So, World of Tanks, I play it, here's some criticism.

[Ulminati]

If you want to play like a TD, the Hellcat is definately better than the KV-1S because, yeah, the hellcat is actually a TD. the KV1S has a bigger gun that deals more damage/has higher AP, but the reload time is abysmal and accuracy is low. The hellcats armor is nonexistant so you definately need to be more careful, but it's faster, has way better camouflage, a better profile for hull down positions, costs less to repair/rearm and will get matched against lower-tiered opponents than a heavy.

Also, given the low(ish) armor of the KV1S for a heavy, you're not going to a huge damage sponge unless you happen to be top tier tank in the match. The additional maneuverbility the hellcat provides for GTFO once you've fired a shot and been revealed will save your bacon more reliably than a few milimetres of tinfoil. The typical argument of "yeah, but TDs must turn their hull to aim" is also invalidated by the fact that most Kwanzanian TDs sport turrets.

Stats for comparison:
http://wiki.worldoftanks.com/M18_Hellcat
http://wiki.worldoftanks.com/KV-1S

For tier 6 tanks I think the real stars (assuming fully upgraded) are:
Medium: VK3601(H) (German) (Standard ammo is fine. Gold shots + KwK 41 L/58 konisch or KwK 36 L/56 is goddamn insane)
Heavy: Toss-up between KV2 (USSR) and ARL44 (French)
Tank destroyer: Hellcat (USA) followed closely by SU-100 (USSR)
SPG: Toss-up between GW Panther (German) and S-51 (USSR). Panther on an open map since it does slightly more damage. S-51 on a map with a lot of cover since it fires in a higher arc
Light: AMX 13 75 (French) is the only tier 6 light tank :p

 

[Ulminati]

An extremely handy UI feature I forgot about after I stopped playing and just remembered again is the A-shaped targeting reticule. It'll change colour from green to orange to red depending on whether or not your shot will have a chance to penetrate armor where you're aiming. Besides telling you when it's time to flee or switch to HE ammo, it's also invaluable in spotting weak spots in the enemy armour.

Or you can just go all-in and install clown skins like a filthy cheater.

 

[Zdzisiu]

That is a clown skin that looks at least bearable, I saw ones that are like:

http://www.wotdb.info/screenshots1/france-AMX_50_120/2.jpg

 

[Gregz]

An extremely handy UI feature I forgot about after I stopped playing and just remembered again is the A-shaped targeting reticule. It'll change colour from green to orange to red depending on whether or not your shot will have a chance to penetrate armor where you're aiming. Besides telling you when it's time to flee or switch to HE ammo, it's also invaluable in spotting weak spots in the enemy armour.

Or you can just go all-in and install clown skins like a filthy cheater.

Could you link the reticle and skin mods?

 

[Elim]

That's bad. But who need's them anyway? They should just use common sense.
Oh wait, it's World of Tanks.

Good list, Ulminati, could not agree more.
The Vk3601(H) was my favorite tank for a long time. Bad grind but totally worth it at the end.

Gregz
Income without premium is possible, you can do well in tier 8. But after that it gets nearly impossible to make money. You do not take "big" hits, it's more like death by a thousand cuts.
Just get a middle tier tank that you are good with, you won't make a big profit but you can finance your high tier tanks.
Good thing is that i grinded the T34, no more money problems. Heh.

I pretty much ignored the american tank line. Only recently i discovered that they are right down my alley. Hull down snipers. Oh the glorious time i had in my T29.
Now i need to test the Hellcat, looks like a good tank.


Mod's
How to install mods
http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index...ick-guide-installing-mods-in-0711-and-beyond/

Important, you will hit better. (Better than always pressing the same buttons at start...)
http://www.curse.com/wot-mods/worldoftanks/permanent-serverside-reticle

Nice to have
http://forum.worldoftanks.eu/index.php?/topic/56831-j1mb0s-crosshair-mod/

Sound
http://forum.worldoftanks.eu/index.php?/topic/92699-jafdets-sound-effects-mods/

 

[Gregz]

Thanks,

I was just installing jimbo's. I assume you can install the server-side ret along with it? I will try it and hopefully it will up my game. I'm over 50% and class 1 on both my KV-1 and T49 so I'm pretty happy with that, I'm just expecting a huge talent crush at the higher tiers as I assume most veteran players up-tier eventually.

As far as t6, I am grinding for the Vk3601(H) but it's taking forever, for now I'll probably choose the M18 and try to have some fun with it.

 

[Elim]

Yeah, when you are in a match press capslock+0 ...this is the real crosshair.
The mod simply does enable it permanently, without the button press.
50+ is pretty good.

 

[Average Manatee]

I highly recommend a camera mod:

http://www.curse.com/wot-mods/worldoftanks/camera-mod

You can drive your tank in gun-sight mode which is amazing for when you just want to barely peak out of cover. You can also zoom out much further in normal mode, kind of a cheat really when you can see an enemy behind walls.

I'm over 50% and class 1 on both my KV-1 and T49 so I'm pretty happy with that, I'm just expecting a huge talent crush at the higher tiers as I assume most veteran players up-tier eventually.

Class M on my KV-1

I don't see better players at higher tiers, just harsher tier separations.

 

[Zdzisiu]

Thanks,

I was just installing jimbo's. I assume you can install the server-side ret along with it? I will try it and hopefully it will up my game. I'm over 50% and class 1 on both my KV-1 and T49 so I'm pretty happy with that, I'm just expecting a huge talent crush at the higher tiers as I assume most veteran players up-tier eventually.

As far as t6, I am grinding for the Vk3601(H) but it's taking forever, for now I'll probably choose the M18 and try to have some fun with it.

Most of the truly good players rarely play Random games, they play in Clan Wars and sometimes in Tank Companies. And driving a high tier does not mean that a player is good. With the premium tanks like Lowe, KV 5 and Type 59 everybody can buy Tier VIII without playing even one battle. And believe me, it shows when your top tanks are driven by wallet warriors.

For the mods, I would also recommend XVM even if you dont like seeing player rating and stats in battle (It can be turned off), it is also a successor of OTM and I simply can't play the game any longer without the markers over tanks (Vanilla game introduced something like that recently but Im not sure how well it works,).

I also use a more detailed minimap mod.

XVM : http://code.google.com/p/wot-xvm/ its Russian but dont worry, everything is also in english.
Minimap mod: http://forum.worldoftanks.eu/index.php?/topic/95330-pettingson-locastans-hd-minimap-mod-73/

 

[Ulminati]

Got my VK3601 + tracks + turret + 8.8cm gun yesterday. I'm in love

Rammer, Toolbox, Ventilation installed. 100% crew working towards perks (sixth sense on the commander, situational awareness on radio man, improved turning on driver, +2sec target visibility on gunner, adrenaline on loader). Gonna grind it long and hard tonight to get the big engine.

 

[trais]

Any love for Tiger (P) here? I think it's penultimate tank in it's tier, right behind T29, especially if you platoon with a mate who will watch over your sides. Not the fastest in the bunch, but superb frontal armor and very good gun more than makes up for it. Just don't forget to buy spall liner.

Anyways, how's PzIV these days? I know first hand it's good tank for it's tier, but KV was better, so once I unlocked it there was no point in keeping PzIV. But since they nerfed HE (bye bye derp gun, your awesomeness will be missed ) and KV-2 is being constantly treated like a redheaded stepchild by matchmaker I was think about re-buying PzIV as one money making tanks.

 

[Ulminati]

PzIV, once you mount the schmallturm and 8.8cm gun 7.5cm KwK42 L/70, is one of the best sniping tanks for its tier. It's tied with the StuG III as my favourite vehicle. It has a fairly high profile with ridiculously high frontal turret armor. If you find a good hull down position you can shred with impunity.

In fact, 2 days ago I made a ton of XP in a single match with my PzIV on himmelsdorf. (Granted, it was first win of the day). I started at base I and immediately headed for the eastern hill along with a few other tanks. Me and a M7 turned down the J9 descent and ran into a Panther II. It killed the M7 but I killed it in turn. I then turned north and finished off an IS-1 facing north in G7 with 2 penetrating hits to the engine. Swinging left, I had a clear line of fire down the G2-G6 corridor and managed to kill a KV-2 with derp gun with side hits into the ammo rack, followed by a SU-152 which I continuously detracked to prevent it from returning fire. I then used the wreckage as a barrier while scouting an IS3 for our arty. Finally, I swung down the H5 street and managed to take out a S-51 SPG before finally getting blown up by a Ferdinand.

PzKpfw IV is an übertank

 

[Zdzisiu]

PzIV with 8.8cm gun? Where can I get one hmm?

You probably meant PzIV with 7.5cm KwK 42 L/70

But I do agree that it is awesome.

 

[Ulminati]

PzIV with 8.8cm gun? Where can I get one hmm?

You probably meant PzIV with 7.5cm KwK 42 L/70

That I do. I'm at work (browsing the codex, natch) so I haven't my WoT at hand. I probably mixed up the calibers of my PzIV and the VK3601 I'm currently grinding.

 

[Zdzisiu]

A good resource for checking tank stats, modules, equipement, prices ect:

http://www.wotdb.info/

 

[trais]

Yeah, that sounds like PzIV I remember
But do you often get placed in tier 8 fights? Because that's what was pissing me off in post-split KV-2, freaking tier 9 fights 50% of the time where 107 was pathetically ineffective and 152 didn't have the fear factor it normally does. And let's not mention high-tier arty that love shooting big, slow targets that get's 1-shotted just from the splash dmg. I know the MM is a hard mistress and in some battles you have to be the fodder at the bottom, but that shit were ridiculous even for WoT standards.

 

[Ulminati]

Yeah, that sounds like PzIV I remember
But do you often get placed in tier 8 fights? Because that's what was pissing me off in post-split KV-2, freaking tier 9 fights 50% of the time where 107 was pathetically ineffective and 152 didn't have the fear factor it normally does. And let's not mention high-tier arty that love shooting big, slow targets that get's 1-shotted just from the splash dmg. I know the MM is a hard mistress and in some battles you have to be the fodder at the bottom, but that shit were ridiculous even for WoT standards.

There's usually 1-2 tier VIII tanks and a bunch of Tier VII-VI in the games I get on my PzIV. I can still damage most things either by aiming at weak spots (the KwK42L/70 is ridiculously accurate) or switching to HE shells for the rest. My VK3601 frequently sees Tier IX-X tanks on both teams.

Nice link. I usually use http://wiki.worldoftanks.com but that doesn't show the research trees.

 

[trais]

That cool, I'm gonna pick it up then, especially since it's gonna earn 10% more credits in June (source: http://worldoftanks.eu/news/2590-tank-month-mainstay-wehrmacht/ at the bottom).

 

[Ulminati]

So I just had my first game of the day on my StuG III

Yeah....

 

[Average Manatee]

Got my VK3601 + tracks + turret + 8.8cm gun yesterday. I'm in love

Rammer, Toolbox, Ventilation installed. 100% crew working towards perks (sixth sense on the commander, situational awareness on radio man, improved turning on driver, +2sec target visibility on gunner, adrenaline on loader). Gonna grind it long and hard tonight to get the big engine.

You paying real money for stuff? I can barely afford tanks alone, don't have any special equipment and my crews are all 50-60% (except the free 100% crew I got with the KV-2, which seems to be useless because I'm always against Tier 10 tanks with it).

 

[trais]

If you have premium account, simply grinding a tier 5-6 tank will give you on average about 15-20k credits per game. And you can usually buy equipment on event days at 50% cost.

 

[Ulminati]

You paying real money for stuff? I can barely afford tanks alone, don't have any special equipment and my crews are all 50-60% (except the free 100% crew I got with the KV-2, which seems to be useless because I'm always against Tier 10 tanks with it).

The only thing I got with gold was a 100% crew for tanks I intend to keep forever. So that's my StuG III, my VK3601 and my PzIV. I generally don't have trouble drumming up credits for tanks, but then I play a bunch of good moneymakers and nothing above tier 6

Case in point, the StuG game I had today was a 42k profit.

 

[Zdzisiu]

Just got 500 gold from WarGaming for taking part in World od Warplanes alpha.

 

[Ulminati]

Use it to buy camouflage patterns for the JagdIV

 

[Zdzisiu]

No amount of fancy camouflage can convince me to play that tank more than I need to unlock JagdPanther.