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[Wace]

Good mount of information there, thanks.

Just seen the additional clarifications from community managers: first aid kits are yet to be confirmed (it seems like it was a leak) and, most probably, will be limited to Arcade mode. "If it's not in devblog - it's not official".

Also, forgot to mention three possibly important points:
- they plan to have vehicles with guided missile ("three-point guidance system", whatever that is) as the topmost and final at tier 5;
- barrels will stand immaterial to collision, since it'll bring more frustration for both players and developers, than fun;
- proper SB view (not from barrel of the gun) is coming soon.

Point 7 will be interesting, if they return the crew points from useless skills I'm pretty sure I can max out a couple of useful skills then

I understood it as they will just switch skills. As an example they mentioned radist mg skill to be transformed to skill that reduces artillery spread or delay.

And bot matches will be an interesting addition, hopefully you can use them to grind the parts modification before taking out human opponents.

Misunderstanding here: "bot matches" don't give you xp, they're more elaborate version of testing flight for planes where you can set type of opposition and conditions to test out your vehicle.

 

[SpoonyBard]

So, I got the M103 yesterday, together with M47 I should be able to fight against BR 8.0 tanks. Or at least I should as soon as I have some upgrades... now the russian heavies are killing me without much effort. Oh well, if I have time to play this week I might have M60 before I run out of premium.

 

[SpoonyBard]

Misunderstanding here: "bot matches" don't give you xp, they're more elaborate version of testing flight for planes where you can set type of opposition and conditions to test out your vehicle.

It was wishful thinking from my part, I guess. But test drive has been pretty limited now, improvements are welcome.

 

[Wace]

August 31st is coming

TIER 1, BABY!

 

[SpoonyBard]

August 31st is coming



TIER 1, BABY!

I hope it's cheap I have played against a rocket equipped Sherman a couple of times, and it seem like fun, if inaccurate, tank to play. But the price is insane.

edit:
situation report: less than two days of premium left, and I still have one tank per nation to get. M60, Coelian and SU-122-54. I could get Coelian quite easily, not much left there, but I think I try to get M60... probably won't make it in two days tho.

 

[grmlin]

If you are interested in my status....

I played a couple of matches but I'm burned out and can't force myself to grind anymore atm. I still have some days of premium left, but I don't have enough fun to ignore all the other games on my backlog.

For now I enjoy the lower tiers the most. Matches are fast, fun and chaotic. War Thunder really shines here.
The high tier grind is so so boring and slow. I do a match here and there, but get frustrated way too fast to stick to it.

 

[SpoonyBard]

If you are interested in my status....

I played a couple of matches but I'm burned out and can't force myself to grind anymore atm. I still have some days of premium left, but I don't have enough fun to ignore all the other games on my backlog.

For now I enjoy the lower tiers the most. Matches are fast, fun and chaotic. War Thunder really shines here.
The high tier grind is so so boring and slow. I do a match here and there, but get frustrated way too fast to stick to it.

I'm still having fun with upper tiers, but it's annoying how bad the stock tanks are compared to fully equiped ones. A stock M47 is much worse than aced M46 etc. And getting those modules takes forever. In lower tiers you can get kills even with a stock tank.

Actually a stock M103 with BR 8.0 is worse than Tiger 2 (H) at BR 6.7. It's ridiculous.

 

[grmlin]

Well, it's absolutely possible, that I'm just not good enough to compete in higher tiers

 

[SpoonyBard]

Well, it's absolutely possible, that I'm just not good enough to compete in higher tiers

Hell, I can't exactly compete against PC players with high fps, mouse aim and no grass

But I just won a talisman for my M103. A tier 5 talisman! I can't believe it...

 

[SpoonyBard]

With the talisman I quicky got fin stabilised HEAT round for my M103. This thing is pretty sweet, Maus can be penetrated easily and it goes right through lighter tanks damaging every module in the way. I think I shoud switch to Russian tanks for my last premium day, so I get a little help with the module upgrades. With the talisman I can get M60 quickly even without premium.

 

[grmlin]

wow, thats some luck! Congratulations!

These fin stabilized heat rounds are awesome, even in the bulldog (I hope I'm correct here). If the US tank tree would be a little more dense around 6 it would be much easier to grind them.

 

[SpoonyBard]

wow, thats some luck! Congratulations!

These fin stabilized heat rounds are awesome, even in the bulldog (I hope I'm correct here). If the US tank tree would be a little more dense around 6 it would be much easier to grind them.

I think only BR 8.0 tanks have them, I think you mean the sabot round that Bulldog has? It's also pretty awesome, you can kill enemies with it even when you get uptiered, but it does a little less damage upon penetration than HEAT.

 

[grmlin]

Ah, Sabot, yes. I'm not so good in memorizing all those different ammo types

 

[SpoonyBard]

Ah, Sabot, yes. I'm not so good in memorizing all those different ammo types

Don't worry, I draw the line with the different types of ballistic cap etc. shells, I just know the basic ammo types. What's a bit nonrealistic about this game is how overpowered high explosive filled armor penetrating shells are compared to solid armor penetraing shells, like what Americans, and I'm afraid, British mostly had. The default solid shot ammo that M103 had, had very limited destructive power, even when the gun was 120 mm.

 

[Wace]

Gaijin CEO Gamescom QA summary

http://warthunder.com/en/news/3275/current

I am a PlayStation4 player and I say that cross-plattform is not working. I feel that the PlayStation4 is just not up to what the players on PC can do, so we are also bothering them while playing with all the glitching etc. going on. As an example, you are a tank player on PC and cannot move at spawn, because some PS4 player who is spawning late is invisible but blocking your path. Or while we on PS4 see all the trees at distance, PC players can just switch them off. We are playing two different games. Your game is dropping in numbers on PS4 and we need separate servers or some good solutions in compatibility to fix that.

First: In the last four months, the number of players on PlayStation4 was increasing, just to refute the claim that we are dropping in player numbers. A lot of people in our office play on PS4 also. So not everyone feels like you, regarding the current situation. Second, which is more important: When you say that players on PC have a 'graphical advantage' over the PS4, you do understand that about 80% of the PC players use exactly the same graphic settings as the ones on PS4, yes? 80% of the people playing on PC have either the same or even higher settings than those we use for the PS4 version. 20% of the other players have lower settings, so yes, they see less bushes and trees - but also have lower visibility on distance due to increased fog. While you on the PS4 and PC players with higher settings can still see players on high distances, they cannot. They only see fog. So while those 20% have an advantage on lower distances, they have a distinct disadvantage on higher distances. Unfortunatley, there is no easy way we can fix that - and it's not actually a problem exclusive to the PS4, it's the same for PC users with minimal compared to PC users with maximum settings. So why we would really love to fix that, it's hard to do, as most of those 20% really need these settings to be able to play, because they e.g. play on very low-end laptops. If we would "fix" that by forcing them to have higher settings, we would just deny them to play at all.

Another problem is that even now, the PlayStation4 does not have a high enough playerbase to be self sufficient. Maybe it would be okay to maintain independent servers a year from now, but right now it's not possible, just because of player numbers. By the way, we initially decided not to launch on XBox One, because Microsoft doesn't allow cross-play. Over time, the situation may be better though, as XBox Ones are almost exclusively placed in the USA - while the PS4 is spread much broader around the world, from the US over to Europe and Japan. And as we run a tier-based matchmaking, we need players to actually populate these tiers in order for the game to be playable.

As you know, we at the moment have 25 tiers for matchmaking (or brackets of Battle Ratings), in addition to five main different game modes, not counting events. That means we have 125 different games, and in order to populate that, it needs at least 10000 players online at the same time at all times just to enable proper 5 vs 5 battles or higher. It would be working not very good, but it would be working, with those 10 000 players active at the same time. If the game does not have that many players, we would have to switch off some game modes. If you remember, as the game launched on PS4 (before cross-play), we switched off all other game modes except Air Arcade, which made the game somewhat playable on PS4 only. While we would be happy to allow PS4 players just to play with themselves if they want to do so, at the moment there is just not enough players to support that, if we do not want to switch off certain game modes. If we would do that now, deactivate everything from Squadron Battles to Events and reduce it to only Arcade Air and Tanks, there would be much more whine about that, than there is about the current situation with cross-play. What we currently are trying to do is to make the game more comfortable for PS4 players, so let's see where this takes us.

In my opinion, players on PlayStation4 have a disadvantage and serve mostly as cannon fodder for PC players with Mouse & Keyboard. Are there plans to do something against this?

First of all, any player on PlayStation4 has the ability to plug in a Mouse and a Keyboard and play the game that way. But even apart from that fact, none of our tests, including for the local tournaments we make, show that players on PlayStation4 are at a disadvantage.We have made a certain amount of tests in the office, we have made a certain amount of tests together with Sony before launching the game, repeated them after launching the game - and none of them has showed that any of the sides has a real advantage over the other in battle. In fact, some tests showed quite the contrary - where PC players complained that the PlayStation4 players were at an advantage. When not talking about Simulation mode, as there the flight stick is dominant, but about Realistic and Arcade, then there is really no advantage or disadvantage by using the controller of the PlayStation 4.

In my personal opinion, the reason why people think they are at a disadvantage is quite simple. If you have ever played games like Counter Strike or Doom, basically any PvP-multiplayer game out there, whenever you lose - it is not your fault. It's ping, it's framerate, it's your younger brother - in any case, any player has a perfect excuse. It may be the developers fault for even including PC and PS4 cross-play in the first place, or Russian Bias with Russian, American or German vehicles being overpowered depending on who you are talking to.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm definitely no fodder while in the plane. May be I'm no ace, but no fodder.

When in tank... well, sometimes I outperform opposition, sometimes I lose, but I blame my lack of skill and knowledge (still didn't do the homework on weak spots for US tanks) more than console or graphic settings. And once again, not fodder.

And I'm playing with gamepad, no M&K.

 

[SpoonyBard]

I definitely am fodder when playing planes, I was actually surprised yesterday when I tried realistic mode planes and managed to get a kill and an assist and was leading the team in scores when I died. I failed to reproduce this little success story later, and kept getting killed by a single burst. I think I might do better if I abandoned the first person view and played from 3rd person, but it's difficult to see far ahead from that view. Or then I could learn tactics that would work better without mouse aim..

Other than that certain tank maps have low framerates on PS4, at least sometimes. I think I would do better if I could turn the graphics settings down a bit.

I missed my last premium day because I started the game later on the evening when premium had already expired...

 

[SpoonyBard]

And now I won another talisman for tier 2 Russians. I've lost count on how many I have in tier 2...

 

[SpoonyBard]

And an another talisman today, also for tier 2.

I took a gameplay vid where I got 18 kills and some bots.
https://youtu.be/AKNqShfi-2g

It's not really about skills, it's about getting a crappy opponent and own team, so you can dominate even when you make mistakes.

 

[Wace]

Oh, crap...

http://coub.com/view/7uui1

It's good that I've aced my Tier 2 Soviets already.

In the other news

http://coub.com/view/7uui4

 

[Snakes On A Dirigible]

I would have preferred another M26/T26 variant, but the T25 is nice. A little less armor, but it weighs considerably less, so it will probably be much more mobile.

The devblog implies it'll be around BR 5.7 or 6.0, which should suit it just fine. American tanks seem to suffer around that area, so it's a welcome addition. Can't wait to get it.

 

[Wace]

Nobody cares about planes here, but I'll just post the latest update to be consistent in my mania:

Yak-9B and Hawker Hunter are coming with the next major update (that should happen any day now, if they keep to the every-two-months schedule).

 

[SpoonyBard]

Hmm... apparently there are changes coming in aimin in realistic and sim modes in next update. Interesting. Also Italian and French tanks as captured premium vehicles at some point.

http://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/816


Edit:
I'm having some minor success in realistic mode airplanes. Looks like 3rd person and realistic is the way to go for us mouseless aimers (if not sim).

 

[Wace]

I'm sorry that I've failed you with patch release date. Everyone and their gunner was saying that every-two-months schedule would be kept, but right now 1.53 isn't even available on dev server.

To compensate my immense guilt, here's the attempt to translate new event Whitie_W0lf develops right now.

Team 1 (red) has to break out of the city and capture any of the blue points to win.
Team 2 (blue) has to either destroy Team 1 completely or capture the only red point.
I want to add to the mission the convoy, which will go by when someone from the team is around.

<..>
So I began to work on event:
- 5 randomly spawns and capture points around the city
- Columns of tanks that need to be accompanied to the enemy spawn (surrounded)
- Tanks go only when the players around, they shoot back if shot at or when the enemy is in the vicinity
- capture point is the whole city, the rules of conquest (side with more tanks captures) apply
- airfields angle (?)

The event has the status of WIP, testing needs.
<..>
At the beginning the team 2 hast to capture the city, if after a certain time they did not - the point in the city disappears, and the team 1 needs to break from the city (at this point there appears bots convoy)
Just thoughts: do we need bots for team 2? I can spawn them in or near the capture point or near spawn point (and they'll need player to accompany them). Maybe I'll make their presence required to capture point.
<..>
No SPAAs in the convoy
<..>
Wrote the mechanics by which the bots will respawn and drive their way (only when the player is within 70 m), at the start of a breakthrough from the city. Wrote logic on which the spawn point of team 1, the city, will be transferred as soon as the capture point will cease to belong to them
P.S. Busy paving the way for each of the 50 bots - long, tedious and dull.
<..>
So, what's done?
- 1 of 5 random Team 2 spawns at the beginning of the assault.
- Dynamic shifting out of spawn for the team 1 if city doesn't belong to them. Transfers spawn to the outskirts of the city, on the opposite side from the beginning of the assault.
- A breakthrough can't start if the city does not belong to the team 1
- Break starts randomly at from 300 to 600 seconds (first break), and at 180-300 seconds (next)
- After the start of a breakthrough bots appear (on the outskirts of the city on the side of the attackers), they need to be accompanied to the breakout point.
- Players can capture a breakthrough point, but the score are removed on -50 * Number of living bots (nominally 10) per second (but only if the bots are at the capture point)
- If bots are destroyed the siege begins again with the spawn of the attackers in the new location.

I won't cut bots damage, they'll have session BR
Bots will notice the enemy at 700 meters (they ignore wall - sorry - but they won't shoot through them)
If shot at from the long range, bots will respond, and respond rather accurately.
Central spawn has bots defenders that must be destroyed for capturing the city.
<..>
Plans are to do it in Realistic mode, no markers, JIP (join-in-progress), about an hour of total play time

I'll try to keep you posted. There are parts of this text I don't understand myself.

 

[SpoonyBard]

Good thing that they are coming up with new game modes. I think there was some minor update a week or so ago, which moved around the first spawn points in East European map in break mode. It's lot less annoying now.

 

[eFKac]

Ehh I definitely feel at an disadvantage vs PC players since the game still performs really bad on the PS4, but I'm no fodder.
Ever since I grinded to King Tiger, I end up in top 5 90% of the time, even after the latest balancing bullshit that nerfed a few vehicles into 7.0 or below tier even though they have no business being there.

Shame to hear that the game is not popular even on PS4 alone.

 

[grmlin]

I played with mouse and keyboard on the PS4 anyway, so no real disadvantage in this regard. But it runs so much better on my not so great PC (because I can change settings) that I don't want to play it on PS4 anymore.

 

[Wace]

This bring back old memories from Westwood... I never knew such things existed. 5th tier.

http://coub.com/view/7wl9u

 

[Wace]

Pe-8! Yes, baby, come to me with all your glory! Engine-sitting gunners!!!

http://coub.com/view/804u3

 

[SpoonyBard]

I've been playing planes again, and looks like Russian tier 2 is where I can win even in arcade mode. Mig-3 15 BK seems to be pretty good especially. Who'd have thought Russians are best both in tanks and planes!

 

[Wace]

I've been playing planes again, and looks like Russian tier 2 is where I can win even in arcade mode. Mig-3 15 BK seems to be pretty good especially. Who'd have thought Russians are best both in tanks and planes!

We won the war, remember?

Actually, I wouldn't say that Russian tanks are so great. They're ok in the second tier, IMHO, and maybe (not there yet) dominate the fifth, but the third and fourth is German ground, with US and SU falling behind (at least I feel it this way).

Oh, and the only playable Soviet AA platform is the first one with 4 MGs in the row. After that they suck.

As for planes... well, every one of them is good at their specific purpose. I'm playing Japanese tier 3 right now and absolutely love zeroes and the light diving bomber.

 

[SpoonyBard]

We won the war, remember?

Actually, I wouldn't say that Russian tanks are so great. They're ok in the second tier, IMHO, and maybe (not there yet) dominate the fifth, but the third and fourth is German ground, with US and SU falling behind (at least I feel it this way).

Oh, and the only playable Soviet AA platform is the first one with 4 MGs in the row. After that they suck.

As for planes... well, every one of them is good at their specific purpose. I'm playing Japanese tier 3 right now and absolutely love zeroes and the light diving bomber.

Early T34s are all a bit OP compared to German and Americans, and while Germans get a break with Tiger II (and their tanks destroyers are better pretty much in every tier), I'd say Russian tanks are never exactly weaker than their opposition same way Pz3 is weaker than T34. IS-2 can still kill a Tiger 2 quite easily, same with IS-1 and Tiger 1. American line suffers from lack of tanks in certain BR ranges, but it will be fixed eventually.

In tier V Americans have very weak armor compared to Russians, and German Maus is so slow that its usefullnes is limited. Leopard has unrealistically weak armor, even though the tank is nice and fast. With IS4 and T-10 you don't have to worry about getting one-shotted as much, and even T-54 can survive a hit or two usually.

I haven't played Japanese in a while, I may try them again tonight.

 

[Wace]

Early T34s are all a bit OP compared to German and Americans, and while Germans get a break with Tiger II (and their tanks destroyers are better pretty much in every tier), I'd say Russian tanks are never exactly weaker than their opposition same way Pz3 is weaker than T34.

My current grinding setup is KV-85 (5.3), Su-85M (5.3) and any of the aced following: T-34-57 (4.3), T-34-57 (1943) (4.7), 4M Gaz-AAA (1.0). Tigers and German TDs make me cry and run for the hills. Maybe when I get T-34-85 the situation will change for better.

 

[grmlin]

German tanks are awesome in T1/T2 I think. That early PZ IV is crazy good, I love it.

The US tank lineup around 6 is so shallow, there is a lot left to be desired. I love the Bulldog, it's such a nasty little tank with some rng luck, awesome. Problem is there is nothing else you want to drive when you are in one of these.


I have no premium left and atm I spend my time sailing ships in World of Warships

 

[SpoonyBard]

My current grinding setup is KV-85 (5.3), Su-85M (5.3) and any of the aced following: T-34-57 (4.3), T-34-57 (1943) (4.7), 4M Gaz-AAA (1.0). Tigers and German TDs make me cry and run for the hills. Maybe when I get T-34-85 the situation will change for better.

Truth to be told, when I was first playing the Russian lineup I was having serious problems adjusting at that point. T-34 1942 is the last T-34 you can play as front line brawler, with 57 and 85 you have to play lot more carefully. Basically flank and don't let anyone shoot you or they will one-shot you most likely. KV-85 is very similar to IS-1 and SU-85m is a good TD as long as you don't get shot first. T-44 has a bit better armor than T-34 85, so you can again survive a hit or two.

Russian SPAA units are worse than German, I give you that. But ZSU-37 is pretty good and unlike Kugelblitz has nice low BR. And ZSU-57 can double as a tank destroyer, but it's not as effective now as before.

 

[Wace]

I won't repost the huge text there is, so here are links:

New matchmaking rules (within two weeks, partial implementation)

Planned BR changes (within two weeks)

Summarizing, they've introduced addition to balancing mechanics, allowing to matchmake mixed BR teams better (better setups will be in relatively same amount, one quarter to one third of the teams, than the rest of participants). They also will have the possibility to filter by type of vehicle (mostly for events), so battles like 8 tigers vs. 16 T-34s will be possible.

As for BR..

&#1058;-34-85 5.7=>5.3 (YAY!)
&#1058;-34 1942 3.3=>3.7 (FFFFU....)
MiG-15 8.3=>7.7 (YAY!)
F-86F-2 Sabre 9=>8.3 (FFFFU....)

...and so it goes on.

Notice that lots of 8.0/9.0 were downgraded. New content is coming.

 

[SpoonyBard]

I approve the T-34 42 BR upgrade at least, even though I got a talisman for it yesterday. I think all my tier 2 Russian tanks are have talismans soon.

 

[grmlin]

All I read out of this is that I will see even more overpowered tanks while driving my porsche Tiger. Great.

 

[SpoonyBard]

All I read out of this is that I will see even more overpowered tanks while driving my porsche Tiger. Great.

I think it will be an improvement. If 50% of tanks will be BR 6.0 in a match, 25% will be 5.7 and 25% 6.7. Of course this won't happen in reality, because there aren't enough BR 6.0 tanks, so I guess 5.7 and 6.7 will be the new midpoints instead and will see less of each other than before.

 

[Wace]

I think it will be an improvement. If 50% of tanks will be BR 6.0 in a match, 25% will be 5.7 and 25% 6.7. Of course this won't happen in reality, because there aren't enough BR 6.0 tanks, so I guess 5.7 and 6.7 will be the new midpoints instead and will see less of each other than before.

I understood it a bit different: if you're at the lowest with your BR (6.7, for example) most of opponents will be on the same level (no more than third of 7.3, no more than quarter 7.7). If you're playing top tank, though, there'll be about 3-4 worthy opponents and a lot of free frags.

 

[SpoonyBard]

I understood it a bit different: if you're at the lowest with your BR (6.7, for example) most of opponents will be on the same level (no more than third of 7.3, no more than quarter 7.7). If you're playing top tank, though, there'll be about 3-4 worthy opponents and a lot of free frags.

Hmm, the new rules seem only to apply at BR 6.7 and up? The English translation on that page is not very good, especially the Q&A section

Edit: and all old br 8.0 tanks will be downgraded to 7.7? That's... interesting.

 

[grmlin]

Yeah, all fine and shiny, but all that matters for me is that it's bad enough already that I have to fight 7.7 all the time in 6.7 tanks. With the update even more tanks will join the club of "one-shoot-me-please".

I don't understand why the totally broken matchmaking in this tier would get any better by adding even more high tier tanks.

 

[eFKac]

Yeah, all fine and shiny, but all that matters for me is that it's bad enough already that I have to fight 7.7 all the time in 6.7 tanks. With the update even more tanks will join the club of "one-shoot-me-please".

I don't understand why the totally broken matchmaking in this tier would get any better by adding even more high tier tanks.

QFT.

Ever since I face a King Tiger with 10,5 or even worse a JagdTiger every second match the game just stopped being fun. I have to run for my life in panic so I'll get one shot.

I really like to play my Jagdpanther but it's baffling that it's 6.7 when a Ferdinand is the same and a Jagdtiger is a 7.0, that's just broken balancing.

 

[Wace]

Hmm, the new rules seem only to apply at BR 6.7 and up? The English translation on that page is not very good, especially the Q&A section

Ok, I'll try to translate with my words from the Russian original:

1. The system will affect only battles with 6.7-7.7 BR for now.

2. If the lowest BR in battle is 6.7 there'll be no more than 25% of 7.7 BR players in both teams (max: 4 on each side).

3. If the lowest BR in battle is 7.0 there'll be no more than 37,5% of 7.7 BR players in both teams (max: 6 on each side).

4. If the lowest BR in battle is more than 7.0 or lower than 6.7 the percentage rules do not apply.

So the idea is that if your top tank is 6.7 you have chance to score some frags, it's not like you're the only weakling on the field, and that's for sure.

On the other hand, if your top tank is 7.7 and you're lucky, there's a chance that there won't be more than 4(6) equal opponents out there.

Edit: and all old br 8.0 tanks will be downgraded to 7.7? That's... interesting.

Yea, so the chance to meet 4 x T10M while driving something from 6.7 is... existing.

 

[grmlin]

mkay, so its 4 enemy tanks I have to avoid? I don't know, it looks like Warthunder has a serious population issue, if they have to change the matchmaking like this. At least around 6.7...

 

[SpoonyBard]

QFT.

Ever since I face a King Tiger with 10,5 or even worse a JagdTiger every second match the game just stopped being fun. I have to run for my life in panic so I'll get one shot.

I really like to play my Jagdpanther but it's baffling that it's 6.7 when a Ferdinand is the same and a Jagdtiger is a 7.0, that's just broken balancing.

Tiger II with 10.5 cm is not really that much better than H model. Jagdtiger on the other hand can be quite deadly in any match. I had moderate success with Jagdpanther, but it should really be 6.3.

 

[Wace]

mkay, so its 4 enemy tanks I have to avoid? I don't know, it looks like Warthunder has a serious population issue, if they have to change the matchmaking like this. At least around 6.7...

I believe the premise of the change was significant number of situations when new (relatively) players weren't able to grind properly being balanced to top opponents. With the old matchmaker teams were balanced if they have
15 x T10M + 1 x T44 vs 15 x Mouses (or Mice?) + 1 x Kugelblitz

If you're the one in T-44... Well, you can always defeat the Kugelblitz, but good luck finding one. I'm exaggerating here, but I hope you see the point. So the whole idea is to give "almost tops" a fighting chance. They think about putting the system for all the spreads, but want to test it on the most troublesome area first.

I'm more excited about possibilities for unequal balancing in historical battles. Couple of KV-2 vs horde of early Panzers... mmmm....

 

[grmlin]

Well, I will be more than happy if the changes work out in the end. I will find out soon, I think

Anyway, I still don't understand why all 8.0 are 7.7 now.

 

[Wace]

Anyway, I still don't understand why all 8.0 are 7.7 now.

No idea, but logically thinking, as soon as new top tanks are added, everyone will start to grind them... and it'll be painful grind if you need to wait for two-third of the team with worse tanks appear (or 100% to be 7.7+). So, assuming most of new tanks will be 8.0, they'll be out of the new matchmaker setting, playing as they did before.

So, devs don't want to break game (remember, nobody knows if the new matchmaker flies) for those who would buy new tanks immediately. That is my assumption.

 

[SpoonyBard]

I'm still hoping British tanks come soon, so everyone will be busy playing them.

edit: 7.7 tanks, like Leopard and the first T-54 model, used to be worse than 8.0 tanks, so making them all 7.7 is a bit weird.

 

[grmlin]

So I booted it up. Realized that the Porsche Tiger is 6.0

Tried it 3 times, every match 80%-90% 6.7-7.0. The game is broken for players in that range. Its not fun to play it that way.
Same with the Bulldog. Only crazy enemies. I don't think I will ever grind my way to 7.7 tanks anyway, it's not worth my money anymore.
I will play low tiers instead, and have fun.