;
The VK 36.01H… medium tank?
The VK 36.01 H before patch 8.8 was classified as a medium tank. And a bloody good medium tank. The tank was regarded as the best medium tank at the tier, so let’s check what‘s it all about:
Tank stats; (Gun used is the 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70)
I think you can see what the tank was all about. The traverse speed was bad, and the top speed is mediocre at 40 kph. But the tank had plenty of armor for a medium: 100mm at the front;
The tank really didn‘t behave as a medium tank, more like a heavy, and that‘s probably the main reason it was rebalanced and reclassified.
And one of the main reasons why the tank was called OP, the guns.
Guns:
Quite a couple of guns to choose from, but the one you want to use, is the famous 7,5 cm Konisch;
The gun was the early days of WoT p2w, as the APCR shells not only had more penetration, it did more damage (100 damage more to be exact). With good accuracy and aim time, along with very fast rate of fire, the 165 damage APCR was nothing short of P2W OP, as for the gun to be effective, APCR had to be fired;
Now why did the APCR shell do more damage?
The gun had a cone shape (hence the name „Konisch“), so it effectively was a squeeze-bore gun. The armor piercing ammo was made from tungsten, which meant that as the 7.5cm shell was being fired, the gun squeezed it as it was fired, therefore the shell exited the barrel as a 5cm shell, but with massively increased shell velocity. As the shell was 5cm instead of 7.5cm as it exited the gun, WG has decided to give the shell 5cm shell damage, which in this case is 65. APCR shells, however, were not affected by this mechanic according to WG, not sure why.
(Big thanks to Urakaze from TAP Discord for the explanation of how the gun worked)
The VK 36.01H was rebalanced along with its younger brother, the VK 30.01H, and reclassified,
VK 30.01 H was moved from Tier 6 to Tier 5, and also became a heavy tank instead of a medium, and the 36.01 H remained at the same tier, but underwent big changes and became a heavy tank, where it was supposed to be all along.
Load limit of the VK 36.01 (H) suspension changed from 41800 kg to 41500 kg
Traverse speed of the VK 36.01 (H) suspension changed from 24 to 22
Gun dispersion while moving with the VK 36.01 (H) suspension reduced by 4%
Gun dispersion while turning with the VK 36.01 (H) suspension reduced by 4%
Resistance of the VK 36.01 (H) suspension on solid ground increased by 18%
Resistance of the VK 36.01 (H) suspension on moderately soft ground reduced by 12%
Resistance of the VK 36.01 (H) suspension on soft ground reduced by 9%
Load limit of the VK 36.01 (H) verstärkteketten suspension changed from 42900 kg to 45000 kg
Traverse speed of the VK 36.01 (H) verstärkteketten suspension changed from 27 to 24
Gun dispersion while moving with the VK 36.01 (H) verstärkteketten suspension reduced by 4%
Gun dispersion while turning with the VK 36.01 (H) verstärkteketten suspension reduced by 4%
Resistance of the VK 36.01 (H) verstärkteketten suspension on solid ground increased by 9%
Resistance of the VK 36.01 (H) verstärkteketten suspension on soft ground increased by 7%
Power of the Maybach HL 174 engine changed from 610 to 500
Purchase price of the Maybach HL 174 engine changed from 26250 to 27200
Added Maybach HL 150 engine
Removed Maybach HL 210 P30 engine
Removed Maybach HL 230 P45 engine
Hull weight changed from 20000 kg to 17450 kg
Maximum reverse speed changed from 16 kph to 12 kph
Maximum forward speed changed from 40 kph to 50.5 kph
Pz.Kpfw. VI H Ausf. H2 turret:
Elevation angle of the 10,5 cm KwK 42 L/28 gun changed from -17 degrees to -15 degrees
Declination angle of the 10,5 cm KwK 42 L/28 gun changed from 6 degrees to 8 degrees
Elevation angle of the 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70 gun changed from -17 degrees to -15 degrees
Declination angle of the 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70 gun changed from 6 degrees to 8 degrees
Reload time of the 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70 gun changed from 4.6 seconds to 4.4 seconds
Ammunition capacity of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 68 to 72
Elevation angle of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from -16 degrees to -15 degrees
Declination angle of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 6 degrees to 8 degrees
Reload time of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 5.1 seconds to 4.2 seconds
Average damage value of the Pzgr. 41 HK shell for the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 165 to 135
Average damage value of the Pzgr. 41 StK shell for the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 165 to 135
Ammunition capacity of the gun 8,8 cm KwK 36 L/56 changed from 62 to 64
Elevation angle of the 8,8 cm KwK 36 L/56 gun changed from -17 degrees to -15 degrees
Declination angle of the 8,8 cm KwK 36 L/56 gun changed from 6 degrees to 8 degrees
Reload time of the 8,8 cm KwK 36 L/56 gun changed from 7.4 seconds to 6.9 seconds
Removed 7,5 cm KwK 40 L/48 gun
Traverse speed of the Pz.Kpfw. VI H Ausf. H2 turret changed from 26 deg/s to 24 deg/s
Weight of the turret changed from 4600 kg to 8250 kg
VK 36.01 (H) turret:
View range of the VK 36.01 (H) turret changed from 370 m to 360 m
Elevation angle of the 10,5 cm KwK 42 L/28 gun changed from -17 degrees to -20 degrees
Declination angle of the 10,5 cm KwK 42 L/28 gun changed from 6 degrees to 8 degrees
Reload time of the 10,5 cm KwK 42 L/28 gun changed from 8.6 seconds to 8 seconds
Ammunition capacity of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 68 to 72
Elevation angle of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from -16 degrees to -20 degrees
Declination angle of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 6 degrees to 8 degrees
Reload time of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 5.1 seconds to 4.6 seconds
Dispersion of the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun after shooting increased by 14%
Average damage value of the Pzgr. 41 HK shell for the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 165 to 135
Average damage value of the Pzgr. 41 StK shell for the 7,5 cm KwK 41 L/58 Konisch gun changed from 165 to 135
Added 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70 gun
Removed 7,5 cm KwK 40 L/48 gun
Traverse speed of the VK 36.01 (H) turret changed from 42 deg/s to 24 deg/s
Weight of the turret changed from 3800 kg to 7680 kg
Hit points with the Pz.Kpfw. VI H Ausf. H2 turret changed from 850 to 950
Hit points with the VK 36.01 (H) turret changed from 760 to 850
Onwards to another tier 6 tank…
The KV-3
A tank that time forgot, this tank was even more OP than the KV-1S, as back then everyone was playing the KV-3 for its strong armor and 107mm Zis-6 gun;
Unfortunately, there aren‘t any sources depicting the statistics of the KV-3 at tier 6 that I could find, so we‘ll datamine the 0.7.2 WoT client;
KV-3;
Speed: Forwards: 32 km/h;
Backwards: 10 km/h;
Max load: 71.8t;
Specific power: 8.356 hp/t when under full load;
Traverse speed: 17 deg/s;
Terrain resistances: Hard: 1.028;
Medium: 1.25;
Soft: 2.285;
Max armour value on the hull: 120;
Max armour value on the turret: 130;
Turret rotation speed: 21.875
View range: 332.5m;
Top engine:
V-2IS:
Engine power: 600 hp;
Fire chance: 15%;
Guns:
85mm F-30, 100mm D-10T, 107mm ZiS-6, 122 D-25T with piston shutter;
Shell dispersion on movement: 0.23;
Shell dispersion on rotation: 0.23;
________________________________________________________________________________
107 mm ZiS-6
Ammo capacity: 60 rounds;
Shell dispersion (accuracy): 0.445;
Reload time: 9.71s (RoF of 6.18 RpM);
Shell dispersion factors: On turret rotation: 0.16;
After shot: 4.0;
After gun damage: 2.0;
Aim time: 3.428s;
Shells:
107mm UBR-420 (Armor Piercing);
Price: 270 credits;
Shell velocity: 830 m/s;
Penetration: 167;
Damage: 300;
Module damage: 150;
107mm UBR-420P (Armor Piercing Composite-Rigid)
Shell price: 10 gold;
Shell velocity: 1038 m/s;
Penetration: 219;
Damage: 300;
Module damage: 140;
107mm UOF-420 (High Explosive)
Price: 280 gold;
Shell velocity: 830 m/s;
Penetration: 53;
Damage: 360;
Module damage: 150;
________________________________________________________________________________
122mm D-25T with a piston shutter (no clue what a piston shutter is, but it’s in the name):
Ammo capacity: 38 shells;
Shell dispersion (accuracy): 0.457;
Reload time: 14.74s (RoF of 4.07 RpM);
Shell dispersion factors: On turret rotation: 0.16;
After shot: 4.0;
After gun damage: 2.0;
Aim time: 3.428s;
Shells:
122mm UBR-471 (Armor piercing);
Shell price: 1025 credits;
Shell velocity: 780 m/s;
Penetration: 175;
Damage: 390;
Module damage: 165;
122mm UBR-471P (Armor Piercing Composite-Rigid)
Shell price: 12 gold;
Shell velocity: 975 m/s;
Penetration: 217;
Damage: 390;
Module damage: 160;
122mm UOF-471 (High Explosive):
Shell price: 608 credits;
Shell velocity: 780 m/s;
Penetration: 61;
Damage: 465;
Module damage: 165;
________________________________________________________________________________
All around, the KV-3 at tier 6 had great armour, with 120 at hull front and 130 at turret, and a competitive 122mm D-25T gun. The mobility suffered, however, due to the high tonnage of the tank and its mediocre engine.
Let’s take a look at the last tier 6 of the list:
T-34-85 with 100mm D10T:
T-34-85, the Soviet tier 6 medium tank, before patch 7.5, had access to the 100mm D10T gun.
Statistics from 2010!
Guns:
76 mm S-54:
Avg. damage: 115/110/165;
Penetration: 109/156/39;
Reload time: 4.57s (RoF of 13.12 RpM);
Accuracy: 0.41
122 mm U-11:
Avg. damage: 450/370
Penetration: 61/160
Reload time: 11.43 (RoF of 5.25 RpM);
Accuracy: 0.57;
85 mm ZiS S-53:
Avg. damage:160/160/280;
Penetration: 120/161/43;
Reload time: 5.03 (RoF of 11.93 RpM);
Accuracy: 0.42;
And the 100mm gun:
100 mm D10T:
Avg. damage: 230/230/330;
Penetration: 175/235/50;
Reload time: 9.71 (RoF of 6.18 RpM)
Accuracy: 0.42;
Top engine:
V-2-34M
Engine power: 520hp;
Fire chance: 15%;
Specific power: 16.05 hp/t;
As patch 7.5 brought MM spread changes, the 100mm was no longer required, and to ensure balanced gameplay, was removed;
Ahead to tier 7:
AMX 13 90, tier 7 French LT
Not many people remember that the AMX 13 90 used to be at tier 7, the introduction of ELC AMX with the patch 7.5 pushed all of the light tanks forward by a tier, so the AMX 13 90 was put to tier 8, where it always remained, until the recent light tank revamp, when it became tier 9.
Tank stats at tier 7:
Research tree:
To get the gun statistics we‘ll have to datamine yet again:
Terrain resistances: Hard: 0.9;
Medium: 1;
Soft: 1.6;
Shell dispersion: on movement: 0.21;
on rotation: 0.21;
Top engine: Detroit Diesel 6V53T-S;
Engine power: 350hp;
Fire chance: 12%;
Specific power: around 22.9 hp/t;
90mm F3:
Ammo capacity: 36 shells;
Clip size: 6 rounds;
Shell intraclip time: 2.2s (not sure about that);
Clip reload time: 42s;
Shot dispersion factors: on turret rotation: 0.18;
after shot: 4.0;
after gun damage: 2.0;
Aiming time: 3s;
Shell dispersion (accuracy): 0.38;
Shells:
90mm Prf1941 (Armor Piercing):
Price: 255 credits;
Shell velocity: 930 m/s;
Penetration: 170;
Damage: 240;
Module damage: 150;
90mm FrtPrf1944 (Armor Piercing Composite-Rigid):
Price: 10 gold;
Shell velocity: 1163 m/s;
Penetration: 248;
Damage: 240;
Module damage: 150;
90mm OE mle 1924 (High Explosive):
Shell price: 255 credits;
Shell velocity: 930 m/s;
Penetration: 43;
Damage: 320;
Module damage: 140;
At tier 7, the AMX 13 90 was a formidable threat to enemy tanks. With 1440 potential clip damage and only 11 seconds required to unload it, pairing the sufficient penetration of 170, the tank could simply decimate any tier 7 or 8 tank, and shave off over half the health of tier 9 and some tier 10 tanks.
This tank was pushed back to tier 8 with the patch 7.5, where it stayed for over 4 years until patch 9.18, when it became the tier 9 light tank.
Forwards to another tier 7 comrades,
M41 Walker Bulldog
Who doesn‘t remember the mighty American tier 7 light tank? The autoloading 76 mm T91E5 gun it used to have? With 10 rounds, 1500 potential damage and 18 seconds to unload? Those were the times…
Let‘s take a look at 9.17 patch Bulldog stats, a patch before it got rebalanced and put to tier 8:
Tank stats:
The mighty autoloader:
The most common strategy with the autoloader was to simply wait for flanking opportunities, engaging sole tanks or tanks you know you could defeat without taking much damage.
The speed of the M41 allowed the tank to zoom around tanks while unloading the massive clip, and that was the most common playstyle players used.
Of course, people who didn‘t like the autoloader, could use the single shot 76 mm M32 late gun:
The gun, being single-shot, had better gun handling characteristics, but the ability to clip tier 7 and 8 tanks with the autoloader made the autoloader simply a better choice for the tank.
Unfortunately, after the 9.18 light tank revamp the M41 Bulldog was moved to tier 8 and… nerfed.
While the tank statistics and mobility were sort of buffed, the autoloader was significantly nerfed.
Let’s compare the 9.17 and 9.18 stats:
As the tank got uptiered, it gained more HP, a huge mobility increase (traverse and massive specific power increase at the cost of 4.4km/h top speed loss);
But the biggest let down was the gun nerf:
The autoloader lost 4 of its shells. That might not seem like a big loss, but that was loss of 600 potential damage! The single-shot gun was also (sort of) nerfed:
WG gave the gun a bit better dispersion stats and alpha damage increase of 20, but at the cost of nearly 2 RpM loss… The change resulted in a DPM loss.
All around, the autoloader nerf on M41 was highly dissapointing, as the tank feels bland and having lost its unique autoloader, quite standard (the tank doesn‘t have anything that sets it apart from other LTs).
Tier 8
Rheinmetall Borsig Waffenträger before the great camo and viewrange nerf
Oh Borsig, my favourite tier 8 tank destroyer, king of them all. Shooting 15cm shells from afar, and not getting spotted in the process. While Borsig, in my opinion, is still the best tier 8 TD, it used to be completely overpowered back before every single TD received camo and viewrange nerfs.
Borsig before any of the nerfs:
Simply put, it was completely invisible. Having 400 base viewrange, good after firing camouflage values, and great gun choices, the tank could spot for itself, deal 490 or 750 damage, not get spotted in the process, reload, and finish off its targets.
9.1 TD camo nerf:
9.1 patch notes:
*Visibility of all tank destroyers (except Premium vehicles) after they have fired a shot with the the same guns on other types of vehicles are now brought in line. Mainly this involves increasing their visibility post-shot.
To understand what they changed, we need to look at the camouflage values after shot before and after the nerf.
All german TDs after and post nerf
You might be thinking, that it only lost 1.13% of its camo, that it’s not much of a big deal. Well, it is.
Current maximum possible camouflage values if not behind a bush:
and how close does the enemy need to be in order to spot you:
Enemy with viewrange of 350, if you‘re not hiding behind a bush, you will spot the Borsig if it fires.
Now let’s take a look at something that didn‘t get its camouflage values nerfed, maybe a Russian tier 7 premium tank destroyer, the Stalin‘s hammer, SU-122-44, with its possible max values while not behind a bush:
and how close enemy tanks need to be to spot the tank:
The difference is obvious, SU-122-44, if it fires, will get spotted only by tanks with a view range of 430 m, but all it takes is a small bush and the little beast is basically unspottable. The Borsig, on the other hand, will be spotted within 350m distance if it fires from a bush without being concealed, greatly decreasing its survival chances;
Patch 9.6 TD view range nerf;
The change meant that Borsig couldn‘t reach the 445 meter view range cap without binocular telescope, so to spot for itself, it had to be stationary, with binoculars active.
All around, the Borsig used to be unspottable, but the patch 9.1 camo nerfs, along with 9.6 view range nerfs balanced the tank out. It‘s still a great vehicle, and I dare to say, the best tier 8 tank destroyer, hah, chew on that Skorpion.
Tier 9
IS-4 with the 130mm S-70
IS-4, before the existence of KV-1 and KV-2, used to be the tier 9 heavy of the Soviet heavy tank line, leading to the IS-7.
The gun IS-4 got was the gun IS-7 gets currently, and at tier 9 that gun simply destroyed tanks. Also, the armor profile of the tank was amazing, as the IS-4 at tier 9 had the same armor profile as it has right now, at tier 10 (driver’s hatch was a weakspot back then).
IS-4 at tier 9 stats:
Gun, turret and base stats:
With patch 0.7.3, the KV was removed, its place was taken over by KV-1 and KV-2, so the IS-4 was put to tier 10, and formed a secondary heavy tank line. IS-4, however, lost the130 mm gun during the rebalance and gained the 122mm M-62-T2.
Now let’s take a look at the top tier monsters,
Tier 10
T-22 medium tank
The T-22, the now removed Rampage mode reward, a tank that has been so hard to get that 90% of the players who got it rigged the system. T-22 was considered massively OP for its great gun, amazing armor profile, and great mobility.
Let’s take a look at the tank before the nerf.
The tank was simply ridiculous. Insanely good gun handling with great mobility. Now the armor:
Armor hasn‘t been changed with the nerf hammer:
UFP- 210 – 220 effective,
Due to the boat-shaped hull, the lower plate is a strong point,
But the main trollish part of the armor is the side:
Even while „over-angling“ the armor, it‘s still extremely strong, over 300 effective.
This allows the player to trick others into thinking the driver is simply over-angling the armor due to being „bad“, bounce a shot and return fire.
The combination of insane gun handling, armor and mobility simply made the package OP, so WG nerfed the tank:
After gun and mobility nerfs, it‘s extremely rare to see a T-22 now, the nerf was deemed as „too harsh“, and destroyed the tank to many.
Foch 155
Back when the Foch 155 was added, in patch 7.5, it used to be broken. The gun used to be massively better, the tank used to be faster, and also had more penetration (with premium shells).
Patch 7.5 stats
The gun:
RoF stats are a lie, as the gun was autoloading and WoT back then didn‘t list clip reload times.
The tank used to be insane, until patch 8.11:
Here the listed changes are not complete, also the armor was nerfed: side armor was changed to 40, cupola (rangefinder) received a different hitbox.
After nerfs the tank was frequently regarded as worthless and not worth the grind.
FV 215b 183
The FV 215b 183 is still a tier 10 beast, having the largest alpha damage of any tank in the game on its HESH shells, and sufficient penetration of 230 to deal that damage.
The tank was nerfed (and sort of buffed) in patch 9.5, and massively nerfed in patch 9.2 due to one simple change.
9.5 tank nerf (and buff at the same time):
FV 215b 183 got its mobility severely nerfed, along with its traverse speed, and to compensate WG decided to increase the armor protection, although it‘s up for a debate if it truly compensates for huge mobility losses.
And now the huge, but simple nerf that nearly killed the tank for many that happened at patch 9.2:
Simple, yet extremely big nerf.
With 45mm of HESH penetration loss, many people simply sold the tank as the tank’s one-shot potential was limited.
Although after all the nerfs, the tank is still strong for tier 10.
Now, the legend itself,
The Waffenträger E 100
Completely fictional tank, created by WG, that broke the tier 10 matchmaking with its insane autoloading potential. As everybody knows, the tank was replaced by the Grille 15 in update 9.15, another tank that was up to debate on whether it was balanced.
This monster had the ability to mount 2 guns, both autoloading and completely balanced (sarcasm intended)
Pre nerf WT E100 stats:
Gun choices:
The TD had access to 15cm and 12.8cm autoloaders.
Gun statistics as of 8.9, tank’s introduction to the game:
12.8cm gun:
This gun had a 6 shot autoloader, which resulted in the potential damage of 3360, allowing the WT E100 to destroy any tank in one clip (even the mighty Maus, when it had 3000 health). Combined with insane gun handling and respectable penetration, the gun was simply too good, as even superheavies fell to its might.
15cm gun:
While the 12.8 cm gun was considered the best choice for the tank, the 15 cm was just as lethal, and some people used to equip it with full HE for fun, leading to impressive results.
Worth mentioning, that most of the highest damage games ever recorded, were in the WT E100, something to consider.
As the Waffentrager was simply too good, WG took steps to nerf it:
The nerf was huge, as the loss of the 560 alpha damage shell for the 12.8cm gun brought the clip potential to 2800. While the amount of damage the tank could still dish out was mind-boggling, it was a step in the right direction.
Finally, WG understood that the WT E100 is impossible to balance, so they took steps to remove it, and it was replaced by the Grille 15, which was also under some controversy for being too good.
T110E5
The tank, that WG decided to nerf only after a year. The tank, while initially normal for tier 10, was highly buffed with the HD model, that came with the update 9.10.
Cupola armor was buffed to 229 mm, and with the angling it was around 280-310 mm effective.
9.9 T110E5 armor model:
9.10 HD T110E5 model:
The HD buff to T110E5 was very controversial, as the tank’s armor was nearly unpenetrable without gold ammo, and the only real weakspots were 2 small spaces in the corners of the lower plate, „shooting pixels“ as one famous person said. If the tank was hulldown, there was close to nothing you could do to it.
9.17.1 T110E5 armor changes:
It took WG a year to address this issue, and in patch 9.17.1 its armor was nerfed. But that didn‘t matter as 2 new OP tier X heavy tanks took its spot, the dramatically overbuffed Maus and Type 5 Heavy with its 1400 damage premium howitzer shell.
M48 Patton
The Patton came to WoT with the introduction of tier X medium tanks during patch 7.5, released together with the T-62A and E-50M. Let’s take a look on the tank statistics as it first entered the game in update 7.5:
WG thought that the tank was too good, so in the next patch, 8.0, the tank was significantly nerfed.
While the gun was the main aspect of the tank, it has been severely hit by the nerf hammer, decreasing the aiming time, rate of fire, dispersion values, which also prolonged its already nerfed aim time and affected the ability to fire on the move. The stock 90mm gun, for some reason, was nerfed as well.
The tank got a hidden buff-nerf in patch 9.7:
The standard shells got their penetration nerfed, but to compensate, dispersion on turret rotation was considerably increased.
Since its nerf in patch 8.0, it has been buffed a couple of times, in updates 9.8 and 9.13.
9.8 buff:
9.13 buff:
With an up-and-coming armor buff in 9.20, M48 Patton is showing promises to become one of, if not the best tier X medium tank overall.
T57 Heavy
Back when this thing came out in patch 8.2, and the old HEAT mechanics were still a thing, T57 Heavy was nothing short of broken. Let the statistics speak:
T57 HT stats as of its release:
Nothing special? Right, now let’s take a look at the gun:
Yes, that is 381mm of penetration with HEAT shells. Take the RoF values with a pinch of salt as back at the time the WoT client didn‘t display clip reload times. As the T57 HT heavily benefitted from the old HEAT mechanics, the great HEAT nerf that came with update 8.6 nerfed the tank considerably:
Also, HEAT shells were increased in price.
Not only that, the tank itself was nerfed in update 9.3:
Since the great nerfs to T57 HT, the only real buff was its new HD model at 9.15.1, but since then, the T57 remained forgotten.
This concludes the part 2, and finishes the series.
Massive thanks to everybody for the support. Writing this article series was a great experience, and words cannot express my gratitude to TAP Discord for the help they provided. So this is my farewell for now, although you might see more of me later 😉
Yet again, big thanks to everybody who read the articles.
