21 replies to this topic

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Hi all,

 

I would like to know what you think is the best way to improve vision on medium and heavy tanks. Not only technically but also economically.

 

I am going down the German line (no wheraboo: they lost, case closed) so I guess I should be looking at improving the sniping abilities of the tanks. On the technical side I know the differences between vents, coated optics and binoculars. I have a 100% crew on all tanks but most are still working on the 1st skill. I am currently at Tier 5 and since I am doing rather poor I will stay there for a while. I am a little down on credits due to shopping during recent sales and a not so smart buy/sell policy on tonks…

 

For now I am focussing on getting my Pz. IV H and VK 30.01H working.

 

For my own reseach I usually watch Aging Jedil. He seems to favor the standard combination of a rammer, vents and binoculars.

 

So, what do you think?Thanks for you input!

 

Happy hunting!

[Suurpolskija]

Rammer vstab/vents and optics on german tanks. I think with good crew with bia, recon and sit awareness, you can get ~440m with rammer vstab vents, too.

 

At low tiers binocs might be better and if you're down on credits, binocs is better than nothing. I personally hate stopping for 3 seconds to see if there's an ISU aiming at me. Optics allow the slightest and fastest peeks and will net you that extra spotting exp and maybe even wins. 

Edited by Suurpolskija, 10 June 2018 - 08:59 AM.

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Thanks. I have about 4 coated optics lying around so those are definitely an option. What do vstab do for vision?

[Mav75]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 10 June 2018 - 10:08 AM, said:

Thanks. I have about 4 coated optics lying around so those are definitely an option. What do vstab do for vision?

 

Improve your gun handling, meaning you stick your head out for less time.

 

[TungstenHitman]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 10 June 2018 - 06:40 AM, said:

 

I am going down the German line (no wheraboo: they lost, case closed) so I guess I should be looking at improving the sniping abilities of the tanks.

 

For now I am focussing on getting my Pz. IV H and VK 30.01H working.

 

For my own reseach I usually watch Aging Jedil. He seems to favor the standard combination of a rammer, vents and binoculars.

 

 

There are four equipment layout options for the PZ4. It has less view range than the VK so depending on how you play envisage you play it, you can go with either of these layouts, btw, you play this tank with the derp gun because unfortunatley it's 75mm has a very poor shell velocity of 790 and a 110 dmg/pen combo all of which really suck even at tier5 so even though the derp also has slow shell velocity, at least your tank can now bite a lot harder and played with HE 99% of the time, will always be doing something bad to whatever tank it strikes. For tanks around these tiers the options are as follows 

 

layout 1 - vents optics binocs. Totally visually layout all about seeing to the maximum possible be it moving or stationary at the sacrifice of dpm

 

layout 2 - rammer optics binocs. Slightly more aggressive option but still a very visual orientated layout. You see a little less but you reload faster

 

layout 3 - vents rammer binocs. sniper/damage/handling only option leaving yourself pretty much vulnerable when you are moving around the map.

 

layout 4 - gld vents binocs. All out bush camping sniper build purely for remaining static and targeting ranged targets with the best possible gun handling but at a loss of dpm and very vulnerable when trying anything else.

 

layout 5 - vents rammer optics. Classic medium tank sort of layout suitable to heavies too. not really useful for a sniper sort of roll at this tier and you will still be well short of the maximum view range so not really of much use imo, more suitable for tanks that can fill the 445 view range with this layout so until then I would always take binocs since, seeing the enemy on bigger maps is so important.

 

You have to weigh up the maps, the preferred playstyle, being bottom tier 90% of the time etc

[Gremlin182]

Have you visited this helpful place it can tell you just about everything you need to know about how equipment skills and consumables affect your tank.

I know it says camo calculator but thats just one part of what it tells you.

Input your particular tank then play around with equipment and skills to see what each does.

 

http://www.wotinfo.n...camo-calculator

 

What improves vision.

Coated Optics

Binoculars

Vents

Recon Skill

Situational Awareness skill

Brothers In Arms

Consumables such as chocolate

 

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Really helpfull responses, thanks! Given the number of times that I get one shotted by a Tier 7 I never saw I think I will go for layout 1 or 2 on my meds.

[Tramp_In_Armour]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 10 June 2018 - 12:27 PM, said:

Really helpfull responses, thanks! Given the number of times that I get one shotted by a Tier 7 I never saw I think I will go for layout 1 or 2 on my meds.

 

A lot depends on your camo, actually. Are your crews training camo? How far advanced are they with that? Do you have camo paint on your tanks? If the total camo rating of your medium amounts to 25 or less, then binos won't be of much use unless you plan to camp really far back - you'll be easily spotted and fragged before your binos activate. You can't move around the battlefield as invisibly as a light, even if your stationary camo rating is okay. If your camo is good, you can consider sniping. Otherwise, you need to peek in and out of cover often, taking opportunity shots, in which case optics are the best tool.

[wobblybob]

vbaddict site is your friend,. You can search by tank and it will show you what best players mount on their tank.

Here is an example:-

 

http://www.vbaddict.net/tankstats/germany/medium/panther-5

 

 

The general consensus from all the people I have played with (and they are largely better than me) is that vstab is always fitted, then rammer, finally choose between vents and optics. The argument being vents give a little view range but are also always benefiting everything else. Optics only help spot, but that can sometimes be critical. Chocolate for full try hard.

 

Optics on heavy? When are you spotting in heavy tank and given its camo rating are you likely to out spot enemy? Look at link Gremlin182 put in above and run some scenarios.

[Nethraniel]

T5 layout with Pz IV H derp would be rammer/vents/optics, BiA+Sit.Awereness+Recon and eventually full camo. Depending on your willingness to invest in premium consumables, choclate as extra. This requires ofc. a 3-4 skill crew, but you will outspot a lot of other players easily. 

[Somnorila]

Probably best approach would be to mound equipment that can be demounted without gold. But if you don't have issues in that department i would probably go with rammer+vents and optics or binocs, according to my play style in that tank. But they are HT's, you have bad crew, so sniping seems a bad idea, you're going to get lit. Specially when we're talking about the current maps where sniping is barely a thing as it's almost impossible to find good lines of fire outside enemies view ranges. Not to mention that the ones that might be there are not easy to achieve in a slow tank or a tank with bad camo rating. You have both minuses. So i would probably prefer to get optics on third slot. It will not help too much but it's there. Maybe a better choice would be a box of tools. Doesn't really matter. Your ability to maneuver, shoot and angle is more important. But again might still not be enough when facing tanks two tiers higher than you. You're basically a victim so your only other option is to be a victim with sense, so support allies with your gun and use them as cover but don't shy on sacrificing some hp when necessary. Regarding consumables only premium fire extinguishers are a must, the other two kits are perfectly ok to use normal ones. Always have all types of ammo, normal for general use, low armor and sides, premium for difficult targets frontally, HE for reset, paper armor or low hp hard targets. Tiers 5-6 should pass pretty quickly. As soon is possible change the third slot with vstab and you're golden. 

 

Edited by Somnorila, 12 June 2018 - 08:26 AM.

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Somnorila, on 12 June 2018 - 08:23 AM, said:

Probably best approach would be to mound equipment that can be demounted without gold. But if you don't have issues in that department i would probably go with rammer+vents and optics or binocs, according to my play style in that tank. But they are HT's, you have bad crew, so sniping seems a bad idea, you're going to get lit. Specially when we're talking about the current maps where sniping is barely a thing as it's almost impossible to find good lines of fire outside enemies view ranges. Not to mention that the ones that might be there are not easy to achieve in a slow tank or a tank with bad camo rating. You have both minuses. So i would probably prefer to get optics on third slot. It will not help too much but it's there. Maybe a better choice would be a box of tools. Doesn't really matter. Your ability to maneuver, shoot and angle is more important. But again might still not be enough when facing tanks two tiers higher than you. You're basically a victim so your only other option is to be a victim with sense, so support allies with your gun and use them as cover but don't shy on sacrificing some hp when necessary. Regarding consumables only premium fire extinguishers are a must, the other two kits are perfectly ok to use normal ones. Always have all types of ammo, normal for general use, low armor and sides, premium for difficult targets frontally, HE for reset, paper armor or low hp hard targets. Tiers 5-6 should pass pretty quickly. As soon is possible change the third slot with vstab and you're golden. 

 

 

Basically that is how I play my meds and my vk 3001h when low tier. Seems to be the only way to survive skme minutes when up against tier  VII in my V's. Do some spotting when playing Pz. III/IV and then fall back to support our own high tiers by flanking and distracting.

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Tried some set ups and on meds and light I go for max view range: vents, optics and binocs. Thanks all for the advice!

[Homer_J]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 10 June 2018 - 07:40 AM, said:

Hi all,

 

I would like to know what you think is the best way to improve vision on medium and heavy tanks. Not only technically but also economically.

 

 

Silly suggestion but you could use teamwork.  Get a light tank to spot and you shoot.

[250swb]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 17 June 2018 - 06:33 AM, said:

Tried some set ups and on meds and light I go for max view range: vents, optics and binocs. Thanks all for the advice!

 

Don't forget that Situational Awareness on the Radio Operator gives a bigger benefit to view range than Recon on the Commander, and likewise if the Commander is also the Radio Operator go with Situational Awareness first.

Edited by 250swb, 17 June 2018 - 08:39 AM.

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Yeah, I'm training sit.awareness on all radio operators. Teamwork with a light is kinda hard. Most lights and meds simply go for their own spotting xp or hits. That's why I like meds that can do some spotting on their own.

[Homer_J]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 17 June 2018 - 08:48 AM, said:

That's why I like meds that can do some spotting on their own.

Mediums fine, but I find it bizarre that people try to pimp out the view range of blind heavies and TDs when the best you can hope for is to spot the enemy at the same time they spot you.

[_6i6_]

using rammer vents and gld on pz iv h with three skills though

only derp gun

[Unicorn_of_Steel]

Well, on the heavy and TD I have I use vents, rammer and GLD. Just max out the DPM!

[UrQuan]

Unicorn_of_Steel, on 17 June 2018 - 09:38 AM, said:

Well, on the heavy and TD I have I use vents, rammer and GLD. Just max out the DPM!

 

If you can, replace the GLD with vert-stabilizers, they give a much better advantage. The reason is how aiming works. Vertical stabilizer lets you start with a smaller aimcircle from the start (moving or stationary) & thereby reduce aimtime in all conditions, while GLD only decreases aimingtime when stationary.

Do note, not all tanks can fit a vertical stabilizer, but the ones that can, it's a much better choice then GLD.

 

But yes, that setup is much better when your tank has bad viewrange. Not much point pumping up viewrange if your base is already bad.

 

The 2 main setups I use on my heavies:

- If it's blind: Rammer, Vents, Vert stabilizer

Note: if vert stabilizer is not present, it really is tank-dependent for me; GLD if aiming time is long, Optics if the viewrange is not at bottom, toolkit if I drive something that gets tracked alot)

 

- If it has decent/good viewrange for its tier: Rammer, Optics, Vertical stabilizer

If Vertical stabilizer is not present: Vents (bit more viewrange + buffs everything else by a small margin).

 

Do note, above advice is mainly for heavies, as i play those alot. For advice on other classes, I leave that to people who are better at those then me.

Edited by UrQuan, 19 June 2018 - 10:45 AM.