9.3 – First Feedback (Part 2: RU251, LTTB, T-54L, KV-1S, KV-85)

Posted on by

Part one: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/09/05/9-3-first-feedback/

The complete list of changes in the test patch can be found here (including list of vehicle changes, which is good). Detailed vehicle info (numbers) can be found here:

- light tanks
- KV-1S, KV-85, T-34-85M

Let’s continue with the vehicle feedback for now. A few small points:

- some players reported crashes in the 9.3 patch, as well as a loss of performance. Let’s hope Wargaming works that out. Personally, I haven’t seen any problems in the patch.
- new explosions look… strange. Kinda like over-exposed photograph image, I’ll make a video and show you.

RU-251

shot_020

shot_001

RU251, the new tier 8 German light tank, is one of the most expected tanks of this patch. It took almost two long years for this tank to appear from the point when it was mentioned for the first time, but don’t worry – it was worth the wait. Personally, I think the RU251 is an absolute pleasure to drive. It’s low, sleek and nimble and it’s FAST. Really, really fast. This of course is compensated by very thin armor (especially vulnerable to the T49′s derp). Terrain passability is okay, but not the best, for example climbing the Fjords hill will take you a while. From what I gathered, the key to survival (apart from passive scouting) is to stay on flat terrain, where you can outmaneuver pretty much all of your opponents, especially the “light” T-54 and the T49. If you like the maneuvering style of gameplay and possibly some active scouting, you’ll love this tank and it’s definitely worth the AFK Panther grind – the bad thing is, AFK Panther has completely different style of gameplay (do NOT try to ram anything in RU251, not only you will take a huge hit, but you’ll lose speed and speed is life for you).

Another drawback of this vehicle is that it has only one gun and one turret as an option. The 90mm gun is decent, but do NOT try to fire the HESH ammunition from it (it has HESH instead of standard HE) – it’s completely useless and any sloped surface or (heaven forbid) tracks and spaced armor hits will result in very low damage hits (it’s very poor even against other light tanks). With standard ammunition, you can outgun pretty much every other light tank (of course, AMX-13/90 with autoloader will mess you up, but you will outgun the T-54 Light, especially if you are moving around it).

Overall, I think this vehicle is very good. Now, if only AFK Panther was replaced by something with similiar playstyle, the German line would be perfect.

Rating: 8/10

LTTB

shot_024

shot_021

This is the new tier 7 Soviet light tank, following the MT-25 and let me tell you, it’s insane. For all intents and purposes, LTTB is the reincarnation of the T-50-2. It’s extremely nimble and fast (especially for it’s size – it’s rather large). Forget passive scouting – this tank is way too fast and way too agile for just standing in the bush. It’s also too tall for that, but who needs to stay hidden when you can outmaneuver pretty much everything on your tier?

Contrary to other light tanks, this vehicle also has some armor and yes, it will bounce shots to the turret, especially unaimed or wild fire, used in the thick of light tank combat. Sure, the hull armor isn’t that impressive, but again, it can occasionally bounce unexpected shots. Of course, armor is not the trademark of a light tank, but let me tell you, this thing is brutal. Then there is the gun. You might consider 85mm to be insufficient, but it is not so. The top gun is great – it aims fast, reloads fast and is reasonably accurate. You’ll cause a LOT of damage with this tank and you will have other vehicles at a disadvatage. The gun has only one nasty flaw – poor depression (-3), which can cause you to fire wide when driving on hilly terrain. Still, it’s a great, great tank – personally, I think that it’s overpowered in its current incarnation and will be nerfed in the second round of the test. I hope that the nerf won’t be too serious – because right now, it’s a lot of fun.

Rating: 9/10

T-54 Light

shot_026

shot_022

What can I say about this tank…

T-54 drivers will feel right at home, because for all intents and purposes, it’s a faster and nimblier T-54 (I know, absolutely shocking given its name). The trademark of this tank is (compared to all the other tanks, except the Chinese tier 8 light) its thick armor (80mm sloped hull, 180mm frontal turret) and relatively decent gun (100mm D-10T of two models). If you had the T-54 unlocked, you’ll have pretty much everything unlocked straight away (apart from the tracks, of course). Faster T-54, it sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, there is this tiny little problem with it: you are expected to scout.

The T-54 Light is pretty much anything but subtle. It doesn’t have that good a viewrange, that’s one problem. Passive scouting… I don’t know. For me it did not go very well. The vehicle is nimble enough for active scouting, but it doesn’t accelerate as fast as the RU251 for example and it will get outmaneuvered. The thick armor sounds good, but you have to realize two things:

- new autoaim (which is a very good idea to use when driving a light tank at full speed in close combat) aims for the hull, not for the turret anymore
- everything (and I mean everything) you meet will penetrate your hull frontally, even the T49 152mm derp can land some very nasty hits (you are not as vulnerable as the RU251, but it still hurts).

In this sense, the armor is all but useless, robbing you of perhaps the most positive aspect of the vehicle. The 100mm gun is good for dealing with softer targets and other light tanks, but you will NOT outdps other lights and if they aren’t stupid, they will kill you by circling/negating your armor advantage. Furthermore, the gun has a relatively poor depression and yes, it shows, especially in the heat of combat. I think this tank will be very situational, but I haven’t found the “sweet spot” tactics for it.

One odd thing: the vehicle is actually called “T-54 Lightweight”, which is odd and causes problems in the UI, because the name is too long (no idea who translated it as such instead of the simplier “Light”). I do believe this will be fixed.

Rating: 6/10

KV-85

shot_002

shot_002x

Well, this is what became of the KV-1S. And yes, no matter how anyone presents it, it was nerfed a lot. But it’s not so terrible. Of course, everyone will talk about the gun nerf (and yes, the 122mm gun was nerfed a lot as well), but what I think is most important is something else:

- the speed was reduced: you won’t get into the thick of battle in the first wave anymore. Now, the tank plays like a heavy, not a medium anymore.
- massive depression nerf is perhaps the most problematic one: you’ll have to think very carefully about where you stand and where you aim, no more “lol let’s stand anywhere” for you.

The combination of the two factors above makes the tank much more difficult and tricky to play than it was before – and yes, that is a good thing, given how overpowered the current KV-1S is. Worry not however: you will still be able to deal some serious damage. In this sense, I think the 100mm gun is actually a better choice. It has better DPM, better aimtime and – most importantly – better accuracy. With that (relatively thin) armor, you can’t rely on getting out of battle fast anymore, you’ll have to stay back a bit and for that, the gun is better suited than the brutal but unrefined 122mm.

All in all, it’s still an okay tank. Not the overpowered beast it was, but it’s okay. I think it will do fine.

Comparing the guns of the KV-1S and KV-85

Vytr0eu

Rating: 6/10

KV-1S

shot_004

shot_003

This is the tier 5 tank, that was split from the original tier 6 KV-1S. Many say that it’s actually useless – like the KV-1, but worse, with fewer and worse gun options.

That is a lie.

This tank is actually great. The reason why it is great is that it combines the 122mm derp (which is tiny little bit better than the KV-1 122mm due to its accuracy – compensated however by worse depression) with better speed. What it means is that you will (unlike with a KV-1) be able to even intercept medium prey before the line consolidates into a grinding clusterfuck.

The 122mm is awesome with gold ammo to the point of being overpowered. Remember – this is tier 5, you’ll get to meet tier 3 tanks in this beast. The speed is the key – the tank is actually pretty nimble and accelerates relatively fast, that’s what I really like about it. It has no extra special features, but a combination of decent armor, speed and firepower just works (I hope they won’t make it any slower or sluggish). Check this out:

shot_006

You can do very well in this tank even when the prey is your equal. Imagine it unleashed on tier 5. I really, really like this vehicle and unless it gets a substantial nerf, I think I will be getting exactly this.

Comparison of the characteristics of KV-1 and KV-1S

fl1fFKb

Rating: 8/10

77 thoughts on “9.3 – First Feedback (Part 2: RU251, LTTB, T-54L, KV-1S, KV-85)”

    • Well, LTTB is not exactly a reincarnated T-50-2. I did things in the LTTB that got me killed, if I had been in a T-50-2 I would’ve gotten away with it. So not quite, but close enough..

      • Well, the T-50-2 was a small tank, this thing is quite big compared to that.

        You have to appreciate the fact, that we got something as close as this to the old T-50-2.
        Indeed, close enough.

  6. I dont know why,but fom that LT you reviewed and said they are not good,for me was excellent (except T37)….. i played T-54 Lightweight as light medium,something like T-44,and i think it wasnt supposed to be originally LT…. LTTB is great,but that M41 Walker was a lot of worse as you said before…. unaccurate and not so fast…. T49 as you said it can critical damage T-54 Light, but only if it hit something,very,very long aiming and even in 70% of full aim i missed

  7. It’s me or the T71, considered as UP scout is completely outclassed by the new Tier 7 in every aspect except for camo?
    Same view range, much more speed, even more manoeuvrable and a 10 rounds autoloader with better aim time. :/
    And that OP LTTB now..

    • I dont know,but i think i got different version of CT than others….. That gun on M41 is much more unaccurate than on T71 ( I had both). T71 got much more aim speed

      • T71 has better acc (0.39) but slower aim time (2.3s) than the M41 (0.4 and 2.1s).
        -0.2s in aim time is a serious advantage.

          • M41 is simply too large for passive. ^^ it is larger than some mediums.
            I think it will be active scouting-dedicated

    • And t71 is completely OP compared to 13 75, both t71 And the new t7 need nerfed or 15 75 buffed.

  8. That elite turret on KV-1S looks so ugly, also, KV-1S and KV-85 both have their elite turrets named KV-122 mod. 1944?? wat.

      • Nooo…
        Look at the tier 5 KV-1S and tier 6 KV-85 research screens. They both have their top Turrets named KV-122 mod. 1944

        • I spent some gold at KV-1S (cammo and amblems)
          What now.Similar,i have 2 sold Grille in full (gold pay)when he become tier 5 (useless for team battles or Campain CW )
          We will get KV-85,can we mount cammo and amblems from KV-1S ,or u will refound gold ???????????

          P.S.
          I also have Chaffee with gold-paid cammo and amblem in garage

  9. For me RU is disappointment , because it can’t reach 80 km/h without driving from hill down . Most time it can drive 60 – 65 km/h .

    • disappointment? Whats disappointing on 5,2s reload with 240 alpha, 190 pen and excellent maneuvrability?

      • Fucking power creep. Smaller, faster than Pershing with an insane gun, that fucking reload, what the fuck?? Why can’t it be as slow as WZ-132′s gun? This is not balanced, every new tank they introduce is more powerful than the older ones. AMX 13s are now completely obsolete.

        • Were you born yesterday?
          That’s how they make money – introduce OP tanks that everyone wants to get for they OPness, so people spend gold on free exp, then nerf them after two patches or so. Same story over and over again, T57 Heavy, WTF-100, chinese HEAT, even the poor old E5, that was *the* tank of choice for CW, was nerfed almost to oblivion (awful mobility, low alpha, paper armor – that’s what it is now).

      • RU is supperior to TWO german meds, same guns, a have better stats, trade for armor and 100 hp to indien, and 300 to Panther 2. Better ammo goes to RU. Why you should use med like Indien in that case. If WG dont nerf RU it will be better than Indien. Cool thinkin WG

        • Never compare a tier 8 MT with a tier 8 LT. RU251 has higher battle MM than Indien which mean it will face tier 10 tanks much more frequently than Indien.

          Stop whining.

  10. ,,the vehicle is actually called “T-54 Lightweight”, which is odd and causes problems in the UI, because the name is too long (no idea who translated it as such instead of the simplier “Light”)”

    Russian name is ,,Т-54 облегчённый” wich is as long as english one, so for sure they didn’t noticed that it won’t fit in UI.

    • It’s shortened to “Т-54 обл.” on loading screen and wherever else it counts. Full name is only displayed in damage panel, hangar and research menu.
      So yeah, they shound have used the “T-54 Light”.

  11. Dammit…..In recent days every time I see a post about the RU251 in WoT and I’m like , Damn, when’s Armoured Warfare coming out….
    WoT tanks keep getting me hyped for other games.

        • for me is T-44 is awful, due to its stock version and 85mm gun from tier 6, T-54L is in stock much better,it got 100mm gun (that got 44 in almost full) in stock and better turret

      • I agree that KV1S was overpowered TTM, but to slow it by 20%, to enlarge the loading time in base of 25%, kill the accuracy even more than is now etc. etc. etc. makes the tank total trash.
        btw KV1S is not my favourite nor even most played tank, but this seems to bit a lot nerf for me. Basically that´s not a nerf but totally killing vehicle. Second thing, I don´t think in any vehicle you can forget on tactics.

          • Have you read an article you reacting at? “I agree that KV1S was overpowered” for slower people, so I can understand a reballance, this is not reballance, this is killing the vehicle (speed, aiming, loading, depresion, accuracy – everything). So GTFO alone if unable to READ and respect others :/

    • Shut up, bloody tomato!

      “Congratz” to finally coming to their senses and nerfing the shit out of that OP miserable thing

      • I am “Green Apple” and as I´ve said, it´s not my most favourite or even not most played tank. Show me your stats :)… As the KV1S was overpowered, this is crap on the other hand. From extreme to extreme, stupid way of thinking.
        btw You don´t need bitching somebody, if you don´t agree with his opinions. Maybe parents made some mistake?

        • 1) You can easily search me on noobmeter, I use the same nickname on FTR as in-game
          2) The new KV-85 will be a BEAST with that 100mm gun… which it should have had from the first place as the main gun!
          FINALLY no more 450 dmg snapshots from bots & tomatoes from half a map away because RNGesus thought it was funny to hit an ELC on the move from that distance
          3) I will shit on anybody’s opinions, as long as those opinions are worth shitting on.
          Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean it should be automatically respected or even taken into consideration

          The OP-1S will FINALLY be dead. Huzzah!

          • 1) TD lover and Hellcat rider complains *palmface* about KV1-S, how funny. Maybe you didn´t realized the Hellcat is on it´s tier and type more OP than KV1S on it´s own http://www.noobmeter.com/tankStats/eu
            2) Finally your brain created some statement to discuss about.
            3) This way you can talk to your mother, maybe you will one day recognize making yourself a “tough hero” on the chat is not making you man in reality.

    • KV-85 is much better than old KV-1S (with exception of gun depression and max speed). New 100mm gun reloads 2 times faster than old 122mm, so it have better DPM now (and you would not get hit 3 times for 240 damage per shot whle reloading)

  15. I find the kv1s with 85mm quite violent in fact. When you compare it to others tier V vehicule you are more mobile, you have more hp, and now with the 85mm, more dpm. 122 is the most obvious gun, but the 85 is much more reliable… It has more DPM than the churchill I, the only flaws are pen and accuracy, but with the mobility and HP pool it’s not very hard to get close…

    For me it’s a bit OP as it is right now. Even with the -3 depression.

  16. SS,i got an advice for you. Please,dont take it offensively,but try to play that T-54 LT like Type 59 or Obj 416,which are meds without armor too. Maybe you will change your mind.

    • Type 59 has 100mm@60deg hull front and cast turret with 200mm front, it’s not a med without armor. And it plays in tier 8/9 unlike the T-54L with its 9/10/11.

      416 is pretty unique as well, because it’s basically a SU-101′s retarded brother.

      • Yes,but with that style of game its better than play like LT. For scouting its just too big and why not use that good armor or turret? I bounced a lot with it. But till you research top engine,its awfully slow

        • T-54 is not too big. It’s just a little larger than the WZs.
          And VK2801/Failpanther can scout just fine even with their huge size.

          T-54 Light’s armor is going to be worthless agaist anything 175+ pen, so I really see no reason to play it as a med.

          • yes,but as SS said,T-54 got less view range and worse top speed compared to AFKPantha or VK

            • Top speed is 1.3 km/h less than Failpanther’s, that’s a whole lot of worse.
              Viewrange is the same for all of those – 390m.
              T-54 also has more hp/t and its ground resistance values are 0.9/1/1.6 compared to AFKP’s 0.7/0.8/1.8
              So no, T-54 isn’t really less mobile than that giant “scout”.

          • But its problem of any light medium in this game,its not made to fight face to face with other HTs and TDs or something else

      • T-44 is really similiar to T-54LT, it got only 10mm more armor in front but less armored turret. Speed is similiar,maybe T-54LT got better acceleration with top engine and guns are same too. So the gameplay should be like T-44,but you must always think that you will always in bottom

        • T-44 is UP for a T8 med, that’s one thing. Another thing is that LTs aren’t meds FFS! They are NOT supposed to be main force, not supposed to hold a flank or break through one. New lights have too much firepower if you start comparing them to meds – powercreep, that’s all.

  17. SS, on light tanks balancing: French light autoloaders are a class all by themselves, with AMX 13 90 being main ESL tank – so all other lights have to be overpowered to compete with them, just in pure gindworthiness and battleusefulness.

    Also, it was really “rebalance” and not nerf with Russian heavies, and you made fun of WG :P … It happened as predicted.
    Instead of one OP tank on 5tier, we are now getting two.
    And on 6tier we are getting a tank that is at least competitive – and above average players will have no problem using it. It only stopped being scrub-easy, as every hi-alpha machine is.

    • Any tier 6 heavy is somewhat competitive now (maybe except for derp KV-2). So this is not really a problem.
      The whole point of this was to remove a scrub-easy machine, I think.

  18. I think all the new lights,esp. the tier 8s shouldn’t be played as dedicated scouts.Don’t waste the potential of this tank standing in bushes trying to do passive scouting,use them as very maneuverable,very fast,very high camo value and view range,low HP mediums.
    The T-54 Light might be a mediocre scout,and I agree with you,SS,but when played as a medium it’s absolutely awesome. It’s miles better than the T-44.
    Same with the RU251,play it like a tier 8 Leopard 1,not for scouting but flanking.
    As for T49,this tank is insanely fun,being able to deal serious damage even to tier 10 tanks without using gold.
    There are some maps that allow you to scout in the beginning (Sand River/Mountain Pass/etc…) but on most maps just act as a medium,flank,flank,flank and scout only when the situations allow you to do it safely and efficiently.

    • And that’s why it’s fucked up, light tanks that fulfill the role of medium tanks, it’s broken by design.

    • “The T-54 Light might be a mediocre scout,and I agree with you,SS,but when played as a medium it’s absolutely awesome. It’s miles better than the T-44.”
      True, but at the same time it has the same MM as normal T-54…

      • The point of driving a light is to not get hit.The gun is good enough to go through the side and backs of tier 10 tanks.So,if you know what you are doing getting in tier 10 battles is an advantage,not a drawback,since you get a lot of XP.
        Personally,I always hope to be in high tier battles when I’m playing lights.

  20. Way 2 many light tanks, it’s impossible to test real impact of new tanks in actual gameplay. Still the RU, LTTB and M41 are my favourite.