Leo, P.43, T-34/100

I Club Seals At Tier VII

By:

IrmaBecx

So back in late 2015 or early 2016 I wrote the above quote in one of my notebooks: “I Club Seals At Tier VII – Hashtag Goals”. This was back in the dreamy mists of the glory days, when everyone hung out on the old Forum, drove tier IV tanks for fun, and we had plus/minus two matchmaking above tier V.

And I’m not sure that now, five or six years later, I have actually realised that goal. Indeed, the game has changed so much since then as to be practically unrecognisable, and a few irritating exceptions aside, it has become much, much better.

I’m looking at you, Smasher. And your partner in crime the Annihilator.

But yeah, tier VII used to have my favourite tanks in the game: first the Panther/M10, and then the Rudy. The Cosplay Panther used to have preferential matchmaking so it never used to see tier IX, and it has to be said Wargaming took their sweet time buffing it to anywhere near what it used to be. The Rudy I still think is just about the best tank in the game, but there is now the T-44-85 that might have a few things to say about that. I even bought one of those.

I’ve been on a bit of an involuntary break over the last two months or so, not having been able to write anything coherent and having no energy for Discord or other social media. But I have still been playing a little, and am now trying to get back into it.

This is, after all, my favourite game in the world.

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One hundred and eighty two tanks. That’s how many I have now, it boggles the mind. And of course I don’t drive even a third of them. My garage is full of tanks I’ve driven, liked, and promised I’d come back to at some point, but that never really seems to happen. I’ve been making an effort at becoming better at tier X, and if I’ve not been driving my tier X bruisers, I’ve either been driving tier IX favourites or tier VIII premium tanks.

But lately, that’s not been a lot of fun for some reason. I’ve been driving my Object 140 in rating battles, the result of which is a very modest 2700 rating at the time of writing, and so I sort of gave up on that. What to do instead?

Well, I mentioned I bought the T-44-85. I also got the Kunze from that event, and I bought the AMX 13 57 that I’ve been wanting forever, so I’ve been hanging out in tier VII a lot lately. And in spite of the OP meme-ium tank invasion, I’ve actually been going pretty well. So much so I’ve actually started driving a few of those tanks I always told myself I’d come back to.

Case in point: EU tech tree Mediums. There are three of those, and they all have something in common; namely they all have slightly larger caliber weapons than tier standard. The Leo has a 105 mm, the P.43 ter has a 90 mm, and the Czech T-34-100 as the name suggests has a 100 mm. Otherwise they do around 50 km/h with 20 hp/ton give or take, have a little over 2000 DPM, and the armour is iffy but it can bounce if angled correctly.

And you know what? It’s been a lot of fun.

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When the Czech Medium line dropped, I liked both the P.43 models, but then promptly forgot all about them as soon as I got to the fantastic Pantera and the Standard B. Then I had to get the Kranvagn, and I really enjoyed the Leo, but that line is really about Heavy tanks. Being a fan of the Rudy I quite enjoyed the T34/100 too, but of course the autoloaders were the ones I was really curious about.

But now? Not really doing any grinding except missions, and so I can pretty much drive what I want. Tier VII actually has a lot of tanks I like, and so I expanded my trio of tier VII Mediums with a few other tanks: the “Chinese Whisper” T-34-1, the classic KV-13, the aforementioned Kunze, AMX 13 57, and T-44-85; even the IS-2 which has become one of my favourite Heavy tanks for those Heavy tank missions.

So every time I log in now, I have this bunch of tier VII favourites all lined up and ready to go. I usually drive the EU tanks first, and then I drive a Light tank or two for a bit of comic relief, and if I need to, the IS-2.

And of course I do catch my share of the Smashillator disease, but it happens to everyone; there’s nothing doing. None of these tanks struggle unduly against tier VIII opponents, but you need to keep your head down a little. You might think they plow straight through tier VI teams, but that’s not how it works; there are plenty of potent tanks (and players) down there too.

Tier VII is however a good place to be. It’s low enough to be a bit of fun, but high enough to be “for real”.

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So what’s so great about these EU Medium tanks?

I’m not so sure they’re all that special; they’re just well put together. And with a slightly larger caliber, the gameplay is really all about making good trades, which means good positioning and following the Medium tank doctrine, meaning keep moving, reset camo, trade distance for damage, et cetera.

The Leo is the slowest of these three, but it has the best gun depression and the thickest frontal turret armour. The power to weight ratio is also the highest by a slim margin. The 105 mm M/34 is an old field gun and has the lowest penetration of the three, but it also packs the biggest punch, again not by very much, but still.

The P.43 ter has a regular old 90 mm, which used to be cool at tier VII before the Chinese Whisper came around with that 100 mm. The Russians all have 85 mm at this tier, and there is the old T20 and the new T26E3 Eagle 7 who also run 90 mm. Compared to the other two EU Mediums the P43 reloads almost two seconds faster, but ends up at about the same DPM.

Finally, the Konstrukta T-34/100 has by far the highest penetration values of this small selection, and it also gets HEAT rounds instead of APCR as premium rounds, so it’s well worth running calibrated shells on this one. That means giving up 150 DPM, but you’ll have 184 mm of AP and 275 HEAT penetration – same as the Hype 62 Light tank.

If I had to choose between them? Not sure what I would pick. The Italian is the fastest, the Swede has that gun depression, and the Czech will punch holes in most anything you meet out there. But really, it’s just swings and roundabouts, and these are tier VII tanks; they shouldn’t take you very long to grind out.

No reason not to go for all three, especially since they will in time give you access to three likewise excellent tier X tanks.

*

The way I’ve been driving lately I shouldn’t presume to teach anyone to drive a Medium tank, but there are  few things I want to mention.

Having a slightly bigger gun means you can trade well with many other Medium and Light tanks at the same or lower tiers, but you need to be in control of the situation. In a straight up damage trade, something like a Panther I, T-43, or Comet will have like 500 DPM more and they will simply chew you to pieces in no time. You have to make sure you are in a situation where you can use cover, and ideally also reset your camouflage.

Doing 50 km/h is good, but it’s not that good. Make sure you start to manoeuvre early so you don’t get swarmed or rammed by some big brute. These tanks weigh between 25 and 35 tons and they don’t like getting plowed into at all.

Seven degrees is adequate for hull down work, but again it’s not fantastic. The Leo has a slight advantage there. But none of these tanks show much more than 140 mm effective armour on the front of the turret firing over the drive wheel at full depression; you wouldn’t call that very reliable. The T-34/100 and the P.43 will sidescrape a 122 mm out to just under 20 degrees, but the Leo will get overmatched.

The High Explosive ammunition also deserve a mention. Since these are three different calibers, they also have three very different HE shells. 90 mm gets you 45 mm of penetration for 270 damage. 100 mm gives you 50 mm at 350 damage, and 105 mm 53 mm at 380 damage. But the two larger guns only carry 30 (T-34/100) and 35 (Leo) rounds respectively where the 90 mm P.43 carries 60, so you’ll want to consider your loadout carefully.

The one I’ve been driving the most is actually the Leo, but thus far I don’t have more than 50 games in any of these tanks. I will have thrown all kinds of free XP at them doing the actual grinds, and as I explained I’ve then quickly set them aside to get to the good stuff at higher tiers. I’m sure you know what that’s like.

But coming back to them I feel that might have been doing both myself and these vehicles a disservice, because they really are quite wonderful little tanks. In terms of my winrate the Italian is in the lead by almost 10%, and I’m nowhere near Acing that one. Not sure why exactly; it currently has the lowest average winrate of the three on Blitzstars.

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So what’s the bottom line?

Well, if you’ve been holding off getting that Kranvagn or Progetto, there’s really no reason to. I will say the Strv m/42 and Strv 74 at tiers V and VI aren’t the most fun, but the P.43 bis and Skoda T-25 are both excellent tanks.

But more than that, the three tier VII tanks in the EU tech tree are all well worth hanging on to after you’ve finished grinding out the tier VIII; they’re not hard to drive, and you’ll have a great selection of slightly larger than average caliber weapons to play with.

If you find you’re having trouble winning, then perhaps you are being too aggressive; I know I have that problem a lot of the time. Go back to basics; spot more carefully, work from cover, reset camo, and work on making better trades and positioning more effectively. Don’t try to fight Heavys or Tank Destroyers frontally; these tanks aren’t made for that.

Don’t rely on your armour, try pretending you don’t have any at all and you’ll be happier when you still get those once in a while bounces. Remember it’s mostly about the autobounce angles, so keep moving and try to make it hard for your opponents to get a clean shot.

Once you get more comfortable with basic Medium tank gameplay you can start being a little more opportunistic and make more daring plays, but don’t get ahead of yourself or you’ll get caught out.

Sitting on a pile of credits, it’s not like I need to drive premiums just now, and however much I love my old “Rudy” and my new T-44-85, Kunze, and AMX pea shooter, I’m happy to have these wonderful tech tree beaters in my garage too. I may still not club seals at tier VII exactly, but I am having fun there.

IrmaBecx says Euro Mediums are totally legit.

See you out there! 

Lockbox tanks: Progetto 46, M41 “Black Dog”, FCM 50t

Lockbox Tank Breakdown

By:

IrmaBecx

So there are good crates, and there are bad crates. You may already have gotten a lockbox or two from just playing the game, and the best part is you can also get keys to open them for free; all you have to do is watch some tournament streams through the official Blitz portal.

That makes these crates pretty good in my book. Free stuff is always welcome. I happen to have all three tanks already, but maybe I can pick up some camos or a commemorative avatar?

The grand prize, which you are 99% sure of not getting every time you open a box, is the coveted Progetto M45 mod. 46, and if you get that for free, you should consider yourself very lucky. It’s a great tank, and its reputation is well deserved.

The tanks you assemble from parts are also good, especially the M41 “Black Dog”, which is one of my favourite tanks in the game. It’s a real pro tool; a tank that will challenge you no matter how good you get, and it’s a gem for anyone interested in Light tank gameplay or making the most out of game mechanics.

Then there is the French Char Magnifique; the FCM 50t, which has been in the game for ages and ages, but that no one really talks about. I think I bought mine the second it dropped, and then spent years waiting for the actual French tech tree to come along.

So some good tanks to be had, and potentially for free with very little effort.

I just thought I’d do a quick rundown of what you can expect if you get lucky.

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I spent quite a bit of time trying to compare the tech tree P.44 Pantera to the Progetto 46, and in the end my conclusion was they are about equally powerful, but they do things in different ways. The Pantera is faster and has a little bit of armour. The Progetto has higher alpha and a faster interclip, but reloads the actual shells slower. It also has virtually no armour at all, standard penetration is much lower, and it doesn’t nearly have the engine power of the Pantera.

You might say that where the tech tree tank is an assault Medium, the premium tank is more of a support vehicle. That’s not because the Pantera is more well armoured; it’s because it’s faster. You’re only going to get troll bounces off it, but it will actually bounce.

So the Progetto is a little fragile. But it can certainly bite back when cornered; the combination of an auto reloader and 240 alpha damage means it can outtrade other 90 mm tanks of the same tier.

But it’s not a very easy drive, and it won’t forgive you any mistakes. You’ll want to play it very careful, making sure you have cover so you can reset camo, trade distance for damage, and have your escape routes planned out.

The whole point of the Progetto is it has an auto reloader. Otherwise you may as well drive something like the STA-1 or the Pz 58 “Mutz”; both have higher DPM and better penetration values. And in some situations, the auto reloader is immensely powerful, able to clip out isolated opponents, or finish of multiple low health targets in a row.

Yes, it does happen.

But if you don’t have a lot of experience, you should expect to struggle with the Progetto. The auto reloader mechanic takes a little while to get used to, you’re not able to rely on your armour, and although it looks good on paper, the mod. 46 really isn’t a lot faster than other Mediums at the same tier.

But is it worth getting? Most definitely. If you love your Pantera of your M4 FL10, you are a definite candidate. If you are looking for a bit of a challenge, and a higher level of risk/reward, then likewise. The auto reloader just doesn’t get old, just like the Black Dog, it will keep you coming back for more no matter how skilled you are, and the better you get at driving it, the more fun it will be.

A definite thumbs up.

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Speaking of the Black Dog, lets have a look at it next. It’s really just a tier VIII M41 Bulldog with a bored out 76 mm that fires powerful 90 mm rounds.

Also, this unassuming tank is actually a candidate for the fastest tank in the game. Yes, the Ru 251 still has the highest top speed, but since the M41 is lighter and has better ground resistance numbers, it gets up to speed quicker, and in all but a straight line race on flat ground, it moves around faster than the Ru does.

You also get that lovely 240 alpha on your standard rounds, and unlike the Progetto, you also get higher HE damage. That’s a real bonus since those are actually what we call “cheap HESH” with about twice the penetration of a standard 90 mm HE shell. With calibrated shells, you get 112 mm HE, and 275 mm HEAT penetration.

So that’s what I meant when I mentioned game mechanics. The Lekpz M41 90 is all about maximising your potential by always choosing the right round for the right situation, getting at people’s sides and rears to land those high penetration HE shells, learning what targets have thin enough armour, and avoiding frontal engagements with those that don’t.

For my money, the Black Dog is one of the absolute best and most worthwhile premium tanks in the game.

But again it has no armour at all, and so it will take a bit of competence to make it work. Driving a tier VIII Light tank isn’t that difficult, but it is definitely a step up from trundling along in your IS spam or hiding behind a gun mantlet to get bounces. If the Progetto doesn’t give you a lot for free, then the Black Dog gives you nothing.

And that is the charm. Or the challenge, if you will. You drive it because you are tired of grinding credits in the same old beaters, and you want to step things up a notch. Because of that, it has its place in anyones garage, either as an investment for the future, or a daily driver once you git gud.

If you love driving your Ru 253 but think it’s a little too expensive to run, then you are the perfect Lekpz candidate.

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That brings us to the French offering, which is I suppose the least interesting of the three. That’s not surprising, about 90% of tier VIII premiums would find themselves in the same position; remember the comparison here is two of the best premium tanks in the game.

The FCM 50t is actually a Heavy tank, but it’s designated as a Medium. This is because it has two engines; or was supposed to, anyway, in order to reach the stated 1000 horsepower goal.

And it’s huge. It’s the size of a German SuperHeavy. That’s not so good when you have flat plates everywhere, but the armour has seen various upgrades over the years, and is actually quite good, especially for a Medium.

The main armament is the same 90 mm DCA 45 you get on the AMX M4 45, with a few minor differences; a lovely French long gun that places the shots where you want and goes through more often than not.

A lot has happened in tier VIII since it was introduced, and you have to say both the armour and the weaponry are about average these days. But the FCM is big, burly, and robust, and the fact it moves around so quickly in spite of its size is what makes it fun to drive. The fact it isn’t quite as wildly fascinating as the auto reloader or the cheap HESH toting Light tank doesn’t mean it’s bad; it just means it isn’t the best in tier like they are.

So should you cry if you get one?

No, I don’t think so. If you didn’t have one before, this is a chance to get acquainted with an old classic not many people drive these days, and grind some credits in a huge, brawly, hull down Medium tank at speeds that belie its grand stature.

It’s a fun tank. Just not quite as fun as the absolute best in the game, and you can’t really blame it for that, can you?

Someone has to come in third place.

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So this has been a quick rundown of the three lockbox tanks. I think all three are great prizes, and I hope you all get to drive at least one of them for the first time, for free.

Remember to watch the tournaments on the game portal and not on youtube, and make sure you log in with your game account!  You will get one lockbox key for every 30 minutes of watching.

Here is the link:

https://eu.wotblitz.com/en/tournaments/

You can also reach it from the Lockbox news item in the in game news.

I wasn’t always super interested in tournaments, but they have grown on me the last couple of years, and of course I want to support my friends who help stream them. You can just log in and leave it running, but I would urge you to at least give it a chance.

Who knows; you might even learn something?

Best of luck to everyone. I hope you get a free tank!

Thoughts On The Progetto 46

The Progetto Proposition

By:

IrmaBecx

So last time I compared the P.44 Pantera and the Progetto 46, I felt I did a bit of a rush job. And now that the Progetto is on sale at a very competitive price, it’s the perfect opportunity for a revisit.

My problem was this: I noted that the two tanks had different styles of play, but was I really driving them differently? I kind of had the feeling I had concluded the Progetto was better simply because the numbers suggested it.

So that means not giving the P.44 a fair shake. Because if you drive both tanks the exact same, you are doing one of them a disservice. For that reason you can’t talk about the Progetto without mentioning the Pantera.

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I should say I got my Progetto for free, it was a holiday gift from Wargaming. That’s important to note when I then go on to say this is one of my favourite tanks and one of the most worthwhile premiums in the game.

You should also note the tech tree comparison is important, and it’s not as simple as one tank being outright better then the other. It’s more like them having different strong points.

Like, the Pantera is faster is a straight line, but the Progetto turns much faster. It has a higher alpha on a shorter interclip reload too, but then the Pantera has a faster rate of fire. The P.44 also has a massive engine and so much better specific power, but the Progetto is more agile, and lower to the ground.

You can go back and forth like his, but in the end you will end up at the conclusion that comparing the two is a lot like comparing the Ru 251 and the M41 Black Dog: they are same-same-but-different. Different enough to be worthwhile, but similar enough that if you drive one, you can quickly adapt to the other.

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One main difference is armour. I very seldom get bounces off my Progetto 46, but that does happen in the Pantera. That doesn’t mean the P.44 is well armoured, but many of the plates are thick enough not to get overmatched, and the boxy shape is easy to angle.

In return, the Progetto is a smaller target and has one more degree of gun depression for working ridgelines. You see how there are these tradeoffs back and forth all the time?

The other is the Progetto has that 240 alpha AP round and reloads half a second faster from the clip. That’s going to make it a slightly more efficient “clipper”, but with the shorter shell reload, the Pantera puts out single rounds more efficiently.

And that’s pretty much it.

Both these tanks are auto reloader Mediums, that is the important thing about them. Because you can’t really nerf away the versatility of an auto reloader no matter what you do to it, and the P.44 is one of the three best performing tier VIII Mediums in the game last I checked.

Even though they do things slightly differently, they fill the same supporting, flanking, harassing, and isolating role on the battlefield, and the great thing is you don’t have to pay to get some of that. The P.44 is freely available in the tech tree, and offers the same level of power and versatility as the premium Progetto.

You can look at the numbers and see the Progetto performs significantly better, but it is the darling of many competent players as the playstyle appeals to the experienced driver. I think it’s fair to say the numbers are slightly skewed.

There is some confusion about the actual DPM numbers on these two tanks, made more complicated by the fact there are three different DPM numbers for each tank. According to my calculations, the biggest difference is when firing single rounds. The Pantera has around 250 more DPM doing that. Firing two rounds the difference drops to under 200, and when emptying the entire clip the difference is less than 50, still in the Panteras favour.

So the Pantera has more DPM, in theory. In reality, if you land the same amount of standard shells with both tanks, the Progetto will do more damage. It has a higher effective DPM when trading shot for shot.

But in the end, these tanks are about equally strong. One may fit you a little better and therefore also perform a little better, but I no longer believe the P.44 Pantera is the better tank.

*

The fact you can get much the same ride in the tech tree shouldn’t hold you off; indeed a Pantera driver is the perfect customer for the Progetto. Not simply because they will know how to drive it already, but because they will be able to appreciate the subtle differences between the two tanks.

Either will act as a proxy for the other, and if you are curious about autoloader Medium gameplay, at todays price, you could reasonably pick up the cheap bundle to see what it’s all about before you start dropping resources on the grind.

You should be aware however, that the Progetto is a tricky drive. The auto reloader makes it very versatile, and situationally very powerful, but this is a 90 mm Medium with no armour in a world full on Smashers and missiles and IS-spam.

Ask yourself: will you be able to play a tank that cannot bounce return shells?

If it’s an auto reloader you want, then the Progetto is all about the auto reloader mechanic and virtually nothing else. Without it, it would just be a 90 mm Medium; a slower AMX CDC.

So is it worth it? Yes, it’s worth it, especially at todays prices. I think the Progetto 46 is one of the best premiums in the game, but yeah, mine was basically a bribe from Wargaming.

If you love your Pantera but think it’s too expensive to run, the Progetto will fix that. If you are looking for something slightly different with a similar playstyle, then that’s exactly what it is. And if you heard about these fancy auto reloaders, you know about tier VIII gameplay, and you want to get in on the action, the Progetto will give you the full experience.

IrmaBecx says I really can’t recommend this tank enough for the initiated driver.

Standard B and Progetto nerf evaluation

Unnerfable?

By:

IrmaBecx

So both the Standard B and the top dog Progetto have gotten nerfed. I drove mine just now and couldn’t really tell the difference. In fact, I didn’t even feel I had to adjust my playstyle.

And if you’ve heard either tank is now obsolete or useless, not only is that a gross exaggeration, the very idea that it could even happen is laughable in the first place.

Why?

Because these are auto reloader tanks, it’s as simple as that.

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I’ve often said no other tank is as versatile as an auto reloader. This is because you have the benefits of an autoloader without the drawback of getting caught out on a long reload; it’s a very powerful mechanic.

And really, no matter what you do to an auto reloader, it will still retain that versatility by its very nature. You would really have to nerf one into the ground to make it useless; I’m talking about something really preposterous here.

All that’s happened is the Progetto 65 got a slight nerf to aimtime, dispersion, and engine power, while the Standard B got a dispersion, and most recently a slight DPM nerf. That’s not what I would call “preposterous”. In fact, I hardly think the nerfs have touched these tanks at all.

That’s what I like to see. Rebalancing have slowed the two tanks down a little, but it hasn’t made them very different from what they were. They can still do the same jobs, although not quite as effectively as before, and they still have the exact same playstyle.

More importantly, reining in the two top Italians hasn’t made them any less fun to drive. Their appeal was never to be found in outright power, but in the fact the auto reloader gives you more options in terms of gameplay.

*

The above is me trying to hold the corner on Yamato waiting for the flankers to finish sightseeing. You can see me holding back, not wanting to get hit by the enemy Sheridan, and building a nice bit of damage throughout.

The Standard B is still a great tank; although it does initially feel like a slight downgrade from the speedy Pantera, the added firepower more than makes up for it. You still have to be careful driving one, especially in a tier X game, but you can also bite back really hard if you try to keep your clip topped up.

If you’ve been thinking you missed out on the Standard B and the Progetto, there’s no need to worry. They still perform great, and the nerfs are barely noticeable.

If you don’t have them already, there is every reason to start grinding. My guess is even if Wargaming decide to rebalance them even further, they’re just going to shrug it off and keep going.

You can’t stop auto reloaders; all you can do is slow them down a little.

Best Tier VIII Medium Tank?

Best Of The Best

By:

IrmaBecx

So which is the best tier VIII Medium tank?

That’s easy, you say.

No. The best tech tree Medium.

Oh. Well, maybe you need to think about that. No one really drives tier VIII Mediums for fun anymore, do they? I mean, outside of grinding?

I stumbled across this question today doing my rounds, and it had me stumped, just like it may have you.

There are a couple of obvious answers. The T-54 Lightweight is the best tier VIII Medium; everyone knows that. But it’s also actually a Light tank, and some spoilsport is sure to point that out. Okay, then it’s the E50, everyone knows that too. But likewise, some smartypants is going to point out that’s actually a tier nine Medium, and we’re back to where we started.

Someone said the Tiger II is definitely the best tier VIII Medium, but again; there is a small issue with tank types.

So which one is it really?

I had two suggestions. It’s either the P.44 Pantera or the Indien Panzer. The Italian has an auto reloader, and the IndyPanzer is perhaps the best all rounder in the game, and it’s also the Baby Löwe. I mean, you can’t argue with that.

In the back of my mind, I wanted to say the T-34-2, but I know the heavy Mediums are an acquired taste; not to everyones liking.

Someone suggested the T-44, which makes sense, but it’s so generic as to be slightly boring. “Good-but-meh” as we like to say.

Both the P.44 and the T-34-2 have the same problem; they’re not really purebred Medium tanks. The Pantera is a Medium, only it has an autoloader. The T-34-2 is a Medium, only it has a 122 mm gun. The Indien has a different problem; it’s in such an awkward place in the tech tree no one really drives it. Normal people don’t want to spend more time driving the SP I C than they have to, and no one really likes the Daimler Mediums at tiers VI and VII. If you want the PTA and the Leo 1, why not just drive the Ru 251? That’s what I did.

So yeah, the IndyPanzer numbers are skewed by obscurity, But is it really the best of the best? If you were a new player, would you take the conscious decision to grind for it over all the other options?

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Let me tell you why some of them are disqualified.

The Centurion 1 is good, but it’s also the absolute slowest of the bunch, and that just won’t cut it in the current meta. Also it leads on to two HESH tanks, which are not only an acquired taste, but are also not super coherent in terms of playstyle, and perhaps not what you call “noob friendly” either.

The Pershing was always geared towards utility, which basically means mediocrity; it’s not really bad at anything, but it’s also not really good at anything, and it leads on to two other paragons of mediocrity. Being accessible is not the same as being the best.

The Panther II got a buff very recently, and although it’s gotten a lot better, it’s much too early to tell if it’s really going to supersede the Indien or the Italian auto reloader Panther. Personally, I believe it won’t. It does lead on to two amazing vehicles, but the stock E50 grind is still famously one of the hardest in the game.

The one tank I can’t really comment on is the STA-1. I used to like it a lot, and it has a few things going for it; among others a fantastic 90 mm gun, but again it’s not exactly noob friendly, and personally I just can’t get it to work anymore. If you persevere, you will however end up with perhaps the best tier X Medium in the game right now; the STB-1.

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There is of course another way to find out. You can look at the average performance. And then you have two options: either the balancing stats from 55 to 65% players Wargaming use, or the global stats off Blitzstars tank compare.

But before we get into that, I should perhaps say none of the tier VIII tech tree Mediums are really bad. They can all be made to work with the standard Medium playstyle, or with minor variations. But of course one of them can still fit you better than the others, and there is every reason to think about what exactly it is you are looking for in a Medium tank.

So looking at the latest averages from Blitzstars, I’m a little surprised to see the T-34-2 is actually the best performing.

But just like the IndyPanzer, I think that number is skewed by who actually drives it. Chinese Mediums are a breed apart, and I’m sure no one grinds them out by accident; but rather precisely because they want to drive a high alpha Medium tank.

The next best performing is the P.44 Pantera, but again I think people who go for auto reloader Mediums have a good idea of what they are looking for, and it’s not a generic Medium tank.

The third best performing is the old T-44. No surprises there. I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it; I just said it’s a bit plain and generic.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the “Pro player” numbers, but interestingly, the top three are in the reverse order. The T-44 is number one, then the Pantera, and the T-34-2 comes third.

So really, if you just want the best tier VIII tech tree Medium, and you don’t want any bells or whistles on it, it looks like the T-44 is the place to be. And then you have to ask yourself; if you are going for the T-54 and tier X Mediums anyway, why wouldn’t you go the Light tank route instead?

I know I did. And so we have gone full circle and are right back where we started; meaning that the T54 Lightweight is still the best tier VIII Medium in the game like everyone says.

I hate to say I told you so.

Or, you could drive an auto reloader or 122 mm instead.

*

I forwarded the question, and there seems to be a lot of agreement about which tanks you should be considering among those I asked.

The Pantera ranks high, as does the T-44. The T-34-2 is also mentioned.

An auto reloader is perhaps the most versatile weapon you can field, but it takes a little knowledge to work out how to make the most of it. Contrary to an autoloader however, you won’t get caught out on a long reload, making the auto reloader more accessible.

The Chinese high alpha Medium functions similarly. It does require you understand the strengths and weaknesses, but it’s not really all that hard to get your head around, and by it’s very nature, it forces you to play a little more cautiously and therefore stay alive longer, do more damage, et cetera.

You could of course also run the 100 mm and have a poor man’s Type 59.

If all you want is a tier VIII Medium, choosing the Russian option is still a safe bet. You really can’t go wrong with the T-44. In fairness, a Light tank also requires a slightly more steady hand to drive successfully, but the Lightweight isn’t very much harder to drive than the T-44.

It’s not an easy question to give a straight answer to; there are lots of considerations you could take into account.

But there does also seem to be a fairly straightforward answer, and if you are looking for the best, you should definitely start by looking at the Russian, Italian, and Chinese offerings.

Or, you could take a chance on the newly buffed Panther II.

Best of luck!

Not a T-44…

Pantera vs. Progetto Comparison

Progetto Afterthought

By:

IrmaBecx

So after I wrote about the Progetto the other day, I was talking to a friend of mine who has just bought it.

My friend said the Progetto feels more mobile than the Pantera even though the numbers say otherwise.

On the surface of it, that is perhaps not so strange. It has much better traverse so it’s more agile, and the top speed isn’t all that much slower than the Pantera.

But it got me thinking. On paper, the Pantera looks like it’s the better tank. It has better DPM, higher penetration, more engine power, thicker armour, and it’s faster. And yet, after driving the two tanks back to back a couple of games, I feel like if I had to choose between them, I would prefer the Progetto. My friend feels the same way; it’s just a better fit.

Both tanks perform equally well for me, but the overall stats tell a different story. In general, people manage around 53% in the P.44, and 60% in the Progetto.

Again that might not be so strange. Not as many people drive the Progetto as the tech tree tank, and it’s not exactly what you call noob friendly. One might suspect it’s primarily been bought by experienced players.

Still. I did write I had a hard time deciding which is the stronger vehicle; certainly my stats don’t make me any wiser.

*

The Progetto has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Five things, to be exact. Higher alpha, quicker aimtime, shorter interclip reload, better traverse, and it has one more degree of gun depression.

Everything else the Pantera does better.

Well, the Progetto is also lighter, but then the Pantera has a lot more horsepower, and they both have the same ground resistances. Flipping through my garage, I notice something else too. The Pantera is a bigger tank; not as low to the ground as the Progetto.

All these small tradeoffs. It’s one thing they make the tanks different, but do they really make one of them outright better? Even though I drive my Progetto more, I guess I just sort of assumed the Pantera was the stronger vehicle because the numbers seem to say so.

The more I think about it, the less certain I am. It wouldn’t be the first time a premium tank turns out to be stronger than the tech tree counterpart.

*

So the hypothetical question here is as follows. Is the Progetto a better tank than the P.44 Pantera, and if so; in what way is it better?

You can of course prefer one to the other, but that’s different. I prefer plenty of tanks that aren’t exactly strong performers; indeed I prefer balanced to enthusiastically balanced, even if the latter can sometimes be fun for five minutes.

Consider the Hype 59. My daily driver and constant companion. If you compare it to the T-54; and that is actually my comparison, then it’s clearly inferior. It’s just I prefer the Hype precisely because it’s not a T-54, but a tuned down version of it. That’s what I always loved about it.

Still keeping to bench racing, there is an important way in which the Progetto actually outperforms the Pantera. Putting out three 240 alpha shots in 5 seconds is obviously more effective than three 225 alpha shots in 6 seconds. This also reflects in my stats; as I’ve mentioned, I do more damage on average in my Progetto, even though it doesn’t win more.

But what interests me is the practical application. I feel I’m not really in a position to say something constructive after just a few games back to back; I’ve not really driven the Pantera at all since I finished the grind and got the Progetto.

The plan, therefore, is to get out there and se what’s what. Get up to speed in the P.44 first, and then start thinking about comparisons.

*

My first few games today were kind of a disaster. I’m tempted to blame the teams and their tactics, but it’s not like I made a big impact myself either; it’s very clear I’m out of touch with the P.44.

It feels… awkward. And it strikes me that although it clearly outperforms the Progetto on paper, out on the battlefield, those small advantages don’t always make that much of a difference.

I started wondering if maybe they nerfed it, but that didn’t happen. It was the tier IX and X that got rebalanced.

So we are mainly dealing with driver error here it seems. It also strikes me I’m not following my own advice. I wrote in my initial review you can’t rely on the P.44 armour, and that these tanks won’t give you anything for free, and I think since I got this idea in my head the Pantera is the stronger tank, I’m more likely to push a little too far in it.

That’s a mistake. Just because it has more armour than the Progetto doesn’t mean it has armour.

Driving the Pantera, I do start doing better after a while, and I remember why I liked this tank so much when it first came out. It’s still good, and I have a few great games to remind me of that.

But I’m also talking to other people, and they all seem to say the same thing. The P.44 looks better on paper, but the low profile and shorter interclip reload makes the Progetto superior; clearly some said.

*

So here’s the breakdown.

I don’t think the Progetto 46 is a “must have” tank. You could just grind out the Pantera and have a tier VIII auto reloader.

But the strong points of the P.44 don’t quite translate into better performance; it’s a bigger target with flatter armour, and it feels a little more awkward; you have to stay out longer to put your shots in. In spite of the massive engine power, it’s not all that much faster than the Progetto, or indeed any other fast Light or Medium tank.

The Progetto on the other hand has several key things going for it. There aren’t huge advantages, but taken all together, they make a slightly more coherent whole. It’s a lovely drive, it has more concentrated firepower, and once you learn not to frontline it, there’s really not a lot holding it back at all.

The conclusion, then, is that yes: the Progetto is the stronger tank. I wouldn’t say by much, but it’s become increasingly clear to me it is the more powerful vehicle.

Buying a premium tank will often make one lose interest in the tech tree counterpart; the same thing happened with my Ru, my WZ-111-1G FT and Baby Foch, my KV-13, and my Cromwell. The list goes on.

But in this case, it’s not just the fact my Progetto makes almost twice as much credits as my Pantera does;  like my friend says the tank is simply a better fit. It’s a better drive, it feels more agile, and it’s a more effective damage dealer.

I still don’t think it’s overpowered, and I don’t think it’s a tank for everyone. Auto reloaders by their very nature are the most versatile tanks in the game, and the Progetto is one of the finest platforms for that kind of weapon system you could find. But it’s still a lightly armoured tier VIII Medium tank, and it’s perfectly possible to noob out completely or take a big hit and get wrecked.

I realise this sounds a little like a sales pitch, and I feel I should remind you I didn’t pay anything for mine; it was a gift from Wargaming.

But it’s also a tank I am very happy to own, and compared to the tech tree version, it is the more powerful vehicle.

Considering the Progetto?

Progetto 46 Revisited

By:

IrmaBecx

So I’m going to start with a disclaimer here. I have the Progetto 46, but I didn’t pay for it; it was given to me by Wargaming, and if that hadn’t happened, it’s doubtful I would have bought one, at least at the time.

But it’s also one of my absolute favourite premium tanks in the game, and it’s kind of difficult to explain why.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the Progetto 46 is just a premium P44 Pantera, but it’s not. It’s something different.

Well. Perhaps it’s not all that different. Both are tier VIII auto reloader Medium tanks. But where the Pantera has some useable armour, the Progetto does not, and there are a few other tradeoffs. You get a higher alpha and a shorter interclip reload, but lower DPM and the tank is noticeably slower.

Looking at the numbers, the Progetto may come across like a worse Pantera. Again, it’s not; it just does things differently.

But what’s so great about it?

*

The simple answer is the Progetto is great because it has an auto reloader. Auto reloaders are not only powerful, they are also fun to play, and they give you more options in terms of gameplay than any other style of tank out there.

The less straightforward answer, but also the one that is closer to the truth, is that the Progetto is great because it’s a variation on an already successful tank that came out really well. It’s balanced, it’s enjoyable, and it’s interesting. It always reminds me of the “Black Dog” compared to the Ru 251; both are deceptively similar, but different enough to both be worthwhile on their own terms.

Playing the game for over five years, and my garage now housing well over a hundred vehicles, I’ve come to look at premium tanks differently. My consideration is always whether the tank in question will be worth it for me in the long run, and it doesn’t have to be completely unique for that to be the case. It just needs something to make it interesting.

And as far as that, an auto reloader goes a long way. Simply being a premium and earning more credits than the Pantera would make me drive it, even if it was the exact same tank. But the fact it’s not is what’s going to keep me interested, even though these are minor differences we are talking about.

You simply can’t angle up and expect to get a bounce. The gun mantlet will sometimes stop a low caliber shell, and the sideskirts have been known to negate, or at least reduce damage, but you will frontline the Progetto at your peril, and most of the time it will quickly end in disaster.

But other than the armour, the Progetto 46 is a strong tank. It aims fast, empties the clip quickly, and turns on a dime. Setting up the shots is easy having both agility and gun depression, and it hits with a comparatively high alpha strike, although the penetration values aren’t stellar.

*

Incidentally, the Black Dog was also given to me by Wargaming, and that made me just as happy since I was already such a fan of the Ru 251. Again, it’s not certain I would have dropped the cash myself; at least not right away, but now I can’t imagine being without it, and I feel the same way about the Progetto.

That said, I still feel both these tanks are the most worthwhile paired with their tech tree counterparts. If you want a tier VIII auto reloader Medium tank, you should grind out the Pantera first, and then think about getting the Progetto to complement it. If nothing else, the armour plating on the P.44 will forgive some of your mistakes, making it easier to get your head around the auto reloader mechanic.

Both these tanks perform about equally well for me with just under 60% winrate. I’m absolutely sure that wouldn’t have been the case if I hadn’t driven the P.44 first and learned the ropes. Understanding the auto reloader meant I could concentrate on dealing with less straight line speed and thin armour, and yes; I’m sure driving the Progetto 46 in supertest also helped.

If you don’t know how to drive an auto reloader, I wouldn’t recommend you just buy the Progetto and have a go. It’s kind of a specialised vehicle; a finesse tank, and it requires both care and  insight in order to be successful.

I suppose it’s hard to argue against the “I think it looks cool so I want it” rationale, but if you choose to go that route, I hope the tank at least inspires you to grind out the Pantera also.

So which is the stronger tank?

It’s hard to say. The Pantera is certainly easier to drive, but it also encourages a more aggressive playstyle, and I find I do higher damage on average in the Progetto even though that doesn’t mean I win more games.

*

I run a few battles to remind myself of the drive, and in spite of some wicked lag, I’m having fun. It’s easy to get ahead of yourself, be greedy and chase the damage, and what happens is you take too much damage in return.

It’s also easy to get swarmed. Comparatively low penetration means you will struggle fighting some tanks frontally, and if a couple of them just drive straight at you, there’s not a lot to be done.

But the Progetto is still mobile, agile, and hostile, and playing the sidelines you are a force to be reckoned with. If you have saved your hitpoints towards the end game, that’s your time to shine, making the most of your clipping potential and auto reloading system to clean up low health stragglers.

Would I buy this tank today if I didn’t have it?

It’s easy to say of course, but I believe I would. As much as I love my Pantera, the Progetto does offer something different, and these small differences together with the auto reloader is what makes it such a worthwhile premium tank for me.

Should you but a Progetto?

Maybe. Ten thousand gold for the plain jane tank is a fair price, and if you want you can get a deal including the Lorraine 40t; both tanks maxed out, and twenty of those new X5 boosters. I will say it’s a long time since I drove the Lorraine, and I hear someone said it’s one of the hardest drives in the game.

I tried running the Lorraine, but with the lag I’m having getting worse, it’s just not possible right now. The selling point is it has a four shot 90 mm autoloader on a 20 second reload, it’s fast and agile, but the armour is even worse than the Progetto. Beyond that’ I can’t really comment.

The Progetto however, I would most certainly recommend – to the right buyer. That would be someone who drives the Pantera already and enjoys it, someone who knows their way around an auto reloader, or someone with a bit of skills and experience.

If you are a newer player, the Progetto isn’t going to solve any in game problems you might be having; it will likely just make new ones.

Me, I’m happy to have one, and it’s become one of my go to credit grinders because it’s a bit of a challenging drive. It makes plenty of credits; 175% coefficient I believe, so I’m never reluctant to take it out, and if I do things right, it can make a bundle. But really, the fact it’s different from both the rest of my fleet of credit grinders and the closest thing you can get from the tech tree is what keeps me coming back.

IrmaBecx says make sure this isn’t a little too much tank for you to handle.

My own private Progetto

Help! I Got A Progetto 46!

More Progetto 46

By:

IrmaBecx

So you may have heard I’m an early adopter again, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it: it’s been a struggle thus far.

There are all kinds of excuses, of course. I’m sure you’ve heard them all before.

But really, you shouldn’t be surprised at struggling in the Progetto 46, because it’s not what you call a “noob friendly” tank.

And struggle or no, I still like it. So gearing up for the second day of playing, I thought I’d try to make some sort of a plan.

*

The Progetto 46 is also not your average Medium tank, and that’s kind of a “good news/bad news” situation. The auto reloader offers unsurpassed versatility, but you really have no way of mitigating incoming damage other than simply not taking any hits at all.

This means you can’t do some of your regular Medium tank jobs, and that can be a problem if your team is relying on you to do them. What you want to do is float around the edges and give supporting fire, but that is of course only possible if your team stays active and keeps your opponents occupied.

I learned quite a few lessons during my first day of playing. First off, I’ve been running the armour upgrade without thinking, but the armour is actually too thin to ever reach an effective thickness where the 4% bonus will actually make a difference, so I switched it over to improved assembly. It’s only 85 hitpoints more, but that will at least always be an advantage; not just in some situations.

Second, the penetration values aren’t stellar. I’ve not driven tanks with that issue lately, but when you are facing tier VIII and IX Heavy tanks and other well armoured targets, just switch to the WN8 rounds. I’ve been running a moderate amount, but have now stocked up on the APCR.

The HE shells only have 270 alpha, compared to the 240 on your AP, so it’s not really worth carrying a whole lot of them. You aren’t going to wear people down spamming HE at them, and I often don’t feel it’s worth risking a bad hit for just 30 more damage, so I cut back on them a little.

I did try running the calibrated shells a couple of games, but I didn’t find I got a lot of use out of them. Either the AP rounds work, or you’ll need APCR; the nine millimeters of extra AP penetration doesn’t make a whole lot of difference. Your mileage may vary.

I’m sure there is more tweaking to be done, but being successful in the Progetto 46 is less about the tank itself and much more about what you do with it. 

*

Amidst all the struggle, I still feel this is an engaging drive. It’s a vehicle with a high skill level, and I think that’s absolutely fine. The Progetto forces you to think about your gameplay in a different way.

Rule number one, is you don’t frontline it. Both myself and others have found this out the hard way; there’s no reason for you to make the same mistake. You may have to do a bit of initial spotting if no one else is able, but you really don’t want to be the first and only one spotted by the enemies. If you know good spots where you can get early shots, that’s fine, but don’t hang around after.

The easiest way not to take a lot of damage is not to be where big guns can hit you. People will be looking for those big payoff shots at you, and you need to watch out for that. But you don’t always get to dictate the terms, so you want to be where you can retreat towards your teammates so they can help fend off your attacker.

I think you will want to be really familiar with this tank before you go off on a flank on your own.

But yeah; the Medium habit is hard to break. I have to remind myself all the time to break off and not push so hard, and I guess that’s as good a solution as any. Really, you will want to approach the Progetto more like a Light tank than a Medium.

What I mean by that, is basically play cautiously and hold on to your hitpoints. Plan your movements and support your team. Signal your intentions and movements so your teammates can plan accordingly; yes, I know it’s an uphill battle trying to communicate with your team, but it does sometimes work, and it’s not like you have a choice either way. You can’t do everything all alone.

The more I drive the Progetto, the more I enjoy it, and I find the Ru/Black Dog comparison more and more fitting. This is a vehicle that puts your playstyle and decision making to the test, and it’s high risk/high reward.

So here’s a thought. I hear people asking why anyone would choose the Progetto over the Pantera. How about because you want to become a better driver?

*

Wrapping up the second day of driving with a few games on the graveyard shift, I feel like things are starting to loosen up a bit.

I am getting used to the mobility, learning to take advantage of clipping opportunities, and a couple of times I manage to knock out multiple opponents in quick succession with the auto reloader.

My winrate is oscillating between 50 and 60%, but I’m not really worried about that. This is a tank I am going to end up driving hundreds of games in; I’ve realised that already.

And I don’t think this is a tank you would buy to pad your stats. You need a different reason. Liking auto reloaders is a great start. Being on the lookout for something different is also a good reason. Wanting to work on your gameplay sounds excellent to me.

I could also think of one or two reasons not to get a Progetto. Everyone else are out there grinding their T49 in preparation for the missile tanks. There are more big guns in the game than there used to be as it is. And yes; you could get a similar experience in the tech tree for free.

But to me, the Progetto 46 is a tank that captures the imagination. I want to drive it more, because I want to learn all about it.

The last thing I think I learned today is the spaced armour side skirts really do work. People know the tank has thin armour, so they are more likely to shoot HE at you. I’ve taken shots straight to the side and rolled away with little or no damage in some instances.

*

Starting my third day as a Progetto driver, I get a random message from a player saying I’m the first they’ve seen with over 50% winrate in it, and that doesn’t really surprise me. I explain I had a bit of a head start as I drove the tank in testing, and that yes; it’s a tricky drive, mainly because of the thin armour.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the tank is markedly cheaper next time it’s on sale, or if they decide to give it a few small buffs.

The question is, does the tank really need buffing? I’m not so sure about that. It has everything it needs as it is, and it’s not the only tank in the game with really weak armour.

It’s not easy differentiating between team performance, user error, and limitations of the vehicle itself when things don’t go your way. I make a lot of stupid mistakes, like poking the same place twice, staying out to get more shots in; things like that.

But I’m also getting more and more comfortable driving it, making better decisions, choosing different positions, and using the potential of the auto reloader to greater effect.

The key, really, is making sure not to take unnecessary damage. I have a tendency to jump in head first, and making pushes without checking the situation properly; that’s where I take most of my unnecessary damage. Also, the mediocre penetration and accuracy means I miss or bounce a lot of shots at range.

It’s something to think about. If you need to hit a weak spot, or use APCR to get penetration against someone who has better gun handling, or a gun that will overmatch your armour, you are likely to make a bad trade. That is something you will want to avoid at all costs.

*

So where does this all leave us?

Well, first of all, you might want to think very seriously about if this tank is for you or not. It’s fragile, it’s difficult to get the most out of, and it can be incredibly frustrating to play. It’s one of those vehicles that really doesn’t give you anything for free.

That may not be what you are looking for. Buying a premium tank most often means paying for convenience, and if that’s what you want, then keep looking. The Progetto isn’t going to solve any in game problems for you; it’s much more likely to cause new ones instead.

This is not a tank for everyone. It takes a bit of skill and planning to drive, but once you start getting your head around it, it can also be very rewarding.

You just have to make sure that’s what you want. Something that challenges you, makes you work on your gameplay and develop your decision making.

Me, I’m very happy with my Progetto 46, but I am also precisely the kind of driver a tank like this appeals to. It has some drawbacks, and it’s difficult to drive to full effect, but it can also be really strong when you get it right.

IrmaBecx says don’t get one if you’re not prepared to put in the work.

Progetto M35 46 Quick Review

More Italian Auto Reloaders?

By:

IrmaBecx

So from today, you can get your hands on a tier VIII premium auto reloader, the long awaited Progetto M35 mod. 46.

If you follow my writing, you’ll know I’m all about the auto reloaders, and I grinded through the Italian Mediums as fast as I could. I also had the extreme pleasure of driving the new Progetto in testing, and I ended up liking it a lot, although on paper, the tech tree P.44 Pantera may look like it’s outright better.

I don’t think it is. The feeling I got when driving it was very similar to the Ru 251 compared to the premium LeKpz M41 90 mm; “same same but different”, one might say. You get slightly higher alpha on your standard rounds, but lower DPM, better aimtime and gun depression, but less armour, a less powerful engine, but much better traverse numbers; things like that.

Also, there are no crates involved; this is a straight up gold bundle either maxed out with a blue camo for 15K, or the plain jane version for 12,5K, which I’m happy to see.

But is the tank worth it? What’s the new Progetto 46 all about?

*

The answer is quite simple, really. It’s all about the auto reloader. Compared to the P.44 Pantera, you get a shorter reload between the shells; 2.5 seconds rather than 3, but reloading them into the magazine takes slightly longer, meaning you have lower DPM.

The Progetto 46 has some spaced armour along the side, but the rest of the armour is decidedly weaker than the tech tree tank by around 20 mm. It reminds me more of the Standard B than the Pantera or Progetto 65.

Also, you have almost 450 horsepower less, but the Progetto 46 is also lighter by ten tons, so the specific power is almost on par with the Pantera. to make up for this, you’ll get some outstanding traverse numbers, and in the end the Progetto feels a little more agile, while the Pantera is geared towards straight line speed.

It’s not a very complicated tank. A thinly armoured, mobile chassis with a 90 mm auto reloader, and if you think the P.44 is either too fast for its own good, or too expensive to run, then the Progetto 46 may be just the tank for you.

*

I’m not going to lie; the first handful of games have been a real struggle. The tank is new and gets focused, and it’s much too fragile to go anywhere near the frontline, really.

That is not to say you can’t get a few bounces, but there’s really no way to angle up and negate incoming damage; you are basically going to have to trade hitpoints to get shots, and if you start doing that too early, you will also get taken out early.

The Progetto 46 takes a bit of knowledge to get the best out of; knowledge and caution. If you haven’t driven an auto reloader before, or if you are not used to driving fragile Medium tanks at all, I’d probably go so far as to advise against getting one.

But if you don’t mind a bit of a challenge, and you have a bunch of gold burning a hole in your pocket, it could also be an excellent introduction to auto reloader gameplay. If you don’t like it, there’s no reason for you to grind out the Italian Medium line, although twelve to fifteen thousand gold may of course be a little too expensive just to find out.

Still, this is what is commonly called a “finesse tank”; it relies on solid positioning and careful, calculated, opportunistic gameplay to get the job done.

Other than the wafer thin armour, the penetration values are not fantastic, and as you have APCR for premium rounds, running calibrated shells isn’t that much of an upgrade. We are talking about 189 mm rather than 180 on your standard AP.

The gun handling is good, but not outstanding. You likely won’t outtrade your enemies poking over a ridge or around a corner; the best way is taking single shots while unspotted, and then relocating while you reload the first shell, only using the full clip when your target is otherwise engaged or when your shot bounces.

Towards the endgame, your clipping potential will make you more and more dangerous, but you need to hold on to your hitpoints to fully take advantage of that, because as stated, you can’t really negate incoming damage efficiently.

*

So what’s the final word? Should you get one?

Maybe. If you like the P.44 already, then this is kind of a premium version of the same tank; and I say “kind of”, because there are some fairly obvious tradeoffs. Some things it does better, others it’s worse at.

If you are a newer player and interested in the auto reloader mechanic, then I would advise you to proceed with caution. Auto reloaders can be tricky to get your head around as it is, and the thinly armoured chassis isn’t going to do you any favours. It’s agile and it manoeuvers well, but it’s not really all that fast; certainly no faster than other Medium tanks, so you can’t just run away when things get too hot unless you have your exit routes planned and start moving early.

If you are deep purple super pro, you may actually prefer the P.44 Pantera to the Progetto 46; the two vehicles aren’t that different, and it’s not certain you’ll find something about the Progetto you prefer. There aren’t a whole lot of things it does better. It’s a more docile beast; not quite as wild and flamboyant as the P.44, but I do think the Progetto is different enough from the Pantera to still be worthwhile.

Am I getting one?

No. To be honest, I can’t quite afford it right now, and even though I like it, I’m not certain is would be worthwhile for me.

But it’s early days yet; I will keep driving the Progetto 46 on the press account, and there will very likely be an updated review before long. That being said, I’m not a hundred percent sure I’ll have very much to add; it’s not a very complicated vehicle. It’s just that understanding what it is doesn’t necessarily mean you understand what to do with it.

What if you just think it looks cool and enjoy being an early adopter?

I’d say go for it; just be aware of the limitations, and expect to struggle a bit, especially at first. It’s a likeable tank, I find it quite well balanced, and struggles notwithstanding, I’ve really enjoyed driving it.

IrmaBecx says proceed with a little caution. The P.44 Pantera compares extremely favourably, and it may very well be a better fit for you.

Progetto 46 in standard “Tree Bark” summer camo

Post Script

So as soon as I posted this short review, I found out Wargaming have been very generous this year, and they actually gave me the Progetto 46 as a holiday gift. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am about that, because as stated I couldn’t afford it on my own.

I’d like to take this opportunity to direct a special thank you to the Blitz community team for their support and their generosity; I was not expecting such an extravagant gift!

Thank you all; you are the best. 🙂

Further Notes On The Prototipo

Standard B – Overpowered?

By:

IrmaBecx

So it’s been a while since I wrote about the Standard B, and I just managed to claw my way up to 50% winrate in mine.

It’s a little curious. I’ve not spent a whole lot of time grinding it, even though I really like it, and the Progetto 65 too. I have the credits lined up; it’s just I’m in no real hurry to finish the grind.

The Standard B is still the best performing tier IX Medium in the game, a few fractions better than the AMX 1:er prototype with more than twice as many drivers, and remember no one has to grind the AMX proto. You have to call that impressive.

I can’t imagine any other reason for this than it must still be driven mostly by experienced players. That, and the fact it has an auto reloader, which is the most versatile armament you can get your hands on in the game.

My Standard B in flashy “Desert Wind” camo

So how do you drive it?

One word: carefully. I do get the unexpected bounce once in a while, but even trading shots with low tier tanks, you have to count on every incoming shell going straight through your paper thin armour. It’s not like a BatChat or a Leo that has a few autobounce angles; the Standard B gets overmatched left and right.

I do a fair amour of hitpoint trading in mine. With a full clip, it’s often worth taking a hit if you know you can clip out your opponent; even a big hit from a high caliber gun. The problem is, there may be more than one person shooting at you, and you can’t do it more than a couple of times each game before you run out of hitpoints.

The most valid tactic is of course not being hit.

The standard B is pretty mobile. It turns well. But it’s definitely no faster than other Medium, or even some Heavy tanks in a straight line, so you need to plan your movements in advance. You won’t be able to just drop the hammer and get out of there, and you won’t run circles around a lot of opponents.

Also, if you have heard of autoloaders, and you think the way to play them is drive forward, empty the clip, and then pull back to reload. In the real world, this rarely works out; if you are the first one spotted, and you stay still for six seconds, you are going to get severely perforated.

The way to run an auto reloader is to shoot one, or maybe two shots, and keep the rest of the clip in your back pocket for either emergencies or opportunities. Of course, if no one is looking at you, and you have clear shots, then go right ahead. But make sure you know where all your enemies are so you don’t suddenly take a big hit from an unspotted opponent.

Be aware that after firing two shots, your DPM is at its lowest; it’s not a huge difference, but it does put you at a disadvantage. In a lot of situations, it’s better to wait a second or two for the reload to finish before you fire so you’re not running around with an empty clip.

Getting your head around how an auto reloader really works can be a little tricky, but don’t spend too much time on it in battle. Just keep looking at the reload timers and the magazine indicator; it’s easy to see what the auto reloader is doing. The question you need to ask yourself is either can I hold off firing and get another shell reloaded, or do I have enough rounds in the magazine for whatever engagement I’m about to enter into?

Something I’ve found useful, is if I happen to miss or bounce my first shot, then immediately break off the attack and load another shell before I try again. Let’s say I can clip out an enemy tank with three hits. First one bounces. That means I can get two shells in and then I’m stuck on a longer reload; even if they start pushing while you are loading the first shell back up, it’s often better to deal with the longer reload first.

But yeah; fiddling around with the auto reloader mechanic is one of the things that makes the Standard B so much fun to drive, even when it doesn’t all work out for you.

*

There are a few things to like about the Prototipo other than it being the most successful tier IX Medium tank right now.

It’s agile. It has good camo rating. And it has a bona fide tier X 105 mm weapon with standard APCR and high penetration “cheap HESH” rounds.

I’ve heard some of my friends say they don’t mind the stock autoloader at all; personally I got sick of it pretty soon, even though it gets four shells rather than three. I just think 90 mm is a little too weak for tier X targets.

The high penetration HE rounds you get with the 105 mm are a definite advantage, but I find they aren’t always easy to take advantage of. If you are up against another Prototipo in a hull down situation, it makes sense to try them so you can trade shots more efficiently, but you also run the risk of hitting a track or the gun mantlet, and then you’ll be the one who gets outtraded.

You don’t need 116 mm of penetration to deal with Grilles or Waffle tractors; the thing is you can hit the sides, the rear, or the lower plate of some more heavily armoured vehicles and hit them for up to 500 damage. But it’s always going to be a gamble, and you may end up getting a bad hit.

Study your targets, and if you have a second or two to spare while they’re not looking, try switching the ammo type and see if there would be any point trying the cheap HESH. Even if you don’t take the shot, next time you’ll know if it’s worth it to even try.

*

For some reason, I was never as scared to drive my Leopard PTA as I am to drive my Leopard 1, and this really is just a PTA with some trade offs. You trade speed, armour, and some gun stats for gun depression, aimtime, and an auto reloader. It’s a beneficial tradeoff both ways to be sure.

At a few fractions over 60% average winrate and 2K average damage, this is the best tier IX Medium in the game right now; there’s no doubt. But that doesn’t mean you are going to reach those numbers, and if you ask me, I don’t feel like the Standard B is overpowered at all. It takes a competent driver to realise all that potential.

I said a while ago that auto reloaders are going to change the high tier game meta forever, and they have. The reason these tanks are all so successful is their unsurpassed versatility; the very nature of auto reloaders makes any tank that carries one amazingly flexible.

It’s a tall order running a tank at 60% for most players. But even if you can’t quite do that, the Prototipo Standard B is still a lot of fun to drive, and in time it will teach you how to make the most of all that versatility.

Me, I’m not quite there yet. I’m doing a lot better, and I have something like 70.000 XP left until I get my coveted Progetto 65.

But the standard B is not a stepping stone, it’s a keeper for sure. It’s sufficiently different from the Progetto to be worthwhile; I would say it’s good enough to be worth the grind all on its own. The tier X tank is a little sharper, a little faster, and it has a little better armour. Not a lot better, but enough to be noticeable. It’s not simply the same tank only a tier higher.

If you are still considering the grind, I still say go for it. I’ve enjoyed driving all the mid to high tier vehicles, and even though it’s taken a bit longer than it could have, I haven’t had a lot of problems with the grind; at least none that a little gold or free XP could solve, both of which can be had for free by simply playing the game, watching some ads, or clearing some missions.

The Standard B is not the only lightly armoured tier IX Medium; in fact I think most of them have fairly weak armour. You may have a PTA or an AMX 1:er prototype already. Is this not just a PTA with an auto reloader?

Yes. That’s exactly what it is. But an auto reloader is worth having all on its own; even if you have all the other Leopard variants, IrmaBecx says this one should still be at the top of your shopping list.

See you out there!