Friday 7 June 2013

Premium vehicles changes in 8.6 update

Hi everyone!

I know, that this news articles is on all portals, but I just want to have some discussion on blog and share some of my thoughts.

You may have seen the latest update notes in the news for the Public Test server, but we've got some additional information to share with you. We're very excited to be releasing the 8.6 Update soon, and with that update will come a few necessary changes. After much deliberation, analysis of statistics, and looking at the upcoming development plan, it's been decided that the tier VIII T26E4 SuperPershing, the tier IV 105 lefH18B2, and the as-yet-to-be-released British Sexton will require some attention.

We knew that it will create a lot of negative feelings, so we decided to make the changes as smooth as possible. For example, we do not nerf anything in 8.6.

T26E4 SuperPershing
The frontal armor of the T26E4 SuperPershing is not currently representative of its historical counterpart and its performance may see a dip once the 8.6 Update is released -- due to overall gameplay changes coming with this update. As a result, we'll be temporarily be removing this vehicle from the in-game store. Players who already own this tank will still have the ability to play it.


And you still can by before 8.6 goes Live

The changes for the T26E4 SuperPershing will not arrive in time for the 8.6 Update, but when we've finished tinkering it'll once again become available. Which update that will occur in has yet to be determined. Most of the changes will center around altering the armor angles of the frontal plates, and an exact list of the changes will be provided in a future article. Owners of the T26E4 SuperPershing, who purchased the vehicle prior to the changes, will have the opportunity to sell it for the full retail price in Gold (7,200).

Please, take in your attention the fact that we will compensate the full price disregarding the fact, whether you've purchased it on discount or not.

105 leFH18B2 and Sexton
The French 105 lefH18B2 will be bumped up from tier IV to tier V; no changes will be made to its combat characteristics. The matchmaking for this vehicle will remain the same, but due to the overall improvements to artillery this vehicle definitely belongs at tier V. Similarly, this vehicle will be removed from the in-game store but will not be making a return. Instead, this vehicle will be used as a special reward for events.


No nerfs will be made to this vehicle, even though going up Tier, it will still see the same tanks and act just the same as prior to 8.6. But we want to reserve this vehicles as rewards for special events, like Type 62

The large rebalancing project launched for SPGs in the 8.6 Update, unfortunately, did not include the proposed British Sexton. We want to roll this vehicle off the assembly line very soon, and we want it to make a stellar appearance, so we're postponing its arrival to a future update.

And probably it won't come in 8.7 also. A33 Excellior will be added in 8.6 though.




48 comments:

  1. I'll buy the Super Pershing just in case you guys change your minds about reintroducing it and make it a special premium like the Type 59 :P

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    Replies
    1. Better safe than sorry (I never forgave myself for missing out on the B2).

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    2. @Wolcott

      We will soon provide a chance to win B2 as a prize

      Delete
  2. Still think it's "horse hockey" that you guys buff and nerf premium tanks. If i go and buy a vehicle at no time does the producer of that vehicle stop by and pull out the radio disc player and give me a new stereo.. or stop by and yank the engine out of my truck and give me a crappier one then state ohh it has to do with the historical reference to my vehicle.
    WTF?

    Most of this tanks in this game were never battle tested. Some only 1 or two prototypes existed. In others only blue prints or drawings.

    Yet many of the blue print tanks that NEVER made it to production are given high rating HOW?

    On one hand you guys say it's just a game and on the other hand you quote historical relevance.

    It's quite irritating. Leave Gold tanks purchased for gold ALONE.

    You guys with your nerfs have caused many historical impact tanks from WW2 to be nerfed beyond recognition to become unplayable. When it's pointed out in game we always get told it's a game with no historical relevance.

    The Tiger and the Tiger 2 (royal Tiger) were kings of the battlefield when they were introduced. They sent shockwaves through allied troopers minds. Yet in this game Tigers are Tabby cats, nothing more. You've declawed the tigers but made the T71/ T69/ T54E1's and T57 Heavy into a line of super tanks

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    Replies
    1. "When introduced". Everyone always seems to forget that the advancement of technology keeps trudging onward and upward, and that by the end of the war the Allies had developed tanks that would defeat Tiger and Tiger II on equal footing. And onward. Tiger I production was stopped because Germans considered it "obsolete" on the ever-evolving battlefield.

      This is a game of "What if". What if the Panther and Pershing had met on the battlefield? Or the Tiger II and IS-3?

      If you want to Pwn in Tigers then go play Company of Heroes or Red orchestra ;)

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    2. The difference between your comparison of real life cars to internet tanks has so many holes that I'll pick just one:

      In real life, you order a car for your own transportation. Not as a competition or a game intended to promote fair play.

      What about car racing? They would never "nerf" your car, right?

      Actually formula 1 has repeated banned technologies that give teams with a lot of money advantage: For example, in 2009 the FIA banned all traction control systems because they made shit drivers seem good. You can see how many times the rules have been changed here:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Formula_One_regulations

      Premium tanks must NEVER be better than tanks of a similar tier....that would be Pay 2 Win and I support any effort to nerf overachieving tanks....the IS-6 in particular is a stat padders dream.

      And stop bringing up that History Channel myth, The Tigers were good tanks that had serious flaws and were countered quite quickly (Ie, IS-2, Su-152)

      And the T-34 was a legend as well and shocked the Germans but it's not anywhere near being the best Tier 5 or 6 medium.

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    3. History Channel myth.. LOL ya right ask any american/ canadian/ british tanker who fought in the war what they thought of the German Equipment they were facing.

      If a Tiger or a Panther tank was detected on a battlefied every gun available was brought to bear and was targeted on that tank.

      The T-34 was a great tank for 1 reason sheer volume of numbers. The KV-1 was a better Russian main battle tank. The T-34's 76 mm cannon was great in close on attack on Tigers. Because, the Tigers could pick them off at ranges where the T-34's couldn't fire back at distance. Plus the Tigers frontal armor was stronger than the penetration of the russian guns.

      T-34's main job was as a higher speed flanking tank. Hit hard from the side or rear in numbers then get in close.


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    4. "History Channel myth" was right! Good grief John, you have fallen for that propaganda *badly*. The T-34 and KV-1 were pretty much invincible when Germany went against them in the beginning of the war, we (should) all know those stories of the venerable Flak 88's having to take them out.

      But Germany introduced the Tiger and Panther to counter them, and then *those* tanks reigned supreme during the middle of the war. A period in which you seem to be stuck in because you are completely ignoring the tanks which were *then designed to counter* the Tiger/Panthers! The T-34-85 (which could kill Tigers beyond normal combat ranges), the IS-2 (which was a match in pretty much every way for the Tiger), the Pershing (*specifically* designed to kill the "Panther threat"), Firefly (which could pen Panther front plate under right circumstances), and even the IS-3 (which *was* being produced by war's end, and matched everything on the battlefield such that probably only Maus could have killed it if the war had gone on).

      The tables of fortune turned *many* times during that war, and Germany was Not always on top.

      So AGAIN, WoT is NOT a game about picking the only date in time YOU want to hear about. It is about taking ALL tanks, ever, and throwing them into an arena together and sending the equal ones against each other. That would be Tiger vs IS-2... and NOT Tiger vs T-34, because OBVIOUSLY there stands no chance there...

      But seriously: would Glass Joe get to fight Mike Tyson? Because that's what your saying WoT should do :/

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    5. Only one problem with your theory dude,if implemented E 50 and Maus should be translated to tier 8 since they are from " historically correct" period.

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    6. KV-1 better than the T-34? Are you high? there's a reason the KV-1 was phased out before the end of the European war while the T-34 kept on trucking. The KV-1 was the Tiger of its day. Overweight, underpowered, prone to breakdown, but mounting a very nice gun. But there was basically nothing the KV-1 could do that the T-34 couldn't do just as well with much better reliability and less cost.

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  3. They HIDE behind the arguement. Historically accurate. On one side they make a comment that things aren't historically accurate it's a game. then the next day It's not a historically accurate representation of the vehicle.

    Make up your minds WOT!

    On the other side You sold people a PREMIUM vehicle for actual dollars in the Super P. Just leave the PREMIUM tanks alone! You sell them. Then research the tank before it gets Sold as a Premium. No buffs like you did constantly with the Type 59 .. however the WZ120 doesn't get the same performance buffs? Yet it's THE SAME TANK.

    No buffs no Nerfs just research the vehicles properly and bring them out!

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  4. so they will remove SP from game and refund us gold? hmmm

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  5. I'm a Super Sponge owner, and even though almost everyone says that it's worthless and slow and has a crappy gun and yada-yada-yada; I love it. It looks cool, it drives cool, it shoots cool, it's a blast to tank in it.
    I'm not upset about WG changing it: as the game changes, the premiums will have to change too, else they will become obsolete and nobody will buy them. Pure logic. These changes won't be always positive, but that's life. As the Marines say: "Life is like an obstacle. Get over it."

    If it will be historically correct, all the better. On that regard, Mr. Tolmachev, I always wondered: why doesn't the SP have the same 560 HP engine as the regular Pershing? AFAIK they did not swap the engine to a weaker one in history. This is a serious question, not some attempt to troll or try to be a smartass. Thank you for the answer in advance!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Mr. Meizner!

      Thank you for asking.

      I will address your question with historical consultant and write you back.

      Best regards,
      Vallter

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    2. Don't bother, Vallter, it's my bad!

      After somebody corrected me on the For the Record blog, I realized that I have known this backwards: the M26 Pershing is the one with the unhistorical starting engine, since it has the Ford GAN instead of the GAF.

      So the SP's engine is actually historical. Sorry about that!

      Delete
    3. @ Adam,

      Okay, thank you for letting me know. Was about to go to our historical consultant-)

      Best regards,
      Vallter

      Delete
  6. Valter, what is the likelihood that the T26E4 will receive it's historical armour and, as compensation, the 90mm gun will be buffed in a future update?

    I am under the impression, correct me if this is wrong, that the current T26E4 in-game has buffed armour (vs. reality) and nerfed gun (vs. reality).

    I think a T26E4 with it's historical armour and a penetration of 190mm (Pulling that out of my hat, may be totally wrong :-) would be a decent trade.

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    Replies
    1. 200 mm pen,it was equal to tiger1 88 mm gun

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. Wouldn't 190-200 mm penetration make it more powerful than the M26 Pershing, and premium tanks aren't supposed to be better than the regular version?

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    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    5. Due to misunderstanding happened, need to write this.

      There is no firm opinion on amount of the new penetration, I'm just confirming the fact that we are currently considering possibility of gun buff, which most probably will include penetration.

      Delete
  7. Well i have some questions,
    1. When can the SP owner sell the SP for 7200 gold (before it's tweaked or after) and
    2. Can the pre patch SP owner tries the rebalanced SP and then sell it for 7200 gold if he doesn't like it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Da7K!

      Possibility of such compensation will be added just after the SP changes, and we will give opportunity to players to try out the new SP.

      Best regards,
      Vallter

      Delete
    2. Not a historian, but from what I can tell it's the Super Pershing that uses the historically accurate engine; the Ford GAF V-8 (500 hp) was used in nearly all the prototype and production tanks in the 26 series. I'm not actually sure where the M26 stock engine (Ford GAN w/ 560 hp) came from, the sources I've found state the Ford GAA, GAF, and GAN engines had a max of 525 hp.

      Delete
  8. @Adam Meizner

    I like your perspective,it seems WG picks premium vehicles from the books or from another resources.Then changes it but not the way as realistic.Simply SerB or Storm i do not remember which one,stated "WoT won't be a simulation game" so basically that's the main reason behind changing tank stats hidden or shown.

    S.P could have better engine and better mobility,also gun could be improved.If someone did not noticed that "hidden super-pershing nerf" that could have been put into the live 8.6 patch without information.

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  9. If the armor nerf is being done in the name of 'historical accuracy', then surely the SP should have the same horsepower engine as the Pershing - and arguable a better gun.

    In my view, at the moment the SP's armor is all it really has going for it. Against skilled tankers, with the upcoming accuracy buff, it's going to be HORRIBLE because it will be so much easier to target the weakspots on the top and cheeks of the turret and machine gun port.

    If the armor is being nerfed, the SP's only strong point, then it does make sense in the name of balance to make the SP significantly more mobile at the very least, with perhaps a minor buff to firepower.

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  10. Since the T26E4 is a modified Pershing, why does it not possess at least the the Pershing's stock engine (Ford GAN: 560hp), and instead it has the 500hp Ford GAF V8?

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    Replies
    1. I have asked the very same question before, Mr. Tolmachev said he will consult with a historical consultant and will get back to us.

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    2. Ahh, did not see that, sorry.

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    3. Actually, we are wrong: the Pershing (and the Super Pershing too) historically had the Ford GAF V8 engine, which was rated between 450-500 HP. So it's actually the M26 Pershing that's inaccurate.

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    4. Would not have guessed that, thanks.

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  11. Vallter

    After taking a closer look at the ingame "new" super pershing model and the few pictures on internet I think the angles aren't correct. It seems like the upper frontplate is at a steaper angle on the actual super pershing. (this in turn means that the lower front plate is a flatter surface.

    Here is a image of it
    http://imageshack.us/a/img22/4994/t26e4.jpg

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    Replies
    1. And this one..

      http://www.moddb.com/groups/tanks/images/t26e3-t26e4-gun-comparison

      Delete
  12. Will the Super Pershing lose it's side "ears" as well (the extra armor plates that protect the sides of the turret)? All the historical photographs I can find on the internet and in the only tanking book I have, shows the T26E4 with only the frontal armor plates and the armor plate on the gun mantle.

    Thank you for the answer in advance!

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    Replies
    1. Please stop giving them more things to nerf. The tank is already a tier 7 premium placed at tier 8. Weak as it is, the nerf will ruin it (that we all know about) and now you are giving them more Ideas to remove whatever remains of this under-powered tank.
      I am so upset over the SP nerf (read about it last Friday night) that I have stopped playing the game (totally)
      I'll be observeing the events from the out side and see how the "new - ruined SP" plays out. Don't know whether I will return or not......

      Delete
  13. I have created a comparison picture so You can see what I'm trying to say :)

    http://s899.photobucket.com/user/IndianaJohns/media/WoT/T26E4Comparison_zps6ceba85c.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

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  14. Would be great is they could buff the speed 5 kph and/or increase travers speed.. That thing is so slow!

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  15. Adam, That picture comparison is incorrect due to your screen resolution being incorrect for the picture. Easy to see that it is squashed making the angles look very exaggerated.

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    Replies
    1. But he was talking about the spaced armour on the sides of the turret, so it doesnt matter it is squashed for his storry..

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    2. Yes, I created it because of the spaced armor on the turret, although even if it's not the correct resolution, the frontal armor plates are definitely steeper and bulge out more than on the real tank.

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    3. Ahhh yes, sorry if I cause any confusion. I do understand there is only a 2-3 degree change proposed in the frontal hull armor as it can be compared on the test server if done correctly.

      Delete
  16. Since we are talking about premium tanks could you please put the L100 in the E-25...

    150 pen at tier 7 for a TD is just poor.

    I would rather have 198 pen without preff MM then..

    A better solution would be 165-180 pen. I understand it has to be slightly worse than the normal tanks of the same type and tier. but with only 135 damage per shot and no armor you are already really frunable.

    So this tank can't afford to get a lot of bounces on the enemy... Because that would mean you would have to expose yourself a lot more. So you need decent pen... To make up for the low damage and low armour values

    I'm sure WG will balance it the right way but I don't think it will be sold a lot with a gun that has even less pen than the tier 6 Dicker Max

    Kind regards


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  17. Hi Vladimir. First I would like to thank you for having this blog and for keeping people informed. I have not been playing WoT for long, but I have already put a fair amount of real world money into your game, including the purchase of the SP from the gift shop on the SEA server.

    The tank is slow, agonizingly slow and has many weak points, which equal / higher tier tanks are capable of penetrating. The SP is, by no stretch of the imagination, an overpowered tank. Most mediums, some lights (such as the T71, AMX series) and even a few heavies are capable of flanking this tank and eating it alive in a matter of moments. The only saving grace of this tank is its armor, which has been reduced in effectiveness since the introduction of credits for gold rounds since I am finding I am being penetrated even through the spaced armor in the frontal turret area.

    Now, if WG REALLY want to change the T26E4 Pershing to its historical values, then by all means, change ALL of the details to match historically. I will present to you an exert from Wikipedia:

    -The 90-mm M3 gun of the Pershing was similar to the German 88 mm KwK 36 used on the Tiger I. In an effort to match the firepower of the Tiger II's more powerful 88 mm KwK43, the T15E1 90 mm gun was developed and mounted in a T26E1 in January 1945. This tank was designated T26E1-1. The T15E1 gun was 73 calibers in length and had a much longer high capacity chamber. This gave it a muzzle velocity of 3,750 ft/s (1,140 m/s) with the T30E16 APCR shot and could penetrate the Panther's frontal armor at up to 2,600 yd (2,400 m). This model used a single piece 50 in (1,300 mm) long ammunition and was the only Super Pershing sent to Europe.

    -A second pilot tank was converted from a T26E3 and used a modified T15E2 gun that used a two piece ammunition. A total of 25 of these tanks were built and designated as the T26E4. An improved mounting removed the need for stabilizer springs.

    As I hope you can see, the T26E4 Super Pershing currently in-game is actually not a T26E4 Pershing...more like a T26E3 SP since it has the T15E1 weapon and still has the stabilizer coils. Since these details are historically inaccurate, would they not have to be taken into consideration? The T15E2 (180 pen I believe) gun is available with the standard Pershing, but not the current version of the T26E4 in-game.

    Failing to change all details to historical correctness is, in my opinion, cheating the person who purchased this vehicle for its one redeeming feature, the armor, although, as mentioned, even that at this stage is beginning to look less appealing.

    If WG do decide to go ahead with the planned changes, I do hope you give current SP owners the opportunity to test drive their tank before making a decision on whether to sell it back for gold.

    Thank you for taking the time to read.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Vladimir,

    Thanks for the blog. At least here we can interact with you guys and tell you how disappointed we are over the nerf of the SP.

    I am so upset that I stopped playing the game the day I read this news(literally)

    Those referring to the pics of the original SP, please note the GAP between the two additional armor plates. This would've increased the effective armor thickness of the tank due to the air jacket between the two sheets.

    That should be included too as a part of the changes (don't you think?)

    To Vladimir and other concerned persons, I have 3 questions:

    Q.1) Will we be able to try-out the NERFED SP for a few days and still be able to sell it at 7200?

    Q.2) When this tank is reintroduced into the stores, will it still count 7200 gold or would the price go up?

    Q.3) Why bother NERFing an already weak tank (tier 7 gun, awful engine and miserable mobility)

    Please note that this is a tank most of us bought citing the performance it has now and won't want it changed.

    This is like a car company coming back to a customer and removing some features because they think it is not appropriate.

    I paid for the Tank, so did everyone else.

    It is my humble request PLEASE STOP TINKERING WITH TANKS THAT WE BUY USING REAL MONEY

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  19. Well I will certainly get rid of my SP with 0.8.7 - The only thing the bugs me, is that 720 gold I spent on Camo and inscription.

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  20. If the Spersh will be able to be sold for gold... What will happen to the camo or the equipment that cannot be removed without more gold? If we sell our precious Spershing, will we be able to get a refund or a dismount for our equipment or other parts it had?
    I was hoping for this to be a very long term tank, so I put spiffy stuff on it, but if they're going to ruin it even more... What compensation will we get apart from the tank itself? The investments we made in it?

    ReplyDelete
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