Hello everyone,
continuing with the series of the “fixing” articles (because yes, some vehicles do need some serious fixing), we’ll have a look at the T-15 premium tier 3 light tank. Now, it’s a premium tank so we can’t really consider any serious nerfs, but okay.
The T-15 was a light scout tank developed by Škoda. Several prototypes were made and it was tested along with Panzer 38t nA and the Luchs in comparative trials at Kummersdorf, where it failed due to its poor reliability. The design was new and had many teething problems. The vehicle to come out the best from the trials was actually the nA, but politics intervened and in the end, the Luchs was produced instead. T-15 prototypes were returned to Škoda, where they remained until the end of the war. After the war, one was heavily modified to produce the T-15A/T-15S/T-16, but that’s a story for another time.
Now, before we start, one interesting thing. I noticed that with the Panzer 38t nA (yea, I know, TNH n.A., but let’s use the WoT terms for less confusion). Sometimes, the characteristics of the tank are inconsistent between two major sources, that deal with these vehicles: Doyle (Panzer Tracts) and the Czech authors (Pejčoch, Francev). I had a look at historical Czech reports (courtesy of Mr.Francev) and they are consistent – with the Czech authors. Could Doyle have it wrong? Could the German reports be wrong? I don’t know. But I will be using Czech sources for this article, notably I.Pejčoch (Obrněná technika, Lehké tanky).
Anyway, the T-15.
Now, there’s actually nothing THAT much wrong with the T-15. Considering the fact that it’s a premium vehicle, they didn’t have to invent fake turrets or guns, they just took that one model, based on (the few) photographs already published and the drawings of course.
The model looks BASICALLY okay. Without the internal developer tool, I can’t tell the model’s dimensions properly, but generally, they are roughly okay. If anything, the model looks perhaps a bit taller than it should be, but that’s just the perspective. Traditionally, the armor is not that correct in these old models (and yes, this model is very old), but here, it’s actually fine. The only two things I noticed is that the turret sides should be 20mm thick (not 25mm) and the turret roof should perhaps be 8mm thick instead of 15mm, but that’s pretty much all.
The gun is roughly correct – the thing is, this gun is the A19, not the KwK 38 and should be designated as such. Just a matter of renaming it I guess.
The engine is unhistorical though – no, this was not Praga NRI, the vehicle was equipped with Škoda T-15 V8 10,8 liter engine, producing 220 horsepower. The loss of horsepower (the one in the game has unhistorical 274hp) could be compensated by the improvement of terrain resistance, which, as it often again is with these old models, is relatively high (1,03/1,14/2,06). The speed is correct otherwise and the rest are just balancing parameters.
The biggest future improvement I can see in this sense is the improved model quality, following the acquisition of more and better photos from Czech archives, which is already in progress. I am not sure this vehicle actually NEEDS any buffs – it could certainly get some, but most are from after the war. Actually, a variant with a different turret by Daimler-Benz and 50mm L/60 was also considered, but as far as I know, no drawing was published of that and it was almost certainly never built.
Its a funny thing this tank hope they wont nerf it and will buff it much
buff it much? what?
this tank is fine as it is, just leave it. It definitely doesn’t need any buffs.
I don’t know what is so special about this tank, maybe the camo value, maybe the good crew helps too, but I really love it. :)
I tried it out (got it for free somewhere) and it’s not really that special, didn’t sit with me well (unlike the T-25).
IMO locust is much better. :)
Stronk camo, better pen and that acc on the move…..
It was my first waste of money, sold it after 3 games.
Locust or T15?
Locust all the way. Better gun and armour, only ammo capacity is lackluster.
It was a mission reward one weekend this spring, iirc.
view range + mobility (optics highly recommended)
There was a mission in the past to get it for free.
It’s one of the few non-scout light tanks that keeps full camouflage on the move, if I recall correctly. Other than that it has nothing exceptionally good or bad about it.
Not sure what you mean.
It’s a light tank gets the typical light tank camo on the move bonus. It gets scout match making. When top tier it can be played as a battle tank. Most of the time it’s a dedicated scout.
I also love it. I usually use it as a brawler or as a scout, and have ~70% WR with it. Don’t ask how :)
it’s a combination of agility, camo and view range.
plus before the Panzer 1 C showed up the T-15 had the highest radio range of any light tank at tier 3 (700m) so essentially it was the super scout. It still does ok nowdays but its not as special as it once was
It will also out accelerate a pz1c by a huge margin, over short distances and hills, the t-15 is much faster. It only lacks the top speed of the pz1c, but its also more agile, and has a gun that has more pen, and good rof.
Makes a good scout, both active or passive, and can do some damage quite well to. A good late game brawler and finisher. I love this lil tank. Makes a good profit too. 8k credits a game is not bad for a tier 3 tank, it has deffinatly made more than its value in gold of profit.
About fixing models… I would like to see T23E3 with symmetric suspension… It’s so weird right now…
But interesting stuff about T-15.
It could use some penetration buff?
42mm is a little too low for a T3 tank with out preferential MM
Correct!
Frank, for “OK” model modellers need correct references. And correct drawings – it’s a big luck. As example, i don’t know any correct T-34-85 drawings, haha.
Just for example, czech scale plans :)
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/yuripasholok/765139/1694309/1694309_original.jpg
Same thing with polish, french, british, american, canadian etc. As example, only mr. Doyle made real correct drawings of german tanks. Also in Tactical Press books about 38(t) we are made drawings based on the measurement work etc. Same thing with Maus, as example.
Of course, you can find factory drawings, but if you think about factory drawings as a most correct source… Just for example – IS-85 factory plans.
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/yuripasholok/765139/1694465/1694465_original.jpg
I am going to assume you are the real Yuri Pasholok – if so, please use the English version of my name. Yes, obviously I know you know my real name, finally a levelled ground :)
The “scale” plans however are just a Pejčoch’s drawing. I don’t think he presents it anywhere as real scale plans. Plus, he got some stuff wrong. Well, a lot of stuff anyway.
The closest thing there is any hope of finding as far as I know is some sort of sales pitch on the T-15. How accurate it is, I don’t know, but it’s authentic. Then again, a lot of this stuff gets mixed up, for example T-22 is referred to as “lighter T-23″ in the T-23 report for some reason.
All information about T-15 – measurement scheme (don’t know where mr.Spielberger got it, maybe czech sources) , 10-12 photographs, plus poor quality scale plans and mr.Doyle 1979 dated side view. For this “big” references pack model looks very good.
I think I saw actual (large format) drawings in V.Francev’s collection, I’ll ask him tomorrow. In any case, WG is going to get them as a part of the information exchange.
As i said, anyway need to remember – factory drawings and real life are two differences.
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/yuripasholok/765139/224540/224540_original.jpg
Same thing with factory drawings of any country and any factory. Missing details, wrong geometry of some details etc.
Yes, I understand. But when you boil it down – you have a real vehicle, that does not fit projections (even if some authors have – say – loose standards) or even factory drawings. So in the end, in WG’s position, you just have to pick who to believe (real life vehicle or factory drawings) when creating a model, it’s all the same – both sources are valid.
hey !
test server is EU client is on ! 170mg to download
Oh come on now, first you talk about nerfing my Pz38na, now you want to nerf my T15!!!! FFS!
I waited ages to finally have a crew with 6th sense on these two tanks to finally fully enjoy them and you give bad ideas to WG? Be quiet please.
Anyway sorry SS that the T15 doesn’t work for you as well as the T25, funnily enough it is exactly the opposite for me.
The T15 is probably one of my most favourite tanks: excellent manoeuvrability and acceleration, very good view range and camo values, excellent speed, only let down by a really mediocre gun that is just useless against tier V and many tier IV, but Tier III battles on this one can just be spectacular (ehm, often enough).