Looking for some tips for 9.3 USSR Ground Battles. Last time I played The T-64A was not long after it was introduced to the game. I’m looking to spade my T-72A but keep finding the wrong place and dying. I don’t feel like I’m adapting to the slower pace of the Russian MBTs. I feel quite exposed, the tanks I’m encountering are identifying me long before I know they’re there and I just keep driving into well aimed guns and I have no response. After a few practise rounds of not getting anywhere I’ve been working on keeping a lower profile and setting ambushes but the locations I’ve been ambushing from don’t allow much influence over the map ( If I can avoid it I don’t like playing away from the team unless I know I’ll be able to make a decent contribution). I’ve had more success with the ambush playstyle but I’m not getting into positions where I can effectively cover my team. I’m not frustrated but the matches that I’ve been playing have all been quite one sided, it seems like the teams I’m playing with are wiping out within the first few minutes of battle and then not recovering.
Additionally, I haven’t researched the 2S25, I’m thinking I might park this BR until I’ve researched the 2S25, the Object 775 and teh ZSU-23-M4 to help round out the lineup. I just thought I’d try the T-72 with the T-64A as a backup to see what the battles were like
Is 9.3 more of a hole than other BR’s at the moment? I don’t feel like it’s noticeably worse, but when I compare it to battles at 9.0 or 10.0, those matches seem a bit more competitive team wise and I’m at least able to support a more successful team and get a few kills and assists in the process.
For Comparison, I’ve been having quite a bit more success with the MBT-70 and other 9.3 US vehicles seeing as they’re more agile and flexible, I’ve been able to reverse the situation above and really take advantage of the slower reaction time of the Russian 9.3 vehicles.
When your playing things like the T-72A, you need to be relying on your Round, as it’s really the main thing this tank has going for it. Its hull can withstand most rounds, such as the MBT-70’s if I’m not mistaken, and the turret is immune not most rounds you’ll face, except some shots to the breech or roof of the turret which may take a crew member.
The main disadvantage of this tank is its lack of thermals, its slow reload, and slow reverse. Try to play around these disadvantages by not playing aggressive or getting into situations you would need to reverse out of. Play as a sniper or brawler if you must, and just try to stay aware and alert.
I suggest you to skip 9.3 BR, because you almost always will play in constant uptiers. Unlock other vehicles with BMP-2/3 - they are that good. Try not to rush or play agressive, this is when your downsides come up. Play more sniping than close-quarter battles.
Your main upsides: powerful cannon, good frontal armor, good hull rotation speed.
Your main downsides are: awful gun handling, slow reload and reverse speed, almost 0 survivability after penetration, lack of zoom and thermals.
The UFP can hold it, but I remember destroying it through drivers hatch with M735 from ~700 m (I don’t exactly remember)
Playing Russian tanks takes some getting used to, the T-90A was personally a great teacher of this.
Under no circumstances should you EVER advance if you aren’t 100% sure it’s worth it. When fighting someone, always be prepared for them to be able to shoot back if you don’t take out their gun because of your long reload.
For the T-72A, you’re pretty much forced to rely on armor as every other aspect is quite mediocre for the BR. Kakolka is a decent round but it’s a steel penetrator so less spalling and the 60 degree pen is only about as good as DM23 (105). Your reload is subpar and you have an easily destroyed autoloader module. Gun handling is terrible and mobility is meh.
The 2S25 is decent, but the stock grind is kind of rough. 3BM42 is a very good round, though. Personally, I’d take the BMP-3 over it.
I don’t have the Object 775 so I can’t speak on it, but a 500mm pen ATGM that can face 10.3 vehicle seems pretty rough.
Tell me about it, USSR was the first ground tree I had a solid attempt at reaching the top of the tech tree. I had just gotten the T-62 when the MBT-70/T-64 released and I wasn’t great at the game by any means and I remember it being hell.
I’ve got a different approach to the game these days, and I’ll take your advice.
That both BMP’s are good specifically. Also forgot to mention about T-55AMD, it’s pretty decent for it’s BR but your main shell is APDS (not APHE or APFSDS). Why? APFSDS is worse than your stock APDS, and APHE just ‘dissolves’ with no damage in NATO tanks.
This is basically my lineup with playable vehicles at this BR:
Shturm-S is usable against helicopters
I just wanted to say thanks again, I’ve been applying the advice you’s have given and I’ve been having way more success (well 2-3 kills per match is still way better than 0). The tanks feel a lot more comfortable and I’m more confident using it the way you’s have suggested.
Imo 9.0 USSR has better vehicles and matchmaking than the 9.3s, you have the BMP-3 which is downright broken when played correctly, you can abuse the HE and use the bullet arc to hit target hiding behind cover, while you stay completely invisible from target sight. Then you have the T-62M1 which has a better FCS than the T-64A, better zoom level which they recently fixed it, can reverse twice as fast, have 50cal hmg to clear heli-degenerates and then you also have more ammunition choice, the only thing it lost to the T-64A is the reload and lack composite armor. You also have the Object 279 which is something no 8.0/8.3 wanna face and you couldn’t asked for a better lineup lol
One thing I liked about the T-64s and T-72A is the ability to hull down, it has -6 degree you can find a lot of spots where you can lower your gun enough to shoot, unlike the later T-72B variant that lose that one-degree of gun depression, you wouldn’t be able to use the same spot the T-64/T-72A could use.
