9.0 Test – New Armor Models

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Hello everyone,

when the first test went live, I made a post about T-54, Tiger and Sherman armor model changes. Let’s look at the new vehicles and how they changed.

M18 Hellcat

This is the original Hellcat armor in top configuration – nothing too fancy.

m18

And this is the new one.

m18new

As you can see, there are some changes. First, the “red” frontal plate now really covers only the front and not sides partially as well. The side thickness changed from 31 to 32mm. The blue mantlet rim is now 38+32mm thick (instead of 31+44), mantlet is the same (76mm). The rear sides of the turret got actually 45mm thick (earlier 13mm). Overall, the changes here are however quite minor.

M103

Again, the original configuration of the M103. 203mm armor on the nose, 127mm frontal turret and upper frontal plate, 114mm lower frontal plate and upper sides of the turret, 127mm and 203mm rims of the mantlet (with 127mm behind it), 267mm mantlet itself, 51-70mm turret roof, 137mm commander’s copula.

m103

And here’s how it changed:

m103new

As you can see, the armor model became a LOT complicated. For starters, the frontal hull plate was nerfed a bit. The red 203mm belt is thinner, with the zone above it being 127mm thick and the rest of the upper frontal plate being 107mm thick. LFP 114mm thickness remains. Purple zone (mantlet) was nerfed to 254mm, with the blue zones being 191mm (right above and next to mantlet) and 102mm (the blue one) thick (note that only the blue one now has turret armor behind it). The red plate directly behind the mantlet is 254mm thick, the armor on the side of the mantlet is now 159mm thick, above mantlet is 117mm thick (this is a major buff, earlier, this zone was 127mm thick everywhere). Then the “belts” of the side turret armor begin, they are (from front to back) 147mm, 133mm, 117mm, 99mm 93mm, 85mm, 74m, 64mm and finally (the rear of the turret) 53mm thick.

The roof is 38 and 47mm thick (earlier 51-70mm) however and the copula is 102mm thick (earlier 137mm). Generally speaking it’s a buff, but the roof is now more vulnerable than before. Also note the “neck” between the turret and the hull, that’s 107mm thick (earlier it was 127mm). If you know where the weakspots are, this tank is now more vulnerable.

Tortoise

The old armor first. 406mm area behind mantlet, 229mm area around it and the frontal hull, 76mm upper frontal plate (guaranteed ricochet), 102mm lower hull sides and copula, 152mm superstructure sides, 172mm left hull side and copula center, 38mm roof and 35mm tracks.

tort

Now the new one:

tortnew

As you can see, the armor layout didn’t change a bit. The 229mm frontal hull got a lot smaller with a small stripe of 172mm above it. The upper (ricochet) plate got nerfed from 76mm to 57mm. The roof is 25mm instead of 38mm. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same. Overall, a minor nerf.

Maus

Maus old model is here:

maus

200mm front (those violet stripes are 200+80mm armor), 105mm sideskirts, 25mm tracks, 185mm upper side armor, 105 and 50mm hull roof, 60mm “shields”, 240+30mm mantlet (blue zone is 160mm), 240mm turret front, 210mm turret sides, 65mm turret roof

And the new one:

mausnew

As you can see, very little chas changed. All the roofs (hull and turret) lost 5mm of armor”, the blue area around the mantlet disappeared and the entire mantlet is now 240mm thick (with no armor behind it), the gun ring is 150mm thick.

And finally…

Panther

Old model:

panther

And the new one:

panthernew

As you can see, again, very little changed. The MG weakspot disappeared, the hull roof is now 16mm instead of 17mm and there is a thin strip of 40mm turret roof armor behind the upper frontal plate.

38 thoughts on “9.0 Test – New Armor Models”

    • Depends on how you view it (M103 atleast) M103 turret just got allot better protected from the first while the hull has slightly reduced protection. A number of the weakspots were reduced/invaildated and the turret, froma direct front attack is completely immune to ~200-210 pen guns. Whereas before you could shoot cerain spots and penetrate easily with 160 pen guns.

      Keep in mind these are HISTORICAL Test reports and measurements taken from archives and direct current day measurements of tanks in museums.

      Also SS got it wrong. The M103 Turret, Front to back goes (Behind Mantlet) 254,159,147,133,117,9993,85,74,64,53 (Rear of turret)

      • So correct me if I’m wrong, but overall it’s a buff to the front of the turret (besides the mantlet nerf?) and a nerf to the side of the turret?

        • That is correct.
          The Chieftain (WG USA) Supplied to WG a bunch of test reports from Aberdeen Proving grounds, His own measurements and logic to fill the gaps.

  2. after WG finally decided to put Historical battles in WoT
    Panther is no longer useless.

  5. Why keep nerfing armor’s effectiveness when high pen gun and gold is already flying everywhere?

    • Because armor matters less. If there are high pen guns and gold ammo alreaddy armor nerfs means little. Thats why all tenk will get rebalanced, because new physics some as well as more advance armor schemes for the HD tenks. A nobrainer.

  6. Basically, they are changing all rounded turrets with progressively weaker armor strips from the front to the back… I smell chinese MTs nerfs.

  7. I kind of want to see “effective armor” schemes now that take angles and etc into account

    Especially for the M103, I mean just going by the numbers that’s a pretty big hit to the UFP and parts of the turret.

  10. Tortoise armor certainly didn’t need a nerf. Everyone knows the weakspots, which are impossible to hide and seemingly impossible to miss.

    • Even its strongest armor spots had issues with apcr standard teir 9 meds or teir 9 td’s let alone teir 10′s. If anything it deserved a slight buff.

  11. RIP M103. Loved every bit of it. Managed to do 65% WR solo with it. Whatever. It’s turret ring was already weak as shit. I dont even bother aiming at other M103′s for their lower plate. I just shoot at it’s turret ring. Pens everytime. It also jams the turret. Was pretty fun seeing opponents backing down with their turret jammed.

    So it’s even more weak now . The turret roof is also nerfed into oblivion. That area was already quite possible to pen.Not as easy but still..as for the turret nerf, when i played my KT with the stock turret, everyone shot at my weak ass roof.

    Now M103 frontal roof has the armor of a Leo 1. Paper. Way to fucking go!!!

  12. Woo-effing-hoo! Just got the M103(well about two weeks ago but don’t even have the top gun and engine unlocked yet) and it’s crappy armor already gets a nerf. Just lovely. Should have grinded those American heavies a lot sooner and not waited for something like this to happen.

    • If you don’t rely on armor -no matter the tank-, you wont get hit by armor nerfs. M103 has one of the most accurate guns of the tier, use that to stay back and avoid getting shot in return. There, no problem with weak armor. This nerf will make the m103 a bit weaker at close range, but it wont change a thing at med to long range where they can’t really aim for your weakspots.

      • Some people think armor is GOD… But never understand that armor becomes pointless by Tier 6 as everyone can penn everyone else with exceptions to bouncing.

      • Since it’s a heavy I do like the armor to be somewhat reliable, but now the turret has been turned to crap, I’m especially talking about the roof, now people won’t even need to aim for the commander’s cupola, most guns will now be able to just overmatch the huge roof plate, as well as cupola itself is now weaker and wont get some miracle bounces when hit in the sides at high angles. Of course this won’t change much in mid to long range fights but in close range it will be worse, and that’s the thing with this tank and me, since I’m driving a heavy I do like to fight in close combat, be in front of everyone else, not sit back and snipe(in a heavy). I’m just not used to this tank yet after the T32 and also I’m still using the first 120 mm gun, after a while I’ll get used to it and probably wont have any problems with this tank.

  13. Hah, and I thought the Maus’ turret was easy enough to exploit. Well done WG, for making it easier.

  14. I somehow have a very strong feeling, that when T29/T30 will be remodeled to HD, they will nerf their mantlets to 200mm too. And then will the shitstorm of whines start, because the strongest points of those tanks will be gone..