Disclaimer: the contents of these articles merely illustrate the resources available for a historically accurate buff. This article does not imply that these changes should happen or will happen, either in combination or individually. Please pay attention to this disclaimer before being butthurt in the comments, thanks in advance.
I have covered the other Soviet tier 2 light tanks before (T-26 and T-60), so the turn of the BT has come! I will skip over uparmouring possibilities, as they were already covered in the alternate hulls article.
The speed of the BT tanks in-game is already pretty high. However, Tsyganov’s BT-2 project boasted a 104 kph top speed on tracks, but required radically altering the suspension, so an argument for that kind of buff really can’t be made.
BT (D-38)
Tsyganov’s BT project
Even though the USSR did not have mass produced tanks with a diesel engine until the late 1930s, experimentation with them started early. The BT-2 received a BD-2 diesel engine in 1932. However, the power of the engine was lacking: its output was only 360 hp, which pales in comparison to the most powerful gasoline engine available (450 hp). The V-2 diesel was later installed on the BT-7, which is reflected in the game.
Now, we get to the good part, the guns! You can already see the D-38 up there with a short 76 mm gun. An HE shell from that caliber would be a deadly weapon at tier 2 (coughT18cough). The BT-7 is no slouch either, boasting both the F-32 and L-11 76 mm guns currently available to the A-20 and T-28 respectively. 68 mm of penetration should be plenty to combat all but the toughest armoured opponents that a tier 3 tank will face.
BT with an F-32 gun. The armoured cover of the recoil mechanisms has been removed.
BT with an L-11 gun.
However, what fun would these articles be with such boring and reasonable calibers as 76.2 mm? No fun at all! Let’s look at something bigger.
First, a project from the Bolshevik factory to equip the BT (no model number is given, but in 1933, the only BT in mass production was the BT-2) with a 107 mm gun. No specifics are given, but no matter, as we are not stopping here. In 1934, a project was drafted to equip the BT-5 with Kurchevskiy’s 152 mm recoilless mortar. Such a wonderful invention would have a rate of fire of 5-6 RPM, but with only 15 shells on board, you would have to take great care to not miss a single time, or you would be unable to solo the enemy team. Another drawback would be the limited turret traverse: the massive gun could only sweep in a 240 degree arc.
However, Kurchevskiy did not give up there, aspiring to bigger and better things. What’s bigger than 152 mm? 203 mm, of course!
“BT-2 project with recoilless 203 mm gun”
Due to the relative light weight of Kurchevskiy’s ammunition (the 152 mm shell weighed only 25 kg, compared to a 40 kg 152 mm ML-20 shell), the rate of fire would not have even been that bad. The commander’s job would be made more difficult, however, as it was impossible to fit a loader into the turret with a gun that size.
I see no problem with a BT series tank running around in a high tier match firing 203 mm rounds at targets.
ı would like to see that too :D
The BT-2 and BT-7 ingame are limited to 55 and 65.6 km/h respectively.
I am still waiting for the day that the BT-7 gets access to the 76 mm guns. If the PzKpfw II Ausf. G can get access to the MK 103 (a completely fictional configuration), then why can’t the BT-7 get the guns with which it was actually built and tested?
Damn, are they? I could have sworn it was 72. Corrected.
You’re thinking of the A-20, noob :P
Heh the best part is where this mortar comes in… For the love of Jesus Christ what were they thinking about? Did they want to built a KV-1 tank driving astounishing 70 kph? Russian bias ffs
I think you need to learn what the word bias means. These are simply design plans. Nothing more. Bias has got nothing to do with it.
In before new Soviet Premiums
Bt-2 107, Bt-5 152 and Bt-2 203
203mm on a BT2?
i sense the coming of a mini-KV2 (except it has BIGGER derp)
You’ve gotta be kidding, right? :D
I can see the point of “buff my tank” articles for underperforming vehiclesn(the M3), but in my humble opinion BT-2 and BT-7 are doing just fine as they are! Well, at least BT-2 is, it’s still one of my favourite vehicles (me and some friends used to run a platoon of three of these just for fun) for fun and/or sealclubbing (don’t judge), but I guess the BT-7 does have to stand against tier 5s.
“Disclaimer: the contents of these articles merely illustrate the resources available for a historically accurate buff. This article does not imply that these changes should happen or will happen, either in combination or individually. Please pay attention to this disclaimer before being butthurt in the comments, thanks in advance. “
If it makes it into the game, that would be fun. That would in some way resurrect a little the 105 mm on german scouts (before HE nerf). haha. But i see comming mass rage from the usual haters that wanted to kill arty (check), that want to kill tds (semi-check: shell dispersion buff…)…
“Omagad these little things are invisible, fast and killed my crews, burn it with fire!”
HOW TERRIBLE!
Excellent stuff, too bad recoilless guns aren’t allowed in WOT…
But muh ontos…
“you would have to take great care to not miss a single time, or you would be unable to solo the enemy team” – ROFL!
well, depending on the tier it wouldnt matter… 152mm has enough splash to kill 2 with one shot. with 203… never again have to go around the corner, just shoot on the ground before them and watch all enemys behind the corner exploding.
Could be funny… and now imagine 15 vs 15 BT-7 with 203mm
Hey Ensign, can you make an article about BMT for the S35 ca? I think it rightfully deserves a small buff at least.
Wait a minute, so you are actually thinking this bathtub of doom needs any kind of buff ? It’s got the best view range around, a decent mobility, tough mantlet, brutal selection of guns (OK, lowish DPM on 105, hopefully for balance) with outstanding traverse… And you’re seriously asking for a buff ?
agree with turarwanaa, the one that needs buffing is a tier above. The Doomtub is fine as is it. If it were any better, it could carry a t6 game…
“Need” is never the point of Buff My Tank articles :) Sadly, my most ridiculous prototype material is restricted to Soviet tanks, so that kind of limits my scope. I have Yuri Pasholok’s “Panzerkampfwagen Maus” coming in, though, there is bound to be some good stuff there.
It also has the worst mobility (after AT-2) of all tier 5s, has open top, the lowest HP and insanely long aim time (around 5 seconds when traversing the gun or moving the hull, with 100% crew and EGLD equipped). It only needs a defensive buff that can give you hopes of surviving in close ranges.
“around 5 seconds when traversing the gun or moving the hull, with 100% crew and EGLD equipped.”
lol?
1.nope
2.it has the widest traverse of all the tier V TD’s, so hull movement isn’t really allot of a factor
3.if you use the 105 your doing it wrong, sorry, the 17lbr is where it’s at.
if you gave the this thing buffs in the areas you suggest it would make allot of tier 6 TDs loo bad.
Although I do see these articles as not relevant for actual implementation, what about the arl39? could the Turdmobile get a look at, buff wise? its a really shitty machine, is there any way it could be improved?
EE deals with the stuff for which info can be found in the Russian archives. I doubt Russians have any info on failed French prototypes.
BT-42 anyone? :P
They are going to need bigger padded helmets.