After some investigation, the only sort of pattern I can see is that the event(s) between DCT and the Winter event have never shared vehicle class with the DCT vehicle for both years since the new event cycle started.
In 2024 we had:
DCT: KV-7 (ground)
IAR-93B (aircraft)
Winter
In 2025 we had:
DCT: XF5U-1 (aircraft)
R400 (ground)
AK-225 (naval)
Winter
By this pattern, DCT this year would be an aircraft, as a naval event and a ground event are set to follow it. However, this “pattern” may be a coincidence.
In the case of 2025, an interesting note is that the standard event cycle without DCT would have been aircraft (F-106A) → naval (Mackensen) → ground (EFV) → ground (R400) → naval (AK-225), before the Winter event, which is a very unusual pattern in the absence of an aircraft between the F-106A and the winter event as well as the repeat of the ground vehicle class. Similarly, this year, the standard cycle without DCT will be aircraft (F-16XL) → ground (AMV (BMP-3)) → naval [USA] → ground [China] before the Winter event. If DCT this year is also a ground vehicle, then that would be three ground vehicles almost back-to-back, with the naval event being the only break. Thus, there is still reason to suspect that DCT this year will be an aircraft, but this cannot be confirmed.
All should be revealed when the update trailer releases (most likely) a week from today.
The battlepass will most likely have the stug IV and now im starting to think the DCT will sadly be an aircraft, we also have great news thats subs will defo be coming perhaps this update?
Imho not a chance. The other reward is a coastal vehicle (definitionally low BR) and the StuG IV would be way, way too low in BR to be the main prize of the battle pass. It might be the Jagdpanzer IV late with 80mm of frontal armour since at least it would sit around 5.0/5.3, but imho the likelier candidates are a Jagdpanther variant or a Jagdtiger variant.
All that said, at this point I feel pretty confident in predicting that DCT will be an aircraft, and if we assume no repeat nations, it will be Japan. That’s my bet.
Yeah, that’s what confused me. Because when the CM Update said a German TD “that you may be familiar with,” my mind immediately went to the StuG IV, as it’s the best known and most highly requested German TD for the game so far. However, as you say, it’s too low BR to be the main prize, and I don’t believe a coastal vessel has ever been the main prize for a BP, so the StuG IV would seem to not fit the bill here. Which makes me wonder: what other German TDs to be added would be ones that people “may be familiar with”?
I’ve seen the 88mm Jagdtiger mentioned a few times, which seems like it fits really well as a main BP prize, but is it really that popular? I don’t know.
Though, as much as I’d like to see the StuG IV, I’m glad it won’t be a BP reward, as it absolutely deserves to be in the tech tree.
We have no proof the 8.8 JT ever existed, so I would consider that to be off the table. Imho most probable candidates are the aforementioned JPz IV late, the Jagdpanther G2, the Porsche suspension Jagdtiger, and the Jagdtiger Sla.
Either way im happy we get a ww2 german TD. It could be the Ardelt-Rheinmetall Waffenträger which was built alternatively it could also be the Ardelt-Krupp version as their was a limited number of those built compared to the the Ardelt-Rheinmetall.
There is the possibility, think about it if subs are coming then a higher tier sub chaser for coastal could be viable though i doubt anyone would grind for that.
Jagdpanther G2 will always disappoint people when it eventually comes in, because it’s redundant. But as a premium in the BP it makes little sense to me, since it’s competing directly with the premium Jagdpanther BfW. Imho the G2 should come as a regular and foldered TT vehicle.
The Jagdtiger with Porsche suspension would have worse mobility than the regular one, so not the best BP prize either, but I do want it to come to the game eventually.
Jagdtiger Sla is long, long overdue. The JT has been affected the most by the engine nerf, so the mobility boost would be amazing. Also, we have a Tiger II with that engine (which it never mounted) while the JT that did mount it is missing. Give us the last hunting tiger already, I say 😁
I agree with you on the japdpanther G2 or the jagdpanzer 4 being disapointing as BP reward as they should be in the TT.
There are plenty of candidates but the Stug 4 isn’t one of them, it’s a rank 3 at best.
The jagdtiger versions we both suggested fit very well and stop saying a tank did not existed just because There are no pictures of it. You make me think of the people who Said the T58 wasn’t réal until a picture was found then they were like «oops nevermind».
We can see the jagdpanzer 38D with the long 75mm in the BP also.
This is literally how you are supposed to behave mate. You change your mind when presented with new information.
For years you think the T58 is a myth and then new information comes out that proves otherwise. The day we get similar evidence for a Jagdtiger with the long 88, I will immediately change my mind to accept the new facts, and ask for its inclusion in the game. But for now, it’s paper.
As far as I know, the 38D had the same gun as the T, it was just going to be built in Germany (hence the D) with a number of modifications to the hull. I would expect that to be 4.3 like its Czech-built counterpart, so not really main prize material.
Was the assembly ever actually performed? Because otherwise it’s a Coelian situation (there were plans to add X gun to Y chassis but they were never realised).
Tbh I don’t even understand how you could fit the long 75 in a vehicle that is so legendarily cramped to begin with…
Though I guess the D did gain some internal volume over the T with the changes to the hull.
That’s what I’ m saying the jt 88mm was built lol There is just no picture of it. We have people that worked in the plant who confirmed and we have report stating a few were ordered and assembled. The only doubt about it is whether it saw combat or not.
Regarding the jpz 38d with the long gun, prototypes were built and the 38D platform was roomier than the 38t. That’s why they decided to expériment with the long 75mm.
The only one I’m aware of is the order to assemble some. I am not aware of any report saying the assembly was completed. If you have more info I’d be extremely eager to have a look!