New Swedish medium tanks are ready to storm World of Tanks! Born in the mountainous regions and deep fjords of Scandinavia, hardened by bitter icy winds and long snowy winters, these steel berserkers are truly formidable adversaries on the battlefield.
Fast and furious, these Swedish medium tanks are destined for mid-to-close combat and can become game-changers if you play them right. Let’s take a closer look at the composition of the new branch and the key gameplay features of the new Swedish machines we’re introducing.
Unique Mechanics and Its Particularities
Researching the new sub-branch of the Swedish medium tanks will start at Tier VII, with the Leo. As you progress, you’ll be able to move along the heavy tank branch or research these new medium tanks. Together with Update 1.5, the following new vehicles will join World of Tanks:
- The UDES 14 Alt 5 (Tier VIII)
- The UDES 16 (Tier IX)
- The UDES 15/16 (Tier X)
Starting from Tier VIII, the Swedish medium tanks will all have a unique gameplay feature, hydropneumatic suspension, but let’s keep it simple and call it air suspension throughout this article. It’s like the one available in top-tier Swedish TDs through Siege Mode. But unlike the TDs, it will activate automatically when the medium’s speed drops below a certain point. This way, they change their hull inclination angle and their gun depression can reach up to -13 degrees. This is a record high value amongst the Tier X tanks in our game, and a really good angle for Tier VIII-IX machines compared to the original gun depression angles. Check it out:
- The UDES 14 Alt 5: -6 degrees
- The UDES 16: -5 degrees
- The UDES 15/16: -6 degrees
NOTE: The actual bonus in gun depression angles you get from the activated air suspension depends strongly on the turret’s angle of rotation. If the turret of your tank is oriented forward, then the bonus from the air suspension is 100% and it starts helping you. And if the turret of your tank is oriented sideways, then you won’t get any extra gun depression! Use this feature in those game situations when it’s important to get a larger angle of gun inclination and try to align the position of the turret relative to the hull (or vice versa, try to align the hull position relative to the turret of your vehicle).
So, when your speed is lower than 10 km/h, the vehicle switches to this mode. And when you start accelerating, and are going faster than 19 km/h (for Tiers VIII and IX) or 23 km/h (for Tier X), the vehicle turns off this mode and its hull levels out. This mechanic will benefit these tanks in unusual situations, such as: when firing on the move or when rolling downhill.
Commonalities and Gameplay Tips
High damage per shot is a key feature of all three top-tier Swedish medium tanks. By the way, we have carefully tested the menacing 120-mm gun, mounted on the UDES 15/16, and it performs rather brilliantly. A high alpha-damage gives you the opportunity to try different tactics on the battlefield, especially when playing as a support vehicle. Always keep in mind that the high alpha is a very important trump card that can make you a winner in duels even with the most formidable opponents.
In addition, the new Swedish machines are very compact. They are stealthy and have a low silhouette, and can reach certain positions faster than heavy tanks.
To make it easier for you to master these Swedish Vikings, we’ve prepared some useful tips that will allow you to play more effectively.
- Never forget about the air suspension giving your tank additional gun depression angles. You may need some time to get used to it, but you will certainly appreciate how convenient it is.
- All the vehicles have hull armor with decent sloping, but it’s not too thick. Be careful not to expose your tank.
- Their top speed seems nothing special, but they keep up well and accelerate fast. And it’s enough to close in on an enemy and surprise them with a destroying shot thanks to their big alpha.
- Both the Tier IX and X tanks have tough turrets with decent frontal armor, so you will be able to shrug off shells of medium tanks of the same tier and some top-tier machines. But this does not apply to the UDES 14 Alt 5, sitting at Tier VIII. Its turret is not so solid, so you should rely more on its high mobility and gun with good alpha.
- The low profile allows you to get close to enemies and pinpoint their location, so on some maps Swedish medium tanks can operate as active scouts.
- When in battle in one of these tanks, try aggressive support tactics. Flank the enemies together with other medium tanks, taking a good firing position, and make a hasty retreat if necessary.
The UDES 14 Alt 5
A versatile medium tank, with a traditional design and a fast-firing gun, sacrificing armor for greater maneuverability. The stock gun is 90 mm, but the top one is a 105 mm with good alpha damage (360 points). You can rely on its accuracy, even on the move, so you can support your team as a proper flanker. Your priority targets are light and medium tanks.
The UDES 16
A really serious adversary with characteristics similar to the top-tier vehicle. The UDES 16 boasts a solid researchable turret, a tough hull with well-sloped armor and a menacing 105-mm gun with excellent alpha damage (390 points). It easily flanks enemies, covers allies and can make use of uneven landscapes to deal massive hits.
The UDES 15/16
Besides all the above-mentioned gameplay features and the air suspension, the UDES 15/16 also has a well-armored turret, so it can effectively repel hits from other Tier X vehicles. Another feature is its 120-mm gun, with a monstrous alpha – 440 points! Not many medium tanks have such a gun at Tier X. Finally, this will be one of the smallest and the stealthiest Tier X vehicles, with the highest camo values among all medium tanks for its Tier, so it will be hard to spot and hit this berserker.
We hope that these brave Swedish medium tanks will bring you enjoyable gameplay. Good luck on the battlefield, Commanders!
