Type Leaks: September 2013

Monday, September 16, 2013

Chi Nu Kai - What You Can Expect

The Chi-Nu Kai is a tier 5 Japanese medium that was added to supertester's accounts in the 8.8. This tank is all about the gun, mostly because the armour is crap. While 75mm of frontal turret armour is ok for a tier 5, dont expect it to be bouncing shots like a Churchill or T14. The Chi Nu Kai will most likely be added in 8.9 or 9.0 to foreshadow the Japanese tech tree much like the Matilda BP did for the British tech tree. This tank definitely fills a gap in the tier 5 premiums of lightly armored tanks with good guns. 124mm of penetration, 125 average damage, and a ROF of 12, this thing will have no problems absolutely shredding heavier tanks including the T14, Churchill and Matilda IV. Also expect to be running circles around almost all of tier 5 heavys, TDs, and some mediums.

CREW:

- Commander

- Driver

- Gunner

- Loader

- Radio Operator

Level:
5
MM balance weight:
14.4

HULL and TURRET

Health:
530
Hull armor:
50/25/20
Turret armor:
75/50/50

ENGINE

Speed limit:
38.8/16
Type:

Diesel

Power:

240HP

GUN

Level:

5
Caliber:

75
Ammo Capacity:

52
Reload time:

5
Aim time:

2.3
Accuracy:

0.37

Shot dispersion factor:
- turret rotation: 0.16
- after shot: 4
- while gun damaged: 2
Elevation arc:
- front: -6.5..+20
- rear: -6.5..+20
Rate of elevation:

Health: - maximum: 120
- repaired: 60
Weight:

1 065
Penetration:
124/155/38
Damage:
125/125/175
Rate of fire:
12
Accuracy:
0.37
Aim time:
2.3

RADIO and VIEW

View range:
360
Signal range:
400

PRICES
Price:
1500 Gold

GALLERY:

3D Model and Stats: http://gamemodels3d.com/worldoftanks/vehicles/j201#

Tankspot 11: Sherman III "Firefly"

Its one of the most feared and high honored Sherman to be built. The Sherman III Firefly was a British modification of the M4 Sherman, mounting a fearsome 17 Pounder designed to destroy Panthers and Tigers. This tank has been a long time coming for World of Tanks players, with its great gun along with decent mobility it has been speculated to show up in either a medium or tank destroyer tree, along with rumors of it becoming a premium. This tank would probably be tiered with the TOG or Sentinel tanks at tier 6 or 7.

Known Stats:

Tier: 6-7

Classification: Medium

Tech Tree: (Unconfirmed) 2nd Britsh Medium or TD Tree

Gun Type: 17pndr Canon

Crew: 4-5

(Pictured: Sherman II, the British Lend Lease Sherman that the Firefly is based off of.)

Wikipedia Information: The Sherman Firefly was a Second World War British variant of the American Sherman tank, fitted with the powerful British 17-pounderanti-tank gun as its main weapon. Originally conceived as a stopgap until future British tank designs came into service, the Sherman Firefly became the most common vehicle with the 17-pounder in the war.

Though the British expected to have their own new tank models developed soon, British Major George Brighty championed the already-rejected idea of mounting the 17-pounder in the existing Sherman. With the help of Lieutenant Colonel Witheridge and despite official disapproval, he managed to get the concept accepted. This proved fortunate, as both the Challenger and Cromwell tank designs experienced difficulties and delays.

After the problem of getting the gun to fit in the Sherman's turret was solved, the Firefly was put into production in early 1944, in time to equip Field Marshal Montgomery's forces for the Normandy landings. It soon became highly valued as the only British tank capable of defeating the Panther and Tiger tanks it faced in Normandy at standard combat ranges. In recognition of this, German tank and anti-tank gun crews were instructed to attack Fireflies first. Between 2,100 and 2,200 were manufactured before production wound down in 1945.

Source on the Sherman I + II: Three different variants of Sherman Firefly served during the Second World War, each based on different variants of the M4 Sherman. The Firefly conversion was carried out on Sherman I (M4), Sherman I Hybrid (M4 Composite) and Sherman V (M4A4) tanks. Some sources state that several Sherman IIs (M4A1) were converted and used in action, but photos allegedly showing these conversions are in fact views of the front half of Sherman I Hybrid Fireflies.To complicate matters, a very small number of Canadian licence-built Sherman IIs (M4A1), the Grizzly, were converted to Fireflies in Canada and used for training, but none saw action. The majority of Shermans converted were the Sherman V/M4A4 model, of which the British received about 7,200. The Sherman VC and IC variants are easily distinguished by their lower hulls; the VC having a riveted lower hull with a curved shape while the IC has a welded and angled lower hull. The Hybrid can be distinguished by its upper hull which is cast and which gives it a distinctive curved look in comparison to the more boxy hull of a typical Sherman.

Full Source List

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Firefly#Production_and_distribution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Firefly

Supertest Icons: http://wot-news.com/main/post/09182012/2

Friday, September 13, 2013

Tankspot 10: M3 Grant

Yep its time for the British brother of everyone favorite M3 Lee. The M3 Grant was an uparmoured, up gunned version of the M3 Lee. This tanks only downside over the M3 Lee was its speed.The grant served in North Africa until the end of that campaign. A regiment of M3 Mediums was also used by the U.S. 1st Armored Division in North Africa. In the North African campaign, the M3 was generally appreciated for its mechanical reliability, good armor and heavy firepower. In world of tanks this would probably fall as a premium or part of a tech tree along with the Sherman II and the Sherman Firefly.

Known Stats:

Tier: 4

Classification: Medium

Tech Tree: (Unconfirmed) 2nd Britsh Medium Tree

Gun Type: 75mm Canon

This tank appeared for a brief moment in a video that also showcased the French super-heavies.

Wikipedia Information: The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called by two names based on the turret configuration. Tanks employing US pattern turrets were called the "General Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Variants using British pattern turrets were known as "General Grant", named after U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant.

Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3s were operational in late 1941.[1] The U.S. Army needed a good tank and coupled with United Kingdom's demand for 3,650 medium tanks immediately,[2] the Lee began production by late 1940. The M3 was well armed and armored for the period, but due to design flaws (high silhouette, archaic sponson mounting of the main gun, below-average off-road performance) it was not satisfactory and was withdrawn from front line duty as soon as the M4 Sherman became available in large numbers.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Tankspot 9: Sentinel AC I & Sentinel AC IV

Sentinel Mk. I

The Sentinel 1 was designed in Australia in WW2 in response to the war in Europe, and to the threat of Japan expanding the war to the Pacific or even a feared Japanese invasion of Australia. It was the first tank to be built with a hull cast as a single piece, and the only tank to be produced in quantity in Australia. The few Sentinels that were built never saw action as the armoured had been equipped by that time with British and American tanks.

In world of tanks this tank would probably be a tier 3-4 premium medium for the British tech tree.

Known Stats:

Tier: 3-4

Classification: Medium

Tech Tree: Premium

Gun Type: 2pndr Canon

Wikipedia Information: The AC1 began as a 2 pounder gun-equipped design in November 1940, and was initially intended to be a true Cruiser tank. Like the Canadian Ram the Australian Cruiser was to be based on the engine, drive train, and lower hull of the American M3 Medium tank, mated to an upper hull and turret built closely along the lines of a British Crusader. By 1942, trying to keep pace with German tanks, the design specification had become more like an American medium tank.

Due to a lack of home grown experience in tank design a mission was sent to the US to examine the M3 design and Colonel W.D. Watson MC, an artillery officer with many years tank design experience was provided by the UK. He arrived in December 1940.

The Australian Cruiser tank Mark 1 (AC1) was designated "Sentinel" in February 1942. Fabrication was by Sydney's Chullora Tank Assembly Shops with serial production vehicles emerging in August 1942, the premises also being used as a testing ground. The design used existing parts where available from other tank designs, simplified where necessary to match the machining capacity present in Australia. The hull was cast as a single piece, as was the turret; a technique not used on the hull of any other tanks of the era.

The original vehicle was designed to mount a QF 2 pounder this was later changed to a QF 6 pdr (57 mm, 2.25 in). However none of these were available and the first 65 tanks were built with the 2 pounder. Two Vickers machine guns were carried as secondary armament, one in the hull and a second mounted coaxially beside the main gun. The preferred engines suitable to power a 28 tonne tank, a Pratt & Whitney Wasp single row petrol radial, or a Guiberson diesel radial, were not available within Australia, so the Sentinel was powered by the combined output of three Cadillac 346 in³ (5.7 L) V8 petrol car engines installed in clover-leaf configuration (two engines side-by-side to the front and a single to the rear: all three feeding a common gearbox). Sixty-five production vehicles had been completed by June 1943.

The Sentinel AC IV
The AC IV was an upgunned version of the Mk. 1. It was experimented with a 17pnder and 25pndr gun. This tank would be around the same tier as the TOG II* or higher because of its slightly similar characteristics of low armour / great gun.

Known Stats:

Tier: 6-7

Classification: Medium

Tech Tree: Premium

Gun Type: 17pndr Canon / 25pndr Canon